| 摘要 |
An amphibious vehicle, normally an automobile, has a centrally located displacement hull body portion, containing a passenger compartment and an engine, that is of excellent hydrodynamic profile similar to a canoe. Wheels located at the end of four-wheel-drive axle half-shafts in, preferably, a DeDion suspension are located entirely outboard of the displacement hull. The wheels are conventionally suspended in their lowered positions on land, and are raised by actuators on water. Moveable skis first move on a pantograph linkage from first locations upwards and to the rear of the front wheels into second, forward, locations where the ski tips slide under the raised front wheels, deflecting water under the front wheels and generally improving vehicle hydrodynamics in the manner of outriggers. With increasing speed of the vehicle through the water, the skis are moved aft and downward on the pantograph linkage to lowered third locations. There, along with the aft portion of the displacement hull, they present surfaces upon which the amphibious automobile may rise onto plane upon the surface of the water, typically obtaining speeds of 35+ knots.
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