Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention concerns cambering vehicles and more
particularly a cambering vehicle having a cambering device
which permits the vehicle to be collapsed into a compact con-
figuration for stowage purposes and also allows the vehicle
to be parked on a level or inclined surface.
Copending Canadian patent application Serial Number
251,310 filed on April 28, 1976 and entitled "Cambering
Vehicle" discloses a novel, light-weight cambering vehicle
which has a steerable front ground contact means and laterally
spaced rear ground contact means. The rear ground contact
means are mounted on trailing arms the terminal portions of
which are swingable in opposite up and down directions to per-
mit the vehicle to be cambered when the operator tilts thevehicle during cornering maneuvers. This arrangement provides
a three-point contact vehicle with the contact means taking
the form of wheels, skis, or ice skates. ~he wheeled vehicle
can be powered by an internal combustion engine or an electric
motor or if desired, can be manually powered through the
natural input from the vehicle operator by the timed shifting
of weight from one foot to the other onto the rear ends of
the trailing arms. A vehicle of this type can be used as a
recreational vehicle when equipped with skis or ice skates or
as a short distance general utility or people mover vehicle
when equipped with wheels.
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The present invention concerns cambering vehicles of
the above described type and is directed more specifically to
a cambering vehicle employing a cambering device which allows
the trailing arms to be locked relative to each other and
folded towards the steering frame so as to provide a compact
package which can be stored in a minimum of space such as the
trunk of a passenger vehicle. According to the invention, a
latch and lock mechanism is incorporated with the cambering
device which serves to interconnect the trailing arms and con-
trols the equal and opposite movement thereof when the vehicleis leaned into a turn. In one form of the invention, the
cambering device consists of a cable and pulley arrangement
which interconnects the trailing arms of the vehicle with one
pulley being mounted in a clevis that is connected through a
cable and appropriate tensioning means to a second pulley which
is also mounted in a clevis. One pulley incorporates a screw-
operated locking device having a handle which upon rotation in
one direction locks the pulley in a fixed position and by doing
so, causes the trailing arms to be maintained in fixed relative
positions so that the vehicle can be parked on a level or an
inclined surface. The clevis of the other pulley is fixed with
a pin which i9 slidable within an elongated slot formed in a
bracket secured to the steering frame of the vehicle. By
moving the pin vertically relative to the steering frame be-
tween two positions, the trailing arms can be positioned for
normal operation of the vehicle or locked in a collapsed posi-
tion with the steering frame and arms located adjacent each
other and extending in generally the same direction. In this
manner, a cambering device is provided which selectively per-
mits the vehicle to be parked, or if desired, folded into acompact configuration for stowage purposes.
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In another form of the invention, the cambering
device includes a bell crank member having a pair of laterally
extending arms, each of which pivotally supports an equali~er
link that extends downwardly for pivotal connection with one
of the trailing arms. The cambering device is connected to a
collar that is mounted for sliding movement on a tubular column
which is a part of the steering frame. A latch mechanism is
incorporated with the collar that permits the latter to be
locked in a first position along the column which allows normal
operation of the vehicle, and a second position which causes
the collar to be relocated along the length of the tubular
column and is again locked thereto with resultant folding move-
ment of the steering frame relative to the trailing arms so as
to provide a compact rigid package to permit the stowage of the
vehicle. The bell crank also includes a rotatable lever which
through an eccentric causes the trailing arms to be fixed in
relative position during the stowage positioning of the steer-
ing frame or for purposes of allowing the vehicle to be parked
on a level or inclined surface.
The objects of the present invention are to provide
a new and improved cambering vehicle having pivoted trailing
arms which through an interconnecting cambering device allows
the trailing arms to be locked together and folded towards the
steering frame so as to provide a compact package for stowage
purposes; to provide a new and improved cambering vehicle in
which the cambering device interconnects the trailing arms and
incorporates locking means for permitting the vehicle to be
parked on a level or inclined surface; and to provide a new and
improved cambering vehicle having a mechanical cambering device
for the trailing arms that includes a locking arrangement for
maintaining the trailing arms in fixed relative positions and
for allowing the trailing arms to be folded towards the
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steering frame and to be locked in a collapsed position wherein
the steering frame and trailing arms are positioned adjacent
each other and extend in generally the same direction so as to
provide a compact vehicle configuration that can be stowed in
a minimum of space.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent from the following detailed description when
taken with the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cambering
vehicle incorporating a latch and lock mechanism that allows
the trailing arms of the vehicle to be locked together and
folded towards the steering frame in accordance with the inven-
tion.
Figure 2 shows the cambering vehicle of Figure 1 with
the steering frame folded into juxtaposition with the trailing
arms and locked in this position for stowage purposes.
Figure 3 is a frontal per~pective view of the camber-
ing vehicle shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the
cambering device incorporated with the vehicle shown in Figures
1 - 3.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another embodi-
ment of a cambering vehicle which is equipped with a latch and
lock mechanism according to the invention incorporated with the
cambering device which interconnects the trailing arms.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cambering
: vehicle shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines
7-7 of Figure 5 and,
Figure 8 is an enlarged elevational view taken on
lines 8-8 of Figure 5.
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Figure 9 is an end view of the vehicle parked on
an incline.
Referring to the drawings and more particularly
Figures 1 - 4, a cambering vehicle is shown which is adapted
to be propelled in a forward direction by a natural input from
the vehicle operator through the timed shifting of his weight
from one foot to the other coordinated with the left and right
cambered steering of the vehicle in a sinuous path. The
vehicle is identified by reference numeral 10 and has a frame
- 10 portion 12 comprising an inclined and elongated cylindrical
main frame 14 that axially locates and rotatably supports a
tubular steering shaft 16 extending therethrough. The upper
end of steering shaft 16 telescopically mounts the centralized
connector shaft 18 of handle bar assembly 20. A clamp 22
carried by the upper end of shaft 16 can be constricted by
conventional threaded fastener means to hold the handle bar
assembly in adjusted position. The steering shaft 16 has a
lower bifurcated end 24 which provides a fork for steerable
front wheel 26. The wheel 26 rotates on an axle 28 which
extends transversely through and is supported by the fork.
The vehicle has a pair of tubular trailing arms 30 and 32
which respectively have their forward ends secured in sockets
34 and 36 of right and left side pulley assemblies 38 and 40.
~` The pulley assemblies 38 and 40 are mounted for turning move-
ment on a horizontally extending pivot shaft 42 which is
::
supported by the main frame 14. With this construction each
trailing arm is mounted for up and down swinging movement on
the axis provided by the pivot shaft 42 and on opposite sides
of main frame 14.
` 30 Right and left rear wheels 44 and 46 are rotatably
i mounted on axles which extend laterally and outwardly from
the free end of trailing arms 30 and 32, respectively. In
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addition to supporting the rear wheels 44 and 46, the end of
trailing arms 30 and 32 have mounting brackets 48 and 50
secured respectively thereto for right and left foot pads 52
and 54 adapted to support the feet of the vehicle operator.
As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the foot pads 52 and 54 are
located laterally inboard of the rear wheels 44 and 46 and
are tiltably mounted on pivot pins 56 and 58 carried by brackets
48 and 50, respectively. Foot pad 52 disposed inboard of wheels
44 has an outwardly extending tubular friction brake member 60
secured thereto that directly engages the outer periphery of the
wheel 44 when the pad is rocked rearwardly on pivot pin 56 by
the operator to effect braking of wheel 44. In a forward tilt
position of pad 52, the brake member 60 is spaced from wheel 44
so that the wheel can freely rotate. In a like manner, foot
pad 54 has an outwardly extending tubular brake member 62
secured thereto which is adapted to directly engage and brake
the left rear wheel 46 when pad 54 is rocked rearwardly on
pivot pin 58 by the vehicle operator. In the forward tilt
position of this pad, the brake member 62 is spaced from the
wheel 46 so that it may roll freely.
The trailing arms 30 and 32 are interconnected in a
way so that the swinging of one arm on pivot shaft 42 in one
direction will tend to swing the other arm automatically in
the opposite direction. To this end the arms 30 and 32 are
mechanically interconnected by a cambering device that includes
endless cable 64 which extends around right and left side
trailing arm pulleys 66 and 68 and a pair of transverse upper
pulleys 70 and 72. Cable 64 leads from right side pulley 66
around pulley 70 and from pulley 70 around left side pulley 68.
From pulley 68 the cable 64 leads around upper pulley 72 and
back to the right side pulley 66. Cable 64 is connected to
pulleys 66, 68 and 70 by any suitable means to prevent slippage. ~ -
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The pulley 66 forms part of pulley assembly 74 and is rotatableby trailing arm 30, likewise, pulley 68 is part of pulley assem-
bly 76 and is turned by rotation of trailing arm 32. Pulleys
70 and 72 are rotatably supported on clevises 78 and 80 which
are adjustably interconnected by a cable 82. As shown, the
cable 82 loops through the upper end of clevis 80 and straddling
the tubular main frame 14 extends around the right and left
sides of a transversely extending tubular shoulder 84 secured
to the main frame 14. The terminal ends of cable 82 are con-
nected by threaded cable tensioners 86 and 88 to the clevis 78.
Clevis 80 and its pulley 72 are adjustably mountedwith respect to a bracket 90 secured to and extending along an
upper portion of elongated tubular main frame 14. As shown,
the pulley 72 and its associated clevis 80 are supported by a
pivot pin 92 which extends through and rotatably supports
pulley 72. The inner end of the pin 92 is removably seated in
' a cylindrical bearing 94 integral with tubular main frame 14
: and extends outwardly from this bearing through the circular
upper eye 96 of a keyhole slot 98. Pin 92 terminates in a
handle 100 and has a necked or slotted intermediate portion 102
which fits within the narrow track of the keyhole slot 98.
With this construction the operator can grasp handle 100 and
pull the end of pin 92 out of bearing 94. The handle 100 can
j.~ be subsequently turned to align the slotted portion 102 of the
. pin with the narrow track of the keyhole slot 98 so that the
!` clevis 80 and pulley 72 can be lowered as the main frame 14 is
being tilted from the vehicle operating position of Figure 1
. to the stowed position shown in Figure 2. When the lower eye
104 of the keyhole slot 98 is reached, the pin 92 can be pushed
inwardly into engagement with a lower bearing 106 integral with
main frame 14. In this position, the slotted portion 102 of
the pin 92 is misaligned with respect to the narrow track of
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the keyhole slot 98 so that the vehicle is latched in the
stowed position. In a similar manner described in connection
with the folding of the vehicle the pin 92 can be disengaged
with the lower bearing 106 and the pin and clevis moved up-
wardly as the main frame is turned from the stowed position
of Figure 2 to the operating position of Figure 1.
Pulley 70 can be prevented from turning to thereby
hold the vehicle in an upright position by the manual turning
of locking handle 108. ~y turning this handle, threaded
means 110 is drawn toward the handle so that the sides of
clevis 78 frictionally engage the sides of pulley 70 to lock
the trailing arms 30 and 32 together for vehicle parking or
for stowage purposes.
The operation of the vehicle 10 described above is
fully explained in the aforementioned patent application
Serial ~umber 251,310, however, for present purposes it will
suffice to mention that the vehicle is propelled by the
operator first grasping the handle bar assembly 20 and placing
one foot on one foot pad using his other foot to push off the
support surface to give the vehicle an initial velocity.
After pushing off, the operator places his feet on their
respective foot pads 52 and 54 so that operator input can be
imparted into the vehicle for forward propulsion. Initially
the operator distributes his weight to his right foot and
camber steers the vehicle in an arcuate path towards the left.
With the vehicle turning on the arcuate path, the right rear
wheel 44 has a turning radius which is greater than the turn-
ing radius of the inside or left rear wheel 46. While holding
the circular path of the vehicle substantially constant during ~ ~
30 this turning action and as he leans the vehicle into the turn ~!
the operator shifts his weight from his right to his left
foot and thus to the left wheel 46. Since the angular momentum
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has not changed, the shift of the operator's mass to a smaller
radius will naturally result in an increase in vehicle velo-
city. The operator subsequently cambers and steers the vehicle
in an opposite direction so that it d~scribes an arcuate path
about another center point. Since at the beginning of the
second half of the operating cycle the mass of the operator
is over the left rear wheel 46, velocity can be again in-
creased by the operator shifting his weight from his left to
his right foot. Thus the operator's mass is moved from a
larger radius to a smaller radius to again increase net velo-
city. By repeating this action a net forward travel of the
vehicle is achieved. The cambering of the vehicle during the
work cycle facilitates operation. With cambering, the track
of the vehicle is widened so that the amount of work per cycle
is increased. The self propulsion is most effective on flat
smooth surfaces where speeds approaching 20 m.p.h. may be
obtained.
While the manually propelled cambering vehicle 10
i~ has been illustrated and described with wheels providing the
three-point contact, it should be understood that ice runners
or skates may be readily substituted for the wheels. Such
modifications are shown in the aforementioned patent applica-
tion Serial No. 251,310.
Figures 5 and 6 show a modified version of the cam-
bering vehicle described above and is generally indicated by
the reference numeral 120. In this case, rather than the
vehicle being manually propelled, it is equipped with a suit-
able power plant such as a conventional internal combustion
engine 122, the output shaft of which is connected through an
endless chain 124 to a spur gear fixed with a front dirigible
wheel 126. The wheel 126, in turn, is rotatably supported by
a fork 128 which is secured to a flat support plate 130 which
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is fixed with a steering shaft 132 that is rotatably carried
by a tubular column 134 which forms a part of a steering frame.
The upper end of the steering shaft 132 is secured to a handle
bar assembly 136 by a threaded fastener means 138 so that upon
the normal rotation of the handle bar assembly 136, the wheel
126 can be steered in the usual manner. The tubular column
134 fixedly supports the upper ends of a pair of struts 140
and 142 which extend downwardly and respectively terminate in
horizontally extending collars 144 and 146 which are horizon-
tally aligned and rigidly support a transversely extending
pivot shaft 148.
The tubular column 134 together with the struts 140
and 142 provide the steering frame for the vehicle 120 that
pivotally supports a pair of laterally spaced trailing arms
150 and 152. In this regard, it will be noted that the trail-
ing arms 150 and 152 are mounted for swinging movement on the
pivot shaft 148 and are maintained in position by retainer nuts
154 which are threaded on the ends of the pivot shaft outboard
; of the ends of the trailing arms. The trailing arms 150 and
152 are of equal length and are respectively formed with sup-
port brackets 156 and 158 which rotatably support rear wheels
160 and 162. Foot pads 164 and 166 for supporting the right
foot and left foot of the operator are disposed above the
^ wheels 160` and 162 and are mounted for limited rocking motion
' about pivot bolts 168 and 170. Each of the foot pads 164 and ,
166 has the rear end thereof formed with an arcuate friction
brake member 172 which serves to frictionally engage the peri-
pheral surface of the associated rear wheel for vehicle braking
when the operator transfers his weight to his heels.
The trailing arms 150 and 152 are interconnected to
each other through a cambering device 174 which includes a
bell crank linkage comprising generally parallel side links
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176 and 178 and bell crank member 180. The side links 176 and
178 are pivotally conne~ted at their lower ends to the trail-
ing arms 150 and 152 by pivot bolt members 182 and 184 respec-
tively. The upper ends of the links 176 and 178 are pivotally
connected to the bell crank member 180 by pivot bolt members
186 and 188 each of which supports a spherical bearing member
(not shown) that allows limited universal pivotal movement of
the upper end of the associated link. The center of the bell
crank member 180 is supported for pivotal movement by a pivot
pin 190 which extends outwardly from and is rigid with a collar
or support member 192 mounted for sliding movement on the tubu-
lar column.
As seen in Figure 5 and 8, the bell crank member 180
consists of two identical plates 194 and 196, the outer ends of
which are interconnected through the pivot bolt members 186 and
188 which support the upper ends of the links 176 and 178.
Between the plates 194 and 196 is a lock member 198 having an
aperture formed therein defined by a pair of inclined side
walls 200 and 202 and upper and lower curved walls 204 and 206.
The pivot pin 190 is located within the aperture of the lock
member 198 so that upon raising the latter, the side walls 200
and 202 engage the periphery of the pivot pin 190 and lock the
bell crank member 180 thereto. This occurs when a lock lever
208 rotatably carried by the bell crank member 180 is located
in the upward position with its longitudinal axis aligned with
the longitudinal axis of the tubular column 34 as seen in
Figures 6 and 8. In this regard, it will be noted that the
lock lever 208 is rigidly connected to a horizontally extend-
ing cylindrical shaft 210 rotatably supported between the
plates 194 and 196. The shaft 210 has an eccentric 212 rigidly
formed thereon which is located in an opening 214 corresponding
in shape with the eccentric and positioned in the upper portion
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of the lock member 198. Due to the eccentric 212 on shaft
210, rotation of the connected lock lever 208 from the raised
full line position of Figures 5 and 6 to a diametrically
opposed lowered position causes the eccentric 212 to lower the
lock member 198 relative to the bell crank member 180 so that
the inclined side walls 200 and 202 are no longer in wedging
engagement with the outer surface of the pivot pin 190. As a
result, the bell crank member 180 will then be free to rotate
about the pivot pin 190.
As should be apparent from the above description,
the lock lever 208 will always be located in the lowered posi-
tion when the cambering vehicle 120 is being operated. The
lock lever 208 will only be placed in the raised position of
Figure 8 when the vehicle is parked or when the vehicle is to
be folded into its stowage configuration. Accordingly, as seen
in Figures 5 and 8, the bell crank member 180 is in the raised
lock position and through the links 176 and 178 maintains the
trailing arms 150 and 152 in fixed relative positions so that
the operator can leave the vehicle and the latter will remain -
: 20 upward without additional support. Thus, the vehicle can be
:. parked on a level surface as seen in Figure 5. It should also :
be apparent that the vehicle 120 can be parked on an inclined
surface in which case the centers of the pivot bolt members
186 and 188 will be located in a horizontal plane substantially
parallel to the inclined support surface while the column 134
would be vertically oriented. In other words, the laterally
extending arms of the bell crank member 180 will be tilted
i. relative to the longitudinal axis of the steering frame as seen
in the rear elevational view of the vehicle 120 as seen in
Figure 9. This does not, however, effect the operation of the
lock member 198 and the latter will serve to lock the bell
crank member 180 to the pivot pin 190 by rotating the lock
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lever 208 to a raised position with the longitudinal axis
thereof aligned with cent~rs of the shaft 210 and pivot pin
~ 190.
The collar 192 is shiftable upwardly along the
tubular column 134 and thereby causes the vehicle to be
collapsed into a compact rigid package that can be stowed in
a minimum of space. In this connection, it will be noted
that the front portion of the tubular column 134 is rigidly
formed with an elongated bar 216 having a notch 218 and stop
220 at its lower end and a notch 222 and stop 224 at its upper
end. In order to maintain the collar 192 in each of the afore-
mentioned positions, a latch mechanism is provided which con-
sists of a bent bolt 226, one end of which is pivotally sup-
ported by the collar 192 by a vertically oriented pivot pin
. 228 while the other end of the bolt 226 pivotally carries a
hand-operated lock lever 230. The lock lever 230 includes a
~: handle 231 and is supported for pivotal movement by a vertical
. pin 232 fixedly connected with the bolt 226 and includes a
projection 234 which is adapted to engage the outer surface
of a tab 236 integrally formed with the collar 192. As seen
: in Figure 7, the bolt 226 is located in the lower notch 218
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and maintains the collar 192 and, accordingly, the cambering
device 174 in the normal operating position of the vehicle.
When it is desired to fold the steering frame of the
vehicle into the phantom line position of Figure 5, the lock
.:
. lever 230 as seen in Figure 7 is pivoted in a counterclockwise
: direction about its pivot pin 232 causing the projection 234
to be moved out of engagement with the tab 236. This causes
the bolt 226 to swing in a counterclockwise direction about
` 30 its pivot pin 228 so as to move the bolt 226 out of the notch
218. With the bolt removed from the lower notch 218 the
collar 192 is free to slide upwardly along the column 134
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while the steering frame pivots clockwise about pivot shaft
148. The collar moves along the column until it engages stop
224, at which time the bolt 226 is positioned adjacent the
upper notch 222. At such time, the steering frame is in the
phantom line position and by moving the bolt 226 in a clockwise
direction about pivot pin 228 into notch 222 followed by simi-
lar rotation of the lock lever 230, the projection 234 is
forced into engagement with the tab 236 and the collar is
again placed in a locked condition relative to the steering
column 134. As the projection 234 is cammed into engagement
with the tab 236, the clockwise rotation of the handle 231
causes the projection 234 to move along the tab until the
handle 231 contacts the collar 192. At this point, the pro-
jection 234 is located to the left of a straight line connect-
ing the centers of pivot pins 228 and 232 so that an over-
center position is assumed by the lock lever 230 placing the
latch in a locked condition. It will be understood that the
bell crank member 180 is in the locked position of Figure 8
during the folding movement of the steering frame.
; 20 In operation of vehicle 120, the operator will first
position the lock lever 208 in the lowered unlocked position
and then will step on the foot pads 164 and 166 in any sequence
and grip the handle bar assembly 136. The operator will then
assume a normal stance or lean forwardly with a slight hand
pressure on the handle bar assembly 136 so that the foot pads
are tilted forwardly. Assuming that the vehicle engine 122
has been started and with the operator's body weight distrib-
uted on the front part of the foot pads 164 and 166, the
throttle (not shown) is opened by the operator to proceed in
a straight course. Lateral stability is provided by the
natural upright stance of the operator. Assuming that a
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tight right turn is to be negotiated, the operator can turn
the handle bar assembly 136 slightly to the right and readily
lean into the turn, thus shifting weight to tilt or roll the
vehicle about its roll axis. This rolling action causes the
front end of the trailing arm 152 as seen in Figure 6 to be
raised and the front end of trailing arrn 150 to be lowered.
Thus, trailing arm 152 will pivot in its plane counterclock-
wise about pivot shaft 148 and trailing arm 150 will concur-
rently pivot in its plane clockwise about the pivot shaft 148
throuyh the same angle. The cambering device 174 intercon-
necting the trailing arms 150 and 152 ensures that the pivotal
movement of the trailing arms is equal and opposite. When the
.:
vehicle is leaned into a turn, all three wheels 126, 160, and
162 remain in contact with the ground and camber an amount
equal to vehicle roll. After the cambering vehicle 120 has
been driven, it can be parked on a level or inclined surface
by rotating the lock lever 208 to the raised locked position,
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or if desired, the vehicle can be folded and locked as afore-
described for stowage purposes.
Various changes and modifications can be made in
this construction without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Such changes and modifications are contemplated
by the inventor and he does not wish to be limited except by
the scope of the appended claims.
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