AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE MOUNTED ON CATERPILLAR TRACKS

Abstract

Vehicle comprising a hull and motorised aquatic propulsion members and motorised land propulsion members, this vehicle being able to move between a navigation position and a land transport position in which it rests on sets of caterpillar tracks. Each set of caterpillar tracks (1) is equipped with an even number of rollers (7) so as to define a set of adjacent roller pairs (71, 72). The rollers (71, 72) of each pair are connected to the chassis (2) by suspension means comprising a set (12) of at least two superposed curved elastic leaves made of a fibre-reinforced thermosetting resin, namely an upper leaf (131) and a lower leaf (132), the set being fixed on the one hand to the axles (9) of the rollers (71, 72) at its respective ends and, on the other hand, to the chassis (2) in its central part, and the upper leaf (13i) and the lower leaf (132) of each of the sets of leaves (12) are joined together and covered with a layer of elastomer (14).

Claims

1) Amphibious vehicle incorporating a hull in the longitudinal axis, together with motor-driven aquatic propulsion units and motor-driven overland propulsion units, with the overland propulsion units incorporating two pairs of lateral actuating arms (3, 3) respectively articulated around, firstly, the hull, on either side of it, at one of their extremities, or the upper extremity, and, secondly, on a long beam (4) connecting the two arms (3, 3) of each pair, at their second extremity, or the lower extremity, such as to form a rigid articulated chassis (2) bearing a track layer assembly (1) equipped with a series of transversal rollers (7) located one behind the other, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hull, and being each endowed with two wheels (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) mounted on roller bearings (11) on a rotation shaft (9) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hull, with each rigid chassis (2) being able to move between a retracted position, or navigation position, in which it is housed in a lateral cavity in the hull, and a deployed position, or overland transportation position, in which the amphibious vehicle rests on the track layer assemblies, characterized by the fact that: each track layer assembly (1) is equipped with an even number of rollers (7), such as to form a set of neighboring roller pairs (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2); the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) of each pair are connected to the chassis (2) by means of suspension units incorporating a set (12) of at least two curved flexible leaf springs made of a heat-hardening resin reinforced with superimposed fibers, namely one upper leaf spring (13.sub.1) and one lower leaf spring (13.sub.2), connected to, firstly, the shafts (9) of the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) at its respective extremities and, secondly, to the chassis (2), at its central part, and; the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1) and the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) of each of the leaf spring sets (12) are connected together and are covered with a layer of elastomer (14).

2) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) of each leaf spring set (12) is longer and less stiff than the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1), and is connected to the shafts (9) of the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) at its respective extremities by means of a counter-plate (16), with the ensemble consisting of the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2), the shaft (9) of the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) and the counter-plate (16) being positioned and held by a connection implemented by bolts passing fully through the said assembly.

3) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the radius of curvature of the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) is smaller than the radius of curvature of the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1).

4) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1) and, where appropriate, the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) of each leaf spring set (12) is/are endowed with a central transversal protrusion (15.sub.1, 15.sub.2) on its/their exterior face, that notably has a triangular cross-section.

5) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that each leaf spring set (12) is secured to the chassis (2) at its central part, by means of bolts, via a yoke (17) that is essentially U-shaped, of which the middle branch (18) is applied against its upper face.

6) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 5, characterized by the fact that the securing yoke (17) interoperates with a tightening flange (19) bearing against the lower face of each leaf spring set (12), such that the leaf spring sets (12) are sandwiched and held between the said tightening flange (19) and the securing yoke (17), at their central part.

7) Amphibious vehicle in accordance with claim 4, characterized by the fact that the securing yokes (17) and, where applicable, the tightening flanges (19) incorporate a transversal cavity (22, 23) that matches the transversal protrusions (15.sub.1, 15.sub.2) of the leaf spring sets (12), so as to accommodate the said transversal protrusions.

Description

[0038] The characteristics of the amphibious vehicle addressed by the invention will be described in greater detail, with reference to the appended non-limitative drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 is an in-perspective schematic view of a track layer assembly, in which the track has been removed;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a front view of such a complete track layer assembly;

[0041] FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a pair of rollers connected by a leaf spring set;

[0042] FIGS. 4 and 5 are in-perspective views, at different angles, of the pair of rollers illustrated in FIG. 3;

[0043] FIG. 6 is an in-perspective view of a leaf spring set;

[0044] FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a roller.

[0045] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the track layer assembly (1) is mounted on a rigid articulated chassis (2) incorporating two articulated arms (3, 3) on either side of a long beam (4) connecting the said arms (3, 3).

[0046] The track layer assembly (1) incorporates a rotating caterpillar track (5) driven in rotation by a drive sprocket (6) and passing over a guide and tensioning roller, together with a series of transversal track rollers (7) located one behind the other in the direction of travel of the track layer assembly.

[0047] In FIG. 2, a bezel (8) welded onto the long beam (4) conceals the transversal rollers (7).

[0048] In FIG. 7, each of the transversal rollers (7) incorporates a rotation shaft (9) on which two wheels (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) are mounted via roller bearings (11) each incorporating two rows of oblique-contact ballbearings, and which are respectively fitted into each of the wheels (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2).

[0049] In FIG. 1, each track layer assembly (1) is equipped with eight track rollers divided into four pairs of neighboring rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2).

[0050] In FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) of each pair are connected to the chassis (2) by means of suspension systems principally composed of a set of flexible leaf springs (12) secured to the shafts (9) of the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) at its extremities, and to the chassis (2), at its central part, in a manner that is described in greater detail subsequently in this explanation.

[0051] In FIG. 6, each flexible leaf spring set is composed of two curved flexible leaf springs made of an epoxy resin reinforced with superimposed glass fibers, namely one upper flexible leaf spring (13.sub.2) and one lower flexible leaf spring (13.sub.1).

[0052] These two flexible leaf springsthe upper leaf spring (13.sub.1) and the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2)are connected together and are covered with a layer of polyurethane (14).

[0053] In FIG. 6, in each of the flexible leaf spring sets (12), the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) is longer and less stiff than the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1), and has a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1), such that the thickness of the polyurethane layer inserted between these leaf springs (13.sub.1, 13.sub.2) is greater at the extremities of the flexible leaf spring set than at its central part.

[0054] At this central part, the upper leaf spring (13.sub.1) and the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) have a transversal protrusion (15.sub.1, 15.sub.2) on their respective exterior faces, that has a trianguar cross-section that prevents any longitudinal displacement of the flexible leaf spring set (12) in relation to the chassis (2).

[0055] In FIGS. 4 and 6, the lower leaf spring (13.sub.2) is equipped at each of its extremities with a counter-plate (16) that secures the flexible leaf spring set (12) onto the shafts (9) of the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) of a roller pair (7), at its respective extremities, by means of bolts that are not illustrated in the drawings.

[0056] In FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the flexible leaf spring set (12) connecting the rollers (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) of a roller pair is connected to the chassis (2), at the middle part, by means of an essentially U-shaped yoke (17) of which the middle branch (18) bears against the upper face of the flexible leaf spring set (12), such as can be observed in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

[0057] In FIGS. 4 and 5, the securing yoke (17) interoperates with a tightening flange (19) bearing against the lower face of the flexible leaf spring set (12), such that it is sandwiched between the said tightening flange (19) and the securing yoke (18), at its central part.

[0058] The assembly thus formed is secured either side of the flexible leaf spring set (12) by bolts (20) fitted right through the said assembly, and by nuts (21).

[0059] In FIG. 3, the securing yoke (17) and the tightening flange (19) incorporate a transversal cavity (22, 23) with a geometry matching that of the transversal protrusions (15.sub.1, 15.sub.2) of the flexible leaf spring set, so as to be able to accommodate these transversal protrusions, in order to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the flexible leaf spring set (12) in relation to the chassis (2).

NOMENCLATURE

[0060] 1. Caterpillar track layer assembly [0061] 2. Rigid chassis [0062] 3, 3. Articulated arm [0063] 4. Long beam [0064] 5. Rotary caterpillar track [0065] 6.sub.1. Drive sprocket [0066] 6.sub.2. Guide and tensioning roller [0067] 7. Transversal rollers [0068] 7.sub.1, 7.sub.2. Roller pair [0069] 8. Bezel [0070] 9. Rotation shaft [0071] 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2. Wheel [0072] 11. Roller bearing [0073] 12. Flexible leaf spring set [0074] 13.sub.1. Upper flexible leaf spring [0075] 13.sub.2. Lower flexible leaf spring [0076] 14. Polyurethane layer [0077] 15.sub.1, 15.sub.2 Transversal protrusions [0078] 16. Counter-plate [0079] 17. Yoke [0080] 18. Middle branch [0081] 19. Tightening flange [0082] 20. Bolt [0083] 21. Nut [0084] 22, 23. Transversal cavities