US2977118A - Gymnastic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1961 FARKAS GYMNASTIC APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LUCIEN L. FARKAS BY w t? ATTORNEY Filed Sept. 9, 1959 lt-vill March 28, 1961 L. L. FARKAS 2,977,118

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 230 232 228 230 232 228 INVENTOR LUC!EN FARKAS E: .5. =L

BY w -M ATTORNEY March 28, 1961 L. FARKAS 2,977,118

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR LUCIEN L. FARKAS ATTORNEY March 28, 1961 L. L. FARKAS GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 ATTORNEY 2,977,118 GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Lucien L. Farkas, 7001 Cane Hills Circle, Orlando, Fla.

Filed Sept. 9 1959 Ser. No. 838,893 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-.60)

This invention relates to exercise and recreation. More particularly, this invention relates to gymnastic apparatus for use by both adults and children that is adaptable to provide a variety of forms of exercise and recreation. V

Heretofore, various gymnastic" apparatus have been proposed. Some of these have provided horizontal bars from which swings, rings, and the like, have been suspended. Many prior devices have been designed for use by persons of one physical size range, and have been unsuitable for persons of different physical size range.

This invention includes a unitary gymnastic apparatus having both a horizontal bar for adults and a horizontal bar for children secured to a common supporting structure.

The invention also provides fixtures for connecting implements such as swings, rings, sandbags, et cetera, to

selected positions on the horizontal bars. The gymnastic apparatus of the invention is readily adaptable or convertible to provide various forms of exercise and recreation. The gymnastic apparatus is so constructed that the swings, rings, et cetera, and their connecting fixtures, can be displaced so that the horizontal bars are unobstructed and adaptedfor direct manual engagement, as in chinning-up-exeroises.

For a better understanding of the invention and its other objects, advantages and details, reference is'now made to the present preferred embodiments of the invention which are shown, for'purposes of illustration only, in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: V

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a gymnastic apparatus according to the invention showing rings suspended from the adult bar, a swing suspended from the-childish bar, and a basketball backboard, ring and net attached to the frame; a V

.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of another from of the gymnastic apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1i after it has been adapted to have aswing suspended from-the, adult bar and a punching bag and platform attached to" the frame; 1'

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a swingseat and illustrating .a sling according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a vertical section'through aiswing seat, similar to Fig. 3, but showing another embodiment of a sling accordingto theinvention; I} a v a v Fig. is a fragmentary elevation, partly broken away,

of another form of the gymnastic apparatus illustratediu zontal bar at a height suitable for adults and a lower childish bar at a height suitable for children. Collars are slidably mounted on the horizontal bars and can be releasably'positioned at various locations along the bars. Various exercise devices, such as swings, rings, climbing ropes, and the like, can be suspended from the collars. The collars can be moved to the ends of the bars to clear the bars for direct manual engagement, as in chinningup exercises,-hanging by the knees, and the like.

The end portions of the frame are so constructed as to support other exercise devices such as a basketball net orapunching bag. I

Referring to the drawings, a gymnastic apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. The gymnastic apparatus inchides an upper adult horizontal bar 20 and a lower childish horizontal bar 24 extending from a common central supporting A- frame 25. The adult bar 20 is spaced a distance above the ground or floorsupporting the gymnastic apparatus suitable for adults to perform exercises thereon and swing therefrom. Similarly, the childish bar 24 is spaced a suitable distance above .the'supporting ground or floor so that children can perform exercises thereon'and swing therefrom.

The term childish, as used herein with respect tobar I 24, is used in its primary meaning- 0f, pertaining to, befitting, or resembling, achild. r j The various bars andA-frames of the gymnastic apparatus can be thr'eadedly connected. The central A- frame 25 includesa corner connector 26 secured to one end of adult bar 20 and secured to the upper ends of two divergent frame legs 28 and 30. A cross bar 32 extends horizontally between intermediate parts of legs 28 and 30 and is connected thereto by generally T- shaped connectors 34 and 36, Frame feet 38 and 40 are formed at the lower ends of frame legs 28 and 38, respectively, and engage the ground or floor, Suitable pegs or screws extend'throughapertures in the feet 38 and 40 into thesupporting ground or. floor. Alternatively, lag bolts can be employed to anchor the gymnastic apparatus to a concrete support. I

' One end of the childish bar 24 is secured to cross bar 32 by T-connector 42. The opposite end of childish bar 24 is supported by a generally A-shaped frame 44 including acornerconnector 46 secured to the childish bar 24 and to two divergent legs 48 and 50, a cross bar '52 extending between legs 48 and 50 and connected thereto I legs [66 and 68, a cross bar 70 extending between'legs and 68 and connected thereto by generally T- shaped connectors 72 and 74, andgfeet 76 and 78 formed at the lowerien'ds of legs; 663.!!(1 68, respectively, Inorder to i give' stability'to'the entire gymnastic apparatus, the feet Figs. 1 and 2 which has been adapted to have a knotted climbing rope suspended fromthe. adult bar and a sandbag suspendedfromthe childish bar; v,

Fig. 6 is :a perspective view of another form of the gymnastic apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2," and 5 whereinthe adult bar and childish bar have been cleared to p yidr1 r ct manual sa 9 t rs P hi n zun'ex rc s 'sand t l e; n 5

ifi ieflr stat r th m a ti aar r 58, 60,- 76 and 78 are secured to' the-supporting ground or floor in a mannersimilar to that described above with respect to feet 38 and 40.

Referring to Fig. 1, a swing 80 is suspended from the childish bar 24. 'The Swing includes-a pair of chains 82 I and 84 having. their lower'ends secured to slings .86 and 88 engaging a seat; 90; A pai'r of collars 92 and 94 are slidably positioned on the childish bar 24 for thesuspension of swing 80. The collars 92 and 94am maintained tion includes a frame supporting an upper adultih oriin position on the childish-bar 24 by, a positioning chain at, spacedlpositions.

the collar 92 inan snap'hook 102 is coiinectedt t! outer end of adult bar 20 is supported by a generally 'A-shaped frame 62 including a corner ;con nector 6.4 secured to the adult bar 20. and to two divergent Referring to Fig.1, the snap hook 98is connectedjto I As seen more clearly in Fig. 7, the collar 92 includes a cylindrical sleeve 1M surrounding the bar 24 for both axial and rotational sliding thereon. A pair of loops 106 and 1% extend from diametrically-opposed positions on sleeve 1%. The loop 196 is releasably engaged by snap hook 98. The loop 103 is releasably engaged by snap hook 110 secured to the upper end of swing chain 82. Each of the other collars in the gymnastic apparatus is constructed similarly to the collar 92 shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. l, the, swing chain 84 is releasably attached to collar 24 by a snap hook 112. The positioning chain 96 extends from a loop 114- secured to connector 46 and is releasably attached at its opposite end to a loop 116 by a snap hook 118.

With further reference to Fig. 1, the adult bar 20 has suspended therefrom a pair of manual rings 130 and 132 releasably secured by snap hooks 134 and 136, respectively, to circlets 138 and 140 at the lower ends of chains 142 and 144. The upper ends of chains 142 and 144 are detachably connected, respectively, by fasteners such as snap hooks 146 and 148 to collars 150 and 152 slidably surrounding the adult bar 20. The collars and 152 are maintained in the position shown in Fig. l by snap hooks 154 and 156 secured to positioning chain 158 extending from a loop 16% mounted on connector 64. As seen more clearly in Fig. 5, the opposite end of positioning chain 158 is detachably secured by a snap hook 162 engaging a loop 164 mounted on connector 26. A middle fastener such as snap hook 166 is attached, to positioning chain 158 for positioning other exercise devices, as hereinafter described.

The A-frame 62 supports, as viewed in Fig. l, a backboard 170 secured thereto by bolts and supporting a basketball ring 172 and net 174.

The gymnastic apparatus shown in Fig. l'can be readily adapted to the form shownin Fig. 2. The manual rings 135) and 132 are detachedfrom circlets'138 and .140. Then the swing St? is detached from childish bar 24 by disengaging snap hookslltl and 112. Thereafter the swing 80 is positioned beneath the adult bar and the snap hooks 110 and 112 are engaged with circlets 138 and 149, respectively, so as to suspend the swing 80 beneath the adult bar 20. It will be seen that the combined lengths of the chains 82, 84, 142, and 144 are sufficient to suspend the seat 9% at position conveniently adjacent the ground and to provide an arc of swinging appropriate for an adult or an older child;

The form of gymnastic apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 has been further adapted in that a punching bag 176 is suspended from platform 178 connected by appropriate braces 18th and 132 to a backboard 184 attached by nut and bolt assemblies 186 to A-frame 62. 7

Referring to Fig. 5, the flexibility and adaptability of the gymnastic apparatus of the invention are further illustrated. in this form of the gymnastic apparatus, a knotted climbing rope-188 is suspended by a detachable snap hook 190 from collar 156 which has been moved to the center of adult bar 20 and is held there by engagement with snap hook 166 depending from the center of positioning chain 153. A sand bag 192,, for punching or tackling practice, is suspended from a rope 124 deloop 116 and the positioning chain 96 swung downwardly to lie adjacent frame leg 48. The snap hook 118 is then connected to loop 20% fixedly secured to the lower portion of leg 48. Similarly, the snap hook 162 is detached from loop 164 and the positioning chain 153 is swung downwardly to lie adjacent frame leg 66. The snap hook 162 is then connected to a loop 202 fixedly secured to the lower portion of leg 66.

To complete forming the configuration shown in Fig. 6, the collars 92 and 94 are moved to the opposite ends of childish bar 24. Similarly, the collars 150 and 152 are moved to the opposite ends of adult bar 20.

Referring to Fig. 3, the sling 86 for supporting the swing seat includes two legs 224 and 226 with overlapping and registering eyelets at their ends for engagement by snap hooks. A bight portion 228 includes a horizontal part 236 engaging the lower surface of seat 96 and two vertical parts 232 and 234 extending through spaced holes in seat 90.

In Fig. 4, there is illustrated another form of sling 236 wherein elements similar to the elements shown in Fig. 3 have the same reference numerals. The sling 236 differs from the sling 86 in that legs 238 and 240 are welded together at their upper ends and have one aperture 242 extending through the joined ends for receiving snap hooks as described above.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides gymnastic apparatus usable by both adults and children and adaptable to various types of exercise and recreation. The gymnastic apparatus is constructed for convenient adaptation to configurations wherein various exercise implements can be readily attached thereto.

While present preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that the invention can be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a gymnastic apparatus comprising a frame including an exercise bar; supports secured to said exercise bar for supporting said exercise'bar at a position above a surface located beneath the gymnastic apparatus; means positioned on said exercise bar for suspending exercise devices from said bar, said suspending means being movable along the length of said exercise bar to various positions; and means for locating said suspending means at positions along the length of said exercise bar; the improvement wherein said locating means includes a positioning element extending substantially parallel to said exercise bar, and a releasable fastener connected by an interlocking connection both to said positioning element at a point therealon'g and to said suspending means; whereby the position of said suspending means along the length of said exercise bar is substantially fixed in a releasable manner. t

2. The invention as set forth in claimjl wherein said suspending means is a collar including a sleeve surrounding said exercise bar, and two loops secured to said sleeve for connection respectively to said positioning element and an exercise device.

3. In a gymnastic apparatus comprising a central sup: port; a substantially-horizontal upper exercise bar secured to the upper part of said central support and extending therefrom, a substantially-horizontal lower exercise bar secured to an intermediate part-of said central support and extending therefrom, said lower exercise bar being spaced a substantial distance below said upper exercise bar, means supporting the end of said upper exercise bar remote from saidcentral support, means supporting the end of said lower exercise bar remote from said central support, and means for suspending exercise devices from said exercise bars; the improvement which comprises said suspending 7 means including suspension bars to various positions; an upper positioning member extending substantially parallel to and adjacent said upper exercise bar; a lower positioning member extending substantially parallel to and adjacent said lower exercise bar; and releasable fasteners for detachably connecting said suspension members to spaced points along the lengths of said positioning members by an interlock ing connection; whereby the position of said suspension members along the length of said exercise bars can be substantially fixed in a releasable manner.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said releasable fasteners are fixedly secured to said positioning members and detachably connect-able to said suspension members.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said releasable fasteners are snap hooks.

6. Gymnastic apparatus comprising a frame including a central support; a substantially-horizontal upper adult exercise bar secured to the upper part of said central support and extending therefrom; a substantially'horizontal lower childish exercise bar secured to an intermediate part of said central support and extending therefrom, said lower childish bar being spaced a substantial distically-disposed A-frame, said central A-frame including two legs extending from the vertex of the A-frame divergently downwardly for engagement with a supporting surface, and a cross bar extending between said legs at a position spaced substantialy below said vertex; a substantially-horizontal upper adult exercise bar secured to said central A-frame atthe vertex thereof and extending therefrom; a first end A-frame having its vertex secured to the end of said upper adult exercise bar remote from said central A-frame, said first end A-frame including two divergent downwardly-extending legs and a cross bar forming a mounting for exercise devices; a substantiallyhorizontal lower childish exercise bar secured to said cross bar of said central A-frame and extending therefrom; a second end A-frame having its vertex secured to the end of said lower childish exercise bar remote from said central A-fname, said second end A-frame tance below said upper exercise bar; means supporting the ends of both said exercise bars remote from said central support; a plurality of collars positioned on said exercise bars, said collars being slidably movable along the length of said exercise bars, each said collar including a sleeve surrounding said bar and means secured to said sleeve for connecting exercise devices thereto; an upper positioning chain extending adjacent to said upper adult exercise bar; a lower positioning chain extending adjacent saidlower childish exercise bar; and, fasteners detachably connecting said collars to spaced points along the lengths of said positioning chains; whereby the position of said collars along the length of said exercise bars is substantially fixed in a releasable manner.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said positioning chains extend substantially parallel to but spaced from said exercise bars; and said chains are attached to said supports located at the ends of said exercise bars.

8. A gymnastic apparatus comprising a central verincluding two divergent downwardly-extending legs and a cross-bar; collars slidably positioned on both said exercise bars; longitudinal positioning members extending substantially parallel to and adjacent to said exercise bars, each said positioning member being about as long as the exercise bar to which it is adjacent; fasteners fixedly attached to said positioning members at spaced positions therealong, said fasteners being constructed for releasable interlocking connection with said collars; said positioning members being connected to said frame at opposite ends of said exercise bars, said positioning members being releasably connected at one end thereof; and loops secured to two said frame legs for attachment to said positioning members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 694,442 Suder Mar. 4, 1902 838,539 Haye Dec. 18, 1906 1,046,329 Reach Dec. 3, 1912 1,646,160 Milam Oct. 18, 1927 1,914,555 Connelly June 20, 1933 1,974,531 Dahl Sept. 25, 1934 2,079,767 Larsen May 11, 1937 2,638,967 Morton et al. May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFrIcE CERTIFICATION OF C0 RECTION March 28V 1961 Lucien L. Farkas It is h'ereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read'as corrected below.

Column 1 line 7O after Wand second occurrence,

insert the following as a new paragraph:

is a fragmentary vertical section through one of the horizontal bars and showing one of the slidable collars for suspending the various exercise apparatus.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 1961.

Fig, 7

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents

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