GB635027A - Improvements in or relating to three-wheel delivery vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

635,027. Motor vehicles carrier cycles ; frames ; wheel forks ; steering. WERVEN, J., VAN. Sept. 5, 1947, No. 24535. Convention date, June 21. [Classes 79 (iii), 79 (iv), 79 (v), 136 (i) and 136 (iii)] In a three-wheel delivery vehicle with a driven and steerable front wheel mounted in a fork frame which by means of a steering head is rotatably connected with the loading trough chassis frame supported by the two rear wheels on which fork frame, and rotating with it, the driving and steering mechanisms and the driver's saddle are fitted, the steering head rotatably supports a pivot fixed to the fork frame, which pivot is approximately in line with the point of contact between the front wheel and road-surface, while the driving and steering mechanisms as well as the saddle are so suspended from the fork frame, that they make a practically balanced unit relatively to the axis of rotation formed by the pivot. The front wheel 1, Fig. 1, is supported in a fork frame comprising a fork 10, mudguard stays 11, steering stays 13 connected to a box 14 in which a handlebar stem 16<SP>1</SP> is rotatably mounted, and a rod 15 connecting the box 14 with the fork 10 which rod has a rearward extension carrying a saddle 20. A steering pivot pin 9 fixed between the rod 15 and a support 16 on the fork 10 is mounted for rotation in a steering head 8 integral with an upwardly bent member 7 of a fork chassis-frame 6 carried by the rear wheels 2. The steering mechanism consists of a toothed wheel 17 mounted at the lower end of the stem 161 between the steering stays 13 and connected by a crossed chain 19 to a toothed wheel 18 fixed to the steering head 8. The wheel 1 is driven by pedals 21 through a suitable transmission system 22 suspended from the mudguard stay 11. The saddle and driving and steering mechanisms are so positioned that they make a practically balanced unit for rotation about the pivot 9 which is positioned as closely as possible behind the fork 10 so as to be approximately in line with the point of contact between the wheel and the road. Another embodiment utilizing a motor driven front wheel is indicated in Fig. 3. A motor 23 is mounted in stirrups 24 connected with the fork 10, and handlebars 26 are mounted on a fuel tank 25 also connected with the fork 10. The steering pivot pin 9 is fixed between two supports 16 on the fork 10 and the saddle 20 is mounted above the fork 10 but can be moved forwardly in order to obtain a practically balanced rotation for the front wheel assembly about the steering pivot.