Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2065624
B ~ I N D F O ~ ~C S ~O B I ~ E5 B F M
1- The present invention deals with bi-energy vehicles,
mainly human propelled and mobilized by the folks riding
them, titled Folks Mobile and abbreviated as FM, and being
here developed by a legally blind man with part of the
rroceeds oriented for medical eye research, the full title
of the invention would then be, The Blind Folks Mobile,
abbreviated as BFM.
2- Comparison with the Prior Art revealed no substantial
prior art in that field that could replace the present
nvent1on.
Prior art FR-A-2513959 published 8 April 1983 deals
with a tricycle with a certain system of transmission
allowing one rear wheel to be disengaged and to become idle
during the turning point while the other rear wheel keeps
rotating.
This subject is outside the scope of the present BFM
application.
BE-A-419811 deals with a tricycle with one shaft in the
back having at the opposite ends two mobilized wheels and
an independent front wheel for the orientation of the
vehicle by means of a long arm operated by the rear riders.
The present BFM application deals with a minimum three
wheel vehicle, each wheel mobilized independently and with
a pivoting front wheel carrying a pedalling driver steering
the vehicle.
The prior art that is using three wheel vehicles, deals
with vehicles using two wheels in the back on the same shaft
sFM-2065624
2065624
with a pivoting front wheel having a long steering arm
operated by the rear riders. They describe a permanently
fixed shape, non foldable, with one assembly transmission
to the rear wheels and with no pedals nor riders on the
front wheels.
The present BFM application calls for vehicles:
a) with a minimum three wheels that could be extended to
four wheels, six wheels or more, b) with wheels mobilized
independently from each other, c) with front wheel or wheels
independently operated by the front rider riding it, d) with
a flexible, foldable, portable bi-energy vehicle, etc.
At the same time BFM calls for minimum four wheel
vehicles:
a) combining the action of the foot pedals and the hand
lS cranks at the same time, b) making use alternatively of
roads and railroads at choice, c) using mono ground tracks
comprising fixed or mobile cables, chains, toothed tracks,
etc.
It is believed that the species of the art disclosed
in the present BFM application are new species to the prior
art.
3- Field of the invention.
The present invention deals with bi-energy vehicles,
mainly powered by the individuals riding them, comprising:
(A) Lightweight, foldable, portable, convertible, minimum
three wheel, bi-energy, multi passenger vehicles.
(B) Four wheel, bi-energy bus vehicles mainly powered by
a large group of riders, adapted to roll on rail tracks as
well as on paved roads.
(C) Four wheel bus vehicles as in (B) using ground cable
tracks as traction means and guiding means at the same time.
4- Prior Art
The prior art uses:
a) For short distances, light weight, two wheel bicycles
that are generally used for recreation, they are unstable,
require special skill and they are a traffic hazard.
b) For short and long distances, four wheel, heavy
vehicles or cars that present a numher of disadvantages;
F
sFM-2065624 2 0 6 5 62 4
Their dead weight is usually ten times the live load
they carry, they are inefficient, unsafe, costly to
maintain, cons~lme a nonrenewable energy and are the main
pollutant of the atmosphere.
Such are the problems that the present invention tries to
solve to a certain extent.
5 - SUMMARY
The present invention deals with a variety of bi-energy
vehicles partly or fully powered and mobilized by the people
n riding them, using:
a) Lightweight, foldable, minimum three wheel vehicles
powered by one to five riders or more.
b) Four wheel bus vehicles partly or fully powered by a
group of 5, 10, 15 passengers or more riding them.
c) Four wheel vehicles as in (b) guided and pulled forward
by means of ground supported cables and a special mechanism
engaging them.
d) Wagon vehicles with plurality of wheels partly or fully
powered by their riders, designed to roll on roads and
railroads.
e) Vehicles with plurality of wheels in different
functions, resulting in a variety of lightweight, durable,
clean, economical, short distance vehicles for everybody.
6- Brief description of the drawings:
Fig. lA - shows a plan view of a minimum three wheel
vehicle.
Fig. lB - shows a longitudinal section 1-1 of the three
wheel vehicle shown on fig. lA.
Fig. lC - shows a transversal section 2-2 of the 3 wheel
vehicle shown on fig. lA.
Fig. lD - shows a plan view with additional wheel added to
the minimum 3 wheel vehicle shown on fig. lA.
Fig. lE - shows plan view with details of brakes and shock
absorbers.
Fig lE Sect. 1-1 - shows longitudinal section and details
of the hrakes and the shock absorbers.
Fig lE Sect.?-2 - shows rear view of the brakes.
Fig. 2A - shows a front view of a four wheel vehicle with
BFM-2065624
2065624
a plurality of propelling riders.
Fig. 2B - Plan view along section 2-2 of the four wheel
vehiclé shown on fig. 2A.
Fig. 2C - Plan view along line 3-3 of the four wheel vehicle
shown on fig. 2A.
Fig. 2D - Side view along the line 4-4 of the four wheel
vehicle shown on fig. 2A.
Fig. 2E - .shows the plan view, front view 5-5 and the side
view of the traction system using a ground supported
cable/track for the four wheel vehicle shown on fig. 2A.
7- Preferred Embodiments
The present invention called Blind Folks Mobile and
abbreviated as BFM, deals with a variety of bi-energy
vehicles, mainly human powered by the folks riding them, as
illustrated in the drawings and described hereinafter:
7-1-(See fig.lA, lB, lC, lD, lE, lE sect.l-l, lE sect.2-2.)
7-1-1-Figs.lA to lE show a light weight, minimum three wheel
vehicle powered normally with a dual source of energy,
partly or fully mobilized by the rider or riders riding it,
made convertible and foldable to a reduced size vehicle.
Said three wheel vehicle comprises mainly four parts; The
first part fnrming the main chassis. The second part
forming a right carrying wheel, pedals and riders' seats
assembly. The third part comprising a left carrying wheel,
pedals and riders' seats assembly. The fourth part
comprises a rotatable front carrying wheel, foot pedals and
riding driver's seat assembly etc.
The front wheel assembly is hinged generally around a
vertical shaft hinging on the joints of the front panel.
The said first part represents a chassis comprising a
right panel 301, a left panel 302, a front panel divided
into a right half 303 and a left half 304, a rear panel
divided into a right half 305 and a left half 306. The
forementioned panels and sections of panels are provided
with hinges in between each other; 307 represents a hinge
between the right panel 301 and the right half of the front
panel 303, 308 shows a front central hinge between the right
half 303 and the left half 304 of the front panel, 309 shows
sFM-2065624 2 0 6 S 6 2 4
a hinge between the left panel 302 and the left half of the
front panel 304, 310 shows a hinge between the right panel
301 and the right half of the rear panel 305, 311 shows as
well a rear central hinge in between the right half 305 and
the left half 306 of the rear panel, 312 shows a hinge
between the left panel 302 and the left half of the rear
panel 306.
The front panel and the rear panel result being of two
sections each; a narrower section folding inside its
opposite wider section.
Both sections of the front and rear panels are higher
at the center of the assembly to accommodate the front and
the rear wheels below them and are inclined downward to the
opposite sides of the vehicle to join the right panel and
the left panel, so reducing the leaver arm thrust mainly of
the front wheel, acting on the central joint while changing
the direction of the vehicle to the right or to the left.
Apart from the hinges, the frame has adjustable ties
to hold the hinged sections in a fixed position, namely: 313
represents a tie connecting the upper right half 305 and the
upper left half 306 of the rear panel, 314 shows a tie
connecting the upper right half 303 and the upper left half
304 of the front panel, 314A shows a tie connecting the
right panel 301 to the lower right half of the front panel
303, 314B shows a tie connecting the left panel 302 to the
lower left half of the front panel 304. Similar ties connect
the lower right and left halves of the rear panel to the
adjacent right and left panels, with additional diagonal
ties used where it is possible. The said right panel and the
said left panel are spaced from each other enough distance,
to prevent the vehicle from overturning when loaded on one
side without the other.
For vehicles expected to be frequently folded and
transported, the assembly is provided with means allowing
it to be extended or reduced as the necessity re~uires.
The resulting chassis is also provided: a) with means
preventing it from overturning, b) with extendable posts
341 supporting the vehicle's roof.
BFM-2065624 6 2 ~ 6 5 624
Said second part comprises: a) a right frame 323
supporting a right wheel, pedals, with seats assembly and
supported by the right panel 301, with means to approach
the center line of the front wheel to the center lines of
the side wheels or to put them farther apart, b) a right
pedalled ground engaging wheel 315 of the vehicle, c) a
chain and sprockets assembly with foot pedals 316, operated
by the right front rider, d) right hands' cranks 317
operated by the right front rider, e) solid ties 318
connecting the arms of the right hands' crank to the arms
of the right front foot pedals, f) at least one set of rear
right foot pedals 319 operated by the right rear rider,
generally with det.achable solid ties 320 connecting the
right rear foot pedals to the right front foot pedals, g)
a right front rider seat 321, h) at least one right rear
rider seat 322, with a T shape hand bar (not shown) for the
rear rider to hold on to.
Said third part comprises: (A) a left frame 324
supporting the left wheel, pedals, with seats assembly and
supported by the left panel 302, with means to approach the
center line of the front wheel to the center lines of the
side wheels, or to put them farther apart, (B) a left
pedalled ground engaging wheel 325 of the vehicle, (C) chain
and sprocket assembly with foot pedals 326, operated by the
left front rider and powering the left wheel, (D) left
hands' cranks 327 operated by the left front rider, (E) with
solid ties 328 connecting th~ arms o the left hands' cranks
to the arm.s of the left front foot pedals, (F) at least one
set of rear left foot pedals 329 operated by the left rear
rider, generally with detachable, solid ties 330 connecting
the left rear foot pedals to the left front foot pedals, (G)
a left front rider seat 331 (H) at least one left rear rider
seat 332, with a T shape hand bar (not shown) for the rear
rider to hold on to.
The fourth part comprises: (A) rotatable front wheel
frame 333, supporting a front pedalled ground engaging
wheel, riding driver's seat, pedal, chain and sprocket
assembly, and supported by the front panel assembly 303,
sFM-2065624 2 o 6 5 6 2 ~
304, 308. The rotatable front wheel frame is provided
generally with a vertical shaft 324 rotating through the
hinging joint 308.
(B) a guiding front pedalled ground engaging wheel 335, (C)
a chain and sprocket assembly with foot pedals 336, operated
by the riding driver, (D) a riding driver's seat 337,(E) a
removable upper hinge 338 fastened to front wheel frame 333,
used to allow the assembling and the dismantling of the
fourth part assembly, (F) a right hand fixed steering handle
339 with brakes and speed control, (G) a left hand fixed
steering handle 340 with brakes and speed control. Said
steering handles 339, 340 are joined together with a
reversed arch 340A made in sections to allow folding the
vehicle.
The so described three wheel vehicle is operated by
one to five riders; two riders occupying the two seats on
the right wheel, two riders occupying the two seats on the
left wheel in addition to the driver riding on the front
wheel, the front right rideK and the front left rider
operate each; foot pedals and hand cranks at the same time.
The front driving rider commands the control devices of the
vehicle, namely: the speed, the brakes, the forward backward
system, the motors control, the lights etc., of the whole
vehicle and orient the vehicle by pulling on the right
steering handle 339 or the left steering handle 340, which
fact pulls the driver and rotates with him the whole front
wheel assembly so orienting the vehicle in one direction or
the other. The center of gravity of the said three wheels
vehicle with its loads is always maintained in between the
central lines of the three carrying pedalled ground engaging
wheels.
The orientation of the vehicle could also be made as
follows:
(A) By providing the vertical shaft forming part of the
joint 334 on the fourth part, with a gear system in
combination with a set of gears (not shown) combined with
a steering wheel operated by the riding driver.
(B) By me~n.s of strings and pulleys; by installing a first
F
BFM-2065624 2 ~ 6 s 6 2 1
flexible tie connected to the right panel 301 at one end,
rolled at the left side of a first pulley located behind~h~
driver's seat and extended forward and rolled around one end
of a drum fastened to an upright shaft carrying at its upper
end a steering wheel located in front of the driver's seat,
and by installing a second flexible tie connected at one end
to the left panel 302 and rolled around the right side of
a second pulley equally located behind the driver's seat
extended forward and rolled around the opposite end of the
said drum fastened to the said upright shaft so that by
rotating the said steering wheel one of the said flexible
strings rolls around the said drum and pulls with it the
whole fourth part together with the driver and the front
carrying wheel so changing the direction of the vehicle,
while the opposite string would be unrolling from the said
drum.
c) At the same time by installing a steering bar connected
to the free carrying wheel mounted below the driver's seat,
as described further on (p.ll), and by turning the steering
bar towards the left, it turns wi.th it the said free
carrying wheel to the left which fact pushes the whole
fourth part to the left including the driver and the front
pedalled wheel resulting in orienting the vehicle to the
right, opposite the direction of the said free carrying
wheel.
The second part could be duplicated using a parallel
right skeleton comprising: a chassis, a ground engaging
wheel with pedals, chains and sprockets assembly, with a
rider seat located behind the center of the ground engaging
wheel, as described for the said fourth part, the center
line of the ground engaging wheel of the said right skeleton
could be positi.oned; a) parallel to the center line of the
ground engaging wheel of the said second part, b) along the
center line of the ground engaging wheel of the said second
part, said right skeleton is fixed to the said right panel,
parallel to and behind said second part, said second part
is adjusted to accommodate said right skeleton.
At the same time, the third part could be duplicated
F
BFM-2065624 2 o 6 s 6 2 ~
using a parallel left skeleton comprising: a chassis, a
ground engaging wheel with pedals, chains and sprockets
assembly, with a rider seat located behind the center line
of the ground engaging wheel as described for the said
fourth part, the center line of the ground engaging wheel
on the said left skeleton could be positioned; a) parallel
to the center line of the ground engaging wheel of the said
third part, b) along the center line of the ground engaging
wheel of the said third part, said left skeleton is fixed
to the said left panel parallel to and behind said third
part, said third part is adjusted to accommodate said left
skeleton.
The fourth part could be made to accommodate two
parallel pedalled ground engaging wheels, side by side.
At least one wheel of the vehicle is provided with a
separate standby motor, mobilizing said wheel with speed
variation and forward backward system, to be used when
necessary.
On an uphill drive, the front wheel assembly and the
two opposite rear wheel assemblies of the vehicle could be
slid along their supports to get closer to each other to
give the vehicle a better strength in its uphill drive, and
on a downhill drive, the front wheel and the opposite rear
wheels of the vehicle could be slid on their supports far
apart from each other to give the vehicle a better stability
on its downhill drive.
~ n additional wheel and pedals assembly similar to the
right and left wheel assemblies, is added in the back at the
center of the vehicle, rotatably connected to the rear
central hinges 311 with equal tying spacers to the right
panel and to the left panel, to accommodate two additional
riders, raising the total number of riders to seven riders,
(see fig.lD).
Usually the ground engaging wheel on the said fifth
part is equally or more powered than the similar wheels on
the said second part and the said third part, where the said
fifth part could be left free to pivot around its hinges.
When the front ground engaging wheel on the said fourth
F
BFM-2065624 2 0 65 62 ~
part is turning to the right for example, the rear ground
engaging wheel on the said fifth part would be pushing the
back of the vehicle towards the left, so giving the vehicle
a du~l ste~ring mechanism.
Similarly, connecting the rear of the fourth part to
the front of the fifth part with an adequate free
connection, would e~ually give the vehicle a double steering
effect.
When the rear ground engaging wheel on the said fifth
part is under powered, the said fifth part would be equally
spaced from, and connected to the said right panel and to
the said left panel, keeping a parallel alignment with the
said second part and the said third part.
When not in use, the so described minimum three wheel
vehicle could be folded by releasing the ties and pulling
the front and the rear panels inwardly towards the center
of the vehicle bringing the right and left panels flat
closer to each other spaced only by the thickness of the
folded front and rear panels, reducing the overall size of
the vehicle to less than five feet in length, about one foot
in width, and about three feet in height, made usually of
light weight metal weighing altogether about 30 to 50 kilos.
The inner pedals are made foldable so that they do not
interfere with the folding of the said vehicle.
The folded vehicle could be pulled to the elevator,
taken up to the office, partly open and used as a side
table.
Going on a picnic, the vehicle could be kept open,
fitted with a canvas cover and used as a bed.
In rainy seasons, the four border posts 341 would be
raised, joined with a rope all around and covered with a
foldable light weight cover forming a roof over the said
vehicle.
To put in service, the vehicle is unfolded by pulling
the side panels apart, the front panels forward, the rear
panels backward, resulting in a boat shape v~hicle, before
setting the ties 313, 314, etc. One or two crossbars could
be added to join the second, third and fifth part so giving
BFM-2065624
206s6z~
the vehicle additional .solidity.
The side panels are pulled far apart, enough to have
a stable vehicle that would not lean when loaded on one side
without the other.
The two sections of the front panel and the similar
sections of the rear panel are inclined downward towards
the right panel and the left panel so transferring the
thrust from the fourth part and the fifth part to the lower
sections of the right panel and the left panel, and reducing
the lever arm effect of the fourth part and the fifth part
acting simultaneously on the right and left panels, and
consequently giving the vehicle a better stability against
overturnlng .
Two small additional wheels, commonly known as training
wheels, are installed, usually in front and outside of the
right panel and the left panel, (not shown) and kept
slightly above ground so that, if the front of the vehicle
leans towards the right or the left, one of the said
training wheels would touch the ground and prevent the
vehicle from overturning to the right or to the left.
Similarly, installing a supporting free wheel under the
driver's seat, would absorb the unbalancing effect of the
driver's weight when turning to the extreme right or to the
extreme left an~ prevents the vehicle from swaying one way
or the other.
When required, the side panels are provided with
telescopic extensions at the front and the rear of the
vehicle, lined with a canvas all around in the shape of a
pick-up truck to be used for luggage and the like.
The hand cranks, the front foot pedals and the
rear foot pedals on each of the 2nd and 3rd part, are
interconnected, transmitting their actions together to the
ground engagingwheels. Theinterconnection ofthesepedals
and cranks is made by:
(A) Tying the extreme ends of the arms of the hand cranks
to the extreme ends of the arms of the front foot pedals
usually with detachable ties provided with a short spring
as means of connection tolerance.
F
.
12
BFM-2065624
206~624
(B) By connecting the rear foot pedals to the front foot
pedals with detachable solid ties in the same way as
described for the hand cranks.
(C) By usi.ng separate gear system for the rear foot pedals
combined with the front foot pedals using conventional known
methods.
The present vehicle is provided with a braking system,
joining the individual brakes on the wheels to a common
mechanism located in front of the driver, comprising:
A- Parallel spaced bars 342, 343 located above the
individual brakes of the wheels, the lower bar 342 being
fixed while the upper bar 343 is left mobile sliding along
the pins 344 with the direct hrake cables 345 connecte~ to
said upper bar 343.
B- A solid TEE 346 with a slanted oval head 347 is placed
in between the said parallel bars 342, 343 and made
rotatable arollnd a shaft 348, joini.ng the said parallel
bars.
The ~rms of the TEE 346 are connected through cables
349, 350 to spring loaded winding pulley 351, located in the
front of the driver and connected to a large diameter
braking wheel 352, operated by the driver.
By rotati.ng said braking wheel 352, the cables 349, 350
get wound around the said winding pulley 351, pulling with
them the arms of the TEES 346 located at opposite sides of
the vehicle, rotating with them the slanted oval TEE head
347, which fast causes the upp~r hars 343 to lift up further
away from the lower bars 342 and stretch the direct brake
cables 345 connected to sai~ upper hars causing the brake
pads to press against the wheels and reduce or stop their
rotation.
sy releasing the braking wheel 352, the springs 353
pull back the arms of the TEES 346 to release the brakes.
The brake cables of the front wheels are rolled aroun~
idle pulleys and wound around an extension of the shaft
joining the.spring loaded winding pulley 351 and the braking
wheel 352.
A cable 354 is rolled at one end around the braking
F
sFM-206s624
2065624
wheel 352 and connected at the other end to a sleeve 355
sliding along the steering arch 340A so that the driver can
activate the brakes by pulling on the s~eeve 355 which fact
rotates the braking wheel 352 and the pulley 351 to activate
the braking pads and reduce or stop the rotation of the
wheels.
The vehicle is provided as well with shock absnrbers
356 installed below the riders' seats with a separate shock
absorber 357 installed below the motor support.
7-2 (See figs.2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E)
7-2-1 Figs. 2A to 2E show the details of a bi-energy
four wheel vehicle partly or fully powered by the folks
riding it, adapted to roll on rail tracks as well as on
paved roads, comprising a chassis supported on a minimum of
4 wheels and supporting a platform 401, said platform in
turn supports a plurality of longitudinal supports 402 by
means of typical saddles 423. Each of the said continuous
supports 402 supports in turn:
A) A series of foot pedal systems like the assembly 40~,
~0 406, 407.
B) A series of hand crank systems like the assembly 408,
409, 410, mounted on the posts 415.
C) A rider seat 413 supported by the posts 414.
The hand crank right arm 409 is connected to the
corresponding foot pedal right arm 406 with a solid tie.
The hand crank left arm 410 is connected to the
corresponding foot pedal left arm 407 with a solid tie.
The series of the foot pedals are connected to each
other by mean.s of solid rods 403, 404, which solid ro~s
transmit the action of each group of foot pedals, together
with the action of the hand cranks, to front and rear gears
416, 416~.
The typical front gear 416 transmits its rotation with
speed variation through a chain 417 or other conventional
means to a gear 418 fastened on a front shaft 419 and in
turn to the front wheels 420 and cause~ them to roll forward
or backward as the case may be. A similar transmission
system activates the rear wheels of the vehicle.
'
BFM-2065624 14 ~ o 6 5 6~ 4
The inner rims of the wheels 420 are provided with
steel rings with slightly smaller diameter than the rubber
wheels, protrudi.ng inwardly to enable the vehicle to roll
on rail tracks while the outer rubber wheels would enable
the vehicle to roll on normal paved roads.
The central gear 416A is provided with two chains 417A,
417B connected to gears 418A, 418B.
Said gears 418A, 418B are combined with grooved pulleys
pressing around cable 422.
Said cable 422 is lifted on ground supports and is used
in combination with the grooved pulleys or the like as
traction means for the vehicle while guiding the said
vehicle at the same time.
Said traction means could be a flexible, inextensible
cable, a chain or the like, mounted at a short distance
above OK helow the ground level, adaptable to engage a
rotating gear, or pairs of opposite rough pulleys or the
like.
Said cable/chain traction means are used:
a) as mobile cable, pulling with it the vehicle in question
by means of opposite pulleys or the like pressing and
holding to that cable.
b) as a fixed cable tra~k where the opposite pulleys
pressing on the said cable are themselves mobilized by the
genera] mechanism mobilizing the vehicle, and forcing them
to roll and progress along sai.d track, pulling with them the
vehicle in question.
The chains 417A, 417B together with the gears 418~,
418B and the traction means 422 represent a parallel
alternative assembly disengageable from the said tracks,
generally with an electric power line along the track,
overhead or underground, depending on the nature and climate
of the region, operating an electric motor mounted on the
said vehicle to mobilize said vehicle, in conjunction with
a standby li.ghtweight battery, gasoline motor or the like
to mobilize said vehicle independantly from the
aforementioned tracks, on roads unequipped with the said
rail tracks.
sFM-2065624 2 0 6 5 6 2 4
The orientation of the vehicle is carried on by
conventlonal methods used for four wheel drive vehicles or
the like.
The resulting four wheel vehicle is provided with a
separate standby motor connected through speed variation
and forward backward system, to the front and the rear
shafts (not shown) to be used when necessary.
The said four wheel vehicle is provided as well with
a cabin and conventional, additional accessories used for
normal passenger vehicles.
.
