US3650342A — Convertible snow track-wheeled scooter type vehic…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 417 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle capable of ready conversion between forms functional respectively as a two-wheeled vehicle and a belt driven snow vehicle, comprising: a unitary frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed to closed shapes having upper reaches secured to each other by welded-on transverse upper spacer means and lower reaches secured to each other by welded-on lower spacer means, and further including a front head tube welded between forward portions of said elements; said frame open at the rear to afford retractable rear-wheel receiving space; a steering fork assembly demountably pivotally secured in said head tube and including a front wheel rotatably supported on an axle through the lower arm ends of said fork assembly; an internal combustion engine and a selectable transmission box taking the power output of the engine and mounted on the lower spacer means within said frame, said box having at least one output sprocket; a rear wheel supporting fork assembly including a rear fork having a forward portion connected to the rear portions of said frame elements to pivot about a transverse axis and providing rearwardly extending arms with a rear wheel axle-supported therebetween, shock absorber strut means having a pivoted lower end connection to said rear fork proximate to a rear wheel axle, and a shiftable upper end connection to the rear upper portion of said frame, whereby the upper end connection selectively is made at two distinct points for securing said rear wheel in an upwardly retracted nonfunctioning position and in a rearwardly downwardly shifted operative position respectively, a dual intermediate sprocket mounted to the frame for rotation about the said transverse pivot axis, a sprocket chain between said output and intermediate sprockets, a driven sprocket on the rear wheel and a second sprocket chain between the driven and intermediate sprockets, whereby a drive connection is maintained between said output sprocket and the rear wheel throughout shifting of said rear wheel; a belt-type snow traction assembly including an assembly frame demountably secured to the bottom of the said unitary frame, front and rear belt sprocket means rotatably supported by the assembly frame, one of the last said means sprocket-chain-driven from an output sprocket of said transmission box, and an endless snow traction belt supported on said front and rear sprockets means and having sprocket holes tracking on the sprocket means; a steering runner assembly detachably secured to the lower end of the steering fork assembly; and seat means supported on the top region of said frame.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 417 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle capable of ready conversion between forms functional respectively as a two-wheeled vehicle and a belt driven snow vehicle, comprising: a unitary frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed to closed shapes having upper reaches secured to each other by welded-on transverse upper spacer means and lower reaches secured to each other by welded-on lower spacer means, and further including a front head tube welded between forward portions of said elements; said frame open at the rear to afford retractable rear-wheel receiving space; a steering fork assembly demountably pivotally secured in said head tube and including a front wheel rotatably supported on an axle through the lower arm ends of said fork assembly; an internal combustion engine and a selectable transmission box taking the power output of the engine and mounted on the lower spacer means within said frame, said box having at least one output sprocket; a rear wheel supporting fork assembly including a rear fork having a forward portion connected to the rear portions of said frame elements to pivot about a transverse axis and providing rearwardly extending arms with a rear wheel axle-supported therebetween, shock absorber strut means having a pivoted lower end connection to said rear fork proximate to a rear wheel axle, and a shiftable upper end connection to the rear upper portion of said frame, whereby the upper end connection selectively is made at two distinct points for securing said rear wheel in an upwardly retracted nonfunctioning position and in a rearwardly downwardly shifted operative position respectively, a dual intermediate sprocket mounted to the frame for rotation about the said transverse pivot axis, a sprocket chain between said output and intermediate sprockets, a driven sprocket on the rear wheel and a second sprocket chain between the driven and intermediate sprockets, whereby a drive connection is maintained between said output sprocket and the rear wheel throughout shifting of said rear wheel; a belt-type snow traction assembly including an assembly frame demountably secured to the bottom of the said unitary frame, front and rear belt sprocket means rotatably supported by the assembly frame, one of the last said means sprocket-chain-driven from an output sprocket of said transmission box, and an endless snow traction belt supported on said front and rear sprockets means and having sprocket holes tracking on the sprocket means; a steering runner assembly detachably secured to the lower end of the steering fork assembly; and seat means supported on the top region of said frame.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 65 words

A vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein said transmission has two output sprockets selectably operated for vehicle drive respectively through a sprocket chain to said snow traction assembly with said rear wheel retracted and through said intermediate sprocket to said wheel for wheel vehicle operation when the rear wheel supporting assembly is swung downward to operative position with said traction and runner assemblies removed.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 163 words

A vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein said snow traction assembly comprises two parallel longitudinal frame members secured in rigidly spaced relation by front and rear transverse spacers located respectively inward from front and rear ends to constitute the said assembly frame; two shafts for said sprocket means respectively located forwardly and rearwardly of said spacers, and having opposite ends rotatably supported in said longitudinal frame members; said sprocket means each comprising a like pair of sprocket wheels on a respective one of said shafts, the sprocket wheels disposed aligned in lateral pairs, and said belt having two series of sprocket holes, each series tracking on a respective Said lateral pair; downwardly spring-biased backup roller means supported in the assembly frame between said spacers to bear upon the inner side of the snow-contacting lower reach of said belt; and bracket means extending upwardly from each longitudinal member and terminating in an upper end formation bolted to the bottom of said vehicle frame.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 92 words

A vehicle as described in claim 3, wherein each said upper end formation curls inwardly under and then vertically upward about a respective tubular frame element lower reach, and is then reflected inwardly under a portion of said lower spacer means; each said formation having a bolt-and-slot connection to said lower spacer means providing the demountable securement of the snow traction assembly to the frame with a limited longitudinal adjustability on the frame for tensioning of a removable sprocket chain providing the drive connection from the transmission box to the traction assembly.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 98 words

A vehicle as described in claim 3 with said back up roller means comprising: a transverse shaft extending between and supported by said longitudinal frame members near the middle region thereof; respective forward and rear shafts swingably supported by arm means on and in parallel relation to said transverse shaft, respective pluralities of rollers rotatably carried by the forward and rear shafts and engaging the inner side of the snow contacting belt bottom reach, and a helical spring helically disposed about the transverse shaft and having respective spring end arms bearing downwardly on the forward and rear shafts.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 236 words

The vehicle as described in claim 1 wherein said steering fork assembly includes two parallel plates and two elongated members passing through aligned lateral apertures of and welded to the plates to extend downwardly as the fork arms held in spaced parallel relation, rearwardly extending portions of said plates having aligned apertures and spaced to receive therebetween said head tube aligned with the last said apertures, a short pin extending radially forwardly in the lower plate aperture and a spring finger extending rearwardly beyond the forward side of the aperture and secured on the lower plate diametrically opposite to but downwardly off-set from said pin, a removable pivot bolt having a shank extending through said plates and head tube to provide a steering pivot mounting of the fork to the vehicle frame with the lower shank end projecting below the lower plate, said lower end having an axial pin entrance end slot running from the extreme shank end inward to one end of a semi-circumferentially extending groove at the level of and adapted in cross section to accommodate said pin, whereby upon insertion the pivot bolt receives said pin into said groove and by a bolt half-turn the spring finger engages in said end slot to lock the pivot bolt in a certain pin-retained position, and with bolt removal by manual spring disengagement and half-turn belt rotation and withdrawal, the fork is dismountable from the frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 168 words

A vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein said shiftable upper end connection of the rear wheel supporting fork assembly comprises two like longitudinal sets of three dependent apertured anchoring lugs with equi-spaced apertures, each set proximate to a respective upper reach of the frame elements, the corresponding lugs of the sets forming front, middle and rear aperture-aligned pairs, a swingable bracket including side arms having apertured inner ends pivotally secured to the said middle pair of lugs, outer ends pivotally secured to the upper end of said shock absorber strut means, and respective locking apertures spaced from the inner end pivot axis corresponding to the spacing between the front and rear pair lug apertures from the middle lug pair apertures, a releasable securing bracket pin through the said locking apertures and selectively through the front or rear lug pair apertures and thereby selecting The point of strut means connection in a forward position for rear wheel retraction, or in a rearward position for rear wheel operative positioning.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 63 words

A vehicle as described in claim 7, wherein said upper spacer means of the vehicle frame includes a forward spacer bar welded between the upper reaches and a rear spacer plate, said rear spacer plate having portions along each side downwardly struck to form respective said lug sets, the residual plate margins welded to the rear bottom regions of the respective upper reaches.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 153 words

A vehicle as described in claim 8, wherein an elongated seat is supported on said upper reaches and is secured near its front and rear to said forward spacer bar and rear spacer plate respectively; and including means for seat securement to the bar comprising a downwardly offset clamping tongue projecting forwardly under the bar permitting at least limited upward tilting from the rear about the bar, and a bracket secured to the rear seat bottom region having apertured front and rear pairs of transversely spaced apertured lugs projecting downwardly through and below the rear spacer plate plane with apertures in alignment respectively with the apertures of the front and rear anchoring lug pairs, whereby said seat is secured on the frame by said releasable securing pin when the rear fork assembly is secured in either of its selectable positions, and the seat is released for removal upon withdrawing of said securing pin.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 286 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle comprising: a unitary frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed to closed shapes having upper reaches secured to each other by welded-on transverse upper spacer means and lower reaches secured to each other by welded-on lower spacer means, and further including a front head tube welded between forward portions of said elements; said frame open at the rear to afford retractable rear-wheel receiving space; a steering fork assembly pivotally secured in said head tube; an internal combustion engine and a selectable transmission box taking the power output of the engine and mounted on the lower spacer means within said frame, said box having at least one output shaft; a rear wheel supporting fork assembly including a rear fork having a forward portion connected to the rear portions of said frame elements to pivot about a transverse axis and providing rearwardly extending arms with a rear wheel axle-supported therebetween, shock absorber strut means having a pivoted lower end connection to said rear fork proximate to a rear wheel axle, and a shiftable upper end connection to the rear upper portion of said frame, whereby the upper end connection selectively is made at two distinct points for securing said rear wheel in an upwardly retracted non-functioning position and in a rearwardly downwardly shifted operative position respectively, and drives means including an intermediate sprocket mounted to the frame for rotation about said transverse pivot axis, means drivingly connecting said output shaft to said intermediate sprocket, a driven sprocket on the rear wheel and a sprocket chain between the driven and intermediate sprockets, whereby a drive connection is maintained between said output sprocket and the rear wheel throughout shifting of said rear wheel.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 286 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle comprising: a unitary frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed to closed shapes having upper reaches secured to each other by welded-on transverse upper spacer means and lower reaches secured to each other by welded-on lower spacer means, and further including a front head tube welded between forward portions of said elements; said frame open at the rear to afford retractable rear-wheel receiving space; a steering fork assembly pivotally secured in said head tube; an internal combustion engine and a selectable transmission box taking the power output of the engine and mounted on the lower spacer means within said frame, said box having at least one output shaft; a rear wheel supporting fork assembly including a rear fork having a forward portion connected to the rear portions of said frame elements to pivot about a transverse axis and providing rearwardly extending arms with a rear wheel axle-supported therebetween, shock absorber strut means having a pivoted lower end connection to said rear fork proximate to a rear wheel axle, and a shiftable upper end connection to the rear upper portion of said frame, whereby the upper end connection selectively is made at two distinct points for securing said rear wheel in an upwardly retracted non-functioning position and in a rearwardly downwardly shifted operative position respectively, and drives means including an intermediate sprocket mounted to the frame for rotation about said transverse pivot axis, means drivingly connecting said output shaft to said intermediate sprocket, a driven sprocket on the rear wheel and a sprocket chain between the driven and intermediate sprockets, whereby a drive connection is maintained between said output sprocket and the rear wheel throughout shifting of said rear wheel.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 186 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle as described in claim 10 having: said upper spacer means of the frame including a forward spacer bar between the upper reaches and a rear spacer plate; said shiftable upper end connection comprising, three longitudinal equi-spaced dependent apertured anchoring lug means on said rear spacer plate forming front, middle and rear anchoring lug means, a swingable bracket with an inner end secured by a pivot pin through the said middle anchoring means, transversely spaced outer end portions coaxially pivotally secured to the respective upper ends of said shock absorbEr strut means, and having a locking aperture spaced from the inner end-securing pivot pin correspondingly to the spacing of the apertures, of the front and rear anchoring lug means, from the middle lug means aperture, and a releasable securing pin through the said locking aperture selectively securing the bracket to the front anchoring lug means and thereby the point of strut means connection in a forward position for rear wheel retraction, and to the rear anchoring lug means and thereby said point of connection in a rearward position for rear wheel operative positioning.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 151 words

A vehicle as described in claim 11, wherein said seat means is an elongated seat supported on said upper reaches and is secured near its front and rear to said forward spacer bar and rear spacer plate respectively; the seat securement to the bar comprising a downwardly offset clamping tongue projecting forwardly under the bar and permitting at least limited upward tilting from the rear about the bar, and a bracket secured to the rear seat bottom region having apertured spaced front and rear transversely apertured lugs projecting downwardly through and below the rear spacer plate with apertures in alignment respectively with the apertures of the front and rear anchoring lug means, whereby said seat is secured on the frame by said releasable securing pin when the rear fork assembly is secured in either of its selectable positions, and the seat is released for removal upon withdrawing of said securing pin.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 259 words

In a motor-scooter type vehicle having a frame including a head tube and a steering fork assembly demountably pivotally secured in said head tube, the combination comprising: said steering fork assembly including two parallel plates and two elongated members, said elongated members passing through aligned lateral apertures of and welded to the plates to extend downwardly as the fork arms held in spaced parallel relation, rearwardly extending portions of said plates having aligned apertures and being spaced to receive therebetween said head tube aligned with the last said apertures, and a short pin extending radially forwardly inward in the lower plate aperture and a spring finger extending rearwardly beyond the forward side of the aperture and secured on the lower plate diametrically opposite to but downwardly offset from said pin, a removable pivot bolt having a shank extending through said plates and head tube to provide a steering pivot mounting of the fork to the vehicle frame with the lower end projecting below the lower plate, said lower end having an axial pin-entrance end slot running from the extreme shank end inward to one end of a semi-circumferentially extending groove at the level of and adapted in cross section to accommodate said pin, whereby upon insertion the pivot bolt receives said pin into said groove and by a bolt half-turn the spring finger engages in said end slot to lock the pivot bolt in a certain pin-retained position, and with bolt removal by manual spring disengagement and half-turn belt rotation and withdrawal, the fork is dismountable from said frame.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 259 words

In a motor-scooter type vehicle having a frame including a head tube and a steering fork assembly demountably pivotally secured in said head tube, the combination comprising: said steering fork assembly including two parallel plates and two elongated members, said elongated members passing through aligned lateral apertures of and welded to the plates to extend downwardly as the fork arms held in spaced parallel relation, rearwardly extending portions of said plates having aligned apertures and being spaced to receive therebetween said head tube aligned with the last said apertures, and a short pin extending radially forwardly inward in the lower plate aperture and a spring finger extending rearwardly beyond the forward side of the aperture and secured on the lower plate diametrically opposite to but downwardly offset from said pin, a removable pivot bolt having a shank extending through said plates and head tube to provide a steering pivot mounting of the fork to the vehicle frame with the lower end projecting below the lower plate, said lower end having an axial pin-entrance end slot running from the extreme shank end inward to one end of a semi-circumferentially extending groove at the level of and adapted in cross section to accommodate said pin, whereby upon insertion the pivot bolt receives said pin into said groove and by a bolt half-turn the spring finger engages in said end slot to lock the pivot bolt in a certain pin-retained position, and with bolt removal by manual spring disengagement and half-turn belt rotation and withdrawal, the fork is dismountable from said frame.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 303 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle functional as a traction belt driven vehicle, comprising: a unitary vehicle frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed as mirror images of each other and providing spaced respective upper tubular reaches, each said tubular frame element curving from its upper reach at the rear downwardly into a descending rear portion and at the front downwardly into a descending forward portion, the descending rear and forward portions of the tubular elements having respective bottom portions in a common plane, a front head tube welded between said forward portions of said elements, and transverse means welded to said bottom portions maintaining them in spaced relation and with said tubular elements and front head tube comprising a vehicle frame main weldment, said frame further providing a Plate portion extending fore and aft generally parallel to said plane and rigidly secured with the said bottom portions of the tubular elements to afford an engine-mounting base; a steering assembly including a steering fork pivotally secured in said head tube and a vehicle support surface contacting steering element on the bottom of the steering fork; an internal combustion engine and a transmission unit taking the power output of the engine mounted on said plate portion within said vehicle frame, said unit having an output wheel; a belt-type traction drive comprising a drive frame rigidly secured to the bottom of the said frame weldment, front and rear sprocket means rotatably supported by the drive frame, one of the last said means driven from said output wheel of said transmission unit, and an endless traction belt supported on said front and rear sprocket means to extend longitudinally forwardly under a major portion of the vehicle frame length and having sprocket holes tracking on the sprocket means; and seat means supported on said vehicle frame.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 303 words

A motor-scooter type vehicle functional as a traction belt driven vehicle, comprising: a unitary vehicle frame including right and left side tubular frame elements formed as mirror images of each other and providing spaced respective upper tubular reaches, each said tubular frame element curving from its upper reach at the rear downwardly into a descending rear portion and at the front downwardly into a descending forward portion, the descending rear and forward portions of the tubular elements having respective bottom portions in a common plane, a front head tube welded between said forward portions of said elements, and transverse means welded to said bottom portions maintaining them in spaced relation and with said tubular elements and front head tube comprising a vehicle frame main weldment, said frame further providing a Plate portion extending fore and aft generally parallel to said plane and rigidly secured with the said bottom portions of the tubular elements to afford an engine-mounting base; a steering assembly including a steering fork pivotally secured in said head tube and a vehicle support surface contacting steering element on the bottom of the steering fork; an internal combustion engine and a transmission unit taking the power output of the engine mounted on said plate portion within said vehicle frame, said unit having an output wheel; a belt-type traction drive comprising a drive frame rigidly secured to the bottom of the said frame weldment, front and rear sprocket means rotatably supported by the drive frame, one of the last said means driven from said output wheel of said transmission unit, and an endless traction belt supported on said front and rear sprocket means to extend longitudinally forwardly under a major portion of the vehicle frame length and having sprocket holes tracking on the sprocket means; and seat means supported on said vehicle frame.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 57 words

A vehicle as described in claim 14, with said front sprocket means disposed in the region of and lower than the bottom portions of the descending front portions of the tubular elements and said rear sprocket means disposed lower than and in the region of the bottom portions of the descending rear portions of said tubular elements.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 190 words

A vehicle as described in claim 14, wherein said traction drive includes two parallel longitudinal frame side plates secured in rigidly spaced relation; front and rear shafts for said sprocket means respectively located between the forward and rearward ends of, and having opposite ends rotatably supported in, said frame side plates; said sprocket means comprising at least one front and one rear sprocket wheel on respective said shafts, the lower side of the front sprocket wheel being located above the level of a plane including the vehicle support surface contacting portion of said steering element and the lower side of the rear sprocket wheel, respective sprocket teeth sets of the said wheels being disposed in a common plane, and said belt having a series of sprocket holes tracking on said sprocket teeth; and backup roller means supported in the drive frame intermediate said shafts and downwardly spring-biased to bear upon the inner side of a vehicle support surface contacting lower reach of said belt between said sprocket wheels and thereby maintain a front portion of said lower reach of the belt inclined forwardly and upwardly toward the front sprocket wheel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

A vehicle as described in claim 14, wherein said steering element is changeable to provide a ski type runner or a wheel as the steering element for the vehicle.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-03-21	1975-09-20	1976-03-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-03-21	1979-09-20	1980-03-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-03-21	1983-09-20	1984-03-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Convertible snow track-wheeled scooter type vehicle

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