Dual grip barbell

Abstract

An exercise barbell comprises two separated pairs of rings, all lying along the length of the barbell in a common plane, each ring rotatably supporting a handle member which bisects the ring. The members of each pair are closely separated at their edges, or abutting one another, and are connected by very short bars extending on opposite sides of the center line of the bar. The two pairs are separated by a pair of longer bars disposed on opposite sides of the center line of the bar. Shafts extend outwardly along the length of the barbell from the outermost ring of each pair and these extending shafts may be rotatable, for gripping by the exerciser, and can support individual weights with center holes for surrounding the bar. The dual sets of handles allow a variety of different exercises to be performed with the barbell, most commonly by a user gripping the handle supported in either the two innermost rings or the two outermost rings of each pair.

1 . An exercise barbell having a central axis, comprising:
 two pairs of rings, all of the rings lying in the same plane and being arrayed symmetrically along the central axis, each ring supporting a rotatable handle which bisects the ring, each ring of a pair being adjacent to one another and spaced from the other pair by a pair of bars disposed on opposite sides of the center axis of the barbell and having their opposite ends joined to opposite rings of each pair; and   end extensions of the bar connected to the ring of each pair closest to an end of the bar and extending along the central axis bar.   
     
     
         2 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the bars connecting the two inner rings of each pair are curved and have their convex surfaces opposing one another. 
     
     
         3 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the end extensions are rotatably supported about the central axis of the barbell. 
     
     
         4 . The barbell of  claim 1 , further including manually actuable locks supported on each ring adapted to lock the handle members against rotation relative to the rings. 
     
     
         5 . The barbell of  claim 4 , wherein the rings comprise first flanges fixed relative to said bar and second rotatable flanges supporting each handle within its ring and extending on the outer side of the first flange, indentations at spaced intervals along the outer edge of the second rotatable flange; and pins slidably supported within an aperture in the first flange adapted to extend into a selected indentation to prevent the rotatable flange from rotating relative to the ring. 
     
     
         6 . The barbell of  claim 5 , wherein each said pin is supported for motion, under manual force, transverse to the elongated bar between a first position in which the rotatable flange is free to rotate and a second position in which the rotatable flange is locked against rotation.