CA1084562A

CA1084562A - Wheel kit for snowmobile

Info

Publication number: CA1084562A
Application number: CA309,004A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Michel Denis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-08-09
Filing date: 1978-08-09
Publication date: 1980-08-26

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A wheel kit is disclosed for converting snowmobiles into wheeled vehicles. The kit is mounted on the chassis of a snowmobile after removal of the front skis and endless track. The conversion device comprises a front wheel drive assembly including a frame secured to the front end of the chassis of the snowmobile and a pair of laterally spaced wheels rotatably mounted on the frame and powered by the snowmobile engine, and a rear wheel steering assembly including a frame secured to the rear end of the snowmobile chassis, a single wheel pivotally mounted on the rear frame and steering means interconnecting the rear wheel to the regular steering mechanism of the snowmobile.

Description

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This invsntion relates to a wheel kit which allows conversion of snolJmobiles into wheeled vehicles.
BACKG~OIJND OF THE INVENTIOrJ
~ lany conversion kits have been designed for converting snowmobiles into various kinds of wheeled vehicles. One example of such kit is the one disclosed in Canadian Patent No~ 982,197 issued ~une 20, 1976.
However, most of thess kits have ~our wheels and are generally too elaborate for the ordinary individual to install. Thsy are also fairly expensive.
STATEMENT OF THE I~IVENTIO~I
It is therefore the object of the prssent invention to provide a non-costJy ~it whicll will permit an easy and simp]e cohversion of a snowmobile into a wheeled vehicle.
~he conversion device, in accordance with the invention, is mounted on the chassis of a snowmobile after rsmoval of the front skis and endless track, The conversion device comprises a front wheel drive assr7mbly includino a frame adapted to be secured to the front end of the snowmobile chassis and a pair of laterally spaced wheels rotatably mounted on such frame and powered by the snowmobile engins, and a rear wheel stnering assembly includint a frame also atlflpted to bo sucured to the rcar end of thr~7 snowmobils chassis~ a singls whsr~l pivotally mounted on the rear Frarne and steering means interconnecting thc rear whsel to the regular steering mect7anisri7 of the snowmobil~.
Ths front wheel drive assembly prsferably comprises a pair of bearings sscursd to the frame, a drive shaft coupled to the front wheels and journalled in such bearinns, and drive mean~ connecting the shaft to the snowmobile engine.
The rear wheel steering assembly preferably comprises a steering shaft rotatably mounted on the rear frame, an inverted U-~hapsd member having its central portion secursd to the stsering shaft and its leg~
extr-7nding downwardly one on each sids of the whesl and each forming

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one sloping le~ of an A-shaped suspension mechanism which further comprises a spring biased suspension device extending downwardly from the central portion o~ the U-shaped member and forming the ~`- other sloping leg of tho A-sl~aped suspension mechanism and a transverse msmber connecting the end of each leg of the U-shaped member to the lower end of the spring biased suspension device.
Ths axle of the rear wheel is pivotally mounted on the transverse member at the intersection of such transverse m~mbgr with the lowar end of the spring biased suspension device, The steering means preferably includes a rod interconnPcting each leg of the U-shapsd member to the respective arm of the snowrnobile steering mechanism.
~S~IOF~.T DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~l~JI~JGS
Ths invention will now be disclnsed, by way of example, with the reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the conversion device in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the conversion device in accordance with the invention;
Figure 3 is a rear view of the conversion device in accnrdancY
with ths invention;
Figure 4 is a side slevation view of the conversion device; and Figure 5 is a section view taken along line 5-5 o~ Figura 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIOrJ OF A PREFERRED ErlOODI~E~JT
--~ Referring to the drawings, there is shown an embodiment of a kit for converting a snowmobile 10 illustrated by dashed lines into a wheeled vehicle. The kit comprises a front wheel drive assembly designatsd generally by reference numeral 12 and a rear wheal steering assembly designated generally by reference numaral 14.
3r~ The front wheel drive assembly comprises a frame 16 which is adapted to be secured to the front end of the chassis of the snowmobile.

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1084~62 Two large roller tirss 1~ coupled to an ~xle 20 are rotatably mounted in bearings 22 secured to frsms 16. The axle is driven by the regular snowmobils engine through a chain 24 and a gear 26 mnunted on the axle.
The rear wheel steering assembly compri-~es a frame 28 adapted to be secured to the rear end of the chassis of the snowmobile, a suspsnsion mechanism for a single wheel 30 and a steering arrengsment for the single rear wheel. The wheel suspension mechanism comprises a steering shaft 32 which is pivotally mounted on an exten~ion 34 of the frame 28, 8 U-shaped member 36 having its csntral portion secured to the shaft 32 and its two leg~ extending downwardly one on each side of the whesl 30 and each forming one of the sloping legs of a pair of A-shaped suspension mechanisms located one on each side of th~ wheel.
Each A-shaped wheel suspension mechanism is further defined by a spring biased shock sbsorber type suspension device 38 extending downwardly from the oentral portion of the U-shaped ms~ber 36 and for-ming the other sloping leg Or the A-shaped ~uspension mechanism~ and a tran~verse member 40 having one end pivotally connected to the end of a leg of U-shaped member 36 through shsft 42 and its other end connected to the lower end ot suspension device 38. The axle Or wheel 30 iB pivotally mounted to the end of transverse m~mber 40 which i8 connected to the lower end ot suspension device 3a. A mud gusrd 44 is positioned above the roar wheel and pivoted at one end b0tween the legs of the U-shaped ms~ber 36 and at it~ other end to two links 46 .....
which are them~elves pivoted to the ende o~ transverse members 40 which support ths axle Or the wheel. The steering device comprises ~teering rod 46 interconnooting eech leg of the U-shaped member 36 to the arm 50 o~ the regular steering mechsnism of the ~nowmobile.
The above conversion kit may be instd led very ea~ily by removing the skis and the track Or the snowmobile and eecuring the frame3 16 and 28 within the in~erted U-shsped chassis of the snowmobile. In oper~tion~ the snowmobile engine will drive the front wheele and the hsndles of the snowmobile 0~56J~
will operate tlle steering rocls4~ and pivot the single rear wheel to steer the vehicle. It will be notecl that the axis of the shaft 32 is inclined with respect to the vertical in the vertical plane of the vehicle in order to allnw slight slantinq of the rear wheel upon rotation io help steering.
Althou~h the invention has been disclosed with raference to a pret~erred embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not limited to such embodiment but by the scope of the claims only. Indeed, ;nodifications can be made to the front wheel drive assembly and to the rear wheel steering assembiy which will still mal<e the above assemblies work according to the spirit o~ the present invention.
For example~ the suspension mechanism disclosed ~or the rear wheel could be modified~ in fact, be elirninated altogether if not necessary.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a suspension system for converting a snowmobile having an engine, chassis and steering means to a wheeled vehicle; a rear wheel steering assembly including a rear frame adapted to be secured to the rear end of the said chassis, a single ground-engaging wheel, a steering shaft rotatably mounted on the rear frame, an inverted U-shaped frame having its central portion adapted to be connected to said steering means, said U-shaped frame having its legs extending one on each side of said single wheel and each forming one sloping leg of an A-shaped suspension mechanism which further comprises a spring-biased suspension device extend-ing downwardly from the central portion of said inverted U-shaped frame and forming the other sloping leg of said A-shaped suspension mechanism and a transverse member pivotally connecting the end of each leg of said inverted U-shaped frame to the lower end of said spring-biased suspension device, the axle of said single wheel being pivotally mounted on the trans-verse member at the intersection of said transverse member with the lower end of the suspension device.

2. The suspension system of claim 1, further comprising a mud-guard extending over the rear wheel and having one end pivotally mounted on the legs of said U-shaped frame, and a link connecting the other end of said mud-guard to the end of the transverse member support-ing the axle of said single wheel.

3. The suspension system of claims 1 and 2, wherein said steering shaft is downwardly and rearwardly inclined relative to said chassis when said rear frame is secured to said chassis.

4. A wheeled vehicle comprising, in combination, an elongated mounting chassis, an engine mounted on said chassis, a front drive assembly and a rear steering assembly, both secured to said chassis, said front drive assembly including a frame secured to the front end of said mounting chassis and a pair of laterally-spaced ground-engaging drive wheels rotatably mounted on said frame and powered by said engine, said rear steering assembly including a rear frame secured to the rear end of said mounting chassis, a single ground-engaging steering wheel, a steering shaft rotatably mounted on said rear frame, an inverted U-shaped frame having its central portion secured to said steering shaft, steering means connected to said inverted U-shaped frame for rotating the same about said steering shaft, said U-shaped frame having its legs extending one on each side of the steering wheel and each forming one sloping leg of an A-shaped suspension mechanism, which further comprises a spring-biased suspension device extending downwardly from the central portion of said inverted U-shaped frame and forming the other sloping leg of said A-shaped suspension mechanism, and a transverse member pivotally connecting the end of each leg of said inverted U-shaped frame to the lower end of said spring-biased suspension device, the axle of said steering wheel being pivotally mounted on the transverse member at the intersection of said transverse member with the lower end of the suspension device.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said front drive assembly further comprises a pair of bearings secured to said frame, a drive shaft coupled to said ground-engaging drive wheels and journalled in said bearings and drive means connecting said shaft to said engine.

6. The combination as defined in claim 4 or 5, wherein said steering shaft is downwardly end rearwardly inclined relative to said mounting chassis.