US3471145A - Exerciser with pneumatic resistance element - Google Patents

Description

0t.7,19s9 LBERGER 3,471,145.

' BXERCISBR WITH PNEUMATIC RESISTANCE ELEMENT I Filed April 11 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ISAAC BERGER ATTOR EYS Oct. 7, 1969 BERGER 3,471,145

EXERCISER WITH PNEUMATIC RESISTANCE ELEMENT Filed April 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. ISAAC BERGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent York Filed Apr. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 630,106

Int. Cl. A63b 21/00 US. Cl. 272-79 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An exercising bar constituting a pair of elongated telescoping tubes with handles at the outer extremities of the bar. The inner end of the smaller tube sealingly slides within the outer tube and with it forms a closed elongated cavity that is shortened or lengthened as the handles are moved toward or away from one another, respectively. The cavity is connected to the atmosphere by oppositely acting valves that are selectively rendered effective. One valve when effective allows air to flow freely out of the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air into the cavity. The other valve when effective allows air to flow freely into the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air out of the cavity. A single knob selects the valve to be rendered effective and controls the restricted flow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention An exerciser with a pneumatic resistance element and flow control valves for varying the effective direction of the resistance and the effective value of the resistance.

Description of the prior art Conventional exercisers employ resilient elements such as springs or elastic bands to offer resistance to the person who is exercising. However, this type of resistance element has several disadvantages. For example, elastic bands tend to deteriorate with age due to oxidation. Springs often are twisted out of shape or overstretched or catch on fabrics and threads. Moreover, elastic bands are only, as a practical matter, capable of offering resistance in tension. Springs can be used with rather simple structural arrangements to offer resistance in tension. However, to have springs offer resistance in compression requires either the use of large diameter springs or tubes for constraining the springs both of which are too expensive for incorporation in reasonably priced exercisers.

SUMMARY OF, THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a new and improved exerciser which avoids the drawbacks accompanying the use of resistance elements such as springs or elastic bands.

More particularly, it is an object of myinvention to provide an exerciser that utilizes a pneumatic resistance element, thereby doing away with the problem of aging and at the same time supplying a resistance element which can offer resistance in both tension and compression.

It is another object of my invention to provide a pneumatic exerciser which can be selectively controlled to provide resistance in either tension or compression.

It is another object of my invention to provide a pneumatic exerciser in which the selection of a tension or compression mode is accomplished with a simple structure and a single knob.

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3,471,145 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 "ice It is another object of my invention to provide an exerciser of the character described in which the degree of resistance offered in either the tension or compression mode is controllable, desirably with a single knob and desirably with the same knob as is used to select between the tension and compression modes.

It is another object of my invention to provide an exerciser of the character described which constitutes relatively few and simple parts and is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

In general, I accomplish the several objects of my invention by providing an exerciser which is made up of a pair of tubes, one smaller than the other. The tubes are telescopically interengaged, with the smaller tube sliding in the larger tube. The inner end of the smaller tube is provided with a sliding sealing means which is effective in both directions of movement, the same constituting, for example, one or more O-rings or a pair of oppositely disposed cup washers. The outer end of the large diameter tube is closed. Hence, it forms with the sliding sealing means on the inner end of the small diameter tube an elongated closed cavity which contains air. When the two tubes are urged toward telescoping position the air in said cavity is compressed and, conversely, when the two tubes are urged toward extended position the air in the cavity is attenuated, i.e., a partial vacuum is created. The outer ends of the two tubes are provided with handles. The resistance offered by air to compression and the resistance offered by the air to attenuation constitutes the resistance offered to the muscles of the user during exercising when urging the handles together or spreading them apart.

As thus far described, the exerciser offers increasing resistance to motion of the tubes in opposite directions which is undesirable for an exerciser, since conventionally resilient elements offer a substantially constant degree of resistance over a wide range of movement. To avoid this, the exerciser of the present invention includes additional structure to enable the resistance offered by it in either compression or tension to remain approximately constant. At the same time the aforesaid means is so arranged as to selectively render the exerciser effective in either a tension or a compression mode. More particularly, the additional structure includes a passageway leading from the elongated cavity to the ambient atmosphere and a pair of valves which can be selectively inserted in said passageway. The valves are of a double-acting type. Each valve will allow air to flow freely in one direction and will controllably restrict the flow of air in the opposite direction. The valves are reversed so that one valve, when it is effective, allows air to flow freely out of the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air into the cavity, while the other valve, when it is effective, allows air to flow freely into the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air out of the cavity. Although one knob can be provided for rendering either valve effective and another or two other knobs can be provided for controllably restricting the flow of air through both or selected ones of the valves, in the preferred form of my invention I utilize a single knob for all of these purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I In the accompanying drawings in which I have shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of my newexerciser;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively, of FIG. 1;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral denotes a pneumatic exerciser constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention. As observed previously, said exerciser includes two tubes 12, 14, to wit, an outer tube 12 and an inner tube 14. The outer tube is of larger diameter than the inner tube and the two tubes are arranged in telescoping relationship, with the inner tube slidable within the outer tube. The tubes are of substantially the same length, so that they can be moved from an outstretched position, such as shown in FIG. 1, to a substantially fully telescoped position. In the outstretched position the inner ends of the two tubes are adjacent one another, as seen in FIG. 2, and in the telescoped position the inner end of each tube is adjacent the outer end of the other tube. The tubes in a commercial form of my invention are made of metal, for example, steel or brass, which are externally nickel or chrome plated or painted for the sake of appearance and wear.

The inner ends of the tubes are preferably so constructed as to prevent the tubes from being accidentally pulled apart, the same structure being preferably employed to provide a sliding bearing relationship where the tubes overlap. Such structure constitutes a reduced diameter short section 16 at the inner end of the outer tube and an enlarged diameter section 18 at the inner end of the inner tube. When the tubes are fully outstretched, as shown in FIG. 2, the shoulder where the end 18 is enlarged abuts against the shoulder where the end 16 is constricted. The enlarged section 18 is a slidable fit on the inner surface of the outer tube 12 and the reduced diameter section 16 is a slidable fit on the outer surface of the inner tube 14.

The outer ends of the tubes 12, 14 are closed, as with cover plates 20, 22, respectively. Each plate consists of a disc with a peripheral side wall that matches the crosssectional shape and dimensions of the corresponding outer end of the tube. The cover plates conveniently are fabricated from metal.

, Suitable means is provided to manipulate the tubes so as to move them to telescoped or expanded position. Such means conveniently constitutes handles 24, 26 attached to the outer ends of the outer and inner tubes 12, 14, respectively. Any desirable shape of handle can be employed, the ones shown herein constituting transversely elongated loops of rectangular configuration, each provided with a pair of central short legs 28 which snugly extend into the cover plates (see FIG. 5). The tips of the legs are of reduced section to enable them to accommodated within the cover plate, while the exposed portions of the legs are substantially flush with the outer surface of the tubes 12, 14 as best seen in FIG. 1 and 5. Although the legs can be permanently attached to the cover plate, as by the use of adhesive or by the employment of heat and pressure bonding, I prefer that the handles be removablefor replacement in theevent of breakage and, accordingly, I use set screws 30 to hold the handles in place. Each screw passes through and snugly fits into an opening 32 at the outer end of the tube, is threaded into a registered tapped opening 34 in the circular flange of the coverplate, and is a tight fit in an opening 36 in the tip of the handle leg 28. The set screws, in addition to holding the handles in place, secure the cover plates to I the outer ends of the tubes. It also will be observed that the abutment between the shoulder 38 which is intermediate the ends of the handle legs and the end edges of the tubes and cover plates prevents rocking of the handles. The cover plates make tight fits with the inner surfaces of the outer ends of the tubes, this fit being sufficiently close to prevent ready flow of air through the joints between the cover plates and tubes. Although the cross-sectional configuration of the tubes may be of any desired shape, in the preferred form of my invention, the same are circular inasmuch as this is the least expensive to make and further since it permits relative angular misalignment or simple angular aligning of the planes of the handles, thus lending the exerciser to a wide variety of different kinds of exercises which will bring into play various muscles of the body.

As thus far described, the tubes, .by proper manipulation of the handles, can be moved back and forth between outstretched and telescoped positions without offering marked resistance in either direction, so that the tubes will not effectively function as the resistance element of an exerciser on either the ingoing or outgoing stroke. There will be so much leakage between the inner end of each tube and the cooperating portion of the other tube that the air within the tubes is not compressed or attenuated sufiiciently for exercising purposes. Therefore, furthermore, in accordance with my invention, I provide the inner end of the inner tube with a means that slidably and sealingly engages the interior surface of the outer tube and which meansforms a hermetric transverse barrier at said inner end of the inner tube, whereby said sliding and sealing means forms in conjunction with the outer tube a closed elongated cavity 40 containing air that is compressed when the tubes are urged toward telescoped position and which is attenuated when the tubes are urged toward outstretched position. Said cavity 40 is defined at one end by the cover plate 20, at the opposite end by the aforesaid sliding and sealing means, andover its length by the outer tube 12. The sealing means also defines in cooperation with the cover plate 22 and the inner tube 14 a second closed elongated cavity 42. However, this cavity has no functional purpose in my exerciser, inasmuch as the cavity does not lengthen or shorten when the exerciser is employed.

The sliding and sealing means above referred to is supported by a metal cup 44 constituting a base and circular upstanding peripheral flange which is force-fitted within the enlarged diameter section 18 of the inner tube 14. The cup thereby is rigidly and permanently-held in position across the inner end of the inner tube. The center of the base of the cup is formed with an aperture 46. A rod 48 located on the axis of the pair of tubes 12, 14 has an end 50 of reduced diameter which is snugly fitted in the aperture 46. Said end terminatesin an enlargement, i.e., head 52, integral with the rod 48, but which is located on the opposite side of the base of the cup from that on which the body of the rod 48 is disposed. Thus, the base of the cup is caught between the head 40 and the shoulder located at the junction of the body ofthe rod 48 and the reduced diameter end 50. Desirably in the formation of the head 52 it is struck heavily enough to induce cold flow of the metal of which it is composed, whereby the rod 48 will securely, tightly and rigidly grip the cup 44.

The rod 48 extends from the'cup 44 toward the outer end of the outer tube 12. The free end of the rod 48 is in the form of a slender stem 54 having a threaded free end for the-reception of anut56. The stem 54 is joined to the body of the rod 48 at a shoulder 58. The stem 54 carries a structure that slidingly and sealingly engages the inner surface of the outer tube 12. Various structures can be employed for this purpose. For instance, the structure may constitute a piston having O-rings that slidingly and sealingly engage the inner surface of the outer tube 12. It particularly is to be noted that the sliding and sealing engagement is such as to permit the tubes to either telescope or to move toward outstretched position and in both directions of movement to sweep the air before the sliding and sealing means. This is important, inasmuch as it causes the air in the cavity 40 to be compressed when the tubes are moved toward telescoping position and the air to be attenuated when the tubes are moved towards outstretched position.

In the particular form of the invention here shown, I employ simple cup washers for the sliding and sealing means. However, because a cup washer is only capable of forming a sliding sealing fit with an inner tubular surface during relative movement in one direction and permits leakage of air past it during relative movement in the opposite direction, the said means in the exerciser constitutes two cup washers, rather than one, with the washers facing outwardly in opposite directions.

Thus, referring to FIG. 3, the sliding and sealing means constitutes a first cup washer 60 and a second cup washer 62. Each cup washer includes a base whose periphery has an integral upstanding unbroken flange. The cup washers are made of flexible material which, when slid along the inner surface of a tube, rim foremost and in rubbing engagement with the tube, will form a sliding and sealing fit therewith. A desirable material for this purpose is leather, cup washers of leather for engaging the inner surfaces of tubes being well known.

. In particular, the cup washer 60 has its peripheral flange facing toward the outer end of the outer tube 12 and the cup washer 62 has its peripheral flange facing toward the outer end of the inner tube 14. The bases of the cup washers are in face-to-face engagement. Inasmuch as the cup washers are flexible and to prevent distortion of their bases, the outer surfaces of the bases of the two cup washers are flatly contacted by metal washers 64, 66. Specifically, as shown, the metal washer 64 engages the shoulder 58, the bases of the two cup washers are sandwiched between the metal washers 64, 66, and the metal washer 66 is engaged by an anti-rotation radially corrugated washer 68 which is pressed by the nut 56 toward the shoulder 58.

Due to the opposite outwardly facing orientation of the two cup Washers, the cup washer 60 will, when the inner tube 14 is moved toward the outer end of the outer tube, compress air in the cavity 40. When the direction of movement of the inner tube is reversed the cup washer 60 will not function. However, in this reverse direction the cup washer 62 will function to attenuate the air in the cavity 40. When the direction of movement again 'is reversed the cup washer 62 does not function.

It also may be mentioned that the pair of back-to-back cup Washers serve to support and guide movement of the inner end of the inner tube 14 as said inner end moves between the ends of the outer tube 12.

If no further structure were present, the exerciser could be used. However, a person would find that during a telescoping stroke the resistance of the exerciser would progressively increase as the pressure of the air within the cavity 40 raised and, correspondingly, the resistance would progressively increase during an outstroke when the air pressure in the cavity 40 lowered. Obviously, some leakage would take place around the peripheries of the cover plates 20, 22, but the leakage would be too slow to overcome the foregoing effect unless the stroke movements were exceedingly slow. Hence, although the exerciser can be used without any additional structure, I prefer to further include bleed means, which also might be called leak means or restricted flow means, to enable air to flow into or out of the cavity 40 as may be desired, in order to approximately level out at some desired value the resistance offered by the exerciser to either telescoping or extending movement.

The aforesaid means, as noted previously, is in the form of an opopsitely acting pair of double-acting (substantially free flow in one direction and restricted flow in the opposite direction) valves which are selectively rendered effective and one of which, when so rendered effective, allows air to comparatively freely flow out of the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air into the cavity, while the other, when it is effective, allows air to flow comparatively freely into the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air out of the cavity 40. Preferably, moreover, these valves are regulated and controlled by a Single knob so as to facilitate operation of the exerciser.

The two valves form part of a single structure and are best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The valves are of very simple construction and include as an element thereof the base of the cover plate 20. Said base wall is formed with a flow aperture 70 and a bearing aperture 72. Moreover, the cover plate is formed with one or more, as shown, two, restricted flow apertures 74, 76. The bearing aperture is located at the center of the base of the cover plate. The flow aperture 70 is radially spaced from the base aperture and the restricted flow apertures 74, 76 are circumferentially aligned with the flow aperture 70 and are located on opposite sides thereof. In other words, the centers of the apertures 70, 74, 76 are approximately the same radial distance from the center of the bearing aperture 72. The diameter of the flow aperture 70 is larger than that of either of the restricted flow apertures 74, 76, e. g., twice that of the aperture 74 and three times that of the aperture 76, so that these latter two apertures are of smaller diameter. The diameters of the two restricted flow apertures 74, 76 differ from one another by some preselected amount in order to provide a variation of resistance for the exerciser.

A control shaft 78 is rotatably mounted in the bearing aperture 72. In order to have certain eleme ts that are mounted on the control shaft turn unitarily wi h said shaft, a major portion of the length of the control shaft from its tip toward its opposite end is provided with diametrically opposed flats 80, so that such portion of the control shaft is, in effect, of oblong configuration with oppositely circularly arced ends that are journalled in the bearing aperture 72.

The following elements, which constitute the two aforesaid valves and an indexing means therefor, these being the valve assembly, are stacked in sequence on the flattened shaft 78 from the shoulder end of the flats outwardly toward the free tip: first, a stiffening metal washer 82; next, a first oblong flap valve 84; thirdly, the base wall of the closure cap 20; fourthly, a second oblong flap valve 86; then, an indexing spring 88; next, a circular washer 90; and, finally, a clip 92.

The two flap valves 84, 86 are made from a pliable flexible material, such, for instance, as leather or an elastomeric material, and are disposed so as to bear against opposite faces of the closure cap 20. Each flap is elongated and each flap is formed with a rectangular opening 94 for snug reception of the flattened portion of the control shaft 78. The flaps are eccentrically disposed on the control shaft, that is to say, each flap has the rectangular aperture 94 near one short end thereof, so that the major portion of the flap extends radially away from the control shaft. The two flap valves are so relatively oriented that they extend radially away from the control shaft in misalignment. Desirably, they extend away from the control shaft in opposite directions so that the flap valves are apart. Moreover, each flap valve includes a fiow opening 96 near its free tip. Said flow opening is radially spaced from the center of the longitudinal axis of the control shaft a distance approximately equal to the radial spacing of the restricted flow apertures 74, 76 from the center, of the closure cap 20, so that the flow opening 96 of either flap valve can be selectively brought into alignment with either restricted flow aperture 74, 76, under the users control or into alignment with the flow opening 7 (I.

The stiffening washer 82 serves to rigidify the portion of the first flap valve 84 surrounding the rectangular opening 94. Said washer has an oblong opening to match the crosssectional shape of the control shaft and has side flanges to embrace the short sides of the valve. However, the stiffening washer leaves the free end of the flap valve (containing the flow opening 96) unstiffened, so that it is free to flex, as shown, for example, in dot-anddash lines in FIG. 4. The same purpose, i.e., stiffening of the area around the aperture 94, is served by the central shank of the indexing spring 88. Said shank likewise has an oblong opening to match the cross-sectional shape of the control shaft. Thereby, each of the flap valves is pressed against opposite sides of the base of the closure cap by the elements 82, 88, but the tips, i.e., free ends, of the two flap valves are free to flex toward and away from the base of the closure 20.

The washer 90 bears against the outer central surface of the indexing spring 88. The clip 92 holds the valve assembly in place. Said clip is designed to engage slots 98 in the journalled edges of the control shaft 78. The dimensions are such that when the stack of elements is in place on the control shaft and the clip is engaged with the slots 98, the elements 82, 84, 86, 88 and 90, as well as the base wall of the closure cap 20, will be under a light degree of compression, sufficient to force the flap valves against said base of the closure cap, but not sufficiently great to prevent rotation of the control rod.

The indexing spring 88 has outwardly extending arched arms which terminate in ledges having nibs 100 protruding toward the base of the closure cap 20. These nibs cooperate with two series of indents 102, the two series being diametrically opposed, i.e., 180 apart. The location of the indents is such that when the nibs 100 are received in the center indents the flow opening 96 in one of the flap valves is registered with the flow aperture 70, while when the nibs are received in one or the other of the outer indents 102, one or the other of the flow openings 96 will be registered with one or the other of the restricted flow apertures 74, 76.

Suitable means is provided to turn the control shaft, said means conventionally being in the form of a knob 104 affixed to the outermost end of the shaft. Said knob can, if desired, bear a marker 106 to indicate the position of the flaps 84, 86, these positions corresponding to reception of the nibs 190 in any pair of the six indents 102.

The flow opening 96 is approximately equal to or larger than the flow aperture 70 in size, but is larger than both of the restricted flow apertures 74, 76.

The exercising device operates in the following manner: There are seven possible positions of the valve as: sembly. These are: (l) the flow opening 96 in the first flap valve 84 is registered with the flow aperture 70; (2) the flow opening 96 in the first flap valve 84 is registered With the restricted flow opening '74; (3) the flow opening 96 in the first flap valve 84 is registered with the restricted flow opening 76; (4) the flow opening 96 in the second flap valve 86 is registered with the flow aperture 70; (5) the flow opening 96 in the second flap valve 86 is registered with the restricted flow aperture 74; (6) the flow opening 96 in the second flap valve 86 is registered with the restricted flow aperture 76; (7) neither flow opening 96 of either flap valve 84, 86 is in line with any of the flow apertures 70, 74, or 76 and said apertures are not covered by either flap valve. Each of these possibilities will be considered separately.

The first three positions (1), (2), (3), are employed for operation in the tension mode, which is to say, when the handles are being pulled apart. The fourth through sixth positions (4), (5), (6), are employed for operation in the compression modes, which is to say, when the handles are being pushed together. The seventh position is employed for light exercise in a composite tension and compression mode.

When the knob and control shaft arrange the valve assembly in the first position, (1), and the handles are urged apart, air will be sucked into the cavity 40 through the registered apertures 70 and 96, the latter being in the flap valve 84. Thereby, the resistance offered to moving the handles apart will be determined by the resistance to flow of incoming air through the apertures 70, 96 (in the valve 84). The tip of said flap valve will be held flat against the base wall of the closure cap 20 by the pressure of the atmosphere, since the pressure against the un dersurface of the flap valve (next to the base of the closure cap 20) is subatmospheric. The resistance to movement of the handles away from one another will be determined by the rate of intake of air through the comparatively free flow aperture 70 which since it is larger compared to the apertures 74, 76, will cause the resistance offered to be comparatively mild.

When the direction of relative movement of the handles is reversed so that the handles are urged toward one an other, the increased pressure of the compressed air within the cavity 40 will force the free end of the flap valve to swing away from the base of the closure cap 20, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 4, so that the resistance to closing of the telescoping tubes will be determined solely by the combined sizes of the apertures 70, 74, 76 all of which are, at this time, unblocked by the flap valve 84.

In the second position the resistance the exerciser offers to operation in a tension mode (moving the handles apart) will be determined by the rate of flow of the incoming air through the restricted flow aperture 74 which since the aperture 74 is smaller than the aperture 70 will be increased. When with the valve in the same position the handles are moved together, the tip of the first flap valve 84 once again will swing away from the apertures 70, 74, 76, leaving these apertures as the sole determinant of the lesser effort required to urge the handles together.

It should be noted at this time that the effort I and describing is the effort required to allow air to flow into the cavity 40 or flow out of the cavity 40 and this is in addition to the effort required to overcome the frictional restraint exercised by the cup washers against the inner surface of the tube 12. i

In the third position of the valve assembly, when the handles are urged apart the resistance to such effort is opposed by the restricted flow of air through the aperture 76 which is greater than the resistance to flow of air through the aperture 74. Reverse movement of the handles in this third position is the same as in the second position. I

To summarize as to the first three positions, resistance to operation in the compression mode is about the same for all three positions, but resistance to operation in the tension mode is the least for the first position, is inter mediate for the second. position, and is the greatest for the third position because the restricted flow aperture 76 is smaller than the restricted flow aperture 74 which in turn is smaller than the flow aperture 70. Thus, in effect, with the valve assembly positioned to have the flap valve 84 cooperate with any one of the three apertures 70, 74, 76, the exerciser is in a tension modewith variations in tension obtainable and a minimum resistance in compression without variations to' resistance in compression.

Valve positions (4) through (6) are just the reverse. They effectively operate the exerciser in tension and can vary the amountof' tension, while offering the minimum resistance and without variation in compression. Description of valve positions (4) through (6) is repetitive of the above descriptions for positions (1) through (3), except that it is the second flap valve 86 which cooperates with the openings 70, 74, 76, this valve being located on the inner surface of the base of the closure cap 20 rather than on the outer surface as is the valve 84.

It will be obvious that when either flap valve is in cooperating association with a selected one of the apertures 70, 74, 76, the other valve is 180 away and in inoperative position, so that manipulation of the control knob 104 will selectively render efiective either one or the other of the flap valves 84, 86.

When neither of the flap valves is in cooperative position with the flow apertures 70, 74,76, that is to say, in valve assembly position No. (7), the flow apertures 70, 74, 76 are unobstructed and the resistance to flow of air therethrough in one direction or the other determines the resistance to flow in a compression or a tension mode. This is the mild two-way exercising position.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that each of the flap valves and its flow opening cooperates with the different flow apertures to provide a comparatively free flow of air through the apertures 70, 74, 76 when the direction of flow is such as to force the flap valve away from the base of the closure cap 20, but to provide a controllably restricted flow of air through a selected one of the apertures 70, 74, 76 when the flow opening of either one of the flap valves is registered with one said apertures 70, 74, 76.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a device which achieves the various objects of my invention and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handles on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner ends of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, a passageway leading from the elongated cavity to the ambient atmosphere and a pair of valves selectively insertable into said passageway, each of said valves permitting air to flow freely in one direction and under restriction in the opposite direction, the valves being in reversed orientation so that one valve when effective allows air to flow freely out of the cavity and restricts How of air into the cavity and the other valve when effective allows air to flow freely into the cavity and restricts fiow of air out of the cavity.

2. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handles on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner ends of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, a passageway leading from the elongated cavity to the ambient atmosphere and a pair of valves selectively insertable into the passageway, each of said valves permitting air to flow freely in one direction, and through a restricted opening in the opposite direction, the valves being in reversed orientation so that one valve when effective allows air to flow freely out of the cavity and restricts flow of air into the cavity and the other valve when efiective allows air to flow freely into the cavity and restricts flow of air out of the cavity.

3. A pneumatic exercising device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a single knob is provided to selectively render one or the other valve effective.

4. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handles on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner ends of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, a passageway leading from the elongated cavity to the ambient atmosphere and a pair of valves selectively insertable into said passageway, each of said valves permitting air to flow freely in one direction and under controllable restriction in the opposite direction, the valves being in reverse orientation so that one valve when effective allows air to flow freely out of the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air into the cavity and the other valve when efiecitve allows air to flow freely into the cavity and controllably restricts flow of air out of the cavity.

5. A pneumatic exercising device as set forth in claim 4 wherein a single knob is provided to selectively render either one of the valves effective and to controllably restrict flow of air through both of the valves.

6. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handes on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner end of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, a wall of the elongated cavity having a flow opening therethrough leading to the ambient atmosphere and a pair of flap valves is located on opposite sides of said wall together with means to selectively place one or the other of said valves across the opening, each of said valves having an opening therein and regis-' terable with the opening in the wall.

7. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handles on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner end of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, the outer end of the outer tube having a flat wall therein, said wall having a bearing aperture and eccentric flow apertures therein, a control shaft extending through the bearing aperture and flap valves carried by and rotatable with the control shaft and located on opposite sides of said wall, said flap valves being non-aligned, each flap valve having a flow opening therein which is selectively registerable with any one flow aperture, whereby the control shaft can be turned to selectively place the flow opening of either flap valve in registry with any flow aperture.

8. A pneumatic exercising device comprising an inner tube, an outer tube in telescoping relationship with the inner tube, handles on the outer ends of the two tubes, means on the inner end of the inner tube slidably and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the outer tube, means closing the outer end of the outer tube to form an elongated cavity in which a column of air is compressed and expanded as the handles are moved toward and away from one another in, respectively, a compression and a tension mode, passageway means in the outer tube leading from the elongated cavity to permit flow of air between the cavity and the ambient atmosphere when the column of air compressed and expanded and manually adjustable valve means cooperable with said passageway means to selectively vary the rate of air flow through said passageway means, said valve means normally assuming a position restricting the flow of air in one direction through said passageway means and automatically movable in response to pressure of air in the other direction to allow free air flow in said other direc tion.

12 References r Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTON 0. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner

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