U.S. patent number 3,732,778 [Application Number 05/015,132] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-15 for device on weapon barrels for reduction of the angle jump of a projectile.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Rheinmetall GmbH. Invention is credited to Peter Bettermann, Heinz Reuschel, Manfred Wolf.
United States Patent |
3,732,778 |
Bettermann , et al. |
May 15, 1973 |
DEVICE ON WEAPON BARRELS FOR REDUCTION OF THE ANGLE JUMP OF A
PROJECTILE
Abstract
A device on gun barrels for the reduction of the angle jump of a
projectile, which comprises at least one reinforcement member
fitted to the forward range of a gun barrel, and is adapted to
dampen bending oscillations occuring upon firing in the gun
barrel.
Inventors: |
Bettermann; Peter (Bad
Kreuznach, DT), Reuschel; Heinz (Tiefenbroich,
DT), Wolf; Manfred (Bad Kreuznach, DT) |
Assignee: |
Rheinmetall GmbH (Dusseldorf,
DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5727137 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/015,132 |
Filed: |
February 27, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Mar 5, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 11 067.9 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
89/14.05;
42/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A
21/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41A
21/00 (20060101); F41f 017/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;42/1R,76R
;89/14R,15,16 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bentley; Stephen C.
Claims
We claim:
1. A device on gun barrels for the reduction of the angle jump of a
projectile, comprising
a plurality of reinforcement members fitted to the forward range of
a gun barrel, and adapted to dampen bending oscillations occuring
upon firing in said gun barrel,
said reinforcement members being disposed in the vicinity of the
muzzle of said gun barrel, and comprise rotation-symmetrical bodies
enlarging in this range the plane-moment of inertia of said gun
barrel,
said plurality of reinforcement members being disposed spaced apart
at predetermined distances within the range of adjacent occurring
loading peaks in the vicinity of the muzzle of said gun barrel.
Description
The present invention relates to a device on weapon barrels for the
reduction of the angle jump of a projectile.
During firing from a weapon barrel set at a predetermined angle of
elevation, it is generally found that the projectile starts its
flight path at the moment of passage of the muzzle at an angle
which is different from the set angle. The angle difference between
the angle of elevation and the angle of departure of the projectile
is generally known for a long time as the angle jump. The reason
for this angle change resides in the fact, that the gun barrel
performs oscillations during the passage of the projectile, which
impart a different position to the gun barrel at the moment of the
departure of the projectile and a certain cross-speed in the
direction of the deflection and perpendicular to the barrel-axis
and core-axis, respectively.
It has been recognized, that the main-part of the angle jump of
perfectly set barrels of guns, in particular of cannons, howitzers
and mortars, i.e. the deviation between the target and the point of
impact originates from high-frequency bending oscillations of the
gun barrel, which precede the projectile. Due to these occurences,
aside from disturbances of different causes, the projectile leaves
the muzzle at an angle deviating slightly from the direction of the
target and raising, respectively.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a device on
weapon barrels for reduction of the angle jump of a projectile in
which the angle jump, caused by a plurality of factors, of which
the barrel-bending-oscillations assume the greatest part, is
reduced, with the aim to obtain a greater target exactness.
Based on the physical laws concerning the oscillation-behavior of
conic, one-sided clamped rods, which are excited with a high
frequency at the clamped end perpendicularly to the cone axis, it
can be deducted, that also the gun barrel is loaded at the most in
the vicinity of the free end (thus in the vicinity of the muzzle).
Depending upon the order of the excited bending oscillations also a
plurality of such loading extremes can occur, which are disposed,
however, always in the forward range of the barrel, thus in the
vicinity of the muzzle.
Starting with this recognition, the solution of the present
invention resides in the arrangement, according to which the gun
barrel has in the forward longitudinal range a strutting which
dampens the bending oscillations.
By the increase of the bending rigidity, which is defined by the
formula:
B (X) = E J (X),
wherein
E is the elasticity-module
J (x) is the plane-moment of inertia per longitudinal unit,
The load and, thereby, the muzzle angle can be decisively
reduced.
This is brought about by the increase of the value J (X), which is
given by the formula:
J (X) = .pi./4 (R.sup.4 (X) - r.sup.4),
Wherein
R and r are the radii of the gun barrel within the range of the
prevailing load.
Adventageously, the strutting is disposed in the vicinity of the
muzzle and comprises a rotation-symmetrical body enlarging the
plane-moment of inertia of the barrel in this range. The
oscillations excited in the barrel upon firing are thereby
dampened, still before the projectile has left the barrel, and in
this manner the angle jump is reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device
on weapon barrels for reduction of the angle jump of a projectile
wherein, depending upon the type of the gun barrel, the strutting
comprises a ring-reinforcement of the barrel wall of corresponding
dimension or a metal-ring-member, which is connected with the
barrel by fitting on the barrel and by shrinking the
metal-ring-member on the barrel. In order to obtain the desired
effect, it is of importance, that the connection between the
strutting and the gun barrel is very intimate, that means that a
mere screwing on of the strutting on the gun barrel has a lesser
effect.
With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in
the following detailed description, the present invention, which is
shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection
with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 discloses an elevation of the device constituting one
embodiment of the device designed in accordance with the present
invention; and
FIG. 2 is an elevation of the device constituting a second
embodiment of the present invention.
The device of the present invention comprises a gun barrel 1
conically reduced towards the muzzle 2. The gun barrel 1 is mounted
in a cradle (not shown) by means of a trunnion and is considered
clamped at this point in oscillation-technical calculation. S
depicts a bending-oscillation diagram, corresponding with the
bending-oscillations excited in the barrel upon firing.
The plane-moment of inertia per length-unit J(X) and thereby the
bending rigidity B(X) of the gun barrel can be increased only by
enlargement of R (X), as can be ascertained from the above stated
formula. Since the loading extremes, as shown, occur always in the
forward third of the barrel, i.e. in the vicinity of the muzzle,
the barrel 1 is equipped in this range with a rotation-symmetrical
body, as a metal-ring-member 4 (FIG. 1), enlarging the plane-moment
of inertia. The body 4 is fitted on the barrel 1 and is shrunken on
the barrel, so that a very intimate and rigid connection is
obtained with the barrel wall, i.e. as the barrel wall and the
strutting body were made integrally of one piece. Such formation,
wherein the stiffening body comprises a barrel reinforcement is of
particular advantage. The body 4 forms in this manner a
reinforcement of the gun barrel, which is capable of dampening
effectively the bending oscillations excited upon firing. The
experimental investigations with such reinforcements resulted in a
reduction of the angle jump for 70 percent.
Referring again to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 2, the
reinforcement member may comprise a plurality of rings or beads 4'
at predetermined distances on the barrel 1, which rings or beads 4'
are disposed preferably within the range of occurring loading
extremes.
While we have disclosed two embodiments of the present invention,
it is to be understood, that these embodiments are given by example
only and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *