Velocipede Steering and Driving Arrangement

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to manually or pedally operated velocipedes.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Velocipedes such as bicycles, tricycles and the like have long been known and are commonly used not only for purposes of play but for basic transportation. Such devices are usually pedally operated with the pedals connected to a drive wheel which can be turned for steering purposes so that the pedals are dislocated from convenient driving position with respect to the user of the velocipede. In other such vehicles, the drive wheel is not used for steering purposes and the device cannot be turned to move in every direction throughout a 360.degree. circle.

The present invention provides a vehicle, e.g., in the form of a toy velocipede, which includes a wheeled carriage having a frame and a drive wheel mounted thereon with a drive system for revolving the drive wheel. The drive wheel engages a support surface for propelling the vehicle thereover during revolution of the drive wheel. The drive wheel is also mounted for pivotal movement on a generally vertical axis throughout a complete 360.degree. circle and is pivotally movable by manually grippable steering means so that the operator can steer the vehicle in any direction. However, the drive input for the drive system remains nonpivotal with respect to the carriage frame so that, regardless of the pivotal disposition of the drive wheel, the drive input can be operated always in the same direction to drive the vehicle. For example, a child sitting on a seat on the carriage frame can pump pedals in a normal forward bicycle manner and change the direction of travel of the vehicle using the steering means without changing the vertical angular disposition of the pedals relative to the seat.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the velocipede of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the velocipede shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the velocipede shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken generally along line 6--6 of FIG. 2;

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 4 and 6, the illustrated velocipede includes a carriage 10 in the form of a frame 12 having four swivel wheels 14 mounted for rotation on shafts 16 which are in turn secured to frame 12 for swivel movement by way of journals or sleeves 18. An upstanding seat 20 having a backrest 22 is secured to the top of frame 12 for the purpose of supporting the operator of the velocipede. A drive means and steering system generally indicated at 30 (FIGS. 1 through 5) includes an upstanding bifurcated housing or casing 32 which is secured to frame 12 at its bifurcated lower ends by bolts 34.

A shaft 36 upstanding from casing 32 and frame 12 impales the top of casing 32 and is rotatably mounted relative thereto by a trunnion or bearing 40 (FIG. 4). A steering wheel 38 is secured to the top end of shaft 36 and has an arrow 38a (FIG. 2) imprinted thereon to indicate the direction of movement of the velocipede. A shaft 42 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) mounts a rubber tired drive wheel 44 for rotation relative thereto. The lower end of steering shaft 36 is secured to shaft or axle 42 abcentral from drive wheel 44 so that, as steering wheel 38 is rotated, thereby rotating shaft 36, drive wheel 44 is turned abcentral of the axis of steering shaft 36. Thus, as the velocipede moves along a support surface with drive wheel 44 providing the driving impetus, the vehicle can be turned in any direction throughout 360.degree. using the steering wheel 38.

A drive system is provided for the purpose of driving or rotating drive wheel 44 about its horizontal axis on shaft 42 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5). Accordingly, operable means including a pair of pedals 46 are provided at opposite ends of a Z shaft 48 which is rotatably mounted through the walls of casing 32 so as to be accessible for manual or pedal operation. The middle portion of shaft 48 between the lateral walls of casing 32 is secured to a sleeve 50 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) which in turn is secured to a drive gear 52 (FIGS. 1 through 3 and 5) which is enmeshed with an idler gear 54 mounted for rotation on a pin 56. Thus, normal pedal operation of pedals 46 rotate the drive gear 52 and the idler gear 54. Idler gear 54, as best seen in FIG. 4, has a circular laterally extending crown gear portion 54a which is enmeshed with the top gear portion 60a of a spool gear 60 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which defines a linkage means or support. The bottom portion 60b of a spool gear 60 is in turn enmeshed with a laterally extending crown gear portion 44a of wheel 44 so that when the pedals 46 are operated the drive wheel 44 is rotated. A forward pumping action on the pedals 46 will cause driving movement of the velocipede in the direction of the arrow 38a on steering wheel 38 while a rearward pumping action will cause movement of the velocipede in the opposite direction. However, regardless of the direction of pumping action, the steering wheel 38 is used to direct the drive wheel 44 and the direction of movement of the velocipede in any direction throughout the full 360.degree. rotatability of shaft 36 and wheel 44. The disposition of the pedals 46 with regard to the operator seated upon seat 20 remains the same regardless of the direction of movement of the velocipede because the pedals 46 do not turn with wheel 44.

A rear fin or bumper 64 is secured to frame 12 for the purpose of preventing spilling or flipping backward of the velocipede during operation since the bumper 64 will engage the support surface and stop such spilling or flipping. Further, in one modification of the invention, the forward swivel wheels 14 can be removed so that the drive wheel 44 becomes the sole support for the front portion of the velocipede and the velocipede can be tilted backwardly onto fin 64. Also, in any construction either the front or rear wheels, especially the rear wheels, can be on a fixed rotational axis relative to the carriage, e.g., the rear wheels can obviously be on fixed axes when the front wheels are removed.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefor as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art .