A SURFACE VEHICLE

摘要

A ground engagement assembly to be located at the bow of an amphibious surface vehicle is described. It may have a strut assembly engaged or engageable to a hull of a marine vessel. The strut assembly has a primary arm that carries a wheel. The wheel is can move between a marine mode position and a land mode position where the wheel is able to locate on the ground to support at least part of the hull above the ground. A primary actuator extends to the primary arm to move the wheel between the ground mode position and the marine mode position. The strut assembly is configured and adapted to be retrofitable to a hull without the need for the hull to be modified to receive the struts assembly during its movement between the marine mode position and the land mode position.

主权项

1. A steerable ground engagement assembly for an amphibious surface vehicle comprising:
a strut assembly engaged or engageable to a hull of a marine vessel and comprising
a) a primary arm pivotally mounted at a proximal end relative said hull and having a distal end away from the hull,b) a steering knuckle, carrying a ground engagement device capable of being presented by the strut assembly in (a) a marine mode position where the ground engagement device is supported above the waterline of the vessel and (b) a land mode position where the ground engagement device is able to locate on the ground to support at least part of the hull above the ground, said steering knuckle journalled from said primary arm toward its distal end to allow a rotation of the ground engagement device in a manner to control the direction of motion of the ground engagement device over the ground when in the land mode position,c) a primary actuator operative between said hull and said primary arm, acting on the primary arm at or near its distal end to pivotally move said primary arm on an axis of rotation to thereby move the ground engagement device between the land mode position and the marine mode position.