Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H16/00—Marine propulsion by muscle power
  • B63H16/08—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort
  • B63H16/12—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort using hand levers, cranks, pedals, or the like, e.g. water cycles, boats propelled by boat-mounted pedal cycles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B19/00—Wheels not otherwise provided for or having characteristics specified in one of the subgroups of this group
  • B60B19/06—Wheels not otherwise provided for or having characteristics specified in one of the subgroups of this group with compartments for fluid, packing or loading material; Buoyant wheels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H1/00—Propulsive elements directly acting on water
  • B63H1/02—Propulsive elements directly acting on water of rotary type
  • B63H1/04—Propulsive elements directly acting on water of rotary type with rotation axis substantially at right angles to propulsive direction
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H1/00—Propulsive elements directly acting on water
  • B63H1/38—Propulsive elements directly acting on water characterised solely by flotation properties, e.g. drums
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H16/00—Marine propulsion by muscle power
  • B63H16/08—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort
  • B63H16/20—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort using rotary cranking arm
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H16/00—Marine propulsion by muscle power
  • B63H16/08—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort
  • B63H16/20—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort using rotary cranking arm
  • B63H2016/202—Other apparatus for converting muscle power into propulsive effort using rotary cranking arm specially adapted or arranged for being actuated by the feet of the user, e.g. using bicycle-like pedals

Definitions

• This invention concerns transportation. More particularly, it concerns wheel structures and tyres which provide both flotation and means to propel a vehicle that is adapted to be driven on water (and sometimes also on land). BACKGROUND ART
• amphibious craft Various forms of amphibious craft have been known for some time. These incl' ⁇ de vehicles having both wheels for driving on land and a motor-driven propeller for propulsion when the vehicle is travelling over water. In addition, there are non- amphibious craft of various kinds which use floats for support in water and paddles for propulsion.
• the present invention concerns wheels which are adapted both to support a vehicle (that is, to provide flotation) and to provide a means for propelling a vehicle over water (and sometimes also over land).
• the first improvement is the fabrication of an inflatable tyre out of a flexible rubber or like compound, which is adapted to fit over a simple rim, the tyre having formed therein or bonded thereto a plurality of protrusions, which extend across the outermost part of the side regions of the tyre.
• each protrusion being formed in or bonded on to the structure and extending substantially transversely over the region of the surface thereof that constitutes the outermost surface of the toroid and terminating in the regions of the surface of the structure that constitute the generally opposed side surfaces of the toroid.
• the material of the tyre is a synthetic rubber compound or sheet neoprene. It will also be appreciated that an ellipse includes within its definition a circle and, in the context of this specification, oval shapes of any suitable major or minor axis ratio.
• the second improvement is the provision of a wheel structure comprising:
• the spokes of the hub may be constructed of any suitable material, but a plastics material or a reinforced fibreglass material is preferred as such materials are strong and light-weight and do not corrode or chemically decompose in water or in a high humidity environment.
• the spokes may be flat or curved. They will usually be equi-spaced around the hub.
• the thi.rd improvement aimed solely at increasing the efficiency of operation of the water craft, is the formation of a moulded wheel, having a hub region and tyre region, as a single unit, from a substantially rigid material, with fins formed integrally with the tyre region, the fins being formed on at least one side of the tyre region and extending towards the hub xegion-
• the proportion of the fin surface area which becomes submerged when the water craft is "driven" by rotation of the wheel depends on the weight being carried by the water craft.
• the present invention also includes, within its scope, a water tricycle or similar recreational water craft constructed to include tyres and/or wheel structures of the type defined above. Embodiments, of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, together with a preferred water tricycle constructed, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
• Figure 1 is a general side view, partly detailed, of a tyre constructed in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tyre of the type shown in Figure 1, mounted on a central wheel structure of a water tricycle or similar recreational craft.
• Figure 3 is a schematic front view of a tyre of the first aspect of the present invention.
• Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a hub of a wheel structure of the second aspect of the present invention.
• Figure 5 is a section AA of Figure 1; Figure 6 illustrates one form of spoke of the wheel structure of the second aspect of the present invention.
• Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 5, with spokes and a tyre fitted to the hub of Figure 4.
• Figure 8 illustrates how non-planar spokes can be fitted to a hub to form the wheel structure of the present invention.
• Figure 9 shows how the wheel structure of the second aspect of the present invention may be used with the inflatable tyre of the first aspect of the present invention.
• Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a water tricycle incorporating the first aspect of the present invention.
• Figure 11 is a perspective sketch of one form of wheel constructed in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT To assist in the understanding of the first aspect of the present invention, it should be noted that the following terms have
• outer tyre surface - that is the annular region of the surface of the tyre contained between the points A and B shown in Figure 2;
• FIG. 1 there is shown a toroidal structure 10 which has been inflated (in Figure 2, after it has first been located around the curved rim 12 of a wheel section 11 of a water tricycle or like recreational vehicle).
• the structure 10 is constructed of a flexible, resilient sheet material, such as a synthetic rubber material or neoprene.
• a plurality of fin-like protrusions or ribs 13 are located on the outer tyre surface. These protrusions or ribs 13 may be moulded in the material of the toroidal structure 10, so that they stand out therefrom when the tyre is inflated.
• the ribs 13 may be bonded to the toroidal structure 10 by any suitable adhesive or by a vulcanizing process. As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 3, the ribs or protrusions 13 extend transversely of the outer surface of the tyre and are continued over the side surfaces of the tyre. This feature ensures that when an adult is using a water tricycle fitted with a tyre constructed in accordance with the present invention, as the tyre sinks further into the water (compared to the situation when a child rides the water tricycle) the surface area of the submerged parts of the ribs 13 increases.
• the adult is provided with larger "paddles” on the driving wheels of the water tricycle than a child, and the adult obtains correspondingly better propulsion with one rotation of the wheel.
• the present invention will provide a more uniform efficiency of operation of the tricycle or similar craft when light and heavy riders use it.
• Figure 3 shows that it is not essential for the ribs or protrusions 13 to extend linearly over the outer surface of the tyre.
• the ribs or protrusions 13 may be curved, or have a zig-zag, sine curve, or any required "tread" pattern as they traverse the outer surface of the tyre.
• Figure 2 shows that this form of tyre may be used with a simple wheel structure for a water tricycle.
• the wheel structure 11 of Figure 2 may be conveniently moulded out of a rigid plastics material, or may be of fibreglass. If required, a band 15 of a suitable material may be positioned around the rim 12 to separate the inner surface of the tyre from rim 12.
• a hub 40 is constructed with a central aperture 41, adapted to be fitted to an axle (not shown).
• the hub 40 has a plurality of slots 42 extending radially to the outer periphery of the hub, on each side of the hub. As shown clearly in Figures 4 and 5, the slots 42 preferably extend across the outer peripheral edge surface 43 of the hub, which, as shown in Figure 5, may be a concave surface.
• Spokes 44 are adapted to be fitted to the hub- 40 by locating them within the slots 42 and securing them in the slots by any suitable means, including by a press-fit or drive-fit arrangement.
• the spokes 44 are shaped so that the portion of a spoke mounted on a hub which is not surrounded by a slot 42 (that is, the portion of the spoke which lies outside the dashed line 45 shown in Figure 6) acts as a paddle when the hub is rotated.
• the outer surface 46 of the illustrated spokes is shaped to provide a recess, so that a tyre - for example, an inflatable rubber tyre - may be supported within the recess.
• the tyre would be supported by the spokes to be clear of the hub 40.
• the spokes 44 and the slots 42 will be so dimensioned that the innermost part of the outer surface 46 of each spoke lies within, or is at the edge of, a slot 42- in the hub 40.
• the tyre of the wheel will be in contact with the hub 40 at surface 43, and this contact, with the support provided by the spokes of the wheel, results in a very stable wheel being produced for, for example, a water tricycle.
• the spokes 44 have already been shown to be of lamellar construction. However, the spokes need not be planar, but may be curved, and mounted on a hub as shown schematically in Figure 8.
• any suitable number of spokes may be fitted to a hub.
• the spokes have a configuration similar to that shown in Figure 6, they will need to be more numerous than if the spokes have the configuration illustrated in Figure 7, to properly support a tyre on the wheel structure formed by the hub and the spokes.
• the wheel structure of the present invention can, with advantage, be used with the ribbed tyre structure of the first aspect of the present invention, described above, for the ribs 48 on the tyre 49 provide a surface upon which the spokes of the present wheel structure can bear, thus ensuring that the tyre 49 moves with the spokes and hub when the entire wheel assembly is rotated.
• the slots 42 may extend to the central aperture 41.
• the slots 41 may be radially tapered, so that they become shallower as they approach the centre of the hub 40.
• the simple water tricycle illustrated in Figure 10 has a main frame comprising a single tubular frame 20, on which is mounted a seat 21 and a handlebar/fork assembly 22.
• the front wheel 23 of the water tricycle preferably has an inflatable tyre on it, without the ribs or protrusions 13 of the tyre of the first aspect of the present invention.
• the two “driving" wheels 24 of the water tricycle are constructed to incorporate tyres in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, and preferably comprise a structure of the type illustrated in Figure 9. These driving wheels are driven by a conventional pedal and chain arrangement 25. Such a water tricycle is easy to use, robust, and easily transported.
• Figure 11 is a sketch of one form of moulded fibreglass wheel that has been constructed by the present inventors and effectively used in water tricycles.
• the wheel of Figure 11 consists of two half-wheel units 50, 50A, which are moulded separately and brought together and joined by any suitable means at the rim 55 of the wheel.
• the wheel itself has a tyre region 51 and a hub region 52.
• the hub region 52 is adapted to be fitted to an axle at aperture 54.
• the tyre region 51 which is used to provide buoyancy for the water craft, carries fins 53 which are used to propel the water craft through and over water when the wheel is rotated.
• any suitable, substantially rigid, material may be used.
• a particular advantage of this type of structure is that the water craft using this type of wheel construction can be truly amphibious. The user may even wear a suit to ride a water tricycle fitted with this type of wheel from a sandy beach into a lake or sheltered harbour without the user getting his clothes wet.
• fin 53 may be used, instead of the illustrated shape, without departing from the inventive concept of this aspect of the present invention. Also, if required, the fins 53 may be formed in both sides, of the tyre region of the wheel. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
• the main use of the present invention is in the production of pleasure craft for use on inland lakes, large swimming pools, harbours, bays, and similar environments.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)
• Vehicle Cleaning, Maintenance, Repair, Refitting, And Outriggers (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25642444

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (8)

Citations (12)

• 1982
  • 1982-01-11 WO PCT/AU1982/000002 patent/WO1982002364A1/en unknown
  • 1982-01-11 CA CA000393912A patent/CA1181293A/en not_active Expired
  • 1982-01-11 EP EP82900208A patent/EP0069127A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1982-01-12 GR GR66985A patent/GR75179B/el unknown
  • 1982-01-12 IT IT8219068A patent/IT1149441B/it active

Patent Citations (12)

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