(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLIS SHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) Organization Intemational Bureau (43) International Publication Date (10) International Publication Number 8 December 2005 (08.12.2005) PCT WO 2005/115775 Al (61) International Patent Classiicath BODE 3/00, (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, jor every BSB 144 kind of national protection available): AP, eee AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, a CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, pede GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, (22) International Filing Date: 24 May 2008 (24.05.2005) KG, KM, KP, KR. KZ, LC, a : MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, (25) Filing Language: English OM, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SI SM, SY. TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG (26) Publication Language: English , TN, TR, TT, TZ, mee : VN, YU, ZA, 2M, ZW (30) Priority Data: oa1154655 24 May 2004 24.05.2008) GB (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated. for every kind of regional protection available: ARIPO (BW, GH, (71) Applicant (forall designated States except US h GIMBS GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, 1Z, UG. 2M. ‘TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED [GB/GB}; Avenve Road, ian Racin (Au YAZ LE eco eat TR) Nuneaton, Warwickshire CVI1 4LY (GB), Futopean (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FR. GB, GR, HU, IP, TT-LT, LU, MC, NL, PL I, SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, Cl, C W, ML, MR, NE, S (72) Inventor; a (75) Inventor/Applicant (jor US only): ROYCROFT, Ter- cence, Jumes [NZ/NZ]; 135 Manukan Heads Road, Awhitu, GQ ‘Waive RDS (NZ). Dectarations under Rule 4.17: (74) Agents: PLUCKROSE, Anthony, William et al; Boslt — as 1 applicant's entitlement to apply for and be granted ‘Wade Tennant, Verulam Gardens, 70 Gray’ Ian Road Lon- a patent (Rule 417i) fr the following designations AB, don WCIX SBP (GB). AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BW, BY, BZ, [Continued on next page) ($4) Title: AN AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE (67) Abstract: Amphibious vehicle (1) has at least two, preferably three, longitudinal ve sections (40 to 42) in its hull (2). Re~ © tractable wheels (21, Hg, 3) are provided; these may retract into discontinuities (8 to 11) in the hull. The wheels ae retracted above & the lowest point of the hull for marine ue; and are protracted atleast partly helow the lowest point ofthe hull for land use. Where three vee sections are provided, the central vee (40) may depend lower than the side vees (41, 42); or vice versa. Te hull may be 2 cathedral holl. ‘The hull may have a deadrise of hetween 10 and 25 degrees. ‘The vehicle ground clearance may be adjustable, for example from 0.10m w 0.50m. A four wheel drive power train may be provided, as shown in Figure (4; for example, with & longitudinal engine (50), PTO (60), transmission (70), and transfer ease (80) 5/115775 At IMWO 2005/115775 Al CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC. EE, 3, ES, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, 1, It, IN 1S, IP. KE, KG, KM, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR.LS, LE, LU MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, SY, TL TM, IN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, UZVCVN.YU, |. ZM, ZW, ARIPO patent (BW, GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian patent AZ, BY. KG, KZ MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AL, BE, BG, Cll, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE. ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, 18, 7 LT, LU, MC, NI SK, TR), OAPI patent (BE. BI, CE GO, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, 76) = oftventorship (Rule 4.17() for US only Published: = with international search report RO, SE. SI 5. Cl, CM, GA, ON, For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guil- dance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations” appearing at the begin- ning of each regular issue ofthe PCT Gazer10 15 20 25 30 35 WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 AN AMPHIBIOUS VEETCLE ‘The presént invention relates to an amphibious vehicle and, in particular, to an amphibious vehicle for off-road use in land mode. In the past, designers of amphibious vehicles have focussed their efforts on optimising either on-water or on-land performance. As a result, either on-water performance has been sacrificed in order to give satisfactory on-land performance, or on-land performance sacrificed to give satisfactory on-water performance. The resulting vehicles are compromised to one degree or another. To enable an amphibious vehicle to attain greater speed on water, it is desirable for the amphibious vehicle to be provided with a planing hull. such a hull can be powered from standing where it is fully displaced to a speed where it can generate sufficient hydrodynamic lift to rise up out of the water and plane across the surface of the water. Generally, for optimal performance, the surface of a planing hull should contain as few discontinuities as possible, as disruptions to the surface of the hull will increase drag and compromise both the’ hydrodynamic lift achievable and handling on water. However, the nature of an amphibious vehicle is such that.it can require. the surface of the hull to contain Giscontinuities, such as recesses within which components, for example; wheel assemblies, are located. Furthermore, the designers of planing hulls for watercraft usually adopt a dead rise angle of between 10 and 25 degrees. However, to date, it has been desirable to reduce as far as possible the dead rise angle in order to provide for adequate ground clearance when an amphibious vehicle is used on land. Such a low dead rise angle detrimentally affects the directional stability of the hull when planing on water. In addressing the above problems, the applicant has developed hydrodynamic aids such as planing plates to helpWO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 10 15 20 25 30 35 recover at least part of the hull form (as disclosed in the applicant's co-pending UK patent application rio. 032149978)" and strakes to imptove directional stability of the hull when on the plane (as disclosed in the applicant's co-pending UK patent application no. 0311500.3). The applicant has developed a high speed amphibious vehicle having off-road and utilitarian capability together with four-wheel drive. This type of high speed amphibian further compounds the problems identified above since a greater ground clearance is required and a bigger mass mst be propelled up onto the plane. Surprisingly, this new amphibious capability has been achieved using a cathedral planing hull. Accordingly, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, an amphibious vehicle operable in land and marine modes, the amphibious vehicle comprising: a planing hull having three longitudinal v sections; at least one discontinuity provided in the hull; and at least one retractable wheel assembly located in the at least one discontinuity, wherein: the at least one retractable wheel assembly is retracted above the lowest point of the hull when operating in marine mode and protracted below the lowest point of the hull when operating in land mode. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an underside of an amphibious vehicle according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view from below and one side of the amphibious vehicle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the hull of the amphibious vehicle of Figure 1, taken along the line x-x'; and Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the hull illustrating a preferred power train arrangement.10 15 20 25 30 35 WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an amphibious vehicle 1 having a hull 2 comprising a forward’ bow end”"4 and a rearward stern end 6. Provided on the underside of the hull 2 are a pair of forward wheel arches a, 9 and a pair of year wheel arches 10, 11. The wheel arches 8, 9, 10 and 11 each contain a retractable wheel assembly 20. A jet drive 30 is located at the rear of the vehicle 1 in the centre ‘The hull 2 is of classic cathedral hull form having a central V section 40 and two further V sections 41, 42 each one Gisplaced either side of the central V section 40. In Figure 3, all three V sections 40, 41 and 42 can be seen to depend from the hull, the central V section 40 depending some 0.025m deeper than the two side V sections 41, 42. Retractable wheel assemblies 20 are shown schematically both in the fully retracted position 21 and the fully protracted position 22. tn the retracted position 21, all of the wheel 20 is above the lowest point of the hull. Im the protracted position 22, at least part of the wheel 20 is below the lowest point of the hull. A preferred embodiment of power train is illustrated in Figure 4 (as described in the applicant's co-pending International patent application number WO, 02/16158). an internal combustion engine 50 provides power for delivery to a sandwich power take-off unit 60. The sandwich power take-off unit. 60 in turn delivérs power to the gearbox-70 and directly to ‘he jet drive 30 via marine drive shaft 100. A transfer box (or case) 80 transmits power from the gearbox 70 to a front propeller shaft 61 and to a rear propeller shaft 91. The front propeller shaft @1 and rear propeller shaft 91 are packaged longitudinally in the amphibious vehicle 1, slightly offset from the centre line of the vehicle 1 and lying in the central v section 40. Also located in the central V section 40 is a front differential 82 connected to the front propeller shaft @1 and a rear differential 92 connected to the rear propeller shaft 91. Power from the front propeller shaft 81 and rear propeller shaft 91 is delivered via respective front and rear10 15 20 25 30 35 WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 differentials 82, 92 to front wheel drive shafts 83 and rear wheel drive shafts 93 respectively, and on to each of the’ four retiactable. wheel asseiblies 20. As such, in this preferred embodiment, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel drive vehicle. The retracting wheel assemblies 20 may be as described in the applicant's US patent no. 5,531,179. Also provided in line between the respective front and rear differentials 82, 92 and front and rear drive shafts 83, 93 are constant velocity joints #5, 95 (which in an alternative embodiment may take the form of @ combination constant velocity joint and de-coupler with synchromesh as described in the applicant's International patent application no. WO 02/14092). In use, when the hull 2 achieves sufficient through water speed, the resulting hydrodynamic lift causes the hull 2 to rise out of the water and onto the plane. In this condition the forward bow end 4 of the hull 2 lifts clear of the surface of the water and only the rearward planing surface of the hull 2 remains in contact with the water, albeit on the surface only. ‘The planing surface of the vehicle 1 is thus constituted by the hull surface towards the rear of the vehicle 1, typically the portion of the hull 2 extending rearwardly from a point one third of the way along the length of the vehicle 1 from bow 4 to stern 6. In order for the’vehicle 1 to make the transition from its hull 2"being fully displaced and being non-displaced, i.e. planing, the through water speed of the vehicle 1 must be inereadéd to achieve the necessary hydrodynamic lift. ‘The triple V sections 40, 41, 42 are key in reducing the drag of the hull 2 and facilitating the necessary gain in speed of the vehicle 1. Once on the plane, the V sections 40, 41, 42 provide Girectional stability. However, these V sections 40, 41, 42 may be supplemented with strakes as discussed in the applicant's co- pending UK patent application no. 0311500.3. Furthermore, planing plates may be beneficially employed as described in the applicant's co-pending UK patent application no. 30311499.8.10 15 20 25 30 35 WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 cuaTMS 1, An amphibious vehicle operable in land and marine modes, the amphibious vehicle comprising: a planing hull having three longitudinal V hull sections; at least one discontinuity provided in the hull; and at least one retractable wheel assembly located in the at least one discontinuity, whereii the at least one retractable wheel assembly is retracted above the lowest point of the hull when operating in marine mode and protracted below the lowest point of the hull when operating in land mode. 2. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the three longitudinal Vv sections of the hull comprise a central v hull section and a side V hull section provided on either side of the central V hull section. 3. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the central V hull section of the hull depends lower than the two side V hull sections. 4. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the difference. in height between the lowest depending point on the central V hull section of the hull and -te lowest dépending point of the two side V hull sections “4s in the range 0.01m to 1.0m. 5. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the difference in height between the lowest depending point on the central V hull section of the hull and the lowest depending point of the two side V hull sections is substantially 0.025m. 6. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hull is a cathedral hull.WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 10 15 20 25 30 35 7. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the two side V sections of the hull depend lower than” the central: V tection. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the central V section and two side V sections of the hull are of the same draft. 8. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the at least one discontinuity provided in the hull is a wheel arch. 10. An amphibious vehicle operable in land and marine modes, the amphibious vehicle comprising: a planing hull having three longitudinal V hull sections; and at least one retractable wheel assembly, where the at least one retractable wheel assembly is retracted above the lowest point of the hull when operating in marine mode and protracted below the lowest point of the hull when operating in land mode. 11, An amphibious vehicle operable in land and marine modes, the amphibious vehicle comprising: a planing hull having at least two longitudinal v hull sections; and eae ‘at least ofe retractable wheel assembly, wherein: the at least one retractable wheel assembly is retracted above the lowest point of the hull when operating in marine mode and protracted below the lowest point of the hull when operating in land mode. 12. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 10 or 11 further comprising at least one discontinuity provided in the hull, wherein the at least one retractable wheel assembly is located in the at least one discontinuity.WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 10 15 20 25 30 35 13. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hull has a deadrise angle in the range 10 to 25 degrees 14. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hull has a deadrise angle of substantially 12 degrees. 15. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the ground clearance of the hull is adjustable and can be set in the range of 0.10m to 0.50m when the vehicle is in land mode and stationary on a level surface. 16. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the ground clearance of the hull is substantially 0.25m when the vehicle is in land mode and stationary on a level surface. 17. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising one or more jet drives as a marine propulsion means. ie. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the one or more jet drives can propel the vehicle to a speed where sufficient hydrodyiamic lift is generated to enable the vehicle to plane. “49. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16 whefein one or more marine propulsion means is/are provided and can propel the vehicle to a speed where sufficient hydrodynamic lift is generated to enable the vehicle to plane. 20. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a four wheel drive powertrain. 21. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a mechanical transmission.WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 10 15 20 22, An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising at least one differential~ provided in one of the V hull sections. 23. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising at least one differential provided in a central V hull section. 24. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the V hull sections extends along substantially the entire length of the hull. 25. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein’ all of the V hull sections extends along substantially the entire length of the hull. 26. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 wherein at least one of the V hull sections extends along at least substantially one half of the entire length of the hull. 27, Use of an amphibious vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims as an off-road vehicle.WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 14 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)Fie@.3. WO 2005/115775 34 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) PCT/GB2005/002061WO 2005/115775 PCT/GB2005/002061 44 Fie, +. 4 ! 40 Se 41 : 42, 83 43 20 r ee as as 92 Lh %0 21 = zo ri 4 al pa i eri? a ello as ot! 4 vt 100 °° wt [1 43 20 N\A —| 20 %3 42 30 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)Intel Appiction No INTERNATIONAL SEARCH RI . : eta PCT/GB2005/002061 7 AS CRTRT OT URES HarreR TPC 7 BoOF3/00——-B63B1/04 Accortng lo ntematons)PatntCssticaton (PO) oro both nations desiaton ang IPC FIELDS SEARCHED inion dosireniaion Searched (Sasaicaion sya Tolowed by dasaicaton a7 MBO) TPC 7 B60F B63B ‘Docamantaoncerchod oir han rim GooumonTaion the Gen a cuch Gooonnts ae weloded Fe Nols earched Tisaaric da be cosauiod cg tho Plraonal soar amo f Gta baso and, whore aco, Sarah Tris USSG) EPO-Internal, WPI Data ‘©. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT ‘category *] tation of document, wth ndcabon, where appropriate ofthe relevent passages oovano dam No x US 5 727 494 A (CASERTA ET AL) 1,2, 17 March 1998 (1998-03-17) 4-10,12, 15-27 column 2, Tine 42 - line 57; figures 5,11 x GB 2 393 691 A (* PRIMERA CONSULTANCY AND 1,2, DESIGN LINITED) 7 April 2004 (2004-04-07) 6-10,12, 17-27 page 4, line 29 - page 5, line 1; figures 2,4 x US 3 765 368 A (ASBECK W,US) 1,10,11, 16 October 1973 (1973-10-16) 17-27 claim 1; figures 1,2 J] Ferher documents are tstedin the contvaton of Box. Dx] Pater ianty members ae tod in annex 7 Sposa catopoes o ed doar Special caapotin of Sd "T ntordocumens pushed athe international ling date “srpoiy sat ans notin eon wth ne appleaon et Se desta prea or bao Uae “A™ document defining he gener sia of he ar wich scot ‘onaiired obo! patel Feevance E eater document but pubtehed on o ater Wo interratonal ing cate "1 document wth may tow dovts on pty cas) or wh cle ta ees he pubesion dato ot anther Staion or eherSpecal eas as speed “0" document earn te an orl decoeuro, se, extn or ‘ther moans P* document publieed gor tot tematona ling dato but ‘artnet ine poy ono sarod " documont of parler relvance ne lsd lnyerion ‘armel bs considered novel cant be conaared frvelve an inventve stop when the documents taken alone cument para relevance the aimed invention ‘anal be cossdared fiona vert Stan ven the daoumed combined wif ons ar more cn’ sch docu teri, such condiaion bong Soe 8 prin sited ‘document mamiber fhe same patent taily Date othe actual eomaton of eratonal search 1 September 2005 ‘ato of alng of ha eterainal search report 21/09/2005 ‘Name and maling adress of he SA Ewopean Patent es, 8. 6818 Patan 2 INL 0 HV Ente Tek (4-70) 340-2000, Tx. 31651 epo Fax (81-70) 940-2016 ‘ahora tor Untermann, NV Faas POTTER area tha any OH) page 1 of 2INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT ——_—_————_ Int bral Application No PcT/GB2005/002061 ‘C{Continaaton) DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT cay “Galion of document wih ication, whore appropriate fe Weaver passages Patera Gaim Ne x XP FR 1 327 621 A (SESSIONS M DONALD WILFRED) 17 May 1963 (1963-05-17) figures 1,2 page 1, right-hand column, line 25 ~ line 31 page 2, right-hand column, line 27 - Tine 43 Us 2002/153745 Al (MESSANO FRANK) 24 October 2002 (2002-10-24) paragraph ‘0135! - paragraph ‘0143!; Figures 30-38 WO 2004/103744 A (GIBBS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED; PEIRCE, TAN, RICHARD; PEASE, MATHEW," ROGER) 2 December 2004 (2004-12-02) cited in the application abstract; figure 3 US 3 807 337 A (ENGLISH K,GB ET AL) 30 April 1974 (1974-04-30) column 2, lines 13,14; figures US 3 342 154 A (MAREC FRANCOIS HENRI MARIE LE) 19 September 1967 (1967-09-19) figures FR 2 806 696 A (BOUVIER JEAN CLAUDE) 28 September 2001 (2001-09-28) abstract; figures 11,12, 17-27 10,13-27 1-27 1-27 1-27 Fam POTRSNaT0 oraon ain ad ey 7H page 2 of 2INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT Int ual Application No PCT/GB2005/002061 Patent document Publication | Patent family Publication | ciled in search roport, date member(s) date us 5727494 A 17-03-1998 AT 259736 T 15-03-2004 AU 4496197 A 17-04-1998 cA 2266698 Al 02-04-1998 DE 69727701 D1 25-03-2004 DE 69727701 T2 02-12-2004 EP 0958169 Al 24-11-1999 Wo 6B 2393691 A A US 3765368 FR 1327621 Us 2002153745 Al A Wo 2004103744 A US 3807337 A Us 3342154 A FR 2806696 A 07-04-2004 16-10-1973 17-05-1963 24-10-2002 02-12-2004 30-04-1974 19-09-1967 28-09-2001 FR BE ES. B NL FR 6425625 BI 30-07-2002 2002125736 Al 12-09-2002 6840825 B1 11-01-2005 2401833 A 24-11-2004 2004103744 AL 02-12-2004 9813254 Al 02-04-1998 1432674 A 25-03-1966 675383 A 16-05-1966 322735 AL 01-08-1966 1106441 A 20-03-1968 6601535 A 09-08-1966 2806696 Al 28-09-2001 Fes PETG pa mya Gant 205)