Exercise treadmill and belt support apparatus

Claim 2

An exercise treadmill assembly comprising an endless belt, drive means for moving said belt, and support means disposed beneath a portion of the path traveled by said belt including an irregular surface at least a portion of which is wax coated, said belt being made of nylon and said support means including a piece of canvas having its upper surface impregnated with wax.

Claim 3

In an exercise treadmill, a movably mounted belt and a support assembly for said belt, said support assembly comprising a section of rough textured material having a wax coating there-on, and substantially planar support means disposed beneath said material adapted to hold said material in a substantially planar position beneath a portion oF the path of travel of the belt of the treadmill.

Claim 4

In an exercise treadmill, a movably mounted belt and a support assembly for said belt, said support assembly comprising a section of rough textured material having a wax coating there-on, and substantially planar support means disposed beneath said material adapted to hold said material in a substantially planar position beneath a portion oF the path of travel of the belt of the treadmill.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material is canvas.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said wax is carnauba wax.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said support means includes a sheet of wood.

Claim 8

In combination, a movably mounted belt, drive means for moving the belt, and means opposite one face of the belt defining a surface to support a portion of the belt against deflection normal to the face of the belt, which surface has a piece of interwoven fibrous material secured in superposition thereon, the fibrous strands of which define open-ended recesses therebetween, which recesses have a low melting point thermoplastic lubricant material deposited therein, which lubricant material coats the defining fibers of the recesses and is in a solidified state assumed from a fused in situ condition on the fibrous material.

Claim 9

In combination, a movably mounted belt, drive means for moving the belt, and means opposite one face of the belt defining a surface to support a portion of the belt against deflection normal to the face of the belt, which surface has a piece of interwoven fibrous material secured in superposition thereon, the fibrous strands of which define open-ended recesses therebetween, which recesses have a low melting point thermoplastic lubricant material deposited therein, which lubricant material coats the defining fibers of the recesses and is in a solidified state assumed from a fused in situ condition on the fibrous material.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the surface is planar and substantially rigid, and the fibrous material is directly secured thereto.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 7 wherein the fibrous material is bonded to the surface.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the lubricant material is a wax.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the deposits of lubricant material substantially fill the recesses but are slightly depressed in the direction of the surface and with respect to portions of the strands defining the respective recesses, so that said portions are elevated relatively thereabove to form high points for contact with the belt.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 10 wherein the elevated portions are also coated with the lubricant material.