Amphibious vehicle
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
at least two pontoons supported by said chassis, wherein said pontoons provide sufficient buoyancy such that the vehicle can float on water;
a track system disposed on said pontoons and adapted to provide propulsion to the vehicle when moving on land or in water;
a plurality of spuds connected to said chassis, wherein said spuds have a first position wherein said spuds extend below the bottom of said pontoons and a second position wherein said spuds do not extend below the bottom of said pontoons.
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Abstract
A vehicle adapted to operate on dry land, in soft terrain, and while floating. The vehicle includes a chassis formed by two interconnected pontoon sections sized such that the chassis and equipment will float. The pontoons are fitted with a track system providing propulsion to the vehicle. The chassis a plurality of spuds that are deployed to a position extending below the bottom of the pontoons so as to stabilize the vehicle for operations while floating.
32 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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a chassis;
at least two pontoons supported by said chassis, wherein said pontoons provide sufficient buoyancy such that the vehicle can float on water;
a track system disposed on said pontoons and adapted to provide propulsion to the vehicle when moving on land or in water;
a plurality of spuds connected to said chassis, wherein said spuds have a first position wherein said spuds extend below the bottom of said pontoons and a second position wherein said spuds do not extend below the bottom of said pontoons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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providing earth excavating equipment disposed on a vehicle adapted to move over land or through the water;
floating the vehicle carrying the earth excavating equipment in a body of water;
deploying a plurality of spuds from the vehicle into the bottom of the body of water;
performing earth excavating operations;
retracting the plurality of spuds such that the entirety of the spuds are above the bottom of the vehicle;
moving the vehicle to a position where the vehicle is not floating but is resting at the bottom of a body of water; and
performing earth excavating operations. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A vehicle comprising:
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an amphibious chassis including pontoons fitted with powered track systems adapted to provide propulsion to the vehicle both on land and in water;
a plurality of spud assemblies attached to said amphibious chassis; and
equipment mounted to said amphibious chassis, wherein said equipment has a first operating mode wherein the vehicle is resting on the ground and a second operating mode wherein the vehicle is floating in water, wherein said plurality of spud assemblies retract entirely above the bottom of the pontoons in the first operating mode and are adapted to laterally support the vehicle in the second operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification