GB2246751A

GB2246751A - Rider-supported motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2246751A
Application number: GB9014889A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Cecil Kneale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-07-05
Filing date: 1990-07-05
Publication date: 1992-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-05
Also published as: GB2246751B; GB9014889D0

Abstract

A vehicle (10) for a rider (38), whose feet (40) are supported on ground engaging wheels (42) or other friction reducing means, eg skates or skis, has an elongate chassis (12) having upper and lower ends and a ground engagement wheel (16) rotatably and drivably mounted at or adjacent to said lower end of said chassis. The wheel (16) may be in the form of a conventional tyred wheel, a balloon-tyred wheel or an endless track or may be spiked or chained for travel on ice or snow. A drive means (20-26), e.g. I.c. engine or electric motor, is mounted on the chassis for rotating said wheel. A control means (36) for the drive means is provided and a rider mounting region (28) is located on the chassis between its upper and lower ends. In use the rider's feet are supported by the ground-engaging wheels or other friction reducing means while the upper end of the chassis is supported by the rider. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION MOTORISED VEHICLE The present invention relates to a motorised vehicle, and more particularly to a motorised vehicle of the general type having a ground-engaging drive wheel disposed at the rear end of a chassis and driven by a drive means attached to the chassis.

One aim of the present invention has been to provide a simple, relatively cheap vehicle which can propel a person wearing, for example, roller skates, iceskates or skis simply and cheaply across the ground with a minimum of effort required on the part of the rider.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a chassis having located only at one end thereof a ground-engaging wheel or wheels which is/are rotatable about an axis at the rear of the chassis, and which is/are driven by a power means located on the said chassis, the vehicle further comprising a control means located at or adjacent the end of the chassis remote from said ground engaging drive wheel or wheels, and a rider seating means situated between said ground engaging drive wheel or wheels and said control means, the chassis being adapted to be supported in use by said rider.

Preferably the rider is provided with groundengaging, freely rotatable wheels on his or her feet.

The ground-engaging drive wheel or wheels may be in the form of, for example, a traditionally tyred ksTM) wheel,a balloon-tyred wheel or a Caterpillarttrack and provide the necessary traction to propel the rider and apparatus along, for example, a road track or other suitable terrain. Alternatively, the ground-engaging drive wheel or wheels may be spiked or chained to enable the vehicle and rider to be propelled along, for example, an icy terrain, ski slope or ice-rink.

The rider is provided with the ground-engaging driven wheel or wheels and in use sits astride the chassis between the control means such as a handle bar and the ground-engaging drive wheel or wheels. The ground-engaging wheel or wheels may thus, for example, be roller skates, ice skates or skis, or any other members providing a low coefficient of friction whereby to facilitate easy movement across the surface over which the vehicle travels.

Depending on the intended use for the vehicle the control means can at its simplest be just a handle bar or other suitable member by which the chassis can be supported between the rider's legs.

In more advanced vehicles, the control means can be more complicated and may embody a speed control, requiring clutch operation, and a steering means which turns the ground engaging drive wheel and is operated from the handle bars. The ground-engaging drive wheel or wheels may, for example, be swivellingly mounted to the chassis about an inclined swivel axis, the control of the swivel being instigated by, for example, a twisting of the handle bar or other suitable member.

In one embodiment the motorised vehicle comprises an elongate chassis having a single ground-engaging drive wheel mounted at the rear of the chassis.

The ground-engaging drive wheel is driven through a chain from a small petrol motor fed by a fuel line from a small fuel tank. The wheel is swivellingly mounted to the chassis about an inclined swivel axis, and may be controlled from the end of the chassis remote from the ground-engaging drive wheel via an appropriate mechanism.

Approximately mid-way down the chassis between said control means and the drive wheel there is preferably provided a padded portion or saddle. Situated to the front end of this saddle is provided a retractably mounted thigh rest. The thigh rest enables the rider to squat astride the chassis, the weight of the rider being taken on the thighs whilst the ground-engaging drive wheel is forced against the ground such that traction and movement of the machine is achieved.

This retractable thigh rest may be adjustable along the length of the chassis, and also with respect to the axis of the chassis so that it will rest comfortably against the quadraceps of the thighs.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a motor vehicle in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle of Fig. 1 with a rider astride thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, the motor vehicle 10 comprises a generally elongate metal chassis 12 of generally tubular construction. At its rear end 14 there is provided a ground-engaging drive wheel 16, which is rotatably attached to a pair of side members 18 of said chassis. The wheel 16 is driven via a chain 20 by a petrol motor 22, which is fed with fuel from a petrol tank 24 via a fuel line 26. Alternatively, the power means would be provided by an appropriate battery.

Situated mid-way along the chassis 12 there is provided a padded portion 28.

Situated on the underside of the chassis, slightly forward of the padded portion 28, there is provided a retractable member 32 which can be pulled down from the chassis to provide a support means for the chassis on the rider's thighs. Thus, the rider can sit or squat in a position in which the drive wheel is forced against the ground without the need for the rider to pull the chassis up against his crutch area, thereby forcing the drive wheel against the ground to achieve propulsion of the vehicle.

At the end remote from the drive wheel 16 there is provided a handle 34 having control means 36 provided thereon. The control means 36 may control the vehicle's speed by means of a clutch and accelerator, and may also provide a braking facility.

In use, a driver 38 sits on the padded portion 28 astride the chassis 12. He holds the control means 40 in his hands and pulls the chassis 12 upwards such that his weight is acting through the drive wheel 16 so as to provide traction. The rider has on his feet 40 freely rotatable wheels 42 in the form of roller skates, although other skates such as ice skates, skis or the like could be substituted. Thus, by starting the motor and putting weight onto the drive wheel the rider and vehicle are propelled. The rider can stop by either using a brake which may be provided on the vehicle or by standing up off the padded portion such that the rider's weight is taken off the driver wheel.

The vehicle may also comprise a footrest 32, so that it may be ridden as a monocycle. By providing the drive wheel 16 with a balloon tyre, the rider could then use the vehicle to perform stunts by, for example, bouncing the vehicle in the manner of a pogo stick. In such situations the rider may choose not to wear freely rotatable wheels on his/her feet.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: an elongate chassis having upper and lower ends; a ground-engagement wheel rotatably and drivably mounted at or adjacent to said lower end of said chassis; drive means mounted on said chassis for rotating said wheel; control means for controlling said drive means, and a rider mounting region located between said upper and lower ends of said chassis upon which said rider, in use, is mounted while said rider supports said upper end of said chassis in a riding position.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which said control means comprises a handle bar.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, in which the handle bar embodies a speed control requiring clutch operation.

4. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which said rider mounting region comprises rider seating means.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4, in which said rider seating means is padded.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which said rider seating means is a saddle.

7. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further comprises a thigh rest, which thigh rest is positioned to enable the rider to squat astride the chassis, the weight of the rider being taken on the thighs whilst the ground-engagement wheel is forced against the ground such that traction and movement of the vehicle is achieved.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 7, in which the thigh rest is movably adjustable along the length of the chassis.

9. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the drive means comprises a petrol motor.

10. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, in which the drive means comprises a battery.

11. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the ground engagement drive wheel is selected from: traditionally tyred wheels, balloon-tyred (prt\ > wheels, aterpillar/tracked wheels, chained wheels and spiked wheels.

12. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the ground-engagement drive wheel is swivellingly mounted to the chassis.

13. A vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further comprises a footrest.

14. A vehicle comprising: an elongate chassis having located only at a first end thereof a ground-engagement wheel which is rotatable about an axis at the rear of the chassis and which is driven by a drive means located on said chassis; a control means located at or adjacent the end of the chassis remote from said ground engaging drive wheel, and a rider mounting means situated between said ground engaging drive wheel and said control means.

15. A vehicle as claimed in claim 14, in which said control means comprises a handle bar which may be lifted by the rider to force the ground engaging wheel against the ground such that traction and movement of the machine is achieved.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 14, in which said chassis comprises a thigh rest which in use abuts the rider's thigh to force the ground-engagement wheel against the ground such that traction and movement of the machine is achieved.

17. A vehicle for a rider whose feet are supported on ground engaging wheels or other friction reducing means, comprising: an elongate chassis having upper and lower ends; a ground engagement wheel rotatably and drivably mounted at or adjacent to said lower end of said chassis; drive means mounted on said chassis for rotating said wheel; control means for controlling said drive means, and a rider mounting region located on said chassis between said upper and lower ends, upon which said rider, in use, is mounted while said rider's feet are supported by said ground-engaging wheels or other friction reducing means and while said upper end of said chassis is supported by said rider.

18. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.