Schwinn Bicycle Company

Excelsior Fitness Equipment Co.

Exclesior Fitness Equipment Co.

Eugene J Szymski

Rene Mraz

Frank P Brilando

Frame for a bicycle type apparatus such as a bicycle type exerciser or a bicycle, having a closed, rectangular box beam cross section reach tube oriented with the major axis of the cross section in a vertical plane secured between a handlebar head tube and a seat mast. The reach tube has an angular configuration including a rear horizontal section extending along the chain guard, and an upwardly and forwardly extending diagonal section.

Box beam bicycle type frame

Cycle exerciser

A longitudinally adjustable saddle mounting for cycle-type apparatus such as a cycle-type exerciser, a bicycle, a tricycle, or like apparatus having a saddle mounted on a seat post. The saddle is fastened to a slide member which is adjustably moveable lengthwise of a channel guide member mounted on the seat post. A latch pin is carried by the slide member and is spring-biased toward a locked position engaging a selected one of several detent recesses in the channel guide member. A gudgeon member is rotatably journaled in the slide member and has an external handle. Interengaging grooves on the gudgeon member and latch pin move the pin from its locked position when the handle is turned, enabling longitudinal adjustment of the saddle with the slide member.

Longitudinally adjustable saddle mounting for cycle-type apparatus

A cycle-type exceriser has a pedal shaft which drives an energy-absorbing wheel. A pair of oscillatable handlebar levers are connected by links to drive crank arms which are connected through one-way clutches to opposite ends of the pedal shaft. Oscillation of the drive crank arms by the handlebar levers rotates the pedal shaft to thereby drive the energy-absorbing wheel. A semi-recumbent embodiment has a seat and the pedal shaft at opposite ends, with the handlebar levers mounted therebetween and the energy-absorbing wheel below the seat. An upright embodiment has a saddle at one end, the handlebar levers and energy-absorbing wheel at the other end, with the pedal shaft therebetween. In the semi-recumbent and upright embodiments, the links are interconnected by an interlock lever constraining the handlebar levers to oscillation in opposite directions. The energy-absorbing wheel can be driven by the pedals only; by the handlebar levers only; or by both pedals and handlebar levers. A third embodiment eliminates the interlock lever and enables the handlebar levers to oscillate simultaneously in an optional 'rowing' mode.

A cycle exerciser has a pedal-actuatable drive shaft and a pair of counter shafts rotatably mounted about spaced, parallel axes. First and second sprockets are mounted on the drive shaft and on one of the counter shafts, respectively. Third and fourth sprockets are mounted on the other counter shaft. A fifth sprocket is connected to an energy-absorbing wheel. The first and second sprockets are the same size and larger than the third sprocket. The fourth sprocket is larger than the fifth. A pair of oscillatable handle bar levers are connected to drive crank arms at opposite ends of the one counter shaft. A primary endless chain is in wraparound connecting engagement with the first, second, and third sprockets. A secondary endless chain is in wraparound connecting engagement with the fourth and fith sprockets. Energy is applied to the wheel through foot pedals and/or the handle bar levers.

A resistance freewheel mechanism useful with bicycle type exercisers in which a crank operated drive shaft is positively interlocked with an inertially weighted flywheel by a first positive acting clutch system for rotatably driving the flywheel in one direction and is selectively releasable from the wheel to permit full or partial freewheeling of the latter upon the application of sufficient torsional resistance to release the first clutch system and fully or partially disengage a second clutch system which frictionally couples the drive shaft to the flywheel.

Resistance freewheel mechanism

Exerciser frame

Method and apparatus for effecting precise adjustment of pointer on load indicator of ergometric exerciser having pedal-actuated wheel, adjustable caliper brakes engaging wheel and mounted on a pivoted frame for movement by the wheel to actuate load indicator pointer, and including introducing an adjustable biasing force against movement of pivoted frame in form of a spring and adjustable calibration screw and locknut engaging the spring, the biasing force being adjusted by hanging a weight from periphery of wheel, adjusting brakes to just prevent weight from turning wheel, manually turning wheel slightly in forward direction, allowing slight slippage of wheel past brakes, rapping side of wheel briskly adjacent brakes and noting reading of load indicator, manually rotating wheel slightly in rearward direction without brake slippage and repeating last recited step, and adjusting calibration screw in accordance with average of said readings to bring pointer to proper position.

Calibration of load indicator for ergometric exerciser

Bicycle-type ergometric exerciser having pedal-actuated wheel, adjustable caliper brakes engaging the wheel and mounted on a pivoted frame for movement by the wheel according to work input by operator in pedaling wheel, a gauge indicating work rate input, and hydraulic transducer transmitting movement of pivoted frame to the gauge.

Ergometric exerciser with fluid-actuated indicator

In a bicycle-type ergometric exerciser, a brake flywheel comprising two complementally dished stamped metal discs with central hub-receiving apertures and secured together by rivets equally circumferentially spaced around an intermediate portion, with lateral marginal portions providing outer brake surfaces, and opposed inwardly directed peripheral flanges with extruded rubber strips having flange-receiving slots mounted thereon in axially lateral abutting relation to provide a relatively soft outer protective peripheral tire and inner peripheral seats for split steel rings disposed interiorly for inertial weighting.

Growing community of inventors

Skokie, IL, United States of America

Eugene J Szymski