Patent ID: 7967314

Claim:
A drive mechanism for a wheeled vehicle having a frame, at least two axles, and at least three wheels, comprising: a) a hand lever arm movable forward and backward by a driver of the vehicle; b) at least two horizontal gears comprising a first horizontal gear and a second horizontal gear, each horizontal gear associated and meshed with a toothed drive gear on at least one axle of the vehicle and each horizontal gear being attached to the hand lever arm; c) a horizontal gear bearing and a horizontal gear bearing frame mount associated with each horizontal gear, and aligned to push the horizontal gear to engage the drive gear; d) a ratchet mechanism on each drive gear, wherein movement of the hand lever arm forward causes: i) the first horizontal gear to rotate the drive gear associated with the first horizontal gear, which causes the wheels to move forward, and ii) the ratchet mechanism on the drive gear associated with the second horizontal gear to release the drive gear associated with the second horizontal gear; and wherein movement of the hand lever arm rearward causes: i) the second horizontal gear to rotate the drive gear associated with the second horizontal gear, which causes the wheels to move forward, and ii) the ratchet mechanism on the drive gear associated with first horizontal gear to release the drive gear associated with the first horizontal gear, wherein the first horizontal gear and the second horizontal gear extend rearward from the hand lever arm; wherein the at least one axle is a rear axle of the vehicle; and wherein the first horizontal gear is meshed with a bottom of the drive gear associated with the first horizontal gear, and the second horizontal gear is meshed with a top of the drive gear associated with the second horizontal gear.