Abstract:
An improved human-powered engine which is actuated by forward and rearward movement of the body to cause extension of a resilient member which serves to provide driving motion to a wheel, propeller or the like.

Description:
RELATED CASES 
     This invention is described in my Provisional Application, Ser. No. 60/960,596, filed Oct. 4, 2007, and now Nov. 20, 2007. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to vehicles and is particularly directed to improved human-powered engines for propelling vehicles. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Humans have long powered vehicles, such as boats, bicycles and the like by using oars, pedals and the like. However, all of the prior art human powered vehicles have required considerable effort on the part of the human to accomplish significant speed or power. Moreover, all of the prior art human-powered vehicles have been operable only by persons in good physical condition and having few, if any, handicaps. Thus, rowing requires strong arms and legs for pulling the oars, while bicycling requires strong legs for pushing the pedals. Thus, persons with physical limitations are severely limited in their ability to use such devices and none of the prior art human-powered devices have been entirely satisfactory. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION 
     These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and an improved human-powered engine is provided which is simple and easy to use, even for people with physical handicaps, yet which can serve to propel virtually any type of vehicle, such as cars, bicycles, boats or airplanes. 
     These advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing an improved human engine which is actuated by forward and rearward movement of the body to cause extension of a resilient member which serves to provide driving motion to a wheel, propeller or the like. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved human-powered engine. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved human-powered engine for propelling a vehicle. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved human-powered engine for propelling a vehicle which is simple and easy to use. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved human-powered engine for propelling a vehicle which is simple and easy to use, even for people with physical handicaps. 
     A specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved human-powered engine which is actuated by forward and rearward movement of the body to cause extension of a resilient member which serves to provide driving motion to a wheel, propeller or the like. 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a bicycle embodying the human-powered engine of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration,  FIG. 1  show a bicycle, indicated generally at  10 , having a frame  12  supported by wheels  14  and  16 , with a pivot bar  18  pivotally mounted adjacent the peddle sprocket  20  and supporting a seat support  22  for forward and rearward movement along an arcuate track  24 . A seat  23  is slideably mounted on the seat support  22  to always maintain the rider in a proper position. A bicycle chain  26  has one end  28  connected to the back  30  of the seat  22  support and extends about a sprocket  32  mounted on the rear end  34  of the upper member  36  of the bicycle frame  12 . The forward end  38  of bicycle chain  26  is connected to a cable  40  which extends about a pully wheel  42 , mounted adjacent the front end  44  of the upper frame member  36 , and is connected, by a suitable tensioning member  46 , to the front  48  of the seat support  22 . The tensioning member  46  may a spring, a turnbuckle, or the like which serves to maintain a constant tension on the bicycle chain  26 . The sprocket  32  rotates freely, when rotated in a clockwise direction, but, when rotated counterclockwise, the sprocket  32  serves to drive bicycle chain  50  which, in turn, acts through a first derailer  51  and rear sprocket  52  to drive the rear wheel  16  of the bicycle  10 . Finally, a spring  54  is connected between the pivot bar  18  and the front member  56  of the bicycle frame  12 . 
     In use, the rider drives the seat support  22  rearward, by pushing with his legs against the peddles  58  or by pushing with his arms against the handlebars  60  or both. The rearward movement of the seat support  22  carries the pivot bar  18  rearward, which serves to expand the spring  54 . When the seat support  22  reaches its rearmost position, the rider ceases pushing, whereupon the spring  54  serves to pull the pivot bar  18  and seat support  22  forward. This causes bicycle chain  26  to rotate sprocket  32  counterclockwise, which drives chain  50 , sprocket  52  and rear wheel  16  to propel the bicycle  10 . As is well known in multi-speed bicycles, the sprockets  32  and  52  may contain gearing so that a single movement of the seat support  22  may result in many rotations of the wheel  16 . If desired, a bicycle chain  62  may connect the peddle sprocket  20  with sprocket  52  through derailer  63  to provide additional driving power for the rear wheel  16 . 
     It will be apparent that the human engine described above could also be used to power an automobile-type vehicle. Alternatively, the bicycle chain  50  could be connected to drive a propeller for propelling a boat or airplane. In addition, numerous variations and modifications can obviously be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.