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US3785086A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self-steering bicycle-type toy vehicle

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-01-02
•
Granted: 1974-01-15
•
Expires: 1993-01-02
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Abstract

Abstract A tandem-wheeled bicycle-type toy capable of self-steering so as to maintain sufficient balance as to remain upright as long as moving longitudinally. May be started by being shoved or allowed to roll down a ramp, or may contain a spring motor or a batteryoperated electric motor. Rear non-swerving wheel mount is connected to upstanding post of forward wheel assembly by vertically separated pair of forwardly upslanted rods. Mounted laterally-swingable on the lower rod is a longitudinal, weighted member which at its forward end fixedly supports a transversely upstanding alignment plate having an arcuate slot traversed by the upper rod and having a top arcuate edge formed with gear teeth. An angularly upstanding spindle is journaled in the post dependently carrying a forward guide wheel. At its top the spindle carries a generally horizontal, semicircular steering plate having gear teeth engaging those of the alignment plate. Accordingly, as the moving cycle leans to one side or the other in response to a slanted or uneven track, the pivoted wheel(centered below the axle level of the rear wheel) swings to the ''''down'''' side and the arc of mutually engaging teeth correspondingly turns the upstanding spindle and guide wheel in the same direction so as to correct the balance of the ongoing cycle. Optionally the cycle may have a flat-faced rear wheel which additionally tends to straighten the vehicle so as to accommodate to a slanted or curved track.

Inventors

  • 👤 F Escobedo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 04:59
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H17/00; A63H17/26; A63H17/36

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
A self-steering bicycle-type vehicle comprising in combination: an elongated frame carrying a first wheel longitudinally aligned therewith and a generally upstanding, pivotally-mounted spindle spaced therefrom, said spindle dependently carrying a guide wheel which is turnable jointly with the spindle, a weighted member hung transversely swingable from said frame between said wheels and gravitationally centered below the level of the center of said first wheel, and link means interconnecting said spindle and weighted member and disposed to correspondingly turn said spindle in response to swinging of the weighted member to either side and thereby turn the guide wheel in a direction adapted to maintain the vehicle substantially upright while moving longitudinally.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 110 words
A self-steering bicycle-type vehicle comprising in combination: an elongated frame carrying a first wheel longitudinally aligned therewith and a generally upstanding, pivotally-mounted spindle spaced therefrom, said spindle dependently carrying a guide wheel which is turnable jointly with the spindle, a weighted member hung transversely swingable from said frame between said wheels and gravitationally centered below the level of the center of said first wheel, and link means interconnecting said spindle and weighted member and disposed to correspondingly turn said spindle in response to swinging of the weighted member to either side and thereby turn the guide wheel in a direction adapted to maintain the vehicle substantially upright while moving longitudinally.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said link means comprise a pair of edgewise-contacting plates projecting respectively from the spindle and from the weighted member and having mutually engaging teeth along said contact edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said first wheel has a flat ground-contact face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said frame carries a motor adapted to drive said first wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
A vehicle according to claim 4 wherein said motor is a spring motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
A vehicle according to claim 4 wherein said motor is an electric motor and said weighted member carries a power source adapted to operate same.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 151 words
A self-steering bicycle-type vehicle comprising in combination: an elongated frame carrying a first wheel longitudinally aligned therewith adjacent one end and an angularly upstanding spindle pivotally mounted adjacent the other end, said spindle dependently carrying a longitudinally outward projecting wheel fork which carries a guide wheel, said frame comprising a rod upslanted toward said guide wheel and terminally connected to an angularly upstanding post which journals said spindle, a weighted member mounted transversely swingable on said rod, having its center of gravity disposed below the level of the center of said first wheel, and an alignment element upstanding from said weighted member adjacent said post and a steering element projecting from said post in movable contact with said alignment element whereby the spindle and guide wheel may be turned in response to movement of the weighted member and its alignment element, thus to maintain the vehicle substantially upright while moving longitudinally.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 151 words
A self-steering bicycle-type vehicle comprising in combination: an elongated frame carrying a first wheel longitudinally aligned therewith adjacent one end and an angularly upstanding spindle pivotally mounted adjacent the other end, said spindle dependently carrying a longitudinally outward projecting wheel fork which carries a guide wheel, said frame comprising a rod upslanted toward said guide wheel and terminally connected to an angularly upstanding post which journals said spindle, a weighted member mounted transversely swingable on said rod, having its center of gravity disposed below the level of the center of said first wheel, and an alignment element upstanding from said weighted member adjacent said post and a steering element projecting from said post in movable contact with said alignment element whereby the spindle and guide wheel may be turned in response to movement of the weighted member and its alignment element, thus to maintain the vehicle substantially upright while moving longitudinally.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vehicle according to clain 7 wherein said alignment element and said steering element carry mutually engaging gear teeth.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vehicle according to clain 7 wherein said alignment element and said steering element carry mutually engaging gear teeth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said first wheel has a flat ground-contact face.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said frame carriEs a motor adapted to drive said first wheel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2784527A Cited
DE1091018B Cited
US3597876A Cited
US3708913A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-01-14 1977-07-16 1978-01-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-01-14 1981-07-16 1982-01-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-01-14 1985-07-16 1986-01-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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