Disclosed herein is a detachable cab apparatus for an amphibious vehicle. The detachable cab comprises an enclosure to house the operator, an independent flotation system and a detachment apparatus configured for detachment of the cab from the amphibious vehicle. Additional safety features to avoid injury, or sustain life, of the operator in the detached cab are also provided.

A mobile power station for the purpose of recharging electric vehicles is provided. The charging station includes separate, but different, types of electrical generation capabilities. For example, the charging station may include two or more of: wind power, solar power and power generated from suspension mounted oscillators, which charge its battery pack over land. If desired, the mobile power station can be amphibious, as well, with the ability to navigate small and large bodies of water.

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.

An amphibious vehicle has a floatable vehicle body; ground engaging propulsion structure having a plurality of ground engaging elements; a fluid pump for pumping liquid manure; a power source configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump; and, remote control structure for controlling the ground engaging propulsion structure and a flow of fluid from the fluid pump. The speed and/or direction of the vehicle is remotely controllable by an operator remote from the vehicle when the vehicle is ground engaging and when the vehicle is floating.

A mechanical system includes a curved beam and a motor coupled to the curved beam. The curved beam is configured to buckle at two different locations along the positive and negative portions of its load/displacement curve, corresponding to opposite and equal sense bending directions. The motor is configured to impart a flapping motion to the curved beam.

An amphibious pumping vehicle has a floatable vehicle body, a ground engaging propulsion structure, a fluid pump, a plurality of fluid nozzles comprising a first fluid nozzle connected by a fluid conduit to the fluid pump and at least one second fluid nozzle connected to the fluid conduit, a valve structure in the fluid conduit, the plurality of fluid nozzles and the valve structure co-operating to provide directional control and motive power for the vehicle when floating, and a power source configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump.

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.

The present invention provides, with reference to FIG. 1, an amphibian operable on land and in/on water. The amphibian comprises a planing hull, at least one retractable wheel, the at least one retractable wheel being retractable from a protracted land engaging position when the amphibian is operated on land to a retracted position when the amphibian is operated in/on water, at least one prime mover for providing power to drive, directly or indirectly, the amphibian on land and/or in/on water, and at least one steerable wheel which is, at least when the amphibian is operated on land, connected directly or indirectly to a steering control device operable by a driver to steer the amphibian. In addition the present invention provides that either i) the steering control device is moveable between at least two distinct laterally spaced positions across the width or beam of the amphibian; ii) the amphibian comprises side-by-side seating; iii) the amphibian comprises a roll over protection system; iv) the amphibian comprises an open cargo area cargo or truck-like bed; v) the amphibian comprises two seat belts and three seat belt buckles or buckle positions, or two seat belt buckles or buckle positions, and three seat belts; vi) the amphibian comprises a footwell area having no transmission tunnel; vii) the amphibian comprises a footwell and seating area configured so as not to impede or restrict driver and/or passenger entry via one side of the amphibian, egress from the other side of the amphibian, and through movement therebetween; viii) the amphibian comprises a positive buoyancy system and/or deployable righting system; or ix) the amphibian comprises an interlock or safety system which prevents operation/activation of at least one driver or automatically controlled parameter of the amphibian unless sensing/determining a first condition has been satisfied.

A multipurpose watercraft has a pair of catamaran pontoons supported by way of a transverse control bar at forward regions thereof. The watercraft may have an arched equipment rack framework extending above rearward regions of the pontoons. The watercraft also has a pair of electric motor thrusters located respectively beneath each pontoon and the control bar comprises a pair of controls operable by hand, each control operable to control a respective thruster forwards or backwards. Alternatively, the thrusters may be remotely controlled. This configuration allows an operator to be pulled behind the control bar horizontally between the pontoons, snorkellers to be pulled behind the watercraft for recreational sightseeing and/or for remote-control rescue operations.