Cambering vehicle with trailing arm seat for vehicle operator

• US 4,087,107 A
• Filed: 08/16/1976
• Issued: 05/02/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Winchell, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siemens, Terrance L.
• Application Number:
  US05/714,902
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 280/87 R, 280/87 B, 280/112 R, 280/112 A, 280/278, 280/287, 280/6 R, 280/6 H, 280/6.1, 280/6.11, 280/200, 280/210, 280/218, 280/220, 280/221, 280/224, 280/21 R , 280/21 A, 280/12.1, 280/12 H, 280/282, 280/87.04 R, 280/87.04 A, 280/283, 280/16, 180/25 R, 180/25 A, 180/26 R, 180/41
• US Class Current: 280/220
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 25/04 Floor-type foot rests
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/24 with reciprocating levers, e.g. foot levers levers with can be immobilised as foot rests B62M5/00

Abstract

This cambering vehicle incorporates a frame having a steerable front contact engaging a support surface and having three laterally spaced trailing arms pivoted at their forward ends to the frame and with separate rear contacts engaging the support surface. The intermediate trailing arm supports a seat on which the operator may sit while operating the vehicle. Foot rests are secured to the outboard trailing arms allowing the operator to stand on the vehicle and camber steer the vehicle into turns with manual forces applied to the rear surface contact through a shift in weight of the operator through the foot rests. An optional trailer is provided for the vehicle to increase load capacity.

Claims

1. A cambering vehicle comprising an upright main frame, rotatable and steerable front wheel means, support means pivotally mounting said front wheel means to said main frame, manual steering means operatively connected to said support means to permit said support means and said front wheel means to be manually turned by a vehicle operator to steer said vehicle along a selected course, left and right side trailing arms extending from said main frame, pivot means pivotally connecting the forward end of said left trailing arm on the left side of said main frame and the forward end of said right trailing arm on the right side of said main frame so that said arms swing upwardly and downwardly in separate left and right planes, left and right ground contact wheels supported at the free ends of said left and right trailing arms, left and right foot rest means supported by said left and right arms adjacent the free ends thereof to receive the feet of a vehicle operator so that the vehicle operator can stand upright on the vehicle and shift body weight from one foot to the other while manually gripping said steering means and steering said vehicle along a selected path, a third trailing arm interposed between the left and right trailing arms, attaching means connecting a forward end portion of said third trailing arm to said main frame, ground contact wheel means rotatably supported on the free end of said third trailing arm, a support independent of said frame extending from the free end of said third trailing arm, seat means secured to said support to carry the vehicle operator in a sitting position while the operator rides and operates said vehicle in an upright or cambering mode of operation.

2. A cambering vehicle comprising a main frame, a rotatable and steerable front wheel, support means pivotally mounting said front wheel to said main frame, manual steering means operatively connected to said support means to permit said support means and said front wheel to be manually turned by a vehicle operator to steer said vehicle, left and right side trailing arms extending from said main frame, pivot means pivotally connecting the forward end of said left trailing arm on the left side of said main frame and the forward end of said right trailing arm on the right side of said main frame so that said arms swing in separate left and right planes, left and right ground contact wheels supported at the free ends of said left and right trailing arms, left and right foot rest means supported by said left and right arms respectively adjacent the left and right ground contact wheels to receive the feet of a vehicle operator so that the vehicle operator can stand upright on the vehicle means and manually grip said steering means, a third trailing arm interposed between the left and right trailing arms, pivot means pivotally connecting the forward end of said third trailing arm for movement in a plane between said planes for said left and right trailing arms, a ground contact wheel rotatably supported on the free end portion of said third trailing arms adjacent to the rear wheels carried thereby, operator supporting seat means independent of said main frame operatively connected to said last mentioned contact wheel to permit said operator to operate said vehicle when seated on said seat means.

3. A cambering vehicle comprising an upright main frame, a rotatable and steerable front wheel, support means pivotally mounting said front wheel to said main frame, manual steering means operatively connected to said support means to permit said support means and said front wheel to be manually turned by a vehicle operator to steer said vehicle, left and right side trailing arms extending from said main frame, pivot means pivotally connecting the forward end of said left trailing arm on the left side of said main frame and the forward end of said right trailing arm on the right side of said main frame so that said arms swing upwardly and downwardly in separate left and right planes, left and right ground contact wheels supported at the free ends of said left and right trailing arms, left and right foot rest means supported by said left and right arms adjacent the free ends thereof to receive the feet of a vehicle operator so that the vehicle operator can stand on the foot rest means and manually grip said steering means for guiding said vehicle when riding said vehicle in upright or cambering modes of operation, a third trailing arm interposed between the left and right trailing arms, pivot means pivotally connecting a forward end portion of said third trailing arm to said main frame for upward and downward swinging movement independent of said left and right trailing arms, a ground contact wheel rotatably supported on the free end of said third trailing arm, a support independent of said frame extending upwardly from the free end of said third trailing arm, seat means directly above said last mentioned wheel secured to said support to support the vehicle operator in a sitting position while riding and operating said vehicle in an upright or cambering modes of operation.

4. A cambering vehicle comprising an upright main frame, a rotatable and steerable front wheel, support means pivotally mounting said front wheel to said main frame, manual steering means operatively connected to said support means to permit said support means and said front wheel to be manually turned by a vehicle operator to steer said vehicle, left and right side trailing arms extending from said main frame, pivot means pivotally connecting the forward end of said left trailing arm on the left side of said main frame and the forward end of said right trailing arm on the right side of said main frame so that said arms swing upwardly and downwardly in separate left and right planes, left and right ground contact wheels supported at the free ends of said left and right trailing arms, left and right foot rest means supported by said left and right arms adjacent the free ends thereof to receive the feet of a vehicle operator so that the vehicle operator can stand on the vehicle means and manually grip said steering means for guiding said vehicle when riding said vehicle in upright or cambering modes of operation, a third trailing arm interposed between the left and right trailing arms, pivot means pivotally connecting a forward end portion of said third trailing arm to said main frame for upward and downward swinging movement independent of said left and right trailing arms, a ground contact wheel rotatably on the free end of said third trailing arm laterally aligned with said left and right wheels and tracking said front wheel, a support independent of said frame extending upwardly from the free end of said third trailing arm, seat means secured to said support to support the vehicle operator in a sitting position while the operator rides and operates said vehicle in an upright or cambering manner.