CPC B62K 5/06 (2013.01) [B60L 15/20 (2013.01); B62J 1/00 (2013.01); B62J 1/14 (2013.01); B62J 23/00 (2013.01); B62J 43/16 (2020.02); B62K 5/027 (2013.01); B62K 25/00 (2013.01); B62M 7/00 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A motorized vehicle, comprising:
a chassis having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a front wheel and a driver seat, the rear portion having a first rear wheel, a second rear wheel, and a rear axle assembly configured to be selectively moved between a retracted position and an extended position to maintain stability at various speeds, the rear axle assembly including a linear actuator in communication with a first rear wheel axle and a second rear wheel axle, and the rear axle assembly is in communication with a rear axle assembly controller configured to one of manually and automatically move the rear axle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position; and
a prime mover disposed in the rear portion of the chassis and configured to selectively move the rear axle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position;
wherein the linear actuator is a rack-and-pinion actuator, and each of the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle has a gear rack, and the linear actuator includes a pinion in communication with the prime mover and the gear rack of each of the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle, whereby with a rotation of the pinion by the prime mover the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle are moved between the retracted position and the extended position.
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