HEAT SHIELD FOR TANKS

Abstract: A heat shield for tanks comprising a deflector (1) hingedly connected to a support to be positioned over an area where a heat signature is emitted but spaced therefrom with loading means between the deflector (1) and the support (6) to position the deflector angularly to discharge gas from the area downward but displaceable about the hinge means (5) to discharge at least some gas upwardly, and arms (14, 15) one on each side of the deflector (1), each connected at one end to the support (6) by a pivot (17, 19) positioned generally normal to the hinge means (5) of the deflector (1) and each having its other end (21) projecting angularly outward toward the deflector (1) and engaging the deflector (1) remotely of the hinge means (5) so that the said deflector (1) and arms (14, 15) move synchronously when either the arms (14, 15) are displaced about the pivot pins (17, 19) or the deflector (1) is displaced about the hinge means (5) .

Description: "HEAT SHIELD FOR TANKS" This invention relates to an improved heat shield for tanks and in particular it relates to a tank of the Leopard 1 type, although not exclusively therefore, which tank has an engine near the rear 5. and has two inclined vented panels through each of which both the engine exhaust and radiator exhaust vent and thus results in a signature for infrared detection. The term "Tank" includes vehicles of this general type which have side heat discharge 10.' giving an infrared signature. These panels extend one on each side of the tank along the rear portion and are generally louvred and allow heat to escape from each side of the compartment housing the engine. These panels thus 15. are a high heat source because hot gases issue therefrom. An object of the present invention is to provide a heat shield to cover this area and is to provide a rugged insulated heat shield to avoid infrared 20. radiation which makes the tanks easy to detect. As is well known, tanks are generally required to withstand rugged use and it is a difficult matter to provide a heat shield which will remain in position during adverse conditions such as when brushing 25. through undergrowth or when hit by another vehicle. Thus the heat shield must be such that it can readily withstand operation of a tank through heavy undergrowth or conditions where a normal heat shield would simply be sheared from the tank, 30. and it is an object of this invention to provide a form of heat shield which will be highly effective yet will be such that it will not readily be dislodged when- travelling through difficult terrain or conditions where ordinary heat shields could readily be sheared from their supports, or damaged sufficiently to allow escape of infrared radiation, or may cause 5. back pressure of the engine resources or reduce radiator cooling with consequent engine inefficiency or failure. The heat shield according to this invention comprises a main panel which is of a dimension 10. such that it covers the exhaust grilles from the tank or like, but instead of being secured fixedly over the normal heat outlet with required spacing to allow heat outflow, this panel is hinged at or near its longitudinal centre and is so located 15.= that the hinge means, which are carried by the tank through a support secured to the tank, allow the shield to be positioned with the top of the shield preferably contacting the upper part of the engine compartment but the lower part extending 20. therefrom so that the panel is positioned as a deflector to deflect the hot gases emanating from . the source downward toward the ground through a wedged shaped gap and prevent viewing of the hot grill. 25. The panel is spring loaded to remain in this position under normal conditions but can be moved into a more nearly vertical position in which case the lower part of the panel can contact the tank with the upper part positioned -therefrom so the 30. heat flow channel now is in an upward position to discharge the hot gases upwardly instead of downwardly. - This movement of the panel ensures that when pressure acting toward the side of the tank acts on the outwardly extending part of the heat shield panel the heat shield is deflected into a position 5. more nearly in the general plane of the side of the tank and thus has less projection from the tank. Such a heat shield however would be subject to damage when the tank moves forwards or backwards 10. when the panel is against a solid object such as a tree and to prevent damage when the tank is going through undergrowth, and to prevent damage of the deflector, two pivoted arms are used which are hinged to the support at one end adjacent the end 15. of the deflector, the hinging being by means of relatively vertical hinge-pins, and the free ends of these two arms lie adjacent the deflector and are engaged thereby so that these arms form a protection extending outwards from the two ends of the deflector 20. i its projected or retracted position. The arms are so proportioned that when a force generally in the plane of the side of the tank is present, these end panels, will be swung inwards about the hinging means and will reposition the main heat shield panel by 25. forcing its lower part inwards towards the side wall of the tank, changing the exhaust path to cause an upward discharge. These arms are coupled to the main heat shield panel in such a way that when one arm moves the deflector inward, the other arm similarly swings 30. inwards so that these arms at all times form a continuation of the deflector irrespective of its position. In this way the two arms serve to protect the forward and rear end portions of the deflector and at the same time serve to deflect obstructing means outwardly while themselves being swung inwardly 5. and acting to also swing the lower projecting part of the main heat shield panel inwards into a position where the assembly lies closely in line with the outside of the tank itself and thus has a minimum amount of projection. 10. The invention comprises a heat shield for tanks in which a heat signature issuing from an engine compartment or exhaust at an area disposed at the side of the tank, the invention comprising a deflector adapted to be positioned over the area 15. where the signature is emitted but spaced therefrom to allow a gas flow, hinge means connecting the deflector to a support adapted to be secured to the tank adjacent the area, the hinge means being disposed on the deflector intermediate upper and lower edges of the 20. deflector, loading means between the deflector and the support to position the support angularly to discharge gas from the area downward but, when the deflector is displaced, discharge direction is varied temporarily, further characterised by arms, one on each side of the 25. deflector, each connected at one end to the support by a pivot positioned generally normal to the hinge means of the deflector and each having its other end projecting angularly toward the deflector and engaging the deflector so that the deflector and 30. arms move synchronously when either the arms are displaced about the pivot pins or the deflector is displaced about the hinge means. In order that the invention will be fully understood an embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 5. FIG. 1 is a schematic central sectional view of a shield according to this invention showing the deflected portion by a dotted line. FIG. 2 is a plan of part of the shield with part of the deflector broken away. 10. FIG. 3 is a perspective front view of the invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective rear view of the invention. The deflector 1 comprises an outer membrane 15. 2 and an inner membrane 3 and has side walls 4 in which the bearing apertures for the shaft 5 are formed. The support 6 _ for the deflector 1 comprises side plates 7 adjacent to the side walls 4 and 20. these side plates 7 engage and hold the shaft 5 about which the deflector 1 pivots. The means to load the deflector 1 comprise a pair of helical springs 8 having one end 9 engage the deflector 1 and the other end engaging the 25. support 6 and are loaded to project the lower edge 10 of the deflector 1 outwards, outward deflection being limited by the upper edge portion 11 engaging the support 6 which is attached to the tank or the wall 13 of the tank. 30. At each side ' of the deflector 1 is an arm, the arm 14 being on the forward side and the arm 15 being on the rearward side which arms form means to move the lower edge 16 of the deflector 1 inwards when either the arm 14 or the arm 15 meets an 35. obstruction during travel of the tank. . The arm 14 is carried on a pivot pin 17 carried in a bracket 18 secured to one of the side walls 4, of the deflector 1, the arm 15 being carried on a pivot pin 19 carried in a bracket 20 secured 5. to the other of the said side walls 4. The free ends 21 of the arms 14 and 15 engage between the outer membrane 2 and the inner membrane 3 of the deflector 1 remote from the shaft 5 on which the deflector 1 is pivoted so that the arms 10. move with the lower part of the deflector 1 when either the deflector 1 or the arms 14 or 15 are displaced by contact with an obstruction. The direction of gas flow varies according to the amount of deflection of the deflector and 15. when fully deflected may be upwards only but this will depend on the position of the shaft in relation to the upper and lower edges and the shape of the gas deflector. The deflector itself can have heat insulation 20. material 22 in it to isolate the outer membrane 1 to prevent a signature and for this purpose the deflector 1 can have a further rear membrane 23 between which and the inner membrane 3 thermal insulation may be packed. 25. The heat-emitting grille is designated 24. Thus an improved heat shield is provided which because of its construction normally has a deflector which deflects hot gases from engine or radiator exhaust down towards the ground and the end portions 30. are protected against the egress of heated air 7. because of the end heat shield panels but when an obstruction is met, or when pressure is exerted either against the main heat shield panel or one or both of each end heat shield panels the panels 5. move to cause the main heat shield panel to lie closer against the body of the tank with the end heat shields still protecting the forward and rear ends of the main heat shield panel and exhausting the heated air upwardly. Normally such a condition 10. would only be maintained for a relatively short time after which when the obstruction or the cause of the deflection is removed, the panels will return to their initial position where they form a downwardly directed channel which is protected at its forward 15. and rear ends by the end panels and thus deflect air flowing from the engine compartment of the tank downwardly towards the ground while at the same time forming a barrier against heat radiation from the engine compartment and the grille covering 20. the vents of the compartment. The panels may be constructed of metal or any material of the required strength, and can be lined with any appropriate insulating material. The structure can be mounted on a frame which 25. can be attached to the tank, the frame carrying the main panel and the end panels and the necessary loading members such as springs. As said, the end panels can be coupled to the main panel to move therewith so that then only 30. the main panel requires spring or other loading means .

Claims: THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A heat shield for tanks in which a heat signature issues from an engine compartment or exhaust at an area disposed at the side of the tank, comprising: 5. (a) a deflector (1) adapted to be positioned over the area where the signature is emitted but spaced therefrom to allow a gas flow. (b) hinge means (5) connecting the deflector (1) to a support (6) adapted to be secured 10. to the tank adjacent the area where the signature is emitted, said hinge means (5) being disposed on the deflector intermediate upper and lower edges (11, 16) of the deflector (1). (c) loading means between the deflector (1) 15. and support (6) to position the deflector angularly to discharge gas from the area downward but when the deflector is displaced about the hinge means (5) discharges at least some gas upwardly, further characterised by; 20. -d. arms (14, 15) one on each side of the said deflector (1), each connected at one end to the said support (6) by a pivot (17, 19) positioned generally normal to the said hinge means (5) of the deflector (1) and each 25. having its other end (21) projecting angularly outward toward the deflector (1) and engaging the said deflector (1) remotely of the said hinge means (5) so that the said deflector (1) and arms (14, 15) move synchronously when 30. either the arms (14, 15) are displaced about the pivot pins (17, 19) or the deflector (1) is displaced about the hinge means (5). 2. A heat shield according to claim 1 wherein the hinge means (5) comprise a shaft (5) carried by side plates (7) on the said support (6) and engaging side walls (4) on the said deflector (1) 5. adjacent to the said side walls (4) and the said loading means comprise helical springs (8) surrounding the said shaft (5) and having one end (9) engaging the said deflector (1) and the other end (10) engaging a said side wall (4). 3. A heat shield according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the- said deflector (1) has an outer membrane (2) and an inner membrane (3) spaced from the outer membrane (2), the ends (21) of the arms (14, 15) 5. remote from the said pivots (17, 19) engaging between the said membranes (2, 3) whereby to interconnect the ends (21) of the said arms (14, 15) to move with the said deflector (1). 4. A heat shield according to claim 1 wherein the said deflector (1) comprises an outer membrane (2) , a rear membrane (22) and an inner membrane (3) all spaced apart with thermal insulation between 5. the said inner membrane (3) and the rear membrane (22). 5. A heat shield for tanks according to any preceeding claim secured to a tank over a grille through which a hot gas flow occurs and angled to normally deflect the said gas flow toward the 5. ground.

Inventors: CONSIDINE JOHN, CONSIDINE, JOHN
Applicants: COMMW OF AUSTRALIA, THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CARE OF THE SECRETAR
Application year: 1985
Main classification: F41H7
IPC codes: B60K13, F41H3