WO2009125059A1

WO2009125059A1 - Equipment for controlling loading of mortar shell

Info

Publication number: WO2009125059A1
Application number: PCT/FI2009/050257
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ville-Pekka Pesonen
Original assignee: Patria Land & Armament Oy
Priority date: 2008-04-08
Filing date: 2009-04-07
Publication date: 2009-10-15
Also published as: FI20085288A0; FI20085288L

Abstract

The invention relates to equipment for controlling the loading of a fin-stabilized mortar shell (3) provided with increment charges (7; 7a to 7f). The equipment comprises at least one pushing means (9) located on the side of the shell (3) being handled and transversally movable with respect to the shell (3), which means, upon moving, pushes at least one increment charge (7; 7a to 7f) pre-mounted around the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3) away from around the tail tube (3b).

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR CONTROLLING LOADING OF MORTAR SHELL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to equipment for controlling the loading of a fin-stabilized mortar shell provided with increment charges.

[0002] A fin-stabilized mortar shell has a tail tube extending from the actual shell, the tall tube being provided with guide fins. The actual propellant charge is arranged Inside the taii tube and fired by means of a primer at the end of the tail tube and a firing mechanism firing the primer. To control the trajectory of the shell, increment charges around the tail tube are used, the charges being otherwise round in cross section but one side thereof being provided with an opening which is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the tail tube and along which the increment charges may be pushed to surround the tail tube so that a continuous loading of increment charges is provided.

[0003] Modem weapon use aims at as automatic and reliable an operation as possible and, therefore, different kinds of cassettes, from which mortar shells are transferred to the barrel of the mortar in a breech-loading manner, have been developed.

[0004] When mortar sheiis are being loaded into a cassette, they have to be provided with increment charges in advance for mechanical loading. Nevertheless, this provides the problem that it is not possible to know in advance, how many increment charges will be needed in each situation. On the other hand, it is difficult or impossible to adjust the number of increment charges for a specific firing situation, when mortar shells are located in an ammunition cassette or other holders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, by which it is possible to meehanicaliy adjust the number of increment charges of a mortar shell provided with a tail tube also in solutions, in which the mortar shell is mechanically transferred to the barrel of a weapon.

[0006] The equipment according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises at least one pushing means transversally movable with respect to the shell being handled, which means, upon moving, pushes at least one increment charge pre-mounted around the taii tube of the shell away from around the tail tube. [0007] An essential idea of the invention is that the tail of a mortar shell is provided in advance with the greatest possible number of increment charges, whereby all mortar shells are suited as such to be fired to the maximum distance. Another essential idea is that the equipment for handling mortar shells comprises pushing means located on the side of the shell, which are movable traπsversaliy to a mortar shell and which, when the mortar shell is in a specific location and position with respect to the transfer equipment, are capable of pushing away one or more increment charges around the tail tube of the mortar shell away so that only a desired number of increment charges are left around the taii tube of the mortar shell. According to an embodiment of the invention, the equipment comprises a coliecting trough, onto which the increment charges removed from the mortar shell fall in order to be re-used as increment charges for some other mortar shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0008] The invention will be explained in closer detail in the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 schematically shows a shell mortar using a fin-stabilized mortar shell provided with a taii tube,

Figure 2 schematically shows a fin-stabilized mortar shell and increment charges fixed at its tail tube,

Figure 3 schematically shows an increment charge known per se,

Fig. 4a and 4b show a schematic embodiment for removing increment charges from around the tail tube,

Fig. 5a and 5b schematically show alternative embodiments, which may be used when removing increment charges from around the tail tube of a mortar shell, and

Fig. 6a and 6b schematically show yet another afternative embodiment, which may be used when removing increment charges from around the tail tube of a mortar shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Fig. 1 shows schematically a shell mortar using a fin- stabilized shell, i.e. mortar shell, provided with a tail tube. By way of example, grooves are marked at the furthest end of a barrel 1 to show the position of a housing 1a of a non-shown breech block relative to the barrel 1. Several different breech mechanisms and types are used in different weapons. It is not nee- essary to describe them separately herein, because they are known per se to a person skilled in the art and not essential per se for this invention. Around the barrel 1 , several shell mortars have a cradie 1 b, relative to which the barrel 1 can move in a manner known per se in its Songitudinai direction backward due to recoil from firing, and return by means of separate non-shown returning devices known per se back to its firing position. Further, Fig. 1 shows a she!! transfer trough 2 with a transfer-ready shell 3 resting on it. The shell 3 is substantially coaxial with the barrel of the weapon so that when it is moved along the transfer trough 2, it goes straight into the barrel. It further has a transfer device 4 with which the shell is transferred by pushing it from behind. In connection with the shell mortar 1 there is a cassette 5, in which mortar shells are stored and from which the transfer device 4 transfers the shells into the barrel of the she!! mortar. Such transfer devices are disclosed, for instance, in US Patent 4481862, and they are known per se to a person skilled in the art, wherefore they need not be explained in greater detail herein.

[0010] Fig. 2 shows schematically a fin-stabilized shell, i.e. mortar shelf 3, comprising the actual mortar shell 3a and a tail tube 3b. At the end of the tail tube 3b there are guide fins 3c. Inside the tail tube 3b is a non-shown propellant charge in a manner known per se, and the tat! tube end comprises a firing part 6. The firing part 6 may only comprise a primer in a manner known per se, or it may comprise both a primer and a separate impact mechanism known per se, by which the primer is fired. Around the tail tube 3b there are increment charges 7a to 7f, which are generally known per se.

[0011] Fig. 3 shows schematically an increment charge 7 known per se. it shows that the increment charge is round in shape, and in its middle there is an opening having substantially the size of the tail tube, from which an open slot, slightly narrower than the tail tube diameter, leads to the edge of the shell. Along this opening, the increment charge 7 may be pushed around the tail tube, where it remains. The increment charges also comprise protrusions 8, by which they may be locked non-rotatabiy with respect to each other.

[0012] Fig. 4a and 4b show schematic views on how the number of increment charges around the tail tube of the mortar shell may be adjusted as desired. Each shell is provided with as many increment charges 7a to 7f as it was originally designed to maximally comprise. Thus, the number of increment charges can be adjusted to a desired value simply by removing the extra increment charges from this maximum number of increment charges. The maxi- mum number that fits into each shell naturally depends on the sizes of the shells and increment charges, and may thus vary, for instance, from one manufacturer to another.

[0013} The increment charges are mounted around the tail tube so that the openings of adjacent charges face in the opposite directions, whereby they are locked non-rotatably in and with respect to each other by means of protrusions 8 at the increment charges. Consequently, the position of the increment charges with respect to one another is always the same. As the increment charges are also connected to the tail's guide fins 3c so that they are not able to rotate about the tail tube 3b of the mortar shell, it is easy to bring the mortar shells to a position where the increment charges can be mechanically removed from around the tai! tube 3b.

[0014] Fig. 4a shows a situation where fork-like pushing means 9 are provided on the opposite sides of the tai! tube 3b of the she!!. The pushing means 9 are located on the opposite sides of the tail tube 3b in such a manner that when they move towards the tail tube 3b, as shown by arrows A, they push away the increment charge 7e and 7f they are facing from around the tail tube 3b. Since the increment charges are freely accessible, they fall away from their places onto a non-shown collecting trough underneath when they are pushed. The pushing means 9 comprise openings wider than the tail tube 3b of the mortar shell, which makes them capable to push the increment charges sufficiently far away from the surface of the tai! tube 3b. In addition, the width of the pushing means 9 in the longitudinal direction of the mortar shell is somewhat smaller than the thickness of the increment charges in the same direction, which makes the removal of the increment charges possible.

[0015] Fig. 4b shows a situation where the increment charges have been completely pushed away from their places, after which they will fail to the above-mentioned collecting tray. The removal of the increment charges may naturally also be started from the other end of the tai! tube, i.e. from the increment charge 7a. In this embodiment, both pushing means are operated either by a separate power unit or they are connected by a link mechanism to be operated by one and the same power unit.

[0016] Fig. 5a and 5b show some embodiments for operating the pushing means for the increment charges. For the sake of clarity, the figures only show one pushing means 9, but, in the same way, two or more pushing means 9 may also be used in the same equipment. [0017] Fig. 5a shows a solution where the pushing means 9 moves along a linear track in the direction of arrow A when increment charges are being removed. Accordingly, it naturally moves in the opposite direction after the increment charge has been removed.

[0018] Fig. 5b shows a solution where the pushing means 9 is connected so as to move along a curved track in the direction of arrow B to one end of a shaft pivotably arranged from the other end at the frame of the apparatus.

[0019] The above embodiments of Figures 4a and 4b employ two pushers 9, by which two increment charges can be removed at a time. There may aiso be a plurality of pushing means 9, but, with two pushing means on the opposite sides of the tail tube, it is easy to remove the successive increment charges into the opposite directions. If more than two increment charges need to be removed by using two pushing means 9, the positions of the mortar shell and the pushing means can be changed with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction of the mortar shell, which, however, may be implemented in a simple manner. On the other hand, it is also possible to use as many pushing means as there are increment charges at the maximum, in which case as many pushing means are used simultaneously as there are increment charges to be removed. Furthermore, instead of one pushing means the increment charge may be pushed by a pair consisting of two pushing means, in which case the pushing means push the same increment charge simultaneously.

[0020] Fig. 6a and 6b show yet another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, two pushing means 9 on the opposite sides of the shell are used, which turn around the axis 10 in the direction of the shell in a reciprocating manner and which thus form a pair of pushing means. Fig. 6a shows a situation where the pushing means are rotated in the direction of arrows C by the axes 10. Thus, the pushing means hit the increment charge 7 and push it away from its place, as shown by Figure 6b. Rotational motions of the axes 10 are interconnected in such a manner that they rotate at the same speed in the opposite directions, whereupon the pushing means 9 move similarly. In this embodiment, the same pushing means 9 may be used for removing increment charges 7 in both directions of the shell 3, since, due to rotation of the axes 10, the pushing means can turn to both sides of the shell and start the removal of the increment charge 7 on either side of the shelf. The axes 10 may be connected so as to rotate in the opposite directions by means of mechanical solutions known per se. in this embodiment, increment charges may be removed one by one by moving the pushing means 9 with respect to the shell in its longitudinal direction from the place of a removed increment charge to the place of the adjacent increment charge when the pushing means 9 are not in contact with the increment charges. Instead of moving the pushing means, the shell and its increment charges may also be moved with respect to the transfer means. The axes in the direction of the sheli refer to axes which extend more in the longitudinal direction of the sheli than in its cross direction. The axes may also be at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the shell, as long as the pushing means are able to turn in the cross direction of the shelf and push away the increment charge.

[0021] The invention is described in the above specification and drawings by way of example only and it is by no means restricted thereto.

Claims

1. Equipment for controlling the loading of a fin-stabilized mortar shell (3) provided with increment charges, characterized in that it comprises at least one pushing means (9) located on the side of the shell (3) being handled and transversally movable with respect to the shell (3), which means, upon moving, pushes at least one increment charge (7; 7a to 7f) pre-mounted around the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3) away from around the tail tube (3b).

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two pushing means (9) which are located on the opposite sides of the shell (3) being handled and are arranged to push the increment charges (7; 7a to 7f) to the opposite directions away from around the tail tube (3b) of the sheii (3).

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the edge of the pushing means (9) on the side of the shell (3) is provided with a slot, which is wider than the diameter of the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3), so that the pushing means (9) is able to be pushed onto the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3) on both sides,

4. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, ch aracterized in that the pushing means (9) moves linearly in the cross direction of the shell (3).

5. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pushing means (9) moves in a curved manner in the cross direction of the shell (3).

6. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one pair of pushing means (9) which constitute a pushing means pair (9) and are mounted to push the same increment charge (7; 7a to 7f) away from around the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3).

7. Equipment as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pushing means (9) constituting a pushing means pair are located on the opposite sides of the sheil (3) being handled at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the shell (3) and are mounted to simultaneously rotate about the longitudinal axes of the shell in the cross direction of the shelf (3), whereby they, upon rotating, push the same increment charge (7; 7a to 7f) away from around the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3).

8. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pushing means (9) or pair of pushing means is dimensioned to push only one increment charge (7; 7a to 7f) at a time.

9. Equipment as cfaimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for transferring the pushing means (9) and the shell relative to each other to set the pushing means (9) in the longitudinal direction of the sheil (3) to align with different increment charges (7; 7a to 7f) in order to push them away from around the tail tube (3b),

10. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, character i z e d in that the number of pushing means (9) or pushing means pairs equals the maximum number of increment charges (7; 7a to 7f) mounted around the tail tube (3b) of the shell (3) and that the number of pushing means (9) or pushing means pairs, respectively, used at a time may be selected according to the number of increment charges (7; 7a to 7f) to be removed.

11. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a power unit connected to move the pushing means (9) towards the increment charges (7; 7a to 7f) and back, respectively.