US3298688A

US3298688A - Foot and hand spring-resistance exercising device

Info

Publication number: US3298688A
Application number: US370855A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grzybowski Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-05-28
Filing date: 1964-05-28
Publication date: 1967-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-17

Description

Jan. 17, 1967 w. GRZYBOWSKI 3,298,688

FOOT AND HAND SPRING-RESISTANCE EXERCISING DEVICE FiledMay 28, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

35 Clae 55129506052 1:

wtzeg/s Jan. 17', 1967 Flled May 28 1964 aitozrzegz Jim. 17, 1967 W. GRZYBOWSKI FOOT AND HAND SPRING-RESISTANCE EXERCISING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1964 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. zyfiwsfjz W M fizz-c3 6 United States Patent 3,298,688 FOOT AND HAND SPRING-RESISTANCE EXERCISING DEVICE Walter Grzybowski, 7249 W. Olive, Chicago, Ill. 60631 Filed May 28, 1964, Ser. No. 370,855

13 Claims. (Cl. 272-83) This invention relates to an exerciser device for handand/ or foot operation in physiotherapy treatments.

The main objects of this invention are; to provide an improved form of a body-limb exerciser device the regulated use of which will produce therapeutic benefits; to provide an improved exerciser device of this kind which may be positioned horizontally, vertically or at an angle and to provide an improved physiotherapy device of this kind of such simple and practical construction as to make its production very economical, its arrangement for use extremely facile, and the results from the use thereof highly gratifying.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dual type of physiotherapy exerciser device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another adaptation of a physiotherapy exerciser device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 44. of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another adaptation of a physiotherapy exerciser device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, sectional detail taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

The essential concept of this invention involves a bodylimb contact element reciprocably mounted on a framepart and having a contact pad for pressuring the element against tensioned fasteners and means yieldingly biasing the element toward a retracted position on the frame-part.

A physiotherapy exerciser device embodying the foregoing concept comprises some kind of a frame-part 11 whereon a body-limb element 12 is reciprocably secured by tensioning fasteners 13 with yieldable means 14 normally biasing the body-contact element 12 toward a retracted position on the frame-part 11 when it is secured to a suitable support S by a mounting member 15.

The frame-part 11 as herein shown for the adaptation of FIGS. 1 and 2 is in the nature of right-angle triangular frame whereas for the adaptations of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 the frame-part 11 is in the nature of a narrow flat plate.

The body-limb contact element 12 for the adaptations of FIGS. 1 and 3 is a single bar, whereas for the adaptation of FIG. 5 it is a pair of superimposed bars.

The tensioning fasteners 13 in each of the several adaptations are shown as knurled-headed bolts with winged nuts and an interposed resilient ring, as will be explained more specifically in the later detail descriptions of the several adaptations.

The yieldable retracting means 14, for each of the several adaptations, comprise conventional springs, as will be explained later.

The mounting member 15 for the adaptation of FIG. 1 is in the form of a stool whereas for the adaptations of FIGS. 3 and 5 it is in the nature of an elongated block.

Each of the foregoing components preferably are formed of a light metal such as aluminum. However, it could be possible to form them of thermoplastic.

In the adaptation as shown in FIG. 1 the frame-part 11 is in the nature of a right-angle triangle with the two right- 3,298,688 Patented Jan. 17, 1967

angle legs

16 and 17 spanned by hypotenuse 18. The leg 16 has an extension 19, so that a side view of the framepart 11 resembles a numeral 4 as it appears in certain types of lettering.

The two body-limb contact elements 12, involved in this adaptation, are shown as

narrow bars

21 and 22 with slots 23 extending longitudinally medially of each, nearly the full length thereof. These

bars

21 and 22 have angled offsets 24' and 25, respectively, over which is fitted a friction pad 26 formed, preferably, or resilient material such as rubber, or a rubber substitute. The bar 21 also has a lower angled offset 27 whereon is fixed a foot rest 28 removably secured bya pair of screws 29.

These two body-limb contact elements 12 are reciprocably secured to the leg 16 and the hypotenuse 18, respectively, by tensioning fasteners 13 and the retaining clips 20. Each of these tensioning fasteners 13 (FIG. 2) comprises an enlarged, knurled-headed bolt 31 on which is threaded by a wing nut 32 with an interposed short spring ring 33. A pair of these tensioned fasteners 13 have the stem of the bolt 31 extending through the slots 23 of the

respective bars

21 and 22 and through holes 34 in the triangle leg 16 and the hypotenuse 18, with the spring ring 33 interposed between the wing nut 32 and the opposed part of the frame-part 11. The turning of the wing nuts 32 tension the spring rings 33 which determine the amount of exertion that will be needed for a patient to pressure these body-limb contact elements 12 along the respective leg 16 and/ or hypotenuse 18 of the frame-part 11.

The yieldable retracting means 14 comprise tension springs 35 arranged along the opposite perimeters of the body-limb contact elements 12 and the support leg 16 and hypotenuse 18, respectively. One end of each spring 35 is attached to a pin 36 adjacent the upper end of the leg 16 or hypotenuse 18 with the other end of each spring 35 attached to a pin 37 near the lower end of the

bar

21 or 22. Such springs 35 normally tend to urge the

respective bars

21 and 22 toward the upper limit of their movement as determined by the contact of the lower end of the respective slots 23 with the tensioning fasteners 13.

Such an assembled adaptation of this physiotherapy exerciser device, as shown in FIG. 1, is secured to a mounting member 15, in the nature of a stool. The leg 17 of frame-part 11 is secured to the stool by means of screws 38 extending through apertures in the leg 17 and set in the base of the stool S. The extremity of the extension 19 is secured by a screw 39 to cross-piece 41 spanning and bonded to the pair of spaced feet 42 of the stool.

Obviously, one of the body-limb contact elements 12, in this FIG. 1 adaptation, on the leg 16, is designed for physiotherapy when used with either the hands and/or the feet. The contact element 12 on the hypotenuse 18 here is shown structured for hand use only. However, it is quite apparent that the lower end of the contact element 12 could have an angled offset to which could be attached a foot piece, as with the other contact element 12 in this adaptation. That would permit the use of the angled contact element 12 for use with either the feet or the hands.

In order to permit a patient to stable himself, when using the element 12 on the leg 16 for foot therapy, a pair of handle-bars 43 are attached at their lower ends to the stool feet 42. Being of appropriate height and with the upper ends angled outwardly and with mounting hand grips 44, a patient can steady himself on one foot as the other is used to pump the contact element 12 downwardly against the action of the tensioning fasteners 13 and the retracting springs 35.

The frame-part 11, as herein shown for the adaptation of FIGS. 3 and 4, is in the form of an elongated plate 45 secured at its ends by screws 46 to the hereinafter-described mounting member 15.

The body-limb contact element 12, for this adaptation, is a narrow bar 47 with a slot 48 extending longitudinally medially thereof nearly the full length of the bar 47 The opposite ends of the bar 47 have

angled offsets

49 and 50 whereon are fitted, respectively, a friction pad 51 and a foot-rest 52, quite as is the case with the adaptation shown in FIG. 1.

The bar 47 is reciprocably secured to the plate 45 by a pair of tensioning fasteners 13, and between retaining clips 20, substantially as with the similar elements 12 in the adaptation of FIG. 1. The tensioning fasteners 13, as shown in FIG. 4, are the same as those previously described. They comprise a knurled-headed bolt 31 on which is threaded a wing nut 32 with an interposed spring ring 33. Such a pair of spring-tensioned fasteners 13 have the stems of the bolts 31 extending through the slots 48 in the bar 47 and through holes 53 in the plate 45.

The yieldable retracting means 14 comprises the extension springs 54 arranged along opposite perimeters of the plate 45 and a bar 47. The opposite ends of the springs 54 are attached to

pins

56 and 57 spacedly fixed, respectively, to the plate 45 and the bar 47.

The mounting member 15, in this adaptation of FIG. 3, is a flat elongated block 58 of a length, width and thickness greater than the respective dimensions of the plate 47 which is attached to the block by the screws 46.

Inwardly adjacent its opposite ends, the block 58 has holes for the reception of fasteners 59 (screws or bolts) for anchoring the block 58 to a support S which, as shown in FIG. 3, is a wall. If desired, however, such a block 58 could be used to position the exerciser on a horizontal support S, such as a stool, bench, table or the like.

Since this adaptation of FIG. 3 is structured for hand and/or foot use, a pair of handle bars 60, of tubular material, are swivelly-supported in pairs of verticallyspaced holders 61 secured to the opposite lateral faces of the block 58. The upper ends of these handle bars 60 are angled outwardly and have hand grips 62, of friction material, secured over the extremities thereof. Being swivelled in these holders 61, the handle bars 60 may be positioned with the hand-groups 62 oppositely disposed more or less parallel with the supporting wall, as indicated in full lines (FIG. 3) or turned inwardly with the hand-grips 62 in parallel relationship, as shown in the dotted outlines.

The structuring of the adaptation shown in FIGS. and 6 is quite like that of the just-described adaptation of FIGS. 3 and 4. The differences reside mainly in the dual-bar formation of the body-limb contact element 12 and the grooved ends of the mounting member 15.

The frame-part 11, in this adaptation of FIGS. 5 and 6, comprises an elongated plate 63 secured at its ends by screws 64 to the mounting member 15, to be described presently.

The body-limb contact element 12 comprises a pair of superimposed

bars

66 and 67 of substantially identical form, each with a slot 68 longitudinally medially thereof nearly the full length of the bars. One end of each

bar

66 or 67 has a similar angled offset 69 whereon is fitted a friction pad 70. These superimposed bars '66 and 67 are secured to the plate 63 by a pair of the tensioning fasteners 13, between retaining clips 20, quite the same as are the elements 12 of the two previously-described adaptations. As shown in FIG. 7, these tensioning fasteners 13 comprise the knurled-headed bolts 31 on which is threaded a wing nut 32 with an interposed spring ring 33. In this adaptation of FIGS. 5 and 6, the spring ring 33 is a conventional spring washer. Such a pair of tensioning fasteners 13 have the stems of the bolts 31 extending through the slots 68 of the superimposed bars 66 and 67 and through holes 71 in the plate 63.

the

bars

66 and 67.

The mounting member 15, in this adaptation of FIGS. 5 and 6, is a flat, elongated block 75 substantially the same as the block 58 of the adaptation of FIG. 3. However, in this block 75 transverse slots 76 are formed adjacently inward from the opposite ends These are provided to permit the seating therein of the ends of C-clamps to secure the block 75 to a desired support S, as for example, a bench, table or the like.

In the

blocks

58 and 75 circular recesses 77 are provided for seating the wing nuts 32.

The manner, extent and period of use of any one of these adaptations of this physiotherapy exerciser device will depend upon the patient and his attending physician. Whatever may be prescribed, it is apparent that with any one of these adaptations the tensioning of the bolt-andnut fasteners 13 will determine the amount of pressure that the patient will have to exert by the hands and/ or feet to pump the control element 12 in one direction and allow the retracting springs 14 to return the contact element 12 to its normal position.

It will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:'

1. A physiotherapy exerciser device comprising, a frame-part, a longitudinally-slotted body-limb contact element formed with contact pad at one end, fastener means on the frame-part and extending through the slotted portion of the element and exerting a yielding frictional resistance to the reciprocation of the element on the frame-part, and spring means interposed between the frame-part and the element for normally biasing the contact element toward a retracted position on the framepant.

2. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 1 wherein resilient material rings are interposed in the fastener means to permit adjusting the frictional resistance to reciprocation of the contact element.

3. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pad is arranged at each end of the element and a pair of said fastener means are disposed longitudinally along the contact element.

4. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the contact element comprises a pair of bars each with a pad at one end, the bars being superimposed with the pads spacedly opposed and the spring means biasing the respective bars in opposite directions.

5. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame-part is secured to a support for the vertical disposition of the contact element.

6. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 5 wherein a handle bar is fixed to the support in upwardly-extending disposition substantially parallel with the contact element to dispose the upper end of the handle bar for gripping by a patient when using the exerciser. v 7. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame-part is of right-angle-triangular form comprising two right angle legs and a hypotenuse and said body-limb contact element is reciprocably mounted on one of the right-angle legs and another bodylimb contact element is reciprocably mounted on the hypotenuse of the frame-part.

8. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 7 wherein a stool-type support has the other rightangle leg secured to the stool to dispose the One g in vertical relationship to the stool. I

9. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 7 wherein a stool-type support has the other rightangle leg secured to the stool to dispose the said one right angle leg in vertical relationship to the stool, and a pair of handle bars are fixed to the stool in upwardly-extending disposition substantially parallel to the contact element on the one right angle leg with the upper ends of the handle bars disposed for gripping by a patient using the exerciser.

10. A physiotherapy exerciser device comprising, an elongated mounting member adapted for positioning on a support either vertically or horizontally, a frame-pant fixed to the mounting member, a longitudinally-slotted body-limb contact element formed with contact pads at the opposite ends thereof, fasteners fixed on the framepart and extending through the element slot for exerting a yielding frictional resistance to the reciprocation of the element on the frame-part, and spring means interposed between the frame-part and the element for biasing the contact element toward a retracted position on the framepart.

11. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the mounting member has means for securing it in fixed relation to a support.

12. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the contact element comprises a pair of bars each with a pad at one end, the bars being superimposed on the frame-part with the pads spacedly opposed and the spring means biasing the respective bars in opposite directions.

13. A physiotherapy exerciser device as set forth in claim 12 wherein the ends of the mounting member are recessed to seat clamps for anchoring the device to a support.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 540,433 5/1957 Canada.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A PHYSIOTHERAPY EXERCISER DEVICE COMPRISING, A FRAME-PART, A LONGITUDINALLY-SLOTTED BODY-LIMB CONTACT ELEMENT FORMED WITH CONTACT PAD AT ONE END, FASTENER MEANS ON THE FRAME-PART AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOTTED PORTION OF THE ELEMENT AND EXERTING A YIELDING FRICTIONAL RESISTANCE TO THE RECIPROCATION OF THE ELEMENT ON THE FRAME-PART, AND SPRING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE FRAME-PART AND THE ELEMENT FOR NORMALLY BIASING THE CONTACT ELEMENT TOWARD A RETRACTED POSITION ON THE FRAMEPART.