Tracked vehicle

• US 6,260,465 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Mak System Gesellschaft MbH
• Inventors: Böttcher, Ralf, Zonak, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/359,474
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 89/360.8, 89/400.3, 305/120, 305/121
• US Class Current: 89/40.03
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/10 Bogies; Frames track-tensioning means B62D55/30

Abstract

A tracked vehicle has a driven track suspension on each side of the hull, whereby the track suspension and the hull are connected by means of a vibration damping material. The track suspension is mounted on a U-shaped bridge element with lateral track supports with the use of a connecting floor plate, whereby each of the track supports is equipped with an electric drive motor as a track drive. The hull is suspended in the bridge element by means of vibration damping elements.

Claims

1. An armored combat tank comprising:

a first track and a second track;

two suspensions, each of said two suspensions being connected to a corresponding one of said two tracks;

a unit to mount said suspensions;

said mounting unit comprising;

a bottom;

said bottom being substantially horizontal;

first and second side walls, said first and second side walls being substantially transverse to said bottom; and

said bottom being disposed and configured to connect said first and second side walls to one another;

each of said two suspensions being mounted on a corresponding one of said first and second side walls;

a hull, said hull being configured to contain occupants of said tank;

a plurality of vibration damping elements;

said plurality of vibration damping elements being disposed and configured to suspend at least a portion of said hull within said mounting unit;

said first side wall comprising a first track support to support said first track;

a first electric motor to drive said first track;

said first electric motor being connected to said first track support;

said second side wall comprising a second track support to support said second track;

a second electric motor to drive said second track; and

said second electric motor being connected to said second track support;

each of said two suspensions comprising a drive wheel, each said drive wheel being disposed and configured to mesh with a corresponding one of said two tracks of said armored combat tank,

said mounting unit being a substantially U-shaped mounting unit;

each said drive wheel of said two suspensions being connected to a corresponding one of said first and second electric motors;

each said drive wheel of said two suspensions and its corresponding one of said first and second electric motors being configured to form a unit and are disposed adjacent a corresponding one of said first and second track supports; and

each said unit being configured to be freely movable with respect to said hull.

2. The tank according to claim 1 wherein:

each of said plurality of vibration damping elements comprises an elastic bearing; and

said plurality of elastic bearings are disposed to connect said hull to said first and second track supports.

3. The tank according to claim 2 wherein:

each of said plurality of elastic bearings comprises;

a pin;

an elastic annular body; and

said elastic annular body is disposed about said pin;

each of said plurality of pins is fastened to said hull; and

each of said elastic annular bodies is disposed and configured to connect its corresponding pin to one of said first and second track supports.

4. The tank according to claim 3 wherein:

each of said first and second track supports comprises a track skirt;

each of said track skirts comprises a compartment; and

each of said track skirts is disposed above said first and second track supports over the length of said armored combat tank.

5. The tank according to claim 4 wherein:

said bottom of said mounting unit comprises a floor plate;

said floor plate comprises first and second panels disposed one above the other;

said floor plate has a space between said first and second panels;

said tank comprises torsion bars; and

said torsion bars are disposed in said space between said first and second panels.

6. The tank according to claim 5 comprising:

power generating components, said power generating components comprising;

a diesel engine; and

an electric generator.

7. The tank according to claim 6 wherein said compartments of said track skirts are configured and disposed to provide frontal and lateral protection for said hull.

8. A tracked vehicle comprising:

a first track and a second track;

two suspensions, each of said two suspensions being connected to a corresponding one of said two tracks;

a unit to mount said suspensions;

said mounting unit comprising;

a bottom;

said bottom being substantially horizontal;

first and second side walls, said first and second side walls being substantially transverse to said bottom; and

said bottom being disposed and configured to connect said first and second side walls to one another;

each of said two suspensions being connected to a corresponding one of said first and second side walls;

a hull, said hull being configured to contain occupants of said tracked vehicle;

a plurality of vibration damping elements;

said plurality of vibration damping elements being disposed and configured to suspend at least a portion of said hull within said mounting unit;

said first side wall comprising a first track support to support said first track;

a first electric motor to drive said first track;

said first electric motor being connected to said first track support;

said second side wall comprising a second track support to support said second track;

a second electric motor to drive said second track;

said second electric motor being connected to said second track support;

each of said two suspensions comprising a drive wheel, each said drive wheel being disposed and configured to mesh with a corresponding one of said two tracks of said tracked vehicle;

said mounting unit being a substantially U-shaped mounting unit;

each said drive wheel of said two suspensions being connected to a corresponding one of said first and second electric motors;

each said drive wheel of said two suspensions and its corresponding one of said first and second electric motors being configured to form a unit and being disposed adjacent a corresponding one of said first and second track supports; and

each said unit being configured to be freely movable with respect to said hull.

9. The tracked vehicle according to claim 8 wherein:

each of said plurality of vibration damping elements comprises an elastic bearing; and

said plurality of elastic bearings are disposed to connect said hull to said first and second track supports.

10. The tracked vehicle according to claim 9 wherein:

each of said plurality of elastic bearings comprises;

a pin;

an elastic annular body; and

said elastic annular body being disposed about said pin;

each of said plurality of pins is fastened to said hull; and

each of said elastic annular bodies is disposed and configured to connect its corresponding pin to one of said first and second track supports.

11. The tracked vehicle according to claim 10 wherein:

each of said first and second track supports comprises a track skirt;

each of said track skirts comprises a compartment; and

each of said track skirts is disposed above said first and second track supports over the length of the tracked vehicle.

12. The tracked vehicle according to claim 11 wherein:

said bottom of said mounting unit comprises a floor plate;

said floor plate comprises first and second panels disposed one above the other;

said floor plate has a space between said first and second panels;

said tracked vehicle comprises torsion bars;

said torsion bars are disposed in said space between said first and second panels;

said tracked vehicle further comprises power generation components, said power generation components comprising;

a diesel engine; and

an electric generator;

said compartments of said track skirts are configured and disposed to provide frontal and lateral protection for said hull.