DRIVING UNIT AS OPTIONAL FITTING FOR A TROLLEY

Abstract: A motor driven carriage or trolley (11), particularly a motorised golf trolley, in which the motor (38) is outside the projected area of the driven wheel (60), and in which the drive is by way of two positive drive belts (58a, 58b) located to one side of the driven wheel. The driven wheel can be part of a chassis member (30) suited for retro-fitting or removable fitting to a carriage or trolley (10), to permit the provision of motive power to that carriage or trolley.

Description: - 1 - DRIVING UNIT AS OPTIONAL FITTING FOR A TROLLEY This invention relates to improved carriages and trolleys, and in particular to an improved motorised golf trolley and to drive means therefor. The rules of golf permit a player to start a stipulated round i.e. playing the holes of a golf course in their correct sequence, with 14 clubs. However, since a stipulated round is normally over a course of about 7000 metres, with the players required to play "without delay" and thus to walk at a brisk pace between shots, to carry 14 clubs and accessories that distance at that pace is beyond the capability of many players. Thus professional golfers often employ a "caddie" to carry their clubs, so that their golfing muscles do not become unduly tired. Also known and used is a so-called golf car powered by electric batteries, in which a player drives to the next shot; these golf cars are expensive to purchase, and usually need to be garaged at the golf course, since their range is too limited to be driven to and from the player's home. Some amateur golfers carry fewer than 14 clubs (e.g. a "half set"). Other golfers use a so-called golf trolley to which their golf bag is secured and which they wheel around the course. The various proprietary designs of standard golf trolley comprise a frame having secure ent means for a golf bag (carrying up to 14 clubs and accessories such as spare golf balls and weatherproof clothing), the frame being mounted on a pair of transversly positioned idler wheels, the frame having at one end a ground-engaging member so that the trolley can rest on the three point support provided by the member and the wheels, and a handle at the opposite end by means of which the frame can be tilted (to lift the ground-engaging member off the ground) and by means of which the trolley can subsequently be manoeuvred. Players find it easier to use the handle to pull such a golf trolley rather than to push it, so that the handle is at the front and the ground-engaging member is at the rear, with the axles for the idler wheels and the trolley centre of gravity about midway therebetween. In this specification the terms "front" and "rear", and "fore" and "aft", relate to the direction required to progress around a golf course during a stipulated round. The motive power hereinafter described will drive the trolley in this direction, notwithstanding that some embodiments may also be capable of a reverse drive. Notwithstanding the deserved popularity of such standard golf trolleys there are still problems. In order to pull the trolley, the player is required to walk with the trunk of his body twisted partially around, and many players find this tiring. If one of the trolley wheels hits an obstruction, the handle can be knocked out of the player's hand, with the trolley tipping forward and spilling or partially spilling the clubs. The standard trolley r can still prove difficult for some players to pull around a golf course, particularly if the course is hilly. Attention has therefore been given for many years to producing an acceptable motorised golf trolley, typically driven by an electric motor powered by a re-chargeable 12 volt battery, and this invention is so directed. One design approach has been closely based on a standard trolley, such as that disclosed in Jones US Patent 3,312,300, with the motorised trolley or carriage following behind the user. One commercially-available motorised golf trolley of this type has a modified frame of "A" construction, with a single driven wheel at the (front) apex of the frame and two idler rear wheels at the feet of the frame; the user's control handle (carrying the drive controls) is connected to a drive housing mounted immediately above the axle of the driven wheel, so that the driven wheel is behind but adjacent to the player's feet. Since the driven wheel carries the weight of the motor, and some of the weight of the golf bag and clubs, this location of the driven wheel can be dangerous; the danger is increased if the front wheel hits an obstruction, and the front wheel drive is left engaged. If the battery loses power part way round the course, the trolley has to be pulled by way of the handle connection and the drive housing, either of which could be damaged. The driven wheel is of similar diameter to that of the rear idler wheels, so the "A" frame is angled only by the extra height imparted to the apex by the drive housing, possibly requiring a player to bend to remove or replace a club (having first ensured that the handle is moved out of the way). The drive from the motor to the wheel is by way of a worm-drive, which is inefficient as well as relatively heavy, so that for adequate range a heavier duty battery is desirable. In another production design of motorised golf trolley, the drive is coupled to a replacement pair of wheels (which thus become driven wheels rather than idler wheels) , whilst the normal fixed ground-support member is replaced by an idler wheel. For forward movement, the driven wheels are powered to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the standard trolley, so that the trolley can be driven in front of the player. However in order to permit the trolley to be turned round corners, and to permit reversing, each of the driven wheels includes a sprag clutch (which allows the trolley to free-wheel backwards); these components add weight and cost, and ideally require a heavier duty battery. Experience has shown that the sprag clutches may be unreliable and need replacing. This motorised golf trolley is supplied ready-fitted with the motor drive and the associated driven components, and so is awkward to lift out of a car boot, especially for ladies; and even if made as a kit of parts would be complicated to re-assemble. As with the arrangement of the previous pargraph there is no provision for the drive to be "i retro-fitted Or removably fitted to an existing standard (i.e. non-motorised) golf trolley. Over the years a number of proposals for a retro-fit "forward walking" motorised golf trolley design have been made, as in US Patents 2,812,824; 3,059,713; 3,087,562; 3,199,621; 3,561,555; 4,019,597; 4,615,406; and in British Patent 936,108 and British Patent Application 2,196,591A. These suffer a number of disadvantages including that the drive is adjacent the user's feet, which is inconvenient and can be dangerous. An arrangement which was tried, but proved too cumbersome and heavy to be sold commercially was schematically disclosed in British Patent Application 2,150,510A. In the described example the driven wheels were rotated by an electric motor through a relatively heavy gearbox. The motor is taught as being located in the projected area of the wheels, and carried in the illustrated embodiment along with the gearbox between the driven wheels; the method of mounting the motor and gearbox on the chassis and of securing it thereto is not taught. The gears needed to be precision cut (at considerable expense) if they were not to chatter and be noisy and distracting in operation. A large electric storage battery was proposed, unsuitable however for general lifting into and out of a car boot. The chassis wheels were not intended to be raised from the ground, so that as described and claimed they could at all times co-operate with the trolley wheels to support the heavy assembly in a stable manner. It is an object of our invention to avoid or reduce these disadvantages. Thus according to one feature of our invention we provide a chassis member adapted to co-operate with a separable carriage or trolley to provide motive power for the carriage or trolley, the chassis member including a chassis driven wheel, the chassis driven wheel having a wheel hub connected to be driven through a motor supported on the chassis member, the motor having a motor output shaft, the chassis wheel having a projected area, the chassis member also including clamping means operable to connect the chassis member to the separable carriage or trolley, characterised in that the motor is located outside the projected area of said chassis wheel, and in that the chassis wheel is connected to be driven by the motor by way of a first positive drive belt and a second positive drive belt, the first positive drive belt being drivingly coupled to the " motor output shaft, the- second positive drive belt being drivingly coupled to the wheel hub, the first and second positive drive belts being to one side of the said chassis wheel. According to another feature of our invention we provide a motor driven carriage or trolley comprising in combination a chassis member including at least one ground supported chassis wheel connected to be driven through a motor supported on the chassis member, the chassis wheel having a wheel hub, and a carriage or trolley having at least two ground-supported wheels, the carriage or trolley being separable by clamping means from the chassis member, the chassis member being adapted to provide motive power to the carriage or trolley, the carriage or trolley having a handle, the said at least two wheels and the handle in use being aft of the chassis wheel when the chassis wheel is rotating to provide motive power to the carriage or trolley characterised in that the motor is located outside the projected area of the chassis wheel, in that the chassis wheel is connected to be driven by way of a first positive drive belt and a second positive drive belt, the first positive drive belt being coupled to the motor output shaft, the second positive drive belt being coupled to the wheel hub, the first and second positive drive belts being to one side of the said wheel, each of said positive drive belts being arranged to provide an angular velocity reduction from the angular velocity of the motor output shaft when rotating, and in that the said chassis wheel is adapted to be lifted away from the ground by movement of said handle towards the ground to reduce said motive power to the carriage or trolley. The securement means for the golf bag can be a strap encircling the golf bag and/or an upwardly directed abutment with which the base of the golf bag engages, though in an alternative embodiment it can be a cradle formed by frame parts and in which the golf bag sits so that the bag is located against being shaken free as the trolley is moved, and/or tilted. Preferably the prime mover is a battery-driven electric motor, the drive battery being conveniently of 12 volts with a current output of 4 amps, and with the capacity before needing to be recharged to drive the motorised golf trolley at least 7,000 metres i.e. sufficient for a stipulated round of golf on a flat course. Usefully the drive battery is removable, for recharging, and is then replacable by a similar battery; though in an alternative embodiment the drive battery can be retained in an enclosed housing or cradle adapted to catch inadvertent spillage from the battery and be re-charged whilst in situ on the trolley e.g. from a car battery (and/or perhaps by way of leads specially arranged to terminate in the car boot so that the battery can additionally be re-charged en route to the course). The battery will be re-charged by way of connector clips which can be secured to the drive battery terminals, though "in an alternative embodiment, convenient for an enclosed, sealed drive battery, the drive battery terminals will engage connections in the battery housing which are coupled to the re-charging means. According to a further feature of our invention we provide a motorised golf trolley which includes a frame having securement means for a golf bag, a ground-engagement wheel, a pair of support wheels, a handle, a prime mover including a battery driven motor, and drive control means mounted on the handle, the prime mover being carried by the frame and connected to rotatably drive the ground-engagement wheel, the prime mover being releasably connected to the frame with the motor axis substantially parallel to the ground-engagement wheel axis, characterised in that the motor is located at a position selected from a fore and an aft position relative to the ground-engaging wheel and substantially on the centre plane of the wheel. Preferably the prime mover is a drive means which includes a driven wheel, the driven wheel acting as the (rotatable) ground-engagement member, the frame including a known (non-rotatable) ground-engagement member and operative to provide a three-point mounting for the trolley following removal of the drive means (and thus of the driven wheel). The drive means is thus adapted for retro-fitting to an existing standard trolley; alternatively if for any reason the drive means is removed or not used, the player still has available a standard golf trolley. Quick-fit clips allow easy assembly (and dis-assembly) of the drive means even by the mechanically uninitiated. Preferably the handle is remote from the ground-engagement member. Many motorised trolleys require a heavy duty battery, in part because the transmission to the driven wheel or wheels is inefficient, for instance a worm drive of perhaps 60% efficiency. Thus according to yet a further feature of our invention we provide a forwardly-driven motorised golf trolley which includes a pair of idler supports for the trolley, a motor, a trolley forward driven wheel, and a transmission] between the motor and the driven wheel which includes a pulley and a pulley drive belt, the pulley drive belt being positively engaged with the pulley. Preferably the idler supports are a pair of transversly spaced idler wheels, and the motor is an electric motor. Usefully two pairs of pulleys are provided, each positively driven by a pulley belt, to permit an adequate step down in rotational speed from the motor to the driven wheel and a corresponding increase in drive torque. The positive engagement between the belt and pulley is conveniently by way of peripheral projections on the belt meshing with corresponding recesses in the pulley, or vice versa, the belt being substantially non-extensible; the drive efficiency can thus be at least 90%. As above, preferably there will be two pairs of pulleys, one pair comprising a motor shaft pulley and a first intermediate pulley, and the second oair comprising a second intermediate pulley and a driven wheel shaft pulley. The first and second intermediate pulleys will be coupled to turn at the same rotational speed, and preferably are integrally formed. The two pairs of pulleys will be connected so as to allow a reduction in rotational speed between the motor output shaft and the driven wheel shaft, whereby the driven wheel can have a peripheral velocity corresponding to a selected walking speed e.g. 2.9mph. One of each pair of pulleys will normally have flanges at each side of the belt position, with the belt during initial assembly being first positioned on this pulley; the other of each pair of pulleys will have a flange on one side only of the belt position, allowing the belt to be slid into position with the teeth or peripheral projections in inter-engagement, and with the belt lightly tensioned, i.e. taut but not tight; the belt is substantially maintenance free, but can readily and quickly be replaced if necessary. Conveniently the motor shaft pulley will be of steel, and may have been thermally shrunk onto the motor output shaft; whilst the intermediate pulleys and the driven shaft pulley will usefully be of a polycarbonate material, glass filled, this material being selected to have low noise characteristic, to be of low density and thus light, and having a good wear characteristic (e.g. better than aluminium). Thus this drive is relatively silent, as is the electically-powered motor, in keeping with the need for the player and colleagues to concentrate, and to enjoy the game. The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig.1 is a schematic side elevation of a (non-motorised) standard golf trolley, in the rest position; Fig.2 is a schematic side elevation, of a golf trolley retro¬ fitted with drive means according to the invention; Fig.3 is an enlarged partial view of the drive means according to the present invention, in side elevation, and with the cover for the pulley housing removed; Fig.4 is a view along the line IV-IV of Fig.3; Fig 5 is a partial view along the line V-V of Fig.3, not including a showing of the battery, or frame; Fig.6 is a side elevation of an alternative pulley housing, with cover and pulleys removed; Fig.7 is an end elevation of the pulley housing of Fig.6, but including also a drive bush; Fig.8 is a schematic, perspective view of part of a drive belt; Fig.9 is a sectional side elevation of a releasable latch for securing the drive means to a frame member; Fig.10 is an alternative connection to that of Fig.9; Fig.11 is of a further alternative coupling means to that of Fig.9 suitable for a twin-shafted golf trolley frame; Fig.12 is of another alternative coupling; and Fig.13 is a modified version of the coupling of Fig.12 Key components of a standard golf trolley 10 are shown in Fig.1. Thus the golf trolley 10 includes a frame 12 having at one end a non-rotatable ground-engagement member 14, a pair of supporting idler wheels 16 and a handle 18 at the other end of the frame remote from the ground engagement member 14. Frame 12 includes pivot 20 so that the frame can be folded, the more easily to fit into a car boot; as seen in Fig.1 the handle 18 will rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot 20, being normally held when erected against such rotation by a catch (not shown). The ground engagement means 14 is extended to provide a first securement 22 for golf bag 24, and a second securement 26 is welded to the frame 12? it will be understood that both of these securements 22/26 may be supplemented by straps (not shown) adapted to encircle golf bag 24, or may alternatively be provided by a cradle in which the golf bag rests so as not to be shaken loose. Typically such a trolley will weigh 3.6kg (8 lbs), and the golf bag with clubs and accessories 9kg (20 lbs). The trolley will be pulled by handle 18 in the direction of arrow A, behind the player. Fig.2 shows this golf trolley, retro-fitted with drive means 30 in accordance with the present invention. Drive means 30 is releasably secured to the frame 12 by retention means 32, more particularly as shown in Fig.9. Drive means 30 includes a pulley housing 34, as seen in Figs.3-5 of dish configuration, and which in use (Fig.2) has fitted a protective cover. Attached to the pulley housing 34 is a battery case 36 containing a 12 volt rechargable battery (not shown). As more clearly seen in Fig.5, also secured to the pulley housing 34 is an electrically driven motor 38, powered by the battery by way of wires 40, 42 (Fig.3) under the control of an on-off switch 44 mounted on handle 18; though in an alternative embodiment the switch can include a rheostat to permit variable control. Motor 38 has an output motor shaft 46, to which is non-rotatably fixed a motor shaft pulley 43, in this emboiment of stainless steel. In lateral alignment with motor shaft pulley 48 is a first intermediate pulley 50, rotatably mounted on fixed spindle 51 , which has for instance a surface coating of molybdenum disulphide so that wet lubrication is not necessary; in a preferred embodiment spindle 51 is machined, ground, flash chromed and polished. Integral with the first intermediate pulley 50 is a second intermediate pulley 52 in alignment with driven wheel shaft pulley 54, though in an alternative embodiment pulleys 50,52 are secured together, and formed of a glass-filled plastics material such as that sold under the trade name "LEXAN". Pulley 54 is rotatably mounted on bearing 53 (or in an alternative embodiment on multiple bearings) , conveniently of a known oil impregnated sintered material such as phospher bronze, again to avoid the need for wet oiling or lubrication. Motor shaft pulley 48 and the second intermediate pulley 52 both have lateral flanges 56; whilst the first intermediate pulley 50 and the driven wheel shaft pulley 54 have a flange 56 on one lateral side only, so permitting e.g. during initial factory assembly, the pulley belt 58, shown schematically in Fig.3 and Fig.8, to be slipped onto the first intermediate pulley 50 and . .the driven wheel shaft pulley 54, after having been positioned on the motor shaft pulley 48 and the second intermediate pulley 52. In an alternative embodiment there may be more than two positive drive belts and drive pulleys, some or all of them providing an angular velocity stepdown. In a further alternative embodiment, the motor 38 is mounted in front of driven wheel 60, with the motor axis being substantially at the same height as the axis of wheel hub 64 , the intermediate pulleys 50,52 having their axis between and above these axes. This embodiment has the advantage that the centre of gravity of the chassis member or drive unit 30 can be below (in use) the fixed extension 78, more fully described below. Each pulley belt 58 is endless, and has on its internal surface protruberanσes or teeth 74 which engage in similarly shaped and spaced recesses on the respective pulleys 48,50 and 52,54 of a pulley pair. Thus the belts positively drive the pulleys, with low friction, and without slip; the drive is of light weight and battery power is conserved. Pulley belt 58 has a base of thickness T of 1mm, and width of 9mm, with teeth 74 of height H of 2mm; in an alternative embodiment, the teeth are of height 1.7mm, and in alternative embodiments the belts used for each pair of pulleys can be dissimilar, in shape and disposition as well as in the number and size of the teeth. The flanges 56 can ' also be varied as to shape and size, and one to another. As seen in Fig.4, the hub of driven wheel 60 has a recess 62 in wheel hub 64, there being a drive pin (not shown) drivably coupling the driven wheel shaft 66 and wheel hub 64. Driven wheel 60 is of the same diameter as idler wheels 16 (but this is not essential), with frame 12 angled at 26 degrees to the horizontal. Driven wheel 60 is removable along with the pulley housing 34 and cover, and with battery case or housing 36, whereupon the motorised trolley of Fig.2 reverts to the standard trolley of Fig.1 i.e. so that the player is not left without a trolley if the drive is not used, or is removed (for instance the battery fails or has not been charged.) . In an alternative ■ ] embodiment, driven wheel 60 is replaced by a pair of driven wheels, lying side by side and closely coupled. In an alternative embodiment of pulley housing shown in Fig.6, again with the cover removed for clarity, the pulley axes 68,70,72 lie on a common line. The scrap view of Fig.7 shows a slightly modified construction of part of the pulley housing, to that of Fig.4. The pivot 75 for the second part of the clamp is welded to a housing part 77, rather than being carried on a bracket secured thereto. The housing part is a sub-component which is welded to the main body of the housing 79, the housing part 77 being angled at 104 to provide a pair of gripping surfaces 106,108 adapted partially to embrace frame 12. One form of latch 76 for releasably retaining the drive means 30 on the frame 12 is shown in Fig.9. The pulley housing 34 has a fixed extension 78 and a pivoted extension 80. Secured to pivoted extension 80, as by being welded thereto, is a keeper 82; whilst fixed extension 78 carries an angled tooth 84 adapted to mate with a corresponding keeper surface 86. The tooth 84 is integrally formed with latch cover 88, and to cover 88 there is pivotally attached clevis 90. Adjacent clevis 90 the cover 88 has a projection 92, which can be engaged by a finger to lift the cover 88 and thus the clevis 90, whereby to allow disengagement of the tooth 84 from keeper surface 86; the clevis is pivotable on base member 94, which is bolted to fixed extension 78, by way of strut 96. In an alternative embodiment, strut 96 is adjustable in length, comprising two parts in threaded engagement, to permit adjustment of the latch 76. Alternative forms of releasable clamp are schematically shown in Fig.10 and Fig.11. As viewed in both of these figures, the lower clamp section 98,99 is secured to the pulley housing 34, while the upper clamp section 100,101 will be removable therefrom. The clamp section 98 is for fitting around a circular frame member, whilst the clamp section 99 is for fitting to a frame having a pair of circular frame members; the shape, size and disposition of the clamp sections in other embodiments can be made to suit a different frame construction. Preferably, the securement apertures 102 carry differently-sized securement means (such as bolts, not shown), perhaps captive but in any case so that at least one of the securement means can be retained in the clamp sections, even if the other has to be fully removed to allow the clamp to be released and the drive means 30 to be removed from the frame 12. The clamp 132 of Fig.12 and Fig.13 has been found suitable for all the proprietary golf trolleys so far tested. Clamp 132 has two parts 110,112, suitably of aluminium, which together form an aperture 114a,114b of a shape to fit and grip frame 12 of the trolley, for instance a golf trolley 10 already owned and used by the golfer. The parts 110,112 are secured about frame 12 by tightening bolts 115, and once so secured normally need not be removed. Part 110 has an arm 116 with a threaded member 118 firmly connected thereto and projecting (outwards) away from the parts 110,112. An extension 178 of the pulley housing has an opening 120 through which the projecting section of threaded member 118 extends, whereby the extension 178 and thus the pulley housing, motor and battery casing can be secured to the trolley frame 12. In an alternative embodiment the arm 116 carries a number of threaded members 118; and in a further embodiment the extension 178 has at least two arrays of openings 120 so that the pulley housing can be connected at two or more different positions. Preferably the securement is by a so-called quick-acting wing nut. In a particular embodiment, a suitable battery weighs 4.5kg (10 lbs), and the drive means, less battery, weighs 7.3kg (16 lbs), and so both are easily liftable independently from and into a car boot by someone who can lift the standard trolley 10, or golf bag 24. Preferably the battery is leak proof, so that the drive means including battery can be lifted out of the boot as a unit, before being secured to the (otherwise) standard golf trolley 10, as by two latches 76. In an alternative embodiment, the weight of the drive means (less battery) has been reduced to 5.9kg (13 lbs). The motor output speed is 2,400rpm,ι the motor shaft pulley 48 has 10 teeth and the first intermediate pulley 50 has 48 teeth, giving a reduction for the first pulley pair of 4.8 to 1 ; whilst the second intermediate pulley 52 has 12 teeth and the driven shaft pulley 54 has 48 teeth, giving a reduction for the second pulley pair of 4 to 1 , i.e. a totaj * reduction of 19.2 to 1, and a rotational speed for driven wheel 60 of 125rpm, equivalent to 2.9mph. The axes of the motor shaft pulley 48 and the first intermediate pulley 50 are spaced by 112.65mm; whilst the axes of the second intermediate pulley 52 and the driven shaft pulley 54 are spaced by 110.446mm. An advantage of our arrangement is that a slight downward pressure on the handle 18 can lift the (front) driven wheel 60, so reducing driven wheel ground traction and thus the forward speed of the golf trolley 10; in its simplest version the trolley thus needs only a simple on/off switch 44 on the handle. In an alternative embodiment however, the trolley can have a variable speed control, and in a further embodiment can have wheel brakes e.g. electrically operated. The "idler" wheels permit cornering, as with the standard golf trolley, again if necessary with the front driven wheel tilted up slightly from the ground. Because our drive means will find particular application as an add-on feature, it has been designed to be retro-fitted to existing standard golf trolleys with small extra expense; though we do not exclude the possibility that golf trolleys will be sold with our drive means already fitted, as well as the drive means (chassis member) being sold separately. Although primarily intended for carrriages or trolleys with a pair of idler wheels, our chassis drive member may be suited in certain applications to provide motive power to carriages or trolleys mounted for instance on skids; the driven wheel may have means, such as radially projecting spikes, to provide extra grip, for instance in mud or on ice.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A chassis member (30) adapted to co-operate with a separable carriage or trolley (10) to provide motive power for the carriage or trolley, the chassis member including a chassis driven wheel (60), the chassis driven wheel having a wheel hub (64) connected to be driven through a motor (38) supported on the chassis member, the motor having a motor output shaft (46), the chassis wheel having a projected area, the chassis member also including clamping means (32, 132) operable to connect the chassis member to the separable carriage or trolley, characterised in that the motor is located outside the projected area of said chassis wheel (60), and in that the chassis wheel (60) is connected to be driven by the motor by way of a first positive drive belt (58a) and a second positive drive belt (58b), the first positive drive belt being drivingly coupled to the motor output shaft (46), the second positive drive belt being drivingly coupled to the wheel hub (64), the first and second positive drive belts being to one side of the said chassis wheel (60) 2. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the each of said positive drive belts is arranged to co-operate with a respective first and second intermediate pulley, said intermediate pulleys being of different diameter to provide when said shaft is rotating a two-stage angular velocity reduction from the angular velocity of the motor output shaft (46), and further characterised in that the second drive belt extends fore and aft of said wheel hub (64). 3. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the motor (38) is an electric motor powered by a storage battery, and in that the storage battery is located in a σlosable battery case (36). 4. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the motor (38) is controlled by an on-off switch (44), the switch (44) being adapted for mounting on the carriage or trolley (10). 5. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the motor output shaft (46) carries a motor shaft drive pulley (48), the motor shaft drive pulley (48) being in lateral alignment with a first intermediate drive pulley (50) rotatably mounted on a spindle (51), the spindle being chromium plated, the first positive drive belt being in non-slip engagement with both said motor shaft drive pulley and said intermediate drive pulley. 6. A chassis member according to claim 5 characterised in that integral with said first intermediate drive pulley (50) is a second intermediate drive pulley (52), the second intermediate drive pulley being in alignment with a driven wheel shaft pulley (54), the driven wheel shaft pulley (54) being rotatably mounted on a bearing (53), the bearing (53 being of an oil impregnated sintered material, the second positive drive belt being in non-slip driving engagement with both said second intermediate pulley and said driven wheel shaft pulley. 7. A chassis member according to claim 5 or claim 6 characterised in that the motor shaft pulley (48) and the second intermediate pulley (52) both have a pair of lateral flanges (56), and in that the first intermediate pulley (50) and the driven wheel shaft pulley (54) have a single lateral flange (56), the said single lateral flange being on that side of the first intermediate pulley and of the driven wheel shaft pulley nearest the driven wheel (60). 8. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the hub (64) of the chassis wheel (60) has a recess (62), the driven wheel including a shaft (66), the shaft and the wheel hub (64) being coupled by a drive pin. 9. A chassis member according to claim 1 characterised in that the chassis wheel (60) is a two part wheel, the two parts lying side by side and being closely coupled, the positive drive belts being to that side of one of the parts remote from the other part. 10. A motor driven carriage or trolley (11) comprising in combination a chassis member (30) including at least one ground supported chassis wheel (16) connected to be driven through a motor (38) supported on the chassis member, the chassis wheel having a wheel hub (64), and a carriage or trolley (10) having at least two ground-supported wheels (16), the carriage or trolley being separable by clamping means (32, 132) from the chassis member, the chassis member being adapted to provide motive power to the carriage or trolley, the carriage or trolley having a handle (18), the said at least two wheels (16) and the handle (18) in use being aft of the chassis wheel (60) when the chassis wheel is rotating to provide motive power to the carriage or trolley characterised in that the motor is located outside the projected area of the chassis wheel (60), in that the chassis wheel (60) is connected to be driven by way of a first positive drive belt (58a) and a second positive drive belt (58b), the first positive drive belt being coupled to the motor output shaft (46), the second positive drive belt being coupled to the wheel hub (64), the first and second positive drive belts being to one side of the said wheel (60), each of said positive drive belts being arranged to provide an angular velocity reduction from the angular < velocity of the motor output shaft (46) when rotating, and in that the said chassis wheel (60) is adapted to be lifted away from the ground by movement of said handle towards the ground to reduce said motive power to the carriage or trolley.

Inventors: DEAN CHARLES REDGRAVE, DEAN, CHARLES, REDGRAVE
Applicants: CANNING AND DEAN PARTNERSHIP, CANNING AND DEAN (PARTNERSHIP)
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B60K1
IPC codes: A63B55, B60K1, B62B5