EP0130125B1 - Deployable mine having subcharges, in particular a combined anti-tank and anti-personnel mine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a multi-charge land munition, in particular a mixed anti-tank and anti-personnel munition. More particularly, the invention relates to a dispersible munition. Ammunition of this type is "sown", that is to say thrown in bulk from a dispersal point located at a certain altitude above the ground. The ammunition then falls to the ground, possibly rolling, bouncing, ... before coming to a stop. It is then that they will be placed in the active position, that is to say armed from the pyrotechnic point of view.

We will assimilate to the case of dispersed ammunition that of ammunition simply placed on the ground manually or mechanically, but not buried, and which will be activated after a predetermined delay has elapsed after their installation.

• un support de charges,
• une pluralité de charges éjectables juxtaposées,
• des moyens d'éjection de chacune des charges, pour disperser celles-ci à distance du support de charges,
• des moyens de verrouillage des moyens d'éjection,
• des moyens de déclenchement, pour provoquer la libération des moyens de verrouillage et l'éjection des charges.

The ammunition according to the invention is of the type comprising:

• a load carrier,
• a plurality of juxtaposed ejectable charges,
• means for ejecting each of the charges, to disperse them at a distance from the charge carrier,
• means for locking the ejection means,
• trigger means, to cause the release of the locking means and the ejection of the charges.

Such a structure is for example described by FR-A-2 518 734, which relates to a fixed battery of launching tubes making it possible to operate a (single) dispersion of the projectiles over an area several tens of meters wide, located at a distance drums.

One of the objects of the invention is to propose a munition which, once immobilized on the ground, can itself eject around a plurality of submunitions (also called hereinafter "ejectable charges,").

To this end, the munition of the invention is characterized in that the load carrier is itself dispersible and has a support face turned upwards and on which the ejectable loads rest, the locking means being means specific to retaining the charges in place against this support face, and the ejection means being means capable of dispersing the ejectable charges around the charge support.

This produces a double dispersion: first the dispersion of a set of ammunition dropped above the ground then the dispersion of the submunitions carried by each of the munitions dropped to the ground around each point of impact.

If, in addition, each load carrier is itself secured to its own (non-ejectable) load, a “cluster of mines can be reconstructed around each munition, for example a cluster cluster with a central anti-tank mine (the non-ejectable load ) surrounded by anti-personnel mines (each of the submunitions).

The constitution of mine clusters is a technique that was possible when mine dams were laid by hand, but which until now had been impossible to transpose in the case of dispersible mines, which are a priori the type of mine least suitable for forming clusters, due to their positioning and distribution which are difficult to control.

On the contrary, the ammunition according to the invention makes it possible, for example, to constitute an anti-tank barrage enhanced by an anti-personnel mine reinforcing the hardness of the obstacle put in place.

• un corps de munition de forme générale aplatie, comprenant une face d'appui et une face exposée, la face exposée étant tournée vers le haut lorsque la mine repose au sol en position ouverte, ce corps de munition étant coiffé, en position fermée, par le support de charges tournant sa face support contre la face exposée du corps de munition,
• une articulation du support de charges au corps de munition en un point périphérique de celui-ci,
• des moyens de verrouillage du support de charges pour maintenir celui-ci fermé sur le corps de munition,
• des moyens d'ouverture, pour déverrouiller le support de charges et exercer sur celui-ci un couple de pivotement pour le faire passer de la position fermée à une position ouverte dans laquelle, après un pivotement d'environ un demi-tour, le support de charges repose à côté du corps de munition, avec sa face support tournée vers le haut, le couple de pivotement étant au moins égal au couple nécessaire pour provoquer un retournement du corps de munition, au cas où celui-ci reposerait, avant ouverture, avec sa face exposée tournée vers le haut.

In an advantageous embodiment, the load carrier constitutes a cover of the munition, the latter further comprising:

• a generally flattened ammunition body, comprising a bearing face and an exposed face, the exposed face being turned upwards when the mine rests on the ground in the open position, this ammunition body being capped, in the closed position, by the load carrier rotating its support face against the exposed face of the ammunition body,
• an articulation of the load carrier to the ammunition body at a peripheral point thereof,
• means for locking the load support to keep it closed on the ammunition body,
• opening means, for unlocking the load support and exerting a pivoting torque on it to move it from the closed position to an open position in which, after a pivoting of about half a turn, the support of loads rests next to the ammunition body, with its support face facing up, the pivoting torque being at least equal to the torque necessary to cause the ammunition body to overturn, in the event that it rests, before opening, with its exposed side facing up.

The ammunition is thus particularly suitable for dispersal: it is released in the closed position and opens only after impact and immobilization on the ground, if necessary after application of a time delay on opening.

Depending on whether the mine is immobilized at the place (cover up) or upside down, the load support cover will only reveal the exposed face of the mine body (face which can be for example the sensitive face of an anti-tank mine) and be placed next to the ammunition body, or on the contrary will cause a complete turn of the ammunition by half a turn to give it a correct final position identical to that which would have been obtained if it had stopped at the place.

Advantageously, the opening means cooperate with the triggering means, so as to cause the release of the locking means of the ejection means and the ejection. loads as soon as the load carrier reaches the open position. The opening will therefore automatically cause the ejection charges to be expelled.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description below, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• des munitions posées au sol sans dispersion,
• des munitions de type unique, c'est-à-dire par exemple comprenant uniquement des charges antipersonnel, sans charge antichar associée,
• des charges autres que des charges explosives, par exemple des charges fumigènes pour créer un rideau de fumée dans la zone minée. On peut également combiner des mines antipersonnel à des charges fumigènes, soit par dispersion simultanée de munitions de type différent, soit en prévoyant des sous-munitions de nature différente à l'intérieur d'une même munition.

The embodiment described in detail corresponds to a dispersible mixed anti-tank and anti-personnel mine, but this type of ammunition is not limiting; the invention can in particular, although less advantageously, be applied to:

• ammunition placed on the ground without dispersion,
• single type ammunition, that is to say for example comprising only anti-personnel charges, with no associated anti-tank charge,
• charges other than explosive charges, for example smoke charges to create a smoke curtain in the mined area. One can also combine antipersonnel mines with smoke bombs, either by simultaneous dispersion of ammunition of different type, or by providing submunitions of different nature inside the same ammunition.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en coupe selon la ligne I-I de la figure 2, d'une mine mixte selon l'invention, immobilisée au sol à l'endroit, mais avant ouverture ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus de cette même mine, selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 montre deux mines immobilisées au sol avant ouverture, l'une à l'endroit (à droite), l'autre à l'envers (à gauche) ;
• la figure 4 montre la mine au moment de l'ouverture et de l'éjection des sous-munitions.

In the figures:

• Figure 1 shows a sectional view along line II of Figure 2, of a mixed mine according to the invention, immobilized on the ground at the location, but before opening;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the same mine, along the line II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows two mines immobilized on the ground before opening, one upside down (right), the other upside down (left);
• Figure 4 shows the mine when the submunitions are opened and ejected.

Figure 1 shows the ammunition body 100 capped by its cover 200, before opening. The cover 200 constitutes a support for loads such as the load 300; in Figure 2 which is a top view with partial cutaway of the cover, it can be seen that these loads 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 are six in number and are inscribed in plan in circular sectors juxtaposed, their thickness being substantially equal to that of the gap remaining, in the closed position, between the face 212 of the cover supporting the ammunition and the upper face 110 of the ammunition body.

The ammunition body 100 comprises an envelope, for example of synthetic material, closed by a metal plate 110 constituting the upper face (or exposed face) of the ammunition body, that is to say that this face is always turned towards the high when the mine enclosed by the ammunition body is in the active position. This plate 110 has a generally concave shape, and its inner face is in direct contact with the explosive charge 130, according to a conventional structure corresponding to a plate projection mine.

The lower face 120 of the ammunition body, which is a bearing face resting on the ground in the active position, has a generally convex shape of revolution, with an evolving external profile so as to make the balance around the position very stable. the place, that is to say exposed face 110 upwards.

The explosive 130 enclosed in the ammunition body is a charge explosive formed; an ignition system 140 is also provided, comprising, in addition to the pyrotechnic means for initiating the explosive, means (for example electronic) for detection, in particular for detection by influence when an armored vehicle passes. The ignition device 140 is preferably programmable and activatable in energy just before the munitions are dispersed.

This ignition device 140 also includes means for detecting the impact of the munition on the ground, as well as delay means, triggered by these impact detector means, for delaying the arming of the pyrotechnic chain of the mine contained in the ammunition body after impact on the ground. This delay is of a duration corresponding to the maximum foreseeable duration before complete immobilization. We will also see below that these delaying means are capable of delaying the opening of the munition cover.

• de maximiser la surface d'appui au sol de la munition lorsque le couvercle sera déployé, ce couvercle retourné assurant également une fonction de support des sous-munitions 300,
• de décentrer le centre de gravité de la munition en position fermée, pour lui donner une position préférentielle d'équilibre stable avec le couvercle vers le haut,
• de donner à la surface supérieure 211 du couvercle une forme femelle homologue de la surface mâle inférieure 120 du corps de munition, de manière à rendre les munitions empilables, possibilité d'autant plus avantageuse que les munitions dispersables sont, par définition, destinées à être utilisées en grand nombre ; il est donc souhaitable d'en rationaliser le stockage.

The cover 200 comprises a surface 220 entirely covering, in the closed position, the exposed face 110 of the ammunition body as well as the submunitions 300. This surface, which generally extends radially, is extended axially upwards by a crown 210 of generally cylindrical shape, which allows:

• to maximize the surface area on the ground of the munition when the cover is deployed, this inverted cover also providing a support function for the submunitions 300,
• to decenter the center of gravity of the ammunition in the closed position, to give it a preferential position of stable equilibrium with the cover upwards,
• to give the upper surface 211 of the cover a female shape homologous to the lower male surface 120 of the ammunition body, so as to make the ammunition stackable, a possibility all the more advantageous since the dispersible ammunition is, by definition, intended to be used in large numbers; it is therefore desirable to rationalize its storage.

The cover 200 is connected to the ammunition body 100 by an arm 230 articulated between a peripheral point 150 of the ammunition body and a point 250 of the cover. This articulated arm, for example formed of two elements 231, 232, is deployable so that, as will be seen later, in the open position the assembly formed by the arm and the cover maintains the exposed face of the ammunition body and the support face of the load support both in a generally horizontal orientation.

In the closed position, the cover is locked onto the ammunition body, for example by fitting a hollow part 240 into a projecting part 111 of the exposed face 110. An explosive bolt 112 is then screwed into this part protruding to hold the cover 200 in place. After immobilization of the munition on the ground, and for example on command of the ignition and timing means 140, a charge 113 will be ignited by a detonator 114, thus causing the expulsion of the bolt 112 .

The submunitions 300 are for example anti-personnel mines comprising a plate explosive 320. These explosives are flexible explosives, simply protected from the weather, and provided with a very conventional ignition system comprising a striker 330 energized by a spring 340 facing a primer 350; the striker is immobilized by a stud 360 so that a slight pressure on the igniter (mine crushed at the foot or seized by hand) triggers the explosion.

Each of the anti-personnel mines is provided with a spring 310, for example a leaf spring (also visible in FIG. 2), one end 311 of which is secured to the mine 300, and the other end of which is held in contact and under tension against the support face of the load carrier 220.

Advantageously, the spring 310 is provided, in line with the igniter, an opening in which a safety pin 370 is slid, locking the striker in place, and which will be ejected when the leaf spring is released. The expulsion of ejectable charges will thus be accompanied by their simultaneous arming.

In the closed position, the loads 300 are immobilized by a disc 380 locked in position by a fork 160 inserted in a radial slot 115 of the protruding part 240 of the cover: the assembly formed by this cover and the loads that it supports will thus remain secured as long as the fork 160 is not extracted from the slot 115 - and in particular throughout the duration of the opening of the cover.

The extraction of the fork can for example be carried out by means of a wire 150, one end 151 of which is integral with the munition body 100 and the other end 152 is connected to the fork; the length of this wire 150 is chosen so that, for a relative position of the load support cover and the ammunition body corresponding to a complete opening, it exerts on the fork 160 a tension allowing the tearing of the latter in the direction radial, thus releasing all the ejectable charges carried by the load carrier 220.

It will be noted that, in the closed position, the ejectable charges 300 are protected from being crushed on the one hand by the cover 220 and the metal plate 110. and on the other hand by the spring 310, which is in the upper position: this provides security against any impact that may occur as long as the ammunition is in the closed position.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the operation of the munition; FIG. 3 represents two positions of the ammunition immobilized on the ground, before opening: most generally, taking into account the convex shape of the bearing surface 120 and the shift of the center of gravity allowed by the crown 210 of the cover, the ammunition rests on the ground in the position shown on the right of FIG. 3, that is to say with the bearing face 120 of the ammunition body 100 actually in contact with the ground.

However, it may happen, although more rarely, that the mine comes to a standstill in the position shown on the left in FIG. 3, that is to say with the support face 120 facing upwards and therefore the cover 200 of the load carrier resting on the ground.

After time delay, the explosive bolt 112 is expelled, thereby unlocking the cover. Opening means (not shown) which can be mechanical means such as springs, pyrotechnic means, etc. exert on the cover a pivoting torque to move the ammunition from the closed position of FIG. 3 to a position open (Figure 4) in which, after a pivoting of about 1/2 turn, the cover 200 rests, turned upside down, next to the munition body 100.

If the ammunition was already resting with its bearing face in contact with the ground (FIG. 3 on the right), the opening of the cover only reveals the exposed face 110 of the ammunition body. The dimensions of the articulated arm 230, as well as the amplitude of movement which is allowed, are chosen so that the exposed face 110 of the ammunition body is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation, just like the support face of the load support cover 200.

If, on the other hand, the mine was immobilized on the ground upside down (FIG. 3 on the left), the opening means will exert on the ammunition body 100 a pivoting torque at least equal to the torque necessary to cause this overturning. ammunition body: it is then the load support cover 200 which remains in contact with the ground, and the ammunition body 100 which comes to rest, in a correct orientation, next to the cover.

It will be noted that, in the final position, the load support cover 200 always rests with its support face facing upwards, thus discovering the ejectable loads that it has "carried on its back".

At the end of opening (Figure 4), the wire 150 is stretched, extracting the fork 160 from its radial slot. Loads 300 to 305 are then ejected around the load support (for example within a radius of 2 to 3 meters) under the effect of the relaxation of their spring 310.

Thus, in the illustrated example, a cluster comprising an anti-tank mine (enclosed in the body of ammunition 100) and six anti-personnel mines dispersed around it is reconstituted.

Alternatively, the ammunition body 100 may contain no charge; it then plays a pure mechanical role of protection and positioning of the load carrier 200.

Alternatively also, the non-ejectable load can be contained in the load support 200 instead of being in the munition body 100. It is thus possible to reconstitute in the same way a mixed cluster.

If the non-ejectable charge is located in the ammunition body 200. or if it is only desired to disperse anti-personnel mines, the ammunition body 100 can be omitted, the ammunition comprising only one support 200 on which the ejectable charges rest locked in place by an appropriate means.

Claims (12)

1. A multiple charge land munition, for example a combined anti-tank and anti-personnel scatterable mine, including :

a charge support (200),

a plurality of juxtaposed ejectable charges (300, 305),

ejector means (310) for each of the charges for scattering the charges at a distance from the charge support,

locking means (160) for the ejector means,

triggering means (150) for releasing the locking means and ejecting the charges,

characterized in that the charge support (200) is itself scatterable and has a support face (212) which is upwardly directed and on which the ejectable charges lie, the locking means being means for holding the charges against the support face of the charge support, and the ejector means being means for scattering the ejectable charges around the charge support.

2. A munition according to claim 1, characterized in that the support is, in addition, fixed to a casing enclosing a central non-ejectable charge.

3. A munition according to claim 1, characterized in that the ejectable charges are plate charges occupying sectors on the support face.

4. A munition according to claim 1, characterized in that the ejector means comprise springs (310) placed between the support face and each of the ejectable charges, the locking means holding of the springs in a resiliently loaded position.

5. A munition according to claim 4, characterized in that releasing the spring also causes the corresponding ejectable charge to be armed.

6. A munition according to claim 5, characterized in that the spring (310) is a blade spring having one (311) of its ends fixed to the ejectable charge, wherein a safety pin (370) for locking the firing means (330, 340, 350, 360) of the ejectable charge is extraded by the blade spring being released.

7. A munition according to claim 1, characterized in that it further includes :

a munition body (100) including a bearing face (120) and an exposed face, the exposed face being upwardly directed when the mine rests on the ground in the open position, said munition body being covered, in the closed position by the charge support having its support face turned toward the exposed face of the munition body,

a hinge (230) connecting the charge support to the munition body at a peripheral point (150) thereof, wherein the locking means hold the charge support in the closed position against the munition body,

opening means for exerting on the charge support, after the unlocking thereof a pivoting torque to cause it to move through half a turn from the closed position to an open position in which the charge support rests to one side of the munition body with its support face pointing upwards, said pivoting torque being at least equal to the torque required for overturning the munition body in the event that prior to opening the body was resting with its exposed face pointing downwards.

8. A munition according to claim 7, characterized in that the munition body encloses an additionnal, non-ejectable central charge (130).

9. A munition according to claim 7, characterized in that the opening means co-operate with the triggering means in such a manner as to free the locking means for locking the ejector means and to eject the charges as soon as the charge support reaches the open position.

10. A munition according to claim 9, characterized in that the locking means for locking the ejectable charges comprise a central fork (160) inserted in a radial slot (115) of the charge support and axially restraining all the ejectable charges, and the triggering means include a wire (150) connecting the fork to a point on the body of the minution with the length of the wire being so chosen that when the charge support and the munition body are disposed relative to each other in the fully open position, the wire exerts sufficient force on the fork to extract it radially from the slot, thereby releasing the ejectable charges for ejection.

11. A munition according to claim 7, characterized in that the ejectable charges are plate charges in the form of sectors covering the face of the support, with the thickness of the charges being substantially equal to the gap which exists, in the closed position, between the exposed face of the munition body and the charge-supporting face of the charge support.

12. A munition according to claim 1, characterized in that it further included impact detector means for detecting the impact of the munition on the ground, together with time delay means triggered by the impact detector means and suitable for delaying operation of the triggering means for a certain length of time after ground impact.

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