U.S. patent application number 11/984501 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-11 for arrangement for weapon.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAAB AB. Invention is credited to Lars Ax, Eje Lantz, Kent Norgren, Rolf Pettersson.
Application Number | 20100282054 11/984501 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37920263 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100282054 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ax; Lars ; et al. |
November 11, 2010 |
Arrangement for weapon
Abstract
An arrangement for a weapon including a countermass for reducing
the pressure around the weapon. The countermass is enclosed in a
container, which is mountable in the barrel of the weapon behind an
ammunition part. The container is provided with an openable bottom
with break indications. A guiding folding support, configured as an
annular element, is arranged adjacent to the openable bottom on the
outside of the bottom relative to the countermass container. The
annular element is provided with a support member for each openable
flap forming part of the bottom. Thereby, the opening area in the
bottom of the counter mass container is defined by folding edges,
formed in each base region of the flaps in the open state as in
contact with its corresponding support member.
Inventors: |
Ax; Lars; (Tullinge, SE)
; Lantz; Eje; (Eskilstuna, SE) ; Norgren;
Kent; (Karlskoga, SE) ; Pettersson; Rolf;
(Torshalla, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE LLP
P.O. BOX 34385
WASHINGTON
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Assignee: |
SAAB AB
Linkoping
SE
|
Family ID: |
37920263 |
Appl. No.: |
11/984501 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
89/1.701 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 1/10 20130101; F41F
3/0455 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
89/1.701 |
International
Class: |
F41A 1/10 20060101
F41A001/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 17, 2006 |
EP |
06124297.0 |
Claims
1. An arrangement for a weapon, comprising: a countermass for
reducing the pressure around the weapon, a container enclosing the
countermass, which is mountable in a barrel of the weapon behind an
ammunition part, the container comprising an openable cover with
break indications on an ammunition part side and an openable bottom
with break indications on an other side, and a guiding folding
support arranged adjacent to said openable bottom on the outside of
the bottom relative to the countermass container.
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the guiding folding
support comprises an annular element configured to fit tightly
against an outside of the countermass container and in agreement
with the break indications of the openable bottom.
3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the openable bottom
comprises a number of openable flaps, and wherein said annular
element comprises a support member for each openable flap forming
part of the bottom.
4. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the openable bottom
comprises at least four radially extending break indications
defining at least four openable flaps for interaction with
corresponding support members of the annular element.
5. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the annular element
is arranged at one end of a sleeve, which is arranged to interact
between the countermass container and the barrel.
6. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein each openable flap
is triangular, and wherein in the open state is configured with
free equilateral legs and a base region integral with the wall of
the countermass container.
7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein an opening area in
the bottom of the counter mass container is defined by folding
edges formed in each base region of the flaps in the open state as
in contact with a corresponding support member.
8. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve is
configured for modification of a caliber of the barrel.
9. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve
including the annular element comprises a material having an
ultimate breaking strength larger than an ultimate breaking
strength of a material of the barrel at operating pressure.
10. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein each support
member comprises a straight folding line comprising a chord of the
annular element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an arrangement for a weapon
comprising a countermass for reducing the pressure around the
weapon, the countermass being enclosed in a container, which is
mountable in the barrel of the weapon behind an ammunition part,
such as a projectile or shell, and comprising an openable cover
with break indications on the ammunition part side and an openable
bottom with break indications on the other side.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] In order to increase the backward momentum and thus make
possible an increase in weight of the ammunition part without
excessively high pressure being created behind the weapon, it has
been known for many years to introduce what is known as a
countermass. A critical stage in weapons with countermass is the
opening phase of the countermass container. In this connection
reference might be made to our SE patents 0301626-8 and 0301627-6,
which discloses examples of countermass containers with symmetrical
opening of its cover, where all break indications contribute
simultaneously to the opening operation. Variations in temperature
and pressure of the weapon or the countermass container might, if
not compensated, influence on the opening operation.
[0005] Likewise, it is important to obtain symmetrical opening of
the bottom of the countermass container. In this regard it is vital
that even all break indications of the bottom contribute
simultaneously to the opening operation of the bottom. If any part
of the bottom does not open at the same time as the other parts, an
asymmetric flow is created when the countermass is leaving the
countermass container, which can produce great shear forces on the
barrel towards the outlet. For the good functioning of the weapon
it is important that the countermass has a homogeneous form when it
leaves the countermass container. Further, great recoil variations
might occur within the temperature range. In case the bottom would
fall apart into pieces, these would constitute a great risk behind
the weapon.
[0006] Even the opening operation of the bottom depends on the
temperature of the weapon or the countermass container. The
operating temperature can vary between approximately -40.degree. C.
and +63.degree. C. In order for the opening operation of the bottom
to have as small a variation spread as possible and to create
optimum opportunities for small recoil spreads, it is important to
compensate for pressure variations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One object of the present invention is to provide an
arrangement for a weapon with a countermass container, which brings
about an improved symmetrical opening operation with favourable
recoil in a better way than before.
[0008] This is possible with an arrangement of the initially
defined kind comprising a guiding folding support which is arranged
adjacent to said openable bottom on the outside of the bottom
relative to the countermass container.
[0009] Expedient improvements and developments of said arrangement
appear from the appended claims and the following description.
[0010] According to an advantageous development of the arrangement
the folding support is provided by means of an annular element
configured to fit tightly against the outside of the countermass
container and in agreement with the break indications of the
openable bottom. The openable bottom is designed with a number of
openable flaps and said annular element comprises a support member
for each openable flap forming part of the bottom.
[0011] Introduction of the annular element with a support member
for each openable flap enables the opening area in the bottom of
the counter mass container be defined by folding edges formed by
each base of the opened flaps as in contact with the corresponding
support members.
[0012] This in turn results in as small a variation spread as
possible in the opening operation of the bottom and the best
opportunity for small recoil spreads has thus been created.
[0013] Further, it results in a reproducible, almost identical
opening area, even if different weapons are utilized. Moreover,
this makes it possible to restrict the generation of undesirable
forces which might exert negative influence on the weapon, control
the recoil progress and minimize the risk of an asymmetric
pressurising of the countermass, each of which would affect the
alignment of the weapon during the period when the shell is moving
forward in the barrel. In addition, by varying the number of flaps
and corresponding support members it is possible to control the
opening are in the bottom of the container. Advantageously, each
openable flap might be triangular and in the open state configured
with free equilateral legs and a base region integral with the wall
of the countermass container.
[0014] The invention will be described in more detail below by
means of illustrative embodiments with reference to the
accompanying schematic drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a an arrangement for a
weapon with countermass container in the form of a sleeve, in one
end of which a guiding folding support is configured by means of an
annular element,
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view according to FIG. 1 of a
counter mass container with eight openable flaps mounted in the
sleeve,
[0017] FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 1 showing the circumferential
extension of the support members of the annular element,
[0018] FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 2 showing that a support
member is allocated for each openable flap forming part of the
bottom of the container,
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a variant of FIG. 4 of a counter mass container
with four openable flaps mounted in the sleeve,
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section of a rear part of a
weapon provided with a counter mass container arrangement sectioned
through lines A.sub.1-A.sub.1; A.sub.2-A.sub.2 as illustrated in
FIGS. 4 and 5,
[0021] FIG. 7 is a detailed section view on a larger scale of a
bottom part of the container arrangement in FIG. 6, which
illustrates one flap in its open state after firing the
ammunition.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The general principles of an arrangement for a weapon
comprising a countermass container mentioned by way of introduction
and particularly solutions to obtain symmetrical opening of the
cover of the countermass container are described in our SE patents
0301626-8 and 0301627-6 and therefore not described in greater
detail here. The subject matter of the present invention is related
to the opening of the bottom section of the counter mass
container.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an arrangement 2 for a
weapon with countermass container comprising a sleeve 4, in one end
of which a guiding folding support 6 is configured by means of an
annular element 8. In this embodiment said sleeve 4 is configured
as a lining or casing for the counter mass container, which is
mountable in the sleeve 4.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve in FIG. 1, in
which a counter mass container 10 of a conventional kind is
mounted. In this embodiment said container is configured with an
openable bottom 12 by means of eight evenly distributed brake
indications 14. In this way eight openable flaps 16 are defined in
said openable bottom.
[0025] FIGS. 3 and 4 are end views of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively.
FIG. 3 illustrates the circumferential extension of the annular
element 8 and particularly it illustrates an assembly of eight
separate support members 18 integrated in the annular element. One
support member 18 is allocated for each openable flap 16 forming
part of the bottom 12 of the container. Further, it is evident that
each support member 18 is configured with a straight folding line
20, which constitutes a chord of the annular element 8 and is
located at a distance d.sub.1 from the centre line c. On the
contrary to an arced folding line, which conventionally would
appear in the bottom of a container in lack of the guiding folding
support 6, said straight folding line 20 will prevent the
appearance of tear-off edges in a base region 22 of each flap 16
integral with the wall of the countermass container 10. This is
essential as the absence of tear-off edges will secure that no
debris from parts of flaps will adhere to the counter mass when
flowing out through the outlet of the barrel. The configuration
with eight support members 18 will result in a relatively large
opening area a.sub.1 in the bottom 12 of the container. The larger
the number of support members the larger is the area of the opening
in the bottom.
[0026] FIG. 5 shows a variant of FIG. 4 having a counter mass
container with four openable flaps mounted in the sleeve. In this
embodiment said container is configured with an openable bottom by
means of four evenly distributed brake indications 14'. In this way
four openable flaps 16' are defined in said openable bottom. FIG. 5
illustrates the circumferential extension of the annular element 8'
and particularly it illustrates an assembly of four separate
support members 18' integrated in the annular element.
[0027] One support member 18' is allocated for each openable flap
16' forming part of the bottom 12' of the container.
[0028] Even in this embodiment each support member 18' is
configured with a straight folding line 20', which constitutes a
chord of the annular element 8' and is located at a distance
d.sub.2 from the centre line c. The configuration with four support
members 18' will result in a relatively small opening area a.sub.2
in the bottom 12' of the container. The smaller the number of
support members the smaller is the area of the opening in the
bottom. With regard to the risk for appearance of tear-off edges in
lack of guiding folding support, similar advantages are achieved as
in the embodiment with eight openable flaps as illustrated in FIG.
4. The fact is that such a small number as four openable flaps 16'
even implies a greater risk, as each folding line 20' is
proportionately longer and thereby more sensitive to be broken in
pieces than in the embodiment with eight flaps.
[0029] FIG. 6 illustrates the rear part of a weapon comprising a
barrel 24 accommodating an ammunition part with a projectile, shell
or the like (not shown) and the countermass container arrangement 2
sectioned through lines A.sub.1-A.sub.1; A.sub.2-A.sub.2. It is
evident that the annular element 8 is configured at one end (the
rear end) of the sleeve 4, which is arranged to interact between
the counter mass container 10 and the barrel 24. In addition, the
counter mass container 10 is mounted in the sleeve 4 with each
support member 18 of the annular element located close to the
corresponding base region 22 of each flap 16 in the openable bottom
12, which base region is integral with the wall of the countermass
container 10.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a detailed section view on a larger scale of a
representative bottom part of the container arrangement in FIG. 6,
which illustrates in dashed lines one flap 16 in its open state.
The sleeve 4 including the appropriate support member 18 integrated
in the annular element 8 has an outer diameter DS and is supported
by the barrel 24. When firing the ammunition said flap 16 has been
bent open to its open state by influence of the counter mass. It
appears that the flap 16 has been bent over the support member 18
and the material of the flap in a hinge part in abutment against
the support member 18 has been deformed to such an extent that its
free end 26 is located close to the barrel 24, whereby a folding
edge 28 is formed of said material in abutment against the support
member.
[0031] Firstly, said folding edge 28 would be located a distance
from the inside of the barrel 24, approximately the same as the
outer diameter Ds of the sleeve 4, which determines the actual
location of the folding line 20, which in turn depends on the
number of flaps chosen, compare distance d.sub.1 in FIG. 4 with
distance d.sub.2 in FIG. 5 from the centre line c. Secondly, to
d.sub.1,d.sub.2 or any optional such distance the thickness of the
material in the flap should be added, which would result in a
distance da from the centre line c. The actual distance da is the
decisive design parameter for defining the opening area a.sub.1,
a.sub.2 of the container. Hence, by varying the number of flaps it
is achievable to control the opening area of the container. The
described embodiments are disclosed with eight or four openable
flaps only as non delimiting examples. Variants having different
numbers of flaps are allowed within the scope of the invention.
[0032] Consequently, reproducible folding edges defining the
opening area in the bottom of the container are formed in
interaction between each opened flap and its corresponding support
member.
* * * * *