Racing bicycle having a continuously variable traction drive
First Claim
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1. A streamlined bicycle especially adapted for racing purposes, comprising:
- a steerable front wheel assembly including a front wheel;
a rear wheel assembly including a rear wheel and axle;
an elongated frame having a front end to which is connected the front wheel assembly and having a rear end to which is connected the rear wheel assembly;
the frame including means for supporting a rider in a head-forward, recumbent position over the frame;
a rotary pedal assembly located at the rear portion of the frame so that the pedals are engaged by the feet of the rider when in said recumbent position;
power transmission means for transmitting power from the pedal assembly to the rear wheel assembly to propel the bicycle;
said power transmission means being located within and constituting a portion of said rear wheel assembly;
said rear wheel assembly including a hub and said power transmission means being sealingly encapsulated within said hub;
said pedal assembly including an input shaft concentric with said hub and constituting the axis of rotation for said hub and means for driving said power transmission means, pedal crank member being located at opposite ends of said input shaft whereby the power transmission means is directly driven by the rider rotating the pedal assembly; and
said power transmission means including a continuously variable compound traction drive transmission whereby over a set speed ratio range the output speed at the rear wheel may be infinitely varied while the rider maintains a constant speed at the pedal assembly.
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Abstract
A low-drag bicycle comprising an elongated, two piece, generally tubular frame of elliptical cross-section extending between the front and rear wheels wherein the cyclist assumes a recumbent position over the frame facing down and powers the cycle by means of a pedal arrangement directly connected to and concentrically arranged with the rear wheel axle, which axle constitutes the input shaft of a continuously variable compound traction drive transmission for driving the rear wheel hub.
342 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A streamlined bicycle especially adapted for racing purposes, comprising:
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a steerable front wheel assembly including a front wheel; a rear wheel assembly including a rear wheel and axle; an elongated frame having a front end to which is connected the front wheel assembly and having a rear end to which is connected the rear wheel assembly; the frame including means for supporting a rider in a head-forward, recumbent position over the frame; a rotary pedal assembly located at the rear portion of the frame so that the pedals are engaged by the feet of the rider when in said recumbent position; power transmission means for transmitting power from the pedal assembly to the rear wheel assembly to propel the bicycle; said power transmission means being located within and constituting a portion of said rear wheel assembly; said rear wheel assembly including a hub and said power transmission means being sealingly encapsulated within said hub; said pedal assembly including an input shaft concentric with said hub and constituting the axis of rotation for said hub and means for driving said power transmission means, pedal crank member being located at opposite ends of said input shaft whereby the power transmission means is directly driven by the rider rotating the pedal assembly; and said power transmission means including a continuously variable compound traction drive transmission whereby over a set speed ratio range the output speed at the rear wheel may be infinitely varied while the rider maintains a constant speed at the pedal assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A streamlined, two-wheeled bicycle, comprising:
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a steerable front wheel assembly including a front wheel; a rear wheel assembly including a rear wheel and axle; an elongated frame having a front end to which is connected the front wheel assembly and having a rear end to which is connected the rear wheel assembly; said frame consisting of a front frame member having said front end and a rear frame member having said rear end, each said frame member being in the general shape of an elongated tube, one such frame member having an end portion telescopically received relative to the other frame member and frame locking means for fixedly adjusting the frame members together thereby allowing one to adjust at will the overall length of the bicycle; support means mounted on said frame for supporting a rider in a head-forward, recumbent position over the frame, said support means comprising a body support fixed to and extending upwardly of said frame, said body support including a body support frame and a hinge means at the lower end thereof for hingedly securing the body support to the bicycle frame, said body support lying transversely of the bicycle frame and further including a rest extending transversely of and resting upon the bicycle frame thereby holding the upper end of the body support off the bicycle frame when the cyclist is supported thereon in a recumbent position; a pedal assembly located at the rear portion of the frame so that the pedals are engaged by the feet of the rider when in said recumbent position; means for transmitting power from said pedal assembly to said rear wheel assembly to propel the bicycle; said power transmitting means being solely within and constituting a portion of said rear wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A streamlined bicycle especially adapted for racing purposes, comprising:
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a steerable front wheel assembly including a front wheel; a rear wheel assembly including a rear wheel and axle; an elongated frame having a front end to which is connected the front wheel assembly and having a rear end to which is connected the rear wheel assembly; the frame including means for supporting a rider in a head-forward, recumbent position over the frame; a rotary pedal assembly located at the rear portion of the frame so that the pedals are engaged by the feet of the rider when in said recumbent position; power transmission means for transmitting power from the pedal assembly to rear wheel assembly to propel the bicycle; said power transmission means being located within and constituting a portion of said rear wheel assembly; said rear wheel assembly including a hub and said power transmission means being sealingly encapsulated within said hub; said power transmission means including a continuously variable compound traction drive transmission whereby over a set speed ratio range the output speed at the rear wheel may be infinitely varied while the cyclist maintains a constant speed at the pedal assembly; said power transmission including in combination an input shaft, an output shaft, a primary traction drive system and a secondary drive system, and a cage encapsulating said combination; said input shaft being concentric with said rear wheel assembly and extending throughout the axial extent of said rear wheel assembly and adapted to receive a rotary input force at either end thereof from said pedal assembly; said primary traction drive system including an input toroid having a drive torodial race, an output toroid having a driven torodial race, and traction roller means between and engaging said races for transmitting power to the output toroid, and speed adjustment means for adjusting the position of said traction roller means relative to said races and thereby vary the speed ratio between said races; said output toroid being fixed to said secondary drive system, and said secondary drive system having a fixed drive ratio; and said speed adjustment means further including a drum concentrically mounted on said cage, actuating means connected to said drum for rotating said drum relative to said cage, said drum including a slot extending diagonally to the axis of rotation of said drum, said cage including a slot extending axially to the axis of rotation of said cage. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A continuously variable compound light duty traction drive transmission adapted for use in a bicycle or similar light duty, low torque applications comprising:
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in combination an input shaft, an output shaft, a primary traction drive system and a secondary drive system, and a cage encapsulating said combination; and said input shaft being concentric with said output shaft and said cage adapted to receive a rotary input force at either end thereof; said primary traction drive system including an input toroid having a drive torodial race, an output toroid having a driven torodial race, and traction roller means between and engaging said races for transmitting power to the output toroid, and speed adjustment means for adjusting the position of said traction roller means relative to said races and thereby vary the speed ratio between said races; said speed adjustment means further including a drum concentrically mounted on said cage, actuating means connected to said drum for rotating said drum relative to said cage, said drum including a slot extending diagonally to the axis of rotation of said drum, said cage including a slot extending axially to the axis of rotation of said cage, and means riding within said slots and connected to said traction roller means whereby upon rotation of said drum the angular position of the traction roller means relative to the input and output toroid will be changed. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A continuously variable compound light duty traction drive transmission adapted for use in a bicycle or similar light duty, low torque applications comprising:
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in combination an input shaft, an output shaft, a primary traction drive system and a secondary drive system, and a cage encapsulating said combination; and said input shaft being concentric with said output shaft and said cage adapted to receive a rotary input force at either end thereof; said primary traction drive system including an input toroid having a drive torodial race, an output toroid having a driven torodial race, and traction roller means between and engaging said races for transmitting power to the output toroid, and speed adjustment means for adjusting the position of said traction roller means relative to said races and thereby vary the speed ratio between said races; said secondary traction drive system comprising a planetary gear unit including a ring gear having a drive race, a sun gear having a driven race, and a planetary set of gears therebetween for transferring drive therethrough at a fixed drive ratio, said output toroid of said primary traction drive system being fixed to said ring gear, and said sun gear being said output shaft, and said output shaft being fixed to said hub for driving said rear wheel assembly or the like. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification