The Three Main Functions of The Roll Cage
1. Support the drivers cut-out area
The immense loaded mass and the ground generated shock wave will put enormous strain on our car’s mainframe. It’s 16 metre length will also compound this stress on our structure. The cut-out for the drivers cockpit has severly weakened the integrity of our mainframe and would try and bend the car at its weakest point, where the drivers sits. It will literally try and bend the car in half, where the driver is seated. For this reason the top horizontal tubes of our cage are made of 45mm x 10mm hollow bar, these are also welded to horizontal channel members running alongside these and tie the front and back driver’s bulkheads together via welding and stitch welding to the mainframe sides.
2. Dampen the effects of blurred vision
Dampen the effects of blurred vision the driver will almost certainly experience because of Aussie Invader 5R running on solid wheels, with no tyres and very limited suspension. The acoustic vibrations generated by our rocket engine will be tremendous and with only a rubber-mounted seat to absorb and minimise this shaking effect. The design of our roll cage and its strategic fixing points to our mainframe, will hopefully also help to reduce the tremendous, anticipated vibration.
3. The roll cage will support the following:
- Six point – 3” safety belt
- Aussie made and FIA approved driver’s seat
- Helmet restraints
- Air breathing equipment for the driver
- An on-board fire system
- Hydraulic steering pump
- Brake master and pedal assembly
- Rocket motor firing and shutdown systems
- Rocket motor throttle controls
- All instrumentation
- Parachute deployment controls
* drawing courtesy of LF Performance