Tricycle

Technical Field

This invention relates to three-wheeled vehicles, andmoreparticularly to improved, high-efficiency, front- wheel drive tricycles of a "2-1" configuration with an independent rear suspension having a transfer gear/disc braking system and a fully engineered front end that is particularly suitable for human-powered operation with the driver in the recumbent, supine position. In a most preferred embodiment, the improved tricycle of this invention is fully faired. Alternatively, the vehicle is adaptable to be used with a small displacement engine providing mileage on the order of several hundred miles per gallon. In still other embodiments, a partially faired or unfaired vehicle is particularly suitable for Third World transportation, light haulage, industrial and agricultural usage.

Background Art The mechanical system of the bicycle, that is, the pedal, crank and chain transfer system to the rear wheel gears has been estimated to be 92-95% efficient in trans¬ ferring energy from the human operator to the rear wheel. However, at speeds of 25 miles an hour and above, 90% of the effort goes into overcoming wind resistance. This is due in principal part to the upright position of the rider.

Tricycles are less popular because they are heavier, and their width offers even greater wind resistance. Nor do they have the advantages of good handling character¬ istics evidenced by bicycles. Traditional Western usages of tricycles are as children's play vehicles. Rear wheel drive three-wheeled pedicabs or bicycle-powered rickshaws are in extensive use in other areas of the world.

particularly the Orient. Pedicabs consistof the front half of a bicycle including the single front wheel and fork mount with the rider in the upright position, with two trailing wheels between which are mounted seats for passengers or platforms or racks for light haulage. These are "1-2" configurations.

Although there have been several bicycles through the years with recumbent positions, most recently the HYPERCYCLE, the EASY RACER, and the AVATAR 2000, these bicycles have proven to be difficult to ride because it is more difficult to balance the bicycle in the recumbent position, particularly the supine position. Those three recent bicycles are reminiscent of the 1934 era GRUBB recumbent bicycle and the Ravat CYC ORATIO patented in England in 1936 by Albert Raymond.

Because of the balance problem of recumbent cycles, a tricycle of "2-1" format has been used for speed chal¬ lenge HPVs, including the current world speed record holding Vector tricycle. The Vectors are steerable only about 10-15° from a straight line as the speed is deter¬ mined over a 200-yard, straight-line course. They are quite definitely not road vehicles and are too expensive. References in the relevant tricycle art include the following articles and U.S. Patents: Ecomotion: No. 1, Aug. 1979 article on Tricycles; No. 2, March 1980, p.3; No. 4, Oct. 1981, pp. 5,6; "How About One for the Road?" American Wheelman, Sept. 1981, pp. 3,4 showing the VECTOR, AERO, MATRIX, and RED SHIFT vehicles; U.S. Patents: 3,913,929 to Matsuura (the SLINGSHOT vehicle); 4,198,072 to Hopkins; 4,272,095 to Ptaszek; 2,501,035 to Doak; and 1,196,129 to McCormick. None of these teach or suggest applicant's invention. They show there is a need for making a practical on-road, street-type of vehicle which is capable of being mass produced and overcomes the dis- advantages of current straight-line racing vehicles, yet preserves the advantages of stability while permitting greater transfer of energy to the driven wheels.

The Invention Objects

It is a principal object to provide an improved 2DS- 1IS type front-wheel drive tricycle having two steerable front wheels, an independent rear suspension, a transfer gear braking system and a fully engineered front end, for street usage. Other objects are to provide an improved: 1) tricycle having a recumbent, supine position for the rider, which is specially adapted for human-powered operation for sport, commuter usage, light haulage, indus¬ trial and light agricultural use, and which has an improved braking system; 2) fully engineered tricycle having front- wheel drive and which may be adapted for small displace¬ ment engine assist for the basic human power providing mileage on the order of several hundred miles per gallon; 3) front-wheel drive tricycle with the rider in a recum¬ bent, supine position, and which may be fully or partially faired; 4) human-powered, three-wheel vehicle having front-wheel drive and which may be specially adapted for Third World usage, including provision for power take-off, and racks, platforms, or seats for carrying passengers or light loads; 5) air inlet and ducting system to provide ventilation in a human- owered, faired vehicle which provides sufficient cooling air flow yet which does not cause excess turbulence, thereby sub¬ stantially reducing improvements in drag coefficient. Still further and other objects of the invention will be evident from the detailed description.

Summary The invention comprises an improved, three-wheel, human-powered vehicle (HPV) of a 2DS (Driven, Steerable)- IIS (Independent Suspension) type which may also be adapted for engine or battery-powered assist. The tri¬ cycle is both driven and steerable at the front wheels by virtue of a fully engineered front end. The trailing (non-steerable) rear wheel is mounted in an independent

rear suspension of a swing arm type employing a shock absorber. The rider is in a semi-recumbent, supine position with a fully adjustable seat to compensate for variation in rider body proportions. A 21-speed drive system is shown employing a trans¬ fer gear and differential to provide power to both front wheels. Braking occurs prior to the front differential so that braking force is equally distributed to both front wheels regardless of road conditions resulting in anti-skid properties. This is provided by a unique transfer gear disc-type braking system ahead of the differential. The frame is a triangulated space frame having a prow extending ahead of the front wheels on which is mounted the bottom bracket and crank assembly. Theprowlength may be varied to accommodate a wide range of rider heights, from under 5 feet to over 6 feet for adults, and shorter for children.

The fully engineered front end includes caster, camber, Ackerman compensation, and kingpin inclination inboard of the tire edge for high-speed turn stability, improved tire wear and tip-resistant safety features. The front wheel drive provides extremely high traction, particularly suitable for Third World applications, especially in agriculture and for light industrial and commuter transport uses. The. invention also provides a critical relationship between the wheel size and the ratio of the wheelbase to the track, which results in improved handling and high speed turn stability. The preferred embodiment employs three wheels of the same 20-inch size.

The steering handlebars are beneath the seat in a natural, relaxed position, and steering, braking and gear shifting controls are disposed on the handles. I have also found thatthepivot axes of the bottom bracket and the rider's hip are preferably placed on a substantially horizontal line with the rider's back supported in a rigid seat so that the full power can be ^» OMPI

developed during spinning (rotating the crank with the feet) . The invention also provides shoulder straps and seat belt systems, which are part of the seat assembly and critical to high-speed, safe operation. 5 The tricycle is shown in both unfaired and fully faired versions, for Third World and road touring utility, respectively. The fairing is a light-weight plastic shell, particularly designed for medium speeds in the range of 20-50 miles per hour. It employs 10 specially placed NACA inlets in combination with an open-top cockpit and a configuration which creates negative cockpit pressure. This sucks air through the inlets providing ventilation comfort for the rider within the shell. The wheels are also fully faired. 15 A lower speed version having partial fairing on the body with faired wheels and faired fenders is disclosed. A safety lighting system is mounted on the fairing shell, including a nose warning light, head and brake lights, turning indicators, and safety strobe flashers. 20. A wide variety of accessories and alternative embodiments are shown. These include a keel-type of frame as an alternative to the modified-pyramid, multi- triangular space frame of the preferred embodiment; use of an internal combustion engine as a pedal assist or 5 rear wheel drive; use of a battery or solar-charged, battery-assisted drive; racks or platforms for carrying loads; a tow-bar for towing small trailers; power take-off for Third World usage; a cycle and rider monitor to provide information on the physical condition of the 0 rider (pulse, etc.) and the speed of the vehicle; various types of fairings; various frame construction materials, including: bamboo; wood (e.g., spruce); various steel alloys (e.g., chrome-molybdenum steel); titanium; carbon fiber plastic; 10-20-5 DOM mandral drawn steel; and the 5 like; and various gear systems and gear train arrange¬ ments, including standard derailleur systems and cam plate systems.

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List of Drawings

The invention is described inmoredetail by reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the tricycle of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the tricycle;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a three-quarter perspective of the gear drive train; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view partly in section of the rear suspension adjustment assembly;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the fairing (body shell) taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 7 with one-half broken away to show the rider's position; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the fairing taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6 showing the rider in the recumbent position;

Fig. 8 is the left half of the front silhouette showing the body contour lines along positions 0, -2 and -4 of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a rear silhouette of the left half of the tricycle fairing showing body contour lines along positions +3, +4, and +6 of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the tricycle partly in schematic showing the various adjustment positions of the seat;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in schematic, with a silhouette of a rider showing the safety belt and shoulder harness systems, and a tow bar for a trailer;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of an internal combustion engine used as a pedal assist;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the pedal assist assembly shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a rear motor drive system;

Fig. 15 is a plan view of a power take-off assembly particularly useful for Third World applications;

Figs. 16a and 16b are side and rear elevations of a carrying rack and side bags for carrying various items; and

Figs. 17a and 17b are respectively a plan view and a side view of a keel frame embodiment for the tricycle of this invention.

Detailed Description The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is with reference to the various figures and is meant to be illustrative and not limiting of the prin¬ ciples of the invention described and claimed herein.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a plan view, side elevation and front elevation view of the 2-1 type FWD tricycle of this invention. Tricycle 1 comprises a generally modified pyramidal, triangulated space frame assembly 2 which in turn is composed of two major parts, the front main frame assembly 30 and the rear swing arm assembly 50. The rider of this human-powered vehicle is seated in a recumbent, supine position in seat assembly 3 (see Figs. 7 and 11) with his/her feet placed in the pedals 8, secured by toe clips 9, to operate the crank assembly 5. As seen in more detail in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, power is transferred to the front wheels (FWD), which front wheels are steerable via a fully engineered front end, i.e., 2DS-1IS format.

Before going into detail on the construction of the tricycle, a specific example is discussed next below. A tricycle in accordance with this invention which is fully faired as shown in Figs. 6-9, and employing the alternative triangulated space frame of the keel type shown in Figs. 17a and 17b has been extensively tested in Colorado in varying road and weather conditions, including rain and snow.

On straight-line level course with no tail wind, a reasonably qualified male rider (not of Olympic or world class caliber) could achieve 48 miles per hour. Top speed achieved with wind assist was in excess of 60 miles per hour. 30-40+ miles per hour were very confor- table for several hours. In one test run, the vehicle was human powered up a one in four grade, rising some thousand feet over Boulder, Colorado. The 2-1/2 mile grade was comprised of washboard gravel and chuck holes. The test rider took 45 minutes to climb this in the human-powered vehicle. All of this test work was by single rider, and the vehicle was not assisted by any engine motive power. None of the wheels were faired in these test examples. All three wheels were of the same size, being 20 in wheels with hook bead tires. A monitor¬ ing system 18 (Figs. 1 and 3) , was used to monitor the heart rate, cadence, speed, distance, and the like.

As compared to the racing tricycles, such as the Vector, the HPT of this invention has extremely good handling characteristics. This is due in part to the fully engineered front end and the track-to-wheelbase ratio being on the order of .6. We have found that a wheelbase-to-track ratio below about .45 is relatively unstable. In addition, the braking prior to the front differential, wherein braking is equally distributed to both front wheels regardless of road conditions, provides anti-skid characteristics.

I have also found it critical to have a substantially rigid seat, one with sufficient flex in the back for comfort, but rigid so that the rider's hips are braced against the lower back portion of the seat. I term my seating position to be semi-recumbent and maintain the pivot axis passing throughthe hip joints of the rider substantially horizontal with respect to the bottom bracket crank (spindle) axis. In a normal bicycle, with the rider in the upright position, the rider can only work with his own weight plus some small amount

of upward tension on the handlebars. In contrast, a bicyclist in good shape using the semi-recumbent position of this invention can provide approximately 900 lbs of force which may be on the order of over four times the weight of the rider himself.

For dual working (pedaling) riders, the tandem position may either be side-by-side, or one behind the other with the second positioned over the rear wheel, in a following position and may alternatively be back- to-back, with an additional prow and crank assembly to the front-wheel drive through a transfer gear. Where an inherently flexible material is used for the frame, such as bamboo or wood, the rear independent suspension may be eliminated as the frame will flex vertically along its length. A preferred shell material is a polyester- impregnated polyester fabric shell.

Returning then to Figs. 1-3, the main frame assembly 30 comprises a modified pyramid formed by the lower mains 31, 31', the top tube 32 which forms the backbone, the kingpins 111 and 111', the kingpin transverse connec¬ tor 44, the upper kingpin main supports 62, 62', and the horizontal triangulation strut 63, 63". The base of the pyramid is formed by the lower mains 31, 31', and the kingpin transverse connector 44. The back of the pyramid is formed by the transverse swingar mount tube 42 from which the rear swing arm assembly 50 is pivoted. The pyramid sides are formed by the seat tube 32a, the kingpins 111, 111', the upper kingpin mains 62, 62', and the horizontal triangulation strut 63, 63'. The crank assembly 5 is mounted on a prow comprising the bottom bracket tube 32b and the dow tube 43 which may also be termed a bottom bracket diagonal support. The prow, containing the bottom bracket 4, is supported from lateral and torsional forces by bottom bracket struts 71, 71'. The crank assembly 5 comprises chain rings 6a, 6b and 6c, a pair of cranks 7, 7', each of which carries a pedal 8, 8' and optional toe clips 9, 9'.

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The chain rings are for example respectively 56, 46 and 36 toothed rings.

Extending upwardly from the bottom bracket 4 is an optional front upper body mount 10. Where the HPV tri- cycle of this invention is employed in an unfaired condi¬ tion, this body mount tube may be eliminated. Likewise, where the fairing is only over the basic modified pyramidal, triangulated space frame 2 or the main frame assembly 30, this tube may be eliminated. For the faired embodiment, as shown particularly in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, body mount 10 supports the forward portion of the fairing as described in more detail below. This body mount includes a plate 11 to which the upper half of the fairing is mounted at the front, a split ring type take-down sleeve 12, and fastening bolts 13, 13'.

The appropriate chain ring is selected by the chain ring derailleur 15, the controls for which are on the handlebar as best described below in more detail. The energy from pedaling is transferred to the main drive assembly 90 as best seen in Fig. 4, and in turn to the differential assembly 80 by transfer chain 17.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 7, the rear portion of the upper half of .the body is supported by rear body mount tube 20. The upper half of the shell is secured in place by screwing it to plate 21. The tube 20 is secured by means of take-down sleeve 22 which is tightened in appropriate position by bolts 23, 23'. Both the front and rear upper body mount tubes 10 and 11 can be slid from their respective frame support tubes 24, 25 by loosening the respective bolts from the split ring sleeves.

The seat assembly 3 is supported by the following structures. Rear seat main 37 is canted backwardly off the center of the transverse swing arm mount tube 42, and is torsionally stabilized by seat triangulation stays

36, 36'. Likewise, flex in rear seat main 37 (by virtue of the force transmitted through the swing arm spring as

described below in more detail) is prevented by sta¬ bilizer 38 which extends from a position opposite the swing arm spring to the seat tube 32a. Likewise, trans¬ verse stabilizers 41, 41* tie in the diagonal seat tri- angulation stays 36, 36' to the seat tube 32a.

In a similar manner, front diagonal triangulation stays 61, 16' help support the frame and maintain the proper kingpin inclination.

The upper portion of the seat assembly mounts into telescopic upper seat tube 39, and the front of the seat is mounted to sliding lower seat mount assembly 40. The seat assembly 3 comprises a seat shell 201 having a flared buttock area 202, a back area 203 having a re¬ curved lumbar support, and a flared shoulder rest area 204. The seat also has a front lip 205 which prevents the rider from sliding too far forward as it catches in the buttock crease, and has side lips 206 which pro¬ vide side support in turns. Vent holes 207 provide cooling for the back and shoulders. There are a plurality of adjustment holes 208 which assist in the,seat adjust¬ ments to carefully fit the rider as described in more detail below in connection with Fig. 10. The upper back portion of the seat is secured to the upper seat mount cross-piece 209 by bolts passing through the selected ones of the holes 208.

Looking particularly at Fig. 2, the rear swing arm assembly 50 comprises a pair of lower mains 51, 51' extending from swing arm pivots 34, 34' to the rear wheel axle 52. Transverse tubes 49 and 53 (see Fig. 1) placed forward of the rear wheel keep the lower swing arm mains properly spaced. The spring tower assembly 54 includes a pair of upper mains 55, 55* extending between a dropout plate of the rear axle 52 and the spring 59. These upper swing arm mains are torsionally braced to the lower by triangulation stays 56, 56'. Also shown are a set of spring braces 57, 57' and 58, 58 ¹ . The shock absorber 160 is mounted between the upper swing arm main transverse R

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tube 163 and the shock bracket mount 161 which in turn is mounted on the back of the seat main 37. A rear caliper brake 155 is mounted on a brake bolt 162 which in turn is mounted on the upper swing arm mains transverse rod 163.

The wheel assembly 120 includes a rear axle 52 for the rear wheel and stub axles 121, 121* for the front wheels. The wheels 120 may be standard 20 in bicycle wheels having spokes 123 mounted to hook bead rim 124 to which tire 126 is mounted. The wheels may be fully faired by having fairing covers 125 mounted thereon as shown for example at rear wheel 127. Likewise, the front wheels 128, 128' may be also faired.

The steering assembly 130 (see Fig. 2) comprises a handlebar pivot 131 secured to the underside of the seat tube 32a just rearwardly of the front lip of the seat 205. This position may vary somewhat depending on the precise position of the seat as it is adjustable for various sized riders, but is positioned to be comfortable for the particular rider whose hands must be on the handlebar 132 to control the shift and brake control assemblies 150 thereon. As best seen in Fig. 1, drag link pivot arm 133 which is supported diagonally by stay 134 contains pivot 136 in which the drag link 135 is pivoted at 138 to the kingpin steering pivot arm 137 which is fastened to the kingpin 111. The transverse track rod 139 is povited between the pair of track rod pivot arms 140, 140' (which are secured to the kingpins 111, 111') by pivots 141, 141". The shift and brake control assembly (see Fig. 1) comprises front brake lever assembly 151 on the right- hand side which operates the front disc brake 97 via front brake cable 152. Rear brake lever assembly 153 operates the rear caliper brake 155 via the rear brake cable 154. The handlebar end shifter 156 for the main drive assembly 90 is on the left end of the handlebar and connects to the main drive assembly 90 by shifter

cable 157. The bar end shifter assembly 158 controlling the crank derailleur 15 is on the right end of the handlebar and is connected thereto by the front shifter cable 159. Looking particularly at Figs. 1 and 3, the differ¬ ential assembly 80 drives the main drive axle 101 which is linked to the stub axles 121, 121* of the front wheels 128, 128' via inner universals 102, 102', intermediate shafts 103, 103', and outer universals 104, 104'. Turning now to Fig. 4, this figure illustrates in a 3/4 front perspective a portion of the gear drive train and transfer of power to the main drive axle. The bottom bracket 4 which retains the crank assembly 5 is mounted on the prow formed by the converging bottom bracket tube 32b and downtube 43. As noted above, these tubes are stabilized by bottom bracket struts 71, 71'. For clarity, the pedals and toe clips have been removed from the cranks 7 and 7' . Drive chain 16 extends f om one of the chain rings 6a, 6b or 6c, depending on which ring it is engaged to by means of the front derailleur 15 which is activa¬ ted by its control cable 159. The chain engages the main drive assembly 90, which in this example consists of a 7-gear, freewheel cluster 92 which is screwed onto trans¬ fer hub 94. The main gear derailleur assembly 91 which is activated by the cable 157 is used to select the appropriate main drive gear depending on road conditions and cadence being maintained by the rider. A transfer gear 93, which in this preferred embodiment is a 32-tooth gear, transfers power via transfer chain 17 to the differ- ential assembly 80.

Differential assembly 80 comprises a differential drive ring (in this particular example having 22 teeth) in a housing 82 with a cluster of planetary gears there- within (not shown) to drive the main drive axle 101. As will be appreciated, fewer or more gears can be added to the crank assembly 5 and the main drive assembly 90, and different size or additional gears may be added to the

differential assembly 80 or the transfer gear 93, to achieve any desired range and spacing of gearing. Where additional gears are added to the transfer gear or the differential assembly, an appropriate derailleur system would be used. Alternatively, a continuously variable ratio drive transfer, for example of the belt and cone type, may be used to achieve transfer of power from the transfer gear to the differential assembly. Likewise, a cam plate system may be used in place of the multiple chain ring/derailleur system of the crank assembly 5.

Drive support assembly 70 is positioned between the kingpin transverse connector 44 and the upper front king¬ pin main 62, 62' and the horizontal triangulation supports 63, 63'. The figure also illustrates the upper swivel 64, 64' for the kingpins which are positioned between the lower main ball joint 65, 65' mounted on the ends of the kingpin transverse connector 44 and the upper joint 64, 64' (see Fig. 3). The main drive shaft 102 and differ¬ ential assembly 80 is supported by differential support turret assembly 72 which comprises a pair of bearing tubes 73, 73' containing roller bearings (not shown), which tubes are mounted on upright turret tubes 74, 74' secured to the kingpin transverse connector 44.

The drive assembly itself is mounted in a drop-out plate 78 which is secured in position at the intersection of lower drive gear torsional control bars 75, 75', upper drive gear torsional control bars 76, 76' (bar 76' not being visible in Fig. 4) , and transverse drive gear torsional control bars 77, 77'. The front disc brake assembly 95 comprises a disc rotor 96 rigidly mounted on the transfer hub 94. The brake caliper assembly 97 comprises a caliper mount plate 98 welded to the side of bottom bracket tube 32b, and its caliper assembly 99 is activated by the front brake cable 152.

By the assembly shown in Fig. 4, it can be seen that the invention employs a unique transfer gear hub braking

system in which braking of the front wheels occurs prior to the front differential so that braking force is equally distributed to both front wheels regardless of road conditions. This leads to excellent handling and safety characteristics in that it is an anti-skid system.

Further, by viewing Figs. 1-4, the aspects of the fully engineered front end are evident. The stub axles 121 and 121' are carried in hubs 112, 112" (see Fig. 3) which are mounted as part of the kingpin and wheelbearing carrier assembly 110, 110'. As noted particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, this invention, employs caster, camber and Ackerman compensation. The kingpin angle is inboard of the tire edge for improved tire wear and non-tip features. The toe-in for the human power operation is held at 0, but would either be toed-out or toed-in as described above for engine assist. Note also partic¬ ularly in Figs. 3 and 4 that the bearing tubes 73, 73' as mounted on their turret 74, 74' are not symmetrical with respect to the centerline to allow for the fact that the chain rings 6 of the crank assembly 5 are to the right side of the bottom bracket. Likewise, the intermediate. shafts 103, 103' are not of equal length to compensate for the off-center nature. Nevertheless, with the linkages shown and described herein, the handling characteristics of this vehicle are excellent, even at high speeds above 40 miles per hour.

Another aspect of this invention is a fully faired body shell assembly for a human or motor-powered tricycle which is illustrated in Figs. 6-9. The fully faired body shell assembly 220 comprises an upper half shell 221 and a lower half shell 222. An entry/exit hatch 223 is provided in the upper half shell 221 which hatch has hinges 224 along a lower edge to permit opening for ease of entry and exit. The upper portion of the hatch has a wind screen 225 which is an optically clear wind¬ shield which has an upper lip 226. The lip configura¬ tion may be varied, and shown in phantom at 227 is an

alternate lip configuration which provides for a more open cockpit. The windscreen provides deflection of the air over the head and shoulders of the rider. The cockpit is generally preferred to be open at the top, to satisfy a psychological senseof contact with the environment of the rider. Generally, the rider wears a safety helmet which also assists in streamlining characteristics in combination with the windscreen. If desired, a completely enclosed bubble windshield may be used with appropriate ventilation and sun screening. I provide a plurality of NACA submerged air inlets 229, 229', and 229*'. These do not disturb the air flow over the body and provide air inlet. In addition, the open top of the windshield provides an air suction effect which provides excellent ventilation on the interior so the rider does not get overheated on hot days. A pair of faired rear view mirrors 228, 228* are provided on the upper portion of the body shell spaced to give the rider excellent rear view vision without obscuring the forward vision. A fixed or pop-up type headlight 230 may be provided in the front for night visibility. Although shown as a single headlight,, it should be appreciated that a pair of headlights may be used. A pair of turn indicator . lights 235, 235* are positioned medially along the upper half shell of the fully faired body so they are visible both from front and rear at the same time, and likewise visible to the rider so that their operation may be observed and monitored by rider 234. As best seen in Figs. 7 and 9, there may be a plurality of tail lights 231, which in this specific embodiment is a vertical array. These are powered by battery 233 connected with a microprocessor switching system 232, and controlled by the rider 234 by switching assembly 237. This permits the rider to indicate turn direction, braking and hazard conditions. In the alternative, the lights can be powered by a generator run from one or more of the wheels, prefer¬ ably the rear wheel. I also prefer to have the lights in

a sequenced array, with one or more of them being a bright strobe for safety. An additional bright strobe may be used in the front for forward warning visibility in both day and night riding. As best seen in Fig. 7, the upper half body shell is supported on the front upper body mount 10 by plate 11 and the rear upper body mount tube 20 by plate 21. As an option, a headrest (not shown) may be provided which extends forwardly from the rear upper body mount tube 20. The lower half body shell 222 is secured to the vehicle by a pair of rear body mounts 238 adjacent the rear transverse swing arm mount tube 42, and front body mounts 239, 239' adjacent the ends of the kingpin transverse connector 44. The bottom half shell also has a pair of front wheel cut-outs 236, 236' which, from the plan view as shown in Fig. 6, are butterfly-shaped to provide wheel turning clearance. A rear wheel cut-out 242 is also provided. The hip pivot axis 250 is on substantially a horizontal line with the pivot axis 251 of the bottom bracket 4.

Shown above and below Figs. 6 and 7 are a series of contour markers, with the 0 point lying at the front axle. Forward of the front axle are indicated lines -2 and -4 with the latter being the nose, while behind that line is +3 which is medial of the rider, and +4 which lies just behind the cockpit, and +6 which is adjacent the tail behind the rear wheel.

The contours are shown in Figs. 8 and 9, with Fig. 8 being the left half of the vehicle as seen from the front, and Fig. 9 being the left half of the vehicle as seen from the rear. Since the body shell fairing assembly is symmetrical along a vertical line passing through the rear wheel, these two drawings were combined along a common centerline. As can be seen, the lowest clearance of the vehicle is approximately at the 0 position with the tail being raised somewhat. Likewise, the nose is not characterized as being needle sharp, but rather is

a gently rounded shape with the widest portion of the vehicle being at the 0 point. In addition, the tail of the vehicle is elevated, but not so high that it is ad¬ versely affected by crosswinds. The vehicle is faired both for forward motion and to not be adversely affected by crosswinds; accordingly, it has a concave aspect at the 0 and -2 contour lines in the upper half shell and provides a shoulder adjacent the position of the joining of the two shells along the joint 243. This body fairing is a compromise fairing for the speeds contemplated for the vehicle in this invention. This fairing is appro¬ priate for speeds in the range of from 15 to approximately 80 miles an hour, but is less efficient at speeds above that. It is not a high-speed fairing, but rather the rounded nose moves the air smoothly around the frontal cross-section of the vehicle.

Optionally, a rear hatch 241 may be provided for access to the carrying racks or panniers shown in Figs. 16a and 16b. In addition, there is adequate space 240 below the driver for carrying small objects such as clothing, books, etc. The wheels 127, 128, and 128' are fully faired, and light-weight fenders shown in Fig. 10 are employed. These fenders may be strips of cloth on a light framework. The body fairing as shown is fiberglass or polyester-impregnated polyester cloth. However, it may be constructed in a monocoque design.

Fig. 10 illustrates a variety of the seat position¬ ing to accommodate riders of varying sizes. By loosening the securing screws for the lower seat mount assembly 40, and the upper telescoping tube 39, seat 3 can be moved from its original position shown in solid lines backward to the position shown by lower seat mount assembly 40* or forward as shown by positions 40'* or 40'*'. Like¬ wise, by securing the upper back portion of the seat to different ones of the holes 208 (see Fig. 3) , the seat may be raised or lowered in the position shown by 3' or 3'* as compared to the original position 3. The seat is

adjustable approximately 12 in. fore and aft and the height approximately 5 in. to accommodate various sizes of riders. The arrows A, B, and C show the range of adjustments for the seat. The seat adjustments, plus the variation in prow length, permit precise fitting to accommodate various rider sizes.

Fig. 10 also illustrates rear fender 85 and front fender 86. For simplicity, the fenders have been left off the other drawings. Fig. 11 shows the tow-bar assembly 107 which is attached to either side of the seat main tube 37 and terminates in an eye assembly 108 behind the rear wheel for receiving a ball for a standard trailer hitch or a bolt and cotter pin type connector. In addition. Fig. 11 shows the shoulder harness system 115 which comprises a single central forward strap 116 which is secured with a spring hook to eye 119 on the bottom bracket tube 32b. This forward strap is connected to a pair of shoulder straps which pass across the shoulders of the rider 234 and terminate in hooks which are secured to eyes 118 and 118' on the cross- piece 209. An adjustable connector 114 secures the for¬ ward strap and the shoulder straps together. These straps prevent the rider from sliding upward in the seat as he presses with his lower back against the back of the seat during riding, and as such is a performance harness. They have a secondary function of assisting in the event of an accident. In addition, a separate seatbelt 145 is provided which is attached to eyes 146, 146' mounted on the seat stays 36, 36* respectively. A conventional, adjustable, quick-release buckle 147 is provided. This assists the rider in staying in position during turns and in the event of accidents.

Fig. 5 illustrates an adjustable (tunable) spring suspension for the swing arm assembly. The rear spring 59 is mounted on retaining collar 171 secured to spring tower push plate 170. The plate 170 in turn is welded to the upper swing arm mains 55 and the spring braces 57.

A threaded bolt 172 is welded to the seat main 37 oppo¬ site the stabilizer 38. A knurled adjustment nut 173 having a spring retaining collar 174 is threadedly engaged with the shank 175 of the bolt. By turning the nut 173, the spring can be adjusted backwards or forwards from a given original position on the shank of the bolt 175. This permits the body to be trimmed so it has the proper angle into the oncoming air mass to maximize the aerodynamic efficiency. There is sufficient travel of the shock absorber to permit this adjustment. Instead of separate shock and spring, a combination single unit may be employed.

Figs. 12 and 13 show in plan view and side elevation respectively a small displacement internal combustion engine 180 which is used to assist pedaling. The engine has an output gear 181 which powers a large chain ring 182 mounted on the crank spindle and connected thereto by chain 183. The motor is mounted on a boom 184 secured to and extending forward of the bottom bracket 4 and _ which is braced to the upper body mount 10 by strut 185. Throttle control 195 extends back to the rider.

Fig. 14 shows a small displacement internal combus¬ tion engine 190 having an output wheel 191 in frictional contact with the rear wheel 127. This engine is pivotally mounted at 194 on a boom 192 extending rearwardly of the seatmain 37 and is braced by stay 193. Throttle and contact control 195 extends forwardly to just beneath the seat where the rider can have easy access and con¬ trol. The engine is also connected to spring tower 196 permitting pivotal movement when the wheel 127 bounces on its spring 49. Battery powered engines may be used, and in turn the battery may be solar assisted or solar powered with cells secured to the shell.

Fig. 15 illustrates a power take-off assembly 210 particularly useful for Third World applications. In operation, the bicycle is supported with its front wheels 128, 128' raised off the ground by means of stands 211

-IP

and 211'. An additional PTO transfer gear 212 is added to the hub 94 between the disc rotor 96 and the transfer gear 93. Power is transferred via chain 213 to PTO fixed gear 214 which drives PTO shaft 215 journaled in bearings 216, 216' which are secured to the lower mains 31, 31' respectively. Power then is transferred via pulley 217 by a belt or chain 218 to any type of device 219 sought to be powered. A single or multi-ganged pulley can be used at each end of the PTO shaft 215, or optionally a flywheel 197 may be added to the opposite end of the shaft. In addition, since the wheels of the tricycle are raised off the ground, these wheels 128, 128* also provide some flywheel effect.

Figs. 16a and 16b illustrate some embodiments of a variety of modes for hauling objects. Fig. 16a shows in side elevation a rack 165 secured to seat main 37 and the rear transverse swing arm mount tube 42 by brace 166. A grocery basket 167 is illustrated as being carried thereon. In addition, a hard pannier or bags 168 may be suspended from the rack 165 and these may have a variety of pockets 169, 169' therein.

Figs. 17a and 17b show an alternative type of space triangulated frame, this one being a keel-type frame 260. The rear swing arm assembly 50 is substantially the same as that shown in the modified pyramidal type shown in Figs. 1-3 and 6-9. The main frame assembly comprises a lower keel tube 261 which extends laterally down the - centerline of the vehicle between the transverse swing arm mount tube 42 and the lower kingpin transverse con- nector tube 44. The kingpins, which are not shown, would be connected between the ends of the lower kingpin trans¬ verse connector 44 and the outboard ends of the upper kingpin connector tubes 262, 262'. Upper kingpin trans¬ verse struts 263, 263' brace the end position of the upper kingpin transverse connector tube and are welded to the seat tube 32a. The lower kingpin struts 264, 264' extend between the terminal ends of the kingpin trans¬ verse connector 44 toward the top tube. As shown in this

example, the strut 264 intersects the upper kingpin strut 263 and is secured thereto by welding but may be placed at the intersection of the upper kingpin strut 263 with the seat tube 32a. The frame also includes the prow which comprises the bottom bracket tube 32b intersecting the down tube 43 at the bottom bracket 4. The front upper body mount 10 and rear upper body mount 20 are similar to those shown in Figs. 1-3 and 6-9. Likewise, the drive support assembly is similar, having bearing tubes 73, 73' mounted on turret tubes 74, 74' and a drop-out plate supported by a triad of torsional control tubes. There is a single bottom bracket strut 265 which extends back to the upper kingpin strut 263. Vertical midrib brace 269 intersects struts 263, 263' at seat tube 32a. The handlebar (not shown) is journaled on the handlebar pivot tube 131 as seen in Fig. 17b. Rear seat main 37 terminates at its upper end in the rear upper body mount tube 20 which has attached thereto a telescoping upper seat mount tube 39 to which is attached the upper seat mount cross-piece 209. The seat tube 32a terminates at rear diagonal tube 266 which extends upwardly from the lower keel tube 261 to intersect rear seat main 37 at the tele¬ scoping tube 39. This rear diagonal tube is stabilized by seat stabilizer 267 which in turn transfers the force from the swing arm spring (not shown) via stabilizer tube 38. Rear diagonal struts 268, 268' extend from the seat stabilizer tube downwardly to the transverse swing arm mount tube ends to complete the bracing.

To observe cycle operation and rider condition, I prefer to use a monitor 18 having heart rate sensors on the handlebars and a magnetic pickup on one of the wheels. Commercially available monitors include the Pacer 2000 and the Entex bike computer. This permits monitoring mph, kph, odometer readings, time of day, peak speed, heart rate, cadence, timing (stopwatch) , targeted time of arrival, ETA, alarm clock, distance remaining, speed required to reach destination at TTA, average speed, etc.