GB2287910A

GB2287910A - An amphibious vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2287910A
Application number: GB9406103A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Mctaggart; Miller Mctaggart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-03-28
Filing date: 1994-03-28
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Also published as: GB9406103D0

Abstract

An amphibious vehicle 1 for carrying heavy weight in the form of cargo or passengers comprises a load carrying platform, an engine for driving the vehicle on land via road wheels 13, a water jet propulsion unit 14 for propelling the vehicle in water, and inflatable means 8 disposed about the sides of the vehicle for providing a buoyancy aid in water. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an amphibious vehicle and in particular to one capable of carrying heavy weight in the form of cargo or of passengers.

It is one object of the invention to provide an amphibious vehicle which combines the properties of a high load carrying capacity with fast road speed and safety in the water.

According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a load carrying vehicle adapted for use on land and in water, the vehicle comprising a load carrying platform supported on a chassis, the chassis including axles and road wheels; an engine for driving the vehicle at high road speeds via a gear mechanism connecting the engine and the wheels; drive controls being present at or adjacent one end of the vehicle; a water jet propulsion unit mounted at or towards the other end of the vehicle for propelling the vehicle in water; a sponson disposed about sides of the vehicle and dimensioned so that when inflated the vehicle will have buoyancy in water when carrying loads, the sponson being located such that when inflated the platform will tend to be horizontal.

Preferably the sponson extends in a horizontal plane about the front and sides of the vehicle but stops short at the end of the vehicle where the jet propulsion unit is present. Preferably the sponson comprises an inflatable tube which in storage is received in a recess therefor in the sides of the vehicle, an expandable retaining member being arranged to urge the sponson into the recess but being expandable to allow expansion when the sponson is inflated. The sponson will preferably have a diameter of 0.5 metres which will provide a substantial increase in the lateral width of the vehicle when the sponson is inflated. This will lead to an increase in lateral stability and will increase the action of the water jets of the water jet propulsion unit.

Preferably the sponson comprises an elongate cylinder of rubber or nubber-like material having ports for the ingress and egress of prnssurisedfluid typically pressurised gas. When the vehicle is used on land the sponson will be deflated and held close to the sides of the hull by the retaining member.

The vehicle preferably comprises a Mercedes Unimog Chassis with a loading capacity of 4.5 to 10 tonnes (although the vehicle may alternatively have a Volvo or Tatra chassis of similar capacity. The hull of the vehicle is a single GRP shell of chopped strand and woven matting.

Mercedes, Volvo and Tatra are trade marks.

The engine of the vehicle is preferably a turbo-charged intercooled engine which also serves to drive a number of water jets of a propulsion unit mounted inboard at the stern of the vehicle for propulsion through the water. A switch mechanism is present to select either land driven or the water driven propulsion. When the switch is activated, the sponson is arranged to inflate and on deactivation the sponson will deflate.

A water steering system is preferably provided by a single conical deflector. When the vehicle is used in the water, the deflector deflects water to port and starboard and is activated by a hydraulic system from the steering wheel. Control of the steering is provided by a synchronised reverse control system where the reverse duct follows the movement of the steering wheel. The steering wheel is fitted with an analog display unit to indicate that the wheels are in the required position when the vehicle exits the water.

A trailer may be coupled onto the vehicle to increase the loading capacity. The trailer will be driven by the engine of the vehicle whilst on land and the water jets whilst in the water.

In order that the invention may be well understood it will now be described by way of example only with reference to the diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of an amphibious vehicle of the invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof; Figure 3 is a side elevation; Figure 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of the sponson in inflated condition; Figure 4B is a transverse sectional view of the sponson in deflated condition; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section from above with the floor removed; Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of one water jet unit, and Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the single nozzle steering deflector.

The vehicle 1 comprises a chassis (not shown) upon which is mounted a hull 2. The hull 2 tapers towards the front and has a generally flat stem 3. A cab 4 is present towards the front of the vehicle 1 and has windows 5 and a door 6. Behind the cab is a platform 22 to define the cargo area or trailer portion of the vehicle.

A sponson 8 is shown on Figure 3 to extend about the front and sides of the hull 2 but stops short of the stem 3 at a distance appropriate to the location of a water propulsion unit 14 as will be explained later. The distance is approximately two metres.

The sponson 8 comprises a length of resiliently flexible tubing connected via piping to a source of compressed air (not shown). The sponson 8 is received in a recess 12 of generally semi-circular shaped form in the wall of the hull 2. Inlet 10 and outlet 11 pipes connect the sponson 8 to the compressed air by which the sponson 8 may be inflated or deflated. A pressure switch (not shown) is present to initiate inflation of the sponson 8 as it enters the water. The pressure switch is connected via an electrical circuit (not shown) to the source of compressed air, and will close to complete the circuit only when the vehicle reaches a certain depth in the water. A length of netting such as a bungee netting 9 is secured to the wall of the hull 2 over the recess 12 to act as a retaining member for the sponson 8 when deflated.

The vehicle contains a turbo-charged intercooler engine such as a Mercedes turbocharged 6 cylinder engine having an output of 177 kw or 240 hp at 2600 rpm. The exhaust 7 is vertically arranged behind the cab 3. The vehicle has wheels 13 mounted on axles in the usual way. The engine is connected via a single disc drive plate clutch to an appropriate transmission system, for example, MB8 speed all wheel drive. The vehicle contains the usual power steering and braking systems.

To propel the vehicle in water a water propulsion unit 14 is mounted at the rear towards the stern 3 of the vehicle beneath the hull 2. The unit includes one or more for example two water jets 15 mounted inboard and arranged to draw water through an inlet pipe 16 and expel it through an outlet nozzle 17. A pumping unit (not shown) extends through an interior wall of the vehicle and pumps water through the water jet 15.

The outlet nozzle 17 of the water jet 15 is inclined downwardly at an angle of 6 to provide maximum thrust. A reverse control system is present at each outlet nozzle 17 to control the direction of the vehicle through the water by means of a hydraulically activated reverse bucket 18 and thrust reversing duct 19. A single nozzle steering deflector 20 is placed rearwardly of the water jet 15 for steering purposes. This is controlled manually by the steering wheel of the vehicle acting via a hydraulic ram 21.

The sponson 8 ensures that the vehicle will have buoyancy in water when carrying loads in excess of 2 tonnes typically up to 10 tonnes. It is located to stop short of the stern 3 of the vehicle at a distance appropriate to the location of the water propulsion unit 14 to ensure that platform 22 of the vehicle 15 balanced while in the water, the stern 3 of the vehicle being level with the front of the hull 2.

This feature also increases the thrust of the water propulsion unit 14 and allows loading of the vehicle while in the water due to increased stability. It has been found that the optimum distance for the sponson 8 to stop is about 1.5 meters from the stern of the vehicle.

To increase the loading capacity of the vehicle, a trailer (not shown) may be coupled to a coupling point (not shown) at the stern 3 of the vehicle The trailer will be driven by the engine of the vehicle while on land and the water propulsion unit 13 while in the water. A sponson is present on the trailer and extends around the front sides and rear to aid buoyancy while in the water.

The vehicle may be used in the manner of an ordinary road vehicle to carry cargo of up to 15 tons at speeds of about 90 kilometres per hour. When the vehicle is driven into water and the sponson is inflated by means of pressure controls the sponson extends to a distance of about 1/2 metre on each side of the hull and the front to provide sufficient lateral stability even when a payload is present. The vehicle may travel in water at speeds of up to 10 knots.

In the embodiment shown the stem is straight but it is within the scope of the invention to

te veu;cr,r taper at both ends.

v

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A load carrying vehicle (1) adapted for use on land and in water, the vehicle comprising a load carrying platform (22) supported on a chassis, the chassis including axles and road wheels (13); an engine for driving the vehicle at road speeds via a gear mechanism connecting the engine and the wheels; drive controls being present at or adjacent one end of the vehicle; a water jet propulsion unit (14) mounted at or towards the other end of the vehicle (1) for propelling the vehicle in water; a sponson (8) disposed about sides of the vehicle and dimensioned so that when inflated the vehicle will have bouyancy in water when carrying loads, the sponson (8) being located such that when inflated the platform (22) will tend to be horizontal.
2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the sponson (8) extends in a horizontal plane about the front and sides of the vehicle but stops short at the end (3) of the vehicle where the jet propulsion unit (14) is present.
3. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the sponson (8) comprises an inflatable tube which in storage is received in a recess (12) therefor in the sides of the vehicle (1), an expandable retaining member (9) being arranged to urge the sponson (8) into the recess (12) but being expandable to allow expansion when the sponson (8) is inflated.
4. A vehicle according to any preceding Claim, in which the sponson (8) comprises an elongate cylinder of rubber or rubber like material having ports for the ingress and egress of pressurised fluid via pipes (10,11) from a source thereof.
5. A vehicle according to Claim 4, wherein the sponson comprises a plurality of individual tubes housed within the cylinder.
6. A vehicle according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the pressurised fluid is compressed air or like.
7. A vehicle according to any preceding Claim, including coupling means at one end therefor for coupling to a vehicle of the same or similar type.
8. A vehicle according to any preceding Claim having sufficient bouyancy in water when the sponson is inflated to carry a load of up to 10 tonnes.