US3710681A

US3710681A - Gun mount closure or seal

Info

Publication number: US3710681A
Application number: US00023858A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Koontz
Original assignee: Efmc Corp
Current assignee: Efmc Corp
Priority date: 1970-03-30
Filing date: 1970-03-30
Publication date: 1973-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-16

Abstract

A slot or passage in a gun mount through which a moveable gun barrel extends can be sealed against ambient conditions by using a seal structure having a series of spring fingers normally closing the passage and a cam on the gun barrel for moving the fingers as the barrel is moved in the slot or passage. Preferably, two sets of fingers are used, one on each side of the passage or slot. Preferably the fingers employed are covered with an elastomeric material which is impervious to moisture.

Description

United States Patent 1 Koontz 154] GUN MOUNT CLOSURE OR SEAL [75] Inventor: Robert D. Koontz, Manhattan Beach,Calif.

[73] Assignee: EFMC Corporation, Compton,

. Calif.

[22] Filed: March 30, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 23,858

[52] US. Cl. ..89/36 L [51] Int. Cl. ..F4lh 5/26, F4lh 5/20 [58] Field of Search ..89/36 K, 36 L [56] References Cited I UNITED-STATES PATENTS 2,331,048 10/1943 Schaaff ..89/36 L 2,353,086 7/1944 Schaaff ..89/36 L v Jan. 16, 1973 3,545,770 12/1970 Wheelock ..89/36 L Primary Examiner'Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant ExaminerC. T. Jordan Attorney-Edward D. OBrien [57] ABSTRACT A slot or passage in a gun mount through which a moveable gun barrel extends can be sealed against ambient conditions by using a seal structure having a series of spring fingers normally closing the passage and a cam on the gun barrel for moving the fingers as the barrel is moved in the slot or passage. Preferably, two sets of fingers are used, one on each side of the passage or slot. Preferably the fingers employed are covered with an elastomeric material which is impervious to moisture.

19 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PMEMWJM 15 Pm SHEET 1 BF 2 M/I/EA/TOE R0552? D. Koo/v72 By EDWARD D. OER/AM Arm/aver GUN MOUNT CLOSURE OR SEAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is a matter of common knowledge that certain types of guns or related missile firing structures are commonly mounted on rotary turrets or turret type structures in such a manner that the barrels on such implements of warfare can be rotated in a vertical plane so as to be raised or lowered. Many of such turrets are constructed so as to be enclosed in order to protect those using a gun from ambient or related conditions. Such enclosed turrets commonly constructed with a gun slot or passage through the barrel on a gun projects.

The sealing of such a slot or passage around a gun barrel in an enclosed gun turret haspresented a significant problem in the past. Various expedients have been suggested for use with gun slots as seals against ambient conditions. Thus, for example, it is known to utilize a movable canopyand flexible shutter assembly in conjunction with a gun barrel in order to form a weather seal around such abarrel in a gun turret. Structures of this type are questionably serviceable, provided a reasonable degree of protection against rain and the like, and are considered to require extensive maintenance.

However, structures of this type are not considered.

to be desirable for use in cold climatic areas because of the problem of ice and snow accumulation. The accumulation of ice around a gun barrel on a naval vessel will frequently be quite pronounced. As such ice accumulates it will tend to impede or completely stop movement of the gun barrelalong the lengthof the passage or the slot in a gun turret. This type of thing has been encountered even with prior heated seal assemblies. Obviously any such sealing mechanism can impede or block the movement of a gun barrel in a turret under some conditions is disadvantageous since a gun should always be maintained in a condition where it can be promptly utilized as intended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of the present invention is to provide new and improved closures or seals for use in forming a seal against ambient conditions around a gun barrel extending througha slot or passage in a gun mount or turret. It is not to be assumed from this that the invention is limited solely to military uses in conjunction with a gun barrel. The basic features or principles of this invention can be employed with seal structures or closures used to accomodate movement of various objects or things other than gun barrels through a restricted opening. Thus, a closure ,or seal of the present invention can be effectively employed in other than military applications such as in telescopes.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide closures or seal structures which adequately protect against ambient conditions. A closely related objective of the invention is to provide such closures or seal structures which can be used satisfactorily even under conditions where they will be subjected to significant ice or snow accumulations. Further objectives of the invention are to provide closures or seal structures as described which may be easily constructed and installed at a comparatively nominal cost, which are capable of prolonged reliable performance, andwhich are of a purely mechanical construction. This latter is considered to be important since it eliminates the need for electrical deicing means such as are employed with prior related structures.

In accordance with this invention these objectives are achieved by providing a closure or seal structure for a passage defined by two opposed walls which comprises or includes a series of moveable fingers located in side by side relationship so as to cover or close such a passage. Each of the fingers used is movable from a normally closed position in which said passage is covered or closed to an open position in which a portion of the passage is opened or exposed. Preferably a cam means is employed to control the movement of the fingers. Preferably the fingers utilized are covered by an impervious elastomeric material. In the preferred embodiment of this invention two sets of these fingers are employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further details of this invention as well as other objectives and advantages of it will. be apparent from a careful consideration of the remainder of this specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial isometric view of a gun turret utilizing a presently preferred embodiment or form of a gun mount closure or seal of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view, partially in section, indicating the closure or seal shown in F IG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 4-4 ofFlG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The accompanying drawings are primarily intended to clearly illustrate for explanatory purposes the nature of the presently preferred embodiment or form of the invention. Because of this the drawings are not to be taken as indicated a precise closure or seal of this invention drawn to scale. It will be realized that a number of modifications may be made in the precise structures shown through the use-or exercise of routine engineering skill without departing from the concepts of the disclosed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, there is shown a closure or seal'structure 10 of the present invention used to close off a slot or passage 12 in a rotatable gun turret 14. As indicated a gun barrel 16 extends from the interior of the turret 14 out through the passage 12. This barrel 16 may be surounded by a housing appearing asa steped shoulder 18 on the barrel 16. The barrel 16 is normally attached to a conventional mechanism 20 enabling the barrel 16 to be raised or lowered. It is to be understood that the construction of the turret 14, the barrel l6 and the mechanism 20 forms no part of this invention. The invention does, however, utilize the: mechanism 20 in raising and lowering the barrel 16 as hereinafter described so as to operate the closure or seal 10.

This seal 10 includes a mountingcollar 22 secured completely around the passage 12 by conventional fastners 24. This collar 22 is a continuous member having a outwardly away from the turret 14. The flange 26 in cludes parallel spaced segments 28 serving as two opposed walls which define the sides of the opening through the passage or slot 12. It also includes curved ends 30 defining the extremities of the opening through the passage or slot 12.

3 One of the segments 28 carries a set of individual resilient fingers 32. The others of the segments 28 carries another set of resilient fingers 34. These

fingers

32 and 34 in the two sets indicated are arranged in side by side relationship so as to have adjacent side edges. These

fingers

32 and 34 may be formed out of a resilient spring steel or other similiar materials. It is preferred however to manufacture them from a known type of polymer impregnated fiberglass material having resilient properties because of corrosion resistence or other considerations. Such laminates are well known and are commonly used in the construction of many items such as the turret 14. It is important that these

fingers

32 and 34 be sufficientiy strong so as to serve as structural members.

The individual fingers 32' and 34- are preferably joined to the flange 26 by other conventional fasteners 36. If desired the fingers32. and 34 may be formed so that their ends secured by the fastners 36 are joined to one another. These

fingers

32 and 34 are located along the lengths of the segments 28 between curved end closures or close outs. 38 mounted on the ends 30. These closures 38 are mounted to the flange 26 through the use of fastners 36 corresponding to the .fastners 36.

The shapes of the

fingers

32 and 34 are considered to be important. Both of these types of fingers extend in substantially an arcuate type path from the flange 26. The fingers 32 are provided with curved flanges 40 at their free ends. The fingers 34 are provided complimentary shaped curved flanges 42 at their free ends. It will be noted that these

flanges

40 and 42 on

fingers

32 and 34 on opposite sides of the slot or passage 12 fit together in a curved type of congruent abutment or joint so as to form a lip like area in the plane of center of the passage 12 which is sealed against ambient influences. The nature of these flanges .40 and 42 is such, however, that the

fingers

32 and 34 may be pulled apart or pushed apart during the use of the complete seal 10.

In order to provide protection against ambient influences over and above that provided by the

fingers

32 and 34 themselves it is preferred to locate on the exposed surfaces of each of the sets of fingers 32 and 34 a thin impermeable layer 44 of a stretchable or deformableelastomeric material. Such a layer 44 may be conveniently formed out of a silicone rubber or the equivalent. As noted in FIG. 3 portions of the layers 44 may be held in place between the flange 26 and the

fingers

32 or 34 by the fastners 36. In all other places the layers 44 may be secured in place to the

fingers

32 or 34 by the use of a conventional adhesive or other equivalent means. These layers 44 completely cover all of the exposed surfaces of the

fingers

32 and 34 including the

flanges

40 and 42. One or both of the layers 44 may be extended so as to go between the abutting surfaces of these

flanges

40 and 42 to obtain a maximum sealing action.

when the

flanges

40 and 42 abutt against one another as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing the

individual fingers

32 and 34 carrying such abutting,

inasmuch as they seal OK or close the slot 12. With the embodiment of the invention shown some of the

fingers

32 and 34 are always held in an open position so as to accomodate the gun barrel 16. This is accomplished by mounting upon the barrel 16 an opening cam 46.

The construction of this cam 46 is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. It includes a cylindrical hub 48 located concentric to the barrel 16. This hub 48 carries an internal flange 50 which rests against the shoulder 18 and which is secured to the shoulder 18 by other conventional fastners 52. The end of the hub 48 remote from the flange 50 carries a double ended cam surface 54 having a shape resembling a portion of the exterior surface of a common football. If desired this surface 54 may be coated with an anti-friction composition such as a thin Teflon coating (not shown). The entire cam 46 may be formed out of any convenient material-such as a fiberglass laminate composition.

lt'will be seen from an exaimination of the drawings that the surface '54 of the cam 46 engages

fingers

32 and 34 adjacent to the barrel 16 so as to spring outwardly the engaged fingers in order to provide an opening or passage for the barrel 16. As the barrel 16 is moved within the passage or slot 12 this surface 54 will engage

fingers

32 and 34 in the direction of movement so as to permit the barrel 16 to travel as indicated. As

successive fingers

32 and 34 are engaged with the cam surface 54 to permit movement of the barrel 16 other of the

fingers

32 and 34 will be disengaged and will slide along the trailing edge of the cam 54 and will move to a closed position as indicated.

They will move to such a closed position because of the resiliency of these

fingers

32 and 34 as well as because of the shape of the surface 54. Because of this the cam 46 may be considered as a means for moving. the

fingers

32 and 34 to a closed position in the sense that the cam surface 54 guides these fingers to a closed position. It will be realized, however, that with the structure shown the

fingers

32 and 34 automatically will move to a closed position. Because the surface 54 is double ended the cam 46 accomplishes its opening and-closing function regardless of whether it is raised or lowered. The layers 44 are flexible enough and stretchable enough to permit the'motion of the

fingers

32 and 34 as described. I 1

If desired a so-called splash boot 56 may be utilized in conjunction with the cam 46 in order to minimize any chance of water ingress around the barrel 16 by covering those

fingers

32 and 34 held in an open posi tion. The particular boot 56 shown has a cylindrical center 58 extending concentric to the barrel 16. lt'also has an inwardly extending terminal flange 60 which is also held by the fastners 52 against the shoulder 18. The boot 56 also has a terminal cap-like cover62 located on the center 58 so as to extend over those finor lowered with respect to the passage or slot 12. As this occurs the cam 46 operates asdescribed to flex

adjacent fingers

32 and 34 to permit barrel movement. Such flexure is considered to be highly desirable since it will result in the bending of any accumulation of ice or similiar material on the exposed surfaces of the layers 44. This will crack such ice so that it will tend to fall off relatively easily. Because of the mode operation of the seal structure or closure there is virtually no chance of an accumulation of ice or the like jamming up or otherwise precluding the opening of the closure 10. This is particularly the case when the boot 56 is flexible so that if ice or the like should get under it it will flex, permitting such ice to fall out from under it duringmovement of the barrel 16. The closure or sea] structure 10 thus provides adequate protection against other ambient conditions such as rain which might prove detrimental.

With the seal structure or closure 10 the amount of flexure or movement of the

fingers

32 and 34 necessary to accomplish the mode of operation described is comparatively limited. This is because each of the

fingers

32 and 34 is moved'or flexed only a distance which is slightly greater than one-half of the diameter of the barrel 16. If this barrel 16 is of a comparatively small diameter a useable seal structure can be obtained by using only one set of fingers mounted so as to engage a fixed wall in a closed position instead of two sets as described. With this type of structure a slightly different shaped cam then the cam 46 should be employed.

I claim:

1. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls which comprises:

a series of self-supporting fingers located in side by side relationship along one of said walls, said fingers extending from said wall,

said fingers each having a normal closed position, said passage being covered by said fingers in said closed position,

each of said fingers being movable to an open position, each of said fingers serving to open a portion of said passage when in said open position, and

a cam means movable with respect to said walls and said passage for sequentially moving said fingers from said closed position to said open position and then to said closed position as said cam means is moved with respect to said passage.

2, A closure as claimed in claim 1 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the spaces between said fingers.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cam means.

4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

1 said fingers are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent by said cam means and are capable of retuming to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.

5. A closure as claimed in claim 4 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the space between said fingers.

6. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending through said passage, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between the ends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said 5 gun barrel.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

there are two sets of said fingers, one of said sets being mounted on one of said walls and the other of said set being mounted on the other of said- 10 walls, the fingers on said sets coming together in their closed positions generally between said walls so as to close off said passage.

8. A closure as claimed in claim 7 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said fingers are flexible and :are capable of being flexed by said cam means.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.

1 1. A closure as claimed in claim 10 including:

12. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said passage is a gun slot and 7 including a gun barrel extending through said passage between said sets of fingers, said g'un barof said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said barrel. 13. A closure as claimed in claim 12 wherein:

said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fin- 40 gers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means,

a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of finger, said coverings serving to close ofi' the spaces between the fingers of said sets.

14. A closure as claimed in claim 13 including:

splash boot means located on said cam and extending around said gun barrel between said fingers and over the fingers held in an open position by said cam means for covering the fingers held in an open position.

15. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls, which closure comprises:

a set of movable fingers mounted on one of said walls and extending away from said one of said walls, said fingers being located parallel to one another,

a flexible, impervious cover carried by said fingers of said set serving to close off the spaces between said fingers, said fingers in said set having normal closed positions in which they extend so as to hold said covering so that said passage is closed, each of said fingers in said set being movable to an open position in which a finger so moved and said covering adjacent to any such finger are located so as to expose and open a portion of said passage,

rel being capable of being moved between the ends a cam means for sequentially moving said fingers of said set from said closed to said open position, said cam means being movable between said walls and engaging said fingers as it is moved.

16. A closure as claimed in claim wherein:

said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers.

17. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will return to said closed position from said open after being opened by said cam means.

18. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers,

said sets of fingers being mounted on opposite walls of said passage, the fingers within both of said sets having extremities which fit together when said fingers are in said closed position, a second flexible, impervious cover serving to close off the speces between said fingers of said second of said sets, and wherein said cam means simultaneously engages fingers of both of said sets and is capable of simultaneously moving fingers of both of said sets from closed positions to open positions.

Claims

1. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls which comprises: a series of self-supporting fingers located in side by side relationship along one of said walls, said fingers extending from said wall, said fingers each having a normal closed pOsition, said passage being covered by said fingers in said closed position, each of said fingers being movable to an open position, each of said fingers serving to open a portion of said passage when in said open position, and a cam means movable with respect to said walls and said passage for sequentially moving said fingers from said closed position to said open position and then to said closed position as said cam means is moved with respect to said passage.

2. A closure as claimed in claim 1 including: a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the spaces between said fingers.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cam means.

4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fingers are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.

5. A closure as claimed in claim 4 including: a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the space between said fingers.

6. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending through said passage, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between the ends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said gun barrel.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: there are two sets of said fingers, one of said sets being mounted on one of said walls and the other of said set being mounted on the other of said walls, the fingers on said sets coming together in their closed positions generally between said walls so as to close off said passage.

8. A closure as claimed in claim 7 including: a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cam means.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.

11. A closure as claimed in claim 10 including: a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.

12. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending through said passage between said sets of fingers, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between the ends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said barrel.

13. A closure as claimed in claim 12 wherein: said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means, a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of finger, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.

14. A closure as claimed in claim 13 including: splash boot means located on said cam and extending around said gun barrel between said fingers and over the fingers held in an open position by said cam means for covering the fingers held in an open position.

15. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls, which closure comprises: a set of movable fingers mounted on one of said walls and extending away from said one of said walls, said fingers being located parallel to one another, a flexible, impervious cover carried by said fingers of said set serving tO close off the spaces between said fingers, said fingers in said set having normal closed positions in which they extend so as to hold said covering so that said passage is closed, each of said fingers in said set being movable to an open position in which a finger so moved and said covering adjacent to any such finger are located so as to expose and open a portion of said passage, a cam means for sequentially moving said fingers of said set from said closed to said open position, said cam means being movable between said walls and engaging said fingers as it is moved.

16. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers.

17. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will return to said closed position from said open after being opened by said cam means.

18. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers, said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will return to said closed position from said open after being opened by said cam means.

19. A closure as claimed in claim 15 including: a second set of movable fingers corresponding to said first mentioned set, said sets of fingers being mounted on opposite walls of said passage, the fingers within both of said sets having extremities which fit together when said fingers are in said closed position, a second flexible, impervious cover serving to close off the speces between said fingers of said second of said sets, and wherein said cam means simultaneously engages fingers of both of said sets and is capable of simultaneously moving fingers of both of said sets from closed positions to open positions.