Treadmill exerciser
First Claim
1. A treadmill exerciser having a frame shaped in the form of a staircase, a first sprocket shaft mounted for rotation around a substantially horizontal axis and journaled in the frame in the upper portion thereof and towards the rear thereof, a second sprocket shaft mounted for rotation around a substantially horizontal axis and journaled in the frame below and forward of said first sprocket shaft, a first pair of sprockets mounted on the ends of said first sprocket shaft for keyed rotation in spaced apart and substantially vertical planes, a second pair of sprockets mounted on the ends of said second sprocket shaft for keyed rotation in spaced apart and substantially vertical planes, a pair of continuous chains mounted adjacent the sides of said frame and drivingly engaging the first set of sprockets with the second set of sprockets, each chain being provided with a plurality equidistantly spaced apart hinge links, each hinge link being adapted to receive therethrough one end of a hinge shaft, the hinge links on each chain being in horizontal aligment with the hinge links on the other chain, a plurality of steps mounted on the chains and adapted to move therewith, each step having a normally vertical riser portion and a normally horizontal tread portion, the upper end of the riser portion of each step being connected to the forward end of the tread portion of said step by means of a first hinge, the lower end of each riser portion being connected to the rear of the tread portion of an adjacent step by means of a second hinge, a hinge shaft passing through each pair of aligned hinge links in said chains and through said second hinge, whereby when a person places his weight on a tread portion of a step adjacent the lower end of the frame, the steps will move in a downward direction along the upper course of the chains and in an upper direction along the lower course of the chains, and whereby when the person exerts his weight on the tread portion on successively higher steps, the steps will continue to move in a downward direction along the upper course of the chain and in an upper direction along the lower course of the chain such that the steps, as they traverse around the upper and lower sprockets, will fold at an acute angle around the first and second hinges.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A treadmill exerciser involving an upwardly and rearwardly sloping treadmill having a plurality of steps which are activated by the weight of a person "walking" up them. The tread portion and the riser portion of each step are connected at both ends by hinges to each other and to endless chains which permit the steps to move or fold around end sprockets as the steps move from an upper inclined course of the chains to a lower inclined return course, and vice versa. A speed control mechanism, driven by one of the chains, employs a gyroscopic flywheel which cooperates with a non-rotatable but axially slidable brake drum to provide even, continuous step movement and a controlled start-up. The flywheel drives a plastic cylinder composed of plastic fingers which fly out, under centrifugal force, into contact with the inner surface of the brake drum thus preventing further increased speed for the user. With the brake drum in one axial position, the plastic fingers become partially disengaged allowing for rapid step speed; when the brake drum is moved to an opposite axial position, step movement is halted. The brake drum can be adjusted to positions between the above two axial positions to provide a controlled speed of movement compatible with the interests or needs of the operator. A control panel, mounted between the top of the tubular handrail shafts, provides operating, goal-setting, and health related information.
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Citations
6 Claims
- 1. A treadmill exerciser having a frame shaped in the form of a staircase, a first sprocket shaft mounted for rotation around a substantially horizontal axis and journaled in the frame in the upper portion thereof and towards the rear thereof, a second sprocket shaft mounted for rotation around a substantially horizontal axis and journaled in the frame below and forward of said first sprocket shaft, a first pair of sprockets mounted on the ends of said first sprocket shaft for keyed rotation in spaced apart and substantially vertical planes, a second pair of sprockets mounted on the ends of said second sprocket shaft for keyed rotation in spaced apart and substantially vertical planes, a pair of continuous chains mounted adjacent the sides of said frame and drivingly engaging the first set of sprockets with the second set of sprockets, each chain being provided with a plurality equidistantly spaced apart hinge links, each hinge link being adapted to receive therethrough one end of a hinge shaft, the hinge links on each chain being in horizontal aligment with the hinge links on the other chain, a plurality of steps mounted on the chains and adapted to move therewith, each step having a normally vertical riser portion and a normally horizontal tread portion, the upper end of the riser portion of each step being connected to the forward end of the tread portion of said step by means of a first hinge, the lower end of each riser portion being connected to the rear of the tread portion of an adjacent step by means of a second hinge, a hinge shaft passing through each pair of aligned hinge links in said chains and through said second hinge, whereby when a person places his weight on a tread portion of a step adjacent the lower end of the frame, the steps will move in a downward direction along the upper course of the chains and in an upper direction along the lower course of the chains, and whereby when the person exerts his weight on the tread portion on successively higher steps, the steps will continue to move in a downward direction along the upper course of the chain and in an upper direction along the lower course of the chain such that the steps, as they traverse around the upper and lower sprockets, will fold at an acute angle around the first and second hinges.
Specification