Amphibious craft
View Patent ↗An improved amphibious craft having a hull having spaced apart pontoons is fitted with belts and cleats. A platform is connected to each said pontoon. A plurality of bogie wheels are connected to each pontoon. One or more belts encircle each pontoon. Drive and guide lugs are attached to each of the belts having drive lugs positioned on opposing sides of each bogie wheel. The drive and guide lugs help center the tracks/belts relative to the bogie wheels. A plurality of polymeric cleats of special configuration are attached to the belts and drive lugs with fasteners. Each cleat has a central longitudinal axis. Each cleat has a center pad, a pair of spaced apart end pads and diagonally extending channels, spaces, or gaps in between each end pad and the center pad.
1 . An amphibious craft, comprising:
a) a hull having spaced apart pontoons;
b) a platform that connects to each said pontoon;
c) a plurality of bogie wheels connected to each pontoon;
d) one or more belts that encircle each pontoon;
e) drive lugs attached to each of the belts, drive lugs positioned on opposing sides of each bogie wheel;
f) a plurality of polymeric cleats that are attached to the belts and drive lugs with fasteners, each cleat having a central longitudinal axis;
g) each cleat having a center pad, a pair of spaced apart end pads and diagonally extending channels or spaces or gaps in between each end pad and the center pad;
h) each cleat having a tapered section with a socket; and
i) each fastener having a head located within said socket.
2 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein there is a radius curved section next to the center pad.
3 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein the cleat has fastener receptive openings in between the center pad and the end pads.
4 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein there are fastener receptive openings communicating with each socket.
5 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 further comprising a wiper on said cleat extending away from said center pad.
6 . The amphibious craft of claim 5 wherein said wiper is rigid and of polymeric material.
7 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein the fasteners are bolts each having a bolt head located in a said socket.
8 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein each tapered section includes diagonally extending surfaces on opposing sides of said socket.
9 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein each channel or space or gap is between a first surface on the center pad and a second surface on the end pad, said first and second surfaces each forming an acute angle with said central longitudinal axis.
10 . The amphibious craft of claim 1 wherein said center pad having a wear surface that is generally trapezoidally shaped.
11 . An amphibious craft, comprising:
a) a hull having spaced apart pontoons;
b) a platform that connects to each said pontoon;
c) a plurality of bogie wheels connected to each pontoon;
d) one or more belts that encircle each pontoon;
e) drive lugs attached to each of the belts, drive lugs positioned to travel on opposing sides of each bogie wheel;
f) a plurality of polymeric cleats that are attached to the belts and drive lugs with fasteners, each cleat having a central longitudinal axis;
g) each cleat having a center pad, a pair of spaced apart end pads and diagonally extending channels or spaces or gaps in between each end pad and the center pad;
h) each cleat having a tapered section with a socket; and
i) each fastener extending into said socket.
12 . An amphibious craft, comprising:
a) a hull having spaced apart pontoons;
b) a platform that connects to each said pontoon;
c) a plurality of bogie wheels connected to each pontoon;
d) one or more belts that encircle each pontoon;
e) drive lugs attached to each of the belts, drive lugs positioned to travel on opposing sides of each bogie wheel;
f) a plurality of polymeric cleats that are attached to the belts and drive lugs with fasteners, each cleat having a central longitudinal axis; and
g) each cleat having a center pad, a pair of spaced apart end pads and diagonally extending gaps in between each end pad and the center pad.
13 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 wherein there is a radius curved section next to the center pad.
14 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 wherein the cleat has fastener receptive openings in between the center pad and the end pads.
15 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 further comprising a wiper on said cleat extending away from said center pad.
16 . The amphibious craft of claim 15 wherein said wiper is rigid and of polymeric material.
17 . The amphibious craft of claim 11 wherein each tapered section includes diagonally extending surfaces on opposing sides of said socket.
18 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 wherein each channel or space or gap is between a first surface on the center pad and a second surface on the end pad, said first and second surfaces each forming an acute angle with said central longitudinal axis.
19 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 wherein said center pad having a wear surface that is generally trapezoidally shaped.
20 . The amphibious craft of claim 12 wherein each diagonally extending gap has a parallelogram shape.