Patent GB-300812-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in fire control apparatus for guns
IPC: F41G5/16
Filed: 1927-12-19
Abstract: 300,812. Brewer, G., (Krupp Akt.-Ges., F.). Dec. 19, 1927. Ordnance, discharging by means external to breech mechanism; sights and methods of sighting.-Relates to the control of guns from a distant observing station, and consists mainly in the arrangement of an automatic firing-device Q, R, of which one member Q is controlled by the line e<2>, e<2> at the observing station. and the other member R is controlled by the elevation of the gun M. The observing station has a telescope sight H<2> carried by a, casing H mounted on transverse horizontal trunnions h<1> on a gymbal ring G, which is itself mounted on longitudinal trunnions e<2>, e<2> on an arc E adjustable in a guide B about the axis 1 of the trunnions h<1> by a rack gear e<1> driven by a motor F. A pointer J is mounted on the casing H adjustably about the axis 1 and is provided with a contact i' co-operating with a contact g' on the gymbal ring G. The casing H is fitted with a gyroscope K, which maintains the telescope H<2> in the horizontal position: and the pointer J is set by a small electric motor h' to an angle of elevation Am corresponding to the elevation to be imparted to the guns. The contacts g<1>, i' then control the motor F to bring the axis of the trunnions e<2>, e<2> to the same elevation. The guide B is carried by a pillar b<1> and is trained by means of a hand-wheel C. This training is communicated to each gun mounting L by means of a transmitter c' and receivers d<1>, one at each gun. Similarly the motor F operates a transmitter F<1> connected to receivers, one for each gun, whereby a ring Q in a casing L' at each gun is turned to elevate a contact q<1> thereon to the same angle of elevation as the pointer J of the observing station. This angle of elevation is also transmitted to a receiver L<2> at the gun. The gun M is elevated by a motor L<1> provided with a speed-regulating device and controlled by the gunner, and this elevation is transmitted by a shaft N to a pointer on the receiver L<2>. The receiver L<2> thus serves as a follow-the-pointer device to enable the gunner to elevate the gun correctly. The elevation imparted to the gun is transmitted to a pointer R in the casing L<3> by the shafting N<1>, N<3>. The pointer R has a contact r<1> co-operating with the contact q<1> to close the firing circuit of the gun when the elevation of the gun agrees with the elevation of the pointer J, except for corrections as pointed out below. The elevation of the gun is moreover transmitted by a transmitter S to a pointer R<2> at a commanding station. This pointer R<2> can be connected to any of the transmitters S in order to represent the elevation of any particular gun of the group under command. A ring Q<2> is rotatably mounted in a casing A<2> about the same axis as the pointer R<2> and is operated like the rings Q by a receiver connected to the transmitter F<1> of the observing station, whereby a contact q<3> on the ring Q<2> is set to the same angle of elevation as the pointer J of the observing station. The contact q<3> and a contact r<3> on the pointer R<2> are in the firing circuit of the guns, which also includes a main switch at the commanding station. One half q<4> of the ring Q<2> above the contact q<3> is coloured yellow, and the lower half q<5> is coloured blue; and a wire a<3> is attached to the casing A<2> to indicate the horizontal and facilitate observation by the commanding officer. A device is interposed in the shafting N<1>, N<3> to enable the pointer R to be adjusted independently of the elevation of the gun M to provide for a correction of the elevation, for instance for wear of gun. When the guns have been correctly elevated, and the main switch at the commanding station is closed, the guns are automatically fired during the " rolling through " of the ship by the substantially simultaneous closure of the contacts q<1>, r<1> and q<3>, r<3>. The firing may also be performed during " turning through," that is to say while the guns are in movement in elevation. For this purpose, the gunners who have elevated their guns according to the indications of their receivers L<2> report to the commanding officer that they are ready. The commanding officer then connects his pointer R<2> to one of the ready guns, and when by observation of the contacts q<3>, r<3> he notices that the ship is in the lower or upper reversing position he starts or orders the gunners to start the elevation of the guns at the same speed downwards or upwards as the case may be, and the guns are fired when the contacts q<1>, r<1> and q<3>, r<3> close the firing circuits. Specifications 28750/04, 146,482, 146,485, 146,486, 146,488, 168,251, 212,934, 214,995, and 275,212, are referred to.