Collapsible four wheel electric powered vehicle

Claim 2

A vehicle powered by an electrical source, including a frame assembly which may be manually assembled and disassembled, a first frame sub-assembly, a second frame sub-assembly manually connectable to and manually disconnectible from said first frame sub-assembly, a plurality of wheels for said vehicle, at least one of said wheels being part of said first frame sub-assembly and at least one of said wheels being part of said second frame sub-assembly, lateral connecting members between said first and second sub-assemblies, said lateral connecting members including respective first ends and second ends, said first end of at least one of said lateral connecting members being pivotally and non-detachably connected to said first frame sub-assembly, including non-detachable connecting means to non-detachably connect said first end of said lateral connecting member to said first frame sub-assembly, said second end of said one lateral connecting member being rigidly and detachably connected to said second frame subassembly, latch means to connect and detachably lock said second end of said lateral connecting member to said second frame subassembly, each of said other lateral connecting members being pivotally and non-detachably connected at said first ends to one of said first and second frame sub-assemblies and rigidly and detachably connected to the other of said frame subassemblies, including non-detachable connecting means to non-detachably connect said first ends of said lateral other connecting members to one of said first and second frame subassemblies, whereby each of said first and second frame subassemblies are locked in fixed spaced apart relationship when so connected and prevented from movement toward or away from each other, said lateral connecting members being non-detachably and pivotally connected to one of said frame sub-assemblies when said frame sub-assemblies are disconnected from each other.

Claim 3

A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for one side of said vehicle, said second frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for the opposite side of said vehicle, said first end of said one of said lateral connecting members between said first and second sub-assemblies being pivotal on a vertical axis, including said vertical axis, said first frame sub-assembly lying in a first plane, said vertical axis being substantially parallel to said first plane.

Claim 4

A vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said lateral connecting members include a plurality of lateral cross bars pivotally connected at said first end to said first frame sub-assembly, first connecting means at the said second end of said lateral cross bars, corresponding second connecting means on said second frame sub-assembly to receive and connect to said first connecting means, said first and second connecting means constituting said latch means to connect and detachably lock said second end of said lateral cross bars to said second frame sub-assembly, and said first and second connecting means being manually connectable and disconnectable.

Claim 5

A vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first and second frame sub-assemblies each includes a lower longitudinal frame member extending between the extended axes of said front wheel and said rear wheel, said lower longitudinal frame member including a front end portion in facing relationship with the side of said front wheel, said lower longitudinal member including an inturned portion spaced rearwardly of said axis of said front wheel a distance corresponding to the radius of said front wheel to permit free movement of said front wheel from planar alignment with said rear wheel to a position angularly disposed to the plane in which said rear wheel lies, a pivotal connecting means to pivotally connect said front wheels to respective ones of said first and second frame sub-assemblies at a point adjacent to said lower longitudinal frame member and in facing relationship with the sides of respective ones of said front wheels, a first upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member near one end thereof, a second upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member at a location spaced apart from said first upright frame member, and an upper longitudinal frame member extending between first and second upright frame members.

Claim 6

A vehicle as set forth in claim 4, including a seat mounted between said first and second frame sub-assemblies and connected to said upper longitudinal frame members of each of said first and second frame sub-assemblies, said seat being so mounted and connected in non-support relationship to said vehicle frame assembly, being mountable and removable without increasing or decreasing the stability and support of said frame assembly.

Claim 7

A vehicle as set forth in claim 4, wherein said front wheels and said rear wheels are of a sufficiently large diameter to enable the vehicle to travel over relatively rough, unpaved surfaces, said inturned portion of said lower longitudinal member permitting use of relatively large steerable front wheels, the axes of said front wheels being pivotally connected to respective ones of said first and second frame sub-assemblies at a point adjacent to said lower longitudinal members and in facing relationship with the sides of respective ones of said front wheels.

Claim 8

A vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the said diameter of said wheels is in excess of eighteen inches.

Claim 9

A vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the said diameter of said wheels is in excess of nine inches.

Claim 10

A vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said front wheels and said rear wheels are of substantially the same diameter.

Claim 11

A vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein said front wheels and said rear wheels are of substantially the same diameter.

Claim 12

A vehicle powered by an electrical source, including a frame assembly which may be manually assembled and disassembled, a first frame sub-assembly, a second frame sub-assembly manually connectable to and manually disconnectable from said first frame sub-assembly, a plurality of wheels for said vehicle, at least one of said wheels being part of said first frame sub-assembly and at least one of said wheels being part of said second frame sub-assembly, wherein said first frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for one side of said vehicle, a said second frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for the opposite side of said vehicle, lateral connecting members between said first and second sub-assemblies, wherein said first and second frame sub-assemblies each includes a lower longitudinal frame member extending between the extended axes of said front wheel and said rear wheel, a first upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member near one end thereof, a second upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member at a location spaced apart from said first upright frame member, and an upper longitudinal frame member extending between first and second upright frame members, including auxiliary support members, said auxiliary support members comprising a first and second laterally extending plate member, said first plate member including a depending flange, first and second slot means in said depending flange at spaced apart locations thereon to receive the respective adjacent portions of said lower longitudinal frame members in said slot means, said first and second frame sub-assemblies being receivable in respective ones of said first and second slot means, locking means to lock said portions of said lower longitudinal frame members in said slot means; said second plate member including third and fourth slot means, said second plate member being mounted on said vehicle at a spaced apart location from said first plate member, said first upright frame members of said first and second frame sub-assemblies being received in respective ones of said third and fourth slot means, said first slot means opening along the bottom edge of said depending flange, said second slot means opening along a side edge of said depending flange, whereby said first plate member may be held more securely against movement relative to said lower longitudinal frame members when locked thereon.

Claim 13

A vehicle powered by an electrical source, including a frame assembly which may be manually assembled and disassembled, a first frame sub-assembly, a second frame sub-assembly manually connectable to and manually disconnectable from said first frame sub-assembly, a plurality of wheels for said vehicle, at least one of said wheels being part of said first frame sub-assembly and at least one of said wheels being part of said second frame sub-assembly, wherein said first frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for one side of said vehicle, a said second frame sub-assembly includes a front wheel and a rear wheel for the opposite side of said vehicle, lateral connecting members between said first and second sub-assemblies, wherein said first and second frame sub-assemblies each includes a lower longitudinal frame member extending between the extended axes of said front wheel and said rear wheel, a first upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member near one end thereof, a second upright frame member extending upwardly from said lower longitudinal frame member at a location spaced apart from said first upright frame member, and an upper longitudinal frame member extending between first and second upright frame members, including auxiliary support members, said auxiliary support members comprising a first and second laterally extending plate member, said first plate member including a depending flange, first and second slot means in said depending flange at spaced apart locations thereon to receive the respective adjacent portions of said lower longitudinal frame members in said slot means, said first and second frame sub-assemblies being receivable in respective ones of said first and second slot means, locking means to lock said portions of said lower longitudinal frame members in said slot means; said second plate member including third and fourth slot means, said second plate member being mounted on said vehicle at a spaced apart location from said first plate member, said first upright frame members of said first and second frame sub-assemblies being received in respective ones of said third and fourth slot means, said first slot means opening along the bottom edge of said depending flange, said second slot means opening along a side edge of said depending flange, whereby said first plate member may be held more securely against movement relative to said lower longitudinal frame members when locked thereon.

Claim 14

A vehicle as set forth in claim 11, wherein said auxiliary support members include a resistance bank housing, said housing being pivotally and non-detachably mounted at one end of said first and second frame sub-assemblies, said housing including fastening means at said other end to fasten to the other of said frame sub-assemblies when said housing is pivoted outwardly from the frame sub-assembly to which it is pivotally mounted during assembly of said vehicle frame assembly, said resistance bank housing thereby providing increased stability and support for said vehicle frame assembly as well as a housing for electrical resistance members for connection to an electrical power circuit to drive said vehicle.