Multi-curve steel body armor and method of manufacturing same
AssigneeTk Armor Systems, L.L.C.
InventorJeremy Tepper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steel armor plate and method of manufacturing is described. The armor plate has three curves, a first curve about an axis that parallels the length of the armor plate, and two additional curves about axes that parallel the width of the armor plate. A die for manufacturing said plate is described, the die being formed of a stack of metal plates, each plate having a curve that substantially matches the first curve, the stack of plates being arranged in a step-down-then-step-up fashion to form a concavity that approximates one of the two additional curves.
Claims19
A ram-and-die arrangement for imparting bends to a ballistic resistant armor plate, the arrangement comprising:
- a die comprising a first and second end plates each having a concave edge with a first radius of curvature and a plurality of interior support plates between the first and second end plates, each of the interior support plates also having a concave edge with a radius of curvature, each of the support plates having a center height, where the center heights of the support plates are arranged in a step-down, step-up fashion with respect to center heights of the end plates;
- a ram having a convex curved edge, and
- a stopper disposed adjacent to one of the end plates of the die,
- wherein, the ram, die and stopper are arranged such that a curved armor plate having a convex front side and a concave back side, may be placed over the die and against the stopper such that its convex front side is supported by the concave edges of the first and second end plates, and is positioned such that a predetermined location on the plate is below the convex edge of the ram.
A method of fabricating an armor plate, the method comprising:
- providing a die comprising a first and second end plates each having a concave edge with a first radius of curvature and a plurality of interior support plates between the first and second end plates, each of the interior support plates also having a concave edge with a radius of curvature, each of the support plates having a center height, where the center heights of the support plates are arranged in a step-down, step-up fashion with respect to center heights of the end plates;
- providing a ram having a convex curved edge;
- placing an armor plate having a convex front side and a concave back side over the die, such that the convex front side is supported by the concave edges of at least one of the first and second end plates;
- and
- contacting the armor plate with the ram and bending the armor plate at a position along the armor plate between the first and second end plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.