US2474739A - Fire control apparatus for guns - Google Patents

Fire control apparatus for guns Download PDF

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Publication number
US2474739A
US2474739A US580031A US58003145A US2474739A US 2474739 A US2474739 A US 2474739A US 580031 A US580031 A US 580031A US 58003145 A US58003145 A US 58003145A US 2474739 A US2474739 A US 2474739A
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United States
Prior art keywords
shaft
training
predictor
gun
hydraulic
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US580031A
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English (en)
Inventor
Clarke Thomas Frederick
Cole Percy William
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vinters Armstrongs Ltd
Original Assignee
Vickers Armstrongs Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd filed Critical Vickers Armstrongs Ltd
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Publication of US2474739A publication Critical patent/US2474739A/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G5/00—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns
    • F41G5/04—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns using hydraulic means for remote control
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G5/00—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns
    • F41G5/14—Elevating or traversing control systems for guns for vehicle-borne guns
    • F41G5/18—Tracking systems for guns on aircraft

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a fire or like control apparatus for guns, torpedo-tubes, or similarly controllable devices and is concerned with control apparatus taking into account those relative movements between the gun or the like and the target.
  • Fonsimplicity of language herein use is made of terms such as guns, gun transmission, fire control apparatus. Although all these terms have a primary application to guns only they are to be considered, if the context permits, as including apparatus where an analogous problem of control arises as, for example, in torpedo discharging gear.
  • a sight is employed for following the target, the movements in training and elevation which it is necessary to apply to the sight in order that it should follow the target being communicated to the predictor where such movements are analysed to obtain gun deflections.
  • the analysis of the sight movements which takes place in the predictor must include the determination of the rate of change of the sight movements when the sight is following the target. This may be achieved with the aid of the wellknown balance dial constrctions, or alternatively, an indicating instrument might be used.
  • An indicating instrument would have the disadvantage that little power would be available for operation of the prediction apparatus, whilst the employment of balance dials necessitates an observer or observers to work at the predictor maintaining the coincidence of the pointers and dials.
  • Known gun control apparatus will, in general, either operate with great accuracy but low power or with power suflicient to operate the gun mounting with but a relatively low accuracy. It will, of course, be appreciated that the object of the invention in producing automaticity with great accuracy in the prediction and sighting portion of the control apparatus will be completely defeated if the gun transmission does not also operate with complete automaticity and extreme precision.
  • a fire control system includes an observing sight, a predictor or calculator and gun operating mechanism wherein the movements of the sight in training and elevation are controlled through hydraulic swash-plate pump and motor systems, each such system possessing control means to vary the volume of the supply of the fiuid medium with the aid of a valve or by varying the angulation in the swashplate system, and wherein there are connections from the training and elevating mechanism of the sight to the predictor or calculator so as to introduce into the latter, movements corresponding to the actual training and elevating movements 5 of the sight, there being further connections from said control means to the predictor or calculator so as to introduce also into the latter movements that are proportional to the rate of change of the sight elevating and training adjustments.
  • the output from the calculator or predictor consisting of corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the associated gun, is magnified by a power amplifier hunter follow-up system comprising a swash-plate hydraulic system with hunter gear.
  • Each pump has a control member which is movable to govern the rate of operation of the associated motor and is, therefore, in its movements proportional to such rate.
  • the sight is carried by the gun and the time of flight is combined with the measured rate just indicated and applied back to the sight to deflect the latter in such manner that the gun should be 49 laid in advance upon a predicted position of a moving target. It may also be mentioned that hydraulic swash-plate systems for remote operation of a gun mounting are known per se.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fire control system according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a sectional view of a detail of the apparatus employed.
  • Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modified system
  • FIGs 4 and 5 are details of the apparatus employed in the system of Figure 3.
  • a calculator or predictor 23 which is intended to derive future corrections for an associated gun (or guns) with the aid of certain given present values.
  • the desired present values there will be the training and elevating displacements made to the sighting device I. Measurements of these displacements are obtained from the shafts 3 and A with the aid of bevel pinions 23A and 24 associated with shafts 25 and 26.
  • the shaft 25 experiences a movement according to the training adjustment whilst the shaft 26 experiences a movement according to elevation adjustment.
  • the calculator 23 an accurate estimationtof the rate of change of both training and elevation. For reasons that will be indicated more fully hereinafter, a. measure of the rate of change of training is obtained upon a shaft 2'!
  • the sighting device i is equipped with the usual range-adjusting handwheel 3I and appropriate mechanism 32 from which there is a connection 33 to the calculator or predictor 23 for the purpose of setting therein the present range.
  • a bell-crank ll arranged at one end to co-operate with a collar 42 supported fixedly on the shaft 38 and arranged to have its other extremity connected by means of a rod 43' with an arm 44, the adjust ment of which governs the angulation in a hydraulic swash-plate pump 45.
  • the latter is associated with a swash-plate motor 46, and there is a source of mechanical energy 41 for actuating the pump 45.
  • An output shaft 48 receives the drive from the motor 46 and there is a gearwheel 49 secured upon such shaft.
  • the gearwheel 49 meshes with a gearwheel 56 having an internally screw-threaded boss 5
  • has an integral extension carrying a gearwheel 53, whilst'the-shaft 38 has a non-circular section portion 5 supporting a further gearwheel 55, so that the latter may remain in a relatively stationary position along the axially movable shaft 38.
  • a casing 55 is disposed for angular movement about the shaft 38 I and carries a shaft 5?
  • a series of teeth indicated at 59' is disposed around the periphery of the casing' 58, such teeth being intended to engage with a pinion Ell located on a shaft 6
  • the shaft 48 is mechanically connected with a shaft 62 entering a gun-adjusting mechanism 63.
  • the shaft 34 is associated with mechanism precisely similar to that already described and there is an output shaft .64 which likewise enters the gun-adjusting mechanism. 63.
  • Figure 2 there is shown, in section, mechanism for elevating and training either the sight I or the gun to which themechanism is to be applied.
  • the sectional view in Figure 2 maybe regarded as a detail of'the mechanism 2 or 63.
  • a main central shaft 66 which effects the training adjustment, there being a gearwheel 51 attached to the shaft and meshing with a control worm 58.
  • a control worm 69 meshing with a toothed annulus 70 which engages with the pinions H of an epicyclic gear.
  • a drive from the pinions II is taken upon a sleeve 12 which is formed integral with a gearwheel l3, meshing with a further gearwheel M which in turn serves to drive a shaft for effecting elevati-on adjustments.
  • the epicyclic action permits elevation adjustment of the shaft 15 without disturbance or variation by the training adjustments.
  • the shaft 66 of Figure 2 may be regarded as equivalent to the shaft indicated at 80 in connection with the range-finding device I, whilst the shaft 8! may be regarded as equivalent to the shaft I5.
  • the shafts 82 and 83 thereof may respectively correspond to the shafts 66 and 15 ofthe mechanism of Figure 2.
  • the range-finding and sighting device I will be controlled by visual observation.
  • the observer will be able to adjust the range-finder in elevation and training by means of the handwheels 22 and 2I'.
  • the range will be set by the handwheel 3! and will be transmitted to the calculator 23.
  • the handwheel 22 it will be understood that a directly proportional movement will be given to the lever I4 which determines the swash-plate angulation in the hydraulic pump I0.
  • movement of the lever I4 is proportional to the speed at which the hydraulic motor 9 will run, given a constant speed for the source of mechanical power I2.
  • the handwheel 22 is being operated so that the shaft 4 keeps the observing sight, 1. e., the rangeflnder, correctly adjusted in elevation upon the target, then it will be seen that the handwheel 22 is moving in accordance with rate of change of elevation.
  • rate of change of elevation is set upon the shaft 29 and into the calculator 23.
  • the shaft 26 will move in accordance with the actual elevation adjustment, and for like reasons the shaft 21 will move according to rate of change of training whilst the shaft will move according to actual extent of training.
  • the calculator or predictor 23 deals with these inputs and forms no part of the present invention.
  • the calculator '23 may have other inputs so that there may be derived finally therefrom, gun adjustments in trainin and elevation upon the output shafts 34 and 35.
  • the mechanism for obtaining power followup from the shafts 34 and 35 is identical and only that associated with the shaft 55 need be described. In operation this mechanism functions as a power amplifier with hunter follow-up.
  • the shaft 35 turns, the movement thereof is communicated to shaft 35 through the gearwheel 3! and due to the threading 52 on the shaft 38 the latter is moved axially.
  • the axial movement produces a swinging of the bell-crank lever 4
  • is arranged to move in accordance With the extent of lag anddrives back into the calculator 23. The movement of the shaft 6
  • the gearwheel 53 can move only at the same speed as the gear 50 which, in turn, moves according to the speed of the output shaft 40 from the motor 46.
  • the gearwheel 55 must move with the shaft 38.
  • both the pinions 50 are fixed upon the shaft 51, the casing 56 must rotate and transmit rotary motion to the shaft 0
  • FIG. 5 there is shown a detail of a valve box such as indicated at I00 and IOI in Figure 3.
  • the box includes essentially a body member I06 and a valve stem I01 in the extremity of which there is engaged the end of a centrally pivoted lever I08.
  • the other end of such lever is effectively attached to a nut I99 adapted to cooperate with a threaded member III] upon the shaft III.
  • There is a hand-wheel upon the shaft so that by the rotation of the latter the valve stem I0'I may be made to move axially in either direction.
  • the valve box body I06 has ports IIIBA, corresponding to the pipes I04 and I05 and furthermore has a fluid medium inlet I 09A and outlet 9A, which may be connected respectively to the pipes I02 and 99, for example.
  • a reversing valve is employed in the chamber H2, the valve possessing portions H4 and H5 which fit within the chamber H2 and which are capable of closing almost completely the ports I08A.
  • the handwheel 94 associated with the valve box I00 has a control shaft H6, and that the corresponding handwheel 93 of the valve box I0
  • Such corrections are amplified through a power ampagans npli-fier, and II'LHI-ItEIZvfOHOVIqJ- P system 'and applied min alglun control-V,mechanismHIZELt hich maybe "tithe same as that,alreadyindicated in theprevisous, construction. ;:.T he ;power.
  • amplifier system Nasscciatedmvith aeach,,correction isv identical, and itisuflicesa. thereforento .zdescr-ibea-one in detail.
  • the output-shaftil w is connected by gearing I2I nivith a shaft; I22 which enterslag correction-and shunting? gear. I23.
  • valvesbox.I29 (assumedinfli'igure 3 to beenclosed in, the casing L23,..for simplicity. ot'drawing). It. will beHseen' w-thati-the construction ofwther .valve box [29 is ,esimilar tohthatshownin- Figure 5, except that a the zvalvestemhlw has a.yoke end which supports a-.camfollower.,
  • the sightins means, hydraulic ,fluidhpressuregenerating means supplying said. motors means regulating the supply of hydraulic.fluidtpressureto said hydraulic ,motors for. selectively controlling the adjustment of, the sighting means .for training. and elevation, and meanstransmitting tolthe predictor a measure of the rateuof trainingandelevation applied to said regulating means.
  • a fire, control,system, sighting means a predictor, input and outputamotion transmitting ,.,members associated with said predictor; gun-op- 40.
  • ieratingmechanism hydraulic motors having output connectionsv tosaid.
  • sighting means for :im- ,fparting trainingand elevating movements to the lsightingimeans and. also having driving connec- ,tions to the input-members of theipredictor so as torapply to thepredictormeasurements of train- .ing and elevating displacements of the sighting a :means, pu-mps.
  • an observing sight a predictor, gun elevating and training means, a hydraulic swash-plate motor having an output to said sight for adjusting the sight in training, a second swash-plate motor having an output for adjusting the sight in elevation, means transmitting said training and elevating adjustments of the sight to the predictor, a pump to supply said motors with hydraulic pressure fiuid, selectively adjustable valves for controlling the supply of hydraulic pressure fluid to said motors, means transmitting to the predictor movements proportional to the rate of change of the elevating and training adjustments derived from the adjustment of said valves, a power amplifier hunter follow-up system for driving the gun elevating and training means, and outputs from the predictor to said power amplifier system for introducing thereto the corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun.
  • sighting means In a fire control system, sighting means, a predictor, gun operating mechanism, outputs from said predictor for transmitting corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun operating mechanism, a power amplifier followup gear for magnifying the said corrections derived from the predictor and for applying them to the gun operating mechanism, a swash-plate pump and motor system and associated power source means for driving the pumping means of said system, means associated with the motor portion of said system for applying to the sighting means adjustments in training and elevation and for transmitting corresponding adjustments to the predictor and means for transmitting to the predictor movements proportional to the rate of change of the elevating and training adjustments of the sighting means.
  • a fire control system sighting means, a predictor, gun operating mechanism, outputs from said predictor for transmitting corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun operating mechanism, a power amplifier followup gear for magnifying the said corrections derived from the predictor and for applying them to the gear, a swash-plate pump and motor system and associated power source means for driving the pumping means of said system, means associated with the motor portion of said system for applying to the sighting means adjustments in training and elevation and for transmitting corresponding adjustments to the predictor, means for transmitting to the predictor movements proportional to the rate of change of the elevating and training adjustments of the sighting means, and a return drive from the power amplifier follow-up gear to the predictor for returning to the predictor compensation for lag in the said gear.
  • sighting means In a fire control system, sighting means, a predictor, gun operating mechanism, outputs from said predictor for transmitting corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun operating mechanism, a power amplifier followup gear for magnifying the said corrections derived from the predictor and for applying them to the gun operating mechanism, a swash-plate pump and motor system and associated power source means for driving the pumping means of said system, means associated with the motor portion of said system for applying to the sighting means adjustments in training and elevation and for transmitting corresponding adjustments to the predictor, means for transmitting to the'pre dictor movements proportional to the rate of change of the elevating and training adjustments of the sighting means, and means for determining lag correction in the follow-up gear consisting of a member arranged to move with the sensitive input to said gear, a second member arranged to move with the power output from the gear and a connecting mechanism between members, said connecting mechanism being constructed and arranged that when said members run in the same direction at the same speed the connecting mechanism has no output while a difference in
  • a fire control system sighting means, a predictor, gun operating mechanism, outputs from said predictor for transmitting corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun operating mechanism, a power amplifier followup gear for magnifying the said corrections derived from the predictor and for applying them to the gun operating mechanism, a hydraulic system having swash-plate pump means and a plurality' of hydraulic motor means, associated power source means for driving said pump means, means associated with certain of said hydraulic motor means for applying to the sighting means adjustments in training and elevation and for transmitting corresponding adjustments to the predictor, said adjustment applying means embodying a pair of selectively operable manually controlled valves for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said last named motor means, and means for transmitting to the predictor movements proportional to the rate of change of adjustment of said valves.
  • a fire control system sighting means, a predictor, gun elevating and training means, a pair of swash-plate hydraulic motors each having an output to the sighting means for adjusting the sighting means for training and elevation, a pump common to said motors, a power unit driving said pump, a pair of manually controlled valves for regulating the supply of pressure fiuid to said motors, connections from said valves to said predictor for transmitting to the predictor movements proportional to the rate of change of the valve positions, means transmitting the training and elevating adjustments of the sighting means to said predictor, a power amplifier hunter follow-up system for driving the gun elevating and training means, and outputs from the predictor to said power amplifier system for introducing thereto the corrections in training and elevation to be applied to the gun elevating and training means.
  • a fire control system sighting means, a predictor, gun elevating and training means, a pair of swash-plate hydraulic motors each having an output to the sighting means for adjusting the sighting means for training and elevation, a pump common to said motors, a power unit driving said pump, a pair of manually controlled valves for regulating the supply of pressure fiuid to said motors, connections from said valves to said predictor for transmitting to the predictor movements proportioned to the rate of change of the valve positions, means transmitting the training and elevating adjustments of the sighting means to said predictor, a power amplifier hunter follow-up system for driving the gun elevating and training means, outputs from the preamaasd elevation-to be applied to "the-"gun elevating and" training'means, and-means for' determining lag correction in the hunter follow-up system consist'ing of a member arranged '-to move-with the serisitive'input to said system,a second member arranged to move with the-power
  • an'observing sight a predictor, gun operating mechanism, a first hydraulic swash-plate motor having an output to saids'ight for adjusting athe' -sight in training, a seco'nd hydraulic swash-plate 'motor having an output :for:adjusting the sight in elevation, means transmitting. said training and elevating adjustmerits of the sight to' the predictor, a hydraulic power.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Hydraulic Motors (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Fluid-Pressure Circuits (AREA)
US580031A 1937-10-12 1945-02-27 Fire control apparatus for guns Expired - Lifetime US2474739A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB27737/37A GB586589A (en) 1937-10-12 1937-10-12 Improvements in or relating to fire or like control apparatus for guns or similarly controllable devices

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US2474739A true US2474739A (en) 1949-06-28

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US580031A Expired - Lifetime US2474739A (en) 1937-10-12 1945-02-27 Fire control apparatus for guns

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US (1) US2474739A (fr)
CH (1) CH260606A (fr)
ES (1) ES173389A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB586589A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2871660A (en) * 1953-11-09 1959-02-03 Cook Electric Co Remote control system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB586589A (en) * 1937-10-12 1947-01-29 Variable Speed Gear Ltd Improvements in or relating to fire or like control apparatus for guns or similarly controllable devices

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1067859A (en) * 1912-06-24 1913-07-22 Coventry Ordnance Works Ltd Apparatus for aiming guns.
US1360664A (en) * 1919-01-03 1920-11-30 Government Control means for ordnance
US1612118A (en) * 1921-09-27 1926-12-28 Gen Electric Control system for ordnance
US2189823A (en) * 1935-08-01 1940-02-13 Harry F Vickers Apparatus for controlling the movement of heavy masses
US2284611A (en) * 1939-11-14 1942-05-26 George E Barnhart Remotely controlled gun mount
US2385348A (en) * 1945-09-25 Ftoe control system for aircraft
US2414102A (en) * 1941-07-23 1947-01-14 Sperry Gyroscope Co Inc Handle control system
GB586589A (en) * 1937-10-12 1947-01-29 Variable Speed Gear Ltd Improvements in or relating to fire or like control apparatus for guns or similarly controllable devices

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2385348A (en) * 1945-09-25 Ftoe control system for aircraft
US1067859A (en) * 1912-06-24 1913-07-22 Coventry Ordnance Works Ltd Apparatus for aiming guns.
US1360664A (en) * 1919-01-03 1920-11-30 Government Control means for ordnance
US1612118A (en) * 1921-09-27 1926-12-28 Gen Electric Control system for ordnance
US2189823A (en) * 1935-08-01 1940-02-13 Harry F Vickers Apparatus for controlling the movement of heavy masses
GB586589A (en) * 1937-10-12 1947-01-29 Variable Speed Gear Ltd Improvements in or relating to fire or like control apparatus for guns or similarly controllable devices
US2284611A (en) * 1939-11-14 1942-05-26 George E Barnhart Remotely controlled gun mount
US2414102A (en) * 1941-07-23 1947-01-14 Sperry Gyroscope Co Inc Handle control system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2871660A (en) * 1953-11-09 1959-02-03 Cook Electric Co Remote control system

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CH260606A (fr) 1949-03-31
ES173389A1 (es) 1946-06-01
GB586589A (en) 1947-01-29

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