Armored vehicle with rotatable swing-away turret

• US 4,583,444 A
• Filed: 12/05/1983
• Issued: 04/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ex-Cello-O Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corporation
• Inventors: Jackson, Theodore A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/558,134
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 89/36.08, 89/36.13, 89/36.14, 89/40.03
• US Class Current: 89/36.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/16 using raceway bearings, e.g. for supporting the turret

Abstract

A turret is mounted on an armored vehicle in rotating and pivotal fashion to allow the turret to be pivoted eccentrically from its operative position laterally out of the way without disturbing rotational engagement to expose an access hatch on the vehicle body for maintenance inside the vehicle. Removal of the turret from the vehicle is not required. After maintenance, the turret can be swung back to its original operative position for rotation on the vehicle. An operator'"'"'s cage is attached to the turret and is specially configured such that the turret can be swung out of the way a sufficient amount without the cage hitting interior vehicle components.

Claims

1. An armored vehicle having a body with an access hatch means openable to the vehicle interior and a turret rotatable and eccentrically pivotable on the vehicle, said turret including an annular turret support means in an operative position on the vehicle body for releasably mounting the turret support means on the vehicle body in said operative position, a turret body, means for rotatably mounting the turret body on the turret support means for rotation about a first axis, and means for pivotably mounting the turret support means on the vehicle body for eccentric movement relative to said first axis when the turret support means is released from its operative position, whereby the turret can be pivoted laterally away from the access hatch means without being removed from the vehicle body, and operator cage means in the vehicle body attached to the turret body for rotational and eccentric movement therewith, said cage means including floor means with a circular arc portion and truncated straight portion and support means attached to the floor means at one end to the circular arc portion and at the other end to the turret body to permit eccentric movement of the cage means in the vehicle body.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means rotatably mounting the turrent support means comprises bearing means between the turret body and turret support means.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means releasably mounting the turret support means comprises a plurality of releasable connector means, one of which functions as the pivotable mounting means for the turret support means when the others are released.

4. An armored vehicle having a top surface with an opening and an access hatch means adjacent the opening, a turret on the top surface with portions of the turret overlying the access hatch means preventing opening thereof, annular turret support means on the top surface between the turret and top surface, annular bearing means between and operatively connected to the turret and turret support means for rotatably mounting the turret on the turret support means, and a plurality of connector means for releasably fastening the turrent support means to the top surface with one of said connector means functioning as pivot means when the others are released for allowing eccentric pivoting of the turret support means and turret thereon relative to the rotational axis out of overlying relation to the access hatch means to allow opening thereof.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 which further includes operator cage means in the vehicle attached to the turret means for rotation therewith and configured such that the cage means can pivot eccentrically inside the vehicle when the turret means is pivoted.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the releasable connectors are threaded bolt means and one of said bolt means is adapted to function as a pivot for the turret means.

7. An armored vehicle having a top surface with an opening and a rotational axis through said opening and with an access hatch means adjacent the opening, a turret overlying the opening in the top surface with portions of the turret overlying the access hatch means preventing opening thereof, annular turret support means on the top surface coaxially aligned with the rotational axis, annular bearing means between and operatively connected to the turret and turret support means and coaxially aligned with the rotational axis for rotatably mounting the turret on the turret support means about the rotational axis, and a plurality of connector means for releasably fastening the turret support means to the top surface with one of said connector means functioning as pivot means when the others are released for allowing eccentric pivoting of the turret support means and turret about said pivot means relative to said rotational axis out of overlying relation to the access hatch means to allow opening thereof.

8. An armored vehicle having a top surface with an opening and an access hatch means adjacent the opening, an annular turret support means on the top surface, a turret overlying the opening with portions of the turret overlying the access hatch preventing its opening, annular bearing means between the turret support means and turret including an annular race affixed to the turret support means, another annular race affixed to the turret and bearings between the races for rotatably mounting the turret on the turret support means, and a plurality of connector means in annular array and extending through the turret support for releasably fastening the turret support means to the top surface with one of said connector means functioning as pivot means when the others are released for allowing eccentric pivoting of the turret support means and turret thereon about said pivot means out of overlying relation to the access hatch means to allow opening thereof.

9. A method for exposing access hatch match means on an armored vehicle having a turret with portions at least partially overlying the access hatch means preventing opening thereof, comprising rotatably mounting the turret on a turret support means with the portions of the turret at least partially overlying the access hatch means, releasably mounting the turret support means on the vehicle adjacent the access hatch means using a plurality of releasably connector means, releasing the connector means while having one of said connector means function as a pivot means for the turret support means, and eccentrically pivoting the released turret support means with turret thereon about the pivot means laterally out of the way of access hatch means to allow opening thereof.