High-mobility artillery cannon system

申请号 US09834821 申请日 2001-04-13 公开(公告)号 US06742435B2 公开(公告)日 2004-06-01
申请人 Richard W. Staiert; Robert B. Stratton; 发明人 Richard W. Staiert; Robert B. Stratton;
摘要 A high-mobility artillery cannon system transportable with the cargo envelop of a transport aircraft, includes a lightweight field howitzer, a medium tactical vehicle, and a bed disposable on the vehicle, the bed for receiving and supporting the howitzer such that the vehicle with the howitzer disposed on the bed is receivable within an envelop having substantially the dimensions of the cargo envelop defined within the C-130 type transport aircraft. A method of configuring a cannon system for transport the C-130 type transport aircraft is included.
权利要求

What is claimed is:1. A high-mobility air-transportable artillery cannon system comprising:a field howitzer including an undercarriage and a cradle/barrel operably coupled to the undercarriage, the cradle/barrel being selectively elevatably positionable relative to the undercarriage;a tactical vehicle; anda bed disposable on the vehicle for receiving and supporting the howitzer, the bed including a stationary portion and a tiltable portion, the tiltable portion being selectively tiltably positionable for loading and unloading the howitzer from the vehicle;wherein the weight of the system is less than the cargo transport weight capacity of a C-130 transport aircraft;wherein the cradle/barrel of the howitzer and the tiltable portion of the bed are cooperatively positionable in a C-130 transport configuration with the howitzer supported on the bed so that the system is receivable within the cargo bay of the C-130 transport aircraft, whereby the system is transportable with the C-130 aircraft in a single sortie; andwherein the bed includes a deployable pintle hitch for towing a selected one of a plurality of vehicles.2. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the bed stationary portion includes accommodations for the storing of ammunition suitable for use with the howitzer.3. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the bed stationary portion includes accommodations for the seating of a plurality of howitzer crewmen.4. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the bed includes a drop down stabilizer, the stabilizer being selectively deployable in a ground engaging mode for providing stability to the vehicle during operations for loading and unloading of the howitzer on the bed.5. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 4, wherein the bed drop down stabilizer is extendable when in the ground engaging mode, such extension affecting the height of the bed relative to the ground.6. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the tiltable bed portion includes a quick hitch, the quick hitch being selectively engageable with a howitzer base plate.7. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 6, further comprising a track on the tiltable bed portion, and wherein the quick hitch is translatably disposed on the track.8. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 6 wherein the tiltable bed portion quick hitch engages the howitzer base plate in a manner such that a howitzer grouser blade is supported spaced apart from the tiltable bed portion.9. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 6 wherein the tiltable bed portion quick hitch comprises a forward howitzer attachment point to the tiltable bed portion when the howitzer is in a transport disposition on the tiltable bed portion.10. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the tiltable bed portion includes means for securing the howitzer to the bed.11. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the tiltable bed portion includes a pair of wheel wells, each of the wheel wells defining a depression below a bed surface, the pair of wheel wells being engageable with a pair of howitzer wheels.12. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 11 wherein the pair of wheel wells act to minimize the height of the howitzer relative to the tiltable bed portion when the howitzer in a transport disposition on the tiltable bed.13. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the tiltable bed portion includes a cradle/barrel support that is tiltable from a recessed disposition to an engaged disposition, the cradle/barrel support being engageable with the howitzer cradle/barrel for support thereof.14. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 1 wherein the tiltable bed portion includes a gravity operated conveyor disposable on the tiltable bed portion, the conveyor for facilitating the transfer of objects down the tiltable bed portion when the tiltable bed portion is in a declining unload disposition.15. The high-mobility artillery cannon system of claim 14 wherein the gravity operated conveyor is disposable in part on the stationary bed portion for effecting the transfer of objects stored on the stationary bed portion directly to a ground surface.16. A method of configuring a cannon system for transport in a C-130 transport aircraft comprising:providing a field howitzer, the howitzer including an undercarriage and a cradle/barrel operably coupled to the undercarriage, the cradle/barrel being selectively elevatably positionable relative to the undercarriage;disposing a bed on a tactical vehicle, the bed including a stationary portion and a tilt portion, the tilt portion being selectively tiltably positionable for loading and unloading the howitzer from the vehicle;loading the howitzer on the bed;positioning the cradle/barrel of the howitzer and the tilt portion of the bed so that the system is receivable in a cargo bay of the C-130 aircraft; anddisposing a tube muzzle facing forward on the vehicle.17. The method of claim 16 including translating the tilt bed rearward and declining the tilt bed rearward for disposing the cannon system in the C-130 aircraft.18. The method of claim 17 including restraining the pitching moment of the howitzer.19. The method of claim 18 including powering the loading/unloading of the howitzer on the tilt bed.

说明书全文

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/243,709 filed Oct. 27, 2000, now abandoned, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to artillery. More particularly, the present invention relates to an artillery piece that is readily disposable on a transport vehicle, the transport vehicle with artillery piece being receivable within the cargo envelope of a known transport type aircraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for highly mobile combat units. The units should include a fleet of vehicles where each of the individual combat vehicles, the crews to man such vehicles, and sufficient fuel and ammunition should be transportable on a single transport aircraft. Specifically, the aircraft to provide the transportation is the C-130 type aircraft. Further, once the individual combat vehicle is in a theater of operations, the individual combat vehicle should have the same level of mobility as all other vehicles in the unit to ensure that the unit is able to move as a whole. While certain vehicles and relatively small weapons meet the aforementioned requirement, larger fire support systems typically have a towing vehicle and a towed cannon. With such arrangement, both the towing vehicle and the towed cannon are not disposable as a unit within the cargo envelope of a single C-130 aircraft. Further, the fact that the cannon must be towed limits the mobility of the cannon relative to other non-towed weapons suitable for use with the combat unit which are capable of significantly greater overland speeds.

There is a need then to provide a C-130 transportable high mobility cannon system including a transport vehicle and artillery cannon combination that is capable of being transported by a single C-130 aircraft in a single sortie. The cannon system should be immediately deployable upon discharge from the aircraft and have the same degree of mobility as other vehicles in the combat unit once deposited in a theater of operations by the C-130 type aircraft. There is further a need to maximize the currently existing equipment content of such a system in order to maintain low cost and to provide a low technical and schedule risk approach that will quickly provide a suitable high-mobility artillery cannon system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The high-mobility artillery cannon system of the present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs. The system uses an existing light weight howitzer designated XM777 as the cannon component of the system. Additionally, the system utilizes an existing vehicle designated the FMTV M1086A1 long wheelbase chassis truck that is currently in production. By using an existing cannon and an existing vehicle, overall cost of the system is greatly reduced, the technical risk of the system is minimized and a schedule for making the system available to users is also greatly minimized. In order to form the system of the present invention, both the cannon and the vehicle undergo certain modifications as noted below.

The major modification to the vehicle is the installation of the tilt bed, forming the rear portion of the vehicle bed. A stationary bed is preferably disposed forward of the tilt bed. The modified vehicle is used to transport the cannon, crew, and ammunition for enhanced tactical mobility. Further, a transport configuration with the cannon mounted on the vehicle is disposable within the weight and envelope limits established for transport by C-130 type aircraft.

In practice, the vehicle may be maneuvered into a position with the tube of the cannon oriented generally in the direction of desired firing while the cannon is still disposed on the tilt bed. The tilt bed may then be operated to place the cannon on the ground immediately behind the truck with little or no further manhandling of the cannon required to position it for firing. The tilt bed is then operated to position the rear margin of the tilt bed approximate the ground surface and the cannon is traversed down the tilt bed to a position on the ground. All that is necessary then is to deploy the cannon spades, and to transverse and elevate the gun to the final lay position. When the vehicle is disposed rearward of the cannon, ammunition stored on the stationary portion of the bed may be transferred by gravity assist down the tilt bed and made available to personnel that are employing the cannon.

In a preferred embodiment, a relatively small cab is provided on the stationary portion of the bed in order to house additional members of the cannon crew and equipment that they may require.

In a first embodiment, the cannon is disposed on the tilt bed with the muzzle of the cannon facing forward. In order to minimize the height dimension of the system of the present invention for aircraft transport, including both the vehicle and the cannon, the tilt bed is traversed slightly rearward on the vehicle chassis and tilted slightly downward. In this disposition, the muzzle of the cannon is disposed rearward of the cab of the vehicle. In a further preferred embodiment, the cannon is mounted on the tilt bed with the muzzle of the cannon facing rearward. When disposed within the cargo volume of the C-130 type aircraft, the muzzle of the cannon projects outward from the aircraft in the space defined above the ramp of the C-130 aircraft.

Modifications to the cannon include the installation of at least one “quick hitch”. The quick hitch is engageable with a hitch that is disposed on a powered track. The power track is disposed generally in the centerline of the tilt bed. The track hitch is powered to move along the longitudinal axis of the tilt bed so as to draw the cannon up the tilt bed when loading and to lower the cannon down the tilt bed when unloading.

When the high-mobility artillery cannon system of the present invention is delivered by a C-130 type aircraft to an operational area, the system emerges from the C-130 cargo area ready for operational employment. The entire crew is transported in the C-130 aircraft and the system with the cannon mounted on the vehicle is fully equipped with all the equipment necessary and a sufficient number of ammunition rounds to immediately employ the cannon. The vehicle contains storage compartments for the equipment and ammunition conveyors to increase crew capability, reduce timelines for employment of the cannon, and minimize crew fatigue involved in laying the cannon and conveying ammunition to the cannon.

The present invention is a high-mobility artillery cannon system transportable with the cargo envelop of a transport aircraft, and includes a lightweight field howitzer, a medium tactical vehicle, and a bed disposable on the vehicle, the bed for receiving and supporting the howitzer such that the vehicle with the howitzer disposed on the bed is receivable within an envelop having substantially the dimensions of the cargo envelop defined within the C-130 type transport aircraft. The present invention is further a method of configuring a cannon system for transport in the C-130 type transport aircraft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a side elevational view of the cannon system of the present invention with the howitzer mounted in the transport at disposition on the vehicle and the vehicle having the optional two man crew cab;

FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the tilt bed with the howitzer wheels depicted as wire drawings in the transport disposition;

FIG. 3

is a top elevational view of the cannon system with an alternative ammunition storage arrangement on the vehicle and the howitzer in the transport disposition;

FIG. 4

is a rear elevational view of the cannon system;

FIG. 5

is a side elevational view of the cannon system as depicted in

FIG. 3

;

FIGS. 6

a

-

6

g

depict a loading sequence taking the howitzer from disposed rearward of the vehicle to the transport disposition on the vehicle;

FIG. 6

h

is a side elevational view of the cannon system in the aircraft transport disposition;

FIG. 7

is a cross sectional view of the cargo area of a C-130 type aircraft;

FIG. 8

a

is a top plan form view of the howitzer disposed along side the vehicle in a tactical disposition showing ammunition flow from the vehicle to the howitzer;

FIG. 8

b

is a side elevational view of the cannon system of

FIG. 8

a.

FIG. 9

is a side elevational view of the cargo area of a C-130 aircraft with an alternative embodiment of the cannon system disposed therein;

FIG. 10

is a top planform view of the cannon system of the present invention on a long wheelbase vehicle;

FIG. 11

is a side elevational view depicting the howitzer immediately prior to loading onto the vehicle of

FIG. 10

;

FIG. 12

is a side elevational view of the howitzer loaded onto the tilt bed of the vehicle prior to tilting the tilt bed to a substantially horizontal disposition; and

FIG. 13

is a top planform view of the cannon system in the aircraft transport disposition;

FIG. 13

a

is a side elevation view of the cannon system in the aircraft transport disposition;

FIG. 14

is a side elevational view of the vehicle without the tilt bed assembly;

FIG. 15

is an end view of the stationary bed supported on the vehicle chassis; and

FIG. 16

is an end view of the tilt bed supported on the vehicle chassis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The high-mobility artillery cannon system of the present invention is shown generally at

8

in the figures. The cannon system

8

generally includes a tilt bed system

10

mounted on a vehicle

12

, a howitzer

14

being loadable and unloadable from the vehicle

12

by means of the tilt bed system

10

. In a first embodiment, depicted in

FIGS. 1-6

h

,

8

a

and

8

b

, the preferred vehicle

12

that is a component of the cannon system

8

is designated a M1086A1 5.0 ton LWB (long wheelbase) vehicle. This vehicle

12

is one of the “Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles” (FMTV) that is currently being provided to U.S. and allied armed forces. The baseline vehicle

12

has a cargo handling crane disposed proximate the rear margin thereof. For use as a component of the cannon system

8

of the present invention, the cargo handling crane is removed from the vehicle

12

. As currently being procured, the vehicle

12

is manufactured by Stewart & Stevenson of Sealy, Tex.

Detailed specifications of the above noted vehicle

12

are well known to those skilled in the art. Generally, the vehicle

12

has a chassis

20

that includes a rear wheel suspension

22

and a front wheel suspension

23

mounted to a frame

26

. The wheel suspensions

22

,

23

each support wheels

24

. A cab-over type cab

28

is disposed at the forward end of the vehicle

12

. The cab

28

is partially enclosed by the cab roof

30

. A fishtail

32

is mounted proximate the rear margin of the frame

26

. The fishtail

32

comprises a subframe that, in its normal configuration, supports the aforementioned cargo handling crane disposed at the rear of the vehicle

12

. When the vehicle

12

is used as a component of the cannon system

8

of the present invention, the rearmost portion of the fishtail

32

, which otherwise underlies and supports the crane, is removed.

The preferred howitzer

14

for use with the cannon system

8

is a light weight howitzer (LWH) designated XM777. The howitzer

14

is a 155 mm howitzer currently being supplied to the U.S. armed forces. The XM777 howitzer

14

is currently manufactured by BAE Systems, a firm located in the United Kingdom. Detailed specifications of the preferred howitzer

14

are well known to those skilled in the art.

Generally, the howitzer

14

includes an elevatable and tranversable tube

40

. The tube

40

includes a tow eye

42

mounted proximate the muzzle

44

thereof. The tube

40

is coupled to a recoil mechanism

46

that is disposed proximate the breach

48

of the tube

40

. The recoil mechanism

46

and the tube

40

are mounted on a cradle

50

. The cradle

50

is elevatably coupled to an undercarriage

52

. In addition to supporting the cradle

50

, the undercarriage

52

has extendible wheels

54

. The wheels

54

may be extended downward when the howitzer

14

is in a towing configuration and may be retracted up along side the cradle

50

when the howitzer

14

is deployed in a tactical mode.

The howitzer

14

is supported in the tactical disposition by a pair of foldable stabilizers

56

a, b

. The stabilizers

56

a, b

extend generally forward of the undercarriage

52

and are displaced relative to the tube

40

at an angle of about 20 degrees. In the transport mode, the foldable stabilizers

56

a, b

are folded rearward alongside the undercarriage

52

immediately rearward of the folded wheels

54

.

The howitzer

14

is further supported in the tactical disposition by a pair of extendible trails

58

a

,

58

b

. Each of the extendible trails

58

a

,

58

b

has a large shovel

60

disposed at the distal end thereof. In the tactical disposition, the trails

58

a

,

58

b

are folded rearward and slightly outward from the undercarriage

52

. The shovels

60

engage the soil and will dig into the soil responsive to recoil generated by firing the howitzer. In the transport mode, the extendible trails

58

a

,

58

b

are folded upward at the rear of the undercarriage

52

, as depicted in FIGS.

1

and

3

-

6

h.

A pair of optical sight mounts

62

are disposed on the undercarriage

52

displaced slightly left and right of the centerline of the tube

40

. Preferably, the sights themselves (not shown) are conveyed in a protected container and manually mounted on the optical sight mounts

62

prior to laying of the howitzer

14

. As will be noted later, the upper margin of the optical sight mounts

62

present a challenge for the cannon system

8

in meeting the height limitations of the cargo envelope of the selected transport aircraft, the C-130 as depicted in FIG.

7

.

Turning now to the tilt bed system

10

of the cannon system

8

, the tilt bed system

10

has two major subcomponents; stationary bed

70

and tilt bed

72

.

The stationary bed

70

is supported by the frame

26

of the vehicle

12

. The stationary bed

70

presents an upward directed support surface

74

. A plurality of ammunition storage containers

76

are disposed on a portion of the stationary bed

70

. In the embodiment of

FIG. 1

, the ammunition storage containers

76

are disposed on the forward portion of the stationary bed

70

, leaving a space rearward thereof for the storage of other equipment useful in tactically deploying the howitzer

14

. In the embodiment of

FIG. 2

, the ammunition storage containers

76

are disposed rearward on the stationary bed

70

. A relatively small optional crew cab

78

is disposed forward of the ammunition storage containers

76

.

The howitzer

14

is preferably designed to be served by a minimum crew of five gunners. Three of such individuals may be transported in the cab

28

of the vehicle

12

. The remaining two gunners may be transported in the optional crew cab

78

. The crew cab

78

preferably has two facing jump seats as well as storage room for the personal effects of the two gunners transported therein. The crew cab

78

may be formed of fiberglass material and may have side entry doors, a rear entry door and windows as desired.

At least one gravity conveyor

80

may be disposed on the support surface

74

. The gravity conveyor

80

may be deployed laterally from the stationary bed

70

to feed ammunition to the howitzer

14

when the howitzer

14

is disposed alongside the vehicle

12

. See

FIGS. 8

a

,

8

b

. Alternatively, the gravity conveyor

80

may be deployed down the tilt bed

72

when the tilt bed

72

is in a tilted disposition to feed ammunition to the howitzer

14

when the howitzer

14

is positioned rearward of the vehicle

12

.

The second major component of the tilt bed system

10

is the tilt bed

72

. The tilt bed

72

is further comprised of a tilt frame assembly

100

and a tilt bed assembly

102

. The tilt frame assembly

100

and tilt bed assembly

102

are best viewed in

FIGS. 1-5

and

13

-

16

.

The tilt frame assembly

100

of the tilt bed

72

includes a subrail

104

. The subrail

104

is mounted on the upper surface of the frame

26

of the vehicle

12

. The subrail

104

includes two opposed C-section sides

106

coupled by a top plate

110

. A pair of elongate side gussets

108

may be utilized to couple the subrail

104

to the frame

26

as by welding along the side gussets

108

or the like. The subrail

104

extends substantially the full length of the bed area of the vehicle

12

. In a preferred embodiment, the height of the C-section sides

106

is less than six inches and more preferably is about 5.2 inches. Strengthening cross members may be disposed between the inner margins of the two C-section sides

106

.

Since the subrail

104

extends substantially the full length of the bed portion of the vehicle

12

, the subrail

104

supports both the stationary bed

70

and the tilt bed

72

. The support for the stationary bed

70

is depicted in FIG.

15

. The plurality of cross members

112

extend widthwise across the top plate

110

of the subrail

104

. The cross members

112

support the stationary bed

70

. A depending cylinder bracket

114

may be fixedly coupled to the outer margin of a C-section side

106

and to the outer margin of the underlying portion of the frame

26

. The depending cylinder bracket

14

defines a cylinder hinge point

118

for coupling a first end of a cylinder

116

to the depending cylinder bracket

114

. A first cylinder hinge pin

120

pivotally couples the cylinder

116

to the depending cylinder bracket

114

.

A depending hinge bracket

121

is disposed proximate the rear margin of the subrail

104

. A bed hinge point

122

is disposed in the depending hinge bracket

121

. A bed hinge pin

124

may be disposed within the bore defining the bed hinge point

122

.

The second component of the tilt frame assembly is the tilt frame

126

. The tilt frame

126

includes spaced apart elongate rails

128

. In a preferred embodiment, the elongate rails

128

may be comprised of box section steel. The lateral dimension between the two spaced rails

128

may be slightly greater than the lateral dimension between the outside margins of the two C-section sides

106

.

A depending cylinder bracket

130

may be fixedly coupled to a selected rail

128

proximate the forward margin of the rail

128

. The depending cylinder bracket defines a cylinder hinge point

132

by means of a bore defined therein. A second cylinder hinge pin

134

may be disposed in the cylinder hinge point

132

to pivotally couple the second end of the cylinder

116

to the tilt frame

126

.

A depending tilt bracket

136

depends from each of the two rails

128

. A bore is defined in the depending tilt bracket

136

which defines a bed hinge point

138

. The bed hinge point

138

is in registry with the bed hinge point

122

and is pivotally coupled thereto by the bed hinge pin

124

.

A tow pintle

140

is disposed proximate the rear margin of the rails

128

. The pintle

140

has a pintle lower margin

142

. As will be seen, the pintle lower margin

142

comes into contact with the ground surface when the tilt frame

126

is in a tilted disposition to assist in supporting the tilt frame assembly

100

, the tilt bed assembly

102

and the howitzer

14

when the howitzer

14

is disposed on the tilt bed assembly

102

.

The second major component of the tilt bed

72

is the tilt bed assembly

102

. It is important to realize that the tilt bed assembly

102

is translationally, shiftably disposed relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

. Accordingly, the tilt bed assembly

102

is tiltable by the tilt frame assembly

102

and may translate rearward/forward relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

to effectively extend the tilt bed

72

rearward for loading the howitzer

14

from a disposition on the ground.

Referring to

FIG. 16

, the tilt bed

144

is supported on a pair of spaced apart I beams

143

. The I beams

143

extend substantially the full length dimension of the tilt bed assembly

102

. The I beams

143

are disposed inward of the elongate rails

128

of the tilt frame

126

.

Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 16

, the tilt bed

144

has upward directed edges

145

on either side of the load surface

146

. A wheel relief

147

is preferably defined in the underside of the load surface

146

to accommodate the wheels

24

of the vehicle

12

. A base plate receiver

148

is designed in the load surface

146

. The base plate receiver

148

is designed to receive and to lock in place the base plate

53

of the howitzer

14

.

A powered guide system

150

is disposed on the load surface

146

. The powered guide system has components that translate along the longitudinal axis of the tilt bed

144

. Such components are preferably hydraulically powered and assist in loading and unloading the howitzer

14

onto the tilt bed

72

.

The powered guide system

150

includes a track

152

. A guide device

154

, depicted in

FIG. 1

, is designed to ride in the track

152

. The guide device

154

is designed to be couplable to a variable height draw bar

156

, as depicted in FIG.

1

.

The variable height draw bar

156

includes a generally upward directed tube bar

158

that is attachable by a tube coupling

160

to the tube

40

of the howitzer

14

. A generally rearward directed cradle bar

162

is attachable by a cradle coupling

164

to the cradle

50

of the howitzer

14

.

It is understood that the bars

158

,

162

of the variable height draw bar

156

are semi-rigid such that in addition to pulling the howitzer

14

up onto the tilt bed

72

, the bars

158

,

162

restrain any tilting moment that occurs in the howitzer

14

during transition on the tilt bed

72

. Additionally, the bars

158

,

162

are comprised of telescoping bar segments

166

. The telescoping bar segments

166

permit the semi-rigid length of the bars

158

,

162

to be varied in order to hold the howitzer

14

in various longitudinal dispositions on the tilt bed

72

as well as to elevate and depress the tube

40

relative to the tilt bed

72

as desired.

Loading operations for loading a howitzer

14

onto the vehicle

12

by means of a tilt bed system

10

are depicted in

FIGS. 6

a

-

6

h

. Referring to

FIG. 6

a

, a depiction of the howitzer

14

just starting to move up the tilt bed assembly

102

is provided. Prior to commencing such motion as indicated by the arrow A, the cylinder

116

is extended to tilt the tilt bed

72

relative to the frame

26

of the vehicle

12

. The tilt bed

72

is tilted a sufficient amount such that the lower margin

142

of the tow pintle

140

is in contact with the surface upon which the vehicle

12

is resting. The tilt bed assembly

102

is translated rearward relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

until the rear margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

is also in contact with the surface. The guide device

154

is translated rearward in the track

152

of the powered guide system

150

. The guide device

154

is operably coupled to the howitzer

14

by means of the variable height draw bar

156

. Preferably, the cradle

50

of the howitzer

14

is at a plus 15° angle relative to the undercarriage

52

. The suspension of the howitzer

14

is adjusted such that the bottom tangent of the wheel

54

is close to the plane of the undercarriage

52

base. The stabilizers

56

a

,

56

b

are folded back and the trails

58

a

,

58

b

are raised to the transport disposition. As depicted in

FIG. 6

a

, the guide device

154

has just started to move the howitzer

14

up the tilt bed assembly

102

. It should be noted that the variable height draw bar

156

is counteracting the center of gravity moment of the howitzer

14

to maintain the undercarriage

52

elevated above the surface.

Referring to

FIG. 6

b

, the motion depicted by arrow A has drawn the howitzer

14

upward on the tilt bed assembly

102

. The depiction of

FIG. 6

b

shows the howitzer

14

disposed at an intermediate disposition between the depiction of

FIG. 6

a

and that of

FIG. 6

c.

In

FIG. 6

c

, upward motion of the howitzer

14

onto the tilt bed assembly

102

has stopped, as indicated. The guide device

154

of the powered guide system

150

has translated to its forwardmost disposition on the tilt bed assembly

102

.

In the depiction of

FIG. 6

d

, the howitzer

14

remains at the same disposition on the tilt bed assembly

102

as depicted in

FIG. 6

c

. The undercarriage

52

is rotated relative to the cradle

50

of the howitzer

14

such that the cradle

50

is at a +8° angle relative to the undercarriage

52

. In such disposition, the lower margin of the undercarriage

52

is not in contact with the load surface

146

of the tilt bed assembly

102

.

Referring now to

FIG. 6

e

, the configuration of the howitzer

14

remains as depicted in

FIG. 6

d

. The tube bar

158

of the variable height draw bar

156

is extended, lowering the undercarriage

52

to the load surface

146

of the tilt bed assembly

102

. In such disposition, the base plate

53

is engaged with and locked into the base plate receiver

148

disposed on the tilt bed assembly

102

.

As depicted in

FIG. 6

f

, once the howitzer

14

is locked to the tilt bed assembly

102

, the tilt bed assembly

102

is translated forward relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

such that the leading edge of the tilt bed assembly

102

is substantially coincident with the leading edge of the tilt frame assembly

100

. Such action withdraws the rear margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

from contact with the surface.

The transport disposition of the howitzer

14

on the vehicle

12

is depicted in

FIG. 6

g

. The cylinder

116

is retracted to lower the tilt bed

72

under the subrail

104

. The muzzle

44

of the howitzer

14

partially overlies the cab roof

30

of the cab

28

.

FIG. 7

depicts the cross sectional dimensions of the cargo bay of the C-130 aircraft. It is the envelope defined by these dimensions into which the cannon system

8

must be disposed for transport of the cannon system

8

by a single C-130 aircraft. A critical dimension of the envelope is the height dimension. In the transport disposition of

FIG. 6

g

, the upper margin of the muzzle

40

is the highest element of the cannon system

8

. As such, the cannon system

8

is not able to be disposed within the envelope of the cargo bay of the C-130 type aircraft.

Referring now to

FIG. 6

h

, the cannon system

8

is depicted in the C-130 transport disposition. In such disposition, the howitzer

14

remains locked to the tilt bed assembly

102

as previously described. The tube bar

158

of the variable height draw bar

156

is retracted to its shortest dimension while the cradle

50

of the howitzer

14

is depressed to −1° relative to the undercarriage

52

. In the C-130 transport disposition, the muzzle

40

may not overlie the cab

28

. Accordingly, the cylinder

116

is extended somewhat in order to tilt the tilt bed

72

at a preferably 7.5° angle relative to the transport disposition. Additionally, the tilt bed assembly

102

is translated rearward relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

a preferred distance of about 35 inches. In such disposition, the highest component of the howitzer

14

becomes the optical sight mounts

62

. It has been shown that in the disposition depicted in

FIG. 6

h

, the optical sight mounts

52

have a elevation about the surface upon which the vehicle

12

is resting that is sufficiently low to clear the upper limit of the envelope of the cargo area of the C-130 type aircraft. In order to stabilize the tilt bed

72

in the disposition depicted in

FIG. 6

h

, mechanical locks are added to the cylinder

16

to mechanically lock it in place. Further, mechanical locks are added to the tilt bed assembly

102

to lock the tilt bed assembly

102

to the tilt frame assembly

100

. Such locks may be as simple as disposing pins in bores brought into registry, the bores being formed in both the tilt bed assembly

102

and the tilt frame assembly

100

.

A second embodiment of the present invention is depicted in

FIGS. 9-12

. The depiction of

FIG. 9

shows a relatively short wheelbase vehicle

12

. Such vehicle

12

includes a tilt bed

72

but does not include a stationary bed

70

as described with reference to the embodiment above. The tilt bed

72

includes both a tilt frame assembly

100

and a tilt bed assembly

102

. The tilt bed

72

is tilted by a cylinder

116

about the bed hinge point

122

. The tilt bed assembly

102

translates rearward relative to the tilt frame assembly

100

in order to place the rear margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

in contact with the surface underlying vehicle

12

when the tilt bed

72

is in the tilted disposition.

The tilt bed

72

includes a powered guide system

150

. The powered guide system

150

includes a translatable guide device

154

that is movable along a track

152

. The guide device

154

includes a first portion of a quick hitch. A second portion of the quick hitch is affixed to the lower rear margin of the undercarriage

52

of the howitzer

14

. The guide device

154

is secured to the howitzer

14

by the quick hitch. An advantage of the embodiment of

FIG. 9

is that the center gravity moments of the howitzer

14

are accommodated by securely affixing the undercarriage

52

to the guide device

154

. Accordingly, no variable height draw bar

156

is needed as described with reference to the embodiment above.

The embodiment of

FIGS. 10-14

utilizes a vehicle

12

substantially similar to the vehicle

12

described with reference to the embodiment of

FIGS. 1-5

. The vehicle

12

has a long wheelbase and includes a fish tail

32

. In the embodiment of

FIGS. 10-14

, the fish tail

32

is utilized in its full length and is not truncated as was indicated with reference to the embodiment of

FIGS. 1-5

. While not shown, it is clear that an optional two-man crew cab as depicted in

FIG. 1

could be incorporated into the embodiment of

FIGS. 10-14

by reducing the amount of ammunition carried and shifting the ammunition rearward.

FIG. 10

depicts the cannon system

8

in the transport disposition in which the howitzer is moved on the vehicle

12

to a tactical disposition.

FIG. 11

depicts the howitzer

14

just prior to pulling the wheels

54

onto the tilt bed assembly

102

. in this embodiment, the guide device

154

is translatable to proximate the rear margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

. In such disposition, the guide device

154

is connectable to the howitzer

14

by the quick hitch device, the second portion of which is disposed at the lower rear margin of the undercarriage

52

of the howitzer

14

. In the depiction of

FIG. 11

, the guide device

154

has translated approximately half the distance of the track

152

. Turning now to

FIG. 12

, the guide device

154

is translated virtually to the forward margin of the track

152

at the forward margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

.

FIGS. 13 and 14

depict the cannon system

8

in the C-130 transportable disposition. It should be noted in comparing

FIGS. 12 and 14

that the point on the tilt bed assembly

102

about which the tilt bed assembly

102

pivots moves rearward from the down and locked disposition of

FIG. 14

to the raised, tilted disposition of FIG.

12

. Note the mark

168

in FIG.

14

. This mark

168

moves rearward to a disposition immediately above the bed hinge point

122

in FIG.

12

. The tilt bed assembly

102

is drawn downward from the disposition of

FIG. 12

to the disposition of

FIG. 14

it is also drawn forward such that the forward margin of the tilt bed assembly

102

is proximate the rear margin of the stationary bed

70

.

The depictions of

FIGS. 13 and 14

depict the cannon system

8

in the C-130 transportable disposition. It should be noted that the extendible trails

58

a

,

58

b

depicted in

FIG. 13

, are not depicted in FIG.

14

. In order to meet the envelope requirements of the cargo area of the C-130 type aircraft, the howitzer

14

is drawn forward on the tilt bed assembly

102

such that a significant portion of the howitzer

14

overlies the stationary bed

70

. Further, the cradle

50

is at substantially 0° elevation with respect to the undercarriage

52

of the howitzer

14

. When the howitzer

14

is drawn forward, the extendible wheels

54

of the howitzer

14

reside within wheel cutouts

170

defined in the load surface

146

of the tilt bed assembly

102

. The underside of the carriage

52

is resting on the load surface

146

. It will be noted in this disposition that the optical sight mounts

62

are the highest point of the cannon system

8

. In order to accommodate this elevation within the cargo envelope of the C-130 aircraft, the suspension

22

,

23

of the vehicle

12

is compressed and a certain amount of air is let out of the wheels

24

. Such action reduces the overall height of the cannon system

8

by approximately seven inches thereby allowing the cannon system

8

to fit within the envelope of the cargo area of a C-130 type aircraft.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other embodiments in addition to the ones described herein are indicated to be within the scope and breadth of the present application. Accordingly, the applicant intends to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

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