Device for transporting a mortar-type heavy weapon on a light all-terrain vehicle |
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申请号 | US10550060 | 申请日 | 2004-03-18 | 公开(公告)号 | US20060266208A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2006-11-30 |
申请人 | Denis Jean-Francois; Andre Beaujard; Patrick Cohe; | 发明人 | Denis Jean-Francois; Andre Beaujard; Patrick Cohe; | ||||
摘要 | The invention relates to techniques used to transport artillery-type autonomous weapons, such as cannons or mortars. The invention can be used to transport a heavy weapon on the rear deck of a light all-terrain vehicle. The interface (3, 4) between the vehicle (2) and the weapon (1) comprises a retractable structure (3), e.g. a fork crane (30), a cable (32) and an electrical winch (31). When retracted, the retractable structure is designed to form a mechanical connection between the vehicle and the weapon, and, when released, said structure is configured to enable the weapon to move in relation to the vehicle, such that the stresses produced with the launch of a missile are not transmitted to the vehicle. Moreover, when the retractable structure is in the released position, the weapon can be moved away from the vehicle while remaining connected thereto and, in the retracted position, the structure can be used to position the weapon precisely on the vehicle. | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The invention relates to the techniques of transporting autonomous weapons of the artillery-piece type, such as guns or mortars. In particular, is allows a heavy weapon to be transported on the rear platform of a light all-terrain vehicle. One technique is to tow the weapon behind a vehicle, the weapon being carried by a wheelset and forming a coupling connected to the vehicle. On soft ground, particularly when backing up, there is a risk that the coupling will become bogged down. This reduces the mobility of the vehicle. In addition, it is necessary to maneuver in order to connect the coupling to the vehicle, and this reduces the reaction capability. Another technique is to fix the weapon permanently directly onto the vehicle, for example on its rear platform. This technique makes it possible to improve mobility and reaction capability but during firings the vehicle is subjected to high stresses resulting from the launch of the projectiles. It is necessary for such a vehicle to be engineered to withstand the forces generated by the recoil of the weapon. One object of the invention is to transport a weapon without the aforementioned disadvantages, that is to say with better mobility and reaction capability than a towed weapon, and without transmitting the stresses incurred by the launch of a projectile. To this end, the subject of the invention is, in particular, an interface between a vehicle and a weapon, comprising at least one retractable structure intended to form a mechanical connection between the vehicle and the weapon when it is retracted, the retractable structure being configured to allow the weapon to move relative to the vehicle when relaxed, such that the stresses induced by the launch of a projectile are not transmitted to the vehicle. The retractable structure, in the relaxed position, allows the weapon to be kept away from the vehicle while at the same time maintaining a connection with the latter. Firing is done on the ground, and this makes it possible to avoid transmitting the projectile launch stresses. In addition, it is possible for the weapon to move relative to the vehicle. This movement allows the weapon to be extracted from its emplacement on uneven ground. When the weapon needs to be moved from one location to another, the retractable structure is brought into its retracted position. The retractable structure maintains a connection (tight or relaxed) between the weapon and the vehicle. This connection allows the weapon to be brought up close to the vehicle quickly. The invention thus provides better reaction capability than a towed weapon. Once the retractable structure has been retracted, the weapon can easily be maneuvered so that it can be set down on the vehicle. The structure in its retracted position allows the weapon to be positioned accurately on the vehicle. Once the weapon has been placed on the vehicle, the invention provides better mobility in comparison with a towed weapon. The invention allows the boresight of the weapon to be orientated at will. The boresight is not necessarily fixed with respect to the axis of the vehicle, but may rotate through a certain angular field (limited to the travel or mobility of the connection). Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description which is given by way of nonlimiting illustration and made with reference to the attached figures, which depict: Reference is now made to Reference is now made to Reference is now made to Reference is made to Reference is made to Reference is made to Reference is made now to Having operated the rams to set the mortar plate 11 down, the electric winch around which the two cables are wound is operated in order to set the two wheels 14 down on the ground by virtue of the ball-joint-type connection between the tube and the mortar plate. The vehicle can then move away from the mortar, as indicated by the arrow F3 in Thus, by using the interface described, emplacement is performed by deploying the crane, moving the mortar clear by distancing the gantry, rotating the mortar plate, and setting the weapon down on the ground. Control may be had through manual action on a conventional control unit. Extraction from its emplacement is performed by carrying out the reverse operations, that is to say by bringing the vehicle up as close as possible to the mortar (minimum distance between the gantry and the axle) then rewinding the cables, folding the crane, and setting the mortar down onto the vehicle. A retractable structure that is equivalent from a functional standpoint to the one depicted in Reference is made to Advantageously, the self-centering elements are configured also to maintain their position against forces that tend to apply shear to the cable during transport, emplacement or extraction from emplacement. The self-centering elements thus afford the cable some protection. The self-centering elements may for example be a male cone 60 and a female cone 61, orientated in such a way that their axes are more or less parallel to the direction of the cable when the cable is under tension. According to one advantageous embodiment, clamping (not depicted) is provided for mechanically anchoring the cones to one another. The function of this clamping is to prevent the cones from dislocating once they have been nested one inside the other. It makes it possible to avoid having to leave the winch motor powered while the mortar is being transported. The clamping may be afforded by a pin for example. Reference is made to Reference is made to The mechanism involving jaws which is depicted in Advantageously, the mechanism involving jaws can be locked by a latch lock lever 82. This allows more rapid clamping than a screw-nut system. The latch lock lever can be locked manually using a lever handle 83 for example. Reference is now made to These means may be formed by an end-fitting 62 (wrist pin) and a housing 63 (bore). The end-fitting may be placed at the cable end connected to the mortar. The housing may be produced in a part integral with the male cone 60. It is also possible to anticipate a hook-ring system. The uncoupling means allow the vehicle to be moved even further away from the weapon (beyond the length of the cable). Reference is now made to In the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the interface is equipped with two retractable structures connected to the axle 12 of the mortar. Of course, just one retractable structure will suffice. However, the interface according to the invention advantageously comprises at least two retractable structures. |