Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~03~707~L
The present invention relates to a vehicle particular-
ly a cycle adapted to be driven by a "swing-drive-~echanism".
Conventional bicycles whilst having many advantages
are driven by means of a chain or sprocket mechanism which has
the following disadvantages.
a. The chain and sprocket wheel mechanism must be
suitably lubricated and this mechanism sometimes soils the riders
clothes.
b. The mechanism has to be periodically cleaned.
c. The chain of the above mechanism gradually slackens
and sags such that when the chain is excessively stretched, one
of the sprocket wheels must be adjusted to tighten the chain.
d. A speed-change-gear which is normally present
increases the cost of the bicycle and includes a mechanism liable
to provide mechanical trouble.
The present invention provides a vehicle such as a
_ bicycle which is not driven by the conventional sprocket mechanism
but by a swing-drive mechanism which is no-t subject to the
aforesaid disadvantages.
The present invention also provides in one aspect
thereof a cycle which can be used by a disabled person who cannot
! use his feet to propel the cycle.
According to the present invention therefore there is
provided a swing-drive vehicle comprising a frame member, at
least one ground contacting member mounted on said frame member,
- two assemblies disposed symmetrically and laterally of said
frame member, each assembly comprising, a steering column means,
a handle member secured to the top of the steering column means,
a rod element secured to said steering column means and pivotally
mounted at the other end to said frame member for lateral move- - -
ment with respect thereto, a carrier member mounted at the lower
end of said steering column means, and a ground contactlng element
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mounted on said carrier member, whereby said assemblies may be
moved oppositely and alternately in a ~ivergin(3 and converging
direction by said handle members with respect to said frame
~ member so as to impart a motion to the vehicle. This vehicle is
driven by a rider by reciprocal swinys in sideward direction to
the rods, each of which carries a wheel, a ski or a skate
through a pivotal joint and a carrier such as a fork. The
vehicle is usually a cycle, which may desirably be used by a
disabled rider who cannot move a foot for driving the cycle. A
wheel, the ski or skate carried by the rod may be the propelling
member and the locus o~ the ground-contact-point of the propell-
ing member is a meandering one. Desirably each of the handles
comprises a front grip extending forwardly from a top end of
the handle stem and a rear grip extending rearwardly from the
top end of the handle stem. Suitably a gearing means between
the assemblies for synchronous movement thereof.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention
~i~ each of the assemblies is provided with a spring between the
carrier of the ground-contacting-member and the rod member which
applies a force to turn the propelling member to the direction
oE the rod member. ~ j
The present invention will be further illustrated by ;;
way Or the accompanying drawings in which;
Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are a side view, a plan
view and a Eront view respectively showing a cycle having a
_ swing-drive mechanism according to one embodiment of the present
- invention which is also provided with a device for avoiding an
occurrence of overron of its right and left assemblies;
Fig. 4 illustrates the outward and inward swing of the -
assemblies of Figs. 1 through 3.
~ Fig. 5 is a plane view of a cycle having a swing-drive
mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention
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also provided with a further device for avoiding overrun of its
right and left assemblies and;
Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are a side view and a plan view
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respectively of a cycle having a swing drive mechanism according
to a further embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 each of a pair of
symmetrically disposed assemblies Al and A2 comprises a front
wheel 21, a front fork 22, a tubular member 29 having at its
front end, a head tube 23, a handle stem 24 and a handle 25.
The member 29 is supported at its rear end 28 by an upright shaft
27 fixedly mounted on a frame 26. A head tube of a conventional
bicycle is a one which is fixedly attached to a frame. However,
in the cycle of Fig. 1 the head tube 23 is not fixedly attached
to the frame 26.
Each of the assemblies Al and A2 can be swung about the
upright shaft 27 by a force F applied by the rider to the handle
~ 25. The handle 25 is gripped on its front portion 25a or on its
rear portion 25b by the rider. The front portion 25a extends
forwardly from the top-end of the handle stem 24 and the portion
25b extends rearwardly from the top~end of the handle stem 24.
When the rider grips the portion 25a of the handle 25 and the
;~j members 29 are swung outwardly, the front wheels 21 turn to drive
' the cycle forwardly by the eEfective component fl of the force F
taking a "toe-out-state". When the rider grips the portion 25b
of the handle 25 and the members 29 are swung outwardly, the
front wheels 21 rolls to drive the cycle backwardly by the
effective component fl of the force F taking a "toe-in-state".
Hereafter, the portions 25a and 25b are respectively referred to
by the terms "front grip" and "rear grip".
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Fig. ~ illustrates the outward swings Sl and S2 of the
- tubular members 29, the toe-out-state of the front wheels 21,
the force F, the components fl and f2 of the force F and a pair
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of loci Tl and T2 of the road-contact-points of thc front wheels
21, the toe-out-state of the front wheels 21 being obtained by
the use of the front grip 25a. Following the outward swing S
and S2, the members 29 are swung inwardly by the forces F now
changed in direction from an outward one to an inward one. As
the state of the front wheels 21 is changed from "toe-out" to
"toe-in" together with the above directions of the forces F, the
effective components fl continue to maintain their forward
directions so as to advance the cycle.
The front grips 25a of the right assembly Al and the
left assembly A2 are connec-ted by a tie member 30 such as chain ~
or rope. This member 30 suitably hangs in a state shown in ~ -
Fig. 3. To simplify the explanation, the term "diverging of
assemblies" will be used which means that both of the assemblies
simultaneously move far away from the center plane X - X. ~ `~
The functions of the tie member 30 are as follows. `
a. to avoid accidental throwing of the rider from the
cycle due to the "diverging of assemblies" being excessive. The
member 30 limits the degree of "divering of assemblies" even when
the rider's hands leave from the handles 25.
b. to enable the cycle to be accellerated quickly in
; that the rider can operate the handles 25 very quickly without
consideration of the possibility of the accident mentioned in
(a).
c. to improve the ease of driving of the cycle, as the
rider can sense the ends of the stroke of -the handles 25 by
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means of this member. This is especially desirably for an
unskilled rider. ~
When the assemblies Al and A2 are swung outwardly, the -,
member 30 is extended Eully before the members 29 arrive at the ;
~ ends of their stroke. The tension on the member 30 is rela-tively
small and acts to decrease the toe-out-angle of the front wheels
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21, because the member 30 extend between and connect the front
grips 25a. The toe-out-angle is reduced to zero when the members
29 reach the ends of their strokes. This is very important for
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the protection of the tie member 30. Thus if the member 30
extends between and connects -the forks 22, it will instantaneous-
ly stop the outward movement of the assemblies Al and A2 and a
large force is applied to it which shortens its llfe.
~ In Fiy. 5 a device is provided in place of the tie
- member 30 which device comprises pins 31 fixed to the front forks
10 22, rotatable levers 32 concentric with the head tubes 23, wires
34 guided in tubes 33 along -the members 29 and springs 35. The
devlce operates as follows.
With the assemblies Al and A2 are swung outwardly, in
; a first step, the wire 34 turns the levers 2. Each lever 2
eventually contacts with the pin 31 which is before -the members
29 come to the ends of their strokes. This corresponds to the
_ stretching of the member 30. In a second s-tep forces from the
springs 35 act on the pins 31 to turn the forks 22 as to decrease
the toe-out-angle of the front wheels 21. This second step
corresponds to the change of toe-out-an~le by the tension in the
member 30. The spring forces of the springs 35 fall to zero when
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the front wheels 21 are parallel with the center-plane X - X of
the frame. -~
The cycle of Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 has a pair of assemblies
~ Al and A2 which are interlocked by a link mechanism so as to move -
_ synchronously. Each of the assemblies Al and A2 comprise a front
` wheel 41, a front fork 42, a member 49 with a head tube 43 at
its front end, a handle stem 44, a handle 45 with front and rear
grips 45a, 45b and a spring 50 between the member 49 and the
front fork 42. This is similar to the cycle of Fig. 1. Each of ~;
the assemblies Al and A2 is supported its member 49 by a shaft
48 fixed to a frame 46. The spring 50 enables the force F to be
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applied in the outward or inward direction to the member 49 such
that the rider's wrists do not become excessively tired due to
the distance be-tween the center of the handle stem 44 and the
~ force applying point on the front yrip 45a.
In the drawinys cycles haviny wheels are shown.
However, the wheels may be substituted by slicle members which
slide on a snow or ice surface, as the forces actiny on the slide
members are also tractive forces.
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