EP0743502A1 - Method and device for dismantling carrier projectiles - Google Patents

Abstract

To transfer the bomblet payload from an artillery shell of one calibre, to another of a different calibre, the first bomblet layer is exposed to be applied to a carrier cover with a pattern matching the bomblet layout, using a pneumatic system to hold them in place. A cover is fitted over the basses of the bomblet, and is secured to the carrier cover. The detonators are secured at each bomblet, and the bomblets are separated. The bomblets are arranged on a carrier cover, in a pattern for the new shell to be charged, to be lowered into the sleeves for each. The process is repeated until all the bomblets have been transferred by layers. Also claimed is an assembly with at least one initial carrier cover (20) with a structured surface for the bomblet layer (14) layout in the shell to be cleared. At least one further carrier cover has a surface layout matching the pattern of the bomblet layer in the new shell. At least one base cover (28) has a release mounting for attachment to the two carrier covers, so that the layer of bomblets (14) is secured between the two covers. A system (52) holds the bomblet layer against the appropriate carrier cover.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for re-laboratoryizing projectiles, which contain a plurality of bomblets which can be individually detonated and arranged in one or more layers, in which the bomblets are moved from a projectile of a first caliber to be assembled into a projectile of a second caliber be brought, the projectile to be disassembled being prepared so that a first bomblet layer is exposed.

Bomblet shells are artillery shells that carry a load of submunitions, the daughter shells or bomblets. When in use, these bomblets are over an ejection charge initiated by a time fuse is ejected from the projectile sleeve. This usually happens on the floor side, whereby predetermined breaking points of the grenade floor attachment must be overcome. The bomblets, whose mechanisms of action are splintering and shaped charge effects, automatically detach themselves from their association. They are each equipped with their own detonator, which is unlocked by swirl and aerodynamic action after detachment from the dressing. Bomblet detonators usually have an ignition system in which an inert mass provides the necessary initial energy. The safe function requires a sufficiently rapid deceleration of the bomblet when hitting a target, which is not necessarily the case with soft and flexible structures such as snow, wood or vegetation. In order to still guarantee functional reliability, bomb detonators have highly sensitive ignition elements.

It has already been described above that swirl and aerodynamic effects are used to unlock bomb detonators in the operational sequence. Because of the small size of the bomblets, there are usually no other locking or unlocking mechanisms, such as clockworks. As a result, a bomb detonator of an exposed bomblet only contains one fuse, the trigger threshold of which is naturally at a very low level.

In the loaded state within a storey, further securing is achieved in that the dressing arrangement makes it possible to unlock the fuse by positive locking even if the fuse described above fails.

For some purposes it is advisable to refurbish bullets because the bomb types are essentially identical and could in principle be used for bullets of different calibers.

However, the delaborating of bomblet bullets already poses special security risks due to the sensitivity of the ignition systems described and the presence of only one fuse after the association has resolved it.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method for re-laboratoryizing projectiles, in which the risks are minimized in such a way that safe handling is possible.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. Advantageous refinements are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention it is provided that the first bomblet layer is brought into contact with a first transport cover designed according to the position pattern of the bomblets of the projectile to be disarmed and is held pneumatically on the latter, a floor cover is brought under the bomblet layer after it has been removed from the projectile sleeve, which is releasably attached to the first transport cover, the detonator of each bomblet is secured, the bomblets are separated, the bomblets are at least partially arranged on a second transport cover designed according to the position pattern of the bomblets of the projectile to be assembled and are held there pneumatically, the base cover is removed, which Bombletlage is lowered into the floor case of the second floor and the steps described above are repeated until either the last Bombletlage from the first floor or an uppermost Bombletlage is inserted into the second floor.

For safety reasons, before removing an exposed bomblet layer from the floor to be disassembled, it should be determined whether the detonator of each bomblet is secured. This can be done via a TV camera without any danger to the operating personnel.

It is preferred for the method according to the invention that the pneumatic holding of the bomblet layers on the first or second transport cover is carried out by means of a vacuum applied to openings in the transport cover.

It is particularly preferred if an opening is provided on each of the transport lids for each bomblet, because then it is possible to provide the bomblet with a locking pin through these openings, so that its ignition mechanism is blocked.

For handling reasons, it may be advantageous that the transport cover is turned through 180 ° as soon as the bomblet layer is held on it.

The process for re-processing bomblet projectiles can advantageously be further developed by disposing of bomblets that are not required for the replacement of projectiles to be assembled.

For this purpose, the scale housing activating the detonator is blasted off with each bomblet, the flaring point fixing the shaped charge funnel is milled out, the explosive is removed, the ignition amplifier is ejected, the bomblet housing is washed out and finally the explosive, ignition amplifier and detonator are burned.

A device for re-laboratoryizing of storeys, which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the present invention, is characterized by at least a first transport cover with a bearing area for a bomblet layer according to a first position pattern in the storey to be disarmed, at least a second transport cover with a Installation area for a bomblet layer according to a second layer pattern in the floor to be put together, at least one floor cover which can be detachably attached to the first or second transport cover, such that the bomblet layer is firmly held between the transport cover and floor cover, and a device for at least temporarily Keep the bomblet layer in contact with the respective transport cover.

Further structural components of the device are formed by a feed hydraulic system that pushes or retracts the bomblet bandage within the projectile sleeve to such an extent that a bomblet layer is exposed or the same is returned to the projectile sleeve.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the transport cover has openings through which a vacuum or vacuum can be applied to the contact area. The vacuum or vacuum is applied by a suction manipulator, which can form the device for at least temporarily holding the bomblet layer in contact with the respective transport cover.

Further advantageously, the transport lid has a mold cavity for each bomblet, which can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by an abutting edge of the bomblet, one of the openings opening into each mold cavity.

It is particularly advantageous if these openings are arranged in such a way that a locking pin can be guided through them to secure the respective bomblet.

Figur 1

eine erste Station zur Umlaborierung von Geschossen zur Durchführung des Verfahrens gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 2

eine zweite Station für die Umlaborierung von Geschossen gemäß dem Verfahren der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 3

eine Detailansicht einer Bombletlage eines zu delaborierenden Geschosses und des Transportdeckels im Schnitt; und

Figur 4

eine Vorrichtung zum Entsorgen von Bomblets, die nicht zum Umlaborieren benötigt werden.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows

Figure 1

a first station for the re-laboratoryization of floors to carry out the method according to the present invention;

Figure 2

a second projectile re-laboratory station according to the method of the present invention;

Figure 3

a detailed view of a Bombletlage a projectile to be disassembled and the transport cover in section; and

Figure 4

a device for the disposal of bomblets that are not required for re-laboratorying.

Bomblet projectiles, often also referred to as grenade ejection projectiles, have bomblets arranged in layers in a shell, the first layer of the bomblets on the bottom being fitted with metal cups of the same internal configuration as a bomblet for securing the bandage. The projectile head is screwed to the projectile casing. This screw connection is usually additionally secured by an adhesive. In the mouth hole of the projectile head, the lip bushing with ejection charge is inserted. The lifting ring locking screw is screwed into the mouth thread during storage and transport.

To disarm such a projectile, the lip screw must be loosened and the ejection charge removed. This is done in a conventional way and can be done with conventional means. The aluminum ogive is then unscrewed. To avoid thread seizure, the interface must preferably be heated to temperatures below 80 ° C. We recommend loosening the thread first and instilling a mixture of a suitable solvent and spirit into the thread gap. After a temporary exposure time, the thread can be loosened completely.

The base plate is now removed from the remaining fuselage. Because of the considerable effort required to loosen the threaded connection, a corresponding device must have sufficient clamping and driving forces. In any case, the tension must be circular so that it is ensured that no forces act on the bomblet bandage via the deformation of the shell.

The opened projectile is then brought into a device which makes it possible to shift the bomblet bandage in layers in the direction of the floor opening. The force is applied via the expulsion plate attached to the head. The required expulsion force is preferably applied hydraulically; low-frequency pulsing with a low amplitude makes it easier to overcome the initial resistance.

Now the already mentioned metal bowls, which are intended for bandage protection, are removed.

The first bomblet layer is thus exposed on the ignition side.

For security reasons, it should now be determined, preferably with an image processing system, whether one of the detonators of the bomblet has come into the armed state. If the security status is positive, the bomblet layer can be removed from the projectile sleeve.

In Figure 1, a still filled projectile sleeve 10 is shown, from which the base plate has already been removed. The metal bowls 12 for securing the first bomblet plate are exposed and can be removed by a suction lifter 30. The suction lifter 30 can be pivoted, as indicated by the double arrow A, in such a way that the suction lifter can place the metal cups 12 in a container 40.

Figure 2 shows schematically the process for removing a bomblet layer 14 from the projectile sleeve 10. For this purpose, a feed hydraulic 50 is attached from the side of the projectile head, which moves the entire bomblet bandage in the direction of the bottom opening of the projectile sleeve 10 until the first bomblet layer 14 is exposed. A transport cover 20 to be described in more detail in connection with FIG. 3 is removed from a magazine 60 for transport cover and held on a suction manipulator 52. Suction manipulator 52 and transport cover 20 then move over the first bomblet layer; they are lowered so far that the first bomblet layer comes into contact with the transport cover 20. The bomblets of the bomblet layer 14 are then held pneumatically on the transport blanket 20 with the aid of the suction manipulator 52. A base cover 28 is then removed from a magazine 62 for base covers and placed under the bomblet layer 14. This bottom cover 28 is positively connected to the transport cover 20 via a snap lock or another suitable detachable connection. This creates a safe package for handling and transport, which has the same security as the loading of the bomblet floor.

FIG. 3 shows in a detailed representation of the bomblet layer 14 and the transport cover 20 how a bandage protection for the bomblet layer 14 is achieved. For each bomblet of the bomblet layer 14, of which only one is shown in the drawing, a mold cavity 22 is provided in the transport cover 20, in which the bomblet is to be inserted on the ignition side. Each mold cavity 22 is provided on the side of the transport cover 20 facing the suction manipulator 52 with an opening 24 which is arranged on the mold cavity 22 in such a way that a securing pin for the ignition mechanism of a bomblet can be inserted through this opening 24. The suction manipulator 52 rests on the transport cover 20 via a seal 52, a space communicating with all the bores 24 remaining free between the suction manipulator 52 and the transport cover 20. To this room a vacuum is applied so that a vacuum is generated in each mold cavity 22, which holds the corresponding bomblet in the transport lid 20. For this purpose, the mold cavity 22 is designed on the edge side so that it forms an essentially sealed contact surface or contact edge with a bomblet. The bomblet layer 14 can thus be removed from the projectile sleeve together with the transport cover 20 by the suction manipulator 52. Under the bomblet layer 14 there is a bottom cover 28 which engages by means of a locking clip 29 over a shoulder 26 provided on the transport cover 20. The suction manipulator 52 can then be removed from the transport cover 20 so that the bores 24 are exposed and the locking pin can be inserted through these bores 24 for each bomblet. Transport cover 20 and base cover 28 can then be safely separated from one another so that the bomblet layer 14 is exposed and the bomblets can be separated. The delamination process for a bomblet layer is now complete.

In principle, the process just described could be repeated until all the bomblet layers have been removed from the shell. At the same time or subsequently, an empty projectile sleeve, for example of another caliber, is then filled, the separated bomblets being inserted into a second transport cover, which basically has the same structure as the transport cover 20 just described, with a mold cavity 22 with bore 24 again for each bomblet is provided. The location pattern of the mold nests 22 and thus the bomblets is chosen so that it is adapted to the projectile sleeve of the projectile to be assembled. The isolated bomblets with a safety pin are inserted into such transport covers, which take into account the different arrangement of the bomblets, and secured by attaching the base cover so that the safety pin can be removed again.

Then a suction manipulator 52 takes the transport cover again on, the bottom cover is removed and the bomblet layer is moved over the projectile sleeve to be fitted. The suction manipulator with the transport cover and the bomblet layer is lowered to the projectile sleeve. The correspondingly configured feed hydraulics 50 take up the bomblet position, which is released from the transport cover, so that the bomblet position can now be lowered into the projectile sleeve using the feed hydraulics. The next bomblet layer can then be fed.

The delaborating and refitting steps are repeated until either the last bomblet layer has been removed from the first floor or an uppermost bomblet layer has been inserted into the second floor.

The preparations described above are then made to disassemble another projectile, or the assembled projectile is reworked by providing the last bomblet layer with metal cups, placing the bottom cover on the projectile, screwing on the ogive and inserting the discharge charge and screwing in the mouth screw becomes.

It is possible that individual bomblets will have to be disposed of permanently, since they cannot be reused on other floors.

The corresponding operations are shown in Figure 4. With the help of a power-operated chisel 70, the scale housing 162 of the bomblet 16 is blasted off. Then the flanging point 168 located on the bomblet housing 160 is milled out with the aid of a milling cutter 72, so that the shaped charge funnel 166 can be removed. The now exposed explosive 170 is removed with a form cutter, which is not shown in the drawing. An ejector tool, also not shown, is used to eject the ignition amplifier 172. Then the inner contour of the remaining housing 160 is washed out. The explosives of the bomblet, namely explosives 170, ignition amplifier 172 and detonator, are finally burned in the rotary kiln. The housing can then be disposed of in the usual way.

The described method enables safe removal of sharp bomblets and re-processing in storeys of other calibers, as well as the safe disposal of bomblets that are no longer required. The entire process is accessible to the robot controller, so that the worker who carries out the dismantling and refitting is secured.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawing and in the claims can be essential for realizing the invention both individually and in any combination.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

10th

Projectile sleeve

12th

Metal bowls

14

Bombletlage

16

Bomblet

20th

Transport cover

22

Form nest for bomblet

24th

drilling

26

approach

28

Bottom cover

29

Locking clip

30th

Suction lifter

40

container

50

Feed hydraulics

52

Suction manipulator

54

poetry

60

Magazine for transport lid

62

Magazine for floor cover

70

chisel

72

Cutter

160

Bomblet case

162

Scale housing

164

rivet

166

Hollow charge funnel

168

Flaring

170

explosive

172

Ignition amplifier

Claims (12)

Method for re-laboratoryizing projectiles which contain a plurality of bomblets which can be individually detonated and arranged in one or more layers, in which bomblets are brought from a projectile of a first caliber to be assembled into a projectile of a second caliber to be assembled, the projectile to be disarmed first is prepared so that a first bomblet layer is exposed,
characterized in that a) the first bomblet layer is brought into contact with a first transport cover designed according to the positional pattern of the bomblets of the projectile to be disassembled and is held pneumatically thereon, b) a bottom cover is placed under the bomblet layer, which is releasably attached to the first transport cover, c) the fuse of each bomblet is secured, d) the bomblets are separated, e) the bomblets are at least partially arranged on a transport cover designed according to the location pattern of the bomblets of the projectile to be assembled, f) the bomblet layer is lowered into the projectile sleeve of the projectile to be assembled; and g) steps a) to f) are repeated until either the first bomblet layer is removed from the floor to be disassembled or an uppermost bomblet layer is inserted into the floor to be assembled. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that before removing an exposed bomblet layer from the floor to be disassembled, it is determined whether the detonator of each bomblet is secured. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pneumatic holding of the bomblet layers on the first or second transport cover by means of openings in the Transport lid applied vacuum is made. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening is provided on each of the transport lids for each bomblet. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that each of the openings in the respective transport cover is arranged in such a way that a bomblet is to be provided with a locking pin through this opening. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transport cover is subsequently turned through 180 ° after step a). Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that bomblets which are not required for the refitting of projectiles to be assembled are disposed of. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that for each bomblet - The scale housing activating the detonator is blown off; - The flanging point fixing the hollow charge funnel is milled out; - the explosive is removed; - the ignition amplifier is ejected; - The bomblet housing is washed out and - Explosives, ignition amplifiers and detonators are burned. Device for the re-laboratoryization of projectiles which contain a plurality of bomblets which can be individually secured against detonation and are arranged in one or more layers, bomblets consisting of one projectile to be disassembled first caliber are brought into a floor of a second caliber to be assembled, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by - at least one first transport cover (20) with a contact area for a bomblet layer (14) according to a first position pattern of the bomblets in the floor to be disarmed, - At least a second transport cover with a contact area for a bomblet layer according to a second layer pattern in the floor to be assembled; - At least one bottom cover (28) which can be detachably attached to the first and second transport cover (s) (20) such that the bomblet layer (14) is firmly held between the transport cover (20) and the bottom cover (28); and - A device (52) for at least temporarily holding the bomblet layer in contact with the respective transport cover. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the transport cover (20) has openings (24) through which a vacuum or vacuum can be applied to the contact area. Device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the transport cover (20) for each bomblet has a mold cavity (22) which can be closed in a substantially vacuum-tight manner by an abutting edge of the bomblet, one of the openings (22) in each mold cavity (22) 24) flows out. Device according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the openings (24) are arranged so that a locking pin can be guided through them to secure the respective bomblet.

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