US2881664A - Main battery multiple gun turret sight mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April. 14, 1959 G. A. CHADWICK ETAL 2,881,664

MAIN BATTERY MULTIPLE GUN TURRET SIGHT MECHANISM Filed July 27, 1944 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

FIG. 2

, INVENTOR George A. ChOdWlCk Philios H. Girouord April 14, 1959 e. A. CHADWICK ETAL 2,881,664

' MAIN BATTERY MULTIPLE GUN TURRET SIGHT MECHANISM Filed July 27, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR George A. Chadwick Philias H. Girouord We ATTORNEYS United States Patent MAIN BATTERY MULTIPLE GUN TURRET SIGHT MECHANISM George A. Chadwick, Detroit, Mich., and Philias H. Girou'a'rd, Washington, D'.'C., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application July 27, 1944, Serial No. 546,896

2 Claims. (CI. 89-41 (Granted under Title 35, US. Code 1952 see. 266

The invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for turret fire control and more particularly to improved sight arrangements for a main battery of large caliber uns emplaced in a plurality of multiple mount turrets.

Conventional ordnance installations aboard large naval vessels usually include one or more main battery gun directors for remotely controlling turret gunfire. An example ofsuch an ordnance installation is shown in US. Patent 1,813,534 granted to H. C. Ford. These directors are equipped with numerous instruments such as telescopes, range finders and order receiving and transmitting devices as described in the before-mentioned patent. Associated with the gun' directors and located in a plotting room is another installation of equipment for computing, indicating and transmitting information necessary to point the various guns and set the sights continuously, as well as to train the director continuously on the target.

An' important object of the present invention is the provision of a multiple turret main battery with independent turret fire control equipment governing the operation of the gun elevating and turret training power drives.

Another object of the invention is the provision of 'a multiple turret main battery. with independent local turret fire control equipment selectively operable in lieu of either primary or auxiliary fire control apparatus.

A further object is to provide multiple turret main battery fire'control equipment permitting various selections and combinations of primary, auxiliary and individual turret fire control.

A still further object is the provision of improved individual independent self-contained fire control equipment for a triple mount gun turret.

Yet another object is to provide a multiple turret main battery with selectively operable primary, auxiliary and independent'local fire control systems which permit individual corrections for such conditions as erosion, roller path irregularity and elevating screw angularity.

The invention also aims to provide individual sight installations in the turrets including novel director-type telescope sights of improved design.

The invention further aims toward the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for gun movement control as governed by the director-type telescope sights.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, and in which drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are views in side elevation and top plan, respectively, of a ship provided with main battery fire control equipment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the fire control equipment located in one turret. forming part of the main battery of the ship; and

7 2,881,664 Patented Apr. 14, 1,959

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Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one turret showing in side elevation the general arrangement of the left control station, the view' looking inboard with side' armor removed; H

In the drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote cone sponding parts throughotitthe several views, the numeral 15 generally designates a warship, such as a large battleship, having a main battery 16 comprising nine major caliber guns 17 emplaced in three enclosed, armored, triple mount turrets 18-20 located on the ship centerline, two turrets 18, 19 forward and one turret 20 aft. The right and left guns of each turret are called wing guns. Thus, each turret includes a right wing gun, a left wing gum and a center gun. Two gun directors 21, 22 also located on the ship centerline, one, 21 for ward in a control tower 23 and the other, 22 aft, are alternatively usable to control the main battery gunfire. These gun directors 21, 22 are of the conventional type hereinbefore described, and are associated with conventional director firing installations, also of the type hereinbefore described, and which installations are located in the plotting room 24' of the ship.

The present invention embodies arrangements. for turret fire control and for control of the elevating and training gear which are substantially different from previous main battery gun positioning control systems. The apparatus hereinafter described is utilized in" whole or in part in each of three different systems of fire control according to the following brief descriptions of each.

Primary control is director control from forward or after main battery director stations through plotting room instruments and gun mountindicators'. In this system of control, each turret is trained and the guns mounted thereon are laid by a gun train operator and by gun layers who match pointers in their respective train and elevation indicators by operating conventional handwheel control units of their respective training and elevating gear. The gun train operator and the gun layers are at stations within the turret and remote from the director stations.

Auxiliary control is an alternative emergency director system for use when the plotting room equipment is out of commission. It is director fire control employing auxiliary fire control facilities within the control tower 23 or the intermediate turret 19, transmitting director orders through an auxiliary switchboard in that turret and thence to the gun mount indicators in the several turrets. The guns are laid and the turret is trained from the same turret stations as in primary control.

Local control is independent direction of own turret fire using own turret sights, own range finder and own computer. The system is capable of such variations as, for instance, using plotting room instruments or another range finder. The guns are positioned in elevation by the gun layers in accordance with gun elevation orders mechanically or electrically transmitted from a pointers station in the-turret. Training of the turrent is by direct control from the trainers handwheels to the training gear without requiring any action on the part of the gun train operator. The turret sights are part of the local fire control arrangements and do not function in primary or auxiliary control methods even though the services of one sight setter are required in order that sight angle, which is a correction factor of erosion, will be introduced as hereinafter explained.

For each turret, the gun elevating, turret train. and sight control operations are performed at different stations by the following personnel Three gun layers, one for each of three independently driven elevating gear control stations 25-27 on the electric deck 28 shown in Fig. 4;

One gun train operator, also stationed on the electric deck 28, adjacent the training gear hydraulic pump 29 or A-end unit;

Two trainers, located in right and left trainers stations 30, 31 each convenient to a different set of trainers handwheels 32, 33 and telescopes 34, 35;

Two pointers, located similarly in right and left pointers stations 36, 37 each convenient to a different set of pointers handwheels 38, 39 and telescopes 40, 41;

Two sight setters, located similarly in right and left sight setters stations 42, 43 each convenient to a diflerent Zest of sight setters handwheels 44, 45 and indicators When the guns are under primary or auxiliary director control, the trainers and pointers are not required to act. However, these two methods of control do require continuous operation of one of the sight setters indicators 46, 47 and its associated sight angle handwheel in order that the indicated value of sight angle will be transmitted mechanically to three gun elevation indicators 48-50 at the respective gun layers stations 25-27 where it is used as a function of the three individual corrections for erosion. During this time the other sight setter serves only in a stand by capacity.

Similarly, when the guns are under local control, the gun train operator is not required to act. From his station 51, on the electric deck 28, this operator controls a positive clutch 52 permitting handwheel control of the training gear to be shifted to the trainer manning the controlling telescope.

The right, left and center gun assemblies of each turret comprise virtually identical arrangements which vary only as to positions of parts. Separate elevating machines, which may be of the same general type shown in .Figs. 11 and 12 of US. Patent 2,404,127 granted to H. Ernst, are provided for each gun. The right elevating machine 53, shown in Fig. 3, is a conventional square thread screw 54 and nut 55 supported in an oscillating bearing mounting and driven by a bevel gear 56 on a power input shaft 57 through an electric motor driven variable speed hydraulic transmission 58 which may of the type shown in US. Patent 924,787 issued to R. Janney. The two other hydraulic transmissions 59, 60 are of similar construction. Control of each variable speed hydraulic transmission is through hydraulic servo units 61-63 connected to the transmission tilting plates 64-66 and arranged for alternative selective director of local control through the gun layers control stations. The servo control and response gear may be of the type shown in US. Patent 2,561,023 to Kane. Each gun layer is located on the electric deck 28 and operates by follow the-pointer orders mechanically transmitted to his elevation indicator 48-50 from right or left pointers stations 36, 37 or electrically transmitted by director.

The turret training machine 67 is an annular rack 68 with pinion-wormwheel drive generally indicated at 69 and electrohydraulic transmission arrangement 70 which may be of the type shown in the Janney Patent 924,787 in which a pump 71 supplies a hydraulic motor 72 coupled to the worm of 69. Control is similar to that of the elevating gear with variations permitting trainers input mechanically, from right or left trainers stations 30, 31 through a lever controlled clutch 73 in the train operators handwheel pedestal 74, to the control valves of the servo unit 75.

Each turret includes a shelf plate 76 or floor which overhangs the right and left sides of the turret above which are located the pointers, trainers and sight settum with the upper portion of the turret during rotation thereof. The first two decks below the shelf plate, listed in their downward order of occurrence, are the pan floor 77 and the electric deck 28. Located on the electric deck are the motors (not shown) for actuating the hydraulic variable speed power drives of the elevating and training gear. Still lower decks (not shown) are ordinarily provided for the storage of projectiles and powder.

Turret sights The sight installations, identical in all turrets, include director type telescope sights whose design and method of gun movement control are considered distinctively new. Each installation comprises duplicate control stations A, B, located in the turret right and left, respectively, of the wing guns, above the shelf plate 76 and enclosed in sight station compartments which provide fiameproof isolation from the other turret divisions. Each control station includes a pointers telescope 40, 41, a trainers telescope 34, 35, and a sight setters indicator 46, 47. These are {arranged in a system of sight movement indicating and transmitting shafts and sight handwheel drives that positions the lines of sight, interconnects like elements of the duplicate right and left control stations and extends to indicators 48-50 at each gun layers station 25-27 and to an indicator 78 at the gun train operators station 51. The system of brackets, gearings, shafts, clutches, dials, connected parts and other elements of the right control station A comprise one assembly; the elements of the left control station B comprise another assembly.

The arrangement of these assemblies is such that the elements of either control station when clutched to the shaft system comprises a complete sight. The elements of the other control station of each turret comprise a stand by station which may be quickly synchronized to take over sight operation. Both control stations A, B, of each turret function alike, directly in train and by gun order in elevation, positioning the guns with reference to the target. This is accomplished by sight setter movernent of the lines of sight in elevation and in train according to sight angle and deflection order communicated to the sight setter, and by pointer and trainer handwheel manipulations that bring about movements of the guns in elevation and train, and coincidentally hold the crosswires of the pointers and trainers telescopes on the target.

The components of the duplicate sight arrangements are practically symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline of the turret, the centers of the telescope objectives being right and left of the turret centerline. The centers of the pointers and trainers telescopes are above the shelf plate and above the centerline 79 of the gun trunnions. The fore and aft locations of the centerlines of the telescopes are, trainers forward, and pointers rearward of the transverse centerline of the turret. Elevation order, train order and sight angle vertical shafts 80-82 from these stations extend through the shelf plate 76 to brackets on the circular girder 83 above the pan floor 77, thence obliquely forward to elevation order, train order and sight angle cross shafts 84-86 running transversely through the turret to connect the two sight assemblies. From cross shaft brackets, shafts 87-89 extend into the gun layers and turret train operators compartments to connect to elevation indicators 48-50 and the turret train operators handwheel pedestal 74, respectively. The present sight mechanism extends as far as the points of connection of these shafts to the elevation indicators and handwheel pedestal.

The right and left pointers and trainers stations being of opposite hand but otherwise identical, the description of one applies equally to its counterpart.

Painter's station Fixedly mounted on the shelf plate 76 within each pointers compartment is a pointers station housing 90 containing elements for the support and enclosure of the deflection, elevation, sight angle and handwheel shafts and gearing. This housing includes a base section 91 supmerges-a herring synchronizing! diafliousiii'g' 9'2" and a gun eiva tion' ordr transmitte'r 93i aiid-a ca'p portion} at 9'4- which encloses a telescope elevation bracket 95} sighfdeffection gearing 96 and 'sightelevation gearing; 97.

Supported on trunnions 98 for deflection movement aBbutvrt icaI trunnion bearings at- 99" in the" elevation bracket 95" is a telescope holder 0 supporting the pointers telescope" "or 41". Fixed to theinner endfiice ofthei fle's'bbph0l'di" c'astingtis a rackjge'ar 101. mesh ing a" pinion 102"'d1 iveh'by'a1f axially mounted shaft" liB within a' uaw' shaft'fportion 104" of the elevation bra "lief J Movement of the rack gear" 101 deflects" the: tel cope holder in train when the axial" sha'ft'1 03 carry gthe deflection pinion- 102 is? rotated by aisigh'ti deflection" wo'rni shaft 105 through a deflection'worni 106 and wormwheel 107. In order't'o supplyelevation move: ment to the telescope holden100=and=thus point the telescope;40 or 41, the hollow shaft portion'104of the elevation awake-93 isro'tatdby an" elevation worm shaftIilS' elevation worm 109 and sector ear 110. Thesightf deflection and elevation worrn' shafts 105', 1 08 exam? tlirbiigh the trainers' station arid are cb'nhe'cted' iritb a coinpeiisating'difierntial and-'spuigeartra'in 1 11 tion equipment; The elevation worm 109- is also connectedt'o" a pointers 's't" ion" differential llz th'r'oughsiglit angle b'ev'el gears 11$,Iac'ross shaft 114 and" meshing bevel ar' 'ils, 116, one of which gears 116 is in'tgi'al with a differential be'v'el ge'ai'llff td-foiiiia dual? bevel gear combination 118; Eiit'ending. axially thrdugli' the gear combination 118 is a" sight angle transmit-ting'shaft' 1 19 i isaifiitedaspider 1 20. This spiider'120"is' roe ii aplaiie" perpendicular to the sight angl'e'shaft rri'e's twdidler bevlel gear's"121 1'22' inplanetary relation between the" differential bever gar'117'oftl'1'e combination and another difiei'n'tial' bevel ear 123' forming part of abevei and spur 'gear combination 124. The spur gear 125- ofthe combination meshes with a spur gear 126 of a ha-ndwheeland elevation order shaft gear train 12780 as tocombinesight angle transmitted from the sight settersstation with pointers handwheel elevation thereby positioning. the pointers. telescopein elevation and supplyingtgun elevation orders. y p The pointers handwheel and order shaft gearing. 127 includes meshing bevel-gears 1 28 connectingl the' spur gear shaft 1-29with the handwheel shaft 130. This hand wheel shaft 130 is mounted on the handwheel bracket- 131 attached to the pointeris' station housing 90. The gearingv alsdincludes meshing bevel gears 132 connectingth'e'sp ir gear shaft 129 with the elevation order shaft- 80. This elevation order shaft -80-isinterrupted between the bearingsleeves by a pointers station synchronizing cliit'ch 135 anditsrelated indicator gearing I This synchronizing clutch 135 with its indicator-I dials and gearing is combined in an assemblage for synchro nizing the pointers station equipment with the gun elevation order indicators 49-50; The eman te a positiveeiigagernent'pirftype designed-forengagement iri only one position of clutch parts for every 360 of relative shaft rotation. 7 ch hiz'i'ng c'luteh dials the clutcl'i parts are disposed in position for engagement whereupon the pointers station equipment and the gun elevation o'r'derindicators ar'e a'c curately synchronized. Referring. to Fig. 3 for details, the clutch u" 'er jaw 1'37 is axiallydisplac'eable on a spli-ned seeti'orra t 133; the splines not being? s'howm but be go'f' zi -conventional" nature, of the verticalelevation or i shaft 80' ju'st below the u'pper synchronizing dial bevelgem-"1 39b The; clutch lower jaw -isconibined witi'i a double bevel gear 14-1 and contains holes for receiving and matching different diameter pins" 142; 1.4 3 of the upper jaw 137. The upper bevel gear 144 of the combination is for the synchronizing dial mechanism and the lower" bevel gear 145 is fo'n the gun elevation order transmitter 93. The matching dial bevel gears 146, 1 47 When the pointer matches his syn 6 are sfiaftconnectee te worms' 148- and wormwfieeis" 14'? which rotate concentric disc and ring dials-150f151 in the synchronizingtdial housing 92-.

. Trainers station Fi'xedly" mounted on the shelf plate 76 within each" trainers station is a'- pedestal 152; for supporting the trainers stat-ion" equipment on a-le'vel higher thazrthat'ofi are pointer s sta t-ion; su portingand enclosing the" various elements Of eacIi trainers station;as well as the asso= ciated sight settei s indicatbf4fi or 47 and' sight setter s; synchronizing cliat'ch- 153, -isa ltiouisirig '15'4",- including: a base section'- 15? and a cap portion-- 156'.

The ffiinrs station iti'clhdes a! telescope ho1der"157 si'nii were: of thepoiiiters stationexcept that'it is provided 'with spaced ahnularoea'iin'gs' at 158", 159 sup porting the telescope 34 or 35 for rotation within the liolder' abo its league rial anis'gth-i's r'ot 'a'tio'nbeing "p not shown) mounted on the eleseope" can be locked against rotation re'la'ti-v tfdtheholde't by alockin' g pimnm shown, mounted: oir-the' 'holc ier cap The holder 157' is geared tdthe; defle'etion -vv'oriiiw lieel shaft 105 by apinioh and rack',-siini'- lar to those of the poin'te'rs station, and is 3 supp orted by an elevation bracket similar to that of the" poiriters sta-' tion, but with ai -modified shape which allowsi'form-otion of the-telescope iri elevation independently of a the eleva tieniiraeketmetibm The compensating differential and spur gear train 111'? shown in Fig. 3 serves to compensate for the deflection of the telescope 34 01 35 due toplanetary" action: of the telescope: holder deflection rack and pinion;- This ar rangeme'nt is so designed that the-worm shaft' b'evela' gear 162 meshes with tworspi'der mounted idler beveh gear's- 163, 164* and the'spider mounted-gears mesh with the bevel gear portion 1650f a spur-bevel gear combination 1 66; this coriibi'r'ration in turn riieshin'g,= through its spur gear pbi tiofi-l' ;=witli ani=dleif"spu i" gear 1'68 in trairi with -an elvat onsli *t 'spur' gear 169*. The spider is fast on a sliaftK1 7 0' e'ic teiiding' freely through the spur-bevel gear combin'at-ioii Fixed' on the spidershaft 1'70"i s=" a bevel ge'ar 171 nieshin'g withabevel gear 172 fast on the deflection input Shaft 17 31 StilF-referi'iiigto Fig. 3'; the liand wheel and tr'ai'n-order shaft earing 1'74, enclosed and supported by theh'an'd' wheel b cket 175 shown in 'Fig; 4i connectsthetr'ainers handwhee Q33 to'the' train order-shaft 81; The gear systent comprises two sets 176'; 17-7 of bevel gears'with a handwlieel shaft and: aconnecting sliaft mounted on the hand wheel braeket 1 75;"

The sight angle" synchronizing c'lutcli 153, shown" in Figs? 3 and 4,- is designed to allow the gun elevation indicators 48-50 and the" sight angle cross shaft 86 to be clutcheddn or out and. synchronized with the sight setters indicator 46 or 47; and the trainers and pointers stations-. T o'thi's end; a 180 engagemenvjaw type clutch 1 5 3 'is* pr'ov'ided'i Thisclutcli inel'udes a' vertically sh'if't able jaw"1'78 controlled b'y' means of a throw-out collar 1 79am hand lever 1110; this jaiw being splined on the si'glitangIesliaft'SZ The other clutch jaw 18 1 is'mon1i'ted for rotation relativeto the" sightangle shaft 82 and forms par-ref a spurandbevelgear'cornbination 18 -2; the" spur gear 133' driving one, 135, of'thesi ght' angle synchronizing clutch dials through the train 184- of shafts and gears shown in Fig. 3. The other sight angle synchronizing clutch dial186'is" driven thesi ght angle shaft through th'e nieshingfBeveI gears 187 and shaft 188. The bevel gear 189"o'f the sp'ur bevel combination 18 3* meshes with a bevel' geari190connected t'oa" shaft 119 from the pointers station differential 11 2. The latter" bevel gear 196 also meshes w'ith a bevel gear 191' fast on a shaft 19? connectedlto the sight setters indicator "47. This assembly'is attached' tothe baclcof thetrainers' station housing 154 andpedestal 152 with the clutch handle 180 extending Elevation order, train order, and sight angle shafts The gun elevation order bevel gear brackets are identical right and left units, each functioning as shaft bearing, bevel gear housing and bracket at the right and left rearward ends of the gun elevation order cross shaft, the left bracket 194 being shown in Fig. 4. These assemblies are connected by universal joints 195 and shafts 80 to the pointers stations and by flexible couplings 196 to the gun elevation order bearing brackets 197. These brackets are fastened to a plate welded to the circular girder 83.

The gun elevation order bearing brackets 197 are identical right and left assemblies which serve to support the rear to forward sections 198 of the gun elevation order shaft.

, Two sight angle, gun elevation and turret train order bevel gear housings 199 of opposite hand but otherwise identical construction serve to support the three cross shafts 84-86 at their outer ends. Located inwardly of these housings are right and left sight angle gear brackets 200 connecting the vertical sight angle shafts 82 to the after ends of the forwardly extending sections 201 of the sight angle shaft.

Two turret train order upper bevel gear brackets 202 of opposite hand but otherwise identical construction connect the vertical sections 81 of the turret train order shafts to the after ends of the forwardly extending sections 203 of the train order shafts.

Three identical brackets, not shown, each support and enclose meshing bevel gears 205 connecting the sight angle and gun elevation order cross shafts 84, 86 to the three different gun layers elevation indicators 48-50.

Turret train order selector clutch assemblage The turret train order selector clutch assemblage 52 is a combination of two jaw type clutches 206, 207 and a bevel gear arrangement 208. This selector clutch assemblage provides for selecting control from either the right or left trainers station. The jaw type clutches 206, 207 each comprise a movable jaw 209, 210, spline mounted for axial shifting on its train order cross shaft 85, and a combination jaw and bevel gear 211, 212 rotatably mounted on the same train order cross shaft 85 and geared to the vertical shaft 89 from the turret train order lower gearing at 213. The two movable jaws 209, 210 are positioned by forks 214, 215 that are connected by a link 216 and are controlled together by a sector gear 217, and a spur gear 218 on a shaft 219 that extends upwardly from an overhead control lever 220 at the train operators station. This lever 220 is releasably positioned by a suitable detent not shown but of a conventional nature.

Turret train order lower gear bracket Connected to the left gun girder at the train operator's station is the turret train order lower gearing and bracket enclosed at 213 as shown in Fig. 4. This gearing at 213 transmits turret train order from the vertical selectorclutch-driven shaft 89 to a horizontal shaft 222 extending to the turret train operators handwheel pedestal 74. The coupling connecting this horizontal shaft 222 to the handwheel pedestal marks the extent of the modified sight design.

Sight hood assemblies The sight hood assemblies, not shown, since the details thereof are not an essential part of this invention, are all similar, but they vary as to opposite hand of the pointers and trainers right and left control stations, and as to provision of space for a larger right than left deflection of the telescope. There is also a diiferent arrangement of the door operating mechanism in that it is above the telescope at the pointers station and below the telescope at the trainers. The sight hands are mounted on the-turret armor over the sight ports. Hinged to each sight hood is 8 a bulletproof steel door provided with the operating mechanism which serves to open and close the door, retain it open and clamp it shut.

Sight setters clutch warn ing circuit The sight setters clutch warning circuit comprises an arrangement of a conventional nature of two switches, and two signal lights for indicating to each sight setter the position of the other sight setters sight angle synchronizing clutch 153. As shown in Fig. 4, switch 229 is mounted on a synchronizing clutch case with a plunger in the path of travel of the clutch control lever so as to be actuated thereby. The switch 229 is of a normally open single throw type and is in circuit with a signal light in the opposite sight setters compartment so that the light is on when the clutch is engaged.

Sight setters indicators As shown in Fig. 4, each sight setters indicator 46, 47 is located on the forward side of the respective trainers station housing 154. These indicators at 46, 47 receive sight angle, sight deflection and battle orders, and transmit sight angle and sight deflection mechanically to the pointers station, trainers station and gun elevation indicators. The instrument is provided with hand cranks 44 or 45 for setting values of sight angle and deflection into the sights. These values are set by follow-the-pointer orders in Primary or Auxiliary control but in Local control are set in response to oral orders from the local computer. Dials are provided for indicating sight angle, deflection, and battle orders, respectively. Follow-thepointer ring dials indicate against fixed outer scales the amount and direction of sight angle and deflection adjustment of the lines of sight and indicate against electrically positioned inner dials when the sights are set in accordance with orders received.

Gun elevation indicators The gun elevation indicators 48-50, shown in Fig. 3, are located at each gun layers station, give orders for the gun layer and provide correction to the gun response before it is indicated as elevation on the dials. It is designed to receive gun elevation orders electrically from the controlling director and from the pointers gun elevation order transmitter 93 and to receive gun elevation order mechanically from the pointers stations. Indicated by these instruments 48-50 is the relation of gun position to gun elevation order, and the actual gun elevation, corrected for erosion and roller path compensation. A correction for difference in equivalent service rounds fired, based on the quantities sight angle and difference in velocity loss, is also indicated. The values of sight angle are set mechanically by shafting 192, 82, 201, 86, 88 from the sight setters indicators 46, 47.

Gun elevation order transmitter The gun elevation order transmitter 93 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is located at the pointers station and transmits, for local control, gun elevation order to the hereinbefore described gun elevation indicators 48-50. Inasmuch as the order is equal to the depression of the pointers sight, the sight acts as a local director transmitting gun elevation order to the elevation indicator.

Turret train indicator and transmitter Located in each turret at the train operators station is a turret train indicator and transmitter 78 having dials serving to indicate the required angle of train, to indicate that the turret is trained to this angle, to transmit corrected train angle, and to supply the necessary correction to turret train to give the correct train angle.

Operation The relation of the sight to the other fire control equipment is shown by its operation in local control.

The auxiliary computer, during local control supplies values of sight angle andtsi'ghtideflection by oral order to the sight setter. By setting dials on the sight setters indicator 46 or 47, the sight setter at either the right or left control station transmits sightangle and sight deflecion mechanically to his respectivepointers and trainers stations. One sight setter, receiving orders electrically or orally, operates in each type of control, that is, in director, auxiliary or local control, to supply sight angle to the gun elevation indicators 48-50 for use in erosion correction at the gun layers stations. The pointer transmits elevation orders electrically by means of gun elevation order transmitter 93 or mechanically through shafts 80, 198, 87 and gears to the gun elevation indicator 48-50 of each of the three gun layers. At the gun elevation indicators 48-50, factors such as sight angle and velocity are added for erosion correction, and the proper corrections for compensation of roller path irregularity and elevating screw angularity are introduced, to indicate elevation order and gun elevation on the dials. Each gun layer then operates the elevating gear 53 to lay the guns by matching dials on the gun elevation indicator. The trainer controls the turret training gear 67 directly through the mechanical system of trainers handwheel 32 or 33, shafts, gears and selector clutch 52 to train the turret. Thus, the pointer and trainer lay their sights on the target and mechanically combine sight angle and sight deflection to supply gun elevation order and turret train order, respectively.

Under the director and auxiliary control methods, pointers and trainers are not required to act, the guns being then controlled in elevation by the gun layers and in train by the turret train operator. The gun layers and the turret train operator control the guns in elevation and train by matching pointers in their respective elevation and train indicators 48-50 and 78.

The sighting can be accomplished by the sight setter, pointer and trainer on the same side of the turret, by combinations using the sight stations on both sides of the turret, or by the sight stations in the second turret acting through transmitters and indicators to the first and third turrets. Using the sight stations on either side of the turret, the sight setter, pointer and trainer of one side perform the sight function entirely independent of the other side. The pointer can either follow the target continuously, causing the trainers telescope to follow his telescope in elevation, or fire on selected level, making it necessary for the trainer to unlatch his telescope by removing the detent thereof and himself position the telescope in elevation. The pointer on one side can operate with the sole purpose of keeping his trainers telescope on the target in elevation while the pointers telescope on the other side is fixedin' elevation for selected level firing. Any of the telescopes not in use can be employed for checking. However, in all combinations where both sides are used, both sight setters indicators 46, 47 must be in operation. Under sight control from the second turret, the sights of this turret are used as in local control except that gun elevation orders and turret train orders are transmitted to the first and third turrets by sight station elevation order transmitter 93 and by turret train indicator and transmitter 78.

All of these various selections and combinations of control are made by use of the sight angle and pointers elevation order synchronizing clutches 153, 135, the turret train order selector clutch 52, and the turret train operators selector clutch 73. In connection with each of the synchronizing clutches, there is a synchronizing dial which must be matched before engagement of the clutch. It is not intended that the two synchronizing clutches of the same system be engaged during operation. It should be observed that in all combinations of control sight angle is supplied to the elevation indicators 48-50 by the sight setter on the side where the pointer is acting.

' As previously pointed out, the pointers station difiefi ential 112 serves to combine sight angle transmitted from the. sight setters station 42m 43 with. pointers handwheel elevation thereby positioning the pointers telescope in elevation and supplying gun elevation orders. And the differential 166 at the trainers station operatesto compensate for movement of the trainers telescope in deflection due to the planetary rotation of the deflection rack 101 around the pinion 102 when the telescope is rotated in elevation. For each revolution of the elevation bracket the compensating differential and gear trains 166, 112 add one revolution to the deflection pinion 102 in the same direction. This adds to or subtracts from the sight setters deflection input resulting in compensated deflection.

From the foregoing it is clear that the herein described equipment provides director type telescope sights mounted on and movable with the turrets for individual turret gunfire control with means for setting the optical lines of sight of the telescopes at angles with respect to the turret guns corresponding to computed sight and deflection angles in order that the training and pointing operators, in maintaining the optical lines of sight on a target, will offset the guns relative to the target line of sight by the proper lead angle. It is also clear that turret gunfire control may be readily transferred from remote to local direction or vice versa with proper synchronization of the system so as to impart maximum flexibility of control to the ordnance installation.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for sighting a battery of guns mounted in a plurality of multiple gun turrets at least one of said turrets being equipped with dual control stations each of said stations including a pointers telescope, a trainers telescope, a sight setters indicator provided with sight angle and sight deflection handwheels, pointers and trainers handwheels, means including diiferential gearing transmitting sight angle and elevation control to the pointers telescope, and also to the trainers telescope, from the sight angle and pointers handwheels respectively, means transmitting sight deflection angle to the trainers telescope, and also to the pointers telescope, from the sight deflection handwheel, said telescopes being movable in train with said turret responsive to training control of said turret from the trainers handwheels, and a gun elevation order transmitter, gun layers elevation indicators one for each of the guns in said battery, means releasably engaging the pointers handwheels in any selected one of said control stations in synchronized relation to the gun elevation order transmitter of said control station and to the elevation indicators of said one turret, means transmitting elevation orders from said gun elevation order transmitter to the elevation indicators of said remaining turrets, means for applying the indicated elevation controls from said elevation indicators to the respective elevating mechanisms for the individual guns of said battery, a train operators station in each turret equipped with a train indicator and transmitter unit, means releasably connecting the train indicator and transmitter unit of said one turret to the trainers handwheels of any selected one of said control stations, means transmitting the training control from the train indicator and transmitter unit of said one turret to the remaining train indicator and transmitter units, and means at the train operators stations of said remaining turrets for applying. the train indications to the respective training mechanisms of said remaining turrets.

- 2. The apparatus set forth in .claim 1 provided with means applying the training control from the train operators stations to the respective gun elevation indicators of said turrets for turret roller path irregularity compensation.

ReferencesCited .in; file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blendy'et a1. -1; Novf20, 19,23

Willard H--. Jan. 2, 1934

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