Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
  • B62M1/00—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles
  • B62M1/12—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles operated by both hand and foot power
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62K—CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
  • B62K3/00—Bicycles
  • B62K3/12—Tandems

Definitions

• This invention relates to an improvement in bicycles, and refers particularly to the driving mechanism thereof.
• the principal objective of this invention is the utilization of power of the arms to assist in the propulsion of the wheels while simultaneously steering the bicycle in the desired direction.
• the rotational axis must be more or less parallel to the persons shoulder line, while the imaginary longitudinal center plane of his body lies substantially coincident to the hand crank's center vertical plane.
• the two aforementioned center planes cannot be coincidence. These two planes will thus be oriented in an obtuse included angle. Under these circumstances, a person can not transmit effective manual power to the hand crank because the anatomy of the human arms simply can not function - efficiently in this position.
• O PI body will produce an obtuse included angle with the imaginary longitudinal plane of the fork and hand crank assembly rendering his arms very ineffective for simultaneous steering control and torque transmission.
• Patent No. 613,943 T.S. Woodruff, U.S. Patent No. 628,426; Franz Pawel of
• the subject manupedal bicycle departs from all the previous improvements made by using, for the first time, an indirect steering system in which is provided a steering arm assembly having a crank with its rotational axis perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of the steering arm assembly.
• the lagging portion of the steering assembly is a pivotal axis perpendicular to the crank rotational axis.
• This pivotal axis is intentionally located substantially in coincidence to the longitudinal axis of the persons body operating the bicycle. Since the body of the person pivots about its own longitudinal axis, it is therefore apparent that in any direction the hand cranks while simultaneously steering the bicycle, the rotational axis of the hand crank is always parallel to the persons shoulder line. Effective torque is thereby transmitted while at the same time providing steering of the bicycle through an intermediate linking means connecting the steering arm assembly and the front fork.
• the subject Manupedal Bicycle combines the arm and leg power in such a way that at all times, while simultaneously steering the bicycle, the person's relative position to the manual cranking means is always such that he or she is in the best position to deliver the optimum torque from the arms when considering the person's anatomy.
• the subject invention utilizes an indirect steering system of a steering arm assembly provided with a hand cranking means at the leading portion 'of the assembly pivoting about an axis opposite and perpendicular to the assembly's pivot axis at the lagging portion. This pivot axis is intentionally made to pivot at a strategic location more or less in coincidence or in close approximation to the longitudinal axis of the operator.
• cranking axis is always parallel to the persons shoulder line and substantially perpendicular to the immaginary plane bisecting the center axis of the manual crank and the steering arm assembly's pivotal axis.
• This invention also employs the use of a flexible shaft means in order to transmit the manual torque to the foot pedal sprocket or directly to the wheel so that it will aid the propulsion of the machine.
• This indirect steering system can also now be used to make manually propelled machines for the use by people who are partial or total amputees in the lower extremities but still have normal arm functions.
• the invention has been described in terms of its utilization as an auxiliary drive on a bicycle the unit may be also adopted to other types of occupant propelled vehicles. For example, tandem or multi-person bicycle, tri-cycles and vehicles for children.
• Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a bicycle which has been modified in accordance with this invention.
• Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the bicycle of the bicycle depicted in Figure 1. .
• Figure 3 is another fragmentary side elevational view of the bicycle of Figure 1 illustrating the indirect steering system and its interconnection and integration to the foot pedal sprocket by means of a flexible shaft.
• Figure 4 is yet another fragmentary side elevational view of the bicycle of Figure I illustrating exclusively the indirect steering arrangement.
• Figure 5 is a -front elevational view of Figure 4 of the bicycle of Figure
• Figure 6 is a view in cross-section taken along the plane indicated by line 6-6 of Figure 4.
• Figure 7 is side sectional view through the power transmission assembly of the bicycle of Figure 1.
• Figure 8 is a top elevational view of the manual crank portion of the power transmission assembly, including the leading end of the steering arm ' assembly.
• Figure 9 is a view in cross-section taken along the plane indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 8.
• Figure 10 is a view in cross-section through the plane indicated by line
• Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the foot pedal crank assembly illustrating the connection of flexible power transmission shaft from the hand crank to the sprocket.
• Figure 12 is side elevational view of a tandem bicycle embodying this unique improvement of this invention.
• Figure 1 discloses a bicycle 10 having apparatus associated therewith made in accordance with the present invention.
• the bicycle includes a rear wheel assembly 16 and a main frame
• a front wheel 50 is indirectly steered by a steering arm assembly comprising a pivot column 21, a steering arm 21', is fixed to column 21 and extends outwardly therefrom in substantially perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis of column 21.
• a manual gear housing 23, journaled to the gear housing 23 is disposed perpendicular to the imaginary common vertical plane bisecting the pivotal axis and the longitudinal axis of the column 21 and arm 21' a manual crank assembly.
• the steering of front fork assembly with its attached front wheel 50 thus is able to react spontantaneously with the movement of the steering arm assembly.
• the angular steering displacement from these two points can either be reduced or amplified.
• This intermediate linking means is not limited to this illustration in that different ways such as hydraulic controls of other mechanical shaft and gear structures are readily applicable.
• the usual rear drive sprocket selector lever 49 is attached of the steering arm 21' as shown by Figure 1 through Figure 2.
• the fragmented sectional view of Figure 7 is directed to structure inside the gear housing 23.
• the ring gear 38 is mounted coaxial and pivoting with the manual crank assembly and. drives the pinion 37 connected to the flexible shaft 12 inside the housing 11.
• the lower end portion of the flexible shaft 12 is connected to another pinion gear 15 driving the ring gear 17 coaxial and turning with the foot pedal crank sprocket 19.
• the manual crank assembly is provided with spring actuated directional pawl mechanism 39 which serves as directional drive mechanism. This allows the operator to stop arm cranking at will or commence his cranking without being influenced by the foot pedal cranking process.
• a flexible shaft anchor 35 is fastened to the housing 11 by the screws 36.
• the lower end of this flexible sha t 12 is anchored to the frame 14 by the anchor 13.
• Figure 10 shows a follower mechanism coaxial with the manual crank shaft, should the operator stop his manual forward arm cranking and beginning manual cranking in the reverse direction, limited angular displacement is translated into a linear motion by a flexible member 27.
• a thrust bracket 26 is connected to member 27 whose front brake cable 25 and rear brake cable 24 are commonly connected.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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• 1983
  • 1983-10-11 EP EP19830903663 patent/EP0157770A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1983-10-11 WO PCT/US1983/001584 patent/WO1985001712A1/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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