EP1182418A2 - Method for reducing the sagging of a gun barrel and device for putting into practice such a method - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce the droop in a gun barrel (1), caused by a temperature difference between the under side (9) and upper side (10) after firing a number of rounds, a gas at a given temperature is fed into the barrel after each round. The gas flow through the bore (7') prevents convection gas flows and temperature differences within the barrel. The gas, of compressed air or nitrogen, can be fed into the barrel from the breech or through a gas extraction unit at the barrel.

Description

The invention relates to a method for reducing after certain firing sequences occurring due to different temperatures between the tube bottom and tube top Sag of a gun barrel. The invention further relates to a Device for performing the method.

In the case of large-caliber weapons in particular, there is a relative after certain firing sequences Great warming of the inner tube wall, often causing a temperature difference between the tube underside and the tube top of the corresponding weapon barrel comes. This temperature difference, which can persist for several hours, leads to one slight deflection of the gun barrel. This leads to a reduction the accuracy of the weapon and it is an increased readjustment of the weapon by means of the Alignment system required, which in turn places an additional burden on the gunner leads.

It has already been proposed to have protective elements on the outside of the barrel (e.g. a bandage with heat-insulating material or a protective tube made of aluminum or glass fiber reinforced plastic) to be exposed to external thermal influences to reduce to the gun barrel. However, such measures do not lead to any noteworthy Reduction of the internal thermal occurring when ammunition is fired Influences on the gun barrel, so that even with such gun barrels a certain shot sequence results in a sag of the tube.

The invention has for its object to provide a method of the type mentioned, with which the sag of a gun barrel compared to comparable in a simple manner known gun pipes can be reduced. The invention relates also on a device for carrying out the method with a weapon barrel Smoke Evacuator.

This object is achieved according to the method by the features of Claim 1 and in terms of the device solved by the features of claim 5. Further, particularly advantageous configurations of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

The invention is essentially based on the idea of firing a shot gaseous medium continuously with a predetermined temperature in the gun barrel initiate such that convection currents are prevented and thereby the certain shot sequences resulting temperature difference between the bottom of the tube and pipe top is also largely prevented.

The gaseous medium can be introduced into the barrel of the weapon or if the weapon barrel is equipped with a smoke evacuator, it can be gaseous Medium can also be introduced into the gun barrel via this. This is done in the outer wall the smoke evacuator introduced at least one opening through which the gaseous medium is introduced into the pressure chamber of the smoke evacuator. Of this it then passes through the located between the gun barrel and the pressure chamber Smoke vents in the inside of the gun barrel.

Compressed air or nitrogen have proven to be suitable as a gaseous medium.

Fig.1 das Waffenrohr einer Panzerkanone, bei dem das gasförmige Medium über den Verschluß eingebracht wird;

Fig.2 das Waffenrohr einer Panzerkanone mit Rauchabsauger, bei dem das gasförmige Medium über den Rauchabsauger eingebracht wird und

Fig.3 eine vergrößerte Ansicht des in Fig.2 mit III bezeichneten Bereiches, in dem der Rauchabsauger angeordnet ist.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following exemplary embodiments explained with reference to figures. Show it:

1 shows the weapon barrel of a tank cannon, in which the gaseous medium is introduced via the breech;

Fig.2 the weapon barrel of a tank cannon with smoke extractor, in which the gaseous medium is introduced via the smoke extractor and

3 shows an enlarged view of the area designated III in FIG. 2, in which the smoke extractor is arranged.

In Figure 1, 1 designates the weapon barrel of a tank cannon, the rear part of a base 2 with a wedge 3.

After the shot has been fired and the pipe return and pipe flow have been completed, a Container 4 with an open valve 5 and a pipe or hose 6 with given pressure a gaseous medium (preferably compressed air or nitrogen) initiated from the breech 3 into the gun barrel 1. The gaseous medium flows during a predetermined period through the pipe bore 7 'and occurs from the front from the mouth 8 of the barrel 1.

The gaseous medium and the pressure are chosen such that the tube bore 7 'of the Gun barrel 1 with a calibrated amount of the gaseous medium is flowed through at a constant flow rate. This will make one Convection flow prevents uniform heating of the inner tube wall 7 reached and the formation of a temperature difference between the tube bottom 9 and Pipe top 10 largely prevented.

In Fig. 2, a gun barrel 11 is shown with a smoke extractor 12, in which the gaseous Medium with a predetermined pressure after the shot has been fired as well as finished Pipe return and pipe flow via a pipe or hose 13 through an opening 14 of the outer wall 15 of the smoke evacuation device 12 (FIG. 3) is introduced into its pressure chamber 16 becomes. The gaseous medium then flows radially from the pressure chamber 16 Gun barrel 11 arranged smoke vent openings 17 in the front caliber part 18 of the Gun barrel 11 a.

The invention is of course not based on the two exemplary embodiments described limited. Thus, the method according to the invention can be used e.g. can also be used on machine guns and artillery weapons.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

barrel

2

breech

3

Closure, wedge closure

4

container

5

Valve

6

Pipeline, hose line

7

Inner tube wall

7 '

tube bore

8th

muzzle

9

Pipe bottom

10

Tube top

11

barrel

12

Smoke Evacuator

13

Pipeline, hose line

14

opening

15

outer wall

16

pressure chamber

17

Smoke outlet

18

front caliber part

Claims (5)

Method for reducing the sag of a weapon barrel (1; 11) which occurs after different firing sequences due to different temperatures between the barrel underside (9) and barrel top (10), characterized in that a gaseous medium of a predetermined temperature is fired into the barrel (1 ; 11) is initiated in such a way that by flowing through the tube bore (7 ') over a predetermined period of time convection currents and thus the temperature differences occurring in certain firing sequences between the tube underside (9) and the tube top (10) are largely prevented. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the gaseous medium is introduced into the weapon barrel (1) on the breech side. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the case of a weapon barrel (11) with a smoke gas extractor (12), the gaseous medium enters the weapon barrel via the smoke extraction openings (17) located between the weapon barrel (11) and the pressure chamber (16) of the smoke gas extractor (12) (11) is initiated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that compressed air or nitrogen is used as the gaseous medium. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one opening (14) is provided in the outer wall (15) of the flue gas extractor (12) through which the gaseous medium is introduced into the pressure chamber (16) of the flue gas extractor (12) becomes.

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