Abstract: An amphibious vehicle has a power train including an engine having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine an in-line transmission and a power take off. The power take off is located between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission, is driven by the engine crankshaft and drives the transmission; and is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft which runs below or through the oil sump of the engine or alongside the engine. The output from the transmission is adapted by a transfer drive to drive a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle; and optionally also to drive a front differential, to provide all-wheel-drive The vehicle may have a vee-type hull or a cathedral type hull; and may comprise retractable suspension, with angled retraction.
Abstract: Power train or an amphibious vehicle having an engine, transmission, and transfer case position in-line with longitudinal vehicle axis towards the rear of the vehicle, with transmission output facing the front of the vehicle. The transfer drive drives the rear wheels via propeller shaft, which extends adjacent the engine to rear differential. A marine drive PTO (power take off) may be taken from a shaft from the transfer case, from the propeller shaft, or from engine crankshaft pulley. Marine drive shaft may run below the engine, or alongside it, on the opposite side of the engine from propeller shaft. Decouplers may be provided to the PTO drive, to at least one rear wheel, and on the optional front axle propeller shaft.
Abstract: Power train for amphibious vehicle comprises engine aligned with longitudinal vehicle axis, transmission, and power take off mounted between engine and transmission. At least one marine propulsion unit mounted at the rear of the vehicle, is driven by shaft which runs alongside the transmission. Either transmission is offset to axis, and marine propulsion unit is on axis; or transmission is on axis, and the marine propulsion units are offset to axis. The driven road wheels may be the front wheels, the rear wheels, or all four. The engine may be at the front of the vehicle and the transmission at the back. Alternatively, the transmission may drive forward to a differential mounted adjacent to the engine sump, with wheel drive shaft passing through said pump.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 15, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 23, 2004
Assignee:
Gibbs Technologies Limited
Inventors:
Terence James Roycroft, Alan Timothy Gibbs