AU2021379006A1 - Bridge-laying vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a bridge-laying vehicle (10), in particular a military bridge-laying vehicle, for transporting and laying a transportable bridge (1), having a chassis (2) which accommodates the vehicle crew and which has at least one access opening (2.1) on the top side thereof, and having a support arm (4) which, in a transport position (T) above the chassis (2), provides a first support region (A1) for supporting the bridge (1), wherein the support arm (4) at least partially covers at least one access opening (2.1) in the transport position (T), wherein the support arm (4) can swivel in relation to the chassis (2) about a vertical axis (V) from the transport position (T) into a release position (F) in which the support arm (4) does not cover the access opening (2.1).

Description

11.11.2021 AR/ME/Mr Our ref 21-13-125

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG Krauss-Maffei-Str. 11, 80997 Munich

Bridge-laying vehicle

The invention relates to a bridge-laying vehicle, in particular a military bridge-laying vehicle, for transporting and laying a transportable bridge having a chassis which accommodates the vehicle crew and which has at the upper side thereof at least one access opening, and having a support arm which in a transport position above the chassis provides a first support region for supporting the bridge, and wherein the support arm at least par tially covers at least one access opening in the transport position.

Corresponding bridge-laying vehicles are in particular used in the military field and serve to transport transportable bridges and then also as far as possible to independently lay it at the corresponding place of installation.

Transportable bridges are generally used when a bridge is required only for a specific time period for overcoming an obstacle, for example, a river or a trench. The bridge can be transported to its place of use by means of the bridge-laying vehicle and accordingly be laid at that location. As soon as the bridge is no longer required, it can then be loaded onto the bridge-lay ing vehicle again and transported to the next place of use.

Corresponding bridge-laying vehicles generally have a chassis which repre sents the actual base member of the vehicle and in which both the vehicle crew but also the drive units of the vehicle can be accommodated. Particu larly in the military sector, the chassis is in most cases also configured to be completely armored against ballistic fire, for which reason these vehi cles are also then referred to as bridge-laying tanks in this regard. In order to enter or leave the vehicle, to enable driving via the hatch or also to ena ble access to the drive components of the vehicle, various access openings are often arranged on the upper side of the vehicle, that is to say, in prin ciple in the roof region.

Since the bridges to be transported are often very long and sometimes also longer than the chassis itself, it is generally necessary to support them with respect to the chassis via one, also often via several support region(s) which is/are arranged above the chassis. There may be provided for sup port a support arm which can provide a support region above the chassis so that the bridge is then positioned in principle on the vehicle.

If the support arm is in a transport position, it is capable of receiving the bridge or supporting it. In this instance, however, the access openings may be at least partially covered by the support arm so that they cannot be opened or can be opened only in a limited region and consequently the ac cessibility of the chassis is on the whole limited by the support arm.

Based on this, an object of the invention is to provide a bridge-laying vehi cle which ensures better accessibility to the chassis.

This object is achieved with a bridge-laying vehicle of the type mentioned in the introduction in that the support arm can be pivoted with respect to the chassis out of the transport position about a vertical axis into a release position, in which the support arm no longer covers the access opening.

As a result of the possibility of accordingly pivoting the support arm later ally, it can be moved from the transport position, in which the access open ings may be partially covered and blocked, into a release position, in which the access opening or the access openings are not covered or blocked or only to a lesser extent. In the release position, the accessibility to the ac cess openings and consequently also to the chassis is on the whole im proved.

A covering of the access openings in the transport position does not neces sarily mean that the support arm is arranged in this position directly above the access openings, but instead that it reduces the accessibility. The sup port arm may in this regard also be arranged beside the access openings and nonetheless reduce the accessibility, for example, when it blocks or narrows the path to the access openings.

There may be provision for the support arm to be able to be pivoted about the vertical axis only when no bridge is being transported. This is because, in order to transport a bridge, it is generally necessary for the support arm to be moved into the transport position. Since the bridge in any case blocks or makes access to the access openings difficult, it is not necessary to then also pivot the support arm accordingly when a bridge is any case being transported. The support arm may in this regard be configured in such a manner that it can be pivoted only when no bridge is being transported.

With regard to the transport position, it has been found to be advantageous for the support arm to extend in this position in the direction of the chassis longitudinal axis. This consequently involves the bridge also generally being transported in the longitudinal direction on the vehicle since the vehicle is in most cases significantly longer than it is wide and consequently the vehi cle stability can be ensured. Furthermore, as a result of the corresponding arrangement of the support arm, it can be ensured that the weight forces of the bridge are introduced in a state distributed in the most uniform manner possible into the chassis. It is advantageous for the support arm to extend in the transport position in the direction of the vehicle front.

It has further been found to be advantageous for the bridge-laying vehicle to have for laying the bridge an installation arm which provides a second support region for the bridge above the chassis. The bridge can thus be sup ported both on the support arm and on the installation arm, which ensures a reliable support. In addition to supporting or transporting the bridge, the installation arm can also be used to lay the bridge. Using the installation arm, for example, the bridge can be pushed forward over the obstacle which is intended to be overcome and set down on the other side. The in stallation arm may be arranged in the rear edge region of the chassis so that the bridge when laid can be laid toward the rear, that is to say, from the direction of the support arm and counter to the travel direction of the vehicle. As a result of this arrangement, the problem does not arise in the installation arm that it could inhibit the accessibility to access openings. Furthermore, it is naturally also possible for the installation arm to be ar ranged at the front end of the chassis in order to lay the bridge toward the front, that is to say, in the travel direction.

According to an advantageous further development, it has been found to be advantageous for the two support regions to be located in a line in the transport position. This configuration ensures a support of the bridge with a distribution of the load both on the support arm and on the installation arm. The corresponding line may be arranged along the longitudinal vehicle axis or extend parallel therewith so that the bridge is positioned centrally on the vehicle. This is particularly important for the vehicle stability when travelling round bends.

With regard to the movability of the support arm, it has been found to be advantageous for the support arm to be able to be rotated with respect to the installation arm about the vertical axis. Since the installation arm is ar ranged in the edge region of the vehicle, it does not involve the risk of components of the chassis and access openings being covered and impeded. It is therefore also sufficient for the support arm to be able to be pivoted accordingly. As a result of the relative movability of the support arm with respect to the installation arm, it can thus be ensured that, as a result of a pivot movement about the vertical axis, access openings are no longer cov ered and the accessibility is thus improved. It is therefore also advanta geous when the support arm is decoupled from the installation arm and the support arm can thus be pivoted independently of the installation arm about the vertical axis.

According to a further development of the invention, the installation arm may be constructed to be fixed in a horizontal direction. The installation arm thus cannot be rotated about a corresponding vertical axis. This results in such a rotational movement not being required since the installation arm does not block or cover any access openings. Nonetheless, however, the in stallation arm may be able to be rotated about one or also about several horizontal rotation axes and thus be able to be tilted downward. Such a tilting movement may be required in order to set down the bridge during the laying operation or to facilitate the laying operation. Furthermore, the installation arm may also be linearly movable, in particular in the direction of the longitudinal vehicle axis. Such a linear movement may also simplify the laying operation.

With regard to the access openings, it has been found to be advantageous for the access opening to be in the form of an engine cover, a driver hatch, an air inlet, a storage space cover or an assembly hatch. The access opening may be opened outward so that, in the transport position, it may be the case that the support arm may prevent complete opening. The engine cover may cover the motor and the drive components so that the engine cover has to be at least partially removed or folded up for assembly and maintenance op erations. The crew can enter the vehicle or leave the vehicle via the driver hatch. Driving via the hatch, wherein the driver puts his/her head through the corresponding hatch in order to directly observe the surroundings, may also be possible. The air inlet may have a filter which filters the air which is directed to the drive components of the vehicle. The air inlet may also be integrated in the engine cover. The storage space cover may close a storage space in which items of equipment may be accommodated. The assembly hatch may enable access to other components of the vehicle, for example, for assembly or maintenance purposes.

It is further advantageous for the chassis to have a plurality of access open ings. The access openings may be arranged beside each other on the upper side of the chassis. It is further advantageous for the access openings to be located in the front region of the chassis.

In a further development of the invention, it has been found to be advanta geous for the support arm, in order to selectively release at least one of the access openings, to be able to be pivoted from the transport position about the vertical axis in both directions. This enables a selective release of the various access openings. For example, the support arm may be ar ranged in a release position in such a manner that the driver hatch is re leased but not the engine cover, which instead remains covered. In another release position, the support arm can then accordingly cover the engine cover but release the drive hatch. A plurality of release positions may thus exist and, in each release position, one or more specific access openings may not be covered. Furthermore, this configuration also leads to the sup port arm having to be pivoted only in a comparatively small angular range. This is because it is generally sufficient for only the access opening to which access is currently required to always be selectively released. In spe cific release positions, however, the support arm may also release the ac cess to all access openings.

It has further been found to be advantageous for the support arm to be ar ranged on the upper side of the chassis. This enables a pivoting of the sup port arm about the vertical axis in a large angular range so that the contour of the chassis as far as possible does not impede the pivot movement of the support arm.

According to an advantageous embodiment, there is provision for the sup port arm to be connected to the chassis at one end via a horizontal joint. Via the horizontal joint, a vertical rotation axis can be provided for the support arm so that it can be pivoted accordingly out of the transport posi tion into the pivoted release positions. The arrangement at one end of the support arm leads to the support arm being able to be pivoted about the vertical axis in the manner of a boom. A corresponding horizontal joint ex clusively enables a pivot movement about a vertical axis. Other pivoting or rotational movements are not possible with such a joint so that the support arm can thus exclusively be rotated about the vertical axis.

In order to ensure a reliable force transmission, it has been found to be ad vantageous for the horizontal joint to have two pin bearings, for example, in the form of retention lugs, which are arranged concentrically with re spect to each other and through which a rotary pin of the support arm can extend. The rotary pin can thus be received in a rotationally movable man ner between the two pin bearings. Two pin bearings have been found to be advantageous with regard to a reliable force and torque transmission. De pending on the forces to be anticipated, however, only one pin bearing may also be provided.

From a structural viewpoint, it is proposed that the horizontal joint be con nected to the chassis, in particular the upper side of the chassis, by means of two retention struts. As a result of the two retention struts, particularly transverse forces can be received and introduced into the chassis. They thus ensure a reliable support of the bridge with respect to the chassis. The retention struts can both be connected to the pin bearing(s), in particular welded, so that the active forces and torques can be introduced via the horizontal joint into the corresponding retention struts.

With regard to the orientation of the support arm in the transport position, it has been found to be advantageous for it to extend in the transport posi tion from the vertical axis in the direction of the chassis front. The support arm can thus support the front region of the bridge with respect to the chassis in the transport position. The front region of the bridge refers in this instance to the bridge region which is located above the chassis front. The rear bridge region may be supported via the installation arm. The ver tical axis may extend through the central region of the chassis so that the support arm can extend out of the central region into the front region.

It has further been found to be advantageous for the second support region to at least partially have an overhang with respect to the chassis rear. This enables the transport of large bridges so that they may also be longer than the chassis and protrude toward the rear beyond the chassis. The installa tion arm and accordingly also the second support region may protrude in the longitudinal vehicle direction toward the rear beyond the chassis.

In a further development of the invention, it is proposed that the first sup port region have at least partially an overhang with respect to the chassis front. The bridge can thus also protrude forward with respect to the chassis and nonetheless be reliably supported. Nonetheless, however, it is also pos sible for the first support region not to have any overhang and thus to be arranged above the chassis front. With this embodiment, the bridge may nonetheless also protrude forward beyond the chassis. The bridge may have an overhang with respect to the chassis both toward the rear and toward the front. It is further advantageous for the two support regions to have the largest possible spacing with respect to each other since a reliable support of the bridge can thus be ensured.

With regard to the configuration of the support arm, it has been found to be advantageous for it to have two support arm portions which are con nected to each other in an angled manner. This configuration enables piv oting-over of the chassis contour when pivoting the support arm about the vertical axis. For example, as a result of this configuration, observation windows, periscopes or in particular fitted devices which are arranged at the upper side of the chassis can be pivoted over. The first support arm portion may be connected to the horizontal joint and extend obliquely up ward. The second support arm portion may extend obliquely in a downward direction so that the support arm is consequently raised in the center with respect to the end regions.

According to one advantageous further development, it is proposed that the support arm have at the front end a boom which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis. Via the pivotable boom, the first support region can be moved up and down and a balancing of the bridge can thus also be achieved. The boom also leads to a lengthening of the support arm. Fur thermore, the boom enables an adaptation to various bridges or various bridge types. The boom may be moved by means of a hydraulic or alterna tively or additionally an electric and/or pneumatic drive. For example, in order to pivot the boom, a hydraulic cylinder may be connected at one end to the boom and at the other end to a support arm portion.

With regard to the boom, it has been found to be advantageous for the first support region to be arranged on the boom. Via the boom, the height of the support region with respect to the chassis and consequently also the corre sponding height and orientation of the bridge in the transport position can consequently be varied with respect to the chassis.

In a structural further development of the support arm, it is proposed that the support arm be constructed in a fork-like manner. This enables a better force distribution and ensures a stabilization of the bridge. Advantageously, the support arm is configured in a fork-like manner in the front region.

In order to ensure a reliable support, according to another advantageous embodiment there is provision for the support arm to be able to be sup ported with respect to the chassis by means of support struts. The support struts ensure that in particular pressure forces from the support arm are in troduced into the chassis. Consequently, the support struts ensure, in addi tion to the horizontal joint, additional connection or an additional support location of the support arm with the vehicle. Advantageously, two support struts which are connected to the front region of the support arm are pro vided. Advantageously, the support struts are connected to the support arm in the region of the connection to the boom.

The support struts may be arranged in an angled manner with respect to each other so that the two support struts and the surface of the chassis form between the two connection locations of the support struts to the chassis an isosceles triangle. The supports can thereby not only absorb the weight of the bridge, but also to some degree horizontal forces. The sup port struts may be releasably connected to the support arm so that they can be readily removed when the support arm is intended to be pivoted about the vertical axis. Nonetheless, however, the support struts may also be connected in an articulated manner to the support arm, and when it is intended to be pivoted out of the transport position into a release position, may be folded into or onto the support arm.

In order to connect the support struts to the chassis, it has been found to be advantageous for the chassis to have interfaces for connecting to the support struts. The interfaces may enable a rapid connection, but also a rapid disassembly or a rapid release of the support struts. The support struts can thus be releasably connected to the corresponding interfaces. Advantageously, the interfaces are ones which the chassis has in any case and which in any case act as multi-purpose interfaces. The interfaces may, for example, be towing lugs.

With regard to the movement of the support arm, it has been found to be advantageous for it to be able to be manually pivoted. This enables very simple pivoting of the support arm without having to be dependent on an additional energy supply. The support arm can consequently be moved by hand from the transport position into a release position and also back again into the transport position. In the simplest case, the support arm can in this instance accordingly be moved in a simple manner by means of a pressing or a tensile force on the support arm itself.

According to an advantageous further development of the invention, how ever, a drive for rotating the support arm is proposed. The drive may be a manual drive but it is also still possible for it to be an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic drive. Electric, hydraulic or pneumatic drives can be operated from the protective interior or also remotely, which particularly during use in military zones thus leads to increased protection. A manual drive is in contrast configured in a structurally simpler manner and is therefore ac cordingly not susceptible to errors and can be operated in a more intuitive manner.

With regard to the drive, it has been found to be advantageous for it to comprise a longitudinally adjustable drive spindle which is connected at one side to the support arm and at the other side to the chassis. The length of the drive spindle can be changed manually, for example, by means of ro tation with a rod, so that the support arm can thus also then be pivoted. However, it is further also possible for the length of the drive spindle to be lengthened or shortened automatically, for example, by means of an elec tric motor or a hydraulic motor. Advantageously, the drive spindle is releas ably connected to the support arm and/or to the chassis. This enables the spindle, for example, for rapidly pivoting the support arm manually, to also be able to be uncoupled. The drive spindle may be connected in an articu lated manner to the support arm and in an articulated manner to the chas sis, in particular the upper side of the chassis.

With regard to the drive spindle, it has further been found to be advanta geous for it to be connected to the support arm at an angle. As a result of this configuration, by changing the length of the spindle a torque can be applied to the support arm so that it is then pivoted about the vertical axis. The connection location between the drive spindle and the support arm is arranged spaced apart from the horizontal joint. The angle between the support arm and the drive spindle can predetermine the maximum pivot movement of the support arm since it can be pivoted in one direction only until the drive spindle is orientated parallel with the support arm. An ex cess extension of the drive spindle can thus also be prevented.

It is further proposed that the support arm starting from the transport posi tion be pivoted in one direction when the drive spindle is extended and, when it is shortened, be accordingly pivoted in the other direction out of the transport position. Depending on which access opening is intended to be released, the drive spindle can consequently be either lengthened or shortened and the support arm accordingly pivoted either in a clockwise di rection or counter-clockwise direction.

Furthermore, with regard to the positioning of the support arm, it is pro posed that a positioning rod for positioning the support arm in the transport position be provided. Via the positioning rod, a simple positioning location of the transport position is enabled. The positioning rod may have a fixed length and be able to be connected at one side to the chassis and at the other side to the support arm. The positioning rod may be releasably con nected to the chassis and/or the support arm and the length can be sized in such a manner that the positioning rod can be connected both to the chas sis and to the support arm only in the transport position. Before the sup port arm can be pivoted about the vertical axis, the positioning rod must consequently first be removed or at least one end of the positioning rod must be uncoupled. For connection, both the chassis, in particular the chassis upper side, and the support arm may have a connection location for the positioning rod.

With regard to the configuration of the bridge-laying vehicle, it has been found to be advantageous for it to have a driving module and a bridge-lay ing module which is arranged on the driving module. This configuration en sures a very adaptable vehicle. The support arm and/or the installation arm may be part of the bridge-laying module. The access openings may be part of the driving module. The bridge-laying module may be positioned in the manner of a container on the driver module and thus form the rear portion of the vehicle. The driving module and bridge-laying module may be releas ably connected to each other so that a simple replacement with other mod ules is possible.

Further details and advantages of the invention are intended to be ex plained in greater detail below with reference to an exemplary embodi ment illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a bridge-laying vehicle having a trans portable bridge which is arranged thereon;

Figs. 2a - 2c show different views of a bridge-laying vehicle having a sup port arm in the transport position;

Figs. 3a - 3c show different views of a bridge-laying vehicle having a sup port arm in a first release position;

Figs. 4a - 4c show different views of a bridge-laying vehicle having a sup port arm in a second release position;

Figs. 5a - 5c show different views of a bridge-laying vehicle having a sup port arm in a third release position;

Fig. 6 shows a detailed view of a drive spindle.

Figure 1 shows a military bridge-laying vehicle 10 as a schematic side view. This vehicle 10 is capable both of transporting a transportable bridge 1 and of laying it at the installation location. So that the bridge 1 is positioned as far as possible in a stable manner on the bridge-laying vehicle 10 and can be transported safely, two support regions Al, A2 are provided, wherein the first support region Al can support the front region of the bridge 1 and the second support region A2 can support the rear region of the bridge 1 with respect to the vehicle 10. The rear, second support region A2 is ar ranged on an installation arm 3 which is illustrated purely schematically in Figure 1. Via this installation arm 3, not only can the bridge 1 be supported on the vehicle 10, but instead the installation arm 3 also serves to push the bridge 1 forward over the obstacle which is intended to be overcome and accordingly to lay the bridge 1.

The obstacle which is intended to be overcome may, for example, be a river. The vehicle 10 is first driven with the rear region thereof onto the river bank so that the installation arm 3 faces in the direction of the river. In a next step, the bridge 1 is then pushed forward toward the rear by the installation arm 3 counter to the travel direction and by means of a tilting movement of the installation arm 3 ultimately set down on the opposing bank of the river and laid in this manner. After the end at this side has also been placed on the ground, the river can then be crossed by means of the bridge 1. At the other side of the river, the bridge 1 can then be conveyed onto the vehicle 10 again in principle in the reverse order and can be trans ported to the next location for use.

The front support region Al is arranged on a support arm 4 which is in tended to be described in greater detail below with regard to Figures 2a to 2c. In Figures 2a to 2c, the bridge 1, the installation arm 3 and also another boom 7 which is described in greater detail below are not also illustrated.

As can be seen, the support arm 4 extends substantially from the central region of the vehicle 10 up to the front region and is arranged centrally so that the weight of the bridge 1 can be distributed in the most uniform man ner possible on the vehicle 10. It is thereby possible for the first support re gion Al which can be seen in Figure 1 to have a large spacing with respect to the second support region A2, which also ensures a good force distribu tion.

The vehicle 10 has a chassis 2 which in principle constitutes the base mem ber of the vehicle 10 and which includes the crew and also the drive com ponents of the vehicle 10. As can be clearly seen, for example, in Figure 2a, the chassis 2 has in the front region at the upper side thereof a number of access openings 2.1. The foremost access opening 2.1 which extends over the vehicle width is the engine compartment cover; below this, the engine and the significant drive components of the vehicle 10 are conse quently arranged. When viewed from the vehicle 10 at the left side above the engine compartment cover, there is arranged an air inlet which is cov ered with an access opening 2.1 in the form of a grid. At the other side of the vehicle 10 or at the other side of the support arm 4, as can be seen in Figure 2c, another access opening 2.1 can be seen. This is a driver hatch which can be used both for entering and leaving the vehicle 10 and for driv ing via the hatch.

With reference to Figure 2c, it can further be seen that the support arm 4 partially covers the various access openings 2.1, which leads to them not being able to be opened or the access to the access openings 2.1 on the whole being made more difficult. This can also be seen with reference to the side view according to Figure 2b. This is because the spacing between the surface of the chassis 2 and the lower side of the support arm 4 is not large enough to open the various access openings 2.1 or the generally pivotable closure elements of the access openings 2.1.

So that the corresponding access openings 2.1 can thus be opened in spite of the support arm 4, the support arm 4 can be pivoted out of the transport position T illustrated in Figures 2a to 2c back and forth about the vertical axis V which can be seen in Figure 2b and which intersects with the longitu dinal vehicle axis. In these various release positions F, the access to the various access openings 2.1 is then released. In the various release posi tions F, however, both support regions Al and A2 are no longer located in a line or the first support region Al of the support arm 4 is no longer parallel with the longitudinal vehicle axis, for which reason the support arm 4 can also in order to selectively release at least one access opening 2.1 be piv oted out of the transport position T into a release position F only when no bridge 1 is arranged on the vehicle 10.

In order to move the support arm 4 from the transport position T into the first release position F illustrated in Figures 3a to 3c, the support arm 4 is connected via a horizontal joint 5 to the upper side of the chassis 2. The horizontal joint 5 exclusively enables a pivot movement of the support arm 4 in a horizontal direction and can thus, for example, in a vertical direc tion, also transmit forces from the support arm 4 to the chassis 2. From a structural viewpoint, the horizontal joint 5 has two pin bearings 5.1 which are arranged parallel and concentrically with respect to each other and which together form the vertical axis V and through which a corresponding pin of the support arm 4 extends. The pin of the support arm 4 is conse quently rotatably supported in both pin bearings 5.1 and the support arm 4 can consequently be pivoted back and forth via the horizontal joint 5.

Since the bridge 1 has a very high weight, large forces must also accord ingly be introduced from the support arm 4 via the horizontal joint 5 onto or into the chassis 2. In order to reinforce the connection, the horizontal joint 5 is therefore securely connected to the upper side of the chassis 2 by means of two retention struts 6. The retention struts 6 may be welded to the chassis upper side and to the horizontal joint 5 so that they signifi cantly increase the stability.

Furthermore, in order to absorb in particular the weights of the bridge 1, two support struts 8 which can be seen in Figures 1 and 2a to 2c are pro vided. These support struts 8 are releasably connected at one side to the front region of the support arm 4 and at the other side to the chassis 2. The chassis 2 has in the front region at the upper side two towing lugs 11 via which the support struts 8 can be releasably connected to the chassis 2. As can be seen, for example, with reference to Figure 1, the force or the weight of the bridge 1 can consequently be introduced at three locations into the chassis 2, that is to say, in the rear portion via the installation arm 3, in the central portion via the horizontal joint 5 and in the front region via the two support struts 8. As can be seen in particular in Figure 2c, the two support struts 8 form with the upper side of the chassis 2 a triangle so that the support struts 8 at least to some degree can also absorb horizontal forces, as occur, for example, when travelling round bends.

Although the boom 7 is not illustrated in Figures 2a to 2c, it can be seen by means of a comparison with Figure 1 that the support struts 8 engage in the region of the boom 7. The interfaces which can be seen, for example, in Figure 2b in the front region of the support arm 4 accordingly serve to as semble the boom 7 and a drive unit in order to pivot the boom 7 about a horizontal axis. Via the boom 7, the support region Al can thus also be ad justed in terms of height to some degree.

As can further be seen in Figure 2b, the support arm 4 has two portions, that is to say, a first support arm portion 4.1 which is connected to the hor izontal joint 5 and a second support arm portion 4.2 which is connected at one side to the first support arm portion 4.1 and at the other side to the boom 7 and to the support struts 8. Furthermore, the two support arm por tions 4.1, 4.2 are connected to each other at an angle, which enables the chassis contour to be pivoted over or prevents a collision. The second sup port arm portion 4.2 is in the form of a fork, as can be seen, for example, in Figure 2a or 2c. The front end of the support arm portion 4.2 is thereby wider, which also enables a wider support region Al and consequently a better stability.

Before the support arm 4 can be pivoted out of the transport position T about the vertical axis V into a release position F in order to release the ac cess openings 2.1, the support struts 8 must first be removed. As a result of the releasable connection of the support struts 8 both to the chassis 2 and to the support arm 4, this is readily manually possible. In order to pivot the support arm 4, there is provided a drive having a drive spindle 9 which can be seen in the respective plan views of Figures 2c, 3c and 4c. This drive spindle 9 can additionally also be seen in the enlarged illustration of Figure 6.

The drive spindle 9 is connected in an articulated manner at one side to the chassis 2 or the upper side of the chassis 2 and at the other side to the sup port arm 4 or to the first support arm portion 4.1. The drive spindle 9 has in this instance an angle with respect to the support arm 4 and a degree of spacing with respect to the vertical axis V so that, as a result of a length change of the drive spindle 9, the support arm 4 can be moved back and forth. A corresponding length change can be carried out manually in a com paratively simple manner by the ends of the drive spindle 9 being rotated or twisted relative to each other. Furthermore, however, electric, hydrau lic or pneumatic drives may also be provided in order to correspondingly lengthen or shorten the drive spindle 9.

When the drive spindle 9 is shortened, the support arm 4 pivots in a clock wise direction into the position shown in Figures 3a to 3c. In this release position F, the support arm 4 was pivoted through approximately 30 de grees about the vertical axis. As can be seen in particular in Figure 3c, the support arm 4 no longer covers the access opening 2.1 which is in the form of an air inlet so that it can now be easily reached and can be opened or closed without impairment. However, the other two access openings 2.1 are also still covered by the support arm 4 and thus blocked.

So that in addition an unlimited access to the access opening 2.1 which is in the form of an engine compartment cover is also enabled, the support arm 4 must be pivoted even further in the clockwise direction. The drive spin dle 9 is to this end, starting from the position illustrated in Figures 3a to 3c, shortened even further. This release position F can be seen in Figures 4a to 4c. The support arm 4 is pivoted in this release position F with re spect to the transport position T through approximately 60 degrees and the drive spindle 9 was to this end shortened by approximately 40% in total. The support arm 4 protrudes in this position laterally significantly beyond the chassis 2, which leads to it no longer covering the wide engine com partment cover and consequently in this release position F two of the three access openings 21 are now released. However, the access opening 2.1 which is in the form of a driver hatch is also still blocked by the support arm 4.

In order to release the driver hatch, the support arm 4 can now be pivoted in the opposite direction. This position can be seen in Figures 5a to 5c. The support arm 4 was in this instance pivoted from the transport position T through approximately 30 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction and the drive spindle 9 has a length which is approximately 10% greater than in the transport position T. In this release position F, although the engine com partment cover and the air inlet are now covered and thus blocked, the driver hatch is released. In this release position F, the drive spindle 9 then extends parallel with the support arm 4 or is positioned on the support arm 4. Thus, a continued pivot movement is then not possible so that the drive spindle 9 also ensures a limitation of the corresponding pivot angle. As a re sult of the pivoting of the support arm 4 in various directions, the access openings 2.1 can consequently be selectively released.

So that the support arm 4 can be moved from the release positions F in a simple manner back into the transport position T again, there is provided a positioning rod 9.1 which is releasably connected at one side to the chassis

2 and releasably connected at the other side to the support arm 4. The po sitioning rod 9.1 can be seen, for example, in Figure 2c. The positioning rod 9.1 has in contrast to the drive spindle 9 a fixed length and can therefore only be connected to the chassis 2 and the support arm 4 when it is in the transport position T and is consequently orientated parallel with the longi tudinal vehicle axis.

The chassis 2 has at the upper side thereof a connection location for the positioning rod 9.1 which can be seen, for example, in Figure 3c. A corre sponding connection location is arranged on the support arm 4 so that the spacing of these two connection locations changes when the support arm 4 is pivoted about the vertical axis V. Only in the transport position T does the spacing correspond precisely to the length of the positioning rod 9.1 so that the positioning rod 9.1 can also be connected to the chassis 2 and the support arm 4 only in the transport position T according to Figure 2c. Using the positioning rod 9.1, the transport position T in which the first support region Al is arranged together with the second support region A2 in a line parallel with the longitudinal vehicle axis can consequently be reliably lo cated.

List of reference numerals:

1 Bridge 2 Chassis 2.1 Access opening 3 Installation arm 4 Support arm 4.1 Support arm portion 4.2 Support arm portion 5 Horizontal joint 5.1 Pin bearing 6 Retention strut 7 Boom 8 Support strut 9 Drive spindle 9.1 Positioning rod 10 Bridge-laying vehicle 11 Towing lug

Al First support region A2 Second support region V Vertical axis T Transport position F Release position

Claims (15)

Patent claims:

1. A bridge-laying vehicle, in particular a military bridge-laying vehicle, for transporting and laying a transportable bridge (1) having a chassis (2) which accommodates the vehicle crew and which has at the up per side thereof at least one access opening (2.1), and having a sup port arm (4) which in a transport position (T) above the chassis (2) provides a first support region (Al) for supporting the bridge (1), wherein the support arm (4) at least partially covers at least one ac cess opening (2.1) in the transport position (T), characterized in that the support arm (4) can be pivoted with respect to the chassis (2) out of the transport position (T) about a vertical axis (V) into a re lease position (F) in which the support arm (4) no longer covers the access opening (2.1).

2. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in claim 1, having for laying the bridge (1) an installation arm (3) which provides a second support re gion (A2) for the bridge (1) above the chassis (2).

3. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the support arm (4) can be pivoted with respect to the installation arm (3) about the vertical axis (V).

4. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) in order to selectively re lease at least one of the access openings (2.1) can be pivoted from the transport position (T) about the vertical axis (V) in both direc tions.

5. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) is connected to the chassis (2) at one end via a horizontal joint (5).

6. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) extends in the transport position (T) from the vertical axis (V) in the direction of the chassis front.

7. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first support region (Al) at least partially has an overhang with respect to the chassis front.

8. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) has two support arm por tions (4.1, 4.2) which are connected to each other in an angled man ner.

9. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) has at the front end a boom (7) which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis.

10. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support arm (4) can be supported with re spect to the chassis (2) by means of support struts (8).

11. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, having a drive for rotating the support arm (4).

12. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the drive comprises a longitudinally adjustable drive spindle (9) which is connected at one side to the support arm (4) and at the other side to the chassis (2).

13. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the drive spindle (9) is configured in such a manner that the support arm (4) starting from the transport position (T) is pivoted in one direction when the drive spindle (9) is extended and, when it is shortened, is accordingly pivoted in the other direction out of the transport position (T).

14. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, having a positioning rod (9.1) for positioning the support arm (4) in the transport position (T).

15. The bridge-laying vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, having a driving module and a bridge-laying module which is ar ranged on the driving module.