Patent ID: 6843159

Claim:
A self-propelled vehicle comprising a chassis on which is mounted an artillery piece, the chassis including a lightweight space frame, at least two rear wheels and at least two front wheels mounted on the chassis, the rear wheels being mounted on the chassis by lifting means by which the rear wheels can be raised and lowered relative to the chassis, wherein said chassis has a rear end which can be lowered to rest on the ground and lifted off the ground when the rear wheels are respectively raised and lowered relative to the chassis by said lifting means, wherein said rear wheels being mounted on the chassis by respective said lifting means, each said lifting means including a wheel arm having one end pivotally attached to the chassis, and an opposite end on which a respective wheel is mounted, wherein said lifting means further include respective hydro-pneumatic struts which are pivotally attached to a respective said wheel arm at a position offset from a point of pivotal attachment of said wheel arm to the chassis such that extension and retraction of the hydro-pneumatic struts produce rotation of the wheel arms relative to the chassis to vary height of the rear wheels relative to the chassis, wherein, in an extended configuration of the hydro-pneumatic struts, the wheel arms extend downwards and rearwards from their respective points of pivotal attachment to the chassis, such that the rear wheels are in contact with the ground for transit of the vehicle, and, upon moving from the extended configuration to a retracted configuration of the hydro-pneumatic struts, the wheel arms are rotated so as to extend upward from their respective points of pivotal attachment to the chassis, such that the rear wheels are lifted off the ground and the rear end of the chassis rests on the ground for firing of the artillery piece.