Patent ID: 7051828
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: B62D,B62M

Abstract:
1. A wheel mechanism for use on snowmobiles comprising: a) a first pivot unit which is adapted to be fixedly secured to a snowmobile having a front end and a rear end with a drive mechanism located in the rear end of the snowmobile and ground-engaging ski runner elements on the front end of the snowmobile, said first pivot unit being located near the front end of the snowmobile; b) a steering yoke that is adapted to be operatively connected to a steering system on the snowmobile; c) a strut having a proximal end pivotally secured to said first pivot unit and which is operatively connected to said steering yoke and a distal end; d) a connection element on said strut near the distal end of said strut; e) a second pivot unit which is adapted to be fixedly secured to the snowmobile adjacent to said first pivot unit; f) a hydraulic unit which includes g) a ground-engaging wheel fixedly mounted on said strut at the distal end of said strut; h) a shield having a proximal end pivotally mounted on the snowmobile adjacent to said first pivot unit and a distal end connected to the distal end of said strut; and i) said strut and said hydraulic unit and said shield and said ground-engaging wheel all movable between a stored orientation with said ground-engaging wheel located adjacent to the snowmobile and a use orientation with said ground-engaging wheel spaced apart from said snowmobile, said ground-engaging wheel supporting the front end of the snowmobile and elevating the ground-engaging runner elements off of the ground when said ground-engaging wheel is in the use orientation whereby the snowmobile is supported by said ground-engaging wheel and the drive mechanism of the snowmobile when said ground-engaging wheel is in the use orientation and the snowmobile is supported by the drive mechanism and the ground-engaging runner elements when the ground-engaging wheel is in the stored orientation.