GB2105068A - System for automatically controlling the angle of elevation of a howitzer - Google Patents

Abstract

To elevate an artillery piece from a reference position to a firing position and vice versa, a set of sensors (13, 14, 15) senses the position and the velocity of elevation of the weapon barrel as well as the stress transferred by the hydraulic actuator (12) to the weapon barrel and the signals so generated are compared in a processing unit (20) with trajectory characteristics previously preset in a storage unit (21) so that said processing unit adjusts the control of the actuator (12) and feeds pressurized hydraulic fluid thereto to conform the position of the weapon to the preset firing data. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION System for automatically controlling the angle of elevation of a howitzer The artillery pieces of the howitzer type are generally equipped with an actuator of hydraulic type to move the swinging artillery piece through an arc of about 75 degrees so as to lay the weapon.

The actuator is fitted with a source of pressurized liquid to which it is connected by a control member positioned by a crew member for effecting the elevational movements.

The invention has the objective of suggesting the provision of a system for the automatic control of the angle of elevation of an artillery piece which comprises a hydraulically operating actuator which controls the elevation because it receives the drive from a source of pressurized liquid, characterized in that position sensors are provided, sensors of the velocity of the artillery piece and sensors of the stress transferred by the actuator to the artillery piece, the signals delivered by said sensors being fed to a processing and control unit in which the trajectory elements have been preset and which delivers electric signals which, after having been amplified, drive a servoed valve connecting the actuator to the source of pressurized liquid so as to bring the artillery piece to the angle of elevation which corresponds to the preset value.

In order that the objects and the features of the invention may become clearer, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows a block diagram ofthe system in question.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates a source of pressurized liquid which, through a dis tributor valve 11 aided by a servomechanism feeds the hydraulic ram 12 forthe elevation of the artillery piece. The elevation ram has associated therewith a pressure transducer 13, which is responsive to the pressure differential between the two surfaces of the piston which is shifted within the ram 12.

There are mechanically connected to the elevation ram 12 and thus to the artillery piece barrel, an elevation sensor 14 and a tachometer 15, which are capable of delivering, the former, position signals and the latter signals of the angular speed of displace ment ofthe artillery piece concerned.

There is provided, moreover, an electronic control unit which consists of a processing unit 20 to which the desired firing data are delivered by 21 together with the angular position signal delivered by the sensor 14. The processing unit delivers a positional error signal of an angular position ofthe artillery piece and said signal is fed to the control electronic set 22.

The latter set 22 receives the angular speed and the pressure signals from the tachometer 15 and the transducer 13, respectively, and the set 22 processes the optimum law of variation for controlling the entire system by driving the servo-distributor valve 11 through a driving (power) electronic group 23.

The signal coming from the transducer 13 represents a function of the pressure differential between the two surfaces of the piston in the ram and thus is a function also ofthe actuation force impressed to the artillery piece barrel for elevating it. The information contained in such signal enables the processing unit 20 to keep under control the pressure differential between the two chambers of the ram, so that a limitation of the stresses is thereby achieved.

In addition, the dampening factor could, if desired, be appropriately corrected in order to obtain a quick response.

The speed (velocity) signal coming from the tachometer 15, together with the positional signal obtained from the sensor 14 and processed in the processing unit 20, when compares with the preset trajectory characteristics which had been preset at 21, enable the control electronics to generate the optimum law of variation for controlling the system.

The system can be integrated by a display device 24 which displays the trajectory characteristics and a display device 10 to visualize the howitzer elevation.

The control electronics which drive the servoed valve 11 is arranged, with advantage, in combination with the conventional elevation control mechanism of the manual kind and which has been symbolized by a unit 30 adapted to control directly the pressurized liquid feed to the actuator 12.

With a control unit ofthe kind referred to above it becomes therefore possible to carry out a repeatable operative cycle which provides to bring the weapon from a reference position to the preselected firing position and to bring the weapon back to its reference position once that firing has been effected, consistently with the object of the invention, thus dispensing with the manual operations which are required by the conventional systems in which the weapon elevation is adjusted every time by a crew member, that which obviously takes more time.

More particularly, it is an asset to be able to preset in the control electronics the law of movement which is the most appropriate in terms of instantaneous values of velocity and acceleration of the swinging mass of the weapon, whereby the firing position can be reached in the most efficient and the most accurate possible way.

1. A system for automatically controlling the angle of elevation of an artillery piece, comprising a hydraulically controlled actuator (12) which controls the elevation by receiving drive from a source of pressurized liquid (10), characterized inthatthere are provided sensors of the position (14), of the velocity (15) of the artillery piece and of the transferred stress (13) by the actuator (12) to the artillery piece barrel, the signals so produced by said sensors (13, 14, 15) being fed to a processing and control unit (20) in which trajectory characteristic pa ra meters are present and which delivers electric signals which, amplified, drive a servo-assisted valve (11) which connects the actuator (12) to the source of pressurized liquid (10) to bring the weapon to an elevation corresponding to the preset angular value.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said stress sensor (13) consists of a sensor of the pressure ofthe liquid which is effectively active upon the actuator (12).

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (2)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION System for automatically controlling the angle of elevation of a howitzer The artillery pieces of the howitzer type are generally equipped with an actuator of hydraulic type to move the swinging artillery piece through an arc of about 75 degrees so as to lay the weapon. The actuator is fitted with a source of pressurized liquid to which it is connected by a control member positioned by a crew member for effecting the elevational movements. The invention has the objective of suggesting the provision of a system for the automatic control of the angle of elevation of an artillery piece which comprises a hydraulically operating actuator which controls the elevation because it receives the drive from a source of pressurized liquid, characterized in that position sensors are provided, sensors of the velocity of the artillery piece and sensors of the stress transferred by the actuator to the artillery piece, the signals delivered by said sensors being fed to a processing and control unit in which the trajectory elements have been preset and which delivers electric signals which, after having been amplified, drive a servoed valve connecting the actuator to the source of pressurized liquid so as to bring the artillery piece to the angle of elevation which corresponds to the preset value. In order that the objects and the features of the invention may become clearer, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows a block diagram ofthe system in question. In the drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates a source of pressurized liquid which, through a dis tributor valve 11 aided by a servomechanism feeds the hydraulic ram 12 forthe elevation of the artillery piece. The elevation ram has associated therewith a pressure transducer 13, which is responsive to the pressure differential between the two surfaces of the piston which is shifted within the ram 12. There are mechanically connected to the elevation ram 12 and thus to the artillery piece barrel, an elevation sensor 14 and a tachometer 15, which are capable of delivering, the former, position signals and the latter signals of the angular speed of displace ment ofthe artillery piece concerned. There is provided, moreover, an electronic control unit which consists of a processing unit 20 to which the desired firing data are delivered by 21 together with the angular position signal delivered by the sensor 14. The processing unit delivers a positional error signal of an angular position ofthe artillery piece and said signal is fed to the control electronic set 22. The latter set 22 receives the angular speed and the pressure signals from the tachometer 15 and the transducer 13, respectively, and the set 22 processes the optimum law of variation for controlling the entire system by driving the servo-distributor valve 11 through a driving (power) electronic group 23. The signal coming from the transducer 13 represents a function of the pressure differential between the two surfaces of the piston in the ram and thus is a function also ofthe actuation force impressed to the artillery piece barrel for elevating it. The information contained in such signal enables the processing unit 20 to keep under control the pressure differential between the two chambers of the ram, so that a limitation of the stresses is thereby achieved. In addition, the dampening factor could, if desired, be appropriately corrected in order to obtain a quick response. The speed (velocity) signal coming from the tachometer 15, together with the positional signal obtained from the sensor 14 and processed in the processing unit 20, when compares with the preset trajectory characteristics which had been preset at 21, enable the control electronics to generate the optimum law of variation for controlling the system. The system can be integrated by a display device 24 which displays the trajectory characteristics and a display device 10 to visualize the howitzer elevation. The control electronics which drive the servoed valve 11 is arranged, with advantage, in combination with the conventional elevation control mechanism of the manual kind and which has been symbolized by a unit 30 adapted to control directly the pressurized liquid feed to the actuator 12. With a control unit ofthe kind referred to above it becomes therefore possible to carry out a repeatable operative cycle which provides to bring the weapon from a reference position to the preselected firing position and to bring the weapon back to its reference position once that firing has been effected, consistently with the object of the invention, thus dispensing with the manual operations which are required by the conventional systems in which the weapon elevation is adjusted every time by a crew member, that which obviously takes more time. More particularly, it is an asset to be able to preset in the control electronics the law of movement which is the most appropriate in terms of instantaneous values of velocity and acceleration of the swinging mass of the weapon, whereby the firing position can be reached in the most efficient and the most accurate possible way. CLAIMS

1. A system for automatically controlling the angle of elevation of an artillery piece, comprising a hydraulically controlled actuator (12) which controls the elevation by receiving drive from a source of pressurized liquid (10), characterized inthatthere are provided sensors of the position (14), of the velocity (15) of the artillery piece and of the transferred stress (13) by the actuator (12) to the artillery piece barrel, the signals so produced by said sensors (13, 14, 15) being fed to a processing and control unit (20) in which trajectory characteristic pa ra meters are present and which delivers electric signals which, amplified, drive a servo-assisted valve (11) which connects the actuator (12) to the source of pressurized liquid (10) to bring the weapon to an elevation corresponding to the preset angular value.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said stress sensor (13) consists of a sensor of the pressure ofthe liquid which is effectively active upon the actuator (12).