GB757663A - Improvements in vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

757,663. Arrangement of wheels and axles. AGHNIDES, E. P. Aug. 19, 1954, No. 24216/54. Class 108 (2). [Also in Groups XXXI, XXXIII and XXXIV] A vehicle comprises a body having at least two traction and load-carrying wheel-like members located respectively on opposite sides of the body with the axes of rotation of the wheel-like members extending outwardly and downwardly whereby the wheel-like members are tilted and are closer together at ground level than at any other level, the wheel-like members having progressively smaller diameters as the distance measured along their axes increases. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, as applied to a combat vehicle, having an enclosed body 10, the vehicle is provided with a pair of front driving wheel-like members 11 and a single steerable rear wheel member 12. Each of the wheels 11, which is generally hemispheroidal in shape and which may propel the vehicle in water, is rotatable about an axis inclined downwardly and outwardly and is driven through chain and sprockets 49, 50, 51 from a power unit 35, 36, 37 installed below a floor 29 in the body of the vehicle. , Each wheel is also provided with a rubber or the like tread 15 and with auxiliary treads 16 and 17 which engage the ground when the vehicle operates over soft ground. The wheel is further provided with tread-intersecting ribs 18 preferably of rubber, The tail wheel 12 consisting of two elements 20, 21 is journalled on a common axle 22 and is also provided with treads 23, 24 and is steerable through a rack-and-pinion 26 from a steering wheel 27. A supplemental steering wheel 28 may be provided. The wheel 12 may be a castor wheel, the wheels 11 of the vehicle being steerable through differential means operated by the steering wheels 27 and 28 either by means of an automatic brake (not shown) for each wheel 11 or by means of a gear 50, Fig. 3, which is adapted to lock the differential shaft to the differential housing 37. Preferably, the vehicle is steered by the tail wheel and the differential means. One or more endless tracks 54, Fig. 2, driven by the vehicle power unit are provided to assist the wheels 11 and to facilitate movement of the vehicle if the latter sinks into very soft terrain. The rear end of the vehicle body may be confined within the space flanked by the inclined flat sides of the wheels, the vehicle being stabilized by auxiliary wheels, skids or gyroscopes. In a modification, Fig. 5, each wheel is provided with a pneumatic tyre 57 and rubber ribs 61. In the arrangement according to Fig. 6, each wheel is provided with a pneumatic tyre 63 and with internal gears 64 driven from a differential gear 67. In a further modification, Fig. 7 (not shown), the rear wheel is replaced by a gyroscope. When operating in water, the vehicle may be jet-propelled (see Group XXXIII). Specifications 666,483 and 666,549, [both in Group XXXI], are referred to.