EP0298856B1 - Multifunction assault vessel - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an assault craft.

The assault boats known up to now are of the barge type having at the front a ramp articulated around a horizontal axis to be able to lower and raise and extending over almost the entire width of the boat, which has a U-shaped cross section over almost its entire length.

This form was adopted in order to have inside the boat a maximum clear space for the troop and / or the material to be transported.

This design has drawbacks, on the one hand as regards rigidity, since such a shape of an unbridged U-shaped hull is easily deformable in torsion and on the other hand because of the very poor marine qualities of these hull shapes.

In addition the machinery and the wheelhouse are necessarily relegated to the rear end. This does not have any drawback with regard to the machine, but is on the other hand much more annoying with regard to the wheelhouse, because the entire length and width of the boat necessarily high from the front obscure the view to the helmsman, considerably hampering the maneuver.

Finally, the only place available for the cocking of the boat is also located in the same place, aft, which limits not only its power due to the lack of space and the proximity of the wheelhouse, but also its efficiency.

It is indeed necessary to be able to cover the landing, for example of a commando, or the grounding of a material, by a fire support as efficient as possible, which can be ensured by a part located at the rear , whose range is reduced and for which the range is hidden.

Document US-A-3,470,839 describes a boat with two twin hulls connected by a structure forming an upper wall of an inclined tunnel extending back and forth between the hulls and the rear half of which is below the normal waterline.

A floor rests on said wall, inside the boat, and follows its inclination.

A short front part of the floor located between the hulls can be pulled down to form a step.

The general shape of the hull brings advantageous nautical qualities to this boat, but the low position of the floor results in a cross-sectional shape of the U-shaped hull detrimental to its rigidity which, with its inclination in addition, prohibits a loading of significant weight.

In addition, such a loading would prevent planing which results from the shape of the hull.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by producing a multi-purpose assault boat having excellent marine qualities, which can also be move on difficult water bodies, and also constitute an excellent shooting platform.

It has for this purpose an assault boat with a lifting front ramp characterized in that it is of the catamaran type, comprising two spaced hulls connected by a floor, and in that said lifting ramp is constituted by a front part of said floor between the two hulls.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each hull has a front deck adapted to receive one or more automatic weapons or a light artillery piece.

• La figure 1 est une vue en élévation latérale d'une embarcation d'assaut suivant l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de l'une des coques de l'embarcation.
• La figure 3 est une vue de face de l'embarcation, montrant la rampe abaissée.
• La figure 4 est une vue d'arrière.
• La figure 5 est une vue en plan.
• La figure 6 est une vue partielle montrant l'agencement d'un exemple de mécanisme de manoeuvre de la rampe.

The description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of nonlimiting examples, will make it possible to understand clearly how the invention can be put into practice.

• Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an assault craft according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the hulls of the boat.
• Figure 3 is a front view of the boat, showing the lowered ramp.
• Figure 4 is a rear view.
• Figure 5 is a plan view.
• Figure 6 is a partial view showing the arrangement of an exemplary mechanism for operating the ramp.

Referring to the drawing, the assault boat according to the invention is of the multihull type "catamaran" comprising two spaced parallel hulls 1 and 2 joined by a floor, or deck 3 extending at the same level on the port side from the port hull 1 to the starboard side of the starboard hull 2, thus providing a useful loading surface which represents the total surface, in plan of the boat, with the exception of the only part of the floor located between the bows of the two hulls, which constitutes the mobile ramp 4 of the boat.

The mobile ramp 4 is articulated around a transverse horizontal axis 5 and is formed by the front part deck 3 located between the bow line 6 and the part where the hulls reach the greatest overall width of the boat (master beam).

The part of the front deck of each hull 1, 2, over a length approximately equal to that of the mobile ramp 4, is reinforced as shown in 7 (FIG. 2) to receive a mount for a light artillery piece 8 , or other automatic weapon.

Advantageously, a navigation shelter 9 is arranged, for example on the starboard hull, on a raised floor 10 above the load floor 3, immediately aft of the room 8, thus freeing up a very wide panoramic field of vision. extended.

An engine compartment 11 is also arranged at the rear of each hull, the boat being preferably propelled by a fluid reaction device of the "hydrojet" type 12 allowing the boat to circulate even in swamps.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to this mode of propulsion, and that the engine of the boat can be of any type.

The volumes of hulls 1 and 2 can be used according to the needs of the missions, either as bunkers or as accommodation for the crew and / or passengers as shown in 13.

The rear part of the bridge 3 is for example covered by a reinforced platform 14 to allow the transport and / or the landing of a helicopter 15, while leaving below a sufficient height to accommodate the trucks 16.

Preferably, grounding pins 17 are provided under the two shells.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a lifting system 18 for the ramp 4, which comprises a small winch (for example electric) 19 winding or unwinding on its drum a chain 20 the end of which is struck on a front angle of the ramp mobile 4. A winch 19 is provided on the front of each hull 1, 2.

The assault boat according to the invention is able to circulate in shallow waters, at sea and in rivers, as well as in deep waters due to its shallow draft and its intrinsic stability and its marine qualities, as well as in marshes thanks to a propellant system without propellers.

Claims (1)

1. An assault vessel of the type having a lowerable forward ramp, characterised in that it is constituted by a catamaran whose two distinct hulls (1, 2) are coupled by means of continuous decking, forming on the same level a main cargo deck (3) extending over the entire surface area of the vessel seen in plan view, said deck (3) being reinforced in its portion covering the bows, a portion of said decking situated between the bows, between the line (6) of the latter and the main beam, being articulated about a horizontal transverse axis (5) on the deck (3) and constituting the said lowerable ramp (4).

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