Three wheeled motor vehicle

Claim 2

A motor vehicle comprising two rear wheels spaced laterally apart and having rims and tires mounted on the rims, a front wheel located forwardly of said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto; a rigid structure supported by said three wheels and having a rear portion between said two rear wheels; said rigid structure having a forward portion which is narrow as compared with the spacing between said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto and which extends forwardly and upwardly to a forward wheel mounting location; a fork carrying said front wheel rotatably; a pivotal connection mounting said fork to said forward portion of said rigid structure at said wheel mounting location for pivotal steering movement about a steering axis; said fork and said steering axis being inclined downwardly and forwardly from said pivotal connection at which the fork is connected to said rigid structure; steering means for turning said fork about said inclined steering axis; a seat supported on said rigid structure at a location forwardly of said rear wheels and rearwardly of said front wheel and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a driver may sit at a location to manipulate said steering means; said upwardly facing seat surface being so located that a person sitting thereon straddles said forward portion of said rigid structure with his two legs received at opposite sides thereof; and a motor carried by said rigid structure at a location behind said seat and adapted to drive at least one of said rear wheels; said upwardly facing seat surface having a lowermost portion located at a level which is at least approximately as low as a horizontal plane containing the axes of rotation of said rear wheels, and is beneath the level of said pivotal connection which mounts said fork to said rigid structure whereby the center of gravity of the driver and vehicle is located at such a low level as to enhance its stabilitY and prevent overturning.

Claim 3

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 including two foot rests on which a driver may place his two feet with his legs received at opposite sides of said forward portion of said rigid structure.

Claim 4

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 including two foot rests carried by said fork at opposite sides thereof and at locations spaced upwardly and rearwardly from the axis of rotation of said front wheel and positioned to support the two feet respectively of a driver when his legs are received at opposite sides of said forward portion of said rigid structure.

Claim 5

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 in which said steering means include a swinging steering arm structure connected to said fork for pivotal movement therewith about said inclined steering axis and projecting rearwardly from an opening in said forward portion of the body and having handle grip means to be held and be actuated by a driver for steering the front wheel.

Claim 6

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, including means forming a second seat behind said driver''s seat having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a passenger sits behind the driver and which is at a level higher than said first mentioned seat surface and higher than said first horizontal plane.

Claim 7

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 including means forming a second seat behind said driver''seat and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a passenger sits behind the driver and which is at a level higher than said first mentioned seat surface, there being a projection extending upwardly behind said driver''s seat and in front of said second seat and defining the back of said front seat against which the driver may lean rearwardly, said projection extending upwardly higher than said upwardly facing surface of said second seat.

Claim 8

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 6, including a seat back projecting upwardly at the back of said second seat, and arm rests projecting upwardly at opposite sides of said second seat and upwardly beyond the level of said seat surface thereof.

Claim 9

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, including means forming a second seat behind said driver''s seat and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a passenger sits behind the driver and which is at a level higher than said first mentioned seat surface, and arm rests projecting upwardly at opposite sides of said second seat and upwardly beyond said seat surface thereof.

Claim 10

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, including means forming a second seat behind said driver''s seat and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a passenger sits behind the driver and which is at a level higher than said first mentioned seat surface, there being foot rests for a person in said second seat and located at opposite sides of and beneath said first seat.

Claim 11

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, including means forming a second seat behind said driver''s seat and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a passenger sits behind the driver and which is at a level higher than said first mentioned seat surface, there being an upwardly facing baggage support surface at a location behind said second seat.

Claim 12

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 in which said rigid structure is a frame, said vehicle including a body in addition to said frame and having a relatively wide rear portion overlying said rear portion of said rigid structure and said motor and located essentially laterally between said two rear wheels, and having a narrower portion of the body projecting forwardly from said rear portion thereof and centered essentially with respect to said two rear wheels and extending about and downwardly at opposite sides of said forwardly projecting portion of said rigid structure, said seat being formed at the upper side of said narrower forwardly projecting portion of the body and having a cushion defining said upwardly facing seat surface and defining a back for said seat against which the driver leans rearwArdly, said forwardly projecting portion of the body having an upper surface which advances upwardly as it advances forwardly, said body having a forward portion at essentially the upper end of said fork and which is wider than said forwardly projecting narrower portion of the body and containing an opening through which said steering means are connected to the fork in steering relation, there being foot rests for the driver on which his feet may rest with his legs extending along opposite sides of said narrower portion of the body.

Claim 13

A motor vehicle comprising two rear wheels spaced laterally apart and having rims and tires mounted on the rims; a front wheel located forwardly of said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto; a frame supported by said three wheels and having a rear portion between said two rear wheels; said frame having a forward portion which is narrow as compared with the spacing between said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto and which extends forwardly and upwardly to a forward wheel mounting location; a fork carrying said front wheel rotatably; a pivotal connection mounting said fork to said forward portion of the frame at said wheel mounting location for pivotal steering movement about a steering axis; said fork and said steering axis being inclined downwardly and forwardly from said pivotal connection at which the fork is connected to said frame; steering means for turning said fork about said inclined steering axis; a seat supported on said frame at a location forwardly of said rear wheels and rearwardly of said front wheel and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a driver may sit at a location to manipulate said steering means; said upwardly facing seat surface being so located that a person sitting thereon straddles said forward portion of the frame with his two legs received at opposite sides thereof; a motor carried by said frame at a location behind said seat and adapted to drive at least one of said rear wheels; and upwardly facing seat surface having a portion which is located at a level beneath a first horizontal plane containing the uppermost portions of said rims of the rear wheels, and closer to a second horizontal plane containing the axis of rotation of said rear wheels than to said first plane and beneath the level of said pivotal connection which mounts said fork to the frame; a body having a relatively wide rear portion overlying said rear portion of the frame and said motor and located essentially laterally between said two rear wheels, and having a narrower portion of the body projecting forwardly from said rear portion thereof and centered essentially with respect to said two rear wheels and extending about and downwardly at opposite sides of said forwardly projecting portion of the frame; and seat being formed at the upper side of said narrower forwardly projecting portion of the body and having a cushion defining said upwardly facing seat surface and defining a back for said seat against which the driver leans rearwardly; said forwardly projecting portion of the body having an upper surface which advances upwardly as it advances forwardly; said body having a forward portion at essentially the upper end of said fork and which is wider than said forwardly projecting narrower portion of the body and containing an opening through which said steering means are connected to the fork in steering relation; foot rests for the driver on which his feet may rest with his legs extending along opposite sides of said narrower portion of the body; a second seat carried by said relatively wide rear portion of the body at a location behind and higher than said first seat; said body forming an upwardly extending projection at essentially the juncture of said rear wide portion of the body and said forwardly projecting narrower portion defining a portion of the back of said first mentioned seat and projecting upwardly above the lowermost portion of said second seat at a location between the two Seats; and foot rests for a person in said second seat located at opposite sides of said narrower forwardly projecting portion of the body and beneath said first seat.

Claim 14

A motor vehicle comprising two rear wheels spaced laterally apart and having rims and tires mounted on the rims; a front wheel located forwardly of said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto; a frame supported by said three wheels and having a rear portion between said two rear wheels; said frame having a forward portion which is narrow as compared with the spacing between said rear wheels and essentially centered with respect thereto and which extends forwardly and upwardly to a forward wheel mounting location; a fork carrying said front wheel rotatably; a pivotal connection mounting said fork to said forward portion of the frame at said wheel mounting location for pivotal steering movement about a steering axis; said fork and said steering axis being inclined downwardly and forwardly from said pivotal connection at which the fork is connected to said frame; steering means for turning said fork about said inclined steering axis; a seat supported on said frame at a location forwardly of said rear wheels and rearwardly of said front wheel and having an upwardly facing seat surface on which a driver may sit at a location to manipulate said steering means; said upwardly facing seat surface being so located that a person sitting thereon straddles said forward portion of the frame with his two legs received at opposite sides thereof; a motor carried by said frame at a location behind said seat and adapted to drive at least one of said rear wheels; and upwardly facing seat surface having a portion which is located at a level beneath a first horizontal plane containing the uppermost portions of said rims of the rear wheels, and closer to a second horizontal plane containing the axis of rotation of said rear wheels than to said first plane and beneath the level of said pivotal connection which mounts said fork to the frame; a body having a relatively wide rear portion overlying said rear portion of the frame and said motor and located essentially laterally between said two rear wheels, and having a narrower portion of the body projecting forwardly from said rear portion thereof and centered essentially with respect to said two rear wheels and extending about and downwardly at opposite sides of said forwardly projecting portion of the frame; and seat being formed at the upper side of said narrower forwardly projecting portion of the body and having a cushion defining said upwardly facing seat surface and defining a back for said seat against which the driver leans rearwardly; said forwardly projecting portion of the body having an upper surface which advances upwardly as it advances forwardly; said body having a forward portion at essentially the upper end of said fork and which is wider than said forwardly projecting narrower portion of the body and containing an opening through which said steering means are connected to the fork in steering relation; foot rests for the driver on which his feet may rest with his legs extending along opposite sides of said narrower portion of the body; a second seat carried by said relatively wide rear portion of the body at a location behind and higher than said first seat; said body forming an upwardly extending projection at essentially the juncture of said rear wide portion of the body and said forwardly projecting narrower portion defining a portion of the back of said first mentioned seat and projecting upwardly above the lowermost portion of said second seat at a location between the two Seats; and foot rests for a person in said second seat located at opposite sides of said narrower forwardly projecting portion of the body and beneath said first seat.

Claim 15

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 12, in which said rear wide portion of the body has an upwardly facing baggage support surface behind said second seat and at a level above the lowermost portion thereof, said first mentioned foot rests being carried by said fork at opposite side thereof and at locations spaced upwardly and rearwardly from the axis of rotation of said front wheel.

Claim 16

A motor vehicle as recited in claim 12, including a seat back projecting upwardly at the back of said second seat, and arm rests projecting upwardly at opposite sides of said second seat.