Locknut secured dumbbell assembly

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for assembling fixed-weight dumbbells and barbells. The apparatus and method use locknuts to secure weight plates to the fixed-weight dumbbells and barbells. The locknuts are permanently (or semi-permanently) attached or affixed to opposing ends of the bars or handles of the fixed-weight dumbbells and barbells. The attaching of the locknuts to the bar or handle may be accomplished by any known permanent (or semi-permanent) fastening technique, including welding, soldering, fusing, braising, bonding, and the like. Bolts or other threaded means are then screwed through openings in the weight plates into the locknuts to secure the weight plates to the bar or handle. The locking mechanisms of the locknuts thereafter prevent the bolts or other threaded means from loosening and backing out over time, even under severe shock and vibration conditions.

1 . A fixed-weight weight assembly, comprising:
 a bar or handle having opposing ends, each opposing end having an opening formed therein;   a locknut fixedly attached to each opposing end of the bar or handle on an exterior of the bar or handle and coaxial with the opening therein;   one or more weight plates disposed at each opposing end of the bar or handle, each weight plate having a hole formed therein; and   threaded means for supporting the one or more weight plates via the hole therein, each threaded means being screwed through one of the locknuts and into one of the opposing ends of the bar or handle via the opening therein;   wherein each locknut has at least one locking mechanism configured to prevent the threaded means screwed therethrough from loosening and backing out of the bar or handle over time.   
     
     
         2 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising an annular stop disposed flushed and coaxial with each opposing end of the bar or handle for supporting the one or more weight plates. 
     
     
         3 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising an annular recess formed in each weight plate for receiving the locknut therein. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each locknut is fixedly attached to a respective opposing end of the bar or handle using one or more of the following: welding, soldering, fusing, braising, and bonding. 
     
     
         6 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each threaded means is a bolt. 
     
     
         7 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 6 , further comprising an annular recess formed in each weight plate for receiving a head of the bolt therein. 
     
     
         8 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each threaded means is an extension of the bar or handle and has a larger diameter body section for supporting the at least one weight plate and a smaller diameter threaded section for screwing the threaded means through the locknut. 
     
     
         9 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixed-weight weight assembly is one of: a dumbbell assembly and a barbell assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A method of assembling fixed-weight weight assembly, comprising:
 fixedly attaching a locknut to an end of a bar or handle on an exterior of the bar or handle, the locknut being coaxial with an opening formed in the end of the bar or handle;   mounting at least one weight plate on a threaded means via a hole formed in the at least one weight plate, the threaded means supporting the at least one weight plate; and   screwing the threaded means having the at least one weight plate mounted thereon through the locknut and into the opening in the end of the bar or handle;   wherein each locknut has at least one locking mechanism configured to prevent the threaded means from loosening and backing out of the bar or handle over time.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising disposing an annular stop flushed and coaxial with the end of the bar or handle for supporting the one or more weight plates. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising forming an annular recess in each weight plate for receiving the locknut therein. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the locknut is fixedly attached to the end of the bar or handle using one or more of the following: welding, soldering, fusing, braising, and bonding. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the threaded means includes a larger diameter body section for supporting a least one weight plate and a smaller diameter threaded section for screwing the threaded means through the locknut. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein each threaded means is a bolt. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising forming an annular recess in the at least one weight plate for receiving a head of the bolt therein. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method is one of: a dumbbell assembly and a barbell assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The fixed-weight weight assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more locknuts have multiple locking mechanisms. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more locknuts have multiple locking mechanisms.