US3765357A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
All-terrain-vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-22
•
Granted: 1973-10-16
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Expires: 1991-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle adapted to travel on both water and ice comprises: a vehicle hull; propulsion means carried by said hull; ski-like surfaces carried by said hull and mounted to permit their up-anddown movement relative to said hull; support means acting between said ski-like surfaces and said hull and arranged to provide at all times a substantial degree of support of the hull by the skilike surfaces; fan means arranged to discharge air continuously into a space below said hull; and enclosure means arranged to restrict leakage of said air from below said hull; the arrangement being such that said air in said space below said hull can provide a considerable degree of support for said hull by an air cushion or ground effect, while permitting said skilike surfaces to remain in contact with the ground and so provide both support and restraint against lateral movement of the hull relative to the ground.
Inventors
- 👤 E Peri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:15
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60V; B60V1/00; B60V1/04; B60V1/043; B60V1/16; B63; B63B; B63B1/00; B63B1/16; B63B1/18; B63B1/20; B63B1/32; B63B1/34; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T70/00; Y02T70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A vehicle adapted to travel on both water and ice, and comprising: a. a vehicle hull; b. propulsion means carried by said hull; c. ski-like surfaces carried by said hull and mounted to permit their up-and-down movement relative to said hull; d. said ski surfaces being provided respectively on a plurality of pontoons each extending fore-and-aft of said hull; e. means attaching said pontoons to said hull in a manner permitting said pontoons to move up-and-down independently of one another; f. each of said pontoons including a laterally spaced pair of said ski-like surfaces separated by a furrow; g. each of said pontoons being provided with means for the continuous supply of air to the furrow between said pair of ski-like surfaces; h. support means acting between said pontoons and said hull and arranged to provide a substantial degree of support of the hull by said pontoons; i. fan means arranged to discharge air continuously into a space below said hull; and j. enclosure means arranged to inhibit leakage of said air from below said hull; the arrangement being such that said air in said space below said hull can provide a substantial support for said hull by an air cushion or ground effect, while permitting said ski-like surfaces to remain in contact with the ground and so provide both support and restraint against lateral movement of the hull relative to the ground.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
A vehicle adapted to travel on both water and ice, and comprising: a. a vehicle hull; b. propulsion means carried by said hull; c. ski-like surfaces carried by said hull and mounted to permit their up-and-down movement relative to said hull; d. said ski surfaces being provided respectively on a plurality of pontoons each extending fore-and-aft of said hull; e. means attaching said pontoons to said hull in a manner permitting said pontoons to move up-and-down independently of one another; f. each of said pontoons including a laterally spaced pair of said ski-like surfaces separated by a furrow; g. each of said pontoons being provided with means for the continuous supply of air to the furrow between said pair of ski-like surfaces; h. support means acting between said pontoons and said hull and arranged to provide a substantial degree of support of the hull by said pontoons; i. fan means arranged to discharge air continuously into a space below said hull; and j. enclosure means arranged to inhibit leakage of said air from below said hull; the arrangement being such that said air in said space below said hull can provide a substantial support for said hull by an air cushion or ground effect, while permitting said ski-like surfaces to remain in contact with the ground and so provide both support and restraint against lateral movement of the hull relative to the ground.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, in which said enclosure means includes said pontoons and skirt means closing spaces between said pontoons.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A vehicle according to claim 2, in which said skirt means include inflatable air bags.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A vehicle according to claim 3, in which air ducts are provided between said air bags and said fan means for constantly replenishing said air bags by air from said fan means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, and in which said enclosure means includes four of said pontoons disposed parallel to one another in a rectangular formation and provided respectively with said ski-like surfaces, at each side of the vehicle there being a front pontoon and a rear pontoon spaced in a fore-and-Aft direction of the hull relative to one another, and inflated air bags arranged to complete said enclosure means and arranged respectively between each front pontoon and the adjacent rear pontoon, between the two front pontoons, and between the two rear pontoons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
A vehicle according to claim 5, and in which air ducts are provided between said fan means and said air bags for continuously replenishing said air bags with air from said fan means, and each of said air bags defines air discharge openings for continuously discharging air into the space below the hull to provide said air cushion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A vehicle according to claim 5, in which a part of the enclosure means extending between two said rear pontoons is divided into left-hand and right-hand parts which are capable of upward movement independently of one another, so permitting passage of a fixed obstruction past said part of the enclosure means with only limited escape of air from said space below the hull.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A vehicle according to claim 6, and in which said air bag discharge openings are arranged to discharge air in a direction inwardly of the vehicle and in a manner discouraging escape of air under the air bag from said space.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, in which each of said pontoons contains a closed-pore foamed material which has an overall density considerably less than that of water, whereby said pontoon remains buoyant even when damaged.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, and in which said propulsion means is a heat engine, the waste heat of which is added to air discharged by said fan means to said space.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A vehicle according to claim 1, in which said support means acting between said pontoons and said hull include resilient air-containing bags which serve as a resilient support for the hull on said pontoons.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |