CA1181293A

CA1181293A - Water tricycle

Info

Publication number: CA1181293A
Application number: CA000393912A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Sergio Benassi; Umberto Benassi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-01-12
Filing date: 1982-01-11
Publication date: 1985-01-22
Also published as: IT8219068A0; GR75179B; WO1982002364A1; IT1149441B; EP0069127A1

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A tyre is used for both flotation and for propelling a pedal-driven water tricycle or similar recreational vehicle. The tyre is inflatable to provide an inflated structure (10) which has a plurality of protrusions or ribs (13) extending generally transversely across the outermost region of the tyre and across part of the side regions of the tyre.
The protrusions or ribs act as paddles to propel the tricycle over water, such as lakes and swimming pools. Alternatively, or additionally, the wheel of the recreational vehicle has a wheel structure formed by a plurality of lamellar spokes (44), which fit into slots (42) located around the hub (40), and which have an outermost region (46) which encircles part of a tyre (49).
Alternatively, a wheel of the recreational vehicle may be constructed of a substantially rigid material to have a hub region (52) and a tyre region (51), with fins (53) formed on at least one side of the tyre region (51).

Description

TITLE WATER TRICYCLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns transportation. More particularly, it concerns a tricycle that is adapted to 5 be driven on water (and sometimes also on land), having tyres whl~h provide both flotation and means to propel the tricycle on water.
BACKGROUND ART
Various forms of amphibious craft have been known 10 for some time. These include vehicles having wheels for driving on land and a motor-driven propeller for propulsion when the vehicle is travelling over water.
In addition, there are non-amphibious craft of various kinds which use floats for support in water and paddles 15 for propulsion (one example of such craft being the water cycle, that is described in the specification of Canadian Patent No 492,547 to Medley Therrien).
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a tricycle that 20 has wheels which are adapted both to support it on water (that is, to provide flotation) and to provide a means for propelling a vehicle over water (and sometimes also over land).
According to the present invention, there is 25 provided a tricycle adapted to be ridden on water, said tricycle comprising:
a) a tricycle frame, said frame supporting i) a front wheel fork and handlebar combinaklon a-t the front thereof, ii) a rider's seat, ~ 2 - ~ 3 iii) a transverse axle at the rear thereof, said transverse axle extending sideways from each side of the frame, and iv) a crank with pedals and a chain 5connecting the crank to said axle;
b) a front wheel moun-ted in said fork, said front wheel having a -tyre section which provides buoyancy for the front of the tricycle; and 10c) a pair of rear wheels, affixed to respective ends of said axle, each rear wheel having a substantially rigid tyre section which provides buoyancy for -the rear of the tricycle and which has a plurality of 15external fins affixed thereto or formed integrally therewith.
The substantially rigid section of each rear wheel may comprise an inflated tyre that is made of a flexible rubber or like compound, which is adapted to 20 fit over a simple rim, the tyre having formed therein : or bonded thereto a plurality of protrusions, which extend across the outermost part of the side regions of the tyre. Such a tyre can be readily deflated for : removal from the rim to facilitate transport of the 25 water tricycle. Another advantage of this type of tyre construc-tion is that the extensions of the protrusions around the tyre provide additional "driving fin area"
as the wheels sink further into the water when a heavier person is the rider of the tricycle.
30Thus, according to one aspect of -the present invention, the tyre section of each rear wheel ! comprlses:

. 3 a) an inflatable toroidal structure, of substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape when inflated, constructed of a flexible, resilient sheet material; and b) a plurality of fin-like protrusions from the general toroidal surface, in spaced apart location around the toroid, each protrusion being formed in or bonded on to the structure and extending substantially transversely over the region of the surface thereof that constitutes the outermost surface of the toroid and terminating in the regions of the surface of the structure that constitute the generally opposed side surfaces of the ; 15 toroid.
Typically, the material of such a tyre is a synthetic rubber compound or sheet neoprene. It will also be appreciated that an ellipse includes within its definition a circle, and, in the context of this 20 specification, oval shapes of any suitable major to minor axis ratio.
A more preferred construction of the rear wheels of the tricycle of the present invention, however, involves the formation of a moulded wheel, having a hub 25 region and tyre region, as a single unit, from a substantially rigid material, with fins formed integrally with the -tyre region, the fins being formed on at least one side of the tyre region and extending towards the hub region.
With this form of substantially rigid construction, the proportion of the fin surface area which becomes submerged when the tricycle is "driven"
over water by rotation of the wheel depends on the weight that is carried by the tricycle. Thus a heavier user of the tricycle has a greater fin area for propulsion of the vehicle than a lightweight user of the tricycle equipped with this type of wheel.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
E'igure l is a general side view, partly detailed, 10 of a tyre construction that may be used in a rear wheel of the tricycle of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tyre of the type shown in Figure l, mounted on a central wheel structure of a water tricycle.
Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the tyre of Figure l.
Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a water tricycle incorporating the tyre of Figures l to 3.
Figure 5 is a perspective sketch of the preferred 20 form of the rear wheel of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
To assist in the understanding of the following description, it should be noted that certain terms have been given the meaning that is now indicated:-a) outer tyre surface:- that is the annular reyion of the surface of the tyre contained between the points A and B
shown in Figure 2;
b) side surfaces of the tyre:- these are the annular surfaces contained be-tween points B and C and between points A and I

D of the tyre illustrated in Figure 2, and indicated as dashed lines A and D in Figure l; and c) inner surface of the tyre: that is the ~ inner surface contained between the points C and D of the tyre shown in Figure 2.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a toroidal structure 10 which has been inflated 10 (in Fiyure 2, aeter it has first been located around the curved rim 12 of a wheel section 11 of a water tricycle or like recreational vehicle). As indicated earlier in this specification, the structure 10 is constructed from a flexible, resilient material, such 15 as a synthetic rubber material or neoprene. On the outer tyre surface, a plurality of fin-like protrusions or ribs 13 are located. These protrusions or ribs 13 may be moulded in the material of the toroidal structure 10, so that they stand out therefrom when the 20 tyre is inflated. Alternatively, as indicated above, the ribs 13 may be bonded to the toroidal structure 10 by any suitable adhesive or by a vulcanizing process.
As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 3, the ribs or protrusions 13 extend transversely of the outer 25 surface of the tyre and are continued over the side surfaces of the tyre. This feature ensures that when an adult is using a water tricycle fitted with a tyre constructed in accordance with the present invention, as the tyre sinks further into the water ~compared to 30 the situation when a child rides the water tricycle) the surface area of the submerged parts O:e the ribs 13 increases. Thus the adult is provided with larger "padclles" on the driving wheels Oe the water tricycle ~L~8~93 than a child, and an adult obtains correspondingly better propulsion with one rotation of the wheel. Hence the present invention will provide a more uniform efficiency of operation of the tricycle or similar 5 craft when light and heavy riders use it.
For convenience, the inflation nozzles for the tyres have been omitted from -the drawings/ but those familiar with tyre constructions will recognise that the fitting of inflation nozzles is a s-tandard practice 10 and requires no novel skills.
Figure 3 shows that it is not essential for the ribs or protrusions 13 to extend linearly over the outer surface of the tyre. The ribs or protrusions 13 may be curved, or have a zig-zag, sine curve, or any 15 required "tread" pattern as they traverse the outer surface of the tyre.
Figure 2 shows that this form of tyre may be used with a simple wheel structure for a water tricycle. The wheel structure 11 of Figure 2 may be conveniently 20 moulded out of a rigid plastics material, or may be of fibreglass. If required, a band 15 of a suitable material may be positioned around the rim 12 to separate the inner surface of the tyre from rim 12. The wheel structures 11 could be made of metal, but ferrous 25 metal wheel structures are not preferred because they are usually heavier than plastic constructions and are more prone to corrosion in a watery environment.
The wa-ter tricycle illus-trated in Figure 4 has a main frame comprising a single tubular frarne 20, on 30 which is mounted a seat 21 and a handlebar/fork assembly 22. The front wheel 23 of the water tricycle ~8~Z93 preferably has an inflatable tyre on it, without the ribs or protrusions 13 of the tyre illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.
The two illustrated "driving" wheels 24 of the 5 water tricycle incorporate tyres of the type shown in Figures 1 to 3. However, as indicated earlier in this specification, it is preferred that the rear wheels of -the -tricycle each comprise a structure of the type illustrated in Figure 5. The driving wheels are driven 10 by a conventional pedal and chain arrangement 25.
Such a water tricycle is easy to use, robust, and easily transported.
The rear wheel illustrated in Figure 5 is one form of moulded fibreglass wheel that has been 15 constructed by the present inventors and effectively used in water tricycles. It consists of two half-wheel units 50, 50A, which are moulded separately and brought together and joined by any suitable means at the rim 55 of the wheel. The wheel itself has a tyre region 51 and 20 a hub region 52. The hub region 52 is adapted to be fitted to an axle at aperture 54. The tyre region 51, which is used to provide buoyancy for the tricycle, carries fins 53 which are used to propel the tricycle through and over water when the wheel is rotated.
It will be clear that the extent to which the fins 53 at the lower par-t of the wheel of Figure 5 are submerged when the wheel is used in a tricycle must depend on the weiyht that is being supported by the wheel. Consequently, the fins of a water tricycle that 30 is being used by a child will no-t be submerged to the same extent as the fins of the same water tricycle that is ~eing used by an adult.

~ ~8~2~313 Although fibreglass construction of the wheel of Figure 5 has been referred to above, any suitable, substantially rigid, material may be used.
A particular advantage of this type of structure 5 is that the water craft using this type of wheel construction can be truly amphibious. The user may even wear a suit to ride a water tricycle fit-ted with this type of wheel from a sandy beach in-to a lake or sheltered harbour withou-t the user getting his or her 10 clothes wet.
Other shapes of fin 53 may be used, instead of the illustrated shape, without departing from the inventive concept of this aspect of the present invention. Also, if required, the fins 53 may be formed 15 in both sides of the tyre region of the wheel.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The main use of the present invention is in the production of pleasure craft for use on inland lakes, large swimming pools, harbours, bays, and similar 20 environments.
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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:

1. A tricycle adapted to be ridden on water, said tricycle comprising:
a) a tricycle frame, said frame supporting i) a front wheel fork and handlebar combination at the front thereof, ii) a rider's seat, iii) a transverse axle at the rear thereof, said transverse axle extending sideways from each side of the frame, and iv) a crank with pedals and a chain connecting the crank to said axle;
b) a front wheel mounted in said fork, said front wheel having a tyre section which provides buoyancy for the front of the tricycle; and c) a pair of rear wheels, affixed to respective ends of said axle, each rear wheel having a substantially rigid tyre section which provides buoyancy for the rear of the tricycle and which has a plurality of external fins affixed thereto or formed integrally therewith.

2. A tricycle as defined in claim 1, in which the tyre section of each rear wheel comprises:
a) an inflated toroidal structure of substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape, constructed of a flexible, resilient sheet material, and b) a plurality of fin-like protrusions from the structure, said protrusions being located in spaced apart location around the toroid, each protrusion being formed in or bonded on to the structure and extending substantially transversely over the region of the surface thereof that constitutes the outermost surface of the toroid and terminating in the regions of the surface of the structure that constitute the generally opposed side surfaces of the toroid.

3. A tricycle as defined in claim 2, in which the sheet material is a synthetic rubber compound.

4. A tyre as defined in claim 2, in which the sheet material is neoprene.

5. A tricycle as defined in claim 1, in which each rear wheel is constructed of a substantially rigid material and is characterised in that:
a) the wheel has a hub region and a tyre region;
b) a plurality of fins are formed integrally with the tyre region and extend inwardly from a point at or adjacent to the rim of the wheel to the outermost part of the hub region.

6. A tricycle as defined in claim 5, in which each rear wheel is formed as two half-wheels which are joined at the rim and also at a centrally located aperture of the wheel.

7. A tricycle as defined in claim 5 or claim 6, in which each rear wheel is constructed of a fibreglass material.