ES2632003T3 - Exercise apparatus reformer - Google Patents

Abstract

A reforming exercise apparatus (100) comprising: a generally rectangular frame (102) having a pair of spaced parallel side rail parts (108), a head end part (104), and a foot end part (106); a movable carriage (110) supported by the side rail parts (108) for movement of the carriage (110) between the head and foot end portions (104, 106); a predisposition member (120) connected between the carriage (110) and the foot end portion (106) of the frame to predispose the carriage (110) towards the foot end (106) of the frame (102); and a foot support member (111) supported by the side rail parts (108) of the frame (102), characterized in that each of the side rail parts (108) has a cross-sectional outer surface shape that it has an upright outer wall (122) that begins at an outer bottom edge, which extends substantially upright to an integral horizontal upper wall (124) that is combined inside an inner wall tilted inward and downward (126, 128) and which ends in a spaced inner bottom edge of the outer bottom edge.

Description

image 1

image2

image3

image4

image5

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

Figure 46 is a perspective view of the hand grip end portion of an arm rope for use with a reformer according to the present description.

Figure 47 is a perspective view as in Figure 46 with a handle connected to the arm rope according to the present description.

Figure 48 is a perspective view of the reformer shown in Figure 22 with a jump board installed at the foot end of the reformer frame.

Figure 49 is an enlarged vertical partial section view through one of two posts supporting the jump board installed at the foot end of the reformer frame.

Detailed description

In the following description, numerous specific details are presented in order to provide a deeper description. However, it will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the described technique can be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known characteristics may not be described in detail so as not to obscure the described technique.

A perspective view of an embodiment of a reformer exercise apparatus 100 is shown in Figure 1. The apparatus 100 has a generally rectangular frame 102 with a head end 104 and a foot end

106. The ends 104 and 106 are spaced by a pair of rail members 108. A carriage 110 is movably supported on the rail members 108 for forward and backward movement between the ends 104 and 106 of the frame 102.

A foot bar 111 is positioned near the foot end 106 of the frame 102. This foot bar 111 is carried by the rail members 108 as will be described in detail below. The head end 104 of the frame 102 preferably supports a removable pair of ascending ropes of spaced upright arms 112. These ascending tubes 112 direct the arm ropes 114 from the carriage 110 to the rope end loops 116 or grips for the hands of a user to use them in various exercises. When not in use, the end loops 116 can be conveniently positioned at shoulder stops 118 as shown in Figure 1. The carriage 110 is resiliently predisposed towards the foot end 116 of the frame 102 by one or more members elastics such as springs 120.

A separate perspective view of the frame 102 is shown in Fig. 2. Each of the head end 104, the foot end 106 and the side rail members 108 has a similar outer surface shape that is combined gently together. This shape includes an outer erect wall 122 that is combined with a horizontal upper wall 124 that is combined with an inner wall inclined downwardly and inwardly 126. The inner wall 126 is combined in a vertical skirt part 128. Thus the entire frame 102 includes an erect exterior wall 122, an interior wall inclined downwardly and inwardly 126 and a vertical skirt portion 128.

The head and foot ends 104 and 106 have curved outer ends 107 that curve toward the members of side rails 108 and combine smoothly with these. The head end 104 further includes elevations to receive the riser tubes 112. The foot end 106 has an anchor support plate 121 that extends between the curved ends 107 to support ends of the predisposition members or springs 120 to predispose the car 110 as mentioned above.

Extending downward from each curved end 107 is an upright support leg with a complementary shape 129. These support legs 129 can be removed to place the ends 104 and 106 of the frame 102 on a flat surface such as a floor. The support legs 129 can be exchanged for longer or shorter support legs to change the height of the apparatus 100 above on a floor support surface of this type.

A sectional view of a side rail member 108 is shown in Figure 3. Each rail member 108 is preferably an aluminum extrusion having an identical cross-sectional shape. The rail member 108, as mentioned above, has an upright outer wall 122 that is combined in a horizontal upper wall 124 and then in a downwardly inclined inner wall 126 and then in a vertical skirt part

128. The end members 104 and 106 have the same outer shape, but differ internally from the side rail members 108.

As shown in Figure 3, each side rail member 108 has a vertical middle wall 130 between the inclined inner wall 126 and the upright outer wall 122. The middle wall 130 has an outwardly oriented upper elevation that extends longitudinally 132 and an outwardly oriented lower elevation extending longitudinally 134 parallel to the upper elevation 132. The middle wall 130, the upper elevation 132 and the lower elevation 134 all together form an open outward groove 136 between them. This slot 136 receives and carries one of the foot bar support assemblies therein as will be described in detail below. Between the middle wall 130 and the inclined inner wall 126 there is an upper horizontal support wall

138. The support wall 138 extends the length of the rail member 108 and provides torsional stiffness to the

image6

image7

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

vertical on the slide plate 204.

An additional sectional view through the left rail member 108 of the apparatus 100 as in Figure 1 is shown in Figure 9 taken along line 9-9 of Figure 1. This view shows the support assembly of Feet 170 carried within rail member 108 as well as the support arrangement with wheels for carriage 110. Specifically, the generally rectangular carriage 110 has four support wheels 210, one adjacent to each corner, and at least two guide wheels 212 of carriage preferably positioned along one side of carriage 110 which are also mounted in the space between the middle wall 130, the interior inclined wall 126, the skirt part 128 and the bottom 140 of the middle wall 130 of the member of lane 108. The support wheels 210 roll on the bottom 140.

The guide wheels 212 roll between the middle wall 130 and the skirt portion 128 of the inner wall 126 to maintain the carriage track 110 as it moves between the foot end 106 and head end 104 of the frame 102. Due to the Guide configuration of the rail member 108, only two guide wheels 212 are needed, both along only one side, to guide the movement of the carriage 110. The guide wheels 212 are arranged on only one of the rail members 108. However, three or four guide wheels 212 can be provided in alternative configurations of carriage 110.

Thus, in the reformer 100 shown in Figure 1, both the support for the carriage 110 and the support for the foot bar 111 are provided by structures below and carried inside the side rail members 108 and thus are hidden from view. external This arrangement has a clean and clear appearance of the reformer apparatus 100 and minimizes surface areas that can collect dust over time. In addition, in order to provide a direct feedback of the position of the foot bar for the user of the exercise apparatus 100, a "J" shaped indicator member 214 is attached to one or both of the sliding plates 172. A distal tip 216 of the Indicator 214 extends around a lower edge and upwardly out of the wall 122 of the side rail member 108 to provide a reformer user 100 with an indication of the position of the foot support assembly. Corresponding marks (not shown) can be provided along the outer wall 122 for use by a user to position the foot bar 111 in preselected positions along the frame 102.

The slit 178 on the hook plate 174 is used to place the foot bar 111 in the lowest position below the frame 102. The slot 180 places the foot bar 111 in the mid-height position above the frame 102. The groove 182 corresponds to the foot bar 111 which is substantially vertical, and thus its highest position above the frame 102. Alternatively, additional grooves can be provided to facilitate additional positions of the foot bar. However, it is believed that a low, moderate and high position is sufficient for most users of the apparatus 100.

A low friction layer 218 of polymer sheet material (shown in Figure 6) is fixed to the outer surface of the hook plate 174 between the hook plate 174 and the support arm 158. This layer reduces the friction between the arm and the plate during the rotation of the foot bar 111 between the recesses 176, 178, 180 182 and 184. Alternatively, the low friction layer 218 can be applied to the inner surface of the arm 158. In addition, optionally it You can apply a low friction layer 218 to both of these looking surfaces.

The structure of the foot support assembly may be different than that specifically illustrated and described. For example, rollers 206 and 208 can be replaced by sheets of low friction material to allow sliding plate 204 to slide easily along groove 136. The configuration of support arm 158, hook plate 174 and the slide plate 172 may be different than that of the exemplary embodiment shown. In addition, other mechanisms can be used to couple and uncouple assembly 170 with features in rail members 108 of frame 102.

Referring again to Figure 1, at the head end 104 of the reformer apparatus 100 there are two spaced upward tubes 112 to direct arm ropes 114 from the carriage 110 to the head end 104 and then to the rope end loops 116 of arm. Referring now to the near perspective view of one of the ascending tubes 112 at the head end 104 shown in Figure 10, each of these ascending tubes 112 includes a lower pulley wheel assembly 220 held in a tubular elevation 222 of ascending tube formed adjacent to each curved end 107 of the head end 104. Each ascending tube 112 also includes a hollow tubular body 224 having its lower end embedded within the tubular elevation 222 of ascending tube. The upper end 228 of the tubular riser body 224 carries a cylindrical roller head 230. This roller head 230 includes a tubular body 232 that fits into or is formed integrally with the body 224. Tubular body 232 has an elongated opening 234 through its side. A pair of vertically aligned guide rollers 236 are mounted on the head 230 on both sides of the opening 234. Mounted inside and transversely through the tubular body 232 behind the opening 234 is a horizontal rope pulley roller 238 .

The lower pulley wheel assembly 220 is shown separately in perspective view in Figure 11. The lower pulley wheel assembly 220 has a cylindrical body with flange 240 that is attached to the bottom of the

image8

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

hitch arm 286. One or more springs are used (not shown) to predispose both hitch arms 286 to engagement with coils 284. With arms 286 in this position, arm cords 114 cannot be retracted or extended from coils 284. They are locked.

Figure 14 shows the configuration when the lower left end 276 of the pin 272 of the right shoulder stop 118 engages with the hook 294 in the left hitch arm 286. This causes the hitch arm 286 to rotate clockwise around of the pin 288, pulling the toothed end 290 out of engagement with the left coil 284 in Figure 14. At the same time, clockwise rotation of the left hitch arm 286 causes counterclockwise rotation of the right hitch arm 286 a through link ends 292 linked. This rotation similarly causes the toothed end 290 of the right hitch arm 286 to rotate out of engagement with its adjacent coil 284. Thus a user pulling the shoulder stop 118 toward the foot end 106 of the frame 102 will cause both hitch arms 286 are disengaged from coils 284, allowing the user to adjust one or both arm rope lengths as desired. When the shoulder stop 118 is released, the hitch arms 286 are reattached to the coils 284 to lock them and thus the arm cords 114 to the carriage 110.

According to the present description, a subsequent installation kit of arm rope retraction mechanism for a conventional reformer is also conceived. Such a kit would include appropriate installation instructions, two coil housings 282 with enclosed arm rope coils 284, a pair of hitch arms 286, replacement shoulder stops 118, two shoulder stop brackets 266, and one pair of pivot pins 288 to attach the hitch arms 286 to the carriage.

Figures 16 and 17 illustrate an alternative rope retraction mechanism 300 mounted under the carriage 110 according to the present description. Arm strings 114 again are not shown in this view for clarity. The rope retraction mechanism 300 includes, for each rope 114, a coil 302 of spring-pre-arranged rope that is mounted below the support plate 252 for rotation, in this embodiment, about a horizontal axis 304 supported from the plate support 252 between a square 306 and the side support plate 258 of carriage frame. The rope coil 302 has a band brake part 308 and a rope support part 310. One end of the rope 114 (not shown) is held and wrapped around the rope support portion 310 of the coil 302. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the two coils 302 of the rope retraction mechanism 300 they are rotatably mounted side by side below the lower side surface of platform 252.

Around the band brake part 308 of each coil 302 a cable 312 is wound having one end attached to the support plate 252 and the other end attached to one end 318 of a pair of crossed lever arms 314. The other end 320 of each lever arm 314 is positioned to engage the lower end 276 of the pin 272 of one of the shoulder stops 118 as in the embodiment described above.

Similar to the above-described embodiment of the retraction mechanism 280, the two lever arms 314 are preferably separate members each held for rotation around a separate pivot pin 322 and intersected and held together rotatably as a scissor in a common pin 324 so that they can rotate around pins 322 and 324 in a plane parallel to the lower side surface of the support platform 252.

During normal operation of the reformer the end 318 of each lever arm 314 is under tension by the spring 326. This spring 326 pulls the lever arm 314 towards the head end of the carriage 110 and thus pulls the cable 312 to tighten the cable 312 around the band brake part 308 of its coil 302 to prevent rotation of the coil 302. When a user on the reformer 100 pulls (inclines) one of the shoulder stops 118 towards the foot end 106 of the frame of reformer 102, both lever arms 314 rotate in opposite directions around pivot pins 322 and 324 to release tension on brake cables 312 as shown in Figure 17. When the brakes are released in this way, a user can attract more rope 114 or allow an internal spring in the coil 302 to rotate the coil 302 and pick up the loose rope 114. When the user releases the shoulder stop 118, the springs 326 pull the wires 312 again. stop the rotation of the coils 302 and thus secure the ropes 114 to the carriage 110.

Again, according to the present description, a subsequent installation kit of arm rope retraction mechanism is also conceived for a conventional reformer, for this alternative retraction system 300. A kit of this type would include two retraction coils 302, axes 304 and brackets 306, band brake cables 312, a pair of crossed lever arms 314, springs 326, replacement shoulder stops 118, two shoulder stop brackets 266 and a pair of pivot pins 322 for holding the arms of lever 314 to carriage 110, and appropriate installation instructions.

In an optional configuration of the reformer car 110 according to the present description, an adjustable headrest can be integrated into the structure. A partial bottom view of the head end of this alternative embodiment of the carriage 110 is shown in Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21. In this embodiment, in the upper part of the carriage frame 250, the support plate 252 has a part of trapezoidal extension 350 extending towards the head end of the frame 102. The padded top plate 254 has the same general shape as in the first embodiment shown in Figure 12, but is separated into a rectangular part 352 and a part from

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

headrest 354 by a transverse hinge 356 under the padding near shoulder stops 118.

An adjustable headrest support plate 358 is attached to the support plate 252 under the headrest part 354. The extension part 350 has an elongated vertical groove 357 therethrough preferably centered between the sides of the extension part 350 The support plate 358 has a transverse channel 360 therein which carries an L-shaped headrest adjustment rod 362 sandwiched between the channel 360 and the extension part 350. Connected to the rod 362 is a cam block 364 extending through the groove 357. The rotation of the handle part of the rod 362 forces the cam block 364 to rotate against the hinged headrest part 354. As the cam block 364 is rotated by the rotation of the rod 362, the headrest part 354 moves between the positions shown in Figures 19-21. In particular, Figure 19 shows the headrest part 354 in a down position. Figure 20 shows the headrest part 354 in a first raised position, with the rod 362 rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise. Figure 21 shows the headrest part in a second raised position with the rod 362 rotated an additional 90 degrees counterclockwise. In this embodiment, cam block 364 provides three stable positions. Also, it should be noted that in Figures 16 and 17, the headrest adjustment rod (not numbered) is shown with two handle ends instead of just one as in Figures 18-21. Other configurations are also within the scope of this description. For example, cam block 364 can be smoothly curved without flat parts for specific headrest lifts and rod 362 can be configured to provide frictional support so that headrest part 354 can be held at any desired elevation. Alternatively, the cam block can be configured with four or more flat regions, each corresponding to a different elevated height.

A perspective view of another embodiment of a reformer exercise apparatus 400 according to the present description is shown in Figure 22. The apparatus 400 has a generally rectangular frame 402 with a head end 404 and a foot end 406. The ends 404 and 406 are spaced by a pair of rail members 408. A carriage 410 is movably supported on rail members 408 for forward and backward movement between ends 404 and 406 of frame 402.

A foot bar 411 is positioned near the foot end 406 of the frame 402. This foot bar 411 is carried by the rail members 408 as will be described in detail below. The head end 404 of the frame 402 preferably supports a removable pair of ascending strand tubes of spaced upright arms 412. These ascending tubes 412 direct the arm ropes 414 from the carriage 110 to the rope end loops 416 or grips for the hands of a user to use them in various exercises. When not in use, the end loops 416 can be conveniently positioned at shoulder stops 418 as shown in Figure 22. The carriage 410 is resiliently predisposed towards the foot end 416 of the frame 402 by one or more members elastics such as springs 420 (see Figure 35).

The exterior of the frame 402 has the same shape as the frame 102 shown in Figure 2. Each of the head end 404, the foot end 406 and the side rail members 408 has a similar outer surface shape that are combined together gently.

A separate internal perspective view of the head end assembly 404 is shown in Figure 23. The head end assembly includes an end extrusion 500 having leg portions 502 and a horizontal stepped support plate 421. The external shape of the extrusion 500, as in the first embodiment, includes an upright exterior wall 422 that is combined with a horizontal upper wall 424 that is combined with an interior wall inclined downwardly and inwardly 426. The inner wall 426 is combined in a portion vertical skirt 428. The vertical skirt portion 428 is linked to the horizontal stepped support plate 421.

Both head and foot ends 404 and 406 have outer end plates 407 that mate and connect with the side rail members 408 by means of alignment pins 409 and threaded connections (not shown). The head end extrusion 500 404 further includes vertical tubular elevations 506 adjacent to the curved corners to receive the ascending tubes 412. A pair of threaded hand bolts 413 inserted from below secure the ascending tubes 412 at the elevations 506. A platform is embedded. 415 is held on and above the stepped support plate 421.

Extending downwards from each curved end of the extrusion 500 is an erect support leg with a complementary shape 429. These support legs 429 are used to place the ends 404 and 406 of the frame 402 on a flat surface such as a floor. The support legs 429 can be exchanged for longer or shorter support legs to change the height of the apparatus 400 above on a floor support surface. A grip strip 417 is attached to the outer bottom edge of the outer wall 407 of the extrusion 500 to provide a rounded hand grip edge to facilitate transport of the head end of the reformer 400.

Figure 24 is a perspective view of a foot end assembly 406 of the frame 402. The foot end assembly 406 is another extrusion 500 having leg parts 502, elevations 506 and a horizontal stepped support plate 421. Two rows of reel-shaped anchor pins 448 are attached to plate 421. Each of these pins 448 can receive and hold a loop at one end of a spring 420 in order to

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

60

fastening the spring 420 at the foot end 406 of the frame 402 while the other end of the spring 420 is fastened to the carriage 410. Each of these pins 448 is preferably decreasing upwardly and inwardly from its base to a waist with a first angle from the central axis of the pin and then outward with a second angle greater than the first angle so that the free end of a spring placed on the pin 448, when under tension, is safely held at the waist of the pin 448 This second angle is preferably at least twice the first angle.

The foot support lifts 506 are vertical tubes formed in the extrusion 500. Each lift 506 receives a yoke 508 that fits on top of the lift 506. A rectangular threaded platform plate 423 is held by pins on the yokes 508. Finally a tubular receiver 510 fits through holes in the plate 423 and fits into the elevations 506 to secure the plate 423 in the extrusion 500. A group of bolts 512 hold each receiver 510, plate 423 and yoke 508 in the elevation 506. The 510 receivers receive legs from a removable flat jump board platform (not shown).

A sectional view of a side rail member 408 is shown in Figure 25. Each rail member 408 is preferably an aluminum extrusion assembly having an identical cross-sectional shape. In this particular embodiment of reformer 400 the rail member 408 is an extrusion of composite material formed by two separate extrusion parts: inner part 417 and outer part 419 that are joined together by rivets

514. This construction of side rail member 408 is particularly advantageous for at least two reasons. First, such a configuration is easier to extrude as two separate extrusions that join later. Second, the outer part 419 can be finished differently than the inner part 417. Thus a version of the outer part 419 can be powder coated for durability and / or painted in selectable colors, while the inner part 417 is coated with dust or it ends otherwise for durability, since it is not in sight. In addition, the inner part 417, since it also contains the rolling surfaces and the indexing lane feature for the foot bar 411, can be separated and replaced if needed due to wear. The rail member 408, as mentioned above, has an erect outer wall 422 that is combined in a horizontal upper wall 424 and then in a downwardly inclined inner wall 426 and then in a vertical skirt portion 428. The end members 404 and 406 have the same exterior shape, but differ internally from the members of side rails 408.

As shown in Figure 25, each side rail member 408 has a vertical middle wall 430 between the inclined inner wall 426 and the upright outer wall 422. The middle wall 430 has an outwardly oriented upper elevation that extends longitudinally 432 and an outwardly oriented lower elevation extending longitudinally 434 parallel to the upper elevation 432. The middle wall 430, the upper elevation 432 and the lower elevation 434 together form an open outward groove 436 therebetween. This slot 436 receives and carries one of the foot bar support assemblies therein as will be described in detail later. Between the middle wall 430 and the inclined inner wall 426 is an upper horizontal support wall 438. The support wall 438 extends the length of the rail member 408 and provides torsional stiffness to the structure of the rail member 408. In addition, this support wall 438 facilitates the connection between the inner and outer extrusion parts 417 and 419. A horizontal bottom part 440 of the middle wall 430 acts as a support for a group of wheels supporting the carriage 410. The upper wall 438 also serves as upper guide for carriage support wheels on rail members 408. In addition, the middle wall 430 between upper and lower walls 438 and 440 and skirt portion 428 serves as a side guide for carriage 410.

The upper elevation 432 preferably has a vertical part 442 extending downwards parallel to the middle wall 430. This vertical part 442 is used to provide lateral support for the foot support assembly described more fully below. In addition, the lower elevation 434 may include an indexing rail that extends downward 444. Alternatively, the indexing rail 444 may be installed along the length of the rail member 408 by a separate replaceable metal indexing rail carried on elevation 434.

Finally, the interior of the outer part 419 of the lane 408 includes three location elevations 516, 518 and 520. These three location elevations align with the location pins 409, and receive them, which project from the end assemblies of head and feet 406 and 408, shown in Figures 23 and 24. These elevations help ensure accurate alignment between rails 408 and ends 406 and 406 so that a smooth outer surface of the frame is presented to a user of the apparatus 400 .

The foot bar 411 shown in Figure 22 is the same as that shown in Figure 5. The foot bar support assembly 470 is similar but differs slightly from that shown and specifically described above with reference to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. The foot bar 411 is part of a foot support assembly 470 that cannot be seen in Figure 22. Referring now to the interior and exterior views of the foot support assembly 470 shown in Figures 29 and 30, the connection portion 154 of the foot bar 411 is bolted or otherwise secured to a lower end 456 of an elongated foot bar support arm 458. The arm 458, best shown in Figure 29, is an elongated flat plate member having a coupling pin 461 projecting outwardly from the upper end 460 of the arm 458. The arm 458 also has a closed pivot groove 462 which extends radially parallel to the leg part 152 of the foot bar 411 and spaced from where the connecting part 154 of the foot bar 411 is connected to the arm 458.

image9

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

it is bolted or otherwise fixed to the hook plate 474. This slide plate 538 is mounted in the groove 436 in the rail member 408 with the hook plate 474 and adjacent to the foot bar support arm 458 arranged within the free / open space between the outer wall 422 and the middle wall 430 of the rail member 408. It should be understood that another set of foot support reflex image 470 is arranged in the other rail member (left) 408.

Returning to Fig. 30, the sliding plate 538 is supported in the groove 436 by front and rear support rollers 536 that roll along the bottom surface of the groove 436. A guide roller 540 rotating about an axis vertical through the sliding plate 538 is preferably mounted adjacent to each support roller 536. The guide rollers 540 roll along inner side surfaces of the groove 436 in the rail member 408 to guide the support assembly 470 , and thus the footbar 411, as it moves (i.e., rolls) from here to there along the rail members 408.

The support rollers 536 are preferably polymer wheels supported on bearings rotatably supported on horizontal axes. The polymer wheels have a size to fit and roll smoothly into the groove 436. The guide rollers 540 can be nylon or other polymer rollers supported by a vertical axis in the slide plate 538. In this embodiment 400, the rollers of guide 540 can be roller bearings mounted in recesses along the upper edge of the sliding plate 538.

The slide plate 538 also has a spring loaded location ball 542 mounted in a recess behind the J-shaped indexing member 544 used as described above with reference to the first embodiment. The spring loaded location ball 542 provides a user with tactile feedback when the foot bar 411 is moved back and forth along the rails 408 between various predetermined positions, when projected into corresponding depressions that may optionally be provided at lane length 408.

A low friction layer 546 of polymer sheet material (shown in Figure 29) is fixed to the outer surface of the hook plate 474 between the hook plate 474 and the support arm 458. This layer, as in the First embodiment 100, reduces the friction between the arm 458 and the plate during the rotation of the foot bar 411 between the recesses 476, 478, 480 482 and 484. Alternatively, the low friction layer 546 can be applied to the surface oriented of the arm 458. To further reduce friction, a low friction layer 546 can optionally be applied to both of these facing surfaces.

A removable removable pin 548 can optionally be inserted through holes aligned in the arm 458 and the plate 474 when the foot bar 411 is in the high position, ie slot 480. The insertion of the removable pin 548 will lock the bar. 411 feet at the site and will prevent it from being repositioned. The purpose of this is that the foot bar 411 can act as a support clamp when the reformer 400 is positioned vertically on its foot end 406. This facilitates the vertical storage of several reformers 400 in a relatively limited space.

When the foot bar 411 is securely positioned with pins 461 seated in slots 484, the complete foot bar assembly 411 can slide / roll forward and backward along the side rails 408. The plate 474 is preferably also provided with a hole 549. This hole 549 can be used to store the removable pin 548 when it is not being used. Additionally, this hole 549 can be used to connect a spring or elastic resistance member (not shown) between the carriage 410 and the foot bar support plate 474 or between the foot end 404 and the support plate 474. A resistance member of this type can provide a translational resistance of the foot bar support assembly 470 411 by a user when the foot support arm 458 is engaged in the slot 484. In this configuration the foot bar 411 feet can be used to provide additional resistances experienced by a user while performing various movements while being supported on the carriage 410. A spring resistance member of this type or another, such as an elastic cord, can be connected for this purpose between the carriage 410 and a suitable feature in a different location on the assembly 470 or to the foot bar itself 411. For example, a resis member This type of connection can be connected to the connection part 154 of the leg part 152 of the foot bar.

Referring again to Figure 22, at the head end 404 of the reformer apparatus 400 there are two spaced upward tubes 412 of arm cords to direct arm cords 414 from the carriage 410 to the head end 404 and then to the loops of 416 end of arm rope. A separate perspective view of an ascending tube 412 is shown in Figure 26 and an exploded assembly view is shown in Figure 27. In this embodiment 400, the ascending tube 412 has no lower pulley configuration as used in the ascending tube 112. Instead, preferably a pulley and roller assembly 550 is inserted at the upper end of the ascending tube 552. This pulley and roller assembly includes a support housing 554 that supports laterally spaced vertical rollers 556 rotating around parallel vertical axes held in the housing 554, and a pulley 558 mounted between the rollers 556, and below them, on a horizontal axis 560. Each of the rollers and the pulley 558 is supported on their respective axis between pairs of bearings. mounted on support housing 554.

image10

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

60

610

A bottom plan view of a head end portion of the carriage 410 is shown in Figures 36 and 37. These two views illustrate the configuration and operation of the rope retraction mechanism 610 according to an embodiment of the present description. Arm strings 414 are not shown in this view for clarity. The rope retraction mechanism 610 includes, for each rope 414, a coil 612 of spring-pre-arranged rope that is mounted under the support plate 578 for rotation, about a horizontal axis supported from the side support plate 580 of the frame of car. The rope coil 612 has a helical spring part 614 and a rope support part 616. One end of the rope 414 (not shown) is held and wrapped around the rope support part 616 of the coil 612. As shown in Figures 35, 36 and 37, the two coils 612 of the retraction mechanism of Rope 610 is rotatably mounted side by side below the bottom side surface of platform 578.

The helical spring part 614 is bolted or integral with the rope support part 616 and preferably carries within it a helical spring (not shown) that provides a pick-up preload tension on the rope 414 when its end is held to the coil support part 616 of the coil 612. The retraction assembly 610 also includes a single spring loaded rope clamp assembly 618 attached to the support platform 578 that is functionally coupled to an actuator link 620, which , in turn, is actuated by one of the shoulder stops 418 when installed in the appropriate hole 596.

The actuator link 620 is carried on an elongated flat plate 622 that is fastened to the support plate 578 by means of fasteners 624 and extends between the two side support plates 580 directly below the shoulder stops 418 and over the holes 596 and 598. Each end of the flat plate 622 has an elongated opening 626 aligned with a hole 596 and a circular opening 628 aligned with the hole 598. Pivotally carried side by side on the link plate 622 there is a pair of links T-shaped 630. Each T-shaped link 630 pivots in the plane of the support plate 578 around the center of the head 632 of the link 630 on a pin 634 that holds the link 630 to the plate 622. One end 636 of the head 632 of each of the links 630 is positioned to engage a rod 600 of the shoulder stop 418 inserted in the hole 596. The other end 638 of the head 632 of the T-shaped link 630 is coupled with an end 638 corresp on the other link 630. The ends 638 of the two links 630 are also preferably coupled together by a helical spring 640. Each T-shaped link 630 includes an elongated leg 642. The end of this elongated leg 642 resides adjacent to one of 618 clamp assemblies.

The clamp assembly 618 comprises a pair of clamp members 650, the outside of which is fixed to the support plate 578 by two fasteners 652 and 654. The inner clamp member 650 is rotatably fixed to the support plate 578 by a fastener 652 in a laterally spaced relationship with the fixed member 650. Each clamp member has a rope grip part 656 and an opposite elongated arm part 658. The arm portion 658 of the inner caliper member 650 is positioned adjacent to the leg 642 of the link 630. A helical spring 660 fastens the gripping portion 656 of the inner caliper member 650 to the fixed outer caliper member 650 so that the part The grip of the inner clip member 650 is predisposed towards the grip portion of the fixed outer clip member. A flat plate 662 is optionally held on the clamp members 650 in each assembly 618 between the clamp 652 and the clamp member 650. Finally, a pair of rope guides 664 preferably are attached to the support plate 578 and are positioned between the link assembly 620 and the coil 612 so that the rope 414 must pass through the hole 590 in the head end plate 582, through a rope guide 664, between the clamp members 650, through another guide of string 664, to the cord retraction coil 612 as shown in Figure 35.

The retraction assembly 610 is shown in a locked rope situation in Figure 36. In Figure 37, the assembly 610 is shown in a unlocked situation where one of the shoulder stops 418, (the left in Figure 37) it has collapsed towards the foot end of the reformer frame 402. In this view of Figure 37, the rod 600 of the left shoulder stop 418 pushes upward on the end 636 of the link 630. This movement causes the opposite end 638 of the link 630 to rotate downward clockwise. At the same time, leg 642 must also rotate clockwise, rotating arm portion 658 of inner clamp member 650 counterclockwise. This action releases the arm rope 414 from the clamp members 650 and allows the tension in the left rope coil to be felt in the rope 414.

At the same time, the other link 630 is caused to rotate counterclockwise around its pin 632, which, in turn, causes its leg 642 to push against the arm portion 658 of the inner caliper member 650 of the other clamp assembly 618, thus rotating the inner clamp member 650 clockwise. This clockwise rotation of the inner clamp member 650 decouples the clamp member 650 from the other arm rope 414 so that the tension in the right rope coil 612 pulls the other rope 414. It can be easily seen, so so much so that lowering one of the shoulder stops 418 that is in an outer hole 596 will cause the same result, a release of both clamp assemblies 618 on both arm ropes 414, allowing the user to independently adjust the length of each rope.

Again, according to the present description, a subsequent installation kit of arm rope retraction mechanism is also conceived for a conventional reformer, for this alternative retraction system 610. A

image11

image12

image13

Claims (1)

image 1 image2