Patent ID: 7823898
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: B62K,B62M,F16H

Abstract:
1. In a pedal powered tricycle including a frame with a separate trunk bolted on said frame, a chainless drive comprising a driving wheel with a central hub, a drive shaft mounted in bearings on the axis of said hub, crank arms fixed on the ends of said drive shaft, an improved four speed planetary transmission located within said hub for concentric rotation therewith and comprising: a planet-gear-carrier fixed on said drive shaft for rotation therewith; four pairs of different size planet gears mounted on bearings in said planet-gear-carrier; an internally toothed ring gear in constant mesh with all four pairs of said planet gears with an integral extension of said ring gear fixed by said frame; a sun-gear-carrier rotatably mounted in a fixed axial position on said drive shaft; four different size sun gears rotating freely on said sun-gear-carrier with each of said sun gears in constant mesh with one pair of said planet gears; free-wheel-ratchet means coupled between said hub and said sun-gear-carrier for driving said hub from said sun-gear-carrier; sun gear locking means operative for locking any selected one of said sun gears to said sun-gear-carrier; and gear ratio selection means for operating said sun gear locking means.