초록 ▼

A Girocycle VI wheel assembly mounted on a two-wheeled vehicle including a fixed axle, comprises an inner wheel having twin gear hubs rotatably mounted on the axle, a flywheel-gyro adjacent to or between the radially supporting spokes or sides of the inner wheel rotatably supported through a gear as

A Girocycle VI wheel assembly mounted on a two-wheeled vehicle including a fixed axle, comprises an inner wheel having twin gear hubs rotatably mounted on the axle, a flywheel-gyro adjacent to or between the radially supporting spokes or sides of the inner wheel rotatably supported through a gear assembly on the twin gear hubs, and engageable with the axle through a clutch activated by the joint interaction of an outer wheel clutch controlling a gear and axle mounted thrust wedge, and an outer wheel concentric with the axle and with the inner wheel, and in contact with the ground. A device rotatably locks the two wheels so that they jointly rotate together. Braking causes the outer wheel and consequently the vehicle to stop. The brake at the same time effects disengagement of the inner wheel from the outer wheel and engagement of the flywheel to the axle through a gear thrust wedge and clutch mechanism causing the inner wheel and the flywheel-gyro to rotate relative to and within the outer wheel as long as idling rotation is applied to the inner wheel. The flywheel-gyro is rotatably engaged with the inner wheel and the axle via planetary gears and the clutch mechanism. The inner wheel rotates relative to the axle and rotatably engages the outer wheel remote from the axle and close to the ground. As a result a combined gyroscopic action exerted by the rotating inner wheel and flywheel-gyro assembly operatively connected to the ground through the outer wheel causes the two-wheeled vehicle to remain in upright equilibrium even though the vehicle is stopped. Upon releasing the brake the gyroscopic energy stored during idling will impart to the outer wheel a torsional force and move the vehicle automatically forward before pedaling or other acceleration is applied.

대표청구항 ▼

A wheel assembly for a vehicle having an axle fixedly mounted thereon, comprising an inner wheel rotatably mountable on the axle, said inner wheel having a surface, said inner wheel adapted to be imparted a rotational forward motion, an outer wheel mounted centrally and concentric, peripherally arou

A wheel assembly for a vehicle having an axle fixedly mounted thereon, comprising an inner wheel rotatably mountable on the axle, said inner wheel having a surface, said inner wheel adapted to be imparted a rotational forward motion, an outer wheel mounted centrally and concentric, peripherally around said inner wheel and rotatably relative thereto, said outer wheel having an outermost surface adapted for riding contact with the ground and having an inner surface operatively engaging said surface of said inner wheel, said inner surface and said surface of said inner wheel constituting operatively engaging surfaces, the distance of said operatively engaging surfaces from said outermost surface is substantially smaller than the radius of said operatively engaging surfaces, whereby said inner wheel makes substantially relatively close contact with the ground through said outer wheel, a flywheel-gyro mounted centrally and concentric to and rotatable by said inner wheel and rapidly rotatably relative thereto, engaging means for selectably releasably engaging said outer wheel and said inner wheel and said flywheel-gyro for joint rotation.