Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41F—APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING PROJECTILES OR MISSILES FROM BARRELS, e.g. CANNONS; LAUNCHERS FOR ROCKETS OR TORPEDOES; HARPOON GUNS
  • F41F3/00—Rocket or torpedo launchers
  • F41F3/08—Rocket or torpedo launchers for marine torpedoes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a container for a light torpedo type weapon from a surface building, said container being directly installed in the firing position and operating autonomously.
• horizontal launching tubes or catapults are generally used installed on the deck of the building or in specific premises generally equipped with means for handling and loading weapons into the tubes or on the catapults.
• the light torpedoes impose on the crew heavy stages of handling, conditioning and placement of the weapon in the launching means. During all these phases, the weapon is no longer protected and is exposed to the risk of damage.
• the weapons handling and tube loading facilities are generally complex, require additional servants and generate additional costs due to their studies, their implementation and their maintenance.
• the energy required to launch light torpedo type weapons is generally supplied by compressed air.
• the bottles are placed in the cylinder head door or on the tube; the opening of a valve creates an overpressure at the rear of the weapon which is then propelled towards the front of the tube and ejected outside the boat.
• the compressed air bottles supply energy to a jack which propels the weapon to eject it from the boat.
• Installations using tubes or catapults also include a table of compressed air intended for the initial loading of launch bottles or for recharging them after use.
• Patent EP662599 describes a container from which it is not necessary to extract the torpedo to launch it. It contains a torpedo comprising batteries used to power the propulsion means, a safety device isolating an arming unit from the load, said safety device being erased when the weapon leaves. On most light torpedoes, these elements are held in place by a device called "single pin" In addition, the torpedo has a remote control plug connected to the control computer for programming the weapon These elements must be removed as soon as possible at the time of launch Or, c ' is the movement of the torpedo which produces the withdrawal of these devices
• this container is not autonomous insofar as it is necessary to remove the front and rear faces of the torpedo, to allow the connection of the energy source and the departure of the torpedo and to position them on a launch pad providing the energy essential for launch
• the main object of the invention is to provide a container for storing and launching a torpedo-type weapon allowing the weapon to be launched independently from its storage position without any handling operation and without degradation of the remote control socket when launching the torpedo
• Another object of the invention is to provide a storage and launching container by compressed air allowing on the one hand the storage of weapons in the workshop, on the other hand the transport of weapons to buildings which must be equipped with them.
• the object of the invention is a container for storing and launching a weapon of the light torpedo type, said container comprising stacking means and devices, connected to the weapon, for arming security and remote adjustment, the latter comprising in particular a remote adjustment socket, container characterized in that it incorporates means for storing and releasing compressed air necessary simultaneously for launching the weapon and for separating the security and remote adjustment devices connected to it, as well as means allowing the compressed air to reach a device for extracting the remote control socket According to an additional characteristic, it comprises means for deactivating the torpedo holding system and means for maintaining the locked position of a pin.
• the means for storing and releasing the compressed air comprises a reservoir, a launch valve integrated into this reservoir, a slow-acting purge valve for filling and purging the reservoir.
• the means allowing the pressurized air to reach the telereglage outlet comprise an electrodistributor
• the ⁇ 'extraction means of the remote adjustment socket comprise a body, a piston articulates in on the lever itself articulated in on the body, a cable being hooked by one end on the lever, the other end being fixed on the remote control socket after passing on an axis
• the device for deactivating the torpedo holding system comprises a piston and a latch
• FIG. 1 is a representation of the container according to the invention and of the torpedo which it contains,
• Figure 3 is a simplified representation of an extraction device of a pin
• Figure 3 is a view according to F
• FIG. 4 is a simplified representation of a torpedo holding device
• FIG. 5 is a simplified representation of valves with slow operation and a firing solenoid valve
• FIG. 6 is an illustration of the capacity of the container according to the invention to be naturally sheaf
• an object of the invention is to avoid manipulations of the torpedo to bring it into the firing position.
• the container according to the invention makes it possible to achieve this object since it is directly installed in the Another object of the invention is to allow storage in the workshop and transport of the weapon to the buildings without handling the weapon itself.
• the container according to the invention achieves this goal because it replaces the conventional light torpedo storage and transport containers
• the holding means 2 represented HERE by frames, a front cover or tape 3, a coaming 4 on which is fixed a device for extracting the remote setting plug 5, a device for extracting the pin 6, a tight crossing 7 ensuring the connection with the torpedo téiégégage socket, a dehydration device 8 making it possible to maintain a defined hygrometry, a torpedo holding device 9, cooperating with a sphere 15 on the torpedo,
• a rear ferrule 10 integrating all of the equipment necessary for storing and releasing launch energy, ie a tank 11, a launch valve 12 integrated into this tank, a slow-acting purge valve 13 for filling and draining of the tank, a slow-action valve 14 allowing the continuity of the launch air circuit to a firing solenoid valve 16
• the ferrule 10 is separated from the container body
• the torpedo is guided in the body 1 by slides
• the torpedo holding device 9 is put in place so as to immobilize the torpedo through its sphere 15
• the operation will be examined further in the text.
• the remote control socket 5 and the pin 6 are put in place
• the ferrule 10 is reassembled at the rear of the body 1
• the purge valve to be operated slow 13 is open to allow filling of the tank 1 1
• a pressure sensor (not shown in Figure 1) allows to know the pressure inside the tank 1 1
• the container I is ready, either for storage in the workshop, or for transport to a building
• the containers are positioned on the periphery of the building so as to be directly in the firing position.
• the containers can in particular be stacked.
• the stacking means 2 can for example be frames made up of two mechanically assembled parts.
• the lower and upper faces are machined to serve as installation plan, either on a cabin or on two other containers in the case of stacking
• Each frame is equipped with a centering device allowing the positioning of the containers on their fixing cabin or in the case of stacking, the positioning of the upper containers compared to the lower containers
• the fixing devices are integrated into the frames
• the installation of the container on the building gives rise to the following operations
• the firing order for launch results in the following sequence
• the solenoid valve has a manual control 20, accessible after removing the cap 21 which allows a manual "emergency" launch (see Figure 5)
• the device for extracting the temperature adjustment socket 5 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a body 30 a piston 31 articulated at 32 on a lever 33 itself articulated at 34 on a body 30 A cable 35 is hooked by one of its ends on the lever 33, the other end being fixed on the remote control socket 5 after passing over an axis 36
• the torpedo holding device 9 shown in FIG. 4 comprises two jaws 41 and 42 articulated around the axis 43, held in position by the latch 44 This is connected to a piston 45
• the assembly is mounted in the body 46 In the position shown, the torpedo is immobilized longitudinally by means of its sphere 15
• the piston 45 discovers an orifice which allows the pressurized air to arrive at the launch valve 12 and to cause its opening. This abrupt opening releases the compressed gas which causes the torpedo to move forward, movement made possible by unlocking the jaws 41 and 42
• the pin extraction device 6 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a support 51 fixed to the surface 4, a lever 52 mounted on an axis 55 of a rotary electromagnet 53, a sensor 54, a manual control 57 (not permanently installed)
• the lever 52 In nominal launch, the lever 52 holds the head of the pin 6 in position under the action of the return spring of the electromagnet 53.
• the sensor 54 informs the launch computer of the locked position of the pin 6, thus authorizing the launch.
• the pin 6 is subjected to a translational movement under the action of the lever 52, and it then releases the various safety features of the torpedo.
• a mode of launching requires not to extract the pin 6 during the launching.
• the device for extracting the pin 6 comprises an electromagnet 53, the power supply of which causes the lever 52 to rotate, thus releasing it. of the head of the pin 6
• the sensor 54 is then released, this release authorizing the continuation of the sequence by supplying the electro-distributor with ignition 16
• the front cover or tap 3 is fixed to the body of the container with the aid of a joint (not shown) so that, as soon as the launch air is released, an overpressure is created inside the container, and causes ejection of the cover 3 before the torpedo has traveled the distance which initially separated them.
• the ejection of the front tape (3) is caused by an overpressure inside the document, this ejection taking place before the torpedo has traveled the distance which separates it from the front tape (3). The launch therefore takes place safely for the torpedo.
• the present invention therefore makes it possible, thanks to the use of a container according to the invention, to obtain a certain number of advantages such as:
• the container frames allow its natural stacking either in workshop storage or on board installation
• the container according to the invention can be used without any handling after its installation on the shooting stations, because it is autonomous and integrates all the devices necessary for the storage of launch energy, for its loading and its release, without the need to establish a connection to an air table installed on board vessels.
• the pneumatic device for extracting the temperature adjustment plug allows an optimal extraction avoiding any deterioration of the contact elements of the plug. Furthermore, the end of the movement of the piston 31 ensures continuity of the air circuit to the next equipment. The launch sequence is thus perfectly broken down, an elementary action starting only when the previous one is finished.

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9510556

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

• 1997
  • 1997-08-28 FR FR9710741A patent/FR2767914B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1998
  • 1998-08-27 ES ES98942790T patent/ES2177047T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-27 KR KR10-1999-7002635A patent/KR100380946B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-08-27 WO PCT/FR1998/001858 patent/WO1999011996A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-08-27 AU AU90795/98A patent/AU738449B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-08-27 PT PT98942790T patent/PT932810E/pt unknown
  • 1998-08-27 EP EP98942790A patent/EP0932810B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-27 DE DE69805746T patent/DE69805746T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-27 JP JP51515299A patent/JP2001504934A/ja active Pending
  • 1998-08-27 DK DK98942790T patent/DK0932810T3/da active

Patent Citations (4)

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