# US 4,397,473 A · Rough terrain vehicle

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- Number: US 4,397,473 A
- Document ID: US4397473A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/293,972
- Filed: 1981-08-18
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1981-08-18
- Assignees: The Regents of the University of California
- Inventors: John A. Miles; James W. Rumsey; James J. Mehlschau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397473A

## CPC

- B60G 5/04: with two or more pivoted arms, the movements of which are resiliently interrelated {, e.g. the arms being rigid}
- B60G 21/06: fluid
- B60G 21/10: not permanently interconnected, e.g. operative only on acceleration, only on deceleration or only at off-straight position of steering
- B60G 2200/318: two or more axles being mounted on a longitudinal rocking or walking beam
- B60G 2202/41: Fluid actuator
- B60G 2300/07: Off-road vehicles
- B60G 2300/40: Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
- B60G 2500/30: Height or ground clearance
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})

## Abstract

A rough terrain vehicle has a frame for supporting lading and equipment especially adapted for off-road, rough country use. The frame is supported on four wheels through pivot arms and hydraulically interconnected expansible chambers subject to manual hydraulic control. The vehicle is preferably self-propelled by an engine that also drives the hydraulic mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rough terrain vehicle comprising a frame extending forwardly and rearwardly, a left-rear trailing arm, means for pivotally connecting said left-rear trailing arm at the forward end portion thereof to said frame for rotation about a first transverse axis, a left-rear ground engaging wheel mounted on the rear end of said left-rear trailing arm, a left-front supporting arm, means for pivotally connecting the trailing end portion of said left-front supporting arm onto said left-rear trailing arm for rotation about a second transverse axis longitudinally spaced from said first transverse axis, a left-front ground engaging wheel mounted on the forward end portion of said left-front supporting arm, a left-front double acting hydraulically expansible chamber interconnected between said left-front supporting arm and said frame, a right-rear trailing arm, means for pivotally connecting said right-rear trailing arm at the forward end portion thereof to said frame for rotation about said first transverse axis, a right-rear ground engaging wheel mounted on the rear end portion of said right-rear trailing arm, a right-front supporting arm, means for pivotally connecting the trailing end portion of said right-front supporting arm on said right-rear trailing arm for rotation about said second transverse axis, a right-front ground engaging wheel mounted on the forward end portion of said right-front supporting arm, a right-front double acting hydraulically expansible chamber interconnected between said right-front supporting arm and said frame, a first double acting hydraulically expansible side chamber pivotally connected at opposite ends to said left-front supporting arm and said left-rear trailing arm, a second double acting hydraulically expansible side chamber interconnected between the right-front supporting arm and the right-rear trailing arm, a hydraulic pressure source and tank on said frame, hydraulic conduits on said frame for variously interconnecting said double acting expansible front chambers and side chambers to said source and to said tank, and manually controllable valving for controlling said conduits.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A rough terrain vehicle as in claim 1 in which said means for pivoting said rear trailing arms to said frame operates about a transverse axis rearwardly spaced from the second transverse axis about which the front supporting arms are pivoted to the rear trailing arms.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A rough terrain vehicle as in claim 1 in which said rear trailing arms at their forward end portions have forks in which said front supporting arms pivot.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A rough terrain vehicle as in claim 1 in which said left-front hydraulically expansible chamber and said right-front hydraulically expansible chamber are connected to said hydraulic source and tank by a single hand controller and said hydraulically expansible side chambers are connected to said hydraulic source and tank by a separate single hand controller.