Other

Brunswick Corporation

Bally Manufacturing Corporation

Life Fitness, LLC

George Kolomayets

Richard E Skowronski

Vincent C Adams

James T Dennis

Kenneth F Lantz

Donald J Alexander

Eugene B Szymczak

Wade K Totzke

Tomas F Leon, Deceased

Edward W Minnich

Tomas F Leon

Bryan Andrus

Augustine Nieto

Allen Ryan

Edward V Minnich

Chester F Robards, Jr

John J Pasierb, Jr

Gary Oglesby

Jose A Leon

To improve tracking, an exercise treadmill is provided with a frame including molded plastic pulleys, having an integral gear belt sprocket, an endless belt extending around the pulleys and a motor operatively connected to the rear pulley to drive the belt. The pulleys are molded out of plastic and have a diameter of approximately nine inches. A mold and method for producing large diameter treadmill pulleys having an integrally molded sprocket are also disclosed. A deck underneath the running surface of the belt is supported by resilient members. A positive lateral belt tracking mechanism is used to correct the lateral position of the belt. A belt position sensor mechanism is used in combination with a front pulley pivoting mechanism to maintain the belt in the desired lateral position on the pulleys. The exercise treadmill also includes a lift mechanism with an internally threaded sleeve engaged to vertically aligned nonrotating screws. A user display of foot impact force on the belt is also provided.

Exercise treadmill

A foot pedal assembly for an exercise machine. The foot pedal assembly includes a foot pedal or base having a longitudinally extending upper surface on which the user's foot rests and a strap the ends of which are coupled to opposite sides of the foot pedal so that the strap extends horizontally across the pedal in a position to maintain the user's foot in place. One end of the strap is coupled to a rotatable, square shaft which extends longitudinally, adjacent to a portion of one side of the foot pedal. The square shaft extends through an aperture in a knob with a one-way clutch being disposed between the shaft and the knob. The one-way clutch engages when the knob is rotated in a first direction to transmit rotation to the shaft to wind the strap thereabout tightening it about the user's foot. A release lever is hinged at one end to the foot pedal and extends horizontally underneath the foot pedal and square shaft. The release lever has a blocker mounted thereon which abuts a portion of the square shaft to block rotation of the shaft in the direction opposite to the first. When the release lever is depressed, the blocker is moved out of the path of rotation of the shaft to allow the shaft to be rotated in the second direction, unwinding the strap to loosen it.

Foot pedal assembly for an exercise machine

An auto return record player is provided which can be simply and economically adapted to function as an automatic set down player. Either the auto return player or the automatic set down player is capable of playing a record on the turntable twice and then returning the tone arm to the rest post and shutting the machine off, the tone arm being automatically set down on the lead-in groove of the record between the first and second playing cycles. The record player is of the so-called quarter panel sub base type and may be assembled in a main base or cabinet without removing the turntable from the quarter panel sub base. The record player also has a 45 rpm record adaptor which is provided with an integral stub centering spindle portion for small hole records which may be grasped to lift the adaptor to a 45 rpm large hole record playing position, the adaptor covering a separate inexpensive stub shaft which acts as a bearing for the turntable.

Record player

A rowing exercise machine having an improved user interface. The user interface has a cable for accepting user exercising stroke movements each stroke having a power and return portion. The cable is carried on a cable drum which is mounted on a shaft such that when the cable is unwound and rewound rotation to the shaft is imparted. A flywheel is connected to the shaft for receiving and conserving angular momentum imparted thereto. The machine also includes a brake for opposing the rotational displacement of the flywheel. The user interface further includes a stainless steel eye staked into one end of a strain relief spring with an end of the cable being staked in the opposite end of the spring. A handle is secured to the eye which is capable of withstanding the concentrated forces to which the user interface is subjected. A nylon cable port is mounted on the cable drum housing, the cable port having a centrally located aperture therein with cross sections which are generally oval in shape to allow the cable to be pulled out from the cable port along a line generally parallel to the base of the cabinet or at an upward angle with respect to the base without rubbing against the cable port. The cable drum has an angled sidewall to allow only one row of cable to be wound there around so as to maintain the forces opposing the user constant and controllable. The cable drum further includes a guide plate positioned between the end plates of the drum so as to lightly rub against the cable and guide it onto the drum in order to prevent tangling of the cable if it is not rewound fast enough.

Rowing machine with improved mechanical features

An improved rowing exercising machine is disclosed. The machine has a mechanical apparatus for accepting user stroke movements; each stroke has a power portion and a return portion. The mechanical apparatus converts the energy from the user stroke movements into rotation of a flywheel. In order to closely simulate the feel of momentum in actual rowing activity, electronic circuitry is used to control a brake to apply a force to slow the motion of the flywheel. The amount of force supplied by the brake is independent of the speed at which the user is rowing the machine and is under software control. The brake force can be varied to additionally slow down the rotation of the flywheel during the return portion of a stroke. The rowing machine includes a video display which gives the user the sense of competitive scull racing. The display shows an animated rowing figure having stroke movement synchronized with the user stroke movements. A pacer rowing figure is also displayed. During the rowing exercise, the distance separating the rowing figures depends on the user stroke movements and on pre-set pacer motion.

Rowing machine with video display

A tone arm moving mechanism is provided wherein the tone arm is normally moved over the lead in groove and lowered to the record during the last half of a normal record changing cycle. Means are then provided which are operative during a last record shut-off cycle for lowering the tone arm into a retaining means on the rest post, said retaining means being effective to restrain the tone arm from inward movement during the remaining portion of the last record shut-off cycle.

Automatic record player

An extremely simple record changer mechanism is provided wherein only two members interconnect the tone arm subassembly with the main cycling gear in the spindle area of the changer. One of these members is employed to lift and lower the tone arm and the other member is used for the dual purpose of moving the tone arm horizontally during the record changing cycle and also acts as a velocity trip actuating member during the playing cycle. Both members are designed to avoid damage to the mechanism if the tone arm is moved or restrained during the record changing cycle. The presence or absence of a record on the spindle shelf is sensed by blade means which is moved in the direction of the shelf during the initial portion of the record changing cycle. If no record is present on the shelf, the tone arm is lowered into engagement with a retaining notch on the rest post at a point somewhat before mid cycle and the turntable motor is turned off at the end of this last record shutoff cycle.

A phonograph record player mechanism is provided which includes a tone arm, means for mounting the tone arm for rotation about an axis, a cueing lever lift rod adapted to engage the tone arm at a point spaced from said axis, and a flat spring having one end thereof connected to said lift rod, means defining a fixed shoulder in engagement with one side of the spring and a cueing lever which is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and has a portion which engages the other side of the spring between the lift rod and the shoulder when the cueing lever is rotated about said horizontal axis.

An extremely simple record changer mechanism is provided wherein only two members interconnect the tone arm subassembly with the main cycling gear in the spindle area of the changer. One of these members is employed to lift and lower the tone arm and the other member is used for the dual purpose of moving the tone arm horizontally during the record changing cycle and also acts as a velocity trip actuating member during the playing cycle. Both members are designed to avoid damage to the mechanism if the tone arm is moved or restrained during the record changing cycle. The control knob normally used for ON-OFF-REJECT functions, is provided with a 4th position in which the record changer repeatedly plays a record on the turntable without shutting off the machine. This REPEAT PLAY position is reached by first moving the control knob to the ON or REJECT position and then moving it back to a position between the ON and OFF positions. When so moved, a detent force is provided for the control knob and an audible click is produced to inform the operator that the REPEAT PLAY position has been reached.

Growing community of inventors

Chicago, IL, United States of America

George Kolomayets