Electric vehicle having backbone containing tray of power cells

1. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis, a body, and a tray for energy-producing power cells;

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space therein extending, longitudinally of the chassis and the backbone, opening at one end and receiving the tray of power cells therein, the tray of cells being longitudinally removable therefrom by rolling action, the backbone being a main longitudinal structural member of the chassis;

the body having bottom portions close to the level of the bottom of the backbone to provide along each side of the backbone of useful body space;

a pair of wheels mounted on the backbone in spring-suspended relationship;

a motor carried by the backbone and having a single shaft projecting toward opposite sides of the vehicle, and for each side a belt-drive speed-change means driven by the shaft and driving the driven wheel on that side; the axes of all rotating parts driven by the motor having positions generally parallel to its shaft.

2. An electric vehicle according to claim 1 in which the axis of said driven wheels passes through the backbone.

3. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis, a body, and a tray for energy-producing power cells;

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space therein extending longitudinally of the chassis and the backbone, opening at one end and receiving the tray of power cells therein, the tray of cells being longitudinally removable therefrom by rolling action, the backbone being a main longitudinal structural member of the chassis;

the body having bottom portions close to the level of the bottom of the backbone to provide along each side of the backbone a useful body space;

a pair of wheels mounted on the backbone in spring-suspended relationship;

a motor carried by the backbone and having a single shaft projecting toward opposite sides of the vehicle, and for each side a belt-drive speed-change means driven by the shaft and driving the driven wheel on that side; the axes of all rotating parts driven by the motor having positions generally parallel to its shaft;

each of said driven wheels being carried by a drive shaft housing pivoted at its inner end about a pivot means carried by the backbone and allowing the relative movement of spring suspension.

4. An electric vehicle according to claim 3 in which the motor is mounted to the rear of the backbone, and the axis of the pivoted means is approximately horizontal and approximately intersects the axis of the motor shaft.

5. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone forming the main structural member of the vehicle and providing a space extending longitudinally therein and opening at one end for receiving a longitudinally removable tray carrying energy-producing power cells;

the body including a lower body molded to provide along each side of the backbone a compartment with a bottom, an inner wall adjacent to the backbone, and an outer wall;

a body top hinged to said lower body to be swung up for affording access to said compartments;

and a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported pivotally at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon, the arm swinging between a lockable position extending into one compartment for steering by an occupant of that compartment and a position out of the way of an occupant entering or leaving the compartment by stepping over the outside wall when the top has been raised.

6. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space extending longitudinally therein and opening at one end for receiving a longitudinally removable tray carrying energy-producing power cells;

the body including a lower body molded to provide along each side of the backbone a compartment with a bottom, an inner wall adjacent to the backbone, and an outer wall;

and a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon, the arm swinging between a lockable position extending into one compartment for steering by an occupant of that compartment and a position out of the way of an occupant entering or leaving the compartment.

7. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space extending longitudinally therein and opening at one end for receiving a longitudinally removable tray carrying energy-producing power cells;

the body including a body providing a passenger position along each side of the backbone,

a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon, the arm swinging between a lockable position extending laterally to place the steering wheel in front of one passenger position for steering by a driver in that position and a position out of the way of his entry or exit;

and a steering shaft extending close along the backbone and supported by it out of alignment with the driver, and operable by the steering wheel.

8. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space extending longitudinally therein and opening at one end for receiving a longitudinally removable tray carrying energy-producing power cells;

the body including a body providing a passenger position along each side of the backbone,

a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon for steering by a driven in one passenger position;

and a steering shaft extending close along the backbone and supported by it out of alignment with the driver, and operable by the steering wheel.

9. A vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing useful space extending longitudinally therein;

the body including a body providing a passenger position along each side of the backbone;

a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon, the arm swinging between a lockable position extending laterally to place the steering wheel in front of one passenger position for steering by a driver in that position and a position relatively out of the way of his entry or exit;

and a steering shaft extending close along the backbone and supported by it out of alignment with the driver, and operable by the steering wheel.

10. A vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body;

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing useful space within it extending longitudinally therein;

the body including a body providing a passenger position along each side of the backbone;

a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon for steering by a driver in one passenger position;

and a steering shaft extending close along the backbone and supported by it out of alignment with the driver, and operable by the steering wheel.

11. A vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis and a body,

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing useful space extending longitudinally therein;

the body including a body providing a passenger position along each side of the backbone;

a steering wheel assembly including an arm extending out from and supported at one end by the backbone and having at its other end a steering member pivoted thereon, the arm swinging between two positions for right and left hand drive, respectively, each extending laterally to place the steering wheel in front of its respective passenger position for steering by a driver in that position, means for locking the arm during steering;

and a steering shaft extending close along the backbone and supported by it out of alignment with either driver, and operable by the steering wheel in either lockable position.

12. An electric vehicle comprising the combination of a chassis, a body, and a tray for energy-producing power cells;

the chassis including a hollow backbone providing a space therein extending longitudinally of the chassis and the backbone, opening at one end and receiving the tray of power cells therein, the tray of cells being longitudinally removable therefrom by rolling action;

the body having bottom portions close to the level of the bottom of the backbone to provide along each side of the backbone a useful body space;

the backbone being structurally of four-sided nature, being a main longitudinal structural member of the chassis, and being of a cross-section substantially uniform for a substantial length, and undiminished past the vertical axial plane of one set of wheels to the opening end so that the tray of cells of substantial length may be accommodated by rolling substantially horizontally into the backbone;

said backbone including inwardly open channel member roller ways along substantially the bottom thereof into which rollers carried on the tray extend between flanges of the channel members, and which, in the event of roll-over of the vehicle, would support the tray and fuel cells secured to it by engagement of the rollers on the flange normally above the rollers, free from contact of the battery tops against adjacent structure.