Occupant-propelled vehicle and drive system therefor

Claim 2

In an occupant-propelled vehicle, the combination of a frame; running gear carried by said frame and including at least one driven wheel; a seat mounted on said frame and comprising a generally horizontal seat portion, and a back support extending upwardly from said seat portion; two pedals located in front of said seat and each mounted for movement between a first position, which is nearer said seat, and a second position, which is further from said seat, said first and second positions being spaced apart longitudinally of the vehicle in a generally horizontal plane which passes adjacent to said seat porTion; a change-speed transmission mounted on said frame and comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, and gearing interconnecting said input and output shafts; first motion transfer means interconnecting said output shaft of said transmission and said at least one driven wheel and comprising first overrunning clutch means oriented to cause said first motion transfer means to rotate said at least one driven wheel only when said output shaft of said transmission is turned in that direction which will cause said at least one driven wheel to move the vehicle forwardly; second motion transfer means interconnecting said pedals and said input shaft of said transmission and comprising second overrunning clutch means oriented to rotate said input shaft in a direction to drive the vehicle forwardly when at least one of said pedals is moved from said first position toward said second position; and constant force spring restoring means connected to return said pedals toward said first position.

Claim 3

The combination defined in claim 1 and further comprising two levers mounted on said frame in front of said seat for swinging movement about an axis spaced a substantial distance above said seat portion of said seat, said levers depending from said axis, and said pedals each being mounted on a different one of said levers adjacent the lower end thereof; said second motion transfer means comprising two reels, and two cables each having one end portion wound on a different one of said reels and the other end connected to a different one of said levers, said second overrunning clutch means comprising two overrunning clutches, each of said reels being connected to said input shaft of said transmission via a different one of said clutches of said second overrunning clutch means; said restoring means comprising two spiral constant force springs each operatively connected to a different one of said reels.

Claim 4

The combination defined in claim 2, wherein said frame comprises at least one longitudinally extending frame member which is at least substantially horizontal; said seat is mounted on said at least one frame member with said seat portion immediately adjacent thereto; and said transmission is mounted on said at least one frame member behind said seat.

Claim 5

The combination defined in claim 3, wherein said at least one frame member is a single centrally located member; said levers are mounted to move in mutually parallel paths each located on a different side of said centrally located frame member; and said running gear comprises two steerable front wheels and two driven rear wheels, said wheels being carried by axles which are supported by said centrally located frame member.

Claim 6

The combination defined in claim 3, wherein said running gear comprises two driven rear wheels, and two mutually independent rear axles each supporting a different one of said rear wheels; and said first motion transfer means comprises two rotary drive elements each connected to drive a different one of said independent rear wheel axles, said second overrunning clutch means comprising two overrunning clutches each connecting said output shaft of said transmission to a different one of said rotary drive elements.

Claim 7

The combination defined in claim 5, wherein said transmission comprises reverse gearing, the combination further comprising means responsive to shifting said transmission to reverse for by-passing the one of said overrunning clutches of said second overrunning clutch means which connects said output shaft of said transmission to one of said rotary drive elements and for simultaneously deactivating the other of said rotary drive elements.

Claim 8

The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said second motion transfer means comprises a pinion, an overrunning clutch forming part of said second overrunning clutch Means, said pinion being mounted on said input shaft via said overrunning clutch, and a rack meshed with said pinion, said rack extending generally in the direction of movement of said pedals and being connected to one of said pedals for movement thereby.

Claim 9

The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said second motion transfer means comprises an elongated crank arm, means at one end of said crank arm supporting the same foreswinging movement about a fixed axis, one of said pedals being mounted on said crank arm, a sprocket, an overrunning clutch forming part of said second overrunning clutch means and operatively interposed between said crank arm and said sprocket, and means connecting said sprocket to drive said input shaft.

Claim 10

In an occupant propelled vehicle, the combination of a wheeled frame; a seat located on said frame intermediate the ends thereof and comprising a back support and a seat portion; two foot pedals; means mounting said pedals on said frame in a location in front of said seat for fore and aft movement along mutually parallel paths between a first position, nearer said seat, and a second position, further from said seat; a change-speed transmission mounted on said frame in a location at the rear of the vehicle, said transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, and gearing interconnecting said input and output shafts; two mutually independent motion transfer devices each arranged to connect a different one of said pedals to said input shaft of said transmission whenever the pedal is moved forwardly, each of said motion transfer devices comprising a rotary element, an overrunning clutch oriented to impart rotary motion from said rotary element to said input shaft of said transmission when the corresponding pedal is moved forwardly, a constant force spring means connected to said rotary element to store energy when said rotary element is turned as a result of forward movement of the corresponding pedal, and means connecting the respective one of said pedals to operate said rotary element; said means mounting said pedals on said frame being operative to allow the pedals to move forwardly from an initial position through a predetermined distance, said constant force spring means of said motion transfer devices being operative to turn said rotary elements and restore the respective pedals to their initial positions; said pedals being so arranged that said first and second positions lie in a generally horizontal reference plane; said seat being so arranged that said seat portion is immediately above said reference plane, the location of said seat being such that, when an occupant is seated thereon with one foot engaged with the corresponding one of said pedals and the pedal is in said initial position, the occupant''s leg will be bent at the knee at an angle approximating 90*, the length of forward travel allowed the pedal being adequate to enable the occupant to substantially straighten his leg when thrusting the pedal forwardly; and means interconnecting the output shaft of said transmission to drive at least one wheel of the vehicle in a direction to cause the vehicle to move forwardly whenever the input shaft of the transmission is turned as a result of forward movement of at least one of said pedals.

Claim 11

In an occupant propelled vehicle, the combination of a wheeled frame; a seat located on said frame intermediate the ends thereof and comprising a back support and a seat portion; two foot pedals; means mounting said pedals on said frame in a location in front of said seat for fore and aft movement along mutually parallel paths between a first position, nearer said seat, and a second position, further from said seat; a change-speed transmission mounted on said frame in a location at the rear of the vehicle, said transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, and gearing interconnecting said input and output shafts; two mutually independent motion transfer devices each arranged to connect a different one of said pedals to said input shaft of said transmission whenever the pedal is moved forwardly, each of said motion transfer devices comprising a rotary element, an overrunning clutch oriented to impart rotary motion from said rotary element to said input shaft of said transmission when the corresponding pedal is moved forwardly, a constant force spring means connected to said rotary element to store energy when said rotary element is turned as a result of forward movement of the corresponding pedal, and means connecting the respective one of said pedals to operate said rotary element; said means mounting said pedals on said frame being operative to allow the pedals to move forwardly from an initial position through a predetermined distance, said constant force spring means of said motion transfer devices being operative to turn said rotary elements and restore the respective pedals to their initial positions; said pedals being so arranged that said first and second positions lie in a generally horizontal reference plane; said seat being so arranged that said seat portion is immediately above said reference plane, the location of said seat being such that, when an occupant is seated thereon with one foot engaged with the corresponding one of said pedals and the pedal is in said initial position, the occupant''s leg will be bent at the knee at an angle approximating 90*, the length of forward travel allowed the pedal being adequate to enable the occupant to substantially straighten his leg when thrusting the pedal forwardly; and means interconnecting the output shaft of said transmission to drive at least one wheel of the vehicle in a direction to cause the vehicle to move forwardly whenever the input shaft of the transmission is turned as a result of forward movement of at least one of said pedals.