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US 4,903,974 AGranted
Off-the-road-vehicle
AssigneeJAC Tractor Limited
InventorDennis M. Frink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle suitable for various uses in rough terrain. The vehicle has a platform or chassis (11) suspended within a flexible frame (14). The wheels (17, 18) are mounted at opposite ends of side members (23, 24) of the flexible frame (14). The platform connects to the neutral midpoints of the frame rails so as to minimize the movement of the platform or chassis out of the horizontal plane. Rotating drive shafts may enter or pass through hollow pivot pins at the midpoints of the members of the frame (14) thereby remaining on the same plane with one another and isolated from flexing from the frame. The platform may serve as a mounting for a seat (16) of the vehicle. It may also be utilized as a support for the engine (15) of the vehicle.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- (i) a flexible frame having a pair of side members and a pair of end members,
- (ii) connector means at each corner of said frame, each said connector means including a pivotal connection between the connector means and the end of the side member and the end of the end member at the respective corners whereby each side member and each end member may pivot relative to the connector means to which they are connected, said connector means accommodating increased distances which occur between the ends of the side members and the ends of the end members during operation of the vehicle,
- (iii) a front wheel at one end of each side member and a rear wheel at the other end of each side member,
- (iv) a platform within the said flexible frame and connected thereto by front and rear pivot means which extend from the platform to the end members and by side pivot means which extend from the platform to each side member whereby said end members and said side members may pivot relative to the respective pivot means,
- (v) said wheels being connected to the side members at locations between the side pivot means and the pivotal connection means so that the wheels do not tilt laterally when the end members pivot on said front and rear pivot means.
2 more elements
A machine comprising:
- (i) a flexible frame having a pair of side members and a pair of end members,
- (ii) connector means at each corner of said frame, each said connector means including a pivotal connection between the connector means and the end of the side member and the end of the end member at the respective corners whereby each side member and each end member may pivot relative to the connector means to which they are connected, said connector means accommodating increased distances which occur between the ends of the side members and the ends of the end members during operation of the vehicle,
- (iii) a platform within the said flexible frame and connected thereto by front and rear pivot means which extend from the platform to the end members and by side pivot means which extend from the platform to each side member whereby said end members and said side members may pivot relative to the respective pivot means, at least one of said pivot means being hollow,
- (iv) drive means mounted on the platform and extending into the hollow pivot means,
- (v) said machine having wheels which are connected to the side members at locations between the side pivot means and the connection means so that the wheels do not tilt laterally when the end members pivot on said front and rear pivot means.
2 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- (i) a flexible frame having a pair of side members and a pair of end members,
- (ii) connector means at each corner of said frame for pivotally connecting a side member to an end member at the respective corner whereby each side member and each end member may pivot relative to each other at the corner, said connector means accommodating increased distances which occur between the ends of the side members and the ends of the end members during operation of the vehicle,
- (iii) four wheels mounted on said flexible frame,
- (iv) a platform within the said flexible frame and connected thereto by front and rear pivot means which extend from the platform to the end member and by side pivot which extend from the platform to each side member whereby said end members and said side members may pivot relative to the respective pivot means, and
- (v) said wheels being connected to the side members at locations between the side pivot means and the pivotal connection means so that the wheels do not tilt laterally when the end members pivot on said front and rear pivot means,
- (vi) wheels driving means including a first driving member which is supported on the platform and is rotatable about a first axis which is fixed relative to the platform, a second driving member which is mounted on the flexible frame and is rotatable about a second axis which is spaced from the first axis, means for drivingly connecting the first driving member to the second driving member to transmit rotary motion from the first driving member to the second driving member, and means for connecting the second driving member to one of said wheels, said first axis being concentric with one of said pivot means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.