Exercise supervision device

Claim 1

In an exercise supervision device for recording the number of footsteps taken by a jogger while running in place so as to indicate the relative distance effectively traversed by the jogger and including an elongated pad fabricated of resiliently deformable material so that compression of the pad causes the same to exhibit a return urgency in a direction opposite the compression for returning the pad to its initial, non-compressed condition, a rigid plate disposed supportedly atop the pad and defining a simulated jogging surface movable through a linear, substantially vertical reciprocating traverse by alternating compression and return expansion of the underlying pad as the jogger runs in place on the plate, and a counter located adjacent one end of the elongation of the pad and operable for recording and indicating the number of footsteps taken by the jogger and including a counter shaft movable through a rotative traverse for operating the counter such that each rotative traverse of the shaft causes the counter to increment to the next count, means connecting the jogging surface to the counter for converting the linear motion of the rigid plate to the rotative traverse required to operate the counter, said means comprising: an elongated sleeve positionally fixed between the plate and the underlying pad and extending from the counter end of the pad toward the interior thereof and substantially along the direction of pad elongation for linear reciprocating movement of said sleeve with corresponding movement of the plate, said sleeve including an opening defined at its end adjacent the counter, a rigid operating link having a straight portion disposed in said sleeve and a curved portion unitarily connected to said straight portion and extending beyond said sleeve opening and the counter end of the pad, and a connecting member fixed to the counter shaft for rotation with the shaft and extending radially outward therefrom for relatively movable connection with said operating link curved portion at said radially outward extension of the connecting member so that the connection of said operating link with the counter shaft through said connecting member is radially offset with respect to the shaft axis, said offset connection of said operating link at its curved portion enabling the accommodation of a lost motion as the substantially vertical linear movement of the rigid plate is converted to a rotative traverse for operating a counter such that when linear substantially vertical movement of the plate occurs, the plate carries said sleeve and said operating link straight portion in the sleeve through corresponding linear movement of said link curved portion moves said connecting member radially outward extension through a pivotal traverse along an arc with respect to and centered about the counter shaft so as to effect a rotative traverse of the shaft and operatively increment the counter, the motion lost as the linearly moving link curved portion moves the connecting member radially outward extension along an arc being taken up by a rotation of said link curved portion at its connection to the connecting member and a corresponding rotation of said link straight portion in and relative to said sleeve whereby said sleeve is effective to maintain the position of said operating link with respect to the pad and overlying plate and prevent lateral displacement of said link between the pad and plate as the linear motion of the plate is converted to the operative rotative traverse of the counter shaft.