Exercise vehicle

• US 4,639,007 A
• Filed: 09/19/1985
• Issued: 01/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: F. W. Leisure Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fred W. Wagenhals
• Inventors: Lawrence, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diederiks, Jr., Everett G.
• Application Number:
  US06/777,919
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 280/233, 280/234, 280/235, 280/230, 280/232, 280/224, 280/242 R, 280/244, 280/246, 185/40 H, 272/73
• US Class Current: 280/234
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/12 operated by both hand and foot power

Abstract

An exercise vehicle is provided where foot actuated pedals caused the vehicle to move forward by means of a one-way clutch and hand operated pulling motions may be utilized likewise by means of a one-way clutch to move the vehicle forward, the hand operated mechanism being part of an extensible steering column so that as the operator leans forward and moves back and extends or retracts his arms the steering column will lengthen or shorten as required. Irrespective of the position of the hand operated bar the front wheels may be rotated by rotating the hand operating bar.

Claims

1. An exercise vehicle comprising a framework, a rear axle attached to said framework, a pair of rear wheels operatively attached to the ends of said rear axle, one of said rear wheels being driven by said rear axle, a front axle supported by said framework, a pair of front wheels operatively and steerably mounted on the ends of said front axle, an operator'"'"'s seat mounted on said framework, an operator'"'"'s foot actuated member slidably mounted on said framework, a first one-way clutch mounted on said rear axle, a first cable connecting said foot actuating member and said first one-way clutch, whereby moving said foot actuating member moves said vehicle in a forward direction, an extensible steering column pivotally attached at its lower end to said framework adjacent said front axle, a rigid rockable link connecting said extensible steering column at its upper end to said framework rearwardly of said front axle, a hand operated arm attached to the upper end of said steering column, a second one way clutch mounted on said rear axle, and a second cable connecting said rockable link from adjacent said upper end of the steering column to said second one-way clutch whereby moving said hand operated arm moves said vehicle in a forward direction indpendently of said foot actuated member.

2. The exercise vehicle according to claim 1 wherein moving said foot actuated member comprises pushing and moving said hand operated arm comprises pulling.

3. The exercise vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said first and second one-way clutches include spring actuated return devices for rewinding said first and second cables on reversing said pushing and pulling.

4. The exercise vehicle according to claim 2 including a third one-way clutch reversely connected to said rear axle for preventing rearward motion of said vehicle.

5. The exercise vehicle according to claim 4 including a brake mounted on said rear axle, a brake operating mechanism mounted on said steering column and a third cable connecting said brake and said brake operating mechanism.

6. The exercise vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the steerable mounting of said front wheels includes an individually pivoted steering axle for each front wheel, and a steering arm connected from the lower end of said steering column to said pivoted steering axles.

7. The exercise vehicle according to claim 6 wherein said extensible steering column comprises a bar linked to said steering arm, a sleeve surrounding said bar slidable relative thereto and attached to the upper end of said rockable link and to said hand operating arm, said sleeve being adapted to rotate said bar.

8. The exercise vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said bar and said sleeve have a square section.