METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDLING PROPELLANT CHARGES

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for artillery guns with fully or semi-automatic loading systems for stowing, handling and, prior to loading the gun in question, for preparing complete propellant charges consisting of modular charges of M(A)CS type, i.e. such complete charges that consist of a number of mutually combinable modular charges which, as they may contain different types of propellant and may be of different standardised lengths can be of different strengths, and which all have a primarily rigid combustible outer casing and where each one incorporates the necessary ignition system. As claimed in the present invention, each modular charge is stowed linearly after the other in magazine tubes (4) arranged compactly in parallel on top of and beside each other, each one containing a number of modular charges of a specific type. A pre-determined number of modular charges can then be retrieved from any freely elective magazine tube by a designated manipulator (7-10, 23, 35) that can retrieve modular charges from any commanded magazine tube (4). The manipulator subsequently deposits the modular charges into the loading tray or loading pendulum (11, 27, 42).

Description: METHOD AND DEVICE FORHANDLING PROPELLANT CHARGES The present invention relates to a method and a device for stowing and handling propellant charges of modular type in artillery guns with fully or semi-automatic loading systems. It is already possible using artillery locating radar and other surveillance systems, for example, to determine rapidly and with high precision the location of an artillery gun that has opened fire. There is thus a good opportunity for an enemy to open effective counter-battery fire. The artillery has therefore more or less been forced to depart from its previously fairly stationary tactics in favour of significantly more mobile tactics involving rapid engagements in the form of short intensive fires followed by immediate redeployment to a pre-determined deployment site at a sufficiently safe distance from the previous one. These new tactics have resulted in an increased need for every gun to be self-propelled and capable of carrying at least a primary requirement of ammunition. One must also assume that coming generations of artillery will use propellant charges of modular type, i.e. propellant charges consisting of a number of modular charges of different sizes such as length and, to a certain extent, diameter and of different charge strength with primarily rigid combustible outer casing, and that are combinable in various ways to provide the desired muzzle velocities. At present this system of modular charges is called M(A)CS, i.e. Modular (Artillery) Charge System. Moreover, as the next generation of artillery guns is expected to be equipped with armoured protection against battlefield fragments to an even greater extent than is normal today, next generation loading systems will be required to operate very rapidly and be capable of stowing large quantities of propellant charges and of handling all the different types of propellant charges in the M(A)CS. The propellant charges must also be stowable in the least possible space. In addition, loading systems shall be robust and durable, and the propellant charge magazine shall be replenishable in a very short time, preferably from a vehicle equipped with an automatic resupply unit. The purpose of the present invention is to offer a propellant charge handling system that meets the above stated requirements. The invention is based on the use of a very compact stowage space in which the modular charges are stowed linearly in a number of magazine tubes arranged in parallel with each other, each magazine tube containing modular charges of one and the same type. Each such magazine tube terminates in a common endplane while the opposite end of each magazine tube is accessible for an ejector provisionally built into the tube. Even ejectors operated by compressed air ought to be usable. In combination with this magazine a manipulator is used that can be described as an industrial robot with limited operating motion arranged to manoeuvre a retrieval tube between the outfeed apertures of the magazine tubes. The retrieval tube is thus aligned with a magazine tube after which the desired number of modular charges are transferred to the retrieval tube. This can thus retrieve modular charges from a number of different magazine tubes and thereby assemble a complete propellant charge of the desired charge strength before it is manoeuvred to an outer end position aligned with the loading pendulum used to load the artillery gun in question and to which the complete charge is transferred by, for example, an ejector built into the retrieval tube. The latter can also be used to determine the number of modular charges to be retrieved from a specific magazine tube. A special variant of the present invention would be to use two identically designed compact magazines and arrange a retrieval tube in a space between them, i.e. to enable it to retrieve modular charges from both its ends. In this version the retrieval tube should also be usable for transferring modular charges to the loading pendulum, or be usable itself as a loading pendulum for loading the gun. However, in this version the ejector must be specially designed so that it is not in the way when replenishing with modular charges via the rear aperture of the retrieval tube. The method and device as claimed in the present invention is defined in the subsequent Patent Claims and shall now be described in further detail with reference to the appended figures in which Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an artillery gun mounted in an armoured turret, Figure 2 shows a subassembly from Figure 1 to a larger scale, Figure 3 shows a diagonal section of a variant of the device as claimed in the present invention, and Figure 4 shows the same exploded view as that shown in Figure 1 but with a propellant magazine divided into two sections. Parts shown on more than one figure, primarily Figures 1 and 2 and partially 4, have the same designation irrespective of scale. Figures 1 and 4 show the outer contours of an artillery gun 2 mounted in an armoured turret 1. All parts relating to the mounting of the gun, loading trays, rammer, and the complete projectile handling system have been excluded from the figures for the sake of clarity. In the armoured turret 1 there is a compact modular charge magazine 3 consisting of eighteen magazine tubes in the example illustrated arranged on top of and beside each other. All the magazine tubes terminate in one and the same vertical endplane 5. Each of the magazine tubes 4 has its outfeed aperture in this endplane. Each such outfeed aperture may, if so desired, be equipped with an openable and closable protective cap or catch (no suchlike, however, is illustrated in the figure). Each magazine tube is also accessible from the opposite end to the outfeed aperture for an ejector operating in each magazine tube. This ejector may be mechanically driven by compressed air or another medium. As each ejector is conceived as being located inside each magazine tube the ejector has not been illustrated in the figures. One and the same type of propellant charge of modular type shall be stowed in each magazine tube 4. These modular charges have combustible outer casings with an external shape enabling them to be mutually combinable, and as they may be of different charge strengths and lengths by assembling an appropriate combination of various such modular charges a complete charge of exactly the strength desired can be obtained. For retrieving modular charges from one or more pre-determined magazine tubes there is a retrieval tube 6 parallel to the magazine tubes and indexable between their outfeed apertures. In the version illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the retrieval tube 6 is mounted on a horizontal mechanically drivable lateral feed slide 7 which in turn is mounted on a mechanically drivable vertical feed slide 8. The latter is in turn mechanically drivable along two diagonal guides 9 and 10. By means of the horizontal, lateral, and diagonal drives the retrieval tube 6 can access all the magazine tubes including those that are close to the sloping side roof of the armoured turret. The retrieval tube 6 has one more position, namely immediately behind the loading pendulum 11 via which the artillery gun 2 is finally loaded. For transfer of the modular charges retrieved from the magazine tubes from the retrieval tube 6 to the loading pendulum there is an ejector fully integrated in the retrieval tube 6. Each magazine tube must be equipped with an outfeed catch of some type or other to retain the modular charges in the magazine tubes when the gun is in transport mode but which can be deactivated when one or more modular charges shall be retrieved. The outfeed catches may be of elementary technical design which is why they are only generally indicated in Figure 2 where they are designated 36. For deactivating these outfeed catches when retrieving modular charges the retrieval tube 6 may, for example, be designed to have limited axial movement indicated by arrow 37 to enable the retrieval tube to connect snugly with the outfeed aperture of the relevant magazine tube on each occasion. At the same time the outfeed catches 36 are designed in such a way that they automatically retract to the side of any magazine tube when the retrieval tube 6 connects with the outfeed aperture of the magazine tube in question. When retrieval is complete the outfeed catches 36 return to closed position when the retrieval tube 6 disconnects from the outfeed aperture of the magazine tube. The retrieval tube 6 may also be fitted with an internal blocking device such as a feed stop that can be indexed between a number of different positions, each of which leaves the internal length in the retrieval tube free that corresponds to the number of modular charges that are to be retrieved on each occasion from each magazine tube. Such an indexable internal feed stop 38 (see Figure 2) may also be used as an ejector for transferring the modular charges retrieved into the loading tray of the gun. For indexing the feed stop 38 there is an extendible/retractable hydraulic piston system 39 as illustrated in Figure 2 comprising three slidable pistons of which two (40, 41) in the position shown in the figure are maximally extended and the third is fully retracted. Figure 3 shows another version providing greater manoeuvrability to the retrieval tube. This version uses a compact magazine 12 consisting of parallel magazine tubes 13 arranged on top of and beside each other, all terminating in one endplane 14 where they have their outfeed apertures. All the magazine tubes are equipped with ejectors at the opposite end to the outfeed aperture. The magazine tubes shall have some kind of retaining catch at each end. Instead of one retrieval tube this example uses four such retrieval tubes 15-18, each of which is equipped with a chain-driven ejector 19-22 as indicated in the figure. Retrieval tubes 15-18 are in turn mounted on a joumalled arm 24, an elbow 25, and a wrist 26-mounted manipulator 23. By means of this manipulator 23 any of the retrieval tubes 15-18 can be positioned in front of any elective magazine tube 13 from which it can retrieve the desired number of modular charges. By repeating this sequence with all four retrieval tubes for the elective magazine tubes, four complete propellant charges can be kept in readiness. From the position with the retrieval tubes immediately outside the outfeed apertures of the magazine tubes, the manipulator 23 — thanks to its three joumalled joints which, if required, can be provided with full swivel and slewing mobility — can swing the retrieval tubes directly behind the loading pendulum 27 provided for loading the artillery gun, in which position the relevant ejectors 19-22 are actuated. Thus with this version complete propellant charges for four rounds are always available for firing in extremely rapid sequence without the retrieval tubes needing to return to the magazine tubes for replenishment. If desired, for continuous fire only one retrieval tube needs to be replenished at a time as this would enable a more even rate of fire. Finally, Figure 4 shows a variant in which the propellant magazine is divided into a forward unit 29 and an aft unit 30. Both these magazines are constructed of the same sort of magazine tubes as in the previous magazine. However, they have their respective outfeed apertures 31 and 32 facing each other. As in previous versions the ejectors are built into the magazine tubes. In this connection it may be relevant to point out that the number of modular charges fed out from a magazine tube into a retrieval tube on each single occasion can either be determined by precisely defining the length of stroke of the ejector and the ejection velocity, or by making the outfeed ejector built into the retrieval tube adjustable according to the number of modular charges the retrieval tube shall be permitted to receive on each occasion, i.e. in general as claimed in what has already been stated concerning the device in Figure 2. In the version illustrated in Figure 4 the retrieval tube 28 is arranged to pivot between the two propellant magazines 29 and 30, and from freely elective retrieval positions can receive modular charges from each magazine both from the front and rear. Furthermore, the retrieval tube can pivot through arc 33 to a position directly behind the breech opening of the gun and thereby also function as a loading tray and rammer. Unless the retrieval tube is provided with a special angle-setting capability, however, the above can only be performed when the gun is at zero degrees elevation. Consequently, in most cases a loading pendulum 42 is required as an intermediate stage. To enable the retrieval tube to reach all the magazine tubes as well as the correct position behind the breech opening of the gun 2 it is presupposed that the pivot arms 34 and 35, of which only 35 is visible in the figure, are of continuously adjustable length. When replenishing magazines of the above types new modular charges are furnished by special resupply vehicles that feed in the new modular charges via purpose made hatches after which the new modular charges are distributed to the individual magazine tubes by the retrieval tube(s).

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS We hereby claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following. 1. A method in artillery guns (2) with fully or semi-automatic loading systems for handling and, prior to loading the gun in question, for preparing complete propellant charges comprising modular charges of M(A)CS type, i.e. such complete charges consisting of a number of combinable modular charges which, as they may contain different types of propellant and may be of various standardised lengths, can be of different strengths and which all have a primarily rigid combustible outer casing and where each complete propellant charge comprises the necessary modular charges wherein each modular charge is stowed linearly after one another in magazine tubes (4) compactly arranged in parallel on top of and beside each other, each one containing a number of a specific type of modular charge and whereby all these magazine tubes (4) terminating in a common endplane (5, 14) may be connected with a device (6, 15-18, 28) for retrieving modular charges from each magazine tube (4) which device (6, 15-18, 28) by means of a manipulator (7-10, 26, 35) can be moved from an initial position in front of any freely elective magazine tube (4) or in several stages in front of several freely elective magazine tubes of a pre-determined number for retrieval of a pre-determined number of modular charges elected from these magazine tubes to another position adjacent to and aligned with the loading tray, loading pendulum, or equivalent (11, 27, 42) used to feed the artillery gun (2) in question with the propellant charges required for firing and where all the modular charges retrieved from each magazine tube (4) are transferred to the loading pendulum (11, 27, 42). 2. A device as claimed in the method in Claim 1 for artillery guns (2) with fully or semi-automatic loading systems for stowing, handling and, prior to loading the gun in question, for preparing complete propellant charges consisting of mutually combinable modular charges, i.e. modular charges that may be of different charge strengths by virtue of different size, diameter and/or because they contain different types of propellant but which all have a primarily rigid combustible outer casing and which all incorporate the necessary ignition system and which can be combined to form complete propellant charges to provide the freely elective muzzle velocity for the desired range and projectile trajectory wherein as stowage space (3, 14, 29, 30) for the modular charges there are a number of magazine tubes (4) arranged in parallel and on top of and beside each other, each one accommodating a number of modular charges arranged linearly after each other and whereby each of these magazine tubes terminates in a common endplane (5, 14) where all the outfeed apertures of the magazine tubes (4) are accessible for the retrieval tube (6, 15-18, 28) with indexable alignment with any freely elective outfeed apertures by a manipulator (7-10, 23, 35) and which retrieval tube also has at least one outer stop position beside all the magazine tubes in which the retrieval tube is directly behind and aligned with the loading pendulum (11, 27, 42) used to load the gun (2) in question and whereby each magazine tube (4) has an ejector at the opposite end to the outfeed aperture for ejecting the commanded number of modular charges on each occasion into the retrieval tube (6, 15-18, 28) positioned against the outfeed aperture of the relevant magazine tube (4). 3. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the manipulator (7-10, 23, 35) that drives the retrieval tube (6, 15-18, 28) between its various positions has a form similar to that of an industrial robot (26) incorporating arms with one or more joumalled joints (24-26). 4. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the manipulator (7-10) that drives the retrieval tube (6) between its various positions incorporates at least two mutually perpendicular feed slides (7, 8) in a plane parallel to the common endplane (5) of the magazine tubes (4). 5. A device as claimed in Claims 2-4 wherein the manipulator (23) supports several retrieval tubes (15-18) that can be filled with modular charges prior to firing a number of projectiles in rapid succession during which the said retrieval tubes are positioned one after the other behind the loading pendulum (27) to provide complete propellant charges for the projectiles being fired. 6. A device as claimed in Claims 2-5 wherein each retrieval tube (6, 15-18, 28) is equipped with its own ejector (19-22). 7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the retrieval tube (6, 15-18, 28) ejector is adjustable between different positions depending on the number of modular charges to be retrieved from each magazine tube (4) and whereby the ejectors of the magazine tubes are driven by or are constituted of compressed air. 8. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the propellant charge magazine is divided into two magazine units (29, 30) and the retrieval tube is arranged to pivot between them to enable it to receive modular charges as elected from the front or rear or from both directions and whereby the ejector of the retrieval tube (28) is so designed that it is not disturbed by this.

Inventors: HALLQVIST STEN, HALLQVIST, STEN
Applicants: BOFORS AB, HALLQVIST STEN, HALLQVIST, STEN
Application year: 1997
Main classification: F41A9
IPC codes: F41A9