Abstract: A drive assembly for tracked vehicles includes a gas turbine engine with separate turbine shafts driving a vehicle propulsion speed change gear box and a steering unit. In one embodiment, the gear box is driven by a working turbine wheel output shaft while an infinitely variable steering unit is driven by a turbine compressor shaft. In an alternate embodiment, the steering unit comprises a reversing gear driving a zero shaft and with the steering unit being driven by a separate stage turbine wheel having adjustable nozzles or vanes. A further embodiment permits the elimination of the reversing gear in the steering unit by providing adjustable turbine vanes and/or blades which are capable of reversing the direction of rotation of the wheel which drives the steering unit shaft. In some embodiments, auxiliary steering power is provided in the event of an engine failure through a power takeoff from the working turbine shaft.

Abstract: A steerable drive axle is disclosed having a cramp angle of about 45.degree. for providing a short radius of turn for a vehicle. A trunnion assembly for each wheel includes upper and lower bearing units each having a spherical bearing and a king pin with a longitudinal axis. Axial misalignment of the king pins is corrected by the spherical bearings for enabling the upper and lower roller bearings to rotate about a common axis thereby minimizing bearing wear.

Abstract: An motorcycle has a body frame supporting an engine and provided with a seat. A leg shield on the body frame covers the front of the lower legs of a rider sitting on the seat. A main pipe of the body frame extends between the leg shield and the seat. An air cleaner for the engine has suction ports located on the internal side of the leg shield facing the seat, in order to exclude from the suction ports ram air produced by forward motion of the motorcycle. Two intake pipes straddle the main pipe and connect the suction ports to the air cleaner.

Abstract: A trailer hitch structure for coupling a single-wheel trailer to a tow vehicle having a conventional hitch bar fixed thereto and projecting rearwardly thereof. There is provided a rigid adapter having a rear portion and a front portion fixedly connected to and spaced forwardly from the rear portion. The front portion has structure for snugly and rigidly fixedly coupling the front portion to the vehicle hitch bar. The adapter also has a pair of coupling portions mounted on the rear portion in spaced relationship along a direction which extends transversely relative to the direction of vehicle movement for releasably coupling the trailer to the adapter at a pair of sidewardly spaced locations.

Abstract: A tractor with two engines arranged in tandem, each carried by a frame portion pivotable relative to the other about a vertical axis in a first pivot member under the rear engine and a horizontal axis from second pivot member located in part between two of the tractor's front wheels. The tractor's body is narrow forward and to the rear wherein axles for front and rear sets of ground engaging wheels extend laterally and mount six wheels each. The front engine and rear engines extend completely forward of the respective supporting front and rear sets of ground wheels. Steering is accomplished by the relative pivoting of the front and rear frame portions about the aforesaid vertical axis. A fuel tank extends over all six of the rear set of wheels and includes a depression for an operator's seat. It is optionally hinged at its outer portions so the tractor's width is reduced by removing the outer wheels and pivoting the fuel tank's outer portions to the rear.

Abstract: A wheel hub with an epicyclic reducing gear is disclosed, which essentially comprises a bottom section in the form of a cup which is bolted to an intermediate belt like section having a ring gear formed in its inner periphery, a planetary gear carrier carrying gears which mesh with the ring gear and the pinion.The carrier is divided into two sections assembled by bolts. Running races for bearing balls are complementarily formed on the beltlike section and on the complementary sections of the carrier.

Abstract: A truck exhibiting lifting devices intended for the lifting of loads and pairs of wheels located at a certain distance from each other and adjacent to said lifting devices. At a point mid-way between the wheels making up the pair of wheels is support wheel so arranged as to absorb some of the compressive forces acting upon the pair of wheels. The support wheel is so arranged as to be forced against a base by a device consisting of a hydraulic piston and cylinder. The pressure inside the device is controlled by the pressure inside a load-lifting hydraulic piston and cylinder device.The support wheel is pivotable or turnable in relation to the setting of the steering wheel.

Abstract: A three-wheeled cambering vehicle having a rear noncambering module which has a forwardly extending tongue which rotatably supports a main and front cambering module. The cambering module carries the vehicle operator who steers the vehicle by rotating a single front wheel about a substantially vertical axis and additionally leans in response to vehicle turn and his own will, the two modules are rotatable in relation to each other about an inclined camber axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle. The cambering module has cambering controls at a forward portion thereof to allow the operator to physically engage the controls with his feet for cambering the front module relative to the ground and rear modules.

Abstract: A pick-up hitch arrangement for a vehicle comprises a rigid support frame which is secured to a driven axle of the vehicle and has a pick-up hitch pivotally mounted thereon. The support frame is pivotally attached to the body part or chassis of the vehicle by means of pairs of upper and lower links. Each respective upper and lower link extend in directions which converge in vertical alignment with or forwardly of the center of gravity of the vehicle to reduce the tendency of a load applied to hook causing stretching of the vehicle rear springs and inclination of the chassis. The upper links converge above or rearwardly of the axle to give lateral stability to the hitch arrangement.

Abstract: Apparatus for advancing or reversing motor vehicles, such as tractors to be coupled with trailers, through use of a hand crank, transmits power from a belt and pulley assembly to the vehicle propeller shaft, and therefore, to the drive wheels through the differential and wheel axle. Axially aligned, housing-supported input and output spindles are interposed between such assembly and the crank, the spring-loaded input spindle being shiftable by operation of the crank to a position where it operably connects with the output spindle.

Abstract: An assembly which can be mounted to a wheelchair to provide easy removal of the drive wheels of a wheelchair comprises a connector block mounted on a wheelchair frame, which connector has a first orifice extending therethrough for receiving an axle of a drive wheel of a wheelchair and a second orifice extending therethrough and at least partially intersecting the first orifice. A drive wheel axle having an annular groove at one end extends into the first orifice of the connector block such that the annular groove aligns with the second orifice. A rod rotatable about its longitudinal axis extends through the second orifice of the connector block with at least a portion of the rod having a generally circular cross section and a slot therealong. The slot aligns with the first orifice of the connector block. A first arm is fastened to and extends radially from the rod and moves with rotation of the rod. A second arm is pivotaly linked to the first arm.

Abstract: A cycle, such as a bicycle, includes reciprocating pedal levers for applying power to the rear wheel through a pair of chains. The pedal lever includes a forwardly extending section for receiving a person's foot and a rearwardly extending portion for receiving a slider which is connected to one end of the chain which applies the power to the sprocket. The rearwardly extending portion of the pedal lever includes notches with perpendicular sides to engage a pawl on the slider. A release member extends longitudinally along the rearward portion of the pedal lever and also includes a series of notches generally co-extensive with those on the pedal lever, but having slanted surfaces, and being spaced differently from the spacing of the notches in the pedal lever, so that only one of the notches on the elongated release member lines up with a corresponding notch on the pedal lever.

Abstract: A vehicle has two axially opposed driven wheels which are driven by two drive shafts of equal length, each flexibly drivingly coupled at its outer end to one of the wheels. A differential, which has a preferred power output line, is located closer to a first one of the wheels and further from the other wheel. A short power output shaft extends from the differential towards the first wheel and is flexibly drivingly coupled at its outer end to the inner end of the drive shaft which drives that first wheel. A long power output shaft extends from the differential towards the other wheel and is flexibly coupled at its outer end to the inner end of the other one of the drive shafts, whose outer end is drivingly coupled to that other wheel. The inner race of a bearing supports an outer part of the long power output shaft, remote from the differential, and an outer race rotatably supports the inner race.

Abstract: The joint comprises two opposed forks which are angularly offset from each other at 60.degree. and are axially extended by nose portions which are internally spherical. These nose portions swivel on a ring through which extends with a large clearance a shaft section which carries at each end a tripod element associated with one of the forks. The ring is maintained roughly in the bisecting plane of the joint by contact or quasi-contact with the rollers of the two tripod elements. In this way it is possible to produce steering road wheel homokinetic joints which are capable of operating at angles of 50.degree. and more with no reduction in their transmitting capacity.

Abstract: A bicycle and method of making same are provided wherein such bicycle has an improved system associated with its front and/or rear wheel which in each instance allows large and abrupt vertical movement of the wheel associated therewith while allowing the frame and bicycle rider to remain comparatively free of such movements. The bicycle may also be provided with an improved support structure for its pedal assembly.

Abstract: A device for supporting a steering and driving wheel of an automobile vehicle comprises a hollow hub constituting the outer element of a ball joint of which the inner element is fixed on a drive shaft, a seal element made of sheet metal being provided at the open end of the hub, opposite the joint. A brake disc having a central opening is fixed on the hub on the same side as the wheel. The seal element is in the form of a bowl whose closed end is fitted in the hollow hub and whose length is such that the other end, of outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the opening in the brake disc, opens outside the hollow hub and passes through the disc, centering same.

Abstract: A tubing assembly provided between two movable bodies such as front and rear body portions of a three-wheeled motor vehicle. The front body is laterally swingable relative to the rear body and these bodies are relatively movable along longitudinal and vertical directions thereof. The tubing assembly includes a first flexible tubular member extending substantially vertically and having one end connected to a first rigid tubular member of said front body portion, a second flexible tubular member extending substantially horizontally and having one end connected to a second rigid tubular member of said rear body portion, and a generally L-shaped intermediate rigid tubular member connected between said first and second flexible tubular members. The tubing assembly is positioned outwardly offset from a rotational center of said movable bodies and at the same longitudinal side of said vehicle.

Abstract: A simple and sturdy stand for motorcycles known as dirt bikes that may be positioned between the wheels of the dirt bike and operable by the foot of the user for engaging its frame to raise and lower the front wheel of the dirt bike off of its supporting surface.

Abstract: A vehicle drive system for a wheeled vehicle, comprising a power unit having an output shaft extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit including transmission input and output shafts each extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle; and a power distribution gear unit comprising a front-wheel and rear-wheel differential gear assembly operative to split into two components the driving power carried to the power distribution shaft, one of the power components being transmitted through a final reduction gear assembly and a wheel drive differential gear assembly to, for example, front road wheels, the other of the driving power components being transmitted to, for example, rear road wheels by way of a right-angle power transfer gear assembly including a driven gear having an axis of rotation in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The drive system may further comprise a lock-up clutch mechanism and/or a low-and-high speed shifting clutch mechanism.

Abstract: A trailer hitch attachment mounting between a towing vehicle and a trailer for simulating a "5th" wheel trailer hookup. The hitch mounts to the towing vehicle undercarriage rearwardly adjacent the rear axle and includes a drawbar that extends to the towing tongue of the trailer. The drawbar is pivoted at a front end about a primary axis directly behind the rear axle and at a rearward end, about a secondary axis at the connection to the trailer towing tongue. A lockout mechanism is provided for alternately locking the drawbar against pivotal motion about one or the other the pivot axes, so only pivotal motion will be allowed about only one axis at any given time. The pivot axes are alternated according to relative angular movement of the towing vehicle relative to the trailer.