Self-propelled vehicle

Claim 2

A self-propelled vehicle comprising: a. a pair of skis each defining a planing surface having an upwardly curving front end portion and a rear end; b. frame means mounting said skis in a laterally spaced generally parallel relationship and for pivotal movement relative to said frame means on axes extending longitudinally of said skis; c. power means mounted on said frame means for propelling said skis over an underlying surface; d. control means carried by said frame means and connected to impart simultaneous pivotal movements to said skis on said axes in common directions; and e. means associated with said control means for imparting steering movements to said power means in unison with pivotal movements of said skis and independently of pivotal movement of said skis.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 in which said planing surface is cross-sectionally generally concave relative to an underlying surface and is generally parallely disposed with respect to the underlying surface.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 1 in which said power means is an internal combustion engine including a power head and a power transmission having means operable to impart forward movements to said vehicle depending from said power head to a position between said skis, said power means being mounted on said frame for pivotal movement on a generally vertical axis.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 1 in which said power means is disposed to depend between said skis forwardly of said rear end.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 in which said control means includes: a. a control lever mounted on said frame for pivotal movement in a plane transversely of said ski; b. a vertically extended arm carried by each of said skis; and c. a pair of connecting links one end of each pivotally connected to the free end of one of said arms and the other end of each pivotally connected to said lever in spaced relationship to the pivotal connection of said lever to said frame.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 5 in further combination with means for immobilizing the pivotal movement of said lever.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 5 wherein said means associated with said control means for imparting steering movements to said power means about said vertical pivotal axis thereof comprises: a. a rotary shaft rotatably mounted with respect to said lever; b. a steering member fastened on the upper end of said shaft; c. a T-bar fastened on the lower end of said shaft disposed to extend in a direction transversely of said skis; and d. flexible control cables connected to and extending between the opposite ends of said T-bar and said outboard motor whereby rotary movement imparted to said shaft is transmitted to like rotary movements of said outboard motor on said vertical pivotal axis thereof.

Claim 9

A self-propelled vehicle comprising: a. a pair of skis each defining a planing surface having an upwardly curving front end portion, a rear end and means generally positioned midway between said front end portion and rear end for engagement by the Feet of an operator positioned on said skis; b. frame means mounting said skis in a laterally spaced generally parallel relationship and for pivotal movement relative to said frame means on axes extending longitudinally of said skis; c. power means mounted on said frame means for propelling said skis over an underlying surface; d. control means connected to said skis for maintaining said planing surfaces in a generally parallel relationship and operable by an operator positioned on said skis for imparting simultaneous pivotal movements in common directions to said skis on said pivotal axes thereof; e. means associated with said control means for imparting steering movements to said power means in unison with pivotal movements of said skis and independently of pivotal movement of said skis; and f. means for locking said planing surfaces of said skis in a generally coplanar relationship while still permitting said steering movements to said power means independently of pivotal movements of said skis.

Claim 10

A self-propelled vehicle comprising: a. a pair of skis each defining a planing surface having an upwardly curving front end portion, a rear end and means generally positioned midway between said front end portion and rear end for engagement by the Feet of an operator positioned on said skis; b. frame means mounting said skis in a laterally spaced generally parallel relationship and for pivotal movement relative to said frame means on axes extending longitudinally of said skis; c. power means mounted on said frame means for propelling said skis over an underlying surface; d. control means connected to said skis for maintaining said planing surfaces in a generally parallel relationship and operable by an operator positioned on said skis for imparting simultaneous pivotal movements in common directions to said skis on said pivotal axes thereof; e. means associated with said control means for imparting steering movements to said power means in unison with pivotal movements of said skis and independently of pivotal movement of said skis; and f. means for locking said planing surfaces of said skis in a generally coplanar relationship while still permitting said steering movements to said power means independently of pivotal movements of said skis.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 8 in further combination with means providing a buoyancy sufficient to support said vehicle on a body of water.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 9 in which said skis each define a cavity.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 10 in which said cavity is filled with a buoyant material formed of foamed-in-place plastic.

Claim 14

The structure of claim 8 in further combination with means for disabling said power means responsive to displacement of one of an operator''s feet from said skis.