CA2026648A1 - Easy wagon/easy cart/bicycle wheel mounting brackets system - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKETS System A specific wheel mounting bracket and a method of using these brackets or similar items to attach bicycle wheels to various structures or frames ; and primarily to structures or frames made of wood. The brackets are flat 10-gauge steel plates, with three bolt holes (30) and a slot to receive the bicycle wheel axle . When bolted to a simple wooden frame in pairs, they act like a bicycle fork to hold the wheel . They support and suspend the wheels from longitudinal members of the structures or frame so that the wheels can rotate. The invention provides a simple and low-cost method for constructing a wide variety of wagons, carts, trailers, carriages, wheelbarrows and other similar small vehicles. It enables people who do not have complex tools, skills or materials, to carry out the construction and repair of these vehicles. Furthermore, this invention makes it possible to use discarded bicycle wheels and scrap lumber to construct carts and wagons. This should be helpful to subsistence farmers and other people engaged in small scale, sustainable, self-sufficient agriculture and in small scale commerce. Hopefully, this invention will not be used in ways which harm the environment.

Description

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Background of the Invention:
(1.) FIeld of the Invention:
This invention relates to wheel mountin~ and the construction of vehicles. suGh as carts and wagons.

S2-) De~crlption of the Prior Art/ "Background Art":

The prior art lnvolves vehicles such as carts, wagons.
small tr~llers and carrlages. and the structures and frames of such vehicles, and the construction of wheels and wheel mountLng methods used in the construction of such vehicles.
The lnvention of carts and wagons 1s thousands of years old. Such vehicles have been. and still are. some of the most useful too1s ln human hlstory. They were among the first. lf not the flrst, uses of what is perhaps the single most important lnventlon of all tlme. the wheel. The wonder of whe~ls is not merely that they roll: lt ls that they support loads while they roll. Billions of people know of this wonder. Anyone who has ever done any agricultural work or constructlon work. or traveled far on land. knows the value of wheels. However. wheels are useless unless they are attached to something ....attached to something while they support loads and roll. That is one of the prlmary "prlor art problems" addressed (and solved) by this lnventlon, (EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKETS
System): How to att~ch (or mount) wheels to the vehicle structure or frame. Another primary ~Prior art problem" is: How to deslgn and construct the vehicle structure or frame. The solutlons to these two "prior art problems" directly depend on the solution of the sinele most difficult "prlor art problem"
which is faced by all people who attempt to construct carts, wagons, and other ~uch vehlcles. namely: ~Q~ to construct ~h~
~hg~19~ It ls a problem which ls indlrectly. but effectlvely.
solved by this invention. Wheel construction is a difficult problem. but in modern times in many countries blcycle wheels are 2~2~48 svallable. In the USA good bicycle wheels are frequently discarded as garbage when the blcycle is broken or partlally worn out. Therefore, where and when blcycle wheels are available, the slngle most dlfflcult problem faced by all people who attempt to build carts, wagons, and other s~Jch vehicles, is apparently already solvsd: ~n~ ~hQQl~ are alread~ constructed!
It 18 easy to imaglne that wlth blcycle wheels and some wood, a person could meke a wagon or cart; but how do you attach blcycle wheels to the wagon or cart7 Each blcycle wheel comes ~ith lts own indlvidual axle. It is difflcult to replace these short, lndependent axles with a long axle Joining two wheels (common axle). It 1B partlcularly dlfflcult to do lf the person wlshes to contlnue to utlllze the excellent ball bearlngs or roller bearings that are already present in the bicycle wheel hub.
The problems of wheel construction and wheel attachment (or mounting) are essential parts of the problem of how to design and construct the vehlcle structure or frame. How ~oes someone gQ~l~n ~ vehlcle~ They first conslder how the vehlcle will be used. They con~lder the characterlstlcs of the loads lt is lntended to carry and the characteristics of the terrain where lt wlll be used, and the method of propulslon to be used. Then they conslder the availsble materials, their relatlve costs, the ease or dlfficulty of using them, snd whether they are replacable, reusable, and repalrable. Ho~ever. ~ithout flrst havlnF the ~heels. Q~ Q~ h~Yin~ g ~U11~$1~ PrOSPeCt ~ acauirinF or con~tructlnY 3h~ ~heels. the questlon of ~heel ountlnF 3ng the ~uestlon Q vehl~le.a~ructure or frame desl~n ~1~ ~QQI questlons.

Prlor art atte-pts to solve or clrcumvent the~e "prlor art proble~s" can all be categorlzed ln one of the follo~lng ~aYs:

1) Those that use ~heels other than blcycle or blcYcle-type ~heels$ and thus have speclfic and limited and complex vehlcle * (footnote on next page) 2~266~
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designs which necessarilY entail welding. casting. or other relatlvely complex metal working or wheel construction skills.
tools. and materials. These vehlcles are lacking in versatility, simpliclty, and repalrablllty and usuallY lacking in durability and ease of replacing parts. Numerous wheelbarrows are examples in this category. Some of these have various specific kinds of wheel mountlng brackets or ~ethods. Also some of these vehicles use wheels that are very small and or are supported on only one slde of the wheel and are thus obvlously of limited usefulness.
Grocery store shopplng carts are an example. Baby strollers and carrlages are other examples.
* ThrouÆhout the s~ecification ~n_ ~laims. the terms "hicYcl_ wheels". "common blcYcle wheels". ~n~ "actual bicYcle wheels" are interchan~ablY to denote:
The rotatable ~heels. usuallY but not alwaYs havin~ metal .sPoke_ ~D~ ~lm5 ~n~ Pneumatic tires. with or without tubes.
~s~ kU~ nQ~ alwaYs bein~ aPProximatelY 40 cm (centimeters).
cml 6Q cm. 65 ~mk or ~7.5 ~ in diameter. which are commonlY
found mQurlt~d Qn blcYcles ~11 over ~h_ woLl~ TheY usuallY have two ~1~ n~ ~n ~llh8~ Qn~ Q~ ~ short individual indePenden~
B~lQ whi~h rotates ~n bearin~s lnside the h~ at the cente~ Q~
the wheel where IhQ ~okes come to~ether. Some kinds feature Plastic Pleces ln53Q~ Q~ m~l~l sPokes and rims. Q~ solid tires ~ fQ~m ln~Q~l~ or "sew-uPs" instead of the reFul~~ Pneumatic 31n_ ~n~ ~k~l Q~ "quick release mechanisms" instead of axle nY~ h_ ~erms "bicYcle wheels". "common bicYcle wheels". and "actual blcY~le wheels" are actuallY a subset ~f. kut are herein dlstin~ulshed f~Q~ "bicYcle-tYPe wheels"- Herein. the ~im cYcle-tY~e wheels" 1~ ~Ç~ to ~Qf~ to those wheels which resemble "actual blcYcle wheels" ln some waYs (e~.. s~_ as h~vin~ sPokes). ~ ~hl5h either do no~ have an individual IndePendent ~XlÇ~ are c~nnected to another wheel bY a ~ommon axle. Q~ are sDeclficallY desi~ned fQ~ some PUrPoSe ~ther than to k~ mounted ~n _ blcYcle. ExamPles include ~h~els for horse-racln~ sulkies. ~QmQ CarriaFeS. some babY strollers. and some f~QlQJ~ ~ L~Qn carts- ~Qm~ kln~ of lar~e tricYcle wheel m~tor- cYcle ~ are ~Ih~l Q~am~les Q~ "bicYcle-tYPe wheels" ~n~ ~h1shk ~l~h ome m~lfiçation of the whecl mountin~
t to accomod~te the l~r~er wheels ~n~ axles. actuallY could be ~ç~ ~iLh ~hl_ irlvention.
~QI~ ~h~ ln ~h9 ~SA the common sizes of blcYcle wheels (dlamQ~Q~ Q~ 1~ lnch. ~Q ln5~ inch. 26 inch. ~n~ 27 lnch.(ao~r~xlmate) fi~,~;`g 2) Those that use blcycle-type ~heels Joined by a common axle, thus reguirin~ spec1al-purpofie factorr-made wheels and usually, although not necessarlly, having ~pecial mounting apparatus and etal fra~e members; all of which add up to the creation of an expenslve vehlcle which i~ somewhat lacking in versatility and repalrabllity. Garden Way Carts ~ Garden Way, Charlotte, VT.) and StanleY Forge Carts ~ Stanley Forge, Stanley, Kansas) are examples ln this categorY and which, it needs to be said. are certsinly excellent tools. (They Provided some of the lnsplratlon for thi~ lnvention.) 3) Those that use bicYcle-type ~heels, each ~ith an individual lndependent axle. and suppor t the axle on both sides of the wheel. These usuallY are special-purpose factory-made wheels deslgned for the speclflc purpose and usually have ~pecial mountlng ~pParatUs ~nd sPeclal etal frame members; all of which add up to the creatlon of an expensive vehicle designed for a speclflc purpo~e whlch ls comparatlvely lacking ln versatllity and repalrabllity. Modern sulkies used in the "harness racing"
type of horse racing are an example.

~) Those that use actual blc~cle wheels and replace the bicycle wheels' o~n lndependent axles ~lth a common axle Joining the two wheel~. They have limlted efficlency of the wheel bearings or even lack any bearing~ st all. They usually have a speclflc and complex deslgn. necessitating the use of materials. sktlls and tools which are dlfflcult to obtain. The "Build a Cart For Your Blke" plans from PoPular Mechanlcs EncYcloDedia (1982?) is an example of a vehlcle design that flts ln this cate~ory.

5) Those that use actual bicycle wheels or bicycle-type wheels and attempt to use the wheel's own lndependent axle. but only support lt on one end of the axle (and on one slde of the wheel).
These vehlcles usually fall when anythlng more than a verY llght . .

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load 1~ placed upon them. The axle may bend, or the wheel gradually bands over snd rubs lnto the vehicle structure or frame. These vehicles are useful only for extremely light loads and therefore are uncommon. The relatlvely new and expensive Jogger's strollers with small (approximately 40 cm) dlameter wheels are 8 functional manufactured example.

6~ Those that use actual blcycle ~heels and u~e the bicycle ~heels' o~n lndlvldual indep~ndent axles and ~upport the axles on both sldes of each ~hsel. Thls design ls versatile and effectlve. It also can be slmple and inexpensive, but lt ls not neces~arlly 80. Examples ln thls category lnclude the Plans by Rlchard Kresky, of Duluth, MN. ~for a two-wheeled cart with blcycle wheels; Copyrl~ht 1983 and sold at that tlme by magazlne advertlsement), and the plans entltled "Mother's Plans For Bulldlng the Garden Cart" by the Mother Earth News, Hendersonvllle, NC./ D. Burkholder (Copyright 1987). Both of these vehicle des1gns are descrlbed below. Thls lnvention, EASY
WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKETS System, also flts ln thls category.
Rlchard Kresky's plans describe a homemade two-wheeled cart deslgned for uslng blcYcle wheels with their own axles and supportlng them from frame members on both sides of each wheel.
The fra~es are constructed of angle iron or angle aluminum or old steel bed frames. These plans are relatlvely slmple but stlll require a llmlted amount of metal worklng tools, skills and materlal~. KreskY~s plans descrlbe frames of metal onlY and do not ela~rly show detachable wheels, wheal mounts, brsckets or supports other th~n frame members themselves wlth drilled holes.
(Kresky's plans, ln con~unctlon wlth mY use of two-wheeled garden carts. and my fsmillarlty with wood and with blcycles. and the ease of construction wlth wood, provided some of the lnsplratlon for the lnventIon of EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOUNTING
BRACKETS Sy6tem.) The Mo~her Earth News'/D. Burkholder's Plans show a two-wheeled cart made wlth 50 cm. (20 lnch) diameter bicycle wheels suspended fro~ metal axle supports on both sides of each wheel.
and uslng the blcycle wheels' own independent axles. These plans are llmlted to a speclfic and complex cart design. The wheels are not detachable, and the method of wheel sttachment would probably not be feasible lf an attempt ~as made to expand the deslgn to utllize 65 cm (26 lnch) or 67.5 cm (27 inch) diameter blcycle wheels, the ~ost common sizes. The outer axle supports are attached to "wheel wells" over the wheels vla fenders constructed of 1/8 lnch "tempered hardboard". adheslve. nails.
and 1/2 lnch Plywood ln a relatlvely complicated arrangement.
Furthermore, torslon, twlst~ng forces. would llmit the dursbility or slze of such a cart. The support6 are attached through two bolt holes in a vertlcal llne. and would tend to loosen when subJected to the forces exerted by large dlameter wheels under loads and stresses of motlon. EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL
MOUNTING BRACKETS. wlth their three-point, horizontally and vertlcally dlstributed. non-collinear. bolt hole locations. do not have thls problem.
It 18 lnteresting to note that Kresky's design and the ~other Earth Newsf/D. Burkholder's deslgn both could be directly improved merely by the ~ddltlon of EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE
WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKETS to thelr carts.

MQ~ all ~rior ~L~ vehicl~ construc~l~,n involve~
co~llca~d uDul~c~url~K Drvce~s~ ~n.n entalls th~ necossarY
~Q~ Q~ L9l~lUrlnK oDeration. ~on~eauer~Y. ~hQ r~ult l~
g hl~hcn2~ vehlcle. unaffcrdnbLe ~n~ inaccess1bl~ for =~ ~ Deo-~le.
` Thi~ lnventlon prcvides a way to avold the costs of a compllcated manufacturlng operatlon. Wheel moun~lng brackets are not new. nor are carts. wagons. and wheelbarrows. However. lt needs to be recognlzed that wheel mountlng 1s a secondsry problem ln vehlcle constructlon. and that lt ls surpasssd in lmportance br the Problem of ~HEEL CONSTRUCTION.

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2 ~2 ~ g ~Q ~lQB ~E~L MOUNTING BRAC~T EFFECTIVELY _OLVED 1~
PRQ~LE~ ~E ~EEL CONSTR~TION! No Prio~ ~heel mountin~ bracket facllitated the si~Ple detachable ~Quntin~ ~ various co~mon blc~cle wheels ~ QU~ dlfferent ~izes o~ a wid~ varietY of ~ehicle ~tructures ~n~ frames.
Prevlous wheel mounting brac~ets each were lim~ted to particular, usually verY specific, wheel types, wheel sizes, and wheel manufacturer~. Also, most previous wheel mounting brackets were llmited in appllcation to attachment in specific locations on speciflc frame members of the specific vehicle for which they were speciflcally deslgned. In most all instances these vehicles ~ere one-wheeled wheelbarrows. In many casss wheel mounts were welded on or cast as part of the speclfic structure or frame member. ~Q ~lmllB~ ~lor ~heel msuntin~ b~acket was usable for thQ sQn~Ly511g~ ~ v~hicle~ k~ the PeoPle who use the vchlc1~5 NO PR10~ WHEEL ~UNTING BRACKET WAS USAeLE EQ~ CONSTRUCTION OF
~BT~ AND ~9Q~ ~Y ~E gE~E~AL PUBLlC.

(e)or(3.)? Su~mar~ of the Invention/ ObJects and Advantages:

Thls lnvention consists of a specific wheel mounting bracket and a process of using these brackets or similar items to attach bicycle wheels to various structures or frames; and prl~arlly to structures or frames made of wood.
Recognlzing that the three prlmary problems confronting a person a~tempting to build a cart or wagon or other such vehicle, are, ln order, A) wheel construction, B) wheel mountlng/attachin~, and C) deslgn and constructlon of the vehicle structure or frame;
this lnvention has the followlng obJects and advantages:

1) To provide a slmple method of vehlcle design and construction.
2) To provide a slmple and low-cost method for designing and constructing a wlde varlety of wagons, car~s, carriagas, trallers, rickshaws, strollers, wheelbarro~s and other si~ilar ~mall vehicles.

g 3) To provlde a very general method of vehicle construction which allows for a broad dlversity of vehicle designs and sizes.
4) To provide A slmple method of constructing two~wheeled carts or small trallers whlch can replace the use of one-wheeled wheelbarrows for most tasks. With two-wheeled carts, heavier and bulkler load~ can be carrled longer distances than is possible wlth one-wheeled wheelbarrows.
S) To Provlde vehlcles which will enable manY tasks to be performed ~anuallY ("bY hand") that would otherwlse requlre motorlzed power or animal power. Air pollution and noise pollutlon wlll be reduced.
6) To provlde vehicles which can be constructed and repaired by the people who use them.
7) To provlde a method of vehicle construction which enables economlcally-poor People, or boys and ~irls, or anY other group of people who do not have complex tools, skills, or materials, to construct and repalr (and alter) the vehicles.
8) To provlde vehicles which can be rePaired easily. T~e repalrabillty of vehlcles constructed by the method of this invention needs to be emphasized- Unfortunately. ''repairabilitY~
i8 8 word becomlng obsolete.
9) To provlde vehicles which will meet the needs of people engaged ln small-scale, self-sufflclent, sustainable agrlculture all over the world.
10) To provlde vehlcles which æubsistence farmers, and organ1c gardeners and farmers, can use and make by themselves.
1l) To provlde vehlcles for the people who need them the most:
landless farmers and poor land-holdlng farmers. When equipped with a cart or wsgon and shovel6, buckets, and other hand tools, lAndless people ~aY be able to use some land which has soil condltlons Previously consldered to be marginal for agriculture.
Water, soll, seeds, organlc matter, vegetables, fruit and other ltems maY be transported more easily. Dlscarded bicycle wheels and scrap lumber can be recYcled to make carts and wagons. But people wlll need educatlon and lnstructlon ln addltlon to carts and wagon~ or thls lnventlon wlll be used for envlronmentallY
harmful purposes, such as reckless flrewood collection, deforestation, and garbags dumPlng; lnstead of for soil buildin~, compostlng, vegetable growlng, tree plantlng, and other envlronmentally con~tructive purposes.
123 To provlde ~ehicles whlch, hopefully, wlll llghten the burdens carried by women engaged ln agrlculture ln economically-poor countries and areAs; these loads are now usually car~ied on thelr heads, backs, and shoulders.

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13) To provlde vehicles that will serve people engaged in soil conservatlon, 80il bullding, composting, tree planting, and envlronment~l conservatlon ln general.
l4) To provlde vehlcles that will simplify the production of compost for soll enrlchment by lndividuals, familles and small groups~
l5) To provlde vehlcles which are rellable. Their reliability 8tem8 from the strength, durablllty and simplicity of the wheel mountlng brackets, and the slmpllcl~y of vehlcle deslgn, and from the vehlcles' easy repalrabilitYt and from the wlde availabllity of blcycle wheels and tire~.
16) To provlde a ~ethod of vehicle construction which utlllzes materlals ~hich are readllY available and widely available.
17) To provide a method of vehlcle construction ~hlch utllizes dlscarded materlals and scrap materials.
18~ To provide a method of vehlcle constructlon that utilizes, and even helPs to teach. elementary carpentry and mechanical skills.
I9) To provide a method of vehlcle construction that only requlres elementary carpentry and mechanical tools.
20) To provide an extremely versatlle method of vehicle constructlon. The versatlllty of the method of this lnvention needs to be emphaslzed.
21) To provlde a slngle, strong, durable, versatile. and reusable plece of slmple hardware that enables peoPle to mount varlous common blcycie ~heels of varlous dlfferent sizes on a wlde varlety of vehicle structures and frames.
22) To provlde a mathod of vehicle construction in whlch the only necessary metalwork can be mass-produced inexpensively.
23) To provlde s ~ethod of vehicle constructlon which eliminates the need for weldlng, casting. or other complex metalworking ~kllls or tools.
24) To provlde a ~heel mountlng bracket that allows the bicycle ~heels to be detachable, wlthout dlsmantling the vehicle structure or frnme, and- wlthout removlng the ~heel mounting bracket( B ) -25~ To provlde ~ ~heel mountlng bracket that allows the bicycle~heels to be easlly detachable, yet strongly ~nd securely supported whlle ln u~q.

26) To provlde ~ wheel mounting bracket that can ba located in m~ny varlou~ posltions Gn manY different vehicle structure or frame members.
27) To provide a wheel mounting bracket that can be attached easlly to wood. PrimarllY by bolts.
28) To provide a wide whesl mounting bracket with three horlzont~lly ~nd vertlcally distrlbuted (non-collinear) bolt holes. ln order to adequately resist the phYsical forces actually exerted bY large d~ametar wheels ln motion and under loads.
29) To vrovl~ ~ ~e~hPd of ~h~ o~ntir~g whicb ~re~lY
sl~Dl1fles ~h~ Drobl~m ~ ~h~Ql con6trlsc~ion~ or ~hlch ~n~lrelY
eli~ln~es the nQQ~ ~Q~ ~QÇ1~1 wheel conatru~iQn ~h~n ~Q~}~.~a ~ Yehi~le.
30) ~Q ~Qyl~Q ~ ~Q~hQ~ ~ vehicle des~Fn ~n~ cons~r~tion whiçh utlllzes th~ onl~ ~Q Q~ wh~el ln the a~Provrl~e size r~n~
~hl~h 1~ re~lly 8~ A~le~ and Q~slly availA~ and of t~n eve~
freelY avnll~ Y~LE ~HEEL~
31) 1Q Drovlde ~ xaY fQ~ the ~en~L~l Dubl~c ~ordln~L~ Peo~l~) to con~t~uct ~11 vehl~les.
32) T~ ProYid0 ~ ~hQ~l ~Qun~in~ bracket tha~ c~n be u~ed for ~he con~tru~lQn Q~ carts ~n~ ~a~on~ ~Y ~h~ Fener~l ~ublic.
~ o~t i~PortantlY. the method of this invention provides unprecedented eAse of construc~ion of cartsy ~agons and o~her s~all vehlcles. It eliminates the need for a manufacturing operation. Thls lnvention i8 not Just one more di~ferent vehlcle; lt i8 a ~y to ~ake an almost lnfinlte variety of different vehicles. ~nd to do 80 si~ply! It m~kes carts ~nd ~sgons much ~i~pler to construct and repair. much ~ore affordable. and therefore. much more available to unskilled people snd econo~lc~ poor people. Hopefully. its ultimate result ~ill be to ensble People all over the ~orld to feed the~elves bet~er.
f) Brief Descriptlon of the Drawin@s:
Dra~lng ~lgures:
Fi~ 1 (Figura 1) 18 a full-sc~le detailed drawing of the ~referred e~bodi~ent of the wheel mountlng bracket desi~n.

g Flg 2 and Fig 3 deplct the prefsrred embodimen$ for carrying out the method of wheel mounting. a two-wheeled application.
Flg 4 ls an exploded view of a bicycle wheel. and lts axle. hub.
and axle nut~. mounted in a pair of wheel mounting brackets.
Flg 5 deplct6 a one-wheeled application.
~lgures 6.7. and 8 depict two different four-wheeled applicatlons. Flg 6 and Flg 7 lnclude a steerlng mechanism: one pair of wheels pivotlng ln relation to the other pair.
Fig 9 18 an approximatelY 1/2 scale view of the preferred embodlment of the ~heel mountlng brackat.
Flgures 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. and 18 show some alternative embodlments of the wheel mounting bracket on a scale roughly 1/4 actual slze.
Fig 10 and Fig 11 ~how pleces. or a few layered pieces. of sheet metal or mending plate~. and need not have so many holes.
Flg 12 and Fig 13 æhow a thicker steel strip with a bend.
Fig 14 shows a flat steel strlp or bar.
Fig 15 shows three strlps or bars ~oined near the bottom.
Figures 16. 17. and 18 show a steel plate whlch looks similar to the preferred embodlment (Flg 1 and Flg 9) of the wheel mountlng bracket ln the front vlew. but has a rlght-angle bend parallel wlth the toP edge. thereby allowlng for nalllng or screwing down lnto the frame member in addltlon to boltlng or screwin~ through the front.
Flg t8 also shows the posslbillty of m~nufacturlng brackets using llghter or thlnnar materlal ln conJunctlon with rolled sdges and wlth or wlthout the right-angle bend shown in Flg 16 and Fig i7.
Flgures 9 through 18 show ltems primarlly ~ade of steel. but they can also be made of Alumlnum or o~her materials.

Reference Numerals ln the Drawlngs 20 ~heel ~ountln~ brackets 3~ point along each side edge (left. right~
22 longltudlnal fra~e ~embers/ 40 locations of a possible longltudlnal me~bers of the additional hole for vehicls structure or frame at~aching/bolt hole (A.B) 2~ axle 42 spaces for wheels 26 blc~cle ~heel 44 bicycle wheel hub 28 axle nuts 46 a two-wheeled cart or small trailer ~Fig 2 and Fig 3) 30 holes for attachlng/ 48 handles extending from the bolt hole~ front of a two-~heeled (left, right. center~ cart or small trailer 32 810t or opening 50 diagonal braces 32A ~lot hole 34 top edge 52 posslble rolled sdges 36 bott~m edge g) Descriptlon of the Preferred Embodiments:
Descriptlon of the Invention:
The lnvention conslsts of a wheel mounting bracket and a method of wheel ~ountlng u~ed in the constructlon of vehicles, and vehlcle frames, havlng bicycle or bicycle-type wheels.
Thls lnventlon pro~idefi a simple ~et~od of constructing carts and ~agons and other small vehieles with bicycle ~heels.
E~SY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE ~HEEL ~OUNTING BRACKETS make it possible to lndependentlY attach each bicYcle ~heel to the vehlcle structure or frame. utilizing ~he bicycle wheel's own indivldual axle.
Flg 1 and Fig 9 ~ho~ the preferred embodiment of the ~heel ~ountlng braeket deslgn. and ~re a~ it is presently ~anufactured.
Flg 10. Pig 1 1 . Fig 12. Fig 13. Fig 14. Fig 15, Fig 16. Fig 17 .

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and Fig 18 describe some other embodlments of the wheel mountin~
bracket deslgn. When two brackets (20) are proPerly loGated and bolted, or otherwlse a$tached, to properly sPaced, longitudinal (le. front-to-back or fore-and-aft lying) members (2~) of the veh1cle structure or frame, theY act to receive the axle (24) of the blcycle wheel (26) as does a bicycle fork. The axle nuts (28) are tlghtened Just as they would be on a bicycle to hold the wheel (26) 1n place. These brackets (20) make it possible to independently attach blcycle wheels to an extensive variety of shapes, sizes, uses and designs of [vehicle] structures and frames. Fig 2, Fig 3, Fig 5, Fig 6, Fig 7 and Fig 8 describe so~e baslc designs of vehicle structures and frames. Fig 2 and Flg 3 depict the preferred embodiment for carrying out the method of wheel mounting. It is the two-wheeled application; the frame for a cart or small trailer ~46). Flg 4 shows an exploded view of a common bicycle wheel, its axle, wheel hub, and axle nuts, mounted ln a pair of EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOVNT]NG
BRACKETS. Flg 5 dePlcts a one-wheeled appllcation, such as for a wheelbarrow. Fig 6, Flg 7 and Fig 8 depict two different four-wheeled appllcatlons, such as for wagons. One has a steerlng mechanlsm: one palr of ~heels plvot ln relation to the other palr. A large carrlage bolt (diameter 12 mm or 1/2 lnch or more ls recommended) with washers and two nuts locked by tlghtenlng one back a~alnst the other, could be used to form this pivot.
Fig ~ shows a four-wheeled application without a steering mechanism--this b~sic design provides stabllity but with limited maneuverabillty.
The ~heel Mounting Bracket The wheel mountlng bracket (20) as shown in Fig 1 and Fi~
9 is a flat 10-gau~e steel plate (approximate thickness= 3.4mm or .134 lnch) with three bolt holes(holes for attaching)(30L,30R.30C~
and a 810t (32). The ~aterial used for the brackets i~ 10-gauge Hot-Rolled Plckled and Oiled Sheet Steel or Cold-Rolled Sheet Steel. They are produced, in lar~e quantity, by metal stamping.
The corners are rounded. The edges are deburred. The finished brackets are el$her Zlnc-plated or Nickel-plated. Each has 2 ~ 8 certain advan~ages: Zinc resists corrosion better, but scratches more eQsily; Nickel 18 harder and appears shinier. Both are adequate, and at pre~ent neither appears to pose environmental or health problems. Hot-dipPed galvanizing is another posslble variatl~n.
The Slot (or Openlng) The bracket has a slot (32) to receive and secursly support the axle (24) of nearly any modern bicycle wheel (26);
bicycle wheel axles typically measure between apProxi~atelY 8mm.
~nd lOmm (or 5/16 inch and 3/8 lnch~ 1n diameter. The width of the 810t (32) and the diameter of the slot hole (32A), the semlclrcle at the top of the slot, is ll.O millimeters (or .4l0 lnch or 13/32 lnch). The slot is centrally located and 30 ~lllime~ers (1 3/16 inches) deep, or high, (25mm or 1 inch to the center polnt of the semlcircle). The brackets are designed to be attached to the vehlcle frame members with the slot opening orlented stralght down.
Overnll Br~cket Dimensions The top edge (34) is the edge opposite the slot openin~
(32), and measures 200 millimeters (or 8 lnches) long. The bracket ~easures 140 millimeters (5 1/2 inches) from the top edge to the bottom edge (36). The bottom edge (36) measures approximately 40mm (or I 1/2 lnches) overall, and extends 20mm (or 3/4 lnch) from the centerline of the slot opening ~32), both to the left and to the righ~. From the two ends of the bottom edge (36), the bracket edge slopes upward on an angle te points along each slde edge (3BL, 38R~ whlch are located 60 millimeters down from the top edge (34).
The Bolt Hole~ (or Holes for Attaching) The diameter of the three bolt holes (30L, 30R, 30C) is 7.0 millimeters (07 .275 lnch or 9/32 inch). One bolt hole (30C) ls centrallr located between the two side edges and ls 45 milllmeter~ (or I 3/4 inches) from the top edge (34). The two other bolt holes (30L and 30R) are located 20 milllmeters (or 3/4 inch) from the top edge ~34) and 25 milllmeters (or one inch) from elther side edge, one left and one right.

A possible future varlatlon is the location of an additional bolt hole ~40). centrally located between the two sides and 70mm (40A) or 75mm (40B) from the top edge (34) which could be used as an altarnatlve to the center bolt location (30C) (45mm ro~ the top edge. descrlbed above). if the person constructlng the vehlcle preferred. Thls could be useful. for example, when the bracket is mounted on 2 inch by 4 inch nominal size lumber. However. at present this additional bolt hole seems to be unnecessary.
Alterrlative Embodlments of the Wheel Mounting Bracket There are numerous Posslble alternatlve embodlments of the wheel mounting bracket of thls inventlon.
Flg 10 and Fig 11 show pieces. or layered pleces. of sheet metal or mendlng plates with holes for attachment and a slot and need not have so many holes for attach~ent. nor the shapes shown. One thlck mendlng plate or a few. layered, thin ones or Pieces of sheet metal can be used: a typlcal thlckness would be about 3 or 4~m.
Flg 12 and Flg 13 ~ow a thlcker steel str~p with a bend and wlth holes for attach~ent and a slot; a typical thickness would be about 6mm.
Flg 15 shows three steel strlps or bars ~olned near the bottom.
Holes for attachment are along the lengths of the bars and a slot ~for the blcYcle wheel axle is at the bottom. The typical thlckness would be 3 to 7mm.
Flg 14 shows a flat ~teel strip or bar. with holes for attachment and a filet; a tYplcal thlckness would be about 6mm.
F1g 16. Flg 17. and Flg 18 show a steel plate whlch looks similar to the preferred embodlment (See Fig 1~ and Fig 9) of the wheel mountin~ bracket ln the front view. and has a slot for the blcycle wheel axle. but has a right-an~le bend parallel to the top edge allowing attachlng the bracket down into the ~op of the vehlcle structure or frame member in addition to fi hole or holes for attachlng the bracket through the front ~or side of the vehlcle structure or frame member~

6 ~ 8 Flg 18 also shows the posslbility of manufacturing brackets using lighter or thinner material in conJunction with rolled edges and wlth or wlthout the right-angle bend shown in Fi~ 16 and Fig 17.
All of these ~nd other embodiments of the wheel mounting bracket of this invention are items primarily made of steel or other metals such as Aluminum, but they could also be made of other materlals such as fiberglass. plastics. etc..(but that is not recommended).
The basic features of all embodiments include:
a) some sort of relatively flat surface or surfaces. or other structural means. however large or small. which facilitate attachlng the wheel mounting bracket to various vehicle frame members whlch are usuallY flat pieces of wood or metal;
b~ holes for attaching by methods such as bolting. lag-bolts.
screws. nalls. rivets or other fasteners;
c) a slot or other type of .~pening. cut. molded or otherwlse constructed so as to receive one end of the independent axle (24) of common bicycle wheels and 50 as to allow the bicycle wheel and axle to be securely mounted in a pair of such wheel mounting brackets in tha same manner as it is mounted on a blcycle frame.
~nd allow the bicYcle wheel to be detached from the brackets without dlsmantling the vehicle structure or frame. and without removing the brackets from the vehicle structure or frame;
d) and at lea~t sufflcient strength in the wheel mounting bracket ("structural support~5 so that a pair of them. or one each of similarly functlonlng items. are able to supporl a bicycle wheel under the conditions of normal use of such vehicles, such as carts. wa~onfi. small trailers. etc.

Operatlon of the Invention ` Fig 2, Fig 3. Fig 5. Fig 6. Flg 7 and Fig 8 describe some b~sic deslgn~ of vehlrle structures and frames. Fig 2 and Fig 3 ~how the preferred embodiment for carrying out the method of wheel mounting of this invention. The frame ls for a two-wheeled cart or small traller (46). Flg 4 shows an individual wheel.

Deslgn and con~truction of the vehicle fra~e The vehlcle i5 de~lgned according ~o its intended use and ~he avallabl0 materlals. The structure or frame. usuallY wooden.
ls lald out, squared. and nailed (or otherwlse fastened~
together. Naile~ od construction is uui~e adequate for stren~th ~ dur~llitY ~n~ ke~ Possible easY rePalr or alt~ation. sPaces for ~heels (42) are constructed. The spaces for wheels are made large enough (longitudinallY) to rece~ve the dlameter of the bicycle wheel that is intended to be used. with at least 5 to I0 cen~lmeters (or 2 to 4 inches) of room to spare 80 that the wheel ~111 not rub on the frame. As a general rule.
there i8 one longltudinal (front-$o-back or fore-and-aft lying) frame member (22) or each side of a wheel. The longitudinal frame members are ~paced apart laterallr. wlde enough to fit the blcycle ~heal hub ~nd the thlckness of two brackets. When spaclng the frame for the bicycle wheel hub. i-t ls batter to make the SpaC96 for wheels a little too wlde (approximately 5 to I0 mllllmeters) thsn to make them too narrow. If the frame is being constructed bafore obtalnlng blcycle wheel~. a spacing of I25 mm (or 4 3/4 lnchas) csn be used as thls spacing will fit many commonly used blcycle (front) wheel hubs. Excess space on the axle between the bracket and the wheel hub can be filled with flat washer~. extra axle nuts. or other spacers. However. it is recommended that the wheels be obtained before constructing the f reme.
T7pical dl~en~ions of t~o-wheeled cart/ small trailer frame Typlcal dimenslons for the frame or maln bodY of a two-wheeled cart or small trailer (46)(Fig 2 and Flg 3) would be 1.3 meter6 from front to back and one meter wide (or 4 feet by 3 feet). wlth handles (48) extending I meter (or 3 feet) from the front. Typlcally, the structure or frame members are 2 inch bY 3 lnch, 2 lnch br 4 lnch. or 5/4 inch bY 4 inch (nominal size) lumber; the actual lumber dlmen~lon6 belng approxlmately 38mm by 63mm (or I I/2 lnche~ by 2 I/2 lnches). 38mm by 89mm (or I I/2 lnches by 3 1/2 lnches). and 25mm by 89mm (or 1 inch by 3 1/2 lnches) respectively. If ~ platform i5 built on the irame, it would be made typically from boards 19 or 20mm (or 3/4 inch) in thlckness-- such as 1 inch bY 6 inch nominal. which is actually 19mm by 140mm (or 3/4 inch bY 5 1/2 inches). It is recommended that diagonal braces (50). or bracing of some kind, be used on ~t least two corner6 of the frame. These braces can be on the underslde of the fr~me. It should be noted that any type of wood that ls avallable can be used as long as consideration is given to its strength and other characteristics, and to the loads intended to be carrled. Thick wooden poles can be used if flat spots are chiseled for the brackets. It may even be possible to use the larger varletles of b~mboo. Plywood can be u~ed for the platform or box lf care ls taken to protect it from moisture by palntlng, varnlshlng, ollln~, or otherwlse treating the plywood.
Metal, angle-lron, angle-alumlnum, or old steel bed frames could al50 be used by people who have the necessarY tools and skllls.
Attachlng the brackets to the vehicle structure or frame The wheel mounting brackets are attached to the longitudlnal members (22) of the structure or frame of the vehicle~ They are attached through the three holes for attaching (30)(bolt holes3 wlth either 6mm or 1/4 inch diameter bolts ~hexagon-head bolts, hexagon-head machine bolts, "c~p screws", -~carrla~e bolts, or hexagon-head lag bolts--wh1ch are actually screws). The use of rlvats is not recommended. Two flat washers and a lock washer ~re recommended for each bolt (except if lag bolts are used-then use one flat washer alone), The brackets are attached wlth the slot oPsning (32) oriented stralght down. The top adge (34~, the side opposite the slot openlng, is designed to be mounted sllgh~ly below, or flush with, the top edge of the longitudlnal ~tructure or frame member (22) to which lt ls n~tAches~
Holes (6mm or 1~4 inch ln dlameter) are drilled through the longitudinal structure or frame members (22) to recelve the bracket bolts (except ln the csse of lsg bolts or screws, when 2~2~

pilot holes may be drllled lf necessarY). Note that the size of the drlll blt used to drlll through the wood should be the exact slze of the bolt. either 6mm or I/4 inch. and nnt the slze of the holes ~30) ln the brackets as shown and specified in the drawings Fig I and Flg 9 ~7~m or .275 inch) (bolts through metal need a llttle extra space). The fit should be snug. and the bolts maY
have to be tapped l1~htlY with a hammer to get them through the wood. A bracket should be used as a Pattern or template to mark the hole locations. Ideally. ~11 (typically four) longitudinal member~ (22) with ~ttached ~heel mounting brackets will be identical. or at least the brackets will all be located equldl~tsnt from the rear of the vehlcle, and therefore the bolt holes can be alignad and drllled before the frame members are actually fastened together. Otherwise it ls s$ill a simple m~tter to allgn brackets ~nd drill bolt holes with a brace-and-blt or other type of drill after the frame ls bullt. A "C-clamp" or other type of clamp can be useful to hold the bracket ln place ~hen alignlng or marking hole locations. Remove the bracket before drilling. (Care should be taken not to damage the drill blt if drilling through the bracket holes is attempted.) After all ~he brackets (20) are securely attached and all bolts and nuts tlghtened and all structure and frame members of ~he vehlcle are fastened together as designed. then the blcYcle wheel(s) (26) are mounted in the 810ts (32) in the wheel mounting brackets ~ust as ln ~he fork of a bicycle. The axle nuts (28) ~re tightened Just as they would be on a bicYcle to hold the wheel securely ln place. This final wheel mounting operation is u6ually most easilY accomPlished by standing the vehicle up on lts rear end and tlpping it sllghtly backward. and slightly upslde down. and leaning lt on some tall statlonarY object such a~ a wall or a tree; Tha wheel~ are simllarly detachable.
It should be noted that the common USA/English blcYcle wheel 8ize8: 16 inch. 20 inch. 24 lnch. 26 inch. and 27 inch.
correspond with the metrlc measurements uscd in this patent appllcation: 40cm, 50cm. 60cm- 65Om. and 67-5cm. respectivelY-2~2~

It should be noted that the carts and wagons made withthese brackets. in many cases, will not be as strong or as durable as the popular, factory-made garden carts which have a pair of heavy-duty wheels with a single common axle, but they wlll also probably cost much less and be easier to rePair and permlt the u~e of scrap lumber and dlscarded bicycle wheels.
It should be noted that upward extensions can be built at the ends of the handles (48) to reduce the discomfort of back-bendlng when Pulllng or Pushing the cart, wagon, trailer, etc.
It ls to be recommended that these brackets should probably not be dlstributed anywhere that locally hand-crafted wheel carts are already in common use or where the introduction of these brackets would in some other way dlsrupt a part of a healthy local tradltlonal culture.
It should be noted that blcycle wheels themselves are not slmple items. The hubs, sPokes~ rlms, tubes, tires, axles and axle nuts can all present problems for unskilled persons. Where materlals or skllls are scarce, solid rubber tires, like the kind found on soms very small children's blcycles, may be preferable to tubes.
It ls reasonable to predict that the majorlty of use of thls lnventlon will be ln two-wheeled applicatlons such as car~s and small trailers, 80 the brackets ~lll be packaged in sets of four, or perhaps as cart sets (four) and wagon sets (eight). It ~hould be noted that EASY WAGON WHEEL BRACKETS and EASY CART
WHEEL BRACKETS and EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL BRACKETS
and EASY WAGON/EASY CART/BICYCLE WHEEL MOUNTING BRACKETS are all dlfferent names for the same thing, at the present time.
It should be noted that these wheel moun~ing brackets and the method of wheel mounting of thls invention are not recommended for u~e on, or wlth, motor vehicles. They are not deslgned for use with motorized propulsion, neither as a motor vehicle nor towad or pushed by a motor vehicle.
lt should be noted that although this invention is 2~26~

primarily lntended for two-wheeled applications and secondarily for one-wheeled and four-wheeled applica$ions. it could be used for appllcatlons requlrlng 3.5.6,8,IO or even more wheels. The use of these brackets for such apPlications and even for four-wheeled applications. needs mvre testing as of this date (I989-I99O). Extra cautlon should be used when designin~. constructing and u~ing these vehicles.
The utlllty of this invention is extraordinary. for several rea~ons lncludlng:
I) It provldes a way for ordlnary people to construct carts.
wagons, and other slmple small vehicles.
2) It provldes a general purpose bicycle wheel mounting method.
3) Most lmportant i8 the simplicity and durability of the only uncommon ltem necessarr--the brackets! In manY cases these brackets wlll outlast the vehicle on which they are used first.
and they can then be reused on another vehicle.
4) A consequence of the lnventlon's simplicity is the almost worldwlde nvallabllltY of the materials. skills. ~nd tools necessary to construct and repalr and alter carts. wagons, trallers, etc. wlth the method of thls lnventlon. Nailed-wood constructlon of the cart and wagon fsames is quite adequate for strength and durability and enables easy repalr or alter~tlon.(Elght-pennY~ (~3mm) and IO-penny. fi5m~ galvanized common nails ~re recommended.) The most basic carpentry hand tools are all that ls requlred. Bolts and wrenches are the only extras. and only rudlmentarY carpentry and mechanical skills are nece~sary.
Thl~ lnventlon is new; and if lt was obvious or antlcipated br any previously existing inventlon or device. then it wouldn't be new. because it iB 60 clearly useful.
Although thig detailed description of the invention contalns many speciflc detalls. these should not be construed as limltlng the scope of the lnventlon. but lnQtead~. as merely lllustratln~ some of the embodiments of thls lnvention. For exa~ple. the `bracket and the slot can have other shapes than 2 ~ g those de~crlbed hsreln. The sizes are also variable. These are Just ~ few examples o~ possible variables ln the various embodlments of thls invention. Thus the scoPe of the invention should be datermlned by the claims whlch follow. rather than by the speclfic detalls and embodiments and examples given ln this detallad descrlptlon.

Claims (16)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

CLAIMS:
1. Claim 1. A wheel mounting bracket, comprising: .
   a) a flat plate. or a generally flat surface or surfaces or other structural means. however large or small, whereby said wheel mounting bracket can be easily and securely attached to various flat wooden or metal structure or frame members.
   b) a plurality of holes for attaching said wheel mounting bracket to structure or frame members.
   c) a slot or opening which can receive. and in which can be mounted. securely and detachably, one end of the individual independent axle of various common bicycle, or bicycle-type, wheels of various different sizes,and d) structural support means having. at least. sufficient strength whereby when said wheel mounting bracket is attached through the holes for attaching to a longitudinal member of a structure or frame of a vehicle such as a cart, wagon. or small trailer, having detachably and rotatably mounted bicycle or bicycle-type wheels or wheel, said wheel mounting bracket can support one side of the individual independent axle. of a common bicycle wheel approxitately 50 centimeters in diameter, detachably mounted in said slot or opening, under the conditions of normal use of such vehicles.
2. Claim 2. The wheel mounting bracket of claim I wherein the overall width is larger than or equal to 75 millimeters and the overall height is larger than or equal to 50 millimeters.
3. Claim 3. The wheel mounting bracket of claim I wherein the overall width is larger than or equal to 100 millimeters and the overall height is larger than or equal to 75 millimeters.
4. Claim 4. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1. further including a right-angle bend parallel with the top edge.
5. Claim 5. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1. further including a rolled edge or rolled edges.
6. Claim 6. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein the Plurality of holes for attaching are in said flat plate. or a generally flat surface or surfaces or other structural means.
7. Claim 7. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein said plurality of holes for attaching said wheel mounting bracket to structure or frame members totals at least three.
8. Claim 8. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein it is as described substantially in figure 1 of the drawing.
9. Claim 9. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein said structural support means having. at least.
   sufficient strength are strong enough whereby said wheel mounting bracket can support one side of the individual independent axle. of a common bicycle wheel approximately 65 centimeters in diameter.
   detachably mounted in said slot or opening. under the conditions of normal use of such vehicles.
10. Claim 10. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9 wherein said structural support means having.
    at least. sufficient strength is steel approximately 3 millimeters or larger in thickness.
11. Claim 11. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9 wherein the overall width is less than 250 millimeters and the overall height is less than 150 millimeters and the overall thickness is less than 5 millimeters.
12. Claim 12. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9 wherein the overall width is larger than or equal to 75 millimeters and the overall height is larger than or equal to 50 millimeters.
13. Claim 13. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9 wherein the overall width is larger than or equal to 100 millimeters and the overall height is larger than or equal to 75 millimeter.
14. Claim 14. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9 wherein the overall width is larger than or equal to 150 millimeters and the overall height is larger than or equal to 100 millimeters.
15. Claim 15. The wheel mounting bracket of claim 9, further including a bend parallel with one edge.
16. Claim 16. A method of wheel mounting used in the construction of vehicles, or vehicle frames, comprising, in no specific order:
    a) constructing a structure or frame, b) constructing wheel mounting brackets, c) constructing a slot or opening in each of the wheel mounting brackets which can receive, and in which can be mounted, securely and detachably, one end of the individual independent axle of various common bicycle, or bicycle-type, wheels, d) attaching the wheel mounting brackets to longitudinal members of the structure or frame, e) constructing one or more spaces for wheels in the structure or frame, the spaces for wheels are in between the longitudinal members, and in between pairs of not necessarily identical, wheel mounting brackets attached to the longitudinal members, f) constructing the one or more spaces for wheels large enough whereby the structure or frame is able to receive and to mount, detachably and rotatably, common bicycle, or bicycle-type,wheels approximately centimeters in diameter in the space or spaces for wheel 51 g) constructing structural support means having. at least. sufficient strength in the wheel mounting brackets and in the structure or frame. whereby the structure or frame is able to mount. detachably and rotatably, and to support under the conditions of normal use of such a vehicle. common bicycle. or bicycle-type. wheels approximately 50 centimeters in diameter by detachably mounting the wheels' individual independent axles in the slots or openings in the wheel mounting brackets.
    Claim 17. The method of wheel mounting of claim 16 wherein the structure or frame is constructed for a two-wheeled cart or trailer.
    Claim 18. The method of wheel mounting of claim 16 wherein the structure or frame is constructed primarily of wood.
    Claim 19. The method of wheel mounting of claim 16 wherein the structure or frame is constructed mainly of wood and or metal.
    Claim 20. The method of wheel mounting of claim is wherein.
    a) the one or more spaces for wheels are constructed large enough whereby the structure or frame is able to receive and to mount.
    detachably and rotatably, common bicycle. or bicycle-type, wheels approximately 65 centimeters in diameter in the space or spaces for wheels. and b) the structural support means having, at least sufficient strength are constructed strong enough whereby the structure or frame is able to mount. detachably and rotatably.
    and to support under the conditions of normal use of such a vehicle, common bicycle. or bicycle-type. wheels approximately 65 centimeters in diameter by detachably mounting the wheels' individual independent axles in the slots or openings in the wheel mounting brackets.