Modular protection system

Abstract: The invention provides modular armor for a vehicle. The modular armor comprises an outer cover with a plurality of mounting racks attached to the vehicle. Armor panels may be added to or removed from the mounting racks as needed.

Description: The invention relates to an apparatus for protecting vehicles according to the precharacterising clause of claim 1 and to a method of providing armour to or removing armour from a vehicle according to claim 7. US-A - 4 391 178 discloses a protective covering for the cargo box of a military logistic vehicle. A basic fabric covering has special add-on pockets or sleeves for receiving armour inserts in the form of slats for achieving various levels of ballistic hardening. These pockets may be sewn to the outer surface of the fabric cover. In case it is desired to use the military vehicle for cargo-carrying purposes the armour slats can be withdrawn from the fabric pockets, and the fabric covers can be rolled up. Straps may be trained around the rolled-up covers to anchor them in their non-use storage positions. In providing armour to vehicles in military applications, it is desirable to have a vehicle that in some applications has enough armour to protect the vehicle from all possible threats and in other applications to have a vehicle that is lighter to provide a faster speed or longer distance range. The invention provides a method and apparatus of providing a more heavily armoured vehicles when needed and lighter vehicles when needed. In addition the invention hides the extra armour so that enemy observers do not know what amount of armour is provided to the vehicle. Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of part of a hull of a vehicle, which employs the inventive modular armour. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the modular armour of Figure 1, showing the loading position. Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of part of a hull of a vehicle, which employs another embodiment of the invention. In Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view of part of a hull 10 of a vehicle on which the inventive modular armour 11 is attached. The inventive modular armour 11 comprises an outer cover 13 formed by a single panel with flanges on the top and bottom of the panel, with a plurality of holding rack panels 15 placed in parallel within the outer cover 13. The cover 13 is mounted to the hull 10 by at least one hinge 17 and a mounting bolt 19. Placed within spaces between the parallel holding rack panels 15 are removable armour panels 21. A closing bolt 20 is used to keep the outer cover 13 closed. In operation the closing bolt 20 may be removed to allow the outer cover 13 and the modular armour 11 to be moved around the hinge 17 as shown in Figure 2. This movement allows access to the removable armour panels 21, which may be added to increase the vehicles armour protection or removed to lighten the vehicle. The closing bolt 20 is then secured to secure the modular armour 11 in place. In Figure 3 another embodiment of the inventive modular armour 31 is mounted on a hull 30 of a vehicle. The modular armour 31 comprises an outer cover 33, which comprises an upper bracket 34, an outer armour panel 36 and a lower bracket 38. As illustrated in Figure 3, two additional inner armour panels 41 are placed in holding racks 42 in the space between the hull 30 and the outer armour panel 36. A plurality of closing clamps 43 pass through the inner armour panels 41 and the outer armour panel 36 and a plurality of spacers 44 and thread into the hull 30. The spacers 44 maintain the armour panels 41 and the outer armour panel 36 in a spaced relationship. A hinge 27 mechanically connects the upper bracket 34 to the hull 30 in a manner that allows the upper bracket 34 to rotate with respect to the hull 30. In operation the upper bracket 34 may swing upward around the hinge 27 allowing access to the armour panels 41 and the outer armour panel 36. The closing clamps 43 are removed allowing the armour panels 41 and the outer panel 38 to be removed or inserted. In the preferred embodiment the outer panel 36 is kept in place to hide from an enemy whether the armour panels 41 are absent or present, forcing the enemy to presume the presence of the armour panels 41. The clamps 43 and spacers 44 are then put in place to secure the outer armour panel 36 and the armour panels 41. The upper bracket 34 is swung downward into place. The hinge may be replaced by other movable joints that allow access to the armor panels in other embodiments.

Claims: An apparatus for protecting vehicles comprising an outer cover (13), a movable joint for joining the outer cover (13) to a hull (10) of the vehicle, wherein at least part of the outer cover (13) may be moved with respect to the vehicle hull, characterized in that a plurality of mounting means is provided within the outer cover (13), said mounting means comprise holding racks (42) which are placed in parallel to form a plurality of parallel layered spaces within the outer cover (13), and at least one removable armour panel (21) is removably placed within at least one of the spaces between said holding racks (42). An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bolt (19) to further mechanically connect the outer cover (13) to the hull (10) of said vehicle. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable joint comprises a hinge (17). An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer cover (13) comprises a single panel and flanges on the top and bottom of the panel. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer cover (33) comprises: an upper bracket (34); a lower bracket (38); and an outer armour panel (36) extending from the upper bracket (34) to the lower bracket (38). An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting means comprises: a plurality of spacers (44) between the armour panels (41) and the outer cover (33); and a plurality of clamps (43) mechanically connected to the armour panels (41) and the spacers (44) to hold the armour panels (41) and spacers (44) in place. A method of providing armour to or of removing armour from a vehicle, comprising: mechanically attaching an outer cover to a vehicle by at least one hinge, so that part of the outer cover may rotate with respect to the vehicle around the hinge from a protective position to a mount position; and respectively either rotating at least part of the outer cover from the protective position to the mount position; placing one or more armour panels in the outer cover; providing a plurality of holding means to hold the armour panels in place in the outer cover; rotating the outer cover from the mount position to the protective position; or rotating the outer cover from the protective position to the mount position; removing one or more armour panels from the outer cover; and rotating the outer cover from the mount position to the protective position.

Inventors: TURNER JAMES ROBERT, TURNER, JAMES ROBERT
Applicants: FMC CORP, FMC CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F41H5
IPC codes: F41H7, F41H5