Blast resistant armor mounting hardware
Methods and apparatus are provided for attaching a rigid armor plate to the exterior of a vehicle hull. The exemplary system includes an armor attachment point on the vehicle hull, a hole through the armor plate in alignment with the armor attachment point, and a fastener extending through the hole connecting the armor plate to the vehicle hull. The hole through the armor plate may be larger than the fastener, defining a circumferential gap between the fastener and armor plate. The fastener may comprise a material with an energy absorption capability in excess of 2,000 ksi, and more preferably in excess of 5,000 ksi.
1. A system for attaching a rigid armor plate to the exterior of a vehicle hull, comprising:
an armor attachment point on the vehicle hull;
an oversized hole through the armor plate in alignment with the armor attachment point;
a fastener extending through the oversized hole and attaching the armor plate to the armor attachment point, the fastener and oversized hole cooperatively defining a circumferential gap there-between;
a washer-shaped pivot cup disposed in a countersink in an exterior end of the oversized hole in the armor plate;
a spherical countersink in an inner diameter of an exterior side of the pivot cup; and
a pivot washer trapped between an end of the fastener and the pivot cup, the pivot washer having a spherical surface configured for pivoting engagement with the spherical countersink in the pivot cup.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the pivot cup is substantially greater than an outer diameter of the fastener.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the pivot cup and pivot washer are made of a harden-able material.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic spacer around the fastener between the armor plate and the vehicle hull.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a threaded bolt with a head, and the armor attachment point comprises an internally threaded weld bushing.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener material has an energy absorption capability in excess of 2000 ksi.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener material has an energy absorption capability in excess of 5000 ksi.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a threaded bolt made of 304 Stainless Steel.
9. A system for attaching a rigid armor plate to the exterior of a vehicle hull, comprising:
an armor attachment point on the vehicle hull;
a hole through the armor plate in alignment with the armor attachment point;
a fastener extending through the hole and attaching the armor plate to the armor attachment point, wherein the fastener material has an energy absorption capability in excess of 2000 ksi;
a washer-shaped pivot cup disposed in a countersink in an exterior end of the oversized hole in the armor plate;
a spherical countersink in an inner diameter of an exterior side of the pivot cup; and
a pivot washer trapped between an end of the fastener and the pivot cup, the pivot washer having a spherical surface configured for pivoting engagement with the spherical countersink in the pivot cup.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the fastener material has an energy absorption capability in excess of 5000 ksi.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the fastener is a threaded bolt made of 304 Stainless Steel.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the diameter of the fastener is less than the diameter of the hole through the armor plate, defining a substantial gap there-between.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an elastic insert bushing disposed about the fastener, substantially filling the gap between the fastener and the hole through the armor plate.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the elastic insert bushing material is selected from the group comprising rubber, and polyurethane.
15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an elastic spacer around the fastener between the armor plate and the vehicle hull.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the elastic spacer material is selected from the group comprising rubber, and polyurethane.