Prime mover
First Claim
1. A prime mover comprising a central housing, a plurality of elongated legs, mounting means for mounting said legs on said central housing so as to permit movement of the legs both up and down and sideways relative to the central housing, drive means on each of said legs, control means for independently actuating each of said drive means for moving the central housing, said legs being adapted to be positioned so as to stabilize the orientation of the central housing, said mounting means including first pivot means for enabling movement of the legs up and down relative to the central housing and second pivot means for enabling movement of the legs sidewise relative to the central housing, and third pivot means on said legs for enabling movement of the drive means inwardly and outwardly with respect to the central housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prime mover having a central body with a plurality of elongated legs pivotally connected to said central body for movement both up and down and sideways and individual steerable drive means on each elongated leg to enable the prime mover to move over a wide variety of terrains. The drive means include ground supporting wheels or tracks. Carried on the prime mover are electro hydraulic control means for steering each of the drive means and electric control means for actuating each of the drive means for moving the prime mover along the ground. A work platform is supported on the central body, which is appropriately levelled and stabilized in work position by proper extension or retraction or vertical depression or elevation of the respective elongated legs. The prime mover has four independently mounted drive means or wheels, unconnected by common axles or mechanical linkage and having no fixed track, that are controlled in such a manner that the geometry of steering produces a coherent effect.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A prime mover comprising a central housing, a plurality of elongated legs, mounting means for mounting said legs on said central housing so as to permit movement of the legs both up and down and sideways relative to the central housing, drive means on each of said legs, control means for independently actuating each of said drive means for moving the central housing, said legs being adapted to be positioned so as to stabilize the orientation of the central housing, said mounting means including first pivot means for enabling movement of the legs up and down relative to the central housing and second pivot means for enabling movement of the legs sidewise relative to the central housing, and third pivot means on said legs for enabling movement of the drive means inwardly and outwardly with respect to the central housing.
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19. A prime mover comprising a central housing, a plurality of elongated legs, mounting means for mounting said legs on said central housing so as to permit movement of the legs both up and down and sideways relative to the central housing, drive means secured on each of said legs, control means for independently actuating each of said drive means for moving the central housing, the mounting means including first pivot means for enabling movement of the legs up and down relative to the central housing and second pivot means for enabling movement of the legs sidewise relative to the central housing, and third pivot means on the legs for enabling a portion thereof carrying the drive means to be moved inwardly and outwardly with respect to the central housing, first actuating means for moving the legs up and down, second actuating means for moving the legs sideways, third actuating means for moving said portion inwardly and outwardly with respect to the central housing, said legs being adapted to be positioned so as to stabilize the orientation of the central housing, said legs being adapted to be positioned so as to stabilize the orientation of the central housing on a variety of surfaces and said drive means operable to move the prime mover over a variety of surfaces.
Specification