Split motorcycle drive pulley
OwnerEugene A. Lisiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motorcycle drive pulley is diametrically split to eliminate the necessity for removing the motorcycle rear wheel in order to change drive pulleys. The split drive pulley bolts to the rear wheel of a belt driven motorcycle. The pulley has a first surface which faces away from the wheel and is generally convexly dished with respect to the wheel, while a second pulley surface faces and is adjacent to the wheel and is generally concavely dished with respect to the wheel. The pulley halves are diametrically symmetric, however the first and second surfaces are nonsymmetric. The pulley is constructed from a suitable self lubricating nylon or plastic which results in increased drive belt longevity. A method for installing the pulley without the need to remove the rear motorcycle wheel is also disclosed.
Claims25
A pulley for driving a wheel to which the pulley is mounted comprising diametrically split halves, each pulley half including
- a rim section having means for engaging a drive belt;
- a web section contiguous with the rim section;
- and
- a hub section contiguous with the web section having a plurality of mounting holes for attaching the pulley halves to the wheel and a semi-circular axle bore for mounting each pulley half about an axle;
- whereby the pulley is replaceable without the need to slide the pulley off of the axle.
A pulley for driving a wheel to which the pulley is mounted comprising diametrically split halves, each pulley half including
- a rim section having means for engaging a drive belt;
- a hub section having a plurality of mounting holes for attaching the pulley halves to the wheel and a semi-circular axle for mounting each pulley half about an axle;
- and
- a web section contiguous with the rim section and the hub section having an inner surface having a generally concave dish shape with respect to the wheel for positioning the rim section closer to the wheel than the hub section and an outer surface having a generally convex dish shape with respect to the wheel for positioning the rim section farther from the wheel than the hub section, whereby the pulley is replaceable without the need to slide the pulley off of the axle.
A pulley for driving the rear wheel of a motorcycle to which the pulley is mounted comprising diametrically split pulley halves, each pulley half including:
- a rim section having means for engaging a drive belt;
- a web section contiguous with the rim section;
- and
- a hub section contiguous with the web section having a plurality of mounting holes for attaching the pulley halves to the wheel and a semi-circular axle bore for mounting each pulley half about an axle;
- whereby the pulley is replaceable without the need to slide the pulley off of the axle.
A motorcycle having easily changed drive ratios comprising:
- a frame;
- an engine having drive means, mounted in the frame;
- an axle removable attached to the frame;
- a rear wheel mounted on the axle;
- a split drive pulley having diametrically split sections removably attached to the rear wheel and removable without removing the axle from the frame;
- a drive belt coupling the drive means to the drive pulley.
A method for changing the drive ratio of a belt driven motorcycle having a split drive pulley attached to the rear wheel of the motorcycle without disengaging the motorcycle rear axle from the motorcycle frame comprising the steps of:
- removing the split drive pulley from the rear motorcycle wheel;
- providing a replacement split drive pulley having diametrically split sections and a pre-determined number of teeth;
- removably attaching the replacement split drive pulley to the motorcycle rear wheel;
- engaging a drive belt to the replacement split drive pulley;
- tensioning the drive belt by slidably positioning the rear axle in the frame without removing the axle from the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.