Apparatus for physical exercise
An apparatus for physical exercise, more particularly, a ramp-like equipment which is provided with a frame that supports “U”-shaped concave tracks on which a cart on wheels slides so that it can move up and down, the upper portion of which is provided with a structure composed of stainless steel bars that may be arranged for different supports on which the user is supported and, with the aid of a number of accessories such as belts and handles, he/she can practice different exercises, thus making it possible to apply same to any fitness equipment designed for the fitness and health market.
1. An apparatus for physical exercise, comprising:
a frame;
a track supported by the frame for rollably supporting a cart and restricting the cart from leaving the track, the track being substantially semi-circular in shape; the cart mounted for rolling movement along the track and constructed and arranged for supporting a user;
a pair of end covers affixed to ends of the track to prevent the cart from moving beyond the ends of the track;
an upper structure extending from the frame upwards and above said track, the upper structure having a pair of parallel horizontal bars extending across and above the track, and being releaseably attached to the upper structure such that the pair of parallel horizontal bars can be selectively raised away from or lowered toward the track, and
adjustable restraining means attached to the upper structure and operatively connected to the cart to provide an adjustable amount of restraining against movement of the cart along the track.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the track further comprises first and second “U”-shaped members having “T”-shaped cross-sections arranged adjacent and substantially parallel to one another, a plurality of cross bars extending between and connecting the first and second “U”-shaped members, and a floor extending between the first and second “U”-shaped members and supported by the plurality of cross bars.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a third “U”-shaped member having a “T”-shaped cross section positioned between and substantially equidistant from the first and second “U”-shaped members, and a second cart for supporting the user, mounted for rolling movement along the track, wherein the first cart is mounted for rolling movement along the first and third “U”-shaped members, and the second cart is mounted for rolling movement along the second and third “U”-shaped members.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the height of the first and second carts exceed the height of the third “U”-shaped member, and the first and second carts are adapted to be connected to one another.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the floor is made of wood, fiber or polycarbonate.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises:
two “U”-shaped tubular structures arranged adjacent and substantially parallel to one another;
a plurality of crosspieces extending between and connecting the “U”-shaped tubular structures; and
a plurality of horizontal bars and a plurality of oblique bars extending from the “U”-shaped tubular structures for attachment to and support of the track.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of end covers are “C”-shaped, and wherein a first end cover of the pair of end covers is provided with a protuberance forming a hole for receiving cables operatively connected to the pair of parallel horizontal bars to selectively raise or lower said bars, and a second end cover of the pair of end covers is provided with a semicircular channel for receiving cables or elastic bands associated with the adjustable restraining means.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the upper structure further comprises two inverted “U”-shaped bodies arranged adjacent to and substantially parallel to one another, the pair of parallel horizontal bars of the upper structure extending between the “U”-shaped bodies to connect “U”-shaped bodies, the upper structure further comprising a plurality of crosspieces extending between the pair of parallel horizontal bars, said crosspieces being releaseably attached to the pair of parallel horizontal bars such that the crosspieces can be selectively moved along the length of the pair of parallel horizontal bars.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable restraining means further comprises a non-elastic cable extending from the cart at a first end thereof to an attachment point at a second end thereof, and a plurality of elastic bands of differing intensities of elastic modulus, each of said plurality of elastic bands being selectively attachable to the attachment point at a first end, and to the upper structure at a second end.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a ratchet operatively connected to the pair of parallel horizontal bars of the upper structure via a plurality of cables to selectively raise or lower said pair of parallel horizontal bars.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of parallel horizontal bars bars are releasably attached to the upper structure via a plurality of butterfly locks comprising toothed plates attached to the upper structure, the toothed plates forming grooves into which swivel rods extending between ends of the pair of parallel horizontal bars can be placed.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an engine operatively connected to the pair of parallel horizontal bars of the upper structure to selectively raise or lower the pair of parallel horizontal bars.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cart further comprises a sliding portion and a board for supporting the user mounted to the sliding portion for rotation about an axis perpendicular to a face of said board, the sliding portion comprising a frame and a plurality of wheels mounted to said frame to facilitate rolling movement of the frame of the cart along the track.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of belts and handles affixed to a plurality of spring hooks extending from the upper structure.