US2423856A

US2423856A - Automatic gun control for tanks

Info

Publication number: US2423856A
Application number: US492139A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stone Albert Rivington
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-06-24
Filing date: 1943-06-24
Publication date: 1947-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 1964-07-15

Description

M 15, 1947. A, R, ONE 2,423,856

XUTOMATIC GUN CONTROL FOR TANKS 7 Filed June 24, 1943 IIE nu awe/whom E Alba-r1; R- Einne Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,423,856 AUTOMATIC GUN CONTROL FOR TANKS Albert Rivington Stone, Belair, Md.

Application June 24, 1943, Serial No. 492,139

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 13 Claims;

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to the positioning or training of guns carried by tanks and other vehicles, and more particularly to means for rotating the gun in response to the changes in directions of the tank.

Assume, for an example, a, tank moving along a rectilinear east to west course with its gun trained on a target positioned directly north. As the tank progresses on its east to west course, the gunner keeping the target in sight will rotate the gun turret in a clockwise direction. This manual traversing rotation of the gun is required solely by the rectilinear travel of the tank, i. e., it is not occasioned by change in direction, since the tank course is assumed to be rectilinear. Suppose now that the tank changes its direction by veering to a west-south point of the compass, making a 45 angle to the original east-west path of the tank, i. e., in a counterclockwise sense. This change in direction of the tank requires a very considerable rotation of the gun turret in a clockwise sense. The purpose of this invention is to provide mechanical means which will automatically rotate the gun turret in this manner, to compensate for the change in direction of tank movement. Of course this automatic gun rotation will not maintain the gun trained on the target; the gunner will be required, to additionall rotate the gun turret to keep the target in sight, the extent of such additional gun rotation will depend on the speed of the tank and other factors. The gun rotation imparted by the device of this invention will merely maintain the gun aimed in the general direction of the target. To explain, if the gun had been pointed north in the example above assumed, the device of this invention will maintain the gun pointing to the north. But the south-north line through. the gun will hav been moved or offset to the west, due to the movement of the tank in that general direction.

An embodiment of the automatic positioning or compensating device of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the center and rear portion of a tank, showing the rear drive transmission and the gun turret, together with the compensating mechanism of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a power-providing mechanism to supplement the Selsyn system employed between the tank drive and the gun turret.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig; 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the solenoid drive employed in the mechanism of Figs. 2 to 4.

The center and rear portion of a tank designated l is shown in Fig. 1, with left and right wheels or track sprockets, respectively, 2 and 3. The two wheels are connected by flexible shaft cable 4 or the like to a differential, which will be designated as the primary differential to distinguish from other difierentials subsequently described. The left wheel 2 is operatively connected to one of the bevel gears I2 ofdifferential i0 while the right wheel is operatively connected to the other bevel gear l3. It should be noted that the bevel gear ib at the wheel end of the flexible shaft connection to the left wheel meshes with the left Wheel bevel'2a 0n the side thereof opposite to the side at which the bevel gear 51) at the wheel end of the right wheel meshes with the bevel 3a. Hence the two bevels of primary differential ID will be rotated by their respective tank wheels in opposite directions. If the tank is traveling along a rectilinear path, the two bevels will be turning at the same rate but in opposite directions. Hence the output or spider member ll of the primary difierential will remain stationary, its planetary bevels turning idly.

The output shaft of the primary differential is connected to the transmitter l5 of a Selsyn transmission, the receiver, pick-ofi and followu unit 25 of which is positioned close to the gun turret represented in Fig. 1 by the large crown gear 6. The Selsyn receiver 25 is connected, through a power-providing means subsequently described, to one of the bevels 21 of a difierential which will be referred to as the balancing differential for reasons soon apparent. The other bevel ll of the balancing difierential is connected by a shaft 1 and the gears shown to the said crown gear 6 of the gun turret. The output or spider member 28 of the balancing differential is connected to one bevel 3B of a third differential, the other bevel 39 of which is turned by a handwheel 9. The output or spider member of the third differential is connected to an oilgear valve 18 which forms part of a hydraulic system which includes a hydraulic motor 8 geared to the crown gear '5 of the gun turret.

When the tank is caused to change its direction, the wheels 2 and 3 will turn at different speeds, thus causing a turning of the output member H of the differential which depends upon the diilerence in wheel speeds and hence the extent of turning or change of direction of the vehicle. To reduce false effect upon the primary differential due to rapid slipping of one or both of the wheels or tracks, acceleration limit coupling 5 are inserted in the flexible shaft connection from the tank wheels to the primary differential; friction clutches in the acceleration limit couplings are caused to slip when the wheel shafts tend to accelerate above a predetermined limit. The precise degree of turning of the output shaft of the primary differential is transmitted by the Selsyn system l525 through the balancing differential to the combining differential which causes the oilgear valve l8 to open thus causing hydraulic pressure, from an accumulator (not shown), to motivate motor 8 and rotate the gun turret in accordance with the extent of tank change of direction. As explained above, the gunner meanwhile would manually turn the gun turret as he endeavors to keep the target in sight; this he does by means of handwheel 9. It is thus seen that the output from the balancing differential and the manual turning of handwheel 9 are combined at this differential; the combined output of manual gun training and the automatic gun turning takin into account vehicle change of direction are thus transmitted to the oilgear valve |8.

The oilgear valve l8 would remain in open position, to the extent it has been opened by manual gear training and automatic gear turning-and thus continue to motivate motor 8, were it not for the presence of the balancing differential. The turning of the gun turret, combined manual and automatic operation, as described, causes, through its crown gear 6 and the shaft 1, rotation of bevel gear I! of the balancing differential in a direction opposite to the rotation of bevel 21 and to an extent equal to the combined turning of the gun turret. This rotation of bevel ll of the balancing differential is transmitted through the combining differential to the oilgear valve l8, thus moving it to closed position.

The Selsyn system, more particularly, its receiver or motor 25', is incapable of driving the heavy mechanism of the differentials and their connecting gears and the oilgear valve I8. The means now to be described are provided to furnish the necessary power to accomplish such driving under regulatory control of Selsyn motor 25'. Aligned with the shaft 24 of the Selsyn motor 25, Figs. 2 and 3, is a shaft 34 mounted in bearings as shown. One end of shaft 34 faces Selsyn motor shaft 24. At the other end of shaft 34 is secured the bevel 21 of the balancing differential. At the end of Selsyn motor shaft 24 is secured a lobed disc 26. A sleeve or bracket 31 has a bore smoothly fitting about shaft 34. This bracket has an arm 31 that is fixed by screws 46 to the standard or support 41 for the inner end of shaft 34. A post 35 is fixed to or formed integrally with, bracket 37. A contact blade 36 has one end fixed within a receiving aperture in the outer or distal end of post 35, as by means of a set screw 48. The blade 36 is of steel or other conducting material and possesses a resiliency that, in combination with its fixed end in post 35, acts to maintain said blade in centralized position between the vertical portions of an inverted V-shaped bracket 32. The other end of blade 36 carries a roller 33 of a size to be received between the lobes or serrations of disc 26, as clearly shown at Fig. 4. On the inner face of both vertical legs of the U-shaped bracket 32 is secured an electrical contact, the contact on the left leg, as viewed in Fig. 4, is designated 30, the right contact is designated 3 The left contact 30 is wired to a solenoid 48, see Fig. 5, the other terminal of which is grounded; the right contact 3| is wired to a solenoid 4|, also grounded as shown. The blade 36 i wired to a source of current as shown. The armatures of the solenoids 46 and 4| are implemented with pawls, respectively 42 and 43 which cooperate with ratchet wheels secured on shaft 34, respectively, 44 and 45. It will be observed, best from Fig. 5, that the pawls are disposed in a manner to turn shaft 34 in opposite directions.

It will be understood that the number of serrations or lobes on disc 26 is equal to the number of teeth on each of the

ratchet wheels

44 and 45, and that the resiliency of blade 36 urges said blade to a centralized position in which it is out of engagement with contacts 30 and 3 J When th lobed disc 25 turns clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, the roller 33 will be moved to the right to cause circuit-closing contact between blade 36 and contact 3| each time a lobe of disc 26 passes. When movement of the disc is initiated, roller 33 is slightly raised and shifted to the right under the situation being discussed. When blade 36 engages contact 3|, further lateral movement of the roller is prevented and, as soon as the highest portion of the lobe has passed the roller, the resiliency of the blade forces the roller downwardly into the trough between the lobe just passed and the next succeeding lobe. In this manner the blade 36 is prevented from vibrating and is precluded from any possibility of engagement with contact 36 for a clockwise rotation of disc 26. Of course, when disc 26 rotates counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, blade 36 i moved to make and break contact with 30 and is prevented from engagement with contact 3|. Thus, the

contact

30 or 3| engaged b blade 36 depends upon the direction of rotation of disc 26, and the number of times contact is made depends upon and is directly proportional to the degree of angular rotation of disc 26. This rotation, in turn, is proportional to the angular degree of change in heading of the vehicle. Solenoid 4D or solenoid 4| (depending upon the direction of rotation of disc 26) is thus energized each time a lobe of disc 26 passes beneath roller 33, and each energization of a solenoid moves a corresponding ratchet wheel one step through the action of the spring-retracted

pawls

42 and 43. Since the number of lobes on disc 26 and teeth on

ratchet Wheels

44 and 45 are the same, gear 27 is rotated step-bystep in the same direction and through the same angle as disc 26. Thus, gear 21 i moved by follow-up power means to follow disc 26 substantially synchronously and the component movement of the turret effected through valve gear l8 and the motor controlled thereby, is at all times opposite to, and substantially equal to, the angular change in heading of the vehicle.

Rotation of the scalloped disc 26 in either direction results in applying a series of interrupted electrical power impulses to the corresponding solenoids. The number of impulses corresponds to the angular movement of the disc 23 and the number of scallops of the disc which are successively engaged with the roller 33. As the disc rotates, a scallop carries the roller 33 into contact with the respective contact. After the projection between adjacent scallops passes the roller the latter is released and disengaged from the contact. This interruption of the power supply to the solenoid de-energizes the latter and permits the pawl to be withdrawn from the solenoid under the action of a. spring connected thereto. The

pawl is thus positioned to again rotate the ratchet wheel when the solenoid is re-energized as the succeeding scallop in the disc again carries the roller into engagement with the contact.

The resulting rotation of the ratchet wheels eifects a corresponding rotation of shaft 34 and bevel gear 27, In this manner the bevel gear 2'! of the balancing differential is rotated proportionately to the rotation of the Selsyn receiver or motor 25 and with sufficient power to drive the mechanism of the balancing and combining differentials and the oilgear Valve !8.'

I claim:

1. In an automatic gun positioning device for tanks of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of a differential, flexible cable means connecting the wheels on opposite sides of the tank to respective ones of the input bevels of the differential, the said flexible cable means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite direction, a. Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven from the output of the said differential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, power means controlled b the said receiver,

-a crown gear associated with the turret turning mechanism, a second differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the said power means associated with the Selsyn receiver, a gear and shaft connection from the said gun turret crown gear to the other differential bevel, a third differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the output of said second differential, a, handwheel connected to the other bevel of said third differential, and a hydraulic pressure system including a valve and a motor, the said hydraulic motor being geared to the said turret crown gear to drive th same and the said hydraulic valve being operatively connected to the output of said third differential, to be controlled thereby.

2. In an automatic gun positionin device for tanks of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of a differential, flexible cable means connecting the wheels on opposite side of the tank to respective ones of the input bevels of the differential, the said flexible cable means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven from the output shaft of the said differential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a crown gear associated with the turret turning mechanism, a second differential, means controlled by said receiver for driving one of the input bevels of said second differential, a gear and shaft connection from the said gun turret crown gear to the other bevel of said second differential, a third differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the output of the second-mentioned differential, a handwheel connected to the other bevel of said third differential, and a hydraulic pressure system including a valve and a motor, the said hydraulic motor being geared to the said turret gear to drive the same and the said hydraulic valve being operatively connected to the output of said third-mentioned differential, to be controlled thereby.

3. In an automatic gun positioning device for tanks of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of a differential, flexible cable means connecting the wheels on opposite sides of the tank to respective ones of the input bevels ofthe differential, the said flexible cable means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven from the output of the said differential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a gear associated with the turret turning mechanism, a second differential, means controlled by the Selsyn receiver for driving one of the input bevels of said second differential, a gear and shaft connection from the said gun turret gear to the other diiferential bevel, a third differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the output of said second differential, a handwheel connected to the other bevel of said third differential, and a hydraulic pressure system including a valve and a motor, the said hydraulic motor being geared to the said turret gear to drive the same and the said hydraulic valve being operatively connected to the output of said third differential, to be controlled thereby.

4. In an automatic gun positioning device for tanks of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of a differential, flexible cable means connecting the Wheels on op posite sides of the tank to respective ones of the input bevels of the differential, the said flexible cable means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven from the output of the said differential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a gear associated with the turret turning mechanism, a second differential, means controlled by said receiver for driving one of the input bevels of said second differential, a connection from the said gun turret gear to the other bevel of said second differential, a third differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the output of said second differential, a handwheel connected to the other bevel of said third diiferential, and a hydraulic pressure system including a valve and a motor, the said hydraulic motor being geared to the said turret gear to drive the sam and the said hydraulic valve being operatively connected to the output of said third differential, to be controlled thereby.

5. In an automatic gun positioning device for tanks of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of a differential, means connecting the wheels on opposite sides of the tank to respective ones of the input bevel of the differential, the said means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven from the output of the said differential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a gear associated with the turret turning mechanism, a second differential, means controlled by said receiver for driving one of the input bevels of said second differential, a connection from the said gun turret gear to the other bevel of said second differential, a third differential one of the input bevels of which is driven by the output of said second differential, a handwheel connected to the other bevel of said third differential, and a hydraulic pressure system including a valve and a motor, the said hydraulic motor being geared to the said turret gear *6. In an'automatic gun positioning device;for

tanks of the type havin wheelsat oppositesides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the tank, the combination of. a differential, means connecting the wheels on opposite sides of the tank to respective ones of the input'bevels of the differentiaL'the said means being-operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said di1Ter ential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unit including a transmitter driven fromxthe output-of the said differential, the receiverof the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a gear associated with theturret turning mechanism, a second diiferential, means controlled by said'receiver for driving :one of the input bevels of said second differential, a

hand wheel connected to the other differential bevel, and means connected to theoutput of the second said differential for driving the said tur- ;ret gear.

7. In an automatic gunpositionin devic for tanks of the type having :Wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to th propulsion of the'tank, the combination of a differential, means connecting the wheels on opposite sides of the tank to respective ones of'the input bevels of the diiferential, the said means being operatively connected to the tank wheels to rotate the said differential bevels in opposite directions, a Selsyn transmission unitincluding a transmitter driven from the output of the said diiferential, the receiver of the Selsyn being disposed at the gun turret of the tank, a, second differential, means controlled by said receiver for driving one of the input; bevels of said second differential, a handwheel connected to the other difierential bevel,

and means connected to the output of. the second said difierential for driving the said turret.

'8. In an automatic gun positioning device for vehicles of the type having wheels at opposite sides thereof movable in response to the propulsion of the vehicle and a gun turnable about a substantially vertical axis, the combination of a differential, means connecting the wheels on D- posite sides of the vehicle to respective ones of the input bevels of the diiferentia'l, a Selsyn trans- 'mission unit including a transmitter driven from the output of said differential and a receiver, and

Wheels to the transmitter to actuate the latter in proportion to the relative angular movement between said wheels, 9. Selsyn receiver operatively connected to said transmitter, and means "controlled by said Selsyn receiver 'fOr :turning @the gun.

10. In a system for automaticallypositionjng1a gun carried for-angular adjustment about'arsubstantially vertical axis on and relatively to a vehicle having a pair of wheels relatively'rotatable by and in proportion to a change in headingof said vehicle, a transmitter, differential means connecting said wheels and transmitter to actuate the latter proportionally to said relative .rotation of said wheels", a receiver, connectionsactuating said receiver by and in proportion to actuation of said transmitter, 'power means connected to so adjust said gun, and follow-up,means'controlled by said receiver for controlling'said power means.

11. In an automatic gun positioning system for vehicles of the type having propulsion 'meansat opposite sides thereof an relatively 'movable when said vehicle changes its heading, said -vehicle having-thereona gun trainable about asubstantially vertical axis, differential means having a part operated by and proportionallyato relative movement between said propulsion means'and in a direction-corresponding to said change'in-heading, power means connected to sotrainsaid gun, servo-motor means controlling said power means, and telemetric means connected to operatesaid servo-motor means by-andinaccordance with the direction of operation of-said part.

12. The system as in claim '11, said servo-motor means including reversible electric motor means, and reversing contacts controlled by said telemetric means to control the operation of saidmotor means by and in correspondence with the direction of operation ofsaid telemetric means.

13. In an automatic'gun positioning device for a vehicle having propulsion means at opposite sides thereof, said propulsion means beingrelatively movable upon a change in heading of .said vehicle proportionally to said change of :heading, said vehicle having a gun mounted thereon for training about a substantially vertica1axis,xpower means connectedto so train said gun, and means responsiveto said relativemovement of said-propulsion means to control said power means to rotate said gun oppositely to the corresponding change in heading of said vehicle.

ALBERT RIVING'I-ON STONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 563,304 Ongley July '7, 1896 710,311 Avril Sept '30, 1902 2,166,680 Creager July '18, :1939

1559525 Murphy et a1 Oct. 27, 1925 1,559,566 Farrell et a1 Nov. 3,1925 1,435,681 Akemann Nov. 14, 1922 1,304,269 Dawson et al vMay 2Q, "1919