WO2017162602A1

WO2017162602A1 - Weapon-launching tube with a rammer for a vessel

Info

Publication number: WO2017162602A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/056589
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnaud LAMOTTE; Stéphane Niot
Original assignee: Dcns
Priority date: 2016-03-21
Filing date: 2017-03-20
Publication date: 2017-09-28
Also published as: FR3049054A1; FR3049054B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a weapon-launching tube for a vessel, of the type comprising a pressurised fluid source linked to the tube and a launching valve (4) inserted between the pressurised fluid source and a rammer (5) connected to a rear door of the tube and extending behind the weapon to eject the latter from the tube, said weapon-launching tube being characterised in that the launching valve (4) forms part of an end cap (30) of the rammer (5).

Description

Ship gun thrower tube

The present invention relates to a gun-thrower tube for a ship such as a surface vessel or a submarine.

More particularly, the invention relates to such a tube which comprises a source of pressurized fluid associated with the tube and a throwing valve interposed between the source of fluid under pressure and the tube.

In general, such a valve comprises a valve body in which is mounted a valve.

This valve is movable, when launching the weapon, by control means, between a closed position and an open position of the valve for supplying the tube with fluid under pressure.

In a conventional manner also, this valve is associated with means for braking its opening movement.

These means comprise for example a fluidic retarder with two fluid chambers separated by a piston and connected by means of diaphragm rolling of this fluid.

For a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of such a system of the state of the art, it may for example refer to the document FR A 2 955 082 in the name of the Applicant.

This document actually describes a pressurized fluid supply system of a rammer of a launch tube of a weapon.

According to the system described in this document, the fluid rolling diaphragm means comprise means with variable diaphragm according to the position of the valve, to adapt the law of thrust of the weapon by the rammer.

In fact, it is advisable, in general, to control the thrust on the weapon in order to prevent any damage to it and its equipment during launch, and also to prevent the phenomenon of cavitation.

Moreover, such a system must have a small footprint and be easy to implement.

The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a gun-throwing tube for a ship, of the type comprising a source of pressurized fluid associated with the tube and a throwing valve interposed between the source of pressurized fluid and a damper associated with a door. rear of the tube and extending to the rear of the weapon to eject it from the tube, characterized in that the throwing valve is integral with an end cap of the rammer.

According to other features of the tube according to the invention, taken alone or in combination:

- the rammer is a rammer with several telescopic portions;

- The front part of the damper is provided with a water pipe collar in it during its folding and out of it during deployment;

the launching valve comprises a valve body in which is mounted a movable valve when the weapon is thrown by control means, between a closed position and an open position of the valve for supplying the fluid damper; under pressure, this valve being associated with braking means of its opening displacement comprising a fluidic retarder to two fluid chambers separated by a piston and connected by means of diaphragm rolling of the fluid;

the diaphragm means for rolling the fluid are formed in the piston;

the diaphragm means comprise nozzle means placed in a hole formed in the piston between the two chambers;

the retarder fluid is a liquid;

the retarder fluid is oil;

the source of pressurized fluid comprises means in the form of a tank of gas under pressure;

- A perforated bowl-shaped diffuser is interposed between the valve and the damper. The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a weapon-launch tube according to the invention, for a ship,

FIG. 2 represents a detail sectional view of a launch valve forming part of a tube according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a rammer in the deployed position, and

- Figure 4 shows a detail view of a part of the damper.

In these figures, and in particular in FIG. 1, a gun-throwing tube has been illustrated for a ship.

In this application, the term ship may refer to a surface vessel or submarine.

In particular there is illustrated in the following an application to a submarine. The tube is designated by the general reference 1 in FIG. 1 and the weapon is designated by the general reference 2.

Conventionally, such a weapon 2 may for example be constituted by a torpedo or other.

The weapon-launching tube according to the invention also comprises a source of pressurized fluid, such as for example a launch compressed air tank, designated by the general reference 3, and a launch valve, designated by the general reference 4, interposed between the source of fluid under pressure 3 and the rest of the tube.

In particular, this valve 4 can be interposed between the source of pressurized fluid 3 and a pneumatic ram, designated by the general reference 5, associated for example with the rear door of the tube, this door being designated by the general reference 6.

The operation of such a rammer 5 will be described in more detail later.

Note simply that when the throwing valve 4 is driven at the opening, the source of pressurized fluid 3 is connected to the pneumatic rammer 5 which pushes the weapon 2, and for example the torpedo, out of the tube 1.

In Figure 2, there is illustrated an embodiment of such a valve which is always designated by the general reference 4 in this figure.

This then comprises a valve body, which is designated by the general reference 10, and which has an inlet 1 1 and an outlet 12, respectively connected to the source of pressurized fluid and the rest of the tube.

A valve, designated by the general reference 13, is movably mounted in the valve body.

Other types of valve than those shown in the drawings may of course be suitable.

This valve is movable from a closed position to an open position of the valve, for supplying the tube with pressurized fluid during the triggering of a shot, by means of control means.

These control means are then connected for example to an operating chamber of the valve 13, this chamber being designated by the general reference 14 in this FIG.

These control means are adapted to inject air under pressure into this chamber in order to operate the valve.

Indeed, the pressurized air injected into this chamber makes it possible to push the valve 13 so that it moves from its closed position to its open position.

This valve 13 is also associated with means for braking its opening movement. These means are designated by the general reference 15 in this FIG.

They include for example a fluidic retarder, designated by the general reference 16.

This retarder comprises two fluid chambers, designated by the references 17 and 18, separated by a piston, designated by the general reference 19, and connected by means of diaphragm rolling of this fluid to control the movement of the valve.

The diaphragm means for rolling the fluid are for example formed in the piston 19.

These fluid rolling diaphragm means are designated by the general reference numeral 20 in this FIG.

They comprise for example nozzle means 21 placed in a hole 22 formed in the piston 19, between the two fluid chambers 17 and 18.

These chambers indeed contain fluid such as oil.

It is then conceivable that during the initiation of a launch, air is injected under pressure into the chamber 14 at the rear of the valve 13 to cause the displacement thereof to its open position.

This opening movement is slowed down by the fluidic retarder 16.

This causes indeed a braking movement of the valve because this valve is connected to the piston 19 of the retarder.

The fluid must then pass from the chamber 18 to the chamber 17 of this retarder. The only way for the fluid to pass from this chamber to the other is to pass into the rolling diaphragm, that is to say in the nozzle means 21 placed in the hole 22 formed in the piston 19 between the two. chambers 17 and 18 of this retarder 16.

This makes it possible to control the movement of the valve and thus the opening of the valve and consequently the movement of the weapon when it is thrown out of the tube.

As indicated above, the valve 4 can be associated with a damper 5 itself associated with the tube 1 at the rear of the weapon, and more particularly at the rear door 6 of this tube, to eject the weapon of the tube.

Of course, other embodiments can be envisaged.

In the example, a rammer is used which is described in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

This damper is always designated by the general reference 5 in these figures. As illustrated in these figures, this rammer 5 comprises for example, from one end to the other, an end cap of the pneumatic rammer, designated by the general reference 30, a rammer body 31, a mounting flange 32, and a pipe flange 33 which will be described in more detail later.

Of course, other embodiments can be envisaged, the flange and the flange being actually formed by the door of a tube.

The rammer is a deployable rammer.

It comprises several telescopic portions, for example the four portions 34, 35, 36 and 37, illustrated in FIG.

Finally, the rammer 5 comprises at its other end a pusher plate, designated by the general reference 38, for pushing the weapon at its launch.

In Figure 3, the rammer 5 is shown in the deployed position, while in Figure 4, it is illustrated in the folded position.

In the tube according to the invention, the throwing valve, which has just been described and which is always designated by the general reference 4 in these figures, is directly integrated into the end cap 30 of the rammer 5.

This allows of course to save space and simplify and facilitate assembly of all.

In particular, such an arrangement of the valve makes it possible to eliminate any connecting pipe between the various elements.

It will also be noted, with reference to FIG. 4, for example, that a bowl-shaped perforated diffuser, designated for example by the general reference numeral 39 in this figure, can be interposed between the valve 4 and the rest of the damper 5.

It is then conceivable that such a structure has a certain number of advantages over the structures of the state of the art, in particular as regards its compactness, its small size and its ease of integration, while at the same time presenting a number of reduced parts which reduces the blow.

Of course other embodiments can be envisaged.

Claims

1. - A weapon-launching tube for a ship, of the type comprising a source of pressurized fluid (3) associated with the tube (1) and a throwing valve (4) interposed between the source of pressurized fluid (3) and a ram ( 5) associated with a rear door (6) of the tube and extending to the rear of the weapon (2) to eject it from the tube, characterized in that the launch valve (4) is integrated in a end cap (30) of the rammer (5).

2. - Tube according to claim 1, characterized in that the rammer (5) is a rammer having several telescopic portions (34, 35, 36, 37).

3. - Tube according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front part of the damper (5) is provided with a flange (33) for channeling the water therein during its folding and out of the during its deployment.

4. - Tube according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the throwing valve (4) comprises a valve body (10) in which is mounted a valve (13) movable at the launch of the weapon by control means, between a closed position and an open position of the valve for supplying the damper (5) with fluid under pressure, this valve (13) being associated with means (15) for braking its displacement of opening comprising a fluidic retarder (16) with two fluid chambers (17, 18) separated by a piston (19) and connected by means (20) to diaphragm rolling of this fluid.

5. - Tube according to claim 4, characterized in that the means (20) diaphragm fluid rolling are formed in the piston (19).

6. A tube according to claim 5, characterized in that the means (20) diaphragm comprises nozzle means (21) placed in a hole (22) formed in the piston (19) between the two chambers.

7.- tube according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the fluid retarder (16) is a liquid.

8. - Tube according to claim 7, characterized in that the retarder fluid (16) is oil.

9. - Tube according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the source of pressurized fluid (3) comprises means in the form of pressurized gas tank.

10. - Tube according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a perforated diffuser (39) in the form of a bowl is interposed between the valve (4) and the collector (5).