US3388700A - Means and process for effecting periodic body inversion - Google Patents

Description

F. K. MoUNTzI June 18, 1968 MEANS AND PROCESS FOR EFFECTING PERIODIC BODY INVERSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.

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HIS ATTORNEY June 18, 1968 F. K. MouNTz 3,388,700

MEANS AND PROCESS FOR EFFECTING PERIODIC BODY INVERSION Filed Aug. 27, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. FORREST KINDLE MOUNTZ 32mm.'im ai. mm

HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,388,700 MEANS AND PROCESS FOR EFFECTENG PERIODI() BGDY INVERSHON Forrest Kindle Mountz, 22609 Garfield, St. Clair Shores, Mich. 43082 Filed Aug. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 392,659 15 Claims. (Cl. 12S-24) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Means and process for effecting inversion of ones own body having a pivotally supported table and rail means at the head end of the table by which one can lie upon the table and walk the head end of the table downwardly by grasping the rail means.

This invention relates to means and -process for effecting periodic body inversion.

Its object is to provide means and process whereby a person can reverse the gravitational effects upon his body and its anatomical parts and systems periodically at his pleasure for relaxation and stimulation of circulation, for relief from tensions and for other healthful benefits.

The foregoing object and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a body suspension inverting bed device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a like view of said device with its table in an inverted position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of said device;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of parts of said device showing, respectively, the lock for its table and the underside of the latter;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of said device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of said device showing the axially moveable footboard; and

FIGS. 7-9 are side, front and rear elevational views of the suspension mechanism of said device.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, 10 indicates the base of the device which, in the instance, has four legs and rotatably supports a padded table 12 via an axle 15 and hub 16 which are aflixed, respectively, to the table 12 and base 10. A user lies on the table 12 and while he 4is getting off and on it is locked in its horizontal position by means of a detent 17 which is carried in a flange 18 affixed to the table 12. The detent 17 projects into a blind aperture 20 in the hub 16 which prevents rotation of the table. A ring 22 is within reach of the user while in a supine position who can pull upon it after he is settled on the table and ready to release it for rotation. The ring 22 is joined to the detent 17 by a wire 23 and when the ring is pulled upon it compresses a spring 24 which serves to p'reload the detent 17 and insures entry of the latter into the aperture 20 which the table assumes the horizontal position.

A footboard 30 is arranged at an end of the table so as to be moveable axially thereof over the pad thereon to accommodate the different weights and heights of various users of the device. The footboard is held fast in its movement toward the head of the table in any of its axially adjustable positions by a toothed rack 31 mounted on each side of the table and brake 32 which has teeth meshing with those on the rack. The brake 32 is supported for limited rotation between sideboards 33 joined to the footboard 30. The engaging end of the brake 32 is constructed in relation to the rack 31 so that it can rotate in one direction (anti-clockwise in FIG. 1) to release the footboard 30 for adjustment axially of the table.

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Such end is elongated so that it is prevented from being rotated in the opposite direction (clockwise in FIG. 1) to hold the footboard against any amount of weight of a user tending to moving it toward the head of the table. A com-pression spring 38 operates against the footboard 30 and upon the free end of the brake 32 to keep its engaged end in mesh with the rack 31 in any of the adjusted positions of the footboard 30. To counterweight the head end of the table exactly in accordance with the particular height and weight of the user a counterweight is provided at the foot end of the table in the form of a bar 3S and slotted weights 36 removable from the bar.

The footboard 30 carries a body suspension mechanism which, in the instance, is in the form of a pair of ankle gripping means which individually grip the ankles of the user and support him in an inverted position without discomfort. Each such means comprises a webbing member 40 which has its two ends crossed and affixed spaced apart to the footboard 30 after one end is threaded through a slot in the other to forni a loop which grips the ankle of the user while his foot extends 4through the space between the crossover point of the webbing and the footboard 30 as best shown in FIGS. 7 9. The ankle gripping means exerts a progessively tighter grip on the user in proportion to his weight which increases his secur-ity but without discomfort in view of the wide band of webbing which wraps all around the ankle. As further security of the user a chest strap 42 may be provided by which he may strap himself to the table near its head end.

A pair of arcuate rails 45 are provided near the end of the table which are braced and joined to the base 10 so that they extend forwardly and upwardly to be within reach of the hands of the user when his arms are over his head while he is in a supine position by which r-ails he can walk himself into an inverted position. Whenever he lets go of the rails the user automatically returns to a horizontal position due to the counterbalancing effect of the axially moveable footboard 30. The force with which he returns is directly proportional to the force the user must use to walk himself down the rails so that in practice one would adjust the position of the footboard to require a minimum walking force. The extreme inverted position of the -table 12 is governed by the position of a stop 48 screw threaded Iinto a cross member 49 of the base 10 which in the case of the average user in positioned so that the table will rotate to one or two degrees under degrees, i.e. so that it always returns to the horizontal whenever the user lets go of the rails 4S. In the case of an experienced user who wishes -to remain in the inverted position and and relax with his hands free the stop 48 may be threaded further into the member 49 so that the table 12 goes one or two degrees beyond 90 degrees. An experienced user will wish to take advantage of the free use of his hands and massage parts of his body such as his face Where the effects of aging show most. For example, he may wish to massage under his eyes where bags tend to form from the effect of continuous gravitational pull upon his body. The beneficial effects from periodic body inversion upon the human body are thought to be due to the flushing of the upper half of the body with blood by the pull of gravity which draws the blood into cell and capillaries which otherwise would receive only small quantities of blood.

In use of the device the axial position of the footboard 30 which is best for a given user is determined by trying the table with the footboard in different positions until the table with the user on it is best counterbalanced. This position is marked and the footboard returned to this position lif it is moved for another user. The user makes sure that the detent 17 is in the aperture 20, i.e., that the table 12 is locked in its horizontal position by testing it as by pressing upon the head end of the ta-ble. With the table locked the user climbs upon it and places his ankles within the ankle gripping means on the footboard 39, i.e., each ankle is threaded through the loop of the member 40 and the users foot is placed between the crossed ends thereof. The user then buckles the chest straps 42 and grips the rails with his hands outstretched over his head and walks himself down the rails until he has reached such inverted position as he desires. As

previously mentioned the maximum inverted position he can reach is determined by the stop 48. When the user lets go of the rails 45 he will return to the horizontal position or he will remain in an inverted position in accordance with the threaded position of the stop 48 in the member 49. The user is either fully supported in a supine position or entirely suspended in a vertical position and partly both supported and suspended between these positions.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by the present invention means and process for effecting periodic body inversion by which relaxing and healthful effects can be ybestowed upon the human body particularly from reversing the gravitational effects upon the bodys various anatomical parts and systems. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that modifications, variations and changes may -be resorted to without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I clai-m:

1. Self-operable non-invalid means for effecting periodic body inversion for its beneficial effects upon the human body comprising a table, a base, the table xedly mounted for 90 degree or so limited rotation upon the base between a horizontal position and a vertical position in which the foot of the table is above its head, attaching means for attaching the user in a supine position to the table including feet attaching means at the -foot end of the table lfor gripping the users lfeet to suspend the user in an inverted Iposition without discomfort when the table is in its vertical position, means entirely operable by the user himself 'while so attached to the table for moving the same between its horizontal and Vertical positions including a pair of hand rails constructed so that the user must reach over 'his head to reach the same and by which he can Walk himself via his hands between said horizontal and vertical positions, and means for controlling the force which the user must use to walk himself down the rails to an inverted position and for controlling the rate at which the user returns to the horizontal fr-om said inverted position comprising adjustable weight counterbalancing means at the foot end of the table for counter'balancing the head end of the table and the user for `so returning the table and user to the horizontal position when 4the user lets go of the rails.

2. Means according to claim 1 in which said feet attaching means and said counterbalancing means are movea'ble axially of the table to accommodate different heights and weights of Various users.

3. Means according to claim l1 which includes normally-on releasable ibrake means for rendering said feet attaching means and said -counterbalancing means fast against -movement in each of their adjusted positions axially of the table, and brake release means actuable by the user while on the locked table for releasing said brake means to free said feet attaching means and said counterbalancing means for adjustment axially of the table.

4. Means .according -t-o ciaim 3 which includes a footboard and means to move the footboard axially of the table, said brake means operative upon the footboard in respect to the table, said footboard carrying said counterbalancing means on one side thereof and said feet attaching means on the other side thereof.

5. Means according to claim 1 which includes adjustable position stop means which limits the extreme inverted position of the table in respect vto the vertical.

6. Means according to claim 5 in which' said stop means is so positiona'ble as to require the user to use the hand rails Vto maintain himself in said inverted position so that if he loses consciousness or -otherwise frees his hands of the hand rail he will always return to the horizontal.

7. Means` according to claim 5 in which said stop means is so positionable as to allow the user to free his hands of the hand rails in a vertical position without returning -to the horizontal.

'8. Means according t-o claim 5 in which said stop means is so positionable that the extreme inverted posi- 'tion of the table can be adjusted between a few degrees on each side of vertical.

9. "Means according to claim I1 in which said feet attaching means :comprises individually operative and individually -fastenable and loosenable ankle gripping means ywhich grip the users ankles.

10. 'Means according to claim 9 in which each ankle gripping means comprises a looped webbing member through and in which iloop is threaded :and gripped the respective ankle of the user.

11. Means according to claim 1 in which said rails are disposed adjacent to and are continuous along the rotational path of movement of the head end of the table.

12. Means according to claim 11 in which said rails are circular and have a c-ommon -center of curvature which is the rotation axis for the table, the radius of curvature of said rails being greater than that of said rotational path of movement of the head end of the table.

13. yMeans according to claim 1 which includes means for locking the table in its horizontal position, and lock release means actuable by the user while in a supine horizontal position on the locked table for releasing said locking means to free the table for rotation in respect to the base.

14. -Means according to claim 13- in which said lock release means is slidably actuable by being pulled upon by the user.

15. Process for effecting inversion of ones own body with a table pivotally supported intermediate its ends at a height substantially one-half that of the person and downwardly extending nail means at Jche head end of and unattached to the table, and means located at the foot end of the table for counterbalancing t-he table, said process comprising securing the ankles to the `foot end of said table and lying thereupon with `the table in a substantially horizontal position, grasping the rail means and walking the head end of the table downwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,693,810 12/1928 Daniels et a1. 12s-70 3,081,085 3/1963 Gionamo 272-58 3,152,802 10/1964 Heiner et a1. 272-58 X n FOREIGN PATENTS 883,964 12/-1961 Great Britain.

L. W, TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

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