초록 ▼

An occupant-propelled vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a first vehicle propulsion system that comprises a first drive wheel, a drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel, a movable force receiver, an elongated and flexible motion conversion member dri

An occupant-propelled vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a first vehicle propulsion system that comprises a first drive wheel, a drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel, a movable force receiver, an elongated and flexible motion conversion member drivably coupled with the force receiver with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion overlying the drum, and an actuator mechanism for actuating the motion conversion member between a slackened, disengaged state and a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member. The actuator mechanism may be automatic or manual.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim as protected by United States Letters Patent:] [23.] An occupant-propelled vehicle for being propelled by an occupant over an environmental surface, the occupant-propelled vehicle comprising:a vehicle body; anda first vehicle propulsion system comprising:a first drive wheel rotatably coupl

[ I claim as protected by United States Letters Patent:] [23.] An occupant-propelled vehicle for being propelled by an occupant over an environmental surface, the occupant-propelled vehicle comprising:a vehicle body; anda first vehicle propulsion system comprising:a first drive wheel rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame for contact with an environmental surface;a drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel such that a rotation of the drum in a first rotary direction yields a rotation of the drive wheel in a first rotary direction;a movable force receiver for receiving an input force from an occupant;an elongated and flexible motion conversion member for converting reciprocating motion to rotary motion, the motion conversion member with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion between the first reference point and the second reference point overlying the drum, the motion conversion member drivably coupled to the force receiver so that an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise, driven movement to the motion conversion member;an actuator mechanism operably associated with the motion conversion member for selectively increasing the effective-travel distance between the first reference point and the second reference point thereby actuating the motion conversion member from a slackened, disengaged state wherein there is substantially free movement between the drum and the motion conversion member to a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member wherein an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise movement to the motion conversion member to impart rotary motion to the drum to impart rotary motion to the drive wheel and thereby to propel the vehicle and wherein a restriction on the movement of the force receiver tends to restrict rotary motion of the drum; anda means for biasing the actuator mechanism toward a non-actuated position comprising a clutch collar substantially surrounding the drum and interposed between the drum and the flexible motion conversion member wherein the clutch collar is resiliently compressible about the drum by the actuation of the motion conversion member into a tensioned state by the actuator mechanism.