Abstract:
A front wheel drive fork is provided wherein the arm powered handlebar provides mechanical means for transforming the linear stokes of the rider to the rotary propelling of the front wheel. The front wheel drive is an improvement to existing cycles, is utilized to exercise the upper and lower extremities, and provides more traction to cyclists.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates in general to bicylces, and in particular to bicycles having arm powered front wheel drives.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    Many types of rotary front wheel drive bicycle fork units have been provided U.S. patents such as to Hartley, U.S. Pat. No. 484,712; Hundnall, U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,508; Winters, U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,959; Harper, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,927; Phillips, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,662; Rodriguez, U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,942; and Dodakian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,598. Some front wheel driven bicycles use a combination of rotary drive connected through linkage to oscillating handlebars such as Murray, U.S. Pat. No. 565,556; Lindsey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,370; Patroni, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,420; and Jeranson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,614. Deutch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,122 uses two linear drive handles attached to one way clutches which are then connected to endless chains driving the front wheel. Sommer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,195 uses a drive line coupled to a ratcheting front wheel. None of these patents accomplish the goals of the present invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The principal object of the present invention is to transfer the horozontal linear movement of the pivoting handlebar into rotary foward vertical movement of the front wheel.  
           [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a front wheel drive for a conventional bicycle in which all hand operated devices used to control the bicycle may still be mounted on the handlebar as usual. Hand operated devices defined as, but not limited to brake levers, gear shifters, and speedometers.  
           [0007]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means by which the pivoting handlebar can be made not to pivot but to function as a regular handlebar. A solid steerable handlebar is important for controlling the bicycle on treacherous terrain.  
           [0008]    The next object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight front wheel drive fork assembly as an improvement to existing and former bicycles.  
           [0009]    The present invention also has fewer exposed moving parts which leads to ease of maintenance. Because the present invention has fewer parts, ease of manufacter is another advantage.  
           [0010]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings, the description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating the oscillating linear drive handlebar and front wheel of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line  4 -- 4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line  5 -- 5  of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line  6 -- 6  of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a rear elevation of a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line  6 -- 6  of FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary isometric view taken on the line  8 -- 8  of FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation view taken from the line  8 -- 8  of FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional diagram taken from the lines  8 -- 8  and  10 -- 10  of FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is a fragmentary isometric view taken from the line  11 -- 11  of FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation view taken from the line  12 -- 12  of FIG. 1.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation view taken from the line  13 -- 13  of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]    Refer now to FIG. 1, which is an overall drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The numeral  14  indicates the existing frame of a usual bicycle. The front wheel  16 , rotates on axel  10 , and is driven foward by the handlebar  7 , which is connected to a freewheeling clutch  1 , by means of a length of chain  2 , a length of cable  20 , and a length of elastic cord  3 .  
         [0025]    The numeral  15  indicates one of several tentionable spokes and is connected to the rim of the front wheel  16 , to the axel  10 , by means of the spoke hub  17 . The axel assembly  10 , is mounted in bearings  18 , which rotate in the front fork  8 , attached by binding screw  19 .  
         [0026]    The handlebar  7 , rotates on axel assembly  6 , mounted on handlebar neck  5 , inside steering tube  4 , affixed to forks  8 . The numeral  9  indicates handlebar ends. Elastic cord  3 , and cable  20 , are connected to handlebar  7 , at retainer mount  14 .  
         [0027]    The numeral  12  indicates means by which elastic cord  3 , is connected to chain  2 . The numeral  13  indicates connection between cable  20 , and chain  2 .  
         [0028]    In FIG. 4 the steering tube  4 , is affixed to the forks  8 , the handlebar neck  5 , and is mounted in the frame of an existing bicycle  14 . The steering tube  4 , is then connected to cone races  21  and  26  which rotate on ball bearings  22  and  25  against races  23  and  24  which are mounted in the existing bicycle frame  14 . The top of the steering tube  4 , is threaded and binding nut  27 , secures the steering tube  4 , to the existing bicycle frame  14 . Bolt  28  expands wedge  29 , against handlebar neck  5 , thusly allowing handlebar neck  5  to be adjusted up and down. The handlebar neck  5 , holds axel assembly  6 , in threaded hole  30 , of FIG. 5.  
         [0029]    in FIG. 6 the binding bolt  42 , tightens the handlebar  7 , to the binder body  41 , affixed to axel body  43 . The axel body  43 , is mounted on cup races  34  and  35 , which rotate on ball bearings  33  and  36 , against cone races  32  and  37 , which are integrated into axel  31 . One end of axel  31 , has thread integration  45  and hexagonal teeth  44 , for mounting to threaded hole  30  of FIG. 5. The other end of axel  31  is threaded to accept end cone race  37 , and binding nut  38 , which oppose each other securing the axel body  43 , to the axel  31 . Numeral  39  in FIGS. 6 and 7 indicates a removeable locking pin which pierces hole  90 drilled through the axel body  43 , and the axel  31 . The locking pin is connected to a retaining cable  40 .  
         [0030]    In FIG. 8 the fork  8 , is attached to steering tube  4 , the bottom of which is encircled with lower cone race  21 . In FIG. 9 the fork end  47 , hold bearing  18 , which is compression fit onto axel  10 . The fork end binding screw  19 , passes through a threaded hole  49 , integrated into fork end  47 .  
         [0031]    In FIG. 10 the main axel  10 , has been attached to left and right side spoke hubs  51  and  17  respectively. The inner diameter of bearings  18  and  50 , is compression fit onto the portion of the main axel  10 , closest to spoke hubs  17  and  51 . The left hand side of the axel end  54 , is externally left hand threaded to accept the internal left hand threads of the left hand side freewheeling clutch  52 . Likewise, the right hand side of the axel and  55 , is externally right hand threaded to accept the internal right hand threads of the right hand side freewheel  53 . The freewheeling clutches  52  and  53 , are externally toothed to accept chains  2  and  70 , respectively. Fork ends  47  and  48 , fit over bearings  18  and  50 .  
         [0032]    in FIG. 11 cable  72 , is retained through cable stop  61 . Elastic cord hook  60 , is retained between cable stops  11  and  61 . Handlebar end  9 , is mounted on handlebar  7 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 12 is a detail of elastic cord hook  12  connecting to right hand chain  70 . FIG. 13 shows a detail of cable crimpers  13 , and cable  72  attachment to chain  70 . Cable is crimped to threaded U shaped bolt  83 , is held by yoke  82 , and crimping nuts  80  and  81 .  
         [0034]    The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes and sizes as desired or required.  
         [0035]    From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been produced a bicycle front wheel drive wherein an oscillating handlebar  7  provides a novel original and efficient mechanical form of transforming the linear strokes of the operator to the device propelling the bicycle foward. In operation, all parts on the left side of the front wheel  16  mirror and work independently of all parts on the right side of the front wheel  16 . The operator grasps the handlebar ends  9  and  85 , of the handlebar  7  which pivots on an axel  6 . The rider is pushing down on one side of the handlebar  7  and pulling up on the other side. One of the cables  20  or  72  will pull one of the chains  2  or  70  and turn one of the freewheeling clutches  1  or  53  and turn the front wheel 16  foward. For example, the rider pulls on left side of handlebar  7  while simultaneously pushing on right side of handlebar  7 . The left side cable  20  will pull on the left side chain  2  thus driving the left side freewheeling clutch  1  foward. Upon reaching full extention of stroke or end of chain  2 , the rider will then push the left side of handlebar  7 , and pull the right side of handlebar  7 . At this the left side elastic cord  3  will retract returning chain  2  and cable  20  to their original postions. Meanwhile the right side cable  72  pulls the right side chain  70  advancing the right side freewheeling clutch  53  again moving the front wheel  16  foward. At rest the rider may choose to lock the handlebar  7  at mid position by inserting removeable locking pin  39  into hole  90  of axel assemblies  31  and  43 . Thus, the rider has locked the pivoting handlebar. Upon removing the locking pin  39 , the rider is again ready to transfer the linear motion of handlebar ends  9  and  95  into rotary motion of front wheel  16 .  
         [0036]    As shown in FIG. 1 there is provided a driveable front wheel  16  mounted rotatably through steering tube  4  to existing bicycle frame  14 . The axel assembly  10  of front wheel  16  extends the length of the hnadlebar  7 , the ends of the axel assembly  10  are attached to left and right hand freewheeling clutches,  1  and  53  respectively. The freewheeling clutches  1  and  53  are then attached to handlebar  7  by means of drivelines  20  and  72 . Drivelines  20  and  72  retract after advancement through means of elastic cords  3  and  71 .  
         [0037]    While the present invention has been descibed and illustrated as for use with bicycles it is understood that the present invention can be used for different applications as, for example, a front wheel of a tricycle or scooter for children. Also, the handlebars could be fitted with foot pedals and be driven foward by foot action. The principles of the present invention may also be applicable to other uses such as the special needs of paraplegics and elderly.  
         [0038]    It will therefore be understood that while I&#39;ve shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.