GB2264268A

GB2264268A - Underwater mine

Info

Publication number: GB2264268A
Application number: GB9009174A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernhard Kratz; Erwin Haas; Michael Biedermann
Original assignee: Diehl GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Diehl Verwaltungs Stiftung
Priority date: 1989-05-31
Filing date: 1990-04-24
Publication date: 1993-08-25
Also published as: IT9048017A0; GB9009174D0; NL9001059A; IT1240852B; DE3917662A1; DE3917662C2; FR2690242A1; IT9048017A1

Description

An underwater mine 2264268 The invention relates to an underwater mine

having stand legs which are arranged in a distributed manner at the periphery (translator's note: can also mean "--ircil.iiference") of the mine body and wh-ich are hinged to the mine body and ty can be spread (translator's note: can also "--xpaicl.ed") away from the mine body by means of drive elernents.

US-Ul S Such an underwater mine is known, for example, From k 2,398,794. In the case of this known underwater iiiine the the stand legs can be spre-ad,.".way drive elements with which t From the minc body are designed as tension wlich are effective a..,,ai-nst the hinge portions of the stand le.:,s, so that, as a result of relaxation of the tension springs, an unfolding of L-he stand legs away from the mine hodly is i:)ossible. This mine can indeed stand aligned in an exar-tl.y perpendicular manner on an uneven bed, 'but upon an at sweeping, which. Is for example carried out with a it 1 2 can lead to a tilting over of this underwater mine, because the stand legs stand stiffly away from the inine body.

The, same problems occur in the case oil the underwater weapon 1Known from DE 33 29 700 AI, because herre too all tIne, stand legs are away IL:71,7051 the imine body with the same ter weapon the force. kIso in the case of this known underwat stability is accordingly relatively slight, so that it can 0 -Cl lead more especially upon an attempt at sweeping, as a result tz.

of the stiffness between the stand legs and the mine body, to a tilting over or respectively knocking over oF the -.qine body7 i.e. of the underwiter mine, wr,ere-by the underwater laine becomes iii.,zffective.

DE 37 Y) 546 CI describes- a positioning device for a dcoppable rit-ie which has positioni-ing,:ne.cn.anisrns nade froin rellaxing wir--., wltile.'i are restrained in a c-.-ist position, in.-! are _released after t-e. inpact, OtE t! r la - 0 1 in C. 1 -? n the ot al 1-ened to tine. mine in et.fective direction. Fas L tile holLlow-cliar-;e mine, in the region of the exit surface of tile detonation products, are at least three spring rings which ir-zx arra nged in a uniformly distributed manner at the circutiference of the exit surface arid which are restrained in the rrest position in the form of an eight swung together in t 1 r R the centre and are released after the ground impact oE the mine. In the case of this hollow-charge mine it is a matter not of an underwater mine but of a land mine.

T11he problem underlying the invention is to provide ail underwater mine, of the type mentioned at the beginning hereof, which upon an attempt at clearing (translator's note: can also nean "sweeping") does not tilt over but after such an attempt at sweeping automatically returns into its waiting (translator's note: can also mean "a-,!,,bus',,-i") Position.

In accordance with the invention this proble:n is solvei i that, for the spreading of stand lee, 'Lro:..i the mine body, provided llnetween tIne,.,iine hodly and:2-ac"-i st-l.-,1 lez is an elastically Inlassed Whicn for:-,is tine associated drive element and whicl. is al-ranged so as to be 1, movable, with its one en-1 po',. on an po- L- from the bottom, OE 'L,'le mine, body in t'ie longitudinal direction of the r.iine bo,,.!y and wit,n its section end alon,g t:ie corresi)c)nr',irg stand leg, the two end portions o the/each sy)readine element for their movement hein.y connected __Y to drive. i-lech.anis[ns. Plecause of the mechanically biassed spreading element provided between the mine body and, each =1 stand leg there results an elastic hinge-ing. of each stand leg to the inine body so that not only is a problemfree spreading P.

1 of the stand legs away from the mine body possible, but also an elasticity between the mine body and the stand legs is ensured, so that upon an attempt at sweeping it can indeed D lead to an inclination of the mine body out of its waiting position. However, as a result of this inclination of the mine body out of the waiting position, at least one OILE the eldstically biassed spreading elements is mechanically tz further or respectively more highly tensioned, so that after expiry of the sweeping procedure as a result of mechanical relaxation of the at least one more highly tensioned spreading element a return of the mine body into the waiting position is effected.

In order to achieve good stability of the underwater on any desired bed, it is advantageous 21-f the statild legs are 7acing the bott hinged to the lower end portion, 1, Lom, oE the mine body. As a result of such a design of the underwate-r mine the possibility emerges of designing the stand le-s with a len?-,-,,'-i adapted or respectively correspondin., to Cie axial longitudinal extent of the mine body. This 'tir71s not only during the first flight phase until the strill-ing onto a water surface the advantage that the stand legs in this first flight phase already spread at a specific angle away from the mine body result in a parachute or respectively braking effect, but that this braking action is also ensurced in tha p immersion phase until the striking on the bottom, and that more especially the tilting edge. afforded by the end portions of the stand legs remote from the mine body, of underwater mine which is in the waiting position is sufficiently far removed from the centre of gravity of the underwater mine so that a tilting over or respectively knocking over of the underwater mine is reliably prevented.

The/each spreading element preferably has at least one biassed leafspring element, in which respect the/each spreading element upon the spreading of the associated stand lecy away from the mine body is convexly arched out between C) the mine body and the associated stand leg. The convex arching-out of the spreading element is already ensured by the originally afforded elastic biassing of the sl-lceading element. That is to say tInat the elastically biassed spreading element already in the rest or storage position oir- W the underwater mine is slightly convexly arched-out. This original convax arching-out of the/each spreading elennent is then further promoted or respectively assisted by the associated drive elements. If upon an attempt at sweeping an external force becomes effective against such an underwater mine which is in the waiting position, by which the mine body is deflected out of the waiting position, then the C> corresponding expanding elements bend further, i.e. their 17) 1.1 6 radius of curvature becomes smaller. By reason of this elasticity the mine body can without prejudice give way to the external force acting on it. A further increase in the force becoming effective from the outside against the mine body leads to the fact that the corresponding spreading element applies itself with its one end portion flat against the mine body. The same goes for the second end portion of the spreading element, which applies itself flat against the associated stand leg. As a result of this abutment, the two points of contact or support between the first end portion of the spreading element and the mine body and the second end portion of the spreading element and the associated stand leg migrate in the direction of the upper end. remote from the bottom, of the mine body as well as of the end portion, remote from the hinge point of the stand leg, of the same, so that in a particularly advantageous manner the tilting edge C1 - rp c Moves Lurther away from the hinge point between mine body and stand leg, whereby an unintentional knocking over of the underwater!-:ii-,ie is precluded with simple means in a considerably improved manner.

In the case of the underwater mine in accordance with the invention the/each spreading element can have at least two leaf-spring elements which are designed in accordance with a preformed bending beam. As a result of such a design of the tinderwater mine the advantage emerges that the elasticity or respectively spring hardness becomes all the greater, the arching-out, of the spreading greater the bending, i.e. element during the influence, afforded on the mine body, of an external force is. The greater in the case of such a prefocmed bending carrier consisting of at least two leaf-spring elements the arching-out or respectively flexure becomes, all the harder is the springing behaviour. Also in this way with relatively simple means a knocking over of the C> Underwater.,iine, as is intended to be brought about by an attempt at sweeping, is avoidable.

In the case of the drive mechanisms which act on the two enc? portions of the/eacin spreading element, it is a matter prefecably of spring elements. In this respect, compression springs, tension springs or combinations of compression and tensi.ori springs can be used.

On the body preferably]'or the limitation of the movement of the first end portion of the/each spreading a first stop is provided and on the associated stand leg preferably for the limitation ( translator's note:

presurnalbly here the words "of the movement" are missing in the German text) of the second end portion of the col-responding spreading element a second stop is provided.

3 As a result of the two stops the convex arching-out of the/each spreading element is specifically fixed. As a result of these two stops, moreover, the reduction, afforded during the action of an external force on the mine body and the thereby ensuing turning. of the mine body towards at least one stand leg, in the radius of curvature of the corresponding spreading elements is accomplished, because the end portions of these spreading element are prevented from moving away from the stops. For this purpose, of course, the 0 drive mechanisms preferably designed as spring elements are adapted with their spring force to the sprine, force of the W spreading elements.

The first stop is preferably provided in the vicinity of the certre of gravity of the mine body standing on a bottom.

0 0 It has proved to be particularly advantageous if the first Stop is Situated above the centre of gravity of the mine body stan(lin:-.. on tote bothom, be-catise in this way a good standing stability o4' the. underwater mine results.

The first end portions of the spreading elements distributed along the circutriference of the mine body are preferably hinged to a common ring element which is movable linearly alon-the mine body, and between the ring element 0 and the mine body preferably one of the drive mechanisms for 1 9 the spreading elements is provided. In the case of such a design of the underwater mine it is, thus, not necessary to provide between each spreading element and the mine body a drive mechanism of its own for examDle in the form of a spring element, but it is suEEicient to provide a single C> t> drive mechanism between the ring element and the mine body, in order to arch the spreading elements out jointly and to spread the stand legs away from the mine body. There thus results a structural simplification and the further advantage that, as a result of the reduced space requirement for the drive mechanisms, the useful-load ratio of the underwater mine can be increased.

A reliable and uniform folding d legs from away of the. stan the nine body, i.e. a reliable erection of the mine body in its waiting position on a bottoin, is possible in that the stand, legs are connected together, spaeed. Fro i tineir hingeing 0 s.

to the rine body, by means of flexible connection eletTienL AS a CeSUlt Of tnes-- flexible connection ele;-iients it is not possit)le for the individual stand leas to come unintentionally too close to one another. The individual stand legs are prevented by the flexible connection elements, whic'n encircle all the connection elements in the spread state of the stand legs in a closed curve, from, coining too close to one another, so that the spread stand legs define a 1.0 large base for the underwater mine which is in the waiting position.

A further improvement in the stability of the underwater mine in the waiting position is achieved in that the/each stand leg is flexible in design at least at its encl portion remote from the mine body. As a result of the possibility that the end portions of the stand legs can bend up when external forces caused for example by an attempt at sweeping become effective against the mine body, a knocking over of C) the underwater mine is precluded with simple means in a further improved manner.

The underwater (nine in accordance with the invention 'na.s-, as compared with the known underwater mines and their erection mechanisms, the advantages that the mine body elastically gives way to an external force acting on it, as occurs for example during an attemapt at sweeping, and after the elimination of this external force swings back a.-,ain into the initial position, i.e. into the waiting position, that for the reuprighting and Lor the supporting of the underwater mine only simply designed elements in the shape of the spreading elements with the associated drive elements are necessary, that the underwater inine, as a result of the supporting points which are displaced radially very far t 1 1 outwardly from the mine body and which are afforded by the front ends of the stand legs, is largely safe against knocking over, and that through the combining of the r> functions of the/each spreading element and of the associated stands legs into respectively one component a considerable reduction in the space requirement is afforded, whereby the useful-load ratio of the underwater mine is optimum. Secauseof the design of the individual spreading elements as at least single-layer bending springs there results, moreover, the advantage that the sensitivity to breakage is negligeably slight. Moreover, there results, through the use of suci-t spreading elements in the form of at least single-layer bending springs, a mechanical self- optimisation, which tmeans that a Large action force acting from the outside on the body causes a large reaction- or erection force in tIhe at least one spreading element in the form of a bending spring.

Further details. Eeattires and advantaoes will be-c)-,ie apparent fr,,-,. the following description of an exeinplifieci embodiment of the underwater mine in accordance with 'L!,'!e invention which is shown diagrammatically in the drawings.

Figures 1 to 4 show four diEferent positions of a stand lac standing away from the mine body during the unfolding procedure.

- 12 Figures 5 to 7 show three different positions of the mine body during an attempt at sweeping, i.e. when an external force is effective on the mine body, Figure 8 shows a view of an underwater mine in the line of vision from above.

Figure 9 shows a detail of the underwater mine on a larger scale.

Figure 10 shows a detail. corresponding to Figure 9. of another design of the underwater mine2 Figure 11 shows a sida view of a spreading element provided between the mine body and the stand legs, and Figure 12 shows an underwater mine which is standing on an uneven bed and which is designed in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 10.

Figures 1 to 4 show an underwater mine 10 in the rest or respectively storage position (Figure 1), in two unfoldin-g CP Cl> 13 - positions, different from one another, of one of its stand legs 1-9 (Figures 2 and 3) and in the unfolded position. resting on a bottom, of the stand legs 12 (Figure 4), in which respect in these figures in each case only one of the stand legs 12 held hingedly on the mine body 14 is shown, in order to simplify the representation. As is, however, evident from Figure 8. provided in a uniformly distributed manner along the circumference of the mine body 14 are a number of stand legs 12 which are in each case held so as to be swingable about an associated hinge 16 which is provided on the lower end portion 18, facing the bottom, of the mine body 14. Provided between the mine body 14 and each stand leg 12 is a spreading element 20, in the case of which it is a matter of at least one leaf-spring element which - as is evident from Figure 9 - already in the rest position shown simply rectilinearly in Figure 1 possesses an arching-out and me-chanical bias. The arching-out of the/each spreading ele,,!ient 20 is convexly away from the mine body 14, so that ---pon the un'.o'.iditig of the stand legs 12 in each case spreading elements 20 with convex more or less increasing curvature result. This is advantageous more especially for the yielding procedure to be described further below in connection with Figures 5 to 7.

The/each spreading element 20 is guided displaceably with its one end portion 22 on the mine body 14 in an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal central line 24, which is indicated by the arrow 26. The second end portion 28 of each spreading element 20 is guided displaceably along the associated stand leg 12. The mine body 14 is provided with a first stop 30, by which the linear movement of the first end portion 29of the spreading element 20 is limited. The/each stand leg 12 is provided with a second stop 32. by which the linear movement of the second end portion 28 of the/each spreading elentent 20 is limited.

Z:1 As has case only elerment 14C number of unif 01-Inly SI).

already been mentioned. in the drawings in each one stand leg 12 with the associated spreading is shown, but the mine body 14 is equipped with a stand legs 12, which are provided distributed about the circumference of the mine body 14 (see 1Provided Oe-tween the first end, portion 22 of the/each spreading element 20 and the inine body 14 is a first drive mechanism 34, in the case of which it is a matter, for xample, of a tension-spring element. With the aid of the first drive mechanism 34 the first end portion 22 of the associated spreading element 20 is forced downwards in the direction of the arrow 26. Provided between the second end - portion 28 of the spreading element 20 and the end, facing the hinge 16, of the/each stand leg 12 is a second drive mechanism 36 in the form of a compression-spring element, with which the second end portion 28 of the associated spreading element is forced in the direction of the arrow 38, i.e. ifi -the direction of the second stop 32.

As soon as the underwater mine has been issued from a dispenser, so that the stand legs 12 as a result of the mechanical biassin. of the associated spreading elements 20 c, 0 and as a result of the mechanical biassincy of the drive C> the associated hinge 16 mechanisms 34 and 336 can swing about Z.

away from the mine body 1'., the stand le-s 12 are first of 0 all swung by means Of Gne-;-iec,-iaDically biassed convexly arched-out spreading elements 20 by a specific angle away C> e> from the aiine body lil. (see Figure 2). At the same time or respectively subsequently a move.ment of the second end portion 28 of the spreading eleme-nt 20 of each stand leg 12 as far as tl--- second stop J312 is eEEacted, this movement of t'tie/eaci st)readitic elei-.ient 20 i-)ein,3, initiated by the 3 respective second drive mechanism. In 'his respect there L results an enlarge,.-nent of the un.Lolding angle between the/each stand leg 12 and the mine body 14, which is evident from Figure 3.. Simultaneously or respectively subsequently L.he first end portion 22 of the/each spreading element 20 is - 16 moved by means of the associated first drive mee'i-ianisiti 34 in the axial direction of the mine body 14, until the first end portion 22 of the spreading body 20 butts against the first stop 30. The first stop 30 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of the centre of gravity S of tIne 1 which in Figure 4 is in the unfolded state, underwater mine 10 i.e. in the waiting position. In this waiting position the mine body 14, as a result of suitable dimensioning of the component parts of the underwater mine 10 of the stand legs 12 spread away from the mine body 14, stands perpendicularly upwards. Of course, it would also be possible for the inine body 14 to assume in the waiting position with regard to a botto.n a predetermined angle of inclination.

In Ficures 1 to 4 identical individual items are in each 1:1 case designated witti the same reference numbers.

Shown in Figures 5 to 7 is a yielding)roce,-,itire of the C> 1 Underwater:--4ne durinc,,, an attempt at in various angular positions, in whic-n -respect in Figure 5 as in FLure 4 the waiting position is shown. As soon as an external force bee-omes effective against the mine body 14. the mine body 14 of the underwater mine 10 inclines into a correspondin-g direction, in order to counter the effective force. In this respect, the corresponding spreading element 17 20, both end portions 22 and 28 of which are restrained by the associated drive mechanisms 34 and 36 against the stops 30 and 32, is increasingly convexly arched out, whereby the radius of curvature of the corresponding spreading element 20 is reduced., as is evident from Figures 6 and 7, and in which respect the spreading element 20 is mechanically further biassed. A further increase in the force acting froin the outside against the mine body 14. for example ducing a C) C1) sweeping operation, leads to the fact that the corresponding spreading element 20 curves further and butts with two supporting regions 33 and 40 against the mine body 14 or respectively agrainst the associated stand leg 12. In t-his respect it is clearly evident from Figure 7 that tile supporting region 38 migrates to the upper side 492 of the mine body 14 and that the supporting region 40 inigrates to the free end portion 44 of the associated stand leg 12. This means, however, that the supporting of the mine body 14 is improved. It serves the same purpose if at least the front and portion 44 of each stand le 12 is designed so as to be 1 9 elastically compliant or respectively flexible. Also in this way a knocking over of the underwater -riine 10 ba prevented in a simple manner. It is likewise possible to design the stand legs 12 not with a fixed rigid lenat,-i, but Z> C> with telescopically extensible stand-lec, elements.

0 1 The smaller the curvature of a spreading element 20 is, the greater is the restoring force which is latent in it, that without delay the restoring of the mine body 14 into waiting position shown in Figures 4 or respectively 5 is effected when no external force is any longer effective on the mine body 14.

so I-he L 1 Identical individual items are designated in Figures 5 to W 7 with the same reference numbers as in Figures 1 to 4, so that it is superfluous to describe all these individual iteins in connection with Figures 5 to 7 once more in detail.

Figure 8 shows a view of the underwater mine 10 with the stand legs 12 which are swung away from the mine body 14 and which are held so as to be swingably movable about associated t> hinges 16 on the mine body 14. So that the stand legs 12 in the state swung away from the mine body 14 or respectively in the waiting position shown in Figures 4 or respectively 5 are distrib,-!te-d uniformly about the mine body 14, the stand legs 14 are connected together by means of flexible connection elements 46. in which respect the connection elements 46 form a closed line. In this way it is not possible for individual stand legs 12 to come too close unintentionally to the respectively adjacent stand leg 12. With the aid of the flexible connection elements 46 there results, because of the stand legs 12, a large base for the underwater mine 10 which is in the waiting position.

Figure 9 shows on a larger scale a detail of the mine body 14, of a stand leg 12 in the rest or respectively storage position buttin- aaainst the mine body 14, and of a spreading element 20 which is associated with the stand leg 12 and the first end portion 22 of which is connected to a first drive mechanism 34 in the form of a tension spring. This figure is intended to make clear more especially the.slight convex arching-out of the spreading element 20 in the rest or respectively storage position of the underwater mine 10. In Figure 9 the spreading element 20 is indicated as a single-layer pre-arched leaf spring.

In contrast thereto. in Figure 11 a two-layer spreading element 20, i.e. a spreading element consisting of two leaf-spring elements 48 and 50, is indicated, which are,,ombined wi-Ch one another in order to form a socalled preformed bending beam. Such a preformed bending beam, i.e. a spreading element 20 designed in such a way, becomes ever harder in its springing behaviour, the greater the bending outwards becomes.

1 Figure 10 shows an embodiment of the underwater mine 10 in - a detail which is intended more especially to make clear the design of the mine body 14 with a ring element 52. to which the spreading elements 20 distributed around the mine body 14 are fastened by their one end portion 22. Designated with the reference number 12 is also in this figure one of the stand lews of the underwater mine 10. In the case of this embodiment of the underwater mine 10 it is not necessary to provide each spreading element 20 with an associated first drive mechanism 34 of its own, but it is sufficient to provide a single drive mechanism 34,, and to connect this by its one end portion to the ring element 52. After the issuance of the underwater mine 10 from a known 'per se' dispenser provided for this purpose, the spreading elements 20 and the drive mechanisms 34 and 36 can mechanically relax, so -that the stand legs 121 are spread away from llhe mine body 14, until the mine body 14 on a bottom assumes its waiting position.

In Figur-- 12 an underwater mine 10 is shown standing on an uneven bottom 54 in the waiting position. In this respect Lhe individual spreading elements 20 are unequally arched C> out, which is predetermined by the bottom 54 and is afforded by the drive mechanisms 34 and 36. The drive mechanism 34 acts in this respect on a ring element 52, on which the spreading elements 20 are secured by their first end portion - 21 22. The first stop 30 on the mine body 14 serves for the limitation o.E the linear movement, guided by the mine body 14, of the ring element 52. Also in this figure the second stop provided on each stand leg 12 is designated by the C 0 ref erence number 32.

1

Claims

1. An underwater mine having stand legs (12) which are arranned distributed on the circumference of the mine body (14) and which are hinged to the mine body (14) and can be spread away from the mine body (14) by;-,ie-ans of drive elements, characterised in that for the spreading of the/each stand leg (12) away from the,nine body (14) provided between the mine body (14) and each stand le.- (12) is an elastically biassed spreading element > Z> (20) ii.,7Clich forms tIne associated drive element. and. which is arcanged so as to be movable with its one end portion (22) on an upper poction (42), re.mote Erom the 1)0t-LO[i'l, of the imine the longitudinal direction of the mine body (14) body (14) in tt and with its second end portion (28) along the corresponding stand leg (1.9), the two end portions (22, 28) of the/each spreading element for their movement bei-n-- connected to drive CY mechanisms (34,, 36).

2. An underwater mine according to claim 1, characterised in that the stand le.s (12) are hinged to the lower end portion 18), facing the bottom, of the mine body (14).

3. An underwater mine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in -that the/each spreading element (20) has at least one biassed leaf-spring element, in which respect the/each spreading 0 element (20) upon the spreading of the associated stand leg (12) away from the mine body (14) between the -nine body 11,14) and the associated stand leg (12) is convexly arched out.

4. An underwater mine according to one of Ithe preceding claims, characterised ir that least two leaf-spring the/each spr-eading elemenit (20) has a.

elements (48, 50) x.jhic'L'1 are designed in accordance with a preforraed beai-,i.

5. An underwater mine according to one of the preceding clain,s, characterised in that the drive mechanisms (34, 36) are spring elements.

1

6. An underwater mine according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that provided on the mine body (14) for the limitation of the movement of the first end portion (22) of the/each spreadinc, C) element (20) is a first stop (30) and in that provided on the associated stand leg (12) for the limitation of the Pnovealent of the second end portion (28) of the -corresponding spreading element (20) is a further stop (32).

7. An underwater mine according, to claim G) 0 7 characterised in that the first stop (30) is provided in the vicinity of the centre of gravity (S) of the mine body (14) standing on a bottom.

c>

8. An undlerwater inine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that -he first end portions (22) of the spreading I-S 4 elefne-.&L (20) distributed along the circumference of the mine body (14) are hinged to a common ring element (52) which is linearly movable along the mine body (14), and in that provided between the ring element (52) and- the mine body (14) is one of the drive mec',-ianisms (34) for the spreading elements (20).

9. An underwater mine according to one of the preceding claims. characterised in that the stand legs (12) are connected together, spaced from the C5 hingeing (16) to the mine body (14) by means of flexible connection elements (46).

10. An underwater mine according to one of the preceding C:- claims, characterised in that the/each stand leg (12) is flexible in design at least at its end portion (44) remote from the mine body (14).

11. An underwater mine according to one of the preceding c I a ims, characterised in that the/each stand leg (12) is designed so as to be telescopically extensible.