Ammunition feed

Abstract

The invention relates to an ammunition feed (1) for a gun barrel, in particular of an armoured vehicle, having at least one magazine and a rammer (2), the gun barrel having a loading space, it being possible for an ammunition (3) to be introduced from the magazine into the loading space by means of the rammer (2), and it being possible for an ammunition (3) to be led out of the loading space into the magazine by means of the rammer (2). An ammunition (3) can be guided out of a loading space particularly quickly and reliably by means of the ammunition feed (1), in that a pawl (4) is arranged movably on an end of the rammer (2) facing the cartridge, the pawl (4) being positionable in an engagement position (5) in order to guide the ammunition (3) out of the loading space into the magazine, the pawl (4) being arranged in a recess (6) of the ammunition (3) in the engagement position (5), the ammunition feed (1) being designed as an automatic ammunition feed (1), a control device being provided, the control device being connected in terms of control technology to at least one actuator of the rammer (2) and at least one actuator of the pawl (4), a type of ammunition being automatically selected on the basis of data of automatic target detection and/or automatic target recognition, by means of which a high probability of hitting and destruction of a target to be combated can be achieved.

Claims

1. Ammunition feed (1) for a gun barrel having at least one magazine and a rammer (2), wherein the gun barrel is for an armoured vehicle, the gun barrel having a loading space, wherein a piece of ammunition (3) is introducible from the magazine into the loading space by the rammer (2), and wherein the piece of ammunition (3) is reversible out of the loading space into the magazine by the rammer (2), characterized in that: a pawl (4) is arranged movably on an end of the rammer (2) facing the piece of ammunition, the pawl (4) having a tip (14) formed at a meeting point of a holding edge (10) and a sliding edge (7) of the pawl, wherein the tip (14) of the pawl faces towards the rammer (2), the pawl (4) can be positioned in an engagement position (5) to reverse out the piece of ammunition (3) from the loading space into the magazine, wherein the pawl (4) in the engagement position (5) prevents the piece of ammunition (3) from slipping further away from the rammer (2), wherein the pawl (4) is arranged in a recess (6) of the piece of ammunition (3) in the engagement position (5), wherein a retaining edge is preferably aligned essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition wherein the ammunition feed (1) is designed as an automatic ammunition feed (1), wherein a control device (15) is provided, wherein the control device (15) is connected to at least one actuator (16) of the rammer (2) and at least one actuator (17) of the pawl (4), wherein the control device (15) is designed to automatically select a suitable piece of ammunition (3) on basis of data from an automatic target detection device (18); wherein the suitable piece of ammunition (3) is automatically introducible into the loading space with the aid of actuating commands generated in the control device (15).

2. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the pawl (4) is positioned in the engagement position (5) prior to the introduction of the piece of ammunition (3) from the magazine into the loading space.

3. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pawl (4) is arranged pivotably on the rammer (2), wherein a distance of the pawl (4) from a longitudinal axis of the piece of ammunition (3) is varied by a pivoting movement of the pawl (4).

4. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pawl (4) has a sliding edge (7), wherein during an axial movement of the rammer (2) towards the piece of ammunition (3), the pawl (4) is to be guided by the sliding edge (7) on an end-face base (8) of the piece of ammunition (3) facing the rammer (2) into a release position (9) of the pawl (4).

5. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the pawl (4) can be moved out of the release position (9) into the engagement position (5).

6. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding edge (10), in the engagement position (5) of the pawl (4), interacting with a wall (11) or an edge of the recess (6) in such a way that a movement of the piece of ammunition (3) away from the rammer (2) is avoided and/or in that the piece of ammunition (3) can be moved by the rammer (2) in an unloading direction (12).

7. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the holding edge (10) is aligned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ammunition (3) in the engagement position (5) of the pawl (4).

8. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that in the engagement position (5) of the pawl (4) a sleeve base collar (13) of the ammunition (3) is arranged between the holding edge (10) and the rammer (2).

9. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that in the engagement position (5) of the pawl (4) a sleeve base collar (13) of the piece of ammunition (3) is arranged between the holding edge (10) and the rammer (2).

10. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, after the piece of ammunition (3) has been introduced from the magazine into the loading space, the pawl (4) can be moved out of the engagement position (5), such that the rammer (2) can be retracted from the gun barrel without the piece of ammunition (3).

11. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a gear mechanism (19) is arranged between the pawl (4) and the rammer (2).

12. The ammunition feed (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that the gear mechanism (19) has a restoring spring (20), wherein a force acts on the pawl (4) by the restoring spring (20), wherein the pawl (4) can be moved into the engagement position (5) by means of the force.

Description

(1) There are a large number of possibilities for embodying and further developing the ammunition feed according to the invention. Reference may first be made to the claims subordinate to claim 1. In the following, a preferred embodiment of the ammunition feed system according to the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing and the associated description. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of an ammunition feed before an axial movement of a rammer towards an ammunition in a side view in section,

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows the embodiment of the ammunition feed during an axial movement of the rammer towards the ammunition in a side view in section, and

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows an embodiment of the ammunition feed with a pawl in an engaged position in a side view in section.

(5) FIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of an embodiment of an ammunition feed 1 before an axial movement of a rammer 2 towards an ammunition 3. The ammunition feed 1 is arranged adjacent to a weapon barrel (not shown here). The weapon barrel is part of a barrel weapon which is arranged, for example, on an armoured vehicle. In addition to the rammer 2, the ammunition feeder 1 has at least one magazine, which is likewise not shown. A loading space is arranged or formed in the weapon barrel. The ammunition 3 can be introduced from the magazine into the loading space by means of the rammer 2. The ammunition 3 can also be guided out of the loading space into the magazine by means of the rammer 2. A suitable drive is provided for moving the rammer 2. The drive could be designed, for example, as an electric motor. Hydraulic or pneumatic drives of the rammer 2 are also conceivable.

(6) A pawl 4 is movably arranged at an end of the rammer 2 facing the cartridge. In order to guide the ammunition 3 out of the loading space into the magazine, the pawl 4 is positioned in an engaged position 5. In the engaged position 5, the pawl 4 is arranged in a recess 6 of the ammunition 3. The recess 6 of the ammunition 3 is usually designed as a circumferential groove.

(7) The pawl 4 is likewise positioned in the engagement position 5 before the ammunition 3 is introduced from the magazine into the loading space. Thus, when the ammunition 3 is inserted into the loading chamber, the ammunition 3 is axially secured relative to the attachment 2, i.e., the ammunition 3 cannot move relative to the attachment 2 during the process of inserting the ammunition 3 into the loading chamber.

(8) The pawl 4 is pivotally mounted on the rammer 2. As a result of the pivoting movement, a distance between the pawl 4 and a longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 can be varied. Alternatively, a rectilinear movement between the pawl 4 and the rammer 2 is also conceivable if, as a result, the distance of the pawl 4 from the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 can also be varied.

(9) The pawl 4 has a sliding edge 7. The sliding edge extends obliquely to the longitudinal axis, in particular at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis. During an axial movement of the rammer 2 towards the ammunition 3, the pawl 4 can be guided into a release position 9 of the pawl 4 by means of the sliding edge 7 on a frontal base 8 of the ammunition 3 facing the rammer 2. In FIG. 2, this situation is shown in section in a side view during the axial movement of the rammer 2 towards the ammunition 3. The same reference numerals are used for FIG. 2 as for FIG. 1. The release position 9 is shown in FIG. 2 by dashed lines. In the release position 9 of the pawl 4, an axial movement of the ammunition 3 relative to the rammer 2 is possible in both directions, namely towards the attacher 2 or away from the rammer 2. The release position 9 of the pawl 4 is further characterized in particular by the fact that in the release position 9 the pawl 4 is not at least partially located in the recess 6. In the release position 9, the pawl 4 has in particular a distance to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 which is greater than or at least equal to a distance of an outer boundary of the recess 6 to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the pawl 4 could rest in its release position 9, for example, on an outer circumference of the ammunition 3.

(10) The pawl 4 can be moved out of the release position 9 into the engagement position 5. In particular, this occurs at the time when the rammer 2 reaches the ammunition 3, or shortly before the piecer 2 reaches the ammunition 3.

(11) The pawl 4 has a holding edge 10. In the engagement position 5 of the pawl 4, the retaining edge 10 interacts with a wall 11 or an edge of the recess 6 in such a way that movement of the ammunition 3 away from the attacher 2 is prevented. Furthermore, the ammunition 3 can be moved by means of the rammer 2 in an unloading direction 12, in particular out of the loading space. This situation is shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are used as for the preceding figures. The unloading direction 12 points to the right in each case in FIGS. 1 to 3 and is symbolized by means of an arrow.

(12) The retaining edge 10 is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 in the latch engagement position 5. An angle of the holding edge 10 to a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 is a maximum of 20. The holding edge 10 could therefore also be arranged slightly obliquely in the engaged position 5. It is only important that the pawl 4 does not slip out of the engaged position 5 in a faulty manner.

(13) The ammunition 3 usually has a sleeve base collar 13 facing the rammer 2, the recess 6 being formed by means of the sleeve base collar 13, in particular as a circumferential groove.

(14) In the engaged position 5 of the pawl 4, the sleeve bottom collar 13 of the ammunition 3 is arranged between the holding edge 10 and the rammer 2. Thus, a secure connection between the ammunition 3 and the rammer 2 is achieved. The sleeve bottom collar 13 is either clamped between the pawl 4 and the rammer 2 or is arranged with slight play between the pawl 4 and the rammer 2. In both cases, the ammunition 3 and the rammer 2 form a unit which can be moved together, in particular by means of a drive associated with the rammer 2.

(15) After the ammunition 3 has been introduced into the loading space, the pawl 4 can be moved out of the engaged position 5 by the magazine. Subsequently, the rammer 2 can be retracted from the weapon barrel without the ammunition 3. Subsequently, for example, the ammunition 3 could be fired by means of the weapon barrel. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the ammunition 3 is to be exchanged for a more suitable ammunition 3 with respect to the target to be fought. In this case, the ammunition 3 is first pulled out of the loading space again by means of the rammer 2 and the pawl 4.

(16) A gear mechanism (19) is arranged between the pawl 4 and the rammer 2. The gear has, for example, struts and joints. By means of such elements, various movement paths of the pawl 4 can be done. In particular, the struts and joints are designed in such a way that a pivoting movement of the pawl 4 is made possible.

(17) The gear additionally has a restoring spring. A force acts on the pawl 4 by means of the restoring spring, the pawl 4 being movable into the engaged position 5 by means of this force. For this purpose, the force exerted on the pawl 4 by means of the restoring spring acts in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3.

(18) The process in which the rammer 2 is guided to the ammunition 3 is described below. This may be necessary both when the ammunition 3 is located in the magazine and when the ammunition 3 is located in the loading space of the weapon barrel. During this process, the rammer 2 is guided from the position shown in FIG. 1, in which the rammer 2 is arranged at an axial distance from the ammunition 3, via the position shown in FIG. 2, to the position shown in FIG. 3, the rammer 2 contacting an end face of the ammunition 3 in the position shown in FIG. 3. The pawl 4 is initially in a rest position in the position of the rammer 2 shown in FIG. 1. A movement of the pawl 4 due to the restoring spring does not take place in this position. Either the restoring spring is not tensioned or the restoring spring is tensioned, in particular prestressed, but a movement of the pawl 4 is prevented by a corresponding stop. The rammer 2 is now guided to the ammunition 3 until the pawl 4 comes into contact with the ammunition 3. The contact arises between the sliding edge 7 of the pawl 4 and the end-face base 8 of the ammunition 3. The end face bottom 8 is part of the sleeve bottom collar 13. When the rammer 2 approaches the ammunition 3 further, the pawl 4 slides along the frontal base 8 and is thereby pushed away from the longitudinal axis of the ammunition 3 against the force exerted on the pawl 4 by the return spring. Once the end of the sliding edge 7 is reached and the piecer 2 continues to approach the ammunition 3, the pawl 4 is guided with a tip 14 on an outer circumference of the ammunition 3, in particular on an outer circumference of the case bottom collar 13, until the tip 14 reaches the recess. The tip 14 of the pawl 4 is formed at the meeting point of the holding edge 10 and the sliding edge 7. If the rammer 2 is fed a further piece onto the ammunition 3, the contact between the tip 14 of the pawl 4 and the outer circumference of the sleeve bottom collar 13 is first released. The force exerted by the restoring spring on the pawl 4 now results in the pawl 4 being pulled with its tip 14 into the recess 6, so that the pawl 4 is in the engaged position 5. The ammunition 3 can now be pulled out of the loading space in the unloading direction 12, for example, by means of the rammer 2 and the pawl 4.

(19) The ammunition feed is designed as an automatic ammunition feed. The processes described above are carried out automatically by means of a control device (15) and actuators (16, 17) connected to the control device (15) in terms of control technology. Due to the progressive automation of the higher-level units, such as the weapon barrel and/or the entire armoured vehicle, the automation of the ammunition supply is also useful for achieving a coherent overall concept. Part of the progressive automation are, for example, improved target recognition and improved selection of a suitable ammunition for the target. Furthermore, more and more different types of ammunition are available. This requires the use of different types of ammunition in different situations, namely in the fight against different targets. It is often necessary to react quickly and flexibly, which is made possible by the rapid exchange of the ammunition by means of the ammunition feed described here.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(20) 1. Ammunition feed 2. Rammer 3. Ammunition 4. Pawl 5. Disengagement position 6. Recess 7. Sliding edge 8. End face floor 9. Release position 10. Retaining edge 11. Wall 12. Unloading direction 13. Sleeve bottom collar 14. Lace 15. Control Device 16. Actuator of Rammer 17. Actuator of Pawl 18. Automatic Target Detection/Recognition Means 19. Gear Mechanism 20. Restoring Spring