US 4,789,173 AGranted

Steering method and mechanism for three-wheel vehicle

OwnerMichael S. Lofgren, Brian C. Stewartinventors

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A three-wheel vehicle having front and rear frame sections supporting a single front wheel and a pair of rear wheels respectively. The frame sections are pivotally interconnected about an inclined axis defined by a front lower and rear upper pivotal connection. The upper pivotal connection is provided on a swivel bar which is pivotally connected to the rear frame section for swivel pivoting of the pivotal connection defining the inclined axis. A seat on the front frame section positioned substantially above the swiveled pivotal connection is shifted from side-to-side with the pivoting of the swivel bar and inclined axis. A handle from the swivel bar enables a rider to control the swivel bar for shifting of the rider's weight and increased or decreased articulation of the vehicle frame and thus turning of the vehicle to thereby increase or decrease the turning that is induced by pivoting of the front frame section about the inclined axis.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A three-wheel vehicle comprising;

a first frame section and a second frame section, a single wheel rotatably supported on the first frame section, a pair of wheels in spaced-apart relationship rotatably mounted on the second frame section, one of said frame sections being a front frame section and the other a a rear frame section of the vehicle, a first connection means and a second connection means between the first and second frame sections, said first and second connection means defining an inclined axis in the direction from the first frame section to the second frame section, said first and second connection means including pivotal means for relative pivoting of the first and second frame sections about said inclined axis, said second connection means including a connecting element connected between the first and second frame sections at spaced positions thereon, said connecting element having means for controllable lateral shifting of the interconnected spaced positions for relative angular shifting of the two frame sections, and manual control means for controlling said lateral shifting independent of the relative pivoting of the first and second frame sections about said inclined axis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.