Auto-loader and vehicle comprising an auto-loader

Abstract

A vehicle, in particular a tank, having a turret, on which a gun having a large-calibre gun barrel is secured, and comprising an auto-loader positioned behind the turret, via which auto-loader ammunition can be automatically supplied to the gun barrel. In order to achieve simplified automatic loading of the gun barrel with ammunition, the auto-loader is replaceably secured on the outside of the turret as a separate, modular unit. A magazine located in the auto-loader for receiving the ammunition can also be designed as an interchangeable magazine that can be replaced. An electronic system of the auto-loader is housed in the vehicle, specifically in the turret. The selection of ammunition in the auto-loader and the conveying out of the auto-loader are carried out via at least one mechanical interface, e.g. a power take-off, between the turret and the auto-loader.

Claims

1. An autoloader comprising: at least one magazine housing; at least one magazine for receiving ammunition; and a loading device that transfers the ammunition from the at least one magazine to a loading space of a barrel of a gun, wherein the at least one magazine is housed in the magazine housing, wherein the at least one magazine is configured as an endless belt magazine, wherein the at least one magazine is replaceable, wherein the loading device is housed inside the at least one magazine, and wherein the autoloader, that includes the at least one magazine housing, the at least one magazine and the loading device, is a modular unit, the modular unit being attachable to an exterior of a turret to which the gun is fastened or attachable to an exterior of a vehicle that includes the turret.

2. The autoloader as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two partial magazines are introduced in the at least one magazine housing.

3. The autoloader as claimed in claim 1, wherein ammunition that are different from one another are adapted to be received in the at least one magazine.

4. The autoloader as claimed in claim 1, wherein pieces of ammunition are arranged substantially horizontally in corresponding containers of the endless belt magazine, wherein at least one of the containers contains a load tray and is provided with a longitudinal slot.

5. The autoloader as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one magazine housing is covered by a hinged cover.

6. A vehicle comprising: a turret to which a gun with a barrel is fastened; and an autoloader as claimed in claim 1, wherein the autoloader is a separate, modular, removable unit that is attached to the exterior of the turret or attached to the exterior of the vehicle, wherein the turret and the autoloader have openings on sides facing one another, and wherein the ammunition is automatically selected and automatically fed to a loading space of the gun.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the openings facing one another are arranged in an extension of an axis of a bore of the barrel.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the openings are adapted to be closed.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one magazine housing is covered by a hinged cover.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein an electronic system of the autoloader is housed in the vehicle or in the turret.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one mechanical interface is provided between the turret or the vehicle and the autoloader.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the selection of ammunition and the feeding of the ammunition takes place via the at least one mechanical interface.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one mechanical interface is a power takeoff shaft.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one electrical interface is provided between the turret or the vehicle and the autoloader, or wherein a selection and conveyance of ammunition takes place via the at least one mechanical interface.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the loading device is housed inside the at least one magazine at a position that is closer to the side of the autoloader that faces the turret than a side of the autoloader that faces away from the turret.

16. A vehicle comprising: a turret to which a gun with a barrel is fastened; an autoloader comprising at least one magazine housing and at least one magazine for receiving ammunition, the at least one magazine being accommodated in the at least one magazine housing; and a loading device that is attached to an exterior of the turret or an exterior of the vehicle, wherein the at least one magazine is configured as an endless belt magazine, wherein the at least one magazine is replaceable, wherein the autoloader is a separate, modular, removable unit that is attached to the exterior of the turret or attached to the exterior of the vehicle, wherein the turret and the autoloader have openings on sides facing one another, and wherein the ammunition is automatically selected and automatically fed to a loading space of the gun.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a gun turret only depicted schematically with a gun and ammunition housing of an autoloader before it is fastened to the gun turret;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the gun turret depicted in FIG. 1 following the fastening of the ammunition housing of the autoloader to the gun turret;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the arrangement depicted in FIG. 2 with the ammunition housing open before and after the reloading of an ammunition magazine, with integrated loading device;

(5) FIG. 5 shows the front view of an exemplary embodiment of an ammunition magazine with integrated loading device;

(6) FIG. 6 shows the side view of the ammunition magazine depicted in FIG. 5, and

(7) FIG. 7 shows a perspective representation of the ammunition magazine with the loading device and with ammunition held by the loading device,

(8) FIG. 8 shows a sectional depiction of the loading device with the ammunition, and

(9) FIG. 9 shows the automatic loading action of the ammunition.

(10) FIG. 10 shows an armored or combat vehicle with the gun, turret and autoloader of FIG. 2 provided thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) A rotatable turret (e.g. gun turret, superstructure) of a vehicle 30 (see FIG. 10) which is not itself depicted in greater detail (e.g. armored vehicle, combat vehicle, ship, stationary object, etc.) to which a large-caliber gun 2 with a barrel 3 can be fastened is labelled in the Figure with 1. The turret 1 preferably has a preferably closable, first opening (loading opening) 4 on the rear side, via which ammunition 5 can be fed into the loading space 6 (FIG. 9) of the barrel 3.

(12) On the outside, preferably behind the turret 1, is located an autoloader 50, comprising at least one magazine housing 7, at least one magazine 8, and possibly a loading device 9.

(13) An electronic system 24 of the autoloader 50 can be installed in the turret 1 or in the vehicle. Via at least one mechanical interface 25, for example a power takeoff shaft, a mechanical connection to the magazine 8 is created. By means of the at least one interface 25 (or power takeoff shaft), the ammunition is selected and the selected ammunition 5 fed from the magazine 8, e.g. based on the duration of rotation, rotational direction and/or speed, etc. of the power takeoff shaft.

(14) As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the magazine 8 can also be replaceable, i.e. removed from the magazine housing 7. For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper side of the magazine housing 7 is configured as a hinged cover 10, so that the magazine 8 can be removed and replaced with a corresponding, new magazine 8. Alternatives to a cover 10 for removal are known in the art.

(15) The magazine housing 7 has on its side facing the turret 1 a preferably closable, second opening (removal opening) 11 as a further ammunition partition which lies opposite the loading opening 4 in the turret 1, through which the ammunition 5 being loaded is conveyed from the magazine housing 7 into the turret 1. In this case, the loading opening 4 and the removal opening 11 are arranged in an extension of the axis of the bore 100 of the barrel 3. The ammunition 5 being loaded in each case can be introduced in this indexing position from the loading device 9 by an axial displacement from the magazine housing 7 into the loading chamber 6 of the gun barrel 3 of the gun 2.

(16) FIGS. 5 to 8 show a possible design of a magazine 8 with a loading device 9. This design should be regarded as exemplary and only depicted schematically.

(17) The at least one magazine 8 can be an endless belt magazine (FIG. 5) in which the ammunition 5 fixed in a load tray 12 in each case is arranged horizontally in containers 13. The arrangement is such that in the case of magazine housings 7 fastened to the turret 1, a projectile part 14 of the respective ammunition 5 is substantially facing the turret 1. The endless belt 15 with the containers 13 provided with a longitudinal slot 16 in each case may be guided by a rack 17. At least two partial magazines of this kind with a common loading position in respect of the gun may also be provided (not shown in greater detail).

(18) The removal position in the magazine 8 is located in the center of the lower belt portion of the endless belt 15 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5. The rack 17 in this case has a feedthrough 19. The loading device 9 is located above the removal position. The loading device 9 also has a kind of feeding element 9.1 for feeding the ammunition 5 from the ammunition magazine 8 to the loading chamber 6. Together with the at least one mechanical interface 25, the feeding element 9.1 takes over the feeding of the container 13 along with the ammunition 5 in the direction of the loading chamber 6. For this purpose, at least one changeover element (not shown in greater detail) is provided which is able to convert a rotational movement into a longitudinal movement.

(19) FIG. 6 shows the magazine 8 in a slightly perspective representation. In each container 13 there is at least one piece of ammunition 5. Different ammunition or various types of ammunition may be introduced in the magazine 5 in this case. The ammunition 5 selected by the weapons system is located through rotation below the loading device 9. This loading device 9 makes contact with the load tray 12 and can carry along the ammunition 5 together with the load tray 12.

(20) FIG. 8 shows a possible fixing 22 of the ammunition 5 in this case within the loading device 9. The mounting of the ammunition 5 with the projectile part 14, cartridge case 21, and sabot 23 preferably has a bearing point (fixing 22) in the region of the sabot 23 and a further bearing point in the region of the case bottom 21.1 of the cartridge case 21.

(21) With the help of FIG. 9 greater detail will be given below of the loading action of ammunition 5 to be newly loaded. In this case, in the present exemplary embodiment, for example, ammunition 5 with a combustible propellant charge and a sabot projectile, e.g. with a caliber of 120 mm or 130 mm, is to be loaded. The wall regions of the magazine housing 7 and of the turret 1 are not shown in the interests of transparency.

(22) The barrel 3 is initially moved into its indexing position and the desired ammunition is selected. The ammunition 5 being loaded is then moved into its removal position (FIG. 5). The removal opening 11 of the magazine housing 7 and also the loading opening 4 of the turret 1 are opened.

(23) Via the at least one mechanical interface 25, the ammunition is selected by rotating the magazine 8. Once the selected or chosen cartridge 5 has reached the region of the loading device 9, the cartridge 5 is fed to the barrel. The loading device 9 then pushes the load tray 12 with the cartridge 5 out of the corresponding container 13 to the rear end of the barrel 3 (FIG. 9b).

(24) The fixing 22 of the ammunition 5 in the load tray 12 is then removed. The fixing 22 may be designed in such a manner that with the movement of the ammunition 5 the fixing is pushed outwards by a projectile rammer not depicted in greater detail. The ammunition 5 is pushed into the loading chamber 6 of the barrel 3 (FIG. 9c).

(25) Once the projectile rammer and the load tray 12 have been moved back, the gun 2 is locked, the openings 4 and 11 are closed, the gun 2 is aimed, and the release for firing confirmed.

(26) It is self-evident that within the context of the principle of the invention, namely that of the exchangeable autoloader 50, the exchangeable magazine 8, or the exchangeable magazine and the attachment of the autoloader 50 outside the turret or the vehicle, there are numerous further possibilities. Instead of the at least one mechanical interface 25, at least one electrical interface 26 for an electrical actuator, for example a motor, may be provided in the autoloader 50, alternatively or in combination. This electrical interface should likewise be separable and configured as a coupling, for example, so that rapid exchangeability of the autoloader can be further guaranteed. The magazine 8 can then also be rotated via the electrical actuator and the selected ammunition 5 fed to the loading chamber 6 of the gun 2.

(27) The opening and closing of the openings 4, 11 may take place mechanically or electrically.

(28) Alternatively, the loading device may also be attached on the gun side which, for its part, communicates with the autoloader 50 via the at least one mechanical interface 25. A loading device in the magazine 8 can then be dispensed with.

(29) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.