Motorized bicycle
OwnerMark O. Dimickinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motorized bicycle includes a gasoline powered trimmer motor that is mounted on the rear of the bicycle. The flexible drive cable of the trimmer motor is coupled to a first overrunning clutch by a vertically-oriented gear system that includes a worm and a worm gear. In turn, the first overrunning clutch is coupled via a chain and sprocket system to the conventional chain ring of the bicycle, and a second overrunning clutch is likewise coupled to the chain ring of the bicycle to couple the pedal shaft of the bicycle to the chain ring. Each overrunning clutch includes a central shaft having four pawls, and five reciprocating spring-loaded plungers surround the shaft and selectively engage the pawls every 18.degree. of shaft rotation.
Claims20
A motorized bicycle including a frame defining a front and a rear and having a seat support column, a seat mounted on the seat support column, a chain ring below the seat, and opposed bicycle pedals on a pedal shaft, comprising:
- a gasoline motor mounted on the frame behind the seat, the motor having a flexible drive cable extending along the seat support column;
- a reduction gear assembly coupled to the flexible drive cable;
- a first overrunning clutch coupled to the reduction gear assembly;
- a power sprocket coupled to the first overrunning clutch;
- a power chain meshed with the power sprocket;
- a second overrunning clutch coupling the pedal shaft to the chain ring;
- and
- an input sprocket coupled to the chain ring, the input sprocket being meshed with the power chain, whereby
- the chain ring is caused to rotate by engaging the motor, by pedalling the pedals, and by engaging the motor and pedalling the pedals simultaneously to thereby propel the bicycle.
An apparatus for coupling a gasoline powered motor to a chain ring of a bicycle having pedals and a pedal shaft, comprising:
- a motor mountable on the bicycle, the motor having a crankshaft and a drive cable;
- a reduction gear assembly coupled to the drive cable, the reduction gear assembly including a worm element meshed with a worm gear for translating rotational motion about a first axis to rotational motion about a second axis, the second axis not being parallel to the first axis, such that the motor can be mounted on the bicycle with the crankshaft oriented in a longitudinal dimension relative to the bicycle;
- and
- a first overrunning clutch coupled to the worm gear of the reduction gear assembly, the first overrunning clutch also being couplable to the chain ring to propel the bicycle.
A bicycle, comprising:
- a seat mounted on a frame;
- pedals attached to a pedal shaft;
- a chain ring;
- a gasoline motor mounted behind the seat, the motor having a flexible drive cable extending forward toward the pedal shaft;
- and
- a clutch assembly interconnecting the drive cable of the motor, the pedal shaft, and the chain ring such that the chain ring is caused to rotate by engaging the motor, by pedalling the pedals, and by engaging the motor and pedalling the pedals simultaneously to thereby propel the bicycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.