Patent US4102292A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4102292A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Amphibious vehicle
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1977-09-07
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Granted: 1978-07-25
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Expires: 1997-09-07
Abstract
Abstract An amphibious vehicle for travel in water or on land with transversely spaced power driven buoyant drums fore and aft of the vehicle and intermediate buoyant idler drums likewise transversely spaced around which are reeved spaced flexible endless belt traction apparatus formed with buoyant cross tread such as elongated transversely mounted pneumatic tires or gas filled tubes to provide driving traction in the manner of a crawler type tractor. Also, a single steering control and system for directional control of the vehicle in water or on all forms of terrain surfaces is devised and power from a Diesel-Generator system is transmitted to an electric motor to drive the respective buoyant power drums at either the fore or aft end of the vehicle in each respective spaced belt or track. Such drive arrangement of the respective drums maintains tautness in the belt and reduces tensile load on the traction belts reeved over the midmounted buoyant idler drums between the respective fore and aft buoyant power drums when the power drums are selectively driven in either a forward or a reverse direction.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph W. Hunter, deceased
- 👤 administrator Marcia Hunter McLaulin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:53
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60F; B60F3/00; B60F3/0007; F; F02; F02B; F02B3/00; F02B3/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
509 words
A vehicle for land or water travel comprising a planar deck and a plurality of depending fins from the underside of the deck, a source of power mounted on the upperside of the said deck, transversely spaced sets of buoyant power drums mounted on power drum axle means supported between the fins selectively rotatably driven by said power source in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction, said transversely spaced sets of power drums each being mounted on said axle means driven by said power source, one of each set of power drums being mounted at the respective fore and aft ends of the vehicle, dual spaced sets of buoyant idler drums mounted on idler drum axle means in substantially parallel relation to and longitudinally between said spaced sets of fore and aft power drums mounted on said power drum axle means, an endless belt reeved around each of said sets of transversely spaced sets of buoyant idler drums, said endless belts having inflated transverse cleats thereon to help maintain said deck above a water line of the vehicle, gear means for each of said power drums keyed on said axle means to rotatably drive said endless belts with said cleats to effect propulsion of said vehicle and said buoyant idler drums and said inflated transverse cleats, said source of power comprising a diesel engine directly coupled to drive a generator means and provide energization of port and starboard electric motors, each motor having a rotor shaft and a drive gear in mesh with the said gear means of said power drums to impart drive to each respective set of power drums at the fore and aft of said vehicle, steering means for selectively changing the speed of the power drums on the left or right of the vehicle, said steering means comprising a steering wheel, a steering column and a sleeve below said steering wheel on said steering column, said steering wheel being keyed to said column to turn the same to the right or left in said sleeve, rehostat means including respective port and starboard resistance sections supported by said sleeve around said steering column, a pusher arm keyed to said steering column movable to right or left by said steering wheel, ring mounted slider arms movable over said resistance sections by said pusher arm responsive to rotation of said steering wheel and steering column, said rehostat resistance sections and slider arms being in circuit between said generator means and said motor means for selectively varying the resistance of said resistance sections in circuit with said port and starboard motors drivably coupled by said motor drive gears to the gear means of the said power drums on the left or right side of the vehicle, to thereby change the speed of the power drums on the left or right side of the vehicle, and a manual lever means to provide a forward, neutral and reverse control of the vehicle drive motors, to thereby coact with the manual turning of said steering wheel for control of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
509 words
A vehicle for land or water travel comprising a planar deck and a plurality of depending fins from the underside of the deck, a source of power mounted on the upperside of the said deck, transversely spaced sets of buoyant power drums mounted on power drum axle means supported between the fins selectively rotatably driven by said power source in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction, said transversely spaced sets of power drums each being mounted on said axle means driven by said power source, one of each set of power drums being mounted at the respective fore and aft ends of the vehicle, dual spaced sets of buoyant idler drums mounted on idler drum axle means in substantially parallel relation to and longitudinally between said spaced sets of fore and aft power drums mounted on said power drum axle means, an endless belt reeved around each of said sets of transversely spaced sets of buoyant idler drums, said endless belts having inflated transverse cleats thereon to help maintain said deck above a water line of the vehicle, gear means for each of said power drums keyed on said axle means to rotatably drive said endless belts with said cleats to effect propulsion of said vehicle and said buoyant idler drums and said inflated transverse cleats, said source of power comprising a diesel engine directly coupled to drive a generator means and provide energization of port and starboard electric motors, each motor having a rotor shaft and a drive gear in mesh with the said gear means of said power drums to impart drive to each respective set of power drums at the fore and aft of said vehicle, steering means for selectively changing the speed of the power drums on the left or right of the vehicle, said steering means comprising a steering wheel, a steering column and a sleeve below said steering wheel on said steering column, said steering wheel being keyed to said column to turn the same to the right or left in said sleeve, rehostat means including respective port and starboard resistance sections supported by said sleeve around said steering column, a pusher arm keyed to said steering column movable to right or left by said steering wheel, ring mounted slider arms movable over said resistance sections by said pusher arm responsive to rotation of said steering wheel and steering column, said rehostat resistance sections and slider arms being in circuit between said generator means and said motor means for selectively varying the resistance of said resistance sections in circuit with said port and starboard motors drivably coupled by said motor drive gears to the gear means of the said power drums on the left or right side of the vehicle, to thereby change the speed of the power drums on the left or right side of the vehicle, and a manual lever means to provide a forward, neutral and reverse control of the vehicle drive motors, to thereby coact with the manual turning of said steering wheel for control of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
295 words
The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said manual lever has a shank including a handle in the provision of a handle end and a shift end opposite to said handle engageable in a notch means, a bearing, said bearing being held in position between upstanding plates to rockably support said lever, said plates being anchored to said vehicle deck, one of said plates having an inturned portion extending beyond said bearing spaced below the handle of said handle end to provide a mounting plate, a switch to control said generator means of said system mounted on the underside of said plate, said plate being formed intermediately with an opening, said switch having a spring arm normally biased to a closed position, an actuator plunger formed with an apertured cam follower head portion movable vertically to open said switch, said plunger including an end pin engageable with said plate and projectable into said opening therein upon rocking said lever to a central neutral position to hold said switch arm open by said handle, said handle being formed with a bore to receive a second plunger, said second plunger having a manual release button exposed for manual contact at one end, a cam on the opposite end of said second plunger, a coil spring mounted on said second plunger engaged by the inboard face of said push button and the opposite facing surface of said cam, whereby when said button is pushed against the bias action of said spring, movement is imparted to said cam to engage through the aperture in the said cam follower head portion of said first named activator plunger to thereby raise the plunger and the said end pin to thereby close the switch to facilitate forward or reverse drive of said vehicle.
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) | 1981-07-24 | 1982-01-23 | 1982-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-24 | 1986-01-23 | 1986-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-24 | 1990-01-23 | 1990-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |