US 4,410,198 A · Human powered vehicle

Abstract

A human powered vehicle of the pedal-driven type having three or more wheels, a frame and seat for supporting one or more riders in a generally supine position, and a streamlined shell enclosure with a transparent canopy which is openable for entry and egress of the rider. The preferred embodiment for a single rider has two steerable wheels located forward of the rider at approximately the widest part of the streamlined shell, and a single fixed drive wheel centrally positioned behind the rider. The drive wheel is equipped with a multi-sprocket gearing arrangement, and a large pedal-equipped sprocket wheel is mounted in a position slightly forward and above the common axis of the front wheels for ready engagement by the rider's feet. A single drive chain extends from the drive sprocket to the sprocket cluster and passes around idler rollers which direct the chain beneath the rider.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A vehicle capable of being propelled by a human rider comprising:

a chassis including a seat positioned to support a rider in a generally supine position for operation of the vehicle, at least three wheels including a pair of front wheels in generally coaxial positions on opposite sides and forward of the seat, and drive means coupled to at least one of the wheels to propel the vehicle in response to rider manipulation;
and
a continuous streamlined shell comprising a single lobe totally enclosing the chassis except for slots in the bottom of the shell through which the wheels protrude, said shell having its widest dimension at approximately the position of the front wheels and having an aerodynamically shaped section extending forward of the front wheel axis to terminate in a rounded nose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Human powered vehicle

Life of this patent

Human powered vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37