The object of the invention is a wheeled vehicle, in particular a wheeled vehicle with mechanical propulsion using the rocking motion of a drive column, useful for moving people.

The bicycle is one of the basic wheeled vehicles for moving people using muscle power. A typical bicycle has a frame with a front and rear wheel. Handlebars are embedded in the frame and are used to turn the front wheel. The bicycle is propelled by the muscular power of the rider's legs using a crank mechanism, from which the propulsion is transmitted via an endless link, in particular a chain link, to the rear wheel.

Many modifications to the design of typical bicycles are known, for example in the number of wheels or the method of propulsion. In particular, in addition to or instead of propulsion with a rotary crank mechanism, another type of propulsion is used, for example a rocking column. Thus, the description CN 2652783Y reveals a bicycle with two wheels and a frame to which swinging footrests for the rider's feet are attached. The saddle of the bicycle is located on a rocking column, which is connected by a set of rods and links to the hub of the rear wheel and the swinging footrests for the rider's feet. Alternate lifting and squatting by the rider results in a swinging motion of the saddle bar and a swinging motion of the footrests, which results in the transmission of propulsion through the set of bars and links to the rear wheel and the consequent motion of the bicycle.

On the other hand, WO 2019/184644 discloses a bicycle comprising a front wheel, a rear wheel, handlebars, a pedal, a frame, a connecting rod, a rocking column, a saddle and a gear mechanism for tran smitting the swinging force of the rocking column to the rear wheel assembly. The pedal is pivotally mounted at the lower end of the centre of the frame, the rocking column and the pedal are hinged to the two ends of the connecting rod, the saddle is attached to the hinged end of the connecting rod of the rocking column, and one end of the rocking column, which is far from the saddle, is hinged to the front end of the frame and connected by gearing to the rear wheel assembly through the gear mechanism. The movement of the rider's body weight allows the bike to be propelled.

Another similar design is known from DE 3001584A. The description reveals a wheeled vehicle with fixed footrests and a saddle that is movable in the vertical plane. The saddle is supported on a spring-loaded lever, the axis of which is at the level of the rider’s knees. The downward movement of the lever propels the rear wheel by means of a crank mechanism, a pinion gear and an overrunning clutch.

In addition, a bicycle is known from the description of US 5042828, in which the rear driving wheel axle is journaled in a yoke at one end of the elongate frame and the front steerable wheel is mounted at the other end of the frame. A rocking column is pivotally mounted on the frame for rotation around an axle which is concentric with the driving wheel axle, a backed seat being saddle mounted at the other end of the column. In addition, the bicycle includes a mechanism for converting the speed of the column into the speed of the driving wheel, with the high speed component of the concentric speed converting mechanism being connected to the axle and the low speed component coupled to it by a gearing being connected to the rocking column.

On the other hand, Polish patent description PL 221914 B presents a muscle-powered vehicle, the user of which assumes a standing position and propulsion is carried out using the hands. The vehicle contains two driving wheels, inside which independent mechanisms are attached, converting the rocking motion of the lever into unidirectional rotary motion of the driving wheel axles, with at least one passive wheel, the attachment of which enables rotation about a vertical axle, and a low-slung platform attached directly to the housing of the mechanisms. The single propulsion mechanism comprises a central axle, on which two gearwheels equipped with overrunning clutches are mounted, together with a lever-operated ring with a pair of gearwheels thereto attached, the first outer axle with two gearwheels mounted thereon, and the second outer axle with two further gearwheels mounted thereon. The whole is interconnected in such a way that when the inner gearwheel mounted on the lever- operated ring drives the first gearwheel mounted on the first outer axle and further through the second gearwheel mounted on this axle drives the first gearwheel mounted on the central axle, the second external gearwheel mounted on the same ring drives the first gearwheel mounted on the second outer axle and accordingly through the second gearwheel mounted on this axle drives the second gearwheel mounted on the central axle. As a result, the two gearwheels located on the central axle always rotate in opposite directions, with the result that when one of these gearwheels, using the overrunning clutch principle, transmits the propulsion from the hand lever to the central axle and further to the driving wheel, the other gearwheel rotates freely.

The aim of the invention is to develop a wheeled vehicle design which, while providing the typical advantages of a bicycle, such as a reasonably fast and healthy means of locomotion, will furthermore enable the rider's muscles other than the leg muscles, in particular the skeletal muscles in the upper body, to be worked out and kept in shape.

The invention relates to a wheeled vehicle which is provided with a frame with a swivel front wheel steered by handlebars and a rear wheel, the frame having footrests for the rider's feet on its two lateral sides, and which has a propulsion mechanism with a rocking column. The essence of the invention is that the rocking column at its free, upper end is provided with a component for bracing the rider's hips, while the propulsion mechanism comprises the main axle fixed in the frame around which the rocking column rotates and on which the main gearwheel is fixed, connected by an endless drive link to the rear wheel sprocket. The rocking column is connected to the main gearwheel by a set of gearwheels.

The component for bracing is understood to be that which allows the rocking column to be attached to the rider's hips or settling the rider’s hips in it, so that the rocking motion of the column is made possible by alternate forward and backward movements of the rider's hips.

In order to move the wheeled vehicle according to the invention, the rider performs a reciprocating movement with the hips while simultaneously clasping onto the fixed points, i.e. the handlebars and the footrests, with the legs and hands. This movement of the rider results in a rocking motion of the column, which propels the vehicle. As both the forward and backward movement of the hips translates into propulsion, many of the muscles of the rider's upper body are involved in the movement, particularly the skeletal muscles, which enables the rider's spine to remain in good condition.

In an advantageous embodiment, the main gearwheel is rigidly connected to the first gearwheel, while this first gearwheel is engaged with the second gearwheel mounted on an axle of rotation attached to a rocking column, the lower end of which is attached to a hollow sleeve pivotally mounted on a cylindrical component forming part of the vehicle frame. The third gearwheel is mounted on the same axle of rotation, which meshes with the fourth gearwheel rotating freely relative to the frame in one direction only. The third gearwheel is rigidly connected to the second gearwheel, and the first gearwheel is further meshed with the fifth gearwheel, which is seated on an axis of rotation fixed to the frame component. In addition, the sixth gearwheel, rigidly connected to the fifth gearwheel, is mounted on this axle of rotation, this sixth gearwheel being meshed with the seventh gearwheel, freely rotating rel ative to the rocking column only in the same direction as the fourth gearwheel. The first gearwheel , the fourth gearwheel and the seventh gearwheel rotate about the main axle of the propulsion mechanism.

In such a design of the propulsion mechanism, advantageously the first gearwheel has an internal toothing and the fourth gearwheel and the seventh gearwheel rotate freely only in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the main gearwheel.

Alternatively, the first gearwheel has an external toothing and the fourth gearwheel and the seventh gearwheel rotate freely only in the direction of rotation of the main gearwheel.

In the most advantageous execution, the bracing component takes the form of a rider's seat with the backrest and the front rest facing upward.

The wheeled vehicle according to the invention comprises a propulsion mechanism that allows the vehicle to be driven by both a forward movement of the column and a rearward movement. The mechanism is based on two gearwheels spinning in one direction only and four other gearwheels. The mechanism has a compact design, as in practice it can fit into a cylinder with a diameter of about 20 centimetres, i.e. it will not exceed the diameter of the main gearwheel. With this design of the propulsion mechanism, it is possible for the rider to control the speed of the vehicle on an ongoing basis by selecting the rocking range of the rocking column. The proposed design of the bracing component is convenient and safe, as it provides the possibility for the rider to be seated while moving, and furthermore, in the event of a tip-over, the rider is not tied to the column.

The invention is further illustrated in the following description of exemplary embodiments and in the accompanying drawing, in which fig. 1 illustratively shows the movement of the rider to propel the wheeled vehicle, fig. 2 - shows the side view of the wheeled vehicle with its main components, fig. 3 ~ shows the projections of the propulsion mechanism converting the rocking motion of the column into a rotary motion in the first example of execution, while fig. 4 - shows the projections of the propulsion mechanism converting the rocking motion of the column into a rotary motion in the second example of execution.

The wheeled vehicle comprises a frame 5 with a swivel front wheel 1 mounted in a front fork 2 connected to the handlebars 3 and a rear wheel 4 mounted in a rear fork 5". The frame 5 on its two sides has footrests 7 for the rider's feet fixed on a coupler 5” and includes a cylindrical component 5 ’’’housing a propulsion mechanism 8 with a rocking column 9. The rocking column 9 at its free upper end is provided with a hip bracing component for the rider, in particular in the form of a seat for the rider with a backrest 9" and a front rest 9" both facing upward. Other designs of the bracing components are also possible, such as straps or clips, but it is essential that the bracing component allow the rocking column to be attached to the rider's hips or allow to settle the rider's hips in such a way that a rocking motion of the column is possible as a result of alternate forward and backward movements of the rider's hips. The indicated examplary embodiment of the bracing component is safe and comfortable for the rider. Fig. 1 shows the motion of a wheeled vehicle as a result of the rider's movements. Fig. 3 shows the first example of the execution of a propulsion mechanism 8. In this example, the propulsion mechanism 8 comprises the main axle 10 fixed in the frame 5 around which a rocking column 9 rotates and on which the main gear wheel 11 is fixed, connected by an endless chain 6 to the rear wheel sprocket 4. The rocking column 9 is connected to the main gearwheel 11 via a set of gearwheels. Thus, the main gearwheel 11 is rigidly connected to a first gearwheel 12, which first gearwheel 12 meshes with the second gearwheel 15 mounted on an axle of rotation 16 attached to the rocking column 9, the lower end of which is attached to a hollow sleeve 9" pivotally mounted on a cylindrical component 5" forming part of the frame 5 of the vehicle. In addition, the third gearwheel 14 is mounted on the axle of rotation 16, which meshes with the fourth gearwheel 13 rotating freely relative to the frame 5 in one direction only, and the third gearwheel 14 is rigidly connected to the second gearwheel 15. Further, the first gearwheel 12 is meshed with the fifth gearwheel 19, seated on an axle of rotation 20 fixed to the coupler 5" of the frame 5, and, in addition, the sixth gearwheel 18, rigidly connected to the fifth gearwheel 19, is seated on the axle of rotation 20, which sixth gearwheel 18 being meshed with the seventh gearwheel 17, rotating freely relative to the rocking column 9 exclusively in the same direction as the fourth gearwheel 13. The first gearwheel 12, the fourth gearwheel 13 and the seventh gearwheel 17 rotate about the main axle 10 of the propulsion mechanism 8. The first gearwheel 12 has an internal toothing, and the fourth gearwheel 13 and the seventh gearwheel 17 rotate freely only in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the main gearwheel 11. With this design of the propulsion mechanism 8, the transmission takes place in such a way that tilting the rocking column 9 forward results in the gearwheels 14 and 15 rotating forward. The gearwheels 14 and 15 rotate forward because the gearwheel 13, which is meshed with the gearwheel 14, cannot rotate forward. The forward-turning gearwheel 15 rotates gearwheels 12 and 11 forward, the gearwheel 11 rotates the chain 6 forward. The gearwheel 12 rotates the gearwheels 18 and 19 forward, and the gearwheel 18 causes the gearwheel 17 to rotate backward. When the rocking column 9 is tilted backward, the gearwheel 17 connected to it rotates backward. The rotation of the gearwheel 17 causes simultaneous forward rotation of the gearwheels 18 and 19. The forward rotation of the gearwheel 19 causes the gearwheels 12 and 11 to rotate forward and the gearwheel 11 rotates the chain 6 forward. The gearwheel 12 rotates the gearwheels 14 and 15 forward and the gearwheel 14 causes the gearwheel 13 to rotate backward.

Fig. 4 shows the second example of execution of the propulsion mechanism 8, which differs from the example shown in fig. 3 in that the first gearwheel 12 here has an external toothing, while the fourth gearwheel 13 and the seventh gearwheel 17 rotate freely only in the direction of rotation of the main gearwheel 11. With this design of the propulsion mechanism 8, the transmission takes place in such a way that when the rocking column 9 is tilted forward, the connected gearwheel 17 rotates forward causing the gearwheels 18 and 19 to rotate backward at the same time. The backward rotation of the gearwheel 19 causes the gearwheels 12 and 11 to rotate forward, the gearwheel 1 1 rotates the chain 6 forward. The gearwheel 12 rotates the gearwheels 14 and 15 backward, and the gearwheel 14 causes the gearwheel 13 to rotate forward. When the rocking column 9 is tilted backward, the gearwheels 14 and 15 rotate backward, because the gearwheel 13, which is meshed with the gearwheel 14, cannot rotate backward. The gearwheel 15 rotating backward rotates the gearwheels 12 and 11 forward and the gearwheel 11 rotates the chain 6 forward. The gearwheel 12 rotates the gearwheels 18 and 19 backward and the gearwheel 18 causes the gearwheel 17 to rotate forward.