Off-the-road vehicle

Claim 2

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated rigid spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 in which each of the attaching means comprises a mounting arm extending between the central axle means to the associated connecting arm means, each of the mounting arms being independently rotatable relative to each other and to the frame arms about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis.

Claim 4

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm mEans extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the connecting arm means including a center arm having a pair of ends, the link means of each connecting arm means comprising a pair of relatively rigid links, each link being pivotally secured to one end of the center arm and pivotally secured to the associated frame arm whereby the distance between the ends of the frame arms can be increased by pivoting movement of the links of each pair toward each other.

Claim 5

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm mEans extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the connecting arm means including a center arm having a pair of ends, the link means of each connecting arm means comprising a pair of relatively rigid links, each link being pivotally secured to one end of the center arm and pivotally secured to the associated frame arm whereby the distance between the ends of the frame arms can be increased by pivoting movement of the links of each pair toward each other.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 in which each of the center arms comprises an upwardly bowed spring bar, the links secured to each spring bar being pivotable away from each other to permit the bow of the spring bar to decrease and the minimum distance between the ends of the spring bar to increase whereby the spring bars serve to cushion the vehicle body from shocks encountered by the wheels.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 4 in which each of the spring bars are leaf springs.

Claim 8

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the attaching means comprising a mounting arm extending between the central axle means to the associated connecting arm means, each of the mounting arms being independently rotatable relative to each other and to the frame arms about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, and securing means for securing each of the mounting arms to the associated connecting arms for permitting rotation between each mounting arm and the associated connecting arm means about an axis extending generally perpendicularly to the main axis and for permitting relative movement of the securing means relative to the associated connecting arm means in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation between the securing means and the associated connecting arm means.

Claim 9

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the attaching means comprising a mounting arm extending between the central axle means to the associated connecting arm means, each of the mounting arms being independently rotatable relative to each other and to the frame arms about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, and securing means for securing each of the mounting arms to the associated connecting arms for permitting rotation between each mounting arm and the associated connecting arm means about an axis extending generally perpendicularly to the main axis and for permitting relative movement of the securing means relative to the associated connecting arm means in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation between the securing means and the associated connecting arm means.

Claim 10

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the attaching means comprising a mounting arm extending between the central axle means to the associated connecting arm means, each of the mounting arms being independently rotatable relative to each other and to the frame arms about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, a vehicle body, first mounting means pivotally connecting the vehicle body to one of the mounting arms adjacent the associated connecting arm means for permitting relative pivotal movement between the vehicle body and said one mounting arm about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, and second mounting means pivotally connecting the vehicle body to the other of the mounting arms adjacent to the associated connecting arm means for permitting relative pivotal movement between the vehicle body and said other mounting arm about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis and for permitting relative movement between the vehicle body and said other mounting arm in a direction generally perpendicular to the main axis.

Claim 11

A vehicle frame for supporting a vehicle body, said frame comprising a pair of elongated spaced-apart frame arms, central axle means extending generally transversely between the frame arms at approximately the midpoints thereof to provide a forwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion for each frame arm, each frame arm being rotatably secured to the central axle means for rotation about a main axis, a wheel carried by each frame arm adjacent each of the forward and rearward ends thereof, forward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the forward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, rearward connecting arm means extending generally transversely between the rearward portions of the frame arms and secured thereto, attaching means connected to each of the connecting arm means and adapted for attaching the frame to a vehicle body, each of the connecting arm means including link means for permitting the distance between the ends of the frame arms to vary as one frame arm rotates about the main axis relative to the other frame arm while maintaining each of the attaching means substantially centered transversely between the frame arms, each of the attaching means comprising a mounting arm extending between the central axle means to the associated connecting arm means, each of the mounting arms being independently rotatable relative to each other and to the frame arms about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, a vehicle body, first mounting means pivotally connecting the vehicle body to one of the mounting arms adjacent the associated connecting arm means for permitting relative pivotal movement between the vehicle body and said one mounting arm about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis, and second mounting means pivotally connecting the vehicle body to the other of the mounting arms adjacent to the associated connecting arm means for permitting relative pivotal movement between the vehicle body and said other mounting arm about an axis extending generally parallel to the main axis and for permitting relative movement between the vehicle body and said other mounting arm in a direction generally perpendicular to the main axis.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 7 in which each of the mounting means is connected to the vehicle body to substantially prevent rotation of the vehicle body about an axis extending perpendicularly to the main axis.