Method and means for additionally improving the stability and traction of vehicles especially in braking

Claim 2

Method for increasing traction and the adherence to the ground of vehicles having rotational elements for supporting and carrying the vehicle upon and over the ground, particularly automobile vehicles, said method comprising: creating under the lower part of the vehicle between its bottom and the supporting ground over which the vehicle is traveling while said vehicle is moving at any given rate of speed an extraordinary and greater-than-normal vacuum effect for said rate of speed of said vehicle; and at the same time utilizing said vacuum effect to increase the force and pressure of the vehicle upon and against the ground, whereby the traction and consequent stability of said vehicle traveling at said given rate of speed is increased upon and with respect to said ground, wherein said greater-than-normal vacuum effect is created by channeling at least a substantial part of the air masses passing under said vehicle through a zone of depression therefor under said vehicle between its bottom and the ground, said depression of said air masses inducing said vacuum effect.

Claim 3

A method according to the method of claim 1, wherein said vacuum effect is created towards the rear of the vehicle opposite the direction of travel of said vehicle.

Claim 4

A method according to the method of claim 1, wherein said vacuum effect is created while said vehicle is moving at the time and during the forced deceleration of said vehicle in the braking thereof.

Claim 5

A method according to the method of claim 1, wherein said vacuum effect is created, while said vehicle is moving; towards the rear end of the vehicle opposite the direction of travel of said vehicle; and at the time and during the forced decceleration of said vehicle in the braking thereof.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum effect is created so as to be primarily and in its major influence effective on and with the rear end of said vehicle.

Claim 7

Apparatus for increasing traction and adherance to the ground of a moving vehicle when it is travelling over ground on which it is supported at any given rate of speed, said apparatus comprising: a movable flap affixed to the lowermost part of the bottom of said vehicle, said flap having a front end and a rear end, means for rotatably affixing said flap by and at its rear end under and to the bottom of said vehicle so as to permit said flap to be moved upwardly and downwardly with respect to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the front end of said flap is disposed in a position downward towards the ground, said flap defines a convergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, intake aRrangement for air passing under said vehicle in the movement over the ground of said vehicle, said convergent form being capable of initially compressing air passing therethrough during movement of the vehicle, and an air escape opening arranged at the rear end of said flap constructed to move said opening smaller than the air intake end of said flap when the front end of said flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing through said convergent form out of said opening is depressed whereby a vacuum effect is thereupon created between the bottom of the vehicle and the ground.

Claim 8

Apparatus for increasing traction and adherance to the ground of a moving vehicle when it is travelling over ground on which it is supported at any given rate of speed, said apparatus comprising: a movable flap affixed to the lowermost part of the bottom of said vehicle, said flap having a front end and a rear end, means for rotatably affixing said flap by and at its rear end under and to the bottom of said vehicle so as to permit said flap to be moved upwardly and downwardly with respect to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the front end of said flap is disposed in a position downward towards the ground, said flap defines a convergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, intake aRrangement for air passing under said vehicle in the movement over the ground of said vehicle, said convergent form being capable of initially compressing air passing therethrough during movement of the vehicle, and an air escape opening arranged at the rear end of said flap constructed to move said opening smaller than the air intake end of said flap when the front end of said flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing through said convergent form out of said opening is depressed whereby a vacuum effect is thereupon created between the bottom of the vehicle and the ground.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, lateral, longitudinal, flexible side walls between and connecting each of the lateral edges of said flap with and to the bottom of said vehicle which sidewalls enclose the convergent form of said flap and form an air compression passage chamber therewith when said flap is downwardly disposed.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said lateral, longitudinal side walls are comprised of flexible bands having their lower edges arranged at least in a position of immediate proximity with the ground when said flap is disposed in its extreme downward position.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said means for rotatably affixing said flap to the bottom of said vehicle is a turning axle upon which said flap is mounted at its rear end.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, means integral with and at the front end of said flap which are operable, when said flap is so greatly disposed downwardly as to contact the ground, to permit said front end of the flap to ride over and upon the ground while the vehicle is moving.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means are in the form of skids that are adapted to scrape upon and over the ground when said vehicle is moving.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means are roller wheel elements adapted to ride over the ground when said vehicle is moving.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 6 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, means associated with the braking mechanism of said vehicle for automatically moving said flap downwardly when the brakes of said vehicle are applied during forced deceleration thereof.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 in associated combination with an automobile.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 6 in associated combination with an automobile.

Claim 18

Apparatus for increasing traction and adherance to the ground of a moving vehicle when it is travelling over ground on which it is supported at any given rate of speed, said apparatus comprising: a first movable flap and a second movable flap each rotatably affixed to the lowermost part of the bottom of said vehicle with each of said flaps having front ends and rear ends disposed respectively under the vehicle with relation to its direction of forward travel, means for rotatably affixing each of said flaps by and at one of the ends of each under and to the bottom of said vehicle so as to permit each of said flaps to be moved upwardly and downwardly at their unaffixed ends with respect to the bottom of said vehicle, the first movable flap being disposed under said vehicle ahead and to the front of the second movable flap with respect to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the said first movable flap being rotatably affixed by its rear end to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the front end of said flap is disposed in a position downwards towards the ground, said flap defines a convergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, intake arrangement for air passing under said vehicle in the movement over the ground of said vehicle, said convergent form being capable of initially compressing air passing therethrough during movement of the vehicle, the said second movable flap being rotatably affixed by its front enD to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the rear end of said flap is disposed in a position downwards towards the ground, said flap defines a divergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, outlet arrangement for passing on air from the convergent form made by the downwardly-positioned first flap out towards the rear end of said vehicle, an air escape opening arranged at the rear of said first flap constructed to have said opening smaller than the air intake end of said first flap when the front end of said first flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing through said convergent form out of its said opening is at least commenced to be depressed, an air inlet opening arranged at the front end of said second flap constructed to have said opening smaller than the air outlet end of said second flap when the rear end of said second flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing out of said divergent form is capable of expanding and at least substantially complete depression, the opening at the rear end of the first flap being in such relationship with the opening at the front end of the second flap that a connecting throat passage is formed for air to move from the divergent form formed by the first flap on and into the divergent form formed by the second flap, and the rear end of said first flap and the front end of said second flap being positioned in such spaced apart relationship in the area of said connecting throat passage that there is there provided an opening for air aspiration between the first flap and the second flap from the bottom of the vehicle to the ground so that air passing through said air throat passage is depressed whereby a vacuum effect is thereupon created between the bottom of the vehicle and the ground.

Claim 19

Apparatus for increasing traction and adherance to the ground of a moving vehicle when it is travelling over ground on which it is supported at any given rate of speed, said apparatus comprising: a first movable flap and a second movable flap each rotatably affixed to the lowermost part of the bottom of said vehicle with each of said flaps having front ends and rear ends disposed respectively under the vehicle with relation to its direction of forward travel, means for rotatably affixing each of said flaps by and at one of the ends of each under and to the bottom of said vehicle so as to permit each of said flaps to be moved upwardly and downwardly at their unaffixed ends with respect to the bottom of said vehicle, the first movable flap being disposed under said vehicle ahead and to the front of the second movable flap with respect to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the said first movable flap being rotatably affixed by its rear end to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the front end of said flap is disposed in a position downwards towards the ground, said flap defines a convergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, intake arrangement for air passing under said vehicle in the movement over the ground of said vehicle, said convergent form being capable of initially compressing air passing therethrough during movement of the vehicle, the said second movable flap being rotatably affixed by its front enD to the bottom of said vehicle so that, when the rear end of said flap is disposed in a position downwards towards the ground, said flap defines a divergent form, at least approximately dihedrally-angled, outlet arrangement for passing on air from the convergent form made by the downwardly-positioned first flap out towards the rear end of said vehicle, an air escape opening arranged at the rear of said first flap constructed to have said opening smaller than the air intake end of said first flap when the front end of said first flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing through said convergent form out of its said opening is at least commenced to be depressed, an air inlet opening arranged at the front end of said second flap constructed to have said opening smaller than the air outlet end of said second flap when the rear end of said second flap is downwardly disposed so that air passing out of said divergent form is capable of expanding and at least substantially complete depression, the opening at the rear end of the first flap being in such relationship with the opening at the front end of the second flap that a connecting throat passage is formed for air to move from the divergent form formed by the first flap on and into the divergent form formed by the second flap, and the rear end of said first flap and the front end of said second flap being positioned in such spaced apart relationship in the area of said connecting throat passage that there is there provided an opening for air aspiration between the first flap and the second flap from the bottom of the vehicle to the ground so that air passing through said air throat passage is depressed whereby a vacuum effect is thereupon created between the bottom of the vehicle and the ground.

Claim 20

Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, lateral, longitudinal, flexible side walls between and connecting each of the lateral edges of each of said flaps with and to the bottom of said vehicle, which sidewalls separately and respectively enclose the convergent form of said first flap and the divergent form of said second flap, so as with said first flap to form an air compression passage chamber therewith when said first flap is downwardly disposed, and with said second flap to form an air depression exhaust passage chamber therewith when said second flap is downwardly disposed.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said lateral, longitudinal side walls are comprised of flexible bands having their lower edges arranged at least in a position of immediate proximity with the ground when said first and second flaps are disposed in their extreme downward positions.

Claim 22

Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, a foraminous, particle blocking, protective grill section disposed over the bottom side towards the ground of said air-aspirating opening between said first and said second flaps.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 16 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, means associated with the braking mechanism of said vehicle for automatically moving said first and second flaps downwardly when the brakes of said vehicle are applied during forced deceleration thereof.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 in associated combination with an automobile.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 16 in associated combination with an automobile.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 16, including at least one shaped cowl opening away from the direction of vehicle travel and in communication with space beneath said first flap.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 6, including at least one shaped cowl opening away from the direction of vehicle travel and in communication with space beneath said flap.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a plurality of cowls are employed with the cowls having the shape when viewed horizontally of a pointed shell with the point thereof being directed toward the front of the vehicle.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a plurality of cowls are employed with the cowls having the shape when viewed horizontally of a pointed shell with the point thereof being directed toward the front of the vehicle.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein there is with the first flap, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, lateral, longitudinal, flexible side walls between and connecting each of the lateral edges of said flap with and to the bottom of said vehicle which sidewalls enclose the convergent form of said flap and form an air compression passage chamber therewith when said flap is downwardly disposed.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 25 including generally planar support means for the cowls which are in the form of an inclined plane, said lateral, longitudinal side walls being comprised of flexible bands having their lower edges arranged at least in a position of immediate proximity with the ground when said flap is disposed in its extreme downward position.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said means for rotatably affixing said flap to the bottom of said vehicle is a turning axle upon which said flap is mounted at its rear end.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flap forms with the ground an angle of between about 15* and 20* when said flap is in the downward position.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 25, including an aileron in association with each cowl which favors aspiration through said cowl.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means are roller wheel elements adapted to ride over the ground when said vehicle is moving.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 25 including, in addition thereto and in combination therewith, means associated with the braking mechanism of said vehicle for automatically moving said flap downwardly when the brakes of said vehicle are applied during forced deceleration thereof.