Patent Publication Number: US-2002007726-A1

Title: Device for the protection of an armored vehicle against non- explosive projectiles

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This invention relates to a device for the protection of an armored vehicle against non-explosive projectiles.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0002] A device comprising a radar associated with a projectile launcher system is known, for protecting an armored vehicle such as a tank against non-explosive projectiles. As soon as the radar detects that an enemy projectile has been launched, it activates the launcher system that launches a projectile in the direction of the threat, this self-defense projectile being fired when it is in the immediate vicinity of the threat which modifies the trajectory sufficiently to make it ineffective.  
       [0003] However, the launcher system must comprise a large number of launchers if it is desired to protect the tank efficiently, even within a relatively small range of directions from which threats are likely to come, this range being towards the front of the tank.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] The purpose of the present invention is a device for protection of an armored vehicle against projectiles, particularly non-explosive projectiles, characterized in that it comprises at least one launcher device whose movements in at least one plane are controlled by a pyrotechnic ram.  
       [0005] This device provides optimal protection in the largest possible number of directions while requiring the smallest possible number of launchers.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0006] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear on reading the following description of preferred embodiments, taken only as non-limitative examples, making reference to the attached drawings of which:  
     [0007]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a launcher with its own pyrotechnic ram in the rest position, forming part of a device according to the invention;  
     [0008]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the launcher-ram assembly in FIG. 1, in the position aimed towards a target and ready to launch a self-defense projectile;  
     [0009]FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view of the ram in FIG. 1, in the rest position;  
     [0010]FIG. 4 is a view similar to the view in FIG. 3, but in the position aimed towards a target;  
     [0011]FIG. 5 is a simplified sectional view of a variant of a double-acting ram according to the invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a tank equipped with a device according to the invention, showing the protection angle provided with this device;  
     [0013]FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views in a plane perpendicular to the center line of the launcher tube and in a plane passing through this center line of the launcher tube. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0014] This invention is described above with reference to a device for the protection of a vehicle, and particularly a tank, against non-explosive projectiles but obviously it is not restricted to this application alone and it may be used for the protection of a vehicle against other types of threats, or it may be used to attack targets and particularly targets moving at high speed.  
     [0015]FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a device  1  for the protection of tanks according to the invention. This device  1  comprises essentially a launcher tube  2  fixed at its back to the tank structure  3  by a hinge  4 , for example a ball joint. The orientation of tube  2  in elevation or in bearing is controlled by a pyrotechnic ram  5  connected to the tube  2  by a hinge  6  and to structure  3  by another hinge  7 , for example these two hinges  6 ,  7  being ball joints. In FIG. 1, the ram  5  is shown in the inactive position (in the “down” position of the tube  2 ), and in the active position in FIG. 2. In this active position, the piston of this ram is stopped in contact with the plane wall, called the front wall, of the cylinder opposite the back wall with which it was in contact when it was in the inactive position. Ammunition  2 A is already in place in the tube  2 , ready to be launched.  
     [0016]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the manufacturing details of ram  5  shown in the inactive and active positions respectively. This ram  5  comprises essentially a cylinder  8  along which a piston  9  moves. An axial rod  10  is formed integral with the back wall  11  of the cylinder or is fixed to this wall, and an axial rod  12  is formed integral with the piston  9  (or fixed to it) and enters a neck  13  formed on the front wall  14  of the cylinder  8 . The piston  9  is provided with leaktight means  15 , for example an O-ring, making a sealed joint with respect to cylinder  8 . There is a pyrotechnic charge  16  in a recess formed in the inner face of the wall  11 , and an initiator (detonator)  17  is placed in the wall  11 , at the contact with the charge  16 . Conductors  18  connect the initiator  17  to an appropriate electrical control device (not shown). A pin  19  passes diametrically through the neck  13  and the rod  12  immobilizes this pin in the inactive position of piston  8 , and it can easily be sheared when the charge  16  is activated. The piston can then stop in contact with the wall  14  (FIG. 4).  
     [0017]FIG. 5 shows a ram  20  with three positions: one inactive position (as shown in the drawing) in which the piston is approximately at the mid-point of the length of the cylinder, and two positions that can be activated (one stop at each end of the cylinder), only one of which can be activated at a time.  
     [0018] The ram  20  comprises essentially a cylinder  21  closed at one end by a transverse partition  22  and at the other end by a transverse partition  23 . The partition  22  is fixed to an axial rod  24 . A piston  25  is placed in cylinder  21 , and it is provided with means  26  of making the joint between the piston and the cylinder leak tight. An axial rod  27  fixed to piston  25  passes through wall  23  and its neck  28 . In the inactive state, the piston  25  is held in the median position by a pin  29  that passes diametrically through the neck  28  and the rod  27 .  
     [0019] A recess is formed in each of the internal surfaces of the walls  22 ,  23 , for example an annular recess, in which a pyrotechnic charge  30 ,  31  respectively, is placed. Each of these charges is associated with an initiator,  32 ,  33  respectively, housed in the corresponding wall  22 ,  23 . Conductors  34 ,  35  connect the initiators  32 ,  33  respectively to an appropriate corresponding control device (not shown). One of the rods  24  and  27  is connected to the launcher tube and the other is connected to the tank structure, in a way similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. One of the two charges  30 ,  31  will be fired, depending on the required movement of the launcher from its inactive position (piston in the middle of the cylinder), in other words whether the link in which this ram is placed is to be shortened or lengthened . Firing forces the piston towards one of the ends  22  or  23 , which breaks the pin  29 . Thus, with this type of ram, three different orientations of the launcher tube can be obtained. Consequently, the number of launcher tubes necessary can be divided by three (compared with devices according to prior art mentioned in the preamble) to cover the same angular defense range. It then becomes possible to arrange the launcher tubes on the tank turret rather than on its front glacis. With this arrangement, the turret can be oriented to choose the azimuth of the sector to be defended. As shown in FIG. 6, apart from the orientation of the launcher tubes in azimuth by the turret of the carrier tank  36 , a wider angular defense range A in elevation is obtained, consisting of three angular ranges A 1 , A 2 , A 3  corresponding to the three elevation positions of the ram in FIG. 5.  
     [0020] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the launcher tube  37  (forming part of a set of several tubes arranged on a tank) is controlled by two rams  38 ,  39  that may be of the type shown in FIGS.  1  to  4 , or in FIG. 5. The center line of the ram  38  is vertical so that the elevation of the tube  37  can be varied, whereas the center line of ram  39  is horizontal, so that the azimuth of tube  37  can be varied.  
     [0021] According to another aspect of the invention, two or more rams conform with the invention may be arranged in series (on the same center line) to increase the number of possible positions of the launcher tube.