Treadmill Exercising Device

Abstract

This exercising device is of the treadmill type and comprises three rectangular tubular frames, namely, an open base frame that rests flat on the floor in its operative position, an open handle frame pivotally connected at one end to one end of the base frame and extending upwardly relative to the latter in its operative position, and a roller carrying frame pivotally connected at one end to one end of the base frame inside the same and detachably connectable at its free end in its operative position in either of two height settings relative to the handle frame, rollers on the roller carrying frame extending below the bottom surface thereof and adapted in the horizontal position of said roller carrying frame to provide rolling support to said exercising device in its folded condition, in which the handle frame can be raised and used in pushing or pulling the folded device about on the floor.

Description

This invention relates to an exercising device of the treadmill type and is more particularly concerned with one that is foldable compactly for easy storage, and adapted to be rolled easily on its rollers to and from the spot where it is to be used.

The device comprises three rectangular tubular frames, namely, an open base frame, an open handle frame pivotally connected to one end of the base, and a roller frame pivotally connected to the other end of the base and detachably connectable at its free end in either of two height settings relative to the handle frame.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercising device showing how it is adapted to be used as a treadmill;

FIG. 2 is a side view, indicating in dotted lines the other height setting;

FIG. 3 shows the device folded, ready for storage;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the device in use, taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail on line 6--6 of FIG. 5 showing one of the rollers and the mounting thereof on the roller frame;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional details at the front and rear ends of the device, respectively, and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are sections on lines 9--9 and 10--10 of FIGS. 5, 7, and 8.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numerals 11, 12, and 13 designate the device's three rectangular tubular frames, namely, the open supporting base frame 11 that rests on the floor F, the relatively narrow open handle frame 12 pivotally connected to one end of the base frame, as at 14, and a treadmill roller frame 13 of intermediate width pivotally connected to the other end of the base frame at one end, as at 15, and detachably connected at its other end in either of two height settings relative to the handle frame 12, as at 16 or 17.

When the device is folded, the handle frame 12 rests flatly on top of the treadmill roller frame 13, as seen in FIG. 3, and the base frame 11 is disposed diagonally between the other two frames. The handle frame 12 can be used, as shown in FIG. 4, in pulling the device in either direction resting on the rollers 18, to take advantage of the ball bearings 19, which make for easy rolling action. The rollers 18 are covered with rug material 20 which makes for good traction and freedom from slippage, besides giving good sound deadening effect. The rollers operate on spaced studs 21 that are riveted onto flanges 22 of rails 23, which in turn are riveted as at 24 to the side portions of the roller frames 13. Thus, all of the rollers 18 turn independently of one another and there is no danger of any friction drag, as there would be, for example, if a separate belt were provided, as that would give rise to the problem of the belt not tracking properly all the time. The carpeting material is applied in a tight spiral wrap, as indicated at 25, and then metallic sleeves 26 are applied tightly to prevent loosening. Dirt excluding seal rings 27 keep the bearings running clean and also retain the lubricant indefinitely.

A channel 28 is secured by its one right angle flange 29 to the base frame 11 by studs 30 and nuts 31, and the studs 30 are also threaded in the sides of cylindrical plugs 32 fitting closely in the slotted portions 33 of the handle frame 12 to pivotally mount the frame 12 relative to the base frame 11, the shorter other 45.degree. flange 34 of the channel retaining the handle frame 12. The ends of the tubular frame 12 are disposed in abutment with one another at 35 after a sleeve 36 is inserted and then the parts are welded together as indicated at 37. Long screws (not shown) are applied temporarily to the plugs 32 at 38 to use as handles to hold them in place while the studs 30 are being threaded into the plugs. The assembly for frame 12 is completed first, and then the studs 30 are inserted through holes 39 in frame 11, after which the channel 28 is applied to the two frames and the nuts 31 are applied to the studs and tightened.

Substantially the same construction is involved in pivotally connecting the roller frame 13 with the base frame 11, but whereas 90.degree. pivotal movement is allowed by the slots 33, the slots 33' allows much less. All of the parts in FIGS. 8 and 10 are numbered similarly as parts in FIGS. 7 and 9, using prime numerals. In FIG. 8 the joining together of the ends of frame 11 is shown, using another sleeve 36' and welds 37'.

The final detail left is the sheet metal bracket 40 that is riveted, as at 41, onto the two legs of the handle frame 14 and has the two ledge 16 and 17 provided thereon lengthwise thereof to support the front end of the roller frame 13 in either of its two settings, usually for walking in the lower position and running or jogging in the upper position.

In operation, it is an easy matter to store the exercising device in a closet or any out of the way place in the compact condition shown in FIG. 3. When putting the device away or taking it out for use it is handy to use the rollers 18 to support the roller frame 13, using handle end 42 of frame 12 to pull the device to the right spot as shown in FIG. 4. The device is operated, of course, as a treadmill in exercising. The setting of the roller frame 13 on the lower ledge 16 shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the one usually used for walking exercise while holding handle 42. It is easy to change to the other higher setting on ledge 17 for jogging and running exercises, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2. The rollers 18 run uniformly well in either setting. Theoperator's rearward pull on the handle crossbar 42 combined with the rearward inclination of frame 12 and gravitation of the roller frame 13 to its operative position on either of the ledges 16 or 17 insures safe operation in whichever form of exercise is selected.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, this is only for the purpose of illustration, and it is to be understood that various modifications in structure will occur to a person skilled in this art.

Claims

We claim:

1. An exercising device of the kind described comprising three pivotally connected rectangular frames disposed in end to end relationship to one another, the middle one being an open supporting base frame and having one end frame movable pivotally inside it between a horizontal mobile position and an inclined stationary operative position, the said end frame carrying rollers transversely thereof in close parallel and coplanar relationship to said frame and extending beyond said frame on at least the bottom surface thereof and adapted in the horizontal position of said end frame to give rolling support to said exercising device when in folded condition, said roller carrying end frame in the inclined stationary operative position being supported at its free end by the other end frame on the base frame.

2. An exercising device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the other end frame includes means providing for more than one extent of inclined support of said first named end frame in the operative position.

3. An exercising device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the other end frame is foldable to parallel relationship to the roller carrying frame and unfoldable upwardly to be used in pulling or pushing the device to a desired position resting on the rollers.

4. An exercising device of the kind described comprising a horizontal rectangular supporting base frame, an upright rectangular handle frame pivotally connected to one end of said base frame, and an inclined roller carrying treadmill frame pivotally connected at its low end to the other end of said base frame and having its high end connected to the handle frame intermediate the ends thereof, the roller carrying treadmill frame being foldable inwardly inside the base frame, and the handle frame being also foldable inwardly inside the base frame to stack on top of said treadmill frame, rollers on said treadmill frame in the folded condition of said device projecting below the level of said base frame to provide antifriction rolling support for the folded device.

5. An exercising device of the kind described comprising a horizontal rectangular supporting base frame, an upright rectangular handle frame pivotally connected to one end of said base frame, and an inclined roller carrying treadmill frame pivotally connected at its low end to the other end of said base frame and having its high end connected to the handle frame intermediate the ends thereof, the treadmill frame being foldable inside the base frame, and the handle frame being foldable over the treadmill frame, the means providing pivotal connections between each of said handle and treadmill frames with said base frame comprising a cylindrical plug insert relative to which the pivotal movement is provided, a stud threaded into said plug and extending through diametrically opposed holes in the base frame, a channel for tying two of said frames together having the stud extending through a hole provided in one flange of said channel, and nut means threading on the end of said stud and serving to draw the parts together.

6. An exercising device of the kind described comprising a horizontal rectangular supporting base frame, an upright rectangular handle frame pivotally connected to one end of said base frame, and an inclined roller carrying treadmill frame pivotally connected at its low end to the other end of said base frame and having its high end connected to the handle frame intermediate the ends thereof, the roller carrying treadmill frame being foldable inwardly inside the base frame, and the handle frame being also foldable inwardly inside the base frame to stack on top of said treadmill frame, the means providing pivotal connections between each of said handle and treadmill frames with said base frame comprising a cylindrical plug insert relative to which the pivotal movement is provided, a stud threaded into said plug and extending through diametrically opposed holes in the base frame, a channel for tying two of said frames together having the stud extending through a hole provided in one flange of said channel, and nut means threading on the end of said stud and serving to draw the parts together, the flange on the other side of said channel being shortened in relation to the flange with a hole in it so that the parts can be assembled together requiring no hole in the second flange.

7. A construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said three frames is split on one side of the pivotally connected frames, each split being closed by a sleeve inserted inside and overlapping the split portion, the sleeve being secured in place.

8. An exercising device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the amplitude of pivotal movement of said handle frame relative to one of said cylindrical plugs is appreciably greater than of said treadmill frame relative to the other of said cylindrical plugs.