Geometrical instruments – Straight-line light ray type – Aerial bomb sight
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-01-30
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Geometrical instruments
Straight-line light ray type
Aerial bomb sight
C042S076010, C033S277000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178648
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The technical scope of the invention is that of devices allowing a muzzle mirror to be fastened to one end of an artillery barrel.
The purpose of muzzle mirrors is to supply the artillery fire control with the true position of the end of the barrel.
Indeed, the thermal stresses resulting from the firing as well as the meteorological conditions cause a variable strain of the gun barrel (generally called bending).
However, the external ballistics (and therefore firing accuracy) is linked to the true position of the muzzle of the barrel. Firing accuracy will thus be strongly affected by the bending of the barrel and the fire control must possess the accurate co-ordinates of the barrel muzzle so as to control laying appropriately.
The muzzle mirror is a polished surface that receives a laser beam emitted by the fire control. This mirror reflects the beam, a sensor on the fire control picks up the reflected beam and thereby determines the true position of the barrel muzzle depending on the deviation measured.
Known fastening devices for muzzle mirrors generally incorporate fastening flanges that encircle the gun barrel. They present the drawback of badly withstanding the stresses due to firing (recoil accelerations and vibrations), such stresses being all the greater in that the barrel of the gun generally incorporates a muzzle brake that rejects part of the propellant gases to the rear, thus towards the mirror. The radial and/or axial position of the mirror is thus gradually modified and the firing reference measured becomes incorrect.
So as to overcome such drawbacks, the mirror is sometimes welded to the barrel. However, such an arrangement complicates the installation of thermal sleeves and smoke boxes onto the barrel. Indeed, these elements can no longer be designed in the shape of cylindrical barrels slipped over the barrel but must be constituted by two half-shells assembled using toggle fasteners.
Moreover, welding imposes the choice of a material for the mirror support analogous to that constituting the barrel thereby leading to the definition of a heavy mirror support increasing the bending of the barrel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is to propose a fastening device for a muzzle mirror that does not present such drawbacks.
The device according to the invention is of a simple and rugged structure and enables the reliable positioning of the muzzle mirror at the end of the gun barrel.
Thus, the subject of the invention is a fastening device for a muzzle mirror at one end of an artillery gun barrel, device comprising a mirror support incorporating at least two flanges encircling the gun barrel and connected to one another by a first linking means, wherein said flanges are housed in a groove made in the barrel and are linked in rotation to said barrel by means of an obstacle, such device also comprising a centering collar housed in the groove, such collar being constituted by at least two jaws connected by a second linking means, such collar having a tapered support co-operating with a matching tapered support arranged of the flanges such that tightening the second linking means ensures both the axial and radial retention of the flanges.
The centering collar will, advantageously, comprise three identical jaws connected in pairs using screws.
Each jaw can have transversal slits intended to make its strain easier.
The first and second linking means can incorporate screws as well as tapered washers placed under the screw heads, such washers allowing an elastic radial strain of the support and the collar.
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Dupuy R{acute over (e)}gis
Ledys Francis
Buckley Denise J
Giat Industries
Jordan Charles T.
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