US2390557A - Waterproofed combat vehicle - Google Patents

Description

. 11,' 1945. A. .1. SCAIFE WATERPROOFED COMBAT VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed March 15, 1944 glywcwbgw ARTHUR 1: T 5EAIFE,

a mw [QM ventilating the radiator. ventio'n, this opening is covered but is used, nev- Patented Dec. 11, 1945- 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, withoritthe payment to meof any royalty thereon. I

I In military operations involving combat tanks, it is contemplatedthat the tanks shall be used in fording streams and shall at times become fully submerged. The object of this invention is -to-provide means for waterproofing a tank, especially when it is to be fully submerged. The major problems occur in connection with the intake of air and-exhaust from the motor. I Many of the tanks now in use have a comparatively large intake opening at the topkfor According to the inertheless, for circulating air through the radiator. "The cover isin the formof a box, and a duct system is built around the face of the radiator. A conduit extends upwardly from the duct system and is connected to the box by a series of spaced ducts disposed outside of the body of I the vehicle and thus subjected to water cooling.

A circulating system is thus provided in conjunction with the usual radiator fan, and air is cooled in each circulation by the means described. Air is admitted into the vehicle in the first instance by a flexible tube extending therefrom and having its upper or intake end floated upon the surface of the water."

The exhaust pressure, when the motor is running, is suflicient to overcome the pressure of thewater. However, in order to avoid back flow in the event the motor stalls, a check valve is provided on the outer endof the exhaust pipe. The valve is so designed that it will open under exhaust pressure against its weight and the pressure 01' the water. To accomplish this purpose, the outlet end of the exhaust pipe is disposed in an inclined plane and the valve has an overhead hinge axis so that it closes by gravity when the exhaust pressure drops.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a military vehicle equipped according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view;

I Figure 4 is a detail section of the exhaust valve, and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 is shown acombat tank I' of current design. The engine 2 is mounted in the rear, and behind the engine is a radiator 3. The

WATERPROOFED COMBATVEHICLE Arthur J. Scaife, Detroit, Mich. Application March 15, 1944, Serial No. 526,623

(Cl. 180-1) Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) motor drives a fan 4 which throws air against and through the radiator in a manner well known in the art. The top of the tank is ordinarily formed with an opening 5 disposed above the motor and serving as the air intake. Normally,

the opening 5 remains exposed, and the air admitted therethrough and passed through the radiator is discharged directly into the atmosphere. I

I The modifications made for the purpose of waterproofingth tank so that it may be submerged will now be described. The exposed crevices are first sealed with a plastic material or rubber. A box In is built around the opening 5 and is provided in its top'with a hinged lid II which is water-tight when closed. The side wall structure of the tank extends rearwardly' beyond theradiator by means of a wall member I2. A

duct I3 is;provided beneath the members I2 in l sealed relation thereto and communicating with the space there-between. At the rear end of the duct I3 is mounted a substantially vertical conduit I 4 communicating with the rear end of the duct along the widthof the tank and extending upwardly beyond the top of the tank. The top of the conduit is fitted with a cover I5 which forms a seal when closed.

The exposed upper forward wall of the conduit I 4 is in constant communication with the rear end of the box It by means of a series of spaced conduits I 1 extending lengthwise of the tank. The sloping end wall I 8 of the tank extends from the duct I3 to the ducts l1 and joins the top IQ of the tank. The portions of the ducts I11 lying forward of the wall IB have their intervening spaces 20 sealed by the top l9, while rearward of the wall I8 the spaces are not sealed and water is permitted to flow therethrough to the spaces I8 between the wall I8 and the conduit I4.

The lateral ends of the duct I3 are recessed or boxed inward to form exposed corner spaces 2| to accommodate the outlet ends of the exhaust pipes 22 extending from the motor 2. The exhaust pipes are extended laterally at 23 through the side walls 24 of the respective recesses and then prolonged lengthwise at 25 in the recesses and outside of the duct I3. On each pipe section 25 is attached an elbow 26 having its outer end 21 lying in a plane sloping upwardly and forwardly of the tank. To the upper portion of each elbow 26 is pivotally attached a yoke or hinge 28 carrying a disk 29 adapted to seat upon the end 21.

From the forward portion of the top of the -in order to equalize the water pressure on both sides of the door 33. An'access panel I3 is V removably held by latches l3 in the bottomoI theductl3. v,"

In the operation of the device under water, the air admitted through the tube 30 is driven by the fan 4 through the radiator 3 and into the duct I3 and the conduit [4. Fromhere it passes through the spaced conduits I1 into the box 5 and :is recirculated by the fan. In passing through the conduits 117, the air is cooled by the water the spaces :20, so that it is made effective tor cooling the radiator 3 each time it is circulated.

The valve 229 normally closes the exhaust pipe by gravity and thus prevents water from back ing up into-the motor. The weight and effective surface of the valve are so determinedw ith respect to the exhaust pressure that the :latter willli-ft the valve when the motor is operating. If the motor stalls, the valve will close the exhaust pipe.

When the tank is operating on land, the air tube 3fl may be readily detached at its coupling 3% to the tank. The 'covers H and 1.5 are swung over to open "position by means of cables 3''! attached to their fre-esedges. The valve 2-9 -is swung over upon the exhaust .pipe "and fastened thereto bya cord-'or wire, in open position.

While a specific "embodiment of the invention has been shown and been described, it will be understood that various alterations may be made without departure from the spirit of the invention as indicated by the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle having an air opening in its top, a motor beneath said opening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fan driven by said motor and directed towards said radiator, an air duct over the face of said radiator and having an outlet below the radiator, a conduit extending upwardly from said outlet, a box mounted over and enclosing said opening, and spaced ducts connecting said conduit to said box and disposed outside of the vehicle.

2. Inavehiclehaving an air opening in its top,

a motor beneath said opening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fan driven by said motor and directed towards said radiator, an air duct over thejiace 'of said radiator and having an outlet below the radiator, a conduit extending upwardly from "said outlet, said conduithavlng an open upper end .for "discharging gaseous media when not submerged, means for sealing said open upper end of said conduit, a box mounted over and enclosing said opening, said box having an air intake for receiving ambient air when not submerged, a removable closure for-sealing said intake, and spaced ducts connecting said conduit to said box and disposed outside of the vehicle.

3. In a vehicle having an air opening in'its top, a motor beneath said opening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fan driven by said motor and directed towards said radiator, an air duct extending beneath said radiator, means forming a fluid connectionbetween said duct and the-face of said radiator, a conduit extending upwardly from said duct, a box mounted over and enclosing said opening, and spaced ducts connecting said conduit to said box and disposed outsideoi the vehicle. r g

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