Chassis for a vehicle with large diameter single front wheel

Claim 1

A chassis for a vehicle having a single front tire, said chassis comprising: a pair of spaced apart elongate linear frame members extending along a major portion of the length of said chassis and diverging from one another in a gradual manner from the rear of the chassis toward the front, said frame members being sloped gradually upwardly relative to horizontal from the rear of the chassis toward the front; a rear axle secured to said elongate frame members toward the rearward portion thereof, said rear axle rotatably carrying a pair of rear wheels outwardly of the respective frame members; a front chassis portion having opposite beam-like sides greater in cross sectional area than said elongate frame members, said sides being secured to the forward portions of said elongate frame members in forward and upward extension therefrom with the rearward section of each side being substantially coplanar with the corresponding frame member for a significant distance, said sides being bent toward one another at the forward ends of said rearward sections about generally vertical axes spaced forwardly of the junction of said sides with said elongate frame members and terminating in substantially horizontal arm portions, said arm portions gradually approaching one another as they extend forwardly; an engine housing between the forward end portions of said elongate frame members and behind said vertical axes; a wheel yoke positioned beneath said arm portions and carrying said front tire; and means for pivotally connecting said wheel yoke with said arm portions near the forward ends thereof.