EP0034441A1 - Moyens optiques pour contrôler l'orientation de l'axe d'un canon - Google Patents
Moyens optiques pour contrôler l'orientation de l'axe d'un canon Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0034441A1 EP0034441A1 EP19810300462 EP81300462A EP0034441A1 EP 0034441 A1 EP0034441 A1 EP 0034441A1 EP 19810300462 EP19810300462 EP 19810300462 EP 81300462 A EP81300462 A EP 81300462A EP 0034441 A1 EP0034441 A1 EP 0034441A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- gun
- barrel
- optical
- muzzle
- boreline
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
- F41G3/00—Aiming or laying means
- F41G3/32—Devices for testing or checking
- F41G3/323—Devices for testing or checking for checking the angle between the muzzle axis of the gun and a reference axis, e.g. the axis of the associated sighting device
Definitions
- This invention relates to guns and is particularly applicable to guns having a relatively long and massive barrel such as a battle tank.
- the direction of travel of a shell fired by a gun depends on the boreline direction of the barrel in the region of the muzzle and even very small boreline errors can give rise to significant aiming errors at long range. It has been found that even when relatively sophisticated optical aiming sights are used to lay the gun on a target significant aiming errors can remain. These errors are at least in part due to uncertainties in the direction of the boreline of the muzzle and they can stem from the presence of temperature gradients across the diameter of the barrel which can cause the barrel to bend slightly.
- the present invention seeks to provide an improved gun.
- a gun includes a barrel mounted so as to-be rotatable in elevation; optical means for monitoring the boreline direction of the barrel in the region of its muzzle, said optical means including an optical detector arranged to receive an image from an optical source via a reflector mounted on the muzzle, and the optical means being mounted so as to be movable in elevation with said barrel.
- the reaction of the shell produces a recoil
- the barrel is slidably mounted within a cradle so as to enable the recoil force to be safely dissipated.
- the cradle is rotatably mounted on trunnions by means of which the cradle and hence the barrel can be rotated in elevation.
- the barrel is subject to violent shock, vibration, and acceleration when the gun is fired and for this reason it is not desirable to mount the optical means directly on the barrel.
- the optical means is mounted on a member which moves with and is rigidly coupled to the cradle.
- the optical means is mounted on the mantlet of a gun.
- the mantlet is usually in the form of a strong metal plate and its function is to shield the elevation mechanism of the gun at all elevation angles, i.e. it closes what would otherwise be an exposed vertically arranged aperture within which the barrel moves in elevation.
- the optical source may be arranged to generate visible light, or alternatively the light may be in a region of the spectrum which is invisible to the human eye, and conveniently the illumination is in the infra-red region.
- the optical detector comprises a two dimensional receiving surface which is positioned so as to receive light via the reflector from the optical source with theoptical detector being arranged to provide as an output an indication of the position of the received image on the receiving surface.
- the optical detector may therefore consist of a matrix of individual light sensitive devices, or alternatively of a sheet of material whose electrical properties are modified by the presence of an optical image.
- the boreline directioncf a gun is affected by temperature gradients which are present across the diameter of its barrel. After the gun has been fired for some time the barrel will become hot and the effect of a side wind or rain is to cool the barrel unevenly. As a result, the coolest face of the barrel shrinks slightly and the barrel bends into the direction of the cooling effect. Similarly, the effect of solar radiation on the barrel is very similar and a temperature gradient can exist from the top surface of the barrel to the lower surface whether the gun has been fired or not, thereby causing the barrel to droop very slightly. The effects of the distortion can be very marked and can significantly influence the aiming accuracy of a gun. For example, a 5°C difference from one surface of the barrel to the other can at long range produce an aiming error of a few metres.
- optical sight in combination with a reflector mounted on the muzzle of the barrel.
- the optical sight is used by the gunner and is consequently mounted on a rotatable turret in conventional tanks. Because of this it is off-set from the axis of the barrel and it can be used to view a reflector mounted on the muzzle of the barrel only at magnifications which are less than those which would normally be used in firing the gun.
- a battle tank 1 is provided with a turret 2, which is mounted so as to be rotatable in azimuth about a vertical axis 3.
- the turret supports a long barrel 4 which is mounted within the turret 2 so as to be rotatable in elevation relative to the turret.
- a gunner who controls the firing of the gun . is located within the turret 2 in a position to one side of the axis of the barrel 4.
- An optical reflector 5 is mounted at the muzzle 6 of the barrel 4 with the reflector 5 being arranged to co-operate with optical means 7.
- These optical means 7 comprises an optical source 8 and an optical detector 9, which are mounted side by side and are illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 3.
- These optical means 7 are mounted on the mantlet 10 of the gun.
- the cradle 11 is illustrated in plan view in Figure 2 and it is arranged to surround the barrel 4 and is mounted within the turret 2 so as to be rotatable in elevation about a horizontal axis 12.
- the cradle 11 is rotatable by means of suitably shaped trunnions which align with the axis 12 and allow the cradle 11 to be rotatably mounted on members 13, which are rigidly secured to the body of the turret 2.
- the barrel 4 recoils and slides backwardly within the cradle 11.
- the cradle 11 is provided with bearing surfaces so as to permit the barrel 4 to slide with the minimum of sideways movement, but even so a certain amount of lateral movement due to mechanical tolerances and sliding clearances . is inevitable.
- an aiming mark 30 in an optical sight 31 is manually aligned with the target by the gunner, as the aiming mark is normally to be superimposed on the target when the gun is correctly aimed.
- the aiming mark is positioned within the optical sight so as to allow for a number of factors, such as the characteristics of the shell, its initial velcoity, cross wind, range etc. These variable factors can be stored in a gun fire control 32 system into which they are entered via leads 33 and used to modify the position of the aiming mark in the sight as necessary.
- the invention provides for the positioning of the aiming mark to additionally take into account boreline direction errors, that is to say, the errors which stem from the fact that the boreline direction 15 of the muzzle 6 may not be exactly correctly orientated relative to the aiming sight.
- boreline direction errors that is to say, the errors which stem from the fact that the boreline direction 15 of the muzzle 6 may not be exactly correctly orientated relative to the aiming sight.
- these errors can stem from temperature gradients set up across the barrel.
- errors can stem from mechanical movements of the barrel within cradle 11. In particular, this mechanical movement can be caused by wear in the cradle as the barrel slides within it. Even a relatively small mechanical movement at this point can produce a relatively large error in the boreline pointing direction 15.
- the errors may change when the tank is used on an incline which imposes a sideways gravitational thrust upon the cradle and trunnion.
- Such errors cannot be predicted in advance, since they do end on a large number of variable factors, e.g. the slope of the ground on which the tank is standing, the angle of elevation of the barrel and the angle of azimuth or traverse of the turret.
- the tank is to be fired whilt it is on the move, the dymmic flexing of the gun barrel due to its length can cause further errors of an unpre- dictab l e. nature.
- the invention provides means for monitoring these errors so as to modify the position of an aiming mark in the optical sight to compensate.
- the operation of the gun is as follows.
- the optical source 8 produces a narrow beam of infra-red light which is directed towards the reflector 5 mounted on the muzzle 6 of the barrel 4.
- the reflector 5 is mounted very securely so that it is not displaced by the recoil of the gun when it is fired.
- the position and direction of the reflecting surface are very important and must be maintained constant relative to the muzzle.
- the beam of light is reflected back to an optical detector 9.
- the movement of the optical beam across the detecting surface of the detector 9 is twice that of the movement of the reflector 5, due to the double path length.
- the distance between the mantlet 10 and the reflector 5. is 5 metres or more. Consequently even extremely small movements of the reflector 5 produce significant and measurable movements of the light beam across the surface of the detector 9.
- the surface area of the detector 9 should typically be several centimetres square.
- an optical arrangement placed in front of the detector can be used to reduce the area swept by the light beam to the available area of the detector surface.
- the detector 9 may comprise a two dimensional planar matrix of photosensitive diodes, with typically the diodes being spaced about 1 millimetre apart to provide the required degree of resolution. Of course the actual size of the detector 9 and its resolution will depend on the characteristics of the gun and the required degree of accuracy.
- the detector 9 may instead comprise an area of a light sensitive receiving surface surrounded by a number of electrodes. In this case the signal amplitude provided at each electrode is related to the position of the optical beam on the surface and these signals are fed to the fire control system 32.
- One device of this kind is an opto electronic analogue sensor type S1200 or S1300 produced by Hamamatsu TV Co. Limited, Japan.
- the optical beam and detector may be operated continuously, this is not necessary since it need only be energised during the period immediately preceding the firing of the gun. It may be arranged to be automatically engaged at the commencement of a fire-control sequence. Since the system is capable of operating continuously, whilst the gun is being layed for firing, the effect of errors can be corrected as they develop and are detected.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB8004425 | 1980-02-09 | ||
GB8004425A GB2069105A (en) | 1980-02-09 | 1980-02-09 | Guns |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0034441A1 true EP0034441A1 (fr) | 1981-08-26 |
Family
ID=10511245
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19810300462 Withdrawn EP0034441A1 (fr) | 1980-02-09 | 1981-02-04 | Moyens optiques pour contrôler l'orientation de l'axe d'un canon |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0034441A1 (fr) |
GB (1) | GB2069105A (fr) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2545203A1 (fr) * | 1983-04-29 | 1984-11-02 | Ca Minister Nat Defence | Dispositif de reference pour bouche a feu |
EP0173406A1 (fr) * | 1984-08-31 | 1986-03-05 | B.V. Optische Industrie "De Oude Delft" | Méthode et appareillage pour ajuster l'alignement d'un dispositif de visée et d'un organe pivotant |
DE3623455A1 (de) * | 1986-07-11 | 1988-01-14 | Krauss Maffei Ag | Optisches visier |
EP0281972A2 (fr) * | 1987-03-07 | 1988-09-14 | Firma Carl Zeiss | Réglage de champ pour appareillages à imagerie thermique |
US4843485A (en) * | 1983-12-23 | 1989-06-27 | General Electric Company | Multiple format digital video tape record and replay system |
WO1996026410A1 (fr) * | 1995-02-22 | 1996-08-29 | Pilkington Pe Limited | Appareil et procede de mesure de deplacement |
BE1009299A3 (fr) * | 1995-02-16 | 1997-02-04 | Belge De Const Aeronautiques E | Procede de detection et dispositif pour la mise en oeuvre de ce procede. |
WO2004055466A1 (fr) * | 2002-12-17 | 2004-07-01 | Saab Ab | Methode et dispositif d'alignement d'un viseur sur le fut d'un canon |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2119069B (en) * | 1982-04-17 | 1985-10-16 | Marconi Co Ltd | Improvements in or relating to guns |
US4879814A (en) * | 1987-08-28 | 1989-11-14 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Method and apparatus for boresight alignment of armored battlefield weapons |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3684383A (en) * | 1969-04-22 | 1972-08-15 | Bofors Ab | Device for particularly continuous checking and/or indication of curvatures arising in gun barrels |
-
1980
- 1980-02-09 GB GB8004425A patent/GB2069105A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1981
- 1981-02-04 EP EP19810300462 patent/EP0034441A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3684383A (en) * | 1969-04-22 | 1972-08-15 | Bofors Ab | Device for particularly continuous checking and/or indication of curvatures arising in gun barrels |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2545203A1 (fr) * | 1983-04-29 | 1984-11-02 | Ca Minister Nat Defence | Dispositif de reference pour bouche a feu |
US4843485A (en) * | 1983-12-23 | 1989-06-27 | General Electric Company | Multiple format digital video tape record and replay system |
EP0173406A1 (fr) * | 1984-08-31 | 1986-03-05 | B.V. Optische Industrie "De Oude Delft" | Méthode et appareillage pour ajuster l'alignement d'un dispositif de visée et d'un organe pivotant |
DE3623455A1 (de) * | 1986-07-11 | 1988-01-14 | Krauss Maffei Ag | Optisches visier |
EP0281972A2 (fr) * | 1987-03-07 | 1988-09-14 | Firma Carl Zeiss | Réglage de champ pour appareillages à imagerie thermique |
EP0281972A3 (fr) * | 1987-03-07 | 1990-05-09 | Firma Carl Zeiss | Réglage de champ pour appareillages à imagerie thermique |
BE1009299A3 (fr) * | 1995-02-16 | 1997-02-04 | Belge De Const Aeronautiques E | Procede de detection et dispositif pour la mise en oeuvre de ce procede. |
WO1996026410A1 (fr) * | 1995-02-22 | 1996-08-29 | Pilkington Pe Limited | Appareil et procede de mesure de deplacement |
US5883719A (en) * | 1995-02-22 | 1999-03-16 | Pilkington Pe Limited | Displacement measurement apparatus and method |
WO2004055466A1 (fr) * | 2002-12-17 | 2004-07-01 | Saab Ab | Methode et dispositif d'alignement d'un viseur sur le fut d'un canon |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2069105A (en) | 1981-08-19 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR IT NL SE |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19820125 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19840901 |
|
RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: GARNER, FREDERICK |