Claims
- 1. A self-spotting apparatus for free-weights comprising:
a weight support assembly comprising a generally vertical column, said column comprising a plurality of holes disposed vertically along a length of said column; a weight-responsive engagement assembly comprising a guide slidably engaging said column and a pawl engageable in one of said plurality of holes; a connector attached to said weight-responsive engagement assembly for operably connecting a free-weight assembly to said weight-responsive engagement assembly; wherein said pawl comprises a head portion tapered inward in both vertical and horizontal planes toward a distal end portion of said pawl.
- 2. The self-spotting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pawl comprises an upper body portion adjacent to a proximal end of said head portion comprising no inward taper towards said distal end portion.
- 3. The self-spotting apparatus of claim 2 wherein said head portion comprises a bottom taper portion between said proximal end and said distal end portion and a top taper portion between said proximal end and said distal end portion, said bottom taper portion defining a steeper vertical taper than said top taper portion.
- 4. The self-spotting apparatus of claim 3 wherein a geometric center of a vertical cross section of said distal end portion is located vertically above a geometric center of a vertical cross section of said proximal end of said pawl head portion.
- 5. The self-spotting apparatus of claim 3 wherein a center of a vertical height of a vertical cross section of said distal end portion is located vertically above a center of a vertical height of a vertical cross section of said proximal end of said pawl head portion.
- 6. A cable attachment assembly for mechanical connection of a bar of a free-weight assembly to a support cable of a free-weight apparatus and electrical connection between a grip sensor of said free-weight assembly and said support cable, the cable attachment assembly comprising:
a first attachment portion comprising a first bar connector element and a grip sensor connector electrically connected to a first sliding-contact element; and a second attachment portion comprising a second bar connector element operably connected to a cable connector element, a second sliding-contact element slideably engageable to said first sliding-contact element, and an electrical cable connector electrically connected to said second sliding-contact element; whereby said second bar connector element and said cable connector element of said second portion mechanically connects said free-weight assembly to said support cable of free-weight apparatus and said grip sensor connector, said first sliding-contact element, said second sliding-contact element, and said electrical cable connector electrically connects said grip sensor to said support cable.
- 7. The cable attachment assembly of claim 6 wherein said first bar connector element is a mechanical clamp whereby said first attachment portion is rotationally fixed to said bar.
- 8. The cable attachment assembly of claim 7 wherein said second bar connector element comprises a journal whereby said bar is rotatable with respect to said second attachment portion.
- 9. The cable attachment assembly of claim 6 wherein said first sliding-contact element is a brush of a spring-biased brush assembly.
- 10. The cable attachment assembly of claim 9 wherein said second sliding-contact element is a slip ring.
- 11. The cable attachment assembly of claim 6 comprising a third attachment portion comprising a third bar connector element whereby fixing said third attachment portion on said bar with said third bar attachment element opposite said second attachment portion from said first attachment portion maintains sliding contact between said first attachment portion and said second attachment portion.
- 12. The cable attachment assembly of claim 8 wherein said second attachment portion comprises a mechanical stop engageable with a lug on said bar to limit rotation of said bar with respect to said second attachment portion.
- 13. The cable attachment assembly of claim 12 wherein said mechanical stop is a groove disposed in said journal.
- 14. A cable attachment assembly for mechanical connection of a bar of a free-weight assembly to a support cable of a free-weight apparatus and electrical connection between a grip sensor of said free-weight assembly and said support cable, the cable attachment assembly comprising:
a first collar comprising a first bar clamp and a grip sensor connector electrically connected to a spring-biased brush assembly; and a second collar comprising a journal portion rotationally engageable with said bar operably connected to a cable connector for attaching said support cable to said second collar, a slip ring engageable to said brush assembly, and an electrical cable connector electrically connecting said support cable to said slip ring assembly; whereby said journal portion and said cable connector of said second collar mechanically connect said bar of said free-weight assembly to said support cable of said free-weight apparatus and said grip sensor connector, said spring-biased brush assembly, said slip ring assembly, and said electrical cable connector electrically connects said grip sensor to said support cable.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/957,152, currently pending, which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/358,241, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,892.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09358241 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09957152 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09957152 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Child |
10397744 |
Mar 2003 |
US |