CA1222403A - Weapon system - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A weapon system including a main gun using link fed ammunition and a co-axially mounted machine gun mounted in a turret rotatably positionable in an armored vehicle.
The spent links for the main gun and the spent machine gun links and brass are ejected through the trunnion bearing on which the rotor for the main gun rotates and into a compartment which communicates with the exterior of the vehicle. The linked ammunition for the main gun is stored in a rectangular shaped ammunition box positioned dia-metrically in the turret basket. The manual trigger and main gun elevation assembly includes a mechanical connection between the trigger and the trigger switch which does not rotate with the trigger and handwheel. The link eject chutes for the main gun, which can be a dual fed 25 milli-meter gun, include guide strips for guiding the tab members of the links through the chute channels and thereby pre-venting jamming.

Description

This is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 43~,962 filed October 28, 1983 FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present in~ention relates to a weapon system for an armored vehicle turre The invention further relates to a~munition storage hoxes, feeding means and spent link ejecting chutes for the ammuni~ion for such a system, as well as handle elevation and tri~ger assemblies for the main gun.
More particularly, it relates to a weapon station mounted ~n a two man turret which includes an M242 25 millimeter cannon and an ~240 7.62 Coax machine gun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior art, there have been developed an~ used various types o~ armored vehicles having rotatable turrets with guns mounted thereon. Problems have developed though in that ~he ammunition ha ~ot been s~ored in such a m~nner that it could freely feed to the main gun without gettiny bunched and jammed. Further, after the guns had been fired and the brass ejected, no suitable means had been developed for moving the spent links in a free flowing manner away from the gun to a discharge means. This is particularly important since when the ejected links jam the gun quits firing. In the past, it was also the common practice to collect the spent links within the armored vehicle despi~e the fact that they occupy valua~le vehicle space.
It was also the practice to have the main storage box for the link fed ammunition for the m~in gun be configured in an arcuate shape along part of the circumference of the basket platform. Tha linked ammunition would be stored in this box in a layered manner. However, these stored links would then have a fan like configuration, which would tend to become intermeshed and entangled particularly as the vehicle traversed rough terrain. When tan~led the linked ammunition could not be fed continuously to the gun and the gun would stop firing until the ammunition was straightened out.
A serious previously-unsolved problem was caused by the link eject means. The links have quide tabs, as more )3 fully described later, which travel in channels in the arcuate shaped link eject chutes. The sharp edges of the guide tabs would cut into the channels as the links traveled around the curved portions thereby jamming the links in the eject chutes and shutting the gun down.
In the past the manual elevation and trigger assembly for the weapon system included a handwheel rotatable by a handle positioned to the left of the gunner. The rotating handwheel activated through a gear box the pump for the f luid actuated cylinder drive means which then elevated the gun, The trigger button was ac~ivated by the yunner's left thumb and had a direct electrical contact through rotating electrical brushes in the rotating handwheel to the firing mechanism. The bxushes would tend to wear, necessitating in-field replacement. This was a complicate~
and expensive arrangemPnt.
I~ the past, it should also be noted that no light armored turre~ had been developed to successfully carry an M242 weapon station, consisting of an M242 25 millimeter a.utom~tic cannon and an M240 7.62 Coa~ machine gun. The present invent:ion is the first such light armored turre~
with such a weapon station.

SU~MA~Y OP rL'HE ~NVENTION
Accordingly, it is the principal o~ject of the present invention to provide improvements related to weapon systems for a rotatable turret.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved lin~ ejection chute which allows the ejection links to flow freely out of the gun without being jammed.
Hence, -the invention of the present divisional in one aspect provides for ammuni-tion links, each link having a generally cylindrical shape, including an outer cylinder surface and two opposing ends, opposing guide tab members protruding longitudinall~
from the ends and having raised portions raised ~rom the cylindrical surface, and a connecting means for removably connecting adjacent links positioned so that their longitudinal axis are generally parallel, a guide chute for guiding these lin~s after the ammunition rounds have been fired and the brass ejected therefrom comprising: a pair of spaced opposed elongated U-shaped channels in which the tab members slide, said elongated channels defining an elongated arc shape having a center of curvature, a spacing means for maintaining said channels in fixed spaced relation, and a guiding means associated with said channels engaging the raised portions of the guide tab members when the tab members are positioned in said channels and guiding the tab members toward said center of curvature.
Preferably the guiding means comprises a pair of arcuate shaped members attached to the spacing means and positioned so ~2~

that the surface of the members contactiny the raised surface of the links is positioned closer to the center than is the outerrnost member of the U-shaped channel.
The spacing means may include a first arcuate shaped member extending between and attached to the outer surfaces of said channels, a pair of parallel side walls positioned perpendicular to said first arcuate shaped mernber and attached -to the outer surfaces of said channels, and a second wall attached to said side walls and positioned spaced from and generally parallel to said first member, said first and second members and said side walls defining a passageway through which the links can travel.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

~2~ 3 THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention shown mounted in an armored vehicle.
Figure 2 is a right side view of the turret and depending basket assembly of Figure 1 ha~i~g portions thereo~ partially broken away.
Figure 3 is a fron~ elevational view of the turret and basket assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the turret and basket assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a rear elevational view thereof illustr~ting the ammunition eject assembly. .
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the turret ~f Figure 1 illustratlns the gun mounting means in an exploded view.
Figure g is an enlarged per~pective ~iew of the rotor end cap and link eject compartment of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevational ~iew of the upper am-munition eject chute of Fiyure 3 and illustrated in isolation.
Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the lower am-muni~ion eject chute of F~gure 3 illu~trated in isola~ion.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the eject chute of Figure 9 illustrating the travel path of the eject links.

t~3 Figure 12 is an elevation~l view of the eject links in linked form with the ammunition rounds and brass illustrated in phantom lines.
Figure 13 is a cross sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Figure 12.
Fiyure 14 is a perspective view illustrating the am-munition box of Figure 2.
- Figure 1~ is a perspectiYe view illustrating in isolation the weapon propellant gas collection ba~ for the weapon system of Figure 2.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of the elevation hand-wheel and trigger assembly and gear box assembly of Figure 2 illustrating the parts in exploded relation.
Figure 17 is a side eleva~ional view of the handwheel and trigger assembly of Figure 16 illustrating the movement of the parts in phan~om lines.

v~

DESCRIPTION OF THE P~EF~RRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated an embodiment of the present invention. Generally, this embodiment includes an armored vehicle 30, as shown in Figure 1 (other types of carriers may be used though including the General Motors 8 x ~), a turre~ shown generally at 32 supported on a large diameter bearing mounted on a roof portion of vehicle 30, a basket assembly shown generally at 34 secured to, by bolts or similar means, and depending from the turret, and a rotor mounting assembly shown generally at 36 mounted to the turret. A main gun 38 and a machine gun 40 are attached to the rotor mounting assembly. ~eed chutes shown at 42 Xeed ammunition from the ammunition storage box 44 to the main gun 38. Th~ ammunition storage box is positioned on the floor 45 of the basket as~embly 34. Link ejection chutes shown generally at 46 guide the ejected ammunition links from main gun 38 through rotor mounting assembly 36 into compartment 48, which opens to the exterior of the vehicle~ The linked ammunition for machine gun 40 is ed by machine gun feed chutes 50 from machine gun ~mmunition storage box 52 positioned in turret 32 to the machine gun. The present turret and basket assembly is a two man turret and a commander's station shown generally at 54 is positioned on th~ right side of ammunition storage box 44 and the sunner's station shown generally 56 is positioned on the left side. And the el~vation handwheel and auxiliary trigger assembly shown generally at 58 is positioned on the ri~ht side of the gunner station 56.

,, ~2~ 3 Referring to Figure 7, rotor mounting assembly 36 is best illustrated. Assembly 36 includes a main rotor 64 journaled in the side of turret 32 on one side by spindle bearing 66 and in a large diameter trunnion bearing 68 in bearing retainer sl-pport 70. Bearing retainer support 70 i6 bolted to rotor 64. Thùs, as hydraulic cylinder means 74 which is pivotally attached at opposite ends to the rot~r mounting asse~bly and to the turret extends and retracts, rotor 64 is caused to rotate in spindle bearing 66 and trunnion bearing 68 about horizontal ~xis 76. It should be noted that the use of spindle bearing ~6 provides m~re room for ammunition feed chutes 42 than would a trunnion bearing, for example. The main gun 38 in the preferred embodiment is an M242 25 millimeter cannon which is secured to rotsr mantlet 54 by connection plate 7~ Machine gun 40 is co-axially mounted at a 45 degree angle through cylindrical opening 80 in rotor mantlet 64.
Referring to Figure 8, it is seen that rstor end cap 82 which is attached to the end of main rotor 64 and rotatab~e therewith has four openings. The upper opening 84 is the ejection link opening for the armor piercing ammunition links, the lower opening 86 is for the high explosive li~s, the upper right opening 88 is the openiny for the exhaust blower and the large lower right opening 92 i5 the opening for the ejected links and brass for machine gun 40. ~s best shown in Fiqure 8, the links, brass and propellant gases are ejected into com-partment 48. This compartment, as shown in Figure 7~ opens to the exterior of the vehicle. Along the lower outPr portion of the compartment is a slot 94 out of which th`e discharged -.L~ 313 links pass through. In one em~odi~ent of the invention ~nd as best shown in Figure B, a cloor 96 attached to the turret by hinges 98 is forced open when spent links and brass ~ccumulate in compartment 48. Suitable springs can be provided to hold door 96 shut. The compartment and door, if used, are confi~ured to best deflect enemy fire as well as to pr~vent enemy fire from entering through the rotor end cap openings.
Ammunition storage box 44 is mounted diametrically on floor 45 and is generally aligned with gun 38. However, as shown in Figure 3, main gun 38 is mounted ~lightly off center, the center line being shown at 1~4, and towards compartment 40.
This allows for shor~er link ejection chutes 46, thereby minimizing link ejectisn jamming in ~hese chutes, as does the inclusion of previously-discussed compartment 48~ Referring to Figures 15 and 16, the linked 25 millimeter ammunition is best illustrated. The rounds and brass, shown in phantom lines at 106, are carried in lin~s 108, which become disconnect~d after firing and when deposited in the compartment. Prior tv firing, the links with the 25 millimeter rounds held therein are stored in the ammunition box 44 in a layered manner as shown by dotted lines and circles 110. Small ramps can be positioned in the bottom of ammuni~ion box 44 and hold the ends of rounds 106 up so that the lirlks are maintain~d in a level fashion.
Gun 38 is a dual fed g~n capable of handling either high explosive ammunition shown at 112 or armor piercing ammunition shown at 114. A selection means connected to the gun is positioned in both the operator's station 54 and the gunner stations 56 for selecting the desired ammunition. Ammunition stora~e box 44, as best shown in Figure 2, is separated into two compartments shown generally at 116 for the rear portion and the -z'~
forward co~partment portion at 118. Armor piercing ammunition 114 is stored in forward compartment portion 118 and high explosive ammunition 112 is stored in the rear compartment portion 116. The two compartments are separated by wall 120.
Rear compartment 116 is further divided into two areas 122 and 124 which are separated by baffle 126. As illustrated in Figure 2, the explosive ammunition 112 is fed from the rear area 1~2 first and when ~hat area has been emptied then the am-munition feeds from front srea 124. High explosive round manual forwarder 128 feeds ~he ammunition from the storage box up through high explosive ammunition flexible chute 130 to g~n 38.
The high explosive round forwarder 128 is mounted on ammunition storage box 44. A similar forwarder for the armor piercing ammunition shown at 132 is also mounted on ammunition storage box 44, as shown in Figure 14. Forwarder 132 initially feeds the armor piexcing rounds ~p through ar~or piercing flexi~le chute 134 to the gun. As the gun fires the links are auto-matically pulled up. Each of the forwarders has forwarder sprockets which engage the ammunition rounds and turn freely while the gun is firing.
Ammunition storage box 44, as previously' mentioned, is diametrically disposed in the basket and as shown i~ Figure

2 is positioned over slip ring asse~bly shown generally at 140. Slip ring assembly 140 comprises a novel flattened pancake-like shape and provides the connection between the vehicle 30 and the basket assembly 34 for the electrical, hy-draulic and pneumatic power lines. More particularly, the power connections are shown at 142, the communication con-nections at 144 and the NBC connec~ion at 146. The electric motor and pump assembly 148 .is posi~ioned at a forward location of basket assembly 34 on bas]cet floor 45 adjacent ammunition box 44. However, another embodiment of the present invention, as best illustrated in Figure 6, includes the electric motor and pump assembly 152 mounted on top of the reservoir 154 and positioned at the front of basket assembly 34.
The machine gun ammunition links 160 are fed out of the compartments in machine gun ammunition storage box 52 initially by forwarder sprockets through feed chute 50 to machine gun ~0.
In the preferred embodiment machine gun ammunition box 52 is mounted in turre~ 32~ as illustrated in Figure 3, ~enerally to the right main gun 38. The machine gun feed chute 50 then travels a path beneath the main ~un to the machine gun. Another emmbodiment of the present invention positions the machine gun storage box generally below the machine gun.
As previously mentioned, link ejection chutes 46 eject the still-connected links from the main gun to compart~ent 48.
The brass having been ejected forward out of brass opening 16B, best shown in Figure 7, in the main gun. ~w~ ejection chutes are provided for the present dual ~eed gun--an upper armor piercing link discharge chute 172 as shown in isolation in Figure 11, and a lower high explosive link discharge chute as shown in isolati.on at 174 in Figure 12. As previously mentioned and especially with the M242 25 millimeter gun, the link chutes have proven ~o be the Achilles heel for the entir weapon system.
This is because the links tended to jam in the chutes thereby shutting the gun down. Referring to Figure 13 is is seen that each link has a cylindrical port~on 178 and a smaller cylindrical l~Z~33 connection portion 180 attached thereto~ The cylindrical connection portion 180 attached thereto. The cylindrical portion 178 has a cylindrical surface 182 and ends 184 and 186.
Guide tabs 188 and 190 are attached to ends 184 and 186 respectiv21y~ Not only do these tabs protrude from the ends but they also have raised portions 192 and 194 respectively raised from cylindrical surface 182 and generally adjacent ends 184 and 186 respectively. Ribs 196 and 198 also pr~trude from cylindrical surface 182. Guide tabs 188 and 190 are provided to ride in channels 200 and 202 of the guide chute, as best shown in Figure 11~ Th~se channels are generally U-shaped and have outer surfaces 204, inner surfaces 206 and end surfaces 208.
The guide tabs have rough or cutting edges which tend to dig into channels 200 and 202 when the links round a bend in the link chutes, thereby jamming the links in the chutes. Ideally, the tabs would not become jammed i~ the channels if the lin~
chutes were straight but due to the design configurations of the turret mounted weapon systems it is necessary that the chutes ~e curYed. ~he chutes als~ have upper skins 210, side panels 212, and lower skins 214. These upper and lower skins and side panels define a generally rectangular passageway for the links, as shown in Fi~ure 11. Attachment clips 216 and 218 are mounted to the sides of channels 200 and ~02 respectively and are attached to corresponding female members on the main gun.
The present invention provides for guide strips 220 and 222 secured adjacent outer surface 204 and to the inner surface of the upper skin 210. These guide strips have a width greater than the outer surfaces whereby the inner surfaces, as shown at 224 and 226, of guide strips 2~0 and 222 extend urther toward the center of the chutes than do upper surfaces 204.

Inner c~ulde strip surfaces 224 and 226 engage raised portions 1g2 and 194, respec~ively~ of ~he t~bs ~nd thereby prevent the edges of the tabs from ensaging and jamming into upper channel surface 204. The links may then flow freely through ~he chutes into thP compartment. The guide strips need not extend the entire length of the chutes but can end once the links have rounded the arc portion as shown at 228 in Figures 9 and 10.
Using the s~me general principal for guiding the links in th chutes, ~he guide strips could alternatively be configl~xed and positioned so that they engage the rib portions 196 and 198.
Manual ele~ation and trigger assembly 58 is best shown in Figures 16 and 17. Referring thereto, it is seen that the handwheel and trigger assembly performs two functions by manually elevatin~ the main gun and manually firing that gun.
As the handle 230 is turned the gears and gear box a~sembly 232 are turned thereby activatin~ pump 233 which pressurizes hy-draulic cylinder means 74. When the ~rig~er button 234 attached to handle 230 is depressed the gun fires. The operation of the firing mechanism is best illustrated in Figure 17. Referring thereto it is seen that the trigger button 234 is depressed against spring 236 and plunger 238 extending throu~h handle 230 pivots yoke 240 about yoke piYot polnt 242. Switch plate 244 is thereby driven forward causing the switch ~45 of manual fire switch 248 to depress and activate the gun's firing mechanism (not shown~. The switch 246 is ~hown to have 2 rollex 250 attached to its end which rides on switch plate 244. This simplified opexation provides that when the trigger button is pressed the gun fires and when the button is relaased the firing stsps and the sprin~s 236 and switch plate spring 252 return the )3 compone~ts to their origin~l positior-.
Thus lt is seen that the present invention for a novel weapon station provides for links of s-tored high explosi~te ammunition or, alternatively, armor piercing ammunition ~o be smoothly fed rom the novel ~torage box to the main gun~ the brass ejected out through the gun and the spent links fluidly ejected into a compartment adjacent the gun and then out to the exteriox of the vehicle. The link fed ammunition for the machine gun also feeds smoothly and without jamming from the machine gun s~orage box to the machine gun and then the spent links and brass are ejected out through the rotor end cap into the compartment and th n to the exterior of the vehicle. Any propellant gases ejected from either the main gun or the machine gun are collected in the flexible boot 254 and which has an opening 256 for ammunition chutes 42 and an opening 258 for machine gun chute 50 as shown in Figure lS, and ejected by the blower 260 into the compartment and out to the exterior of the vehicle. The present turret assembly can also be equipped wi~h two four barrel grenade launchers shown at 262 and 264. The design of the interior of the basket assembly pro~ides for two well designed stations for the commander and the gunner and the novel trigger mechanism for the gunner is conveniently located on his right side.
From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a numSer of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. ~owever, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof and as limited solely by the appended ~laims.

Claims

I claim: -

1. A guide chute for guiding ammunition links after the ammunition rounds have been fired and the brass ejected therefrom, each link having a generally cylindrical shape, including an outer cylinder surface and two opposing ends, opposing guide tab members protruding longitudinally from the ends and having raised portions raised from the cylindrical surface, and a connecting means for removably connecting adjacent links positioned so that their longitudinal axis are generally parallel, said guide chute having a generally rectangular passageway for said links defined by an upper skin, a lower skin and a pair of laterally spaced side panels, a pair of spaced opposed elongated W-shaped channels formed in said pair of side panels in which the tab members slide, said pair of elongated U-shaped channels defining an elongated arc shape having a center of curvature, each of said pair of U-shaped channels being defined by a vertical end surface and upper and lower inner surfaces, said guide strip means comprising a pair of arcuate shaped members depending from and attached to said upper skin so that the contact surface of each of said guide strip contacting the raised portions of the links is positioned below the plane of upper skin and closer to the center of the guide chute than is the upper inner surface of said associated U-shaped channel.