AMPHIBIAN TRAILER
United States Patent 3626891
A watercraft comprising a buoyant body, a propeller shaft, connecting means on said body for attaching a power unit to the body, drive means for drivably connecting a driven part of the power unit to the propeller shaft, and means for pivotally moving the propeller shaft from a raised position above the lower part of the body to a lowered position below the water line.
US Patent References:
Propeller for boats
Harley - May 1925 - 1538802
Boat operated by motive vehicle
Miller - December 1944 - 2365830
Combination automobile barge and trailer
Moraski - July 1967 - 3332388
MARGINAL TERRAIN VEHICLE
Boehler et al. - May 1969 - 3446175
Propeller for boats
Harley - May 1925 - 1538802
Boat operated by motive vehicle
Miller - December 1944 - 2365830
Combination automobile barge and trailer
Moraski - July 1967 - 3332388
MARGINAL TERRAIN VEHICLE
Boehler et al. - May 1969 - 3446175
Application Number:
04/840285
Publication Date:
12/14/1971
Filing Date:
07/09/1969
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
B60F3/00; B63C13/00; B60F3/00
Field of Search:
115/.5A,41,1 114/61 9/1TR
Primary Examiner:
Farrell, Andrew H.
Claims:
What we claim is
1. A watercraft comprising a buoyant body of two hollow bodies spaced apart and connected together by struts, a propeller shaft located in a space between the two buoyant parts of said body, connecting means on said body for attaining a power unit to the body, drive means drivably connecting a driven part of the power unit to the propeller shaft, said drive means including a gearbox pivotally mounted on the body and having a propeller shaft torque tube fixed at one end to said gearbox and slidable near its other end in a bearing carried by a pivoted support bracket, and means for pivotally moving the propeller shaft from a raised position above the lower part of the body to a lower position below the water line.
2. The watercraft of claim 1 having front supporting means on said body for supporting a snowmobile and rear support means for attachment to said snowmobile, whereby the snowmobile can be located with its drive shaft directly above drive means.
3. The watercraft of claim 2 having means on said body for supporting trailer wheels and means for moving said wheels from road engaging positions to inoperative positions.
4. The watercraft of claim 3 wherein each of the trailer wheel axles is carried by one end of a telescopic shock absorber, the other end of which carries a spigot arm located in the socket on said body, and a fixing arm is attached to said shock absorber, and said body carries means for fixing the said arm in the road engaging position of the wheel, said arm being movable up and over to a forward position for raising the wheel.
1. A watercraft comprising a buoyant body of two hollow bodies spaced apart and connected together by struts, a propeller shaft located in a space between the two buoyant parts of said body, connecting means on said body for attaining a power unit to the body, drive means drivably connecting a driven part of the power unit to the propeller shaft, said drive means including a gearbox pivotally mounted on the body and having a propeller shaft torque tube fixed at one end to said gearbox and slidable near its other end in a bearing carried by a pivoted support bracket, and means for pivotally moving the propeller shaft from a raised position above the lower part of the body to a lower position below the water line.
2. The watercraft of claim 1 having front supporting means on said body for supporting a snowmobile and rear support means for attachment to said snowmobile, whereby the snowmobile can be located with its drive shaft directly above drive means.
3. The watercraft of claim 2 having means on said body for supporting trailer wheels and means for moving said wheels from road engaging positions to inoperative positions.
4. The watercraft of claim 3 wherein each of the trailer wheel axles is carried by one end of a telescopic shock absorber, the other end of which carries a spigot arm located in the socket on said body, and a fixing arm is attached to said shock absorber, and said body carries means for fixing the said arm in the road engaging position of the wheel, said arm being movable up and over to a forward position for raising the wheel.
Description:
This invention relates to watercraft and its main object is to provide a watercraft which can be used to convert a power unit of known available type to a power connecting watercraft.
According to the invention a watercraft comprises a buoyant body, a propeller shaft, connecting means on said body for attaching a power unit to the body, drive means for drivably connecting a driven part of the power unit to the propeller shaft, and means for pivotally moving the propeller shaft from a raised position above the lower part of the body to a lowered position below the water line.
The power unit may be a tractor, cultivator, grass mower or snowmobile which are usually provided with power units, transmissions, steering, controls, take off drives and operator's seats. Thus for example a snowmobile which is generally used only for a month or two during the winter may be converted by the present invention for use as a power driven watercraft for use at any time of the year.
The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a watercraft made in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof with one buoyant part removed and a snowmobile shown attached thereto;
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the parts shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a front view of a trailer wheel and its supporting means;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation thereof;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a tow bar;
FIG. 7 is a plan view thereof; and
FIG. 8 is a half front view omitting minor details.
The watercraft comprises a buoyant body made up by two hollow floats 10, 11 spaced apart to leave a space 12 between them and rigidly connected together by Struts 15, 16, 17, 18 of inverted V-shaped section. The floats may be made of fiberglass or other suitable material.
The front strut 15 carries two brackets 20, 21 which carry resilient blocks 22, 23 for supporting the front part of a snowmobile 25.
The rear strut 18 carries an angle bar 26 to which the rear part of the snowmobile can be bolted.
The body carries a transverse bar 27. Two plates 28, 29 are fixed to the bar 27 and strut 16 and a gear housing 30 is pivotally mounted on the plates 28, 29. The housing contains a right-angle mitre gear. The front ends of the plates 28, 29 are adjustable up and down by screw 31 for tensioning a chain 32 which engages a sprocket 33 on the gear shaft 34, and a sprocket 23 on the snowmobile drive shaft 36.
A propeller shaft 40 carries a propeller 41 at its rear end and is located in a torque tube 42 which is fixed at its front end to the gear housing 30. The tube 42 is slidably supported near its rear end in a bearing 44 that is pivotally carried by a bracket 45 the upper end of which is fixed to a spindle 46 that is pivotally supported in brackets 48, 49 on the strut 17. One end of the spindle 46 carries a handle 50. The torque tube 24 also carries propeller shaft bearings 51 rudder 52 and support fin 53. The propeller shaft can be moved by the handle 50 to bring the propeller and adjacent parts to the lowered operating position shown below the water line or to a raised position above the lower part of the buoyant body floats and can be locked in raised position.
In order that the watercraft can be transported on land it is preferably provided with trailer wheels 55. These are omitted from FIG. 1. Each wheel 55 has a stub shaft 56 mounted in one end of a telescopic shock absorber 58, the other end of which carries a spigot 59. The spigot 59 enters the socket ends of the strut 16. The shock absorber 58 carries an arm 60 the outer end of which can be fixed to a bracket 61 on the float in the road engaging position of the wheel. The arm 60 can be detached from bracket 61 and swung up and over to lie forwardly on the strut 15 with the wheel 50 raised above the water line. When lowering the wheel the arm 60 provides a leverage for lifting the load prior to finally securing the arm 60 to the bracket 61.
The rudder 52 and fin 53 can be actuated by the steering gear of the snowmobile by means of a cable (not shown).
A tow-bar 64 has a connector 65 at one end for attachment to a motor vehicle and has holes 66, 67 at the other end to engage hooks 68, 69 on brackets fixed to the strut 17.
The trailer is attached to the floats by adjustable links 70, 71.
To prepare the conventional snowmobile for marine conversion it is only necessary to remove the snow ground propelling equipment comprising the snow track belt, rear idler track sprocket shaft and bearings, track bogey wheels and the two front-mounted skis. These components are easily replaced when reconversion to snow conditions is required.
According to the invention a watercraft comprises a buoyant body, a propeller shaft, connecting means on said body for attaching a power unit to the body, drive means for drivably connecting a driven part of the power unit to the propeller shaft, and means for pivotally moving the propeller shaft from a raised position above the lower part of the body to a lowered position below the water line.
The power unit may be a tractor, cultivator, grass mower or snowmobile which are usually provided with power units, transmissions, steering, controls, take off drives and operator's seats. Thus for example a snowmobile which is generally used only for a month or two during the winter may be converted by the present invention for use as a power driven watercraft for use at any time of the year.
The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a watercraft made in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof with one buoyant part removed and a snowmobile shown attached thereto;
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the parts shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a front view of a trailer wheel and its supporting means;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation thereof;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a tow bar;
FIG. 7 is a plan view thereof; and
FIG. 8 is a half front view omitting minor details.
The watercraft comprises a buoyant body made up by two hollow floats 10, 11 spaced apart to leave a space 12 between them and rigidly connected together by Struts 15, 16, 17, 18 of inverted V-shaped section. The floats may be made of fiberglass or other suitable material.
The front strut 15 carries two brackets 20, 21 which carry resilient blocks 22, 23 for supporting the front part of a snowmobile 25.
The rear strut 18 carries an angle bar 26 to which the rear part of the snowmobile can be bolted.
The body carries a transverse bar 27. Two plates 28, 29 are fixed to the bar 27 and strut 16 and a gear housing 30 is pivotally mounted on the plates 28, 29. The housing contains a right-angle mitre gear. The front ends of the plates 28, 29 are adjustable up and down by screw 31 for tensioning a chain 32 which engages a sprocket 33 on the gear shaft 34, and a sprocket 23 on the snowmobile drive shaft 36.
A propeller shaft 40 carries a propeller 41 at its rear end and is located in a torque tube 42 which is fixed at its front end to the gear housing 30. The tube 42 is slidably supported near its rear end in a bearing 44 that is pivotally carried by a bracket 45 the upper end of which is fixed to a spindle 46 that is pivotally supported in brackets 48, 49 on the strut 17. One end of the spindle 46 carries a handle 50. The torque tube 24 also carries propeller shaft bearings 51 rudder 52 and support fin 53. The propeller shaft can be moved by the handle 50 to bring the propeller and adjacent parts to the lowered operating position shown below the water line or to a raised position above the lower part of the buoyant body floats and can be locked in raised position.
In order that the watercraft can be transported on land it is preferably provided with trailer wheels 55. These are omitted from FIG. 1. Each wheel 55 has a stub shaft 56 mounted in one end of a telescopic shock absorber 58, the other end of which carries a spigot 59. The spigot 59 enters the socket ends of the strut 16. The shock absorber 58 carries an arm 60 the outer end of which can be fixed to a bracket 61 on the float in the road engaging position of the wheel. The arm 60 can be detached from bracket 61 and swung up and over to lie forwardly on the strut 15 with the wheel 50 raised above the water line. When lowering the wheel the arm 60 provides a leverage for lifting the load prior to finally securing the arm 60 to the bracket 61.
The rudder 52 and fin 53 can be actuated by the steering gear of the snowmobile by means of a cable (not shown).
A tow-bar 64 has a connector 65 at one end for attachment to a motor vehicle and has holes 66, 67 at the other end to engage hooks 68, 69 on brackets fixed to the strut 17.
The trailer is attached to the floats by adjustable links 70, 71.
To prepare the conventional snowmobile for marine conversion it is only necessary to remove the snow ground propelling equipment comprising the snow track belt, rear idler track sprocket shaft and bearings, track bogey wheels and the two front-mounted skis. These components are easily replaced when reconversion to snow conditions is required.