In-Depth 'Balancing Rickshaw' Explanation

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This vehicle employs the concept of a balancing double cantilever, which is propelled by a single ambulating operator pulling from the front. Its energy efficiency is due to utilizing Conservation of Momentum to its full potential, in regards to the vehicle's forward motion.
To do this first requires a correct weight distribution forward and aft of the fulcrum wheels. When the vehicle is in motion, there is a slight rocking back and forth that conserves the forward momentum.
The wheels have high-pressure, smooth tires (100-130 psi) to substantially reduce the rolling resistance on the road's surface. Working optimally on a hard, level surface, a fairly athletic person can easily operate this vehicle. Its structural design can be made in many different ways.
One novel design that I have tried and tested is to use aluminum conduit (1/8” wall thickness) that is used for housing electrical wires. Having a T-1 tensile strength, it is very malleable, so that a hand-pump hydraulic pipe bender can bend pipe sizes of 1”, 1.25”, 1.50” & 2”.
Then the balancing vehicle can be assembled with ‘Kee-Lite’ brand-named cast aluminum pipe connectors.The basic assembled ‘leverage balancing vehicle' can be used for many different tasks, where heavy lifting and transporting cargo and passengers is necessary.
A waterproof, colorful tarp cover that is made of sailcloth is rolled up like a scroll lengthwise. It can be affixed to the very top of the vehicle, and then unrolled down the sides during rainy weather. Clear, vinyl windows can be sewn into the sailcloth in different areas. Sew a layer of plastic screen beneath a ‘velcro’-shut window, to get ventilation, and bug screen.
Privacy curtains and an externally vented gas heater can be added. A type of human-powered Recreational Vehicle (HPRV) would allow travelers to be self-sufficient alongside the road when covering great distances. People/cargo would be transported as follows:
Before embarking, even weight distribution on the vehicle is accomplished by the movement of the ballast (water). It is contained in two bladder reservoirs, which are located underneath each padded donut area, and affixed to the ‘curved arch’ area of the aluminum pipe. The two reservoirs are as far forward and aft of the fulcrum wheels as possible, and are connected via a long 1” ID flexible hose.
An on-off valve is located on each reservoir. Five gallons of water weighs about 40 pounds. By transferring ballast from one reservoir to the other, it is equal to placing double the weight of the ballast on just one end (80 pounds). Plastic skid protectors cover the outermost undersides of the padded donuts, and over the front part of the reservoirs for puncture protection. Both on-off valves are first opened, and then the vehicle is tipped forward onto a set of two 6” pneumatic castor wheels. The water from the aft reservoir begins transferring down through the hose into the forward reservoir.
There is a short air inlet tube going all the way up inside each reservoir bladder. This allows the air to displace the water when transferring ballast. The in-line valve is closed, and then the water remains in that particular reservoir. The weight of the passenger now stepping into the vehicle compensates for the ballast transfer. The correct transporting weight ratio of 55/45 is once more achieved (55 -being the driver, 45 -being the passengers). So, there will always be a certain amount of ballast on board to account for in the overall weight of the vehicle.
Another approach could be bags of gear that are always taken on a work vehicle could be looked upon as ‘ballast’. A simple method of transferring bags aft to forward, and then back again would suffice in balancing out the vehicle. Passengers are seated in the hanging basket chairs, the weight being distributed in a 55/45 ratio over the fulcrum wheels. These chairs can be adjusted by sliding them back-and-forth on the overhead, uppermost pipe.
A trained driver will know this by simply trying to pull downward on the padded donut to bring it down around his waist. If he is unable to pull downward, or if it is too easy to do so, then the weight must be re-distributed. It is actually more difficult to pull a load with this vehicle if the weight is not first properly balanced. When the vehicle is tipped back on its castor wheels in either direction, the very end of the water-filled, shock absorbing reservoir bladder is now about one foot above the road.
In the case that the driver accidentally did let go of the forward end of the vehicle, the aft end of the vehicle would land squarely upon the recessed 6" casters. To propel this vehicle in a forward motion requires only about a one foot (or less) up-and-down travel motion; much like a children’s teeter-totter. The driver achieves this by leaning forward over the padded donut, so that his stomach rests upon it. Both elbows are also now resting squarely upon the top surface of the donut area, which is cushioned with 3” cloth-covered foam.
The driver starts to walk forward while pulling the vehicle behind him, and taking 3-10 ft. strides in the process.The overall leverage ratio, before embarking, is always slightly heavier forward of the fulcrum wheels. At this point, if the driver stepped onto a scale, he would weigh about one sixth of his normal weight. When the driver travels forward, he is now able to take long, graceful strides.
To make it easier to travel up an incline, the driver can turn his body around in the padded donut area. His lower back is now supported upon the padded donut. Good traction on the road for his shoes. Then, walking slowly backwards, the entire weight of the vehicle can be pulled uphill. This is much easier to do than it sounds.
This is because of the benefits of utilizing the ‘rolling lever’ in a correct manner. He continues to take small 'baby steps' as he moves upward on the incline. His legs are pushing out in front of him at about a 45 degree angle. Using this method allows one to pull 300+ pounds up a slight incline with a minimal amount effort. While walking backward, a convex mirror gives the driver a clear view of what lies ahead.
This technique can be also utilized when beginning to move forward on a level surface, as a kind of a 'low gear'. This easily helps the driver to get up to cruising speed. Once some forward motion has been initiated, the driver then quickly spins around in the padded donut area. This is analogous to shifting into a 'high gear'. He is now facing forward, while continuing to run. He hops and then glides for a distance on high pressure tires.
The entire vehicle rocks backwards from his slight hop, and then forward again, for the driver to touch back down for another run and hop. This is the vehicle’s ‘governing pendulum’ in action.
This form of transportation employs the principle in physics called, ‘Conservation of Momentum’. A good metaphor for this principle is as follows: There is a certain mechanism, referred to as a clock escapement. It is also a type of ‘governor’, which efficiently controls the unwinding of a weight on a chain.
This is done by the back-and–forth motion of a hanging pendulum, where the escapement mechanism is located at the fulcrum point of the pendulum arm. Located there, it rhythmically stops and starts a gear-toothed/pulley, which slowly unwinds the chain with a weight hanging at its end.

Enter now the rolling ‘balancing double cantilever’. The overall weight of this vehicle, which is balanced upon its fulcrum wheels, becomes analogous to the pendulum. The balanced up-and-down motion of the vehicle is analogous to the clock escapement mechanism. As the driver walks forward, being lifted with every step, he is in essence getting a ‘free ride’ of approximately three to ten feet. The pulling forward of the vehicle by the driver ambulating is analogous to the weight that is unwinding. The up-and-down movement of the clock escapement rhythmically stops and starts the unwinding of a weight.

The single brake lever is easily accessible by one hand, and is pushed forward to stop the vehicle by hydraulic disc brakes. They are located on the fulcrum motorcycle wheels. Certain brand-name motorcycle tires can be safely over-inflated to a rock-hard 100 pounds per square inch (psi). The rolling resistance is then brought down to virtually nil on a level, hard surface. Or better yet, go with a semi-pneumatic tire at a place like http://www.airfreetires.com . Motorcycle wheels can be mailed to them - filled with foam and then mailed back. The advantage to doing this is that now you have a 120psi (simulation) tire that rolls effortlessly.

With respect to braking the forward-moving vehicle, the braking hand lever is pushed forward. As the vehicle slows, the forward end will immediately start to pivot downward toward the road. The driver’s feet will stabilize the vehicle as it comes to a complete halt.
As a safety feature, each of the four 6” castor wheels (two aft and two forward of the fulcrum wheels) have a built-in rolling resistance tensioner. In the event that the driver may accidentally trip and fall forward, the vehicle would land squarely upon two of these 6” castor wheels, and then come quickly to a halt.
Next is explained how to steer, when the vehicle is in forward motion, and the operator's feet are momentarily off the ground. First, the hydraulic brake handle is slowly engaged. This begins to draw the front end of the vehicle down toward the road. When the operator's feet finally touch, he releases the brake while slightly hopping into the desired new direction. Right or left-hand turns require several short, incremental hops.

Further included is a design for a balancing vehicle where there is a front and rear driver. The aft driver has his elbows and upper torso supported upon the cushioned donut ring, identical to the other drivers area. He balances with the other driver, and is in sync with the rhythmic ambulating/hopping routine.

The aft driver has a 'resting step' to be able to easily sit back upon the padded donut, as if it were a sling. Then the front driver does all of the ambulating and hopping. Ballast has to be first completely transferred to the forward reservoir. People transfer to the forward seat. This makes again the 55/45 weight distribution which favors the front driver.
This feature would be important when air motor power is used. The front driver is also in control of all of the turning and braking. The aft driver mainly assists with the forward motion. A long, flexible 2” plastic tube is a simple communication link between the two drivers. At rhythmic up-and-down intervals, the front driver runs and hops. Then the aft driver runs and hops - to create a kind of 'push-me-pull-you' balancing mobile. Consider the way that two people would use oars to steer a canoe through the water.
That is similar to the way that two ambulating drivers would rhythmically cooperate with each other in navigating this balancing vehicle. Two drivers practicing together will learn quickly to cooperate so that they can travel efficiently from place to place. The balancing vehicle described above is about 18 feet long by 4 feet wide. When a fairly athletic person correctly pulls this vehicle, they can outrun any person on earth that runs along side them.
This is due to observing the 'conservation of forward momentum' laws when operating this 'rolling pendulum'. Then, add to this the use of rock-hard (100 psi) fulcrum tires to glide upon with each balancing hop. If compressed air motor power is desired, then a ‘air motor-powered rolling platform’ is utilized. A hinged tow bar folds out when this rolling platform is released from the vehicle’s frame. The hinged tow bar locks into place, with the rolling platform centered on a flexible fastener at its end.
This platform is now in the area where the driver would normally be running when pulling the vehicle. The driver stands upon the lightweight motorized platform with his shoes affixed in bindings.
As the throttle is applied, the vehicle gets pulled forward. At a certain speed, the driver can hop and lift the motorized platform up with him. Then he gets to glide on the fulcrum wheels for a while before coming back down to the road. A pressure switch will disengage the electric motor when the platform wheels leave the ground. It re-engages the compressed air motor as the rolling platform touches back down onto the road again.
To steer, the lower torso of the driver can twist the motorized platform either to the left or to the right. The flexible fastener, which connects the platform to the centered tow bar, also allows uneven roads to be traversed. When traveling downhill, the motorized platform will work as an air compressor, or an electric generator for an electric motor-assist hybrid.