Land vehicle and aircraft combination

• US 4,358,072 A
• Filed: 04/08/1980
• Issued: 11/09/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roger Williamson
• Original Assignee: Roger Williamson
• Inventors: Williamson, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US06/138,320
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/120, 244/140, 244/224, 244/234, 180/198
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft

Abstract

A combination road and air vehicle having separate engines for each craft is disclosed. The aircraft has an air frame with wings and tail elements attached to a fuselage with a tricycle landing gear attached to the air frame. A nose platform extends forward from the bottom of the fuselage. The platform is adapted to receive and support a small land vehicle. The aircraft controls are mounted on a folding stalk attached to the top side of the platform. The land vehicle has a central opening in its body through which the control stalk may be elevated to a vertical position. The aircraft and land vehicle each have its own power plant and control system.

Claims

1. Combination road and air vehicle comprising:

an airframe with fuselage, wings and tail elements;

flight propulsion means attached to said airframe;

a nose platform extending forward from the bottom of said fuselage, said platform adapted to receive and support a small self-propelled land vehicle;

tricycle landing gear attached to said airframe with the nose wheel attached by a folding strut to the underside of said platform;

aircraft control means on a folding stalk foldably attached to the top side of said platform;

land vehicle having a power plant and wheels, said vehicle having a central longitudinal opening in its bottom surface sized to allow said folding stalk to be raised into the vehicle compartment from the top side of said platform;

locking means on said platform to lock said vehicle to said platform.

2. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said wings are attached to the lower part of the airframe.

3. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said land vehicle has a rear engine power plant.

4. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said land vehicle has four wheels.

5. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said land vehicle has a battery, lights and controls independent of said airframe.

6. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said airframe has a battery, lights, hydraulic system, electrical system and controls independent of said land vehicle.

7. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said land vehicle has compartment pressurization means.

8. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said land vehicle has dashboard interlock means to lock said control stalk in a substantially upright position within said vehicle compartment.

9. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein pressure seal means provides a seal between the bottom of said land vehicle and the upper surface of said platform.

10. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said vehicle length is proportioned to said airframe such that the rear of said vehicle is substantially adjacent (or near) the trailing edge of the wings adjacent the airframe fuselage when said land vehicle is locked to said platform.

11. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the height of said land vehicle is proportioned to said airframe such that the roof of said land vehicle forms a substantially smooth, continuous surface with the upper surface of the fuselage of said airframe when said vehicle is locked to said platform.

12. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said airframe has a monocoque fuselage.

13. The road and air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the upper surface of said nose platform is substantially adjacent the upper surface of said wings where said wings attach to said airframe fuselage.