US2382862A - Armored car - Google Patents

Description

A. DAVIS, JR

Aug. 14, 1945.

ARMORED GAR Filed April 15, 1942 Patented Aug. 14, 1945 The present invention relatesto armor-edbodies dor..tanks, squad cars and tractors, andis particularly directed to improvements in the construction and disposition of parts for bodies :of mobile war units. ,7 I 1 ,An object of the invention is to provide a com- .bat car body which is constructed .irom fiat sheets of armoured plate and which presents all of said plates to gun fire at effective, incident angles thereto, i

. Another object of the invention is ;to provide an armored body constructed of substantially .fl-at plates wherein tolerances need .not be .accurate,

and therefore manufacturing steps need not be-di- Lected to the size of. :the plates comprising the armoredbody. f v i z Another object of the invention is to providean armored bodylwhich offers effective protection .to its crew against gun .fire even froma relatively high caliber, gun by ..means of a 'minimum .of

armored plate and materials. t

; .A .further object of the invention is to-provide a body construction which protects the crew and ammunition therefor against gun fire from .positionsabove it, such as from airplanes or .theflike.

' .Astill further object .of-the invention .is -.to vpro- .vide a comparatively lightarmored body which is simple to manufacture, requires a .minimum of materials, and provides adequate protection .to the occupants therein.

Other objects will be apparent from lthe .following specification and drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention, in which;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my car body adapted for use as a squad car. Fig. 2 i anenlarged cross-sectional view taken line 2--2 ofFigJ. Fig. .3 is an enlarged detail view in-cross-section'showinga centrally located connection between" the exterior and interior Walls of my armored body.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental, top plan view of the s'quad'p'ar :of' Figure 1 showing a modified front therefor. I v

"embodiment of my invention consists of an armored i body '5 supported upon alconvent'ional chassis consisting of two spaced longitudinal frame members '6 (Fig. '2) which carry at their forward ends a motor (not Shown) and which is mounted at'the 'front and rear portions thereof on"'transverse axles through spring suspension members; said axles carrying traction wheels! in cor' ventional manner. 'The armored body 'is illllslfra'ted asfhaving rectangular .form in plan, but mayjbefhexagonalprj any other desired shape,

and hasa tapered hood 8 for housineandpm .tecting themotor for the car. The rforward ehd of the body is provided with the usual steers: manfs outlook windows Qand-sidedoorz land has a rectangular openin 41 in its topside'so thaha crew may operate guns -12 mounted therein.

A modified -form of Ta vhood' iorimycombatmtr is shown in Fig. A wherein :a wedge-shaped armored plate 10 is mounted in front of the radiatorrgrill 8-0 for thecar eandsis vertically co.- extensive therewith to protect (the motor from gunfire directed at; thecar .irom :in {front rfifjrit. The plate permits an to enter the g-rillirom the top andthe bottom portions, but these openings may be shut oil .orelosed byextending the hood plates forwardly to the plate to pontorm with varyingmotor coolingsystems, l he side walls [3 :and I4 :and the rear wall d5 of thearmored body are welded rtogethertalong their adjacent edg s land are formed inidentioal manner. As shown in Figs. 2 andfi, eachfsidezis constructed from a number Of sheets of armored plate and consistsof an exterior ,up--

standing wall 46 having a projecting horizontal rib :I I -disposedsubstantially;centrally of thetwall.

An upperplate l8 and a lower plate 1&9 15116 con,- nected along theiradjaeentredgesat said -,rib -,por,- tion ITto an I-:beam.-2-0'which extends theienfii le length of :the rib..-l1. .The adjacent edgesgoff-the plates (-8 :and 19 :are separately weldedetotthe flange 2! of the .I-beam and, :as shown :at 24.! in ,3, the:space between the welds iforqsaid relates is again welded in a conventional-manner. -Lt will be noted that the exteriorwall 1 6 zbulgesa mt wardly so as to -f0rm an obtuse interior angleibee tween theplates J8 and l-9yzat the sh'l. Aims .plate 22 iseonnected to .the topiedgelofithe u per plate l8 by a T-beam 23 to which therad-iacent 'edges of the upper plate .and the top golate :are welded, as indicated at 724, the bottomzportion of thelower plate 1 .9 serving asset lprotectlvesskirt 2.5 .for the under-carriage and :chass'is :of the scar,

"Spaced interiorly from the wall i6 is anzinterior wall "2 6 also having a projecting rib '42! which is adjacent and parallel to the rib 1 I of the exterior wall. The wall is formed 'by an upper flat plate 28 and a lower flat plate 29 which-are weldedat the rib '21 to an angular flange '80 of the I- beam 20. shown in Fig. 2, the plates28 and29 are positioned relative to oneanother .so as *to :form

an obtuse angle between them which is smaller than theohtuse angle between .the plates 18 and IQ .of the exterior wall [6 whereby ltherespe tive upper and lower plates of {the walls Jane-sinned} parallel relationship and diverge outwardly from their respective ribs.

The body is provided with a fiat floor or platform 3| which is welded as at 32 along its marginal edges to the lower edge of the plate 29 of the sides l3, l4 and I5. The floor is braced by a number of spaced transverse angle irons 33 which are welded to the bottom surface of the floor 3|, I-beams 34 being welded to the angle irons andresting uponthe frame members 6. U-bolts 35 are employed for fastening the I-beams 34 to the two, spaced longitudinal frame members 6 of the chassis.

outer wall is reinforced by brace members 36,

which are welded at their lower ends to the lower edge of the skirt and at their upper ends welded to the channel irons 33 of the floor.

It will therefore be noted that an all-welded armored body is provided which has a number of fiat plates, each presenting an effective angle of incidence to gunfire. As most clearly shown in Fig. 1-, horizontally traveling bullets or shrapnel will, after striking the sides l8 and- IQ of the tank, be deflected in an upward and downward direction respectively, and will therefore tend to ricochet off the plates. It is contemplated using a quarter inch armored plate for the combat car illustrated to effectively prevent gunfire from reaching the crew of said car. A reinforcing wall'or walls are provided interiorly of the outer wall which is also constructed of flat plates set at an angle to the gunfire. The relation of the plates of the reinforcing wall relative to the outer wall is shown in Fig.2 Whereinthe reinforcing wall presents agreater angle of incidence than the outer-wall to horizontal gunfire in the event said fire penetrates theouter wall of the combat car. Because of the construction and disposition of parts of the plates the combat car can be .made extremely light'in weight and yet effectively protect its crew members. r

Whatis claimed is: k

1. A body for an armored car having each side formed of an'exterior, upstanding wall havinga projecting, horizontal rib, disposed substantially centrally thereof and dividing said wall intoan upper'and a lower portionfsaid portions forming obtuse, interior angle between them at said rib, anda reinforcing wall, spaced interiorly from said exteriorwall'and having a projecting rib adjacent to andparallel' With said first mentioned rib,"and comprising an upper and a lower portion formed in the reinforcing' -wall' by the rib and having a more" acute, interior angle between them than said first mentioned angle whereby the respective upper and lower portions of the 'wallswill be disposed in non-parallel relationship, diverging outwardly from the ribs. 7 v

2. A body for an armored car having a number of connected, upstanding sides constructed of substantially flat sheets of armored plate, each exterior wall therefor havinga projecting, horizontal rib, substantially centrally: thereof, upper andlower plates connected along a'djacent'edges at said rib and forming an obtuse, interior angle between them, and a reinforcing wall spaced in.- teriorly from said exterior wallandhaving a projecting rib adjacent to and parallel with said first mentioned rib; and comprising an upper and a lower plate joined along adjacent edgeslat said rib and forming between them a more acute',' interior angle than the first mentioned angle, whereby the respective upper and lower plates'ofithe'wallsare disposed in non-parallel relationship diverging outwardly from the ribs. if

The skirt of their!) .:lower plates joined at the rib along their adjacent,

' longitudinal edges and forming between them an obtuse angle greater than the first mentioned angle, and an integral skirt on the lower exterior plate depending below the intersection of said platform and the lower interior plate.

. 4, A body for an armored car constructed of substantially flat sheets of armored plate, said body comprising a flat platform, an interior, reenforcing wall having a projecting, horizontal rib substantially centrally thereof, upper and lower plates'join'ed at the rib along their longitudinal, adjacent edges, and forming an interior obtuse angle between them, means for'fastening the bottom edge of the lowerplate to the edge of the platform, and an exterior wall spaced from the interior wall and having a projecting, horizontal rib adjacent the first mentioned rib, upper and lower plates joined at the rib along their adjacent, longitudinal edges and forming betwen them an obtuse angle greater than the first mentioned angle, an integral skirt on the lower exterior plate depending below the intersection of said platform and the lower interior plate, and a narrow, horizontal shelf, fastened atits outer edge to the upper edge of the outer wall, said upper plate of the interior wall being'joined along its top edge to the underside of the shelffinter mediate its longitudinal edges. 5, A body for an armored car having an exterior upstanding walbcohstructed of substan-' tially flat sheets. of armored plate, eachside having a projecting, horizontal rib substantially centrally' thereof, a longitudinal I beam interiorly of the wall at the rib, upperand lower sideplates weldedalong adjacent edges to the] exterior flangeof the beam and'fo'rming an obtuse,1 interior anglebetween them, and *a reenforcing wall, spaced interiorly from said exterior walla'nd havin'gfa projecting rib adjacent to and parallel with said first mentioned rib; and comprisingian upper and a lower plate Welded along adjacent edges to the inner flange of the I-beam and forming between them a smaller interior, angle than the first mentioned angle whereby therespective upper and lower plates of the walls are disposed in non-parallel relationship diverging j outwardly from their I-beam connections.

.6. A body for an armored car having 'ariJexter'ior, upstanding wall constructedv of substam tially fiat sh'eetsof armored plate, each sidehaV- ing a projecting, horizontal rib substantially;centrally j'thereof, a longitudinal I-beam interio'rly of the wall atgthe rib, upper and lower side plates welded along adjacent edges to the exteriorflang'c of the beam and forming an obtuse,interior angle between them, areinforcingwall, spaced interiorly from said exterior wall andh'aving a projecting rib adjacent to and parallel withsaid first menti'oned ,rib, and comprising an upper-and a lower plate welded along adjacent edges to ,thefinner flangeof'the I -'beam and formingibetweenftliem a smaller interior angle thanthe first mentioned angle whereby the respective upper and lower plates of the walls are disposed in non-parallel relationship diverging outwardly from their I-beam connections, a T-beam welded to the top interior surface of the outer wall, and a narrow horizontal shelf welded along its adjacent edge to the T-bea'm.

7. A body for an armored car having an exterior, upstanding wall with a projecting, horizontal rib substantially centrally thereof dividing said wall into fiat portions disposed in different planes, and a reinforcing wall spaced inand exterior walls diverging from each other outwardly from the ribs.

8. A body for an armored car having an exterior, upstanding wall with a projecting, horizontal rib substantially centrally thereof dividing said wall into, flat portions disposed in different planes, a reinforcing wall spaced interiorly from the exterior wall and having a rib adjacent and parallel to the first mentioned rib, to divide the Wall into two fiat portions in different planes, adjacent flat portions for the interior and exterior' walls diverging outwardly from the ribs, and a beam welded to the interior surface of the wall adjacent the rib and to the exterior surface of the reenforcing wall adjacent its rib.

AUGUSTINE DAVIS, J R.

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