US 5,305,846 A · Motorized trackboard

Abstract

A motorized trackboard has a rear-mounted engine (4) which transmits rotary motion centrally to a rear-driven track (2) at each side of a trackboard platform (1). Different types of track, different types of gear means, different sizes and different human-factor accommodations are employed for different use-conditions. For some use-conditions, a rear track-drive wheel (3) is large and sturdy to support all weight on the trackboard for positioning weight on the rear to raise the front end for turning. A front track-support wheel (7) can be positioned higher than the axis of the rear drive wheel to provide a climbing incline (15). The front track-support wheel can be spring-tensioned in a forward direction to prevent track slack. It is an all-terrain vehicle that can be made small and light enough for child use or large enough for a seat for heavy use. A steering-track embodiment can be used for such applications as hunting, snow travel, beach travel, mountain travel, tending livestock, military travel, shopping and commuting. A dual embodiment has separate front and back sections joined pivotally for steering.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A trackboard comprising:

a trackboard platform;
an endless-belt track mounted on track-engagement wheels on each side of a bottom surface of the trackboard platform;
a track-drive wheel in rotationally track-engagement relationship with the endless-belt track at each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform in a common axis;
a prime mover positional on a rear portion of the trackboard platform;
a rotational-drive means in rotational-drive relationship between the prime mover and the track-drive wheel;
a track-adjustment wheel in track-engagement relationship with a front portion of each endless-belt track in a common axis at each side of a front portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform;
and
a base-length-adjustment means attached rotationally to an axle of the track-adjustment wheel and attached to the trackboard platform in base-length-adjustment communication between the track-adjustment wheel and the front portion of the trackboard platform.

5 more elements

A trackboard comprising:

a trackboard platform;
a rear endless-belt track mounted on track-engagement wheels on each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform;
a track-drive wheel in rotationally track-engagement relationship with the rear endless-belt track at each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform in a common axis;
a prime mover positional on a rear portion of the trackboard platform;
a rotational-drive means in rotational-drive relationship between the prime mover and the track-drive wheel;
a track-adjustment wheel in track-engagement relationship with a front portion of each endless-belt track in a common axis at each side of a mid portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform;
a base-length-adjustment means attached rotationally to an axle of the track-adjustment wheel and attached to the trackboard platform in base-length-adjustment communication between the track-adjustment wheel and the mid portion of the trackboard platform, wherein the rotational-drive means is positioned between the track-drive wheels at each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the trackboard platform;
a selectively-geared rotational-power-transmission means in rotational-power-transmission relationship between the prime mover and the rotational drive means;
a user-support means on the trackboard platform;
a prime-mover-control means extended from the prime mover to a position accessible to a user on the trackboard;
a steering endless-belt track mounted on track-engagement wheels on each side of a bottom surface of a steering trackboard pivotally attached to a forward portion of the trackboard platform;
a steering track-adjustment wheel in track-engagement relationship with a front portion of each endless-belt track in a common axis at each side of a front portion of the bottom surface of the steering trackboard;
a steering base-length-adjustment means attached rotationally to an axle of the steering track-adjustment wheel and attached to the steering trackboard in base-length-adjustment communication between the steering track-adjustment wheel and the front portion of the steering trackboard, wherein the steering track-adjustment wheel is relatively small in proportion to a rear track-engagement wheel on the steering trackboard and the axis of the steering track-adjustment wheel is positioned vertically higher than the axis of the rear track-engagement wheel on the steering trackboard such that a climbing track surface is formed between the steering track-adjustment wheel and a track-engagement wheel aft of the steering track-adjustment wheel;
a user-support means on the trackboard platform;
a steering member attached to the steering trackboard and extended to a position in front of the user-support means;
and
prime-mover-control means extended from the prime mover to a position accessible to a user on the trackboard platform.

14 more elements

A trackboard comprising:

a rear trackboard platform;
a rear endless-belt track mounted on track-engagement wheels on each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the rear trackboard platform;
a track-drive wheel in rotationally track-engagement relationship with the rear endless-belt track at each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the rear trackboard platform in a common axis;
a prime mover positional on a rear portion of the rear trackboard platform;
a rotational-drive means in rotational-drive relationship between the prime mover and the track-drive wheel;
a rear track-adjustment wheel in track-engagement relationship with a front portion of each endless-belt track at each side of a front portion of the bottom surface of the rear trackboard platform in a common axis;
a rear base-length-adjustment means attached rotationally to an axle of the track-adjustment wheel and attached to the rear trackboard platform in base-length-adjustment communication between the rear track-adjustment wheel and the front portion of the rear trackboard platform, wherein the rotational-drive means is positioned between the track-drive wheels at each side of a rear portion of the bottom surface of the rear trackboard platform;
a selectively-geared rotational-power-transmission means in rotational-power-transmission relationship between the prime mover and the rotational drive means;
a user-support means on the rear trackboard platform;
a prime-mover-control means extended from the prime mover to a position accessible to a user on the rear trackboard platform;
a front trackboard platform having a rear end of the front trackboard platform attached pivotally to the front end of the rear trackboard platform;
a steering endless-belt track mounted on track-engagement wheels on each side of a bottom surface of the front trackboard platform;
a steering track-adjustment wheel in track-engagement relationship with a front portion of each endless-belt track at each side of a front portion of the bottom surface of the front trackboard platform in a common axis;
a steering base-length-adjustment means attached rotationally to an axle of the steering track-adjustment wheel and attached to the front trackboard platform in base-length-adjustment communication between the steering track-adjustment wheel and the front portion of the front trackboard platform, wherein the steering track-adjustment wheel is relatively small in proportion to a rear track-engagement wheel on the front trackboard platform and the axis of the steering track-adjustment wheel is positioned vertically higher than the axis of the rear track-engagement wheel on the steering trackboard such that a climbing track surface is formed between the steering track-board wheel and a track-engagement wheel aft of the steering track-adjustment wheel;
and
a user-support means on the front trackboard platform.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Motorized trackboard

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Motorized trackboard

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35