DE29620334U1 - Locking device on a receiving tube for storing propellant charges for artillery shells - Google Patents

Description

dipping. P.-C. SROKA, dr. H. FEDER, dipl.-phys. dr. W.-D. FEDER

PATENT ATTORNEYS & EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS

PO BOX 11 IO 38 D-4O51O DÜSSELDORF

DOMIN1KANERSTR. 37 D-4O545 DÜSSELDORF

TELEPHONE (02 11) 55 34 02 TELEX &thgr; 584 550 FAX (O2 11) 57 O3 16

2 1. Ol. tgfi

¹⁰³⁰ WF/Bl Our file 96-20-79 10

Wegmann & Co. GmbH, August-Bode-Straße 1, 34127 Kassel

Locking device on a receiving tube for storing propellant charges for artillery shells

The present application relates to a locking device on a receiving tube for storing propellant charges for artillery shells.

Propellant charges for artillery shells generally consist of cylindrical modules, of which several are put together to form a cylindrical body and placed in a receiving tube. Such receiving tubes are, for example, located together with the projectile magazines in the interior of self-propelled howitzers. When firing, one or more of these modules are removed, which means that the receiving tubes often contain residual propellant charges whose length is less than the length of the receiving tube. These residual propellant charges are pushed back and forth during each acceleration and braking phase of the transport and can be damaged in the process. ...

The invention is based on the object of creating a locking device, in particular for residual propellant charges, by means of which their longitudinal movements in the receiving tube are prevented during transport. The locking device should be able to be operated with one hand due to the limited space and the locking device should be usable for fully coated receiving tubes, but also for longitudinally split or longitudinally slotted receiving tubes.

This object is achieved according to the invention with the features from the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are described in the subclaims.

The basic idea of the invention is to create a locking element that can be inserted into a receiving tube with one hand, which is pushed into the receiving tube up to just before the propellant charge or the propellant charge residue and is then secured there by clamping it with the inner wall of the tube or segments thereof. In this way, any longitudinal movement of the propellant charge residue in the receiving tube is prevented. By using a toggle lever to actuate the clamping segments, particularly simple operation is achieved by pushing the clamping lever inwards after insertion until it hits a stop just behind its dead center position. The locking element is thus secured in the clamped position. When the toggle lever is pulled back, the clamping segments are released from the inner wall of the tube.

96-20-79

inner wall and the locking member can be pulled out of the receiving tube.

In the following, an embodiment of a locking device according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawings show:

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a receiving tube with a residual propellant charge and inserted locking member;

Fig. 2 shows the locking element in a partially sectioned view from the insertion side, enlarged compared to Fig. 1; 20

Fig. 3 is a section along the line A-A in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a receiving tube 1, which can be arranged together with other receiving tubes in a vehicle not shown or inside a self-propelled howitzer. In the receiving tube 1 there is a residual propellant charge 2, which is to be locked in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the receiving tube 1. For this purpose, a locking member AG is inserted into the receiving tube 1 until it rests against the residual propellant charge 2 and is then secured to the inner wall of the tube.

The structure of this locking element AG is explained below using Fig. 2 and 3.

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The locking member AG has a base body 3, the dimension of which in the transverse direction to the longitudinal axis L of the receiving tube 1 is selected so that a predetermined distance remains from the inner wall of the pipe. Clamping segments 4 that can be pivoted outwards about pivot axes 4.1 are arranged on the base body 3, specifically on the side of the base body that faces outwards in the inserted state (Fig. 1). The clamping segments 4 are designed as circular arc sections on the side facing the inner wall of the pipe and have a support 7 on their outside made of a highly elastic material with a high coefficient of friction.

The two clamping segments 4 are arranged diametrically opposite each other to the pipe axis and are connected to each other via a toggle lever, designated overall with reference number 5.

The two legs 5.1 and 5.2 of the toggle lever are connected to one another via a joint 5.5 and to the clamping segments 4 via joints 5.3 and 5.4. One leg 5.1 of the toggle lever can be shortened in length and is made up of two telescopically guided parts 5.11 and 5.12, between which a compression spring 9 is arranged so that the length shortening must take place against the force of these compression springs 9. On the side facing the outer end of the receiving tube 1, the other leg 5.2 of the toggle lever is provided with a handle 6. As can be seen in Fig. 2, between the clamping segments 4 there are two transverse to the longitudinal axis L

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Tension springs 10.1 and 10.2 running along the receiving tube are arranged.

The function of the locking device described is as follows:

In the resting state and outside the receiving tube, the locking member AG is in a state in which the handle 6 is pulled away from the base body 3 in a direction such that the toggle lever 5 is far outside the dead center position and the clamping segments 4 are thus pivoted inwards under the action of the tension springs 10.1 and 10.2. The locking member is then inserted into the receiving tube 1 in the manner shown in Fig. 1 and moved towards the remaining propellant charge 2 until the front of the base body 3 touches the back of the remaining propellant charge 2. The handle 6 is now pressed further towards the base body 3. The toggle lever 5 approaches its dead center position, whereby the clamping segments 4 are pivoted outwards against the action of the tension springs 10.1 and 10.2 and, as a result of the compression spring 9, a residual pressure determined by this compression spring is exerted on the clamping segments 4 outwards. After passing through the dead center position, the toggle lever rests immediately behind the dead center position on a stop 8 which is attached to the base body 3. In this position, the locking member AG is locked to the inner wall of the receiving tube 1 by clamping, so that the remaining propellant charge 2 cannot move in the longitudinal direction.

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To release the locking element, it is sufficient to pull the handle 6 outwards in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the receiving tube, whereupon the toggle lever 5 moves past the dead center position into its rest position, the clamping segments 4 under the action of the tension springs 10.1

and 10.2 inwards and thus the locking member can be pulled out of the receiving tube 1
can.

Claims (6)

.. . 96-20-79 Protection claims: 1. Locking device on a receiving tube for storing propellant charges for artillery shells, characterized by a locking member (AG) that can be inserted into the receiving tube (1) by hand and can be fixed to the inner wall of the tube in the area immediately in front of a propellant charge (2), with a base body (3), the largest dimension of which in the radial direction is smaller by a predetermined amount than the inner diameter of the tube, and clamping segments (4) that are arranged on the base body (3) so as to be movable outwards and can be placed against the inner wall of the tube, which are designed as circular arc sections on their side facing the inner wall of the tube and are connected to one another via at least one toggle lever (5), each of the two legs (5.1, 5.2) of the toggle lever being hinged with its free end to one of the clamping segments (4) and one of the legs (5.1) being able to be shortened in length against the force of a compression spring (9) and the two clamping segments (4) being connected to one another via at least one transverse to the pipe axis (L) tension spring (10.1, 10.2) are connected to one another and a stop (8) is arranged on the base body (3) against which the toggle lever (5) rests in a position immediately behind the dead center when moving towards the base body (3). 2. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that two clamping segments (4) are provided which are diametrically opposed to the pipe axis (L) and are connected to the 96-20-79 Base body (3) are connected. 3. Locking device according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamping segments (4) are connected to one another via two tension springs (10.1, 10.2) fastened to their ends. 4. Locking device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a handle (6) is arranged on one of the legs (5.2) of the toggle lever (5) on the side facing away from the base body (3). 5. Locking device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the clamping segments (4) are provided on their outer side resting against the inner wall of the pipe with a support (7) made of a highly elastic material with a high coefficient of friction. 6. Locking device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the leg (5.1) of the toggle lever (5) which can be shortened in length consists of two telescopically guided parts (5.11, 5.12) between which the compression spring (9) is arranged.