Apparatus for loading guns, particularly tank howitzers

In an apparatus for loading guns, particularly tank howitzers, from a rotary magazine containing the shells and positioned below and alongside the gun barrel, for simplifying construction and movement sequences a substantially vertical loading arm pivotable about a vertical axis between a reception position in the vicinity of the rotary magazine and a position below and upstream of the gun barrel is provided, the loading arm having at least one gripper for a shell and in the last-mentioned position is pivotable about an approximately horizontal axis at right angles to the core axis of the gun barrel into a loading position from which the shell aligned with the core axis can be transported by a rammer into the gun chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an apparatus for loading guns, 
particularly tank howitzers, from a rotary magazine containing the bullets 
of shells located alongside and below the gun barrel. 
Automatic loaders are known for howitzers and guns which permit an 
automatic insertion of the bullets in the chamber of the gun. In an 
improved construction, these loaders also permit the automatic selection 
of different bullets, which are generally called from a remote magazine 
and are supplied over long distances to the actual loader. In all 
automatic loaders, it is a question of very reliably and non-manually 
permitting a rapid loading process. The known loaders have a very 
complicated construction and are therefore expensive. In general, they 
also have a large space requirement, so that difficulties are encountered 
in housing the same, particularly in tanks. Due to the degree of 
automation thereof, they are also fault-prone both from the technological 
and operational standpoints. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The aim underlying the present invention is to use simple constructional 
means and easily monitored movement sequences to ensure a non-manual 
loading process, while thereby providing an inexpensive, space-saving 
apparatus. 
On the basis of the aforementioned apparatus with a rotary magazine for the 
bullets or shells, the aforementioned aim is obtained by a substantially 
vertically positioned loading arm pivotable about a vertical axis between 
a reception position in the vicinity of the rotary magazine and a position 
below and upstream of the gun barrel, with the loading arm having at least 
one gripper for a bullet or shell and in the last-mentioned position is 
pivotable about an approximately horizontal axis, at the right angles to 
the bore axis of the gun barrel into a loading position from which the 
bullet or shell aligned with the bore axis can be transported by a rammer 
into the chamber of the gun. 
The rotary magazine, which contains a given number of bullets or shells, is 
driven in timed manner and moves one shell after the other into the 
reception position, where it is grasped by the substantially vertical 
loading arm pivoted about the vertical axis into the reception position by 
the gripper fitted thereto and is fixed by clamping the gripper to the 
loading arm. The loading arm is then pivoted about the vertical axis into 
the position below and upstream of the gun barrel and is then pivoted 
about the horizontal axis in the upwards direction until the shell is 
aligned with the core axis of the gun barrel. The shell is then 
transported from this position into the gun barrel chamber by a rammer. 
After introducing a propellant charge behind the shell base and the 
closing of the breech block the weapon can be fired. 
The inventive apparatus is constructed from simple components (rotary 
magazine and loading arm). The complete loading process includes simple 
movement sequences, namely, the gripping movement on grasping the shell in 
the reception position and two successively performed pivoting movements 
of the loading arm. The simple movement sequences permits a rapid loading 
process of roughly 6-7 seconds, so that high speed operation is possible. 
As a result of the simple construction, it is also possible to operate the 
apparatus manually, so as to be able to load e.g. in the case of a fault 
(power failure) or when the magazine has run empty. Through the 
positioning of the loading arm upstream of and below the gun barrel, even 
in manual operation there is no need to raise the shells over any 
significant height. Finally, the simple construction of the apparatus also 
permits an inexpensive re-equipping of existing guns. 
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rammer is fitted 
to the loading arm and not, as is otherwise conventional, to the gun. 
Thus, it also performs all the movements of the loading arm, which ensures 
that it is always correctly positioned. This also avoids an overlapping 
function of the gun and the loader. 
According to another feature of the invention the horizontal pivot pin of 
the loading arm is connected to the gun and preferably intersects the core 
axis of the gun barrel. 
As a result of this construction, the entire loading apparatus is coupled 
to the gun barrel, the axis configuration leading to the further advantage 
that the loading apparatus follows the elevation, so that it is not 
necessary to bring the gun into an indexed loading position before each 
loading process. 
According to another embodiment of the invention, the loading arm has a 
conveyor revolving parallel thereto with a driver engaging below the shell 
base in the reception position and by which the shell in the loading 
position can be transported sufficiently far into the chamber for it to be 
engaged by the rammer. 
The conveyor can in the simplest case be a revolving chain, which is fitted 
within the loading arm and projects with its driver over the bearing 
surface of the shell on the loading arm, so as to engage below the base of 
the shell. The conveyor is controlled in such a way that the driver is in 
its lower position when the loading arm passes into the reception position 
and the gripper grips the shell located in the rotary magazine, so that 
during this movement the driver also passes beneath the shell base. After 
pivoting back the loading arm about the vertical axis and swinging up 
about the horizontal axis the bullet or shell is moved in the direction of 
the chamber by the conveyor or the driver engaging on the shell base, 
until a position is reached in which the rammer can engage on the shell, 
so that in the final part of the loading path it introduces same into the 
gun barrel. 
Appropriately the rammer can be pivoted about an axis parallel to the 
loading arm from a position alongside the latter into a rammer position 
engaging on the shell. In this position, the rammer is only pivoted when 
the shell located on the loading arm has been advanced to such an extent 
by the driver that the rammer can engage on the shell. 
According to another embodiment of the invention, a control system is 
provided linking together the indexing of the rotary magazine, the 
pivoting movements of the loading arm and the movements of the gripper and 
rammer, with the control means being coupled with the movement of the 
breech block on the gun, so that an automatic movement sequence is 
possible. Due to a manual drive for the loading arm, its gripper and the 
rammer provided for emergency operation, a manual loading process made 
easier for the gunner is also possible in an emergency or if the magazine 
has run empty.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The apparatus is shown in exemplified manner in the drawings when used on a 
tank howitzer. Reference is firstly made to FIG. 3, which shows the gun 
turret 1 and a gun 2, together with a gun barrel 3 and a shield 4. By a 
pivot bearing 5, the gun turret 1 is located on the tank and it is also 
possible to see the ground 6. At its end located in the gun turret 1, the 
gun 2 has chamber 7 with base portion 8. It is also possible to see the 
sliding wedge-type breech block 9, while the gun core axis is designated 
10. 
The loading apparatus 11 is associated with a gun 2. A revolving magazine 
12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) stands on the ground 6 alongside and below the gun 2 
and receives several bullets or shells 13 and transports the same in an 
endless loop on two substantially pitch circular movement paths. The 
movement direction of the revolving or rotary magazine 12 is indicated by 
directional arrow 14. 
Loading apparatus 11 has a loading arm 15, which is pivotable about a 
vertical axis 16 in the direction of arrow 17 (FIG. 1). At the end of the 
pivoting path the loading arm reachs a reception position on the rotary 
magazine 12 (FIG. 2). 
In the illustrated embodiment, loading arm 2 has in each case two 
clamp-like grippers 18, which, in the reception position (FIG. 2), can 
grip and fix a shell in the rotary magazine 12. The loading arm 2 is also 
pivotable about a horizontal axis 19 which, as shown in FIG. 3, vertically 
intersects the core axis 10 of the gun barrel 3 or the axis of shield 4. 
A rammer 2 also has a conveyor 20, e.g. a chain running parallel thereto 
and which is provided with a nose-like driver 21. In the reception 
position (FIG. 2), the driver engages below the base of the shell 13 to be 
received. The rammer 22 is fitted to loading arm 15 and can be pivoted 
about an axis 23 parallel to said loading arm (FIGS. 1 and 2). It is 
located in the swung out position alongside the loading arm, performs the 
movement sequences therewith and is only pivoted below its base for 
ramming the shell. 
The apparatus operates in the following way. From the position according to 
FIG. 1, loading arm 15 is moved about vertical axis 16 in the direction of 
arrow 17 into the reception position (FIGS. 1 and 2). In this position 
grippers 18 are clamped so that they engage round the shell case. The 
driver 21 is simultaneously moved under the base of shell 13. The loading 
arm 15 is then pivoted back into the position according to FIGS. 1 and 3, 
in which the shell 13 is located below chamber 7 of gun 2 (FIG. 3). From 
this position loading arm 15 is pivoted about horizontal axis 19 into the 
loading position according to FIG. 4. As soon as the shell axis is aligned 
with the core axis 10 of gun barrel 3, the grippers 18 are released and 
the shell 13 is transported by the conveyor 20 and driver 21 into the 
chamber until the shell base terminates roughly with the rear edge of the 
base portion 8. Rammer 22 is then pivoted in about axis 23 on loading arm 
15 and transports shell 13 into the gun barrel 3 (FIG. 5). In the 
illustrated embodiment, it is a hydraulic telescopic rammer 22. When the 
shell 13 has reached the position according to FIG. 5, then the telescope 
is retracted, the propellant charge is introduced into the chamber and the 
sliding wedge-type breech block 9 is closed. Immediately following the 
retraction of the telescope of the hydraulic telescopic rammer 22, the 
empty loading arm 15 can be moved back into the position according to FIG. 
3 and a new loading process can begin.