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An energy absorber module usable with a variety of exercising machines and including an air displacement fan which is driven by a pair of pull cords through a one way clutch. The fan is contained within a housing secured to the frame of the module and the pull cords extend through guide holes in a f

An energy absorber module usable with a variety of exercising machines and including an air displacement fan which is driven by a pair of pull cords through a one way clutch. The fan is contained within a housing secured to the frame of the module and the pull cords extend through guide holes in a face board also secured to that frame. The pull cords are wound upon drums which drive the fan when rotated in one direction, but which are freely rotatable in the reverse direction because of the clutch. A return cord is also wound upon each drum, but in the reverse direction to the pull cords, and is connected to a return spring for causing reverse rotation of the drums. A signal proportional to the rotational speed of the fan is processed through an electronic circuit to provide appropriate work information on a meter or recorder. The pull cords can be selectively engagable with other guide means according to the type of machine with which the module is to be used.

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1. An energy absorber module for an exercising machine, including: a frame; a face board secured to said frame; a fan housing secured to said frame; an energy absorber in the form of an air displacement fan rotatably mounted within said housing; a pair of drive drums rotatably mounted on said

1. An energy absorber module for an exercising machine, including: a frame; a face board secured to said frame; a fan housing secured to said frame; an energy absorber in the form of an air displacement fan rotatably mounted within said housing; a pair of drive drums rotatably mounted on said frame in axially spaced relationship, wherein each said drum is stepped to form two sections of different diameter; a drive connection between said drums and said fan, at least one clutch in said drive connection and being operable to transmit drive from said drums to said fan only when said drums are rotating in one direction relative to said frame; a pair of pull cords each extending beyond said face board and each connected to a respective first diameter section of each said drum and having a portion wound thereupon in a rest position of the drum so that tension applied to each said cord, to cause unwinding movement thereof, causes rotation of said drum in said one direction; a pair of return cords, each of which is attached to a respective second diameter section of each of said drums and arranged to be wound thereupon during rotation of the drums in said one direction; and spring means comprising two lengths of elastic shock-cord, each of which is attached to said frame and to a respective said return cord and being operable upon release of tension in said pull cords to unwind said return means from said drums to thereby cause rotation of said drums in the direction opposite to said one direction. 2. An exercising machine, including the module of claim 1, and a hand engagable member secured to an end of each said pull cord and located on the side of said face board remote from said fan. 3. An exercising machine, including a module according to claim 1, and a weight lifting bar secured to an end portion of each said pull cord, and each said pull cord engages guide means at a location between said end portion and said face board. 4. An exercising machine, including a module according to claim 1, and a foot pedal device located on the side of said face board remote from said fan, and in an end portion of each said cord is connected to said foot pedal device. 5. An energy absorber module for an exercising machine, including: a frame; an energy absorber in the form of an air displacement fan rotatably mounted on said frame; a clutch means; a drive means, including a drive shaft, a drum and at least one pull cord; and a return means, including a spring means, a plurality of pulleys, said drum and a return cord, wherein said drive shaft is rotatably mounted on said frame with its axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said fan, said drum is rotatably mounted on said shaft and said pull cord is connected to said drum and is wound thereupon when said drum is in a rest position, and said pull cord is operable to cause rotation of said drum in one direction only relative to said frame, and said clutch means is operable to only transmit drive from said drum to said shaft when said drum is rotating in said one direction, to cause said fan to rotate, and wherein said return cord is also connected to said drum so that an end portion thereof is wound upon the drum as the drum rotates in said one direction, and wherein said return cord is turned about said plurality of pulleys to increase the purchase of said return means, wherein one of said pulleys is arranged for movement relative to said frame; and a spring means connected to said frame is also connected to said movable pulley and said return cord, whereby said spring means is operable to unwind the return cord from said drum and said return means is operable to rotate said drive means in the direction opposite said one direction, and thereby return said drive means towards a rest position when tension in said pull cord is released. 6. A module according to claim 5, wherein a flywheel is connected to said fan for rotation therewith. 7. A module according to claim 5, including a sensor which is responsive to rotation of said fan to produce a signal which varies with variation of the rotational speed of said fan and a meter which is responsive to said signal to display the rate of work being done during rotation of said fan. 8. A module according to claim 7, wherein said meter includes an electronic circuit through which said signal is processed, and said circuit is operable to cause said meter to give a read-out of both work rates and accrued work done. 9. A module according to claim 8, wherein said circuit includes switch means operable to cause cancellation of the accrued work display and further switch means operable to hold the meter displays for notation purposes, and said circuit continues to process and store accrued work information while said further switch means remains operated. 10. A module according to claim 7, including a recorder which is responsive to said signal to provide graphic representation of work done during rotation of said fan, including the number of strokes of said pull cord and the duration of said fan rotation. 11. A module acccording to claim 8, wherein said circuit automatically compensates for the work needed to overcome frictional loss and resistance of said return means. 12. An energy absorber for ergometric apparatus including a rotor operable to cause displacement of air, said rotor comprising a cylindrical impeller having a plurality of blades arranged in circumferentially spaced relationship about the periphery thereof, shroud means at least partially enclosing said rotor and being arranged to modify the movement of said displaced air, inlet means whereby air is induced into said absorber through operation of said rotor, outlet means through which said displaced air is exhausted from said absorber, said impeller having a hollow interior into which air is induced through said inlet means and said blades are operable to cause centrifugal displacement of air in response to rotation of said impeller, an air passage formed between the cylindrical outer periphery of said impeller and a wall of said shroud means which extends around said outer periphery, said air passage communicating with said outlet means and being arranged to encourage flow of said displaced air through said outlet means, said shroud means wall is involute in shape and substantially surrounds said impeller, said air passage is defined by a space extending around said impeller and which progressively increases from a minimum to a maximum circumferentially of said impeller, and said outlet means is defined by an opening in said shroud at a location substantially coincident with where said space is at the maximum. 13. An energy absorber according to claim 12, including means for selectively varying the energy absorption potential of said rotor. 14. An energy absorber according to claim 12, wherein said inlet means includes an opening through said shroud, and means is provided to enable variation of the effective size of said opening and thereby vary the energy absorption potential of said rotor.