Land and water vehicle

Claim 2

A vehicle including: a forward section and a rear section, a transverse axle of each of said sections; a power unit in said forward section; a bracket secured to the rear of said forward section and including a pair of vertically spaced bracket plates; a cooperable bracket pivotally supported between si said vertically spaced bracket plates on a substantially vertical axis; a tubular sleeve suppoRted at the lower end of said cooperable bracket on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot, the axis of said sleeve being disposed beneath the lowermost of said vertically spaced bracket plates; said rear section including a frame including a transverse frame end member through which said sleeve rotatably extends; a resilient ring encircling said sleeve, and means holding said ring in a compressed condition against said frame member; said resilient ring resisting rotation of said sleeve about its axis; drive means connected to said power unit and to said wheels of said axle on said rear section; and said drive means including a universal joint substantially aligned with said vertical pivot.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 and in which said frame includes a second transverse frame member through which said sleeve extends, and including a second resilient ring encircling said sleeve and means holding said second ring in a compressed condition against said second transverse frame member.

Claim 4

A vehicle including: a forward section and a rear section, a transverse axle on each of said sections; a power unit in said forward section; a bracket secured to the rear of said forward section and including a pair of vertically spaced bracket plates; a cooperable bracket pivotally supported between said vertically spaced bracket plates on a substantially vertical axis; a tubular sleeve supported at the lower end of said bracket on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot and at substantially right angles thereto; said rear section including a frame including a transverse frame end member through which said sleeve extends; a resilient ring encircling said sleeve and means holding said ring in a compressed condition against said frame end member; said resilient ring resisting rotation of said sleeve about its axis, drive means connected to said power unit and to said wheels of said axle on said rear section; said drive means including a universal joint substantially aligned with said vertical pivot; and said frame end member including a cup-shaped receptacle encircling said sleeve, and in which said means holding said ring comprises a clamping plate bolted to said frame end member.

Claim 5

A vehicle including: a forward section and a rear section, a transverse axle on each of said sections; a power unit in said forward section; a bracket secured to the rear of said forward section and including a pair of vertically spaced bracket plates; a cooperable bracket pivotally supported between said vertically spaced bracket plates on a substantially vertical axis; a tubular sleeve supported at the lower end of said bracket on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot and at substantially right angles thereto; said rear section including a frame including a transverse frame end member through which said sleeve extends; a resilient ring encircling said sleeve and means holding said ring in a compressed condition against said frame end member; said resilient ring resisting rotation of said sleeve about its axis, drive means connected to said power unit and to said wheels of said axle on said rear section; said drive means including a universal joint substantially aligned with said vertical pivot; and said frame end member including a cup-shaped receptacle encircling said sleeve, and in which said means holding said ring comprises a clamping plate bolted to said frame end member.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 in which said rear section includes a second transverse frame member through which said sleeve extends, a second resilient ring encircling said sleeve and means holding said second ring in a compressed condition against said second transverse frame member, a second cup-shaped receptacle in said second frame member for said resilient rings, and in which said last-mentioned holding means comprises a clamping plate bolted to said second transverse frame member.

Claim 7

A vehicle including: a forward section and a rear section, a transverse axle on each of said sections, and wheels on said axles; a power unit in said forward section; a bracket secured to the rear of said forward section and including a pair of vertically spaced bracket plates; a cooperable bracket pivotally supported between said vertically spaced bracket plates on a substantially vertical pivot axis; a tubular sleeve supported at the lower end of said cooperable bracket beneath the level of said vertically spaced bracket plates on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot; said sleeve having its forward end terminating rearwardly of the axis of said pivot; said rear section including a frame having at a transverse frame member through which the rear portion of said sleeve rotatably extends; means resisting rotation of said sleeve within said transverse frame member; drive means connected to said power unit and to said wheels of said axle on said rear section and including drive shaft means extending through said sleeve; and said drive means including a universal joint substantially aligned with said vertical pivot and positioned beneath the lower end of said vertical pivot.

Claim 8

A vehicle including: a forward section and a rear section, a transverse axle on each of said sections, and wheels on said axles; a power unit in said forward section; a bracket secured to the rear of said forward section and including a pair of vertically spaced bracket plates; a cooperable bracket pivotally supported between said vertically spaced bracket plates on a substantially vertical pivot axis; a tubular sleeve supported at the lower end of said cooperable bracket beneath the level of said vertically spaced bracket plates on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot; said sleeve having its forward end terminating rearwardly of the axis of said pivot; said rear section including a frame having at a transverse frame member through which the rear portion of said sleeve rotatably extends; means resisting rotation of said sleeve within said transverse frame member; drive means connected to said power unit and to said wheels of said axle on said rear section and including drive shaft means extending through said sleeve; and said drive means including a universal joint substantially aligned with said vertical pivot and positioned beneath the lower end of said vertical pivot.

Claim 9

A vehicle including; a forward section and a rear section; a transverse axle on each of said sections; wheels on said axles on opposite side of said sections; each of said sections including a generally rectangular frame; a hollow enclosure tank which is substantially U-shaped in horizontal section secured to, and extending upwardly from, the frame of the forward section at the rear end thereof, the base of the U-shaped enclosure facing forwardly; said hollow tank including spaced front and rear walls as well as double sidewalls on either side of center; a substantially horizontal parallel plates closing the upper and lower ends of said enclosure and bridging the sides of said U-shaped enclosure; a bracket pivotally supported on a substantially vertical pivot supported by said plates; means pivotally securing said bracket to said rear section on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot and at substantially right angles thereto.

Claim 10

A vehicle including; a forward section and a rear section; a transverse axle on each of said sections; wheels on said axles on opposite side of said sections; each of said sections including a generally rectangular frame; a hollow enclosure tank which is substantially U-shaped in horizontal section secured to, and extending upwardly from, the frame of the forward section at the rear end thereof, the base of the U-shaped enclosure facing forwardly; said hollow tank including spaced front and rear walls as well as double sidewalls on either side of center; a substantially horizontal parallel plates closing the upper and lower ends of said enclosure and bridging the sides of said U-shaped enclosure; a bracket pivotally supported on a substantially vertical pivot supported by said plates; means pivotally securing said bracket to said rear section on an axis intersecting the axis of said pivot and at substantially right angles thereto.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 6 and in which said last named means includes a sleeve secured to said bracket on said axis intersecting the axis of said pivot and at substantially right angles thereto, said sleeve extending through the forward end of the frame of said rear section and pivotally supported thereby.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 7 and including means resisting pivotal movement of said sleeve relative to said frame of said rear section.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 7 and including a resilient ring encircling said sleeve, and a clamping plate encircling said sleeve and bolted to said rear section frame outwardly of said ring to compress said ring against said sleeve.