EP0362066B1 - Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers - Google Patents

Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0362066B1
EP0362066B1 EP19890402663 EP89402663A EP0362066B1 EP 0362066 B1 EP0362066 B1 EP 0362066B1 EP 19890402663 EP19890402663 EP 19890402663 EP 89402663 A EP89402663 A EP 89402663A EP 0362066 B1 EP0362066 B1 EP 0362066B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
splined shaft
barrel
cylinder
firing
weapon
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19890402663
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0362066A1 (de
Inventor
Joel Marcon
Evelyne Montet
Didier Gobet
Patrick Pochard
Georges Simon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Giat Industries SA
Original Assignee
Giat Industries SA
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Giat Industries SA filed Critical Giat Industries SA
Publication of EP0362066A1 publication Critical patent/EP0362066A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0362066B1 publication Critical patent/EP0362066B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41WEAPONS
    • F41AFUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/01Feeding of unbelted ammunition
    • F41A9/24Feeding of unbelted ammunition using a movable magazine or clip as feeding element
    • F41A9/26Feeding of unbelted ammunition using a movable magazine or clip as feeding element using a revolving drum magazine
    • F41A9/27Feeding of unbelted ammunition using a movable magazine or clip as feeding element using a revolving drum magazine in revolver-type guns
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41WEAPONS
    • F41AFUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/29Feeding of belted ammunition
    • F41A9/30Sprocket-type belt transporters
    • F41A9/31Sprocket-type belt transporters with cartridge stripping means
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41WEAPONS
    • F41AFUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/49Internally-powered drives, i.e. operated by propellant charge energy, e.g. couplings, clutches, energy accumulators

Definitions

  • the invention relates to automatic weapons of medium caliber, with a high rate of fire, more particularly but not exclusively to automatic weapons intended to be carried on board aircraft, of the type comprising a barrel with several chambers for feeding one or two tubes. of the weapon, the said barrel being driven in an intermittent rotational movement by a reciprocating translational movement drawer controlled by gas, a star shaft coaxial with the barrel, coupled in rotation with the latter and arranged so as to be able to grasp and rotate the cartridges one by one, while allowing them to move in translation.
  • these are weapons of the "Gatling" type, from the name of its inventor, which include n tubes associated with as many cylinder heads which move on a cylinder head rotor.
  • a weapon of the type defined in the preamble, is notably described in document US-A-3,101,029, but the means used to move the cartridges in translation on the star shaft, are constituted by pushers displaceable according to a translational movement alternative whose amplitude is at least equal to the length of the cartridge, which does not allow to obtain a high rate of fire.
  • the cartridges are fixed in translation and only mobile in rotation.
  • the chambers are constituted by independent cylinders movable in rotation and in translation in a back-and-forth movement by means of a fixed cam, a cylinder completely covering a cartridge, when it is aligned along the axis of the weapon barrel.
  • the object of the invention is to produce a medium caliber weapon with a high rate of fire, that is to say a rate of fire greater than 1,800 rounds / min and capable of reaching or even exceeding 2,500 rounds / min, which is capable to fire instantly in bursts at the maximum rate and which is compact and light enough to fit easily on board an aircraft.
  • This weapon must also have a security and reliability at least equal to that of weapons of the same type known to date.
  • the invention provides an automatic weapon of medium caliber, with a high rate of fire, more particularly but not exclusively an automatic weapon intended to be carried on board aircraft, of the type comprising a barrel comprising at least seven chambers for supplying one or two barrel of the weapon, said barrel being driven in an intermittent rotational movement by a reciprocating translational movement controlled by gas borrowing and electric firing, a star shaft coaxial with the barrel, coupled in rotation with the latter and arranged so as to be able to grasp and rotate the cartridges one by one, while allowing them to move therein in translation, characterized in that it comprises a fixed helical ramp cooperating successively with the base of each of the cartridges to combine their intermittent rotational movement on the star shaft, an intermittent translational movement with the inside of the star shaft in order to ensure their transport from their position of introduction into the star tree to the firing point in the respective chambers of the barrel, and mechanical means for synchronizing the rotational movements of the tree with those of the barrel.
  • rotational movement "translational movement
  • the stroke of the plunger (s) of traditional weapons is greater than 300 mm for breech weapons and greater than 130 mm for barrel weapons while the stroke of drawer according to the invention can be of the order of only 80 mm.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show a weapon with a single tube established in accordance with the invention, respectively in longitudinal section passing through the axis of the single tube and through the axis of the barrel and in cross section along line II-II of the figure 1.
  • Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the respective positions of the barrel, the star shaft and the helical ramp, by simplified longitudinal and transverse views, Figure 4 showing a detail of Figure 2 on a larger scale.
  • Figure 5 shows schematically, by successive longitudinal views reduced in the same plane, the positions successive steps reached by a cartridge at the different stop positions of the intermittent rotational movement of the barrel and the star shaft.
  • FIGS. 6 to 11 are explanatory drawings of the operation of the barrel control drawer, FIG. 7 being a partial section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6 and FIG. 10 a section along the line X-X in FIG. 9.
  • FIGS. 12 and 13 represent the device for ejecting the empty casings, FIG. 12 being an enlarged view of a detail in FIG. 13.
  • Figures 14 and 15 show the weapon supply system, respectively by a longitudinal view with cut parts and by a cross section on a larger scale.
  • FIGS. 16 to 19 represent the drive mechanism of the supply system, respectively in longitudinal section and in transverse sections along the lines XVII-XVII, XVIII-XVIII and XIX-XIX of FIG. 16.
  • FIGS. 20 to 22 schematically illustrate the operation of a two-tube weapon established according to a variant of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 19.
  • the helical ramp 14 extends around the star shaft 11 at an angle of the order of 195 °.
  • the lower limit of seven has was chosen as a satisfactory compromise with a view to reducing the inertia phenomena of the whole of the barrel 1 and of the star shaft 11, from one angular stop position to the next, while not excessively increasing the 'lateral dimensions of this assembly.
  • Figures 3 to 5 show the successive positions of the cartridges 57 induced by the rotation of the barrel 1, in the direction of the arrow R, during a firing sequence.
  • the cartridge 57 is taken over at station A. base of the socket 59 of the cartridge 57 then takes support on the helical ramp 14 which will ensure the progressive introduction (passing through the stations B, C, D and E) in the aligned chamber 3 of the barrel 1, until F where the cartridge 57 will be stationed.
  • the cartridge is pulled at F and the empty socket 59 is ejected at station G.
  • the weapon works as follows: When the cartridges 57 located at station F are ignited, part of the propellant gases pass through the vent 9 and violently push back the control slide 4, shown in FIG. 1 in the front neutral position.
  • the grooving 5 comprises two switching members 16 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which can pivot around axes 17 and determining the tracking of the rollers 6, depending on whether the drawer 4 moves in one direction or the other. It should be noted that the transmission of the movement by two rollers 6 at the same time stems from a concern for reliability linked to the mechanical resistance of the axes of these rollers, the weapon being able to function perfectly with a single roller 6 in engagement.
  • the switching members 16 are integral with pinions 18 (FIG. 7) held in place by pins 19 and meshing with a rack 20.
  • the latter is driven by the drawer 4 and can move relative to the latter perpendicular to the 'axis of the weapon, in a back and forth movement, the direction and amplitude are determined by ramples 21 and 22 parallel to the axis of the weapon and integral with the housing 15; on these ramps 21 and 22 come to bear alternately the ends 23 and 24 of the rack 20 ( Figures 8 and 9).
  • the rack 20 is immobilized against one or the other of the ramps 21 and 22 by retractable pins 25 ( Figures 10 and 11 ) which can be erased when passing staves 26 formed on tenons 27 which are integral with the casing 15 and whose lateral faces 28 constitute stops cooperating with the pins 25 to prevent, intermittently, the translation of the rack 20.
  • the drawer 4 When firing a cartridge 57, the drawer 4 is violently pushed by the piston 7 in the X direction ( Figures 1 and 6) and drives the rollers 6 which, by cooperating with the grooving 5 and the organs of switch 16, generate up to the rear dead center a rotation of 1 / 14th of a turn of the barrel 1. Due to the kinetic energy stored by the barrel 1, helped in this by the recuperating springs 10, the drawer 4 goes back towards the before. During this movement, the rack 20 undergoes a translation resulting in a rotation of the switching members 16. During a single return trip, the active roller 6 passes from position a to position b (FIG.
  • the barrel 1 rotates 1 / 7th of a turn, bringing a new cartridge 57 to the firing station F and the empty socket 59 to the ejection station G. If the firing is stopped at this time, the recuperator springs 10 maintain the drawer 4 in the front neutral position, the weapon then being ready to fire.
  • the slide 4 drives a slide 29 ( Figures 12 and 13) carrying two ramps 30 and 31. These come alternately into contact with two bearing surfaces 32 and 33 of an ejector 34 which can pivot around an axis 35, integral with the casing 15 of the weapon, and the spout 36 of which can engage in the base groove 60 of the socket 59 (FIG. 12).
  • the ramp 31 comes to bear on the surface 33 of the ejector 34 by rotating it to bring the spout 36 in the plane of the base groove 60 of the socket 59.
  • the ejector 34 is held in this position by the bearing 33 pressing on the face 37 of the slide 29, until the rotation of the barrel 1 brings the empty socket 59 facing the spout 36 and that , the drawer 4 having started its return movement towards its front neutral position, the ramp 30 of the slide 29 strikes the bearing 32 of the ejector 34. The empty socket 59 is then propelled into a chute 38 and the ejector 34 is returned to the starting position (FIG. 13).
  • This star-shaped tree 11 has seven branches determining as many recesses positioned with regard to the seven chambers 3 of the barrel 1 and, at its rear end, a pinion 43 meshing with a pinion 44 (FIG. 16) made integral with the supply star. 12 by a device, a detailed description of which will be given with reference to FIGS. 16 to 19.
  • the strip cartridges 45 (FIG. 15), guided by a chute 46, are driven by the feed star 12, in engagement with the links 47, and arrive at the sight of the stripper 13, secured to the casing 15.
  • This stripper 13 is constituted by a fork comprising two parallel spouts 48 coming to be inserted in force in notches 49 of the links 47, thus driving out the cartridges 57 radially, and not axially according to the technique used on most of the medium caliber weapons known to date .
  • the cartridge released from its link 47 is then guided by a bearing 50 which forces it to take place in the recess which faces it from the star shaft 11.
  • the link 47 emptied of its cartridge 57, is then evacuated from the weapon and therefore never penetrates inside the latter.
  • the supply star 12 therefore comprises a damping device making traction more progressive and the elongation of the strip negligible.
  • This device essentially consists ( Figures 16 to 19) of a torsion bar 51 interposed between the shaft 58 of the feed star 12 and its drive pinion 44. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the shaft 58 is tubular and the torsion bar 51 is disposed inside of it.
  • the feed star 12 can be easily disengaged at any time to facilitate, for example, the disarming of the barrel.
  • a clutch system consisting of a sliding sleeve 52 having at its periphery a cylindrical rack 53 meshing with a pinion 54 which can be rotated by a limited angle in one direction and in the other (as shown schematically by the double arrow Y in Figure 16), by a lever not shown.
  • the sleeve 52 On the side of the pinion 44, the sleeve 52 has dog teeth 55 which can engage the dog teeth 56 of this pinion 44 (as shown in the upper part of FIG. 16) and be uncoupled by the rotation of the pinion 54 (as shown in the lower part of figure 16).
  • an angular damping play (FIG. 18) is provided between the hollow shaft 58 of the supply star 12, in which one of the ends of the the torsion bar 51, and the pinion 44, in the hub 61 of which the other end of the torsion bar is anchored (FIG. 16).
  • the hollow shaft 58 and the hub 61 respectively carry clutch teeth 62 and 63 (FIG. 18) which are engaged with one another with the above-mentioned angular play.
  • the senor delivers an electrical signal analyzed by the electronic logic of the weapon which decides to stop shooting. Everything happens without mechanical shock and therefore without risk of damage to the weapon.
  • the weapon is provided, in a known manner, with a rearming device having an autonomy of several shots and which can be pyrotechnic.
  • the weapon which has just been described is with a single tube 8, it is possible, as a variant, to envisage a two-tube weapon incorporating the same operating principle. Such a weapon could prove to be advantageous when used on board a vehicle with a high ammunition carrying capacity: in this way, the wear and the heating of the tubes would be limited.
  • this weapon could fire alternately by one or the other of the two tubes.
  • the stations A and C correspond respectively to the two tubes, the station J for the ejection of the empty sleeve and the station I for the supply; posts marked with a cross are occupied by minis not drawn.
  • the first firing cycle is triggered by the firing of the cartridge located at station C ( Figure 20). This firing causes a barrel 1 rotation of 1 / 10th of a turn and, at the end of the cycle, the configuration is that shown in FIG. 21.
  • the second cycle is triggered by the firing of the cartridge located at station A. This causes a additional rotation of 1 / 10th of a revolution of barrel 1.
  • the third cycle is then ensured by firing the cartridge located at station C.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)

Claims (4)

  1. Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers, insbesondere, jedoch nicht ausschließlich, eine automatische Waffe zur Mitnahme in Luftfahrzeugen, mit einer aus mindestens sieben Kammern bestehenden Trommel (1) zur Versorgung von einem oder zwei Waffenrohren (8), wobei die besagte Trommel von einem Einschub mit elektrischer Zündung (41) mit abwechselnder Translationsbewegung durch Gazzufuhr gemäß einer intermittierenden Drehbewegung angetrieben wird, mit einer koaxial zur Trommel verlaufenden Sternwelle, die durch Drehung an die Trommel gekuppelt wird und dermaßen angeordnet ist, daß sie die Patronen einzeln aufnehmen, ihnen eine Drehbewegung verleihen und ihnen ermöglichen kann, sich parallel zu verschieben, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie über eine spiralförmige, feste Rampe (14) verfügt, die nacheinander mit dem Boden der einzelnen Patronen (57) zusammenarbeitet, um ihre intermittierende Drehbewegung auf der Sternwelle (11) mit einer intermittierenden Translationsbewegung innerhalb der Sternwelle (11) zu kombinieren, um ihren Transport von ihrem Einführungsposten in die Sternwelle (11) bis zum Zündungsposten in den jeweiligen Kammern (3) der Trommel (1) zu gewährleisten, sowie über mechanische Mittel (42) zur Synchronisierung der Drehbewegungen der Sternwelle (11) mit denjenigen der Trommel (1).
  2. Automatische Waffe nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sich die spiralförmige Rampe (14) um die Sternwelle (11) herum erstreckt, mit einem Winkel von ca. 195°.
  3. Automatische Waffe nach einem der Ansprüche 1 und 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die mechanischen Synchronisierungsmittel (45) aus Klauenkupplungen bestehen.
  4. Automatische Waffe nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine mit der Sternwelle (11) synchronisierte Versorgungswelle (12) so angeordnet ist, daß sie Bänder (45) mit durch Glieder (47) verbundenen Patronen (57) aufnehmen kann, und daß zwischen dem Versorgungsstern (12) und der Sternwelle (11) eine Abstreifvorrichtung angeordnet ist.
EP19890402663 1988-09-28 1989-09-28 Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers Expired - Lifetime EP0362066B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8812655 1988-09-28
FR8812655A FR2637062B1 (fr) 1988-09-28 1988-09-28 Arme automatique de moyen calibre, a grande cadence de tir

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0362066A1 EP0362066A1 (de) 1990-04-04
EP0362066B1 true EP0362066B1 (de) 1994-03-23

Family

ID=9370474

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19890402663 Expired - Lifetime EP0362066B1 (de) 1988-09-28 1989-09-28 Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0362066B1 (de)
CA (1) CA1326393C (de)
DE (1) DE68914076T2 (de)
FR (1) FR2637062B1 (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT405574B (de) * 1997-10-29 1999-09-27 Steyr Daimler Puch Ag Vorrichtung zum fördern gegurteter munition
FR3012593B1 (fr) 2013-10-25 2016-05-13 Nexter Systems Procede de commande de tir d'une arme a feu a emprunt de gaz et dispositif mettant en oeuvre un tel procede

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2820400A (en) * 1954-02-03 1958-01-21 John F O'brien Cartridge link and feedwheel for a revolver-type gun
US2777365A (en) * 1954-04-13 1957-01-15 Daniel D Musgrave Automatic firearm
US2950652A (en) * 1957-12-20 1960-08-30 John F O'brien Chambering mechanism for an automatic revolver type gun
US3101029A (en) * 1960-11-04 1963-08-20 Joseph L Johnston Feeding mechanism for drum-type firearm
US3747249A (en) * 1963-12-13 1973-07-24 Us Army Feeding system for automatic firearms with a rotary drum
FR2587471B1 (fr) * 1985-09-13 1989-06-23 France Etat Armement Dispositif d'introduction de munitions dans le barillet d'une arme automatique

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2637062A1 (fr) 1990-03-30
FR2637062B1 (fr) 1993-10-22
DE68914076D1 (de) 1994-04-28
DE68914076T2 (de) 1994-08-04
CA1326393C (fr) 1994-01-25
EP0362066A1 (de) 1990-04-04

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0362064B1 (de) Automatische Schnellfeuer-Revolverwaffe
EP0717254B1 (de) Schusswaffe
EP0324688B1 (de) Von der Schulter abzufeuernder Raketenwerfer
CH643052A5 (fr) Dispositif anti-retard de mise a feu d'un canon.
EP0571285B1 (de) Automatische Waffe mit einer kippbaren Patronenkammer zum Abschiessen von teleskopischen zylindrischen Munitionen
EP0362066B1 (de) Automatische Schnellfeuerwaffe mittleren Kalibers
EP1070932B1 (de) Hilfsvorrichtung zur Ladung einer Kanone mit Schraubverschluss
EP3924682B1 (de) Munitionsförderer und turm mit solch einem förderer
EP0786068B1 (de) Mehrläufige automatische feuerwaffe vom galingtype, insbesondere zum verschiessen von teleskopartigen munitionen
EP0279715A1 (de) Feuerwaffe für hülsenlose Munition und Munition für eine solche Waffe
FR2547042A1 (fr) Double alimentation en munitions pour armes automatiques
FR2729463A1 (fr) Dispositif de chargement en continu, pour une arme a barillet en particulier entrainee par une pression de gaz
WO1991012479A1 (fr) Arme a chambre ouverte
EP0709646A1 (de) Aufschlagzünder mit doppelter Sicherheit
FR2670280A1 (fr) Arme legere automatique.
FR2665948A1 (fr) Arme automatique bitube a barillet.
FR2472166A1 (fr) Dispositif pour un separateur equipant une arme a feu
EP0153242A1 (de) Automatische Ladevorrichtung für Kanonen
FR2665947A1 (fr) Arme, notamment canon, a tir rapide du type a barillet.
FR2750202A1 (fr) Systeme d'arme a feu ; chargeur et fut pour un tel systeme
FR2627853A1 (fr) Lance-grenades
FR2485179A1 (fr) Arme a feu automatique
FR2665946A1 (fr) Arme, notamment canon, a tir rapide.
BE347835A (de)
BE414650A (de)

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

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19891006

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): CH DE GB IT LI

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: GIAT INDUSTRIES

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19920429

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): CH DE GB IT LI

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: BARZANO' E ZANARDO MILANO S.P.A.

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 68914076

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19940428

GBT Gb: translation of ep patent filed (gb section 77(6)(a)/1977)

Effective date: 19940503

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20050825

Year of fee payment: 17

Ref country code: CH

Payment date: 20050825

Year of fee payment: 17

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20050926

Year of fee payment: 17

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20050928

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060930

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060930

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070403

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20060928

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060928