Protection apparatus for a vehicle

Claim 2

A protection apparatus for use in conjunction with a vehicle, comprising, in combination: generally U-shaped first means having upwardly extending legs each disposed on an opposite side of said vehicle, and a cross portion extending substantially transverse to the normal direction of motion of said vehiCle between the uppermost ends of said upwardly extending legs; said first means includes a first structural element which has a substantially square cross section; generally U-shaped second means disposed in a substantially horizontal plane of said vehicle such that the legs of the Ushape extend substantially rearwardly and laterally proximate the lower portion of the vehicle and the cross portion of the U-shape extends across the front of said vehicle so that the forwardmost part of said second means is in a position which would contact any obstacle encountered by said vehicle before any of the other components of said protective apparatus and said vehicle; said second means includes a second structural element which has a substantially square cross section; the legs of said generally U-shaped first means being rigidly affixed to the legs of said generally U-shaped second means; said extensions of the legs of said second means afford added protection to the sides of said vehicle without presenting an obstacle to the driver and passenger in entering or exiting from said vehicle; third means disposed between and connected to said first and said second means; said third means including a plurality of substantially parallel spaced apart third structural members each of which has substantially square cross section; the surfaces of said first means and of said second means which are disposed at the furthest distance from the vertical median plane of said vehicle parallel to the normal direction of motion of said vehicle have a substantially flat surface; and cutting means integrally and non-movably affixed to each of said third means for severing obstacles which may be encountered by said vehicle when said vehicle is in motion.

Claim 3

A protection apparatus characterized in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third means includes at least a portion thereof which is disposed substantially oblique to said normal direction of motion of said vehicle, and said cutting means is connected to said portion of said third means which is disposed substantially oblique to said normal direction of motion of said vehicle.

Claim 4

A protection apparatus characterized in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first means, said second means and said third means form a cradle-like structure for protecting said vehicle and its occupants; said first means of said cradle-like structure being sufficiently high relative to the center of gravity of said vehicle to minimize the likelihood of said vehicle tipping over substantially more than 90* during an accident or imbalance condition; and the forwardmost portion of said second means of said cradle-like structure being provided with a substantially small radius of curvature to facilitate veering off of any obstacle which may be encountered when said vehicle is in motion.

Claim 5

A protection apparatus characterized in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said first, second and third means form a structure laterally trapezoidal in profile and said second means consists of one and only one structural element having a non-circular cross section and extending below the lower ends of said first and second means.

Claim 6

A protection apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for removably mounting said protection apparatus to said vehicle, comprising: at least three brackets, a different one positioned and affixed on each side of said vehicle and a third positioned at the front of said vehicle in the substantially horizontal plane of said vehicle which contains the most outward protruding portions of said vehicle; means defining a hole in each of said brackets, the longitudinal axis of each of said holes being substantially perpendicular to said horizontal plane of said vehicle; at least three depending pins affixed to said third means, each adapted to be received in a different one of said holes in one of said brackets and being of such a length as to extend completely Through and below said brackets; means defining at least one horizontally-directed hole in each of said pins in that portion thereof which extends below said brackets; and at least three hitch pins, each adapted to be removably received in a different one of said horizontally-directed holes in said depending pins.

Claim 7

A protection apparatus for use in conjunction with a vehicle which includes a frame, a cowl mounted on the forward end of said frame, and an occupant section immediately to the rear of said cowl, comprising, in combination: generally U-shaped first means having upwardly extending legs, each of said legs being positioned on opposite sides of said cowl at the rearwardmost edge of said cowl, and a cross portion disposed substantially transverse to the normal direction of motion of said vehicle between the uppermost ends of said legs over the top of said cowl; said first means includes a first structural element which has a substantially square cross section; a non-metallic energy absorbing pad disposed on said transverse portion of said first means to absorb the energy of impact by the driver and passenger of said vehicle with said transverse portion of said first means in the event the driver or passenger of said vehicle is projected upward when said vehicle encounters an unyielding obstacle; generally U-shaped second means disposed in a substantially horizontal plane of said vehicle such that the legs of the U-shape extend rearward and the cross portion of the U-shape extends across the front of said vehicle so that the forwardmost part of said second means is in a position which would contact any obstacle encountered by said vehicle before any of the other components of said protection apparatus and said vehicle; the extreme lower ends of said upwardly extending legs of said first means are integrally affixed and rigidly secured to said rearwardly extending legs of said second means forwardly of the rear end of said cowl; said second means includes a second structural element which has a substantially square cross section; the legs of said generally U-shaped second means extend substantially horizontally rearward past the junction of the extreme lower ends of the legs of said first means with the legs of said substantially U-shaped second means and rearward past the rear end of said cowl, said extensions of the legs of said second means afford added protection to the sides of said vehicle without presenting an obstacle to the driver and passenger in entering or exiting from said vehicle; third means disposed between and connected to said first means and said second means; said third means including a plurality of substantially parallel spaced apart third structural members each of which has a substantially square cross section and each of which has a substantially vertical portion and an oblique portion, said third means being secured to said second means rearwardly of the forward surface of said second means; said first, second and third means forming a structure laterally trapezoidal in profile; at least those surfaces of said protection apparatus which are disposed at the furthest distance from the vertical median plane of said vehicle have a substantially flat shape; and cutting means integrally and non-movably affixed to each of said third means for severing obstacles which may be encountered by said vehicle when said vehicle is in motion.

Claim 8

A protection apparatus for use in conjunction with a vehicle which includes a frame, a cowl mounted on the forward end of said frame, and an occupant section immediately to the rear of said cowl, comprising, in combination: generally U-shaped first means having upwardly extending legs, each of said legs being positioned on opposite sides of said cowl at the rearwardmost edge of said cowl, and a cross portion disposed substantially transverse to the normal direction of motion of said vehicle between the uppermost ends of said legs over the top of said cowl; said first means includes a first structural element which has a substantially square cross section; a non-metallic energy absorbing pad disposed on said transverse portion of said first means to absorb the energy of impact by the driver and passenger of said vehicle with said transverse portion of said first means in the event the driver or passenger of said vehicle is projected upward when said vehicle encounters an unyielding obstacle; generally U-shaped second means disposed in a substantially horizontal plane of said vehicle such that the legs of the U-shape extend rearward and the cross portion of the U-shape extends across the front of said vehicle so that the forwardmost part of said second means is in a position which would contact any obstacle encountered by said vehicle before any of the other components of said protection apparatus and said vehicle; the extreme lower ends of said upwardly extending legs of said first means are integrally affixed and rigidly secured to said rearwardly extending legs of said second means forwardly of the rear end of said cowl; said second means includes a second structural element which has a substantially square cross section; the legs of said generally U-shaped second means extend substantially horizontally rearward past the junction of the extreme lower ends of the legs of said first means with the legs of said substantially U-shaped second means and rearward past the rear end of said cowl, said extensions of the legs of said second means afford added protection to the sides of said vehicle without presenting an obstacle to the driver and passenger in entering or exiting from said vehicle; third means disposed between and connected to said first means and said second means; said third means including a plurality of substantially parallel spaced apart third structural members each of which has a substantially square cross section and each of which has a substantially vertical portion and an oblique portion, said third means being secured to said second means rearwardly of the forward surface of said second means; said first, second and third means forming a structure laterally trapezoidal in profile; at least those surfaces of said protection apparatus which are disposed at the furthest distance from the vertical median plane of said vehicle have a substantially flat shape; and cutting means integrally and non-movably affixed to each of said third means for severing obstacles which may be encountered by said vehicle when said vehicle is in motion.

Claim 9

A protection apparatus as defined in claim 6, including means for removably mounting said protection apparatus to said vehicle, comprising: at least three brackets, a different one positioned and affixed on each side of said vehicle and a third positioned at the front of said vehicle in the substantially horizontal plane of said vehicle which contains the most outward protruding portions of said vehicle; means defining a hole in each of said brackets, the longitudinal axis of each of said holes being substantially perpendiCular to said horizontal plane of said vehicle; at least three depending pins affixed to said third means, each adapted to be received in a different one of said holes in one of said brackets and being of such a length as to extend completely through and below said brackets; means defining at least one horizontally-directed hole in each of said pins in that portion thereof which extends below said brackets; and at least three hitch pins, each adapted to be removably received in a different one of said horizontally-directed holes in said depending pins.