EP0023441A1 - Military equipment comprising a turret supporting a heavy gun on the outside - Google Patents

Abstract

Turret (10) rotatable around a vertical axis and carrying a main weapon (14) external to the turret (10) and provided with its own armor (15). The weapon (14) and its armor (15) rotate on trunnions (17) framing the weapon (14) and located behind the turret (10). One of the pins (17) is carried by a support (18) which cooperates with the shield (15) to constitute a protected supply corridor. Application to turrets of armored vehicles.

Description

The present invention relates to military equipment of the kind comprising a turret mounted so as to be able to rotate about a vertical axis and carrying, by a journaling device with horizontal axis, a heavy main weapon totally external to the turret, provided with a clean shield located approximately in a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the turret. Pointing control devices that can be actuated from inside the turret allow the weapon to be pointed in azimuth by orienting the turret and in elevation by tilting the weapon on its journaling device.

We already know turret and heavy weapon materials in which the main caliber weapon, supplied step by step, is generally mounted on trunnions placed approximately at the right of the front part of the bearing which carries the turret so as to give the part rear of the barrel the place necessary for its deflection in site and its retreat. This arrangement allows the rear part of the weapon to be turreted, from the pins included, but it has many drawbacks. The size and weight of the turret are directly related to the characteristics of the main weapon; the circle swept by the end of the barrel of the weapon is directly linked to the length of the latter and greatly exceeds the size of the carrier vehicle in most cases.

Military equipment of the kind defined above has also been proposed in which the journaling device comprises two lateral supports framing the weapon, receiving journals carried by it and defining a tilting axis situated behind the axis of turret rotation (US Patent 2,933,981).

This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the overall bulk of the material. But there remains the problem of appr viewing of the weapon. The equipment described in US Pat. No. 2,933,981 comprises a weapon constituted by a rocket launcher supplied at a high rate by a conveyor belt placed in a box secured to the weapon. This provision cannot be transposed to the case of weapons whose ammunition is of such a weight that the supply must be done piecemeal. It does not provide adequate protection for ammunition. It only allows the casing to be replenished with ammunition for a particular position of the weapon.

The present invention aims to provide military equipment that better meets those previously known to the requirements of practice, in particular in that it eliminates the drawbacks mentioned above of conventional turrets provided with a large caliber weapon and ensures a supply of ammunition of this weapon in a simple way and along a fully protected route.

To this end, the invention provides military equipment of the kind defined above, in which one of the supports cooperates with the armor of the weapon to constitute a protected supply corridor for a supply system blow by blow of the ammunition weapon from inside the turret.

It should be noted in this regard that the known supply systems in which a support for the weapon constitutes a feed corridor (for example that described in patent application DE 1,947,811) are intended for small arms, powered by tape from inside the turret. It seems a priori impossible to feed step by step a heavy weapon whose site angle can vary in a wide angular range from a stationary feeding station.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of armored land military vehicles carrying a heavy primary weapon, loaded step by step, to which may also be added secondary armament. This application is not, however, exclusive: the invention can also be used on a pillbox or on a maritime vehicle.

Whatever the application, the advantages of the invention appear clearly. The disc swept by the end of the barrel of the weapon is reduced due to the rejection of the trunnions towards the rear of the turret. The dimensions of the latter can be reduced, in particular because the inside diameter of its rolling crown does not have to take into account the distance of recoil of the weapon relative to the journal. The possibilities of pointing to positive and negative site are increased. The dimensions of the turret basket no longer have to be determined taking into account the tilting and recoil of the rear part of the weapon: it suffices that the basket can receive the servant or the servants and the ammunition. The weapon does not penetrate into the compartment occupied by the servants, the movements of the latter are easier, the space available is more important, there are no more empty sockets in the turret, the combustion gases are escape completely out of the turret when opening the breech, the turret noise when fired is reduced. The protection of the vehicle and the servants is very improved, because the turret can be designed so as to have low and leaky lines and it is possible to fire at military crest while not discovering either the vehicle or the interior of the turret. The assembly constituted by the weapon and its armor has itself a small frontal and lateral surface, therefore is less exposed to destruction. The supply system is nonetheless perfectly protected.

The main weapon carried by the turret will be a large caliber weapon, typically 81 mm and more, whose loading is carried out blow by blow. The armor of the weapon will surround the rear part thereof, up to and including the journal axis, and will provide rear space for recoil. The sockets can escape through a rear opening in the shield. To allow the passage of the ammunition supply system, the armor of the weapon will advantageously include towards the front and at least on one side of the median plane, a wall in the form of a cylindrical sector centered on the tilting axis and in which is provided a passage opening of the supply system (chain conveyor for example) cooperating with the corresponding part of one of the lateral supports.

To reduce the efforts required for pointing the weapon in elevation, the tilting axis is advantageously placed in such a way that it is close to the center of gravity of the entire weapon and its armor and a mechanical system exerting elastic forces is advantageously provided to balance the residual tilting moment.

• - les figures 1 et 2 sont des schémas de principe montrant, respectivement en élévation et en vue de face, un premier mode d'exécution,
• - les figures 3 et 4, similaires à la figure 1, montrent des variantes de réalisation,
• - les figures 5 et 6 sont des schémas qui montrent, respectivement en coupe suivant un plan passant par l'axe de tourillonnement et par un plan vertical perpendiculaire à cet axe, un système mécanique d'équilibrage de l'arme,
• - la figure 7 est un schéma en perspective montrant une constitution du blindage et d'un support permettant le passage du système d'approvisionnement en munitions,
• - la figure 8 est un schéma à grande échelle montrant, vu de dessus, le recul de la culasse (zone en traits mixtes), et son rôle dans le chargement.
• -la figure 9 est une vue en coupe suivant un plan vertical montrant le convoyeur d'un système d'approvisionnement correspondant au schéma de la figure 8, s
• - les figures 10a et lob montrent une constitution possible de la partie du système de la figure 7 directement associée à l'arme,
• - la figure 11 est une vue d'un détail de la figure 9a.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of equipment which constitutes particular embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing, respectively in elevation and in front view, a first embodiment,
• FIGS. 3 and 4, similar to FIG. 1, show alternative embodiments,
• FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams which show, respectively in section along a plane passing through the journaling axis and through a vertical plane perpendicular to this axis, a mechanical system for balancing the weapon,
• FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing a constitution of the shielding and of a support allowing the passage of the ammunition supply system,
• - Figure 8 is a large-scale diagram showing, seen from above, the recoil of the cylinder head (area in phantom), and its role in loading.
• FIG 9 is a sectional view along a vertical plane showing the conveyor of a supply system corresponding to the diagram of Figure 8, s
• FIGS. 10a and lob show a possible constitution of the part of the system of FIG. 7 directly associated with the weapon,
• - Figure 11 is a view of a detail of Figure 9a.

The equipment shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a turret 10 which is assumed to be supported, by means of a bearing with a vertical axis not shown, by a vehicle whose outline of the chassis appears in phantom. This turret 10 comprises an armored cupola 11 which will generally be provided with access panels 12 (FIG. 2) and with a tank 13 located inside the vehicle. The turret 10 externally carries a large caliber weapon 14 whose rear part is provided with a shield 15 and which constitutes with it a set 16. This set follows the rotational movement of the turret. It is supported by a journaling device with a horizontal axis allowing the weapon to be pointed at a height using a control device located inside the turret, shown diagrammatically by a jack. In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly 16 occupies a position such that the firing axis of the weapon 14 constantly intersects the axis of rotation of the turret.

The journalling device comprises two lateral supports 18 framing the assembly 16 and journals 17 integral with the cradle of the weapon 14 and the shield 15. The supports 18 are hollow and the journals 17 bear on their internal or external flank, according to the case. The support 18 and the pins 17 are placed so that the journal axis of the assembly 16 is located clearly behind the axis of rotation of the turret. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, this axis is practically situated in line with the rear part of the bearing supporting the turret 10. Thanks to this arrangement, the size of the turret and the volume of the tank can be very significantly reduced compared to those which would be necessary with a conventional assembly. The armor 15 of the weapon, provided with doors visit and access to the weapon and its loading device (not shown), is provided at the rear with an opening 19 for ejecting the empty casings during firing.

The equipment must include a device for supplying and loading the weapon 14, the routing of which is carried out entirely under shielding. The path of the munition, the weight of which will be several kilograms or even tens of kilograms, must go from the interior of the tank 13 to a loading station located under armor. The supply system will generally comprise a conveyor, for example chain, of the conventional type, making it possible to bring each munition in turn to a manual loading station 20, on which the ammunition is placed by the servant, up to a transfer station 21 laterally offset from the vertical median plane of the weapon 14 and from which the ammunition can tilt towards an arming station 25 placed in the axis of the weapon. The arming itself can be carried out after the retreat thereof, which may have mechanically armed the loading device, which will only be triggered after ejection of the empty cartridge case and arrival of the new ammunition. Finally, it takes position 29.

The loading device can also be separate and supplied with energy by mechanical, electrical or hydraulic means.

The system can pass, without ever being exposed, from the dome 11 to the shield 15, by crossing openings provided for this purpose in a wall in the form of a circular sector of the support 18 and a corresponding wall of the shield 15.

In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 3 (where the members corresponding to those already shown in FIG. 1 have the same reference number), the offset of the trunnions 17 towards the rear relative to the axis of rotation of the turret is smaller than in the case of FIG. 1, while nevertheless remaining notable since it is greater than half the radius of the rolling crown. However, the height of the trunnions 17 above the rolling crown is greatly increased, by increasing the height of the supports 18, which in particular makes it possible to reach larger positive site anal. It can be seen that the height of the pin 17 above the bearing represents nearly two thirds of the diameter of this bearing.

In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the weapon supply device gives the ammunition a slightly different route from that indicated in FIGS. 1 to 3: the servant takes each ammunition in turn stored at 22 to place it on the loading conveyor at 20.

In all cases, the conveyor passes through one of the supports 18 and a facing surface integral with the shield 15. The solution adopted may in particular be that indicated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. The shield 15 comprises a wall 23 in the form of cylindrical sector centered on the tilting axis and in which is formed an opening 24 for passage of the conveyor. The wall 23 cooperates with a corresponding, compatible wall of the dome 11, also pierced with a passage opening of the conveyor. The angular development of the passage opening 24 must obviously be sufficient to authorize loading in the entire pointing area in the envisaged site. So that no fraction of the opening opens to the outside, even when pointing at a maximum positive site, the lateral support through which the supply system passes can be completed by a shield (not shown). We see in Figure 7 the path, indicated by arrows, of ammunition through the support 18 to the transfer station 21. It switches to the cocking station 25. We see in Figure 7, flaps 26 d '' access to the breech of the weapon and to the loading system, placed according to the weapon used.

When fired, the loading device is erased. The breech wedge 30 emerges, the breech moves back freely, driving the wedge and the empty socket ejects backwards. The loading device, armed by the backward movement, introduces the new ammunition. The part returns to the firing position and the conveyor intervenes from again to bring ammunition at 21.

The pins are advantageously placed on the tilting assembly 16 so that their axis is close to the center of gravity G of the assembly. This reduces the tilting moments that the site pointing device must overcome. To further reduce them, a mechanical system exerting elastic forces which balance, at least partially, the tilting moments of the assembly 16, is provided. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, it comprises a torsion bar 27 connected by a linkage 28 to the pins 17. This linkage generally comprises cams not shown. The balancing device can moreover take many other forms and use any elastic return members, such as torsion bars or helical springs.

We will now describe, by way of example, a supply system corresponding to the diagrams in FIGS. 7 and 8.

This supply system, shown in Figures 9 to 11 (where the bodies corresponding to those of Figures 7 and 8 have the same reference number), can be viewed as comprising a conveyor for bringing each munition in turn from a supply station 20 (where the shooter places it) at a transfer station 21 and an arming station 21, and an introduction mechanism intended to bring the ammunition from the arming station 25 to the firing chamber.

The loading conveyor 31 in turn consists of two parts. The first, constituting device for bringing to the transfer station 21, consists of two parallel chains 31 driven by a motor-reduction unit which can be of conventional constitution and is not shown. The two chains are provided with support clamps 32 and 33 connected together to form a carriage on which the shooter places the ammunition at the supply station 20, located in a turret.

The chains 31 are guided and driven by rollers and pinions. Some 38 are located inside and carried by the turret. The others 39 are placed in the barrel compartment and secured to the shielding 15. The rollers and pinions 38 and 39 are arranged so that the path imposed by the chains on the ammunition allows the latter to pass through the openings of the support 18 and of the armor 15 whatever the orientation in site of the barrel, from the maximum positive site (in phantom in Figure 9) to the minimum negative site (in solid line).

The chains 31 must be kept in tension. For this purpose, the 180 ° return pulley 39 is mounted on a slide 40 subjected to the action of a spring 34 maintained in compression by a link 35, one end of which is articulated on a fixed point inside the turret and the other end of which is movable to the right of the slides 36 of the slide, inside the barrel compartment.

The chain drive motor-reduction unit must be provided to move the clamps 32 and 33 either from the turret to the barrel compartment to supply the latter, or in the opposite direction to allow bringing back an unused ammunition or picking up a new ammunition to fire.

The second part of the loading conveyor is intended to transfer the ammunition from the transfer station, offset laterally relative to the barrel, to the cocking station 25.

This transfer mechanism (Figure 10a) includes two clamps 41 and 42 which can be identical to those of the conveyor. These two pliers are each provided with an arm terminated by a sleeve 43 or 44 keyed sliding on a shaft 45 (FIG. 11). The sleeve 44 is provided with a mechanism allowing it to be forced back and forth between the transfer position in which it is shown in FIG. 10a and the advanced position in which it is shown in FIG. 10b.

This mechanism will be described later, at the same time as its function.

The shaft 47 is provided with a mechanism making it possible to rotate it by the angle necessary for passing the ammunition from position 21 to position 25 (FIG. 10a). This mechanism is for example constituted by an electric motor (not shown) driving an endless screw 47 meshing with a wheel 48 wedged on the shaft 45.

The device for introducing the ammunition into the firing chamber of the weapon successively involves the clamps 41 and 42, then a device with a deformable parallelogram.

For this purpose, as we saw above, the clamp 42 is provided with means making it possible to pass it from the position of FIG. 10a to the position of FIG. Lob. In the illustrated embodiment, these means comprise a chain 46 which passes over the drive pinion 46a, to which an electric motor, not shown, is coupled.

It can be seen that the clamps 41 and 42 constitute a trolley for transporting the ammunition. These clamps are coupled by a rod 49 and an electromagnet 50 making it possible to separate the two clamps. This electromagnet is controlled when the clamp 41 reaches the front end of the stroke, so as to allow the clamp 42 to come closer by partially introducing the ammunition into the chamber of the weapon.

The deformable parallelogram mechanism comprises a movable assembly 52 provided with central rollers which roll on parallel slides 53 and lateral rollers which roll on lateral slides 54 which converge in their front part. The rear part of the movable assembly is provided with a lug 55 intended to cooperate with a drive arm 56 secured to the sleeve 44. The parallelogram is thus driven during the forward movement of the clamp 42. In the final part of the course of the latter, when it approaches the clamp 41, the reduction in the distance between the lateral slides 54 causes an elongation of the parallelogram deformable and the complete introduction of the cartridge into the chamber by a spring plunger 57.

The entire device is obviously supplemented by conventional members such as start and end of travel limit switches and control switches.

It is not necessary to describe in detail the operation of the device, since it follows from its constitution.

It can be seen that it is sufficient for the shooter to place an ammunition at the supply station 20 and to start the device. The chains 31 then bring the ammunition to the transfer station 21. A limit stop then causes the ammunition to be taken up by the clamps 41 and 42, then the opening of the clamps 32 and 33, for example using an electromagnet 37. The mechanism for driving the shaft 45 in rotation is controlled so as to cause the munition to tilt from position 21 to position 25 (arrow f in FIG. 10a). The mechanism for driving the sleeve 44 is controlled and successively causes the clamps 41 and 42 to move together as a block, then a further movement of the clamp 42 and at the same time the longitudinal extension of the moving element 52 with a deformable parallelogram to put in place the ammunition. The clamps 41 and 42 then return to the original position and clear the location necessary for recoil when fired. The sleeve is ejected through the opening 19 provided for this purpose in the shielding (Figure 1) and the barrel can be supplied again.

Claims (10)

1. Military equipment comprising a turret mounted so as to be able to rotate about a vertical axis and carrying, by a journaling device with horizontal axis, a main heavy weapon totally external to the turret, provided with its own armor and situated approximately in a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the turret, the journaling device comprising two lateral supports framing the weapon and receiving pins carried by it, to define a tilting axis located behind the axis of rotation of the turret, characterized in that one of the supports cooperates with the armor (15) of the weapon to constitute a protected supply corridor for a system for supplying the weapon step by step with ammunition from the inside of the turret (11, 13). 2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the armor of the weapon comprises a front wall (23) in the form of a cylindrical sector centered on the tilt axis, in which is formed an opening (24) for the passage of said system opening into the turret through one of the supports having sufficient angular development to allow loading throughout the pointing range of the weapon in elevation. 3. Equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pins (17) are placed on the armor of the weapon in a position such that the center of gravity of the tilting assembly is located near the axis of tilting and in that an elastic mechanical system is provided to at least partially balance the moment of tilting of the weapon due to the forces of gravity. 4. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the armor of the weapon is provided with a rear passage (19) for ejecting the casings towards the rear of the weapon compartment. 5. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system supply of ammunition comprises a conveyor, for example chain (31), passing through one of the supports, allowing to bring one by one the ammunition from a manual loading station (20) in a turret to a transfer station (21) offset laterally from the vertical median plane of the weapon located behind said tilt axis and from where the ammunition laterally tilt towards an armament station (25) placed in the axis of the weapon. 6. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weapon loading device is mechanically armed by the latter during its recoil following the start of the preceding stroke or carried out by means of a additional mechanical, electrical or hydraulic means. 7. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weapon loading device disappears after loading to allow the retreat of the latter inside the armor when the shot starts. 8. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between the journaling axis and the vertical axis of the turret is such that the disc swept by the end of the barrel of the weapon during the rotation of the turret approaches the minimum, given total length of the weapon and the shielding. 9. Equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises an ammunition transfer mechanism from the transfer station (21), comprising a set of grippers (41, 42) for gripping ammunition integral in rotation with a shaft (45) provided with means for rotating it and bringing the set of pliers to the cocking station (25), and an introduction device comprising means for advancing the set of pliers along the tree ( 45) towards the gun chamber. 10. Equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that the introduction device further comprises a deformable parallelogram crew driven by one clamps of the game and cooperating with the ammunition to introduce it into the chamber from the position where it is brought by the clamps.

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