Patent Document ID: 3955292
Application ID: 05524826
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. In apparatus for controlling the aiming of an antiaircraft weapon having a barrel axis and a firing mechanism, and which apparatus comprises target tracking means located at a distance from the weapon for producing outputs corresponding to the instantaneous position of a target and to its speed and direction of motion, projectile flight time means for producing an output corresponding to the calculated time required for a projectile fired from the weapon to traverse the distance from it to the target, aim calculation means having an input connection from said target tracking means and normally having an input connection from said projectile flight time means, for calculating an aiming-off point ahead of the target at which the weapon should be aimed in order for a projectile fired from it to strike the target, and servo means at the weapon, connected with the aim calculation means and by which the weapon is aimed, means for scoring firing preparation and the accuracy of tracking during simulated firing of the weapon, the last mentioned means comprising: A. laser means at the weapon for emitting radiation pulses along an axis substantially coinciding with the barrel axis; B. means at the weapon connected with its firing mechanism and with said laser means, for causing the laser means to emit a pulse train comprising a predetermined succession of pulses of radiation each time the firing mechanism is actuated for the simulated firing of a projectile, each said pulse train containing a predetermined number of pulses and having a duration substantially shorter than the normal time between successive firings of real projectiles; C. radiation detection means at the weapon for detecting emitted radiation reflected back along said axis from reflector means on a target; D. means for producing a perceptible scoring output in response to reception by said radiation detection means of a succession of pulses comprising a predetermined substantial portion of the pulses of a pulse train; E. manually controllable means by which said aim calculation means can be 1. disconnected from the projectile flight time means, and 2. connected instead, for simulated firing, with a source of an input that corresponds to a projectile flight time equal to zero, so that proper preparation and tracking causes the weapon to be aimed directly at a tracked target at each instant of simulated firing and thus enables the radiation detection means to receive substantially the entire train of pulses emitted at each simulated firing and reflected back from the target.