Carriage Assembly and Weightlifting Assembly Including a Carriage Assembly

Abstract

An adjustable carriage assembly includes a carriage defining a passage configured to receive a frame member therethrough such that the carriage is moveable along the frame member, and a locking structure configured for engaging the frame member to lock the carriage in position relative to the frame member. The locking structure includes a main pin and an auxiliary pin connected to the carriage that are each moveable between a locked position, where the respective pin extends into the passage and is configured to engage the frame member to lock the carriage in position, and an unlocked position, where the respective pin is retracted from the passage and is configured to disengage from the frame member. The carriage may also include a first portion and a second portion, where a space is defined between the first and second portions, and the second portion is adjustable with respect to the first portion.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An adjustable carriage assembly configured to be adjustably mounted on a frame member having opposed first and second side surfaces, the adjustable carriage assembly comprising:
 a carriage defining a passage configured to receive the frame member therethrough, such that the carriage is moveable along the frame member, the carriage comprising:
 a first body portion having a connection structure for connection of an articulating implement for use in a weightlifting exercise; 
 a first roller rotatably connected to the first body portion and positioned on a first side of the passage, such that the first roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member; 
 a second body portion positioned adjacent to the first body portion, such that the first body portion and the second body portion combine to define the passage, wherein a space is defined between the first body portion and the second body portion, and the second body portion is independently moveable with respect to the first body portion; 
 a second roller rotatably connected to the second body portion and positioned on a second side of the passage, such that the second roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the second roller is spaced a distance from the first roller, and the passage extends between the first roller and the second roller; and 
 an adjustment structure connected to the first body portion and the second body portion and configured for adjusting the space between the first body portion and the second body portion to change the distance between the first roller and the second roller, the adjustment structure comprising a threaded member configured to adjust the space between the first body portion and the second body portion by threading engagement. 
   
     
     
         3 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a locking structure configured for engaging the frame member to lock the carriage in position relative to the frame member, wherein the locking structure comprises a retractable pin configured to releasably engage the frame member within the passage.   
     
     
         4 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first body portion is a front portion comprising a first pair of parallel side plates spaced laterally from each other, and the second body portion is a rear portion comprising a second pair of parallel side plates spaced laterally from each other. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the passage is further defined between at least one of the first pair of parallel side plates and the second pair of parallel side plates. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the carriage further comprises:
 a third roller connected to the first body portion and positioned below the first roller on the first side of the passage, such that the third roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member; and   a fourth roller connected to the second body portion and positioned below the second roller on the second side of the passage, such that the fourth roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the fourth roller is spaced a distance from the third roller, and the passage further extends between the third roller and the fourth roller,   wherein the adjustment structure is further configured for adjusting the space between the first body portion and the second body portion to change the distance between the third roller and the fourth roller.   
     
     
         7 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a handle assembly connected to the second body portion of the carriage and comprising a handle configured for gripping by a user.   
     
     
         8 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment structure further comprises:
 a first adjustment plate connected to the first body portion of the carriage and extending outward from the first body portion of the carriage; and   a second adjustment plate connected to the second body portion of the carriage and extending outward from the second body portion of the carriage, parallel to the first adjustment plate,   wherein the threaded member is configured to engage the first adjustment plate and the second adjustment plate to adjust the space between the first body portion and the second body portion by threading engagement.   
     
     
         9 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the adjustment structure further comprises:
 a first arm fixedly connected to the second adjustment plate and extending across the space between the first body portion and the second body portion, and wherein the first arm is configured for releasable connection to the first body portion to fix the first and second body portions in a desired position with respect to each other, such that releasing the releasable connection permits adjusting the space between the first body portion and the second body portion by the adjustment structure.   
     
     
         10 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first adjustment plate further comprises a passage, and the first arm extends through the passage to connect to the first body portion. 
     
     
         11 . An adjustable carriage assembly configured to be adjustably mounted on a frame member having opposed first and second side surfaces, the adjustable carriage assembly comprising:
 a carriage defining a passage configured to receive the frame member therethrough, such that the carriage is moveable along the frame member, the carriage comprising:
 a front body portion having a connection structure for connection of an articulating implement for use in a weightlifting exercise, wherein the front body portion comprises a first side plate, a second side plate parallel to the first side plate and spaced laterally from the first side plate, a first flange plate extending outward from the first side plate, and a second flange plate extending outward from the second side plate; 
 a first roller rotatably connected to the first side plate and the second side plate of the front body portion and positioned on a front side of the passage, such that the first roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member; 
 a rear body portion positioned adjacent to the front body portion, such that the front body portion and the rear body portion combine to define the passage, wherein the rear body portion is independently moveable with respect to the front body portion, and wherein the rear body portion comprises a third side plate, a fourth side plate parallel to the third side plate and spaced laterally from the third side plate, a third flange plate extending outward from the third side plate, and a fourth flange plate extending outward from the fourth side plate; 
 a second roller rotatably connected to the third side plate and the fourth side plate of the rear body portion and positioned on a rear side of the passage, such that the second roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the passage extends between the first roller and the second roller; 
 a first fastener engaged with the first flange plate and the third flange plate to connect the front body portion to the rear body portion; and 
 a second fastener engaged with the second flange plate and the fourth flange plate to connect the front body portion to the rear body portion; and 
   a pin engaged with the carriage and configured for releasably engaging the frame member to lock the carriage in position relative to the frame member.   
     
     
         12 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the pin comprises a retractable pin mounted on the carriage and configured to be moveable between a locked position, where the retractable pin engages the frame member within the passage to lock the carriage in position relative to the frame member, and an unlocked position, where the retractable pin is retracted and is configured to permit the carriage to be moveable along the frame member. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the retractable pin is mounted on the rear body portion of the carriage and extends toward the front body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the pin comprises a removable pin configured to be removably received through a first pin hole in the carriage, wherein the removable pin extends through the passage and is configured to engage the frame member to prevent movement of the carriage when the removable pin is received through the first pin hole. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the passage is further defined between at least one of the first and second side plates and the third and fourth side plates. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the carriage further comprises:
 a third roller rotatably connected to the first side plate and the second side plate of the front body portion and positioned below the first roller on the front side of the passage, such that the third roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member;   a fourth roller rotatably connected to the third side plate and the fourth side plate of the rear body portion and positioned below the second roller on the rear side of the passage, such that the fourth roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the passage further extends between the third roller and the fourth roller.   
     
     
         17 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a handle assembly connected to the rear body portion of the carriage and comprising a handle configured for gripping by a user.   
     
     
         18 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first fastener is further configured for adjusting a space between the first flange plate and the third flange plate, and the second fastener is further configured for adjusting a space between the second flange plate and the fourth flange plate, to adjust a distance between the front body portion and the rear body portion. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the carriage further comprises:
 a first arm fixedly connected to the third flange plate and extending across a space between the front body portion and the rear body portion, and wherein the first arm is releasably connected to the front body portion; and   a second arm fixedly connected to the fourth flange plate and extending across a space between the front body portion and the rear body portion, and wherein the second arm is releasably connected to the front body portion.   
     
     
         20 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first flange plate further comprises a first passage, and the first arm extends through the first passage to connect to the front body portion, and the second flange plate further comprises a second passage, and the second arm extends through the second passage to connect to the front body portion. 
     
     
         21 . An adjustable carriage assembly configured to be adjustably mounted on a frame member having opposed first and second side surfaces, the adjustable carriage assembly comprising:
 a carriage defining a passage configured to receive the frame member therethrough, such that the carriage is moveable along the frame member, the carriage comprising:
 a front body portion having a connection structure for connection of an articulating implement for use in a weightlifting exercise, wherein the front body portion comprises a first side plate, a second side plate parallel to the first side plate and spaced laterally from the first side plate, a first flange plate extending outward from the first side plate, and a second flange plate extending outward from the second side plate; 
 a rear body portion positioned adjacent to the front body portion, such that the front body portion and the rear body portion combine to define the passage, wherein the rear body portion is independently moveable with respect to the front body portion, and wherein the rear body portion comprises a third side plate, a fourth side plate parallel to the third side plate and spaced laterally from the third side plate, a third flange plate extending outward from the third side plate, and a fourth flange plate extending outward from the fourth side plate; 
 a first roller rotatably connected to the first side plate and the second side plate of the front body portion and positioned on a front side of the passage, such that the first roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member; 
 a second roller rotatably connected to the third side plate and the fourth side plate of the rear body portion and positioned on a rear side of the passage, such that the second roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the passage extends between the first roller and the second roller; 
 a third roller rotatably connected to the first side plate and the second side plate of the front body portion and positioned below the first roller on the front side of the passage, such that the third roller is configured to engage the first side surface of the frame member; 
 a fourth roller rotatably connected to the third side plate and the fourth side plate of the rear body portion and positioned below the second roller on the rear side of the passage, such that the fourth roller is configured to engage the second side surface of the frame member, wherein the passage further extends between the third roller and the fourth roller; 
 a first fastener engaged with the first flange plate and the third flange plate to connect the front body portion to the rear body portion; and 
 a second fastener engaged with the second flange plate and the fourth flange plate to connect the front body portion to the rear body portion; 
   a handle assembly connected to the rear body portion of the carriage and comprising a handle configured for gripping by a user; and   a retractable pin mounted on the rear body portion of the carriage and configured to be moveable in a front-to-rear direction between a locked position, where the retractable pin engages the frame member within the passage to lock the carriage in position relative to the frame member, and an unlocked position, where the retractable pin is retracted and is configured to permit the carriage to be moveable along the frame member.   
     
     
         22 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the carriage further comprises:
 a first arm fixedly connected to the third flange plate and extending across a space between the front body portion and the rear body portion, and wherein the first arm is releasably connected to the front body portion; and   a second arm fixedly connected to the fourth flange plate and extending across a space between the front body portion and the rear body portion, and wherein the second arm is releasably connected to the front body portion.   
     
     
         23 . The adjustable carriage assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first flange plate further comprises a first passage, and the first arm extends through the first passage to connect to the front body portion, and the second flange plate further comprises a second passage, and the second arm extends through the second passage to connect to the front body portion.