Remote jettison disconnect system for a mine roller

• US 8,899,137 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: U.S. Government As Represented By The Seceretary Of The Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Doyle, Christopher J., Bride, Dustin T., Coats, Daniel P., Conn, Michael, Gwyn, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US13/888,990
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.3, 102/402, 102/403
• US Class Current: 89/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/30 with rollers creating a surface load on the ground, e.g. steadily increasing surface load, for triggering purposes

Abstract

A remote jettison system is provided to disconnect a mine roller from a tactical vehicle. The system enables personnel conducting mine roller operations to disengage the vehicle from the mine roller without leaving the vehicle. The remote jettison system has two assemblies: A mine roller assembly and a tactical vehicle assembly. The mine roller assembly, which is connected to the mine roller, can be remotely disconnected from the tactical vehicle assembly, which is mounted on the vehicle. The system utilizes one mechanized latch to release the mine roller assembly from the tactical vehicle assembly, allowing the force of gravity to cause them to separate.

Claims

1. A remote jettison system for a mine roller having left and right arm pairs for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a first shaft and a second shaft, each said first and second shaft having an inboard flange and an outboard flange;

a mine roller assembly comprised of

an elongate first strength member having a length at least as long as the distance between the left and right arm pairs of the mine roller,

first and second connection plates mounted on opposite ends of said first strength member at a separation distance substantially equal to the center-to-center distance between the left and right arm pairs, each said connection plate having a forward projecting section with a through-plate aperture, enabling a pivoting attachment to one of the pair of connecting paired parallel arms,

first and second hitching plates mounted on opposite ends of said first strength member, each said hitching plate having a rearward projecting section with a tapered arch positioned and sized to accept a corresponding one of said first and second shafts when said shaft is positioned to be parallel to said first strength member, and

first and second dual function plates mounted on opposite ends of said first strength member, each dual function plate having a rearward projecting lower section with a tapered arch that is substantially the same size as and aligned with said tapered arch of said hitching plates to accept a corresponding one of said first and second shafts, and having a rearward projecting upper section with a latch pin extending therefrom wherein each said latch pin is substantially parallel to said first strength member;

a tactical vehicle assembly comprised of

an elongate second strength member having first and second ends,

first and second mounting plates mounted on said first and second ends of said second strength member, each said mounting plate having a rearward projecting section with at least one mounting hole configured to attach said mounting plate to support brackets on the vehicle,

first and second shaft mounting plates mounted on said first and second ends of said second strength member, each shaft mounting plate having a forward projection with a horizontal through-plate aperture sized to accept a corresponding one of said first and second shafts, and

a tetra-function plate mounted on said first end of said second strength member, said tetra-function plate having a sloped inward curved inversion forming a stop on a forward edge thereof and configured to accept said latch pin on said first dual function plate, and said tetra-function plate also having a horizontal through-plate aperture sized to accept said first shaft;

a latching assembly comprised of

a modified shaft plate mounted on said second end of said second strength member and having a horizontal through-plate aperture sized to accept said second shaft,

an actuator mounting panel mounted on said modified shaft plate and having a latch inversion on a forward edge thereof, said latch inversion having an entrance and being configured to accept said latch pin on said second dual function plate,

an actuator mounted on said actuator mounting panel,

a wheel gear coupled to said actuator and rotatably mounted to said actuator mounting panel, and

a geared inverted plate rotatably mounted to said actuator mounting panel and engaged by said wheeled gear, said geared inverted plate having a finger-like extension which closes said entrance of said latch inversion when said geared inverted plate is rotated in a first direction and opens said entrance of said latch inversion when said geared inverted plate is rotated in a second direction; and

a remote control electrically coupled to said actuator for actuating said actuator remotely, thereby causing said geared inverted plate to rotate and causing said finger-like extension to release or retain said latch pin on said dual function plate from or in said latch inversion;

wherein, when the remote jettison system is assembled,

said first shaft passes through and is retained in said through-plate aperture in said first shaft mounting plate and said through-plate aperture in said tetra-function plate and is positioned within said tapered arches of said first hitching plate and said first dual function plate,

said second shaft passes through and is retained in said through-plate aperture opening in said second shaft mounting plate and said through-plate aperture in said modified shaft plate and is positioned within said tapered arches of said second hitching plate and said second dual function plate,

said latch pin on said first dual function plate is positioned within said sloped inward curved inversion of said tetra-function plate,

said latch pin on said second dual function plate is positioned within said latch inversion of said actuator mounting panel and releasably retained therein by said finger-like projection, and

said latch pins, said first shaft, said second shaft, said first strength member and said second strength member are substantially parallel.

2. The remote jettison system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second strength members are rectangular steel tubes.

3. The remote jettison system according to claim 2, wherein said steel tubes are substantially three inches by five inches with nominal wall thicknesses of three eighths of an inch.

4. The remote jettison system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second strength members are substantially the same length.

5. The remote jettison system according to claim 2, wherein said first and second strength members are substantially the same length.

6. The remote jettison system according to claim 1, wherein each said shaft has a friction-reducing and wear-resistant sleeve.

7. A remote jettison system according to claim 1, further comprising first and second bolts configured to pass through said through-plate apertures in said first and second connection plates, respectively, and through corresponding holes in the left and right arm pairs of the mine roller to rotatably attach said connection plates thereto, each said bolt having a handle.

8. The remote jettison system according to claim 1, wherein said mine roller assembly further comprises first and second J-hooking plates mounted on opposite ends of said first strength member, each said J-hooking plate having a tapered arch that is substantially the same size as and aligned with said tapered arches of said hitching plates and said dual function plates to accept a corresponding one of said first and second shafts.

9. A remote jettison system according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical box mounting plate mounted to said tetra-function plate, and an electrical box mounted to said electrical box mounting plate, said electrical box being configured to distribute power from the vehicle to the mine roller and said actuator, and to distribute signals from said remote control to said actuator.