Patent ID: 7828101

Claim:
A wheel propulsion assembly for a bicycle having a steering column including a handlebar descending to a front fork, said fork having a pair of opposing legs, each leg having a lower dropout for receiving a wheel axle therein, said wheel propulsion assembly comprising: a. a wheel having a self-contained drive mechanism radially disposed within said wheel, said wheel further having a central wheel axle with wheel axle ends protruding from opposite sides of said wheel, said wheel axle ends being insertable within said lower dropouts of said fork legs for removable engagement therein; b. a restraining member affixed to said wheel axle between said fork legs, said restraining member: (1) extending from said wheel to an engagement end distant from said wheel axle and outside said wheel diameter, (2) being sized and configured such that when said wheel is situated between said fork legs with its wheel axle ends within said lower dropouts, the restraining member extends upwardly from said wheel to engage said handlebar at its engagement end; (3) said engagement end bears a pair of opposing stops, said stops defining a vertically open handlebar insertion slot therebetween, whereby said handlebar of said bicycle can be inserted within said insertion slot between said stops; c. a motor anchored to said restraining member, wherein said motor drives said wheel, wherein said wheel propulsion assembly is removably installable within said front fork of said bicycle by inserting said wheel axle ends within said lower dropouts of said fork legs and engaging said engagement end of said restraining member to said handlebar.