U.S. patent number 3,786,715 [Application Number 05/148,389] was granted by the patent office on 1974-01-22 for rapid loading system for missiles.
Invention is credited to Georges Even.
United States Patent |
3,786,715 |
Even |
January 22, 1974 |
RAPID LOADING SYSTEM FOR MISSILES
Abstract
This invention relates to the feeding of missiles to missile
launchers and more particularly to a system comprising a support
member for at least one missile container, translation means for
fetching each missile carried by said supporting member from a
waiting position to a loading position in contact with the launcher
by a rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the missile
axis, first temporary latching means of the supporting member with
the translation means during the common movements thereof, second
temporary latching means of the launcher with the supporting member
in the loading position, and means for establishing electrical
connections between the launcher and each container and/or missile
in the loaded position thereof.
Inventors: |
Even; Georges
(Boulogne-sur-Seine, FR) |
Family
ID: |
9060553 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/148,389 |
Filed: |
June 1, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 25, 1970 [FR] |
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70.31066 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
89/1.805;
89/1.815; 89/1.816; 89/36.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A
9/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41A
9/00 (20060101); F41A 9/14 (20060101); F41f
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;89/1.815,1.816,4B,36H,34,45 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Engle; Samuel W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lilling & Siegel Marzullo, Jr.;
Henry A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A missile loading and firing or launching device adapted to be
movable relative to a loading position and having support means for
carrying at least one missile container and transferring said
missile container to a firing or launching position, comprising:
means for moving said support means from a rest position into
transfer engagement with said firing device; said means comprising
a loading assembly of opposite pairs or sets of articulated
parallelograms each having a plurality of mutually cooperatively
associated elements; a first one of said elements of each of said
pairs being mounted for pivotal motion about a stationary axis
extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said firing device
when said firing device is in the loading position; a second of
said elements being mounted for pivotal motion about said
stationary axis, a third yoke or common element being pivotably
connected to the ends of said first elements opposite said
stationary axis, and to the ends of a fourth element pivotably
connected to an end of said second element opposite said stationary
axis; a drive connection between said first element and said second
element, said drive connection including resilient means arranged
to urge said first and second elements towards a position in which
they form an angle of substantially 90.degree. therebetween; motor
means operatively connected to said first elements for moving said
loading assembly along an arcuate path, and stop means disposed in
the path of said second elements for stopping the motion of said
second elements about just prior to said support means approaching
the loading position of said firing device so as to produce, upon
pivotal motion of said first element relative to said stopped
second element and effective to move said support means against the
action of said resilient means into transfer engagement with said
firing device, a near-straight line path for said support means.
pg,9
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said support means comprises a
transfer member adapted to receive a pair of missile containers,
means for fastening said containers to said transfer members,
releasable means for locking said transfer member to said third
element of said assembly with said containers in proper transfer
position thereof, and controllable means for interconnecting said
transfer member and said firing device upon transfer engagement
thereof.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said releasable locking
means comprises temporary latching means having hooks pivotally
mounted on said common element engaging with catches provided on
the interconnecting supporting member, and a rod supported by said
interconnecting supporting member cooperating with the latching
device and acting upon the pivotally mounted hooks thereby
unlatching same from the interconnecting supporting member when the
missiles are in the loaded position on the launching device.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said temporary latching
means for latching the launching device with the interconnecting
member includes a set of jacks supported by the launching device
and adapted to clamp dowel members fast with the interconnecting
member.
5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the launching device
includes a set of torsion bars placed under tension when the
missiles are positioned on the launching device and which repulse
the missiles together with the supporting member when the same is
unlatched from the launching device.
Description
The loading of missiles on to missile launchers, which are usually
fast with a turret carried by a vehicle, is commonly effected by
hoisting means or by bulky and heavy devices which load the
missiles through the agency of articulated or deployable arms and
generally involves manual handling operations and delicate
adjustments.
The subject system of this invention loads missiles into a turret
without manual intervention or problems of precision, the
adjustment being made once and for all and both the loading and
subsequent ejection of the missile containers after launching being
effected with great rapidity.
The system permits simultaneous loading of several missiles, it
being possible for the number of missiles loaded to be doubled
through the use of a second symmetrical and identical system.
An unusual feature of the system according to this invention is
that loading is effected laterally by a rotating motion in a plane
perpendicular to the axis of the missile or missiles, the loading
system being fixed to the stationary portion of the turret, which
stationary portion may be the frame of a vehicle.
The description which follows with reference to the accompanying
non-limitative exemplary drawings will give a clear understanding
of how the invention can be carried into practice.
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 schematically depicts a vehicle equipped with a radar turret
armed with missiles, comprising a loading system according to a
first embodiment of the invention, the centre of rotation of which
lies in the plane defined by the axes of the two missiles in the
loaded position ;
FIG. 2 is a corresponding view of a loading system according to a
second embodiment of the invention that rotates about an axis
parallel to the plane defined by the axes of the two missiles ;
FIG. 3 is a perspective showing of the loading system schematically
depicted in FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view of FIG. 3, showing the method of
attachment of the missile support to the loading arm ;
FIGS. 5 and 5a are respective detail views of an alternative
embodiment of the system of FIG. 3 ;
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the interconnecting
member for two missile containers of the subject system of the
invention;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the guiding cavities of the container
interconnecting member ;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the arrangement for securing the
container interconnecting member to the launcher ;
FIG. 9 is an external side elevation view of the launcher forming
part of the turret ;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of the launcher of FIG. 9 ;
FIGS. 11 and 12 are schematic sectional views showing details of
the means provided for guiding and securing the missiles to the
launcher of FIGS. 9 and 10 ; and
FIG. 13 is an external end view showing in greater detail the
arrangement of the ejection arms of the launcher of FIGS. 9 and
10.
Reference is first had to FIG. 1 for a showing of a vehicle 1
equipped with a radar 2 and four missiles 3, 3', 3", 3'" (shown in
front elevation), which radar and missiles are part of a turret 1'
revolving about a substantially vertical axis 4-5. Two
symmetrically identical loading systems 6, 6' are arranged on
either side of the vehicle. Loading system 6, which is fixed to the
frame of vehicle 1, comprises an axle 7 about which rotates an arm
8 which assumes positions of missile retrieval 8', standby 8" and
loading 8, the missiles 3 and 3' being shifted from the arm to
launcher 9 by a transfer operation to be described hereinbelow.
Referring now to FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 designates the
vehicle equipped with a turret 10' revolving about a substantially
vertical axis 11-12 and including for exemplary purposes a radar
13, four missiles 14, 15, 16, 17 and a loading system the portion
18 of which is rigid with the frame of vehicle 10 and includes an
axle 19 about which rotate arms 20 and 21 made fast with a member
22 by means of pins 23 and 24.
Said arms are rotated by a source of energy such as an electric
motor 25.
The subject system of this invention is designed :
1. to fetch the missile containers 14 and 15 into a vertical
position against the launcher 26 even though rotation axis 19 does
not lie in the plane defined by the axes 27 and 28 of missiles 14
and 15 ;
2. and so that the ultimate phase of the bodily rotation of the two
missile containers and their interconnecting member, prior to
setting the missiles on the launcher, should consist of a
translational motion enabling the various transfer operations to be
performed and most notably the plugging-in of the electrical
connections.
This transformation of ordinary rotating motion about axle 19 into
an approximate translation (which is in reality a circular path of
very large radius the curvature of which can be disregarded for
short distances of travel) will be better understood by
consideration of FIGS. 3 and 5 in relation to FIG. 2.
FIGS. 3, 5 and 5 show the stationary portion 18 comprising electric
motor 25, axle 19, arms 20 and 21 pivotally connected at 23 and 24
to support 22, and the same arm arrangement at 38-39.
Arms 21 and 39 including angled extensions (a) [only one is
identified in the drawing] are connected to cranks 40-41 which
likewise rotate about axle 19 and are connected to said arms 21 and
39 through the agency of spring washers 42. Extensions (a) of arms
21 and 39 obviously need not necessarily be integral therewith, and
could be separate elements so long as they move with arms 21 and 39
about the stationary pivot axis.
The missiles revolve in a pure circle about axle 19 until crank 40
contacts the stop 43 fast with the stationary portion. At this
point, upon arms 20 and 21 continuing to rotate and only the cranks
40 and 41 being arrested by the stops 43, the member 22 (together
with interconnecting member 30 and the missile containers)
describes a different path consisting of two combined rotations so
determined as to generate, over a short distance, a near-straight
path perpendicular to the plane containing the axes of the missiles
when the latter are laid on the launcher.
FIGS. 5 and 5a [a vertical sectional view through the axis of (b)]
show a practical embodiment of a drive connection operating in
accordance with the principal of the present invention. This drive
connection includes the arm (a) which may be integral with element
21 or be secured thereto so as to move with said element about
stationary pivot axis 19. The arm (a) is provided with a stud or
pin member (b) extending into a recess (c) formed in element 40.
The recess (c) contains suitable resilient means, such as a
compression spring 42 adapted to urge member (b) towards the bottom
of recess (c). Reference letter (d) indicates a plate member
interposed between 42 and (b) to reduce the friction therebetween.
Since spring 42 is progressively compressed during the movement of
element 21 from the position shown in FIG. 5 towards the right, it
is clear that the degree of compressibility of spring 42 must be
such as to allow the corresponding upward motion of member (b). It
is obvious that the resilient means may as well consist of a pile
of flexible metal diaphrams or of a block of elastically deformable
material, such as a rubber and the like.
It should also be appreciated that element 21 of the parallelogram
is keyed or otherwise secured to the rotatable drive shaft 19 which
is supported by two suitable cylindrical bearings 19a and 19b
having the stop means 43 thereon.
FIG. 4 shows in solid lines a detail view of the member 22 provided
with attachment means for interconnecting member 30. These means
include two hooks 44 and 45 pivotally mounted at 46 and 47 and
urged by a tension spring 48 into a latching position.
The missile container interconnecting member 30 shown in dot-dash
lines comprises an opening 49 and a rod 50 continuously urged into
the latched position shown by a spring under compression 51. It
will readily be appreciated that a thrust exerted on rod 50 in the
direction of the arrow f1 will cause springs 44, 45 to pivot about
their axles into the unlatched position.
FIG. 6 shows in detail the manner of fastening interconnecting
member 30 with the missile containers, the latter being provided
with lugs 52 to which interconnecting member 30 is fixed by means
of pins 52'.
Essentially, interconnecting member 30 comprises a beam-forming
central portion 31 and four extensions 31a for attachment to the
missile container lugs.
Central portion 31 is provided with two female guide cones 54 (FIG.
7) and with two openings 55, 56 for passage of the hooks 44, 45 of
member 22 (FIGS. 4 and 7).
FIG. 8 shows the manner in which dowels 57 (for restraining
interconnecting member 30 to the launcher) are fixed to central
portion 31 of interconnecting member 30 by means of bolts 58.
FIGS. 9 and 10 depict the launcher 32 mounted on the turret through
the agency of a flange 59.
Launcher 32 basically comprises :
a body portion 60 in the form of a hollow triangular beam (see
section through XI--XI in FIG. 11 and section through XII--XII of
FIG. 9 in FIG. 12) ;
four hydraulic jacks 61-62-63-64 with double pistons 65-66-67-68
respectively ;
two guide pins 69-70 of eccentric cylindro-conical shape ;
four torsion bars 71-72-73-74 provided with arms 75 and rollers 76
(FIGS. 10 and 13) ;
and a set of electrical connections 77 (FIG. 9).
The principle of operation of the subject loading system of this
invention is as follows :
With the missile previously loaded on to the turret having been
fired and their containers ejected, the turret is appropriately
trained in elevation and azimuth.
The loading arms, previously supplied with missiles united by their
interconnecting member 30, begin their upward rotation responsively
to electric motors 25.
A little before the end of this rotation, cranks 40 contact fixed
stops 43 and thereafter the motion of the missiles and the
interconnecting member is the result of two combined rotations,
whereby their path becomes substantially straight.
The following operations are then performed in succession :
1. Preguidance of interconnecting member 30 on the pins 69, 70 of
launcher 32.
2. The torsion bars 71, 72, 73, 74 begin to be set under tension by
the containers contacting rollers 76.
3. The latching hooks 44 and 45 are released by the thrust exerted
on rod 50 in contact with launcher 32.
4. Engagement over pins 69, 70.
5. Plugging in of electrical connections 77.
6. At the end of travel, clamping of the dowels 57 of
interconnecting member 30 between the two jacks 65, 66 and 67,
68.
At this point the missile transfer operation is terminated and the
loading arms can redescend to be supplied with fresh missiles.
After the missiles have been fired, all that is necessary in order
to eject the empty containers is to cancel the clamping effect of
jacks 61, 62, 63, 64, with the torsion bars, which bear against the
containers through the medium of the arms 75 and the rollers 76 of
torsion bears 71, 72, 73, 74, thrusting the empty containers guided
by pins 69, 70 away from the launcher 32.
It is likewise possible, if necessary, to unload missile containers
by means of the loading arms. This can be effected, after the arms
have been placed in contact with interconnecting member 30 on
launcher 32, by cancelling the effect of jacks 61, 62, 63, 64 as
described precedingly, and by cancelling the unlatching effect or
rod 50 by any convenient means, whereupon the hooks 44 and 45
automatically effect the latching process by virtue of their
appropriate shape.
It will readily be appreciated that operation of the system may be
either automatic or semi-automatic and be controlled from outside
or inside the carrier vehicle or from a turret-bearing bunker, as
well as in a harmful atmosphere provided that the vehicle itself is
protected thereagainst. The loading time can be made very short
since it is solely dependent on the source used to power rotation
of the arms, thereby enabling very rpaid loadings to be made.
It goes without saying that many changes and substitutions may be
made in the exemplary embodiment hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings, without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention.
* * * * *