Christie suspension

Design Features

The Christie drive differed from conventional designs through the large, disc-shaped double castors and the lack of separate supporting roles for the overhead chain strand. The guide teeth of the chains were located in the gap between the rollers. The rollers were coated with rubber to reduce wear.

To improve the suspension when traveling on the ground, the vertical movement of Christie changed independently suspended wheels by an L -shaped lever in a horizontal motion. Thus, longer springs with a relatively long suspension travel could be built that would have found no place for vertical installation. Thus, the tank received an excellent off-road capability.

A special feature of the original Christie drive was the ability to remove the chains for the ride on roads and to drive directly to the big wheels. This should reach and speed increases and the wear are reduced ( with chains reached - but only lightly armored - Demonstration vehicle 64 km / h, on the other hand wheels 113 km / h ). Due to the time-consuming conversion, which was out of all proportion to the benefits, and the elaborate production this possibility was abandoned on later models again.

Practical use

1928 Christie led the U.S. Army before his vehicle. The United States acquired five prototypes, but could not ultimately decide to purchase the vehicle, officially for reasons of cost. Poland also ordered two vehicles, canceled the order but later again.

In 1931, the Soviet Union acquired two chassis without a tower. With the support of the American designers, the Soviets Christies improved design and used them in their license for light tank BT - series that could still go either with or without chains. Also the drive of the famous T-34 was based on Christie's principle, but now without the ability to ride on wheels and with an angle built, almost vertical coil springs. Also for future Soviet tank models such as the T-54 and its successors were the big rollers typical, but now with torsion bar suspension.

Great Britain followed closely the experience of the Soviets and used the Christie principle eventually for their own cruiser tanks, including the following types:

  • A 13 / Mk III
  • Covenanter
  • Crusader
  • Cromwell
  • Comet

In so-called box drives, such as the panther and the tiger, or even the drive of the Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t ) is, despite the similar appearance not to Christie drives.

J. Walter Christie Continuous track Velocity T-54/55 Covenanter tank
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