DERIVE APPARATUSThe present invention relates to drive apparatus for attachment to a golf trolley, wheel chair or other wheeled vehicle or carriage means not otherwise normally provided with independent means of propulsion.
Hand propelled golf trolleys are well known and are a proven apparatus for carrying a golf bag and clubs around golf courses. Such trolleys can either be pulled or pushed and the majority thereof are of the folding type. Recent years have seen the development of electrically powered golf trolleys and whilst such are efficient they tend to be relatively expensive and there is as a consequence a tendency of golfers not to purchase such when they already possess a push/pull type trolley.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for adapting a push/pull type golf trolley or other vehicle so as to provide a detachable drive means therefor.
Wheel chairs for invalids are also known and the simplest and least expensive tend to be collapsible chairs made out of tubular or the like metal frames which are either pushed by an assistant or driven via the large wheels by the occupant. Electrically driven wheel chairs are known but are particularly expensive and, furthermore, can suffer difficulties in control thereof since the direction of drive is controlled by controlling the drive through one or other or both of the two wheels provided.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide drive apparatus for attachment to a wheel chair not normally provided with any drive therefor.
It is a further object of the invention to provide drive apparatus for carriage means such as a sledge which has runners or skis.
According to the present invention there is provided drive apparatus for attachment to a golf trolley, wheelchair or other wheeled vehicle or carriage means not normally provided with a power drive, comprising a motor detachably connectable to said carriage means, and rotary ground engaging means for propelling said carriage means when connected thereto with said motor being operatively connected or connectable to drive the rotary ground engaging means.
The rotary ground engaging means might be an endless track layer device or the like but will preferably comprise at least one wheel which will be driven by said motor preferably via a gearing or gear box and preferably also be driven through a one way clutch so as to enable the motor to drive the carriage means in the normal drive position whilst providing a free-wheel effect in the other direction should the motor fail and should it be necessary for the carriage means to be displaced manually.
For simplicity the subsequent description will refer to a wheel as forming the rotary ground engaging means.
The motor will preferably comprise an electric motor preferably mounted with an upwardly extending rotary axis and connected to a gear box, such as a worm wheel drive gear box adjustable as required, and driving the wheel preferably via a one way clutch e.g. a sprag clutch to provide said free-wheel effect in one direction.
The wheel and drive motor therefor will preferably be detachably connectable to said carriage means via connection means which will preferably comprise a frame member such as a tubular frame member, connectable at one end to said carriage means. The connection with the carriage means will be preferably via a coupling member detachably mountable on said carriage means and detachably connectable with said connecting means. The other end of said connecting member will preferably be connected to said motor preferably by the intermediary of said gear box when provided.The connecting member will also preferably act as support means for an energy supply source, such as a battery or accumulator - preferably rechargable, which may be securely located on said connecting member and be located preferably intermediate the ends thereof to provide a compact design and sufficient weighting for the wheel.Preferably said connecting member comprises a straight elongate portion connectable at one end to carriage means and connected at its other end to the lower limb of a generally L-shaped frame member when viewed from above, preferably lying in the same and normally generally horizontal plane as said elongate portion and wherein the normally upright of the generally L-shaped frame member when viewed from above is connected preferably to the lower portion of the gear box which has a drive axle extending therefrom and carrying said wheel rotatably mounted thereon preferably via said spragclutch or the like; The motor which is preferably electric is preferably mounted on the gearbox.To compensate for the weight effect of the drive motor and gear box, the battery may be mounted somewhat offset in the opposite direction to counterbalance the unit.
Whilst petrol driven or other internal combustion engines are envisaged and should be considered within the scope of the present invention, the subsequent description will be restricted to use of an electric motor and battery or accumulator as a power source therefor. The battery will preferably be of a non-spillable type and preferably, of course be rechargeable.
The means for connection with the carriage means will preferably be such as to be readily manually useable without the necessity of tools or difficult members for interconnection and preferably comprise a coupling member clampable by lever means or a rotary knob and threaded shaft to a portion of the carriage means and having a first coupling member for releasably interengaging with a second coupling member of the motor or preferably at the said one end of said connecting member when provided.
Preferably the first coupling member has an insertion slot or passage leading to an enlarged cylindrical portion for receiving a part-cylindrical projection on said motor or preferably forming said second coupling member on the connectable end of said connecting member and being such that said part-cylindrical projection has a flat thereon which in one position may be inserted in said insertion passage such that when in the normal position of use, the flat has rotated relative to the insertion passage so as to prevent inadvertent removal therefrom until dismounting is required whereupon movement into the requisite position enables said cylindrical projection with flat to be removed via said insertion passage. Of course other projections of different shape and size etc. may be provided to achieve the same effect. Alternatively other quick release and quick detachment devices may be utilised.
It is preferred that the connection member will be readily clampable to the carriage means such as by clamping means which will accommodate differently sized frame portions of the carriage means so that the attachment apparatus may be universally useable.
Where the apparatus is to be used as an attachment for an invalid wheelchair, a cross member will preferably be secureable by suitable securing and/or clamping means to opposite sides of the frame of the chair or opposite side regions thereof and have said electric motor and wheel drivable thereby connected intermediate the ends of said cross member preferably via quick release of the attachment means as mentioned previously or the like. In such arrangement the drive apparatus will extend rearwardly under the seat portion of the wheelchair to provide the auxiliary drive as required.
The steering of the wheelchair may be effected via the front castor wheels which may be modified and interconnected by a tiebar or the like'possibly withArkwright compensation arrangements in known manner.
However, an important discovery which may form al separate inventive aspect is that the wheelchair may be readily drivable via a steering arm or the like connected to a single one of the castor wheels which thus provides adequate dirigibility and steering effect with the other free castor wheel following as a consequence.
Alternatively, an additional castor wheel with upwardly extending drive arm connected thereto for the chair occupant to manually use in directing the additional castor wheel may be provided and preferably mounted on said cross member when provided.
Thus, also according to the present invention a dirigible vehicle includes at least two spaced apart castor wheels with one of said castor wheels being connected to steering means to achieve the required dirigibility. Alternatively, this concept might be envisaged as comprising a dirigible vehicle including at least two spaced apart wheels, preferably in a front region thereof, with one of said wheels being controllably adjusted to achieve a steering effect whilst the other said wheel is a free-castor wheel which, in use,simply follows the movement instigated by said steered wheel.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided drive apparatus for attachment to a golf trolley or wheelchair or other wheeled vehicle comprising connection means detachably connectable to said wheeled vehicle and having a single wheel mounted thereon and drivable via an electric motor via a gear box and via a one-way clutch; a battery or accumulator also being mounted or mountable on said connection means and connected or connectable to said electric motor as power source.
In all arrangements, suitable control means will be provided for controlling said motor and preferably such will be mounted on the ends of leads or the like which may be connectable to the handle or handle region of the golf trolley or other wheeled vehicle or be mounted in the region of a hand rest or arm rest of a wheelchair or otherwise located in a suitable position. With a golf trolley a projecting sensor means will preferably extend so as to engage the ground when the trolley is in the rest position and will then operate a switch to de-energise the motor. When the trolley is displaced for use the sensor is not acted on by the ground and bias means cause the switch to energise and drive the motor. Time delay means may be provided to delay deactivation for a predetermined time so as to drive the trolley away from the player.
It will be appreciated, particularly from the preferred embodiment, that the drive apparatus according to the present invention is intended to be applied to existing golf trolleys or wheelchairs or those to be manufactured in the future without drive means therefor and said apparatus thus provides an additional or auxiliary wheel over and above such possessed by the golf trolley or wheelchair.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig.l is a schematic perspective view of an existing trolley with a drive apparatus or drive unit according to the inv ention attached in position;Fig. 2 is a schematic elevation showing the method of attaching the drive unit to a trolley from which one, non-driven wheel has been removed;Fig. 3 illustrates the handle on the main tube of the trolley with control for the unit in the drive position the control unit being clipped onto the handle;Fig. 4 is a partial elevation showing a stop/start switch to stop the unit when the trolley is lowered to the ground;Fig. 5 shows the unit separated from the trolley ready to stow away for transport.
Fig.6 is an elevation of the attachment unit on enlarged scale with the motor omitted;Fig.7 is a plan view of the unit of Fig.6 but with the motor indicated;Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of a preferred embodiment of connection means for connection of the end of the connecting frame member of Figs. 6 and 7 to the trolley and shows the parts of such separated;Fig. 9 is an elevation of the parts of Fig. 8 moved together;Fig. 10 shows the parts of Fig. 9 rotated relative to each other into the interengaged position;Fig. 11 is a plan view of the parts of Fig. 8;Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a known wheelchair;Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a known wheelchair with one main wheel removed for clarity and having a drive apparatus or drive unit according to the invention attached and having a drivable castor wheel attached also; andFig. 14 is a rear elevation of the chair of Fig. 13.
In Figs. 1 to 11 there is illustrated a push/pull golf trolley 1 and an embodiment of drive apparatus or a drive unit 2 detachably connected thereto. The trolley 1 comprises a tubular frame having a main frame member l'with a handle at the upper end and a golf-bag support member and ground rest member at the lower end and having two wheel supporting members 11", 11"' for supporting two trolley wheels including rubber tyres 9.
The drive unit 2 comprises a vertically mounted electric drive motor 7 in driving relationship with a gear box 7' attached to a connecting frame. The gear box 7' drives wheel 9 through a one-way clutch q which has a free-wheel facility.
The connecting frame B comprises a straight portion 10 having a detachable connection means 11 at one end for connection to the main frame member 1' of the trolley 1 and being connected at the other end to an L-shaped tubular frame member 12 on the upright of which the bottom of the gearbox 7' is mounted and thus supports wheel 9. The straight portion 10 also has a support tray 13 mounted thereon and in which a non-spillable battery 5 is securely located by means forwardly of the drive wheel 9 (not shown).
A control unit 4 is detachably mounted by spring clips (not shown) on the upper end of frame member 1' at the handle and has electric leads leading to the motor etc. The battery 5 is connected by leads (not shown) to the motor 7.
Sensor arm 6 operates a control switch which de-energises motor 7 when the trolley is in the rest position.
To attach the unit 2 to the trolley 1, the trolley 1 or rather the main tube 1' is disposed in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 2 and a hook 3 forming part of the connection means 11 is passed over the specially shaped pin 14 forming part of connection means 11. Whilst in the vertical position the battery 5 is placed in the container tray 13. The trolley 1 is then lowered into the normal position and the hook 3 is locked and cannot be removed during normal use.
The control unit 4 , Fig. 3 is then fitted by spring dlips 4' and the trolley is ready to move.
The limit switch formed by the switch and sensor arm 6, Fig. 4, when in contact with the ground will not allow the motor to drive, but as soon as the handle is pulled down the lower end of the trolley leaves the ground, contact is made and the trolley moves forward at a pre-determined speed set by the control unit 4.
To unhook the unit 2 reverse the procedure as inFig. 2, not forgetting to uncouple the battery connection and remove battery from holder.
Figs. 8 to 10 show in more detail the connection means for connecting the end of the straight portion 10 connecting frame 8 to main tubular frame member 1' of the trolley.
The means for connection to the trolley comprises specially shaped hook portion 3 located on the end of straight portion 10 and comprising an inlet passage 14 leading to a cylindrical, retaining pivot passage 15. A bifurcated mounting bracket 16 with arms 16' is securable on frame member I by means of its channel portion 17 engaging partly around frame member 1' which is clamped thereagainst by clamp part 18 clampingly engaging with portion 17 by ready securing means (not shown). Bracket 16 supports transversely to its main surface, a part cylindrical pivot pin 19 extending between the two arms of the bracket 16 having a flattened surface 20 which enables the pin 19 to pass through passage 14 in one direction but pin 19 is not removable when otherwise orientated.
In Fig. 8 trolley frame 1 is raised to vertical position to allow the flat surface on pin 19 to also be in the vertical position. The pin 19 is fastened in the bracket 16 and bracket 16 is clamped to the main tube T of trolley by clip 18. In Fig. 8, the hook 3 is ready to be lowered onto pin 19. In Fig. 9, the hook 3 is located in position on pin 19 which has passed along passage 14. In Fig. 10, the trolley has been lowered to its normal working position and the hook 3 cannot be released until trolley 1 is raised to vertical position. Fig. 11 is a plan view of Fig. 9 showing the retention of hook 3 on the pin 19 and between the arms 16'.
An alternative embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 attached to a standard wheelchair 21 (Fig. 12) from which, for clarity, the main nearside wheel 22 with hand rim 22' has been removed as has one foot rest 23. The wheelchair 21 has two side frame members 24 - one each side - and between which a cross frame member 25 is secured as part of the connection means for the drive unit 25. The cross member preferably comprises a tubular bar securable at one end by welding or preferably other clamping means 27 to a frame 74.
At the other end (not shown)suitable adjustment and securing means (not shown) are provided to enable the cross member 25 to be adjusted in length to fit different wheelchairs and to be clamped in position on other side frame 24. The main part of the drive unit 25 is similar to that described previously and comprises a connecting frame 28 with connection means 29 similar to hook3 etc. of Figs. 6 - 11 providing a readily detachable connection for the main part of unit 25 to cross member 26 which has a connection member clamped or otherwise secured thereto and preferably provided with a bifurcated arm member with passages similar to 16 of Figs. 8 - 11 with a pin 19 with flat surface thereon.The unit 25 comprises a battery 30 secured on a mounting member on frame 28, and a wheel 31 drivable by motor 32 via gearbox 33 and clutch means (not shown) preferably with free-wheel facility as described previously.
The battery 30 is connected to the electric drive motor 32 which has suitable control means 31 which is mounted on a removable steering column or member 32 having handles 33 and being connected to an additional castor wheel 34 rotatably and pivotably mounted on cross member 26 to act as steering means.
The removable steering column 32 is attached to the additional castor wheel 34 after the person is seated and the control means 31 is then clipped onto the handle 33 or can be clipped onto a handle at the rear of the chair for operation by a person pushing.
The drive unit of the invention may be modified without departing from the inventive concept. The following advantages may be provided:A complete drive unit is provided that can be quickly attached or detached to or from an existing golf trolley or anything manually propelled. A means of attaching is preferably provided without loose pins or bolts and yet in working position, safe and unable to separate.
A complete drive unit can be provided that allows, e.g.
the trolley to be pushed even if the power supply, i.e. battery, fails. The drive unit can easily be detached and allow the user to use the trolley or other vehicle as originally intended.
A limit or remote switch when provided will not allow the trolley to drive unless raised by operator. The drive unit may be fitted with a detachable wheel to fit in a restricted space during transport, i.e. car boot.