Power riding trailer for an implement

Abstract

A vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end useful for propelling an implement pivotably coupled thereto at or near the front end. The vehicle comprises two driven wheels located at or near the rear end and positioned to rotate in a direction generally parallel to the length of the vehicle; a power system acting to provide power to rotate the two driven wheels; at least one non-steered wheel located at or near the front end, the non-steered wheel being rotatable about an axis which axis is at least partially rotatable; and a seat acting to provide a location at which a human being can sit on the vehicle and control the vehicle. The vehicle is sized so that the human being sitting in the seat is capable of directly steering the pivotably coupled implement.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A .[.vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end useful in controlling an implement coupled thereto, said vehicle.]. .Iadd.floor sanding machine, .Iaddend.comprising: .Iadd.a) a vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end;   b) an electric floor sander coupled to said vehicle;   c) said vehicle being arranged to control said coupled floor sander and including; i) .Iaddend.two driven wheels located near said rear end and positioned to rotate in a direction generally parallel to said length of said vehicle;   .Iadd.ii) .Iaddend.power means for providing powder to rotate said two driven wheels.[.;.]..Iadd., said power means including; 1) a non-gasoline powered motor; and   2) a hydraulic transmission system, said non-gasoline powered motor being coupled to said hydraulic transmission system;     iii) .Iaddend.at least one non-steered wheel located near said front end, said non-steered wheel being rotatable about an axis, which axis is at least partially rotatable; .Iadd.and   iv) .Iaddend.seat means for providing a location at which a human being can sit on said vehicle and control said vehicle; and   .Iadd.v) .Iaddend.said vehicle having no independent steering system and being sized so that the human being sitting in said seat means is capable of directly steering said coupled .[.implement.]. .Iadd.electric floor sander.Iaddend..     
     
     
       2. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 .Iadd.in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.includes two of said non-steered wheels. 
     
     
       3. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 wherein each of said two driven wheels includes an inner metallic portion and an outer solid polymeric portion directly secured to said inner metallic portion. 
     
     
       4. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 3 wherein said inner metallic portion is made of aluminum and said outer solid polymeric portion is made of polyurethane. 
     
     
       5. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 wherein said .[.power means includes a.]. non-gasoline powered motor .Iadd.is .Iaddend.directly coupled to .[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.hydraulic transmission system. .[.6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein said 
     
     
        non-gasoline powered motor is an electric motor..]. 7. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim .[.6.]. .Iadd.1 in which said non-gasoline powered motor is an electric motor, and in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.further comprises an electrical receptacle means through which line voltage of about 100 volts or more is passed to power said 
     
     
        electric motor. 8. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 .Iadd.in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.further comprises disengaging means for disengaging one of said driven wheels from said 
     
     
        power means. 9. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 8 wherein said disengaging means includes a spring element positioned to exert a force resisting the disengagement of said driven wheel from said 
     
     
        power means. 10. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 9 wherein said disengaging means further includes a locking plate adapted to be manually moved to overcome the force of said spring element and 
     
     
        disengage said driven wheel from said power means. 11. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 10 wherein said locking plate and said driven wheel are adapted to be coupled together at any one of a plurality 
     
     
        of positions when said driven wheel is engaged to said power means. 12. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 5 .Iadd.in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.further comprises control means directly linked to said hydraulic transmission system and being manually operable to control the forward and reverse rotation of said driven 
     
     
        wheels. 13. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 12 wherein said control means is further manually operable to control the speed of 
     
     
        rotation of said driven wheels. 14. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 13 wherein said control means further includes a centering means for placing said power means in a neutral position when no 
     
     
        external force is applied to said control means. 15. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 14 wherein said centering means includes a 
     
     
        plurality of spring elements. 16. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 .Iadd.in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.further comprises an electrical cord holder means for holding an 
     
     
        electrical cord. 17. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 which further comprises connecting means for coupling the .[.implement.]. 
     
     
        .Iadd.floor sander .Iaddend.to said vehicle. 18. The .[.vehicle.]. .Iadd.machine .Iaddend.of claim 1 .Iadd.in .Iaddend.which .Iadd.said vehicle .Iaddend.further comprises frame means defining a space in which 
     
     
        said power means is located. .[.19.  The vehicle of claim 6 wherein said electric motor is coupled to said hydraulic transmission system and said hydraulic transmission system is linked to said driven wheels using coupling and linking mechanisms including no belts, pulleys, chains or 
     
     
        sprockets..]. 20. A .[.vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end useful in controlling an implement pivotably coupled thereto, said vehicle.]. .Iadd.floor sanding machine, .Iaddend.comprising: .Iadd.a) a vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end;   b) an electric floor sander pivotably coupled to said vehicle;   c) said vehicle being arranged to control said pivotably coupled floor sander and including; i) .Iaddend.two driven wheels located near said rear end and positioned to rotate in a direction generally parallel to said length of said vehicle;   .Iadd.ii) .Iaddend.power means including .[.an electrically powered motor directly coupled to a.]..Iadd.; 1) an electrically powered motor; and   2) a hydraulic transmission system; sand electrically powered motor being directly coupled to said .Iaddend.hydraulic transmission system for providing power to rotate said two driven wheels;     .Iadd.iii) .Iaddend.at least one non-steered wheel located near said front end, said non-steered wheel being rotatable about an axis, which axis is at least partially rotatable; .Iadd.and   iv) .Iaddend.seat means for providing a location at which a human being can sit on said vehicle and control said vehicle.[.; and said vehicle having no independent steering system and being sized so that the human being sitting in said seat means is capable of directly steering said pivotably     
     
     
        coupled implement.].. .Iadd.21.  The machine of claim 20 in which said vehicle further has no independent steering system and is sized so that the human being sitting in said seat means is capable of directly steering said pivotably coupled floor sander. .Iaddend.