Exercise machine having horizontally extending and selectively connected weight plates

An exercise machine comprising:

• a plurality of weight plates;
• and
• a weight plate carriage adapted to lift said plurality of weight plates in a vertical direction in response to a vertical uplifting force applied thereto,
• wherein a first weight plate from said plurality of weight plates having a first weight and being detachably connected to said weight plate carriage, a second weight plate from said plurality of weight plates having a second weight and being detachably connected to said weight plate carriage by means of a first hook extending between said second weight plate and said weight plate carriage, and a third weight plate from said plurality of weight plates having a third weight and being detachably connected to said second weight plate by means of a second hook extending between said second and third weight plates, whereby said first, second and third weight plates are simultaneously lifted by said weight plate carriage when said vertical uplifting force is applied thereto, and wherein said first, second and third weights are different.

An exercise machine comprising:

• a plurality of vertically upstanding weight plates being arranged in parallel side-by-side alignment with one another in a horizontal direction;
• a weight plate carriage having first and second sides being oppositely positioned to one another and extending in a vertical direction, said weight plate carriage being adapted to lift said plurality of vertically upstanding weight plates in said vertical direction in response to an uplifting force applied to said weight plate carriage;
• connection means by which to selectively connect one or more of said weight plates from said plurality of vertically upstanding weight plates to said weight plate carriage to be lifted in said vertical direction by said weight plate carriage in response to the uplifting force applied thereto;
• a weight plate carriage lifting cable connected to said weight plate carriage by which to apply said uplifting force to said weight plate carriage and thereby cause said weight plate carriage to move upwardly in said vertical direction to lift the one or more of said plurality of vertically upstanding weight plates that are selectively connected thereto;
• and
• first and second guide cables, a first cable tie connected to the first side of said weight plate carriage, and a second cable tie connected to the second side of said weight plate carriage, said first guide cable running from said first cable tie at the first side of said weight plate carriage to a first location above said weight plate carriage, then to a second location below said weight plate carriage, and finally to said second cable tie at the second side of said weight plate carriage, and said second guide cable running from said second cable tie at the second side of said weight plate carriage to a third location above said weight plate carriage, then to a fourth location below said weight plate carriage, and finally to said first cable tie at the first side of said weight plate carriage, such that said first and second guide cables move in opposite directions relative to one another at the same time that said weight plate carriage moves upwardly in the vertical direction in response to the uplifting pulling force applied thereto by said weight plate carriage lifting cable.