Reciprocating powered bicycle

Claim 1

A drive mechanism comprising a sprocket suitable to drive a chain; a first torque imparting means attached to one side of said sprocket having the characteristics of imparting torque to said sprocket when rotated in one direction and being free spinning and imparting no torque to said sprocket when rotated in the reverse direction; a second torque imparting means attached to the other side of said sprocket and having the same characteristics of said first torque imparting means so as to impart torque to said sprocket in a like manner and in the same direction; a first hollow shaft attached to said first torque imparting means; a second shaft attached to said second torque imparting means, being concentrically positioned within said first hollow shaft and rotatable therein, the operation of said shafts being independent, a slot means provided in said second shaft; a first force arm adjustably connected to said first hollow shaft and containing insertion means which could be inserted into said slot means on said second shaft; a second force arm adjustably connected to said second shaft, the reciprocal movement of the force arms causing the motion of the said sprocket when said shafts are operating independently of one another; rotary movement of the force arms causing the motion of said sprocket if said first force arm is repositioned on said first hollow shaft so that said insertion means on said first force arm can be inserted into said means in said second shaft so as to lock the shafts together so as to operate in a dependent manner; a rocker arm with a self-centering bearing pivotally mounted on a horizontal stud, which stud is mounted on a vertical frame member; a first connecting link removably connected at one end to said first force arm and at its other end to a first end of said pivotally mounted rocker arm when said shafts are operating independently, being disconnected when said shafts are operating dependently; a second connecting link removably connected at one end to said second force arm and at its other end to a second end of said pivotally mounted rocker arm when said shafts are operating independently, being disconnected when said shafts are operating dependently and a rocker arm limiter is located beneath said rocker arm and is vertically adjustable with respect to said rocker arm, so that the rocking travel of said rocker arm; and the resultant stroke of said force arms is variable according to the vertical clearance between said rocker arm and said rocker arm limiter.