EP0331980B1 - Combat vehicle, especially an armoured houwitzer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a combat vehicle, in particular a self-propelled howitzer, according to the features from the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a combat vehicle is described for example in the older, not prepublished patent application according to DE-A-3642920, which only represents an older national law.

In the older combat vehicle, the projectiles are gripped by the projectile transporter by means of a transport arm which is arranged perpendicular to the vehicle floor and can be moved in one plane parallel to the vehicle floor. A swiveling gripping device is arranged at the lower end of the transport arm. The transport arm is slidably suspended on a rail aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction, which in turn hangs on two rails arranged in the transverse direction and is displaceable in the transverse direction.

When the bullet is fed, the bullet gripped by the transport arm is first rotated by 90 ° and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Finally, it is placed in a standby shell, which is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is firmly connected to the vehicle floor, from which it is inserted into a transport rail by means of an ejector and transported further backwards by means of conveying means. The transport rail is aligned in azimuth to the current position of the weapon. Then the projectile transfer arm, on which a swiveling charging cradle is arranged, is lowered in such a way that the charging cradle is inserted into the transport rail and is coaxial with it. The projectile can now be inserted into the charging cradle and, after the projectile transfer arm has been swung up, can be brought into the end position behind the weapon end.

The invention has for its object to design a combat vehicle of the type initially formed and in the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that as few axes of movement are required for the automatic transport of the projectiles that devices can be arranged with the least effort in the event of energy failure or other disturbances make a manual projectile transport possible without great physical exertion and that an escape route for the driver sitting in the front part of the vehicle to the exit in the rear of the vehicle is retained, which is as little as possible spatially blocked by the facilities of the projectile delivery device.

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

Advantageous embodiments of the combat vehicle according to the invention are described in claims 2 to 8.

The idea on which the invention is based consisted in further development of that described in the earlier application Solution approach in choosing the arrangement of the projectiles in the middle of the vehicle and the design of the projectile transporter so that the projectile transporter can be designed in a very low design and requires only a few axes of movement for projectile transport. The flat design also makes it possible that the escape route is only slightly obstructed by the interior of the vehicle and a seat for an operator with manual operation can be arranged on the floor transporter. The further transport of the projectiles from the projectile transporter to the loading position is simplified in that the standby shell itself is designed to be displaceable and pivotable, so that the projectile can be transferred directly from the standby shell to the loading shell without additional funding.

The entire projectile transport from the projectile magazine to the loading position can be carried out automatically, controlled by electronic control devices known per se. Here, for example, the position coordinates of the storeys in the storey magazine and further storey data are stored in ammunition flow logic so that the positions of predetermined storeys can be selected as soon as the storey transporter is actuated.

The construction of the entire projectile delivery device from several individual devices also makes it possible to replace them with manual interventions if partial functions fail. If, for example, the projectile transporter fails, a projectile can be manually removed from the storey magazines and inserted into the standby shell. This is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

Likewise, if the transport rail fails, the projectile can be manually removed from the projectile transporter and brought into the loading position.

1.

Beim Beladen des Fahrzeugs tritt nur eine sehr geringe Schwerpunktsverlagerung auf;

2.

es kann ein großer Munitionsvorrat aufgenommen werden, wobei ein leistungsfähiger Munitionsfluß erhalten bleibt;

3.

es bleibt im Inneren ein freier Kampfraum mit durchgehendem Boden erhalten und insbesondere ein freier Fluchtweg nach hinten, wobei das Fahrzeug durch eine große Hecktür betreten und verlassen werden kann;

4.

das Zuführen der Geschosse in die Ladeposition ist automatisch und von Hand mittels einfacher Baugruppen möglich, die außerdem zum Aufmunitionieren des Fahrzeugs verwendbar sind, wobei die stehende Lagerung der Geschosse eine besonders einfache Halterung der Geschosse im Magazin und eine einfache Entnahme und Handhabung der Geschosse im manuellen Betrieb ermöglicht.

The following advantages, among others, are achieved with the combat vehicle according to the invention:

1.

When loading the vehicle there is only a very slight shift in the center of gravity;

2nd

a large supply of ammunition can be taken up while maintaining an efficient flow of ammunition;

3rd

inside there is a free combat area with a continuous floor and in particular a free escape route to the rear, whereby the vehicle can be entered and exited through a large rear door;

4th

the projectiles can be fed into the loading position automatically and manually by means of simple assemblies, which can also be used for ammunitioning the vehicle, the vertical storage of the projectiles being a particularly simple way of holding the projectiles in the magazine and of simply removing and handling the projectiles in manual fashion Operation enables.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of a combat vehicle according to the invention and the process of feeding the projectiles from the projectile magazine into the loading position are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

eine Gesamtansicht einer Panzerhaubitze in perspektivischer Darstellung;

Fig. 2

in einer perspektivischen, stark schematisierten Darstellung die Ausgestaltung des Fahrzeuginnenraums einer Panzerhaubitze nach Fig. 1 mit einzelnen Einrichtungen der Geschoßzuführungsvorrichtung;

Fig. 3

in vergrößerter perspektivischer Darstellung einen Teil des Fahrzeuginnenraums bei einer ersten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Fig. 4

in einer Teildarstellung der Fig. 3 den Fahrzeuginnenraum in einer anderen Phase des Geschoßtransportes;

Fig. 5

in einer vergrößerten Darstellung eine Aufsicht auf einen Teil des Fahrzeuginneren bei einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Fig. 6

in einer Ansicht in Fahrzeuglängsrichtung den Teil des Innenraums des Fahrzeugs gemäß Fig. 5;

Fig. 7

in einer Ansicht quer zur Fahrzeuglängsrichtung den Teil des Innenraums des Fahrzeugs nach Fig. 5 und 6 in einer anderen Phase des Geschoßtransportes;

Fig. 8

in einer Aufsicht auf einen Teil des Fahrzeuginneren eine dritte Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Fig. 9

in einer Ansicht in Fahrzeuglängsrichtung den Teil des Fahrzeuginneren gemäß Fig. 8;

Fig. 10

eine Ansicht des Fahrzeuginneren analog Fig. 3 in einer anderen Phase des Geschoßtransportes;

Fig. 11 bis 13

in Darstellungen analog Fig. 10 weitere Phasen des Geschoßtransportes.

The drawings show:

Fig. 1

an overall view of a self-propelled howitzer in a perspective view;

Fig. 2

in a perspective, highly schematic representation of the configuration of the vehicle interior of a self-propelled howitzer according to FIG. 1 with individual devices of the projectile feeding device;

Fig. 3

an enlarged perspective view of part of the vehicle interior in a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4

3 the vehicle interior in another phase of the projectile transport;

Fig. 5

an enlarged view of a part of the vehicle interior in a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6

in a view in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the part of the interior of the vehicle according to FIG. 5;

Fig. 7

in a view transverse to the vehicle longitudinal direction, the part of the interior of the vehicle according to Figures 5 and 6 in another phase of the projectile transport;

Fig. 8

in a plan view of a part of the vehicle interior, a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9

in a view in the vehicle longitudinal direction the part of the vehicle interior according to FIG. 8;

Fig. 10

a view of the vehicle interior analogous to Figure 3 in another phase of the projectile transport;

11 to 13

in representations analogous to FIG. 10 further phases of the projectile transport.

The armored howitzer shown in overall view in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of a tracked vehicle 1 on which a turret 2 is rotatably arranged, which carries a heavy weapon 3.

As can be seen, the tower 2 is arranged in the area behind the center of the vehicle.

A driver's seat 1.3 is located in the front part of the vehicle 1. As explained in more detail below, the storeys are stored in the area of the center of the vehicle and the vehicle can be entered and exited in a manner not specifically shown through a large door arranged in the rear.

Storage of the ammunition in the area of the center of the vehicle means that the center of gravity of the vehicle is only slightly shifted during loading.

In the following, only the parts of the vehicle that are essential for the projectile transport will be explained in more detail, while other, known parts of the device, some of which are also shown in the drawings, are not explained in detail.

The projectile supply takes place, as can be seen in FIG. 2 in an overview, such that, as will be described in more detail below, the projectiles are removed from a projectile magazine arranged in the center of the vehicle by means of the projectile transporter 5. They are then transferred from the projectile transporter 5 to the transport rail 6 arranged below the turret 2, from which they are taken over by means of a projectile transfer arm pivotable about the shield pin 2.4 of the weapon 3 and brought into the loading position behind the weapon 3.

In the following three embodiments of the entire projectile delivery device are described, which are essentially the design and arrangement of the Projectile magazines and the design and arrangement of the projectile transporter differ, while the design of the transport rail 6 and the projectile transfer arm 7 is the same in all embodiments.

In a first embodiment, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, 5 storey magazines 4 are arranged on both sides of the storey transporter, in which the storeys 4.1 are stored standing, whereby they are in this by known and not explained brackets 10.1 Location can be recorded.

Arranged between the storey magazines 4 is a storey transporter 5 which has a base frame 5.5 which is arranged directly above the vehicle floor and which can be rotated about an axis 5.4 which is perpendicular to the vehicle floor 1.1 on the vehicle longitudinal center axis 1.4. On the base frame 5.5, a transport arm 5.1 is guided so as to be displaceable in its longitudinal direction parallel to the vehicle floor 1.1 via rails 5.6 arranged thereon, and a gripping device 5.2 is pivotably arranged on the free outer end of the transport arm 5.1.

The storeys 4.1 are each arranged in the storey magazine 4 to form a plurality of rows 10 standing one behind the other and radiating outwards, which intersect in the axis of rotation 5.4 of the base frame 5.5.

The mode of operation of the projectile transporter 5 is accordingly as follows:

To remove a projectile, the base frame 5.5 pivots into an angular position so that it is aligned with one of the lines 10. The transport arm 5.1 is extended and the gripping device 5.2 (see FIG. 3) grasps the projectile 4.1, the projectile clamp is opened and the projectile is pulled up out of its position. The base frame 5.5 is then pivoted in the vehicle longitudinal direction 1.4 and the projectile is finally brought into the transfer position 1.2, which is located between the projectile transporter 5 and the rotation area 2.1 of the tower platform 2.2.

The further transport of the projectile is explained in more detail below.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7, 5 storey magazines are arranged in the middle of the vehicle on both sides of the storey transporter, which are designed as block stores 11 in which the stationary storeys are arranged along the inner walls parallel to the longitudinal axis 1.4 of the vehicle. The storeys 4.1 are also held in the block magazines 11 by means of known clamping devices (not shown).

In this embodiment, the projectile transporter 5 has a further degree of freedom in that it can be moved in the longitudinal direction 1.4 of the vehicle. For this purpose, a longitudinal slide 5.7 is guided on two rails 5.8 fastened to the vehicle floor 1.1 parallel to the longitudinal axis 1.4 of the vehicle, on which the base frame 5.5 already described is rotatably mounted about the axis 5.4. The transport arm 5.1, which can be displaced on the rails 5.6 of the base arm, with the gripping device 5.2 is arranged on the base frame at the outer end.

For the removal of the projectiles, as can be seen from FIG. 5, the projectile transporter 5 is in the vehicle longitudinal direction 1.4 up to the desired position in front of one of the two Bullet magazines 11 driven. Then the base frame 5.5 is pivoted into a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 1.4 of the vehicle, the transport arm 5.1 extends and the gripping device 5.2 grips a projectile 4.1 and pulls it out of its position. The base frame 5 is again pivoted in the vehicle longitudinal direction 1.4 and the projectile transporter 5 is displaced in the longitudinal direction until the projectile is in the transfer position 1.2.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9, the standing projectiles 4.1 are mounted in a plurality of drum magazines 12 arranged along the inner walls of the vehicle around the projectile transporter 5 and each rotatable about a vertical axis 12.1. The cylindrical outer walls 12.3 of the drum magazines are firmly connected to the vehicle floor 1.1 and each have a projectile removal opening 12.2 which is aligned with the axis of rotation 5.4 of the base frame 5.5 of the projectile transporter 5. The projectiles stand on a base plate 12.4 arranged in the housing of the drum magazine and are fixed in a star-shaped projectile holder 12.5. The base plate 12.4 can be moved in cycles by means of an electric drive motor 12.6, so that each floor of the drum magazine can optionally be removed from the floor transporter 5 through the floor removal opening 12.2.

The projectile transporter 5 in this embodiment is designed in the same way as in the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, ie it can only be rotated about the axis of rotation 5.4 perpendicular to the vehicle floor 1.1.

When the bullet is removed, the base frame 5.5 is pivoted in a direction which is aligned with the removal opening of the activated drum magazine 12, the transport arm 5.1 is extended and the bullet 4.1 is removed from the bullet holder 12.5 by means of the gripping device 5.2 and finally brought into the transfer position 1.2.

The further transport of the projectiles from transfer position 1.2 of the projectile transporter 5 is described below.

A rotatably mounted transport rail 6 is arranged centrally under the rotatable tower 2 on the vehicle floor 1.1. It essentially consists of a turntable 6.3, which is rotatable about the axis of rotation 2.3 of the tower 2, is mounted parallel to the vehicle floor 1.1, and has telescopic rails 6.1 fastened thereon. The telescopic rails 6.1 can be extended radially to the turntable 6.3. A standby shell 6.2 which can be pivoted by approximately 90 ° to the rotational plane is arranged on the telescopic rails 6.1. The horizontal axis of rotation of the standby shell 6.2 is arranged on its side facing away from the axis of rotation 2.3 of the turntable 6.3.

On the shield journal bearings 2.4 of the weapon 3, a projectile transfer arm 7 is also pivotably mounted, which can be lowered into the vehicle independently of the weapon in a plane in or parallel to the elevation plane and is designed such that its individual parts are located below and behind the weapon end. At the rear end of the projectile transfer arm 7, a charging cradle 7.3 is arranged, which is firmly connected to the projectile transfer arm 7. The overall arrangement is such that the charging cradle 7.3 in the raised position of the projectile transfer arm 7 is aligned with the barrel axis of the weapon 3, while in the completely lowered position of the projectile transfer arm 7 it is perpendicular to the vehicle floor 1.1 in the range of motion of the transport rail 6. On the charging cradle 7.3, a projectile clamping device 7.1 and an attachment device 7.2 are also arranged in a manner known per se.

The projectile transport, as can be seen from FIGS. 10 to 13, proceeds from the transfer point 1.2 through the projectile transporter 5 to the loading position in the following steps:

The projectile transporter 5 is in the transfer position which can be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 4. The transport rail 6 first pivots into the takeover position shown in FIG. 3. The telescopic rails 6.1 with the swiveling stand-by shell 6.2 slide, as shown in FIG. 10, under the floor 4.1 brought into the transfer position. The gripping device 5.2 of the projectile transporter 5 tilts the projectile into a horizontal position and places it in the ready shell 6.2. The telescopic rails 6.1 with the standby shell 6.2 move back into the rotation region 2.1 of the transport rail 6, as shown in FIG. 11.

11 to 13 is not shown for reasons of simplification of the projectile transporter 5.

During the movement of the transport rail 6, the projectile transporter 5 can be brought back into a position in which it can remove a new projectile from the magazine.

The transport rail 6 swivels the projectile lying in the standby shell 6.2 under the tower platform 2.2 into the azimuth position of the weapon, which is shown in FIG. 12. Fig. 12 can also be seen that the projectile transfer arm 7 of the weapon 3 is pivoted down into the vehicle interior so that the charging cradle 7.3 is perpendicular to the turntable at the end of the transport rail 6. The ready shell 6.2 swings the projectile 4.1 from its horizontal into a vertical position directly into the charging shell 7.3 of the projectile transfer arm 7 and swings back empty into its initial position.

The projectile 4.7 is fixed in the charging cradle 7.3 by means of the projectile clamping device 7.1 and the projectile transfer arm 7 swivels with the projectile arranged in the charging cradle 7.3 into the elevation position of the weapon 3 and locks there automatically with the weapon system. This position is shown in more detail in Fig. 13. The attachment device 7.2, which is not described in more detail here, then conveys the projectile 4.1 into the loading space of the weapon 3.

In the meantime, the transport rail 6 can already be pivoted back into the initial position in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to take over a further floor.

The drive devices for actuating the projectile transporter 5, the transport rail 6 and the projectile transfer arm 7 are designed in a manner known per se and are not specifically illustrated and described.

The entire feed path of the storeys can be done automatically, controlled by appropriate electronic Control devices. If partial functions fail, the individual parts of the projectile feeding device can also be operated manually.

For example, if the projectile transporter 5 fails, a projectile can be removed manually from the projectile magazines 4, 11 and 12 and inserted into the standby shell 6.2.

For this purpose, a seat shell 5.3 is fastened to the base frame 5.5 of the projectile transporter 5, as can be seen particularly well in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 9. All drives of the movement axes are electrically and mechanically decoupled. A crew member 9 can now perform all movements of the projectile transporter 5 with little physical strength in a seated position. The mechanical devices necessary for this, such as handles, Bowden cables and the like, are not shown separately.

If the transport rail 6 fails, the projectile in a position tilted by approximately 45 ° (see FIG. 4) is passed directly by the crew member 9 sitting on the projectile transporter into the combat area, where it is taken over by a loading gunner.

The projectile delivery device described can also be used in a simple manner for loading and unloading the vehicle with ammunition. For this purpose, a feed opening 8 (see FIG. 2) is provided behind the area of the transport rail 6 in the rear area of the vehicle, through which the extended ready tray 6.2 can be loaded from the outside.

The projectiles are placed manually in the standby shell 6.2 and automatically conveyed further by the transport rail 6, after which they are either lifted directly to the weapon 3 by means of the projectile transfer arm 7 or, when the projectile transfer arm is pivoted up, by the gripping device 5.2 of the projectile transporter 5 from the folded up position Ready shell 6.2 taken over and fed to the storey magazine. Unloading takes place in the opposite direction and the grenades can be removed from the rear of the vehicle.

Claims (8)

1. Combat vehicle, especially an armoured howitzer, having a rotatable turret (2) arranged on the vehicle in the region behind the vehicle centre, on which turret a heavy weapon (3) is arranged such that it can swivel in elevation and there being arranged inside the vehicle in the region of the vehicle centre at least one shell magazine (4), in which the shells (4.1) are stored upright perpendicularly to the vehicle floor, with a passage extending essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle being left clear, and there is an automatic shell feeding device (5-6-7), by which in each case a shell is taken up from the shell magazine and, with rotation and alignment in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, sent into the region behind the end of the weapon and raised there into the loading position, with alignment in azimuth and elevation to the momentary direction of the weapon, the shell feeding device having the following equipment:

a)   a shell transporter (5), arranged in the region of the shell magazine (4), having a transport arm (5.1), on the end of which a swivel-mounted gripping device (5.2) is arranged;

b)   a readiness tray (6.2), arranged behind the shell transporter in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;

c)   a transport rail (6), arranged behind the shell transporter in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle floor and concentric to the axis of rotation of the shell turret;

d)   a shell transfer arm (7), mounted in a swivelling manner on the trunnion of the weapon, movable independently of the weapon in a plane in or parallel to the plane of elevation and able to be lowered into the vehicle, on the free end of which arm a loading tray (7.3) is arranged in the region behind the weapon;

e)   drive and control equipment for the movement of the shell transporter, the transport rail and the shell transfer arm,
characterised in that the shell feeding device has the following features:

f)   the shell transporter (5) has a basic frame (5.5) arranged in or directly above the vehicle floor (1.1) and rotatable about an axis (5.4) perpendicular to the vehicle floor, on which frame the transport arm (5.1) is arranged guided in rails (5.6) and able to extend parallel to the vehicle floor;

g)   the readiness tray (6.2) is arranged on telescopic rails (6.1) guided displaceably in the transport rail (6) and can swivel upwards about a horizontal axis arranged at its end away from the axis of rotation (2.3) of the transport rail (6) into a position perpendicular to the vehicle floor (1.1);

h)   the loading tray (7.3) is firmly connected to the shell transfer arm (7) and is arranged such that, in the raised position of the shell transfer arm (7) it is in line with the axis of bore of the barrel of the weapon (3) and, in the lowered position of the shell transfer arm (7), extends perpendicularly to the vehicle floor (1.1) in the movement area of the transport rail (6) and it has a shell clamping device (7.1) as well as a ramming device (7.2);

i)   drive and control equipment are provided for the movement of the readiness tray (6.2).

2. Combat vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that on both sides of the shell transporter (5) there is in each case arranged a shell magazine (4), in which the shells (4.1) are in each case arranged in groups, one behind the other on radially outwardly running lines (10), which intersect at the axis of rotation (5.4) of the basic frame (5.5).

3. Combat vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that the shells (4.1) are stored in a plurality of rotatable drum magazines (12), arranged along the inside walls of the vehicle (1) around the shell transporter (5), from which magazines the shells can be removed in the radial direction.

4. Combat vehicle according to Claim 3, characterised in that each of the drum magazines (12) has a cylindrical outside wall (12.3), firmly connected to the vehicle floor (1.1), with a shell removal opening (12.2), which is aligned with the axis of rotation (5.4) of the basic frame (5.5) of the shell transporter (5).

5. Combat vehicle according to Claim 4, characterised in that in each drum magazine (12) there is arranged a rotatably mounted baseplate (12.4), on which a shell retainer (12.5) of stellar design is arranged and which can be moved in intermittently timed intervals by a drive motor (12.6).

6. Combat vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that on both sides of the shell transporter (5) there is in each case arranged a shell magazine (11), in which the shells are arranged in rows essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis (1.4) of the vehicle and the rotatable basic frame (5.5) of the shell transporter (5) is arranged on a carriage (5.7) which can travel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

7. Combat vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that devices for manual actuation are arranged on the shell transporter (5) and a seat (5.3) is fastened or can be fastened on the basic frame (5.5).

8. Combat vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the transport rail (6) is arranged such that, when aligning in the longitudinal direction (1.4) of the vehicle, its rear end is arranged directly at an entry and/or loading opening (8) provided in the rear of the vehicle.

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