Patent ID: 7048289

Claim:
A human powered ground vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame having a forward end and a rearward end; a steering column hingedly connected to said vehicle frame and extending across said vehicle frame; a motive power input assembly supported by said frame and adapted to derive a motive power from physical exertion of force by a driver, said motive power input assembly including at least one pedal member adapted to revolve about a laterally extending axis that traverses said vehicle frame through an area located forward of said steering column; at least one rear wheel mounted for rotation proximate said rearward end of said vehicle; and means for transmitting power from said motive power input assembly to said front wheel, thereby permitting said vehicle to be driven, wherein said means for transmitting power includes: a universal joint that includes a first sprocket and a second sprocket, wherein the first sprocket is rotatably fixed with respect to the vehicle frame and the second sprocket is pivotable with respect to the first sprocket such that rotation of the first sprocket causes rotation of the second sprocket; a first sprocket assembly including at least a third sprocket that is rotatably fixed with respect to a steering column; a drive chain drivingly connecting the second sprocket with the sprocket assembly; a second sprocket assembly including at least a fourth sprocket fixed with respect to the front wheel and having a first axis of rotation, wherein the front wheel has a second axis of rotation that is the same as the first axis of rotation; and a drive chain drivingly connecting the first sprocket assembly to the second sprocket assembly.