Weightlifting device with mechanism for disengaging weight plates

An exercise weight bar configured to have weight plates quickly and efficiently secured thereto, the exercise weight bar comprising:

• a handle having a first end and a second end;
• a housing linked to the first end of the handle, the housing having a first end, a second end positioned further away from the handle than the first end, and a plurality of slots positioned between the first and second ends of the housing, wherein the housing is adapted to have one or more weight plates positioned thereon;
• a hard stop disposed at the first end of the housing to prevent the weight plates from moving onto the handle;
• and
• a rotatable weight lock positioned at least partially within the housing, the rotatable weight lock being rotatable about an axis that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the exercise weight bar between a locked position and an unlocked position to selectively engage or disengage weight plates positioned on the housing, the rotatable weight lock comprising:
• a plurality of extension members that extend through the plurality of slots of the housing to selectively engage the weight plates when the rotatable weight lock is rotated to the locked position, and wherein the plurality of extension members is retracted through the plurality of slots into the housing so as to disengage the weight plates when the rotatable weight lock is rotated to the unlocked position;
• and
• a weight lock handle disposed at the second end of the housing, the weight lock handle facilitating rotation of the rotatable weight lock between the unlocked and locked positions, the weight lock handle comprising one or more handle extensions, wherein the one or more handle extensions extend beyond a cross-sectional profile of the housing to engage and secure a weight plate on the housing when the rotatable weight lock is in the locked position, and wherein the one or more handle extensions do not extend beyond the cross-sectional profile of the housing when the rotatable weight lock is in the unlocked position, thereby enabling one or more weight plates to be selectively positioned on or removed from the housing.

A weightlifting device, comprising:

• a handle having a first end and a second end;
• a plurality of weight plates that correspond to the first end and a plurality of weight plates that correspond to the second end;
• and
• a first latching mechanism associated with the first end and a second latching mechanism associated with the second end, wherein each of the first and second latching mechanisms comprises:
• a wall at least partially defining a hollow interior portion, the wall having a cross-sectional profile and being configured to receive one or more of the plurality of weight plates;
• a plurality of slots formed within the wall;
• a rotatable locking mechanism that rotates within the hollow interior portion and about an axis that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the weightlifting device, the rotatable locking mechanism having a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein a portion of the rotatable locking mechanism extends through the plurality of slots and engages one or more of the plurality of weight plates when in the locked position, wherein a portion of the rotatable locking mechanism does not extend through the plurality of slots when in the unlocked position;
• and
• a latching mechanism handle that facilitates rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism between the unlocked and locked positions, the latching mechanism handle comprising one or more handle extensions, wherein the one or more handle extensions extend beyond the cross-sectional profile of the wall to engage and secure a weight plate on the wall when the rotatable locking mechanism is in the locked position, and wherein the one or more handle extensions do not extend beyond the cross-sectional profile of the wall when the rotatable locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, thereby enabling one or more weight plates to be selectively positioned on or removed from the wall.