Power train
AssigneeGibbs Technologies Limited
InventorsTerence James Roycroft, Alan Timothy Gibbs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Power train for amphibious vehicle has an engine aligned with longitudinal vehicle axis, transmission, and power take off mounted between engine and transmission. At least one marine propulsion unit mounted at the rear of the vehicle, is driven by shaft, which runs alongside the transmission. Either transmission is offset to axis, and marine propulsion unit is on axis; or transmission is on axis, and the marine propulsion unit(s) are offset to axis. The driven road wheels may be the front wheels, the rear wheels, or all four. The engine may be at the front of the vehicle and the transmission at the back. Alternatively, the transmission may drive forward to a differential mounted adjacent to the engine sump, with wheel drive shaft passing through said pump.
Claims19
A power train (10;110;210;310;410;510;610) for an amphibious vehicle (34;134;234;334;434;534;634), which power train comprises an engine (18) adapted for mounting in the vehicle such that a crankshaft (19) of the engine is substantially in alignment with a longitudinal axis (20) of the vehicle, a transmission (11;11′;11″), and a power take off (36;70) positioned in the drive line between the engine and the transmission, characterised in that the transmission is positioned rearwardly of the engine, and in that the power take off is adapted to drive at least one marine propulsion unit (40;40A,40B) located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a shaft (54;68;72,74;72′,74′;72″,74″) which runs alongside to the transmission.
A power train as claimed in any previous claim, in which the engine and transmission are adapted to be positioned towards the front of the amphibious vehicle and to provide drive to at least the front wheels (14, 16) of the vehicle.
A power train as claimed in any previous claim in which the transmission is a transaxle unit comprising an integral gearbox and differential.
A power train as claimed in any previous claim, in which a further power take off is provided such that the power train can provide drive to both the front and the rear wheels of the vehicle.
A power train as claimed in any previous claim, in which the shaft or shafts (54;68;72,74;72′,74′,72″,74″) which run alongside the transmission are adapted to be mounted substantially in alignment with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
An amphibious vehicle as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, or FIG. 5, or FIG. 6, or FIG. 7, or FIG. 8, or FIG. 9, or FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings.
An amphibious vehicle, characterised in that the vehicle comprises a power train (10;110;210;310;410;510;610) as claimed in any previous claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.