초록 ▼

A wind-powered vehicle having a longitudinal axis and being capable of traveling in the direction thereof across a generally horizontal and generally dense medium such as water, ice or land. The vehicle includes an air propeller assembly rotatable about a propeller axis by generally horizontal wind

A wind-powered vehicle having a longitudinal axis and being capable of traveling in the direction thereof across a generally horizontal and generally dense medium such as water, ice or land. The vehicle includes an air propeller assembly rotatable about a propeller axis by generally horizontal wind forces. A rotation of the propeller assembly is communicated by a rotary coupling to a rotary drive member. In one embodiment, the rotary drive member includes a water propeller for propelling a water vehicle. In another embodiment, the rotary drive member includes at least one wheel for propelling a land or ice vehicle. In yet another embodiment, the rotary drive member includes at least one bladed reel for propelling an ice vehicle. The air propeller includes at least two blades extending generally perpendicularly from the propeller axis, each blade being pivotable against a resilient bias and about a laterally adjustable blade pivot axis, which is generally perpendicular to the propeller axis, by generally horizontal wind forces. Manual adjustments are required only to steer the vehicle and to reverse its direction of travel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wind-powered vehicle designed to travel across a generally horizontal, relatively dense medium such as water, ice or land, the vehicle including a body having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the vehicle's direction of travel and extending within a vertically disposed plane, the vehic

1. A wind-powered vehicle designed to travel across a generally horizontal, relatively dense medium such as water, ice or land, the vehicle including a body having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the vehicle's direction of travel and extending within a vertically disposed plane, the vehicle comprising:at least one propeller assembly rotatable about a propeller axis extending within the vertically disposed plane, the at least one propeller assembly having at least two propeller blades extending oppositely and outwardly from the propeller axis and being pivotally attached to a rotary hub that rotates about the propeller axis, the at least two propeller blades each being pivotable about a blade pivot axis; at least two pivot control apparatuses each of which sets one of the at least two propeller blades to an initial angular disposition about its blade pivot axis and provides a restoring torque that is a function of the angular displacement, and therefore of wind force, of the propeller blade from its initial angular disposition to position the propeller blade for efficient rotation of the at least one propeller assembly about the propeller axis; a rotary coupling having a first end driven by the rotary hub and a second end providing a rotary output spaced therefrom; and at least one rotary drive member driven and cooperating with the second end of the rotary coupling, the rotary drive member cooperating with a relatively dense medium to drive the vehicle body forward in response to rotation of the propeller assembly by a wind force.