Abstract: A treadmill apparatus comprising a rigid member movably supported overhead of a user wherein the rigid member has guiding arrangement for guiding a handle of the rigid member through a path having a vertical component, and wherein said handle has a biasing arrangement for biasing the handle toward an upper end of the path.

Abstract: A cycling mechanism consisting of foot pedals attached to rotatable cranks, in which the crank axes are independently connected to the machine frame in a movable manner such that in addition to each of cranks being rotatable about their respective axis, the crank axes are simultaneously allowed to translate to thereby cause the attached foot pedals to move in a combined revolving and axis translating manner. A flywheel or electric motor may be rotatably connected to the cranks to synchronize the cranks, and provide momentum characteristics. When used on an exercise machine, work may be performed to cause the pedals to rotate, or to cause the crank axis to translate.

Abstract: A multiple rigid bar mechanism serving as an exercise machine which may be characterized as providing a motion path along a closed curve. In the simplest embodiment, the mechanism comprises a motion bar rotatably connected to a flywheel and a trunnion element. The flywheel is rotatably secured to the machine frame about a flywheel base joint, and is eccentrically connected to the motion bar at a flywheel motion bar first joint. Upon input force from the machine operator at a motion bar force input region, the motion bar will be caused to pivot about a motion bar trunnion region thus effecting the motion bar first joint to translate at an eccentric radius about the flywheel or crank rotational axis. The mechanism may be used to exercise the operators upper and/or lower body, and may be described as having a reciprocating type of resistive motion with inertial characteristics of a flywheel.

Abstract: An exercise machine for exercising the lower body, the upper body, or both simultaneously. The mechanism consists of a crank, a rocker, a connector link, and a stationary fourth link so arranged as to cause a portion of the connector link to travel about a closed curve resembling an ellipse, a tear drop shape, or any variation thereof. A flywheel and/or force resisting means may be added to provide inertial characteristics and drag resistance to the operator.