Device for simulating hits on armored vehicles and similar targets

A device for simulating hits on a target for example in war games and particularly for simulating hits on armored vehicles comprises a housing which has a plurality of separate spaced apart charge receiving chambers therein. Each chamber contains a distinct charge preferably including but not limited to a so-called fireball type of charge, a smoke type charge and a report type charge. The charges are arranged in separate cups or compartments and the first charge is connected to an igniter which may for example be an ignition system which is set off by an external pulse of light. The other charges are connected to the first charge and to each other through pyrotechnical propagation charges which may or may not have a delay operation so that they are set off in a controlled sequence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
This invention relates in general to pyrotechnical devices and in 
particular to a new and useful device particularly adapted for indicating 
hits on targets and which includes a plurality of separate signal charge 
compositions. 
The devices for indicating hits on targets such as moving vehicles are 
known for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,418; Canadian Pat. No. 
9,997,960 and Swiss Pat. No. 535,727. 
To simulate gun shots or hits during military practice or maneuvers, it is 
known to equip wheeled or tracklaying vehicles with devices for firing 
pyrotechnical detonating bodies. With such devices, shots or hits can be 
simulated acoustically and optically. The pyrotechnical bodies are 
detonated electrically by the crew of the practicing armored vehicle. 
In prior art devices, while igniting and setting off the detonating body, 
thus simulating the shot, a pulse of light is transmitted simultaneously, 
which, if a hit is scored, is automatically registered by the fought or 
opposed vehicle. Such a hit is indicated on the opposed vehicle, for 
example, by an electric lamp which is switched on by the transmitted pulse 
of light. The lighting up of the lamp is an indication for the umpire that 
the fought vehicle has been hit and is to be eliminated from further 
combat exercise. 
This manner of simulating shots and hits has proved satisfactory in 
general, however, under many combat and weather conditions, the lighting 
up of a hit indicating lamp is not sufficiently perceivable. For example, 
if the vehicle is disguised by camouflage, or during invisibility caused 
by fog, etc. 
In view of these limits given by the concept of the devices, it has been 
proposed (German Utility Model No. 7,714,039), while still utilizing the 
fire equipment and the basic structure and mode of operation of the known 
pyrotechnical bodies employed for simulating shots and hits, to provide 
the pyrotechnical body with a pyrotechnical flare composition. The 
geometry and spatial accommodation of this flare composition in the 
pyrotechnical body corresponds to those of a detonating composition. As to 
making use of the flare composition, it has further been proposed to 
designate only one of the many discharging cups of which the firing device 
is assembled, for receiving the pyrotechnical body comprising the flare 
composition. 
Even though this alternative arrangement of a detonating and a flare 
composition in the pyrotechnical body would meet the requirements of 
simulating hits better and in a way closer to actual combat conditions, it 
still does not correspond to all possible or imaginable hit patterns on or 
in armored wheeled or tracklaying vehicles. For this reason, the present 
invention is directed to a pyrotechnical body simultaneously comprising a 
plurality of different signal compositions. 
In accordance with the present invention, a firing device which may be set 
off for example by a light control such as a laser control includes a 
housing containing a plurality of separate compartments which are filled 
with separate types of signal charges and which are arranged so that they 
may be set off at separate timed intervals. The signal charges 
advantageously include a fireball signal composition which is connected by 
pyrotechnic ignition devices to a smoke signal charge which in turn is 
connected to a report signal charge. The pyrotechnic igniting devices may 
advantageously include delay means for effecting the delay between the 
various charges and the charges may be arranged in any desired sequence. 
A development of the inventive idea provides that by arranging the signal 
compositions in a pyrotechnical body spatially behind or above one 
another, it becomes easy to selectively obtain the following signalling 
sequences: 
1. report-fire ball-smoke 
2. report-smoke-fire ball 
3. smoke-fire ball-report, and 
4. fire ball-smoke-report. 
According to a further development of the invention, a laser-produced pulse 
of external light may be used for igniting the respective first signal 
composition. 
The invention has a variety of advantages: 
Aside from the possibility of further utilizing the commonly employed 
firing devices with their discharging cups even while applying the 
invention, the geometry of the pyrotechnical bodies themselves is not 
changed or modified either. 
The principle advantage of the invention is that the fighting units may now 
selectively simulate any pattern of hits occurring during practice or 
maneuvers, on or in armored wheeled or tracklaying vehicles. 
Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a firing device for 
indicating target hits particularly on armored wheeled or tracklaying 
vehicles which comprises a housing having a plurality of separate spaced 
apart charge receiving chambers therein, one of the chambers containing a 
distinct first signal charge composition and at least one of the others 
containing a second signal charge composition and wherein the first and 
second charge compositions are disposed in spaced relationship with means 
for igniting the first composition being connected to the first signal 
charge and pyrotechnical propagation charge means disposed between the 
remainder of the signal charges and the first signal charge for 
selectively igniting the charges in a controlled sequence. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a firing device which is 
simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference 
is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which 
preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein 
comprises a firing device which is adapted to be employed for indicating 
hits on targets and warfare simulation exercises and which advantageously 
comprises a pyrotechnic body 6 defining a housing in which there are a 
plurality of chambers which are adapted to contain separate signal charge 
compositions. 
The individual variants of signal composition arrangement are designated 1, 
2, 3 and 4 in FIG. 1. Within these variants, the individual signal 
compositions are designated F, K, R, with the understanding that F means 
fireball, K means report and R means smoke. 
The propagation charges needed for igniting the respective second and third 
signal compositions are indicated as arrows 5 pointing in the priming 
direction. 
A pyrotechnical body generally designated 6 as shown in FIG. 2 is of 
conventional design as to its geometric outline. This ensures that it fits 
the conventional discharging cups (not shown) employed in the armed 
forces. 
In the housing of the pyrotechnical body 6 is arranged a fireball signal 
composition 7, a smoke signal composition 8, and a report signal 
composition 9. The signal compositions 7, 8 and 9 are accommodated 
spatially behind or above one another. The arrangement shown in FIG. 2 
corresponds to variant 4 of FIG. 1. 
Pyrotechnical body 6 comprises a housing with an outer shell 10 and an 
inner shell 11 of more than one part. At its bottom, inner shell 11 is 
closed by a disc 12. 
Within inner shell 11, there are two casings including an upper casing 13' 
and a lower casing 13 mounted one above the other. In lower casing 13, the 
report signal composition 9 is received. The smoke signal composition 8 is 
received in upper casing 13. 
An ignition charge 15 and an igniter delay composition charge 17 are 
received in a case 14 which is disposed within the smoke signal 
composition 8. At its bottom, case 14 is provided with a seal 16. Case 14 
is fixed to the upper casing 13 by means of an adhesive 18. 
Fuzes (quickmatches) 19 supported on an apertured cover 20 extend into 
smoke signal composition 8. Igniter charge bodies 21 are provided between 
apertured cover 20 and a bottom 23 which is fitted in a sleeve 22. The 
fireball composition 7 is accommodated in sleeve 22, above bottom 23 or 
igniter bodies 21. An ignition charge layer 24 is provided on top of the 
fireball composition. A primer capsule 26 is accommodated in a cover 25 
above the ignition charge layer 24. 
On top of a cover 25, a filler piece 27 is received in the outer shell 10. 
A protective cap 29 accommodates a plug 28' with a short-circuit cap 28. 
The plug 28' is connected to the primer capsule 26. Outer shell 10 and 
protective cap 29 are attached to each other by a closure strip 30. 
Fixing flanges 31 serve the purpose of supporting pyrotechnical body 6 in 
the discharging cup (not shown). 
By means of a pyrotechnical body 6 thus constructed, the individual signal 
compositions 7, 8 and 9 are ignited in the desired manner. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described 
in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the 
invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied 
otherwise without departing from such principles.