A VEHICLE CONSISTING OF TWO DISTINCT AND DETACHABLE SECTIONS

Abstract: The vehicle disclosed offers significant economies from both manufacturer and user standpoint, by virtue of its being embodied in two distinct sections, front (24) and rear (25), that are joined by way of a detachable coupling (17) located between the swivel sleeve (7) carrying the front fork (1) and the frame (9) which carries the rear wheel (21) or wheels (26); in a preferred embodiment, the detachable coupling is of a quick-release type.

Description: A vehicle consisting of ^wo distinct and detachabl sections . The invention described herein relates to a vehicle consisting of two distinct and detachable sections. It is common practice in the art field of transport¬ ation vehicles, motor-driven or otherwise, to embody different vehicles utilizing as great a number of common parts as possible. Such is the case, for ex¬ ample! with lightweight two- or three-wheelers, all of which derive in practical terms from a basic de¬ sign appropriately adapted to meet a variety of user requirements. Different versions of such vehicles as currently em¬ bodied reflect numerous modifications of the basic design; such embodiments are costly, and admit of no subsequent adaptation. Accordingly, the object of the invention described herein is that of overcoming the drawback mentioned above . The problem posed by embodiment of a vehicle in two distinct and detachable sections is solved in a veh¬ icle as disclosed, and characterized by the appended claims, one advantage of which is that no alteration to the basic design is required in order to produce different versions for general sale; an essential feature of such a vehicle is that a version differ¬ ing from the basic design can be obtained by replac¬ ing the basic rear section complete, with a further rear section, similarly complete, such as possesses requisite features other than those of the basic design . The advantage of such a feature is that a manufact¬ urer may hold a stock of front sections ready for assembly, already fitted with a drive unit perhaps, and embody the rear sections according to custom or general market requirements. Similar advantage is brought to purchasers by the feature in question: where the requirement may exist for two or more single vehicles that can be utilized separately for different purposes, the individual may purchase one front section to serve all of the various single vehicles, or, " if already in possess¬ ion of a number ' of such single vehicles, interchange the front section of one with that of another, ac¬ cording to requirements, without compromising the vehicles' availability for service in any way what¬ ever. Again, where the user may be in possession of a variety of vehicles according to the invention, which may be fitted with different drive units, dis¬ similar front sections can be interchanged temporar¬ ily in given instances in order to meet the drive requirements of the moment. The facility of embodying a vehicle consisting in two fully distinct sections that can be detached one from the other also permits of embodying rear sect¬ ions in special designs -i.e. designs -that might be of limited sales potential where manufactured as an integral part of a purpose-built vehicle. The rear section might be designed as a tandem, for example, or carriage style with paired wheels and two seats arranged side by side, or with a truck body, or even as a sled with skids. The prior art embraces folding bicycles featuring a frame divided into two sections that connect one with the other by way of a hinge and clamp; the two sections of such a frame are not fully distinct how¬ ever, and associate permanently with parts common to both, namely, the rear brake linkage and the tail light circuit. What is more, the hinge and clamp are required to form a rigid connection in conjunction with respective flat flanges, integral with either section, that are offered flush one to the other; prevention of misalignment between the two sections thus falls almost entirely to the hinge, which is of necessity located to one side of the two connected flanges and cannot therefore offer a total guarantee of faultless mutual positioning between the two sec¬ tions . By contrast, the two sections of a vehicle according to the invention are totally distinct, and connected together by way of full-frontally matched components that lock together, thereby offering marked strength and rigidity and allowing the embodiment of a solid, yet remarkably compact structure. The invention will now be described in detail by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying draw¬ ings , in which: fig 1 is the side elevation of a motor cycle accord¬ ing to the invention; figs 2 and 3 are side elevations of a detachable coupling that connects the front and rear sections of the motor cycle in fig 1, seen in the dismantled state; fig 4 shows a side elevation of the detachable coup¬ ling in the motor cycle of fig 1, seen in the as¬ sembled state with certain parts omitted and certain parts cut away better to reveal others; fig 5 is a plan of the detachable coupling in the motor cycle of fig 1, seen in dismantled state with certain parts omitted and certain parts cut away better to reveal others; fig 6 is the side elevation of a second embodiment of the front section of a motor cycle according to the invention, in which certain parts are omitted; fig 7 is the side elevation of a further embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention. A bicycle, or a motor cycle with front wheel drive, as illustrated in fig 1, consists of a frame 9 sup¬ porting the rear wheel 21, and a front fork 1 which supports the front wheel 2 and is hinged to the for¬ ward end of the frame 9 by way of a swivel sleeve 7 that ensheaths the top end, or shank, of the fork 1 itself. The front fork 1 carries an engine 3, and a fuel tank 4 which may also incorporate a headlamp 16. In a cycle according to the invention, the swivel sleeve 7 connects with the frame 9, of which it must become a part, by way of a detachable coupling 17. Thus, the front section 24 of the vehicle, consist¬ ing of front fork 1 and front wheel 2, plus engine 3 and fuel tank 4 where appropriate, remains distinct and independently embodied in relation to the rear section 25, which comprises the frame 9 with either one rear wheel 21 (as in fig 1) or a set of rear wheels 26 (as in fig 7) and constitutes a similarly distinct embodiment. With such an arrangement, the front brake (not il¬ lustrated) and the control components for the engine 3 and headlamp 16 can be fitted exclusively, to the front section, whereas those parts typical of the rear end of a cycle will be fitted exclusively to the rear section; for example, the rear brake would operated by a pedal 20. The only component likely to be fitted to both sect¬ ions of the motor cycle is the tail light wiring, though such a contingency could be met either by in¬ corporating a connector into the detachable coupling 17, by means of which to join up the two parts of the circuit, or by providing the rear section with an independent dynamo. In a preferred embodiment, the detachable coupling 17 would be of a quick-release type as illustrated in the drawings, consisting of two matching tapered elements 8 and 10 through which a hinge pin 12 can be inserted. One such tapered element 8, integral with the swivel sleeve 7 (see figs 3, 4 and 5) , is box-constructed, and offers an open side to the matching tapered ele¬ ment 10, which in turn is integral with the frame 9; the element denoted 8 also exhibits two holes 81 located one in each of two of its opposite sides, centred on an axis parallel with that of the swivel sleeve 7, in which the hinge pin 12 may engage. Viewed along the same axis (parallel with that of the swivel sleeve 7) the matching tapered element 10 exhibits a completely hollow profile, and is there¬ fore able to accommodate the hinge pin 12 freely. The sides of the matched elements 8 and 10 converge toward the swivel sleeve 7, thereby creating a tap¬ ered profile when viewed in plan (fig 5). 15 denotes a reference pin issuing from the inside face of the one tapered element 8 offered to the matching tapered element 10, which locates in a cor¬ responding socket 11 offered in similar fashion by the matching tapered element 10. The hinge pin 12 incorporates a pair of cams 13 loc¬ ated one above the other and designed to engage with the inside surface of the hollow tapered element 10 above and below the reference pin 15. The top end of the hinge pin 12 is provided with a purchase 14 em¬ bodied as a square end, or a lever (not illustrated) and, between the purchase 14 and the uppermost of the two cams 13, with a boss 121 of diameter greater than that of the top hole 81 in the tapered element 8 integral with the front fork, which prevents the pin itself from dropping through the holes 81. It will be observed, from figs 1, 2 and 3 in partic¬ ular, that the front fork 1 connects with the swivel sleeve 7 by way of a linkage embodied as an articul¬ ated parallelogram 19 two points of which, disposed substantially opposite from one another, are con¬ nected to a strut 5 providing the suspension for the front section 24 of the motor cycle. Transmission of drive from the engine 3 to the front wheel 2 might be effected by any given method; the arrangement of fig 1, for example, makes use of a chain or belt 18. An alternative embodiment of the front section of a cycle according to the invention is illustrated in fig 6. In this instance, the articulated parallelo¬ gram is dispensed with, and suspension is achieved by splitting the front fork 1 into two components 22 and 23 hinged to each other at one end and intercon¬ nected by the strut 5 at intermediate points along their length. Drive would be transmitted in such an embodiment not by a single chain, or belt 18, but by a pair of chains or belts 181 and 182 looped around a double sprocket or pulley coaxial with the pivot of the two components 22 and 23 that make up the front fork 1. Assembly of a vehicle according to the invention is achieved quickly and with ease simply by locating the one tapered element 10 into the other 8, slot¬ ting the hinge pin 12 through the holes 81 of the outer element 8, and turning on the purchase 14. Once the hinge pin 12 cannot be turned further, the matching surfaces of the tapered elements 8 and 10 will be urged into close contact, with the reference pin 15 of the one element 8 located firmly in the corresponding socket 11 of the other element 10. The vehicle is illustrated in fig 1 as an ordinary motor cycle, though the embodiment could equally well be that of a pedal bicycle, or a motor-driven or pedal tandem, depending on the type of front sec¬ tion fitted. In the example of fig 7, the frame 9 incorporates a pick-up truck body with two coaxially disposed rear •wheels 26, though the ultimate embodiment could be totally different, perhaps designed to carry an item of equipment such as a cultivator or a power saw, or even constructed as a sled fitted with skids.

Claims: Claims 1) A vehicle, characterized: in that it consists of a complete and distinct front section (24) comprising at least one front fork (1), and a similarly complete and distinct rear section (25) comprising a frame (9) with one rear wheel (21) or a set of rear wheels (26), provided with means that are matched and can be connected together per¬ manently in such a way as to produce a detachable coupling (17) joining the two sections (24, 25) ; and in that the detachable coupling (17) is located between the swivel sleeve (7) of the front fork (-1) and the frame (9) carrying the rear wheel (21) or wheels ( 26 ) . 2) A vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the detachable coupling (17) is a quick-release coupling. A vehicle as in claim 1 or 2, wherein means that produce the detachable coupling (17) comprise two matched tapered elements (8, 10) through which a hinge pin (12) may be inserted; and wherein the hinge pin is provided with cams (13) designed to urge the two tapered elements into tight contact, and with a purchase (14) by means of which to rotate the cams of the hinge pin between a position in which the matched tapered elements are loosely con¬ nected, and a position in which the elements are in tight contact. 4) A vehicle as in claim 3, wherein the hinge pin (12) is disposed perpendicular to a right plane of con¬ vergence of the matched tapered elements (8, 10). 5) A vehicle as in claim 3 or 4, wherein a reference pin (15) issuing from one tapered element (8) is of¬ fered to a corresponding socket (11) located in the matching tapered element (10). 6) A vehicle as in claim 5, wherein the tapered element (8) incorporating the reference pin (15) is integral with the swivel sleeve (7) and box-constructed such as to offer an open side to the frame (9) for accom¬ modation of the matching tapered element (10), and wherein the matching tapered element (10) , which in¬ corporates the socket (11), is integral with the frame (9) and exhibits substantially hollow profile when viewed along the axis parallel to the swivel sleeve . A vehicle as in preceding claims, comprising an en¬ gine (3) mounted directly or indirectly to the front fork (1) , wherein drive is transmitted from the en¬ gine to the front wheel (2) by way of a rolling mem¬ ber in tangential contact with the front wheel.' 8) A vehicle as in claims 1...6, comprising an engine (3) mounted directly or indirectly to the front fork (1), wherein drive is transmitted from the engine to the front wheel (2) by way of a chain or belt (18). 9) A vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the front fork (1) connects with the swivel sleeve (7) by way of an articulated parallelogram (18) two substantially opposite points of which are interconnected by a strut ( 5 ) . 10) A vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the front fork (1) .is split into two components (22, 23) hinged to each other at one end and interconnected by strut (5) at intermediate points along their length. 11) A vehicle as in claim 1, comprising a front fork (1) split into two components (22, 23) , hinged to each, other and interconnected by strut (5) , and an engine (3) mounted directly or indirectly to the front fork (1) , from which drive is transmitted to the front wheel (2) by chain or belt, wherein the transmission utilizes two chains or belts (181, 182) disposed similarly to the two components and looped about a common axis coincident with the pivot to which the two components are mutually connected. 12) A vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the frame (9) is provided with a pedal (20) that operates the brake fitted to the rear wheel. 13) A vehicle as in claim 1, 3, 6 or 12, wherein the frame (9) incorporates two coaxial wheels (26), and a body in the form of a van or a pick-up truck. 14) A vehicle as in claim 1, 3, 6 or 12, wherein the frame (9) incorporates two coaxial wheels (26), and one or more seats for passenger transport. 15) A vehicle as in claim 1, 3, 6 or 12, wherein the frame (9) incorporates two coaxial wheels (26), and serves to support an item of equipment such as a cultivator or mower. 16) A vehicle as in claim 1, 3, 6 or 12, wherein the frame (9) incorporates two seats disposed in line, such as to create a tandem. 17) A vehicle as in claim 1, 3, 6 or 12, wherein "the frame (9) incorporates at least one seat and skids, such as to create a sled.-

Inventors: ZEN PIETRO, ZEN, PIETRO
Applicants: ZEN PIETRO, ZEN, PIETRO
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B62K15
IPC codes: B62K15, F16B7, F16B19