Driving apparatus for a tandem wheeled vehicle

Abstract

A driving apparatus for a tandem wheeled land vehicle. The apparatus includes a housing shaped to house a rocking member, a drive wheel, two guide wheels and an endless drive belt. The two land wheel hubs are each connected to a land wheel that can be axially rotated. The rocking member is positioned between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs. The endless drive loop interconnects the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, so that the drive wheel axially drives the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs. The rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop are housed in the housing. The drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop are interconnected so that when the land wheels move over a land surface, the housing rockingly moves about the rocking member to keep the wheels in contact with the land surface.

Description

[0001] DRIVING APPARATUS FOR A TANDEM WHEELED VEHICLE

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present generally concerns vehicles used over uneven terrain, and more particularly to a modular belt driven apparatus with independent suspension used with such vehicles,

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Electric motor driven all-terrain vehicles are well known and widely used for recreation and transporting loads. Typically, such vehicles include either tracks or wheels mounted on a number of axles that axially rotate and drive the vehicle in the desired direction. While vehicles of this type are well adapted for use on smooth or even moderately uneven terrain, generally speaking if these vehicles are used in military or forestry settings, a driver must navigate the vehicle over rough, uneven, sloped and hilly terrain. Also, when used regularly in such setting, small rocks and stones can damage the braking and suspension systems, which then need regular cleaning, maintenance and part replacements. This is time-consuming and can be expensive.

[0006] Thus, there is a clear need for an improved driving and suspension apparatus for all terrain vehicles.

[0007] BRIEF SUMMARY

[0008] We have designed a combined belt drive and suspension assembly for an all-terrain land vehicle that significantly reduces, or essentially eliminates, the problems noted above. Our novel and unobvious assembly is designed such that each vehicle land unit includes belt drive systems located in a balanced, elongate housing to rockingly move a pair of tandem wheel units about an axis in an “up-and-down” movement as the vehicle moves over an uneven ground surface. Electric motors independently drive the drive assemblies and permits a smooth movement of the vehicle over uneven terrain. Accordingly, in one embodiment there is provided a driving apparatus for a tandem wheeled land vehicle, the driving apparatus comprising: an elongate housing; a rocking member; a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation therewith, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the first and second land wheels move over a land surface, the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocking member to maintain the first and second land wheels in contact with the land surface.

[0009] In one example, the elongate housing is rockingly connected to a vehicle main frame, the elongate housing having first and second sidewalls sized and shaped to house therein the drive wheel, the rocking member, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop. The elongate housing includes a drive wheel housing extension for connecting the elongate housing to the vehicle main frame.

[0010] In one example, an actuator is connected to the drive wheel, the actuator extends between the first and second guide wheels, the actuator is located between the two wheels and extends away from the vehicle main frame. The actuator is an electric motor.

[0011] In one example, the elongate housing is rockingly connected to an axially disposed rocking member is located between the two guide wheels and spaced apart from the actuator, the rocking member is a rod extending into the elongate housing, the rod having a rod rocking axis, the rod is located to permit balanced rocking of the elongate housing thereabouts.

[0012] In one example, the drive wheel and the spaced apart guide wheels are triangularly disposed, the guide wheels being equidistant from the rocking member.

[0013] In one example, the endless loop loops over the drive wheel, under each of the two guides wheels and around each of the two tandem wheel hubs.

[0014] In one example, the endless drive loop is a drive belt.

[0015] In one example, the land wheels each includes a wheel barrel sized and shaped to house a gear arrangement and a brake apparatus.

[0016] Accordingly, in another embodiment, there is provided a land vehicle, comprising: a first carriage unit having a first main frame, the first main frame having a first end leading end portion, a second trailing end portion, and first and second side beams; first and second tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the first side portion; third and fourth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the second side portion, each wheel unit being independently rockingly moveable relative to the respective side portions; each of the first, second, third and fourth tandem wheel units includes: an elongate housing; a rocking member; a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel, the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the first and second land wheels move over a land surface, the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocker member to maintain the first and second land wheels in contact with the land surface.

[0017] In one example, the land vehicle further includes a second carriage unit having a second main frame, the second main frame having a third end leading end portion, a third trailing end portion, and third and fourth side beams; third and fourth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the third side beam; fifth and sixth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the fourth side beam, each wheel unit being independently rockingly moveable relative to the respective side beams; each of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth tandem wheel units includes: an elongate housing; a rocking member; a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel, the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the land wheels move over the land surface, each of the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocker members to maintain at least one of the land wheels in contact with the land surface.

[0018] In one example, a connecting joint is located between the first and second carriage units and the joint member moveably interconnecting the carriage units,

[0019] In one example, the connecting joint includes an upstanding axle member located to permit hingeable, lateral movement of the first and second carriage units.

[0020] In one example, the elongate housing is rockingly connected to a vehicle main frame, the elongate housing having first and second sidewalls sized and shaped to house therein the drive wheel, the rocker member, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop.

[0021] In one example, the elongate housing includes a drive wheel housing extension for connecting the elongate housing to the vehicle main frame.

[0022] In one example, an actuator is connected to the drive wheel, the actuator extends between the first and second guide wheels, the actuator is located between the two wheels and extends away from the vehicle main frame. The actuator is an electric motor.

[0023] In one example, the elongate housing is rockingly connected to an axially disposed rocking member is located between the two guide wheels and spaced apart from the actuator, the rocking member is a rod extending into the elongate housing, the rod having a rod rocking axis, the rod is located to permit balanced rocking of the elongate housing thereabouts.

[0024] In one example, the driving wheel and the spaced apart guide wheels are triangularly disposed, the guide wheels being equidistant from the rocking member.

[0025] In one example, the endless loop loops over the driver wheel, under each of the two guides wheels and around each of the two tandem wheel hubs. In one example, the endless drive loop is a drive belt.

[0026] In one example, the land wheels each includes a wheel barrel sized and shaped to house a gear arrangement and a brake apparatus.

[0027] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] These and other features of that described herein will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein:

[0029] FIG.i is a perspective side view showing a motorized land vehicle having two connected vehicle carriage units having a cover located over a leading carriage;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of Fig. i showing the vehicle with the cover is removed;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of Fig. 2 in which a land wheel is removed to show a land wheel hub;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a side view of a tandem wheeled vehicle showing the location of two electric motors;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 3;

[0034] Fig. 6 is a simplified side view of an elongate housing showing a drive apparatus;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cut through view along line 6-6A of Fig. 6 showing two modular wheel hub apparatus with wheel hubs;

[0036] Fig. 8 is longitudinal cut through detailed view of a modular wheel hub apparatus; and

[0037] Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a connecting joint.

[0038] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Definitions Unless otherwise specified, the following definitions apply:

[0040] The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include corresponding plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0041] As used herein, the term “comprising” is intended to mean that the list of elements following the word “comprising” are required or mandatory but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present.

[0042] As used herein, the term “consisting of’ is intended to mean including and limited to whatever follows the phrase “consisting of’. Thus, the phrase “consisting of’ indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory and that no other elements may be present.

[0043] Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, there is shown generally at 10 a land vehicle for carrying a load (not shown). The land vehicle 10 includes two vehicle carriage units 12, 14 connected together. Although two carriage units 12, 14 are illustrated, it should be pointed out that a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that two or more carriage units can be connected together depending on the desired use and the load to be transported.

[0044] Referring now specifically to Fig. 1, the first vehicle carriage unit 12 includes a generally rectangular-shaped first main frame 16 that includes a front end 18 (also known as a “leading end”), a rear end 20 (also known as a “trailing end”) interconnected by two side beams 22, 24. The first vehicle carriage unit 12 includes first and second tandem wheel units 26, 28. The tandem wheel units 26, 28 include two land wheels 30, 32, 34, 36 connected to the respective side beams 22, 24 for axial rotation relative thereto. Each of the wheels 30, 32, 34, 36 includes a respective axis of rotation 38, 40, which are disposed generally parallel to each other and colinear. This arrangement of wheels provides a balanced rotational system for the first vehicle carriage unit.

[0045] Referring still to Fig. 1, the second vehicle carriage unit 14 is essentially identical to the first vehicle carriage unit 12. The second vehicle carriage unit includes a generally rectangular-shaped second main frame 16A that includes a front end 18A (also known as a “leading end”), a rear end 20A (also known as a “trailing end”) interconnected by two side beams 22A, 24A. The second vehicle carriage unit 14 includes first and second tandem wheel units 26A, 28A. The tandem wheel units 26A, 28A include two land wheels 30A, 32A, 34A, 36A connected to the respective side beams 22A, 24A for axial rotation relative thereto. Each of the wheels 30A, 32A, 34A, 36A includes a respective axis of rotation 38A, 40A, which are disposed generally parallel to each other and colinear. This arrangement of wheels provides a balanced rotational system for the second vehicle carriage unit 14.

[0046] Each of the first, second, third and fourth tandem wheel units 26, 28, 26A, 28A are independently rockingly and moveably connected to the respective side beams 22, 24, 22A, 24 A. Advantageously, the independent rocking movement is such that a minimum of two land wheels are in contact with the ground surface at all times during movement thereover.

[0047] As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the first vehicle carriage unit 12 includes a bumper 40 connected to the first leading end 18 and is angled upwardly away from the ground surface. Although not shown, the bumper 40 can be used to connect the land vehicle 10 to a driver station The first vehicle unit 12 includes a flat bed 42 and two shaped wings 44, 46 (also known as fenders). The shaped wings 44, 46 partially cover and upper portion of the first and second land wheels 30, 32 Similarly, the second vehicle carriage unit 14 includes a flat bed 42A and two shaped wings 44A, 46A. The shaped wings 44A, 46A partially cover and upper portion of the first and second land wheels 34A, 36A, Each of the wings 44, 46, 44A, 46A include a central portion 48, 48A that is located between each of the land wheels and curved downwardly towards the land surface.

[0048] Referring specifically to Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, a connecting joint 50 is located between the first and second carriage units 12, 14 and is used to moveably interconnect the carriage units, 12, 14. Specifically, the trailing end portion 20 of the first carriage unit 12 includes a first connector joint member 52 located to receive therein a second connector joint member 54 located at the leading end portion of the second carriage unit 14. The connecting joint 50 permits lateral movement about an upstanding, generally orthogonal joint longitudinal axis 56 to permit the land vehicles 12, 14 to turn left or right, while simultaneously maintaining at least two of the wheels in contact with the ground. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that for most practical situations, at least six wheels would be in contact with the ground.

[0049] Referring specifically to Figs. 4, 5 and 9, the connecting joint 50 includes a steering motor / gearbox 58 located to permit hinegable, lateral movement of the first and second carriage units 12, 14 relative to each other. The trailing end 20 of the first vehicle carriage unit 12 is spaced apart a sufficient distance from the leading end 18A of the second vehicle carriage unit 14 to permit this movement of the second vehicle carriage unit 14 relative thereto and vice versa. The steering motor / gearbox 58 includes a main toothed gear wheel 59 sandwiched between two plates 61, 63, and minor toothed gear wheels 65, 65A located away from the main toothed gear wheel 59. A lower housing 67 is sized and shaped to accommodate the gear wheels 59, 65, and the plates 61, 63. The connecting joint 50 is constructed to advantageously permit rotation of the carriage units 12, 14 about the axis 56, thereby permitting movement of the vehicle 10 around obstacles.

[0050] Referring now to Figs. 1 and 6, each of the tandem wheel units 26, 28, 26A, 28A includes a driving apparatus 60, 62, 60A, 62A. Since the driving apparatuses 60, 62, 60A, 62A are all identical, for the sake of brevity, only one will be described in detail. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the description that follows applies to all of the driving apparatuses 60, 62, 60A, 62A. Thus, the driving apparatus 60 includes an elongate housing 64, a drive wheel 66, two guide wheel 68, 70, two land wheel hubs 72, 74 and a rocking pin 76. An endless drive loop 78 is housed inside the elongate housing 64 and interconnects the drive wheel 66, the two guide wheel 68, 70, the two land wheel hubs 72, 74. In the example shown, the elongate housing 64 is sized and shaped to accommodate the drive wheel 66, the guide wheel 68, 70, the land wheel hubs 72, 74, the rocking pin 76, and the endless drive loop 78. The elongate housing 64 includes two rounded ends 80, 82 and an upper extension portion 84 to connect the elongate housing 64 to the main frame via the first side beams. The elongate housing 64 includes first and second housing sidewalls 86, 88 to encase the drive wheel 66, the guide wheel 68, 70, the land wheel hubs 72, 74, the rocking pin 76, and the endless drive loop 78 inside the elongate housing 64 and interconnects the drive wheel 66, the two guide wheel 68, 70, the two land wheel hubs 72, 74. This prevents or significantly reduce the amount of dirt and the like that is typically disturbed from contaminating the apparatus as the vehicle 10 travels over the terrain.

[0051] Referring now to Fig.i and 6, an actuator 90 in the form of an electric motor is connected to the drive wheel 66. The electric motor extends outwardly from the first and second main frames 16, 16A and between the tandem wheels. The motor is configured to drive the drive wheel in two directions depending on the desired direction of the vehicle 10. The endless drive loop 78 includes an inner contact surface 92 that, in an interference arrangement, drives the drive wheel 66, the two guide wheel 68, 70, the two land wheel hubs 72, 74 in desired direction, and thus the vehicle 10 in the desired direction. The endless drive loop 78, which is typically a toothed belt, loops over the drive wheel 66, underneath the guided wheels 68, 70 and around the land wheel hubs 72. 74.

[0052] As best illustrated in Fig 6, the drive wheel 66, the guide wheels 68, 70, the land wheel hubs 72, 74 are located and disposed equidistance from the centrally disposed rocking member 76. The rocking member 76 is an elongate rod that is axially located to permit each of the tandem wheel units to rock up and down relative to the ground surface as the vehicle moves thereover. Each of the tandem wheel units is independently rockable and thus defines a suspension system that permits a smooth movement over uneven terrain.

[0053] Referring now to Figs. 3, 7 and 8, each of the tandem wheel units 26, 26A, 28, 28A includes a land wheel hub 72, 74. In order to ensure a low maintenance drive and braking system, we also designed a modular wheel hub apparatus 100 that isolates and consolidates braking and gear systems within each of the tandem wheels. We have thus designed a wheel barrel 102 that includes first and second spaced apart wheel rims 103, 104 for mounting a tire 106 thereon. It should be noted that in one embodiment we have designed a tandem wheel unit with two identical wheel hubs. In an alternative embodiment, we have designed a wheel hub with a brake system and the other wheel hub without a brake system.

[0054] To accommodate the modular wheel hub apparatus 100 we modified an existing wheel hub to create a mounting chamber 108. Located inwardly towards the vehicle main frames, the wheel hub apparatus 100 includes a hub drive wheel no having a belt drive surface 112 for driveably mounting thereon the endless drive loop 78. The endless drive loop 78 is essentially identical to the endless drive loop described above but viewed from the wheel hub apparatus.

[0055] Referring more specifically to Fig. 8, within the mounting chamber 108 is located a support housing 116. The support housing 116 is smaller than the wheel barrel 102 and when mounted therein defines a circumferentially disposed gap 118 therebetween. A wheel flange 120 connects the support housing 116 to the wheel barrel 102. A gearbox static casing 122 / 122A is located between the support housing 116 and the wheel flange 120 to permit secured connection thereto. A frame fixation plate 124 is located between the hub drive wheel 110 and the support housing 116. An electromagnetic brake system 126 includes a brake plate that is engaged when no braking power is applied thereto. Turning now to the connection of the wheel hub apparatus 100 with the driving apparatus described above, a static shaft body 128 is sandwiched between the gear box 122 and a first magnetic plate and an optional second electromagnetic plate (also referred to as a disc). When no power is applied, a series of springs (not shown) push the first magnetic plate. The shaft body 128 includes an axially disposed rotatable shaft 130 that extends away from the shaft body 128 for rotation about axis B. A person skilled in the art will recognise that the gearbox static casing 122 / 122A and the shaft body 128 are static parts of the gearbox (see hashed lines A). Furthermore, the drive wheel hub 110 connects the magnetic plate to the shaft 130 using a keyway (not shown). The shaft 130 extending through the hub drive wheel 110 to connect the hub drive wheel 110 in a default drive configuration. In a braking configuration, the brake system is activated, the shaft 130 stops rotating and thus the endless drive loop stops driving the wheels 30, 32, 34, 36. Furthermore, and advantageously, to stop the two wheels in the tandem wheel units 26, 28, for example, only one brake system 126 is required.

[0056] Other Embodiments From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat Is Claimed Is:

1. A driving apparatus for a tandem wheeled land vehicle, the driving apparatus comprising: an elongate housing; a rocking member; a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation therewith, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the first and second land wheels move over a land surface, the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocking member to maintain the first and second land wheels in contact with the land surface.

2. The apparatus, according to claim i, in which the elongate housing is rockingly connected to a vehicle main frame, the elongate housing having first and second sidewalls sized and shaped to house therein the drive wheel, the rocking member, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 2, in which the elongate housing includes a drive wheel housing extension for connecting the elongate housing to the vehicle main frame.

4. The apparatus, according to claim i. In which an actuator is connected to the drive wheel, the actuator extends between the first and second guide wheels, the actuator is located between the two wheels and extends away from the vehicle main frame.

5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, in which the actuator is an electric motor.

6. The apparatus, according to claim 2, in which the elongate housing is rockingly connected to an axially disposed rocking member is located between the two guide wheels and spaced apart from the actuator, the rocking member is a rod extending into the elongate housing, the rod having a rod rocking axis, the rod is located to permit balanced rocking of the elongate housing thereabouts.

7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, in which the drive wheel and the spaced apart guide wheels are triangularly disposed, the guide wheels being equidistant from the rocking member.

8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, in which the endless loop loops over the drive wheel, under each of the two guides wheels and around each of the two tandem wheel hubs.

9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, in which the endless drive loop is a drive belt.

10. The apparatus, according to claim 1, in which the land wheels each includes a wheel barrel sized and shaped to house a gear arrangement and a brake apparatus.

11. A land vehicle, comprising: a first carriage unit having a first main frame, the first main frame having a first end leading end portion, a second trailing end portion, and first and second side beams; first and second tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the first side portion;third and fourth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the second side portion, each wheel unit being independently rockingly moveable relative to the respective side portions; each of the first, second, third and fourth tandem wheel units includes: an elongate housing; a rocking member; a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel, the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the first and second land wheels move over a land surface, the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocker member to maintain the first and second land wheels in contact with the land surface.

12. The land vehicle, according to claim n, further includes a second carriage unit having a second main frame, the second main frame having a third end leading end portion, a third trailing end portion, and third and fourth side beams; third and fourth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the third side beam; fifth and sixth tandem wheel units each independently rockingly connected to the fourth side beam, each wheel unit being independently rockingly moveable relative to the respective side beams; each of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth tandem wheel units includes: an elongate housing; a rocking member;a drive wheel; first and second spaced apart guide wheels; first and second spaced apart land wheel hubs connected to respective first and second land wheels for axial rotation, the rocking member being located between the drive wheel, the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs; an endless drive loop interconnecting the drive wheel, the guide wheels, and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel axially driving the endless loop around the guide wheels and the land wheel hubs, the drive wheel, the rocking member, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop being located in the elongate housing; the drive wheel, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless drive loop being interconnected such that when the land wheels move over the land surface, each of the elongate housing rockingly moves about the rocker members to maintain at least one of the land wheels in contact with the land surface.

13. The land vehicle, according to claim 12, in which a connecting joint is located between the first and second carriage units and the joint member moveably interconnecting the carriage units,14. The land vehicle, according to claim 13, in which the connecting joint includes an upstanding axle member located to permit hingeable, lateral movement of the first and second carriage units.

15. The land vehicle, according to claim 1, in which the elongate housing is rockingly connected to a vehicle main frame, the elongate housing having first and second sidewalls sized and shaped to house therein the drive wheel, the rocker member, the guide wheels, the land wheel hubs and the endless loop.

16. The land vehicle, according to claim 2, in which the elongate housing includes a drive wheel housing extension for connecting the elongate housing to the vehicle main frame.17- The land vehicle, according to claim n. in which an actuator is connected to the drive wheel, the actuator extends between the first and second guide wheels, the actuator is located between the two wheels and extends away from the vehicle main frame.

18. The land vehicle, according to claim 17, in which the actuator is an electric motor.

19. The land vehicle, according to claim 11, in which the elongate housing is rockingly connected to an axially disposed rocking member is located between the two guide wheels and spaced apart from the actuator, the rocking member is a rod extending into the elongate housing, the rod having a rod rocking axis, the rod is located to permit balanced rocking of the elongate housing thereabouts.

20. The land vehicle, according to claim 11, in which the driving wheel and the spaced apart guide wheels are triangularly disposed, the guide wheels being equidistant from the rocking member.

21. The apparatus, according to claim 11, in which the endless loop loops over the driver wheel, under each of the two guides wheels and around each of the two tandem wheel hubs.

22. The apparatus, according to claim 11, in which the endless drive loop is a drive belt.

23. The apparatus, according to claim 11, in which the land wheels each includes a wheel barrel sized and shaped to house a gear arrangement and a brake apparatus.

Images