US258146A - Gymnastic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. A. SMITH.

GYMNASTIO APPARATUS.

No. 258,146. Patented May1 6,1882.

' Q V B- UNiTEn STATES TATENT union.

, VWILLIA'M A. SMITH, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,146, dated May 16, 1882, Application filed March 21, 1852. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SMITH, of Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatlrs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists in a novel construction and combination of two vertical bars connected bya jointed horizontal brace, and havin g their upper ends provided with spurs for the purpose of engaging with the top of a door-frame and their lower ends formed into hooks and engaging with a removable horizontal bar, whereby an exercising frame or trapeze is produced which can be readily applied to a door-frame or other suitable restingplace, and can be folded in small compass for paeking or carrying.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of my invention applied to the top of a doorframe. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

AArepresent two flat iron bars about seveneighths of an inch wide, and about one-quar terof an inch thick. Each bar has about one inch of its upper end bent at a right angle to its length and provided with a spur, B, attached thereto by inserting it in a hole therein and riveting it securely. The lower end of each bar is bent to form a half-round elastic book, at. These two bars A A are connected about midway of their length by a brace, D, consisting of two bars having theirinner ends pivoted to each other, and their outer ends pivoted to said barsA. Around bar,O,aboi1t one inch and a half in diameter, is provided near its ends with peripherical grooves e, of suitable width and depth to allow the hooks a tofit nicely therein, so as to hold the bar sufficiently tight for use, but allow it to be easily removed when desired. Beyond the grooves c the ends may be formed into knobs f, or any desired ornamental design. The upper portion of each bar A is provided with a jacket or casing, g, of chamoisskiu, rubber, or other suitable soft material.

In using this apparatus the upper ends of the bars A are hooked over the top of a door frame, It, or a beam, or other suitable stationary resting-place, so that the spurs B will e11- ter the wood and prevent the apparatus from slipping. It is then used by grasping the bar 0 in the same manner as an ordinary trapeze. The advantages of my inventionare: It is cheap and simple in construction, strong and durable, and not liable to get out of order. It can be readily placed in position for use, and as readily removed and folded into a small compass, so as to beeasily carriedifi the hand or packed in a trunk. It does not requirethe insertion of hooks or eyes in a door-frame or beam in order to attach it, and is for that reason very convenient for travelers. Thejacket or casin g g prevents the bar A from defacing the wood-work ot' the (lOOI flkllllG or other object to which the apparatus may be applied.

'Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A portable gymnastic or exercising apparatus, consisting of two'vertical bars, A A, having their upper ends provided with spurs B, and their lower ends formed into hooks a, a horizontal connecting-brace, D, and a horizontal exercising -bar, (J, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the vertical bars A A, of the horizontal connecting-brace D, consisting of two bars having their outer ends pivoted to said bars A, and their inner ends pivoted to each other, substantially as herein described.

7 WILLIAM A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

- GEORGE N. COMLY, HENRYR. (100mm.

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