Patent US116679A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3774706A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3774706A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wheel kit for snowmobiles
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-21
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Granted: 1973-11-27
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Expires: 1991-10-21
Abstract
Abstract A wheel kit replaces the skis of a snowmobile with a spring mounted front axle having steerable wheels secured thereto by separate kingpins and having leaf springs disposed in an outward flare, and another wheel kit replaces the endless drive track of the snowmobile with a swing frame having its forward end pivotally supported at the axis of the transverse drive shaft of the snowmobile generally beneath the engine at the front end, and having its rear end supported on a transverse shaft carrying a pair of adjacent rear drive wheels with means driving the same from said transverse drive shaft and with resilient means supporting the rear end of the snowmobile upon the swing frame.
Inventors
- 👤 E Kiekhaefer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:30
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62K; B62K5/00; B62K5/01; B62K13/00; B62M; B62M27/00; B62M27/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A wheel conversion device for snowmobiles having a chassis supported at least in part upon an endless track mechanism with a front drive shaft, adapted to replace the track mechanism therefor and comprising a rigid swing frame pivoted at its forward end on a horizontal transverse axis to the snowmobile chassis, a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels disposed on opposite sides of the rear end of said swing frame and extending rearwardly beyond the end of the chassis, a rear drive shaft carrying said wheels and mounted at the rear end of said frame, means to drive said rear drive shaft from a forward drive shaft disposed at said pivotal connection between the chassis and said swing frame, and resilient means adapted to support the rear end of the chassis upon said swing frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A wheel conversion device for snowmobiles having a chassis supported at least in part upon an endless track mechanism with a front drive shaft, adapted to replace the track mechanism therefor and comprising a rigid swing frame pivoted at its forward end on a horizontal transverse axis to the snowmobile chassis, a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels disposed on opposite sides of the rear end of said swing frame and extending rearwardly beyond the end of the chassis, a rear drive shaft carrying said wheels and mounted at the rear end of said frame, means to drive said rear drive shaft from a forward drive shaft disposed at said pivotal connection between the chassis and said swing frame, and resilient means adapted to support the rear end of the chassis upon said swing frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The construction of claim 1 in which the drive connection between said forward drive shaft and said rear drive shaft comprises an intermediate countershaft carried by said swing frame at the pivotal transverse axis therefor, a positive drive connection between said front drive shaft and said countershaft, and a positive drive connection between said countershaft and said rear drive shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The construction of claim 2 and separate means to adjust said countershaft and said rear drive shaft longitudinally of said frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The construction of claim 1 and means adapted to be disposed at the rear end of said snowmobile chassis for limiting relative lateral movement of the chassis and frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The construction of claim 1 in which said rear drive wheels are adapted to be disposed directly behind the snowmobile chassis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
The construction of claim 1 wherein a separate wheel kit is adapted to replace the steerable front skis of the snowmobile and comprises a rigid front axle with a kingpin at each end supporting corresponding steerable wheels spaced outwardly of the position for the snowmobile chassis, means adapted to connect said steerable wheels with the steering mechanism for the snowmobile skis, and means adapted to resiliently support the front end of said snowmobile chassis upon said front axle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
A front wheel kit adapted for replacement of the front skis of a snowmobile, comprising a rigid transversely extending frame adapted to be secured to the underside of the snowmobile when the front skis and their mountings have been removed, a front wheel axle having kingpins for separately mounting front steerable wheels at its opposite ends, means adapted to connect the steering knuckles of said wheels to the steering control mechanism of the snowmobile, and rEsilient means mounting said axle to said frame and providing for limited relative vertical movement between said axle and said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
A front wheel kit adapted for replacement of the front skis of a snowmobile, comprising a rigid transversely extending frame adapted to be secured to the underside of the snowmobile when the front skis and their mountings have been removed, a front wheel axle having kingpins for separately mounting front steerable wheels at its opposite ends, means adapted to connect the steering knuckles of said wheels to the steering control mechanism of the snowmobile, and rEsilient means mounting said axle to said frame and providing for limited relative vertical movement between said axle and said frame.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The front wheel kit of claim 7 in which said last named means comprises a pair of leaf springs secured at their forward ends to the opposite ends of said axle and secured at their rear ends to said rigid frame near the longitudinal center line thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
128 words
A wheel mounting for snowmobiles having forward skis and a track drive with a forward sprocket drive shaft, comprising in combination a front wheel kit adapted to replace the forward skis of the snowmobile and a rear wheel kit adapted to replace the track drive for the snowmobile, means mounting said rear wheel kit for vertical pivotal swinging on the sprocket drive shaft near the forward end of the snowmobile with the wheels disposed beyond the rear end of the snowmobile and driven from said shaft, and means rigidly mounting said front wheel kit to the bearing supports for said sprocket drive shaft, whereby torsional forces between the front and rear wheels are resisted to provide greater stability for the snowmobile when the wheel kits are secured thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
128 words
A wheel mounting for snowmobiles having forward skis and a track drive with a forward sprocket drive shaft, comprising in combination a front wheel kit adapted to replace the forward skis of the snowmobile and a rear wheel kit adapted to replace the track drive for the snowmobile, means mounting said rear wheel kit for vertical pivotal swinging on the sprocket drive shaft near the forward end of the snowmobile with the wheels disposed beyond the rear end of the snowmobile and driven from said shaft, and means rigidly mounting said front wheel kit to the bearing supports for said sprocket drive shaft, whereby torsional forces between the front and rear wheels are resisted to provide greater stability for the snowmobile when the wheel kits are secured thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-26 | 1977-05-28 | 1977-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-26 | 1981-05-28 | 1981-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-26 | 1985-05-28 | 1985-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |