Occupant propelled cambering vehicle

Claim 2

A three-point surface contact cambering vehicle having a longitudinally extending roll axis and comprising an upright steering column, an elongated steering shaft mounted in said steering column for turning movement about a substantially vertical axis, a steerable front surface contact means operatively connected to the lower end of said steering shaft for engagement with a support surface, a manual steering device operatively connected to the upper end of said steering shaft, a pair of elongated trailing arms extending rearwardly from said steering column, laterally spaced rear surface contact means operatively connected to the rear portions of said trailing arms for engagement with the support surface, foot support means for an operator of the vehicle mounted on each of said trailing arms adjacent to each of said rear surface contact means, said trailing arms taking the form of leaf springs the forward ends of which are fixed with said steering column for permitting said trailing arms to swing about a transverse axis and thereby allow the operator to roll said vehicle with respect to said roll axis and cause said trailing arms to move in opposite directions so that the rear surface contact means camber by an amount substantially equal to the vehicle roll.

Claim 3

A cambering vehicle having a longitudinally extending roll axis and comprising an upright steering column, an elongated steering shaft rotatably mounted in said steering column for turning movement about a substantially vertical axis, a steerable wheel operatively connected to the lower end of said steering shaft for engagement with a support surface, a manual steering device operatively connected to the upper end of said steering shaft, a pair of elongated spring arms extending rearwardly from said steering column, laterally spaced rear wheels operatively connected to the rear portions of said spring arms for engagement with the support surface, foot support means for an operator of the vehicle mounted on each of said spring arms adjacent to each of said rear wheels, means for rigidly connecting the forward ends of said spring arms to said steering column to permit said rear wheels to swing about a transverse axis and thereby allow the operator to roll said vehicle with respect to said roll axis and cause said wheels to move in opposite directions and camber by an amount substantially equal to the vehicle roll, said latter mentioned means including a tubular member having a plurality of slots formed therein for allowing the spring members to be repositioned from a first position wherein said rear wheels are supported for normal operation of the vehicle to a second position wherein the rear wheels are supported adjacent to the steering frame so as to allow the vehicle to be stowed in a minimum of space.

Claim 4

A cambering vehicle having a longitudinally extending roll axis and comprising an upright steering column, an elongated steering shaft rotatably mounted in said steering column for turning movement about a substantially vertical axis, a steerable wheel operatively connected to the lower end of said steering shaft for engagement with a support surface, a manual steering device operatively connected to the upper end of said steering shaft, a pair of elongated spring arms extending rearwardly from said steering column, laterally spaced rear wheels operatively connected to the rear portions of said spring arms for engagement with the support surface, foot support means for an operator of the vehicle mounted on each of said spring arms adjacent to each of said rear wheels, means for rigidly connecting the forward ends of said spring arms to said steering column to permit said rear wheels to swing about a transverse axis and thereby allow the operator to roll said vehicle with respect to said roll axis and cause said wheels to move in opposite directions and camber by an amount substantially equal to the vehicle roll, said latter mentioned means including a tubular member having a plurality of slots formed therein for allowing the spring members to be repositioned from a first position wherein said rear wheels are supported for normal operation of the vehicle to a second position wherein the rear wheels are supported adjacent to the steering frame so as to allow the vehicle to be stowed in a minimum of space.