GB2151562A - Exercise bicycle propelled by pedalling and rowing - Google Patents

Abstract

Several arrangements are described, each of which has a pedal/chain arrangement to drive the back wheel and, in addition, an "oar" member 1 pivoted to the frame 2, movement of which in a rowing action is transmitted into drive of the back wheel through suitable gearing. The frame may be foldable. A stand 20 may be used to convert the cycle into an exercise machine. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bicycle propelled by pedalling and rowing The present invention refers to a bicycle which is propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which may be foldable.

Bicycles, vehicles known for many years, have undergone slight modifications or variations throughout the long history thereof.

Now, due to the energy crisis our society is suffering, this locomotive means which combines the advantages of not consuming any type of energy and, therefore, its faculty of being a non-contaminating means, with the possibility of the user thereof practising exercises, has come into fashion again.

Further, there is a type of static bicycle, lacking wheels, expressly designed so that the user thereof can practice at home not only pedalling exercises, but also exercises resembling rowing, for which the handlebar is pulled backwards and forwards.

The bicycle of Spanish Patent No.

519,746, (hereinafter called "the main pa tent") besides being easy folding, includes the advantages of the previously mentioned bicycles. That is, with a single bicycle having wheels or not, pedalling or rowing exercises can be practised by merely operating a suitable control positioned in the handlebar of the bicycle.

In fact, it has normal pedalling means which causes it to act like a classic bicycle, wherefore it is propelled conventionally, through pedals, when desired. However, it is so designed that this propulsion can be carried out by stresses similar to those of rowing which take place, as in static bicycles, by pulling the handlebar towards the user or pushing it away from him successively and suitably transmitting these stresses to the wheels to produce propelling thereof, by means of elements which convert the rowing movement produced in the handlebar into a circular movement of the wheels, To enable the handlebar to be pushed and pulled during propelling due to the action of rowing, it engages, by means of a bar, the paracentral zone of the frame, which frame can logically have any shape or structure, as will subsequently be seen.

Besides, it incorporates a support structure, likewise extensible, on which the bicycle is mounted to enable the user to practice both the pedalling and rowing exercises at home.

The stresses produced during pedalling and rowing, are transmitted to the drive wheel, the rear wheel, through the classis sprocket and its corresponding chain which is joined to a toothed disc mounted on the pedal shaft.

The improvements introduced in the bicycle of Patent 519,746 are optional and will be incorporated to the bicycle depending on the demand thereof.

Said optional improvements are directed to provide the bicycle with new drive systems and to substitute, in some cases, the pedal box by a single pinion positioned at the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft.

One of the contemplated modifications consists in causing the oar or movable part of the frame to pivot, logically at the request of the user, on a pin which is secured at the suitable site of the fixed part of the corresponding frame, which oar extends ending in a normal or pin gear.

In fact, it has been verified that the relatively small involute curve described by the oar both during ascent and descent thereof, and mentioned in the main patent, coincides also practically with a circumferential arc, the center of which has perfectly been determined, for which reason the oar can now be made to pivot with the same practical results on a pin.

The now described modifications proportion a bicycle whose functioning and design have been simplified.

Therefore, with the idea of transmitting the stresses produced during rowing directly to the pedal shaft without the need of intermediate mechanisms, the prolonged oar is placed next to the pivot shaft and ends in a ring gear which will engage, as will be seen, with the pinion arranged on the pedal shaft.

It has also been verified that in some cases it is advisable for the mentioned drivings from the feet and from the handlebar to be interconnected, so that the user can make use of any one of them indistinctly when he so wishes.

This is structurally achieved by chains placed at each side of the frame through corresponding inverter pinions of the shifting direction, joined to an assembly of bevel pinions.

As is logical, and as mentioned in the main patent, a suitable engagement between each chain section is necessary, since the shifting of the chain section placed at the left of the frame should necessarily be contrary to that of the chain section placed at the right of the bicycle frame, wherefore the assembly of previously mentioned bevel pinions is comprised of respective pinions inserted in corresponding shafts, in turn, supporters of the inverter pinions on which each chain section acts and interconnected by another bevel pinion which is the inverter.

To engage the drive systems themselves, gear sections are arranged on the supporting shafts of the previously mentioned pinions, which sections are joined to other identical gear sections arranged on the corresponding shafts which are secured to respective pinions joined to each drive section for driving from the handlebar. Each of these chain sections ends on the drive semi-pinion positioned on the second drive section through pinions, the centres and diameters of which coincide with those of the base circumference of the invo iute curve.

Furthermore, two new drive systems have been designed, the economic and real results of which are rather good. These two new drive systems eliminate the chains, pinions and all the other mechanisms described in the main patent, and are the object of the present invention.

The first system consists of an assembly of four bars equal in length two by two, two of which constitute the oar and the corresponding part of the fixed zone of the frame, and the other two, shorter in length, are jointly interconnected.

This drive system is structurally comprised of two arms, the shorter arms, joined to the second and third drive sections and together by means of a ball. So that the second drive section can perfectly rest on the third when the oar descends, the lower arm of those forming the spheric joint should shift donwards to permit the passage of the other forming the assembly therewith. For this reason the lower arm is Y-shaped.

The second system mainly consists in placing, between the fixed part and the movable part or oar of the bicycle, an expandable telescopic system, the ends of which are joined to said parts by means of Cardan joints.

With this arrangement, there is also a mechanical joining between the oar and the fixed part of the frame, irrespective of the position of the latter with respect to the former, since this system is comprised of various expansions emerging successively, since some pull others as the oar is raised.

Irrespective of the position of the oar with respect to the fixed part of the frame, for the wheel of the bicycle to turn simultaneously with the handlebar, each of the previously mentioned expansions has a slot suitable for such purpose at its inner-upper zone disposed on a type of thickening, whilst all these expansions have, on the outside and along the entire length thereof, a slot coinciding with the former.

Due to the arrangement of the expansions and to avoid noises both in the expansion and in the compression, resilient discs are provided at the contact zones.

It has previously been mentioned that the gear provided at the lower end or prolonged zone of the oar engaged, when propelling by the action of rowing, with a pinion provided in the paracentral zone of the shaft pedal, wherefore the stresses produced in the raising of the oar are transmitted directly to the pedal shaft.

Thus, there are three embodiments of the pinion for the various optional improvements.

In accordance with the first embodiment of the pinion, the pedals should not turn when propelling by the action of rowing, that is, they are perfectly static, wherefore this pinion situated paracentrally on the shaft is double; in other words, it has a concentric and coplanar double band of ratchets carved in an opposite direction with its corresponding triggers, one of which is formed by the pedal shaft itself and a tubular member telescopically mounted thereon, which is also the bearer, although indirectly, of the hauling toothed disc of the propelling chain.

The first of the previously mentioned pinions, that ciosest to the axis of symmetry of the pedal shaft, is formed by the carving of the ratchet teeth in an annular projection of the inner paracentral zone of the tubular mem ber, whilst the corresponding triggers thereof and the springs which maintain them raised are housed in respective cavities of a likewise annular projection of the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft, a tapped washer and its corresponding pressure seals being provided in the shaft itself which prevent the triggers and the springs from emerging.

The entire periphery of the tubular member is threaded and the paracentral zone also has an annular projection which divides the threaded zone into two, the purpose of which will subsequently be explained.

Cups threaded to the ends of the tubular member are provided to support. guide and roll said member, both cups having rolling zones, an inner to be supported on the corresponding areas of member threaded to the shaft, and an outer to be supported on other cups and to turn on the fixed part of the corresponding frame. On one of the cups threaded to the tubular member, there is a zone for securing the toothed disc.

The second pinion of this embodiment is of the guided ratchet type to enable it to be operated at the most appropriate moment during rowing, and essentially consists in placing a voluntarily operable mechanical element or push member which, when coming into contact with the triggers of the ratchets, free the corresponding carved band or not.

In any case, the first stepped-section element of this pinion has a long collar and is threaded to the tubular member to facilitate the control of the triggers, in other words the pivot acting thereon, with a push member which is axially shifted, at will, along guides carved on the long collar of the first steppedsection element, peripherally having a bev elled lug which activates the trigger actuating pivot.

The push member is actuated from the left handle of the handlebar which operates a pusher hinged at its paracentral zone to the fixed part of the frame and comprised of two arms, one of which, the Y-shaped, ends on two rolling surfaces disposed to act, by push ing, on the push member, which member recovers its original position when the pusher no longer acts due to the intevention of a suitable spring.

It was previously mentioned that in this embodiment, when propelling by the action of rowing, the pedals and consequently their shaft are blocked. Thus, the second arm of the push member is blocked in the groove of a pulley threaded to the pedal shaft, since, in this case and due to the arrangement of the pinions, the only stress reaching said shaft will be by the inertia itself and frictions of the assembly, for which reason the mere pressure of the arm on the pulley is sufficient to block the pedals.

In accordance with the second embodiment of the pinion, such pinion slides along the pedal shaft when the left handle of the handlebar is actuated.

In fact, the pinion placed paracentrally on the pedal shaft, in this second embodiment, is capable of axial shifting on guides carved on the shaft itself, or in the tubular member, to be linked during rowing to the gear provided at the end of the oar. This shifting is carried out by a pusher having characteristics similar to that previously described and is likewise provided with a compression spring which causes it to recover its original position, that of pedalling, when the pusher is no longer activated from the left handle of the handlebar.

In accordance with the third embodiment of the pinion, simplification reaches its maximum, since the pinion is directly fastened to the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft and is permamently engaged with the gear of the oar during pedalling and rowing.

Finally, an also optional new system has been designed which utilizes all the stresses produced during rowing, both the ascending and the descending stresses of the oar being transmitted to the pedal shaft by means of a toothed wheel engaging with the pinion positioned at the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft which moves at the request of the oar through a crank connecting rod assembly.

The invention will be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational view of the entire assembly of the bicycle, as claimed in the main patent, illustrating both the folding joints and means, as well as the structure supporting the portable domestic bicycle for use in practising exercises at home.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the entire assembly of the invention, illustrating the bicycle when propelled by the action of rowing, as well as the first new drive system, specifically the spatial system comprised of four bars.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the entire assembly of the bicycle. in this special case not-foldable and not provided with the subframe mentioned in the main patent, in which all the modifications described in this specification have been introduced, illustrating the arrangement of the gear on the prolongation of the oar and the joining thereof to the pinion placed on the pedal shaft.

Figure 4 is a general view of the entire assembly of the bicycle, illustrating the second drive system, specifically the telescopic system Figure 5 is a side view of a part of the drive system in which driving from the feet and driving from the handlebar are interconnected.

Figure 6 is a section A of the preceding figure.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the complementary part of the drive system, at the initiation of the chain system corresponding to the oar, illustrating how the gear provided in the prolongation of the oar engages the pinion provided in the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft.

Figure 8 corresponds to section B-B of the preceding figure, illustrating the arrangement of the pin gear.

Figure 9 represents a new arrangement of the pin gear necessary in the event the pinion which is axially shifted on the pedal shaft is used.

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the entire assembly of the drive system interconnecting the driving from the feet and that of the handlebar.

Figure 11 corresponds to section C-C of the preceding figure, illustrating the inverter bevel gears.

Figure 12 corresponds to a schematic diagram of the entire drive system, previously described.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the first new drive system: the spatial having four bars.

Figure 14 is a partly sectioned view of the expandable assembly forming the second drive system: the telescopic.

Figure 15 corresponds to section D of the preceding figure.

Figure 16 corresponds to the first mode of embodiment of the pinion placed at the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft.

Figure 1 7 corresponds to section E-E of the preceding figure.

Figure 18 corresponds to a simplified, sectioned view of the pedal shaft and the tubular member.

Figure 20 corresponds to a profile view, illustrating how the trigger actuating pivot is actuated.

Figure 21 is an elevational view of the preceding figure.

Figure 22 is an elevational partly sectioned view of the second mode of embodiment of the pinion placed at the paracentral zone of thepedal shaft.

Figure 23 corresponds to section F-F of the preceding figure.

Figure 24 is an elevational view of the third mode of embodiment of the previously mentioned pinion.

Figure 25 corresponds to a schematic diagram of the embodiment utilizing both the ascending and the descending stresses of the oar.

The bicycle of the main patent is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the previously mentioned oar is referenced 1, the fixed part of the frame 2, this oar 1 being joined to an element 3 comprised internally of two interconnected drive sections, the first 4 and the second 5.

Due to the special characteristics of the main patent, it was necessary to incorporate a dismountable lower element, known as a subframe, 6 which carried the front wheel 7, the third drive section 8, the driving system from the feet 9, a connecting mechanism 10, clutches and the like.

Driving from the feet, which is classic, was in short carried out by the pedals 11, disc 1 2 and chain 1 3 to the sprocket 1 4 joined to the rear wheel 15.

When desired, by operating the handle 1 6 positioned in the handlebar 17, propelling by the action of rowing took place with the ascent and descent of the oar 1 through the cable 1 8 which, in turn, shifted the connecting mechanism 10 and this, by means of intermediate mechanisms, the disc 12.

This bicycle was provided, for the purpose of using it to practise static exercises at home, with a foldable support structure 1 9 incorporating means for supporting the bicycle, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and with a friction wheel or roller 20 which originated some resistance to the turn of the wheel 1 5.

In the bicycle illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in accordance with the present invention, the sub-frame 6 and the second drive section 5 have been eliminated, the first 4 and the third 8 drive sections being fixed to the frame and oar respectively of the main patent, since they are not necessary.

In fact, as can be seen from this specification, the connecting mechanisms described in the main patent can be deleted, upon application of some of the options described here, just as the second drive section can be deleted.

The first improvement is directed to the oar itself, which is made to pivot on a pin and extends into a normal or pin gear.

This, that is cuasing the oar to pivot, was achieved since it was observed that the involute curve practically coincides with the circumferential arc.

Structurally this embodiment is as follows: The oar 1 has, at its joining zone to the frame 2 of the bicycle, an opening 21 for the passage of the pin 22, so that said oar 1 pivots perfectly about the frame 2.

But, as will subsequently be seen, for the stresses to be transmitted directly to the pedal shaft, without chains or intermediate pinions, the oar 1 extends into a normal or pin type gear 23 which meshes with the pinion positioned on the pedal shaft.

The second improvement consists of a drive system which can be defined as the sum of the two systems described in the main patent, that is a system which joins the driving from the feet to the driving from the handlebar and which is described referring only to one side of the bicycle, more specifically the left, since the other is symmetrical. It comprises a chain section 24, from the L-shaped piece 25 to the inverter pinion 26, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and a second section 27, from the inverter pinion 26 as a continuation of the preceding section, and terminates on a drive pinion 28 provided on the third drive section.

According to Figs. 10 and 11, said pinion 26 is supported on the shaft 33 together with the gear section 34 and the bevel pinion 35.

When the chain section 24 pulls in one direction, the symmetrical should do so in the opposite direction and therefore an additional pinion 36, which in fact inverts the shifting direction, is placed between the left bevel gear 35 and the right 35'.

According to Figs. 10 and 11 the previously mentioned gear section 34 engages another similar section 37 having a like diameter, positioned on the same shaft 39 supporting the pinion 38 from which the chain section 29 is initiated, which section 29 ends at its corresponding pinion 31 through another pinion 32 whose shaft 40 and original diameter coincides with those of the base circumference of the involute.

With this arrangement, the element positioned at the right of the bicycle frame being referred to with the same numerals and with a "prime", functioning is as follows: In accordance with Fig. 1 2, if the driver propels from the feet, a movement having a like magnitude is produced in the respective pieces 25 and 25', but in an opposite direction, the first chain section 24 remaining constantly taut, as mentioned in the main patent. In this way, the chain section 24' causes the pinion 26' to turn and pulls the chain section 27' as indicated by the arrow, making the pinion 28 positioned on the third drive section to turn in the same direction of amplitude as that of the L-shaped pieces 25 and 25'.

When the pinion 28 turns as indicated by the corresponding arrow, it pulls the section 27 and causes the pinion 26 to turn, a linking and inverse ratio originated by the assembly of bevel pinions 35, 35' and 36 existing between said pinions 26 and 26', which cause each and every chain section to have the same tension and the suitable movement at all times.

However, since the pinions 26 and 26' are respectively secured to their corresponding gear sections 34 and 34' and these are engaged with their similar sections 37 and 37', when the pinions 26 and 26' turn, the pinions 38 and 38' also do so, causing the sections 29 and 29' and, therefore, pinion 31 to move according to the arrows.

As can be seen, the movement produced in the L-shaped pieces 25 and 25' is integrally transmitted to the handlebar connected, as it is known, to the pinion 31, wherefore if the movement is produced in said handlebar functioning of the assembly will be identical to that already described. Therefore, driving can take place either from the feet or from the handlebar and depending on the position of the centre of rotation of the oar, the tension of the chain section 29-29' remains constant in the ascents and descents of the oar.

The third improvement consists of two new spatial drive systems, the former being a spatial mechanism having two degrees of freedom formed of four bars suitably joined by four hinges.

Fig. 1 3 clearly illustrates this new drive system independently, whilst in Figs. 2 and 3 it forms part of the entire assembly, the bars determining a linked quadrilaterai having sides referenced: 41 formed by the oar itself, 42 determined by the fixed part of the frame, the bar 43 and the side 44 forming the bar 48.

In any case, the sides 41 and 42, as it is known, are hinged to the point 21-22 forming a kinematic torque having a rotating movement, the axis of rotation of which is normal to the plane described by the oar 1 in the ascending and descending movement thereof.

Besides, the first side 41 forms with the bar 43 a kinematic torque having two rotating movements: one of which axes of rotation is normal to the plane described by the bar 43 and the side 44 in their movement, and the other, the same as the drive sections, whilst a spheric kinematic torque, that is, having three rotating movements, is formed between the bar 43nd the side 44.

Fyfhermore, the kinematic torque formed byJthe sides 42 and 44 is symmetrical to that firmed by the side 41 and the bar 43.

Likewise, the bar 43 is hinged to the lower zone of the second drive section 5 (Fig. 2) or to that of the first section (Fig. 3), since the second does not exist, by means of a hinging element 45, the characteristics of which are clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 3. Hinging to the side 44 takes place through the spheric hinge 46.

Side 44, in turn, is hinged to the third drive section 8 through an additional hinging element 47 having the same purpose as element 451, although its structure differs, due to the space required by the oar when descending.

In fact, it was observed, upon descent of the oar, Fig. 3, that it could not descend completely inasmuch as bar 48 was positioned on the side 44, wherefore bar 48 itself is shifted downwards and, for this reason, the element 47 pivotally supports the branches 49 and 50 of the bar 48, as illustrated in Fig.

13.

With this arrangement, when the handlebar makes a complete turn, the intersection point of the bar 43 and the side 44 describes a close curve, symmetical to the vertical plane in which the oar is included in its movement, and included in the plane normal to the former and containing the bisecting line of the angle formed by the sides 41 and 42, irrespective of the value thereof. Due to the symmetry of the mechanism with respect to said bisecting line, the third drive section 8 bearing the fork of the front wheel turns in the same angle and at the same instantaneous speed as the handlebar, that is it is a homokinetic transmission.

The second embodiment of the spatial drive system of the present invention consists of a telescopic exapnding assembly 51 joined to the fixed part of the frame 2 and to the movable part or oar 1 through respective Cadan joints 52, which are conventional since they are normally used, so that when the oar 1 is raised in the rowing propulsion, upon emergence of the first expansion, it pulls the second and so on successively, a mechanical joining always existing between both assemblies, as illustrated in Fig. 14.

With this geometric arrangement of the elements, illustrated in Fig. 4, the angles are equal and their value is constant prior to and during rowing; the angles are equal but their value is variable during rowing, just as the angles. The entire telescopic expanding assembly is provided with means causing the turns produced in the handlebar 1 7 to be transmitted at each moment with a like amplitude and direction to the fork 53 of the wheel 7.

These means comprises providing the outer periphery as well as the complete length of each expansion with teeth 54 housed in slots 55 of projections incorporated inside the upper end zone of each expansion.

For each expansion to be perfectly guided in the lower end of each of them, cylindrical thickenings 56 are provided which move during the ascent and descent along the inner walls, logically not carved, of the surrounding expansions, which thickenings also serve as butts and handles for extracting the surrounding expansion when emerging. To avoid noises which might disturb the driver of the bicycle. seals 57 made of elastic material are positioned at the contact zone.

It has already been mentioned that the gear 22 positioned at the far end of the oar 1 engaged the ring gear 64 placed on the pedal shaft, which pinion has three optional embodiments.

In accordance with the first embodiment, Fig. 16, the pedals do not turn during rowing and they can furthermore be moved backwards.

In this embodiment, two gears are provided, both positioned at the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft in a concentric and coplanar manner, wherefore the pedal shaft 59 has at its paracentral zone an annular projection 60 for housing the triggers and the flat springs which maintain them raised, which triggers are secured, so that they cannot emerge, by means of a screw 61 threaded to the shaft 59 (see Fig. 18).

To form the pinion to which we are referring, a tubular member 62 is telescopically mounted on the shaft 59 and which has internaily and paracentrally another annular projection 63 where the ratchet teeth forming the pinion are carved.

The second pinion coplanar with the former is that which engages with the gear 23 of the oar. it's corresponding ring 64 is of guided ratchets and has characteristics identical to any one of those described in the main patent. In any case, it's stepped-section element 65 is threaded to the zone 66 likewise threaded to the tubular member 62, to a but 76 arranged in said tubular member 62 which positions it suitably, as illustrated in Figs. 1 8 and 19.

To enable actuation of the triggers 68 of the ratchets during pedalling and passing to rowing, a disc 69 is incorporated, the shape and functioning of which can be observed in Fig. 21. Said disc has a projection 70 capable of being shifted by the push member 71.

In fact, this push member 71 can be axially shifted, as will be seen, on a collar 72 disposed in the stepped-section element 65, duly guided.

When the bicycle is propelled by the action of pedalling, the guided ratchet pinion is idle, that is the ratchet triggers are activated and in such a position that said ratchets do not act on the set of teeth 73 of the ring 64, Figs. 1 7 and 21, which are carved in an opposite direction to the teeth of the projection 63.

The pedalling stresses are directly transmitted to the toothed disc 74 (Fig. 1 6) through the tubular member 62; the gear 23 and the ring 64 are, therefore, capable of being permanently engaged, without preventing the reverse turn of the pedals or the backward shifting of the bicycle when inoperative.

On the contrary, when the bicycle is propelled by the action of rowing, it is necessary to operate, from the left handle of the handlebar 1 6 or from another suitable position, the push member 71 so that this inserts the ratchets in the carved band 73 of the ring 64 and the rowing stresses reach the disc 74 through the tubular member 62.

To proceed to the axial shifting, resisting the force of the recovery spring 75 of the push member 71, a pusher 67 hinged at its paracentral zone has been provided, one arm of which is Y-shaped (see Fig. 23) and ends in small balls or bearings 77 which facilitate rolling along the periphery of the push member 71. Hence, when the handle and, therefore, the cable 78 are operated, the pusher 76 causes the axial shifting of the push mem ber 71 having a lug-like projection 79 which contacts the projection 80 and causes the piece 69 to turn in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 21, leaving the triggers 68 free to turn, which contact the ratchet band 73 of the ring 64.

Likewise, as mentioned, in this embodiment the pedals do not turn when rowing, wherefore a braking system of the pedal shaft is provided, which is highly simple since the movement produced in the pedals is merely due to the inertia and frictions of the assembly.

To proceed to such braking, the pusher 76 has an arm 81 to be securely fitted in the groove of the pulley 82 threaded to the pedal shaft 59. When operating the cable 78 from the left handle, the ratchets are shifted to fit into the carving of the ring 64 and the pedal shaft is braked.

To support the entire assembly to the fixed part of the frame 2, two cups 84 and 85 are threaded to the tubular member 62, both having two rolling zones, one to be supported to corresponding rolling cones 86 and 87 and the other to roll over other cups 88 and 89 threaded to the fixed part of the frame 2. On the cup 84 there is provided means for supporting the rear wheel operating toothed disc 74.

Referring to the second embodiment, Fig.

22, of this ring gear 64, which engages the gear 23 positioned at the prolongation of the oar, Fig. 7, the main novelty thereof resides in that it can be axially shifted on the pedal shaft 59, so that during pedalling, said pinion, the ring of which is likewise referenced 64, is outside the field of action of the gear 23, and during rowing after operating the left handle, it engages the gear 23 by means of the pusher 76 similar to that previously described.

In this case, the arm 81 does not brake the pulley 82 inasmuch as it does not exist, since in this embodiment the pedals turn during rowing, recovering their position by means of a recovery spring 90 which is protected by a dust cap 91.

In this embodiment, the shaft 59 is supported to the fixed part of the frame 2 in a manner similar to that previously described.

Axial guides are placed on the pedal shaft 59 and the pinion, so that at the request of the pusher 76 the pinion slides along the shaft 59.

Referring to the third embodiment, Fig. 24, the pinion whose ring is likewise referenced 64, is directly secured to the shaft 59, the pedals turning when rowing, as in the prior embodiment.

Finally, in accordance with Fig. 25, the invention includes a system which utilizes the stresses produced in the oar, both in its ascent and its descent. This system is comprised of a toothed wheel which moves at the request of the oar by means of a crank connecting rod assembly and which meshes in the ring gear 64, already described, in any of its three embodiments.

With this latter system, movement of the bicycle is greater and besides the user also practises even more exercises, wherefore said bicycle is more complete.

When rowing takes place, since it is necessary to transmit the stresses to the pedal shaft, the ring pinion 64 meshes with a toothed wheel 92 secured to the fixed part of the frame 2 and which is moved at the request of the crank connecting rod assembly 93, so that in this case the crank is securely joined to the oar 1 in substitution of the gear 23, according to Fig. 25.

With the previously described configuration, when the oar is raised or lowered, the toothed wheel 92 turns as indicated by the arrow at the request of the assembly 93 and, therefore, the ring pinion 64 turns.

Claims (14)

1. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable", essentially characterized by a series of optional modifications, the first introduced in the oar structure or element connected to the handlebar and pivo taliy mounted on the bicycle frame, during ascent or descent thereof, produces stresses which suitably transmitted to the pedal shaft originate propulsion, which element pivots on a pin and extends to end in a normal or pin gear the second consisting of a gear and chain system which interconnect driving from the handlebar and driving from the feet; the third consisting of two new drive systems having four bars of equal length two by two, two of them constituting the oar and the corresponding part of the fixed zone of the frame, the other two originating on the corresponding second and third drive sections being jointly interconnected, the second system having a telescopic expandable device between the fixed part and the movable or raisable part of the bicycle frame, the ends thereof being connected to the corresponding portions of the frame by means of respective Cardan joints; a third optional modification consisting of replacing the assembly of the pedal box by a single pinion positioned at the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft which engages, at will, with the gear provided at the oar end, functioning of this pinion having three options directed to facilitate connection of the pinion with the gear; and a system utilizing the rowing stresses during ascent and descent comprised of a toothed wheel engaged with the above mentioned pinion movable at the request of the oar by a crank connecting rod assembly; the bicycle of this claim being optionally foldable or non-foldable; the bicycle of this claim having any one or two or all three of the above-mentioned optional modifications.

2. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that the second optional modification is aimed at achieving the driving either from the handlebar or from the left indistinctly, wherefore each section of the drive chain from the feet is initiated at the pinion positioned on the third drive section and ends on the respective L-shaped connecting rods by means of corresponding inverter pinions of the shifting direction and connected to an assembly of bevel pinions.

3. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 51 9,746 for ' "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the assembly of bevel pin ions is formed of two pinions connected to the respective supporting shafts of the pinions of the preceding claim, and a third pinion interconnecting them changing their rotating direction.

4. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that corresponding gear sections joined to other identical and parallel sections secured to respective pinions connected to each section of the drive chain from the handlebar, are placed on the respective pinion shafts of claim 2 and secured thereto.

5. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 4, characterized in that each chain section ends on the drive semi-pinion positioned on the second drive section through respective pinions, the centres and diameters of which coincide with those of the base circumference of the involute.

6. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that in the first homokinetic drive system, the hinge interconnecting the two arms originating in the corresponding drive sections is spheric and always moves in the plane of the bisecting line of the angle formed by the other two bars, therefore having three degrees of rotating freedom.

7. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 6, characterized in that the hinges formed by the oar and the fixed part of the frame have one degree of rotating freedom and the hinges of each arm which its corresponding drive section have two degrees of rotating freedom.

8. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower arm of those forming the spheric joint is donwardly shifted so that the second drive section con perfectly rest on the thid when the oar descends, allowing the other forming the assembly therewith to pass, wherefore the lower arm is Y-shaped, the ends thereof ending in cylinders joined at the bottom for connection thereof, and likewise allowing the hinge element of the end of the other arm to pass.

9. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that the second drive system is also homokinetic since the expandable telescopic device is provided with grooves forcing the entire assembly to rotate simultaneously, said grooves being innerly positioned in the upper ends of the tubes constituting the assembly, whilst the inner tubes have further grooves along their entire length and on their respective outer sides, and in that small resilient discs are provided at the contact zones between tubes.

10. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that the pedals, in the first embodiment of the pinion, do not rotate during rowing wherefore the paracentrally placed pinion is double, that is, it has a concentric coplanar double carved band and its corresponding triggers; one of these pinions being formed by the pedal shaft itself and a tubular member telescopically mounted thereon also carrying the hauling toothed disc of the propelling chain; an annular projection with its corresponding cavities for receiving the triggers and the springs which maintains them raised being positioned at the paracentral portion of the shaft, a tapped washer being placed on said shaft, the pressure seals thereof preventing the triggers from emerging; the inner paracentral zone of the tubular member having a further annular projection with carved ratchet teeth, externally provided with two threaded portions spaced from each other by an equally annular projection, to one of which a cup-shaped member, to which the toothed disc is fixed, is threaded, said cupshaped member being provided with two rolling zones, an inner to be supported on the corresponding area positioned in a member threaded to the shaft, and an outer to be supported on another cup and to rotate about the fixed part of the frame; whereas the other threaded portion is provided with two further cups similar to the former.

11. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 10, characterized in that the second pinion with guided ratchets is formed of a first stepped-section member threaded to the tubu lar member having characteristics equal to either of the two embodiments of the main patent, whose carving is contrary to that of the pinion complementing it.

1 2. Improvements introduced in the sub- ject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claims 10 and 11, characterized in that a push member axially slidable at will is provided to guide the trigger actuating pivot on corresponding guides carved in a collar of the first stepped-section member, peripherally having a bevelled lug acting on the trigger actuating pivot, the push member being axially shifted by means of a pusher guided at will from the left handle of the handlebar and joined at its paracentral zone to the fixed part of the frame and comprised of two arms, one of them being Y-shaped ending on two rolling surfaces positioned to actuate, by pushing, on the push member which recovers its original position when the pusher no longer acts due to the intervention of a compression spring.

1 3. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claims 1 and 12, characterized in that the second arm of the pushes is blocked in a pulley threaded to the pedal shaft to block the pedals when propelling by the action of rowing.

14. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that in the second optional embodiment of the pinion positioned at the paracentral zone of the shaft, it is capable of axial shifting on guides carved on the shaft itself to be linked during rowing to the gear placed at the oar end, said shifting being carried out by a pusher similar to that previously described, a compression spring also being provided which causes it to recover its original pedalling position when the pusher is no longer activated.

1 5. Improvements introduced in the subject of Spanish patent No. 519,746 for "Bicycle propelled by the action of pedalling and rowing and which is foldable" according to claim 1, characterized in that in the third optional embodiment of the pinion, it is directly secured to the paracentral zone of the pedal shaft.

1 6. A bicycle substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figs. 2 to 25 of the accompanying drawings.