| 20120027333 | HEAVY DUTY BEARING SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ATV - In an amphibious ATV, the wheel bearings are housed in a spherical mounting-structure, because of possible angular misalignment. The spherical mounting-structure comprises separable primary and secondary elements. The new system provides that both elements are axially wide, being e.g as wide as the outer-race of the bearing. Now, the elements are highly resistant to every distortion, which means the mounting-structure can seal the bearings very effectively—both as to keeping dirt and water out, and keeping lubricant in. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20110217887 | VEHICLE DRIVE TRANSMISSION AND STEERING SYSTEM - On an amphibious ATV, a triple-differential transmission is combined a continuously-variable drive. The gearbox can be set at a low ratio, for negotiation of difficult terrain, and at a high ratio for cruising trails. The high-low shift mechanism is located upstream, in the drive train, of the forward-reverse shift mechanism. Both mechanisms are located upstream of the steer-differential and of the two wheel-differentials. Main power from the engine is passed, through the mechanisms, directly to a wheel-ring that is common to both wheel-differentials. The common wheel-ring is bearing'd, not from the gearbox housing, but from the wheel-shafts, which are themselves bearing'd into the gearbox housing. Similarly, the steer-diff-housing is bearing'd, not from the gearbox housing, but from the steer-shafts, which are themselves bearing'd from the gearbox housing, which makes for a compact, narrow, layout of the gearbox—well suited to the ATV. The steer-brake-disks are located on the steer-shafts, and are positioned outside the gearbox housing. | 09-08-2011 |
