Front suspension and steering system for cycles and motorcycles having two interdependent points of support on the ground

Claim 2

A cycle having a relatively long and narrow frame, a pair of members at one end of said frame for contacting a supporting surface and suspension means supporting and interconnecting said members and said frame, said suspension means comprising: an arm pivotally mounted from said frame intermediate the ends of the arm for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the length direction of said frame; a pair of substantially parallel, rectilinear guides extending in the direction downwardly of said arm and mounted from said frame in fixed vertical relation thereto, said guides being horizontally spaced from each other; a pair of supports, one of said supports being mounted on one of said guides for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and the other of said supports being mounted on the other of said guides for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm; first means connecting one of said members to one of said supports for movement therewith; second means connecting the other of said members to the other of said supports for movement therewith; and means connecting the respective ends of said arm respectively to one of said supports and to the other of said supports, whereby said members are movable in opposite directions with respect to each other and along rectilinear, parallel paths with tilting of said frame in a direction transverse to the length of the frame.

Claim 3

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cycle further comprises a steering assembly pivotally mounted on said frame for steering said cycle, and wherein said arm and said guides are mounted on said steering assembly for movement therewith.

Claim 4

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first means and said second means comprises spring means and damping means for permitting the distance between a support and the end of an arm to vary.

Claim 5

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said members are wheels and said supports are forks with arms, each of said wheels being mounted on an axle extending between the arms of a fork and being between the arms of the fork.

Claim 6

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said members are skis and wherein said first means pivotally connects one of said skis to the first-mentioned one of said supports and said second means pivotally connects the other of said skis to the second-mentioned other of said supports.

Claim 7

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cycle further comprises a steering assembly having a steering shaft pivotally mounted on said frame for steering said cycle, wherein said guides are mounted on said steering assembly and wherein said members are wheels.

Claim 8

A cycle as set forth in claim 6 wherein the axes of rotation of said wheels are disposed in a plane containing the axis of said shaft.

Claim 9

A cycle as set forth in claim 6 wherein the axes of rotation of said wheels and said means connecting the respective ends of said arms to the supports are disposed in a plane substantially parallel to a plane containing the axis of said shaft and on the side of said last-mentioned plane opposite from the side thereof at which said frame is disposed.

Claim 10

A cycle as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a reinforcing arm secured at one end to said frame and at its opposite end, pivotally engaging said shaft at the lower end thereof.

Claim 11

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arm is pivotally mounted on said frame by mounting means including an elastic sleeve.

Claim 12

A cycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cycle includes a steering assembly at one end of said frame and wherein said arm is pivotally mounted on, and said guides are secured to, the opposite end of said frame.

Claim 13

A cycle having a relatively long and narrow frame, a pair of members at one end of said frame for contacting a supporting surface, a steering assembly having a central shaft pivotally mounted on said frame and having a steering member at the upper part of said shaft, and suspension means supporting and interconnecting said members and said steering assembly, said suspension means comprising: an arm pivotally mounted on said assembly intermediate the ends of the arm for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the length direction of said frame; a pair of guide support members mounted on and secured to said shaft in spaced relation to each other and in spaced relation to said steering member; a pair of substantially parallel, rectilinear rods extending between and secured to said guide support members, said rods being spaced from each other; a pair of forks, one of said forks being slidably mounted on one of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels engaging said shaft and the other of said forks being slidably mounted on the other of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels for engaging said shaft; first means connecting one of the first-mentioned said members to one of said forks for movement therewith; second means connecting the other of the first-mentioned said members to the other of said forks for movement therewith; and means connecting the respective ends of said arm respectively to one of said forks and to the other of said forks.

Claim 14

A cycle having a relatively long and narrow frame, a pair of members at one end of said frame for contacting a supporting surface, a steering assembly having a central shaft pivotally mounted on said frame and having a steering member at the upper part of said shaft, and suspension means supporting and interconnecting said members and said steering assembly, said suspension means comprising: an arm pivotally mounted on said assembly intermediate the ends of the arm for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the length direction of said frame; a pair of guide support members mounted on and secured to said shaft in spaced relation to each other and in spaced relation to said steering member; a pair of substantially parallel, rectilinear rods extending between and secured to said guide support members, said rods being spaced from each other; a pair of forks, one of said forks being slidably mounted on one of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels engaging said shaft and the other of said forks being slidably mounted on the other of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels for engaging said shaft; first means connecting one of the first-mentioned said members to one of said forks for movement therewith; second means connecting the other of the first-mentioned said members to the other of said forks for movement therewith; and means connecting the respective ends of said arm respectively to one of said forks and to the other of said forks.

Claim 15

A cycle as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said first means and said second means comprises spring means and damping means for permitting the distance between a support and the ends of an arm to vary.

Claim 16

A cycle as set forth in claim 12 or 13 further comprising elastic means mounted on said guide rods intermediate each of said forks and the guide support member nearer said steering member.

Claim 17

A cycle as set forth in claim 12 or 13 in which each guide support member has oblong holes for receiving the ends of said rods whereby the positions of the rods may be adjusted.