Vehicle operator weight transfer assembly

Claim 1

In a vehicle having a front double steering wheel and axle assembly, a rear double drive wheel and axle assembly, a frame supported by the assemblies, and an engine supported by the frame, structure for increasing the traction on the high drive wheel and decreasing the traction on the low drive wheel while the vehicle is tilted laterally because of sloping terrain, said structure comprising: a pair of elongated, relatively telescoped members mounted on the frame above the latter and above the axles of the assemblies, and extending fore and aft of the vehicle at the transversely median axis of the latter, one of the members being rotatable about the common longitudinal axis of the members, and said axes being coincident; an operator''s seat overlying the rear axle and spaced vertically from the latter and from said axes above the level of the rear wheels; a seat support between said one member and the seat having means rigidly securing the same to the seat and to the one member for rotation of the seat, support and the one member as a unit about said coincident axes; power means interconnecting the support and the frame for rotating said one member in one direction when the frame, the engine and the assemblies are tilted in the opposite direction, whereby to swing said support and shift an operator on said seat laterally to a position closely adjacent the high drive wheel where the weight of the operator is supported by the high drive wheel to an appreciably greater extent than by the low drive wheel, said frame including an elongated beam parallel with said members and provided with upstanding brackets rigidly supporting the other of said members, said support including a pedestal rigidly attached to said one member and a U-shaped spring interposed between the seat and the pedestal and rigidly secured thereto; steering mechanism between the engine and the seat operably coupled with the front assembly; operator''s controls for said power means; foot rest means ahead of said seat; and means mounting said mechanism, said controls and said rest means on said one member for rotation therewith.