Amphibious vehicle

Claim 2

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said rear running gear means comprising a driving hub and a plurality of surface locomotion wheels disposed on opposite sides of said hub, said hub and surface locomotion wheels being loaded ad and snubbered by oppositely applied endless belt means, said hub including ends being fixedly journaled with respect to said body.

Claim 3

A vehicle such as that recited in claim 1, wherein said hub is driven by power means.

Claim 4

A vehicle such as that recited in claim 2, wherein said power means comprises an engine mounted in said engine compartment, first roller means driven by said engine, second roller means driven from said first roller means and means for driving said hub from said second roller means, said second roller means being movable into driving engagement with said first roller means to provide a reverse drive for said hub.

Claim 5

A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said front running gear means comprises an axle mounted wheel, a steering column extending from said axle, said column having a tapered section disposed in a rotatable tubular member having a spaced correspondingly tapered section and a compressible ring disposed in the radial clearance between said tapered sections, whereby relative axial movement between said column and said tubular member is resisted by resistance to compression of said ring for suspensions and rotation of said tubular member causes rotation of said column for steering.

Claim 6

A vehicle such as that recited in claim 4, wherein said tubular member has secured thereto a worm follower gear and a worm gear in mesh with said follower gear is secured to a steering member, including means to either rotate said worm gear or rotate said tubular member without rotating said worm gear, thereby providing steering with 360* freedom and reset capability.

Claim 7

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle according to claim 4, including a passenger compartment formed by said body, an engine compartment formed in said body rearwardly at a level beneath said engine compartment, said third compartment being sealed except for an open bottom, the upper portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed in said third compartment and the bottom portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed below said third compartment.

Claim 8

A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said driving hub fixedly journaled with respect to said body comprises a single axis of suspension through which the vehicle weight at the rear thereof is transmitted to said belt means into said surface locomotion wheels, wherein said surface locomotion wheels are collectively translationally rotatable within said third compartment about said single axis, and wherein said third compartment includes means for limiting said collective translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels about said single axis.

Claim 9

A vehicle such as that recited in claim 6, wherein an internal combustion engine is mounted in said engine compartment, the exhaust system of said engine normally discharging to atmosphere and having means for at all times discharging to said third compartment, when said vehicle is traversing water, said exhaust gas lowering the water level in said third compartment below the top of said rear means to eliminate propulsion thereof in opposition to propulsion by the bottom portion of said rear means.

Claim 10

A vehicle such as that recited in claim 6, wherein means is provided for lowering the water level in said third compartment when said vehicle is traversing water to a level below the top of said rear means to eliminate propulsion thereof in opposition to propulsion by the bottom portion of said rear means.

Claim 11

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said front steering and suspension running gear means comprising a housing journaled within said body for rotation about a steering axis, a compressible element contained within said housing and situated therein as to be positioned about said steering axis, the resistance to compression of said element providing increasing-rate suspension means along said steering axis, and said compressible element further being effective to cause steering rotation of said front running gear about said steering axis by undergoing rotation effective to transfer therethrough steering rotation from said housing to said front running gear upon rotation of said housing within said body.

Claim 12

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said front steering and suspension running gear means comprising a housing journaled within said body for rotation about a steering axis, a compressible element contained within said housing and situated therein as to be positioned about said steering axis, the resistance to compression of said element providing increasing-rate suspension means along said steering axis, and said compressible element further being effective to cause steering rotation of said front running gear about said steering axis by undergoing rotation effective to transfer therethrough steering rotation from said housing to said front running gear upon rotation of said housing within said body.

Claim 13

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off rod road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, at least one door opening formed in said body, and a removable door for sealably closing said door opening, said body being formed from a lightweight material and including a floor, said door opening extending substantially to said floor so that said floor can flex, said floor being reinforced with a spring material thereby complimenting the front and rear suspension means and contributing to a softer ride.

Claim 14

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off rod road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, at least one door opening formed in said body, and a removable door for sealably closing said door opening, said body being formed from a lightweight material and including a floor, said door opening extending substantially to said floor so that said floor can flex, said floor being reinforced with a spring material thereby complimenting the front and rear suspension means and contributing to a softer ride.

Claim 15

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said body comprising first and second sidewalls on opposite sides thereof, first and second access door openings respectively formed in said first and second side walls, each of said first and second access door openings having spaced side edges and a lower disposed edge in at least close proximity to the floor of said body interconnecting said side edges and each of said access door openings being further characterized by being devoid of an upper disposed edge interconnecting said side edges, said first and second access door openings thereby functioning to localize bending stresses in a portion of said floor in the vicinity of said lower disposed edges in order to cause said portion of said floor to experience a controlled degree of flexing and thereby contribute to a softer ride of said vehicle, including first and second doors for at times respectively closing each of said first and second access door openings, and sealing means interposed generally between said first access door opening and said first door as well as between said second access door opening and said second door, said sealing means being effective to continue sealing action between respective access door openings and doors while permitting relative movement therebetween during such periods of vehicle operation as when said portion of said floor is experiencing said flexing.

Claim 16

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said body comprising first and second sidewalls on opposite sides thereof, first and second access door openings respectively formed in said first and second side walls, each of said first and second access door openings having spaced side edges and a lower disposed edge in at least close proximity to the floor of said body interconnecting said side edges and each of said access door openings being further characterized by being devoid of an upper disposed edge interconnecting said side edges, said first and second access door openings thereby functioning to localize bending stresses in a portion of said floor in the vicinity of said lower disposed edges in order to cause said portion of said floor to experience a controlled degree of flexing and thereby contribute to a softer ride of said vehicle, including first and second doors for at times respectively closing each of said first and second access door openings, and sealing means interposed generally between said first access door opening and said first door as well as between said second access door opening and said second door, said sealing means being effective to continue sealing action between respective access door openings and doors while permitting relative movement therebetween during such periods of vehicle operation as when said portion of said floor is experiencing said flexing.

Claim 17

A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said sealing means comprises relatively resilient inflatable means situated between said doors and said edges of said access door openings, said inflatable means upon being inflated being effective to continue said sealing action while undergoing varying degrees of compression between said edges of said access openings and said doors while said portion of said floor is experiencing said flexing.

Claim 18

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said steering means comprising journaling means operatively carried by said body and connected to said running gear means for enabling rotation of said running gear means about the axis of rotation of said journaling means, manually operable steering control means operatively connected to said journaling means, said steering control means being effective upon manual movement thereof to cause corresponding rotation of said running gear means about said axis of rotation, and steering reset means operatively interconnecting said journaling means and said steering control means, said steering reset means being effective to at selected times permit said manual movement of said steering control means without causing said corresponding rotation of said front running gear means thereby enabling said steering control means to assume varying selected operating positions for every selected position of said front running gear means.

Claim 19

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said steering means comprising journaling means operatively carried by said body and connected to said running gear means for enabling rotation of said running gear means about the axis of rotation of said journaling means, manually operable steering control means operatively connected to said journaling means, said steering control means being effective upon manual movement thereof to cause corresponding rotation of said running gear means about said axis of rotation, and steering reset means operatively interconnecting said journaling means and said steering control means, said steering reset means being effective to at selected times permit said manual movement of said steering control means without causing said corresponding rotation of said front running gear means thereby enabling said steering control means to assume varying selected operating positions for every selected position of said front running gear means.

Claim 20

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said rear suspension and running gear means comprising rotatably power input means fixedly journaled with respect to said body transversely thereof, a plurality of surface locomotion wheels disposed on opposite sides of and in operative engagement with said rotatable power input means, endless vehicle weight load and power transmitting belt means applied generally about and operatively engaging said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatably power input means, said endless belt means being so looped about said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input means as to cause said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input means to be held in operative rolling engagement regardless of the attitude assumed by said surface locomotion wheels with respect to said body whenever said vehicle weight load is removed from said rotatable power input means as when upward acceleration is imparted to said vehicle body, and said power input means being effective to transmit said vehicle weight load at the rear portion of said vehicle directly through said endless belt means to said surface locomotion wheels, including tread belt means enveloping said rotatable power input means said endless load belt means and said surface locomotion wheels.

Claim 21

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, and integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said rear suspension and running gear means comprising rotatably power input means fixedly journaled with respect to said body transversely thereof, a plurality of surface locomotion wheels disposed on opposite sides of and in operative engagement with said rotatable power input means, endless vehicle weight load and power transmitting belt means applied generally about and operatively engaging said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatably power input means, said endless belt means being so looped about said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input means as to cause said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input means to be held in operative rolling engagement regardless of the attitude assumed by said surface locomotion wheels with respect to said body whenever said vehicle weight load is removed from said rotatable power input means as when upward acceleration is imparted to said vehicle body, and said power input means being effective to transmit said vehicle weight load at the rear portion of said vehicle directly through said endless belt means to said surface locomotion wheels, including tread belt means enveloping said rotatable power input means said endless load belt means and said surface locomotion wheels.

Claim 22

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said rear suspension and running gear means comprising a rotatable power input member carried by said body and journaled for rotation about a fixed axis with respect thereto, at least two surface locomotion wheels respectively disposed on opposite sides of said rotatable power input member, belt means operatively looped about said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input member in a manner causing said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input member to become said integrated rear suspension and running gear means wherein said surface locomotion wheels are permitted to collectively assume inclined attitudes with respect to said body, an engine compartment formed in said body rearwardly of said passenger compartment, a third compartment formed in said body at a level beneath said engine compartment, said third compartment being sealed except for an open bottom the upper portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed in said third compartment and the bottom portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed below said third compartment, said fixed axis of rotation comprising a single axis of suspension through which vehicle weight at the rear thereOf is transmitted to said rotatable power input member through said belt means into said surface locomotion wheels, said surface locomotion wheels being collectively translationally rotatable within said third compartment about said fixed axis, said third compartment including means for limiting said translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels about said fixed axis, said means for limiting said translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels comprises a rollerlike abutment member fixedly journaled with respect to said body so as to be generally within said third compartment and transversely disposed with respect to said body, said rollerlike member being adapted to operatively rollingly abuttingly engage said belt means in order to thereby limit translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels about said fixed axis.

Claim 23

A lightweight, amphibious, on and off road type vehicle, comprising a body, integrated front steering and suspension running gear means, integrated rear suspension and running gear means, said rear suspension and running gear means comprising a rotatable power input member carried by said body and journaled for rotation about a fixed axis with respect thereto, at least two surface locomotion wheels respectively disposed on opposite sides of said rotatable power input member, belt means operatively looped about said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input member in a manner causing said surface locomotion wheels and said rotatable power input member to become said integrated rear suspension and running gear means wherein said surface locomotion wheels are permitted to collectively assume inclined attitudes with respect to said body, an engine compartment formed in said body rearwardly of said passenger compartment, a third compartment formed in said body at a level beneath said engine compartment, said third compartment being sealed except for an open bottom the upper portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed in said third compartment and the bottom portion of said surface locomotion wheels being disposed below said third compartment, said fixed axis of rotation comprising a single axis of suspension through which vehicle weight at the rear thereOf is transmitted to said rotatable power input member through said belt means into said surface locomotion wheels, said surface locomotion wheels being collectively translationally rotatable within said third compartment about said fixed axis, said third compartment including means for limiting said translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels about said fixed axis, said means for limiting said translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels comprises a rollerlike abutment member fixedly journaled with respect to said body so as to be generally within said third compartment and transversely disposed with respect to said body, said rollerlike member being adapted to operatively rollingly abuttingly engage said belt means in order to thereby limit translational rotation of said surface locomotion wheels about said fixed axis.