Pneumatic drive system for land vehicles

Claim 2

A combined velocity and direction of motion unit for a propulsion device activated by fluid pressure comprising: a housing; a velocity control assembly positioned in one end portion of said housing with inlet and outlet ports in said one end portion; a direction of motion assembly positioned in the other end portion of said housing with first inlet and outlet ports in said other end portion in its upper part and second inlet and outlet ports in the lower part of said other end portion; a first plurality of conduits between the outlet ports of said one end portion and the first inlet ports of said other end portion; and a second plurality of conduits between said first plurality of conduits and said second inlet ports in said other end portion.

Claim 3

The combined unit according to claim 1 wherein said one end portion contains a plurality of vertical chambers arranged side-by-side in spaced relationship between respective inlet and outlet ports in said portion and said velocity control assembly comprises an equal plurality of valve rods in said chambers which rods are adapted for simultaneous movement within said chambers, each of said rods having an orifice therethrough which may be selectively interposed between the respective inlet and outlet port for each of said chambers to control the volume of pressurized fluid passing through said one end portion.

Claim 4

The combined unit according to claim 1 wherein said other end portion contains a plurality of vertical chambers arranged side-by-side in spaced relationship between said first and second inlet and outlet ports and said direction of motion assembly comprises and equal plurality of valve rods in said chambers which rods are adapted for simultaneous movement within said chambers, each of said rods having an orifice therethrough which may be selectively interposed between the respective first and second inlet and outlet ports for each of said chambers to allow the flow of pressurized fluid through all of said chambers simultaneously from said first plurality of conduits, at least one pair of adjacent valve rods having their orifices selected from the group of an elongated orifice and two selectively spaced orifices so that said at least one pair of valve rods may be selectively interposed between their respective first and second inlet and outlet ports to allow the flow of pressurized fluid only through those ports while shutting off the flow of pressurized fluid through the respective inlet and outlet ports of said other pair of valve rods.

Claim 5

The combined unit according to claim 3 wherein the first outlet ports of said other end portion are connected by conduits to fluid driven propulsion units to impart rotation of said units in one direction and said second outlet ports of said other end portion are connected by separate conduits to said propulsion units to impart rotation of said units in the opposite direction.

Claim 6

A pneumatically driven land vehicle comprising: a frame upon which may be secured a body of a suitable type; a first pair of propulsion units for said vehicle mounted with appropriate suspension means and steering means on one end portion of said frame and a second pair of propulsion units mounted with appropriate suspension means on the other end portion of said frame, each propulsion unit comprising a ground contacting assembly of a wheel, axle and braking means, a rotary driving unit secured to said axle and connected to a rechargeable source of compressed air and compressor means driven by said axle to supply compressed air to said source; and a unit for combined velocity control, selector of forward or reverse movement of the vehicle and determinant of activation of one or both pairs of said propulsion units, said unit being mounted on said frame and connected by a first conduit to each of said rechargeable sources, by a second conduit to each of said propulsion units to supply compressed air for forward movement and by a third conduit to each of said second pair of units to supply compressed air for reverse movement, said unit comprising a housing; a velocity control assembly position in one end portion of said housing with inlet and outlet ports in said one end portion; a direction of motion assembly positioned in the other end portion of said housing with first inlet and outlet ports in said other end portion in its upper part and second inlet and outlet ports in the lower part of said other end portion; a first plurality of conduits between the outlet ports of said one end portion and the first inlet ports of said other end portion; and a second plurality of conduits between said first plurality of conduits and said second inlet ports in said other end portion, said second conduits to said propulsion units being connected to said first outlet ports in said other end portion, said third conduits to said second pair of propulsion units being connected to said second outlet ports in said other end portion.

Claim 7

A pneumatically driven land vehicle comprising: a frame upon which may be secured a body of a suitable type; a first pair of propulsion units for said vehicle mounted with appropriate suspension means and steering means on one end portion of said frame and a second pair of propulsion units mounted with appropriate suspension means on the other end portion of said frame, each propulsion unit comprising a ground contacting assembly of a wheel, axle and braking means, a rotary driving unit secured to said axle and connected to a rechargeable source of compressed air and compressor means driven by said axle to supply compressed air to said source; and a unit for combined velocity control, selector of forward or reverse movement of the vehicle and determinant of activation of one or both pairs of said propulsion units, said unit being mounted on said frame and connected by a first conduit to each of said rechargeable sources, by a second conduit to each of said propulsion units to supply compressed air for forward movement and by a third conduit to each of said second pair of units to supply compressed air for reverse movement, said unit comprising a housing; a velocity control assembly position in one end portion of said housing with inlet and outlet ports in said one end portion; a direction of motion assembly positioned in the other end portion of said housing with first inlet and outlet ports in said other end portion in its upper part and second inlet and outlet ports in the lower part of said other end portion; a first plurality of conduits between the outlet ports of said one end portion and the first inlet ports of said other end portion; and a second plurality of conduits between said first plurality of conduits and said second inlet ports in said other end portion, said second conduits to said propulsion units being connected to said first outlet ports in said other end portion, said third conduits to said second pair of propulsion units being connected to said second outlet ports in said other end portion.

Claim 8

The combined unit according to claim 5 wherein said one end portion contains a plurality of vertical chambers arranged side-by-side in spaced relationship between respective inlet and outlet ports in said portion and said velocity control assembly comprises an equal plurality of valve rods in said chambers which rods are adapted for simultaneous movement within said chambers, each of said rods having an orifice therethrough which may be selectively interposed between the respective inlet and outlet port for each of said chambers to control the volume of pressurized fluid passing through said one end portion.

Claim 9

The combined unit according to claim 5 wherein said other end portion contains a plurality of vertical chambers arranged side-by-side in spaced relationship between said first and second inlet and outlet ports and said direction of motion assembly comprises and equal plurality of valve rods in said chambers which rods are adapted for simultaneous movement within said chambers, each of said rods having an orifice therethrough which may be selectively interposed between the respective first and second inlet and outlet ports for each of said chambers to allow the flow of pressurized fluid through all of said chambers simultaneously from said first plurality of conduits, at least one pair of adjacent valve rods having their orifices selected from the group of an elongated orifice and two selectively spaced orifices so that said at least one pair of valve rods may be selectively interposed between their respective first and second inlet and outlet ports to allow the flow of pressurized fluid only through those ports while shutting off the flow of pressurized fluid through the respective inlet and outlet ports of said other pair of valve rods.