Abstract: A six-wheel armored vehicle has each wheel driven by an engine mounted between the front wheels and to the side of a driver's station disposed in the beveled shaped nose of the vehicle. Terrain in front and to the sides of the vehicle may be viewed by a driver from within the vehicle by a plurality of periscopes. Alternatively, a hatch opening in a forward sloping surface of the nose immediately behind the periscopes permits the driver to raise his head out of the vehicle in order to view the terrain. A fuel storage tank is formed integral with rear portions of the vehicle's hull and comprises a plurality of interconnected fuel cells defined by double wall construction of the hull body. A fresh air inlet and deflector arrangement in the upper horizontal surface of the hull delivers fresh air forwardly to an engine compartment for cooling the engine, and warm air generated by the engine is reversed in flow direction and exhausted via a conduit through an outlet opening immediately adjacent the fresh air inlet.

Abstract: A suspension system for wheeled vehicles, particularly adapted to extended travel suspension systems for armored wheeled vehicles in which each of the front and rear vehicle wheel assemblies is mounted on a trailing arm suspension. The front suspension system includes an axle housing supported at either outboard end by a bell crank assembly, each including a trailing arm pivotally mounted to the axle housing at one end and at the other to a pivotal support on the vehicle hull or frame with a second shorter crank arm acting on a coil spring to resist arm motion by compression of the spring. Within each coil spring is disposed a stack of rubber bumper elements compressed with the spring while a pair of rubber bushings is provided at each pivot point of each of the trailing arms, the damping action of the stack bumpers and bushings performing a shock absorbing function. The rubber bushings also act as torsional springs and to accommodate limited tilting motion of the axle housing.

Abstract: An armored underbody for a road vehicle is disclosed as including fabricated armor plate to protect both the vehicle underbody components and the vehicle occupant compartment from projectiles such as deflected bullets or shrapnel. A plurality of armor protection plates (16, 18, 20 and 21) of the underbody provide radiator, engine, transmission, and transfer case protection from upwardly directed projectiles. The vehicle occupant compartment floor (22) includes front and rear floor sections (24, 26) of armor plate preferably connected by a laterally extending floor support member (60). A fuel tank (28) of the underbody has a fabricated armor plate construction that prevents puncturing thereof by projectiles. In its preferred construction, the underbody includes a pair of longitudinal frame members (30) spaced laterally from each other and connected by cross frame members (32, 34, 36, 38) that are used to mount the armor protection plates.

Abstract: A vehicle body armored grille (20) disclosed has particular utility with a front engine compartment opening (24) and includes vertically spaced louvers (26) of an improved armor plate construction for stopping projectiles from passing through the grille. Each louver (26) has an elongated shape extending horizontally across the opening and includes an outer armor plate (30) that is inclined downwardly in an outward direction and an inner armor plate (32) secured to and extending downwardly from the upper and inward extremity of the outer armor plate. An upper extremity (34) of each inner armor plate (32) projects above the associated outer armor plate (30) to deflect a projectile impacted therewith upwardly toward the next higher louver. Orienting the outer armor plate at an inclination of 45.degree. with respect to the horizontal and the inner armor plate at a greater angle, i.e. 55.degree.

Abstract: An air intake vent (20) for the cowl opening (24) of an armored vehicle includes a front armor plate (26) extending upwardly from the cowl (22) forward of the opening and a holder (30) for mounting an air filter (32) over the cowl opening, and the vent also includes a flanged cover (34) that prevents projectiles from passing through the cowl opening while still permitting air to enter the vehicle. A front flange (36) of the cover extends downwardly in front of the front armor plate preferably with an inclined orientation so as to provide good deflection of projectiles away from the cowl opening. A pair of side armor plates (38) extend upwardly from the cowl on opposite lateral sides of the opening thereof and side flanges (44) on the cover extend downwardly outboard therefrom in a spaced relationship.

Abstract: Apparatus (14) for storing and feeding an ammunition belt (16) is disclosed as including a storage compartment (22) for the belt which is adapted to feed an automatic gun upon belt movement through the compartment in a feed direction. Dividers (24) are spaced along the feed direction and are mounted, preferably on the compartment floor (28), for movement between first positions extending across the feed direction and second positions extending along the feed direction. In the first positions, the dividers allow storage of the ammunition belt in a serpentine configuration. Movement of the dividers to the second positions allows the ammunition belt to pass thereby upon movement to the gun. Each divider is mounted by a pivotal support (26) having a detent which initially locates the divider in the first position thereof during loading of the belt and which allows subsequent movement to the second position thereof after closing of a compartment closure.

Abstract: An auxiliary firing mechanism (26) used to actuate a tripper for a gun trigger includes a remote actuator (28) connected to the tripper by an elongated connector such as a cable (30) that is moved by the cooperable action of a control member (68) and a rotatably and axially movable actuator member (74) of the actuator. Camming surfaces (90,92) of the control member and the actuator member of the actuator move the control member from a first position to a second position against a spring bias (76) thereof in order to actuate the tripper and thereby trip the gun trigger whereupon the camming surface (92) of the actuator member moves out of engagement with the camming surface (90) of the control member in order to allow the control member to be moved back to the first position by its spring bias. Axial and rotational movement of the actuator member then again engages the camming surfaces of the control and actuator members in preparation for another actuation of the tripper.

Abstract: A gun sight positioning mechanism (22) disclosed includes a parallelogram linkage for moving a gun sight positioning shaft angularly with a trunnion shaft (32) on which a gun is supported and has a slip clutch (44) that connects the linkage to one of the shafts so that the sight can be aimed downwardly at the target area while the gun remains aimed upwardly along the projectile path. Preferably, the slip clutch connects the linkage to the gun sight positioning shaft and includes a stop (56) that allows the sight to be aimed upwardly back into alignment with the gun after viewing the impact. First and second links (46,52) of the linkage are respectively connected to the trunnion and sight positioning shafts and interconnected by a connecting link (54) whose length is adjustable to insure the proper angular movement of each shaft with the other.

Abstract: A wiper drive assembly (20) disclosed is particularly adaptable for use with angularly skewed vision blocks (22) of an armored car. A hollow guide (28) of the assembly includes elongated first and second guide portions (30,32) that are adapted to extend alongside the vision blocks and which receive respective first and second wiper supports (70,104). Each wiper support has an extension that projects through a slot in the associated guide portion so as to allow mounting of the arm of an associated wiper (24,26). One of the wiper supports has its extension provided with a slidable connection (86) to a continuous drive loop which is preferably in the form of a chain (34) received by a pair of sprocket type sheaves (36,38). Driving of one of the sheaves moves the chain so as to drive the first wiper support (70) in a reciprocal manner.

Abstract: A hatch for an armored vehicle having a viewing block integral therewith to be moved with the hatch as the hatch is opened and closed. The hatch is mounted for guided movement on a downwardly sloping surface of the armored vehicle so as to move down and away from the hatch opening to allow viewing from the hatch opening downwardly over the opened hatch. The open and closing guides include a three-point roller guide rail support configured to allow the weight of the hatch to be carried by the rollers after an initial upward movement of the hatch from compressive engagement with a peripheral seal installed about vehicle openings and thence slid downwardly on the guide rails away from the opening.

Abstract: An armored wheeled vehicle configured for maximum resistance to penetration by frontally directed weapons fire while affording excellent visibility at the driver station and an extended field of fire for the weapon observation station, having an armored hull with an extended upper oblique frontal surface, sloping to a point rearward of the midpoint of the vehicle. The driver station is located approximately at the midpoint of the vehicle with the sloping frontal surface affording good visibility for the driver and includes a driver's hatch positioned over a driver station hull opening, the hatch adapted to be moved down and forwardly to provide an unobstructed driver view. The armament observation station is located to the rear and above the driver station, while the vehicle power plant is located along side the driver station. The front suspension includes a trailing arm type suspension minimizing the hull depth at the front wheels to allow the oblique frontal surface to be extended.

Abstract: A water cannon adapted for controlling large crowds of unruly people in a highly effective, yet non-lethal fashion. The cannon can be mounted on an appropriate vehicle, such as an armored car, so as to make it mobile and its supporting system completely self-contained. The water cannon discharges a high velocity stream of water in a pulsing fashion. Each pulse forms a water projectile which is effective against human targets at ranges up to one hundred feet. The water can be treated with a variety of desired additives. The water cannon includes a cannon body on which is operatively mounted a nozzle for discharging the discrete coherent water projectiles. The discharge of the water projectiles is controlled by a main stage valve, which is in turn controlled by a pilot valve. A water supply reservoir and pump are provided for supplying water under pressure to the main stage valve.