GB2337735A

GB2337735A - A motorcycle with forwardly and rearwardly movable support members

Info

Publication number: GB2337735A
Application number: GB9811323A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Bothwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-28
Filing date: 1998-05-28
Publication date: 1999-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-05-28
Also published as: GB9811323D0; GB2337735B

Abstract

A motorcycle having an enclosed or substantially enclosed body (10) and respective support members (25) at the sides of the motorcycle and movable downwardly relative to the body into engagement with the ground, and in which each support member is in the form of an open topped enclosure for receiving a lower portion of the respective leg of the rider, wherein a ground engaging part of each support member is movable forwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle by such movement of the riders foot (see figure 7). Such movement allows for the motorcycle to be 'walked along' even though the riders legs are enclosed within the fairing. The forward and rearward movability may be provided by a mechanical linkage or by flexible bellows at the base of the support members. The support members may be locked in place by means of a rotatable drum with outwardly extending members, or by retractable members operated by a lever or rotary cam.

Description

1 PATENTS ACT 1977 GMD/A9406GB Title: POWERED TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES 2337735

Description of Invention

This invention relates to powered two-wheeled vehicles, which will herein be referred to as motorcycles. Particularly the invention relates to motorcycles of the type having a totally or substantially totally enclosed body structure, and more specifically the invention relates to improvements in motorcycles of the type disclosed in British Patent No. 2284583.

In British Patent 2284583, a motorcycle is disclosed which has an enclosed or substantially enclosed body and respective support members at the sides of the motorcycle and movable downwardly relative to the body into engagement with the ground. Each support member is in the form of an opentopped enclosure for receiving a lower portion of the respective leg of the rider. Such a motorcycle will hereafter be referred to as a motorcycle of the kind specified. The claims of the patent aforesaid are directed to a motorcycle of the kind specified wherein footrest means, which may be associated with driving controls of the motorcycle, extends into each such enclosure.

Two problems which are presented by totally or substantially enclosed motorcycles are those of manoeuvring the motorcycle in a confined space or at low speed, and parking. In the two first mentioned circumstances, the rider of a conventional open motorcycle simply places his feet on the ground and "walks" the motorcycle forwardly or rearwardly. In a motorcycle of the kind specified, the rider can deploy the support members to contact the ground, and it is proposed in the patent aforesaid that the support members may be provided with drive means such as rollers powered by, electric motors, for moving the motorcycle forwardly or rearwardly as required. However, this provision is 2 1 complex and expensive, and in general less easy to control than is a conventional open motorcycle where "walking" manoeuvring by the rider is done instinctively.

Support of a motorcycle of the kind specified in an upright position when parking is proposed to be achieved in the patent aforesaid by the provision of means for locking the support members in their lowered positions, but no mechanisms for achieving this are described.

Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to address the above described problems of motorcycles of the kind specified.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a motorcycle of the kind specified wherein a ground-engaging pail of each support member is movable forwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle by such movement of the rider's foot.

In accordance with the invention, the ability of a ground-engaging part of each support member to move forwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle, in addition to the up and down movement of the support member, enables the rider to "walk" the motorcycle forwardly or rearwardly at slow speed just as is possible if the rider of a conventional open motorcycle places his feet on the ground. The only difference is that contact of the rider's feet with the ground is through the interinediary of the ground engaging pails of the support members.

This may be achieved by providing for the support members to be movable relative to the motorcycle in a swinging motion about one or more points at upper parts of the support members. Such movement of the support members may be afforded by appropriate mounting thereof by linkage means or pivot means.

Alternatively, each support inember may have mounting means which provides for movement thereof as a whole foiwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle.

3 Yet a further possibility is that each support member may have a groundengaging part which is movable relative to the rest of the support member. An example of this provision is that the ground-engaging portion may be connected to the rest of the support member by a "concertina bellows" arrangement.

Specific embodiments of mechanism by which such movements of the support members may be achieved are described hereafter.

Further aspects of the present invention are concerned with the means whereby one or both of the support members of the motorcycle may be locked in the lowered position, for supporting the motorcycle in an upright position for parking or during climbing aboard or alighting of a rider.

In accordance with this other aspect of the invention, locking means for the support members comprises at least one locking element movable selectively into engagement with one or both of the support members.

An operating mechanism for the or each locking element may be arranged to lock both support members in a lower position, or to lock only one support member in such a position. Various embodiments of such operating mechanism are described hereafter.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of pail of a motorcycle of the kind specified, including a locking means for the support members in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an elevation of pail of the locking means shown in Figure 1.1 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the locking means; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of pail of a further embodiment of locking means; Figures 5A and 5B diagrammatically illustrate parking of the motorcycle on level and sloping surfaces; 4 Figures 6A and 6B diagrammatically illustrate yet further embodiments 1 i 1 1 1 of locking mechanism; Figure 7 diagrammatically illustrates an arrangement whereby forwards and rearwards movement of the support members of a motorcycle may be provided in accordance with the invention; Figures 8A, B and C diagrammatically illustrate yet a further mounting arrangement of support members; Figure 9 diagrammatically illustrates a further locking means for support members; Figure 10 diagrammatically illustrates the manner in which a support member of a motorcycle may be provided, in accordance with the invention, with a movable ground-engaging part; Figure 11 diagrammatically illustrates a motorcycle of the kind specified, provided with yet a further means whereby relative forwards and rearwards movement of support members may be provided.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 11 of the drawings, these are Figures which appear in the British Patent 2284583 aforesaid, albeit modified in the present application in accordance with the present invention. Figure 11 of the present application shows a motorcycle having a substantially totally enclosed body indicated generally at 10, a front wheel 11 carried by a fork 12 and a rear wheel 13 carried by a pivoted arm or fork 14. The motorcycle has an engine 15 and a transmission means (not shown) for driving the rear wheel 13. The body 10 may itself be a load carrying structure which supports items such as the engine and the forks 12, 14, or may have a separate frame structure in relation to which the body 10 is a substantially non-load-bearing structure. Also visible in Figure 11 are a windshield 19, openable or removable canopy 20, and a handlebar 21 for partaking in control of the motorcycle by a rider 16. For further information with respect to the motorcycle, reference should be made to the patent aforesaid, but here it will be noted that there are provided downwardly movable support members 25 in the form of open-topped enclosures pivotably mounted at their forward end to the body of the motorcycle, one of such enclosures being shown in a lowered position at 25a and in a raised position at 25b.

Figure 1 of the present drawings corresponds to Figure 5 of the drawings of the patent aforesaid, and shows, in a perspective view, a possible configuration of the rear portion of the body of a motorcycle and support members therefor. In this Figure, from which the wheels and all other parts of the motorcycle have been omitted, the body is indicated generally at 3 W and has a rear window 3 1. A seat 3)2 is provided in the body for occupation by a rider of the motorcycle, and for receiving the legs of the rider the body is provided with downwardly extending channels or slots 33. These are open at their lower ends and support members 35 are slidable upwardly and downwardly within the channels or slots 33. The support members 35 are in the form of open topped enclosures and are able to engage the ground for supporting the motorcycle in an upright or nearly upright position relative thereto. Suitable guide means will be provided for ensuring fi.ee movement of the support members within the channels or slots 33), and means for establishing a substantially weatherproof seal between the support members and the body work at the open lower ends of the channels or slots.

Figures 1 and 2 show the provision of a locking drum 833 'In a generally cylindrical downwardly extending cavity in the body of the motorcycle, in the area immediately in front of the rider's seat. The drum 83 is able to be rotated in its cavity by a manually operable handle 86, and has locking tongues 84, 85 extending outwardly therefi-om for engagement with the support members 35 when the latter are in appropriate lowered positions. Instead of rotating the drum 83), the handle may operate on pails of the locking tongues to cause them to project outwardly and retract inwardly as required. In either event, when the tongues are able to project outwardly to block upward movement of the support C 6 members 35 from their lowermost positions, or may engage the support members to hold them at intermediate positions between their fully raised and fully lowered positions. For example, the tongues may engage slots in the sides of the support members. Figure 2 shows bearings 87, 88, 89 by which the drum 83 is rotatably supported in the cavity in the body of the motorcycle.

The tongues 84, 85 are preferably arranged so that two opposite tongues may be engagable with both support members at the same time, or one tongue only may engage with a required one or other of the support members.

Figure 33 shows, in plan view, an arrangement of tongues 88, 89, 89a such that by appropriate setting both the tongues 88, 89 may oppositely extend outwardly for engagement with both support members, or one may extend outwardly for engagement with one support member only.

There are alternative ways in which outward movement of the locking tongues may be effected. Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates one such method: tongues 103 extend through apertures in wall surfaces 90, 100 which may be parts of a load-bearing "spine" of the body of the motorcycle. The tongues 103 are biased inwardly by springs as 102, and have heads which are engagable by a rotary cam 101 for displacing one or other of them outwardly as required.

Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically the parking of a motorcycle on level and sloping ground. Figure 5A shows the vertical position of a wheel of the motorcycle at 107, at right angles to the ground surface on which it is standing. Support members 105, 106 are both locked in a fully lowered position for supporting the motorcycle in such orientation with sufficient stability to enable a rider to mount the motorcycle and dismount therefrom. Figure 5B shows at 110 a motorcycle wheel on sloping ground and at an inclination to the ground surface, being supported in this position by a support member 111 which is locked in a lowered position. On the opposite side, the support member indicated at 109 remains unlocked.

7 Yet further arrangements of means for locking support members in lowered positions are shown in Figure 6. Figure 6A shows a pivoted lever 115 having a toggle mechanism connection indicated at 116 to two locking elements or tongues 114 movable outwardly and inwardly in guides 117 to engage with support members 112, 113. The lever 115 may be analogous in form to the hand brake lever characteristic of motorcars and other vehicles: a retaining mechanism releasable by a button or otherwise may be provided for holding the lever in a position in which the locking elements 114 lock the support members in position.

Figure 613 shows yet a further altemative aiTangement in both elevation and plan views. A rider-operable handle is indicated at 118, connected to a gearwheel 119 for rotating the latter. Gearwheel 119 meshes with a smaller gear wheel 120 which on each of its sides has a cam surface extending over a segmental part 121. These cam surfaces are engaged by respective cam followers as indicated at 122, the cam followers 122 being movable in the direction at right angles to the side face of the gearwheel, i.e. parallel to the rotational axis thereof. It will further be noted that these parts are disposed in a recess 123) which typically will be arranged at a position in front of the rider in a spine-type frame member of the motorcycle. In the plan view forming the lower part of Figure 6B, the cam surface pails 121 of the gearwheel 120 are visible, and the cam followers 122 engaging therewith, which operate to move locking, tongues 127, 128 movable in guides 125 and engagable with support members as indicated at 126.

Referring now to Figure 7 of the di-awiii,,s, this shows a support member 1-30 movable in a guide 129. To provide for a ground-engaging lower pail of the suppoil member to be movable fonvardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle by movement of the rider's foot, for the pui-pose of -walkinj manoeuvring of the motorcycle at low speed or when pai-kiiit,, the guide 129 for the support member is connected to the motorcycle at its uppei. ciid Iiii such a manner that 8 the guide and the support member with it are pivotally movable. Arrangements of such a pivotal support, possibly giving three-dimensional or universal pivotal movement are shown diagrammatically at 131 (a two- way pivot), 132 (a ball joint pivot), or 133 (a two-way pivot). When the support member is movable in this manner, a flexible diaphragm or membrane 136 is provided where a footrest 137 extends through a large aperture in the side of the supporl member and its guide. Such a diaphragm or membrane, if of an elastic nature, assists in centring the support member to a position mid-way between its foremost and rearmost positions indicated at 138, 139.

Figure 8A shows a guide for a support member supported by four pivoted links 140, 141, 142, 143 relative to the frame structure of a motorcycle. The links may be ball jointed at each end so that the support member is able to move in a path which includes components extending both forwardly and rearwardly and laterally of the motorcycle. The support member 144 is thus able to undergo a path of movement relative to the ground which greatly facilitates walking manoeuvring of the motorcycle.

Figure 8C illustrates pivot rods 149 extending from opposite ends of a carrier 148 for a support member, the rods 149 being received in bearings in which they can pivot, move axially, and in addition the bearings are able to move up and down so that a support member carried by the carrier is able to pivot laterally, move bodily forwardly and i-eai-,.,vardly, and also undergo some angular movement to cause its lowermost ends to move forwardly and rearwardly.

Flure 9 shows a support member with a toothed rack formation 152 it) provided on a wall thereof. It meshes with a pinion 154 carried in a wall part of a guide formation relative to which the support member can move. The pinion 154 is able to be locked against rotation by a pawl member 156 which is pivotable about a bearing 155. Tile pawl inember 156 is able to be pivotally moved to cause it to engage the pinion 154 by, operation of a Bowden cable 0 1 9 158, and a spring 157 biases the pawl member such that it is disengaged from the pinion. By engagement of the pawl member with the pinion, which engagement is possible at a number of positions corresponding to the number of teeth on the pinion, the support member is able to be locked against movement at a range of positions in its total movement. The Bowden cable 158 may be operable by a rider of the motorcycle as required after having lowered the support member to the required extent. A similar mechanism would be provided for the support member at the other side of the motorcycle, and it will be appreciated that by suitably setting the support members and then locking them in position the motorcycle can be parked with safety on sloping or uneven ground.

Although several different embodiments of means for locking the support members in required positions are described above, it will be appreciated that other arrangements may alternatively be utilised for this purpose. For example, electrical or hydraulic operation may be utilised instead of or as an assistance to manual operation of any of the embodiments described.

As an alternative or addition to the provision of a support member mounting which permits movement of the support member for manoeuvring of the motorcycle, a lowermost part of the support member may be arranged to be moved relative to an uppermost part thereof. Figure 10 illustrates this principle, with a support member 160 having a lower part in the form of a "concertina bellows" arrangement 161. If the bellows is suitably flexible, a considerable degree of displacement of the lowerniost pail thereof is possible, as illustrated at 162. The bellows may be of a rubber or rubber-like material, which may be reinforced by metal inserts; one of the insets to Figure 10 sholvs such a spring 16-3) relative to an elastomeric bellows fold 164.

Referring now to Figure 11 of the di-awiiics, this shows, as above referred to, a support member '25 which is pivotally movable by pivoting about its forward end 50. The bearing by which it is thus supported may be movable forwardly and rearwardly in a member affording a forwardly and rearwardly extending slot or recess 5 1, there being spring means for biasing the pivot bearing of the support member to a mid-position relative thereto.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof

11

Claims

1. A motorcycle having an enclosed or substantially enclosed body and respective support members at the sides of the motorcycle and movable downwardly relative to the body into engagement with the ground, and in which each support member is in the form of an open-topped enclosure for receiving a lower portion of the respective leg of the rider, wherein a groundengaging part of each support member is movable forwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle by such movement of the rider's foot.

2. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support members are movable relative to the motorcycle in a swinging motion about one or more points at upper parts of the support members.

3. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movement of the support members is afforded by mounting thereof by linkage means.

4. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movement of the support members is afforded by mounting thereof by pivot means.

5. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 wherein each support member has mounting means which provides for movement thereof as a whole forwardly and rearwardly of the motorcycle.

6. A motorcycle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each support member has a ground-engaging part which is movable relative to the rest of the support member.

12 7. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 6 wherein each ground-engaging part is connected to the support member by a bellows arrangement.

8. A motorcycle as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising locking means whereby one or both of the support members of the motorcycle may be locked in the lowered position.

9. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises at least one locking element movable selectively into engagement with at least one support member.

10. A motorcycle having an enclosed or substantially enclosed body and respective support members at the sides of the motorcycle and movable downwardly relative to the body into engagement with the ground, and in which each support member is in the form of an open-topped enclosure for receiving a lower portion of the respective leg of the rider, and further comprising at least one locking element movable selectively into engagement with at least one support member.

A motorcycle as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein an operating mechanism for the or each locking element comprises a locking drum from which at least one locking elements outwardly extend, the locking drum being rotable to cause the at least one locking element to engage with a support member.

12. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the locking means includes at least one retractable locking element, each locking element being operable to project outwardly to engage with and prevent movement of a 13 support member, and operable to retract inwardly and allow movement of a support member.

12. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein an operating mechanism for the or each retractable locking element includes a spring means which holds a locking element in a retracted position, and a rotary cam which is engagable with a locking element and is operable to displace the locking element to an outwardly projecting position.

13. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein an operating mechanism for the or each retractable locking element includes a pivoted lever having a toggle mechanism connection to the or each locking element.

14. A motorcycle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawing.