Portable platform accessory for linear-pull weight machines

Abstract

A portable platform accessory for linear-pull weight machines which allows a user to engage in a variety of vertical resistance exercises at a distance away from a linear-pull weight machine at a location convenient for the user. This accessory allows for addition of belt squats, dead lifts, bicep curls, and other vertical resistance exercises on linear-pull weight machines that do not come equipped with those exercises or for which performance of those exercises close to the linear-pull weight machine is inconvenient. Further, due to its portability, this accessory can be placed in a variety of locations at a distance from the linear-pull weight machine, adding belt squats, dead lifts, bicep curls, and other vertical resistance exercises even where the linear-pull weight machine is in confined spaces where these exercises could not otherwise be performed or would be inconvenient due to space restrictions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable platform accessory for linear-pull weight machines, comprising:
 a rigid body structure with a standing surface on top; and   a pulley mechanism attached to the rigid body structure, wherein:
 the pulley mechanism comprises a pulley and a means of attachment between the pulley and the rigid body structure; and 
 the pulley is configured to redirect a weight cable or a weight cable extension from a linear-pull weight machine upward toward a user standing on the standing surface; 
   wherein the weight of a user's body while standing on the standing surface combined with the downward force of the redirected weight cable or weight cable extension causes sufficient friction between the rigid body structure and a ground surface so as to prevent movement of the portable platform accessory toward the linear-pull weight machine due to horizontal forces from the weight cable or weight cable extension.   
     
     
         2 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rigid body structure has a raised standing surface sufficient to accommodate the pulley mechanism underneath the standing surface;   the pulley mechanism is attached to the rigid body structure underneath the standing surface; and   the standing surface has an opening through which the redirected weight cable or weight cable extension may be routed.   
     
     
         3 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the rigid body structure is in the form of a step stool;   the means of attachment is a bracket, post, or pole; and   the pulley mechanism comprises two pulleys affixed to one or more plates, a redirectional pulley configured to guide the weight cable or weight cable extension from a roughly horizontal orientation up through the opening to an upward orientation, and a stabilizing pulley configured to keep the weight cable in line with the redirectional pulley; and   the one or more plates are attached to the bracket, post, or pole by a swivel configured to allow horizontal rotation of the one or more plates.   
     
     
         4 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the pulley mechanism is attached to the rigid body structure atop the standing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the means of attachment is a bracket, post, or pole; and   the pulley is affixed to one or more plates; and   the one or more plates are attached to the bracket, post, or pole by a swivel configured to allow horizontal rotation of the one or more plates.   
     
     
         6 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the pulley mechanism comprises two pulleys affixed to the one or more plates, a redirectional pulley configured to guide the weight cable or weight cable extension from a roughly horizontal orientation up through the opening to an upward orientation, and a stabilizing pulley configured to keep the weight cable in line with the redirectional pulley.   
     
     
         7 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the means of attachment is a fixed bracket; and   the pulley is affixed to the fixed bracket.   
     
     
         8 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the means of attachment is a flexible means of attachment; and   the pulley is affixed to one or more plates; and   the one or more plates are attached to the flexible means of attachment.   
     
     
         9 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein the flexible means of attachment is a chain. 
     
     
         10 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein the flexible means of attachment is a rope, cable, wire, or strap. 
     
     
         11 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 4 , wherein the flexible means of attachment is a hook, u-bolt, or carabiner. 
     
     
         12 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a high-friction material attached to a bottom portion of the rigid body structure, the high-friction material being configured to increase a coefficient of friction between the portable platform accessory and the ground surface. 
     
     
         13 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the standing surface further comprises a high-friction surface configured to prevent users from slipping while standing on the standing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising the weight cable extension. 
     
     
         15 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 14 , wherein the weight cable extension has a means for attachment at either end or both ends. 
     
     
         16 . The portable platform accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the means for attachment is a clip, carabiner, u-bolt, or hook.