Vehicle drive and suspension

Claim 2

In a wheeled vehicle having a hull; hull suspension means comprising a road wheel support arm connected to the hull on a swing axis; elastic force-absorption means centered on the swing axis inboard from the road wheel support arm; a torque rod interconnecting the road arm and the force-absorption means; said torque rod extending along the aforementioned swing axis so that it transmits road wheel forces to the force-absorption means; a rotary drive shaft disposed within the hull on an axis that intersects and crosses the aforementioned swing axis; and transmission means operatively interconnecting the drive shaft and road wheel; said torque rod having a clearance opening therethrough; said drive shaft extending through the clearance opening without interferring with rotational movement of the torque rod around the swing axis.

Claim 3

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 1 said road wheel support arm including a barrel extending into the hull on the swing axis; the force-absorption means comprising an elastomeric annulus whose outer diameter is substantially the same as that of the barrel.

Claim 4

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 2 the drive shaft having its axis located approximately midway between the barrel and the elastomeric annulus.

Claim 5

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 1 a housing carried by the hull for supporting the aforementioned drive shaft; said road wheel support arm comprising a barrel extending into the shaft support housing on the aforementioned swing axis; and a single anti-friction bearing means disposed within the shaft support housing to absorb both radial and thrust loads imposed on the barrel.

Claim 6

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 4 said anti-friction bearing means consisting of a single set of balls disposed within a raceway defined by grooves machined in opposed surfaces of the barrel and housing.

Claim 7

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 5 the shaft support housing having a ball loader opening communicating with the raceway.

Claim 8

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 1 the aforementioned transmission means comprising a sleeve surrounding the torque rod.

Claim 9

In the wheeled vehicle of claim 1 a housing carried by the hull for supporting the aforementioned drive shaft; said road wheel support arm including a rotary barrel extending into the shaft support housing on the aforementioned swing axis; the aforementioned transmission means comprising a drive sleeve arranged within the barrel in surrounding relation to the torque rod.

Claim 10

In a wheeled vehicle having a hull; road wheel support arms swingably connected to the right and left sides of the hull on individual swing axis; a separate elastic force-absorption means associated with each road wheel support arm; left and right drive shafts extending parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis; each drive shaft being disposed within the hull on an axis that intersects and crosses the associated road wheel arm swing axis; drive trains in selected ones of the road wheel support arms; means for transmitting drive forces from the left drive shaft to individual drive trains in selected ones of the left road wheel support arms; means for transmitting drive forces from the right drive shaft to individual drive trains in selected ones of the right road wheel support arms; each drive-transmitting means comprising a drive sleeve concentric with the swing axis for the associated road wheel support arm; each force-absorption means comprising an elastomeric annulus located inboard of the associated drive shaft, and a torque rod extending along the swing axis from the elastomeric annulus to the associated road wheel support arm; each torque rod having a clearance opening therethrough, the associated drive shaft extending through the various clearance openings without interferring with rotational movements of the individual torque rods around the individual swing axis.

Claim 11

In a wheeled vehicle having a hull; road wheel support arms swingably connected to the right and left sides of the hull on individual swing axis; a separate elastic force-absorption means associated with each road wheel support arm; left and right drive shafts extending parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis; each drive shaft being disposed within the hull on an axis that intersects and crosses the associated road wheel arm swing axis; drive trains in selected ones of the road wheel support arms; means for transmitting drive forces from the left drive shaft to individual drive trains in selected ones of the left road wheel support arms; means for transmitting drive forces from the right drive shaft to individual drive trains in selected ones of the right road wheel support arms; each drive-transmitting means comprising a drive sleeve concentric with the swing axis for the associated road wheel support arm; each force-absorption means comprising an elastomeric annulus located inboard of the associated drive shaft, and a torque rod extending along the swing axis from the elastomeric annulus to the associated road wheel support arm; each torque rod having a clearance opening therethrough, the associated drive shaft extending through the various clearance openings without interferring with rotational movements of the individual torque rods around the individual swing axis.