US3920092A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Utility vehicle
Assignee: GEBR SCHMIDT KG FABRIK fur FEINMECHANIK FELDBERGSTRASSE 1 7742 ST GEORGEN GERMANY A CORP OF GERMANY
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Filing: 1974-12-09
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1994-12-09
Abstract
Abstract A mobile frame elongated in the direction of travel thereof and supported by a pair of drive wheels at one end and a pair of laterally spaced casters at its other end. An engine mounted on the frame at one end drives the drive wheels through a power transmission mechanism, and control mechanism including a control bar operates to control rotation of the drive wheels individually as well as together, to effect steering of the vehicle as well as directional reversal thereof. An operator''s seat is mounted selectively at opposite sides of the control bar and facing the control bar, so that the operator may face either end of the vehicle selectively. The control bar is movable between a pair of angularly displaced positions or ranges of movement to permit reversal of seat position.
Inventors
- 👤 J Craig Henderson
- 👤 Thomas G Teller
- 👤 T Herbert Morrell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 08:08
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D11/00; B62D11/001; B62D11/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
262 words
A utility vehicle comprising: a. a frame elongated in the direction of movement of the vehicle; b. a pair of laterally spaced drive wheels at one end of the frame; c. a pair of laterally spaced casters; d. means mounting the casters on the opposite end of the frame; e. an engine mounted on the frame; f. power transmission mechanism operated by the engine for imparting driving rotation to the drive wheels; g. control means for the power transmission mechanism for controlling the direction and speed of rotation of the drive wheels individually and including an operating member and a control bar member extending upwardly from the operating member, said operating member comprising a shaft mounted in the frame for limited rotary steering movement on its own axis and for pivotal drive control movements on a generally horizontal axis extending transversely of said frame and between a generally vertical neutral position and drive position angularly displaced in opposite directions away from said neutral position; h. means connecting the control bar member to said operating member in a selected one of a pair of positions angularly displaced in directions generally longitudinally of the frame; i. an operator''s seat; j. means mounting said seat on the frame selectively at opposite sides of said control bar member longitudinally of said frame and facing in opposite directions longitudinally of the frame, so that an operator on said seat is disposed to face the control bar member in either selected position of said seat; k. and means at opposite ends of said frame for attaching implements thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
262 words
A utility vehicle comprising: a. a frame elongated in the direction of movement of the vehicle; b. a pair of laterally spaced drive wheels at one end of the frame; c. a pair of laterally spaced casters; d. means mounting the casters on the opposite end of the frame; e. an engine mounted on the frame; f. power transmission mechanism operated by the engine for imparting driving rotation to the drive wheels; g. control means for the power transmission mechanism for controlling the direction and speed of rotation of the drive wheels individually and including an operating member and a control bar member extending upwardly from the operating member, said operating member comprising a shaft mounted in the frame for limited rotary steering movement on its own axis and for pivotal drive control movements on a generally horizontal axis extending transversely of said frame and between a generally vertical neutral position and drive position angularly displaced in opposite directions away from said neutral position; h. means connecting the control bar member to said operating member in a selected one of a pair of positions angularly displaced in directions generally longitudinally of the frame; i. an operator''s seat; j. means mounting said seat on the frame selectively at opposite sides of said control bar member longitudinally of said frame and facing in opposite directions longitudinally of the frame, so that an operator on said seat is disposed to face the control bar member in either selected position of said seat; k. and means at opposite ends of said frame for attaching implements thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 1 in which said means connecting said control bar member to the operating member comprises a pair of laterally spaced connector flanges on one of said members for reception of the other of said members therebetween, said flanges being pivotally connected to the other one of said members on an axis extending transversely of the frame, said other one of the members having a transverse opening therebetween in spaced parallel relationship to the axis of pivotal connection therebetween and said flanges, said flanges having laterally spaced pairs of aligned openings selectively alignable with said transverse openings responsive to relative pivotal movement between said members and screw means extending through said transverse opening and selected aligned openings in said flanges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 1, in which said frame includes a pair of laterally spaced parallel frame portions extending longitudinally of the frame, said frame portions having longitudinally spaced pairs of aligned openings therein, said means for mounting the seat comprising a mounting base on said seat and a pair of axially aligned anchoring pins carried by said base and each receivable in selected ones of said openings in a different one of said frame portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 3 in which one of said anchoring pins is rigidly secured to said base, the other of said anchoring pins being axially movable relative to said base and frame portion toward and away from an aligned one of said openings in the frame portions, characterized by yielding means urging said movable pin toward reception in the frame opening therefor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 1 in which said operating member comprises a shaft mounted in the frame for limited rotary steering movement on its own axis and for pivotal drive control movements on a generally horizontal axis extending transversely of said frame and between a generally vertical neutral position and drive positions angularly displaced in opposite dirEction from said neutral position, said control means further including an abutment member on said shaft and stop elements on said frame for engagement with said abutment member, said stop elements being disposed to progressively limit vehicle steering rotation of said shaft responsive to speed increasing rocking movement of said shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 5 in which said control means includes a stop plate, said stop elements comprising pairs of stop edges on said plate converging in the direction of speed increasing movement of the control shaft and engagable with said abutment member responsive to steering rotation of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The utility vehicle defined in claim 5 in which said control means includes pairs of levers pivotally mounted in said frame and having inner ends engaging said shaft to be moved thereby responsive to speed changing movement of shaft, said levers having stop fingers at their outer ends, the fingers of each pair of levers being movable toward engagement with said abutment member responsive to increasing pivotal movement of the shaft in a different direction from said neutral position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |