Six driven wheel vehicle with front and rear wheels articulated about a transverse axis

• US 3,161,172 A
• Filed: 05/17/1960
• Issued: 12/15/1964
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1959
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karl Kassbohrer
• Original Assignee: Karl Kassbohrer
• Inventors: KARL KASSBOHRER
• Application Number:
  US04/029,705
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• US Class Current: 440/12.57
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 5/00 Gangways for coupled vehicles, e.g. of concertina type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/0262 Multi-axle trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/07 Off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/40 Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/36 for driving tandem wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/186 for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/0621 comprising traction increasing arrangements, e.g. all-wheel traction devices, multiple-axle traction arrangements, auxiliary traction increasing devices anti-skid or anti-slip devices fitted onto the wheels B60B15/02, B60B39/12; arrangements of transmission for driving both front and rear wheels or tandem wheels of vehicles B60K17/34, B60K17/36
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/005 Combinations with at least three axles and comprising two or more articulated parts articulated buses B62D47/025
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/028 Having only coupling joints other than directional articulated frames B62D21/186 and B62D55/10
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/10 with more than four wheels tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/144 for vehicles with more than two axles

Claims

2. AN ARTICULATED VEHICLE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CENTRAL THROUGH DRIVING AXLE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE VEHICLE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER THEREOF;

A FIRST PAIR OF WHEELS EACH SECURED TO A RESPECTIVE END OF SAID CENTRAL AXLE;

A PAIR OF CYLINDRICAL CASINGS EACH SURROUNDING SAID CENTRAL AXLE ADJACENT A RESPECTIVE WHEEL;

MEANS SECURING EACH OF SAID CASINGS AGAINST ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE VEHICLE;

SAID CASINGS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID CENTRAL AXLE;

A PAIR OF RELATIVELY ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTILINEAR HOLLOW FRONT SWING ARMS EACH HAVING, AT ONE END, BEARING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CASINGS FOR PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID FRONT SWING ARMS ON SAID CASINGS, EACH FRONT SWING ARM EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF THE VEHICLE AND BEING OSCILLATABLE, INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER FRONT SWING ARM, IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION;

A PAIR OF RELATIVELY ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTILINEAR HOLLOW REAR SWING ARMS EACH HAVING, AT ONE END, BEARING MEANS ENGAGING A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CASINGS FOR PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID REAR SWING ARMS ON SAID CASINGS, EACH REAR SWING ARM EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF THE VEHICLE AND EACH BEING OSCILLATABLE, INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER, IN A VERTICAL PLANE;

A PAIR OF FRONT WHEELS EACH MOUNTED IN A RESPECTIVE FRONT STUB AXLE, EACH STUB AXLE BEING SECURED TO A CORRESPONDING FREE END OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID FRONT SWING ARMS;

A PAIR OF REAR WHEELS EACH ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON A RESPECTIVE REAR STUB AXLE SECURED TO A CORRESPONDING FREE END OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID REAR SWING ARMS;

A PAIR OF DRIVE SPROCKETS SECURED TO SAID CENTRAL AXLE WITHIN EACH OF SAID CASINGS;

DRIVE CHAIN MEANS CONNECTING ONE DRIVE SPROCKET OF EACH PAIR TO THE ASSOCIATED FRONT STUB AXLE AND THE OTHER DRIVE SPROCKET OF EACH PAIR TO THE ASSOCIATED REAR STUB AXLE, EACH CHAIN MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH A PAIR OF ARCUATELY EXTENDING APERTURES IN THE BEARING MEANS OF THE ASSOCIATED FRONT AND REAR SWING ARMS AND THROUGH AN ARCUATELY EXTENDING AND ELONGATED APERTURE IN THE ASSOCIATED CASING;

AND A DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF FRONT AND REAR SWING ARMS VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO THE OTHER PAIR THEREOF;

SAID SWING ARMS CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS STRUCTURALLY SUPPORTING SAID STUB AXLES FOR VERTICAL OSCILLATION ABOUT SAID CENTRAL AXLE.