Patent ID: 6820880
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
A spring powered drive apparatus for a vehicle having at least one wheel, the apparatus comprised ofa drive assembly comprised of a drive spring; a crank, wherein an external rotational force is applied to turn the crank; a freewheel sprocket coaxially mounted on an axle of the wheel, the freewheel sprocket freely rotating about the axle in a first direction without communicating force to the axle and fixedly rotating with the axle in a second direction; a first power transmission means disposed to communicate the rotational force to the drive spring to cause the drive spring to store rotational energy; and a second power transmission means disposed to communicate the rotational energy of the drive spring to turn in the second direction and to thus allow rotation of the wheel to dissipate the rotational energy stored in the drive spring; and a braking assembly for selectively preventing rotational movement of the wheel and allowing the wheel to rotate freely.