A novel system for providing for safe operation of railgear, that is, a set of guide wheels that allow road vehicles to travel on railroad tracks, based on the use of overload indicators installed on the suspension arm of each guide wheel to give operators a quick, visual representation of whether or not a guide wheel is overloaded.

A convertible ducted fan engine and mounting system. The convertible ducted fan engine has a shroud encircling a mechanical fan. The convertible ducted fan engine includes a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates freely with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow, and a drive-wheel configuration in which the shroud rotates about the rotational axis.

A rail gear assembly includes a base, a first wheel arm, and a second wheel arm. The rail gear assembly may include actuators that move the first wheel arm and second wheel arm between retracted positions and extended positions. The actuators may permit adjustment of the first wheel arm and the second wheel arm in their respective extended positions such that a net adjustment of the first wheel arm and the second wheel arm with respect to the base is approximately zero.

A floating moving device includes a first rotation unit, a second rotation unit, a third rotation unit, a fourth rotation unit, and a fifth rotation unit. A fourth adjustment unit adjusts a direction of a fourth impeller such that a rotation axis of the fourth impeller is parallel to at least an up-down direction at a takeoff time. A fifth adjustment unit adjusts a direction of a fifth impeller such that a rotation axis of the fifth impeller is parallel to the up-down direction at the takeoff time. A first adjustment unit adjusts a position of a first wheel such that the first wheel comes into contact with the ground until the takeoff is performed. A second adjustment unit adjusts a position of a second wheel such that the second wheel comes into contact with the ground until the takeoff is performed.

An amphibian (1) for use on land and water, comprising: a hull having a planing surface (2), and at least one retractable suspension apparatus (4) movable from a vehicle supporting position to a retracted position, comprising for each wheel (5), upper and lower suspension arms (8, 9) that are pivotably connected at inboard ends to a support structure within the hull; and are pivotably connected at outboard ends to a suspension upright (7). Upright (7) extends from a first, upper connection past a second, lower connection to a location (10) for a wheel hub mounting. The suspension upright when deployed in land use extends externally of the hull across a side face (2A) of the planing surface; while lower suspension arm (9) remains above the top of planing surface (2) throughout use of the amphibian on land. This suspension arrangement allows the hull to have no cutouts in its planing surface.

Article and means for a hybrid transit vehicle, transit system and assemblage thereof. Vehicle composition may include at least one chassis frame arrangement for a pivoting articulating suspension to position wheel axle to “X” horizontal axis for vehicle modality by wheel contact to ground-based surface and to position wheel axle to “Z” vertical axis for vehicle modality by wheel and utility contact to surface of rail guideway.

A convertible trailer for road and rail operation has four rail wheels and two road wheels. Each road wheel is within a road wheel assembly which connects to a main pivot or axle on the trailer, around which the entire assembly can rotate and thereby separating the road wheels from direct connection to the trailer. A lift, which may be motorized or hand controlled, raises and lowers the entire trailer by raising or lowering a foot which engages with the ground. When raised sufficiently and a locking mechanism disengaged, the road wheel assemblies may pivot on the pivot or axle. This pivoting allows the wheels to be locked in high position out of the way for rail operation. With the road wheels disengaged, the trailer may be lowered allowing the rail wheels to contact rails for railway operation.

Vehicle comprising a hull and motorised aquatic propulsion members and motorised land propulsion members, this vehicle being able to move between a navigation position and a land transport position in which it rests on sets of caterpillar tracks. Each set of caterpillar tracks (1) is equipped with an even number of rollers (7) so as to define a set of adjacent roller pairs (71, 72). The rollers (71, 72) of each pair are connected to the chassis (2) by suspension means comprising a set (12) of at least two superposed curved elastic leaves made of a fibre-reinforced thermosetting resin, namely an upper leaf (131) and a lower leaf (132), the set being fixed on the one hand to the axles (9) of the rollers (71, 72) at its respective ends and, on the other hand, to the chassis (2) in its central part, and the upper leaf (13i) and the lower leaf (132) of each of the sets of leaves (12) are joined together and covered with a layer of elastomer (14).

A pressure system of a suspension device for an amphibious vehicle includes: a pump configured to discharge a working fluid; a first control valve disposed in a first flow path extending between the pump and a first hydraulic chamber, the first control valve being configured to control supply of the working fluid from the pump to the first hydraulic chamber; a pilot check valve disposed in a portion of the first flow path which extends between the first hydraulic chamber and the first control valve, the pilot check valve being configured to open and close the first flow path in accordance with a pilot pressure; and a second control valve disposed in a pilot flow path extending between the pump and the pilot check valve, the second control valve being configured to control supply of the pilot pressure to the pilot check valve.

A two wheeled planing amphibian (10) has a hull (20), bow (24), front wheel (30) and rear wheel (40). Front suspension (32) and rear suspension (42) are retractable, separately or simultaneously. Front wheel (30) may retract vertically or rotationally. Steering is by handlebars (50), link (54), and forks (36). Front wheel (20) may be located outside the hull in both protracted and retracted positions. The underside of hull (20) may be continuous in both land mode and marine mode along and across its centreline from the bow to the rearmost underside point on the hull along the centreline; or from the forwardmost underside point on the hull when it is planing at its lowest speed to the rear. There may be no wheel closures attached to the hull. A wheel bay (22), which is open at its top side, may be provided to allow rear wheel retraction.