AU2019375544A1 - Weapon assembly and turret comprising such an assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a weapon assembly (1) and a turret (100) comprising such an assembly, said assembly comprising an oscillating mass which pivots in elevation relative to a mount (3) and thus comprises journals (2) intended to interface with a turret (100). The oscillating mass incorporates a recoiling mass which translates relative to the journals (2) during firing. The weapon assembly (1) is such that the journals (2) are located behind the centre of gravity of the recoiling mass and a counterweight (7) is intended to longitudinally counterbalance the weight of the recoiling mass (5) at rest so as to place the centre of gravity of the oscillating mass (10) at the journals (2). Said weapon assembly is characterised in that at least one journal (2) is rigidly connected to a first end of an arm (6) which is therefore rigidly connected to the oscillating mass, the arm (6) comprising the counterweight (7) at the second end thereof, the counterweight (7) comprising at least one ballistic armour plate (7a) and/or at least one functional means consisting of a sight (7b) and/or a secondary weapon (7e).

Description

WEAPON ASSEMBLY AND TURRET COMPRISING SUCH AN ASSEMBLY

The technical field of the invention is that of weapon assemblies

for military vehicles and turrets comprising such assemblies.

Conventional weapon assemblies on tank turrets comprise

trunnions serving as pivot points in elevation for the weapon.

In order to limit the forces for aiming in elevation the weapon,

it is known to position the trunnions longitudinally at the

center of gravity of the oscillating mass of the weapon.

Such an assembly on a turret requires, during firing, having a

clearance in the central part of the turret located below the

turret's plane of rotation in relative bearing so that the aiming

and the recoil of the weapon can occur up to this plane without

interference. This clearance is conventionally formed by a

turret well penetrating the chassis of the vehicle, as shown in

patent US4838144.

This type of turret well is cumbersome and constitutes an area

of vulnerability for the vehicle, which is obligated to comprise

a significant opening at the chassis in order to be able to

receive the turret basket.

Also known from patent FR390931 is a weapon system of the field

artillery type in which the oscillating mass incorporates a

cradle which ensures guiding of the recoiling mass and which

carries, at its end, a counterweight making it possible to

balance the mass of the barrel during the highest aiming. This

device is not suitable for a weapon assembly on a turret.

The invention proposes to solve this problem of bulk and of

vulnerability.

Advantageously, the invention also solves a problem of

accessibility in the superstructure through the turret, which,

according to the prior art, is made difficult by the presence of

the breech of the weapon.

The invention thus relates to a weapon assembly comprising an

oscillating mass which pivots in elevation relative to a

carriage, to allow the aiming, and thus comprises trunnions

intended to interface with a tank turret, the oscillating mass

also incorporating a recoiling mass which translates relative to

the trunnions during firing, the recoiling mass in particular

comprising a weapon, in which weapon assembly the trunnions are

located behind the center of gravity of the recoiling mass and

in that a counterweight is intended to longitudinally

counterbalance the weight of the recoiling mass at rest so as to

place the center of gravity of the oscillating mass at the

trunnions, which weapon assembly is characterized in that at

least one trunnion is secured to a first end of an arm which is

therefore secured to the oscillating mass, the arm carrying the

counterweight at its second end, the counterweight comprising at

least one ballistic armor plate and/or at least one functional

means consisting of a sight and/or of a secondary weapon.

Advantageously, the assembly comprises two arms located on

either side of the oscillating mass, each arm carrying a

counterweight.

According to one particular embodiment, the secondary weapon may

include a grenade launcher.

According to another embodiment, the secondary weapon may

include a medium-caliber machine gun.

The invention also relates to a turret for a military vehicle,

able to pivot in relative bearing about a rolling bearing

separating the turret from the vehicle and defining a mounting plane, which turret is characterized in that it comprises a weapon assembly according to one of the preceding characteristics, in which assembly the distance D between the trunnions and the center of gravity of the recoiling mass for a given height of the mounting plane is chosen such that when the oscillating mass is at its maximum elevation and the recoiling mass is at its maximum recoil, the recoiling mass is located above the mounting plane.

The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, done in light of the appended drawings, in which drawings:

[Fig. 1]: three-quarters front view of a turret according to the invention;

[Fig. 2]: three-quarters front view of a weapon assembly according to the invention;

[Fig. 3]: side schematic view of a turret and of a weapon assembly according to the invention and according to a first aiming configuration;

[Fig. 4]: side schematic view of a turret and of a weapon assembly according to the invention and according to a second aiming configuration;

[Fig. 5]: three-quarters front view of a turret according to the invention with personnel on board.

According to figure 1, a tank turret 100 comprises a weapon assembly 1. The weapon assembly 1 comprises trunnions 2 (which will be better visible in figure 2), which are secured to the turret 100 at a carriage 3 secured to the shell 4 of the turret 100.

The weapon assembly 1 comprises a large-caliber weapon 5a

(caliber greater than 40 mm) secured to the assembly 1 at

trunnions which constitute axes 2 for pivoting in elevation for

the oscillating mass 10 carrying the weapon 5a.

In a conventional manner well known by the Person Skilled in the

Art, oscillating mass 10 refers to all elements of the weapon

assembly 1 which pivot in elevation about the trunnions 2.

Recoiling mass 5 refers to all elements of the weapon assembly

1 which recoil during firing.

More specifically, an oscillating mass 10 in particular

comprises the recoiling mass 5 and the cradle which receives and

guides the latter during the recoil.

A recoiling mass 5 in particular comprises the weapon 5a itself

with its barrel and its breech 8 and the part of the recoil

brakes (not shown) which accompanies the recoil (the stationary

part of the brakes remains connected to the cradle).

Each trunnion 2 is secured to a first end of an arm 6 located on

either side of the oscillating mass 10. The second end of each

arm 6 comprises a counterweight 7.

Each counterweight 7 here comprises an armor plate 7a which is

substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the

recoiling mass 5 of the weapon 5a so as to ballistically protect

the parts of the turret 100 which are located behind these plates

7a. The counterweights may advantageously comprise functional

means of the turret, that is to say, means performing an

operational function other than that of the counterweight, for

example, target acquisition equipment (sights, designators) or

defense equipment (secondary weapons, small turrets, close

defense systems, etc.).

A first counterweight 7 located to the right of the recoiling mass 5 for example comprises a sight 7b, while a second counterweight 7 here comprises a secondary weapon 7e which comprises a grenade launcher 7c as well as a medium-caliber machine gun 7d. The weapon assembly 1 alone with the recoiling mass 5 of the weapon 5a and its counterweights 7 is better visible in figure 2.

As visible in figure 3, the counterweights 7 formed by the armor plates and the various equipment items serve, owing to the position of their center of gravity T, to counterbalance the weight of the recoiling mass 5 which is exerted at its center of gravity G, by placing the center of gravity I of the oscillating mass 10 of the weapon assembly 1 at the trunnions 2. In this way, the forces for aiming in elevation the weapon 5 are minimal.

In order to dimension the counterweights 7 and the distance relative to the trunnions, the Person Skilled in the Art needs to know the distance D of the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass 5 relative to the trunnions 2.

This evaluation is conventionally done today using computer assisted design means.

It is understood that according to the invention, the position of the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass is located in front of the trunnions 2 and creates an imbalance leading to pivoting of the oscillating mass 10 about the trunnions 2. The center of gravity of the part of the oscillating mass 10 which does not incorporate the recoiling mass 5 has a fixed location and it depends in particular on the significance of the imbalance formed by the counterweight 7.

It is easy by computer-assisted design to determine the magnitude of the counterweights to be placed (mass of the counterweight 7 and length of the arm 6) in order to offset a given advance G of the center of gravity of the recoiling mass 5 relative to the axis of the trunnions 2.

Indeed, according to the invention, in order to prevent the recoiling mass 5 from intruding below the mounting plane 101, the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass 5 will first be advanced by proceeding as follows:

For this purpose, like in figure 4, for a given height H of the trunnions 2 relative to the mounting plane 101, the Person Skilled in the Art places the recoiling mass 5 of the weapon 5a at its maximum recoil R and also orients the oscillating mass 10

at its maximum elevation a such that the breech 8 is located above the mounting plane 101 of the weapon assembly 1.

By allowing the weapon to return to the in battery position, the Person Skilled in the Art therefore obtains what the position of the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass 5 at rest must be relative to the trunnions 2.

Such a forward position relative to the trunnions 2 means that during firing at maximum power, the maximum recoil of the recoiling mass 5 places the end of travel of the breech 8 also significantly further forward and close to the trunnions 2 compared to a weapon according to the prior art, the center of gravity of the recoiling mass 5 of which coincides with the trunnions 2 when it is at rest.

Owing to this offset of the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass 5 of the weapon in the forward direction, it is possible not to equip the turret with a turret well and the chassis of the vehicle will not need to comprise a vulnerable opening.

Based on the position of the center of gravity G of the recoiling mass 5 that he will have chosen relative to the trunnions 2, the Person Skilled in the Art will also need only position the center of gravity of the counterweights and choose their mass in order to counterbalance the imbalance created by the recoiling mass 5 and thus position the center of gravity of the oscillating mass

10 at the trunnions 2. The operating mode has been described

previously and will involve computer-assisted design tools.

This positioning of the center of gravity of the oscillating

mass 10 at the trunnions 2 is of course effective when the

recoiling mass 5 is at rest.

Advantageously, moving the recoiling mass 5 in the forward

direction AV clears space behind the breech 8, which is favorable

for example for the passage of a crew member 102 during

maintenance operations or for the evacuation of the vehicle, as

visible in figure 5.

It has been shown that the counterweight 7 can incorporate at

least one functional means, such as a secondary weapon 7d. This

weapon may comprise its own means for aiming in elevation to

allow firing with an orientation different from that of the

recoiling mass 5.

When the functional means is made up of a sight 7b, it may also

be associated with means allowing the orientation of the sight

independently of that of the recoiling mass 5.

Claims (5)

1. A weapon assembly (1) comprising an oscillating mass (10) which pivots in elevation relative to a carriage (3), to allow the aiming, and thus comprises trunnions (2) intended to interface with a tank turret (100), the oscillating mass (10) also incorporating a recoiling mass (5) which translates relative to the trunnions (2) during firing, the recoiling mass (5) in particular comprising a weapon (5a), in which weapon assembly (1) the trunnions (2) are located behind the center of gravity (G) of the recoiling mass (5) and in that a counterweight (7) is intended to longitudinally counterbalance the weight of the recoiling mass (5) at rest so as to place the center of gravity of the oscillating mass (10) at the trunnions (2), which weapon assembly is characterized in that at least one trunnion (2) is secured to a first end of an arm (6) which is therefore secured to the oscillating mass (10), the arm (6) carrying the counterweight (7) at its second end, the counterweight (7) comprising at least one ballistic armor plate (7a) and/or at least one functional means consisting of a sight (7b) and/or of a secondary weapon (7e).

2. The weapon assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two arms (6) located on either side of the oscillating mass (10), each arm (6) carrying a counterweight (7).

3. The weapon assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the secondary weapon (7e) comprises a grenade launcher (7c).

4. The weapon assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the secondary weapon (7e) comprises a medium-caliber machine gun (7d).

5. A turret (100) for a military vehicle, able to pivot in relative bearing about a rolling bearing separating the turret (100) from the vehicle and defining a mounting plane (101), which turret (100) is characterized in that it comprises a weapon assembly (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which assembly (1) the distance D between the trunnions (2) and the center of gravity (G) of the recoiling mass (5) for a given height (H) of the mounting plane (101) is chosen such that when the oscillating mass (10) is at its maximum elevation and the recoiling mass (5) is at its maximum recoil, the recoiling mass (5) is located above the mounting plane (101).