Weapon drive and weapon drive with an emergency weapon stop

Abstract

A drive for a weapon having a drive cam and a connecting rod unit guided in the drive cam. The drive cam includes the firing cycle of the weapon. A connecting rod unit has a front pin and a rear pin, a strut pin. With its front pin, the connecting rod unit engages in the drive cam. The front pin is also connected to a crank, which is driven by an external drive. The strut pin is connected to an overall control slider of a breech block of the weapon. An emergency stop device, which when a shot is fired makes a pin extend and ensures that the overall control slider is taken along. If, on the other hand, no shot is fired, the pin is not made to extend and the overall control slider not moved. Parts of the drive may in this case continue to run.

Claims

1. A weapon drive for a weapon comprising: a drive curve; a connecting rod guided in the drive curve, the drive curve includes the firing cycle of the weapon, the connecting rod, in addition to a connecting rod shaft, comprises a front pin and a rear pin as driving pin, the connecting rod engages with its front pin in the drive curve and is guided therein, wherein the front pin is connected to a crank which is driven by an external drive, and the driving pin is connected to an overall control slide of a breech of the weapon and is adapted to engage in a groove-like guide incorporated beneath the overall control slide; and a connecting rod carriage of the connecting rod, wherein the connecting rod is pivoted about a pivot point within the idle times of the breech, which causes the driving pin that runs in a groove in the connecting rod carriage of the connecting rod to pivot, and wherein the connecting rod engages with its driving cam in the groove-like guide in the overall control slide in order to transport the breech.

2. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting rod carriage has four sliding rollers incorporated at the corners of the connecting rod carriage.

3. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive curve comprises a front region extending transversely to the breech and a region having a radius, said regions defining idle times of the breech.

4. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 3, wherein the radius is as great as a length of the connecting rod guided in the drive curve.

5. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein an overall control slide has a fixed lug and a movable cross slide, wherein, via the fixed lug, the breech is moved forward and the movable cross slide serves to transport the breech back.

6. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable cross slide has a recess.

7. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable cross slide has a laterally incorporated pin.

8. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an emergency stop device having at least one kinematic system which forces out the pin when a shot is fired.

9. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 8, wherein the kinematic system is formed by at least one guide, at least one connecting rod guided in a control curve of the guide, and at least one lever.

10. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving pin of the connecting rod is mounted in the connecting rod in a spring-loaded manner.

11. The weapon drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable cross slide has a slope.

12. A weapon having a weapon drive as claimed in claim 1.

13. The weapon as claimed in claim 12, wherein slopes or ramps are incorporated into the main weapon housing or into a weapon cradle, said slopes or ramps serving to guide the cross slide and the pin back into their original position.

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 perspective plan-view illustration of a breech drive in an externally driven weapon;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional illustration of the drive;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the attachment of the breech drive from FIG. 1 to an overall control slide of the weapon;

(5) FIG. 4 shows an illustration of an emergency stop device contained in the breech drive;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective plan-view illustration of the emergency stop device counter to the firing direction;

(7) FIG. 6 shows an illustration of the emergency stop device in a perspective side view;

(8) FIGS. 7a and 7b show an illustration of a pin, contained in the breech drive, in its original position and of the pin released by the emergency stop device; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows the incorporation of the emergency stop device into a weapon cradle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a drive 10 for a weapon 100 (illustrated in part in FIG. 8), having a drive curve 1 and a connecting rod 2 guided in the drive curve 1. The drive curve 1 includes the firing cycle of the weapon 100, i.e. the idle times of a breech 11 of the weapon 10. It is nonround in the preferred embodiment. The drive curve 1 is subdivided into four regions 1.1-1.4. The front region 1.1, as seen in the firing direction, that extends approximately transversely to the breech 11 sets the idle times of the breech 11 in its front position locked to a weapon barrel (breech 11 at the front). In the rear region 1.3, which is formed here by a radius r.sub.1, the breech 11 is at the rear (breech 11 at the rear). As a result, the dead time of the breech 11 in the rear position is influenced. The lateral straight regions 1.2, 1.4 define the forward movement and the rearward movement, respectively, of the breech 11 after the desired function. By way of the shape of the drive curve 1, the movement profiles of the breech 11 and the duration of the waiting times (idle times) in the reversing positions of the breech 11 are defined.

(11) The connecting rod 2 has, in addition to a connecting rod shaft 2.1, a front pin 2.2, a rear pin 2.3 and a pivot point 2.4 located behind the latter. In this case, the connecting rod 2 engages with its front pin 2.2 (as seen in the firing direction) in the drive curve 1 and is moved therein. The front pin 2.2 is connected to a crank 3, which is driven by an external drive 4 (not illustrated in more detail). The crank 3, which is driven about a center M, moves the pin 2.2. The crank 3 is for its part contained in a groove 3.1 in which the crank 3 can slide in order in this way to be able to guide the front pin 2.2 of the connecting rod 2 in the nonround drive curve 1. The connecting rod 2, or the connecting rod shaft 2.1, is pivoted about the pivot point 2.4 within the idle times of the breech 11, this causing the rear pin 2.3 to pivot, which runs in a groove 2.5 in the connecting rod carriage 2.6 of the connecting rod 2. The connecting rod carriage 2.6 preferably has four sliding rollers 2.8, incorporated at the corners of the connecting rod carriage 2.6, for smooth sliding of the connecting rod 2 in the housing of the drive 10.

(12) An overall control slide 12 (FIG. 3) preferably comprises two control curves 12.3 and 12.4, wherein the front control curve 12.3 includes deactivation and locking of the breech 11. The rear control curve 12.4 serves to release a firing pin (not illustrated in more detail) integrated into the breech 11. In this control curve 12.4, a further, in this case U-shaped connecting rod 12.5 is guided, which engages from above in a recess 11.1 in the breech 11 or in the breech head. When the breech 11 has been locked in its front, deactivated position by the breechblock (not illustrated in more detail) forced up by means of the front control curve 12.3, the firing pin is released by the second control curve 12.4. To this end, the connecting rod 12.5 is guided out of the recess 11.1 along the rear, second control curve 12.4.

(13) Incorporated in the bottom of the overall control slide 12 is a groove-like guide (not illustrated in more detail). The connecting rod 2 engages with its driving pin 2.3 in the groove-like guide in the overall control slide 12 in order to transport the breech 11 and can be pivoted therein about the pivot point 2.4 of the connecting rod 2.

(14) FIG. 3 shows the breech 11 in its front position, when it is locked.

(15) The breech 11 is transported as follows:

(16) In order to transport the breech 11 from its rear position, in which a munition (not illustrated in more detail) is presented to the breech 11, the front pin 2.2 is in the rear region 1.3, as seen in the firing direction, with a radius r.sub.1, of the drive curve 1. In order to transport the breech 11 into the front position, the driving pin 2.3 acts, as driver of the overall control slide 12, on the groove in the overall control slide 12. The radius r.sub.1 is in this case preferably as large as the bearing of the connecting rod 2, with the result that a dead stroke of the connecting rod 2 is avoided. The overall control slide 12 serves as a carrying slide of the breech 11 (of the breech system). The front pin 2.2 is moved forward along the straight region 1.2 of the drive curve 1 and thus via the connecting rod 2 and driving pin 2.3 of the breech 11. In the process, the breech 11 carries along the munition (not illustrated in more detail) and feeds it to a weapon barrel (not illustrated in more detail) of the weapon 100. Once the front pin 2.2 reaches the front region 1.3, extending transversely to the weapon 100, of the drive curve 1, the breech 11 is deactivated upon entry into this region 1.1, the breech 11 is locked and a shot fired. In this phase, weapon recoil also takes place. The driving pin 2.3 is additionally pivoted in the groove 2.5 in the connecting rod and in the groove in the overall control slide 12. The oscillating movement of the connecting rod 2 in this region 1.1 is compensated for by the crank 3. When the front pin 2.2 passes out of the transversely extending region 1.1 of the drive curve 1 and into the straight region 1.4, the breech 11 is unlocked and the breech 11 is moved toward the rear by the driving pin 2.3 and the overall control slide 12. In the process, the breech 11 carries along the munition shell, which for its part is ejected. If the pin 2.2 runs back into the rear region of the drive curve 1.3, the breech 11 is deactivated, and as the pin 2.2 continues to run, the driving pin 2.3 is pivoted back in the groove 2.5 in the connecting rod 2 and the groove in the overall control slide 12.

(17) In a particular embodiment, the drive 10 is provided with an emergency stop device 20 which prevents the breech 11 from being opened in the case of a dud or of a weapon fault. This emergency stop device 20 cooperates functionally and mechanically with parts of the drive 10. Instead of the groove-like guide or recess beneath the overall control slide 12, the overall control slide 12 now has a fixed lug 12.1 and a movable cross slide 22. Via the fixed lug 12.1, the breech 11, as described, is moved forward. The movable cross slide 22 serves to transport the breech 11 back (FIG. 3).

(18) The emergency stop device 20 includes a kinematic system 23 which is formed by at least one guide 23.1, at least one connecting rod 23.2 guided in the curve 23.1.1 of the guide 23.1, and at least one lever 23.3. This emergency stop device 20 cooperates with a pin 21 which ensures that the cross slide 22 is carried along when a shot is fired and prevents this when a shot is not fired. This pin 21 is contained in the cross slide 22 (FIG. 7a). The movable cross slide 22 for its part has a recess 22.1 (FIG. 5). The driving pin 2.3 overlaps the cross slide 22 in the region in front of the recess 22.1.

(19) If a shot is fired, the movable cross slide 22 and thus the recess 22.1 are intended to be displaced. As a result, the recess 22.1 remains without effect, the driving pin 2.3 remains in contact with the side face of the cross slide 22 in front of the recess 22.1. The driving pin 2.3 can thus carry the breech 11 along toward the rear. In the continued movement of the breech 11 toward the rear, the movable cross slide 22 and the pin 21 are transferred back into the original position. This can take place by way of slopes 24 (for the cross slide 22) and/or ramps 25 (for the pin 21) etc. incorporated into the main weapon housing or a weapon cradle (FIG. 6). However, if a shot is not fired (for example a dud), the cross slide 22 is not intended to be displaced. As a result, the driving pin 2.3 slides through this recess 22.1, which has now not been displaced. The breech 11 remains in its front, locked position.

(20) In order to force the pin 21 out, the kinematic system 23 is provided, which, on account of the weapon recoil when a shot is fired, forces out the pin 21. The kinematic system 23 (FIGS. 4-6) is, as already stated, formed by the guide 23.1 arranged to the side of the overall control slide 12, the connecting rod 23.2 guided in the control curve 23.1.1, and the lever 23.3.

(21) A recoil of the weapon has the effect that the connecting rod 23.2 is guided along the control curve 23.1.1 out of the lower curve region into the upper curve portion, i.e. upward. In the process, the lever 23.3 is pushed onto the pin 21 in a lever movement. The latter is forced out of the overall control slide 12 at the side (FIG. 7b) and pushed into the path of the driving pin 2.3 or of the connecting rod shaft 2.1. The displacement of the cross slide 22 takes place by way of the pivoting of the connecting rod shaft 2.1, which, in the region of the groove 2.5 in which the driving pin 2.3 is moved, has a lateral thickened portion with which the connecting rod shaft 2.1 acts on the extended pin 21 of the cross slide 22. The pivotable connecting rod shaft 2.1 carries along the pin 21, and thus the cross slide 22, with its thickened portion.

(22) If there is no recoil of the weapon 10, the kinematic system 23 does not act, and the pin 21 remains in its original position (FIG. 7a). The pivotable connecting rod shaft 2.1 slides through under the pin 21, and the cross slide 22 remains in its original position. The driving pin 2.3 reaches, by way of the pivoting, the recess 22.1 in the cross slide 22 and is guided through said recess 22.1. The breech 11 remains in the front position and is not carried along toward the rear.

(23) In a particular embodiment, the driving pin 2.3 of the connecting rod 2 is mounted in the connecting rod 2 in a spring-loaded manner. The movable cross slide 22 additionally has a slope 22.2. This has the advantage that the driving pin 2.3 is guided along the slope 22.2 and can dip under the movable cross slide 22 on account of the spring loading, should the connecting rod continue to run.

(24) FIG. 8 shows one way of incorporating the emergency stop device 20 in a weapon housing 30 of a weapon 100. The incorporation shown here differs from the illustrations in FIGS. 4 to 6 in that, in FIG. 8, the emergency stop device 20 is incorporated in the weapon 100 on the right-hand side, as seen in the firing direction, and on the left-hand side in FIGS. 4 to 6. The local incorporation depends on the direction in which the connecting rod 2 rotates. If it rotates clockwise, the emergency stop device should be installed on the left-hand side. If, however, the connecting rod 2 rotates counterclockwise, the incorporation takes place on the right-hand side.

(25) 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.