# US 5,344,372 A · Treadmill with collapsible handrails

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- Number: US 5,344,372 A
- Document ID: US5344372A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/151,988
- Filed: 1993-11-15
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-11-15
- Inventors: Michael Hung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344372A

## CPC

- A63B 22/02: with movable endless bands {, e.g. treadmills (other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028)}
- A63B 2210/50: Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A step exercising machine includes a front upright frame and a rear upright frame mounted on the machine base thereof at tow opposite ends, that can be collapsed when the respective mounting screw bolts are removed, two rollers mounted around two axles fixed between two holder frames on two opposite sides of the machine base to hold a track, a bottom board mounted on the machine base by screw bolts and spring washers and disposed below the track to bear the pressure of the player.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A step exercising machine comprising a machine base, a track, two rollers transversely mounted on said machine base to hold said track, a front upright frame and a rear upright frame mounted on said machine base at two opposite ends, a first horizontal handrail and a second horizontal handrail respectively connected between said front and rear upright frames at either side at the top, a bottom board mounted on said machine base below said track, and a control panel mounted on said first horizontal handrail for controlling the operation of the step exercising machine, wherein:
said machine base comprises a front cross bar, and two parallel side bars having a respective front end perpendicularly connected to said front cross bar at either end by screw bolts, said front cross bar comprising two mounting frames near two opposite ends thereof at the top;
said front upright frame comprises two upright tubes, and a bottom cross bar connected between the upright tubes thereof at the bottom and retained to said mounting frames of said front cross bar of said machine base by first clamping plates, each first clamping plate being bridged over the bottom cross bar of said front upright frame and having two opposite ends fastened to either mounting frame by screw bolts; and
said rear upright frame comprises two upright tubes, and a bottom cross bar connected between the upright tubes thereof at the bottom and retained to said side bars of said machine base at the bottom by second clamping plates, the bottom cross bar of said rear upright frame having two embossed surface portions spaced near two opposite ends thereof onto which said second clamping plates respectively clamp, each second clamping plate being bridged over the bottom cross bar of said rear upright frame and having two opposite ends fastened to either side bar of said machine base by screw bolts.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The step exercising machine of claim 1 wherein said first and second horizontal handrail are respectively connected between the upright tubes of said front upright frame and the upright tubes of said rear upright frame by angle connectors, each angle connector comprising a plug hole at one end, which receives either end of either horizontal handrail, and a plug rod at an opposite end, which fits into either upright tube of either upright frame and is then fixed in position by screws, said plug hole comprising two opposite ribs respectively engaged into two opposite longitudinal grooves on either end of either horizontal handrail.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The step exercising machine of claim 1 wherein said first horizontal handrail comprises two screw holes spaced on an outer side thereof; said control panel comprises two mounting lugs having a respective elongated slot connected to either screw hole on said first horizontal handrail by a respective adjusting screw.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The step exercising machine of claim 1 wherein said rollers are turned on a respective axle having two opposite ends fixed to two opposite C-shaped holder frames on said side bars of said machine base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The step exercising machine of claim 1 wherein said side bars of said machine base have a respective row of screw nuts fastened in respective holes thereof; said bottom board comprises two rows of through holes at two opposite sides respectively connected to the row of screw nuts on either side bar of said machine base by screw bolts and spring washers.