GB633866A - Improvements in and relating to gun aiming mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

633,866. Gun aiming mechanism. LANDUCCI, F. A., NICHOLLS, K. H., and LEES, D. M. Feb. 26, 1948, No. 5722. [Classes 92 (i) and 92 (ii)] Means for aiming guns on unstable platforms comprises a mounting with elevating and training means 18, 19 under power control and a gun 9 on the mounting itself capable of universal movement under power control, the gun and mounting being stabilized. by a gyroscope 4 on the mounting which operates the power controls 16, 21 and has precessing torques applied to it by a joy-stick 23 to move a line of sight 15 (optical, radar or searchlight) to follow a target and apply to the gun by power means 12, 14 angular deflection in training and elevation to aim at a future target position. As shown, an optical telescope 7 and the gun 9 are carried by the same stabilized mounting, but the sight and gyroscope, together with a dummy gun, can be mounted separately for control of a distant gun actuated from the dummy gun. The movements about axes C, D of the gimbal frames of the gyroscope 4 spinning about axis S are conveyed by linkages 22, 17 respectively, to servo control valves 21, 16 for the motors 19, 18, connections 7B, 71 to the universally-mounted telescope 7 being provided to eliminate lag. The precessing torques applied to the gyroscope through joy-stick 23 operate through frames 24, 28 on torsion springs 26, 30 and the angles of precession, which are proportional to the angular velocities of the sight line movement in following the target, are conveyed to the gimbal-mounted gun through linkage 34, 37, hydraulic power cylinders 12, 14 and frames 12A, 14A, the time of flight being introduced through handle 41 acting through nuts 43, 42, slotted links 46, 44 and bell-cranks 47, 45 on calculators 48, 49 connected to differential gears 35, 38.