WO2018073461A1

WO2018073461A1 - Aiming unipole for vehicle-based mortar carrier

Info

Publication number: WO2018073461A1
Application number: PCT/ES2016/070739
Authority: WO
Inventors: Javier JAVIER ESTRELLA MOLINA
Original assignee: New Technologies Global Systems, S.L.
Priority date: 2016-10-19
Filing date: 2016-10-19
Publication date: 2018-04-26

Abstract

Mortar-aiming unipole for mortar mounted on a mortar-carrying vehicle, characterised in that all the elements necessary for aiming the mortar both in elevation and direction are independent from the vehicle on which the aiming unipole is located and further characterised in that all the aiming elements are external to the vehicle. The firing forces of the mortar are transmitted to the ground through the base plate of the mortar or to the vehicle, but never to the aiming elements. The aiming system prevents the trajectory of the fired mortar bomb from passing over the mortar-carrying vehicle, in order to avoid the risk of accidents.

Description

SINGLE POINT MONOPOSTE FOR CARRIER IN VEHICLE

OBJECT

[0001] The present invention relates to a pointing monopod of a mortar shipped in a mortar-carrying vehicle.

STATE OF THE ART

[0002] A self-propelled mortar or mortar carrier (mortar carrier in Anglo-Saxon terminology) is a weapon system comprising a mortar assembled in a vehicle as described in ES 1078083 U (ESTRELLA MOLINA, Julio), in US 20120024135 Al (KOHNEN Norbert et al.), In US 20050241468 Al (Borgwarth Dennis W. et al.) Or in US 2818781 (Ruf Walter). The vehicle comprises a load zone adapted to receive the mortar.

[0003] In some cases the shot is made with the mortar placed directly on the transport vehicle as in US 4791852 A (Fraud Michel et al.). This requires adequate reinforcement of the suspension and loading parts of the transport vehicle, the inclusion of elastic recoil absorption devices and the forces generated by the firing of the mortar on the vehicle (as in US 4791852, Fraud Michel et al.) And / or hydraulic jacks or supports to fix the vehicle to the ground as in US 2818781 (Ruf Walter).

[0004] In other cases the mortar has two positions, a displacement position; that is, the mortar is placed on the support plate to be transported during a movement of the vehicle; and a firing position where the mortar leaves the loading area of the vehicle and is placed in firing position on the ground as described in ES 1078083 U (ESTRELLA MOLINA, Julio) and in US 20120024135 Al (KOHNEN Norbert et al.) .

[0005] In the latter case (US 20120024135 Al) the mortar tube is coupled to a mortar base plate and to a support device which in turn is mechanically coupled or by means of articulated arms to the loading area of the transport vehicle. The plate or support device is mechanically coupled to the vehicle to position the mortar between a displacement position, in which the mortar is placed for transport with the vehicle, and a firing position, in which the mortar is located to fire a mortar. projectile from outside the vehicle.

[0006] The base plate of the mortar in its unfolded position is a one piece base plate which is locked in the ground on which the mortar tube is placed as in US 20120024135 Al (KOHNEN Norbert et al.) It being necessary to prepare the ground beneath the base plate, bury it or lock it in the ground. The base plate of the mortar is coupled mechanically or by means of articulated arms to the vehicle as in ES 2203810T T3 (WINTER UDO ING MAG et al.), Which allows a great part of the forces generated by the firing of the mortar to be transmitted to the vehicle.

[0007] The systems mentioned above have one, several or all of the pointing elements (articulated arms, shafts, drive linkages, etc.) of the mortar inside or on top of the vehicle as in US 20120024135 Al (KOHNEN Norbert et al.) Or with a part of the pointing elements connected to the vehicle as in (WINTER UDO ING MAG et al.). This implies that part of the forces generated by the firing of the mortar are transmitted to said pointing elements and through them also to the vehicle. This usually causes maintenance problems and even breaks in said pointing elements that connect it to the vehicle after several shots.

[0008] A further problem is the limitation of the angles of rotation in the direction due to the length of the articulated arms or rods used in the pointing elements since part of them are usually located above or inside the mortar-carrier vehicle.

[0009] Finally, in solutions such as in US 20120024135 Al (KOHNEN Norbert et al.), The trajectory of the mortar grenade once fired passes just above the mortar carrier vehicle with the danger that this entails in case of malfunction of the mortar. the same (as for example in the case of detonations induced by heat or "Cook-off" in Anglo-Saxon terminology).

SUMMARY

[0010] The present invention seeks to solve one or more of the disadvantages set out above in the mortar-carrying vehicles by means of an external pointing monopole of the mortar-carrying vehicle and containing all the pointing elements both in elevation and in the direction necessary to aim the mortar The forces of the mortar shot are transmitted to the ground through the base plate of the mortar (reducing or eliminating those transferred to the vehicle depending on the design of the base plate used in the mortar) or to the vehicle (through the coupling mechanism of the monopod to said vehicle), but never to the pointing elements or to the mechanisms for joining the pointing devices with the vehicle. The design of the same one allows angles of aiming in direction equal or greater than ± 90 degrees sexagesimales with the additional advantage that the trajectory of the mortars of mortar in the shot never passes over the device of aiming nor of the vehicle carries-mortar increasing safety.

[0011] The pointing monopod comprises several clearly differentiated parts, a vertical structure or post (1), a deployment device (4), a guidance device (13), a blocking device (14), an extension device (6), an aiming device in direction (2), a pointing device in elevation (3), a sliding interface (12), which guides the tube (8), which, in turn, rests on the plate base (5).

[0012] In its transport position, the monopod (1) rests on the vehicle platform

[0013] The post (1) is attached to the deployment device (4) of the mortar carrier vehicle and to the mortar base plate (5) and can have an Extendable Pressure System (6) at its lower end to exert a force (by means of an actuating motor or other means) on the base plate (5) of the mortar.

[0014] The post (1) is connected to the vehicle deployment device (4) by means of a guiding device (13) of the monopole that is designed so that in the firing position of the mortar the single-pointer is always located at a plane perpendicular to the vehicle as shown in figure 1. Once in this position, the post (1) also has a locking device (14) of the monopole so that the post (1) is kept in said position perpendicular to the vehicle at all times.

[0015] The pointing device in direction (2) comprises a structure joined together to the post (1) where two or more flat circular guide plates (7) are placed. they partially embrace the mortar tube (8) and cooperate with a steering actuator (9) to provide a rotary movement to the mortar tube according to a circular arc of ± 90 or more degrees along the horizontal axis (direction).

[0016] The elevation pointing device (3) comprises a lifting adjusting arm (10) configured to regulate by means of a lifting actuator (11) the elevation of the mortar tube and of a sliding interface (12) mechanically coupled to the tube of the mortar (8).

[0017] The pole assembly (1), pointing device in direction (2), elevation, pointing device in elevation (3) and guidance device (13) allow both a quick pointing of the mortar tube as a positioning and a quick collection of the assembly of the mortar and pointing monopod in the mortar-carrier vehicle by means of any deployment and collection device (4) existing in the vehicle to return to the movement position of the vehicle as shown in figure 2.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE FIGURES

[0018] A more detailed explanation of the invention is given in the description that follows and that is based on the attached figures:

[0019] Figure 1 shows in a perspective view the single-ply and mortar assembly in the position deployed outside the mortar-carrying vehicle, with the mortar in the firing position.

[0020] In this figure you can see the monopod (1), the pointing device in direction (2), the pointing device in elevation (3), the deployment device (4), the base plate (5), the discs that form the incomplete bearing (7), the mortar tube (8), the actuator of the steering mechanism (9), the lifting arms (10), the shaft of the lifting actuator (11), the slide ( 12), the guide device of the monopole (13) and the locking device of the monopole (14).

[0021] Figure 2 shows the monopod system in folded position (1), the deployment device (4), the base plate (5), the monopod extension device (6), the deployment guide (13). ) and part of the blocking device (14).

[0022] Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the guide device in several stages of the deployment, with the monopole (1), the shaft (18) on which the monopole rotates, the guide roller (15) which runs along the guide (16), and that is integral with the monopole by the support (17), and the latch (14) that is part of the locking device.

[0023] Figures 6, 7 and 8 show different positions of the pointing device in direction (2), and its main elements: flat circular guide plates (7) that partially embrace the mortar tube (8), steering actuator ( 9) to provide a rotary movement to the mortar tube according to a circular arc between 0 and ± 90 or more degrees according to the horizontal axis (direction), support box (19) where the turning mechanisms and guide bearings are housed.

[0024] Figure 6 shows the system with the vertical mortar, in figure 7, the mortar has tilted a certain angle and has moved through the opening of the plates (7), and in figure 8 the plates guide (7) have rotated a certain steering angle. [0025] Figures 9, 10 and 11 show in a perspective view the elevation pointing device (3), and its main elements: elevation adjustment arm (10), elevation actuator (11) and sliding interface (12). ) mechanically coupled to the mortar tube (8).

[0026] Figure 12 shows the locking device of the monopod in the vertical position, which is formed by the cam (20) which is fixed to the extension device (6), the rollers (21) which are integral with the bolts (14). ) and the sides (22) that are integral with the carrier vehicle.

DESCRIPTION

[0027] Figure 1 shows a pointing monopod used in a mortar-carrying vehicle where a mortar (8) is mechanically coupled to a loading zone of a mortar-carrying vehicle through an extendable mechanical arm or other device of deployment of the vehicle (4) whose mission is to deploy the mortar and the monopod on the ground and collect them once the mortar has been fired.

[0028] The mortar (8) can adopt two positions, one is the displacement position corresponding to a resting position of the mortar positioned in the loading zone of the mortar-carrying vehicle to travel with the vehicle; and a second working position corresponding to a firing position of the mortar (shown in Figure 1). In the firing position, the mortar (8) and the pointing monopole are supported on the base plate of the mortar (5), which in turn is supported against the ground and in the vicinity of the vehicle and on the outside thereof. .

[0029] The vehicle deployment device (4) by means of which the pointing monopole is attached to the mortar carrier vehicle has the function of providing the necessary pushing or retracting force to ensure that the monopole is placed in position. Said vehicle deployment device (4) is not part of this patent.

[0030] The vehicle deployment device (4) moves the assembly of the mortar (8) and the monopod along the horizontal axis to extract the monopod from the vehicle and place it in the firing position of the mortar. In this deployment operation, the roller (15) runs through the guiding device (13) forcing the monopole to rotate on the shaft (18), until it is placed perpendicular to the transport platform.

[0031] Once in that position, an extension device (6) of the length of the monopole makes the base plate (5) press hard against the ground, lifting the rear part of the vehicle. The pointing monopole rests on the base plate of the mortar (5) by means of an extendable pressure system (6), this system being expandable or of the bar type extendable by means of an actuator. This extendable pressure system (6) has the function of exerting a force on the base plate of the mortar (5) to ensure that the mortar base plate sits securely on the ground, the surface of the floor being responsible for absorbing the recoil energy of the mortar shot.

[0032] When the expansion device acts, a cam (20) slides through the monopod, guiding two rollers (21) and forcing the bolts (14) out of their housing entering the holes in the sides ( 22) that are integral with the transport platform as seen in figure 12. In this way the monopole is blocked while the monopod expansion device does not act in the opposite direction. [0033] The lower end of the mortar tube (8) is mechanically assembled to the base plate (5) by means of a ball-and-socket system.

[0034] The forces generated by the recoil of the mortar tube (8) during firing are transferred to the ground through the base plate of the mortar (5). This allows isolating the pointing monopod and the mortar-carrying vehicle from the forces generated by the shot, limiting at the same time the stresses borne by the mortar-carrying vehicle and by the elements that attach the mortar to said vehicle.

[0035] The elevation pointing device (3) comprises a lifting adjuster arm (10), a lifting actuator (11) and a sliding interface (12) mechanically coupled to the mortar tube (8). The lifting adjusting arm (10) is connected to the ring-shaped sliding interface (12).

[0036] The sliding interface (12) is coupled to the tube (8) of the mortar with the possibility of relative displacement between the sliding interface (12) and the tube (8). Similarly, the lifting adjuster arm (10) has the possibility of relative articulated movement with respect to the post (1). Consequently, the sliding interface (12) and the lifting adjusting arm (10) cooperate to determine the elevation of the mortar tube (8). That is, the elevation pointing device (3) is configured to position the firing tube (8) according to a desired elevation angle. An opening in the discs (7) allows the mortar to adopt any angle of elevation between 90 ° and 45 °.

[0037] The pointing device in direction (2) makes it possible to fix a lateral or directional angle of the tube (8) by means of a steering actuator (9) which provides a rotary movement to the flat circular guide plates (7) that they embrace partially to the mortar tube (8), according to a circular arc on the horizontal axis (direction). By means of this assembly it is possible to fix a lateral or directional angle of the tube (8), the tube (8) being able to move in any direction when the mortar is in firing position independently of the vehicle to which the pointing monopole is connected.

[0038] Once the firing of the mortar on the ground has finished, to start the collection of the mortar it must be passed to the unlocked position of the blocking device (14). Subsequently, the force exerted by the extendable pressure system (6) located at the lower end of the monopole on the base plate of the mortar (5) is eliminated. The locks (14) are forced back by the rollers (21) as the cam (20) is introduced into the monopod. At that time, no force is exerted on the base plate (5) by the monopole or the mortar carrier vehicle and the collection can be started to move to the position of displacement of the vehicle corresponding to a position of rest of the mortar positioned in the loading area of the mortar carrier as shown in figure 2.

Claims

I. Mortar pointing mortar for mortar carriers; characterized in that the monopouse comprises a post (1), a pointing device in direction (2) and a pointing device in elevation (3).

2. Pointing monopod according to claim 1; characterized in that it comprises all the elements necessary for pointing in elevation and in the direction of the mortar regardless of the vehicle on which the pointing monopole is located.

3. Pointing monopod according to claim 1; characterized in that they are supported on the mortar base plate (5) by means of an extendable pressure system (6) that exerts a force on the mortar base plate (5) partially raising the rear part of the carrier vehicle to ensure that the base plate of the mortar (5) sits securely on the ground.

4. Pointing monopod according to claim 1; characterized in that it isolates the pointing device in direction (2) and the pointing device in elevation (3) from the forces generated by the firing of the mortar in the absence of connection elements between the pointing devices and the mortar carrier vehicle.

5. Pointing device in direction (3) according to claim 1; characterized in that it comprises several guide plates (7) that partially embrace the mortar tube (8) and a steering actuator (9) to provide a rotary movement to the mortar tube according to a circular arc between 0 and ± 90 or more degrees according to the horizontal axis (direction).

6. Pointing device in direction (3) according to claim 1; characterized in that it has two plates (7) provided with openings to allow the passage of the mortar tube to achieve elevation angles between 90 ° and 45 °.

7. Pointing device in direction (3) according to claim 1; characterized in that it permits the firing of the mortar so that the trajectory of the mortar shell does not pass over the mortar carrier.

8. Pointing device in elevation (2) according to claim 1; characterized in that it comprises a lifting adjusting arm (10), a lifting actuator (11) and a sliding interface (12) mechanically coupled to the mortar tube (8).

9. Pointing device in elevation (2) according to claim 1; characterized in that it permits the firing of the mortar so that the trajectory of the mortar shell does not pass over the mortar carrier.

10. Guiding device (13) according to claim 1; characterized in that it positions the post (1) so that it is always located in a plane perpendicular to the vehicle.

I I. Blocking device (14) according to claim 1; so that the post (1) is kept in a position perpendicular to the vehicle at all times.