Combination tractively and thrust propelled vehicle for offhighway and on-highway use

摘要

1,099,551. Propelling motor vehicles; vehicle wheels. H. R. LIFFERTH. March 25, 1965 [April 1, 1964], No. 12775/65. Headings B7C and B7H. A motor vehicle is propelled by a series of cam members mounted on respective eccentric axes of rotation which extend transversely of the direction of travel of the vehicle. Each cam member 16 has on its periphery a smooth arcuate portion 16b disposed eccentrically of a driving axle 17 to provide propulsive thrust in soft terrain, and an arcuate portion 16a disposed concentrically with the axle 17 and having a treaded surface 26 for providing propulsive adhesion on paved roads. The cam members 16 may be solid, hollow or pneumatically inflated and provided with a plastics anti-friction surface on the portion 16b and a rubber friction surface on the portion 16a. A series 15 of cam members 16 is disposed progressively around each axle 17 so that one treaded surface 26 is always lowermost and interaction between adjacent series 15 cleans the cam surfaces. Each axle 17 is journalled in a trailing suspension arm 23 sprung by a coil spring 23a, and the axles 17 on opposite sides of the vehicle are independently driven through variable ratio V-belt transmission gearing and chain drives 31 by separate engines controlled individually to steer the vehicle. In another embodiment, Fig. 11 (not shown), elongate cam members extending across the vehicle are driven from both ends, and steering is effected by relative rotation about an articulated connection between two vehicles connected in tandem. The cam surfaces may be convex or concave across their width, and the cam profile may approach circular configuration. The vehicle may be additionally supported on runners, skis or wheels.