Air, land and sea vehicle

• US 4,579,297 A
• Filed: 08/30/1984
• Issued: 04/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph N. Ayoola
• Original Assignee: Joseph N. Ayoola
• Inventors: Ayoola, Joseph N.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/645,800
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/49, 244/50, 244/58, 244/218, 244/106, 114/270
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 2301/02 slidably
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/00 Amphibious vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling both on land and on water; Land vehicles capable of travelling under water buoyant wheels B60B ; equipment forming part of, or attachable to vessels, facilitating transport over land B63C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft

Abstract

Air, Land and Sea vehicle is convertible between aircraft form, road vehicle form and boat form. The conversion between aircraft form and road vehicle forms having (4) four tires as an automobile as well as a roadable vehicle structure that are movable outwardly for highway usage, and inwardly into stored position for the aircraft form or boat form, and having storage for the wing and tail assemblies which has a foldable section for this purpose. For conversion between aircraft form and boat forms, the apparatus has a retractable or extendable water propeller as propelling means in the water, and parts arranged for steering. The wings and tail assemblies are moved inwardly into stored position including auto and aero tires moved inwardly into their water-leak-proof compartments. The conversion between boat form and aircraft forms having wings and tail assemblies as well as propelling structures that are movable outwardly for the flying form including wing-lifter to lift the wings upwardly for the sufficient clearance between the wing-level and the water-level in order to accommodate sufficient relative wind to propel the invention as a lift means, during water takeoff. The water-rudder will maintain a straight forward movement. The auto and aero engines operate until the invention takes off on the water, then, the automobile engine must be turned off. The water-propeller and rudder move inwardly into their compartments respectively.

Claims

1. Air, land and sea vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body;

(b) wings having conversion means between a position for air use and a stowed position for land and sea use, said conversion means comprising a hydraulic cylinder extending an inner shaft for telescopically extending the wings, roof hydraulic power means for rectracting the wings and further hydraulic power means for overlapping the wings atop a vehicle roof and into said stowed position;

(c) wing lifter means supported between the wings and a frame of the vehicle, said wing lifter means comprising power means for lifting said wings during water takeoff so as to accomodate sufficient relative wind to lift the vehicle from the water;

(d) jet engines mounted on a carrier attached to said vehicle frame, said carrier being extendible radially outward into flying position, and retractible inwardly into a stored position during road use of the vehicle;

(e) a vertical stabilizer mounted on said frame comprising two-ply vertical wall portions, and a bottom portion attached to an electric motor power means for moving said stabilizer outwardly into a flying position and inwardly into a stored position within a compartment;

(f) a tail assembly on said frame comprising a pair of horizontal elevators attached to an electric motor power means for moving said elevators outwardly into flying position and inwardly into a stored position;

(g) auto and aero tire means mounted on said vehicle for extendable or retractable movement, and power means for moving said tire means outwardly into a use position and inwardly into a stored position, and water-leak-proof compartments surrounding said tire means;

(h) propelling means comprising a water propeller for propelling said vehicle on the water, and power means for retracting and extending said water propeller;

(i) water steering means comprising a water rudder and power means for retracting said rudder into a stored position and for extending said rudder into a water steering position;

(j) a secondary power plant for driving accessories in the absence of main power;

(k) a main power plant having multiple cooling means including free airflow cooling, fan forced air cooling, and oil circulation means having thermostatic control; and

(l) said vehicle body having a shape and arrangement in the form of an ellilpsoid to facilitate movement through the air with a minimum amount of drag.

2. Air, land and sea vehicle of claim 1 wherein said wing has sectional parts arranged for sliding, retraction and overlapping, said hydraulic cylinder causing said sectional parts to telescopically slide into each other, said roof hydraulic power means retracting said wings from a horizontal position to an upward vertical position and said further hydraulic power means causing said wings to overlap each other on top of said vehicle roof.

3. Air, land and sea vehicle of claim 1 wherein said wing lifter power means includes a hydraulic power means and extendible shaft.

4. Air, land and sea vehicle of claim 1 wherein said carrier for said jet engines comprises a V-shape frame, one of said jet engines being mounted atop each leg of said V-shape frame for extension and retraction.

5. Air, land and sea vehicle of claim 1 wherein said auto and aero tire means comprise two independent wheel systems, said auto tire means comprising four extendible and retractible wheels adapted for road useage, said aero tire means comprising a retractible and extendible tricycle configuration having a steerable nose wheel and two main landing wheels.

6. Air, land and sea vehicle of claim 1 wherein said secondary powerplant for driving accessories in the absence of main power is an electric generator and motor arranged to drive all electric accessories and to act as a secondary powerplant.