EP0571265A1 - Ammunition loading system for a pivoting cartridge chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for loading ammunition, such as telescopic ammunition, into a pivoting chamber (1) of a weapon, particularly of a weapon of medium calibre. The system comprises a feed device (A; A1) which is integral with the oscillating mass (MO) of the weapon, is offset laterally relative to the barrel (2) of the weapon and is located between the pivot axis (X-X) of the weapon and the pivoting chamber (1), and a device (I) for introducing ammunition (200) into the chamber (1), which device is integral with the recoiling mass (MR) of the weapon, is located above the barrel (2) and is substantially in the vertical pivoting plane of the chamber (1), the ammunition being conveyed from the feed device (A1) to the introduction device (I) by a feed star (40) mounted rotatably about the barrel (2) of the weapon. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a system for loading ammunition, such as telescoped ammunition, into a pivoting chamber of a weapon, in particular of a medium caliber weapon comprising an oscillating mass journalled along a horizontal axis in a frame -support and a receding mass including in particular a launching tube, the pivoting chamber and a sleeve in which said chamber pivots alternately in a vertical plane between a so-called firing position and a so-called loading position, these two positions being angularly offset from each other by an angle between 0 and 90 °, the charging system comprising a control pivoting of the chamber apparatus, an ammunition feed device and an insertion device 'ammunition in the chamber in the loading position thereof.

Loading systems of the aforementioned type are known in particular from documents US-4,827,829 and EP-0 004 581.

In document US Pat. No. 4,827,829, the chamber pivots in a vertical plane around a horizontal axis aligned along the axis of the journaling of the weapon. Whatever the angle of elevation of the weapon, the chamber in the loading position is always aligned along a vertical axis, and the loading of new ammunition is effected by the lower opening of the chamber. In other words, the pivot angle of the chamber varies according to the angle of elevation of the weapon, and it is always equal to the angle complementary to the angle of elevation. The devices for supplying and loading ammunition into the chamber (not described in detail in this document) are integral with a fixed support, and it is simply stated that they do not include a flexible connection device between the loading device and the sleeve fitted with the weapon for compensate for variations in the site angle of the weapon between two ammunition loading operations. It should be noted that in this document, the loading of ammunition in the chamber can only be done after the weapon is returned to battery, which results in a reduction in the rate of fire.

In document EP-0 004 581, the chamber pivots through 360 ° in steps of 90 °. In other words, after a 90 ° pivoting, the chamber has moved from a firing position to a loading position or vice versa. The chamber pivots in a vertical plane around an axis parallel to the axis of the journal of the weapon. The ammunition is stored in a bar-shaped store located above the chamber. The ammunition is arranged vertically and they are loaded one by one by means of a lever, when the chamber is in one of its two loading positions, positions which are aligned along a vertical axis perpendicular to the axis of the tube.

The magazine is linked in translation to the chamber, and the ammunition is loaded during the return phase of the recoil movement of the weapon. In general, the system described in this document implements large volumes, which are incompatible with use for a medium caliber weapon mounted in particular on an armored vehicle. In addition, the movement of the feed device during the recoil movement of the weapon is detrimental to its proper functioning.

The object of the invention is to design an ammunition loading system, in particular of the telescoped type, in for a medium caliber weapon, which is capable of overcoming the drawbacks of the above systems while providing other advantages.

To this end, the invention proposes a loading system of the aforementioned type, and which is characterized in that that the feed device is integral with the oscillating mass of the weapon, is laterally offset with respect to the barrel of the weapon and is located between the journal axis of the weapon and the pivoting chamber, in that the device for introducing ammunition into the chamber is integral with the receding mass of the weapon, is located above the tube and is substantially in the vertical plane of pivoting of the chamber, and in that each ammunition is conveyed from the feed device to the feed device by a feed star mounted in rotation around the sleeve of the weapon.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the supply device comprises a loading station where each munition is substantially aligned along the axis of the journaling of the weapon, and a transfer device by pivoting to convey the ammunition from the loading to the feed star.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the transfer device comprises a finger driven by a chain device to rotate the ammunition by an angle of approximately 90 °.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device for introducing ammunition into the chamber comprises a device for removing the ammunition located at the top of the feed star by pivoting the ammunition in a vertical plane, according to an angle of about 30 °, to bring it into an intermediate position where it is aligned along the axis of the chamber, and a device for loading the ammunition into the chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device for removing the ammunition located at the top of the feed star consists of a pivoting lever which is controlled by a lever sliding, the latter being actuated by a rod driven by a chain device, said rod also constituting the device for loading the ammunition into the chamber.

The chamber pivoting control device comprises a cam mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tube, and a connecting device mounted between the cam and the chamber to transform the rotational movement of the cam into an alternating pivoting movement of the chamber at an angle of approximately 30 °.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the connecting device between the cam and the chamber comprises a shaft, one end of which is fixed to the chamber, a ball joint slidingly mounted on the shaft and a roller mounted around the ball joint, the roller being trapped in a groove of the cam forming a guide path.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the groove of the cam comprises four successive sectors respectively associated with the chamber maintained in the open or loading position, with the passage of the chamber in the firing position, with the chamber maintained in the firing position and when passing the chamber into the loading position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the cam for pivoting the chamber, the transfer device for delivering ammunition from the loading station to the feed star, the ammunition removal device located at the top of the star and the device for loading the ammunition into the chamber are advantageously controlled from a single motor member, such as a geared motor, the output shaft of which is coupled, by intermediate gears, to each of these devices.

Finally, according to another characteristic of the invention, the loading system is completed by a device for ejecting a socket present in the chamber, this device comprising a receiving / ejecting cylinder animated by an alternating pivoting movement in synchronism with that of the chamber, so as to be an extension of the chamber, when the latter is open, to receive a socket which compresses a piston housed in the cylinder, and to be able to eject the socket into a discharge chute, by following the expansion of the piston, when the chamber is in the firing position.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective pour illustrer le cheminement d'une munition dans le système de chargement conforme à l'Invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe partielle, avec arrachements partiels, dans un plan vertical passant par l'axe du tube,
• les figures 2a et 2b sont des vues en coupe schématique pour illustrer le dispositif de commande en pivotement alterné de la chambre,
• la figure 2c est une vue de dessous schématique de la came du dispositif de commande en pivotement alterné de la chambre,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus simplifiée du système de chargement selon l'Invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3,
• les figures 5 à 7 sont des vues en coupe simplifiées pour illustrer les différentes phases de chargement d'une munition dans la chambre,
• et les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues de principe pour illustrer le dispositif d'éjection d'une douille.

Other advantages, characteristics and details of the invention will emerge from the explanatory description which follows, given with reference to the attached drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view to illustrate the path of an ammunition in the loading system according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view, with partial cutaway, in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the tube,
• FIGS. 2a and 2b are diagrammatic section views to illustrate the device for alternately pivoting the chamber,
• FIG. 2c is a schematic bottom view of the cam of the control device for alternating pivoting of the chamber,
• FIG. 3 is a simplified top view of the loading system according to the invention,
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 3,
• FIGS. 5 to 7 are simplified cross-section views to illustrate the different phases of loading ammunition into the chamber,
• and FIGS. 8 and 9 are views in principle to illustrate the device for ejecting a socket.

A loading system, according to the invention, for ammunition in a pivoting chamber 1 of a weapon is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

In general, the weapon comprises an oscillating mass MO journalled around a substantially horizontal axis XX supported by a support frame (not shown), and a retreating mass MR including in particular the chamber 1, the tube 2 of the weapon and a sleeve 5. The receding mass MR is part of the oscillating mass MO, but it is movable relative to the latter during the recoil of the weapon following the firing of an ammunition. The tube 2 is inserted, in its rear part, into the sleeve 5 and kept screwed by a threaded ring 6 (Figure 2).

Chamber 1, with particular reference to FIG. 2b, is formed of an elongated hollow cylindrical body whose two end surfaces 1a and 1b each have a convex spherical shape. The chamber 1 is mounted in the rear part of the sleeve 5 which has two diametrically opposite upper 5a and lower 5b openings, to allow the angular movement of the chamber 1 in a vertical plane (FIG. 2).

A percussion system 7, known per se, is engaged and fixed in a central opening situated at the rear of the sleeve 5. The rear end surface 2a of the tube 2 and the front end surface 7b of the percussion system 7 have concave spherical shapes combined with convex spherical shapes of the end surfaces 1a and 1b of the chamber 1 (FIG. 2b).

The chamber 1 is pivotally mounted, in the middle of its length, around a substantially horizontal axis YY and parallel to the axis XX of journaling of the weapon (FIG. 3). This pivot axis YY is materialized by two pins 8 mounted for rotation in two diametrically opposite openings 9 of the sleeve 5, respectively. Each pin 8 is fixed in the wall of the chamber 1 by means of a screw for example.

Chamber 1 is controlled by alternating pivoting about its axis YY by means of a cam 10 driven in rotation by a motor member M, such as a gear motor (FIGS. 2 and 2a), and of a device 11 mounted between the cam 10 and the chamber 1 to transform the rotational movement of the cam 10 into an alternating pivoting movement of the chamber 1.

The cam 10 is constituted by a disc 10a, the external peripheral edge of which supports a toothing 12 on which a pinion (not shown) meshes in rotation with the output shaft of the gear motor M by means of a motion transmission (not shown). The cam 10 has a central boss 15 pierced axially with an opening 16 through which a screw 18 fixed in the sleeve 5. This screw 18 materializes the axis of rotation ZZ of the cam 10, this axis ZZ being perpendicular to the axis YY for pivoting the chamber 1. On the face of the disc 10a, which is adjacent to the sleeve 5, a groove 20 is provided around the boss 15.

The movement transforming device 11 comprises a connecting shaft 25 screwed at one end into the wall of the chamber 1 (FIGS. 2a and 2b). This connecting shaft 25, towards its other end, supports a ball joint 26 slidingly mounted. A roller 28 is mounted around the ball 26, and it is received in the groove 20 of the cam 10 to ensure the alternating pivoting of the chamber 1 during the rotation of the cam 10.

Referring to Figure 2c, the groove 20 has 4 successive sectors 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d. The sector 20a extends over an arc centered on the axis of rotation of the cam 10. When the roller 28 moves in this sector 20a, the chamber 1 remains stationary and maintained in the loading position. When the roller 28 moves in the sector 20b which follows the sector 20a, considering the direction of rotation of the cam, it causes the chamber 1 to pivot in the direction of its firing position. The following sector 20c extends over a circular arc also centered on the axis of rotation of the cam 10. When the roller 28 moves in this sector 20c, the chamber 1 remains stationary and maintained in the firing position. Finally, when the roller 28 moves in the last sector 20d, it causes the chamber 1 to pivot in the direction of its loading position.

When the cam 10 rotates, the roller 28 traverses the four sectors of the groove 20, which results in an alternating pivoting movement of the chamber 1 at an angle of approximately 30 °. In other words, for a rotation of the cam 10, the chamber 1 passes from a firing (or loading) position to a loading (or firing) position and returns to a firing (or loading) position.

The loading system associated with chamber 1 comprises a supply device A which receives ammunition, and a device for introducing I of this ammunition inside chamber 1, devices which will be described below.

Referring to Figure 3, the supply device A is secured to the oscillating mass MO of the weapon, and it is arranged on a plate 30 which is laterally offset relative to the tube 2 of the weapon. The plate 30 is located between the journaling axis XX of the weapon and the chamber 1, and it extends in a plane H substantially parallel to that defined by the journaling axis XX of the weapon and the axis pivot point YY of the chamber (figure 1).

The plate 30 comprises a support plate 31, in the form of a circular sector with a corner at the center about 90 °, one side of which is parallel to the axis XX of journaling of the weapon, and the other side of which is parallel to the axis of the tube 2 and adjacent thereto. The arcuate side of the circular sector is surmounted by a flange 35.

Referring to Figure 4, the feed device A cooperates with a feed star 40 whose cylindrical body 41 is rotatably mounted around the sleeve 5. This star 40 which is part of the receding mass MR of the weapon comprises at its periphery a succession of half-open housings 42 extending along the axis of the star 40.

The supply star 40 is surrounded by a casing 45 which has two diametrically opposite inlet openings 46 situated generally in the plane of the supply device A, and an upper outlet opening 47. These openings 46 and 47 are dimensioned so as to allow the passage of ammunition.

At its lower part, the casing 45 forms a magazine 50 in which ammunition can be stored, magazine which will be described later.

The feed star 40 is rotated by a drive device (not shown) controlled from the gear motor M.

The supply device A comprises a loading station 54 where each munition is fed in a semi-automatic or automatic manner. This loading station 54, as shown in Figure 3, is arranged at the part of the support plate 31 of the plate 30, which is located generally on either side of the axis XX of journalling tear. In other words, each munition arrives at the loading station 54 while being substantially aligned along the axis X-X of the journaling of the weapon.

To transport ammunition from the post loading 54 on the feed star 40, there is provided a transfer device 55 with chain and drive finger which rotates the ammunition by an angle of approximately 90 ° to bring it parallel to the axis of star 40 and introduce it into a housing 42 of the latter through opening 46 of casing 45.

The transfer device 55 comprises a chain 56 wound on two toothed wheels 57 and 58, and a drive finger 60 fixed to the chain 56 and which extends perpendicular to the plane of the chain. More specifically, with reference to FIG. 4, the two toothed wheels 57 and 58 are supported in rotation about two axes 57a and 58a carried by a support plate 59 extending parallel to the support plate 31 of the plate 30 and above it. The two toothed wheels 57 and 58 are located below the support plate 59 and at a distance from the support plate 31 greater than the width of a munition. The chain 56 extends parallel to the plates 31 and 59, and the drive finger 60 projects inside the space E delimited between the chain 56 and the support plate 31. The drive device for the chain 56 will be described later.

In the example considered here, two similar supply devices A and A1 are provided located on either side of the barrel 2 of the weapon, the supply star 40 indifferently receiving ammunition from the device A or A1 (Figures 3 and 4). The feed star 40 is rotated from the gear motor M and controlled synchronously with the transfer device 55 and the cam 10.

The device 1 for introducing ammunition inside the chamber 1 is integral with the receding mass MR of the weapon, and it is generally located above the tube 2 and in a vertical plane V perpendicular to the axis of tube 2 (Figure 1). This introduction device I comprises a device 64 for removing an ammunition from the feed star 40 and a device for loading the ammunition into the chamber 1 through the front part thereof.

Referring to Figure 2, the device 64 for removing ammunition comprises a first lever 66 pivotally mounted, towards one end, in a vertical plane around an axis 67 substantially horizontal. This axis 67 is fixed to a vertical support 68 which is part of the receding mass MR of the weapon. At its end close to its pivot axis 67, the pivoting lever 66 is articulated at 66a at the end of a second lever 69 slidably mounted between two pins 69a fixed to the support 68. This sliding lever 69 is coplanar with the pivoting lever 66, the two levers generally forming an angle of 90 between them. The pivoting lever 66 extends substantially vertically, and it is situated slightly in front of the feed star 40.

The purpose of the device 64 for removing an ammunition, by virtue of the two levers 66 and 69, is to convey the ammunition situated at the top of the star 40 and facing the outlet opening 47 of the casing 45, in the direction of chamber 1 while rotating it by an angle close to 30 ° to align it along the axis of chamber 1, when the latter is in the loading position. To allow this pivoting movement of the ammunition, there is provided a guide ramp 70 fixed to the support 68 and against which abuts one end of the ammunition during its pivoting movement. This guide ramp 70 extends parallel to the axis of the chamber 1, when the latter is in the loading position, that is to say that it makes an angle close to 30 ° with the tube 2 of tear.

The device 64 for sampling an ammunition is controlled by a device 71 which comprises a horizontal drive rod 72 intended to come to bear against the free end of the sliding lever 69, and a spring 73 mounted parallel to this lever 69, with one end supported on a stop 75 secured to the support 68, while its other end is supported on a radial shoulder 76 secured to the lever 69. The fixed stop 75 is located generally between the articulation 66a of the two levers and the shoulder 76. Thus, when the drive rod 72 pushes the sliding lever 69 against the spring 73, the lever 69 is driven in a translational movement while being guided by the two guide pins 69a. The translational movement of the sliding lever 69 pivots, inwards, the lever 66 in the direction of the guide ramp 70.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the drive rod 72 is actuated by a chain device 80 in the example considered here. More specifically, the two ends of the drive rod 72 are respectively fixed to two chains 81 situated in two parallel vertical planes, on either side of the outlet opening 47 of the casing 45 where the star d is housed. food 40.

Indeed, the device I for introducing a munition into the chamber 1, which is located above the barrel 2 of the weapon, is common to the two supply devices A and A1 located respectively on the one hand and other from tube 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, each chain 81 is wound on two toothed wheels 82 and 83 and on a drive pinion 84. The toothed wheel 82 is raised relative to the toothed wheel 83, and it is situated generally at the level of the sliding lever 69 of the device 64 for taking a piece of ammunition from the feed star 40. The toothed wheel 83 is situated generally at the level of the entrance to the chamber 1, so that the strand bl of the chain 81 delimited between the two toothed wheels 82 and 83 is parallel to the axis of the chamber 1, when the latter is in the loading position. In other words, the strand bl makes an angle of 30 ° with the tube 2. The drive pinion 84 of each chain 81 is located near the toothed wheel 83, and it is coupled in rotation to the output shaft of the geared motor M by a set of intermediate gears symbolized by the reference 84a.

Referring to Figure 4, the horizontal drive shaft of each toothed wheel 82 is rotatably supported by a bearing 86 mounted on a fixed vertical support 87, and it is coupled to a bevel gear 88a of a device 88 90 ° angle gear, the other bevel gear 88b of which is coupled to one end of a vertical telescopic constant velocity joint 90. The other end of this constant velocity joint 90 is coupled in rotation to the shaft 58a of rotation drive of the toothed wheel 58 of the transfer device 55 of the associated supply device.

These two constant velocity joints 90 associated respectively with the two supply devices A and A1 make it possible to maintain their kinematic connection with the introduction device I during the recoil movement of the weapon.

Thus, the supply device A, the introduction device I, the cam 10 and the star 40 can be controlled in synchronism from a single motor member M.

The device for loading ammunition into chamber 1 is advantageously constituted by the guide ramp 70 and the drive rod 72, as will emerge from the description of the operation of the loading system.

The loading system is completed by an ejection device 95, of pneumatic type for example, of a socket present in the chamber 1. In reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, this ejection device 95 comprises a cylinder 96 open at one end and closed at its other end by a bottom wall 96a, a piston 98 slidably mounted inside the cylinder 96, a fixed source 100 of pressurized fluid, such as air which communicates with the cylinder 96 by a hose 101 which opens into the bottom wall 96a, and a fixed discharge chute 102.

Towards its open end, the cylinder 96 has an internal shoulder 103 to limit the stroke of the piston 98, the latter being permanently urged by the pressurized fluid in abutment against the shoulder 103.

The cylinder 96 is pivotally mounted in a vertical plane around a horizontal axis materialized at 105. More specifically, the cylinder 96 is mounted parallel to the chamber 1 and its pivoting movement is synchronous with the pivoting movement of the chamber 1. Thus, when the chamber 1 is in the firing position, the cylinder 96 extends parallel to the chamber 1, and when the chamber 1 is in the loading position, the cylinder 96 is in the extension of the chamber 1, that is to say say that its open front end is opposite the rear end of chamber 1.

The chute 102 towards its end adjacent to the cylinder 96 has a stop 106 which extends radially outwards in the direction of the chamber 1. The function of this stop 106 is to retain the socket in the cylinder 96, when the latter pivots to transfer the sleeve into the chute 102, that is to say when the chamber 1 passes into the firing position, but this stop does not obstruct when the cylinder 96 is in the extension of the chamber 1.

Finally, referring to FIG. 4, the magazine 50 formed in the lower part of the casing 45 under the feed star 40 has in cross section a U shape, the two branches of which correspond respectively to two parts 50a and 50b of the magazine 50. The part 50a can receive ammunition from the feeding station A, when the feeding star 40 rotates clockwise, and the part 50b can receive ammunition from the feed station A1, when the feed star 40 rotates in the opposite direction. Inside the magazine 50, project two pivoting levers 110 and 111 connected by a spring 112. These two levers 110 and 111 are respectively associated with the two magazines 50a and 50b, and their function will be described later.

The path of a munition 200 to be loaded from the supply device A1 to the chamber 1 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.

The ammunition 200 is received at the loading station 54 of the supply device A1 while being aligned along the axis of the journaling of the weapon (position P1). The transfer device 55 (FIG. 4) rotates the munition 200 by an angle of approximately 90 ° in order to load it onto the supply star 40 (position P2 with representation of the intermediate position P₁₂). The feed star 40, after rotation of a quarter turn clockwise, brings the munition 200 in the high position of the star 40 (position P3 with representation of the intermediate position P₂₃).

Then, the sampling device 64 (FIG. 2) extracts the ammunition 200 from the feed star 40 by lifting it up and rotating it by an angle close to 30 ° to align it along the axis of the chamber 1 then in the loading position (position P4 with representation of the intermediate position P₃₄). The loading device 72 loads the ammunition 200 by pushing it inside the chamber 1 (position P5). The chamber 1 then pivots towards its firing position to be aligned along the axis of the tube 2 (position P6). After firing, chamber 1 pivots at again 30 ° to return to its loading position (position P5).

When loading a new ammunition, the socket 200a of the ammunition 200 present in the chamber 1 is pushed into the cylinder of the ejection device (position P7) during the introduction of the new ammunition into the chamber 1. When the chamber 1 again passes into the firing position, the sleeve 200a pivots to find itself in the axis of the discharge chute (position P8 with representation of the intermediate position P₇₈). Finally, the sleeve 200a is ejected into the discharge chute (position P9).

This principle of loading ammunition 200 will now be described in detail with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 to 9.

Assume at the start a munition at the top of the star 40 (position P3), an ammunition engaged in the star 40 (position P23) and a new ammunition at the loading station 54 of the supply device A or A1 (position P1) .

• la chambre 1 est ouverte ou en position de chargement, c'est-à-dire que le galet 28 de la came 10 de commande en pivotement de la chambre 1 se trouve à l'entrée du secteur 20a de la gorge 20,
• le doigt d'entraînement 60 du dispositif de transfert 55 qui doit faire pivoter la nouvelle munition du poste de chargement 54 du dispositif d'alimentation A vers l'étoile d'alimentation 40 (passage des positions P1 à P2), est situé du côté de la roue dentée 57 et au voisinage de la munition,
• le dispositif de prélèvement 64 de la munition située tué au sommet de l'étoile d'alimentation 40 (position P3), a son levier pivotant 66 en position verticale et situé au voisinage de l'extrémité avant de la munition (figure 5),
• la tige d'entraînement 72 qui commande le dispositif de prélèvement 64 est située au voisinage de la roue dentée 82, c'est-à-dire qu'elle est prête à entrer en contact avec l'extrémité libre du levier coulissant 69 qui commande le pivotement du levier pivotant 66 (figure 5), et
• le cylindre 96 du dispositif d'éjection 95 est positionné dans le prolongement de la chambre 1, le piston 98 sous l'action du fluide sous pression étant alors en appui contre l'épaulement 103 situé à l'entrée du cylindre 96.

In this hypothesis:

• chamber 1 is open or in the loading position, that is to say that the roller 28 of the cam 10 for pivoting control of chamber 1 is located at the entrance to sector 20a of groove 20,
• the drive finger 60 of the transfer device 55 which must rotate the new ammunition from the loading station 54 of the supply device A towards the supply star 40 (passage from positions P1 to P2), is located on the side of the toothed wheel 57 and in the vicinity of the ammunition,
• the device 64 for removing the munition located killed at the top of the feed star 40 (position P3), has its pivoting lever 66 in a vertical position and located in the vicinity of the front end of the ammunition (FIG. 5),
• the drive rod 72 which controls the sampling device 64 is located in the vicinity of the toothed wheel 82, that is to say that it is ready to come into contact with the free end of the sliding lever 69 which controls the pivoting of the pivoting lever 66 (FIG. 5), and
• the cylinder 96 of the ejection device 95 is positioned in the extension of the chamber 1, the piston 98 under the action of the pressurized fluid then being in abutment against the shoulder 103 located at the inlet of the cylinder 96.

The gear motor M is activated, and a rotation cycle of the cam 10 will be broken down into four phases which will be described below, these four phases corresponding respectively to the path of the roller 28 in the four sectors 20a-20d of the groove 20 of cam 10.

In a first phase corresponding to the path of the roller 28 in the sector 20a of the groove 20, the chamber 1 remains fixed in the open position, since the sector 20a is centered on the axis of rotation of the cam 10.

At the level of the supply device A, the finger 60 driven by the chain 56 bears against the new munition 200 and makes it pivot in the direction of the supply star 40 (FIGS. 3 and 4), the rear of the ammunition bearing against the guide flange 35 in an arc of the plate 30.

At the level of the introduction device I, the rod 72 driven by the chains 81 passing around the two toothed wheels 82 of the control device 80, comes into contact with the free end of the sliding lever 69 of the removal device 64 of the ammunition located at the top of star 40 (Figure 5). The drive rod 72 pushes the sliding lever 69, against the restoring force exerted by the spring 73, which forces the lever 66 to pivot about its axis 67. The lever 66 which bears against the front part of the munition 200 pushes it towards the chamber 1. As soon as the rear end of the munition 200 comes to bear against the guide ramp 70, the ammunition 200 initiates a pivoting movement in the vertical plane, so that the free end of the lever 66 comes to bear under the munition 200 so as to lift it while making it pivot d 'an angle of about 30 °, until the ammunition 200 takes an intermediate position by coming into abutment against the guide ramp 70.

In this intermediate position, illustrated in FIG. 6, the ammunition 200 is aligned along the axis of the chamber 1. When this position is reached, the drive rod 72 is passed around the toothed wheels 82, that is to say say that the drive rod 72 is located at the end of the strands bl of the chains 81 to move along these strands in the direction of the toothed wheels 83. In other words, the rod 72 will bear against the front part of the munition 200 and pushes it inside the chamber 1 (FIGS. 6 and 7). In the case where a socket 200a is present in the chamber 1, the ammunition 200 pushes this socket 200a inside the cylinder 96 of the ejection device 95 (FIG. 8). The sleeve 200a, by engaging inside the cylinder 96, pushes the piston 98 towards the bottom wall 96a.

In a second phase corresponding to the path of the roller in the sector 20b of the groove 20, the chamber 1 pivots to pass into the closed position or the firing position. During this movement, the cylinder 96 of the ejection device 95 performs the same pivoting movement, the sleeve being retained inside the cylinder 96 by bearing, by its front end, against the stop 106 integral with the chute 102.

During this second phase, the drive finger 60 moves between the toothed wheels 58 and 57, and the drive rod 72 moves between the toothed wheels 83 and 82, without having any action.

In a third phase corresponding to the path of the roller in the sector 20c of the groove 20, the chamber 1 is kept fixed in the closed position, since this sector 20c is centered on the axis of rotation of the cam 10. There is then in the firing phase of the ammunition 200, phase which is initiated by the percussion device 7, in a manner known per se. When the chamber 1 has moved into the closed position, the cylinder 96 is in the extension of the discharge chute 102, which automatically causes the ejection of the sleeve 200a contained in the cylinder 96 inside the chute 102 by expansion of the piston 98. During this third phase, a new munition can be put in place at the loading station 54 of the supply device A.

It is important to note that during the backward movement of the receding mass MR of the weapon, following the firing of an ammunition, the star 40 moves relative to the supply device A, but this movement does not affect not the kinematics of feeding and loading of an ammunition, thanks to the presence of telescopic constant velocity joints 90 which compensate for this movement without interrupting the kinematic chain between the feeding device A and the loading device I controlled synchronously from of the gear motor M.

In a fourth and final phase corresponding to the path of the roller 28 in the sector 20d of the groove 20, the chamber 1 pivots to return to its loading position, the cylinder 96 of the ejection device 95 also pivoting in synchronism with the pivoting movement of chamber 1 to align along the axis of chamber 1.

At the end of this fourth phase, the loading system is found in the abovementioned initial conditions, the ammunition 200 which was initially at the loading station 54 of the supply device A, being, at the end of this cycle, engaged in the feed star 40 and the ammunition previously engaged in the star 40 is located at the top of the star. And a new cycle can then begin, knowing that it takes two cycles to bring ammunition from the loading station to the top of the star, this ammunition being fired at the end of the third cycle.

The operation of the loading device has been described taking into account the feeding device A. In the case where the ammunition is loaded from the feeding device A1, the direction of rotation of the feeding star 40 must be inverted, the principle of loading remaining the same.

Referring to Figure 4, the magazine 50 located under the feed star 40 is mainly used in the case where it is necessary to load ammunition of another type, while old ammunition is still present in the feed star 40.

To release these old munitions, it suffices to rotate the star 40, for example in the direction indicated by the arrow F2, so that the ammunition then engaged in the supply star 40 (at most two munitions occupying the positions P23 and P3 in FIG. 1) are directed towards the part 50a of the magazine 50. The first munition is supported on the arm 110 by forcing it to pivot in the direction of the arrow F2, while the arm 111 integral in pivoting of the arm 110 optionally repels ammunition already contained in part 50b of the magazine.

Claims (20)

System for loading ammunition, such as telescoped ammunition, into a pivoting chamber of the barrel of a weapon, in particular of a medium caliber weapon, comprising an oscillating mass journalled along a horizontal axis in a support frame , and a receding mass including in particular a launching tube, the pivoting chamber and a sleeve in which said chamber pivots alternately in a vertical plane between a so-called firing position and a so-called loading position, these two positions being angularly offset from each other by an angle between 0 and 90 °, the charging device being of the type comprising a control device in pivoting of the chamber, an ammunition feed device and a device for introduction of ammunition into the chamber in the loading position thereof, characterized in that the feed device (A) is integral with the oscillating mass (MO) of the weapon, is laterally deca relative to the barrel (2) of the weapon and is located between the journal axis (XX) of the weapon and the pivoting chamber (1), in that the insertion device (I) of a ammunition in the chamber (1) is integral with the receding mass (MR) of the weapon, is located above the tube (2) and is substantially in the vertical plane of pivoting of the chamber (1), and in this that each munition is conveyed from the supply device (A) to the introduction device (I) by a supply star (40) rotatably mounted around the sleeve (5) of the weapon. Loading system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the feeding device (A) comprises a loading station (54) where each munition is substantially aligned along the journal axis (XX) of the weapon, and a pivoting transfer device (55) for conveying ammunition from the feed station (54) to the feed star (40). Loading system according to Claim 2, characterized in that the transfer device (55) comprises a drive finger (60) integral with a chain (56) wound around two toothed wheels (57,58). Loading system according to Claim 3, characterized in that the supply device (A) comprises a plate (30) intended to support a munition, the part of the plate located along the axis of swiveling (XX) of the weapon constituting the loading station (54), and a support plate (59) located above the plate (30), said plate (59) supporting the axes (57a, 58a) of the two toothed wheels (57,58) of the transfer device (55). Loading system according to Claim 4, characterized in that, when an ammunition is placed at the loading station (54), the toothed wheel (57) is located in the vicinity of the rear part of the ammunition, while the toothed wheel (58) is located in the vicinity of the feed star (40), the two toothed wheels (57,58) being aligned along an axis making an angle of approximately 45 ° relative to the axis of the tube (2) . Loading system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two similar supply devices (A and A1) are respectively provided on either side of the barrel (2) of the weapon, the star d 'supply (40) being common to the two supply devices (A and A1). Loading system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the device for introducing (I) a munition into the chamber (1) comprises a device (64) for removing the munition located at the top of the star feeding (40) by pivoting the ammunition in a vertical plane for bring it into an intermediate position where it is aligned along the axis of the chamber (1), and a device for loading the ammunition into the chamber (1). Loading system according to Claim 7, characterized in that the intermediate position of the ammunition after its pivoting is defined by a ramp (70) parallel to the axis of the chamber (1) in the loading position thereof. Loading system according to Claim 8, characterized in that the device (64) for removing the ammunition situated at the top of the feed star (40) comprises a lever (66) pivotally mounted in a vertical plane, a lever sliding (69) articulated to the pivoting lever (66), and a control device (71) of the sliding lever (69) for driving the pivoting of the pivoting lever (66). Loading system according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the control device (71) of the sliding lever (69) comprises a horizontal drive rod (72) intended to bear against one end of said lever (69) , with concomitant compression of a return spring (73) associated with the lever (69). Loading system according to Claim 10, characterized in that the drive rod (72) is integral with two chains (81) located in vertical planes and on either side of the picking device (64), each chain (81) being wound on at least two toothed wheels (82,83). Loading system according to Claim 11, characterized in that the two toothed wheels (82,83) are aligned along an axis parallel to the axis of the chamber (1) in the loading position thereof. Loading system according to Claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the drive rod (72) also forms the loading device loading of ammunition inside the chamber (1). Charging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the retraction of the weapon following the firing of a munition, the device for introducing (I) a munition into the chamber (1) remains mechanically coupled to the device for supplying (A) ammunition by at least one telescopic constant velocity joint (90) for example. Loading system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the chamber pivoting control device (1) comprises a cam (10) movable in rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tube (2), and a connecting device (11) mounted between the chamber (1) and the cam (10) to transform the rotational movement of the cam (10) into an alternating pivoting movement of the chamber (1). Loading system according to Claim 15, characterized in that the connection device (11) comprises a shaft (25) one end of which is fixed to the chamber (1), a ball joint (26) slidably mounted on the shaft (25 ) and a roller (28) mounted around the ball joint (26), said roller (28) being received in a groove (20) of the cam (10) forming a guide path. Loading system according to Claim 16, characterized in that the groove (20) comprises four consecutive sectors (20a-20d) traversed by the roller (28) for a rotation of the cam (10), the two opposite sectors (20a and 20c) each extending on an arc centered on the axis of rotation of the cam (10), while the two sectors (20b and 20d) opposite one another correspond respectively to the two alternating pivoting movements of the room (1). Loading system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the chamber (1) is associated with a device for ejecting (95) a socket present in the chamber (1), this device comprising a cylinder (96) open at one end and closed at its other end by a bottom wall (96a), a piston (98) slidably mounted inside the cylinder (96) , a source (100) of pressurized fluid which communicates with the cylinder (96), and a discharge chute (102). Loading system according to Claim 18, characterized in that the cylinder (96) is driven by a pivoting movement alternating in synchronism with the pivoting movement of the chamber (1), so as to be an extension of the latter when 'it is in the loading position, and to be in the extension of the chute (102) when the chamber (1) is in the firing position. Loading system according to Claim 19, characterized in that the discharge chute (102) has a stop (106) which extends radially outwards towards the chamber (1) for retaining the sleeve in the cylinder (96) when the latter pivots in the direction of the chute (102).

Images