US3618456A - Firing zone limiting apparatus - Google Patents

Firing zone limiting apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3618456A
US3618456A US854545A US3618456DA US3618456A US 3618456 A US3618456 A US 3618456A US 854545 A US854545 A US 854545A US 3618456D A US3618456D A US 3618456DA US 3618456 A US3618456 A US 3618456A
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United States
Prior art keywords
firing
angle
gun
store
zone
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US854545A
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English (en)
Inventor
Gunter Mindel
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Rheinmetall Industrie AG
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Rheinmetall GmbH
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A17/00—Safety arrangements, e.g. safeties
    • F41A17/08—Safety arrangements, e.g. safeties for inhibiting firing in a specified direction, e.g. at a friendly person or at a protected area
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G5/00—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G5/00—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns
    • F41G5/08—Ground-based tracking-systems for aerial targets

Definitions

  • a firing zone limiting apparatus for a laterally and vertically adjustable weapon which is provided with lateral angle and elevation angle coders by means of which the contours of blocked areas can be fed into a store of an electronic control system which controlls the action of the firing magnet of the weapon.
  • This invention relates to a firing zone limiting apparatus for a laterally and vertically adjustable weapon, more especially for machine guns, equipped with a firing magnet.
  • this problem is solved by an electronic control system controlling the action of the firing magnet and by lateral angle and elevation angle coders disposed on the weapon, by means of which coders the contours of the blocked areas may be fed into a store or memory of the electronic control system and the store may be interrogated.
  • the firing zone limiting apparatus constructed according to the invention affords the advantage that the contours of the blocked firing areas may be changed in simple manner and rapidly fed into the electronic control system so that the weapon is completely operational again very quickly after a change of location.
  • Lateral and elevation angles are measured with electromechanical angle pick-up means on the weapon and processed in the electronic control system. These angles may be measured in analog form, for example with function generators or potentiometers, or in digital form, for example in absolute digital form with angle coders or in incremental form, with angle step generators.
  • the following electronic store may be analog (with transfiuxors, memistors, potentiometers) or digital (with annular core storage matrices, transfluxor matrices or transfluxor shift registers). It is also possible to have hybrid circuits, with interposition of analog-digital or digital-analog converters.
  • Rotary stores drum stores, disc stores
  • their access time will probably be too great.
  • an associated elevation angle range in which firing is prevented must be measured and stored. In this manner it is possible to effectively protect objects, particularly within close range of the weapon.
  • the electronic system permits three operative states: erasure, storing, firing. After a change of location the angle combinations previously fed in are erased by a push button or a program switch with tip position. The gunner thereafter executes a complete revolution of 360 with the weapon and looking through the telescopic sight varies the elevation angle according to the contours of the objects to be protected. The duration of this storing or feed-in operation depends on the skill of the gunner. It may be about a minute. Simultaneously with the storing operation the gunner can allow for a safety margin round the contours based on values determined by experience; alternatively, this work may be left to a minicomputer which feeds corrections into the electronic system.
  • the electronic firing zone limiting apparatus affords great advantages over all known mechanical or electromechanical methods.
  • the lateral angle-elevation angle combinations described may be stored or corrected in an extremely short time.
  • the action of the firing zone limiting apparatus may be interrupted at any time when required by the battle situation. This may for example be required in the case of a suddenly necessary ground action.
  • This is particularly important with rapidly moving targets, above all low-flying aircraft. For example, if the gunner has a low-flying aircraft in the sight and is firing at this target with continuous fire, single-shot fire, controlled continuous fire (cadence fire) or with controlled fire bursts (rhythm fire) shooting is automatically interrupted as soon as the target passes into blocked areas (peculiarities of the terrain, buildings, friendly units in the vicinity, hightension lines). As soon as the target leaves the stored block areas again firing recommences automatically.
  • the firing zone limiting apparatus uses as angle pick-up means, so called angle coders, i.e. angle pickup means for sensing the angle of rotation in digital absolute form.
  • angle coders i.e. angle pickup means for sensing the angle of rotation in digital absolute form.
  • This provides a division of lateral angle and elevation angle into individual steps corresponding to the necessary resolution. It is convenient to use for storing the lateral angle-elevation angle combination a digital store, i.e. a core store matrix.
  • the number of lateral angle increments gives the number of addresses for the core store, i.e., 512.
  • the present concept enables the incorporation of socalled cut-outs (windows) into the firing zone limitation.
  • Windows are areas above or below the contour initially fed into the apparatus in which firing is also blocked or possible. Examples are firing beneath a high tension line or blocking firing in the area of an obstructing barrage balloon. Such requirements means a correspondingly higher storage capacity.
  • a dynamic minicomputer takes account of the lateral and vertical angular velocity of the weapon and determines a lead for the calling up of the store address.
  • the minicomputer can also take account of ballistic data (wind velocity, V atmospheric pressure, etc.). These corrections are termed firing blocking in dependence on the aiming speed. If the objects to be protected are situated mainly in the vicinity of the weapon, a correction of the fed-in contour values may be dispensed with.
  • FIG. 1 is a very diagrammatic illustration of a gun provided with the firing zone limiting apparatus according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a part of the terrain surrounding the gun with the contours defining the firing zone
  • FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram of the electronic control
  • FIG. 4 is a view of the control panel of the control unit.
  • the gun illustrated in FIG. 1 is denoted generally by 1 and constructed as a twin gun.
  • the left gun is denoted by 2 and the right gun by 3'.
  • the twin gun is mounted on a cross carriage 4 for vertical and lateral adjustment.
  • a firing pedal 8 which is electrically connected to the electronic system 12.
  • the electronic system 12 is further connected to a lateral angle coder C, and an elevation angle coder C and to a firing magnet 14 for the right and left gun.
  • the electronic system 12 is also electrically connected to the control unit 16.
  • a rounds counter 18 constructed in the form of a magnetic proximity measuring head or proximity switch and the electronic system 12.
  • FIG. 2 shows a part of the terrain surrounding the gun with the contours 101 defining the firing zone 100. Disposed within the blocked zone 102 is an unblocked area or window 100'. Firing is not blocked in the window 100'. It is therefore possible to shoot at targets within the area of the window.
  • the control unit 16 comprises a program selector switch 20 having a Position:
  • E for single-shot fire
  • D continuous fire
  • the control unit 16 further comprises a cadence switch which may be set to cadences of 60120-240360480 rounds per minute.
  • control unit 16 comprises a rhythm selector switch with which, if the programme selector switch 20 is set to the position Rh, 5-10-15-2025 rounds/ burst may be selected.
  • a gun selection switch on the control unit 16 allows selective firing of the left gun 2 in the switch position L, the right gun 3 in the switch position R or both guns when the switch 50 is in its middle position L-l-R.
  • a last-round blocking device 34 (FIG. 3) for interrupting firing for the purpose of reloading is actuated in each case via a limit switch on the gun.
  • the blocking device 34 may be rendered inoperative via the switch 60 of the control unit 16. In the switch position I the blocking device 34 1s switched in, but in switch position II it is disconnected.
  • the ready-for-firing condition (with unactuated lastround blocking device and unblocked firing zone) is indicated separately for each gun on operating the switches 70 and 7 0' via control lamps 71 and 71' on the control unit.
  • the switch position I is the on position and the switch position II the off position.
  • the control commands occurring 1n the various types of operation are processed in a purely electronic control stage or programmed logical circuit which is denoted by 24 in the block diagram according to FIG. 3.
  • the corresponding firing magnet 14 is actuated with the switching commands of the control stage via a power stage or electronic output unit equipped with thyristors and denoted in FIG. 3 by 26.
  • This power stage 26 comprises substantially 2 x 2 thyristors for switching the firing magnets on and off.
  • a core memory is used as memory 28. This affords several advantages, such as practically unlimited life, no maintenance, high working speed and no moving parts.
  • a core store matrix is used which contains 32 X 16 X 6: 5l2 6:3072 cores in a plane.
  • the digital store In the case of a contour outline with window the digital store must be able to store three different elevation angle values per lateral angle unit. Additional data must also be stored depending on whether the window is above or below the contour, and for example larger or smaller angles blocked. If it is assumed that an elevation angle plane intersects only one window in each case cores are necessary.
  • the control unit contains a selector switch with three positions (1) O for erasing (tip switch lockable) (2) S for storing (3) central position for firing.
  • the data from the elevation angle coder C are also adapted in a code converter 38 and incorporated in binary code into the columns of the store. After one complete revolution an elevation angle interval beneath which firing is blocked is associated with each lateral angle interval. The duration of the storage operation corresponds to the time required for one revolution.
  • the selector switch 80 in the control unit 16 may be moved from its upper position store to its central position fire (not indicated in FIG. 4).
  • the electronic evaluating system supplies a blocking pulse to the firing unit which interrupts firing in about 40 ms.
  • the lateral angle coder C interrogates according to its instantaneous position an address of the memory.
  • the number stored there is supplied in binary code to a digital comparator 32 where it is compared by subtraction with the binary number produced at that instant by the elevation angle coder.
  • the difference is formed in a differential amplifier and the differential output voltage subsequently filtered, which corresponds to an interpolation dependent on angular velocity. If the difierential is negative or zero, a firing blocking pulse is generated. If the differential is positive, the gun is free to fire.
  • the electronic system 12 may include a ballistic minicomputer 46 shown in dashed line in FIG. 3 and connected to the control stage 24 and the comparator 32. This minicomputer can exert a correcting influence on the rest of the electronic system in order to provide a safety margin round the contours when feeding in the contours of the firing zone or when firing.
  • the minicomputer 46 may therefore be designed to take account of the lateral and vertical angular velocity of the gun to determine a lead for the calling up of the store address.
  • the minicomputer can also take account of ballistic data (Wind velocity, V atmospheric pressure, etc.).
  • the electronic system is connected via two terminals 52 and 54 to a current supply with a voltage of about 18 to 30 volts.
  • a firearm having barrel means for directing fired projectiles, carriage means mounting said barrel means for movement over a range of lateral and elevation angles, electrical firing magnet means for initiating firing of a projectile through said barrel means, and firing actuation means electrically interconnected with said magnet means and normally operable by a firearm operator for ener- 6 gizing said magnet means and firing a projectile, the combination therewith of means for limiting firing of projectiles into at least one predetermined zone otherwise normally within said range of angles, said zone limiting means comprising:
  • angle coder means operatively connected with said carriage means for encoding electrical signals indicative of the position of said barrel means within said range of angles
  • said electronic control means electrically connected with said angle coder means for receiving encoded electrical signals therefrom and electrically interposed between said magnet means and said firing actuation means for precluding energization of said magnet means in the event said barrel means is positioned to direct fired projectiles into said predetermined zone
  • said electronic control means including programmable memory means for storing signals identifying said predetermined zone and accessible for retrieval of zone identifying electrical signals and further including comparator means for comparing said encoded electrical signals with said zone identifying signals.
  • said programmable memory means comprises a matrix of magnetizable cores.
  • said electronic control means further includes round sensing means for detecting the firing of projectiles by said firearm and rounds number limiting means operatively connected with said round sensing means and responsive thereto for controlling the number of projectiles fired in succession.
  • said electronic control means further includes cadence control means for controlling the rate of fire in rounds per minute of projectiles fired by said firearm.
  • said electronic control means further includes ballistic computer means for taking into account the ballistic characteristics of projectiles fired by said firearm in determining whether said barrel means is positioned to direct fired projectiles into said predetermined zone.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
US854545A 1968-09-12 1969-09-02 Firing zone limiting apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3618456A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19681728222 DE1728222B2 (de) 1968-09-12 1968-09-12 Einrichtung zur feuerbereichsbegrenzung

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US3618456A true US3618456A (en) 1971-11-09

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US854545A Expired - Lifetime US3618456A (en) 1968-09-12 1969-09-02 Firing zone limiting apparatus

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US (1) US3618456A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH504667A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1728222B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES371109A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2017898A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1244446A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL169517C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NO (1) NO127643B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (2) SE371007C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS51111798A (en) * 1975-03-28 1976-10-02 Tech Res & Dev Inst Of Japan Def Agency Firing device for advancing gun
US4068393A (en) * 1972-06-27 1978-01-17 Vsevolod Tararine Projectile firing training method and device
US4112818A (en) * 1972-05-18 1978-09-12 Garehime Jacob W Jr Surveillance and weapon system
FR2410242A1 (fr) * 1977-11-25 1979-06-22 Fmc Corp Appareil pour maximaliser le domaine de tir d'un canon tournant
US4164165A (en) * 1977-08-04 1979-08-14 Vickers Limited Safety apparatus for firing equipment
US4269163A (en) * 1977-12-30 1981-05-26 United States Machine Works, Inc. System and apparatus for program controlled delivery of game balls
EP0065832A1 (en) * 1981-05-15 1982-12-01 The Marconi Company Limited A gun aiming arrangement
US5003862A (en) * 1989-04-28 1991-04-02 Stromire Mark L Method and apparatus for armament control
US20080048033A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-02-28 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
USH2255H1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2011-06-07 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Determination of weapons fratricide probability
US8776664B2 (en) 2007-04-26 2014-07-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Determination of weapons fratricide probability
WO2015072901A1 (en) * 2013-11-18 2015-05-21 Bae Systems Bofors Ab Method for direction limitation and system for direction limitation
US20190137219A1 (en) * 2017-11-03 2019-05-09 Aimlock Inc. Semi-autonomous motorized weapon systems
US11274904B2 (en) 2019-10-25 2022-03-15 Aimlock Inc. Remotely operable weapon mount
US11499791B2 (en) 2019-10-25 2022-11-15 Aimlock Inc. Trigger and safety actuating device and method therefor

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2555020C3 (de) * 1975-12-06 1984-09-27 Krauss-Maffei AG, 8000 München Einrichtung zur Sperrung der Schußabgabe einer Waffe
DE3024247A1 (de) * 1980-06-27 1982-01-21 Fried. Krupp Gmbh, 4300 Essen Einrichtung zur begrenzung des schussfeldes einer rohrwaffe, insbesondere einer panzerkanone, beim uebungsschiessen
DE102005001558B4 (de) * 2005-01-13 2018-12-27 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Gmbh & Co. Kg Verfahren zur Überwachung und Steuerung von Abschussvorgängen eines Kampffahrzeugs
DE102015119847A1 (de) 2015-09-18 2017-03-23 Rheinmetall Defence Electronics Gmbh Fernbedienbare Waffenstation und Verfahren zum Betreiben einer fernbedienbaren Waffenstation

Cited By (30)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4112818A (en) * 1972-05-18 1978-09-12 Garehime Jacob W Jr Surveillance and weapon system
US4068393A (en) * 1972-06-27 1978-01-17 Vsevolod Tararine Projectile firing training method and device
JPS51111798A (en) * 1975-03-28 1976-10-02 Tech Res & Dev Inst Of Japan Def Agency Firing device for advancing gun
US4164165A (en) * 1977-08-04 1979-08-14 Vickers Limited Safety apparatus for firing equipment
FR2410242A1 (fr) * 1977-11-25 1979-06-22 Fmc Corp Appareil pour maximaliser le domaine de tir d'un canon tournant
US4194432A (en) * 1977-11-25 1980-03-25 Fmc Corporation Apparatus for maximizing the firing field of a rotatable gun
US4269163A (en) * 1977-12-30 1981-05-26 United States Machine Works, Inc. System and apparatus for program controlled delivery of game balls
EP0065832A1 (en) * 1981-05-15 1982-12-01 The Marconi Company Limited A gun aiming arrangement
US5003862A (en) * 1989-04-28 1991-04-02 Stromire Mark L Method and apparatus for armament control
US20090139393A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2009-06-04 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7946213B2 (en) 2002-11-26 2011-05-24 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US20080110328A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-05-15 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7455007B2 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-11-25 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7493846B2 (en) 2002-11-26 2009-02-24 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US20080048033A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-02-28 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7600462B2 (en) 2002-11-26 2009-10-13 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7690291B2 (en) 2002-11-26 2010-04-06 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US20100275768A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2010-11-04 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7921761B1 (en) 2002-11-26 2011-04-12 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elecation weapon station and method of use
US7921762B1 (en) 2002-11-26 2011-04-12 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US20080110327A1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2008-05-15 Recon/Optical, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
US7946212B1 (en) 2002-11-26 2011-05-24 Eos Defense Systems, Inc. Dual elevation weapon station and method of use
USH2255H1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2011-06-07 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Determination of weapons fratricide probability
US8176834B1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2012-05-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Determination of weapons fratricide probability
US8776664B2 (en) 2007-04-26 2014-07-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Determination of weapons fratricide probability
WO2015072901A1 (en) * 2013-11-18 2015-05-21 Bae Systems Bofors Ab Method for direction limitation and system for direction limitation
US20190137219A1 (en) * 2017-11-03 2019-05-09 Aimlock Inc. Semi-autonomous motorized weapon systems
US11274904B2 (en) 2019-10-25 2022-03-15 Aimlock Inc. Remotely operable weapon mount
US11499791B2 (en) 2019-10-25 2022-11-15 Aimlock Inc. Trigger and safety actuating device and method therefor
US12031798B2 (en) 2019-10-25 2024-07-09 Aimlock Inc. Remotely operable weapon mount

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2017898A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-05-22
NO127643B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-07-23
ES371109A1 (es) 1971-08-16
SE371007C (sv) 1979-08-20
NL169517C (nl) 1982-07-16
DE1728222C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-09-13
NL169517B (nl) 1982-02-16
GB1244446A (en) 1971-09-02
NL6913755A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-03-16
DE1728222A1 (de) 1972-03-23
SE371007B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-11-04
DE1728222B2 (de) 1973-03-01
CH504667A (de) 1971-03-15

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