U.S. patent application number 13/058163 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-02 for fascines.
This patent application is currently assigned to QINETIQ LIMIETD. Invention is credited to Raghbir Singh Hayre, Colin Peter Morgan.
Application Number | 20110126365 13/058163 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39790583 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110126365 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hayre; Raghbir Singh ; et
al. |
June 2, 2011 |
Fascines
Abstract
An apparatus (2) for the deployment of fascines comprises a
fixed framework adapted to be mounted to the front region of a
vehicle such as the glacis plate (3) of a tank (1). A leading
portion of the framework extends forwardly of the vehicle and
carries straps (18, 19) to support a bundle of inflatable fascine
members (20). A winch (21) is mounted on the framework and can be
used to raise the fascine members into the straps and subsequently
to release the straps and allow the fascine members to drop into a
ditch or other discontinuity and then inflate, to facilitate
passage of the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Hayre; Raghbir Singh;
(Farnborough, GB) ; Morgan; Colin Peter; (Ash
Vale, GB) |
Assignee: |
QINETIQ LIMIETD
London
UK
|
Family ID: |
39790583 |
Appl. No.: |
13/058163 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
July 15, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB09/01747 |
371 Date: |
February 8, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
14/2.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 19/522 20130101;
E01D 15/122 20130101; F41H 7/02 20130101; F41H 11/11 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
14/2.5 |
International
Class: |
E01D 15/12 20060101
E01D015/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 9, 2008 |
GB |
0814633.4 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for the deployment of fascine members comprising a
framework adapted to be mounted to the front region of a vehicle
and including a leading portion carrying releasable support means
adapted to support one or more fascine members generally transverse
to the vehicle and to allow such members to fall to the ground on
release of said support means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said framework comprises
a first portion adapted to be mounted to a sloping surface at the
front region of a vehicle and a second portion, including said
leading portion, adapted to extend forwardly from and at an angle
to such sloping surface when said first portion is mounted
thereon.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasable support
means comprise at least a pair of straps each adapted to releasably
pass around one or more fascine members.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a winch
adapted to lift one or more fascine members into a position to be
supported by said support means.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said support means
comprise release means connectable to said winch whereby to release
said support means by operation of said winch.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said framework is a fixed
framework.
7. A vehicle with apparatus according to claim 1 mounted to the
front region thereof.
8. A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said apparatus is mounted
in a fixed position.
9. A vehicle according to claim 7 with one or more inflatable
fascine members supported by said support means.
10. A vehicle having a sloping glacis plate at the front region
thereof with apparatus according to claim 2 mounted to said glacis
plate.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to fascines and more
particularly to means for the deployment of fascines.
[0002] Fascines are structures comprising at least one, and usually
several, elongate members which are used to fill ditches or to
level or smooth other discontinuities in or on the ground
sufficiently to facilitate the passage of personnel or vehicles
across the discontinuity, and sets of such members are commonly
carried by tanks and other military vehicles when in the field for
the temporary levelling of such discontinuities which would
otherwise halt or impede the passage of the vehicles and/or of
others which follow. Fascines comprising bundles of high density
polyethylene or similar pipes are known from U.S. Pat. No.
4,312,601 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,821 and fascines including
inflatable members are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,400, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,215,401, U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,662, GB2401640,
WO2006/027559 and WO2008/056102. Inflatable fascine members have
the advantage over rigid pipes of reduced weight and of much
reduced bulk whilst uninflated; they can be stored and carried
uninflated and need be inflated only when required for use, e.g. by
a suitable compressor or from cylinders of compressed air or other
gas (such as an inert mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen)
carried for the purpose.
[0003] Regarding known systems for deploying fascines from
vehicles, conventional plastic pipe fascine members are typically
chained to the side of a vehicle and released by fracturing
explosive bolts. The vehicle needs to be manoeuvred side on to the
discontinuity before the fascine members are released, however,
which is disadvantageous for the speed of the deployment and for
other operational reasons. Explosive bolts also present a safety
hazard.
[0004] Another known method of deploying fascine members is from a
rack mounted on top of a vehicle which can be tilted to allow the
fascine members to slide off at the front. This is a
special-to-role vehicle, however, and it would be more advantageous
to provide a deployment system that could be fitted to existing
vehicles and without interfering with their existing functions.
[0005] From WO2006/136797 there is known a deployment system for
inflatable fascine members where a container for such members is
normally stowed at the side of a tank or the like and is mounted on
a pivot located at a front corner of the vehicle to swing round
through substantially 270.degree. to lie at the front of the
vehicle when the fascine members are to be released. This requires
a free space at the side of the vehicle to accommodate the movement
of the container, however, which may not always be available and
can present difficulties when operating in wooded areas for
example. An alternative system in WO2006/136797 involves a
container on a runner at the side of the vehicle which slides
forwards before pivoting inwards through 90.degree. to lie at the
front, which avoids the need for the free space at the side but
involves a substantially more complex mechanism.
[0006] The present invention therefore seeks to provide a
particularly simple form of apparatus which can be fitted to
existing vehicles to enhance their functionality by laying fascines
but without requiring that they are manoeuvred side on to the
discontinuity and without interfering with their existing
functionality.
[0007] In one aspect the invention accordingly resides in apparatus
for the deployment of fascine members comprising a framework
adapted to be mounted to the front region of a vehicle and
including a leading portion carrying releasable support means
adapted to support one or more fascine members generally transverse
to the vehicle and to allow such members to fall to the ground on
release of said support means.
[0008] In use the framework is preferably mounted in a fixed
position on the vehicle and is itself preferably a fixed framework
in the sense that it is not articulated nor otherwise comprises any
moving parts in normal use of the apparatus. It may comprise a
first portion adapted to be mounted to a sloping surface at the
front region of a vehicle, such as the usual glacis plate of a tank
or the like, and a second portion, including the leading portion,
adapted to extend forwardly from and at an angle to such sloping
surface when the first portion is mounted thereon.
[0009] The releasable support means may comprise at least a pair of
straps each adapted to releasably pass around one or more fascine
members.
[0010] The apparatus may further comprise a winch adapted to lift
one or more fascine members into a position to be supported by the
support means, and the support means may comprise release means
connectable to the winch whereby to release the support means by
operation of the winch.
[0011] In another aspect the invention resides in a vehicle having
apparatus as defined above mounted to the front region thereof.
[0012] These and other features of the present invention will now
be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:--
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front and one side of
an armoured fighting vehicle fitted with a preferred embodiment of
deployment apparatus in accordance with the invention supporting a
bundle of fascine members;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the rear and one side of
the basic framework of the deployment apparatus of FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the rear and other side of
the completed deployment apparatus incorporating the framework of
FIG. 2.
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown an armoured fighting
vehicle exemplified as a tank 1 with a fascine deployment apparatus
2 according to the invention fitted to the glacis plate 3 in the
front region of the vehicle to one side of a driver's position (of
which the visor is indicated at 4) and below the arc of its
turret-mounted weapon 5.
[0017] The apparatus 2 incorporates a fixed (in use) framework the
construction of which is more clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. This
is fabricated from a collection of hollow rectangular and circular
section members welded, bolted and/or riveted together as shown.
More particularly, a base portion of the framework comprises a pair
of side members 6 and 7 and three cross members 8, 9 and 10, the
front cross member 8 being elevated with respect to the rear cross
member 10 (in the sense as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3), being carried
in this respect by a pair of strut members 11 and 12 attached to
the side members 6 and 7. The cross members 8 and 10 of the base
portion mount a projecting portion of the framework comprising a
pair of side members 13 and 14 and a pair of cross members 15 and
16. The projecting portion is thus placed at an angle to the base
portion so that when the base portion is mounted to the glacis
plate 3--for example by means of lugs (not shown) welded or bolted
to the glacis plate and to which the framework is pinned or bolted
e.g. at positions 17 on the side members 6 and 7--the projecting
portion extends forwards from the vehicle closer to the horizontal
than at the angle of the glacis plate, as indicated in FIG. 1, to
maintain adequate ground clearance for its intended load of fascine
members (having regard also to the likely need for the vehicle to
negotiate substantial changes in gradient).
[0018] The leading cross member 15 of the framework extends across
and to one side of the side members 13 and 14 and carries a pair of
flexible webbing straps 18 and 19 (FIGS. 1 and 3), of similar
material to conventional cargo lashing straps, for supporting a
bundle of fascine members, exemplified in FIG. 1 as a trio of
inflatable fascine members 20, which may be linked together as
described in WO2008/056102. As shown the fascine members 20 are
supported in front of but somewhat laterally offset with respect to
the vehicle 1 so as not to restrict the driver's view through visor
4. They are carried in an uninflated or only partially inflated
condition and when fully inflated will expand both in length and in
diameter as compared to the condition shown in FIG. 1, being held
in the illustrated compact condition prior to inflation by a
respective valise (not separately shown) encasing each member 20
and which is adapted to burst open (being closed e.g. by releasable
fastenings of Velcro.RTM. material or breakable plastic cable ties)
when the fascine members are inflated, in known fashion. The
package will also include a cylinder of compressed air or other gas
(not shown) for inflation.
[0019] Returning to FIG. 3, the central cross member 9 of the base
portion of the framework mounts a winch 21 which may be powered
electrically from the vehicle's supply. The winch cable 22 can pass
over a pair of pulleys 23, 24 and down beneath the projecting cross
member 15, between the straps 18 and 19. By this means the fascine
package can be loaded onto the vehicle 1, being raised from the
ground or from a delivery vehicle up to the open straps 18, 19
which are looped around the package and fastened by respective pins
25, 26. Each pin 25, 26 forms part of a quick release mechanism for
the respective strap. Following loading of the fascine package the
winch cable 22 is released from the package and connected to a pair
of short cable lengths 27,28 leading from the pins 25, 26.
[0020] When the vehicle encounters a ditch or other discontinuity
which requires deployment of the fascine members 20 it is placed
head on to the discontinuity and the winch 21 is controlled from
within the vehicle to simultaneously pull the pins 25 and 26 from
the straps 18 and 19. The straps therefore open under the weight of
the fascine package which drops into position and inflation of the
members 20 can be initiated by any suitable known means, for
example in response to an electrical command signal over a wired or
wireless link from the vehicle, or by means of an electronic or
mechanical delay timer actuated by releasing the package. Although
not shown, the release mechanism for the straps 18,19 may
incorporate a so-called "three ring circus" as typically used with
parachutes, to facilitate an easy release while under load.
[0021] The crew can remain within the protection of the vehicle
throughout this operation. It is unnecessary to manoeuvre the
vehicle to place it side on to the discontinuity in order to deploy
the fascine members as is required for some prior art deployment
systems. The side of the vehicle (which is typically less heavily
armoured than the front) need not therefore be exposed and the
tempo of the operation can remain high.
[0022] Similar deployment apparatus can be fitted to other types of
vehicle than the one illustrated by appropriate adaption of the
framework which supports the straps 18, 19 and winch 21. For
example altering the lengths of the struts 11 and 12 allows
adaptation of the angle of the projecting portion relative to the
glacis plate or similar and altering the lengths of the cross
members 8-10 allows adaptation to different vehicle widths or
prospective mounting points. Similar apparatus of appropriate load
carrying capacity can also be used for the deployment of
non-inflatable fascine members, such as those constituted by
plastic pipes.
[0023] While the framework of FIG. 2 has been described as fixed in
use, it may be rapidly mountable to and demountable from the host
vehicle by means of suitable fixings, as operational requirements
may dictate, and its individual components may also be demountable
and replaceable to reconfigure the apparatus to different vehicle
types. The members 6-16 may be of any suitable engineering material
such as steel or aluminum alloy, or some of each for an optimum
combination of stiffness, cost and weight saving, or of
fibre-reinforced polymer composite if weight saving at the front
end of the vehicle is of particular importance.
* * * * *