Hatch for armored vehicles

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. The three-point roller guide rail support provides for effective guidance of the hatch movement throughout its range of opening and closing movements and includes two support arms secured to the hatch interior and extending into the hatch opening carrying two of the rollers and a third roller mounted to a hatch exterior surface guided in a guide rail mounted on the surface of the vehicle. A locking pin arrangement is provided to secure the hatch in the open and closed position, while clamping hooks are utilized to hold the hatch down securely on the peripheral seal. The hatch design is particularly adapted to cover the vehicle driver's station with a two-position driver seat utilized for viewing either through the viewing blocks with the hatch closed or at a higher point with the driver's head positioned through the hatch opening.