1. An amphibious vehicle having a wheel mounted to a body of the vehicle so as to be movable from a protracted position, for use of the vehicle on land, to a retracted position, in which the wheel is stowed for use of the vehicle on water, the vehicle further comprising a suspension means to absorb shocks from the wheel during land use and a retraction means for moving the wheel between the protracted and retracted positions, characterised in that the suspension means can be operatively disconnected from the wheel when the wheel is to be retracted.
2. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which the retraction means can be operatively disconnected from the wheel when the wheel is in the protracted position.
3. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which the wheel is mounted to the body of the vehicle by means of one or more suspension linkages, the vehicle further comprising suspension disconnect apparatus for operatively connecting the suspension means to, or operatively disconnecting the suspension means from, one of the suspension linkages.
4. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 3, in which the suspension means is operatively connected to one end of a suspension lever arm, the other end of the suspension lever arm being operatively connectable to said one of the suspension linkages by the suspension disconnect apparatus.
5. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 4, in which the said one of the suspension linkages and the lever arm are mounted to the vehicle body for pivotal movement relative to the body about an axis, the suspension disconnect apparatus comprising means movable between a first position in which the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm are locked so as to pivot together about the axis and a second position in which said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm are free to pivot about the axis relative to one another.
6. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5, in which the suspension disconnect apparatus comprises a bore in the said one of the suspension linkages or in the suspension lever arm, the bore having a number of ball receiving tracks formed over a part of its length, a shaft slidably mounted to the other of the said one of the suspension linkages or the suspension lever arm, the shaft projecting into the bore and having a knuckle about which are mounted a plurality of balls, the shaft being movable from a first position in which the balls are engaged in the tracks to lock the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm together for pivotal movement about the axis and a second position in which the balls are not engaged in the tracks and the said one of the suspension linkages and the other end of the suspension lever arm are free to pivot about the axis relative to one another.
7. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 6, in which the suspension disconnect apparatus comprises an actuator to move the shaft between the first and second positions.
8. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 7, in which the actuator is a hydraulic actuator.
9. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5, in which the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm have adjacent drive portions, the suspension disconnect apparatus further comprising a sleeve having drive means for cooperation with corresponding drive means on the drive portions, the sleeve being movable from a first position in which it is in driving cooperation with both of the drive portions to lock the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm together for pivotal movement about the axis, and a second position in which it is in driving cooperation with only one of the drive portions such that the linkage and the arm are free to pivot about the axis relative to one another.
10. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 9, in which the sleeve is internally splined for engagement with corresponding splines formed on the drive portions.
11. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 9, in which a bore of the sleeve has a non-circular cross section for driving engagement with correspondingly shaped profiles on the drive portions.
12. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 9, in which the suspension disconnect apparatus comprises an actuator to move the sleeve between the first and second positions.
13. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 12, in which the actuator is an hydraulic actuator.
14. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5, in which the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm have corresponding drive teeth, the suspension lever arm being movable between a first position in which the drive teeth are engaged so as to lock the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm together for pivotal movement about the axis, and a second position in which the drive teeth are disengaged such that the said one of the suspension linkages and the suspension lever arm are free to pivot about the axis relative to one another.
15. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 14, in which the suspension disconnect apparatus comprises an actuator to move the suspension lever arm between the first and second positions.
16. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 15, in which the actuator is a hydraulic actuator.
17. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 3, in which the vehicle further comprises a retraction disconnect apparatus for operatively connecting the retraction means to, or operatively disconnecting the retraction means from, one of the suspension linkages.
18. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 17, in which the retraction means-comprises a retraction actuator operatively connected to one end of a retraction lever arm, the other end of the retraction lever arm being operatively connectable to said one of the suspension linkages through the retraction disconnect apparatus.
19. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 18, in which the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm are mounted to the vehicle body for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle body about an axis, the retraction disconnect apparatus comprising means for locking the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm together for pivotal, movement about the axis.
20. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 19, in which the retraction disconnect apparatus comprises a pneumatic clutch.
21. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 20, in which the clutch inter-connects the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm such that when the clutch is engaged the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm are locked together for pivotal movement about the axis and that when the clutch is disengaged, the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm are free to rotate about the axis relative to one another.
22. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 20, in which the said one of the suspension linkages is rotationally fast with a shaft, the pneumatic clutch having a first component which is also rotationally fast with the shaft and a second component attached so as to be rotationally fast with the retraction lever arm, the clutch being adapted such that when it is engaged the first and second components are rotationally fast so as to lock the said one of the suspension linkages and the retraction lever arm together for pivotal movement about the axis.
23. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which the wheel is connected to the vehicle body by an upper suspension linkage and a lower suspension linkage.
24. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 23, in which the suspension means is connectable to the upper suspension linkage.
25. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 23, in which the suspension means is connectable to the lower suspension linkage.
26. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25, in which the retraction means is connectable to the lower suspension linkage.
27. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which the suspension means comprises a strut having a coil spring mounted about a telescopic hydraulic damper.
28. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which the retraction means comprises a double acting fluid ram.
29. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in 1, in which the retraction means comprises an electrically driven ram.
30. (canceled)
31. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 2, in which the wheel is mounted to the body of the vehicle by means of one or more suspension linkages, the vehicle further comprising suspension disconnect apparatus for operatively connecting the suspension means to, or operatively disconnecting the suspension means from, one of the suspension disconnect apparatus.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of manufacturing a composite building element that includes a casing material, a bulk material, and a locking element, the method including the steps of:
(a) continuously feeding a first sheet of casing material into a filling station;
(b) securing the bulk material to the first sheet of casing material;
(c) continuously feeding the bulk material and the first sheet of casing material out of the filling station;
the method characterised by the step of:
(d) securing the locking element to the first sheet of casing material prior to securing the bulk material to the first sheet of casing material.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of feeding a second sheet of the casing material into the filling station so that there is a gap between the first and second sheets of casing material.
3. The method as claimed in claim 3, including the step of injecting an insulation material into the gap.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, including the step of curing the insulation material to form an extruded length of panel.
5. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, including the step of deforming one or more of the sheets of casing material so as to create a connection cavity.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of deforming the sheet of casing material involves bending a side edge of the casing material.
7. The method as claimed in either one of claim 5 or 6, wherein the step of securing the locking element to one or more of the lengths of casing material involves inserting a foot of the locking element into the connection cavity.
8. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the step of securing the locking element to one or more of the sheets of casing material involves clamping.
9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the step of securing the bulk material to the first sheet of material is performed by a filling station.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, including the step of continuously feeding the first sheet of material and bulk material from the filler station into a moulding station.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, including the step of continuously feeding the sheet of material and bulk material out of the moulding station into a cutting station.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, including the step of cutting the first sheet of casing material and bulk material using the cutting station.
13. A system for manufacturing composite building elements, including
a filling station configured to secure a bulk material to a length of casing material,
a feed station configured to continuously feed at least a first sheet of a casing material into the filling station,
an insert station that is configured to secure a locking element to the sheet of casing material before the bulk material is secured to the sheet of casing material.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the feed station is configured to feed a second sheet of a casing material through the filling station so that there is a gap between the first and second sheets.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the feed station is configured to continuously feed the sheets of casing material into a case forming station.
16. The system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the insert station includes a plurality of automated arms.
17. The system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the insert station is configured to insert a leg portion of the locking element into a connection cavity in the sheet of casing material.
18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the automated arms are configured to clamp the sheet of casing material to a leg portion of the locking element.
19. The system as claimed in either one of claim 16 or 18, wherein the automated arms are substantially below the length of casing material.
20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the case forming station is a roll forming press.
21. The system as claimed in either one of claim 15 or 20, wherein the case forming station is configured to deform at least one of the sheets of casing material so as to create a connection cavity.
22. The system as claimed in any one of claim 15, 20 or 21, wherein the case forming station is configured to deform the sheets of casing material to create a connection cavity having a shape corresponding to the shape of a leg of a locking element.
23. The system as claimed in anyone of claims 14 to 22 wherein the filling station is configured to deliver a filler material into the gap between the two lengths of casing material.
24. A composite building element manufactured according to the method as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 12.
25. A composite building element manufactured using a system as claimed in anyone of claims 13 to 23.
26. A composite building element as substantially described herein with reference to the best modes section of the attached specification and accompanying drawings.
27. A method of manufacturing a composite building element as substantially described herein with reference to the best modes section of attached specification and accompanying drawings.