EP0829698B1 - Device for transporting large-calibre ammunition - Google Patents

Description

The technical field of the present invention is that of ammunition transport cases, in particular for wholesale caliber, including a number of containers tubular and equipped with means ensuring the blocking of shells ammunition.

When a vehicle, armored or not, carries ammunition large caliber, it is known to provide sets palletizable where the ammunition is chocked or cooperate with adjustable stops inside a container whose length is adapted to that of the ammunition. These devices classics lack flexibility because they are only intended for one type of ammunition. They therefore do not provide widest diversity in each case.

Thus patent US4538724, which serves as a basis for the preamble of claim 1, describes a device in which the immobilization of the shell is ensured by a band metallic steel Y-shaped. The strip is applied from elastic on the body of the shell by displacement an operating lever.

Such a device does not ensure the centering of the shell in its container. In addition, it is complex and does not allow fix the shells in their container at any point in the container and following a simple maneuver without adjustment regardless of the shape or length of the shell

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for transporting ammunition in which the shells are immobilized whatever their type and length and this, in a simple and effective way.

To this end, the invention provides a device for ensuring transport of large caliber ammunition each consisting a propellant charge and a shell housed in a container individual waterproof, device comprising means of immobilization of the shell in its container which are applied to the front end of the shell, device characterized in that the immobilization means ensure the shell centering and include an annular body forming a reception means covering the end of the shell, body bearing a means of expansion making it possible to ensure support and clamping the body against the inner wall of the container.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the annular body is made of thermoplastic material and adjusted to the diameter internal container, the expansion means carried by the body acting radially in the container.

In general, the means of expansion is consisting of two jaws articulated at one end and actuated radially at the other end, both jaws advantageously supported on the container via a compressible O-ring.

According to a first embodiment, the jaws are actuated by a mobile counterweight in translation longitudinal.

This flyweight has a cylindrical-conical shape which cooperates with a ramp made on each of the jaws, this flyweight being extended by a tie rod housed in a cylindrical sleeve embedded in the annular body, the pulling being subjected to the action of a lever carrying a cam cooperating with the adjacent end of the sleeve for drive the counterweight in longitudinal translation.

According to another embodiment, the jaws are actuated by a radially movable ball and driven by a cam.

The cam is housed in the receiving means by through two metal rings, and is actuated by a shaft which is movable inside the cam to occupy, i.e. a first inactive position where it is in free rotation, a second position active rotation in which the shaft is coupled to the cam by a system of splines, a return spring being disposed between the cam and the shaft to bring this last in its inactive position.

A first advantage of the invention lies in the shell blocking without prior adjustment and following a very simple operation.

Another advantage of the invention lies in the versatility of shells to which blocking can be applied.

Another advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the blocking means can be located at a point any container, adjustable.

• la figure 1 est une vue générale d'un dispositif pour le transport de munitions,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe partielle d'un obus en position d'immobilisation dans son conteneur,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe partielle d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue en bout de la figure 3, et
• les figures 5A et 5B sont des vues en coupe partielle d'un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention.

Other advantages, characteristics and details of the invention will appear on reading the additional description given below by way of illustration on the basis of embodiments in relation to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a general view of a device for transporting ammunition,
• FIG. 2 is a partial section view of a shell in the immobilized position in its container,
• FIG. 3 is a partial section view of a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 3, and
• FIGS. 5A and 5B are views in partial section of another embodiment of the invention.

When transporting large caliber ammunition, they undergo during taxiing following acceleration the three axes, and it is known to provide lockers transport containing the propellant charges on one side and each other’s shells.

Figure 1 therefore illustrates a device or locker transport 1 whose walls 2 and 3 are advantageously made of a composite material. This transport locker 1 includes a number of containers 4 intended for shells and housing 5 intended for propellant charges as well as the rockets and chokes necessary for the shoot. The containers 4 are for example supported at their ends by shims 4a and 4b. The transport locker 1 is closed at each end by a door 6 or 7. According to the example illustrated, the transport compartment 1 is provided for store 18 shells.

In FIG. 2, an individual container 8 is illustrated. containing a shell 9 positioned at its point 10a by a receiving means 11 and whose base 10b is in support on the bottom 8a of the container. Container 8 is open at its end 8b to allow the introduction of the shell and on which the door folds down 6. This figure 2 also illustrates an operating member 12 allowing the immobilization of the shell 9 and the means of protection 13 of the belt of the shell 9. Thus immobilized, the shell 9 does not undergoes no displacement likely to damage it especially at its point 10a. In this example, shell 9 is equipped with a lifting eye 10c.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate an exemplary embodiment means for immobilizing the shell 9 including the head 70 represented in dotted lines consists either of a rocket 14 or a lifting eye 15. The receiving means 11 which receives the front end of the shell 9 presents itself in the form of a solid annular body 11a in material thermoplastic provided with a through central recess 16 comprising a first frustoconical section 17 extended by a second cylindrical section 18. The frustoconical portion 17 conforms to the outer surface of the front part of the shell 9. The annular body 11a is introduced into the container 8 with slight play and can be placed near door 6. A second blind recess 19 can be provided around the through recess 16, so that increase the elasticity of the body 11.

Means of immobilization and centering of the shell 9 consist of the body 11a ensuring the reception of the head 70 of shell 9 and a means of dilation 21. This medium 21 includes two jaws 22 and 23 articulated around of their respective axes 24 and 25, and which are actuated radially to be able to separate them from each other at by means of a flyweight 26 movable in translation longitudinal and which acts simultaneously on both free ends of the two jaws 22 and 23. The counterweight 26 is controlled under the action of the body of operation 12. For this purpose, the counterweight 26 is provided with a frustoconical part 27 cooperating with a ramp 28 made on each end of the two jaws 22 and 23, the counterweight 26 extending by a tie rod 29 at the end which the operating member 12 or lever is articulated by through an axis 30. The counterweight assembly 26 / tie 29 is housed in a metal sleeve 31 which is embedded in the body 11. The translation of this set relative to the sleeve 31 is limited by a crown 32 secured to the flyweight 26 and which is applied to the end edge of the sleeve 31 and by a cam 33 fitted at the end of the lever 12. The cam 33 is intended to come to rest on the other end edge of the sleeve 31.

The articulation of the cam 33 on the sleeve 31 prints at the counterweight assembly 26 / pulling 29 a movement of translation which is guided by a pin 34 secured to the sleeve 31 and which engages in a groove 35 formed on the tie rod 29. The counterweight 26 is blocked by a nut 36 self-braking which adjusts the locking force and prohibits unscrewing which may result from vibrations. The jaws 22 and 23 can be directly in contact with container 8, but we prefer to interpose an O-ring 37 made of an elastic material serving as a spring reminder when the jaws 22 and 23 are released. folding the lever 12 towards the ammunition, one exerts a traction on the tie rod 29 and the flyweight 26. This last clears ramp 28 of jaws 22 and 23 causing the compression of the container 8 by these jaws or seal 37.

In FIG. 5, a second mode of illustration has been illustrated. embodiment according to which the jaws 22 and 23 are activated by a ball. The elements common to both embodiments are designated by the same references and we find the body 11a engaged in the container 8, the two jaws 22 and 23 each articulated around an axis of which only the axis 24 is visible, and the O-ring 37 which is interposed between the jaws 22 and 23 and the container 8. In this exemplary embodiment, the jaws 22 and 23 are actuated by a ball 50 movable in translation radial. To this end and as shown in FIG. 5B, the ball 50 is mounted at two ramps 51 and 52 formed respectively at the two ends of the jaws 22 and 23. The ball 50 is held on these ramps 51 and 52 by means of a cam 53.

The rotation of the cam 53 along the arrow F causes the sliding of the ball 50 on the ramps 51 and 52. It this results in a spacing of the jaws 22 and 23, which causes compression of the seal 37 and blocking in position of the body 11 in the container 8. The cam 53 is housed longitudinally in the body 11 by by means of two rings 54 and 55 arranged on the side and the other in a blind accommodation. The ring 55 is held in place with a circlip 56. The cam 53 is rotated by an actuator 57 constituted by a shaft 58 housed in a longitudinal passage drilled in the cam 53. The shaft 58 is provided with splines 59 cooperating with grooves 60 machined in the wall of the longitudinal passage of the cam 53. On one side, the shaft 58 is fitted with a circlip 61 which is applied to the body 11 and, on the other side, an extended bulge 62 by a head 63 with square section to receive a key operation 64.

A spring 65 can be interposed between the cam 53 and the bulge 62 to recall the shaft 58 in a position inactive with respect to cam 53. Indeed, the splines straight lines 59 and 60 are meshed with each other when the shaft 58 occupies the position 66, the spring 65 being compressed. In this so-called active position obtained by sinking of the shaft 58, it is then possible to rotate the cam 53 by the key 64 and thus cause the ball 50 to translate and the spacing of the jaws 22 and 23. In the position inactive 67, the splines 59 and 60 are uncoupled and the shaft 58 can rotate freely relative to the cam 53, the spring 65 then being partially relaxed. In this inactive position, blocking of ball 50 is however held by the support of the cam 53 uncoupled from the shaft 58. The position of the shaft 58 can be fixed by providing grooves 68 formed in the vicinity of its end and which will cooperate with grooves 69 formed at the level of the body 11. Thus, in the inactive position 67, the grooves 68 and 69 are engaged in each other, which prohibits any rotation of the shaft 58 relative to cam 53.

Claims (12)

1. A device to ensure the transportation of large calibre ammunition each formed by a propellant charge and a shell (9) housed in an individual gastight container (8), such device comprising means (20) to immobilise the shell in its container (4) that are applied to the front end of the shell, such device being characterised in that the immobilising means (20) centre the shell and comprise a ring-shaped body forming reception means (11) capping the end of the shell (9), such body carrying dilatation means (21) allowing the body to be pressed tightly against the inner wall of the container (8).
2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the ring-shaped body (11a) is made of a thermoplastic material fitted to the inner diameter of the container (8), the dilatation means (21) carried by the body acting radially in the container (8).
3. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the dilatation means (21) are formed by two jaws (22, 23) hinged at one end and activated radially at the other end.
4. A device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the two jaws (22, 23) press on the container (8) by means of a compressible seal (37).
5. A device according to Claims 3 or 4, characterised in that the jaws (22, 23) are activated by a riser (26) able to translate longitudinally.
6. A device according to Claim 5, characterised in that the riser (26) is of a cylindrical-conical shape (27) co-operating with a ramp (28) made on each of the jaws (22, 23).
7. A device according to Claim 6, characterised in that the riser (26) is extended by a stay (29), both elements being housed in a metallic sleeve (31) imbedded in the ring-shaped body (11a), the stay (29) being subjected to the action of a lever (12) bearing a cam (33) co-operating with the adjacent end of the sleeve (31) to drive the riser (26) in longitudinal translation.
8. A device according to Claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the jaws (22, 23) are activated by a ball (50) able to translate radially.
9. A device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the ball (50) is driven by a cam (53).
10. A device according to Claim 9, characterised in that the cam (53) is housed in the reception means (11) by means of two metallic rings (54, 55) and is activated in rotation by a shaft (58).
11. A device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the shaft (58) is able to move inside the cam (53) to occupy a first inactive position (67) where it rotates freely and a second active rotation position (66) in which the shaft (58) is harnessed to the cam (53).
12. A device according to Claim 11, characterised in that the shaft (58) is harnessed to the cam (53) by a system of ribs (59, 60), a return spring (65) being placed between the cam (53) and the shaft (58) in order to bring said shaft back to its inactive position.

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