Abstract: A folding wheelchair frame including a compound folding mechanism having fore and aft tubular hinged wing frames pivotally coupled to the chair's side frames and to a longitudinal tubular slide-follower coordinating assembly. Scissored arms coupled between the forward hinged frame and slide-follower coordinate the folding action relative to the chair's longitudinal center axis and allows the latching thereof. Associated swing-away footrests, removable armrests and latched, folding back frames further reduce the folded profile and facilitate chair usage.

Abstract: A tricycle having two front steering wheels and a rear drive wheel has a frame for accommodating the rear wheel and a mount pivotally connected to the front of the frame carrying a pair of front steering wheels. Handle bars are connected with a tie-rod assembly to the supporting forks for the front steering wheels. The mount has a parallel linkage which allows the frame and the front wheels to bank to facilitate the turning of the tricycle. A basket is suspended below the mount between the front wheels. A lock connected to the beams holds the beams in fixed relation relative to each other. The lock can be released to limit the angle of the bank of the tricycle.

Abstract: A steering system for use in a towing vehicle-trailer combination, wherein all trailer axles are load bearing and fixed. The rearmost axle on the trailer has fixed wheel mountings, and serves as a pivot for turning the trailer when it moves in either a forward or reverse direction. The axle or axles located forward of the rearmost axle of the trailer and aft of the trailer king pin has or have directional wheels that automatically track and follow in concentric pattern the path of the rear wheels of the towing vehicle. The motive force for steering the directional wheels emanates from a sensor nested in the V-slot of the firth wheel of the towing vehicle. The steering system is designed to be installed as a retrofit to existing trailers, or as optional equipment for trailers not yet manufactured. Abling and disabling the system is automatic. Abling takes place when the fifth wheel is moved into position to couple the king pin under the trailer.

Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle comprises a front wheel turning mechanism for turning the front wheels in response to operation of a steering wheel, a steering ratio changing mechanism inserted into the front wheel turning mechanism to change the ratio of the turning angle of the steering wheel to the turning angle of the front wheels, and a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed. The steering ratio changing mechanism is controlled to increase the ratio as the vehicle speed increases, and as the vehicle speed increases, the control speed of the steering ratio changing mechanism is lowered.

Abstract: This tow bar is designed for towing a three-wheeled automotive vehicle and is foldable for storage. Primarily, it consists of a main body receiving a ball hitch, and a sleeve is provided on each side of the main body and freely receives the threaded ends of a pair of rods provided with a hook at each end that is received on the fork of the front wheel of the vehicle.

Abstract: A steering stabilizer for handlebar controlled vehicles. The stabilizer utilizes a steering column housing having a cylindrical chamber therein. The steering column passes through the axial center of the chamber and hydraulic fluid is held within the chamber. A piston or vane is moved by the turning of the steering column and forces the hydraulic fluid through a restricted passageway whereby the turning of the handle bars is viscously damped.

Abstract: A vehicular automatic parallel parking system adapted for installation either as a factory option or as a retrofit kit. A microprocessor-based controller exercises control over a hydraulic valve which regulates the fluid to the vehicle's power steering cylinder. Preferably the system controls the vehicle's standard power steering valve through a solenoid attachment, although a separate solenoid-operated valve in parallel with the power steering valve can be used in retrofit installations if necessary. By its sensing of rearward distance moved by the vehicle, the controller is able to control turning during a parallel parking maneuver through its regulation of the solenoid-operated valve.

Abstract: A rear wheel suspension for a motorcycle wherein the rear wheel is mounted to the frame by a swing arm assembly including at least two swing arms. One of the swing arms being pivotally connected to the frame at one end and pivotally connected to the other arm at the other end. The other arm having the rear wheel rotatably mounted thereto. The arrangement permits freedom of movement in any direction of the rear wheel relative to the frame with the plane defined by the rotation of the wheel. A plurality of endless drive chains are used to link the engine's output to the rear wheel.

Abstract: This invention comprises a driveable, steerable platform for industrial, domestic, entertainment and related uses. A frame member travels on a plurality of wheels which can be turned 360.degree. to steer the platform in a desired direction. Separate endless drive means in the form of gear-driven concentric shafts drive and steer the wheels. The platform travels substantially parallel to the terrain traversed. The entire platform may be housed in a hollow sphere to cause the sphere to selectively roll, providing the platform the ability to move about on radically uneven terrain including the ability to climb steps of height equal to approximately one-half the sphere's diameter. The wheels engage the inner surface of the rolling sphere to drive and steer the rolling sphere.

Abstract: A folding moped has a collapsible support for the saddle constituted by two parallel pillars with lower jointed end portions which are inserted within two hollow parts fixed to the frame for sliding between an inserted position in which the pillars are held in an erect condition and a withdrawn position in which the joints project above the respective hollow parts to allow the pillars to be collapsed forwardly.

Abstract: A towing device for connecting an IV-pole to a gurney when transporting a patient from one hospital area to another. The device includes an elongated body portion with a hook means attached on each end thereof. A spring-biased locking member associated with each of the hooks locks the hook into engagement with the respective gurney and IV-pole and prevents disengagement of the hooks therefrom.

Abstract: A body structure for a motorcycle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, including a body frame assembly having an engine mounted thereon and having vertically swingably joined thereto a front leading arm for supporting the front wheel and a rear trailing arm for supporting the rear wheel. The front leading arm as viewed from the side thereof is curved upwardly in the direction of a steering axis of the front wheel. The body frame assembly is shaped in a concave form having front standing portions and rear standing portions to thereby surround the engine. The engine is a V-type with at least a pair of internal combustion cylinders substantially vertically arranged to be respectively forwardly and rearwardly inclined, and may be secured at a front part thereof to the front standing portions of the body frame assembly and at a rear part thereof to the rear standing portions of the body frame assembly.

Abstract: A body structure for a motorcycle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, including a body frame assembly having an engine mounted thereon and having vertically swingably joined thereto a front leading arm for supporting the front wheel and a rear trailing arm for supporting the rear wheel. The front leading arm as viewed from the side thereof is curved upwardly in the direction of a steering axis of the front wheel. The body frame assembly is shaped in a concave form having front standing portions and rear standing portions to thereby surround the engine. The engine is a V-type with at least a pair of internal combustion cylinders substantially vertically arranged to be respectively forwardly and rearwardly inclined, and may be secured at a front part thereof to the front standing portions of the body frame assembly and at a rear part thereof to the rear standing portions of the body frame assembly.

Abstract: A convertible towing hitch which is used to tow a farm implement with a vehicle includes a U-shaped planar member. This planar member has a central connecting leg, a first extending leg, and a second extending leg. A two-way pivot alowing two degrees of rotational freedom is attached at a free end of the first extending leg and to the implement. The two-way pivot allows pivoting an axis perpendicular to the plane of the U-shaped ember and about an axis parallel to the first, extending leg. An attachment device is also provided for removabley attaching the U-shaped to a bar pulled by the vehicle. The attachment device is mounted for rotational movement about an axis parallel to the connecting leg at a free end of the second extending leg. Preferably, the attachment device is located in the open area of the U-shaped member and an extension is provded of the connected leg extendng away from the second extending leg.

Abstract: A motorcycle structure including a power unit having a transversely mounted engine with side covers of the crankcase extending forwardly of the power unit to provide mounting points for a swing arm front suspension assembly. Pivot shafts extend between the mounting points on the side covers to receive a first end of the front swing arms. Also a cushion member extends from one of the pivot shafts to a progressive linkage on the front swing arm suspension. A rear swing arm is similarly mounted between transmission side cover plates. The front cushion member is displaced laterally from the centerline of the vehicle while exhaust pipes are displaced laterally in the opposite direction to define a compact design.

Abstract: A wheel slip control system has a vehicle speed detector for detecting a running speed of a vehicle; a driving wheel rotating condition detector for detecting an actual driving wheel rotating speed of the vehicle and the acceleration thereof; an advance driving wheel speed computer for calculating an advance driving wheel speed using as parameters the above actual driving wheel rotating speed and acceleration thereof; a second throttle valve provided in an intake passage in a position upstream or downstream of the position where a first throttle valve interlocked with a vehicle accelerator pedal is located; a driver for opening and closing the second throttle valve; and an opening/closing controller for determining a target throttle position on the basis of the detected vehicle running speed and the advance driving wheel speed and controlling the driver so that an actual throttle position of the second throttle valve approaches the above target throttle position.

Abstract: The toy horse is characterized by a rigid structure assembled of components with appropriate tenons and mortises. The structure can facilitate shipment and storage. Erection and dismantling of it can provide interllectual training to children and educate them with basic concepts of organization and structure. It further incorporates casters kept in the bottoms of supporters and which can be extended to contact with the ground to provide a mobile toy.

Abstract: A trailer hitch mountable on an upwardly facing surface of a vehicle capable of movement in a forward direction includes a base which can be fixedly secured to the upwardly facing surface and a coupling arrangement supported on the base and adapted to releasably grip a coupling element of a trailer. The base includes two support elements adapted to be fixedly secured at spaced locations to the upwardly facing surface, and a unitary pedestal which can be releasably fixedly secured to the two support elements. The coupling arrangement includes a hitch member having an upwardly facing surface and a slot which extends forwardly thereinto from a rear edge thereof, and two jaws supported for relative pivotal movement about respective pivot axes between a gripping position and a release position. An arrangement for actuating the jaws includes an elongate, transversely extending rod and a link element which extends between and is operatively coupled to the rod and a first of the jaws.

Abstract: A driving and steering system for a vehicle having at least two propelling tracks or wheels driven by output shafts from within a housing containing respective planetary gear sets, each planetary gear set including a sun gear element, a planet gear-carrier element, and a ring gear element. A power-driven shaft between the planetary gear sets has driving engagement with both of the sun gear or the planet gear-carrier elements, and the respective output shafts are driven by the other one of the sun gear or planet gear-carrier elements. A steering shaft is operatively engaged with the ring gear elements to hold them against rotation for straight line propulsion of the vehicle or to rotate them in opposite directions for steering of the vehicle.

Abstract: An air cushion vehicle comprises a main engine connected to drive, firstly, a fan device for generating an air cushion for the support of the vehicle, and secondly, a traction wheel device for propulsion of the vehicle. Operating power is simultaneously transmitted from the main engine to the fan device and to a hydraulic drive system connected to drive the traction wheel device. The ratio of power distribution from the main engine to the fan device and to the traction wheel device is arranged to be regulated by altering the power consumption characteristics of either or both of the fan device and the traction wheel device.