2 Sheets—Sheet
it II
I.I I
I I I  
ti rl
r
4 4
6
        P
11
Z6 20.25' u  L8 6
1g P
26
Oct. 7 1930. A. P. LOFSTRAND
AMPHIBIAN MOBILE CARRIER
Filed April 25 1929 2 Sheets—Sheet 2
.zf.f)7f!) 8.
INVENTOR.
ZbinrLotstrand
Patented Oct. 7 1930

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
ALBIN P. LOFSTRAND OF CHICAGO ILLINOIS
AMPHIBIAN MOBILE CARRIER
Application filed April 25
This invention relates to ni amphibian mobile carrier and has for its object to provide In a manner as hereinafter set forth a new novel durable strong and compact mobile earner capable of being efficiently employed as a ski in summer time and further readily adaptable for use as a landing gear for a.eroplanes. but although an amphiban mobile carrier. in tccordanee wit)) this invention. is
to primarily designed for the usages as referred to yet it is to be understood that it may he employed for any purposes for wttich it is Found applcal e.
"V. further object of the invention is to provide. in it manner as hereinafter set forth a device of the class referred to inchtdin0 t series of spaced independent inflatable rotatablesint uniug elements for the body portion. of the carrier and with such elements capable of traveling on the ground or through water under such conditions providing an amphibian mobile carrier for supporting and
d
transporting human beings when skiing or other objects connected to and arranged in
25 superposed relation with respect to the body portion of the carrier.
With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction combination and arrangement of
en pasts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown on" embodiment ot the invention but it is to be understood that changes variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.
In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an amphibian
mobile carrier in accordance with this inven
tion. showing the adaptation thereof as a ski. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the carrier. Figure 3 is an inverted plan view.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view.1929. Serial No. .
Figure 5 is a. fragmentary view ill longi
tndinal section.
Figure G .is a section on line hti FI
me 1.
Figure . is a side elevation of an aeroplane and illustrating a landing gear formed from carriers in acordanee with this invention.
Iia'ure 8 is i front view of an aeroplane showing tIi adaptation therewith of a land
ing gear formed"from amphibian mobile car
Tiers in accordance with this invention.
Referring to the dirtwings the carrier is
illustrated ae including i 1 ousing referred to
generally at 1 and having its top provided
'With ..any suitable mean's for connecting the to earrie i itli what is to be supported thereby. In Figures 1 to 4 the connecting ulea& is indicated at 2 and is of a form for of necting the.foot 3 'of a person to the earriel when the latter is used as a ski.
'Tn. Figures a and 8the housing 1 is shown
h acing its top provided with an upstandInrg lug 3 for pivotally.conne.tting therewith as at 4 the lowerportion of an'tngleshaped arum 5 which has'itsupper portion seen red 70
to one of the sides of the fuselage of an
aeroplane. Wthenthis type of carrier is used
in connection withthe landing gear of an
aeroplane and as: shown the landing gear
will. consist of a pair of mobile (atria e re. it pair r5 of oppositely extend et 1i' leahtpe..1 cams
i each arranged in a.. nia.anc r as heretotore
referred to a her..'7 secured to the bottom of
the fuselage 6 extending transversely wilh
repoet thereto and projecting laterallyfroni
each side thereof and arranged forwarcll  wit!1 respect to the Rigs .3 on the carriers. si p t r o f r mil ed springs 8 inter posed between the n 1: of the bar [ aund the carriers as
eft in Laing suitably con.lee'ec1 ihereWith. a bar 0 secured toand etEntli. ' transversely. with respect to the bottom of the fuselage•
projecting laterally from each side thereof
and having interposed between the ends them'
of and the carriers the coiled springs 10. so
50
c.
85
2
10 15 20 25
5 an upper continuous portion 12 and a lower
which are suitably connected to the bar 9 and to the carriers.

The housing 1 of the carrier comprises a top wall 11 a pair of side wails formed of
portion formed of a series of abutting yoke
shapell sections 13 each having its bottom provided with an opening 14. The outer face of each vertical part of a. section 13 is rhordde.red as at 15 to provide a seat and a reduced upper part 16. Each end of each side of each intermediate section 13 has the upper portion thereof inclined as at 17 a vertically disposed lower portion 18 extended beyond the inclined upper portion 17 and a curved intermediate portion 19 which extends from the lower end of the portion 17 and merges into the upper end of the portion 1S. By this arrangement each end edge of each side of each intermediate section 13 has an upper inclined portion a vertically disposed lower portion and a curved intermediate portion.

The curved intermediate portions of the opposed ends of the sections 13 provide a semicircular seat 19 see Figure 1. The end sections 13 have their outer ends squared and their inner ends provided with the portions 17 18 and 19. The bottom edge of the upper 30 portion 12 of each side of the housin1 is

formed with spaced semicircular notches 21

which coact with the semicircular seat 20
n
to provide a circular opening for the reception of a cylindrical hearing 22 which is in
35 tegral with the lower end of a strap 23 the latter being secured to the inner face of the upper portion 12 of each side of the housing and to the inner face of the top 11 of the housing. The bearings 22 are flush with the
40 outer faces of the upper portions 12 of the sides and the sections 13 of the .ides. The upper portions 12 of the sides of the housing are mounted against the shoulders 15 and the reduced upper portions 16 of the sections 13

45 abut against the inner faces of the portions 12 of the housing sides. The portions 12 of the housing sides and the sections 13 are do tachably connected together by hold fast devices 24. The bottoms 25 of the yokeshaped
50 sections 13 abut and provide the bottom o f the housing 1.

The ends of the housing are not as high as the sides thereof and the manner in which each end of the housing is set up is indi c a ted
55 at 26' in Figure 8. The upper corners of the housing are rounded as indicated at 27 Figure 1. The forward portion of the housing is upturned in a curvilinear manner as indicated at 28' Figure 1.

co Carried by the housing is a series of rotatable sustaining units which depend from the bottoms 25 of the sections 13 and extend through the opening 14 formed in said bottoms 25. Each of the units is inflatable and

c rotatable. The units depend a sufficient dis
tanee below the housing 1 for the purpose of maintaining it in spaced relation with respect to the surface over which the carrier is travelling.
Each sustaining unit comprises an inflat 70 able resilient body 26 preferably in the form. of a hollow sphere but such body 26 can be of any form desired and it is fixedly secured to a rotatable shaft 27 journaled in and projecting from a pair of opposed bearings 22. The shaft 27 is hollow for a portion of its length to provide a compressed air conduit which opens through the port 28 into the interior of the body 26. One end of the shaft
27 has secured thereto an inlet valve device so 29 of known construction and which opens into the conduit provided by the shaft. A stop nut 30 is carried by that end of the shaft 27 to which valve 29 is attached and nut 30 abuts against the outer end of a. bearing 22. so The body 26 is formed with a pair of diametrically disposed openings 31 for the passage of the shaft 27 and the latter is formed with two spaced pairs of spaced flanges 32 between which the material of the body 26 is 90 clamped. That portion of thematerial of the body 26 which is clamped between the flanges 32 is the portion thereof bearing on the openings 31. This sets up an air tight seal between the body 26 and the shaft 27 05 which is clue to the resiliency of body 26.
The other end of the shaft 27 has connected therewith a removable combined securing and retaining nut 33 for the shaft and which abuts against the outer end of the other loo bearing 22. The nuts 30 33 in connection with the outer flanges 31 prevent the transverse shifting of the shaft 27 with respect to the housing 1. The openings 14 formed in the bottoms 25 of the yokeshaped sections  13 are of a size as not to retard or cramp in any manner the body 26 during the travel thereof. The bottoms 25 of the sections 13 act as a closing means for the bottom of the housing between the openings 14. The openings 14 will conform to the shape of the body 26 when the latter is inflated and as shown the openings 14 are circular in form due to the fact that the bodies 26 are of spherical contour. The bodies 26 are inflated by connect  ing the valves 29 with a suitable source of compressed air and on a supply of the latter it will pies through the ports 28 and inflate the bodies 26 and when inflated the bodies 26 will possess the characteristic of a float.
The yokeshaped sections 13 are detachable to permit of access to be had to the interior of thehousing 1 if a: sustaining unit becomes damaged to enable a new unit to lie substituted therefor. Each bearing 22 is  formed of two sections and its lower section is formed with a semicircular flange 34 which seats in the portion 19 of a section 13. The portion 19 is provided with a groove to receive the flange 34. See Figure 4.

It is thought the many advantages of an resilient inflatable rotatable body having a amphibian mobile carrier in accordance with part thereof depending through an opening this invention can be readily understood and in said bottom. and said housing having one although one embodiment of the invention end' thereof extending upon an upwardly diwill be as illustrated and described it is to reeled curve.
be understood that changes can be had in 6. An amphibian mobile carrier compris
such embodiment which will fall within the iIig :i banaina including a: top a bottom and a
scope of the invention as claimed. pair o f sides said bottom formed with closely
What I claim is: arranged openings and a row of spaced
i 1. An amphibian mobile carrier compris closely arranged hollow sustaining units nga housing including a top. bottom and a journaled at the diametrical center thereof pair of sides said bottom formed with in the sides of the housing and each including closely arranged spaced openings and a row a resilient. inflatable rotatable body having a of spaced closely arranged hollow spheri part thereof depending through an opening
i5 cal rotatable sustaining elements journaled in said bottom said housing having one end so at the diametric center thereof in said sides thereof extending upon an upwardly directand each including a resilient inflatable ro ed curve said housing including means to tatable body having a part thereof depending permit of the independent removal of each of from said bottom through said openings. said units.
20 2. An amphibian mohilo carrier compris 7. An amphibian mobile carrier compris 5.
mg a housing including a top a bottom and ing a housing of materially greater length
a pair of sides said bottom formed with and width and having one end thereof ex
closely arranged spaced openings and a tending upon an upwardly directed curse
row of spaced closely arranged hollow said housing including a top a'bottom and a
25 spherical rotatable sustaining elements pair of sides said top having extended therejournaled at the diametric center thereof in from means for connecting the housing to the aid sides and each including a resilient in object to be supported by the carrier said f?table rotatable body having a part there housinhaving its bottom formed with close
a depending from said bet omit through said ly arranged spaced openings aplura.lity of
so openings said top having extended upward spaced closely arranged hollow sustaining as
ly therefrom means for connecting the hous units each including a shaft journaled in the
ing to an object to be' supported by the carrier. sides of said housing and further including a
3. An amphibian mobile carrier compris resilient inflatable floatable member having ing a housing and a series of spaced closely a part thereof extending from the bottom of
35 arranged hollow spherical sustaining units the housing through an opening and each of l00 ~npported thereby and depending therefrom said shafts having valve controlled means to and each including a resilient inflatable provide for the inflation of the resilientinenbody and a rotatable shaft extending dia ber carried thereby.
metrically of said body and anchored there 8. An amphibian mobile carrier couipris
o with said shaft journaled in the sides of the ing a housing including a top a bottom and housing and including normally closed valve a pair of sides said bottom having closely arcontrolled means opening into said body and ranged openings said sides provided with adapted to communicate with an air supply aligning openingsbearings mounted in said for inflating said body. aligning openings and a plurality of spaced.
4. An amphibian mobile carrier compris closely arranged hollow rotatable sustaining a housing a series of spaced closely ar ing units each provided at the diametrical ranged hollow spherical sustaining units centers with shafts journaled in the aligning aupportedthereby and depending therefrom bearings and projecting from the sides of and each including a resilient inflatable the housing each of said units being inflatabody and a rotatable shaft extending dia ble and having a part thereof depending metrically of said body and anchored there from the bottom of the housing through an with said shaft journaled in the sides of the opening in said bottom. and each of said housing and including normally closed valve shafts having valve controlled means accescontrolled means opening into said body and sible exteriorly of the aide of the housing to adapted to communicate with an air sup 1 dv provide for the inflation of the unit. for inflating said body and said housing 9. An amphibian mobile carrier comprishaving means to permit of the independent ing a housing including a top a bottom and a removal of each of said units. pair of sides said bottom having closely
5. An amphibian mobile carrier compris ranged openings said sides provided with
so ing a housing including a top a bottom and a aligning openings bearings mounted in said pair of sides said bottom formed with close aligning openings and a plurality of spaced ly arranged openings and a row of spaced closely arranged hollow rotatable sustaining closely arranged hollow sustaining units units each provided at the diametrical center journaled at the diametrical center thereof in with a shaft journaled in the aligning bear
5 the sides of the housing and each including a ings and projecting from the sides of the
iao
1

5 controlled means accessible exteriorly of the
housing each of said units being inflatable and having a part thereof depending from the bottom of the housing through an opening in said bottom each of said shafts having valve
side of the housing to provide for the inflation of the unit said housing provided with means to permit of the independent removal of each of said units.
In testimony whereof I affix my signature hereto.
ALBIN P. LOFSTRAND.
Is 20
25
30
35
40
45 50
rq
bo