US3718344A — Occupant-propelled vehicle

Claim 1

Independent Claim 369 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel assembly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said transmission means being situated at an elevation at least as high as said seat of said chassis, said chassis having an inner side wall portion extending upwardly from said seat and an outer side wall portion spaced from said inner side wall portion and defining therewith a space through which said transmission means extends, said rotary drive means being in the form of a transversely extending rotary drive rod having cranked portions carrying pedals to receive the feet of the occupant of the vehicle, said drive rod extending through and being rotatably supported by said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, said transmission means including a sprocket wheel carried by said rod, a rear axle forming part of said rear wheel assembly, a second sprocket wheel carried by said rear axle and said rear wheel assembly having a pair of wheels one of which is fixed with said sprocket to rotate therewith, and a sprocket chain extending between and carried by said sprocket wheels for transmitting the drive from said rotary drive rod to said rear axle and the rear wheels thereof, said chassis seat being situated at an elevation above which said sprocket chain extends, and said chain extending through said space to the rear sprocket wheel of said transmission means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 369 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel assembly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said transmission means being situated at an elevation at least as high as said seat of said chassis, said chassis having an inner side wall portion extending upwardly from said seat and an outer side wall portion spaced from said inner side wall portion and defining therewith a space through which said transmission means extends, said rotary drive means being in the form of a transversely extending rotary drive rod having cranked portions carrying pedals to receive the feet of the occupant of the vehicle, said drive rod extending through and being rotatably supported by said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, said transmission means including a sprocket wheel carried by said rod, a rear axle forming part of said rear wheel assembly, a second sprocket wheel carried by said rear axle and said rear wheel assembly having a pair of wheels one of which is fixed with said sprocket to rotate therewith, and a sprocket chain extending between and carried by said sprocket wheels for transmitting the drive from said rotary drive rod to said rear axle and the rear wheels thereof, said chassis seat being situated at an elevation above which said sprocket chain extends, and said chain extending through said space to the rear sprocket wheel of said transmission means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said rear wheel assembly includes a rear axle, a pair of rear wheels operatively connected therewith, a pair of bearings through which said axle extends, and a pair of extensions extending from said bearings upwardly into the rear pair of tubular portions of said chassis for connecting said rear wheel assembly thereto.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said chassis is formed from a one-piece body of molded plastic sheet material.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

The combination of claim 3 and wherein said chassis has at least one additional integral tubular portion for forming at least part of a support for said steering means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 259 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel assembly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said rear wheel assembly including a rear axle, a pair of rear wheels operatively connected therewith, a pair of bearings through which said axle extends, and a pair of extensions extending from said bearings upwardly into the rear pair of tubular portions of said chassis for connecting said rear wheel assembly thereto, said extensions each being composed of a pair of perpendicularly intersecting webs providing said extensions with an X-shaped cross section, said rear tubular extensions each being provided with at least two pairs of opposed inwardly extending webs for receiving opposed free edge portions of one of said webs of each extension.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 259 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel assembly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said rear wheel assembly including a rear axle, a pair of rear wheels operatively connected therewith, a pair of bearings through which said axle extends, and a pair of extensions extending from said bearings upwardly into the rear pair of tubular portions of said chassis for connecting said rear wheel assembly thereto, said extensions each being composed of a pair of perpendicularly intersecting webs providing said extensions with an X-shaped cross section, said rear tubular extensions each being provided with at least two pairs of opposed inwardly extending webs for receiving opposed free edge portions of one of said webs of each extension.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 282 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel asseMbly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said front wheel assembly including a tie rod having a lower transverse portion and a pair of opposed vertically extending end portions extending upwardly from opposed ends of said transverse portion into said front tubular portions of said chassis and releasably fixed to said chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a pair of cranks respectively swingable on said vertically extending end portions of said tie rod, also extending into said front tubular portions of said chassis, and having crank arms which extend rearwardly from said end portions of said tie rod, a pair of wheels rotatably connected to said cranks adjacent to said tie rod, and a transverse bar having opposed ends pivotally connected to said arms at portions thereof distant from said tie rod.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 282 words

In a miniature, occupant-propelled surface vehicle, a body of sheet material forming a chassis which includes a seat for the occupant and which has a pair of front tubular portions, a pair of rear tubular portions, and a pair of intermediate tubular portions, a rotary front wheel assembly connected with chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a rotary rear wheel asseMbly connected with said chassis at said rear tubular portions thereof, and a rotary drive means, to be rotated by the occupant of the vehicle, and operatively connected with said intermediate tubular portions of said chassis, transmission means operatively connected with said rotary drive means and extending therefrom rearwardly to said rear wheel assembly for transmitting a drive to the latter from said rotary drive means, for propelling the vehicle, and manually operable steering means carried by said chassis and operatively connected with said front wheel assembly for actuating the latter to steer the vehicle, said front wheel assembly including a tie rod having a lower transverse portion and a pair of opposed vertically extending end portions extending upwardly from opposed ends of said transverse portion into said front tubular portions of said chassis and releasably fixed to said chassis at said front tubular portions thereof, a pair of cranks respectively swingable on said vertically extending end portions of said tie rod, also extending into said front tubular portions of said chassis, and having crank arms which extend rearwardly from said end portions of said tie rod, a pair of wheels rotatably connected to said cranks adjacent to said tie rod, and a transverse bar having opposed ends pivotally connected to said arms at portions thereof distant from said tie rod.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 95 words

The combination of claim 6 and wherein said steering means includes a rotary steering column turnably carried by said chassis and having a steering wheel accessible to the occupant of the vehicle, said column having a crank portion, and said transverse bar being formed intermediate said crank arms with a cutout receiving said crank arm of said steering column so that when the latter turns said bar is shifted horizontally for swinging said cranks in one direction or the other to turn the wheels of said front wheel assembly so as to steer the vehicle.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-02-27	1976-08-28	1977-02-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-02-27	1980-08-28	1981-02-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-02-27	1984-08-28	1985-02-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Occupant-propelled vehicle

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