GB2254831A

GB2254831A - Amphibious motor cycle

Info

Publication number: GB2254831A
Application number: GB9108402A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alistair Ferguson Buchanan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-19
Filing date: 1991-04-19
Publication date: 1992-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-19
Also published as: GB2254831B; GB9108402D0

Abstract

A vehicle e.g. a motor cycle convertible from a land vehicle mode to a water-borne craft mode and vice versa, comprises a body 40 capable of floating, wheels 11, 12 for supporting the body in the land vehicle mode, propulsion means e.g. water jets or propellers for moving the body through the water, an engine mounted on or within the body, a first transmission mechanism between said engine and at least one of said wheels, a second transmission mechanism between said engine and said water propulsion means, and means controllable by the user for engaging one or both of said transmission mechanisms. Hydraulic means for retracting the wheels into stowage recesses 22 and 37 in the body and buoyancy devices formed as extensible bellows (60, 61) may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE This invention relates to a vehicle, e.g. a motor cycle, having as its main object the capability of conversion from its use as a land vehicle to a water-borne craft and vice versa.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle convertible from a land vehicle mode to a water-borne craft mode and vice versa, comprising a body capable of floating, wheels for supporting the body in the land vehicle mode, propulsion means for moving the body through the water1 an engine mounted on or within the body, and means for effecting transmission from said engine to said propulsion means and/or at least one of said wheels.

Further according to the invention there is provided a vehicle convertible from a land vehicle to a water-borne vehicle and vice versa, comprising a body capable of floating, wheels for supporting the body in the land vehicle mode, an engine mounted on or within the body, a first transmission mechanism between said engine and at least one of said wheels, a second transmission mechanism between said engine and said water propulsion means1 and means controllable by the user for engaging one or both of said transmission mechanisms.

Preferably the first and second transmission mechanisms each have transmission paths passing through a common gear-box.

Flotation means may be provided for supporting said vehicle when used on water. The wheels may be retractable.

The propulsion means may be water jet nozzles or one or more propellers.

Preferably said flotation means forms part of a body enveloping the engine, which body is recessed on the underside in order to receive the wheels when the latter are retracted during use on water.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the motor cycle showing the wheels in the land engaging position and also retracted1 FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the motor cycle shown in Figure 1 (in land mode), FIGURES 3 and 4 are front and rear elevations, FIGURE 6 is a schematic side elevation with parts removed for clarity to show the chassis, engine and retractible wheels1 and FIGURE 7 is a front schematic view showing movable covers for wheel recesses in the vehicle body.

The motor cycle of the example shown comprises an engine 9 mounted on a rigid chassis 10 of welded tubular construction supported on wheels 11, 12. The front wheel ;1 is carried on a front suspension 13 having handlebars 14 and a pair of hydraulic telescopic forks 15, 16 adapted to be effective for hydraulic damping when the vehicle is selected for land use. The forks are mounted on a yoke 17 rotatable in a tubular head 18 formed as part of the chassis 10. Each fork is connected to hydraulic valve means 19 situated in close proximity to the engine and can be controlled by a selector mounted on the handlebars 14.

In the land mode the hydraulic valve means 19 control the damping vibrations in the normal way. However, in the water-borne mode the hydraulic valve means 19 open ports so that a fluid source is fed via conduits 20 from a pump 21 to the forks 15, 16 thus causing the latter to be driven upwardly and thereby retract the front wheel 11 into a stowage recess 22 as shown at 11'.

The rear wheel 12 is mounted on the rear end of a radius arm 25 which is pivotally mounted at its front end on the chassis 10. The engine drive for the rear wheel is effected over a sprocket 28, a toothed belt 26, a sprocket 29 on a lay-shaft 91 of a gear-box 70 having a drive gear 72, a further sprocket 30 on said drive gear 72, a further toothed belt 27 and a final drive sprocket 31.

To effect retraction of the rear wheel there is provided an hydraulic piston and cylinder device 33 located between the frame 10 and the limbs of the arm 25. The hydraulic device 33, which in the land mode serves as an hydraulic suspension, includes valve means 19 which can be operated from the handlebars 14 in order to allow fluid under pressure from said pump 21 via conduits 35 to draw the piston of said device 33 into the cylinder thereof so that the rear wheel is retracted into a recess 37 as shown at 12'.

The recesses 22 and 37 are formed within a body 40 moulded in plastics material, the latter preferably being formed in two complementary separately formed halves joined along a central, vertical and longitudinal plane.

Suitable gaskets and seals are provided at the apertures in the body in said recess 22 through which extend the forks 15, 16 and at the apertures in the recess 37 through which extends the hydraulic suspension 33. In this manner the recesses are completely watertight so that water which may enter the recesses cannot enter the body.

Accordingly, the latter remains buoyant.

In order to reduce drag when in the water the recesses 22, 37 are preferably provided with covers 42, 43.

These may each comprise a pair of elongate plates 44, 45 which maybe housed within the body in a substantially vertical position (in the land mode) and movable by hydraulic rams 48 to a substantially horizontal position 44', 45' along guide rails 49. A similar arrangement may be used to cover the rear wheel recess. Suitable seals may be provided around the outer edges of the plates 44, 45 to ensure watertight closure of the covers.

The underside of the body including the covers are suitably shaped for hydrodynamic stability (see Figure 7).

The body 40 may be substantially entirely waterproof. However, since the engine is enclosed air intake is effected by way of a front louvred grille 46. The latter also serves as an inlet for cooling air to pass over a radiator 47 located immediately behind through which engine cooling water of a closed circuit cooling system (not shown) passes. The cooling air enters the body via a front louvred grille 46 and passes through the radiator 47 and exits through ports formed in the front body rearwardly of the grille 46. The exhaust from the engine is emitted by way of an exhaust pipe (not shown), the end of which is below the water level (WL).

Located within the pairs of vertical side walls of the body 40 at the rear end thereof are water jet propulsion units 50, 51 of a known kind. Each unit comprises a chamber 52 having a downturned water inlet pipe 53 through the front wall of which passes the drive shaft 54 of an impeller 55.

The rear end of the chamber 52 has connected thereto a nozzle 56 coupled by means of a part-spherical universal joint. The nozzles may be used for directing the water jets (vectoring) in the desired direction for the purpose of steering the vehicle in its water-borne state. Suitable Bowden cables (not shown) may be connected between fixing points towards the end of said nozzles and the handlebars 14 so that steering can be effected in the same manner as steering the vehicle in its land-borne state.

The ends of the impeller shafts are provided with bevel gears 57 which is driven by a suitable transmission gear-box 70 coupled to said engine.

Since the vehicle in its water-borne mode is unstable at low speeds through the water it is desirable to provide on the vehicle at the water line buoyancy devices in the form of extensible bellows 60, 61. These are of elongate form and may be moved between an extended position and a retracted position by hydraulic rams (not shown) located partly within small recesses in the sides of the body and partly within the bellows. In order to permit movement of the bellows between retracted and extended positions suitable air valving may be provided. Thus in the water mode the bellows are full of air yet impermeable to water.

In use the vehicle is readily convertible from a land vehicle by the user operating controls all located on the handlebars. The rider could drive down to the water's edge in normal motorbike mode. Upon entering the water to about axle level a control lever is operated which causes the wheels to retract, thus lowering the body into the water, and the buoyancy bellows to extend. Preferably by way of a further control (although one control only is feasible) the transmission to the rear wheel is smoothly disengaged by suitable hydraulic mechanism and the transmission to the water jet propulsion unit is engaged, again by a further hydraulic mechanism. It is not necessary to stop the engine.

If desired the control may be arranged to engage the drive to the rear wheel which may be simultaneously extended as the rider approaches the beach in shallow water.

When engaging the sand or pebbles on a beach,in the event that the wheels are not extended, the pairs of covers may be withdrawn without fouling any pebbles, leaving the opening free for the wheels to descend. The machine is readily convertible to enable the user to drive away from a beached position.

In alternative forms of the invention the drive for the rear wheel may comprise a drive shaft from the engine coupled via bevel gearing with the rear wheel shaft or a hydraulic transmission comprising pump and motor system.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vehicle convertible from a land vehicle mode to a water-borne craft mode and vice versa, comprising a body capable of floating, wheels for supporting the body in the land vehicle mode, propulsion means for moving the body through the water1 an engine mounted on or within the body, and means for effecting transmission from said engine to said propulsion means and/or at least one of said wheels.

2. A vehicle convertible from a land vehicle mode to a water-borne craft mode and vice versa, comprising a body capable of floating, wheels for supporting the body in the land vehicle mode, propulsion means for moving the body through the water, an engine mounted on or within the body, a first transmission mechanism between said engine and at least one of said wheels, a second transmission mechanism between said engine and said water propulsion means, and means controllable by the user for engaging one or both of said transmission mechanisms.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the wheels are retractable into the body, said body having a stowage recess (22) in the underside in order to receive the wheels when the latter are retracted in the water-borne mode.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the propulsion means are in the form of water jet nozzles or one or more propellers.

5. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, substantially in the form of a motorcycle, wherein the engine (9) is mounted on a rigid chassis (10) of welded construction supported on said wheels (11, 12), the front wheel (11) being carried on a front suspension (13) having handlebars (14) and a pair of hydraulic telescopic forks (15, 16) adapted to be effective for hydraulic damping when the vehicle is selected for land use.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the forks are mounted on a yoke (17) rotatable in a tubular head (18) formed as part of the chassis (10), each fork being connected to hydraulic valve means (19) situated in close proximity to the engine controllable by a selector.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein in the land mode the hydraulic valve means (19) control the damping vibrations in the normal way and in the water-borne mode the hydraulic valve means (19) open ports so that a fluid source is fed via conduits (20) from a pump (21) to the forks (15, 16) thus causing the latter to be driven upwardly and thereby retract the front wheel (11) into said stowage recess (22).

8. A vehicle as claimed in claims 1 to 7, wherein the rear wheel (12) is mounted on the rear end of a radial arm (25) which is pivotally mounted at its front end on the chassis (10), the engine drive for the rear wheel being effected over sprockets (28, 29), a toothed belt (26), a gear-box (70), further sprockets (30, 31) disposed at the ends of the radial arm, and a further toothed belt (27).

9. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein to effect retraction of the rear wheel there is provided an hydraulic piston and cylinder device (33) between the chassis (10) and the limbs of the radial arm (25) the hydraulic device (33), which in the land mode serves as an hydraulic suspension, including valve means (19) which can be operated by the rider in order to allow fluid under pressure to draw the piston of said device (33) into the cylinder thereof so that the rear wheel is retracted into its stowage recess (37).

10. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the stowage recesses (22, 37) are provided with covers (42, 43).

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the covers of each stowage recess comprise a pair of elongate plates (44, 45) housed within the body in a substantially vertical position in the land mode and movable by hydraulic rams (48) to a substantially horizontal position (44', 45') in the water-borne mode.

12. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein located within pairs of vertical side walls of the body 40 at the rear end thereof are water jet propulsion units 50, 51.

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein each propulsion unit comprises a chamber (52) having a downturned water inlet pipe (53) through the front wall of which passes a drive shaft (54) of an impeller (55), the rear end of the chamber (52) having connected thereto a nozzle (56) coupled by means of a part-spherical universal joint.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the ends of the impeller shafts are provided with bevel gears (57) which are driven by a gear-box (70) of said second transmission means coupled to said engine.

15. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein buoyancy devices in the form of extensible bellows (60, 61) are provided on the body in the region of the waterline.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein said buoyancy devices are movable between an extended position and a retracted position by hydraulic rams located partly within small recesses in the sides of the body and partly within the bellows.

17. A vehicle as claimed in claims 1 to 7, wherein the first transmission mechanism for the rear wheel includes a drive shaft from the engine coupled via bevel gearing with the rear wheel shaft or a hydraulic transmission comprising pump and motor system.

18. A vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 17, wherein the first and second transmissions each have transmission paths passing through a common gear-box.

19. A vehicle substantially as described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.