Vehicle with pneumatic assembly for driving, braking, and reducing friction on bearings
OwnerWilliam M. Fisherinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a moving vehicle such as an automobile, compressed air is used for powering the vehicle, for minimizing friction in the wheel bearings so as to maintain the vehicle's momentum and decrease the amount of energy required for maintaining the vehicle at a predetermined desired speed, and for braking the vehicle. The present invention can be used instead of a conventional internal combustion engine, or as an auxiliary means for decreasing the amount of energy that is consumed by an internal combustion engine to increase the speed of a vehicle and maintain a vehicle at a predetermined speed.
Claims10
Apparatus for reducing the effective weight supported by the cylindrical roller bearings associated with each of the wheels of a vehicle having a frame, thereby to reduce the friction in said bearings when the vehicle is moving,
- each of said bearings having an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of rollers positioned between said inner race and said outer race,
- an axle received in and secured to said inner race of said bearings,
- said inner race of said bearings is operably connected to said vehicle frame,
- each of said vehicle wheels being rotatable and being secured to said outer race, each wheel defining a generally cylindrical inside surface, and a generally cylindrical outer surface adapted to engage a supporting surface,
- air chamber means supported by said vehicle frame means and operably connected to said inner race of said bearings and having a bottom surface juxtaposed to a portion of said inside surface of said wheel, said bottom surface defining a plurality of apertures and being positioned generally below said bearings,
- means for supplying air to said air chamber means when said vehicle is moving,
- said inside surface of said wheel being in engagement with said bottom surface of said chamber means when said vehicle is stationary,
- said inside surface of said wheel being movable to a position spaced from said bottom surface of said air chamber and means when said vehicle is moving,
- whereby air supplied to said air chamber means when said vehicle is moving exits through said apertures and is directed against said inside surface of said wheel, thereby forming an air pocket between said inside surface of said wheel and said bottom surface of said air chamber means, and providing a lift effect on the air chamber means and correspondingly on said vehicle frame and said inner race of said bearings, thereby reducing the effective vehicle weight that is supported by the bearings to reduce the friction in said bearings when the vehicle is moving.
Apparatus for reducing the effective weight supported by the cylindrical roller bearings associated with each of the wheels of a vehicle having a frame, thereby to reduce the friction in said bearings when the vehicle is moving,
- each of said bearings having an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of rollers positioned between said inner race and said outer race,
- an axle received in and secured to said inner race of said bearings,
- said inner race of said bearings is operably connected to said vehicle frame,
- each of said vehicle wheels being rotatable and being secured to said outer race, each wheel defining a generally cylindrical inside surface, and a generally cylindrical outer surface adapted to engage a supporting surface,
- air chamber means supported by said vehicle frame means and operably connected to said inner race of said bearings and having a bottom surface juxtaposed to a portion of said inside surface of said wheel, said bottom surface defining a plurality of apertures and being positioned generally below said bearings,
- means for supplying air to said air chamber means when said vehicle is moving,
- whereby air supplied to said air chamber means exits through said apertures and is directed against said inside surface of said wheel, thereby forming an air pocket between said inside surface of said wheel and said bottom surface of said air chamber means, and providing a lift effect on the air chamber means and correspondingly on said vehicle frame and said inner race of said bearings, thereby reducing the effective vehicle weight that is supported by the bearings to reduce the friction in said bearings when the vehicle is moving, and
- wherein pendulum means is provided for maintaining said air chamber means in vertical relation to a flat supporting surface regardless of whether said vehicle is inclined relative to said flat supporting surface, thereby the maximize the lift effect and maximize the reduction of friction in said bearings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.