Tiller assembly for personal mobility vehicles

A tiller assembly for a personal mobility vehicle having a frame, a seat on the frame for accommodating an occupant, a front wheel, and a spindle for steering the front wheel, said tiller assembly comprising:

• a base member mounted on the spindle;
• a knuckle element coupled with said base member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, said knuckle element having an arcuate surface extending about said axis;
• means for limiting the pivotal movement of said knuckle element in both directions;
• a tiller mounted to said knuckle element for pivotal movement about said pivot axis between a collapsed position for storage and an operating position wherein the tiller presents a top end spaced in front of said seat at a location accessible to an occupant thereof;
• means on said top end of the tiller for steering the front wheel;
• a plurality of openings in said arcuate surface, including one corresponding to the collapsed position and another corresponding to the operating position;
• an elongated pin on said tiller having a tip and having extended and retracted positions, said tip entering an opening aligned therewith in the extended position of the pin to lock the tiller to the knuckle element and said tip withdrawing from said openings in the retracted position of the pin to allow the tiller to be pivoted on the knuckle element;
• and
• means for effecting the extended and retracted positions of the pin.

A tiller assembly for a personal mobility vehicle having a frame and a front wheel steered by turning a spindle, said tiller assembly comprising:

• a base member mounted on the spindle;
• a knuckle element mounted on said base member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis;
• a pair of stop surfaces on said knuckle element;
• a pair of threaded stop elements threaded to said base member and having tips engageable with said stop surfaces to limit the pivotal movement of said knuckle element in both directions, said stop elements being adjustable to adjust the pivot arc through which said knuckle element is allowed to move;
• a tiller having a top end portion and a bottom end portion, said top end portion having steering means thereon and said bottom end portion being coupled with said knuckle element for pivotal movement of the tiller about said pivot axis between an operating position and a collapsed position for storage;
• a plurality of openings in said knuckle element, including one corresponding to the collapsed position and another corresponding to the operating position;
• an elongated pin on said tiller movable between extended and retracted positions and biased toward the extended position, said pin entering an opening aligned therewith in the extended position to lock the tiller to the knuckle element and withdrawing from the openings in the retracted position to allow the tiller to be pivoted between its operating and collapsed positions;
• and
• means on said top end portion of the tiller for effecting the retracted position of the pin.

In a personal vehicle having a frame and plural wheels, including at least one front wheel steered by turning a spindle, a tiller assembly comprising:

• a base member mounted on said spindle;
• a knuckle element coupled with said base member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis;
• means for limiting the pivotal movement of said knuckle element in both directions;
• a tiller having a top end provided with steering means and a bottom end mounted to pivot on said knuckle element;
• at least two openings in said knuckle element spaced arcuately apart thereon;
• a pin carried on said tiller, said pin having an extended position to enter one of said openings aligned therewith to lock the tiller to said knuckle element and a retracted position withdrawn from said openings to allow said tiller to rotate on said knuckle element;
• and
• means for effecting movement of said pin between the extended and retracted positions.