Energy absorbing exercising and training machine

Abstract

An energy absorbing exercising and training machine for exercising a person's ability to accelerate a portion of his body through a path of motion. The machine comprises a flywheel rotatably connected to a frame by means of a pair of journal bearings. A harness assembly is provided for connection to the portion of the person's body to be exercised. The flywheel and the harness assembly are interconnected to allow the flywheel to rigidly engage relative to the harness assembly upon acceleration of the harness assembly relative to the flywheel in a first direction along a path of motion of the body portion being exercised and to also allow the flywheel to disengage and freely rotate relative to the harness assembly upon deceleration of the harness assembly relative to the flywheel.

Description

The slide bearings 51 of the carriaged frame assembly 12 facilitates mounting of the carriaged framework 12 relative to the fixed framework 14 to allow translational movement of the harness assembly 20 and the rotatable shaft 18 during exercising and to preclude fixed coupling of the harness assembly 20 and the rotatable shaft 18 relative to the fixed framework 14 during exercising.

As shown in FIG. 5, the shaft 18 is rotatably journalled to the carriaged frame 12 by means of a pair of journal bearings 52 connected to the top and bottom frame members 46T and 46B of the rectangular framework 46. Preferably, shaft 18 comprises a spline shaft and the upper journal bearing 42 includes a sleeve 52B and a ball spline bearing 54 with keyway 51 which allows the shaft 18 to reciprocate vertically relative to the journal bearing 52U and rotate. A stop 56 is connected to the upper end of the shaft 14 by means of threaded fastener 58. Spring 60 is positioned between stop 56 and the sleeve 52B for cushing.

Preferably, the sideways movement of the carriaged frame 12 is geared to the rotation of the shaft 18 by means of a cable 53 which is wrapped once around the sleeve 52B and the trailing ends 55 of the cable 53 are rigidly connected to the left and right side members 32LS and 32RS of the rectangular framework 32. Thus, it can be appreciated that rotation of the harness assembly 20, shaft 18 and sleeve 52B causes the carriaged frame 12 to travel sideways along the length of the cable 53. Preferably, the cable 53 is wrapped about the sleeve 52B in such a manner that the carriaged frame 12 is in its fully rightward position when the harness assembly 20 is rotated to a position corresponding to the start of the golfer's swing. Thus, as the golfer takes his golf swing, the carriaged frame 12 is forceably moved leftward in synchronism to the rotation of the golfer's torso, thereby training the golfer to exercise a proper golf swing.

The flywheel 16 comprises a generally disk-shaped configuration (see FIG. 3). A plurality of upstanding pins 62 are positioned equidistantly about an outer periphery of the flywheel 16 for receiving removable weights 64 to attain a flywheel having a desired mass.

The flywheel 16 is rigidly connected to the upper protruding portion of the lower sleeve bushing 52LB by means of welding 66 or the like. The flywheel 16 is operatively connected to the shaft 18 by means of an over-running clutch 68 having an outer raceway 680 rigidly connected at a lower surface to the flywheel 16 by means of threaded fasteners 70. A ball spline bearing 72 is positioned within the inner raceway 68I of the clutch 68 and is keyed thereto by means of keyway 74. Ball spline bearing 72 allows vertical movement of the shaft 18 therethrough while nonrotatably securing the inner raceway 68I to the shaft 18. A shim bushing 76 may be interposed between the inner raceway 68I and the spline bearing 72.

Rotation of shaft 18 in one direction causes the inner raceway 68I to rigidly engage the outer raceway 680 of the clutch 68 thereby rigidly interconnecting the flywheel 16 to the shaft 18. Deceleration of the shaft 18 relative to the flywheel 16 causes the raceway 680 and 68I to disengage allowing the flywheel 16 to freely over-run without exerting any torque on the shaft 18. Thus, with the torso harness assembly 20 connected to the end of the shaft 18, it can be readily appreciated that the golfer's twisting of his torso during the golf swing will forcibly accelerate the flywheel 16 and, at the end of the golf swing when the torso begins to decelerate, the flywheel 16 freely overruns to prevent any force being imparted to the torso harness assembly 20 which would otherwise adversely affect the golf swing and possibly cause physical damage to the golfer.

The exercising and training machine 10 of the invention further includes a cammed clutch, generally indicated by numeral 78, which interconnects the flywheel 16 and the shaft 18 and allows the flywheel 16 to rigidly engage the shaft 18 during a predefined arc of rotation of the shaft in a second direction corresponding to the golfer's backswing opposite to the first direction corresponding to the golfer's golf swing.

More particularly, the cammed clutch 78 comprises a first clutch plate 80 which is rigidly connected to the upper sleeve bushing 52LB of the upper journal bearing 52. The cammed clutch 78 further comprises a second clutch plate 82 positioned in alignment with the first clutch plate 80 and rigidly connected to the upper surface of the outer raceway 680 of the over-running clutch 68 by means of threaded fastener 84. A wearable clutch 86 is positioned between the clutch plates 80 and 82. An arcuate cam 88 is rigidly connected to the upper surface of the first clutch plate 80 and includes end ramp 88R. A corresponding cam roller 90 is rotatably connected to a bracket 92 depending from the top frame member 46T of the rectangular framework 46 in alignment with cam 88. A lower cam roller 94 may also be rotatably connected to bracket 92 for support to the underside of the second clutch plate 82.

The cam 88 is arcuately shaped to be engaged by the cam roller 90 along the predefined arc of rotation which corresponds to the backswing of the golfer when the golfer is facing forwardly. Thus, as the golfer begins his backswing, cam roller 90 engages cam 88 to frictionally engage the clutch plates 80 and 82 together and rigidly interconnecting the flywheel 16 to the shaft 18 via sleeve 52B and ball spline bearing 54. The golfer must thus exert enough backswing force to rotate flywheel 16. At the end of the golfer's backswing, cam roller 90 rolls off ramp 88R of cam 88 thereby disengaging the plates 80 and 82 and allowing flywheel 16 to freely rotate. The relative positioning of ramp 88R of cam 88 determines when the flywheel 68 is disengaged. Thus, it cam be appreciated that a certain amount of extension of the golfer's torso can be achieved by proper positioning of the cam ramp 88R relative to the golfer's backswing.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. An exercising and training machine for exercising a person's ability to accelerate a portion of the person's body through a non-continuous path of motion, comprising in combination:

flywheel characterized as having a large amount of inertia;

frame;

bearing means for rotatably connecting said flywheel relative to said frame allowing said flywheel to freely rotate in both directions relative to said frame;

harness assembly for connection to the portion of the person's body to be exercised;

means for interconnecting said flywheel and said harness assembly allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage relative to said harness assembly upon acceleration of said harness assembly relative to said flywheel in a first direction along the path of motion of the body portion being exercised and against only the inertia of said flywheel and to disengage and freely rotate relative to said harness assembly upon deceleration of said harness assembly relative to said flywheel such that the body portion being exercised may be accelerated in said first direction along the path of motion against only the inertia of said flywheel and upon deceleration of the body portion, said flywheel disengages relative to said harness assembly thereby precluding said flywheel from exerting a force on the body portion along the path of motion.

2. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means comprises an over-running clutch having an outer race connected to said flywheel and having an inner race connected relative to said harness assembly and wherein said bearing means comprises a journal bearing mounted to said frame through which a shaft is rotatably journalled.

3. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means further comprises a universal joint interconnecting said shaft and said harness assembly.

4. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said universal joint comprises a constant velocity universal joint.

5. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said journal bearing comprises means for reciprocatably connecting said shaft relative to said frame and wherein said inner race of said over-running clutch comprises means for reciprocatably mounting said shaft therethrough, whereby said shaft may reciprocate relative to said frame and said flywheel.

6. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 5, further including a spring-loaded stop connected to said shaft to prevent said shaft from sliding out of said journal bearing and said inner race of said over-running clutch when the exercising and training machine is utilized with said shaft positioned vertically and said harness assembly depending therebelow.

7. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 2, further including a cammed clutch interconnecting said flywheel and said shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage said shaft during a predefined arc of rotation of said shaft in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

8. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said cammed clutch comprises:

a first clutch plate;

means for non-rotatably, reciprocatably mounting said first clutch plate to said shaft;

a second clutch plate;

means for rigidly connecting said second clutch plate relative to said flywheel;

cam roller rotatably mounted relative to said frame; and

cam mounted to said first clutch plate for engagement by said cam roller during said predefined arc of rotation,

whereby said first clutch plate is cammed into frictional engagement with said second clutch plate when said cam roller engages said cam thereby interconnecting said shaft and said flywheel during said predefined arc of rotation.

9. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said cammed clutch further comprises a wearable clutch positioned between said first clutch plate and said second clutch plate.

10. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said shaft is positioned vertically relative to said frame with said harness assembly depending therebelow and wherein said frame is adjustably elevated by means of a stand, thereby allowing adjustment of the height of said harness assembly.

11. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the body portion being exercised comprises a torso and wherein said harness assembly comprises a torso harness assembly.

12. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said torso harness assembly comprises are inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and onto the upper torso of the person's body.

13. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said shaft is positioned vertically relative to said frame with said harness assembly depending therebelow and wherein said frame comprises a carriaged frame horizontally and reciprocatably mounted relative to an upstanding stand allowing said carriaged frame to horizontally reciprocate.

14. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 13, the body portion being exercised comprises a torso and wherein said harness assembly comprises a torso harness assembly.

15. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 14, wherein said torso harness assembly comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and onto the upper torso of the person's body.

16. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 13, further including means for moving and carriaged frame sideways as said shaft is rotated.

17. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 16, wherein said moving means comprises a flexible member connected relative to said shaft and whose trailing ends are rigidly connected to opposing sides of said upstanding stand such that rotation of said shaft in one direction moves said carriaged frame in one sideways direction and rotation of said shaft in the other direction moves said carriaged frame in the other sideways direction.

18. An exercising and training machine for exercising a person's ability to accelerate a portion of the person's body through a non-continuous path of motion, comprising in combination:

shaft;

flywheel characterized as having a large movement of inertia;

frame;

bearing means for rotatably connecting said flywheel relative to said frame, said bearing means comprising a journal bearing mounted to said frame through which said shaft is rotatably journalled;

harness assembly for connection to the portion of the person's body to be exercised;

a universal join interconnecting said shaft and said harness assembly; and

over-running clutch having an outer race connected to said flywheel and having an inner race connected relative to said shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage relative to said harness assembly upon acceleration of said harness assembly relative to said flywheel in a first direction along the path of motion of the body portion being exercised and to disengage and freely rotate relative to said harness assembly upon deceleration of said harness assembly relative to said flywheel such that the body portion being exercised may be accelerated in said first direction along the path of motion and upon deceleration of the body portion, said flywheel disengages relative to said harness assembly thereby precluding of said flywheel from exerting a force on the body portion along the path of motion.

19. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein said universal joint comprises a constant velocity universal joint.

20. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein said journal bearing comprises means for reciprocatably connecting said shaft relative to said frame and wherein said inner race of said over-running clutch comprises means for reciprocatably mounting said shaft therethrough, whereby said shaft may reciprocate relative to said frame and said flywheel.

21. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 20, further including a spring-loaded stop connected to said shaft to prevent said shaft from sliding out of said journal bearing and said inner race of said over-running clutch when the exercising and training machine is utilized with said shaft positioned vertically and said harness assembly depending therebelow.

22. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 18, further including a cammed clutch interconnecting said flywheel and said shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage said shaft during a predefined arc of rotation of said shaft in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

23. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 22, wherein said cammed clutch comprises:

a first clutch plate;

means for non-rotatably, reciprocatably mounting said first clutch plate to said shaft;

a second clutch plate;

means for rigidly connecting said second clutch plate relative to said flywheel;

cam roller rotatably mounted relative to said frame; and

cam mounted to said first clutch plate for engagement by said cam roller during said predefined arc of rotation,

whereby said first clutch plate is cammed into frictional engagement with said second clutch plate when said cam roller engages said cam thereby interconnecting said shaft and said flywheel during said predefined arc of rotation.

24. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein said shaft is positioned vertically relative to said frame with said harness assembly depending therebelow and wherein said frame is adjustably elevated by means of a stand, thereby allowing adjustment of the height of said harness assembly.

25. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 24, wherein the body portion being exercised comprises a torso and wherein said harness assembly comprises a torso harness assembly.

26. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 25, wherein said torso harness assembly comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and onto the upper torso of the person's body.

27. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein said shaft is positioned vertically relative to said frame with said harness assembly depending therebelow and wherein said frame comprises a carriaged frame horizontally and reciprocatably mounted relative to an upstanding stand allowing said carriaged frame to horizontally reciprocate.

28. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 27, the body portion being exercised comprises a torso and wherein said harness assembly comprises a torso harness assembly.

29. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 28, wherein said torso harness assembly comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and onto the upper torso of the person's body.

30. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 29 further including means for moving and carriage frame sideways as said shaft is rotated.

31. The exercising and training machine as set forth in claim 30, wherein said moving means comprises a flexible member connected relative to said shaft and shows trailing ends are rigidly connected to opposing sides of said upstanding stand such that rotation of said shaft in one direction moves said carriaged frame in one sideways direction and rotation of said shaft in the other direction moves said carriaged frame in the other sideways direction.

32. An exercising machine for exercising a portion of a person's body about a translationally movable axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a harness for removable engagement with the portion of the person's body to be exercised, said harness comprising a torso harness;

a rotatable shaft;

means for operatively connecting said harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith;

a carriaged frame assembly including a fixed framework and a carriaged framework;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft to said carriaged framework; and

said carriaged frame assembly comprising means for mounting said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework to linearly and freely move as said harness and said rotatable shaft are linearly moved;

whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft against a rotational resistance applied thereto, said carriaged framework, said harness and said rotatable shaft may linearly move relative to said fixed framework.

33. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 32, wherein said mounting means comprises means for mounting said carriaged framework to linearly move relative to said fixed framework substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft.

34. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 33, wherein said mounting means comprises at least one rail extending between said fixed framework and said carriaged framework on which said carriaged framework moves relative to said fixed framework, said rail extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft.

35. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 34, wherein said carriaged frame assembly further includes means for slidably engaging said rail to permit resistance-free linear movement of said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework.

36. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 34, wherein said rail of said carriaged frame assembly extends substantially horizontally relative to said fixed framework and said carriaged framework such that said carriaged framework translationally moves substantially horizontally free of gravitational forces.

37. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 36, further including a stand extending substantially vertically and means for mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand.

38. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 37, wherein said means for mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand comprises means for adjustably vertically mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand.

39. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 37, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically.

40. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 39, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically beneath said carriaged frame assembly and wherein said harness is positioned beneath said carriaged frame assembly.

41. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 40, wherein said torso harness comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and the upper torso of the person's body.

42. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 41, wherein said resistance comprises a flywheel characterized as having a large amount of inertia.

43. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 42, further including means for rotatably mounting said flywheel relative to said carriaged framework.

44. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 43, further including an over-running clutch having an outer race connected to said flywheel and an inner race connected to said rotatable shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage relative to said torso harness upon acceleration of said torso harness and to disengage relative to said torso harness upon deceleration of said torso harness.

45. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 44, wherein said means for rotatably mounting said flywheel relative to said carriaged framework further comprises means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said carriaged framework.

46. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 45, wherein said means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said carriaged framework comprises a spline bearing.

47. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 45, further including a spring-loaded stop connected to said rotatable shaft to prevent said rotatable shaft from sliding out of said spline bearing and to at least partially compensate for the weight of said torso harness and said rotatable shaft.

48. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 46, further including a clutch interconnecting said flywheel and said rotatable shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage said rotatable shaft.

49. An exercising machine for exercising a portion of a person's body about an axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a frame assembly;

a rotatable shaft whose axis comprises the axis of rotation;

a harness for removable engagement with the portion of the person's body to be exercised;

means for operatively connecting said harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly allowing rotational movement of said rotatable shaft about the axis of rotation against a rotational resistance applied thereto;

means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly for free reciprocable movement along the axis of said rotatable shaft;

whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation, said rotatable shaft may rotatably move against the rotational resistance and freely reciprocatably move relative to said frame assembly.

50. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 49, wherein said means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly comprises a spline bearing.

51. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 49, further including a spring-loaded stop connected to said rotatable shaft to prevent said rotatable shaft from sliding out of said spline bearing.

52. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 49, wherein said frame assembly comprises a carriaged frame assembly including a fixed framework and a carriaged framework, said carriaged frame assembly comprising means for mounting said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework to move relative to said fixed framework whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation, said carriaged framework may move relative to said fixed framework.

53. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 52, wherein said mounting means comprises means for mounting said carriaged framework to move relative to said fixed framework substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft.

54. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 53, wherein said mounting means comprises at least one rail extending between said fixed framework and said carriaged framework on which said carriaged framework translationally moves, said rail extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft.

55. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 54, wherein said carriaged frame assembly further including means for slidably engaging said rail to permit resistance-free translational movement of said carriaged framework.

56. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 54, wherein said rail of said carriaged frame assembly extends substantially horizontally relative to said fixed framework and said carriaged framework such that said carriaged framework translationally moves substantially horizontally free of gravitational forces.

57. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 56, further including a stand extending substantially vertically and means for mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand.

58. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 57, wherein said means for mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand comprises means for adjustably mounting said fixed framework relative to said stand.

59. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 58, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically.

60. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 59, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically beneath said carriaged frame assembly and wherein said harness is positioned beneath said carriaged frame assembly.

61. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 60, wherein said harness comprises a torso harness.

62. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 61, wherein said torso harness comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration adapted for fitting over the shoulders and the upper torso of the person's body.

63. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 62, wherein said resistance comprises a flywheel characterized as having a large amount of inertia.

64. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 63, further including means for rotatably mounting said flywheel relative to said carriaged framework.

65. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 64, further including an over-running clutch having an outer race connected to said flywheel and an inner race connected to said rotatable shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage relative to said torso harness upon acceleration of said torso harness and to disengage relative to said torso harness upon deceleration of said torso harness.

66. An exercising machine for exercising a portion of a person's body about a translationally moveable axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a rotatable shaft whose axis comprises the axis of rotation;

a harness for removable engagement with the portion of the person's body to be exercised;

means for operatively connecting said harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith;

a carriaged frame assembly including a fixed framework and a carriaged framework, said carriaged frame assembly comprising means for mounting said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework to allow translational movement of said harness and said rotatable shaft during exercising and to preclude fixed coupling of said harness and said rotatable shaft relative to said fixed framework during exercising;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said carriaged framework allowing rotational movement of said rotatable shaft about the axis of rotation against a rotational resistance; and

means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly for free reciprocable movement along the axis of said rotatable shaft;

whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation, said carriaged framework, said harness assembly and said rotatable shaft may translationally move and said rotatable shaft may rotatably move against the rotational resistance and freely reciprocatably move relative to said fixed framework.

67. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 66, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically.

68. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 67, wherein said axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft extends substantially vertically beneath said carriaged frame assembly and wherein said harness means is positioned beneath said carriaged frame assembly.

69. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 68, wherein said harness comprises a torso harness.

70. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 69, wherein said torso harness comprises an inverted substantially V-shaped configuration for fitting over the shoulders and the upper torso of the person's body.

71. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 70, wherein said resistance comprises a flywheel characterized as having a large amount of inertia.

72. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 71, further including means for rotatably mounting said flywheel relative to said carriaged framework.

73. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 72, further including an over-running clutch having an outer race connected to said flywheel and an inner race connected to said rotatable shaft allowing said flywheel to rigidly engage relative to said torso harness upon acceleration of said torso harness and to disengage relative to said torso harness upon deceleration of said torso harness.

74. An exercising machine for exercising a portion of a person's body about an axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a frame assembly;

a stand including at least two upright cylindrical members positioned at opposing sides of said stand;

means for adjustably mounting said frame assembly between said cylindrical members of said stand, said mounting means comprising a rotatable lifting ring positioned on each of aid cylindrical members, said lifting rings being operable to ascend said cylindrical members when rotated in one direction and to descend said cylindrical members when rotated in another direction;

a rotatable shaft;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly to depend downwardly therefrom;

a harness for removable engagement with the portion of the person's body to be exercised, said harness comprising a torso harness;

means for operatively connecting said harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith against a rotational resistance beneath said frame assembly; and

whereby, the height of said frame assembly may be adjusted by selective rotation of said lifting rings so that said harness means is adjustably elevated from the ground on which said stand is positioned.

75. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 74, wherein said frame assembly comprises a carriaged frame assembly including a fixed framework and a carriaged framework, said carriaged frame assembly comprising means for mounting said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework to translationally move relative to said fixed framework whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation, said carriaged framework may translationally move relative to said fixed framework.

76. An exercising machine for exercising a portion of a person's body about an axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a frame assembly, said frame assembly comprising a carriaged frame assembly including a fixed framework and a carriaged framework, said carriaged frame assembly comprising means for mounting said carriaged framework relative to said fixed framework to translationally move relative to said fixed framework whereby, upon rotational exercising of the portion of the person's body about the axis of rotation, said carriaged framework may translationally move relative to said fixed framework;

a stand including at least two upright cylindrical members positioned at opposing sides of said stand;

means for adjustably mounting said frame assembly between said cylindrical members of said stand, said mounting means comprising a rotatable lifting ring positioned on each of aid cylindrical members, said lifting rings being operable to ascend said cylindrical members when rotated in one direction and to descend said cylindrical members when rotated in another direction;

a rotatable shaft;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly to depend downwardly therefrom, said means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly further comprises means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly;

a harness for removable engagement with the portion of the person's body to be exercised;

means for operatively connecting said harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith against a rotational resistance beneath said frame assembly; and

whereby, the height of said frame assembly may be adjusted by selective rotation of said lifting rings so that said harness means is adjustably elevated from the ground on which said stand is positioned.

77. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 76, wherein said means for reciprocatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to frame assembly comprises a spline bearing.

78. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 77, further including a spring-loaded stop connected to said rotatable shaft to prevent said rotatable shaft from sliding out of said spline bearing and to at least partially compensate for the weight of said torso harness and said rotatable shaft.

79. An exercising machine for exercising the torso of a person's body about an axis of rotation, comprising in combination:

a frame assembly;

a rotatable shaft;

means for rotatably connecting said rotatable shaft relative to said frame assembly;

a torso harness for removable engagement with the torso, said torso harness comprising a front arm and a rear arm configured for adaption to the front and rear, respectively, of the torso; and

means for operatively connecting said torso harness to said rotatable shaft to rotate therewith, said connection means including a universal joint interconnecting said rotatable shaft and said torso harness; and

whereby, upon rotation of the torso, said arms engage the front and rear of the torso to rotate said rotatable shaft against a rotational resistance applied thereto.

80. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 79, further including a pair of said front arms and a pair of said rear arms that engage the left and right portions of the front and rear portions of the torso.

81. The exercising machine as set forth in claim 80, further including pad members connected to said arms.