Propulsion and speed change mechanism for lever propelled bicycles
First Claim
1. A propulsion mechanism for a lever propelled bicycle having a frame with a main shaft portion and a rear shaft portion disposed rearwardly of said main shaft portion on said frame, said mechanism comprising a pair of propulsion levers for receiving pedals, a pair of arms, a journal, said journal, said levers and said arms being a one piece assembly with one of said pair of levers and one of said pair of arms spaced from the other of said pair of levers and the other of said pair of arms, said one piece assemble being pivotally mounted on said main shaft portion, a rear axle attached to said rear shaft portion, a rear wheel hub journaled on said rear axle, a pair of chain gears spaced from each other and journaled on said rear axle, a pair of one-way clutches connecting said chain gears to said rear wheel hub, a chain entrained on said chain gears, and means connecting said chain to said arms to execute see-saw motion as said levers and arms are oscillated upwardly and downwardly by force supplied to said pedals said pair of one-way clutches allowing free counterclockwise rotation of said rear wheel hub, and each one-way clutch comprising a drum having a latch and pawl in the shape of the Greek Letter lambda, a notch in said rear wheel hub for releasably receiving said latch and a free wheel means having a drum engaging element therein disposed inside said drum, said free wheel means being rotatably mounted on said rear axle and being releasably engagable with said rear wheel hub.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Propulsion and speed change mechanism for lever propelled bicycles having a pair of propulsion levers 4, each of which is built in one piece with a speed change arm 3 and mounted in each side of the main shaft portion 2 at the bottom of the bicycle frame 1. A rear axle 5 and a hub 6 is mounted on the rear shaft portion 2'"'"'. A one-way clutch mechanism has roller-type free wheels 11a installed at both ends of the rear axle. Chains 7", the ends of which may be connected together with a see-saw cable 7'"'"', are entrained around gears 7 and guide rollers 13. The free ends of the chains are connected by connecting bars 14 having pins to the speed change arm 3. Pivotally mounted members 15 of triangular shape and a cam bar 17 operated by a speed control knob 18 are used to change the effective length of the arm for speed control.
378 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A propulsion mechanism for a lever propelled bicycle having a frame with a main shaft portion and a rear shaft portion disposed rearwardly of said main shaft portion on said frame, said mechanism comprising a pair of propulsion levers for receiving pedals, a pair of arms, a journal, said journal, said levers and said arms being a one piece assembly with one of said pair of levers and one of said pair of arms spaced from the other of said pair of levers and the other of said pair of arms, said one piece assemble being pivotally mounted on said main shaft portion, a rear axle attached to said rear shaft portion, a rear wheel hub journaled on said rear axle, a pair of chain gears spaced from each other and journaled on said rear axle, a pair of one-way clutches connecting said chain gears to said rear wheel hub, a chain entrained on said chain gears, and means connecting said chain to said arms to execute see-saw motion as said levers and arms are oscillated upwardly and downwardly by force supplied to said pedals said pair of one-way clutches allowing free counterclockwise rotation of said rear wheel hub, and each one-way clutch comprising a drum having a latch and pawl in the shape of the Greek Letter lambda, a notch in said rear wheel hub for releasably receiving said latch and a free wheel means having a drum engaging element therein disposed inside said drum, said free wheel means being rotatably mounted on said rear axle and being releasably engagable with said rear wheel hub.
- 3. A propulsion mechanism for a lever propelled bicycle having a frame with a main shaft portion and a rear shaft portion disposed rearwardly of said main shaft portion on said frame, said mechanism comprising a pair of propulsion levers for receiving pedals, a pair of arms, a journal, said journal, said levers and said arms being a one piece assembly with one of said pair of levers and one of said pair of arms spaced from the other of said pair of levers and the other of said pair of arms, said one piece assemble being pivotally mounted on said main shaft portion, a rear axle attached to said rear shaft portion, a rear wheel hub journaled on said rear axle, a pair of chain gears spaced from each other and journaled on said rear axle, a pair of one-way clutches connecting said chain gears to said rear wheel hub, a chain entrained on said chain gears, and means connecting said chain to said arms to execute see-saw motion as said levers and arms are oscillated upwardly and downwardly by force supplied to said pedals wherein said arms are speed change arms each having a longitudinal edge, said means connecting said chain to said arms including links having pins each moveably disposed on the longitudinal edges of said arms, each said arm having a plurality of members pivotly mounted thereon and disposed in spaced relationship longitudinally along said arm, each of said members being pivotally moveable below and above said longitudinal edge of said arm for releasable engagement of said pin therewith, each said arm having a bar moveable longitudinally of said arm, said bar having a plurality of means successively engageable with a different one of said members along the edge thereof opposite to said one edge to define separate cams, said successively engageable means being spaced longitudinally along said bar for successively bringing said members into engagement with said pins for changing the effective length of said arms.
- 12. A speed change mechanism for a lever propelled bicycle having a pedal lever and a speed change arm mounted about a pivot for oscilating movement, a chain in driving relationship with a wheel of said bycicle, said arm having an edge extending from said pivot longitudinally thereof, said speed change mechanism including link means having a pin moveably disposed on said longitudinal edge of said arm, said arm having a plurality of members pivotly mounted thereon and disposed in spaced relationship longitudinally along said arm, said members being engagable with said pins and being pivotally moveable below and above said edge of said arm for releaseable engagement of said pins therewith, said arm having a bar moveable longitudinally of said arm, said bar having a plurality of means successively engageable with different ones of said members, said successively engagable means being spaced longitudinally along said bar for successively moving different ones of said members below and above said edge of said arm to bring said members into engagement with said pin for changing the effective length of said arm.
- 21. In a system having an axle and a hub journaled on said axle, a one-way clutch allowing free counterclockwise rotation of said hub comprising a drum having a latch and pawl in the shape of the Greek Letter lambda, a notch in said hub for releasably receiving said latch and a free wheel means having a drum engaging element therein disposed inside said drum, said free wheel means being rotatably mounted on said axle and being releasably engagable with said hub.
Specification