System for anchoring a projectile launcher to the ground

Details System for anchoring a projectile launcher to the ground System for anchoring a projectile launcher to the ground

1993-07-19

1994-09-13

Brown, David

Ordnance

Rocket launching

Having tubular guide means

89 135, 102401, F42B 2314, F42B 2316, F41F 3042, F41A 110

Patent

active

053458532

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for anchoring a projectile launcher to the ground. The launcher includes a tubular body that rests on the ground by means of legs, in which body a projectile to be fired and a propellant charge are accommodated. The system includes at least one anchoring element that digs into the ground when the projectile is fired.
In general, a launcher of the aforementioned type rests on the ground by legs deployed manually or automatically in the case of a launcher unloaded from a carrier vehicle for example. The launcher is then oriented according to a given elevation angle and azimuth angle, these angles being predetermined or adjusted automatically when the target is detected by an associated acquisition system.
At the time the projectile is fired following ignition of a propellant charge initiated by an ignitor, the launcher is subject to mechanical constraints that can alter the adjustments of the azimuth and elevation angles of the launcher.
French Patent FR-2,356,114 describes a device for launching a flare rocket that is equipped at its rear part with an anchoring element formed by a prong that digs into the ground before the rocket is fired in order to prevent any displacement or toppling of the launch device upon firing. Specifically, the operations of adjusting the elevation and azimuth angles are effected manually by an operator who then drives the prong into the ground.
The device described in this document is designed for a projectile of the rocket type, namely a projectile that carries its own propellant charge. Thus, the forces acting on the launch support are far less than those that a mortar type projectile launcher would sustain.
Moreover, since the elevation and azimuth angles are adjusted on deployment, such a device cannot be applied to a mine of the "zone action" type which is able automatically to assume the particular elevation and azimuth angles as a function of the position and speed characteristics of a detected target.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A goal of the invention is to design a system for anchoring a projectile launcher to the ground, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks while providing other advantages.
For this purpose, the invention proposes an anchoring system wherein an anchoring element is slidably mounted in the launcher body and movable between a first position where it is at a distance from the ground and held to the launcher body by a temporary attachment device, and a second position where it digs into the ground. The anchor system includes a control system causing the anchor element to pass automatically from its first to its second position.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the control device of the anchoring element is constituted by the pressure of the gases resulting from ignition of a pyrotechnic charge, which charge can be that used to eject the projectile or an additional charge.
In general, the projectile, which is accommodated inside the launcher body, rests on a disk that forms a piston slidably mounted inside the launcher body, and the anchoring element is attached to a movable support slidably mounted inside the launcher body. The movable support delimits, with the piston, a variable-volume chamber in which the gases resulting from ignition of the projectile's propellant charge or additional charge diffuse.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the movable support to which the anchoring element is attached is constituted by a tubular element whose outer wall is in slidable contact with the inner wall of the launcher body. The tubular element terminates at one end in a bottom wall outside which the anchoring element is attached, whereby the variable-volume chamber is delimited between the bottom wall of the tubular element and the supporting piston of the projectile which rests on this bottom wall.
In this first embodiment, the temporary attachment device of the anchoring element is constituted by shear pins that project from the inner wall of the la

REFERENCES:
patent: 1198398 (1916-09-01), Wicker
patent: 1387308 (1921-08-01), Post
patent: 4724740 (1988-02-01), Garcia

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