Patent Publication Number: US-2002011374-A1

Title: Small motorized cart and brush cage apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/191,972, filed Mar. 24, 2000, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     
       DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002] Not applicable  
       REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
       [0003] Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0005] The present invention relates to small motorized carts that are typically powered with small, rear mounted internal combustion engines that are in the range of between about one (1) and fifteen (15) horsepower and wherein a drive rotates one or both rear wheels, the apparatus including a movable cage arrangement that is specially configured to protect the full length of the driver&#39;s body from tree limbs, brush, etc. during use.  
       [0006] 2. General Background of the Invention  
       [0007] Small, motorized carts have been commercially available for many, many years. These carts typically provide a chassis that is positioned very close to the ground, clearance being in the range of about 5-10 inches. The chassis has front and rear axles and a plurality of wheels, typically including two front steerable wheels and two rear wheels which are driven.  
       [0008] These small motorized carts are known by the slang term “go cart” and are sold commercially by numerous companies including Karts International of Roseland, La.; Manco Products, Inc. of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Carter Brothers Mfg. Co., Inc., of Brundidge, Ala.; and Midwestern Industries, of New Paris, Ind.  
       [0009] Many small motorized carts are used in an off-road environment that is forested or treed. For example, hunters and fisherman use such small motorized carts or go-carts to gain access to their favorite wilderness areas. In such an environment, trees, brush, bushes, and tall weeds can be an aggravation to the operator as he or she tries to negotiate ATV (all terrain vehicle) trails, and like pathways.  
       [0010] Various patents have issued for go cart arrangements. The Brister U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,477,940, 5,797,468, 5,597,048, and 5,913,178 are directed to a safety device that disengages the throttle of a go cart when a user inadvertently hits the brake and throttle at pedals at the same time. The Brister U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,011 is directed to a chain driven cart and its clutch assembly.  
       [0011] Other patents that are related to small, motorized carts or “go carts” include:  
       [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,135 entitled “Go-Cart Frame and Wheel Suspension”; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 412,138, entitled “Body-Shell Design for A Racing Go-Cart Vehicle”; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 408,869, entitled “Go-Cart Frame”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,878, entitled “Miniaturized Single-Seater Motor-Vehicle, in Particular for Sports and Recreative Use”; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 373,976, entitled “Go Cart”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,300, entitled “Go-Cart Restrainer”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,899, entitled “Go-Cart Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,668, entitled “Go-Cart”.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013] The present invention provides a go cart apparatus that has a chassis having a seat with a seat base and a seat back. The chassis is wheeled, providing a pair of front steerable wheels and a pair of rear wheels. A seat back tube extends upwardly from the remainder of the chassis to an elevated position that preferably extends above the seat back. The seat back tube can be in the form of a pair of generally vertically extended members that extend along opposing sides of the seat back and a transverse member that extends across the top of the seat back, being connected to the two vertical portions of the seat back member. The seat back tube can be one continuous, bent tube.  
       [0014] An engine is mounted on the chassis behind the seat back. A known transmission interfaces the engine with at least one of the rear wheels for driving the rear wheels. A centrifugal clutch can be a part of the transmission.  
       [0015] A steering mechanism is provided for steering the front wheels and including a steering member that is positioned next to the seat and generally above and in front of the seat base.  
       [0016] A brush cage is movably mounted to the chassis at the front of the chassis and next to the front wheels. The brush cage is movable between lowered and elevated positions. The cage includes an inclined portion that extends from a position next to the front wheels to a position above and behind the steering member.  
       [0017] A locking or latching mechanism secures the cage in the lowered position. The locking or latching mechanism is preferably a releasable mechanism that enables the operator or driver to unlock the mechanism with one hand by engaging a lever or other release mechanism that is part of the locking mechanism.  
       [0018] In the preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism is positioned above the seat back and can be attached to the seat back tube.  
       [0019] The locking mechanism preferably includes first and second locking members that include one locking member mounted on the chassis and another locking member mounted on the cage.  
       [0020] The seat back tube preferably extends along opposing sides of the seat back and includes a generally transverse tube member that is positioned at the top of the seat back member above the operator&#39;s head during use.  
       [0021] One of the locking members is preferably attached to the transverse tube member of the seat back tube.  
       [0022] The cage is preferably comprised of a pair of primary tube members and a pair of secondary tube members, each secondary tube member being connected at spaced apart positions to a primary tube member, wherein the primary tube members are movably attached to the chassis.  
       [0023] The primary tube members are preferably pivotally attached to the chassis at a position next to the front wheels.  
       [0024] An improved steering arrangement provides a “t” shaped bar that communicates with an upper steering rod section and a lower steering rod section. The steering rod sections are connected by a universal joint. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0025] For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:  
     [0026]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the brush cage portion in a lowered, operating position;  
     [0027]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, showing the brush cage in an upper, open position;  
     [0028]FIG. 3 is a perspective, fragmentary view illustrating a locking latch portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and  
     [0029]FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
     [0030]FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0031] FIGS.  1 - 5  show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  10 . Small, motorized cart  10  includes a chassis  11  having a rear mounted engine  12 . The chassis  11  can be provided with front and rear axles. The front axle carries a pair of front, steerable wheels  13 . The rear axle carries a pair of rear wheels  14  that can be driven by a suitable transmission, such as a centrifugal clutch (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,397, incorporated herein by reference).  
     [0032] The apparatus  10  is provided with a seat  15  that includes a seat back  16  and a seat base  17 . The seat base  17  can be mounted in a sliding, adjustable fashion on a pair of spaced apart rails  18 .  
     [0033] An engine guard  19  extends upwardly and rearwardly of the chassis  11 . The engine guard  19  can be comprised of a plurality of connected horizontal tubes  20  supported in an elevated position by a plurality of diagonal tubes  21 . A seat back tube  22  extends up from the horizontal tubes  20  of engine guard  19 . The seat back tube  22  can generally U-shaped providing a plurality of tubular members that are connected end to end to form a “U”.  
     [0034] A pair of rear tubes  23  extend from engine guard  19  at a position behind engine  12  upwardly to connect with the uppermost portion of seat back tube  22  (see FIGS.  1 - 3 ).  
     [0035] A steering bar  24  attaches to steering column  25 . Steering column  25  connects to a suitable front wheel steering mechanism  26  such as a rod and lever steering mechanism, rack and pinion steering mechanism, or other steering mechanism for steering front wheels  13 . A steering column support  27  can be in the form of a plurality of tubes as shown in FIG. 2 that are welded together. The support  27  can be welded to chassis  11 . Support  27  includes a portion that extends up to steering column  25 . A suitable bearing tube can be placed at the upper end portion of steering column support  27  to form an interface between the static tube portions of steering column support  27  and steering column  25 . Bar  42  is a transverse bar having opposed handles  43 . Bar  42  is welded to upper steering column section  44  that is rotatably mounted in sleeve  45 . Sleeve  45  is welded or otherwise attached to steering support  27 . Universal joint  48  is attached to the lower end of upper steering column section  44 . A lower steering column section  47  is attached at its upper end to universal joint  48  and at its lower end to steering lever  49 . Steering lever  49  connects to rods  50  that steer wheels  13 . Upper steering column section  44  can have a greater inclination than lower steering column section  47 .  
     [0036] Brush cage  30  can be a welded or bolted, preferably tubular construction that pivots between an operating, lower driving position as shown in FIG. 1 to an upper, open position as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, arrow  29  indicates schematically the rotation of brush cage  30  about its pivots  28  (see FIG. 5) to the open position of FIG. 2. Two pivots  28  can be provided on axle  46 . Brush cage  30  provides full length protection for the driver&#39;s body and can be gripped and opened by a driver seated upon seat  15  even though the driver is in a driving position. This is accomplished by the special configuration of the brush cage  30  including the geometry of the various tubular members that comprise the brush cage  30 .  
     [0037] In FIG. 1, brush cage  30  includes a pair of primary, longitudinal tubes  31  that extend from pivots  28  along an inclined path to meet with transverse tubes  33 ,  34 . A pair of secondary longitudinal tubes  32  extend along a generally horizontal path from a position near the front of primary, longitudinal tubes  31  at welded or bolted connection  51 , to a position near the rear of primary longitudinal tubes  31  at welded connection  52 .  
     [0038] At the rear, upper end portion of brush cage  30 , transverse tube  34  connects to the rear intersection of the primary, longitudinal tubes  31  and the secondary longitudinal tubes  32 . A commercially available latch member  35  is provided on brush cage  30  at transverse tube  34  for forming a connection with a cooperating commercially available latch member  36  on seat back tube  22 .  
     [0039] In FIG. 3, latch member  36  can include a locking arm  37  having that enables a user&#39;s hand  38  to grip the arm  37  and move it for releasing the latch member  35  and moving the brush cage  30  to the open position of FIG. 2.  
     [0040] In order to open the brush cage  30  to the elevated position of FIG. 2, a user pulls the locking arm  37 . The latch member  35  is spring loaded to return to a locking closed position. The user overcomes this spring force when pulling the arm  37  in order to disengage the post  39  from slot  40  of latch member  35 .  
     [0041] The locking arrangement shown in FIGS.  1 - 3  is preferably centered about the driver&#39;s head. By placing the locking arm  37  immediately above seat back  16  and thus the driver&#39;s head, it can be easily gripped for releasing the brush cage  30  using only one hand  38 .  
     [0042] Pneumatic telescoping cylinders  60  can be used to aid in the lifting of cage  30  with respect to chassis  11 . The pneumatic cylinder  60  has one end portion that can be attached to a plate that is welded to chassis  11  or can be bolted directly to chassis  11 . At its opposite end portion, each pneumatic telescoping cylinder  60  is preferably bolted to the lower end of cage  30  at longitudinal member  31  as shown in FIG. 4.  
     [0043] A body panel (eg. plastic or fiberglass) can be optionally provided that covers the front end portion of the cart apparatus  10 , namely that portion that extends in front of the seat  15  and under cage  30 .  
     [0044] The following is a summary list of the parts and corresponding descriptions that are used in the written specification.  
                              PARTS LIST                     Part Number   Description               10   small motorized cart        10a   small motorized cart       11   chassis        11a   chassis       12   engine       13   front wheel       14   rear wheel       15   seat       16   seat back       17   seat base       18   rail       19   engine guard       20   horizontal tube       21   diagonal tube       22   seat back tube       23   rear tube       24   steering bar       25   steering column       26   steering mechanism       27   steering column support       28   pivot       29   arrow       30   brush cage       31   primary longitudinal tube       32   secondary longitudinal tube       33   transverse tube       34   transverse tube       35   latch plate       36   latch member       37   locking arm       38   user&#39;s hand       39   post       40   slot       41       42   steering bar       43   handle       44   upper steering column section       45   sleeve       46   axle       47   lower steering column section       48   universal joint       49   steering lever       50   rod       51   welded connection       52   weld elbow       53   concavity       54   elbow       55   concavity                  
 
     [0045] The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.