Dual And Omnidirectional Base Plate for Mortar Carrier Vehicles

Abstract

A dual and omnidirectional mortar base plate to be used in mortar carrier vehicles comprising a bottom base plate coupled to a mortar and a top base plate; wherein the dual base plate is adapted to move along a movement path from a resting position, associated with a position for movement of the vehicle, towards a work position associated with a firing position for the mortar, and vice versa. Likewise the dual base plate has elements for fast stowage in the mortar carrier vehicle.

The dual base plate consists of a bottom base plate, a top base plate, and connection and repositioning elements between the two to facilitate the transfer of the forces generated by said firing to the ground, isolating the mortar carrier vehicle from the forces generated by firing the mortar. Truncated cone shaped hoppers allow the bottom plate to move in any direction in which the mortar is fired.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8: A dual and omnidirectional base plate for mortar carrier vehicles, comprising: a bottom base plate to which the lower end of a mortar barrel is assembled by means of a ball and socket joint system, and comprising a planar plate with several self-centering shafts integrally attached to its top face, a top base plate comprising a structure with several truncated cone shaped hoppers integrally attached to the structure and whereby it is supported on self-centering shafts of said bottom base plate so that after firing, said top base plate and said vehicle are moved to a new position of said bottom base plate, connection means between said top base plate and said bottom base plate comprising limiter cables passing through the inside of said self-centering shafts, wherein said limiter cables are secured to said bottom base plate by means of lower stops and to said hoppers of said top base plate by means of upper stops, wherein said top base plate and said bottom base plate are connected to each other and have limited movement, and a pressure-applying post integrally attached to the structure of said top base plate at a lower end and to a cargo area of a mortar carrier vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the dual base plate assembly and mortar in the deployed position outside of the mortar carrier vehicle, with the mortar located in the firing position.

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the dual base plate assembly and its main elements: mortar barrel, top base plate, bottom base plate, hoppers and pressure-applying post.

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates the dual base plate in the locked position of the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate.

[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates the dual base plate in the released position of the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate.

[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates the dual base plate in the released position of the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate right after the mortar has been fired.

[0018] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the dual base plate right after the mortar has been fired.

[0019] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the dual base plate right after the mortar has been fired with a mortar barrel azimuth and elevation angle different from that of FIG. 6.

[0020] It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. There are also representative examples of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numeral refers to the same elements in all figures.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a dual mortar base plate used in a mortar carrier vehicle where a mortar 1 is mechanically coupled to a cargo area of a mortar carrier vehicle through an extendable mechanical arm or other means.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the dual base plate assembly and its main elements: mortar barrel 1, top base plate 2, bottom base plate 3, hoppers 4, and pressure-applying post 5.

[0024] The mortar can adopt two positions, one is the traveling position which corresponds to the resting position of the mortar 1 positioned in the cargo area of the mortar carrier vehicle for traveling with the vehicle; and a second work position corresponding to a firing position for the mortar (shown in FIG. 1). In the firing position, the mortar 1 is supported directly on the bottom base plate 3 which in turn is supported against the ground, near the vehicle and outside same.

[0025] In FIG. 3 it can be observed, in the locked position of the stowing system 8 for stowing the bottom base plate 3, the mortar barrel 1, the top base plate 2, the bottom base plate 3, the hoppers 4, the pressure-applying post 5, the self-centering shafts 6 of the bottom base plate, the limiter cables 7 joining the top base plate with the bottom base plate, the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate 8 in the locked position, the upper stops 9, and the lower stops 10.

[0026] In FIG. 4 it can be seen, in the released position of the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate, the mortar barrel 1, the top base plate 2, the bottom base plate 3, the hoppers 4, the pressure-applying post 5, the self-centering shafts 6 of the bottom base plate, the limiter cables 7 joining the top base plate with the bottom base plate, the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate 8 in the released position, the upper stops 9 and the lower stops 10.

[0027] In FIG. 5 it can be observed, in that same position of the stowing system, the mortar barrel 1, the top base plate 2, the bottom base plate 3 on the ground moved backwards due to the recoil of the mortar barrel during firing, the hoppers 4, the pressure-applying post 5, the self-centering shafts 6 of the bottom base plate, the limiter cables 7 joining the top base plate with the bottom base plate, the stowing system for stowing the bottom base plate 8 in the released position, the upper stops 9 and the lower stops 10.

[0028] The pressure-applying post 5 has a mechanism which allows it to increase its length so that the dual base plate reaches the ground, presses against it, and raises the rear part of the vehicle. This force exerted by the pressure-applying post assures that the dual base plate is securely seated on the ground, with the surface of the ground being responsible for absorbing the recoil energy. FIG. 1 shows the dual base plate seated on the ground after the force has been exerted on the pressure-applying post 5. It can be observed in FIG. 1 how the rear part of the vehicle may be raised slightly above the level of the ground.

[0029] The bottom base plate 3 has a surface noticeably larger than standard mortar base plates and comprises mechanical elements located on the bottom surface of the bottom base plate, which are located on the ground and allow improving the transfer of the forces generated by firing the mortar to the ground. As a result of its design and the force exerted on the pressure-applying post 5, the bottom base plate 3 is firmly supported on the ground as it is pressed through the top base plate 2 with the weight of the vehicle, as observed in FIG. 1.

[0030] The bottom edge of the bottom base plate 3 is provided with jagged edges to facilitate driving the plate into the ground.

[0031] The lower end of the mortar barrel 1 is mechanically assembled to the bottom base plate 3 by means of a ball and socket joint system.

[0032] The top base plate 2 and the bottom base plate 3 are attached and the movement thereof is limited by limiter cables 7. The limiter cable 7 is secured to the hoppers 4 of the top base plate by means of an upper stop 9, as shown in FIG. 4. The limiter cable 7 is secured to the bottom base plate 3 by means of a lower stop 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The limiter cables 7 pass through the inside of the self-centering shafts 6 of the bottom base plate 3, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0033] Once the dual base plate is located on the ground, the stowing system 8 for stowing the bottom base plate is actuated such that it transitions from the locked position (see FIG. 3) to the released position (see FIG. 4).

[0034] The top base plate 2 is supported on the bottom base plate 3 at several (three or more) points by means of truncated cone shaped hoppers 4 of a given angle so that after firing, the vehicle moves slightly to the new position of the bottom base plate. These conical supports or hoppers 4 allow the bottom base plate 3 to move at any strike angle upon firing the mortar within the limits allowed by the length of the limiter cables 7, as shown in FIG. 5. As can be observed, the self-centering shafts 6 move inside the hoppers 4 within the limits allowed by the limiter cables 7, the upper stops 9, and the lower stops 10.

[0035] The forces generated by the recoil of the mortar barrel 1 during firing are transferred to the ground through the bottom base plate 3, which may cause the bottom base plate 3 to move a short distance to the side in any direction on the ground, as observed in FIG. 5. This allows isolating the top base plate 2 and the mortar carrier vehicle from the forces generated by the firing, at the same time limiting the stress to which the mortar carrier vehicle assembly and the elements attaching the mortar to said vehicle are subjected.

[0036] In FIG. 6, the mortar barrel 1, the top base plate 2, the bottom base plate 3 on the ground moved to the left due to mortar barrel recoil during firing, the hoppers 4, the pressure-applying post 5 and the upper stops 9 right after the mortar has been fired can be observed.

[0037] In that moment, the force exerted (weight of the vehicle) on the top base plate 2 makes the top base plate (and with it the vehicle to which it is integrally attached) move until it is located again on the bottom base plate 3, i.e., it returns to the position of FIG. 4 by means of the hoppers 4 sliding on the self-centering shafts 6 until the central axis of the hoppers 4 is aligned with the self-centering shafts 6.

[0038] To enable the mortar barrel 1 to fire in any direction without having to move the vehicle, the hoppers 4 have a truncated cone shape, whereby allowing the self-centering shafts 6 to move in the mortar thrust direction, as can be seen in FIG. 6 (the mortar fires with a strike angle of zero), and in FIG. 7, where the mortar fires with a strike angle of 60?.

[0039] Once the firing of the mortar has ended, to initiate stowage of the mortar, the stowing system 8 for stowing the bottom base plate is actuated such that it transitions from the released position (FIG. 4) to the locked position (FIG. 3). Then the force exerted by the pressure-applying post 5 on the dual base plate (for example through a drive no contemplated herein) is eliminated. At that time force is no longer being exerted on the dual base plate by the mortar carrier vehicle and stowage of the assembly can be initiated to transition to the transport position of the vehicle which corresponds to a resting position of the mortar positioned in the cargo area of the mortar carrier vehicle for traveling with the vehicle.

[0040] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.