The vehicle of the "Jeep" type is arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner in particular with respect to a transverse median plane and comprises, on a chassis formed by side members and cross members (1), (2) which are respectively symmetrical and each formed by two semi-side members or two semi-cross members which are identical, two symmetrical longitudinal body elements (6) interconnected by a transverse element (8). The structure has surfaces (6c) for receiving and supporting a superposed identical vehicle.

The present invention relates to a cross-country motor vehicle of the 
"Jeep" type which may have both civil and military applications. 
Many vehicles of this type already exist but however have various drawbacks 
and insufficiencies. 
An object of the invention is to provide a novel cross-country vehicle 
which is transportable by air under improved conditions and is simple and 
cheap. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle which is easy 
to manufacture by small industrial units on the condition of using already 
existing complex units such as the kinematic chain, shock absorbers and 
the steering device. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle in respect of 
which maintenance and repairs are easy and whose logistic is simplified, 
in particular from the point of view of the manufacture and stocking of 
spare parts. 
A further object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle which has a 
large transporting capacity although its length is short 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle which is 
particularly practical from the point of view of both the rolling and road 
holding properties of the vehicle, in particular over open ground, and the 
transporting, loading and unloading of persons and loads. 
The invention provides a cross-country vehicle of the "Jeep" type having 
two axles and preferably a chassis carrying the body, and preferably four 
driving wheels, wherein means are provided for receiving another identical 
vehicle by superposition. 
However, the invention also concerns a vehicle of the self-supporting 
monopiece body type including said means for receiving another vehicle. 
Advantageously, the body has, above each wheel, a preferably planar 
receiving surface supporting the corresponding wheel of the superposed 
vehicle, fastening means preventing the separation of the two vehicles. 
In this way it is possible to transport the vehicles by air in groups of 
two superposed vehicles, which considerably increases the filling capacity 
of the transporting aircraft. 
The structure of the vehicle is so designed as to support the load of the 
superposed vehicle, at least for an acceleration of 2 g, when landing. For 
transport over the ground or water, three vehicles may in practice be 
superposed. 
According to a preferred feature of the invention which facilitates the 
superposition possibilities, the vehicle is arranged, in the region of the 
chassis and body, in a substantially symmetrical manner in the direction 
of the length. 
Thus the body or shell may advantageously comprise two longitudinal 
elements disposed laterally which are self-supporting and form cavities 
for the wheels of the respective side and support surfaces for the two 
corresponding wheels of the superposed vehicle. These longitudinal 
elements may advantageously be welded constructions, in particular based 
on one or more bent section members. They preferably include a lower 
central region corresponding to the passage of the front and rear 
passengers located between two parts upwardly inclined at an angle 
preferably on the order of 60.degree. planar end parts surmounting the 
wheels and parallel to the lowered central part, are also provided 
although these parts may also be at least partly upwardly inclined toward 
the end of the vehicle so as to oppose a possible longitudinal 
displacement of the superposed vehicle. 
These elements are preferably carried by a chassis composed of two side 
members and two end cross members with cantilever arms in median 
positions. 
The side members then have a symmetrical shape adapted to the elements and 
to the passage of the front and rear driving axles. They may each be very 
advantageously formed by two identical C-section semi-side members fitted 
together and welded alongside each other to form a tubular side member, so 
that it is possible to press-form a single type of semi-side member to 
produce the two side members. 
The cross members may also be formed from C-section semi-cross members with 
the same advantages. 
Lateral lugs extending from the central part of the side members may also 
be made identical. 
Whereas other components may be identical to one another and in particular 
the longitudinal suspension arms or struts and the suspension pots. Each 
axle may also be associated with a Panhard type of bar. 
Preferably, the two longitudinal body or shell elements may be 
interconnected by a transverse element in the form of an elongate box 
structure constructed by welding and fixed to the longitudinal elements 
preferably in the region of one of the inclined parts of the longitudinal 
elements, this permits a still further stiffening of the body and at the 
same time the provision of a panel receiving the dashboard elements, the 
windshield and the engine hood. This element is easily detachable to 
permit access to the engine and its auxiliary equipment. 
At the rear, floors may interconnect the two longitudinal elements. A rear 
hatchback and a front radiator grille may also be used for interconnecting 
the two longitudinal elements. 
Preferably, the various elements, such as the side members, the cross 
members, the longitudinal body elements, the transverse element and other 
elements may be assembled by a separable assembly, such as eye-members, 
bolts, studs and nuts facilitating the rapid replacement of an element. 
Some connections, in particular between the chassis and the body, may have 
a certain degree of freedom. 
The power unit is located, for example, in the front, between the two 
longitudinal elements and above the front driving axle the space thus 
defined is long and easily accessible from above, below, the front and the 
rear so that different conventional power units may be mounted, such as 
those of the makes Land Rover, Toyota, Peugot P4, Mercedes G, etc. 
The transverse element may be adjusted to any desired height to adapt it to 
the particular chosen engine. 
It will be understood that a vehicle arranged in this way is easy to 
manufacture and repair by means which are not overly complex.

The illustrated vehicle has the dimensions: 3.30 m long.times.1.70 m wide; 
its height above the ground with the tires inflated is 1.15 m with the 
windshield lowered. The track is 2.40 m. 
The chassis is formed by two side members 1 which are rectilinear in the 
center and upwardly inclined adjacent to their ends. Each side member 1 is 
formed by two semi-side members (see FIG. 3) which extend throughout the 
length and are fitted together and welded alongside each other on the 
upper and lower flanges. Four identical semi-side members, formed by a 
press-formed C-section member, enable two tubular side members to be 
formed. 
The main tubular cross members 2 are rectilinear in the center and inclined 
at the two ends and are formed, in the same way, from semi-cross members 
(see FIG. 4) which are all identical and fitted together and welded 
alongside each other. These cross members are also pressed out with a 
single press tool. 
The two cross members 2 are welded to the ends of the side members, 1 their 
inclined arms extending beyond the frame thus obtained for structuring the 
body. 
Extending outwardly from each side member 1 are two welded lugs 3 having an 
omega-section, and brackets 4 for the articulation of the suspension arms 
or struts 5. The lugs, brackets and arms are all respectively identical to 
one another. 
Mounted on each cross member 1 is a longitudinal body element 6 which is a 
welded construction including two parallel omega-section members 7. The 
longitudinal element 6 has, as its section members 7, a lowered 
rectilinear central part 6a, two inclined parts 6b and two end parts 6c. 
The whole longitudinal element 6 being, in the same way as the side 
members of the chassis, symmetrical relative to a transverse median plane 
of the vehicle. The section members 7 have this contour. The transverse 
element comprises a folded metal sheet 6e supported by the section members 
7 and a vertical cut-out side wall 6f. The longitudinal elements 6 are 
mounted on and bolted to the lugs 3 which carry their section members 7 
and on the cross members 2 adjacent to the ends of the elements 6. 
A box-structured transverse element 8, whose section is seen in FIG. 1, is 
fixed to the front inclined parts 6b and thus interconnects the two 
elements 6. The element 8 has a vertical rear part 8a for receiving the 
dashboard elements, a horizontal upper part receiving the windshield 9 and 
an inclined part receiving the hood. 
The longitudinal elements 6 are closed at their front and rear ends by 
transverse panels 6d which stiffen the elements at their two ends and 
receive the lights. Such an element 6, which is stiffened by the structure 
and the presence of the two inner omega-section members 7, forms, above 
the wheels, the two surfaces 6c on which bear the wheels of a superposed 
identical vehicle with a sufficient resistance to deformation, including 
conditions involving a landing at 2 g. 
The two elements 6 are also interconnected by plates acting as a floor 10 
and a rear platform 10a these plates are, if desired, supported by small 
omega-section members whose ends would be fixed or welded against the 
longitudinal elements. The plates 10, 10a are fixed to the sheet 6e. 
Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown an embodiment where the omega-section 
members 7 have end parts which do not horizontally extend to reach the 
front and rear end panels 6d but which are inclined downwardly at 7a to 
reach the cross members 2. 
The assembly therefore forms a very coherent structure comprising the 
chassis formed by the two side members 1 with their two cross members 2 
which interconnect them at their front and rear ends, thereby forming a 
frame on which is fixed, with the possibility of a rapid disassembly, the 
body structured around the two longitudinal elements 6 interconnected by 
the transverse element 8, by the floor and platform 10, 10a and 
accessorily by the front radiator grille and a rear hatchback. 
The vehicle constructed in this way has good handling qualities and an 
excellent road-holding performance.