Amphibious vehicle
OwnerStanley C. Hewittinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The amphibious vehicle is a motorized vehicle capable of travel on land as well as in the water. The amphibious vehicle has a boat-like hull and a caterpillar track assembly mounted along each side by a respective pair of rotating supports. The tracks are arranged so that the tracks can be rotated between a lowered position supporting the amphibious vehicle and providing traction and propulsion during land operation, and a raised position, where the tracks rest vertically above the hull's deck during marine operation. With the caterpillar track assemblies in the raised position, the caterpillar track assemblies are fully removed from the water to improve performance and maneuverability therein. The track assemblies are hydraulically driven to rotate the wheels and tracks between the lowered and raised positions.
Claims17
An amphibious vehicle, comprising:
- a hull having laterally opposed first and second sides, a bow, and a stern, the hull extending between the bow and stern, defining a longitudinal axis;
- first and second front rotating supports, each of the front supports being rotatably attached to the hull adjacent the bow, each of the front supports being attached to a respective one of the laterally opposed first and second sides of the hull;
- first and second rear rotating supports, each of the rear supports being rotatably attached to the hull adjacent the stern, each of the rear supports 11 being attached to a respective one of the laterally opposed first and second sides of the hull;
- first and second track drive assemblies, each of the track drive assemblies extending along the longitudinal axis, the first track drive assembly being rotatably attached to the first front and first rear rotating supports at longitudinally opposed ends of the track drive assembly, the second track drive assembly being rotatably attached to the second front and second rear rotating supports at longitudinally opposed ends of the track drive assembly, each of the first and second track drive assemblies being selectively rotatable between a downward position and an upright position;
- and
- means for selectively driving rotation of the first and second track drive assemblies between the downward and upright positions.
An amphibious vehicle, comprising:
- a hull having laterally opposed first and second sides, a bow, and a stern, the hull extending between the bow and stern, defining a longitudinal axis;
- first and second front rotating supports, each of the front supports being rotatably attached to the hull adjacent the bow, the first and second front rotating supports being attached to a respective one of the laterally opposed first and second sides of the hull;
- first and second rear rotating supports, each of the rear supports being rotatably attached to the hull adjacent the stern thereof, each of the first and second rear rotating supports being attached to a respective one of the laterally opposed first and second sides of the hull;
- first and second track drive assemblies, each of the track drive assemblies extending along the longitudinal axis, the first track drive assembly being rotatably attached to the first front and first rear rotating supports at longitudinally opposed ends of the drive assembly, the second track drive assembly being rotatably attached to the second front and second rear rotating supports at longitudinally opposed ends of the drive assembly, each of the first and second track drive assemblies being selectively rotatable between a downward position and an upright position;
- and
- first and second front hydraulic cylinders mounted within the hull, each of the first and second front hydraulic cylinders having opposed fixed and movable ends, each of the movable ends being pivotally joined to a respective interior portion of the first and second front rotating supports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.