FR2620213A1 - CANON OF LIGHT ARTILLERY - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to artillery guns. It relates to a barrel in which the rear end of the carriage 3 carries journals 5 which can slide in an ascending path 7 formed in a saddle 9 integral with a rotating base 6. An extendable lifting arm 11 adjusts to the times the height of the rear end of the barrel and the angle of height thereof. Application to field howitzers.

Description

The present invention relates to guns

  artillery and in particular the towing howitzers.

  The artillery gun known as "British Lightweight Gun L118" (hereinafter referred to as "light gun") is a well-known artillery gun, manufactured and sold by the Applicant. The structure of this weapon comprises a gun carried in a carriage placed on a carriage support comprising a saddle mounted on a short work pin, the barrel being

  balanced around the kingpin by an arrangement

  lacrosse comprising tubular feet protruding towards the ground behind the barrel. The kingpin is fixed on a platform to which the feet

  lacrosse are also fixed, the platform being suppor-

  on axles carrying wheels that allow

  towing the weapon if necessary.

  The light barrel has a very light construction

  convenient that allows towing by a land vehicle-

  or transport by helicopter.

  However, in some applications, it is desirable to have a barrel having a new construction allowing weight reduction, for

  same barrel dimension, compared to the construc-

  known features such as that of the light gun.

  An artillery gun includes a barrel and a carriage assembly mounted to a support structure, a device for varying and adjusting the barrel height angle relative to the support structure, a device

  the rear end of the barrel and a device

  tif for varying and adjusting the height of the rear end of the barrel relative to the support structure, and an upward path formed in the support structure and in which is mounted the rear end of the barrel and the set forming a lookout. It is advantageous that the height of the end

  rear of the barrel may be increased by the said

  t91 2 6 2620213 when the height angle is increased, although it is not necessary that this height be increased for angles of height lower than a predetermined minimum value, for example 30, relative to the horizontal plane. - The device for varying and adjusting the barrel height angle may comprise lift arms which may be of variable length, and which may be adjusted to the required length and which are mounted between the support structure and the barrel or its trolley by bearings allowing the rotation of the arms and consequently of the barrel. The

  The arms may have a threaded rod placed

with a threaded sheath.

  In one example of the invention, the rear end of the barrel can be supported and lifted by journals whose height can vary, in an ascending way of complementary shape. The journals are preferably arranged in the ascending channels so that they can slide. The rear portion of the barrel may be supported in a carriage which includes a carriage assembly on which the lift arms are connected. In this example, the trunnions can be attached to this trolley near its rear end, the trunnion tracks being placed in the structure

of support.

  The support structure may include a rotatable base and a hook-and-spoke arrangement, such as buttocks, for balancing the barrel around the base. In the second example, the support structure may also comprise a saddle in which the tracks of displacement of the trunnions are formed. Upright arms can also

to be attached to such a saddle.

  The barrel, in the weapon according to the invention, can be arranged at a low height relative to the ground,

  especially for low angles of height of the barrel.

  This increases the stability of the barrel by reducing

  the moment of destabilization which reaches a maximum value when firing the gun; this moment that tends

  to tilt the barrel forward is proportional-

  at the height of the barrel above the ground. The increase in stability allows a lightening of the different elements of the weapon compared to those used in known weapons because the stability does not depend as much

  of the weight of the elements only in known weapons.

  However, the stability of the barrel does not pose a significant problem for larger angles of

  barrel height (in relation to the ground), and this

  téristique is advantageously used according to the invention.

  When the rear end of the barrel is raised to

  angles of height greater than about 30, the advan-

  a suitable space in relation to the ground

  collection of the hindsight forces and the access of

  who is to shoot at the gun. Thus, the artillery gun according to the invention can have original combined properties of lightness, stability and accessibility suitable. In an exemplary use of lightweight elements, the support structure may comprise at least a portion formed of a lightweight composite material, for example comprising a fiber-reinforced plastic material, in which

  the artillery gun according to the invention.

  In the example described above, the

  lons can be blocked for high angles of elevation, for example greater than 30, but also for lower angles of height. This example can be adapted so that the trunnions can go up in their tracks under the action of the recoil forces of the barrel, the stability of the barrel being further increased by applying a force opposing the

destabilizing weight of the cannon.

  When the buttocks comprise at least a portion formed of a composite material, this part of the feet may be made of any material

  known composite having a high mechanical strength.

  For example, this part may contain known reinforcing fibers, chosen, for example, from carbon, glass, "Aramid", metal, polyamide or polyolefin fibers, alone or in combination, fixed in a polymeric binder which may be a curable plastic material, for example thermosetting, or a thermoplastic material, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The reinforcing fibers can be woven or not and their direction can

  chosen to give direct resistance

  corresponding to the forces that must be

cashed by the item.

  Layers of reinforced plastic

  fibers can be formed in a composite structure

  known site with other layers, such as other fiber-reinforced plastics, containing

  different fibers of reinforcement or having fibers of orien-

  different, unarmed plastics or metal layers, eg aluminum

or titanium.

  The buttocks, when comprising a portion formed of any of the foregoing composite materials, are preferably in the form of tubes of any convenient section such as square, rectangular, or circular approximately. The surface surrounded by the tubular shape, in section, may vary along the length of the foot. Feet can

  have a general rectilinear or curved shape.

  The recoil forces applied during firing of the gun can be damped by a known damper mounted between the gun and the barrel, and the gun can be reset by a known recuperator. The artillery gun may include known balancing apparatus and known pointing equipment

in direction.

  The artillery cannon according to the invention may be a light towable howitzer of large caliber, for example 155 mm. Towing is possible thanks

  wheels that can be folded during use

  canonization. The latter may also include fasteners for lifting in the air, for example by helicopter, possible thanks

  at the low weight obtained with this original construction.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which

  will follow, made with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a side elevation

  an artillery gun according to the invention.

  In the figure, a gun 1 is supported in a carriage 3 which is supported at its rear end by journals 5 (only one is shown in the figure) housed in a track 7 formed in a saddle 9. The saddle 9 is supported by a column 4 and a base 6. Lacrosse legs 10 attached to the column 4 protrude behind the saddle 9 and balance the barrel

  1 and the carriage 3 with respect to the base 6.

  Lift arms 11 (only one is shown in the figure) are fixed to the saddle 9 by a bearing 13 and the carriage 3 by a bearing 15 placed on a front upper support disposed on the carriage 3. The arms 11 allow a variation and adjustment at will of the height angle of the carriage 3 and the barrel 1. The arms 11 have a variable length and are extended by a reducer 17. The positions of the arms 11, the carriage 3 and of the barrel 1, for the high angles of

  height, are shown in Figure 1 in phantom

  The gearbox 17 also adjusts the height of the rear end of the carriage 3 and the pins 5 and correspondingly to the rear end of the barrel 1. The rear end of the carriage 3 is displaced by the reducer 17 (via a mechanism that is hidden in the figure), but the vertical distance traveled by the rear end is only a small fraction, for example a few percent, the vertical distance traveled 3. The position of the journals 5 when the barrel 1 is in the position indicated by the reference E, is the position T indicated in broken lines on the

figure 1.

  The journals 5 are preferably locked in position in the track 7 when the desired angle of height of the barrel 1 is obtained. The track 7 may comprise a series of "half-caps" or cavities with a rounded bottom (not shown in the figure) facilitating the locking of the pins 5 in a stable position in the

lane 7.

  Each of the lift arms 11 may have a known construction comprising a threaded rod placed in a threaded sleeve (not shown in the figure), the elongation of the arm 11 being obtained by rotation

of the rod relative to the sheath.

  The seat 9 shown in Figure 1 can rotate in a horizontal plane, that is to say around the column 4 so that the azimuth angle of the barrel

1 can vary.

  As in the conventional guns, the buttocks 10 may be anchored in the ground with spades 14 and the base 6 may also have a similar anchoring device (not shown) increasing stability. The lacrosse feet can be formed

  of one of the light composite materials described above.

  for example an epoxy resin reinforced with carbon fiber and glass, although the part placed below the saddle 9 and indicated by the reference 21, is preferably formed of a metal, for example of stainless steel or titanium alloy. The buttocks may have a hollow structure whose

  section is approximately box-shaped.

  The artillery gun may have elements

  known (not shown) such as equipping apparatus

  liberation of the weapon when the barrel height angle 1 increases, wheels which can be folded into position, a muzzle brake for reducing the recoil forces and a damper and recuperator assembly placed between the barrel barrel 1 and the carriage 3 and damping the recoil forces and handing the

  cannon 1 in firing position after recoil.

  The pins 5 can move in the track 7 for the low angles of height of the barrel 1, that is to say below 30 relative to the base 6, so that the stabilization of the barrel is facilitated

  under the action of recoil forces. The vertical component

  the acceleration of this movement creates a moment of stabilization which increases under the action of the recoil forces of the barrel 1. The return of the stand 3 and the barrel

  1 in firing position is provided by the forces of

  but can be facilitated by return springs

  or recuperators (not shown).

Claims (8)

  1. Artillery cannon, characterized in that it comprises a barrel assembly (1) and carriage (3) mounted on a support structure (9), a device for varying and adjusting the height angle the barrel relative to the support structure, a device for supporting the rear end of the barrel, and a device for varying and adjusting the height of the rear end of the barrel relative to the support structure, and an upward path (7) formed in the support structure   and in which is housed the rear end of the seems to gun and lookout.   2. Cannon according to claim 1, characterized in that the barrel and carriage assembly can rotate   around a pin (5) placed at its lower end   and which can slide in ascending ways complementary (7).   3. Cannon according to claim 2, characterized in that the support structure comprises a saddle   (9) in which the ascending pathways are formed.   4. Cannon according to claim 1, characterized in that the support structure comprises a base (6) which can rotate and a arrangement (10) to stick   intended to balance the barrel relative to the base.   The cannon of claim 2, characterized in that the support structure comprises a rotatable base (6) and a hook arrangement (10) for balancing the barrel relative to the base, and the support structure also includes a saddle (9) on   which are formed the ascending ways.   6. Cannon according to claim 3, characterized in that the device to vary and adjust the barrel height angle comprises at least one arm   elevator (11) attached to the saddle (9).   7. A barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear end of the barrel assembly (1) and carriage (3) is slidable in the upward channel (7), and the barrel comprises a locking device rear end of the cannon and lookout assembly in the ascending path (7) before firing the barrel. 8. Cannon according to claim 2, characterized in that the device for varying and adjusting the barrel height angle, and the device   intended to vary and adjust the height of the end   rear of the barrel (1) and the carriage (3) are controlled by a common gear (17) attached to the support structure.