We present the velomobile as an excellent means of transportation during outdoor recreation. This transport is distinguished by its great comfort.
Of course, in order to carry out this project there is a need for some skills, for example: welding, cutting and experience with metal materials... Before you start, it is advisable to get an idea of this project.
All that we need from materials:
1) A couple of bicycles for disassembly;
2) Square pipes with the desired cross-section (3.75 x 3.75 cm); (1.35 x 1.35 cm); (2.5 x 2.5 cm);
3) Steel pipe with a cross section (2.5 cm);
4) composite material (chipboard);
5) Sheathing elements;
6) Steel sheet;
7) Nuts, bolts and various fasteners;
8) Welding machine, grinder and other tools.
We proceed to the work plan:
Stage 1 We work with a wheel and a front wheel.
Briefly speaking about the design, I want to note the simplicity and economy. The main parts that represent this vehicle are the wheel and axle represented by the frame, then bicycle pedals and the chain drive represented by the chain.
All unnecessary from the frame is required to be cut off and the grinder helps us in this. On the pipe that is under the saddle we make a mark for the cut line, a mark in the form of V, then an incision should be made. The notch makes it possible to bend the pipe and form an inclination in the direction opposite to the original one.
After folding, a seam is formed which should be welded. The pipe is reinforced with a steel plate with a thickness of about 0.5, which is wedge-shaped. Saw off the steering column from the pipe that is under the saddle and cut a piece from the square pipe (3.85 x 3.85 cm). It should be less than 2.5 cm in length than the steering column.
Cut off one side of the pipe and get the desired element in the form of a channel.
Next, we place the steering tube in this channel and weld it. The voids should be filled with small residues of steel.
One of the parts of the steering column must be removed. We remove the stopper from the saddle and disconnect the connections with the column.
After making sure that the tube elements and stopper are even, we connect them and weld the seam. Install the pipe section inside the column for sliding.
Stage 2; Frame making
First, you should cut the square pipe into 10 cm, 38 cm and the largest segment 70 cm, while the edges should have an angle of 120 degrees.
Using the fastening system, we weld the steering column to the frame plug.
Stage 3. Front fork manufacturing.
The next step is to transfer the drive sprocket to the front so that the ratchet mechanism starts to work, turn the sprockets over.
The front fork is attached to the frame in the original holes, then we cut out a workpiece (3.8 x 5.5) cm from a piece of steel and drill the holes corresponding to the mounts. A steel plate is attached to the frame.
In a steel pipe (90 cm) we cut a gap, a hole with a diameter (1 cm) is drilled in the steering wheel barrel.
The steering column with the rod is compared with the recess in the barrel and then the bottom of the pipe is welded to a steel plate, and then the pipe is removed. Mounting hinges are welded. We cut off other parts of the plate.
Stage 4. Return to work on the frame.
We weld the rear frame from the pipe (3.85 x 3.85 cm). Sections of length (76.2 cm) are welded to 4 sections of length (53 cm), we get a square with 2 jumpers. Cut 4 pieces (5 x 10 cm) from a steel plate (0.47 cm). In the segments, we drill holes in diameter to the axes.
We use the wheel as a mark and weld the plates to the pipes. We put the velomobile on wheels.
Stage 5. Installing the brakes.
We take the front fork from the bike and cut off the bracket.
We cut off 2 pieces from the steel plate - these are mounting plates, we drill equal holes in them, we attach these elements with a brake caliper, when the brakes are installed, we weld the steel plates to the front fork.
For the manufacture of cable brakes, a long nut is needed, which we clamp and drill the side, and cut along the entire surface of the nut.
6 Stage. Gear shift
We install the switch upside down, and the installation reference goes forward (5.7 cm) and (0.15 cm) up, then we make a bracket from two pieces of the plate.
Mount the gears, drill holes with two diameters on the axle. Fasteners are inserted into the smaller one so that the gear selector does not fall out of the desired position. We install the bracket on the axis and connect it to the switch.
7 Stage. Seat making.
We weld 3 separate sections from a square pipe (2.5 cm).
I think no one will argue with the fact that the velomobile is good for health. Well, for fans of technical creativity, it is doubly useful, as it allows you to gain invaluable experience before creating more serious designs. The velomobile in question was designed and manufactured in the workshop of the station young technicians(SYUT) of our city, together with the guys from the circle. I must say that I had the idea of creating it much earlier, and therefore I prepared the materials and most of the spare parts (in particular, the wheels) myself, at my own expense. True, the wheels and materials were mostly picked up from abandoned bicycles, so the costs were not so great.
Velomobile - two-seater, four-wheeled. The front wheels are steering, the rear wheels are driving. The crew has two pedal drives - each on its own wheel.
The frame of the velomobile is welded, two-spar scheme. However, both spars and the front cross member are made as one piece - bent out of a pipe with an outer diameter of 40 mm - from the handrail of a decommissioned city bus. The ends of the side members are bent upwards and, together with the traverses welded to them, serve as supports for the seat backs.
A rear cross member is welded between the seat back supports - it serves as the upper support for the suspension units (springs and hydraulic shock absorber) of the rear axle.
The front support of the seats themselves is a low portal, which is supported by its struts on both spars and also connects them. In its middle there is a handbrake handle, and at the ends of the crossbar there are gearshift levers.
The rear axle is of a rather unusual design. It is based on a closed subframe welded from the arches of the backrests of metal beds. On its sides, the drive wheel axle shafts with a three-speed block of drive sprockets are fixed in bearings.
Two-seat, four-wheel, two-wheel drive velomobile with soft suspension of all wheels
Two-seater, four-wheeled, two-drive velomobile with a soft suspension of all wheels (parts pos. 7, 12, 14, 29, 30 are made of a pipe with a diameter of 40 from the bus handrails) (click to enlarge): 1 - front wheel (from the "Kama" bicycle, modified ); 2 - steering fist; 3 - steering shaft (duralumin tube O20); 4 - support leg with steering shaft sleeve; 5 - pedal assembly (from a road bike, 2 pcs.); 6 - steering wheel; 7 - portal ( steel pipe O40); 8 - rear suspension springs (from the "Karpaty" moped, 2 pcs.); 9 - rear wheel (from the Ural bicycle, 2 pcs.); 10 - hand brake caliper; 11 - hand brake disc; 12 - frame; 13 - steering fist; 14 - front axle beam; 15 - transverse tie rod; 16 - interwheel steering rod; 17 - steering gear (rack gear); 18 - seat; 19 - hand brake handle; 20 - drive chain (from a road bike, extended, 2 pcs.); 21 - gearshift lever (from a touring bike, 2 pcs.); 22 - longitudinal rods of the rear axle subframe (corner 35x35, 2 pcs.); 23 - cross member of longitudinal rods (steel, circle 10); 24 - kerchief (2 pcs.); 25 - rear wheel drive (2 pcs.); 26 - subframe of the rear axle; 27 - semi-axle bearing shelf (corner 35x35, 2 pcs.); 28 - hand brake caliper rack; 29 - traverses of seat backs (2 pcs.); 30 - rear cross member; 31 - rolling axis of the subframe; 32 - hydraulic shock absorber (from the "Verkhovyna" moped); 33 - seat base (duralumin, sheet s 1.5, 2 pcs.); 34 - seat lining (foam rubber, sheet s30, 2 pcs.); 35 - cover (nylon fabric, 2 pcs.); 36 - bracket for fastening the seat base (steel, sheet s1, 4 pcs.); 37 - fastening the seat base (bolt M6, 4 pcs.); 38 - hub-hub with rear wheel flanges; 39 - screw M12x30 with a washer for attaching the rear wheel; 40 - threaded bushing M10 (2 pcs.); 41 - axle tip (bolt М10, 2 pcs.); 42 - washer (nylon s3, 4 pcs.)
Rear wheel drive (click to enlarge): 1 - rear wheel hub-hub; 2 - subframe of the rear axle; 3 - bearing No. 203; 4 - bearing housing No. 203; 5 - semiaxis; 6 - bearing housing No. 202; 7 - bearing No. 202; 8 - block of asterisks; 9 - bearing No. up to 201; 10 - anti-dust washer; 11 - ratchet; 12 - the body of the block of sprockets; 13 - spacer distance ring; 14 - retaining ring; 15 - locking sleeve; 16 - nut М12; 17 - dog; 18 - returnable spring; 19 - pin; 20 - bearing shelves; 21 - cover; 22 - bump stop
The parking brake disc is mounted (welded) on the left axle shaft. The service brakes are caliper and act on the front wheels. The subframe is connected to the frame (more precisely, to the portal) by means of a swinging axle and two oblique levers made of an equal angle corner No. 2.5.
The front wheel suspension is independent on springs. The springs are placed in the steering knuckle bushings. The suspension travel is small, and it only absorbs small bumps in the road. Therefore, to cushion the impact from larger irregularities on the axle, soft rubber bumpers (thick washers) are also installed on both sides of the bushings.
The rear wheel suspension is "semi-independent". The stretcher is suspended on springs (from the "Karpaty" moped) with a hydraulic shock absorber from the "Verkhovyna" moped. The wheels of the car are different. The front ones are from the Kama bicycle, the rear ones are from the Ural bicycle. But both are redesigned: they have been replaced by hub-hubs with longer ones (twice).
It should be noted that assembling the wheel is not an easy task, and a jig was made to facilitate this operation. A circle with a diameter equal to the rim of the wheel was cut out of a sheet of plywood, and four supports-stops were fixed along its circumference with a height equal to the part of the sleeve protruding beyond the rim. Then the new (elongated) sleeve was secured with a bolt with a spacer in the center of the plywood circle and the wheel was equipped with spokes - first the spoke was inserted into a hole in the hub flange, and then its end was inserted into a hole in the rim and baited with a slight stretch. After installing all the spokes, the wheel was removed from the conductor and the spokes were finally tightened with a check for the absence of a "eight" in the wheel.
The front wheels are swivel. Steering homemade. It consists of a "steering wheel", a tubular shaft and a rack-and-pinion steering gear with a transverse tie rod. The rack and rod end are connected by a ball joint. The other end of the rod is connected to the steering knuckle lever of the right wheel, and from it to the left wheel there is one more - the interwheel steering rod. The front wheels are also equipped with caliper working (travel) brakes.
The drive of the velomobile is pedal. The driver and passenger have their own, three-speed, independent. Three gear speeds are sufficient for traveling over any rough terrain. But it should be admitted that with the mass of an empty velomobile of 55 kg, it is difficult for one person to pedal even at the lowest speed when moving uphill.
The pedal assemblies are cut assembled from old road bike frames and welded at a convenient distance from the seats to the side members. The rear axle three-speed sprockets are homemade, and only the sprockets themselves are used from a touring bike. Homemade and drive chain tensioner switch.
Steering rack and pinion mechanism (click to enlarge): 1 - rack; 2 - bushing (bronze); 3 - mechanism body; 4 - gear wheel; 5 - nut М6; 6 - cover; 7 - ball pin; 8 - bolt М4 (4 pcs.); 9 - lock nut М12; 10 - threaded tip; 11 - draft (pipe Ø16)
Front wheel steering knuckle: 1 - wheel spoke; 2 - hub-bushing; 3 - bearing No. up to 201 (2 pcs.); 4 - M10 nut with washer; 5-axis; 6 - bearing No. up to 202; 7 - nut М12; 8 - bushing (bronze, 2 pcs.); 9 - bushing of the front axle beam; 10 - spring; 11 - front axle beam; 12 - bump stop (rubber washer, s5); 13 - axis; 14 - bracket; 15 - washers
Conductor for wheel assembly (click to enlarge): 1 - base (s10 plywood); 2 - spacer sleeve (4 pcs.); 3 - wheel rim; 4 - wheel speed; 5 - bushing; 6 - sleeve flange (2 pcs.); 7 - bolt М10; 8 - washer (2 pcs.); 9 - nut М10
Crew seats are homemade. Their base, attached at four points to the frame elements, is made of 1.5 mm thick duralumin sheet. The base is lined with a foam mat covered with a cover made of bright nylon fabric.
On a long journey, I usually took a plastic cape, which covered other necessary things that were packed in the trunk. The trunk was a mesh stretched between the spars and the front axle beam in the bow of the crew (not shown in the drawing, but clearly visible in the photograph).
I also note that to connect various elements of the frame and suspensions into a single structure, I used a household welding machine, and most of the small parts of the rotation (axles, bushings, etc.) are turned on a small school lathe.
I confess that in addition to traveling on business, I used the velomobile for two seasons (during the warm season) for commuting to work and back home. In addition, on weekends, he and his wife or brother made trips to nature on it.
After two years of operation, the D-4 engine was installed on the velomobile, and specifically on its rear left wheel, and its other "life" began as a "motor vehicle". It is this version of the velomobile converted into a motorcycle crew that is shown in the photo.
A bicycle is good, but with a roof and even with a motor, it's generally cool! Lightweight, comfortable, economical and with a tent top to protect from rain and wind ... there is only a lot to be said about the development from JMK-Innovation - PodRide.
Many similar homemade products, as shown in the photo, are made all over the world and there are even small-scale production projects.
At the presentation of the Tesla Model, it was called the "mass electric car".
Technical characteristics of the electric bike:
- Size: height - 145 cm, width - 75 cm.
- Weight: 70 kg.
- Power: (250 W, 0.33 HP).
Of course, the PodRide looks like a car from an amusement park, but it is more fun. After all, she is really capable of driving on the roads, and not best quality!
... and also pull a semi-trailer with you, also on bicycle wheels! The Swedish designer and engineer Mikael Kjellman decided to do his part and replenished the technological cabinet of curiosities with a new model. His creation, the PodRide, accommodates one passenger plus a luggage trolley.
Four for stability, a lighter frame, a chain drive, pedals, a steering wheel, a seat, a folding rain canopy - that's the velomobile! But the most important thing is an electric motor with a power of 250 W or 0.33 hp. and the battery to it.
In the cabin, there is no room for a voluminous backpack. Only a small compartment is provided behind the driver's back.
The weight of the PodRide is even less than that of its inventor - about 70 kg.
The driver sits on a soft seat with a backrest. All information about the trip is displayed on a pair of displays, one of which is a smartphone screen. The PodRide even has a heated windshield and wipers (though manually operated), a fan to prevent fogging of the polymer windows.
Four 20 "diameter wheels are mounted on an air-suspended aluminum frame. The front ones turn, and the rear ones are driven by an electric motor through a 14-speed chain transmission (two stars in front and seven in the back). The motor works in the "assistant" mode, helping the driver to pedal and overcome inclines. On a stretch of track without a slope, the PodRide can accelerate to 25 km / h and travel up to 60 km on a single charge.
Due to the trapezoidal shape of the tension body, it rubs a little in the shoulders, but effectively leans forward when landing and on bumps.
It is also easier to ride on snow and sand because of the four wheels, and lighting equipment can be installed more powerful than on a bicycle. Even the salon has LED lights, so that it was not so scary to go. Everything is very cool! See for yourself:
A good bike can go faster and farther, but in winter or in inclement weather, the PodRide is clearly more comfortable to ride. In it you don't get wet in the rain, you remain sheltered from the wind and from the traffic police 🙂 The author of the invention registered his development as an electric bike and rides anywhere without insurance and the risk of losing his driver's license.
Cool! Truth? According to the developer's estimates, a mass-produced PodRide will cost about $ 2845. For $ 200 at the fundraising stage, you can get PodRide blueprints in digital format and a license to make two of these machines. For $ 300 - respectively, three. So far, out of the required $ 30K, the inventor has collected only $ 233. Those who pay a bucks get it back as a discount plus a 20% discount ... if the PodRide goes into production at all, of course.
Andrey Vasilkov (website: computerra.ru)
P O P U L Y R N O E:
A good and necessary device in the household of the master will be a device that receives high temperature flame (about 2000 ° C) from several liters water!
Although the bicycle was invented more than 200 years ago, the process of development and improvement of bicycle designs continues to this day. Interest in the velomobile, a stable, comfortable three-wheeled muscle car based on a bicycle, is not waning either. In this article, readers are offered a reliable and compact bike attachment that allows you to turn an ordinary bike into a homemade bike. Such an original and technologically advanced velomobile can be made by every household craftsman with his own hands.
A general view of a homemade velomobile is shown in Fig. 1 and 2.
A similar velomobile can be built on the basis of a conventional bicycle, for example, "Salut", with a wheel diameter of 600 mm. Having freed the bike from the saddle, rear wheel and handlebar, insert the latter into vertical pipe frames. Next, we change the connecting rods in places so that the driving sprocket is located to the left of the rider. In the tube of the front fork, we fix an additional steering wheel, in which in the upper part is installed not the usual U-shaped structure with plastic handles at the ends, but a piece of half-inch pipe is clamped. Both handlebars mounted on the bicycle frame are pivotally connected to each other by a rigid rod-rod, which is connected to both handlebars by means of bolts. You will also have to lengthen the main chain by 60 links.
The basis of a self-made velomobile is a square frame measuring 680x680 mm, assembled on bolts and M6 nuts from a square pipe with a section of 15x15 mm. At a distance of 110 mm from the side (longitudinal) sides of the frame and parallel to these sides, additional slats are attached to the frame. Between them and the sidewalls, the wheels of the velomobile are installed using brackets.
The bicycle attachment is attached to the bicycle frame using a U-shaped drawbar bent from the same square tube. For the drawbar, a piece of pipe with a length of 2300 mm is taken, in the middle of the pipe at a distance of 150 mm from each other, two notches are cut with a hacksaw, as shown in Fig. 3, after which both branches are bent 90 ° so that they are parallel. At a distance of 200 mm from the side bend in the branches, drill a hole with a diameter of 10 mm, which will be needed to connect the drawbar to the bike frame. The drawbar attachments are bolted to the frame.
As already mentioned, the left wheel of the velomobile is the leading one, that is, with a brake drum, and the right wheel is free (like the front wheel of a regular bicycle). Since the velomobile has a drive sprocket (carriage) and a driven sprocket (rear wheel) are located in different planes, an intermediate shaft with small sprockets at the ends is required (sprockets are welded to the shaft), as well as an additional small chain.
As an intermediate shaft assembly, a handlebar turn assembly from an old bicycle is suitable. To do this, the node will have to be separated from the frame, and branches, or feathers, should be sawed off from its fork (Fig. 4).
The rudder assembly prepared in this way is fixed with brackets on the longitudinal tubes of the nozzle frame (see Fig. 2). It should be noted that the described design of the intermediate shaft based on a standard unit (see Fig. 4) assumes a distance between the rear wheels of the order of 570 mm. it optimal size... If desired, this distance can be increased during the manufacture of the frame, which will increase the stability of the nozzle. However, in this case, the transverse dimensions of the frame will also increase, which is undesirable. And then the intermediate shaft assembly will have to be done differently, and independently. A standard knot cut from old frame, and almost no remodeling is required. It is only necessary to cut off the fork feathers at the axle (shaft) installed in it on the bearings. On both sides, small sprockets with 19 teeth must be welded to such a shaft. Moreover, from the threaded side of the shaft, the sprocket is welded to an additional flange nut, and that, in turn, to the shaft. The entire assembly is rigidly attached to the longitudinal rails of the nozzle frame with two brackets bent from 3 mm steel strips 170 mm long.
The additional chain consists of 48 links. Between the wheels, a chair of a convenient shape is bolted to the nozzle, providing for the possibility of longitudinal adjustment of its position (according to the height of the rider). The design of the nozzle allows you to install two mudguards at the rear, fixing them on the cross-rails. The wheel brake lever is attached to the extreme left longitudinal rail.
As you can see, suggested here for self-made the velomobile is technologically advanced in manufacturing, compact and reliable. Sitting down in a soft, durable seat of a homemade velomobile, preset for your height, you begin to pedal. It is easy to control the velomobile by turning the main steering wheel, which, through the traction, acts on the additional steering wheel. In this case, reliable foot braking of the drive wheel is carried out by reverse rotation of the pedals. The rider's weight reliably presses the drawbar of the homemade velomobile against the rear fork of the frame, ensuring the rigidity and reliability of the entire structure.
Currently, traffic jams and smog have become the main problem not only in megacities, but also in small provincial cities. The development of cycling is at least a partial solution to this problem, because this type of machine does not require fuel and does not pollute the environment.
A bicycle is a mobile and maneuverable vehicle that significantly reduces travel time. But it requires a sufficiently high speed for stability (balancing), and when stopping - a quick jump off the saddle or "throwing out" the leg as additional support. Therefore, a bicycle is still the transport of young people. And what about the rest? The solution to the problem is a velomobile!
Passion for cycling and technical design allowed me to create in the recent past a two-seater four-wheeled velomobile-all-terrain vehicle "Bear". It has good cross-country ability, but, unfortunately, low speed. Having acquired some experience during its creation, I decided to make a high-speed velomobile for city trips and out-of-town walks.
Having looked through the existing binder of "Modelist-Constructor" magazines from 2005 to 2010, I got acquainted with several design schemes of velomobiles, revealed their advantages and disadvantages.
1 - front steered wheel (2 pcs.); 2 - carriage assembly with a block of drive stars (purchased); 3 - rack; 4 - steering wheel roller; 5 - steering wheel; 6 - frame; 7 - cover of the lower branch of the chain (polyethylene pipe); 8 - "horns" of the steering wheel; 9 - seat cup (aluminum sheet s2): 10 - chain guide roller; 11 - seat support; 12 - strut of the seat support; 13 - shock absorber; 14 - rear triangle; 15 - hinge; 16 - rear wheel; 17 - cassette of sprockets: 18 - chain tension compensator; 19 - steering rods; 20 - steering knuckle (2 pcs.); 21 - brake caliper (3 pcs.); 22 - chain tensioning unit and carriage arrangement; 23 - seat cup
1 - the main part of the frame (tube 30 × 30); 2 - removal of the pedal assembly (tube 30 × 30); 3 - removal of the rear fork (pipe 30 × 30); 4 - steering wheel traverse; 5 - seat back support (tube 25 × 25); 6 - seat back brace; 7 - hub of steering knuckles (pipe Ø30, 2 pcs.): 8 - front bracket for suspension of the lower branch of the chain; 9 - rear suspension bracket of the casing of the lower chain branch; 10 - assembly of the rudder axle and the supporting roller of the upper chain branch; 11 - pad (steel sheet, 2 pcs.); 12 - front seat support (corner 40 × 40); 13 - rear seat support (corner 40 × 40); 14 - seat back support (pipe 25 × 25); 15 - axis of the rear supporting roller of the upper branch; 16 - rear driving wheel suspension bushing; 17 - withdrawal sleeves for mounting the pedal shaft (2 pairs)
Drew up a technical assignment for a single velomobile. He seemed to me light, maneuverable. high-speed, stable, as well as meeting safety requirements.
I set myself the following tasks:
1. Study and analyze scientific, technical literature, Internet sources for the design and assembly of velomobiles.
2. To analyze the existing designs of velomobiles.
3. To identify and implement design features that allow to have good stability and maneuverability, to develop high speed.
4. Learn and master Microsoft programs Office Visio 2007, Google Sketch Up and use them to develop drawings and a 3D model.
5. Design a velomobile, develop design and technological documentation.
6. Build a velomobile.
7. Develop a methodology for sea trials, conduct them.
8. Identify the shortcomings, set the task for further improvement of the design.
9. Define Areas practical application cars.
When designing and constructing, I relied on the regulatory framework of the Russian Federation (SDA), took into account the requirements of the "Temporary technical requirements for velomobiles", the technological capabilities of manufacturing in a home workshop and the level of my skills in working professions.
For my velomobile I chose a three-wheeled scheme with two front steering wheels and one rear - leading one.
For clarity, I first created a 3D model in the Google Sketch Up computer program, on which I determined the layout of the velomobile.
1 - bottom fork; 2 - top fork; 3 - spacer; 4 - the tip of the fork for installing the rear wheel (dropout, "rooster"); 5 eyelet for attaching the suspension to the frame (2 pcs.); 6 - shock absorber eyelet (2 pcs.)
1 - frame bushing: 2 - suspension eyelet (2 pcs.); 3 - sleeve bearing (polyethylene pipe Ø20 × 2); 4 - axis; 5 - screw M10 with a broadened head
1 - steering wheel; 2 - adjustable longitudinal rods; 3 - adjustable lateral thrust; 4 - pressure roller; 5 - ball joints (4 pcs.); 6 - bushings; 7 - bar; 8 - frame
Steering(the pressure roller is not visible); left and right - brake cars mounted on the steering knuckles of the front wheels
I used the forks of the rear semi-frame-triangle from an industrial bicycle - they already had attachment points for the speed switch and disc brakes. The front wheels are cantilevered to the frame. The swivel units in the first modification were used from a Soviet-made wheelchair for a wheelchair, and later were replaced with fists of their own design.
To give the car individuality and so that it is clearly visible on the road, I painted it in black and yellow colors... And by color he named his velomobile - "Hornet". Using the Microsoft Office Visio 2007 program, he compiled working drawings, according to which he made a velomobile.
The anatomical seat cup is knocked out of sheet aluminum, pasted over with parolon and covered with leatherette; which makes it easy for the driver to get on, pedal and operate the machine.
The main part of the frame is made of a square tube of 30 × 30 mm, which provides both lightness and rigidity of the structure, which are necessary factors for the normal functioning of the pedal machine. The bend of the frame under the seat is reinforced with two pads. To move the steering wheels forward, the frame traverse has a bend radius of 1000 mm. This is done for better weight distribution of the velomobile (even distribution of mass to all wheels), increase directional stability and so that the traverse does not interfere with the pedaling of the legs.
The chain tension is adjusted using a telescopic carriage assembly. This also achieves optimal distance from seat to pedals for different velomobilists. Eccentric clamps(taken from the bike saddle mount) simplify this operation. The extension (console) of the pedal assembly (carriage), which is subjected to a significant deformation load on twisting and bending, is reinforced with a corner made of a diagonally cut profile tube of square section 30 × 30 mm.
For increased comfort when driving on uneven roads, a shock absorber is installed on the rear of the frame. The connecting hinge was designed and manufactured by himself.
Rice. 6. Rotary fist (right, left - mirrored):
1 - wheel journal; 2 - kingpin; 3 - pivot arm; 4 - bracket of the brake mechanism (caliper)
The length of a standard bicycle chain was not enough, it had to be spliced from several pieces. To avoid sagging and contamination of the chain, I passed the lower part of it through polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 20 mm, which was attached with clamps to the frame. Top part the chain runs through two guide rollers under the seat.
The steering drive of the velomobile is carried out with two hands, which contributes to the safety of movement. The brakes and gearshift controls are located on the handlebars.
For the manufacture of steering rods, I used a transverse stabilizer of a passenger car, which has small dimensions suitable for a velomobile. The steering linkage system is designed as a steering linkage. The rods have ball-and-socket ends to avoid backlash in the steering system, which improves handling and makes steering more informative (increases steering feel) and limits the steering angle. For the possibility of adjusting the traction, they were cut and lengthened, an M8 thread was cut on one of the halves.
The use of a roller from the timing belt of a passenger car as a pressure roller made it possible to mount the steering wheel convenient and reliable, and the steering system - compact.
To remove the lateral load when turning, the pivot of the steering knuckle on the "Shershn-2" is tilted from the vertical by 15 ° (castor angle), which allows the wheels to tilt towards the center of the turn.
The velomobile has two braking systems: working and parking, with a drive to the rear wheel. The parking brake system is combined with the working one.
To increase the efficiency of speed reduction, I installed disc brakes on the Hornet. To install the front disc brakes, I developed a hub for a reinforced cantilever axle with a brake rotor mount. I installed brake calipers on the steering knuckles.
I have developed a cable system that allows the front brakes to be operated with one hand. Elements of braking systems are easily accessible for Maintenance and repair. The velomobile is equipped with standard bicycle tires that correspond to the maximum load and permissible speed technical characteristics"Hornet".
To ensure safety and reliability in the manufacture of the velomobile, I used the following factory bicycle parts. Ball bearings were also used different sizes and stabilizer linkage of a passenger car. Timing rollers and stabilizer links can be used as used, which can be found at any service station. The cost of purchased parts was about 17,000 rubles.
The tests of the velomobile were carried out in accordance with the "Temporary technical requirements for velomobiles" of 1988, developed by the Central Design and Technological Bureau of Bicycle Building (Kharkov) together with the section of velomobiles of the All-Union Cycling Federation of the USSR with the participation of the USSR State Automobile Inspection, the editorial board of the journal "Technics for Youth", and approved by the USSR Ministry of Automotive Industry.
To measure the stopping distance, I used a generally accepted method. The velomobile accelerated to a speed of 20 km / h. When crossing the mark, a sharp braking was made. The measurement was carried out in three repetitions. As a result, the average stopping distance was about 3.8 meters.
To test the performance of the parking brake, the equipped velomobile was installed on a surface with a slope of 16 ° and the brake was applied - the machine remained stationary.
Tests for high-speed maneuverability were carried out in the gym of the MAOU Secondary School No. 16 named after VP Neymyshev in the city of Tobolsk. A 100 m long track was built. The distance was divided into several stages: start, "snake", turn, "eight", turn and finish. The turning radius is 7.5 m. The distance between the cones at the “snake” stage and the diameters of the circles at the “eight” stage are equal to three meters. For comparison of high-speed maneuverability, the distance was covered on an MTR bicycle and a velomobile in three repetitions.
The average speed of passing the distance is about the same, the lag behind the bike is on average 0.1 seconds.
When passing sharp turns at high speed, the front wheels and steering knuckles of the velomobile hold a large lateral load well. According to subjective feelings "Hornet" when performing high-speed maneuvers is more stable and safer than a bicycle.
To measure the smallest turning radius of the velomobile, a circular drive was made around the site. In this case, the radius of the circle along the track of the outer wheel is six meters. The velomobile is stable when driving on a dry asphalt area in a circle with a diameter of 50 m at a speed of 30 km / h (no drifting phenomenon is observed). On a snowy road, the velomobile accelerated to a maximum speed of 30 km / h.
TRACTOR TEST (FT)
The tests were carried out to compare the tractive effort of a bicycle, a velomobile and an all-terrain vehicle "Bear" according to the method of testing tractors described in the book "Industrial tractors" by Yu. V. Ginzburg. The tests were carried out on a flat concrete site in a room where the air temperature was +19 ° С. The measurements were carried out with an ADSD electronic portable dynamometer, through which the machine was connected to a load weighing 500 kg.
To measure the tractive effort, a force was uniformly applied to the dynamometer until the wheels slipped, while the maximum value was recorded. The tests were carried out in three repetitions with the calculation of the average value (the results are shown in table 2).
In the course of traction tests, it was found out that the Shershen velomobile has the least tractive effort.
The "Bear" all-terrain vehicle I made earlier has more tractive effort, but it is driven by two people and has four drive wheels. When testing a velomobile, the rear wheel slips and has less traction, which indicates a forward shift in the center of gravity. The removal of the pedal assembly has sufficient rigidity and is not subject to deformation. Due to the fact that the body has an emphasis on the back, it is possible to apply more force to the pedals compared to a bicycle.
During the design of the Shershen velomobile, running trials and numerous modifications, the design features of the velomobile elements were studied. Pulling force measured. The advantages and disadvantages of my design, factors affecting speed, strength and maneuverability are revealed.
The advantages of the Shershen include stability, maneuverability, high speed, simplicity of control design, environmental friendliness and noiselessness. The velomobile attracts a lot of attention due to its unusual design and bright color which also contributes to road safety. Those who want to ride it experience a storm of positive emotions.
The Shershen velomobile is perfect for outdoor activities, it is also used as an exercise bike.
The comfortable fit relieves the back, which can be useful for people with disabilities of the musculoskeletal system.
The main disadvantages in comparison with a bicycle: large dimensions, high cost. Due to the fact that when creating the "Hornet" I took into account my anthropometric data - not all people are comfortable riding it.
To drive a velomobile, you do not need to obtain a driver's license, but you need to familiarize yourself with §24 of the SDA Russian Federation, which regulates the movement of cycling.
The velomobile can be used as a vehicle for walking around the city, hiking on asphalt highways and even unpaved solid roads. It can also be used in production as an intra-plant transport - for the movement of employees across the territory of factories and large workshops (by the way, this will have a beneficial effect on their health).
The velomobile is stable, which allows people who cannot ride a bicycle to move around, and at the same time avoid injuries, and also use it as a "handy" means of transportation for urban residents, especially elderly people or people with disabilities. And young motorists will not deny themselves the pleasure of a ride in comfort, and at the same time stretch their muscles.
If desired, the velomobile can be equipped with a luggage carrier for transporting small loads and a trailer for transporting goods weighing up to 100 kg. I have been using such a homemade trailer for several years. In the summer, I want to conduct sea trials of a velomobile with a trailer in the conditions of a multi-day cycling trip.
The practical significance of the machine lies in the fact that this project can be offered for the manufacture of a vehicle in a home workshop for people who have the skills of locksmith and welding.
I. BALIN, Tobolsk, Tyumen region
Sources of information:
1. Ginzburg Yu.V., Shved A.I., Parfenov A.P. Industrial tractors. - M .: "Mechanical engineering", 1986.
2. Egorov A. Troll - a business velomobile. - "Model Designer", No. 7-1989.
3. Egorov A. Three-wheeled family. - "Model Designer" No. 1, 1986.
4. Rules road traffic Russian Federation. - M .: "Informburo", 2014.
5. Sergeev I. Amphiped. - "Model Designer", 1980.
Have you noticed a mistake? Highlight it and press Ctrl + Enter to let us know.