Variable-gauge road vehicle with more than three wheels

The subject of the invention is a variable-gauge road motor vehicle with more than three wheels which is equipped, on either side and at both the front and rear, with two independent wheel suspension mechanisms. On account of its small space requirement, the vehicle subject to the invention is quite suitable for use in urban and highway traffic, and parking is also easier.

Variable-gauge vehicles have been known for a long time, particularly with regard to railway vehicles. A need arose well in advance for the manufacture of vehicles suitable for use on railway networks of various gauges. More primitive technical alternatives usually implemented this by swapping pairs of rail wheels mounted on axles of various preset gauges. There are, of course, other well-known alternatives as well such as the one featured in Russian invention description No. RU 2130387. The French FR 2688184, British GB 624980 and Japanese JP 8258521 patent descriptions describe alternatives for adjusting wheel gauge not only for use in railway applications. The mechanisms they describe, however, are not suitable for altering the wheel gauge continuously while moving. The Japanese patent description No. JP 11124031, on the other hand, describes an alternative where a pair of rail wheels of fixed gauge, the axles of rail wheel pairs turn relative to one another whenever the railway track bends, making it easier for the flanged rail wheels mounted on the axles to run in sharp bends. In summing up, it can be said that continuous wheel gauge adjustment is not possible in the known alternatives while moving. In some Utopian films one could see various rolling or flying vehicles, or even ones that would reconfigure while in motion, but the technical solutions of these contraptions are not yet known or only figments of the imagination.

The purpose of the invention is to create a wheel suspension mechanism, also with spring action, whereby it is possible to alter the wheel gauges of road vehicles, primarily automobiles, while in motion. An additional objective of the invention is to create a motor vehicle that occupies little space on the road, has an elongated, narrow

shape and is stable even at high speed, and last but not least, tc of inner city roads as an indirect consequence.

The invention is based on the recognition that, if the motor vehicle's wheel suspension mechanism was modified so that it is suitable for constantly varying the distance between the wheels while in motion without losing the known advantages of independent sprung suspensions, the task is solved.

The subject of the invention is, therefore, a variable-gauge road motor vehicle with more than three wheels which is equipped at the front and rear on either side with two independent wheel suspension mechanisms. The essence of the invention is that the wheel suspension mechanism on either side of the motor vehicle possesses rocker arms mounted on joints, namely on swivel joints or cardan joints, furthermore, the outer ends of the rocker arms facing the hub mount are fitted with actuators that can be adjusted even while in motion and a gauge adjustment mechanism suitable for controlling the rocker arms for altering the wheel gauge while in motion.

In an important embodiment subject to the invention, the wheel suspension mechanism features rocker arms - located at the motor vehicle's front and rear, on either side at the bottom and top - which are composed of a track rod and a track rod sheath and can be varied in length, the rocker arms make up pairs, furthermore, in each pair of rocker arms, the end of each rocker arm whose opposite end possesses a hub mount, is - partly directly and partly with the insertion of a cardan joint - fastened to the motor vehicle's frame using a swivel joint, and in each pair of rocker arms, the rocker arms are connected each other via cardan joints to the gauge adjustment mechanism in a manner allowing them to open.

In an embodiment of the alternative subject to the invention featuring rocker arms of variable length, the configuration of the rocker arms and gauge adjustment mechanism forms a capital letter A when viewed from overhead.

In another embodiment of the invention, the wheel suspensioi frame connecting the motor vehicle's front and rear, there are rocker arms mounted on the frame, at the front and rear on either side, parallel to one another using cardan joints, there is a hub mount mounted on the ends of the rocker arms with the insertion of cardan joints so that the distance of L between the cardan joints mounted on the frame and hub mount is preferably equal, furthermore, rocker arms that move in unison form rocker arm pairs, and there is a gauge adjustment mechanism attached to at least one of the rocker arms in each rocker arm pair at the front and rear.

In another advantageous embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention, the rocker arm pairs mounted on the front and rear of the frame are connected on either side by a common gauge adjustment mechanism.

In an embodiment of the alternative subject to the invention featuring parallel rocker arms, the configuration of the rocker arms and the part thereof between the cardan joints on the hub mount and chassis frame forms a parallelogram when viewed from overhead.

In another embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism featuring parallel rocker arms subject to the invention, there is an engine mounted on the frame, the engine is connected to a drive shaft running parallel with the rocker arms via the engine main shaft, differential and inner drive joint, and furthermore the drive shaft is connected to the wheel mounted on the hub via an outer drive joint.

In another embodiment subject to the invention, the wheel suspension mechanism possesses at least two track mechanisms, which are composed of a track rod and a track rod sheath, configured at least nearly perpendicularly to the motor vehicle's direction of movement. The track mechanism is mounted on the frame. The two ends of the track mechanism are connected to the gauge adjustment mechanism, and there are rocker arms of fixed length mounted on both ends with the aid of swivel joints. A hub mount is fastened to the ends of the rocker arms.

In an advantageous embodiment of the wheel suspension m invention featuring rocker arms of fixed length, the longitudinal axes of the track mechanism and gauge adjustment mechanism run parallel to each other.

In another advantageous embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention featuring rocker arms of fixed length, the gauge adjustment mechanism is flanked by at least one track mechanism on each side.

It is furthermore advantageous in terms of the invention if the gauge adjustment mechanism is fashioned from a pair of pneumatically or hydraulically actuated power cylinders.

In an advantageous embodiment of the road motor vehicle subject to the invention, the wheel suspension mechanisms are mounted on an integral body and frame suitable for carrying two people, with one being seated behind the other one, with the rear seat preferably mounted higher than the front one and, furthermore, with the power supplies and batteries installed under the seats.

The motor vehicle subject to the invention, which is equipped with independent wheel suspension mechanisms at the front and rear on either side, is described in greater detail in figures where

Figure 1 shows a perspective drawing of the integral body and frame of the four- wheeled road vehicle subject to the invention with the wheel suspension mechanism,

Figure 2 shows a magnified detail of the capital A-shaped wheel suspension mechanism in Figure 1 when viewed from overhead,

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention, mounted at the front and rear and on either side of a common frame, in overhead view,

Figure 4 shows a magnified detail of the end of the wheel s Figure 3 that is near the engine,

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention, when viewed from above.

Figure 1 clearly shows a schematic drawing of the variable-gauge road motor vehicle subject to the invention, mounted on an integral body and frame 2. In addition, Figure 1 shows only the wheel suspension mechanisms 1 constituting the essence of the invention, with known parts having been omitted. Incidentally, Figure 1 shows that the four-wheeled road motor vehicle is equipped, on either side at both the front and the rear, with two separate, independently sprung wheel suspension mechanisms 1, one implementation form of which is described in detail in Figure 2 and another in Figure 4.

In the embodiment described in Figure 2, the gauge is altered using rocker arm pairs 9 that consist of rocker arms 4 of variable length. The hub mount 3 has rocker arms 4 of variable length which are joined by inserting a track rod 7 into a track rod sheath 8. The rocker arms 4 form rocker arm pairs 9. In each rocker arm pair 9, the ends of each rocker arm 4 opposite the hub mount 3 are fixed to the vehicle's frame 2, partly directly and partly with the insertion of a cardan joint 10, using swivel joints 11. Furthermore, the rocker arms 4 in each rocker arm pair 9 are connected to the gauge adjustment mechanism 5 via cardan joints 10. The wheel gauge is altered so that while the angle of one rocker arm 4 directly fastened to the swivel joint 11 remains unaltered in relation to the frame 2, the other rocker arm 4 fastened via a cardan joint 10 is able to swivel around its own cardan joint 10 due to the effect of the gauge adjustment mechanism 5, however, while opening, both rocker arms 4 extend the track rods 7 pulling them out of the track rod sheaths 8, thus elongating the rocker arms 4. A dashed line shows the new position thus evolved in Figure 2. It is evident also in Figure 2 that, when viewed from above, the configuration of the rocker arms 4 and gauge adjustment mechanism 5 forms a shape similar to a capital letter A in this alternative when viewed from above. The dilation and contraction of the rocker arms 4 can be fine-tuned in advance by moving

the cardan joint 12 back and forth then fixing it at the approj arm 4.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention.

Figure 3 clearly shows that the motor vehicle has a frame 2 extending from its front to its rear, which can of course be an integral body and frame 2. There are parallel rocker arms 4 mounted on the frame 2, at the front and rear on either side, with the aid of cardan joints 10. There is a hub mount 3 fitted to the ends of the rocker arms 4 via cardan joints 10 so that the distance of L between the cardan joints 10 mounted on the frame 2 and on the hub mount 3 is preferably equal. The rocker arms 4 moving in unison form rocker arm pairs 9. The rocker arm pairs 9 mounted on the front and rear of the frame 2 are connected on either side by a common gauge adjustment mechanism 5. Figure 4 shows an overhead, magnified view of the end of the wheel suspension mechanism 1, implemented with parallel rocker arms 4 that pivot parallel, that faces the engine 13. The figure clearly shows that the parts between the cardan joints on the hub mount 3 and frame 2 and the rocker arms 4 at a distance of L form a parallelogram when viewed from above. The embodiment of the rocker arms 4 described in Figures 3 and 4 is of fixed length and is not identical to that of the rocker arms 4 of variable length described in Figure 1 and 2.

An engine 13 is mounted on the frame 2. The engine 13 is connected, via the engine main shaft 16, differential 17 and inner drive joint 18, to a drive shaft 14 that is parallel to and in the midline of the rocker arms 4. The drive shaft 14 is connected, via an outer drive cardan joint, to the vehicle's wheel mounted on the hub 15.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment form of the wheel suspension mechanism subject to the invention. In this embodiment, the wheel suspension mechanism 1 possesses at least two track mechanisms 20, which are composed of a track rod 7 and a track rod sheath 8, configured at least nearly perpendicularly to the motor vehicle's direction of movement H. The track mechanism 20 is mounted on the frame 2. The manner of

attachment onto the frame 2 is not indicated separately in the the track mechanism 20 are connected to the gauge adjustment mechanism 5 with the aid of connecting beams 21, and there are rocker arms 4 of fixed length mounted on both ends of the track mechanism 20 at the connecting beam 21 with the aid of swivel joints 11. A hub mount 3 is fastened to the outer ends of the rocker arms 4. The longitudinal axes f of the track mechanism 20 and the longitudinal axes g of the gauge adjustment mechanism 5 are parallel. It is clearly visible in Figure 5 that the gauge adjustment mechanism 5 is flanked on each side by at least one track mechanism 20.

The gauge adjustment mechanism 5 on all five Figures, i.e., Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is fashioned from a pair of pneumatically or hydraulically actuated power cylinders, but it can be of a purely mechanical design such as a threaded body that turns inside a rotating hollow threaded rod. The vehicle's spring action is provided by the known combination of coil springs and shock absorbers 6. In the design shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, the engine 13 is primarily an in-hub 15 electromotor, with the batteries that provide power installed underneath the seats.

The alternative described in the invention has the following advantages:

By default, the motor vehicle has a narrow gauge, with the passengers comfortably seated behind one another in a single row. The greatest advantage is that, in urban traffic, two of the motor vehicles subject to the invention can fit alongside one another in each lane, thus the capacity of narrow urban public roads is increased twofold. In the case of traffic outside residential areas, the vehicle's gauge can be increased at higher speed to that of an automobile, thus enhancing its stability. The vehicle's parking space requirement is low, and it is environmentally friendly owing to its electric, pneumatic or hydraulic propulsion.