US3508335A - Method of and device for establishing the correct lead required for firing a projectile at a moving target - Google Patents

Method of and device for establishing the correct lead required for firing a projectile at a moving target Download PDF

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Publication number
US3508335A
US3508335A US576102A US3508335DA US3508335A US 3508335 A US3508335 A US 3508335A US 576102 A US576102 A US 576102A US 3508335D A US3508335D A US 3508335DA US 3508335 A US3508335 A US 3508335A
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United States
Prior art keywords
barrel
target
time
reticule
sight
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Expired - Lifetime
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US576102A
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English (en)
Inventor
Erik Wilhelm Sundstrom
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Saab Bofors AB
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Bofors AB
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Publication of US3508335A publication Critical patent/US3508335A/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G3/00—Aiming or laying means
    • F41G3/06—Aiming or laying means with rangefinder
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G3/00—Aiming or laying means
    • F41G3/22—Aiming or laying means for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of achieving a correct lead when firing projectiles against a moving target, and a device for carrying out the method.
  • This method is particularly well suited for firearms mounted on track-laying vehicles, and can also be used with advantage on track-laying vehicles in which the weapon has a fixed mounting in the vehicle and it is thus aimed by steering the whole vehicle.
  • the aforepointed out object, and other objects which will be pointed out hereinafter are obtained by establishing the correct lead for firing a projectile from a gun barrel at a moving target by initially moving the sight line and the gun barrel both at the same angular velocity relative to the target until the sight line is tracking the target and the gun barrel is aimed at the target.
  • the sight line is then driven angularly and oppositely relative to the gun barrel at a constant times the angular velocity of the barrel for a predetermined time interval of time or times the time 1 while seeking to continue tracking the target, a being a constant and t the time of flight of the projectile from the barrel to the target.
  • the relative movement of the sight line and the gun barrel is stopped but aiming the line of sight and the barrel at the target is continued.
  • the method of the invention may be carried out by an apparatus which comprises a sighting assembly including a carrier bearing a reticule.
  • This carrier is so mounted that the reticule can be vertically and transversely displaced alternatively with or relative to the gun barrel which, in turn, can be elevated and depressed.
  • a relative movement is imparted to the carrier proportional to and in opposition to the angular movement of the gun barrel. Reduction of said relative movement reduces the angular velocity of the line of sight in relation to that of the gun barrel by a factor where a is a constant.
  • the relative movement is imparted to the carrier by transmission means which are operated by actuating means coupled to the transmission means for a set interval of time and uncoupled therefrom at the end of this interval. Uncoupling of the transmission means frees the carrier and thus the reticule to move at the angular velocity of the gun barrel.
  • FIG. 1 shows, schematically and in perspective, a track-laying vehicle, where a gun mounted in a rotatable turret has been provided with a device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 the design of the device indicated in FIG. 1 is shown, also schematically and in perspective, in more detail.
  • FIG. 3 contains a diagram in which certain angular velocities have been plotted as a function of the time, and in FIG. 4 finally, a diagram is shown of the corresponding angular positions as a function of the time.
  • the track-laying vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a rotatable turret 2, in which the gun barrel 3 is mounted.
  • the movement of the turret 2 is provided for by a motor 4, which is fixed to the turret and drives a gear wheel 5, which is in mesh with a gear ring 6 rotatably fixed to the vehicle 1.
  • the elevating movement of the barrel 3 is controlled by the motor 7 which is fixed to the turret 2, and which via the gear wheel 8 engages in a gear segment 9, which is fixed to the barrel.
  • the movements of the motors 4 and 7 are transmitted to a lead generator 10A supported by a sight assembly 10 supported by the turret 2 for movement in unison with the gun barrel, by means of flexible shafts 1.1 and 12.
  • FIG. 2 The further details of the construction of the lead generator 10A are shown in FIG. 2.
  • a glass plate 18 which has thereon a reticule and constitutes a carrier therefor.
  • This glass plate 18 can be displaced in its own plane, both horizontally and vertically.
  • the horizontal displacement is achieved by means of the gear rack 19 which via the sliding holder 20 laterally positions the strip 21 which is fixed to the glass plate 18.
  • the vertical displacement of the glass plate 18 is achieved by means of the gear rack 22, which via the sliding holder 23 laterally positions the strip 24 fixed to the glass plate 18.
  • the movement of the gear rack 19 is achieved by means of the gear wheel 25, which is fixed to the shaft 26. On this shaft 26 also, the gear wheel 27 and the knob 28 are fixed.
  • a gear wheel 29 arranged, which is permanently in mesh with the gear wheel 27, which gear wheel 29, by means of a clutch, can be actuated by the flexible shaft 11 from the motor 4.
  • This clutch consists of a disk 30, which can be displaced on the shaft 12, which by means of keys which can slide in grooves made in the shaft 11, always participates in the rotation of the shaft 11.
  • the disk 30 is provided with a number of friction linings 31, which under the influence of the electromagnet 32 can be made to bear against the gear wheel 29.
  • electromagnet 32 receives its current through the cables 33 and 34, which via the cable 13 are connected with the timer 14.
  • the gear rack 22 can be actuated by the gear wheel 35, which is fixed to the shaft 36 on which also the gear weel 37 and the knob 38 are fixed.
  • the gear wheel 39 can be actuated, by means of the clutch consisting of the displaceable disk 40 with the linings 41 and the electromagnet 42, by the flexible shaft 12, which is connected with the motor 7.
  • the electromagnet 42 is connected with the timer 14 via the cables 43 and 44 and 13.
  • the timer 14 is provided with a pointer 45, which can be set at different values, and is connected via the cable 15 with a switch 46, which can be actuated by the pedal 16.
  • the pointer 45 of the timer is set so that the timer 14 gives a time impulse which is proportional to the time of flight (t,,) of a fired projectile from the barrel to the target.
  • the time a-t set on the timer l4 naturally depends upon the value which is elected for the constant a as well as on the distance to the target and the velocity of the fired projectile.
  • a suitable value of the constant a has been chosen (which should appropriately be between 0.5 and 3) and the velocity of the projectile estimated, only the distance from the barrel to the target need be determined.
  • the scale for the setting of the pointer 45 on the timer 14 can be graduated directly in said distance.
  • the gunner can start the timer 14.
  • Current pulses are then emitted from this timer through the cables 13, 33, 34, 43 and 44, to the windings of the electromagnets 32 and 42.
  • the duration of this series of current pulses depends upon the setting of the pointer 45, and is to be at times the time t of flight of the projectile from the barrel to the target, i.e.
  • the glass plate 18 with its reticule will therefore during the period of time (ix-t have a displacement depending upon the movements of the shafts 11 and 12, respectively.
  • the gun barrel is to move through the angle co et-t traveled by the target plus the angle w t which is the proper lead angle. Therefore should be the average angular speed of the barrel relative to the craft during that interval. If the sight line is made to track the target still moving at w during that interval, its average angular speed realtive to the craft will be m which from the above is a rx/ 1+a) times the average angular speed of the barrel during that interval.
  • the difference between the average angular speed of the sight line relative to the craft and the average angular speed of the barrel relative to the craft is that is, l/(l-i-a) times the average angular speed of the barrel and in the opposite direction.
  • the glass plate 18 with its reticule is displaced in relation to the sight 10 in a direction opposite the movement of the barrel, and in this way the sight is given reduced angular velocity relative to the barrel movement which is only 1 +0: of the speed of said movement.
  • This displacement of the glass plate 18 with its reticule in relation to the sight 10 takes place only during the time (at-t which has n set, and after said time the reticule and sight do not move relative to each other, but both follow the rate of movement of the barrel exactly.
  • the position of the reticule in relation to the sight can be set back again with the aid of the knobs 28 and 38.
  • FIG. 3 shows the angular velocity u: in relation to a fixed base for the target and the barrel and the reticule as a function of the time T.
  • the angular velocity to is plotted as ordinate, while the time has been plotted as abcissa.
  • T is the time when the gunner, by depressing the pedal 16, starts the timer 14, and T is the time when the timer interrupts the emission of current pulses at the end of the time interval axr
  • the speed of the target m is assumed to be constant, and is indicated in FIG. 3 by the straight double line 48.
  • both the barrel and the reticule move with the same angular velocity as the target, and their movements will thus coincide with the line 48 up to the time T
  • the reticule obtains the extra component of movement in a direction opposite the tracking movement of the barrel, and this involves that the angular velocity of the sight line in relation to the fixed base during the time immediately at the moment of time T will be somewhat lower than the speed of the target, which is shown in FIG. 3 by means of the dashed line 49.
  • the gunner will try to cause the reticule to follow the moving target, and the barrel will thereby have a higher angular velocity than the target.
  • the speed of the barrel is shown in FIG. 3 by the heavy curve 50.
  • the gunner has managed to set the reticule so that it coincides entirely with the position and speed (m of the target.
  • the barrel will thereby have a speed corresponding to
  • the current through the electromagnets 32 and 42 is switched off, and the displacement of the glass plate 18 with its reticule in relation to the sight ceases. Therefore, at the same time point (T the angular velocity of the reticule suddenly increases from m to As the gunner still tries to follow the target with the reticule, after the time point T the speed of the reticule and thereby also the speed of the barrel will be decreased to the speed m of the target, and will eventually coincide entirely with this speed.
  • FIG. 4 The way in which the variations shown in FIG. 3 as regards the angular velocities of the reticule and the barrel will affect the angular positions is shown in FIG. 4.
  • the gunner has succeeded in making the angular position of the reticule coincide with the angular position of the target, and during the interval between the times T and T aXt both the reticule and the target will have moved to the angle al Xw
  • the barrel constantly has an angular velocity which is times greater than that of the reticule, and this signifies that the angular position of the barrel at the time T will be at X greater than the angular position at the time T
  • the differences between the angular position of the barrel and the angular position of the reticule and the target at the time T will therefore amount to t Xw which is the correct lead that it is desired to obtain.
  • the reticule Immediately after the time T the reticule, as shown by FIG. 3, will have a greater speed than the speed of the target, which, however, can comparatively quickly be reduced by the gunner, so that immediately after the time T the speed of the target and the reticule and the barrel will coincide.
  • This is shown in FIG. 4 by the increased angular position of the reticule (the dashed line 52A) immediately after the time T and a corresponding raising of the line 53.
  • the gunner has made the speeds of the reticule and the barrel with the target movement, the angular position of the reticule will coincide with that of the target, i.e. it will follow the double line 51, while the angular position of the barrel will be changed according to the part of the line 53 running parallel with the double line 51 at a distance of t Xw from same.
  • the extra component of movement of the line of sight in the direction opposite the tracking movement of the barrel has been achieved by the reticule having been displaced in relation to the sight. It would also be possible to have the whole of the sight move in the way intended in relation to the barrel.
  • the time interval fixed nt-t can, of course, be obtained in some way other than by means of a timer graduated for the range to the target. Thus, it would be possible to obtain this time function directly from a range-finding instrument, the setting device of which could possibly be mechanically connected to the pointer of a timer.
  • the movement of the reticule can be complemented in such a way that, before taking out the lead, the tangent elevation and the corrections desired, eg for the influence of the wind, powder, temperature etc., can be set with the knobs 28 and 38.
  • the two knobs 28 and 38 can be replaced by motors, so that automatic resetting of the reticule is obtained, and these motors will effect the above-mentioned setting of corrections.
  • the present invention can also be used in cases when the tracking movements of the barrel in relation to a fixed base cannot be registered directly. This is often the case, for instance, with track-laying vehicles with firearms in fixed mounting so that the aiming of the gun barrel must be carried out through movements of the whole vehicle.
  • the changes of the angular position of the barrel are measured continuously in relation to a gyroscope, during the fixed period of time axis, and at the same time, a servomechanism gives the line of sight an extra component of movement, which has a direction opposite the movement of the barrel in relation to the gyroscope and an angular velocity which is 1 +0: of the angular velocity of the last-mentioned movement, whereby the movement of the line of sight in relation to a fixed base will be reduced in relation to the movement of the barrel and is given an angular velocity which is only times the angular velocity of the barrel.
  • an additional velocity component angularly opposite to the concurrent movement of the barrel for a selected interval of time while moving the barrel and the sight line to aim the sight line at the target during said interval, said interval being a constant at times the time of flight (t of the projectile from the barrel to the target, said additional oppositely directed velocity component being such that the angular velocity of the line of sight is 1+0: of the angular velocity of the barrel during said interval, a being a constant;
  • An apparatus for determining the correct lead for firing a projectile from a gun barrel at a moving target comprising in combination:
  • a gun barrel mounted to be elevated and traversed
  • a sighting asembly including a carrier bearing a reticule, said carrier being movably mounted for vertical and transverse displacement of the reticule alternatively with or relative to the gun barrel;
  • transmission means coupled to said carrier for imparting to the same a relative movement proportional to and in opposition to the angular movement of the gun barrel, said relative movement of the carrier with reference to the gun barrel reducing the angular velocity of the line of sight in relation to that of the gun barrel by a factor JZL 1+ where a is a constant;
  • actuating means adapted to be coupled to said transmission means and means operable to couple said actuating means for a set interval of time, and to uncouple said actuating means at the end of said interval, the carrier then being free to be moved at the angular velocity of the gun barrel.
  • said transmission means and actuating means comprise power drive means and gear means for displacing said carrier by said drive means to etfect vertical and transverse displacement respectively of the carrier and thus of the reticule; and wherein said operable means comprise clutch means for coupling the gear means to the drive means, said clutch means biased into a disengaged position, timer means connected to said clutch means to move the same into a position of engagement for said set time interval, and means operable to activate said timer means for the aforesaid purpose when the line of sight tracks the target and the gun barrel is aimed at the target.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
US576102A 1965-09-06 1966-08-30 Method of and device for establishing the correct lead required for firing a projectile at a moving target Expired - Lifetime US3508335A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE1156065 1965-09-06

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US3508335A true US3508335A (en) 1970-04-28

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US576102A Expired - Lifetime US3508335A (en) 1965-09-06 1966-08-30 Method of and device for establishing the correct lead required for firing a projectile at a moving target

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US (1) US3508335A (ja)
BE (1) BE686446A (ja)
CH (1) CH502574A (ja)
DE (1) DE1274471B (ja)
ES (1) ES331224A1 (ja)
GB (1) GB1155185A (ja)
NL (1) NL6612179A (ja)
NO (1) NO116953B (ja)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3727514A (en) * 1968-04-25 1973-04-17 Mini Of Armed Forces Means for controlling the firing of a gun against a movable target
US20060117583A1 (en) * 2003-04-30 2006-06-08 Leica Geosystems Ag Device for adjusting the angle of a sighting unit to a target

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1936442A (en) * 1927-08-29 1933-11-21 Gen Electric Gun fire control apparatus
US2012960A (en) * 1935-09-03 Fire-control apparatus for guns
US2356189A (en) * 1942-11-24 1944-08-22 William F Tufts Angle-of-lead control
US2407191A (en) * 1941-01-22 1946-09-03 Ford Instr Co Inc Gun sight
US2569560A (en) * 1945-02-06 1951-10-02 Sperry Corp Gun sight
US2690014A (en) * 1941-03-29 1954-09-28 Research Corp Lead angle computer for gun sights

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2012960A (en) * 1935-09-03 Fire-control apparatus for guns
US1936442A (en) * 1927-08-29 1933-11-21 Gen Electric Gun fire control apparatus
US2407191A (en) * 1941-01-22 1946-09-03 Ford Instr Co Inc Gun sight
US2690014A (en) * 1941-03-29 1954-09-28 Research Corp Lead angle computer for gun sights
US2356189A (en) * 1942-11-24 1944-08-22 William F Tufts Angle-of-lead control
US2569560A (en) * 1945-02-06 1951-10-02 Sperry Corp Gun sight

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3727514A (en) * 1968-04-25 1973-04-17 Mini Of Armed Forces Means for controlling the firing of a gun against a movable target
US20060117583A1 (en) * 2003-04-30 2006-06-08 Leica Geosystems Ag Device for adjusting the angle of a sighting unit to a target
US7412770B2 (en) * 2003-04-30 2008-08-19 Leica Geosystems Ag Device for adjusting the angle of a sighting unit to a target

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH502574A (de) 1971-01-31
DE1274471B (de) 1968-08-01
BE686446A (ja) 1967-02-15
ES331224A1 (es) 1967-07-01
NL6612179A (ja) 1967-03-07
NO116953B (ja) 1969-06-09
GB1155185A (en) 1969-06-18

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