A movable and steerable device that has a platform with four wheel assemblies, any of which are both drivable and steerable. Different driving and steering options can make the device move in different directions and orientations. The driving can be done by a drive motor, forming a drive loop of material, such as chain, and a steering motor, also forming a steering loop. The different loops are attached to different sprockets on the device, which have different sizes, and therefore the different loops do not interfere with one another.
1. A movable and steerable device comprising:
a platform;
first, second, third and fourth wheel assemblies connected to the platform, each of said wheel assemblies having wheels which are steerable into different directions;
at least two of said wheel assemblies being actively steered wheel assemblies, whose positions are moved to steer said platform;
at least two of said wheel assemblies being driven wheel assemblies that include a drive portion which drives movement of said platform;
a drive motor, driving a drive loop of, said drive loop connected all of said driven wheel assemblies, and providing drive power for said at least first and second wheel assemblies which drives said first and second wheel assemblies in a desired direction;
a steering motor, driving a steering loop of material, said steering loop connected to all of said steered wheel assemblies, and steering said steered wheel assemblies,
each of said wheel assemblies having first and second driven disk shaped portions, where said first driven disk shaped portion rotates in a horizontal plane and is connected to
and drivable by said drive loop of material and where said second driven disc shaped portion also rotates in the horizontal plane and is connected to be driven by said steering loop of material, said first and second driven disc shaped portions being concentric to one another and having different outer diameters.
2. The device as in claim 1 , wherein said loops of material are loops of chain, and said disc shaped portions that include sprockets on their outer surfaces.
3. The device as in claim 1 , wherein said driven wheel assemblies are driven commonly and in sync by the steering motor, and said actively steered wheel assemblies are commonly steered by the driving motor.
4. The device as in claim 3 , wherein said steered wheel assemblies are steered in the same direction.
5. The device as in claim 1 , wherein all four wheel assemblies are driven by the drive motor.
6. The device as in claim 4 , wherein all wheel assemblies are commonly driven to a common angle relative to an axis of the platform.
7. The device as in claim 5 , wherein said drive loop and said steering loop form two different size loops of said material, one concentrically inside the other.
8. The device as in claim 4 , wherein some wheel assemblies are driven to different angles relative to an axis of said platform as compared with other wheel assemblies.
9. The device as in claim 1 , wherein all wheel assemblies are driven for driving, but only two wheel assemblies are driven for steering.
10. The device as in claim 1 , wherein each of said wheel assemblies includes first and second wheels, which rotate on a common axis.
11. The device as in claim 10 , wherein one of said wheels rotates freely and another of said wheels is driven to rotate via said drive loop.
12. The device as in claim 11 , wherein said one of said wheels has a free running axle, and the other said wheels has a drive sprocket.