1997-06-02
1998-11-03
Eldred, J. Woodrow
Ordnance
Loading
89 47, F41A 900
Patent
active
058312013
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a device for ramming shells and propellant charges in artillery guns of the type which are loaded with non-cartridged ammunition, i.e. those in which the shell and propellant charge are rammed separately.
BACKGROUND ART
Modern artillery tactics presuppose extremely high loading speeds, even for heavier guns, and at the same time entail the need for rapid changes in the gun elevation and in the size of the propellant charges between the different shots in a salvo. This is of course done in an attempt to get as many shells as possible to hit the target area as close upon each other as possible, and this is achieved by firing the various shells in one salvo towards the target area along trajectories of different heights. In addition, the increased maximum firing ranges of the guns mean that there is an ever greater number of different propellant charges to alternate between. The most flexible type of propellant charge available at present consists of a variable number of charge modules with combustible and essentially stiff outer casings. These charge modules are found in at least two basic types, of which one type is designed so that the various modules can be connected together to form larger or smaller charges. However, not even these connected charge modules have the same stability as a unit charge of an older type, and charges made up of such charge modules are therefore more difficult to ram automatically than the completely stiff unit charges with metal, plastic or combustible casings. In the alternative case, where the charge modules above are not connected to each other, the difficulties increase to a corresponding extent.
The most urgent problem currently facing gun constructors has therefore been to develop a novel loading system which is sufficiently fast to satisfy modern artillery technology and which at the same time is of sufficient flexibility that it becomes possible to exploit the abovementioned module charges fully and, in so doing, to benefit from all the advantages thereof.
A main component in the general loading system has been available for some years now, namely the so-called flick rammer with which it is possible to effect a very rapid ramming of larger shells at high elevations. As the name suggests, the flick rammer is designed to throw shells and/or propellant charges at high speed for ramming in the gun. However, the flick rammer is chiefly used today for shells and completely stiff unit charges, for example of the type with combustible casings or discardable casings made of plastic or metal. On the other hand, it has hitherto been difficult to get the flick rammer to function satisfactorily with module charges of the abovementioned types. It is also true that flick rammers, if they are to function without error, depend on an extremely precise alignment in relation to the gun barrel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a loading system which satisfies all the abovementioned requirements applying at present to a modern loading system of this type, that is both as regards to rapidity as well as to flexibility and functional reliability.
The invention is based on the use of a pair of cooperating flick rammers, one of which is intended for ramming the shells, and the other for ramming the propellant charges. For the necessary alignment of the rammers to be sufficiently exact, they are mounted in a frame which forms part of the gun elevation system and in which they can be displaced sideways from each of their outermost positions on either side of the gun. When the rammers are situated in their respective outermost positions, in which they are also supplied with new shells or propellant charges by means of members which do not form part of the present invention, the gun recoil system can pass between them.
According to the present invention, accuracy is now achieved between the supporting loading troughs of the rammers and the shells or propellant charges included therein, by virtue of th
REFERENCES:
patent: 4457209 (1984-07-01), Scheurcih et al.
patent: 4495853 (1985-01-01), Gottwaldt
patent: 5347911 (1994-09-01), Hallqvist
patent: 5604327 (1997-02-01), Skoglund et al.
Andersson Par
Hallqvist Sten
Bofors AB
Eldred J. Woodrow
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