Free weight fastened to a barbell by gravity
View Patent ↗New forms of free weights for weight training are provided. Such free weights may include a flexible, gripping ring set in a channel with a varying width, configured to be threaded over the end of a barbell. The channel may include a locking notch. Such a free weight may be rotated until the channel is aligned with a floor (perpendicular to gravity) and then loaded onto the barbell by threading the gripping ring onto the barbell. The free weight is then rotated 90 degrees causing the barbell and gripping ring to travel away from a center of the channel, where the channel narrows and includes the locking notch. The gripping ring is resultingly deformed by the narrower section of the channel entered, into an ovoid shape, gripping the barbell by force of gravity. A user may then reverse these steps, to release and unload the free weight from the barbell.
1 . A weight for a barbell, comprising:
flat profile;
a circular port, defined by a flexible, port-defining ring configured to be mounted on an end of a barbell;
a ring-holding channel passing through a center of said weight and having a variable width, in which the flexible, port-defining ring is slidingly set;
wherein said ring-holding channel is wider at a center of said weight than at other areas of said ring-holding channel, distal from said center of said weight.
2 . The weight for a barbell of claim 1 , wherein said ring-holding channel includes a notch, capable of locking said flexible, port-defining ring when said flexible, port-defining ring slides into said notch.
3 . The weight for a barbell of claim 2 , wherein said ring-holding channel comprises a second notch, capable of holding said flexible, port-defining ring in a central location of said weight when said flexible, port-defining ring slides into said notch.
4 . The weight for a barbell of claim 3 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring is forced biased towards being moved toward said central location of said weight.
5 . The weight for a barbell of claim 4 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring is forced biased by an elastomeric member.
6 . The weight for a barbell of claim 3 , wherein said second notch is wider than said first notch.
7 . The weight for a barbell of claim 6 , wherein said second notch is looser than said first notch.
8 . The weight for a barbell of claim 2 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring comprises an elastomeric material.
9 . The weight for a barbell of claim 8 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring flexes and narrows, changing into an ovoid shape, when slid into said notch.
10 . The weight for a barbell of claim 1 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring comprises an elastomeric material.
11 . The weight for a barbell of claim 10 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring flexes and narrows, changing into an ovoid shape, when slid into a narrower section of said ring-holding channel.
12 . The weight for a barbell of claim 1 , comprising at least one first indicator of a vertical orientation of said weight suitable for loading said weight onto said barbell.
13 . The weight for a barbell of claim 12 , comprising at least one second indicator of a vertical orientation of said weight suitable for causing locking of said weight onto said barbell.
14 . The weight for a barbell of claim 13 , wherein said at least one second indicator is aligned perpendicularly from said at least one first indicator.
15 . The weight for a barbell of claim 12 , wherein said at least one first indicator is aligned with said ring-holding channel.
16 . The weight for a barbell of claim 1 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring is lined with at least one elastomeric piece.
17 . The weight for a barbell of claim 1 , wherein said flexible, port-defining ring is lined with a plurality of elastomeric members.
18 . A method for fastening a weight onto a barbell, comprising the following steps:
obtaining a weight for a barbell, wherein said weight for a barbell comprises:
a flat profile;
a circular port, defined by a flexible, port-defining ring configured to be mounted on an end of a barbell;
a ring-holding channel passing through a center of said weight and having a variable width, in which the flexible, port-defining ring is slidingly set;
wherein said ring-holding channel is wider at a center of said weight than at other areas of said ring-holding channel, distal from said center of said weight.
19 . A weight plate for a barbell, comprising:
a flat weight plate body;
a circular port, defined by a flexible, port-defining ring configured to be mounted on the end of a barbell;
a ring-holding channel passing through a center of said weight in which the port-defining ring is slidingly set, wherein said ring-holding channel is wider at a center of said weight than at other areas of said channel, distal from said center of said weight; and
a lock, configured to hold said barbell.