US2616416A - Power actuated leg exercising device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1952 J. A. GILLMEIER 2,616,416.

POWER ACTUATED LEG EXERCISING DEVICE .32 ujim I N V EN TOR. (Jo 5:714. rrzgz'er,

' BY W Patented Nov. 4, 1 952 OFFICE POWER ACTUATED LEG EXERCISING Q DEVICE John A. Gillmeier, Maplewood, N. J. Application December 6, 1950, Serial No. 199,511

This invention relates to improvements in exercising devices,and has reference, more particularly, to a power actuated device for exercising the legs of the user.

The invention has for an object to provide a,

power actuated legexercising device of the rotary pedal type suitable for general use, but especially adapted for use by individuals aillicted with in-" fantile paralysis, motor paralysis or muscularatrophy or weakness.

In leg exercising. devices of the power driven rotary pedal type as heretofore known to the art, I power transmission from a prime mover to thegagement with the rotated pedal means, said pedal means continues its power actuated rota tion with graverisk of injury to the feet orQlegs, of the user, if th'e'latter are interposed in thepath of pedal movement before power transmis--' sion can be manually interrupted and the pedal 6 Claims. (01. 128-25) bers I2.

means brought to a stop. In addition to this,

there is risk of damage to the device itself if the" rotating pedal means be accidentally brought into contact with. an obstruction. Having pos: sibility of theseundesirable occurrences in view, it is a further object of this invention to provide a novel construction of power actuated leg exercising device of the rotating pedal type wherein automatic exercising device or: the rotating pedal type which is'of simple and compact structure, and which can readily be applied to the legs of a user whilethe' latter issitting upright, asin a chair, or is reclining on a reclining chair or couch.

- 1 Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same. v

. An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which: 7

v Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a leg exercising device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view .of the'same. 1

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 3- 3 inFig. 2, but drawn on an enlarged scale, the same showing the pedal rotating shaft in normal clutched relation to the power transmission mechanism by means of aself-releasing clutch mechanism; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, butshowmg the clutch mechanism released.-

I Similar charactersof reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

, Referring to the drawings, the. reference character III indicates the base of theleg exercising device, which is provided at its forward end with laterally spaced, upstanding standards II which terminate at their upper. ends in bearing mem- Journaled in and across the bearing members I2 is a transverse horizontal pedal rotating shaft I3. Afiixed respectively to opposite ends of the pedal rotating shaft I3 are pedal crank arms I4, which are preferably arranged to extend in oppositedirections. Extending out wardly from the free end of each pedal crank arm I4, at a right angle thereto, is a pedal pin I5. Rotatably mounted on each pedal pin I5 is the bearing sleeve I6 by which a suitably shaped foot engageable pedal I1 is pivotally supported.

The base III is provided with a platformsection- I8 which inclines upwardly from the 'rear end portion of said base toward the bearing standards I I. Supported upon and affixed tothe rearward portion of the platform section I-Bis an electric motor I9 which serves" as the'power source by which the pedal rotating shaft I3 is driven through intermediate transmission- 'me chanism. Electric current is servedto the motor I9 through a switch box20 having a connector receptacle 2| to which current service wiresinot I shown) can be detachably connected.

- which meshes with and is driven by'the driver bevel gear 25. The driven' bevel'ge'ar 261 is held against axial movement by Qabutment against. the innerface of abearing'membenfl of a standard II, being thus held between the latter; and the driver bevel gear which meshes therewith. The driven bevel gear 26 is releasably clutched in power transmitting relation to the pedal rotating shaft I3. To this end, said pedal rotating shaft [3 is provided with a transverse clutch pin 21 which extends diametrically therethrough, so that at least an end of the clutch pin projects radially from the pedal rotating shaft. The driven bevel gear 26 is provided with a forwardly projecting clutch hub 28 having in its face a clutch notch or notches 29 in which the clutch pin 21 is normally engaged, thereby to clutch the driven bevel gear 26 in power transmitting relation to the pedal rotating shafts Said pedal rotating shaft is permitted limited axial movement in its supporting bearing members 12. Means is provided for yieldably moving the pedal rotating shaft axially in direction to.

collar 3| toward or from the adjacent bearing member l2. The thrust or stop collar 3! is releasably held in selected adjusted position by a set screw 32 or other suitable means adapted for such purpose.

In. use of the leg exercising device, the same is positioned in front of the user as the latter sits or reclines on a chair or couch, whereupon the users feet are placed upon the pedals H. Thereafter, when current is served to the motor l9 to cause its operation, the produced power is transmitted, through the interconnecting transmission, to the driver bevel gear 25 and. by the latter to the driven bevel gear 26. 7 Since the driven bevel gear 26 is normally clutched to the pedal rotating shaft 13, the latter will, in turn, be rota-ted'and thus will cause the pedals H to be revolved.

As the pedals H are revolved the users legs are put in motion, and thus are automatically exercised, so that blood circulation is stimulated andthe muscles alternately tensed and relaxed, all in aid of restoration toward normality.

In accordance with this invention, a safety factor has been incorporated in the leg exercising device, by virtue of which risk of accidental injury to the users legs, or to the device itself, has been practically eliminated. This safety factor is provided by the self-releasing clutch means by which the driven bevel gear 26 of the power transmission is normally coupled in. driving relation to the pedal rotating shaft l3. So long as the user's legs are properly engaged with the revolved pedals ll, so that the users legs respond to the motion imparted thereto. by said pedals, the clutch pin 2'! remains in engage ment with the notch or notches 29 of the clutch hub 28, whereby power is transmitted by the driven bevelgear -26'to the pedal rotating shaft I3. If, however, a leg or Iegsof the user should be accidentally disengaged from a .pedal or pedals of the 'device, andbebrought into the path of movement of thepedz'ils or their crank arms M, or if for any other reason movement of the pedals and crank arms is obstructed, the resultant'resistance' to pedal movement is immediately impressed upon the pedal rotating shaft 13 in sufficient force to permit the clutch pin 2i to ride out of the notch or notches 29 of the clutch hub 28, as tension of the spring 39 is overcome, thereby permitting the driven bevel gear 26 to turn freely on the pedal rotating shaft I3 without imparting movement to the latter. By reason of this, motion of the pedals H is arrested, and consequently injury to the user's legs or feet is prevented. The same release of the pedal rotating shaft from driven relation to the transmission will occur in the event the pedals are accidentally brought into contact with any relatively immovable object, with the consequence that damage to the device is thereby avoided.

It will be obvious that variation in the arrangement and detail form and construction of the device and its parts may be made within the scope of the herefollowing claims. It will therefore be understood that the matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification shall be considered as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A power actuated leg exercising device comprising a transverse pedal rotating shaft having crank arm carried pedals at its opposite ends,

means to support said" shaft subject to both rctative and limited axial movement, and means to transmit operating power to said shaft, the latter means including a driver gear and a driven gear, the driven gear being freely rotatable on said shaft, said shaft and driven gear havingfooted against the shaft support, and a stop. collar on said shaft against which said" spring I thrusts, whereby to axially shift the shaft in direction to yieldably and thus releasably hold the clutch elements engaged.

2. A power actuated leg exercising device as.

defined in claim 1, including means to adjustably fix the stop collar on the shaft for regulating the tension of the spring. I

3. A power actuating leg exercising device as I defined in claim 1, wherein the clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch pin carriedby-the shaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch-hub having notch means to receive clutching engagement of the clutchpin.

4. Apower actuated leg exercisingdevice' as defined in claim 1 wherein the clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch 'pincarrie d by the shaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch hub having .no'tchmeans to receive clutching engagement ofthe clutch pin, and wherein the stop collar includesmeans for adjustably fixing ,the same on the shaftjfor regulating the tension'jof the spring.

-5. A- power. actuated legl'lexercising device comprising a base, bear-ting. standards upstanding from the base, a transverse pedal rotatingshaft mounted in the bearing 'standards for; both rotative and limited axial movement, said: shaft having crank arm carried pedals at its opposite ends, an electric motor-mounted on the base, andimeans to transmit the power cf'said motor to said shaft, the lattermeans including a-drlver gear anda driven g'earfthe driven gear being freely rotatable on" said shaft, -sai'd shaft and driven gear having cooperative"clutchelements operative to couple the latter in driving relation to the former when said clutch elements are engaged, a compression spring mounted around said shaft and footed against a bearing standard, and a stop collar on said shaft against which said spring thrusts, whereby to axially shift the shaft in direction to yieldably and thus releasably hold the clutch elements engaged.

6. A power actuated leg exercising device as defined in claim 5 wherein the clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch pin carried by the shaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch hub having notch means to receive clutching engagement of the clutch pin.

JOHN A. GILLMEIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images