US 4,375,293 AGranted

Front suspension and steering system for cycles and motorcycles having two interdependent points of support on the ground

OwnerFrancisco Solbesinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention relates to a suspension and steering system enabling the road holding, braking efficiency and safety of presently known cycles and motorcycles of all types, on wheels or on skis, to be increased, while maintaining their capacity to bank when cornering, their handling ability and small dimensions. This system is composed of the combination of two sub-systems:--the suspension sub-system intended to carry two wheels or two skis, comprises: (a) a mechanism composed of two forks, two pairs of guide shafts, and two supports. The forks move over the guide shafts which are fixed to the supports; (b) a mechanism composed of a support, a rocking arm and a handle bar. This arm rocks on the axis of the support and allows the interdependent displacements of the forks;--the steering sub-system is intended on the one hand to carry the above mentioned mechanisms of the suspension sub-system and on the other hand to be articulated on the frame at the steering column and the reinforcing arm. It is composed of the devices which form the central shaft.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A cycle having a relatively long and narrow frame, a pair of members at one end of said frame for contacting a supporting surface and suspension means supporting and interconnecting said members and said frame, said suspension means comprising:

an arm pivotally mounted from said frame intermediate the ends of the arm for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the length direction of said frame;
a pair of substantially parallel, rectilinear guides extending in the direction downwardly of said arm and mounted from said frame in fixed vertical relation thereto, said guides being horizontally spaced from each other;
a pair of supports, one of said supports being mounted on one of said guides for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and the other of said supports being mounted on the other of said guides for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm;
first means connecting one of said members to one of said supports for movement therewith;
second means connecting the other of said members to the other of said supports for movement therewith;
and
means connecting the respective ends of said arm respectively to one of said supports and to the other of said supports, whereby said members are movable in opposite directions with respect to each other and along rectilinear, parallel paths with tilting of said frame in a direction transverse to the length of the frame.

4 more elements

A cycle having a relatively long and narrow frame, a pair of members at one end of said frame for contacting a supporting surface, a steering assembly having a central shaft pivotally mounted on said frame and having a steering member at the upper part of said shaft, and suspension means supporting and interconnecting said members and said steering assembly, said suspension means comprising:

an arm pivotally mounted on said assembly intermediate the ends of the arm for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the length direction of said frame;
a pair of guide support members mounted on and secured to said shaft in spaced relation to each other and in spaced relation to said steering member;
a pair of substantially parallel, rectilinear rods extending between and secured to said guide support members, said rods being spaced from each other;
a pair of forks, one of said forks being slidably mounted on one of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels engaging said shaft and the other of said forks being slidably mounted on the other of said rods for rectilinear movement toward and away from said arm and having rotatable wheels for engaging said shaft;
first means connecting one of the first-mentioned said members to one of said forks for movement therewith;
second means connecting the other of the first-mentioned said members to the other of said forks for movement therewith;
and
means connecting the respective ends of said arm respectively to one of said forks and to the other of said forks.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.