U.S. patent number 3,699,842 [Application Number 04/885,410] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-24 for profile elements for joining armor plates.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Firma Dr.-Ing. h.c.F. Porsche K.G.. Invention is credited to Klaus Marbach Grewing, Fritz Hacker.
United States Patent |
3,699,842 |
Grewing , et al. |
October 24, 1972 |
PROFILE ELEMENTS FOR JOINING ARMOR PLATES
Abstract
A connection for the shell of armored vehicles, wherein the
plates of the shell are disposed in an angular, planar or stepwise
relationship, thereby forming a hollow space. The plates are
connected at the junction points by means of separate profile bars
formed as hollow or solid components. The profile bars have
shoulders constructed as mounting sections for the plate edges. For
multiple wall shells, the profile bars can be provided with
shoulders arranged in a stepwise manner.
Inventors: |
Grewing; Klaus Marbach
(Ludwigsburg-Ossweil, DT), Hacker; Fritz
(Ludwigsburg-Ossweil, DT) |
Assignee: |
Firma Dr.-Ing. h.c.F. Porsche
K.G. (Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5722286 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/885,410 |
Filed: |
December 16, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Jan 14, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 01 502.2 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
89/36.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H
7/044 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41H
7/00 (20060101); F41H 7/04 (20060101); F41h
007/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;89/36R,36A,36H
;109/79,82,83,84,85 ;161/404 ;287/189.36D,189.36H |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bentley; Stephen C.
Claims
We claim:
1. An arrangement for connecting armor plates together on an
armored vehicle of the type having a plurality of planar shell
plates forming a hollow space therewithin; said arrangement
comprising profile bar means having a first shoulder means for
receiving the edge of an exterior shell plate to be connected
thereto and means for fixedly connecting said exterior shell plate
to said first shoulder means, said profile bar means including an
exterior surface portion extending parallel to the exterior surface
of said exterior shell plate, a first outwardly facing surface of
said first shoulder means extending substantially parallel to the
exterior surface portion of the profile bar means, said first
shoulder means including a second surface substantially
perpendicular to said first surface, said exterior shell plate
being fixedly connected to said profile bar means in abutting
relationship with said first and second surfaces, said profile bar
means having second shoulder means for receiving the edge of an
interior shell plate to be connected thereto, said second shoulder
means being spaced inwardly from and extending substantially
parallel to said first shoulder means, said interior shell plate
being attached by welding to an outwardly facing surface of said
second shoulder means such that said interior plate is
substantially parallel to said interior plate, said second shoulder
means being longer in the longitudinal direction of the associated
shell plates than the first shoulder means such that said first
shoulder means does not interfere with the placement of the
interior plates in position on the second shoulder means.
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said
first surface of said first shoulder means is spaced from the
exterior surface portion of the profile bar means by a distance
substantially equal to the thickness of said exterior shell plate,
whereby said exterior plate and said exterior surface portion form
a substantially continuous exterior surface.
3. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said
profile bar means includes two first shoulder means disposed at an
angle with respect to one another for connecting to two exterior
shell plates.
4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that said
exterior shell plates are welded to said profile bar.
5. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said
profile bar means is constructed as a solid member and in that said
exterior shell plate is connected thereto by welding.
6. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said
profile bar means is constructed as a hollow member and in that
said exterior shell plate is connected thereto by welding.
7. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the
profile bar means is a hollow member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connection for shell plates of
armored vehicles, and more particularly, to shell plates which are
disposed in an angular, planar, or stepwise or staggered
relationship, particularly with the formation of a hollow
space.
The connection of armor plates must meet the requirements of being
joinable in a simple manner and being able to withstand high
stresses. In a conventional plate connection for vehicles of the
aforementioned type, the coupled components have sections
cooperating with one another in a claw-like fashion, which sections
are held in place by screws or rivets. However, the disadvantage of
this construction is that means must be provided at the edges of
the plates, thereby causing high tool and machining expenses. In
this connection, see German Pat No. 865,573.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem underlying the present invention resides in providing
edge and butt joints for plates which can be put under a high
stress and yet can be readily assembled. In this connection, the
accurate and therefore expensive fitting operations carried out on
the conventional armor plates are to be eliminated.
The underlying problems are solved in accordance with the present
invention by connecting the plates at edges or junctions of the
shell by means of separate profile bars or strips, which are formed
as hollow or solid members, Therefore, it is advantageous to adapt
the profile bars provided for joining the plates with their
external surfaces to the configuration of the shell of the
vehicle.
It is also advantageous to provide that the profile bars intended
for joining the shell plates have shoulders constructed as
receiving or mounting sections for edges of the plates.
For shells comprising multiple walls, the profile bars preferably
have receiving sections for the edges of the plates. It is
advantageous to provide that the receiving sections of the profile
bars of the plates have shoulders arranged in a stepwise or
staggered fashion. The shoulders of the profile bar are preferably
connected to the edges of the walls of the shell by conventional
means such as welding.
The advantages of the present invention reside, particularly, in
that a very rugged plate connection is created by the use of the
profile bars, which connection can be mounted without any
difficulties. Furthermore, this construction does away with exact
and consequently expensive cutting and fitting operations to which
the armor plates had to be exposed heretofore. By means of the
stepwise or staggered arrangement of the shoulders of the profile
bars, a satisfactory support of inner walls in case of
multiple-wall shells is ensured. Also, the assembly of the armor
plates is considerably simplified thereby.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
These and further features, advantages and objects of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which
shows, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in
accordance with the present invention and wherein;
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a shell of an armored vehicle;
and
FIG. 2 is a section corresponding to FIG. 1, of another embodiment
in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Referring now to the drawing and, in particular, to FIG. 1, the
illustrated vehicle 1 comprises a running mechanism 2 and a shell
3. A rotatably mounted turret 4 is provided above the shell 3. The
shell 3 comprises outer walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and inner walls 10, 11,
12, arranged at an angle with respect to one another and
constituting armor plates. The inner walls 10, 11, 12 are disposed
with respect to the outer walls 6, 7, 8 so as to form hollow spaces
13, 14, 15.
Profile strips 16, 17, 18, 19, which are adapted to the
configuration of the shell walls and constructed as hollow or solid
bodies, are provided for connecting the outer walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
and the inner walls 10, 11, 12, with each other. The profile strips
16, 18, 19 are formed by solid members which basically are of
identical construction.
In contrast thereto, the profile strip 17 is composed of a hollow
body forming the tip of the front end of the shell. Each profile
strip has shoulders 20, 21, which are formed as receiving sections
for the edges of the outer walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or inner walls 10,
11, 12, respectively. The outer walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the inner
walls 10, 11, 12 are connected to the profile strips 16, 17, 18, 19
by conventional connecting means such as, for example, welding.
However, it is also possible to retain the walls of the shell in
position at the profile bars by means of detachable elements.
The exterior surface portions 27, 28, 29, 30 of the profile strips
are arranged so as to present a continuous uninterrupted surface in
conjunction with the respective adjacent outer walls 6, 7, 8,
9.
According to FIG. 2, the tip of the front end of the shell 3 is
formed by a profile strip 22 having shoulders 23, 24 and 25, 26,
arranged in a stepwise or staggered manner. The walls 6, 10 and 7,
11 are attached to the profile strips 22 by conventional means such
as welding. Due to the stepwise arrangement of shoulders 23, 24 and
25, 26 of the profile bar 22, it is possible to effect the
installation and attachment of the walls 6, 10 and 7, 11 from
common planes, which represents a substantial simplification of the
assembly operation.
As shown in FIG. 2, radiation-protective means are provided in the
hollow spaces 13, 14, 15 of the shell 3; such radiation-protective
means can consist of liquid, gaseous, or solid substances.
While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance
with the present invention, it is to be clearly understood that the
same is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as will
be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and we, therefore,
do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described
herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications
within the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *