Electric automobile

Claim 2

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a towable three-wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, said three-wheeled carrier comprising a single main supporting wheel, mounted between the sides of said carrier to support said carrier when it is being towed by said automobile, and a pair of spaced auxiliary wheels cooperating with said main wheel to support said carrier when it is separated from said automobile, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said mechanical connector means including a resilient linkage between said carrier and said body for absorbing shocks when said carrier is being towed.

Claim 3

The automobile of claim 1 wherein said body includes hingedly connected door means adapted to be selectively opened to expose said electrical and mechanical connector means to permit attachment and detachment of said connector means when desired.

Claim 4

The automobile of claim 2 wherein said door means and said wheeled carrier are disposed adjacent the rear end of said automobile, said wheeled carrier being positioned within the confines of said body between a pair of rear wheels of said automobile and being towed by said automobile as a separable trailer unit.

Claim 5

The automobile of claim 1 wherein said main supporting wheel is in permanent ground engagement, said auxiliary wheels being mounted for swiveling motion and being in engagement with the ground only when said carrier is separated from said automobile body, and means for moving said auxiliary wheels relative to said carrier and out of engagement with the ground when said carrier is mechanically connected to said body.

Claim 6

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of saiD body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier towed by said automobile as a separable trailer unit and having a supporting wheel depending therefrom mounted for swiveling movement, said wheeled carrier being positioned within the confines of said body between a pair of rear wheels of said automobile and supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said body including hingedly connected door means disposed adjacent the rear end of said automobile and adapted to be selectively opened to expose said electrical and mechanical connector means to permit attachment and detachment of said connector means when desired.

Claim 7

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of saiD body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier towed by said automobile as a separable trailer unit and having a supporting wheel depending therefrom mounted for swiveling movement, said wheeled carrier being positioned within the confines of said body between a pair of rear wheels of said automobile and supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said body including hingedly connected door means disposed adjacent the rear end of said automobile and adapted to be selectively opened to expose said electrical and mechanical connector means to permit attachment and detachment of said connector means when desired.

Claim 8

The automobile of claim 5 including means for selectively preventing swiveling movement of said supporting wheel.

Claim 9

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier comprising wheel means in permanent ground engagement, variably positionable further wheel means adapted to be in engagement with the ground only when said carrier is separated from said automobile body, and means for moving said further wheel means out of engagement with the ground when said carrier is mechanically connected to said body, said last-named means comprising mechanically operable jack means for selectively retracting and lowering said further wheel means in a generally vertical direction.

Claim 10

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier comprising wheel means in permanent ground engagement, variably positionable further wheel means adapted to be in engagement with the ground only when said carrier is separated from said automobile body, and means for moving said further wheel means out of engagement with the ground when said carrier is mechanically connected to said body, said last-named means comprising mechanically operable jack means for selectively retracting and lowering said further wheel means in a generally vertical direction.

Claim 11

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said mechanical connector means comprising a resilient linkage located between said carrier and said body and having resilient cables attached to said body, and a separable mechanical connection between said carrier and said resilient cables.

Claim 12

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said mechanical connector means comprising a resilient linkage located between said carrier and said body and having resilient cables attached to said body, and a separable mechanical connection between said carrier and said resilient cables.

Claim 13

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier being located within the rear trunk area of said body for towing by said automobile, said rear trunk area including hingedly connected door means arranged to be selectively opened to facilitate insertion of said carrier into said rear trunk area and removal of said carrier means therefrom, rear bumper means carried by said door means for movement with said door means when said door means is opened and closed, and separable locking means for locking said bumper means to said body at a posItion rearward of said carrier when said door means is closed.

Claim 14

An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier being located within the rear trunk area of said body for towing by said automobile, said rear trunk area including hingedly connected door means arranged to be selectively opened to facilitate insertion of said carrier into said rear trunk area and removal of said carrier means therefrom, rear bumper means carried by said door means for movement with said door means when said door means is opened and closed, and separable locking means for locking said bumper means to said body at a posItion rearward of said carrier when said door means is closed.

Claim 15

The automobile of claim 1 including a further electric motor mounted on said carrier, coupling means for selectively energizing said further motor from said electric battery unit, and drive means coupling said further motor to the main supporting wheel of said carrier for effecting self-propelled motion of said carrier when said carrier is detached from said automobile body.

Claim 16

The automobile of claim 10 wherein said main supporting wheel is mounted for swiveling motion about a center position, said coupling means including contact means for interrupting the energization of said further motor from said battery unit when said main supporting wheel moves away from said center position.

Claim 17

The automobile of claim 10 wherein said drive means includes a pair of gears positioned to mesh with one another, and manually operable means for moving said gears toward and away from one another to render said drive means selectively operative and inoperative.

Claim 18

The automobile of claim 10 wherein said further electric motor comprises a reversible motor, said coupling means including manually operable switch means for controlling the energization of said reversible electric motor to control its direction of rotation.

Claim 19

A separable battery unit for an electrically propelled automobile of the type comprising an automobile body having an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, said separable electric battery unit comprising a carrier unit supported on at least one wheel and adapted to be located within the confines of said automobile body in spaced relation to said motor, a plurality of battery cells mounted on said carrier unit, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells on said carrier unit to said automobile driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier unit to said automobile body, a further motor mounted on said carrier unit for self-propelling said carrier unit when it is detached from said automobile, further electrical connector means for connecting said cells to said further motor, said further electrical connector means including manually operable switch means for controlling the energization of said further motor, said switch means being constructed to return automatically to its ''''off'''' position when manual manipulation of the switch by an operator is terminated thereby automatically to de-energize said further motor, and drive means for coupling said further motor to at least one supporting wheel of said carrier unit, said drive means including gear means arranged to transfer drive unidirectionally from said further motor to said supporting wheel and operative, when said further motor is de-energized upon return of said switch means to its ''''off'''' position, automatically to bring said carrier unit to an abrupt halt, said gear means including manually engageable and disengageable means for selectively rendering said drive means inoperative.

Claim 20

A separable battery unit for an electrically propelled automobile of the type comprising an automobile body having an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, said separable electric battery unit comprising a carrier unit supported on at least one wheel and adapted to be located within the confines of said automobile body in spaced relation to said motor, a plurality of battery cells mounted on said carrier unit, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells on said carrier unit to said automobile driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier unit to said automobile body, a further motor mounted on said carrier unit for self-propelling said carrier unit when it is detached from said automobile, further electrical connector means for connecting said cells to said further motor, said further electrical connector means including manually operable switch means for controlling the energization of said further motor, said switch means being constructed to return automatically to its ''''off'''' position when manual manipulation of the switch by an operator is terminated thereby automatically to de-energize said further motor, and drive means for coupling said further motor to at least one supporting wheel of said carrier unit, said drive means including gear means arranged to transfer drive unidirectionally from said further motor to said supporting wheel and operative, when said further motor is de-energized upon return of said switch means to its ''''off'''' position, automatically to bring said carrier unit to an abrupt halt, said gear means including manually engageable and disengageable means for selectively rendering said drive means inoperative.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 13 wherein said manually operable switch means is constructed to return automatically to its ''''off'''' position when manual operation of the switch ceases.