Patent GB-480250-A (GB)
Title: Improved land and water vehicle
IPC: B60F3/00
Filed: 1936-08-11
Abstract: 480,250. Propelling and steering boats. ANSTEY, R. W. Aug. 11, 1936, No. 22057. [Classes 113 (ii) and 114] [Also in Groups XXXI and XXIV] A vehicle adapted to progress by steps on land or water comprises a body or hull 46 supported on floats 1 .. 3, the middle float 2 and the pair of side floats 1, 3 being of substantially equal displacement and being connected by power-driven cranks so as to be alternately moved forwards or rearwards in semicircular leaps, whilst the body 46, riding thereon, progresses at a uniform rate. Provision is made for steering and also for lateral or crablike movements. The floats 1, 3 are rigidly connected by crossbars X, Y associated with a pair of longitudinal bars 18, 21 by three coupling blocks 26 through which the respective bars are slidable and by a fourth block 29 in which only the transverse bar Y is slidable, the longitudinal bar 21 being secured therein by a screw. A second pair of longitudinal bars 19, 20, rigidly connected by crossbars V, W, are similarly associated with the middle float 2 by blocks 27 slidable in relation to both members and a block 28 secured to the float 2 but allowing sliding therein of the crossbar V. These connections allow the floats, whilst raised, to be displaced angularly or laterally, for steering &c. movements, relatively to the longitudinal bars which remain parallel to the main body or hull 46. The outer longitudinal bars 18, 21 are engaged by crank pins on the ends of shafts 4, 5 mounted in bearings in the inner longitudinal bars 19, 20 bilobar-shaped crank discs 7, 8 on the shafts being formed with peripheral teeth through which a drive is transmitted from pinions 11, 12 on power-driven shafts 15, 16 mounted on the body 46. The gears are shrouded to their pitch circles and form the means whereby the body or hull 46 rides on the floats through the intermediacy of the longitudinal bars. To prevent lifting, pins on the body engage under lateral flanges on the crank - discs whilst, to regulate progression a pin 62 on the body engages a grooved cam disc 63 on the crankshaft 5. To slow-up the crankshafts at each half revolution in order to land the floats gently, the engine drive is transmitted to the shafts 15, 16 through cyclically variable gearing shown in Fig. 4. In this arrangement, the shaft 50 is driven from the engine shaft 58 through a gear train 56, 57, 54, 53 wherein the gear 56 and a frame 55 carrying the gears 57, 54 are loose on the shaft 50, the gear 54 being fast on a crankshaft 51 anchored by a connecting rod 52 to a fixed point so that the frame 55 oscillates as the gears rotate, thereby alternately increasing and reducing the speed of the driven pinion 53. The radius of the gear 54 is the same as the crank radius and is equal to or half the radius of the gear 53, according to the ratio of the pinions 11, 12 to the toothed crank discs 7, 8. To further steady the movements, flywheels may be introduced and the longitudinal bars may be connected by springs 64. Steering &c. is effected by means of posts 30 .... 33 on the floats 2, 3, co-operating with adjustable guides 35, 36 on the body 46, the guides being normally parallel with the longitudinal bars &c. If the guides inclined in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1, each float when raised from the ground and moved forwards, is deflected for turning the vehicle. If both sets of guides are inclined in the same direction lateral or crablike progression results. Each pair of guides is carried by a pair of bars 38, 39 connected to the body or hull by a pair of pivoted bars 42, 44 the whole being adjusted parallelogram fashion by a screw or rack-and-pinion operated member 47 having an inclined part 47a sliding through and adapted to shift the bar 39. For travel over uneven ground, a number of trailing legs 66 of various lengths are pivoted to the floats, dropping to the ground by their own weight or with the aid of springs. One or more legs 65 may be double-ended so as to be reversible. To minimize suction effects, the floats may be provided with valved air-passages. The equipment may include spring suspensions and shock absorbers and cushions under the floats. Brakes may be fitted.