Armored Vehicle

Abstract

The trunnions of the barrel cradle of a tubular weapon mounted in the rotatable turret of an armored vehicle are pivotally mounted in the inner ring of a tilt bearing whose outer ring is secured to the cupola of the turret, preferably in the transition area between the roof and inclined side wall thereof. The barrel cradle is additionally provided with a rearwardly extending portion which extends beyond the axis of rotation of the turret and downwardly into the turret cage and serves as the ammunition store for the weapon. Moreover, the seats for the weapon operators are preferably attached to either side of this rearwardly extending portion of the barrel cradle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a tubular weapons system in a rotatable turret of an armored vehicle wherein the tubular weapon is disposed in the turret to be pivotal via trunnions and wherein a supply of ammunition as well as the seats for the operating crew for the weapon are accommodated in this turret.

According to a known armored vehicle of this type, the tubular weapon is provided with a cradle which is pivotal about a normally horizontal axis by means of trunnions disposed on both its sides and which is mounted in the turret. The elevation alignment of the weapon is effected about this normally horizontal axis, which is disposed at a distance from the normally vertical axis of rotation of the rotatable turret, by means of adjustment gears disposed in the turret.

The drawback of this weapon system arrangement is that the tubular weapon can be moved only about its elevation alignment axis and, when the turret is rotated, about the lateral alignment axis together with the turret. Since such armored vehicles perform pitching, rolling and tumbling movements during operation, particularly in the field, it is often very difficult, if not impossible, to properly aim and fire such a weapon system arrangement.

In order to attempt to overcome this drawback, according to an improved design for such a weapon system arrangement, the cradle holding the tubular weapon is pivotally supported together with its trunnions in a semi-annular support which is disposed in the turret to also be rotatable about a horizontal axis. In this arrangement, since the semi-annular support is disposed in the center of the turret, the axis of the bore of the barrel of the weapon and the elevation axis of the weapon, which is formed by the trunnions, intersect in a point which is disposed on the vertical axis of the rotatable turret, i.e., on the traversing axis of the weapon.

In order to move the semi-annular support, which is designed to correspond with the turret diameter, a large amount of space is required which thus even further reduces the rather limited space conditions in the turret. Additionally, due to the location of the elevation axis of the weapon on the rotational axis of the turret, the elevation angle range of the weapon is rather limited unless the turret is given a substantial height above the vehicle body. However, since the requirements recently placed on such weapons turrets are first of all that the turrets be kept as low as possible, and furthermore, that they are to permit a wider pivoting range for the elevation movement as well as a wide range for the rotation about the bore axis, even this improved design has its drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore this object of this invention to provide a weapon system arrangement for the rotatable turret of an armored vehicle which overcomes the drawbacks of the previous designs.

In particular, it is the object of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks in the known tubular weapons system in the turret of armored vehicles as described above and to provide a more suitable arrangement whereby it is assured that the tubular weapon can move as far as possible in the elevation alignment range and about the bore axis and wherein the structural height of the turret need only extend beyond the vehicle for a particularly small distance.

The above objects are achieved according to the present invention in that the turret is provided with a tilt bearing whose outer ring is firmly mounted in the cupola of the rotatable turret of the armored vehicle so that its inner ring can be rotated about the bore axis of the barrel of the weapon and the barrel cradle is pivotally mounted in this inner ring of the tilt bearing by means of its trunnions which laterally extend therefrom on either side. The barrel cradle, moreover, is provided with a portion which extends rearwardly from the trunnions into the turret beyond the plane of the axis of rotation of the turret and downwardly into the turret basket or cage and serves as an ammunition reservoir or store.

The arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to arrange the trunnions of the barrel cradle further away from the axis of rotation of the turret, while still permitting rotation of the cradle about the bore axis, thus permitting rotation of the turret, short turret dimensions and a wide elevational adjustement range for the weapon, while still making it possible for the turret cage, whose diameter is limited to a minimum, to accommodate two persons.

According to a feature of the invention, it is advisable to provide the ammunition reservoir with a gunner seat at each longitudinal side which results in the advantage that the ammunition can be stored in the center of the turret -- when seen with respect to its axis of rotation -- between the two gunner seats.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tilt bearing is disposed in the transitional area between the ceiling and the inclined side wall in the cupola of the turret and is shielded from the exterior by a convex hood which is attached to the cupola and which has an opening through which the barrel of the weapon and a portion of its cradle can be brought.

According to a further feature of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the barrel cradle is provided in the form of a gun mount on the side away from the rearward extension, which gun mount portion of the cradle extends through the opening in the hood and is provided with a rearwardly extending portion which rests on the exterior surface of the hood shielding the tilt bearing and covers the opening therein.

According to still a further feature of the present invention, the portion of the gun mount which cooperates with the hood, is designed so as to cover the opening therein so that its lower one-half, i.e., its one-half which faces or is adjacent to the vehicle, is spherical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the turret of an armored vehicle, showing the tubular weapon partially in section and the barrel cradle entirely in section, of a weapon system arrangement according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line A-D of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the figures, there is shown a turret 1 which is mounted by means of a rotary gear 2 in the partially shown hull or shell 3 of an armored vehicle so that it can be rotated about its normally vertical axis by a drive means (not shown) disposed in the vehicle hull 3. Turret 1 consists of a turret cupola 4 which protrudes out of the roof of the vehicle hull 3 and a basket or cage 5 therebelow, i.e., within the hull 3. Preferably, as illustrated, the turret cupola 4 has a ceiling or roof 6 and an inclined side wall 7. Mounted within the turret 1 for rotation therewith is a tubular weapon, e.g., a gun, having a barrel 12, whereby the vertical axis of the turret simultaneously serves as the lateral alignment axis of the tubular weapon. The barrel 12 of the weapon is held, in a known manner, in a barrel cradle 13 which is provided with trunnions 14, 14' on both of its opposing sides which when pivotally mounted describe the elevation alignment axis Y of the tubular weapon.

To mount the weapon within the turret 1, according to the invention, a tilt bearing 8 is disposed within the turret cupola 4 in a plane displaced from that of the axis of rotation of the turret 1. The tilt bearing 8 is mounted in the cupola 4, preferably as illustrated, in the transition area between the roof 6 and the inclined wall 7, i.e., where the roof changes to the wall, so that its outer ring 9 is firmly mounted in the turret cupola 4 and its inner ring 15 is free to rotate about the bore axis of the barrel 12 of the weapon. The barrel cradle 13 is pivotally mounted within this inner ring 15 of the tilt bearing 8 by means of its trunnions 14, 14' whereby the weapon is similarly free to rotate about its axis.

To protect the tilt bearing 8 from the exterior, the turret cupola is provided with a convex hood 10 having an opening 11 through which the barrel 12 and a portion 16 of the cradle 13 extend. This portion 16 of the barrel cradle 13, which faces the opening in the barrel and extends through the opening 11, is preferably designed in the form of a gun mount and is provided with a rearwardly extending member 17 which rests on the exterior surface of the hood 10 and cooperates therewith to cover the opening 11. In order that the opening 11 be covered during each rotary or pivotal movement of the barrel 12, the lower one-half 18 of the member 17, i.e., the portion thereof which faces or is adjacent to the vehicle, is designed to be spherically shaped.

On its side opposite the gun mount portion 16, the barrel cradle is provided with an extended portion 19 which extends -- as seen from trunnions 14, 14' -- rearwardly beyond the plane of the axis of rotation X of the turret 1 as well as downwardly into the turret basket or cage 5. This extended portion 19 is designed in a well-known manner to serve as an ammunition reservoir for the weapon and is moreover provided with seats 20, 20' for the gunner or operators of the weapon on either side thereof.

With the illustrated arrangement, the movement of the tubular weapon 12 with its barrel cradle 13 about the elevation alignment axis Y may be easily accomplished by means of an elevation alignment mechanism 21 also disposed within the turret 1. This alignment mechanism 21 may, for example, be either a meridian drive which is in communication with the extended portion 19 of the barrel cradle 13 as illustrated, or may be formed of lifting cylinders which are fastened in a jointed manner to the extended portion 19 and are each mounted in turret basket or cage 5 to be pivotal about an axis.

Thus, a weapon system arrangement for the turret of an armored vehicle is provided which in a relatively simple manner eliminates the drawbacks of the previously proposed weapon system arrangements while meeting all of the space and elevational angle requirements.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. In an armored vehicle having a turret rotatable about its axis, a tubular weapon pivotally mounted in said turret by means of trunnions extending from the sides of the barrel cradle of said weapon, said turret having a cupola which protrudes from the roof of said vehicle, and a cage therebelow which accommodates an ammunition store and the seats for the operating crew of said weapon, the improvement comprising:

a tilt bearing having an outer ring which is firmly mounted in said cupola of said turret and an inner ring which is rotatable about the bore axis of the barrel of said weapon;

said barrel cradle having its said trunnions pivotally mounted in said inner ring of said tilt bearing and being provided with an extension which, when said weapon is horizontally aligned, extends rearwardly from said trunnions into said turret beyond the plane of the axis of rotation of the turret and downwardly below the roof of said vehicle into said turret cage, said extension serving as an ammunition store for said weapon.

2. The armored vehicle as defined in claim 1 further including means for mounting said seats for the operating crew of said weapon to the respective sides of said extension of said barrel cradle for movement therewith.

3. The armored vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said cupola has a roof and an inclined side wall; wherein said tilt bearing is disposed in the transition area between said roof and said side wall of said cupola; and wherein said tilt bearing is shielded from the exterior of said vehicle by means of a convex hood mounted on said cupola, said hood being provided with an opening through which the barrel of said weapon and a portion of its cradle extends.

4. The armored vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said portion of said barrel cradle which extends through said opening forms a gun mount for said weapon, said gun mount being provided with a rearwardly extending member which rests on the exterior surface of said hood shielding said tilt bearing and covers said opening in said hood.

5. In an armored vehicle having a turret rotatable about its axis, a tubular weapon pivotally mounted in said turret by means of trunnions extending from the sides of the barrel cradle of said weapon, said turret having a cupola, with a roof and an inclined side wall, which protrudes from the roof of said vehicle and a cage therebelow which accommodates an ammunition store and the seats for the operating crew of said weapon, the improvement comprising:

a tilt bearing disposed in the transition area between said roof and said side wall of said cupola, said tilt bearing having an outer ring which is firmly mounted in said cupola of said turret and an inner ring which is rotatable about the bore axis of the barrel of said weapon;

said barrel cradle having its said trunnions pivotally mounted in said inner ring of said tilt bearing and being provided with an extension which extends rearwardly from said trunnions into said turret beyond the plane of the axis of rotation of the turret and downwardly into said turret cage, said extension serving as an ammunition store for said weapon;

a convex hood mounted on said cupola for shielding said tilt bearing from the exterior of said vehicle said hood being provided with an opening through which the barrel of said weapon and a portion of its cradle extends, said portion of said barrel cradle which extends through said opening forming a gun mount for said weapon; and,

said gun mount being provided with a rearwardly extending member which rests on the exterior surface of said hood shielding said tilt bearing and covers said opening in said hood, the lower one-half of said rearwardly extending member of said gun mount, which one-half is adjacent the roof of said vehicle, being spherical whereby the opening will be covered for all rotary or pivotal movements of said weapon.

6. The armored vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein said seats for the operating crew of said weapon are mounted on the sides of said extension of said barrel cradle for movement therewith.