Abstract:
A bicycle. A front bicycle wheel and rear bicycle wheel are connected to a bicycle frame. A drive sprocket drives the rear bicycle wheel. Two hand grippable pivotally connected handles are each connected via a handle drive linkage to the drive sprocket. The pivoting of the handles in an approximately vertical plane controls the rotation of the drive sprocket and spins the rear bicycle wheel. In one preferred embodiment, the bicycle is a stationary bicycle. In another preferred embodiment the bicycle can be steered and taken on the street.

Description:
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 13/346,306, filed on Jan. 9, 2012 (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,534,690 on Sep. 17, 2013). The present invention relates to bicycles, and in particular, to hand propelled bicycles. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bicycles are well known and are very popular. Bicycles were introduced in the  19 th century and now number about one billion worldwide. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for such uses as children&#39;s toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier services and bicycle racing. 
     As a form of exercise the bicycle is considered highly desirable. Compared to running it is low impact and therefore not harmful to the joints of the bicycle rider. It provides outstanding cardiovascular fitness. It is also a very exciting form of exercise because the rider can ride his bicycle to interesting places too far away to walk to or jog to. 
     The avid bicycle rider will eventually develop extremely strong legs as a result of his repeated bicycle workouts. However, a significant fault of the prior art bicycle is that the rider is unable to effectively exercise his arms or chest while riding the bicycle. There have been attempts in the prior art to develop hand propelled bicycles but none of these have been effective or have been accepted by the general population. 
     What is needed is a better hand propelled and steered bicycle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a bicycle. A front bicycle wheel and rear bicycle wheel are connected to a bicycle frame. A drive sprocket drives the rear bicycle wheel. Two hand grippable pivotally connected handles are each connected via a handle drive linkage to the drive sprocket. The pivoting of the handles in an approximately vertical plane controls the rotation of the drive sprocket and spins the rear bicycle wheel. In one preferred embodiment the bicycle is a stationary bicycle. In another preferred embodiment the bicycle can be steered and taken on the street. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a preferred bicycle. 
         FIGS. 2-3  show details of a preferred steering linkage arrangement. 
         FIGS. 4-5  show details of a preferred propulsion linkage arrangement. 
         FIG. 6  shows a preferred handle bracket. 
         FIG. 7  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8-9  show details of a preferred propulsion linkage arrangement. 
         FIG. 10  shows preferred handlebar extenders. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-5  show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the rider is able to both steer and propel bicycle  1  by grasping and manipulating handles  2 . By utilizing his upper body for propulsion, the rider is able to more effectively exercise his upper body, including his arms and chest. Moreover, because the rider utilizes his legs along with his arms to propel the bicycle, the rider is able to ride faster, more efficiently and for longer distances than he would be able to by utilizing a prior art bicycle that just utilizes legs for propulsion. 
     A Preferred Embodiment of the Present Invention 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , each handle  2  is pivotally connected to handle bracket  4 . Handle bracket  4  is rigidly attached to rotating shaft  6 . Rotating shaft  6  rotates freely on a bearing encircling stationary shaft  8 . Stationary shaft  8  extends through rotating shaft  6  and is rigidly attached to frame mount  10 . Frame mount  10  is rigidly attached to bicycle frame  12 . Each handle  2  is pivotally connected to rod  14  ( FIG. 2 ). Rod  14  is connected to bell crank  15 . Both bell cranks  15  are pivotally connected to bell crank support bracket  16 . Bell crank support bracket  16  is rigidly connected to frame mount  10 . Rods  17  are pivotally connected to bell cranks  15  and are also both pivotally connected to tiller  18 . Tiller  18  is rigidly connected to steerer tube  19  of bicycle  1 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, bicycle  1  also includes conventional handlebars  20  also connected to steerer tube  19 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, spring  73  is connected to bell crank  15  and wraps around bolt  74  as shown in  FIG. 2A . Spring  73  serves to dampen the steering mechanism of bicycle  1  and is adjusted to align the front wheel forward. 
     Propulsion levers  21 L and  21 R are rigidly connected to rotating shafts  6 . Propulsion lever  21 R is pivotally connected to connecting drive shaft  24 . Propulsion lever  21 L is pivotally connected to connecting drive shaft  25  ( FIG. 5 ). Upper sprocket  28  is mounted to bicycle frame  12  via upper mount  64  ( FIG. 4 ). Connecting drive shaft  24  is pivotally connected to offset lever  26 R ( FIG. 4 ). Offset lever  26 R is connected to upper sprocket shaft  27 . Upper sprocket shaft  27  is rigidly connected to upper sprocket  28 . Connecting drive shaft  25  is pivotally connected to offset lever  26 L ( FIG. 5 ) Offset lever  26 L is connected to upper sprocket shaft  27 . Upper sprocket shaft  27  is rigidly connected to upper sprocket  28  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     Bicycle chain  29  engages upper sprocket  28  and lower left sprocket  30 . Pedal arm  42  is rigidly connected to pedal arm  41  via lower sprocket shaft  31  ( FIG. 4 ). Lower left sprocket  30  is engaged to lower sprocket shaft  31  via one way bearing  44  ( FIG. 5 ). One way bearing  44  disengages the upper sprocket when using legs only for propulsion. Lower right drive sprocket  32  is engaged with rear wheel bicycle drive chain  33  ( FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 1 ). 
     Using the Arms for Propulsion 
     To ride bicycle  1 , the rider grasps handles  2  and places his feet on pedals  51  and  52  ( FIG. 1 ). The rider may choose to use only his feet for propulsion. As explained above, if the rider uses only his feet for propulsion, chain  29  will disengage due to one way bearing  44 . 
     The rider may decide that he wants to exercise primarily his arms. The rider would then pivot handles  2  back and forth in left and right vertical planes with most of his effort. The pivoting motion of handles  2  would be transferred, through handle brackets  4 , through rotating shafts  6 , through propulsion levers  21 L and  21 R, through connecting drive shafts  24  and  25 , through chain  29  to rotational motion of lower right drive sprocket  32 . Lower right drive sprocket  32  is engaged with the rear wheel bicycle drive chain  33  so that bicycle will therefore move forward. If the user is mostly working with his arms, he will use his legs to a large extent for balance on pedals  51  and  52 . 
     Most riders, it is expected, will tend to naturally split the work evenly between the arms and the legs so that the rotational motion of pedals  51  and  52  and the pivoting motion of handles  2  contribute approximately equally to the rotational motion of lower right drive sprocket  32 . 
     Using the Arms for Steering 
     To use the arms for steering, the rider grabs handles  2  and pivots them counterclockwise (looking downward) to turn left and pivots them clockwise to turn right. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , these pivoting motions are transferred from handles  2  through rod  14 , through bell crank  15 , through rod  17  to tiller  18 . Tiller  18  is connected to steering tube  19  which is connected to the front wheel of bicycle  1 . 
     Conventional Handlebars 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, conventional handlebars  20  are also connected to steering tube  19 . This allows the user to transition back to the convention method of steering a bicycle if his arms get tired. Or it is also useful to a rider who is first learning how to ride bicycle  1 . The beginner rider preferably initially starts riding the bicycle while grasping conventional handlebars  20 . Then as his confidence increases, the rider preferably places one hand on one of the handles  2 . After gaining more confidence, the rider can then place both hands on handles  2 . If ever the rider wants to go back to conventional handlebars  20 , he may do so. Intermediate or advanced riders of bicycle  1  may opt to not include conventional handlebars  20  attached to bicycle  1  in order to decrease the weight of the bicycle. 
     Apply Brakes and Shifting Gears 
     Bicycle  1  includes hand brakes  45  attached to handles  2 . Also, bicycle  1  preferably includes conventional gear shifting mechanisms. 
     Improved Handle Bracket 
       FIG. 6  shows an improved handle bracket  4   b . Handle bracket  4   b  is welded onto rotating shaft  6 . This allows for less total weight of bicycle  1 . 
     Stationary Bicycle 
       FIG. 7  shows preferred stationary bicycle  100 . Wheel  101  of stationary bicycle  100  is supported by bicycle training stand  102  which supports the rear wheel axle of wheel  101  while allowing wheel  101  to spin freely. Front wheel  103  is held straight ahead and steady by support wheel block  104 . A bicycle rider can now climb onto the seat of bicycle  100  and pedal foot pedals  51  and  52  and use handles  112  for exercise. 
     Stationary bicycle  100  is similar to bicycle  1  however, the steering system is not needed because the bicycle is stationary and does not need to be steered. Therefore it can be manufactured for significantly less money and still provide optimum exercise for the user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , each handle  112  is pivotally connected to handle bracket  114 . Handle bracket  114  is rigidly attached to rotating shaft  116 . Rotating shaft  116  rotates freely on a bearing encircling stationary shaft  118 . Stationary shaft  118  extends through rotating shaft  116  and is rigidly attached to the bicycle frame. 
     Propulsion levers  121 L and  121 R are rigidly connected to rotating shafts  116 . Propulsion lever  121 R is pivotally connected to connecting drive shaft  124 . Propulsion lever  121 L is pivotally connected to connecting drive shaft  125 . Preferably spring  79 L is connected between propulsion lever  121 L and drive shaft  125  and serves to dampen the motion of the pedals and propulsion handles and to place the pedals and handles in optimum position for the user. 
     Upper sprocket  128  is mounted to bicycle frame  122  via upper mount  164  ( FIG. 9 ). Connecting drive shaft  124  is pivotally connected to offset lever  126 R ( FIG. 7 ). Offset lever  126 R is connected to upper sprocket shaft  127 . Upper sprocket shaft  127  is rigidly connected to upper sprocket  128 . Connecting drive shaft  125  is pivotally connected to offset lever  126 L ( FIG. 9 ) Offset lever  126 L is connected to upper sprocket shaft  127 . Upper sprocket shaft  127  is rigidly connected to upper sprocket  128 . 
     Bicycle chain  129  engages upper sprocket  128  and lower sprocket  130  ( FIG. 9 ). Pedal arm  142  is rigidly connected to pedal arm  141  via lower sprocket shaft  131  ( FIG. 7 ). Lower sprocket  130  is engaged to lower sprocket shaft  131 . Lower right drive sprocket  132  is engaged with rear wheel bicycle drive chain  133 . 
     Exercising Using the Stationary Bicycle 
     The rider may decide that he wants to exercise primarily his arms on stationary bicycle  100 . The rider would then pivot handles  112  back and forth in left and right vertical planes with most of his effort. The pivoting motion of handles  112  would be transferred, through handle brackets  114 , through rotating shafts  116 , through propulsion levers  121 L and  121 R, through connecting drive shafts  124  and  125 , through chain  129  to rotational motion of lower right drive sprocket  132 . Lower right drive sprocket  132  is engaged with the rear wheel bicycle drive chain  133  so that bicycle to cause the spinning of rear wheel  101 . If the user is mostly working with his arms, he will use his legs to a large extent for balance on pedals  151  and  152 . If the user wants to primary exercise his legs he can relax his arms while gripping handles  112  and utilize his legs to spin the drive sprocket. Or, optionally, he can remove his arms from handles  112  and instead grab conventional handlebars  150 . 
     Most riders, it is expected, will tend to naturally split the work evenly between the arms and the legs so that the rotational motion of pedals  151  and  152  and the pivoting motion of handles  112  contribute approximately equally to the rotational motion of lower right drive sprocket  132 . 
     Handlebar Extenders 
       FIG. 10  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention in which handlebar extenders  112 B are attached to the ends of handlebars  112  of bicycle  100 . Handlebar extenders  112 B allow a rider positioned on seat  175  to sit up more straight and not hunch over forward. This relieves stress on the rider&#39;s back while by shortening the distance that he has to reach forward when operating the bicycle. It should be recognized that handlebars  112  with extenders  112 B could be replaced with variety of handlebar types, including long handlebars or short handlebars depending on the preference of the rider. 
     - - - 
     Although the above-preferred embodiments have been described with specificity, persons skilled in this art will recognize that many changes to the specific embodiments disclosed above could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it would also be possible to modify the bicycle so that there are two wheels up front and/or two wheels in the rear. The possible configurations would be: 1) one wheel up front, one wheel in the rear (as described above), 2) one wheel up front, two wheels in the rear, 3) two wheels up front, one in the rear, 4) two wheels up front, two wheels in the rear. The embodiments that include additional wheels would make it easier to balance the bicycle. Therefore, the attached claims and their legal equivalents should determine the scope of the invention