EP1875149A1

EP1875149A1 - Firearm and its barrel

Info

Publication number: EP1875149A1
Application number: EP06724434A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Johannes Murello
Original assignee: Heckler und Koch GmbH
Current assignee: Heckler und Koch GmbH
Priority date: 2005-04-27
Filing date: 2006-04-19
Publication date: 2008-01-09
Also published as: WO2006114225A1; ZA200709190B; US20080216378A1; KR20080000611A; US7661348B2; DE102005019594B4; CA2605585A1; DE102005019594A1

Abstract

The claimed firearm (1), preferably a hand weapon, has a barrel module (5) for firing 'intelligent' ammunition using the following control elements: a range finder (27), control electronics, means (35) for transmitting the results obtained by the control electronics to the projectile, control elements (31), display elements and a power supply (33). The barrel module (5) contains a barrel (21) and a barrel jacket (23) that surrounds the barrel (21) and receives, besides the barrel (21), at least some of the control elements (27, 35, 31, 33) and is designed, together with the barrel (21), as an exchangeable unit. Also disclosed is a barrel for this firearm. In addition, the firearm can be fitted with an exchangeable barrel (3) which is not surrounded by a jacket (23) and is not fitted with said control elements (27, 35, 31, 33), but in compensation is set up for a larger or equal calibre.

Description

Firearm and barrel for this

The invention relates to a firearm, preferably a handgun.

Such a weapon is known from US 5 052 144, which shows a grenade launcher with dump and shoulder rest.

Location terms used here, such as "top" or "front" are based on a position of the weapon, as it is taken during normal shooting on the shooting range and "front" points in the direction.

Weapons with mutually exchangeable barrels for the firing of ammunition of different calibers are known, for example from US Pat. No. 4,989,359. Furthermore, it is known from EP 1 069 394 B1, DE 44 33 627 A1 or US Pat. No. 4,711,152 Weapons needed to accommodate electronic components outside the barrel, namely in a surrounding annular gap. In addition, reference should be made to DE 42 14 059 A1, EP 307 308 Bl and US Pat. No. 4,142,442.

Large-caliber handguns are often provided with Einsteckläufen, which have a much smaller caliber than the original run and are usually used for practice purposes. There are also known Kipplaufwaffen in which the barrel or barrel bundle is exchangeable for another barrel / another barrel bundle, the ballistic performance of the replacement barrel can be quite better than that of the original run. The changeable barrel can also have its own riflescope, as the space above the barrel is usually available without restrictions. For other weapons, where space is limited to accommodate the run, the dimensions of the interchangeable barrel are usually limited to that of the original run. Such weapons are about rifle grenades, which are mounted below the barrel of a rapid-fire rifle. With these weapons, the space for accommodating the barrel and, accordingly, the removable barrel is subject to considerable restrictions.

Regardless of the above, a so-called "smart ammunition" has recently been developed, which can be fired in highly complicated weapons. These - also "intelligent" - weapons have a rangefinder, such as a laser rangefinder, as well as an induction coil or a contact programming, also a target electronics and finally a power supply. The induction coil surrounds the - always drawn - barrel at the chamber, is coupled to the rangefinder via a computer and transmits to the projectile the number of revolutions that it performs as intended to the measured target distance. The barrel shall not be made of iron, nickel or any other material that would interfere with the transmission of the magnetic impulses from the induction coil to the projectile. A suitable for wireless programming, in particular by means of said magnetic pulses, running material is, for example, a titanium material, in particular titanium itself. In principle, but instead of the magnetic pulses and ultrasonic pulses or other magnetic field-independent pulses could be applied, that is, pulses from a run of iron - And / or nickel material are not disturbed. Instead of the number of revolutions, the time interval between the time of launcher and the target or detonation time can in principle also be specified. The "intelligent ammunition" usually has relatively small-caliber shells (caliber: about 25 mm), which are quite weak in their effect. But because they can be "programmed" to detonate at the intended location, their impact on the target can even outweigh the effect of much larger grenades. Thus, for example, an enemy machine gun lying in cover can be switched off by targeting a striking breakpoint above its position and then shooting at this breakpoint. As soon as the grenade has made so many revolutions until it is just above the machine gun protection, it will - due to its programming - detonate. In this case, a Zundabstand be included so that the grenade detonates before the target point, but only unfolds in this full effect. If it is observed that ignition is in the wrong place, or if the breakpoint is offset horizontally forward or backward from the target, the electronics can be readjusted manually and shot again. For this purpose, for example, push buttons including a "reset" button are provided by the actuation of the Zundpunkt (the point at which the ignition takes place) adjusted by a piece forward or backward and then the target electronics is optionally reset. It may even be a push button provided to "freeze" the measurement result. This option is chosen, for example, when another target point far away from the target must be selected, that is to say that the projectile should detonate at a long distance from the target point and that distance was previously set at a comparison target.

The facilities (target electronics, rangefinder, also power supply) to carry out the above operations are regularly disconnected from the run. Only the induction coil or the contact programming for Transmission of the information to the projectile is arranged around the chamber, but also structurally separated from the barrel / the latter to allow a running change with simple means. The batteries needed to power the electronics are regularly housed in the shaft, the control buttons are located on the handle, and the rangefinder with electronics is pushed onto the rifle to be easily interchangeable in the event of a failure. However, it is still possible cable disruptions that hinder the use of the weapon and therefore make their replacement necessary.

This problem takes on the invention and would improve the operational capability of the entire weapon.

The invention solves this problem with the subject-matter of claim 1, that is to say in that the barrel is surrounded by a running mantle of rangefinder, electronics, means for transmitting the result of the electronics to the bullet, controls and power supply at least a part in addition to the barrel with absorbs and is interchangeable with the run as a unit.

The weapon is designed as a weapon whose barrel has a larger caliber and thus a larger diameter, but otherwise is conventional, so has no facilities for measuring the distance, no electronics, etc. Such a weapon is established experience for decades of trouble-free use. Only the running jacket contains those additional, unusual elements, such as rangefinders, electronics, etc., whose continuous durability, especially under conditions of improper storage, is still completely unproven. The running jacket now forms a unit with the barrel, which is interchangeable overall and could even be regarded as a removable barrel, but whose caliber is a little smaller than would be possible without the barrel jacket.

All equipment whose durability has not yet been fully tested or under certain conditions

Conditions of use could be diminished, are housed in the barrel casing or wrapped by this - so it is protected from the outside. Preferably, they are worn by the running jacket, so are so far

(mechanically) connected to it.

Now occurs when a fault on the parts housed in the running jacket parts, so only the unit of barrel and barrels replaced, which can be made under field conditions of the shooter or the gun officer. The repair of the weapon is therefore at the highest level possible at the company level - even if the interference emanates from electronic, miniaturized parts that can be repaired or replaced at best in a specialist workshop.

Ideally, the entire running jacket is simply thrown away if its "inside" is faulty, and a new barrel jacket is used that has all the parts mentioned and is new and factory tested. The barrel is therefore preferably used expandable in the barrel casing, in which it is inserted, for example, from behind and held from the front by a union nut. This option is particularly advantageous if the barrel made of titanium and therefore is quite expensive, so that it is worthwhile, if necessary, continue to use it with a new barrel jacket or otherwise. But the barrel can also be glued to the barrel jacket or otherwise permanently connected. The power supply was previously housed in the butt of a grenade gun. This is also possible with the weapon according to the invention. But where modern batteries are available that can be stored for ten years or more and then still be operational for months, all the above-mentioned elements are preferably taken up by the barrel jacket (claim 2). The power consumption of said elements can namely be quite low; especially if one refrains from automatically adjusting the sight as a function of the distance measurement. In this case, the distance to the target point is estimated and adjusted in the same way as it is used to from a rifle. If a correction is necessary, you can adjust the visor, choose another breakpoint or Vollbzw. Take fine grain. The rangefinder operates independently of the sight setting and ultimately causes only the specification of the number of revolutions or the time of flight of the projectile until its detonation. Since the projectile is always provided with a Aufschlagzünder, the impact of the projectile can usually always be clearly observed: either the projectile is detonated by the built-in control in the air or by the impact fuse on impact. Thus, the sight can be corrected over a long distance.

The running jacket can have a diameter that is sufficient to be in the intermediate space between the outer diameter of the

The barrel and inner diameter of the barrel jacket all mentioned facilities can be accommodated. However, in order to avoid that the barrel casing is too thick and thus the weapon is too bulky, preferably has the weapon housing laterally next to, above or below the

Run recesses that are interspersed by the running jacket or can be penetrated (claim 3). The that Weapon housing penetrating part of the barrel jacket is preferably configured as a bulge of the barrel jacket. In him preferably those controls are housed, which must be reached from the outside, such as the battery or batteries for powering the electronics.

The construction of the weapon is, if necessary, apart from the recesses, impaired in any way. For example, the weapon may be designed as a self-loading bush. However, it is particularly advantageous to design them as a dumping weapon (claim 4). Since the barrel of a dump gun is at least partially exposed, it is easily possible to arrange at these exposed locations as the controls. In addition, the large dimensions of the barrel diameter often make a repeater or self-loading weapon too unwieldy.

The firearm according to the invention can be designed as a rifle, for example. The small dimensions of the electronics make it possible and particularly advantageous to design them as a rifle grenade device (claim 5). The dimensions of this rifle grenade device do not exceed or only insignificantly that of a conventional rifle grenade device. Namely, the caliber of the barrel barrel barrel of the present invention may be smaller than the caliber which has hitherto been regarded as a minimum for rifle grenades. For example, while a conventional 40 mm rifle grenade gun had a trajectory vertex of over 30 m when fired at 300 m and thus required an elevation of about 30 °, the bullet of a "smart cartridge" of 25 mm caliber with comparable recoil sets the same Flight distance with less than 3 m elevation back, which corresponds to an elevation of a few degrees. In addition, the 25 mm bullet can still be used at 500 m, with an elevation of less than 10 m. A 40mm bullet will shot at a 350-400 m mission with almost 30 ° elevation and will probably arrive. But it is only of little use because of its long flight time and the erratic meeting behavior. In addition, such an elevation angle requires completely different sighting devices, namely those that rather correspond to a grenade launcher (in the Bundeswehr: mortar). Although the 25 mm bullet has only about a quarter of that amount of explosive contained in the 40 mm bullet, but this is offset by the precise Zündentfernung.

Overall, in the "intelligent cartridge" the range is almost doubled, the trajectory greatly stretched and localized the effect, but greatly improved, since the firing of the garnet projectile can indeed take place anywhere in the air. Thus, helicopters and slow-moving aircraft can be fought with the "intelligent cartridge", provided that a correct distance was previously "frozen" in the electronics or the rangefinder detects the aircraft. A rifle gun, which is equipped with a rifle grenade device according to the invention, can be such. B. for a helicopter serious annoyance or even danger and cause him to turn off.

There are a number of rifle grenades for which the equipment is useful with a runner barrel according to the invention. However, particularly preferred is a rifle grenade device whose barrel is swung out laterally, wherein - again preferably - on the ausschwenkenden side of the barrel jacket, the controls are arranged (claim 6). Thus, the controls are close to the shooter's hand, either the hand that also performs the loading operations of the rifle grenade, or the one located on the handle of the rifle grenade. By this measure can The electronics can be easily adjusted between two shots without the shooter has to embrace. In addition, since the rifle grenade device has at least one significant slot, can swing through the barrel and barrel jacket for loading to the outside, there is considerable space available, which can be filled by a protuberance of the barrel shell, so that it is not necessary, the electronic devices to miniaturize even further.

As far as the rifle grenade device or the firearm according to the invention has at all a housing which partially surrounds the barrel, this housing may also have a recess, on the opposite side of the barrel pivoting. At the same time, the barrel jacket on a protuberance, which engages in geschlosserer weapon, ie befindlichem in firing position barrel, in the recess (claim 7). The recess is formed, at least in today's conventional sheet metal production, as a breakthrough, so that the protuberance can have a significant radial extent - based on the barrel axis.

The latter protuberance may, for. B. record the electronics and / or the rangefinder. In this case, the power supply could be placed on the opposite side. However, it is preferred that the protuberance receives the power supply (claim 8). This power supply may be in the form of batteries, and these may be accessible from outside for replacement. For this purpose, for example, the protuberance may be formed as a removable lid.

Of course, if the barrel can be removed from the barrel, it is also possible to remove it to replace the batteries. So the battery compartment is against penetrating wet best protected.

Preferably, the recess and the protuberance sit near the impact bottom, so near the rear end of the running module. In this case, there is the advantage that a battery pack or a battery is housed as close to the center of gravity, so that the use of the weapon is hampered as little as possible.

It is also advantageous to set up the firearm in addition to receiving a removable barrel, which has no electronics, no running jacket, no rangefinder and no controls, but a larger or the same caliber (claim 9). In the case of a rifle grenade this may be a 40 mm barrel for conventional grenades, so that as a result there is a conventional rifle grenade which, if desired, can be converted to "smart ammunition" by incorporating the barrel of the weapon of the invention. This has the particular advantage that the inventive weapon can be subjected to a troop attempt in a particularly cost-effective manner. In peacetime, military personnel often have a low propensity to try new weapons, especially if they involve high costs. It is also possible to equip only certain units, regardless of the present equipment, with a firearm according to the invention, that only run with running jacket are procured. The refitting of the grenade launcher can be done by the shooter or a corporal of the company armory; but if necessary, undo it at any time. It is also possible to issue a number of courses according to the invention to each company and to install or dismantle them as required. The Graatatwerfer, whose conversion was reversed, need this no additional material, since their original 40 mm course are still available. However, with any retrofit, it is best to retool the sighting because the 40mm grenade visor is divided differently than required for the 25mm intelligent cartridges. Alternatively, the sighting may be designed as a combined sighting switchable to the different ammunition or caliber.

It is further preferred that the rifle grenade device is provided with its own shoulder support (claim 10), if one is not already present. That's how it works

Rifle grenade with barrel and barrel for

"intelligent ammunition" to the independent firearm.

Unless there is a handle on the rifle grenade, this should be attached to the shoulder rest or be independently attachable.

The invention relates not only to a firearm, but independently of this, a barrel with runway for "smart ammunition", as explained above (claim 11), wherein the running material is preferably a titanium material (claim 12).

In the electronics already mentioned several times a personal identification module, a device identification and / or a shot counter are preferably also integrated.

The invention will be discussed in more detail with reference to an embodiment and the accompanying schematic drawing. Show it:

1 shows a known rifle grenade device, seen from the right rear, which is being converted by a 25 mm barrel with barrel casing, next to the expanded, conventional 40 mm barrel can be seen,

2 is a view of the finished converted rifle Garnet device, with open barrel, seen obliquely from left behind,

3 is a view of the weapon of FIG. 2, seen from the right side and with a closed barrel,

4 is an enlarged partial view from the right front, with the running jacket is omitted, and

Fig. 5 is a view of the weapon from the left rear, with a closed barrel, attached special visor and shoulder rest, as a private garnet rifle.

Fig. 1 shows a rifle grenade device 1, the 40 mm barrel 3 was just removed by a pin 7 knocked out of holes 11 on the weapon and holes 13 on the barrel 3 and the barrel 3 was removed. The pin 7 and a spring 9, which could open the barrel 3, are also seen in a disassembled state. The 40 mm barrel 3 is exchanged for a barrel module 5, which is set up for a "smart" 25 mm cartridge. As in the case of the 40 mm barrel 3, recesses 15 which are recessed in the running module 5 at the rear of the barrel also enable grasping and removal of a fired cartridge case. A separate extractor is therefore unnecessary in both runs. When the running module 5 is inserted into the rifle grenade, the pin 7 and the spring 9 are again attached as before, a cartridge is inserted into the barrel and the barrel closed. The weapon is then basically ready to fire.

The rifle grenade device 1 shown has a hollow attachment 39 on _{/ is} mounted in place of the usual on a rapid fire rifle hand guard. At tapped holes 17 (FIG. 2) a visor can be fastened, which is preferably exchanged together with the barrel 3 or the tread module 5, but also as combined switchable visor can be configured.

In Fig. 2 it can also be seen that the actual weapon housing of the rifle grenade device 1 for reasons of weight reduction on the right side has a recess 19.

The running module 5 has a barrel 21 made of titanium, which is inserted from behind into a running jacket 23 and is held from the front by a union nut 25. The Laufiαantel 23 is (Fig. 2) formed in its outer dimensions so that it fits like the 40 mm barrel 3 in the housing of the device 1, but has no round, but a substantially square cross-section with rounded corners. At the left, upper corner at the front of the barrel jacket 23 is a protuberance to see in which a rangefinder 27 sits. On the right side near its rear end, the running jacket 23 has a protuberance which serves as a battery compartment and passes through the recess 19 when the running module 5 is closed

(Fig. 3). Overall, the barrel jacket 23 to the

Dimensions of the device 1 adapted so that a more reliable seat is guaranteed, as it was possible in the original run 3.

In the running module 5, however, the dimensions of the 40 mm barrel 3 are far exceeded by an operating unit 31 which, however, does not enter into a housing opening during the closing movement, but remains outside the apparatus 1. On the operating unit 31, a switch, a plurality of control buttons or touch contacts and a display device are arranged, which serves the shooter z. B. to inform if the electronics is turned on or not.

4, the rear part of the running module 5 shown enlarged and the barrel 23 is omitted. In this case, the cartridge chamber 37 of the titanium barrel 21 can be seen, which is surrounded by an induction coil 35 in the region of the projectile. Furthermore, the batteries 33 are visible, which are located in the battery compartment 29 (FIG. 3). The rangefinder 27 is not visible in Fig. 4, and the housing of the electronics is not shown for the sake of clarity; The electronics are arranged at the remaining, vacant points within the running jacket 23.

In Fig. 5 the rifle grenade apparatus 1 is shown as it is converted as a separate weapon. In this case, the attachment 39, which is pushed over a rapid-fire rifle instead of the hand guard (FIGS. 1 to A) _{1, was} removed, instead a rail 41 was fitted, and a shoulder support 43 was pushed into the rail 41 from the rear. This can be completely inserted or withdrawn, where it can be determined by means of a locking device 45 in the desired position.

At the threaded holes 17 a visor 47 is screwed, sitting centrally above the rail 41.

The 25 mm running module 5 is thus installed in the weapon 1 instead of the 40 mm barrel 3; the installation can be reversed at any time. The length of the Titanlaufes 21 depends primarily on the rifle, for which the rifle grenade device 1 is determined, and the internal ballistics of the cartridge. As far as the rifle grenade device 1 but as an independent garnet rifle (Fig. 5) is converted, the titanium barrel 21 may also be longer. In this case, the running jacket 23 remains unchanged, only the union nut 25 is adapted to the larger length of the titanium barrel 21. The running jacket 23 is preferably made of plastic. This not only has the advantage of lighter weight and cheaper production by injection molding, but also offers the possibility of parts, such as the rangefinder 27, in the barrel casing 23 firmly and permanently pour and seal against environmental influences.

Claims

claims

A firearm, preferably a handgun (1), having a running module (5) for firing smart ammunition using the following controls: rangefinder (27), control electronics, means (35) for transferring the result of the control electronics to the projectile, operating elements ( 31), optionally including display elements, and power supply (33); wherein the running module (5) has a barrel (21) and a running jacket (23) and the barrel jacket (23) receives the barrel (21) and at least a part of the control elements (27, 35, 31, 33) and additionally as one together formed with the barrel (21) exchangeable unit.

2. firearm according to claim 1, wherein all the aforementioned controls (27, 35, 31, 33) in the barrel jacket (23) are added.

3. Firearm according to claim 1 or 2, which has over, under or laterally next to its barrel (21) at least one recess (19) which is penetrated by the barrel jacket (23) or can be penetrated.

4. firearm according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed as Kipplaufwaffe (1).

5. Firearm according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed as a rifle grenade device (1).

6. Firearm according to claims 4 or 5, the barrel (5) is swung laterally and the operating elements (31) are preferably arranged on the swiveling side of the running jacket (23).

7. Firearm according to one of the dependent on claim 3 claims 4 to 6, the recess (19) is arranged in the housing on the side opposite the pivoting and the running jacket (23) with a closed weapon (1) in the recess (19) engaging Has protuberance (29).

8. firearm according to claim I ₁ whose protuberance (29) for receiving the power supply (33) is configured.

9. Firearm according to one of claims 4 to 8, which is additionally adapted to receive a

Interchangeable barrel (3), which has no running jacket (23) and none of the aforementioned control elements (27, 35, 31, 33), but a larger or the same caliber.

10. Firearm according to one of claims 6 to 9, which is provided with its own shoulder support (43).

11. barrel (21) with running jacket (23) for a firearm (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8 or 10th

12. barrel (21) according to claim 11 made of a titanium material.