Electric autocycle

Claim 2

An electric vehicle having two wheels comprising a frame for rotatably mounting the wheels one in front of the other, a pedal system for manually operating the vehicle, motor means for driving one wheel of the vehicle, said motor means including a discoidal motor with lamelliform coils and a two-stage speedreducing transmission device retained in a housing situated on a plane parallel to that of the rear wheel, a free wheel at the output of said transmission device and chain means connecting the free wheel to the rear wheel of the vehicle whereby to permit driving the rear wheel by the motor but to prevent the rear wheel from driving the motor or transmission device, a manually operated on-off switch which either switches the motor to full speed or not at all, an automatic, electronically controlled switch for the motor in series with the manual switch, the electronic control of said automatic switch being responsive to the road speed of the vehicle whereby the switching on of the motor is permitted only when the vehicle has acquired a predetermined minimal speed and after the manual switch has been closed, and an electromagnetic pick-up disposed adjacent the hub of the front wheel for operating said automatic switch.

Claim 3

An electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the automatic switching apparatus comprises an electronic circuit of a construction appropriate to be controlled by the pick-up, said electronic circuit being controlled by signals of a certain predetermined minimal frequency.

Claim 4

An electric vehicle according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the electromagnetic pick-up comprises the combination of a magnet, mounted at the periphery of a stationary housing, and of a circular formed rotor plate mounted to rotate with said front wheel and having several depressions, the bases of which, being offset with respect to the plane of the said plate, cause by their movement past the pick-up, air gap variations, which give rise to control signals.

Claim 5

An electric vehicle having two wheels comprising a frame for rotatably mounting the wheels one in front of the other, a pedal system for manually operating the vehicle, motor means for driving one wheel of the vehicle, said motor means including a discoidal motor with lamelliform coils and a two-stage speed-reducing transmission device retained in a housing situated on a plane parallel to that of the rear wheel, a free wheel at the output of said transmission device and chain means connecting the free wheel to the rear wheel of the vehicle whereby to permit driving the rear wheel by the motor but to prevent the rear wheel from driving the motor or transmission device, a manually operated on-off switch which either switches the motor to full speed or not at all, an automatic, electronically controlled switch for the motor in series with the manual switch, the electronic control of said automatic switch being responsive to the road speed of the vehicle whereby the switching on of the motor is permitted only when the vehicle has acquired a predetermined minimal speed and after the manual switch has been closed, said motor means and said housing being mounted on a rigid assembly, said assembly being mounted on the frAme by means of a transverse horizontal axle about which it can pivot, said frame having a rear fork spanning the rear wheel, gudgeon pins carried by the housing and passing into small slots in an ear welded to the lower branch of the rear fork whereby the tension between the chain connecting the free wheel to the rear wheel may be adjusted by changing the position of said assembly.

Claim 6

An electric vehicle having two wheels comprising a frame for rotatably mounting the wheels one in front of the other, a pedal system for manually operating the vehicle, motor means for driving one wheel of the vehicle, said motor means including a discoidal motor with lamelliform coils and a two-stage speed-reducing transmission device retained in a housing situated on a plane parallel to that of the rear wheel, a free wheel at the output of said transmission device and chain means connecting the free wheel to the rear wheel of the vehicle whereby to permit driving the rear wheel by the motor but to prevent the rear wheel from driving the motor or transmission device, a manually operated on-off switch which either switches the motor to full speed or not at all, an automatic, electronically controlled switch for the motor in series with the manual switch, the electronic control of said automatic switch being responsive to the road speed of the vehicle whereby the switching on of the motor is permitted only when the vehicle has acquired a predetermined minimal speed and after the manual switch has been closed, said motor means and said housing being mounted on a rigid assembly, said assembly being mounted on the frAme by means of a transverse horizontal axle about which it can pivot, said frame having a rear fork spanning the rear wheel, gudgeon pins carried by the housing and passing into small slots in an ear welded to the lower branch of the rear fork whereby the tension between the chain connecting the free wheel to the rear wheel may be adjusted by changing the position of said assembly.

Claim 7

An electric vehicle having two wheels, a frame for rotatably holding said wheels one in front of the other, pedal means to manually drive the rear wheel, motor means for driving said rear wheel including a two-stage, speed-reducing, transmission device between the motor and the rear wheel, the transmission device including a free wheel adapted to drive said rear wheel through a chain, but mounted so as not to be driven by said rear wheel, electric storage batteries to drive said motor, a manual switch and, in series with the latter, an automatic, electronic switch means constructed to close only after a predetermined minimal speed has been reached for connecting power from the batteries to the motor whereby the motor either operates at full speed or not at all, said frame including a platform situated in front of said pedal means and below the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the pedal means, said batteries being mounted on said platform, said entire two-stage transmission device, except for the free wheel, being housed in an oil-filled, fluid-tight, gear case, said motor being of discordal type and being attached laterally of the primary stage of the two-stage transmission device, said gear case being pivotally mounted on said frame so that the tension on the chain connecting the free-wheel to the rear wheel can be adjusted.

Claim 8

An electric vehicle having two wheels, a frame for rotatably holding said wheels one in front of the other, pedal means to manually drive the rear wheel, motor means for driving said rear wheel including a two-stage, speed-reducing, transmission device between the motor and the rear wheel, the transmission device including a free wheel adapted to drive said rear wheel through a chain, but mounted so as not to be driven by said rear wheel, electric storage batteries to drive said motor, a manual switch and, in series with the latter, an automatic, electronic switch means constructed to close only after a predetermined minimal speed has been reached for connecting power from the batteries to the motor whereby the motor either operates at full speed or not at all, said frame including a platform situated in front of said pedal means and below the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the pedal means, said batteries being mounted on said platform, said entire two-stage transmission device, except for the free wheel, being housed in an oil-filled, fluid-tight, gear case, said motor being of discordal type and being attached laterally of the primary stage of the two-stage transmission device, said gear case being pivotally mounted on said frame so that the tension on the chain connecting the free-wheel to the rear wheel can be adjusted.

Claim 9

An electric vehicle having two wheels, a frame for rotatably holding said wheels one in front of the other, pedal means to manually drive the rear wheel, motor means for driving said rear wheel including a two stage, speed reducing, transmission device between the motor and the rear wheel, the transmission device including a free wheel adapted to drive said rear wheel through a chain, but mounted so as not to be driven by said rear wheel, electric storage batteries to drive said motor, a manual switch and, in series with the latter, an automatic, electronic switch means constructed to close only after a predetermined minimal speed has been reached for connecting power from the batteries to the motor whereby the motor either operates at full speed or not at all, said frame including a platform situated in front of said pedal means and below the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the pedal means, said batteries being mounted on said platform, said automatic electronic switch means comprising an electronic circuit which includes frequency dependent means to close the switch when signals above a predetermined minimal frequency are impressed thereon, said circuit also including electromagnetic pick-up means associated with one of the vehicle wheels adapted to generate electric signals on rotation of said wheel which signals have a frequency dependent on the speed of rotation of said wheel whereby the said electronic switch automatically closes when a predetermined speed of the vehicle has been attained.

Claim 10

An electric vehicle having two wheels, a frame for rotatably holding said wheels one in front of the other, pedal means to manually drive the rear wheel, motor means for driving said rear wheel including a two stage, speed reducing, transmission device between the motor and the rear wheel, the transmission device including a free wheel adapted to drive said rear wheel through a chain, but mounted so as not to be driven by said rear wheel, electric storage batteries to drive said motor, a manual switch and, in series with the latter, an automatic, electronic switch means constructed to close only after a predetermined minimal speed has been reached for connecting power from the batteries to the motor whereby the motor either operates at full speed or not at all, said frame including a platform situated in front of said pedal means and below the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the pedal means, said batteries being mounted on said platform, said automatic electronic switch means comprising an electronic circuit which includes frequency dependent means to close the switch when signals above a predetermined minimal frequency are impressed thereon, said circuit also including electromagnetic pick-up means associated with one of the vehicle wheels adapted to generate electric signals on rotation of said wheel which signals have a frequency dependent on the speed of rotation of said wheel whereby the said electronic switch automatically closes when a predetermined speed of the vehicle has been attained.