Skateboard

Abstract

A skateboard having a deck; a frame mounted under the deck; a pedal pivotally mounted to the frame substantially below the deck and adjacent a forward portion of the deck; a plurality of wheels and clutch bearing retaining drive wheels rotatably mounted to substantially conventional diagonal axis steering trucks on the underside of the deck; a block having grooves therein and mounted underneath the deck; transmission member comprising a rack with two members having upwardly facing portions slidable within the grooves in the block and downwardly facing toothed portions for driving pinions rotatably mounted to the frame, the pinions driving pulleys having clutch bearings therein and also rotatably mounted to the frame, the pulleys being operably connected to drive wheels by loops of flexible belt material of circular cross section on either side of steering axes such that depression of the pedal reciprocates the rack members via a roller engagement between the rack and the pedal to impart rotational motion to the drive wheels; and spring return member for biasing the rack and the pedal toward their ready positions when the pedal is not depressed. In a second embodiment, a modified transmission member is provided wherein a similar rack is reciprocable along a system of rollers and is linked to a cammed surface to provide variable speed output over the range of pedal depression.