ES2409282T3 - Ammunition launcher system with tubular extension - Google Patents

Abstract

Weapon system of the type comprising at least one cylindrical tube (2) inside of which a ammunition (5) is housed, and a firing post (6) on which the said tube is intended to be mounted with views of the the ammunition by means of specific screwing and driving devices of said firing position, - said cylindrical tube (2) having a length substantially identical to that of ammunition (5), - said said firing position (6) being equipped with a cylindrical tubular extension (14) capable of receiving, by means of complementary joining means, the front end (9) of the ammunition tube, and - the diameters of the tube (2) and the tubular extension (14) being identical, said tubular extension comprising at least a first cylindrical part (15) apt to be fixed to the firing position (6) and receiving, by means of said joining means, the front end (9) of said ammunition tube , and a second movable cylindrical part (17), mounted on said fixed cylindrical part (15), and which occupies, before mounting the tube, a position removed in the first cylindrical part and, due to the assembly of the tube substantially over the total length of the first cylindrical part, for which said said ammunition tube (2) is ready to work, said second movable cylindrical part constituting the extension length of the tube for launching the ammunition.

Description

Ammunition launcher system with tubular extension.

The present invention relates to a weapon system intended for launching or firing light ammunition such as short-range missiles, rockets, for example grenades or the like, in the direction of targets such as armored vehicles or others.

To be effective and to be quickly operational in the face of a threat, these weapons systems are generally portable, that is, they are carried on the backs of men.

For this, the weapon systems mainly comprise one or several cylindrical launch tubes inside which the ammunition are housed respectively, and a firing position comprising, among others, the aiming and firing device. Thus, after having fixedly mounted an ammunition tube on the firing point and having made the necessary adjustments, the weapon system is operational. The firing position is placed on the shoulder of an operator (military) that triggers the shot from the drive device. Instead of resting on the operator, the firing position can thus be fixed to a support, such as a tripod.

Although they are highly effective, these weapons systems do however have drawbacks, mainly in terms of weight and volume, which constitute a handicap for their transport and a source of significant fatigue for the affected operators.

In fact, the tube that houses the ammunition during the different maintenance and displacement operations also serves as the ammunition launching tube such as an anti-carriage missile. In this way, the length of the tube is necessarily greater than the ammunition and must correspond to the distance necessary for the expulsion speed of the missile to be compatible with a separation of the optimal conditions. For example, depending on the size, mass and speed of the missile, the tube can easily exceed one meter in length with, consequently, an important weight to which the ammunition is added.

In addition, such tube length contributes to manufacturing costs accordingly, all the more so that the weapon system is produced in high quantities.

Thus, such a weapon system leads to an important volume and weight that are added to the other materials and equipment already transported by the military in the course of the missions. So that the weapon system is transported by two military (servants), carrying one or generally two ammunition tubes on a specific transport equipment of the type of backpack, the other carrying the firing position also fixed on a team of specific transport of the type of backpack. To this you can add the support that forms a tripod and other attached materials.

Consequently, the mobility and resistance of the operators are greatly affected by these problems of volume and weight.

From US 4 426 910, a weapon system is known which comprises a tube inside which an ammunition is housed, and a firing post on which the tube for launching the ammunition is mounted. The firing point is equipped with a tube that forms an extension to receive the launch tube of the ammunition, the diameters of the launch tube and the extension being identical.

The present invention aims to facilitate the movements of operators during a mission, improving their mobility and resistance, and propose a weapon system of the previous type whose conception allows to reduce its volume and weight.

For this purpose, the weapon system comprises at least one cylindrical tube inside which an ammunition is housed, and a firing post on which the said tube is intended to be mounted with a view to launching the ammunition by means of specific aiming and driving devices of the said firing point,

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 said cylindrical tube having a length substantially identical to that of the ammunition,

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 said firing post being equipped with a cylindrical tubular extension capable of receiving, by means of complementary joining means, the front end of the ammunition tube, and

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 the inner diameters of the tube and tubular extension being identical.

Said system is notable in accordance with the invention because said tubular extension comprises at least a first cylindrical part suitable for being fixed to the firing position and which receives, by means of said joining means, the front end of said ammunition tube , and a second movable cylindrical part, mounted on the said first fixed cylindrical part, and which occupies, before mounting the tube, a position removed in the first cylindrical part and, due to the mounting of the tube over substantially the total length of the first fixed cylindrical part, a protruding position in relation to the first cylindrical part, for which said said ammunition tube is ready to operate, said second movable cylindrical part constituting the extension length of the tube for launching the ammunition.

Thus, with a cylindrical tube ammunition carrier reduced to the same length of the ammunition (for example an anti-tank missile), the volume and weight of said tube are significantly reduced. This allows to obtain a weight gain proportional to the number of ammunition and, consequently, also a reduction in the manufacturing costs of the less long tubes, and a less cumbersome and restrictive transport due to the fact that the tubes have been shortened. Consequently, the transport of these weapons systems becomes easier.

Also, the tubular protractor attached to the firing position and separated from the ammunition tube functions as part of the launch tube and thus serves all shortened ammunition tubes transported during the same mission or in a subsequent mission. There too, the cost savings are made by reusing, after each shot, the extension. In the end, only the ammunition tube of the weapon system is a single use.

On the other hand, the firing point is protected from thermal and mechanical stresses linked to the expulsion of ammunition by the tube and the tubular extension.

In addition, the fixed part acts as a joint to the tube and the mobile part that corresponds to the part of the supplementary tube necessary for a correct shot of the ammunition due to the shortening of the ammunition tube.

In a preferred example of embodiment, said complementary connecting means are of the type by screwing, the front end of said cylindrical tube comprising a threaded cooperating with a threaded hole arranged in the axial passage of said tubular extension. The simplicity and reliability of realization of these joining means must be observed, ensuring a firm and solid clamping of the tube in the tubular extension.

In particular, in said axial passage with threaded hole provided in the first fixed part of the tubular extension, the said second movable part is received from the opposite side to the front end of said cylindrical tube by means of a corresponding thread disposed thereon.

Advantageously, the projecting position of the second movable part is marked by an axial stop provided in the first fixed part of said tubular extension.

In another exemplary embodiment, said complementary connecting means are of the type of fitting, telescopic. Thus, the second movable part slides axially in the manner of a jack rod, between its two limit positions, that is, helically on ramps or the like.

On the other hand, fixing means associate the tubular extension to the said firing point. For this, the same fixing means are used as those initially intended for a long-length tube of the prior art, thus limiting the design costs.

According to another characteristic, said tubular extension is integrated into said firing position and slides relative thereto between a position withdrawn at the firing position and an overhang position protruding from said firing position when said ammunition carrying tube is mounted on the aforementioned firing point.

In a variant, the weapon system may comprise, on a support of the firing position, several cylindrical tubes of ammunition, arranged in one or several rows and in which it is mounted, successively and in an automated manner after each shot, said extension. In this case, the weapon system, instead of being transported by an operator, is mounted on a carrier machine or on a fixed base and seeks the advantages mentioned above, that is, cost, weight and volume gain by means of Automated reuse of the same extension successively on the ammunition tube assembly.

The figures in the attached drawing will make you understand well how the invention can be realized. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements.

Figure 1 shows, in schematic longitudinal section, the ammunition tube and the prolonged firing post of a weapon system according to the invention, before its assembly.

Figures 2 and 3 show the ammunition tube and the protracted firing position of the weapon system during and after its assembly, respectively.

The weapon system 1 shown in Figure 1 before assembly mainly comprises:

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 a cylindrical side wall tube 2 3 defining an internal housing 4;

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 an ammunition 5, such as a short-range missile (for example anti-carriage), introduced into the internal housing 4 of the tube; Y

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 a firing position 6 partially shown and provided with the specific customary devices, mainly aiming and driving, not shown here, since they are not part of the invention.

In this example, the tube 2 is opened on both sides and the ends designated as rear 7 and front 9 of its cylindrical side wall, are open for the placement of the missile in the housing 4 and its subsequent launch.

It is seen, in figure 1, that the diameter D of the internal housing 4 defined by the side wall 3 corresponds, in tightening, to the diameter of the corresponding missile 5, and that the length L of the tube is almost identical, to the thickness of the transverse bottom and in tightening in the housing, to the length of the missile. In this way, the cylindrical tube 2 is dimensionally adapted to the missile.

On the other hand, protective caps 10 and 11 are provided at the ends of the tube. They are mounted, by screwing on an outer thread 12 provided on the cylindrical side wall 3 of the tube, at the level of the front and rear extremities 7, thus sealing the openings of the tube housing 4. A tight fitting of the plugs around the extremities could be considered.

For information and by way of example, the geometric shape, in this case, substantially octagonal, viewed from the front, of the plugs, facilitating transport and storage, has been shown to the right of the tube 2.

The firing position 6 is, according to the invention, equipped with a tubular, cylindrical extension 14, whose objective is to ensure axial continuity with the tube 2 for launching the missile 5 by the fact that the tube 2 is of length similar to the missile, thus advantageously reducing the volume and weight of these tubes for the reasons indicated above.

For this, in the illustrated embodiment, the tubular extension 14 is composed of a first fixed part 15 of cylindrical wall 16 open at its ends, and a second movable part 17 of cylindrical wall 18 open at its ends and mounted, of axially movable way, inside the first fixed part. The cylindrical wall 16 is, in the representation, of total annular section, but a partial annular section of the gutter type could be considered.

In particular, the first part 15 of the extension 14 has been made integral with the firing position 6 by fixing means 20 forming supports and joints shown schematically, to correctly position and maintain the extension on the firing position. This can be done in the same way as with the large-length launch tube of a prior art weapon system. In this way, the use of fixing means 20 that already exist on the firing points does not entail additional study costs.

Inside the axial passage 21 delimited by the side wall 16 of the first fixed part 15, the side wall 18 of the second mobile part 17 is coupled. The axial displacement of the latter in relation to the first part can be carried out in different ways, being it is essential to bring the second part of a position removed to the first part, for which the tubular extension is inactive (figures 1 and 2), to an outgoing position relative to the first part, for which the tubular extension is active, operational (figure 3), and vice versa.

In the illustrated embodiment, the axial displacement of the second part is carried out by screwing, also allowing, as will be seen, the assembly of the tube 2.

For this purpose, the cylindrical side wall 16 of the first part 15 is provided internally, on the side of its axial passage 21, of an internal threaded bore 22 along its entire length in the illustrated representation, while the cylindrical side wall 18 of the second part 17 is provided externally with a corresponding thread 23 along its entire length as well. Obviously, the internal threaded bore could be partial, performed on one or both ends of the fixed part. In the withdrawn position, the two parts are screwed on each other to a transverse end step 24, which forms a stop and ends the second part, is applied against the transverse end face 25 of the first part, as shown in Figure 1. And the transverse end face 26 of the second part, opposite the step 24, is then close, but at a certain distance, from the other transverse face 27 of the first part, so that the tube assembly is allowed as will see later.

It should be noted that the cylindrical side wall 18 of the second part 17 thus engages almost the entire internal passage with internal threading 21, 22 of the first part 15, the length L1 of the second part constituting the length necessary for the correct launch of the missile, in addition to that of the tube.

In addition, the internal diameter D1 of the internal axial passage 28 of this second tubular part corresponds to the diameter D of the tube.

This bolted mounting could of course be replaced by any other appropriate mounting, such as by telescopic fit.

The installation of the weapon system 1 described by the assembly of the missile carrier tube and the extension is carried out as follows.

The protection caps 10 and 11 of the tube are removed and the open front end 9 of it is arranged axially in front of the tubular extension 14, on the side of the transverse face 27 of the first fixed part 15. By means of the cooperation of the external threading 12 of the side wall 3 of the cylindrical tube 2 with the internal thread 22 provided on the side wall 16 of the first cylindrical part 15 of the extension 14, the tube 2 is progressively screwed into the passage with an internal threaded hole 21, 22 of this first fixed part , as shown in Figure 2. It is seen, in this, that the transverse faces 13, 26 respectively of the tube 2 and of the second cylindrical part 17 are close to each other.

At this time or prior to an assembly of the tube, the second moving part 17 of the extension 14 is unscrewed (threaded 23 - hole with internal thread 22) and thus passes from the withdrawn position to the protruding position in relation to the first fixed part 15 , whose position can be marked by a usual stop symbolized in 30 in Fig. 3. The screwing of the missile tube 2 is achieved in the wall with internal threaded hole of the first fixed part 15, thus ensuring the fastening of the tube in the protractor in almost the entire length of the first part thereof until the contact between the transverse faces 13 and 26 and without discontinuity thanks to the identical diameters D and D1 of the tube 2 and of the second cylindrical part 17. The latter constitutes the part necessary for the missile for an appropriate launch of it (lengths L and L1), that is, corresponding to the part suppressed in each ammunition tube of the prior art, which shows bi in the cost savings made with tubes of equal length to that of the ammunition, and the weight and volume gains made.

The weapon system 1 shown in Figure 3 is then ready to operate.

When an internally threaded hole is provided only on one end of the fixed part, the movable part 17 is then locked in the removed position by screwing, and then evolves freely after unscrewing, and the tube assembly 2 - movable part 17 is then locked by screwing.

It should also be noted that the firing point 6, which is particularly expensive due to the technical devices it contains, is reusable all the more since it is not in direct contact with hot gases and tensions generated during the launch of the missile, due to the fact that the tube 2 acts as a protection with the moving part 17.

After the shot or if the shot could not be made for different reasons, the missile carrier tube 2 is simply disassembled from the extension 14, and then removed, the movable part being put back in place in the fixed part, in position withdrawal.

Claims (8)

1. Weapon system of the type comprising at least one cylindrical tube (2) inside which an ammunition (5) is housed, and a firing post (6) on which the said tube is intended to be mounted with in view of the launch of the ammunition through the use of specific screwing and driving devices of the said firing point,

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 said cylindrical tube (2) having a length substantially identical to that of the ammunition (5),

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 said firing position (6) being equipped with a cylindrical tubular extension (14) capable of receiving, by means of complementary joining means, the front end (9) of the ammunition tube, and

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 the diameters of the tube (2) and the tubular extension (14) being identical,

said tubular extension comprising at least a first cylindrical part (15) apt to be fixed to the firing position (6) and which receives, by means of said joining means, the front end (9) of said ammunition tube, and a second movable cylindrical part (17), mounted on said fixed cylindrical part (15), and which occupies, before mounting the tube, a position removed in the first cylindrical part and, due to the mounting of the tube substantially over the total length of the first cylindrical part, for which said said ammunition tube (2) is ready to operate, said second movable cylindrical part constituting the extension length of the tube for launching the ammunition.

2.

 System according to claim 1,

characterized in that said complementary connecting means are of the type by screwing, the front end of said cylindrical tube (2) comprising a threaded (12) cooperating with an internal threaded hole (22) disposed in the axial passage (21) of the said tubular extension (14).

3.

 System according to claim 2,

characterized in that, in the axial passage with an internal threaded hole provided in the first fixed part (15) of the tubular extension (14) it is received, from the opposite side to the front end before said cylindrical ammunition tube, said second movable part ( 17) by means of a corresponding threading arranged on it.

Four.

 System according to one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that the projecting position of the second movable part (17) is marked by an axial stop (30) provided on the first fixed part (15) of said tubular extension.

5.

 System according to claim 1,

6.

System according to one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that fixing means (20) associate the tubular extension (14) to said firing position (6).

7.

 System according to claim 1,

characterized in that said tubular extension (14) is integrated in said firing position (6) and slides with respect thereto between a position withdrawn at the firing position and a protruding position protruding from said firing position when said tube Ammo holder is mounted on the said firing point.

8.

 System according to one of claims 1 to 7,

characterized in that said complementary joining means are of the type of fitting, telescopic. characterized in that it comprises in a support of the firing post, several cylindrical tubes (2) of ammunition, arranged in one or several rows and in which it is mounted, successively and in an automated manner after each shot, said extension.