WO2019132800A2

WO2019132800A2 - Track skirt sliding lock mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2019132800A2
Application number: PCT/TR2018/050350
Authority: WO
Inventors: Utku ÖZAN; Volkan Baykal
Original assignee: Fnss Savunma Si̇stemleri̇ Anoni̇m Şi̇rketi̇
Priority date: 2017-07-14
Filing date: 2018-07-06
Publication date: 2019-07-04
Also published as: WO2019132800A3; DE112018002503T5

Abstract

The invention relates to a sliding lock mechanism (A) that secures the skirt plates (B) of tracks to restrain their uncontrolled movement, which are used to prevent dust, mud and heat from spreading around the wheels of the armored and tracked military vehicles while on the move. The lock ridge (10) that is fixed to the skirt plate (B), prevents movements except the forward/backward movement in the horizontal direction (X) of a lock plate (20) that is located in a lock slot (11) formed between the skirt plate (B) and itself, so that the locking is performed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TRACK SKIRT SLIDING LOCK MECHANISM

Technical Field

The invention relates to a sliding lock mechanism that secures the plates of track skirts which are used to prevent dust, mud and heat from spreading around the wheels of the armored and tracked military vehicles while on the move.

In particular, the invention relates to a sliding lock mechanism in which the track skirt plates can be locked or released by a simple driving power which applies little force without requiring any tools.

Prior Art

Armored and tracked military vehicles are among the most important equipment in the defense industry that perform offensive or defensive tasks. The track skirts of armored military vehicles that are forced to work under harsh environmental conditions are also capable of adapting to these tough conditions. Depending on the environmental loads and dynamic movements of the vehicle, the track skirts oscillate closer and farther to the track, relative to the center of rotation of the hinge to which it is attached. The skirt plates are in an uncontrolled and free movement while not connected to each other.

The track skirts should provide resistance to the self-induced vibrations of the armored vehicle, to harsh environmental conditions such as mud, sand, hot or cold water and air, to the external forces like rock impacts, entering the pits or traversing the bumps. Some of the important tasks performed by the track skirts are to prevent dust or mud from spreading around during the movement of the armored vehicle, to prevent the thermal cameras from displaying the high temperature caused by friction in the track roller shaft and to show armoring feature that can be added-on to the vehicle.

There are cases where there is no mechanism to lock track skirts in armored and tracked vehicles, as well as there are systems fixed with bolts, secured with rotary locks, pin hinges or just with pins. In the unlocked systems, the track skirts can move randomly independent of each other since they are not secured with any element. This situation can cause the skirts to be exposed to uncontrolled high vibration and impacts due to the dust and mud percolated through the skirts in the harsh environmental conditions.

In systems that are locked with bolts, the track skirts are assembled with a bolt-nut-like system. The track skirts need to be folded when mud is trapped between the track and the skirt, in environments where the armored vehicle is in muddy soil, and when maintenance is required on the tracks or the track wheels. In the battlefield, it is vital that this process is carried out very quickly and without any tools or kits. For this reason, bolt-locking systems do not provide the desired results when both the tools required and the time taken to perform the operation are considered.

In the systems that are locked with rotary lock, track skirts are connect to each other with the principle that a rotating piece can jump over a notch or be trapped in a duct. The vibrations and loads encountered in these systems cause the rotating part to rotate automatically and jump over the notch. Ducted systems works with the principle of friction. For this reason, with the effects of materials such as sludge, sand, oil and so on, inside of the channels get slippery, or silted up with dust, dirt and sludge so that locking systems are prevented from working properly.

In pin hinged or just pin locked systems, different type of springs, which can be found in pins or hinges, are expected to be resistant to harsh environmental conditions. Flowever, in order to withstand the forces to be encountered, the pins and hinges that will operate in challenging environments must either be selected from high-strength materials or manufactured in very large diameters. In both cases, the cost increases significantly or a design which cannot reach the desired strength is made. Since the pins and hinges are parts working in sensitive tolerance intervals, external factors such as mud and sand have a negative impact on the working performances of these elements. Along with that, the wire springs that can be found in the hinges are not efficient in the challenging working environments. In a pin connected design, the pins apply a linear force which is very inadequate on the contact surfaces, to hold the plates together. These forces create a rotational effect that causes the weakening and inadequacy of the force applied.

As a result, due to the above-mentioned drawbacks and the inadequacy of the existing solutions, an improvement in the technical field has been required.

The Purpose of Invention

The invention is designed based on mechanical motion dynamics, vibration and armored vehicle requirements inspired by existing circumstances, and aims to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks considering the disadvantages and requirements of the traditional methods.

The main purpose of the invention is to create a sliding lock mechanism that can lock or release the track skirts with a simple driving force, without the need for any tools to bind the skirts together and allow all parts to move together.

Another purpose of the invention is to introduce a sliding lock mechanism that can be produced using simple and cost-effective elements. Another purpose of the invention is to provide a sliding lock mechanism that will not be unlocked automatically under external influences that the vehicle may be exposed to during its movement.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide easy mounting and disassembly between the track skirts due to its adjustable structure.

Another purpose of the invention is to eliminate the problems related to logistics or storage with the lock mechanism remaining on the vehicle in case there is no need to use it.

The lock mechanism allows all the skirts to move together by connecting all the track skirts. In this way, the deteriorated system becomes more stable and provides a controlled movement without distancing away from the tracks. The skirts are able to perform more efficiently with the help of this stable and controlled movement to prevent the appearance of the heat caused by the friction of the wheel hubs with the thermal cameras, to remove dust created by the tracks form the back to minimize the vehicle trail, and to make the vehicle tracking difficult while providing the armor requirements of the vehicle.

In order to realize all the advantages mentioned above and will be understood in detail below, the invention is a sliding lock mechanism that comprises;

• a lock ridge that is fixed to the skirt plate, located in the lock slot formed between the skirt plate and the lock plate to prevent the forward / backward external movement of the lock plate,

• a lock plate that is placed in the lock slot by moving it horizontally at the level of the sliding gap formed on it, and that limits the movement of the tracks by connecting the skirt plates to each other,

• a primary connector which is secured to the skirt plate by passing through the sliding gap and which allows the lock plate to move along the sliding gap and on the rotation axis,

• a filling slot formed on the skirt plate shorter in length of the first connector to prevent the first connector inserted therein from tightening the locking plate.

The structural and characteristic features and all advantages of the invention outlined in the drawings below and in the detailed description made by referring these figures will be understood clearly, and therefore the evaluation should be made considering these figures and detailed explanations.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 is the disassembled view of the sliding lock mechanism of the invention.

Figure 2 is the assembled view of the sliding lock mechanism of the invention.

Figure 3 shows the locked version of the sliding lock mechanism. Figure 4 shows the unlocked version of the sliding lock mechanism.

Figure 5 is the unmounted view of the sliding lock mechanism.

Figure 6 shows the sliding lock mechanism mounted on a vehicle.

The drawings do not necessarily have to be scaled, and the details that are not necessary to understand the invention may be neglected. Other than that, elements that are substantially identical, or at least have substantially identical functions, are denoted by the same number.

Reference Numbers

A. Sliding lock mechanism

10. Lock ridge

1 1 .Lock slot

20. Lock plate

21 . Sliding gap

30. Primary connector

40. Connection slot

50. Secondary connector

51 . Primary fixing member

52. Secondary fixing member

B. Skirt plate

W. Rotation axis

X. Horizontal direction

Y. Vertical direction

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, preferred structures of the sliding lock mechanism (A) are explained only for a better understanding of the subject matter and without any restrictive effect.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the sliding lock mechanism (A) of the invention. Accordingly, the invention in its most basic form consists of a lock plate (20) connected to a skirt plate (B) by means of a primary connector (30) and acts as a fixer going through the lock slot (1 1 ), a connection slot (40) connected to the primary connector (30), and a secondary connector (50) mounting a lock ridge (10) to the skirt plate (B).

When the lock ridge (10) is mounted on the skirt plate (B) by means of the secondary connector (50), the primary fixing member (51 ) and the secondary fixing member (52) serve as the locking member, preventing the second connector (50) from dislodging while the vehicle is in motion. The lock plate (20) is also mounted on the adjacent skirt plate (B) by means of a primary connector (30) which is connected to the connection slot (40). The sliding gap (21 ) formed on the lock plate (20) imparts motion to the mechanism at the center of the primary connector (30).

The primary connector (30), which forms the center of the rotation axis (W) of the lock plate (20) and provides mounting by contacting the skirt plate (B), is preferably a bolt. The connection slot (40) in which the primary connector (30) is mounted is a blind hole with a standard depth. The primary connector (30), whose mounting distances are determined according to bolt and blind hole lengths, is locked together with the connection slot (40) where the teeth are finished, but does not tighten the lock plate (20). Thus, the lock plate (20) can rotate freely on the skirt plate (B). The primary connector (30) showing the pin characteristic provides the free rotation axis (W) of the lock plate (20), while also providing the standard bolt for the fixing work, which normally to be carried out by using multiple elements such as a pin, a coil, a ring. In addition, the connection slot (40) used instead of nuts reduces the impact of external factors such as dust, mud, water and oil, while allowing the primary connector (30) to be exposed to less wear and longer operation.

Figure 2 shows the view of the sliding lock mechanism (A) as assembled and locked. The skirt plates (B) are oscillating closer and farther to the tracks, according to the center of rotation of the hinge that is connected, by the impact of environmental loads and dynamic movements of the armored vehicle. While the skirt plates (B) are not connected to each other and thus exposed to uncontrolled and free movement, the sliding lock mechanism (A) consisting of two main elements is used to prevent this movement. The lock ridge (10) is positioned on one plate to lock the two skirt plates (B) together, and the lock plate (20), which can move, is positioned on the other plate. Consequently, the lock plate (20) passes through the lock slot (1 1 ) formed between the lock ridge (10) and the plate to fix the skirt plates (B) to each other and to allow all the skirts to move together. In this way, the deteriorated system becomes more stable and provides a controlled movement without distancing away from the tracks.

Figure 3 shows the locked view of the sliding lock mechanism (A) from the front. The lock ridge (10) is a bent plate and forms an angled lock slot (1 1 ) in which the lock plate (20) can operate. Due to its twisted form, the lock ridge (10) is resistant to cover the loads coming from the vehicle. It also allows the lock plate (20) to be designed to the minimum possible length due to the twisted geometry that it has. The lock plate (20) which enters the lock slot (1 1 ) performs the locking function by standing in the lock slot (1 1 ) with its weight. While the convex lock plate (20) is locked in the slot and applying pressure on the skirt plates (B) with its lower surface, it also applies force to the inner surface of the lock ridge (10) with the twisted side. It is ensured that the locking function is performed due to both the created multiple friction surfaces and the angled surface and geometric shape. This prevents the lock plate (20) from coming out of the lock slot (1 1 ) due to vibrations coming from the vehicle or the dynamic forces coming from the outside. Since the lock plate (20) is a bent piece, the load from the skirt plate (B) acts on the both surfaces of the bends. For this reason, the effective loads are halved on the surface and the forces on which the lock plate (20) will withstand can be much higher. The loads applied on the skirt plates (B), which are connected to each other by the sliding lock mechanism (A), are transmitted to the other plates, so that the oscillation movement is reduced and a more stable system is formed. In order to provide resistance against the oscillation of the skirt plates (B) in the direction of the track, articulated contact surfaces rising on the lock slot (1 1 ) are formed on the lock plate (20).

Figure 4 gives the appearance of an open hall of the sliding lock mechanism (A). The sliding gap (21 ) on the lock plate (20) allows rotation of the plate in the rotation axis (W) and sliding in the horizontal direction (X) at the center of the primary connector (30). The actuation of the lock plate (20) into the lock slot (1 1 ) is provided by the force applied. The lock plate (20), which is standing free as shown in Figure 5, is rotated around the primary connector (30) at 120^e angle to lock the skirt plates (B) by controlling their movement. Then it is pushed in horizontal direction (X) along the sliding gap (21 ) into the lock slot (1 1 ). When the lock plate (20) is fixed in the lock slot (1 1 ), the weight of the lock plate (20) is distributed axially both in the horizontal direction (X) and vertical direction (Y) due to the angular geometry of the lock ridge (10). Thus, the lock plate (20) is prevented from being displaced.

Figure 5 shows the unmounted view of the sliding lock mechanism (A). Accordingly, the skirt plates (B) must be released for maintenance purposes or when the skirt plates (B) need to be folded up. To do so, as opposed to locking, the lock plate (20) is pulled in the horizontal direction (X) with little force, without using any tools or kits. With this force, the sliding lock plate (20) can be moved up to the size of the sliding gap (21 ). At this point, with the removal of the force on it, the lock plate (20) moves on the rotation axis (W) under gravity and it becomes free standing in the vertical direction (Y).

The primary fixing member (51 ) and the secondary fixing member (52), which secures the lock ridge(10) on the skirt plate (B) and prevents the secondary connector (50), that is preferably a bolt, from coming out of the socket and thus acts as locking member, are preferably washers, gaskets, or locking washers.

Claims

1. A sliding lock mechanism (A) that secures skirt plates (B) to restrain their uncontrolled movement, which are used to prevent dust, mud and heat from spreading around wheels of armored and tracked military vehicles while on the move, comprising;

• a lock ridge (10) fixed to the skirt plate (B), preventing movements except the forward/backward movement in the horizontal direction (X) of a lock plate (20) that is located in a lock slot (1 1 ) formed between the skirt plate (B) and itself,

• the lock plate (20) which is placed in the lock slot (1 1 ) by being moved horizontally (X) aligned in a sliding gap (21 ) that formed on itself and connecting the skirt plates (B) to each other to limit their movement,

• the primary connector (30) fixed to the skirt plate (B) by passing through the sliding gap (21 ) and securing the lock plate (20) to the skirt plate (B) and allows its movement along the sliding gap (21 ) and on the rotation axis (W).

2. The sliding lock mechanism (A) according to Claim 1 , comprising a connection slot (40) formed on the skirt plate (B) shorter in fitting length of the primary connector (30) to prevent the primary connector (30) inserted therein from tightening the lock plate (20).

3. The sliding lock mechanism (A) according to Claim 1 , wherein the lock plate (20) creating multiple friction surfaces by applying pressure on the skirt plates (B) with its lower surface, and by applying force to the inner surface of the lock ridge (10) with its upper surface.

4. The sliding lock mechanism (A) according to Claim 1 or Claim 3, wherein the lock plate (20) comprises articulated contact surfaces rising on the lock slot (1 1 ) to provide resistance against the oscillation of the skirt plates (B) in the direction of the track.

5. The sliding lock mechanism (A) according to Claim 1 , comprising a secondary connector (50) fixing the lock ridge (10) to the skirt plate (B).