FR2649194A1 - EJECTION DEVICE FOR AMPHIBIOUS AMMUNITION AND INDEPENDENT PROPELLER THEREOF - Google Patents

Abstract

Ejection device for amphibious ammunition 2, comprising a torpedo tube 3 within which is disposed a powder propellant 5 independent of the ammunition and placed to rest on the rear of this ammunition.

Description

i The invention relates to a device for ejecting ammunition

amphibians from a non submarine

equipped with a hunting system.

  Currently, amphibious ammunition including S of the type described in French patent 2,588,241 can only be ejected by submarines equipped with

hunting systems.

  The invention aims to overcome this drawback and to allow amphibious munitions to be ejected with maximum safety from any vehicle.

  marine or submarine fitted with a torpedo tube.

  To this end, the invention provides a device for ejecting amphibious ammunition, comprising a torpedo tube within which is placed a powder propellant independent of the ammunition and placed with its ignition assembly resting on the rear of this ammunition. The invention thus proposes to have in the launch tube a small propellant at the rear of the ammunition adapted to push it so as to allow it to reach a tube exit speed which can range in practice from a 30 m / s.

  According to preferred provisions of the invention

  tidn, possibly combined: - the ignition assembly is composed of a device

  primary safety ignition with ignition

  electrical dies and a secondary ignition device

  to powder; - This propellant comprises, in a shell terminated by at least one nozzle, the secondary device and a block of powder laterally inhibits frontal or radial combustion; - The shell is composite, being formed from a sealed metallic internal envelope covered with a coil; - the winding is made of glass, carbon, "kevlar" or equivalent; - Each nozzle has a sealing cap adapted to be ejected by the pressure of the combustion gases from the powder block; - the primary safety ignition device is electrically operated and is reversible; - the ignition assembly is connected to a control unit

  linked to the torpedo tube receiving a signal represented

  tative of the state of at least the outer door of the torpedo tube and adapted to not activate the ignition assembly

  only when this exterior door is open.

  The invention also relates to the propellant

aforementioned in itself.

  The invention has the following advantages: - the pyrotechnic pusher allows. using a submarine torpedo tube not equipped with a hunting device, to hunt any type of ammunition (torpedoes and missiles, etc.) without appreciable modification of the submarine; - The lightness of this pyrotechnic pusher, its small footprint and its integrated security allow a simple implementation; - its operation and performance are practically independent of the immersion of fire;

  - the choice of powder technology makes it possible to

  overcome any maintenance during the operational life of the system: - the adaptation to the ammunition to be hunted (mass of the ammunition and hunting speed) is facilitated by the possibility of varying the mass of powder; - the coiled composite structure of the thruster shell

  has the advantage in the event of bursting of avoiding, all projections

  significant metal ions which could deteriorate

  inside the torpedo tube.

  The propellant is sized so that it can eject ammunition when the submarine

  launcher is between 0 and 750 m deep. Its obstruction

  total can be contained in a cylinder from 200 to

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  300] m in diameter and 300 to 400 mm in length.

  The invention will be better understood using the

  description of an embodiment proposed as

  of nonlimiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings S in which: - Figure 1 is a block diagram of a lancetorpille tube provided with a front tube, containing an ammunition and its propellant; - Figure 2 is a side view of the ammunition and propellant assembly; and - Figure 3 is an axial sectional view of this propellant. FIG. 1 represents an ejection device 1 in accordance with the invention, adapted to eject an amphibious ammunition 2 such as a missile of weight P. devoid of autonomous means of propulsion. It is preferably

  an amphibious missile in accordance with patent FR-2,588,241.

  This munition has an exterior shell 2A provided with rear fins 2B. 2C cables

  electrical connections are also provided here.

  This device comprises a torpedo tube 3 of any known type, here comprising a front tube 4, and a

  thruster 5 has at the rear of ammunition 2.

  Conventionally, the torpedo tube 3 comprises an internal door 6 and an airlock door 7 while the front tube 4 comprises an external door 8 provided with maneuvering means 8A and allowing communication with the marine environment as well as slides marked 9. In 7A

  the airlock door 7 is shown in the open position.

  It will be noted that the longitudinal axis X-X of the munition 2 is here slightly offset downward relative to the longitudinal axis Y-Y of the entire torpedo tube. The thruster is positioned, in contact against

  the bottom of the munition, thanks to a connection system 30.

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  The pusher-thruster shown in FIG. 3 consists of: - a primary safety ignition device 1i; - a secondary ignition device 12; - a block of powder laterally inhibited 13; a metal-winding composite shell marked 14 as a whole; and

- one or more nozzle (s) 15.

  The primary safety ignition device 11 includes electric igniters shown schematically in

  11B as well as a small primary charge of aluminum powder

  lighting schematically in IC (of all known types suitable

  requested). It is armed by means of an electric motor integrated into the igniter, shown diagrammatically in 11A. Wires 16 ensure the connection of the igniter to a control block 17. Signals from judiciously arranged sensors, conventional but not shown, are applied to this block so as to allow it to activate the electric motor only when at the less the front door 8 of the torpedo tube is open. This motor is reversible and can be returned to the safety position by reversing the

Electric power.

  The secondary ignition device 12 is composed of ignition powder. It is initiated by the

  S primary safety ignition device II.

  The block of powder 13 inhibited laterally is of radial combustion and operates under high pressure; it supplies the gases necessary for propulsion. Here it presents a channel 18 with a star profile (which explains the

  thickness variations shown in Figure 3).

  The hull 14 of the propellant is composed of a

  very thin metallic internal envelope ensuring

  sheaity, which is covered with coiled glass wires coated in a thermosetting resin of any known type

  suitable and ensuring the mechanical resistance of the

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  seems. As a variant, the winding can be made of carbon,

kevlar or whatever.

  This wound structure has the advantage, in the event of bursting. avoid any significant metal projections which could damage the interior of the torpedo tube. This shell is thermally protected at the front by a system 19 which also ensures, here, the blocking of the block and at the rear- by a cap 20 of

thermal protection of the bottom.

  The nozzle 15. here unique, allows the ejection of combustion gases and is kept sealed, before firing, by a cover 21 to an external pressure greater than that corresponding to the maximum depth of use of the ammunition. In the event of a fire, the gas pressure of

  combustion is however sufficient to eject this seal.

  Opposite this nozzle, the propellant has a transverse face 22 adapted to be faced at the rear of the ammunition 2, by simple support or by positioning and / or connecting means such as ball fixing systems, shearable. Or other. In the example considered here the connection system 30 comprises a plate

  do link 31 fixed to the thruster thanks to holes 32.

  and temporarily linked to the munition by frangible connecting members 2 of any suitable known type cooperating with threads conventionally provided at the rear of the ammunition. The mode of operation of the invention is

described below.

  The ammunition assembly 3 and its additional propellant 4 are introduced into the "dry" torpedo tube I through the interior of the submarine (from the right in FIG. 1) and put in place using conventional on-board tools . The electrical connection cables 2C and 16 between the ammunition 2 and the block 17 of the tube, as well as between the primary safety ignition device 11 of the pusher and this block 17 are connected and the internal door 6 of the tube

is closed.

  When the shooting decision is made, the outer door 8 of the tube is opened and the tube is drowned. The presence of the information "exterior door open" is necessary to allow arming by block 17 of the safety igniter 16 of the pusher and setting

  & - primary charge fire 11C thereof.

  The hot gas from the igniter ignites the

  secondary charge 12 which allows the ignition of block 13.

  The combustion gases exiting through the nozzle 9 create a thrust which, transmitted by the bearing face 22 and the connection system 30, allows the ammunition 2 to exit the torpedo tube with the speed necessary for the

continuation of the mission.

  In the example considered, this thrust also has the effect, shortly after setting on fire, of breaking the connecting members and the ammunition, the propellant no longer being then simply by pressing against the ammunition

for its ejection.

  At the start of its ejection, the munition assembly-

  pusher is guided in the torpedo tube. Said pusher at the end of combustion can be detached from the 2. ammunition by gravity (cessation of support on the ammunition) or by ejection (in the case for example of the firing at this instant of a propellant integrated into the missile and inert until then, as for example in the case of the patent

FR-2.588.241 cited above).

  The pyrotechnic pusher can operate up to a depth of 750 m. Its nozzle is adapted to an intermediate depth with a corresponding outlet pressure. Internal pressure, of the order of 100 to 200

  bars, provides a good performance of the nozzle.

  The duration of operation of said pusher

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  pyrotechnic is between 0.5 and 2 seconds. It is

  reminded in this connection that at sea level at a temperature-

  ture of 20-C, the effective burning time of a mass of powder from 5 to 10 kg is between 0.5 and 2 seconds and the corresponding effective average force is of the order

from 5,000 to 20,000 newton <N).

  It goes without saying that the foregoing description has

  has been proposed as a nonlimiting example and that many variants can be proposed by the man of

  art without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims (14)

  1. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition (2), comprising a torpedo tube (3) within which is disposed a powder propellant (5) independent of the ammunition and placed with its ignition assembly resting on the back of this ammunition.   2. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition assembly comprises a primary safety ignition device (11) comprising electric igniters   (llB) and a secondary powder ignition device (12).   3. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that this propellant (5) comprises in a shell (14) terminated by at least one nozzle (15), the secondary ignition device (11, 12) and a block of powder (13)   laterally inhibited with radial or frontal combustion.   4. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition according to claim 3, characterized in that the shell 2q (14) is composite, being formed of an internal envelope   waterproof metal covered with a winding.   5. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition according to claim 4, characterized in that the winding   is made of glass, or carbon, or "kevlar" or other.   6. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition   according to any one of claims 3 to 5, charac-   terized in that each nozzle (15) comprises a sealing cap (21) adapted to be ejected by the pressure of the   combustion gases from the powder block.   7. Ejection device for amphibious ammunition   according to any one of claims 2 to 6, charac-   that the primary ignition device of   safety is electrically operated and reversible.   8. Ejection device for ammunition   amphibious according to any one of claims 2 to 7,   characterized in that the ignition assembly (11, 12) is 2649194.   connects to a control block (17) linked to the launcher tube   torpedoes receiving a signal representative of the state of at least the outer door of the torpedo tube and adapted to activate the ignition assembly only when this outer door is open. 9. Propellant for the ejection of an amphibious ammunition (2) from a lancetorpilles tube (3) comprising a shell (14) terminated by at least one nozzle   (15), containing at least part of a set of al-   lighting (11. 12) and a block of powder (13) inhibited lateral-   ment & frontal or radial combustion.   10. Thruster for the ejection of an amphibious munition according to claim 9, characterized in that the shell (14) is composite, being formed of an envelope   internal metallic waterproof covered with a winding.   11. Thruster for the ejection of an amphibious ammunition according to claim 10, characterized in that the winding is made of glass, carbon, "kevlar" or other son. 12. Thruster for ejecting ammunition   amphibious according to any one of claims 9 to 11,   characterized in that each nozzle (15) comprises a sealing cap (21) adapted to be ejected by the   pressure of the combustion gases of the powder block.   13. Thruster for ejecting ammunition   amphibious according to any one of claims 9 to 12,   characterized in that the ignition assembly is electrically controlled. 14. Thruster for the ejection of an amphibious ammunition according to claim 13, characterized in that   the ignition assembly is composed of an   primary safety light (11) comprising ignites   electrical maters (liS) and an ignition device- secondary (12) to powder.