Buoyant track amphibious transporter
AssigneeNavatek, Ltd.
InventorTerrence W. Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An amphibious vehicle for transiting deep or shallow waters and/or the full range of wetland and dry soil environments, consists of a box-like structure with buoyant tracks that are powered to move around the structure. The buoyant tracks encircle the vehicle's length and extend laterally for a substantial portion of the vehicle's width or beam. When operating in water the buoyant tracks provide a majority of the buoyancy keeping the box-like structure above water surface or its tracks can be flooded to submerge the vessel. The amphibious vehicle can transport heavy equipment and personnel from ships located offshore, across undeveloped beaches, to positions ashore.
Claims23
An amphibious vehicle adapted to traverse water, and soft or firm soil comprising,
- a housing including a payload bay;
- at least one buoyant endless track, providing the majority of the vehicle's buoyancy;
- said housing defining a path of travel for said at least one track having a pair relatively flat flights spaced apart such that the track surfaces encompass said payload bay;
- and
- means for driving said at least one buoyant track to provide motive power and/or traction on soil and/or on water.
An amphibious water vehicle including a housing having a pay load bay;
- said housing including a top and a pair of spaced side walls, including lower edges;
- a pair of buoyant drive tracks;
- means in said housing for defining a path of travel for said tracks including a pair of relatively straight upper and lower flights wherein the upper flights are above the payload bay and below the top of the housing and a lower flights are below the payload bay and the tracks extend beyond the lower edge of the side wall whereby the tracks encompass the side walls and the tracks are at least partly exposed in their lower flights to provide motive power and/or traction on sail and/or on water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.