EP0077929B1 - Device for automatically opening a sliding-wedge breech-block of a semi-automatic gun - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for automatically opening the locking wedge on a semi-automatic weapon system with an electromechanical drive device which can be connected to the locking wedge and has an electric motor, the output shaft of which is firmly connected to an energy-storing flywheel which is connected to the drive shaft of a mechanical drive via an electromagnetic clutch Opening device is connected and with an electrical control device by which the electric motor is switched on when the clutch is open and which generates a control signal which engages the clutch for a predetermined period of time.

Such a device is known from US-A-2413241. The known device is used on machine guns, for example in aircraft, and is used to provide the necessary high forces for opening the breech when the gun is blocked.

DE-A-2 011237 describes an arrangement for tensioning the breech and for ejecting the sleeves in automatic firearms, in which an electrically operated clutch is arranged between the breech of the weapon and an electric motor driving it, the clutch engaging when the electric motor has reached the maximum speed.

Finally, US Pat. No. 3,537,353 describes an electronic circuit for automatically actuating the breech on a large-caliber weapon, which controls an electric motor that actuates the breech on the basis of a predetermined combination of externally generated control signals. This known device is relatively complex and complicated and requires a lot of energy.

• Bei Übungs- und Ausbildungsschiessen von Kampfpanzern wird die Panzerkanone oft mit einem Einstecklauf versehen, der es ermöglicht, kleinkalibrige und damit kostengünstige Munition zu verschiessen. Diese Munition (bis Kaliber 35 mm) verursacht an der Waffe jedoch keinen ausreichenden Rücklauf, so dass das automatische Öffnen des Verschlusses für den nächsten Ladevorgang entfällt.

The object on which the invention is based is based on the following conditions:

• In the case of training and training shooting of battle tanks, the tank cannon is often equipped with a barrel which enables small-caliber and therefore inexpensive ammunition to be fired. However, this ammunition (up to 35 mm caliber) does not cause sufficient return on the weapon, so that the automatic opening of the breech for the next loading process is no longer necessary.

The consequence of this is that after each shot, the loading gun must be opened manually by the loader by turning the opening shaft by means of a hand lift. This action proves to be very difficult to carry out, especially when shooting off-road, and is relatively time-consuming. It is therefore not nearly comparable with the timing and functional sequence of the loading and shooting process, as occurs, for example, when using ammunition of normal caliber for this weapon (e.g. 120 mm) and the corresponding automatic opening of the breech as a result of the weapon return, in which a firing sequence occurs of eight shots per minute is required.

In order to roughly meet this requirement, it is necessary, even when using a barrel and the correspondingly small-caliber ammunition, to automatically open the locking wedge, regardless of the loader and in a certain time sequence as when firing with original ammunition.

A simulation of the return of the weapon to trigger the normal automatic opening process for the locking wedge is not possible without considerable technical effort due to the high energy required for this.

The object underlying the invention was therefore to design a device for automatically opening the locking wedge of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it enables the weapon to be loaded under realistic conditions with little energy expenditure during training shooting with a plug-in barrel. The device should be designed in such a way that, despite its simple structure, it guarantees a high level of functional safety and in particular meets the increased safety requirements during training shooting, so that the opening process is only triggered when a shot has actually been fired.

This object is achieved according to the invention with the features of patent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the device according to the invention are described in the subclaims.

The installation of the device according to the invention can be carried out by the operating personnel of the weapon system without great technical effort, without a technical intervention in the weapon system being necessary.

An exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• Fig. 1 in einer schematischen parallelperspektivischen Darstellung eine am Bodenstück einer Waffe angeordnete Einrichtung zum automatischen Öffnen des Verschlusskeils nach der Erfindung,
• Fig. 2 ein Blockschaltbild für eine bei einer Einrichtung nach Fig. 1 verwendbare elektronische Steuereinrichtung.

The drawings show:

• 1 is a schematic parallel perspective view of a device arranged on the base of a weapon for automatically opening the locking wedge according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 shows a block diagram for an electronic control device that can be used in a device according to FIG. 1.

In the device shown in FIG. 1, an electromechanical drive device is arranged on the base piece 11 of the weapon, which has an electric motor 1, on the output shaft of which a flywheel 2 is fastened and which via an electromagnetic friction clutch 3, a belt transmission 4, a reduction gear with reversal of direction of rotation 5 , an electromagnetic tooth coupling 6 and a chain transmission 7 is connected to an opening shaft 8, at the end of which a hook-like opening lever 9 is arranged. The swivel range of the opening shaft 8 is approximately 100 °. The opening lever 9 moves when swung ken the opening shaft 8, the locking wedge 10 in the direction indicated by arrows in the open position.

The control of the electric motor 1 and of the two electromagnetic clutches 3 and 6, which can be of a commercially available type, is carried out by a control device designated as “control electronics” in FIG. 1, the details of which are shown in FIG. 2. This control device has a triple AND gate 12. The following electrical signals are fed to the inputs of this AND gate 12. A signal emanating from a device 13, which indicates whether the “nominal speed” of the flywheel 2 has been reached. This device 13 can be, for example, a commercially available tachometer generator which is coupled to the flywheel 2 in a manner not specifically shown in FIG. 1.

A signal lamp 14 simultaneously indicates that the nominal speed has been reached. Furthermore, a signal is supplied to the AND gate 12 from a pulse generator 15, which indicates whether a firing pulse is present. The pulse generator 15 is controlled by the electrical firing signal, which is generated by a pushbutton switch 19, which is connected in a manner not shown to the usual electrical «electrical system» of the main battle tank. The signal emanating from the push button switch 19 is fed to the pulse generator 15 on the one hand and to the firing device on the other hand via the line labeled “to the cannon”.

Finally, from a device 16, which is labeled “sensor”, a third signal is supplied to the AND gate 12, which indicates whether a firing process is actually taking place. The device 16 contains a conventional pulse generator which is controlled by a sensor which registers the actual firing process. Such a sensor can be, for example, a conventional limit switch, which is arranged on the base piece 11 of the weapon in a manner not specifically shown and is actuated by the return of the weapon. However, a piezoelectric accelerometer of a known type can also be used as a sensor, which is also arranged in a manner not shown at a suitable location on the weapon and, for example, reacts to the structure-borne noise generated during the firing process.

If all of these three signals are present at the AND gate 12, a control signal is emitted from the latter to a first pulse generator 17, which in turn emits the control signal for actuating the electromagnetic clutches 3 and 6. At the same time, the electric motor 1 is switched off. The falling edge of the signal emitted by the first pulse generator 17 controls a second pulse generator 18, the output signal of which switches the electric motor 1 on again.

The operation of the device described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is as follows:

First, the electric motor 1, for example connected to the on-board network of the main battle tank, is switched on and brings the flywheel 2 to the required nominal speed. The electromagnetic clutches 3 and 6 are not in engagement. The locking wedge 10 is opened for the first time by the loader by hand lever via the opening shaft 8. The weapon is loaded and the locking wedge 10 closes automatically via the closing mechanism, not specifically shown, integrated in the weapon. Now the gun is fired. As soon as the signals originating from the firing pulse and from the firing process are present together with the signal about the nominal speed reached at the AND gate 12, the control device gives the control signal to the two electromagnetic clutches 3 and 6, which simultaneously over a predetermined period or a predetermined way of Locking wedge 10 are brought into engagement, whereby the flywheel 2 and the opening shaft 8 are connected to one another. The high speed of the electric motor 1 is converted via the reduction gears 4, 5 and 7 into a slowly rotating movement of approximately 100 ° rotation angle. Shortly before reaching the end position of the opening shaft 8 or the locking wedge 10, the two electromagnetic clutches 3 and 6 are separated again and at the same time the electric motor 1 is switched on again by the pulse generator 18. This brings flywheel 2, which has not come to a complete standstill, back to nominal speed. The weapon is now reloaded, the locking wedge closes automatically and the weapon is fired again.

Claims (4)

1. A device for automatically opening the sliding-wedge breechblock of a semi-automatic gun comprising an electro-mechanical drive mechanism adapted to be connected with said breechblock (10) and including an electromotor (1) the drive shaft of which is rigidly connected to an energy storing flywheel (2) which, through an electro-magnetic clutch (3), is coupled with the drive shaft of a mechanical opening mechanism (9), and further comprising an electric control mechanism (12 to 18) by means of which said electromotor (1) is energized when said clutch (3) is disengaged, said control mechanism generating a control signal for engaging said clutch (3) through a predetermined period of time, characterized in that, for the application of the electro-mechanical drive mechanism to an armoured-car gun having a slip-in barrel for training and exercising purposes, the electromotor (1) is deenergized by the electronically designed control mechanism (12 to 18) upon the attainment of a predetermined nominal rotational speed of the flywheel (2), and the control signal for engaging the clutch (3) is emitted upon or after deenergizing said electromotor (1), whereby a signal derived from the electric firing pulse and the actual firing operation, is supplied to the control mechanism (12 to 18) for releasing the control signal, and in that the control mechanism comprises a triple AND-gate (12) to the inputs of which a signal indicating the attainment of the nominal rotational speed of the flywheel (2), a signal derived from the firing pulse as well as a signal derived from the actual firing operation are supplied, and the output signal of said AND-gate being supplied to a switch-off mechanism for the electromotor (1) as well as to a first pulse generator (17) for emitting a first pulse of predetermined length which is supplied to the control input of the clutch (3), said output signal being further supplied to a second pulse generator (18) which, selected by the sloping-down flank of said first pulse, emits a second pulse which is supplied to the switch-on mechanism for the electromotor (1).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a reduction gear (5) is arranged between the flywheel (2) and the drive shaft (8) of the opening mechanism (9), that a first electro-magnetic clutch (3) is arranged between the flywheel (2) and the reduction gear (5) whereas a second electro-magnetic clutch (6) is arranged between the reduction gear (5) and the drive shaft (8) of the opening mechanism (9), and that the two electro-magnetic clutches (3, 6) are selected simultaneously.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signal derived from the actual firing operation, is generated by a limit switch which is actuated by the return stroke of the gun (11).

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signal derived from the actual firing operation, is generated by a piezoelectric acceleration pickup which is attached to the gun (11).

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