US3524641A - Ski exercising apparatus - Google Patents

Description

8', 1970 R. J. OSSENKOP 3, 4

SKI EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2. 1967 35 'FIG.I I 35 l /9 2 Sheets-Shet l 1 N VEN TOR RQBERT J. OSSENKOP ATTORNEY R. J. OSSENKOP SKI EXERCISING APPARATUS Aug. 18, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2. 1967 ROBERT J. OSSENKOP ATTORNEY 3,524,641 SKI EXERCISING APPARATUS Robert J. Ossenkop, Linden, N.J., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 672,311

Int. Cl. A63b 69/18 US. 'Cl. 272-57 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The ski exercising apparatus comprises a pair of arcuate parallel spaced guide rails and a cart which shuttles left to right along the rails. End supports and a center support are provided for the rails and rubber straps extend from the cart to each end support, and in addition, a rubber safety strap extends from the cart to the center support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ski exercising equipment and particularly to an apparatus which simulates the sport of skiing and also improves the coordination required for skiing. The present invention represents an improvement over the device disclosed in the copending application of Albert Schwalder, Ser. No. 482,666, filed Aug. 26, 1965, which is assigned to applicants assignee. The apparatus as disclosed hereinafter comprises a compact lightweight and economical exercising device which is superior to the ski exercising equipment currently available. As a further advantage, neither ski boots nor skiis are required when using the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ski exercising apparatus.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the present invention pertains to a new and improved ski exercising apparatus including a platform arrangement, a supporting structure upon which the platform is designed to move back and forth, and resilient means coupled to the platform and the supporting structure to restrain said platform in its motion therealong. The platform comprises an upper portion upon which an individual stands to operate the apparatus and downwardly extending side portions having rollers mounted thereto which engage the arcuate supporting structure and are designed to ride back and forth along said structure. The resilient means are connected to the respective ends of the supporting structure and to the platform and include a unique buckle arrangement which secures the resilient means to the supporting structure. The subject ski exercising apparatus simulates the sport of skiing and also improves the coordination required for skiing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the present invention will be more clearly understood when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the unique exercising apparatus comprising the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the exercising apparatus taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of the invention taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a broken-away side view illustrating the assembly of an end portion of the exercising apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a view of a modified version of the buckle arrangement disclosed in the previous figures;

3,524,641 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 FIG. 7 is a view showing the operation of one buckle arrangement;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating the operation of another buckle embodiment, and

FIG. 9 is a view showing the ski exercising apparatus in operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, the invention comprises a ski exercising apparatus 10 which includes a platform 11 mounted on a pair of tubular supporting rails 12 for movement back and forth along the rails 12. The platform 11 includes an upper surface 13 having a pair of foot pads 14 positioned thereon for placement of an individuals feet. In operation, an individual stands on the platform 11 and urges it along the rails 12 in a typical skiing motion simulating the Wedeln or parallel technique.

The platform 11 also includes downwardly extending side portions 15 having ball bearing rollers 16 journaled thereto and upwardly extending portions 18 which assist arr-individual in maintaining his feet in position on the platform 11. The rollers 16, which include a grooved outer surface 20, ride along the arcuate supporting rails 12 as the platform 11 moves from side to side under the urging of an individual simulating a typical skiing maneuver, see FIG. 9.

The platform 11 is normally restrained from movement to either side of a central position by a resilient belt 28 made of a material such as high quality gum rubber. The resilient strap or sling 28 is coupled to the platform 11 to return the platform 11 to its initial position after displacement in either direction. Curved guard portions 17 are provided on the lower end of the downwardly extending side portions 15 to prevent the platform 11 from becoming derailed.

The rails 12 are of a predetermined curved configuration which is bowed upwardly from the end supporting portions 35. Rubber end caps 22 are provided on the ends of the rails 12 to prevent any sliding movement along the floor surface. The rails 12 are braced by transverse members 40 which are mounted to said rails 12 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 and secured thereto by threaded members 19. The threaded members or bolts 19 are inserted through apertures in the rails 12 and anchored to recep tacles in the bracing members 40 such as conical washers 21. This assembly arrangement eliminates the welded joints of conventional apparatus and permits knockeddown packaging of the subject apparatus. The invention as thus described also has distinct safety advantages and is attractive in appearance.

The rails 12 are also supported intermediate their ends by a substantially U-shaped member 23 comprising flanged and portions 24 at the ends of each leg 33 and a relatively narrow portion 27 at the base midpoint. The end portions 24 are inserted through apertures 25 in center the tubular rails 12 and secured thereto by bolts 26 which engage the holes 30 in members 23. One end of a resilient safety strap 31 for maintaining the platform 11 on the rails 12 is wrapped about the narrow base portion 27 and locked in position by means of the unique buckle arrangement 32. The other end of the safety strap 31 is secured to the platform 11 by a clamping means 29 which includes tubular clamp 36, bolts 46 and locking nuts 37. A predetermined amount of slack is provided in the belt 31 to permit platform movement without hindrance from the belt 31. This slack is taken up when platform 11. reaches either end of the apparatus 10, preventing over stressing use. The belt 31 also acts as a safety should a break or slippage occur in strap 28.

In greater detail, the belt 28 passes through the upper aperture 47 of a buckle 38 at each end of the apparatus and then about a transverse member 40 and back through the aperture 47 in the opposite direction. The strap or belt 28 then passes in an S-shaped path through the apertures 39 and 41 in the buckle 38. The buckle 38 which is similar to the buckle 32 on the safety arrangement secures the strap 28 in position without the con ventional metal straps, nuts, bolts, etc. and thus permits both an assembly and a material savings. Furthermore, an improved fit is obtained by use of the subject buckles 32 and 38. An improved version of the buckle is shown in FIG. 6 wherein steel rollers 42 are mounted about at the slot openings 39 and 47 to facilitate threading the strap 28 therethrough and to prevent excess wear and chafling. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate two buckles 32 and 38 and different belt threading for each. The subject buckles provide an ideal coupling which does not deleteriously affect belt life.

The strap 28 commences at the transverse members 40, passes over the belt 31 and is mounted to the platform 11 by clamping means 29 which includes tube 36, bolts 46 and locking nuts 37. The safety strap 31 is secured against strap 28 by the same clamping means 29. In operation, therefore, the platform 11 is moved from side to side by an individual against the resilient force of the strap 28 and safety belt 31 which moves from side to side. Both straps will return platform 11 to the center of the apparatus 10 when the individual stops his movement.

What has been described above are merely illustrative examples of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising:

a pair of rails positioned in a spaced relationship,

a pair of transverse members, each transverse member being mounted between the respectivee end portions of the rails to brace said rails,

a platform rideable along said rails,

means for resiliently restraining the movement of the platform in either direction along said rails,

supporting means coupled to the spaced rails intermediate their ends, and

a safety strap coupled at one end to the supporting means and at the other end to the platform to maintain said platform in position on the rails.

2. An exercising apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the means restraining the platform from movement in either direction along said rails comprises a resilient belt mounted to the platform and coupled at either end to one of the transverse members.

3. A ski exercising apparatus in accordance with claim 2 further including:

a buckle having a plurality of slots extending therethrough through which said resilient belt is threaded in a predetermined manner to secure said belt to the transverse member.

4. An exercising apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

the buckle comprises a body portion having a plurality of elongated slots extending therethrough in a substantially parallel arrangement forming a plurality of transverse body members, a predetermined number of said members having roller means mounted thereabout to facilitate threading of the belt through said slots to lock said belt in position.

5. An exercising apparatus in accordance with claim 2 further including:

clamping means for mounting the resilient belt to the platform and the safety strap thereto, said clamping means including tubular bracket means and a plurality of bolts for securing the bracket means to the platform with adjacent portions of the safety strap and the resilient belt mounted therebetween.

6. An exercising apparatus in accordance with claim :1

wherein:

the intermediate supporting means comprises a substantially U-shaped member having a base portion and a pair of upwardly extending legs, the intermediate portion of said base being of reduced diameter to permit the mounting of the safety strap thereabout and the legs include upper end portions terminating in a flange having an aperture extending therethrough and wherein said rails each include a slot for insertion of the flange therein and an aperture in alignment with the aperture in the flange portion to per- .mit mounting of the supporting member to the rails.

7. An exercising apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the transverse members include conical washers mounted at the end portions thereof and the rails include apertures extending therethrough to permit mounting means to be mounted therein and coupled to the conical washers.

8. An exercising apparatus comprising:

a pair of rails positioned in a spaced relationship,

a pair of transverse members, each transverse member being mounted between the respective end portions of the rails to brace said rails,

a platform rideable along said rails, and

means for resiliently restraining the movement of the platform in either direction along said rails,

wherein:

the platform includes a pair of downwardly extending side portions having the lower end thereof of a curved configuration to captivate said platform on the rails and including at least one grooved roller mounted to each of said downwardly extending side portions to engage the rails in order to facilitate movement of the platform therealong.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,043,769 9/ 1966 Great Britain- 675,742 7/1952 Great Britain. 710,685 6/1965 Canada.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner R. W. DIAZ, J 11., Assistant Examiner

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