United States of America (1949)
All-Terrain Vehicle Concept – 1 Prototype Built
The ‘Rhino’ was a vehicle concept that appeared in the United States in the mid-1950s. A private venture, the ‘Rhino’ was thought to be the next evolutionary step for all-terrain armored vehicles. These days, it is generally accepted by the world’s militaries that caterpillar tracks are still the best means of crossing harsh terrain, however, multiple inventors throughout the 20th century came up with alternative means. Various designs would forgo conventional wheels and tracks, in favor of ovoid or ellipsoidal wheels, archimedean screws, tandem axles, ‘Rolligon’ wheels, and hemispherical wheels, amongst other ideas that appeared on prototypes across the globe. The latter of these – the hemispherical wheel, was of particular interest to New York inventor, Elie Aghnides.
In the middle of the Second World War, Aghnides decided that he would literally ‘re-invent the wheel’. As he reportedly watched a bulldozer trudge through New York’s Central Park, Mr. Aghnides came up with the idea “of combining the stability of a bulldozer with the speed and mobility of a car”, creating the ultimate all-terrain vehicle. His concept aimed to out-perform the all-terrain capabilities of regular tracked and wheeled military vehicles alike, while also being integrally amphibious. The idea was to utilize large, hemispherical, hollow wheels, the grip of which increased as the vehicle sank into soft terrain like marsh, swamp, or snow. After many years of trial and error, the concept would culminate in the famous ‘Rhino’ all-terrain vehicle, so named – in the words of the creator himself – “for its massive bulk, and penchant for mud!”. It was also known as ‘Aghnides’ Amphibious Roller’, ‘Polywog’, and ‘Mud Baby’.
‘Rhino’ would be the pinnacle of Aghnides’ concept. While it was very good at doing what it was intended to do, the vehicle was largely overlooked by the establishments that it was designed for. As such, the Rhino has simply been relegated to being known as a quirky early Cold War vehicle design – a huge disservice to the vehicle and its inventor.
Mr. Elie P. Aghnides
The Greek-American Elie Prodromos Aghnides was born to Greek parents in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) in 1901. He had 3 siblings; Nicholas, Thanassis, and Esmerelda. Nicholas became a professor at the venerable Columbia University, and Thanassis would rise to become the under-secretary of the United Nations. Elie believed he too was destined for great things. He spent his ‘salad days’ in education in England before receiving an engineering degree at the University of Belgium. Not much of his personal life is recorded, only that, before World War Two, he emigrated to the United States and owned luxury apartments in New York and Paris. Aghnides married in 1952 – a marriage that would quickly collapse and would bear no heirs. Aghnides would submit almost 200 patents during his lifetime, everything from the hemisphere wheels to car headlamps and household items.
Aghnides’ worked on fluid-focussed inventions, such as pumps, couplings, and flow meters, with his first patent awarded in 1927, when he was just 26 years old. His most famous invention, the thing that ‘made his name’, was the ‘faucet aerator’, patented in 1940. This simple device installed in household taps “took the splash from the sink”, added air, removed chlorine, and made soap lather quicker – according to Agnhides, that is. These faucet additions were “bought by millions of housewives across America” according to Popular Science, and can be found in the majority of household taps across the globe to this day. His patents on this device netted the inventor a small fortune. A fortune that could be redirected into other projects, namely, the Rhino.
First Attempts: The ‘Ball Tank’ and The ‘Roller’
Aghnides’ first patent attempt at creating a vehicle using this new method of all-terrain travel resulted in a simple ‘ball-tank’ design that he filed for patent in 1942 (though it would not be awarded until 1945). This design featured hemispheres that rotated around a central compartment to provide forward momentum. These wheels could rotate in opposing directions, allowing the ball to turn on the spot. The deep ribs on the wheels would provide a paddling motion through soft terrain such as mud, snow, or beach sand. A small petrol engine would provide power, and the vehicle would be operated by a single man, who would also act as a gunner to what was presumably a machine gun. The ball tank would be self-righting, and, by design, could also float thanks to the hollow wheels and the deep ribs which would paddle the vehicle through water. For tackling steep gradients, a stabilizer wheel could be deployed from the rear.
None of the ‘ball tank’ designs went any further, but he continued work on the concept of the hemispheroidal wheel. His next attempt was simply named ‘Roller’, the first patents for which were, again, filed in 1942. The design was for an amphibious armored fighting vehicle that rolled on two large forward hemispheroid wheels and steered via a small ‘ball’ in an extended tail. It would theoretically be able to pivot on the spot negating the requirement of a turret. An early version of this concept appeared in the September 1943 edition of ‘Popular Science’:
“Hemispherical wheels are the innovation and the chief principle of the “Roller,” a new amphibian combat vehicle designed by the Greek engineer Elie P. Aghnides, of New York City. Two big, ribbed, hemispherical front wheels and a spherical trailer wheel in the rear, all three empty and watertight, make the “Roller” agile on land and buoyant in water. A substitute for the tank, it will carry high-powered armor-piercing guns. Intended for combat, reconnaissance, and sea-borne invasion, it is designed to have automobile speed, to negotiate difficult terrain as well as a tank, to swivel as easily as an office chair, and to right itself automatically if upset. In mud, sand, or snow it offers greater traction surface for less penetration; in water, it will both float and propel itself.”
Apart from some small-scale proof-of-concept models, the ‘Roller’ also did not progress further, but Aghnides did not give up on his hemispherical dreams.
Something to note is that the ‘ball tank’ concept was not unique to Elie Aghnides at this time. Since the 1930s, the concept of the ‘ball tank’ had been floated around. The most famous examples being the ‘Tumbleweed Tank’ that featured in the July 1936 edition of ‘Popular Science‘ and the mysterious German Kugelpanzer, which was built and survives today in Russia. The origin of the thing is lost to history, but it was apparently captured by Soviet troops in Manchuria. Another American designer who took the ‘ball’ concept further – also submitting a patent in 1942 – was Colonel Allison Ridley Williams. He designed an amphibious light tank that, while not a ball itself, used 4 ‘ball wheels’ which operated on the same principle. Like many spherical designs, this made it no further than drawings.
Enter the Rhino
Despite the ‘Roller’ design effectively going belly up, Elie Aghnides was not deterred, revisiting the design in 1948. This time, the inventor went to the Indiana-based Marmon-Herrington Company to get his concept prototyped. Marmon-Herrington were veterans in the field of armored vehicle production, having produced such vehicles as their series of Armored Cars, the CTLS tank line, and the M22 Locust. It must be said, however, that the latter two of this list were not the biggest successes. Was Marmon-Herrington’s experience in armored vehicles behind Aghnides’ choice? It cannot be said for certain, but it probably was part of his considerations. The influence of the firm is also noticeable as they made some changes to specific elements of the design. In particular, they increased the overall length of the vehicle, fitted a pair of smaller hemispherical wheels to the rear, and added a Hanley-Kermath hydro jet. It took Marmon-Herington almost 6 years to complete the first prototype under Aghnides’ guidance, with the vehicle finally unveiled in 1954. It would soon undergo field testing.
Anatomy of the Beast
The sausage-like Rhino was a sight to behold, especially after Marmon-Herrington painted it bright yellow with bright red highlights over the various grills and vents. The beast weighed in at 5 tons (4.5 tonnes) and measured 19 feet (5.8 m) long, 9 ½ feet (2.9 m) wide, and 9 feet 10 inches (3 m) tall. Its most dominant feature were the approximately 6-foot (183 cm) diameter hemispherical wheels at the front of the vehicle, which were set in a ‘V’ configuration pitched at about 20 degrees. A smaller set of pivoting steering wheels were installed at the end of the ‘tail’. Small curved fenders/mudguards were installed above the wheels, to which a pair of headlamps were mounted. This appearance led to its nickname ‘Polliwog’, a slang term for the Tadpoles of Frogs or Toads.
On paved roads, the vehicle was recorded as being able to achieve a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h), although after some time driving it, Aghnides recommended a top-cruising speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). MH believed that, with a more powerful engine, they could get the speed up to at least 80 mph (128 km/h) – surely a more terrifying notion could not be applied to this vehicle. As one can imagine, without suspension and steered from the rear, 45 mph (72 km/h) would have been unpleasant enough. Some of Aghnides’ early patents did list various types of internal suspension systems, so this may have been an element included in the Rhino should it have ever made it to production. Nothing specific to the Rhino is ever detailed.
At the heart of the Rhino was a 110 hp Ford Engine, possibly a V8, running through a 5-speed transmission, Aghnides claimed the vehicle would “get 12 miles to the gallon”. The Rhino could be driven in both 4-wheel and 2-wheel drive, with the transfer case operated at the driver’s leisure. The power plant was centrally mounted behind the driver’s position, which was covered in a large two-part perspex bubble on the Rhino’s back. It is unknown what the layout inside this bubble was, other than there was room for the aforementioned driver – frequently Aghnides himself who wore a bright red helmet to match the color scheme of the vehicle – and a passenger. Each perspex half would hinge forwards to allow entry into the vehicle.
Like the wheels, the vehicle’s main body was hollow and watertight, providing flotation. It also had an extremely low center of gravity which, coupled with the design of the wheels, meant the Rhino was essentially impossible to flip and, no matter the tilt or incline, it would always reset to upright. The maximum sideways tilt achieved was recorded at 75 degrees, while the maximum gradient achieved was 65 degrees!
The large hemispherical wheels were, of course, the main concept on trial. Aghnides called them “the greatest advance in the wheel in 1000 years”. The wheels were spun aluminum and fixed close to the body, with no steering capability. Weighing 1 ½ tons (1.3 tonnes) each, the wheels were essentially water-tight bubbles, granting flotation in water and boggy terrain. Twelve ribs were spread over the surface of the wheel, while the inside edge had a solid rubber tire for grip on paved roads. The ribs provided a paddling effect in water and added traction on softer surfaces. The idea of this design was that, as the vehicle sank into soft ground, the surface area of the wheel in contact with the ground would increase.
On level, flat ground, the narrow solid rubber tire would be the only part of the wheel in contact with a road surface, so no damage could be done with or to the ribs. It would also mean a low rolling resistance on a hard surface. When passing over a softer surface, the vehicle and wheels would progressively sink into the mud or sand and those ribs would act in the manner of paddles to move the vehicle forwards. Thanks to this ‘paddling’ effect and the inherent buoyancy of the vehicle, it also meant it could propel itself whilst floating without having to use an additional means of propulsion. These wheels, in theory, allowed the Rhino to travel through snow, mud, sand, swamps, marshes, rivers, and lakes unhindered. This was the core of the design, producing a vehicle that was as equally at home on land as it was in water – a true amphibian – and one ideally suited to marginal terrain like a marsh.
A smaller set of wheels were installed at the rear of the vehicle, which provided steering. Quite how steering was achieved is unknown, at present. It may have used a steering wheel or tank-like tiller bars. Some of his Aghnides’ patent designs point to the former, but it is simply unknown at this time. The smaller wheels featured conventional truck hubs and associated tires, with a smaller, watertight hemispheroid attached to the outside, again with 12 ribs.
Notwithstanding the buoyancy and paddling propulsion from the large front wheels, Marmon-Herrington fitted a water jet propulsion system to boot, meaning the Rhino was just as agile and controllable in the water as it was on land. This system was set between the two rear wheels and consisted of a Hanley-Kermath hydro-jet, driven by a chain from the main drive shaft, that provided increased propulsion in amphibious operations. This nozzle was capable of 360-degree rotation, which provided steering in water as well as the ability to reverse when afloat. This hydro jet, coupled with the ribbed wheels, gave the Rhino a water speed of just 4.3 knots (8 km/h, 5 mph).
An Inventor’s Dream is a Soldier’s Nightmare
The Rhino test vehicle intended to prove that the hemispheric wheel concept worked and that it could be a sturdy base for all manner of armed/armored superstructures – to a point, it achieved this goal. A huge publicity campaign, both foreign and domestic, followed the Rhino when it debuted in Indianapolis on August 26th, 1954. Aghnides and his design achieved minor celebrity status from this. The vehicle featured in newspapers, magazines, journals, newsreels and advertising material from the UK to the USSR. It was the military opinion that really mattered to Aghnides, however.
While initially impressed by what they called ‘the mud baby’, the US Army was hesitant to buy into the concept, as they did not see a place for it in the military at that time. One could say that this vehicle would have been perfect for the terrain found later in the Vietnam War, and could have been a boon to US forces; hindsight is a wonderful thing. The army was also of the opinion that the hollow wheels, the very thing that made the Rhino work so well, left the vehicle vulnerable to sinkage should they be penetrated by enemy fire or shrapnel. However, it must be noted that some of Aghnides’ patents show the wheels divided into multiple compartments, meaning a single bullet hole would not put the vehicle out of action. There is also the question of complexity, ease of use, and maintenance. More-or-less every military vehicle is designed in a way that its crew – no matter their background – could operate it and, if required, perform small maintenance tasks on their own, without dedicated equipment or personnel. A small-scale example of this design ethos is the development of the T13 ‘Beano’ hand grenade, which was designed to replicate a baseball, as “any young American man should be able to properly throw the grenade with both accuracy and distance”, according to one report. The Rhino was unlike any vehicle ever previously designed, military or civilian. It was not like the average GI grew up driving his daddy’s Rhino, so the idea that any soldier could drive it without much training simply could not be applied. Basic maintenance would be quite a difficult task for anyone operating the Rhino, after all, one cannot simply jack it up and change a tire. As this was a new type of vehicle, a period of education would have been necessary to get everyone used to how the vehicle worked, drove, and operated.
For the most part, that finishes the story of Aghnides’ Rhino. With the military uninterested, Aghnides tried marketing the vehicle to any one that listened. Perhaps this is where the notion that this vehicle was designed to traverse the harsh Yukon region of Canada and the similarly harsh US state of Alaska originated. Even so, no orders came for the Rhino. All records of the vehicle seemingly stalled between 1954 and 1956, when tests and publicity photoshoots were most prolific. What remaining information there is has been used to formulate this objectively short article. One day, further information may hopefully surface, especially in regards to its operational controls and interior.
After all the time, effort and money Aghnides had spent on the Rhino, the vehicle was simply mothballed. Post-trials, the Rhino remained tucked away at Marmon-Herrington’s plant in Indianapolis until the early 1960s, when it was sent for scrap after the company relocated to Knoxville Tennessee. The Rhino then fell into the hands of truck collectors Eugene Pock & Sons of Indiana, who held onto it with restoration plans. However, this is where the trail goes cold. The vehicle has been seen in more recent years, occasionally being put on display at the Threshing and Antique Show, held in Tipton. There is even footage of it still being drivable. These days it is believed to still be in the hands of Eugene Pock Jr. Now in his 80s, he still reportedly lends the vehicle to the Tipton Threshing and Antique show, where it is still in running order.
Baby Rhino & Cyclops
While the working prototype of the Rhino was undergoing its field trials, Aghnides was also developing a new vehicle – the ‘Baby Rhino’. This ‘Calf’ was designed as an open-topped Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) able to carry at least 9 troops. While a full-size vehicle was never produced, a small-scale, remote-control mock-up was. This RC vehicle was ‘commanded’ from a pedestal-mounted command console tethered via a cable. The Calf weighed 165 pounds (75 kg) and measured just 19 inches (48 cm) tall. It rolled on four of Aghnides’ patented wheels, pitched at 22 ½ degrees, and was powered by a motorcycle engine, with the left and right wheels independent of each other, allowing one side to spin forward and the other reverse, granting tank-like pivot steering. The small-scale mockup was able to clamber over rough terrain and, like its bigger relative, was fully amphibious. Unfortunately, the Baby Rhino did not survive as well as the larger vehicle, as it was scrapped during MH’s relocation. When questioned about it sometime later, Eugene Pock Jr. said they had managed to keep hold of the wheels when they acquired the ‘big boy’, but this cannot be confirmed.
The last gasp of Aghnides’ Hemespheroidal wheel-based designs, the Cyclops, was even more bizarre than his previous designs. Submitted in 1961, the patent outlined a design for an all-terrain amphibious vehicle featuring two of Aghnides’ wheels in line, in a tandem arrangement, with an offset engine and driver’s position. He once again turned to Marmon-Herrington to produce a working prototype. This, however, did not go to plan, with Aghnides’ eventually suing Marmon-Herrington in 1966 for not fulfilling their commitments, essentially a breach of contract, as he was not happy with their work on the prototype. Aghnides’ would go on to win this lawsuit in 1972, as the court found that “the vehicle, as constructed, was a failure and totally unfit for demonstration to prospective manufacturers”. Aghnides received just over $120,500 ($900,000 today) in damages.
Legacy
Following the breakdown of his one and only marriage, Aghnides never remarried. After the Rhino project, Mr. Aghnides returned to the domestic plumbing inventions he was best at. He was still working on such inventions well into his 80s. His final patent to see financial success was filed in 1983, this being the variable flow and pressure showerhead, another everyday piece of domestic hardware found in homes across the world today. At the ripe old age of 87, Mr. Aghnides would pass away in New York, in 1988.
Elie Aghnides was a prolific vehicle engineer and inventor, but this statement seems hardly sufficient to describe a man who had so many unique design ideas. Although the Rhino was not accepted for production or service with the military, it did prove a success as proof that his concept worked. Despite this, the Rhino, unfortunately, falls under the ‘White Elephant Technology’ or ‘WETech’ category, the term literally meaning “any unusual invention, past or present, that fails to find a market, despite its innovative nature.” As such, conventional tires and tracks continue to be the dominant method of traction for all-terrain vehicles to this day.
In 2023, the Rhino project gained new-found interest thanks to the YouTube inventor Colin Furze. Inspired by Elie Aghnides, Furze attempted to resurrect the Rhino concept, but more specifically the hemispherical wheels. To do this, he heavily modified a JCB front-end dumper truck. Unlike Aghnides, Furze did not have that much success in his endeavors. His vehicle failed to even surmount the dizzying heights of a small mound of earth, or traverse the nightmarish depths of a small woodland pond…
Specifications |
|
| Dimensions (L-W-H) | 19 ft x 9 ½ ft x 9 ft 10 in (5.8 x 2.9 x 3 m) |
| Crew | 1 (+1) Driver + 1 Passenger |
| Weight | 5 tons (4.5 tonnes) |
| Propulsion | 110 hp Ford Engine (V8?) |
| Speed (road) | 45 mph (72 km/h) |
| Speed (water) | 4.3 knots (5 mph, 8 km/h) |
Sources
This article was produced with the assistance and guidance of noted armored vehicle historian, Andrew Hills.
Life Magazine, 5th August 1946
Life Magazine, 30th August 1953
Indianapolis News, 1st January 1950, ‘Marmon-Herrington Building Amphibious Tank For Inventor’, Rodger Budrow
Associated Press, 26th August 1954, ‘Balls Replace Wheels On Five-Ton Monster’
Washington Evening Star, 26th August 1954, ‘Inventor Unveils Huge Go-Anywhere Vehicle’
Washington Evening Star, 10th July 1956, ‘Here Comes The Baby Rhino’
The Illustrated London News, 4th September 1954, ‘The “Rhino”, A New vehicle whose method of traction represents the greatest advance in wheels for a thousand years’
Popular Mechanics, May 1943. Pg 91: ‘Amphibious “Barrel” Tank Built With Less Steel’
Popular Science, September 1943, Pg 105: ‘Hemispherical Wheels’
Popular Science, October 1954, Pgs 125 – 127: ‘Weird New ‘Rhino’ Can Go Anywhere’
Wheels & Tracks No. 16: ‘Hemispherical Wheels’, Pg. 45 – 47, Battle of Britain Prints, 1986
John J. Geoghegan, White Elephant Technology; 50 Crazy Inventions That Should Never Have Been Built, And What We Can Learn From Them, The History Press, 2023
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