GB2245348A

GB2245348A - Deploying of ammunition

Info

Publication number: GB2245348A
Application number: GB9112846A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christoph Mathey
Original assignee: Dynamit Nobel AG
Current assignee: Dynamit Nobel AG
Priority date: 1990-06-15
Filing date: 1991-06-14
Publication date: 1992-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-14
Also published as: GB9112846D0; DE4019176A1; GB2245348B

Abstract

When a mine (1) is deployed over the ground, at least with some of the cords 3 from a braking parachute (2) to the mine (1), there is a connection (A) on the mine-side end which is released when righting the mine. An eyelet 13 on the cord 3 is pushed over a pin 10 attached either to the end of the righting element 7 or to the mine housing 9, so that the eyelet is pulled down or pushed down from the pin by the operation of the righting device. In this way the formation of a hollow charge-jet is not disturbed by cord parts lying on the hood 4. <IMAGE>

Description

.C--, De.ployinq of ammunition This invention relates to a mine, and more

particularly to the connecting of the mine by way of 5 cords to a braking parachute.

A mine, which is deployed by artillery or aircraft and which has a braking parachute for reducing the velocity of impact when hitting the ground, is described, for example, in DE-A-2 207 557 and DE-C2-2 842 36.

Moreover, from DE-C2-2 834 435 a separating device is known by means of which a braking parachute can be separated automatically from the mine. However, there remains parts, the so-called check line on the mine housing, which - if they remain lying on the cover hood give rise to a loss of performance of the hollow charge in the mine. Indeed, there is no certainty in any one case that the separating device itself does not remain on the cover hood.

With another mine, namely that according to DE-A-3 824 374, ignition cords are integrated in the braking parachute in, or around, the cords of the parachute. These cords are ignited once the mine strikes the ground. However, because the cords may only scorch or because they may melt prematurely so that the connection of the mine to the parachute is released, this concept has fallen out of favour increasingly as experts give regard to questions of safety.

1 According to the invention, there is provided a mine having cords for attaching it to a braking parachute, wherein at least one such cord has a mine-side section provided with an eyelet which is pushed over a pin attached to the mine housing or to the end of a righting element such that when the stressed righting element starts to operate after the mine hits the ground, the eyelet is able to be pulled down or pushed down from the pin by means of the righting element.

In one embodiment of the invention not all cords from the braking parachute to the mine are provided with eyelets on their mine-side ends and the ends of such cords remain unreleasably connected to the mine housing or to the ends of righting elements.

As a result of separation of the cord at the mine, the parachute is separated at the same time. The measures contemplated by this invention, can be realised with little additional cost. The pin, through which the braking force is guided into the mine, is often present anyway as supporting point for a sensor wire. This pin need not necessarily be attached in an upper region of the mine housing; it can, for example, also be secured to the end of a righting element, and, in the folded state, can even lie on the edge of the upper (relative to the righted mine) half of the mine. Braking forces can also be guided into the mine by way of the righting element, because of its rigidity in the lengthwise direction and its restraining against the mine housing. If the eyelet is pulled down or pushed down from the pin, the cord falls on to the ground under its own weight, with no part remaining on the hood.

Often the connection of the mine to the parachute 'consists of a so-called cross cord. These are double cords, which are secured in each case to two opposing points on the upper edge of the mine. Here it is even sufficient if only one cord end is separated completely from the mine body according to the invention. The second cord end, the other part of the cross cord, is pulled down from the mine hood under its own weight.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the eyelets are accelerated when being pushed down as a result of the propping up of the mine by the righting elements. As a result the eyelets are spun away from the mine body.

This particulary ensures that no cord region remains on the mine cover hood.

Since the pulling-off of the eyelets from the pins and transporting away do not require any particular energy expenditure, the energy source for the propping up by the righting elements does not usually need to be enlarged.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same can be carried out reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a view of a mine, which is connected by way of a cross cord to a braking parachute; Figure 2 shows one type of mounting of an eyelet on the end of a cord on a pin on a mine housing (detail A according to Figure 1); Figure 3 shows, as another type of mounting, a forklike eyelet on the end of a cord on a pin on the mine housing (detail A according to Figure 1); Figure 4 shows a further type of mounting of an 'eyelet on the end of a cord on a pin on the righting element (detail A according to Figure 1); Figure 5 shows a type of mounting in which an end of another cord is mounted on a righting element (detail B according to Figure 1).

Figure 1 shows a known hollow charge mine 1 suspended on a parachute 2 during deployment from the air. In this example the parachute 2 is connected by way of two cords 3, 3' to the mine 1. The expression cross cord has commonly been adopted to describe this suspension. Above the hollow charge 6 there is located an elastic mine cover 4 (hood), which when stored, because of reasons of space is pressed into a space 5 above the hollow charge 6. In order to create the relatively large free space which is required for formation of a hollow charge jet above the hollow charge 6, this hood is knocked out by a device not described here more closely, e.g. a compressed spring. Two of the usual twelve righting elements 7 can be seen, these being attached, by way of hinges 8, to the swivel springs on the mine housing 9, such that they spread down radially from the inner housing 9 after opening of a restraining band which is not shown and with this spreading motion (up to approx. 1000) bring the mine 1 - if it is lying on the ground - into a position with an approximately perpendicular mine axis (hood 4 upwards).

If special measures are not used, the cords 3, 31 lie on the hood 4 and disturb the formation of the hollow charge jet. According to the invention at least one cord end is secured to the mine body, so that it falls from the mine housing or is spun away radially. Special embodiments are shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 (detail A in Figure 1).

It is possible to secure all cord ends 3, 31 to the mine housing 9 in a releasable manner (according to detail A), in particular if a further parachute separating device is to be saved. It has been shown, however, that it is not absolutely necessary that all ends of the cords 3 have to be released completely from the mine housing. It is also possible that to some extent the ends can remain on the mine housing, with the cord 3 being advantageously secured to a righting element 7. This is because the end of a cord is removed further from the mine axis by the righting element. Such a mounting is shown schematically on the left by the symbol B in Figure 1 and is illustrated by an exemplifying embodiment in Figure 5.

One embodiment of the detail A shown Figure 1 has, according to Figure 2, a pin 10, which is secured to the mine housing 9, so that it fits into a passage, slot, or the like 12 in the end region 11 of the righting element 7, which is attached to the lower casing region. As a result, the righting element 7 can be pressed in a known manner tightly to the mine casing 9 when storing and deploying. The pin 10 is, however, long enough for an eyelet 13 on the end of a cord 3 also to be able to be pushed over the pin 10, and for braking force from the parachute 2 to be able to be transferred to the mine 1 by way of the pin 10. The mine 1 has a microprocessor which, after the after-landing roll of the mine 1 on the ground, blows off a restraining band, not shown, by means of which the righting elements 7 are.held pressed to the mine housing 9, and the righting elements 7 right a lying mine 1 or stabilise a mine already standing upright.

When starting to operate, the righting element 7 pushes the eyelet 13, not only down from the pin 10, but spins the cord 3 with the eyelet 13 away from the mine housing 9; as a result no part of the cord 3 remains lying on the hood 4 of the mine 1.

In Figure 3 a variation of Figure 2 is represented. The eyelet 13 is formed like a fork and comprises the end 11 of the righting element 7.

Figure 4 shows another type of releasable connection of the cord 3 with the mine 1. Here a bolt 101 is secured to the end 11 of a righting element 7 on the side, facing the mine; however, there exists as a result of the rigid righting element 7 an operative connection between the bolt 101 and mine housing 9 and the braking force of the parachute 2 can also be introduced into the mine with such a construction. When the righting element 7 is propping up after opening a restraining device, the eyelet 13 here is also released, because the pin 101 is pulled from the eyelet 13, with a supported, angled plate 14, serving as "stripper", and thus the connection between the cord end and the mine is interrupted at the upper mine region when righting and no cord lies on the hood 4.

An embodiment (detail B of Figure 1) is shown in Figure 5 in which the end of a cord 31 remains connected to the mine 1, here specifically to the end 11 of the righting element 7. In this case, when the righting element 7 starts to function, the cord 31 alone also falls from the hood 4; the release of the other cords 3 from the mine 1 still favours this procedure.

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Claims

1. A mine having cords for attaching it to a braking parachute, wherein at least one such cord has a mine-side section provided with an eyelet which is pushed over a pin attached to the mine housing or to the end of a righting element such that when the stressed righting element starts to operate after the mine hits the ground, the eyelet is able to be pulled down or pushed down from the pin by means of the righting element.

2. A mine, according to claim 1, wherein not all cords from the braking parachute to the mine are provided with eyelets on their mine-side ends and the ends of such cords remain unreleasably connected to the mine housing or to the ends of righting elements.

3. A mine housing a cord attaching it to a braking parachute in a manner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, any one of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 at I'he Patent Office, Concept House, Cardiff Road, Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. Cwrnfelinfach, Cross Keys, Newport, NP1 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques Iltd, St Mary Cray. Kent.