EP0573356B1 - Trigger device for firearms - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for triggering the firing of a firearm, and more generally any firearm the aim of which is provided by a shooter.

It is well known to equip a weapon using sighting means composed of a sight and a handlebar; the line of sight thus defined is then aligned with the target and the shooter can start the shooting. The probability of attack is recognized as being relatively low, because it is linked to several factors: the accuracy of the weapon, the external conditions and the aim. The first two factors have relatively weak effects, since well-known conventional solutions can be implemented to improve the probability of attack. However, the third factor could never be taken into account, because it is linked to the human factor although its effects are very significant. Indeed, the average infantryman or the gunner in the combat phase is animated by tremors which do not allow him to position his weapon in a stable manner relative to the target. As a result, in actual combat, the average number of rounds fired to hit a target is relatively large. This drawback is further aggravated by the depointing of the weapon when the shooter presses the trigger tail to trigger the shot.

There are thus deviations in precision of the order of 5 m for a shot at 300 m. It is then necessary to repeat the shot, which increases the risk for the shooter to be located.

In addition, the inaccuracies increase when the target is mobile, and the determination of the target point as well as the instant of the shot, taking into account the travel time of the ball, are very random.

US-A-2750844, the description of which is taken from the preamble of independent claim 1, describes a control system for firing applied to a weapon mounted on the deck of a ship according to which the changing position of the ship in relation to a direction given by a gyroscope and the firing order is corrected using a time compensator also taking into account the initiation time. This document neither describes a reference means nor a calculator.

The object of the invention is to increase the probability of hitting a target by ignoring the human factor at the start of the shot, by ensuring the launching of the shot independently of the shooter.

To this end, the invention provides a device for triggering the firing of a firearm equipped in particular with a barrel, a chamber, an ammunition magazine, means making it possible to pass the ammunition from the magazine into the gun chamber, a trigger handle, a firing circuit triggering the firing of an ammunition located in the gun chamber via a firing mechanism, and an electric generator, characterized in that it comprises a reference means making it possible to locate a target in a plane, a computer associated with electronic processing means making it possible to calculate an average point of aiming of the target from the data supplied by the computer and to authorize the firing, the electric generator supplying the reference means, the computer and the firing circuit.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the reference means consists of two gyrolasers providing the coordinates of the target in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the gun, each laser gyro comprising a mechanical reference parallel to the axis of the gun.

• une première position commandant l'activation des gyrolasers,
• une seconde position autorisant le tir des munitions, et
• une troisième position commandant le tir direct. D'une manière générale, le mécanisme de mise à feu est soit du type électrique à haute tension lorsqu'il est associé à des munitions initiées électriquement, soit du type mécanique à percussion avec un circuit de puissance et un électroaimant pour actionner un percuteur, lorsqu'il est associé à des munitions initiées par percussion.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the trigger is of the electrical type and has at least three positions:

• a first position controlling the activation of the gyrolasers,
• a second position authorizing the firing of the ammunition, and
• a third position controlling direct fire. In general, the firing mechanism is either of the high voltage electric type when associated with electrically initiated ammunition, or of the mechanical percussion type with a power circuit and an electromagnet for actuating a striker, when associated with ammunition initiated by percussion.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the computer, the gyrolasers and the ignition circuit are housed in the butt of the weapon.

Finally, according to a last characteristic of the invention, the electric generator is housed in the handle of the weapon.

An advantage of the present invention lies in the very significant improvement in the accuracy of shooting for average shooters especially in times of conflict where tremors due to stress significantly reduce the probability of attack, that the shooting is carried out on fixed target or moving target.

Another advantage is the concomitant reduction in the consumption of ammunition.

Another advantage still lies in the fact that the operation of the weapon is always possible even in the event of a failure of the device, without any modification.

Thus, with such a device, when the shooter triggers the shot, it is in reality the system according to the invention which will activate the start of the shot and not the shooter himself, when the aim passes in the vicinity of the theoretical average point. virtual determined by the calculator. In addition, the shot is triggered if and only if the shooter returns to the vicinity of the middle point, which increases security.

• la figure 1 est une coupe longitudinale avec arrachement partiel d'une arme à mise à feu électrique équipée du dispositif selon l'Invention,
• la figure 2 est également une coupe longitudinale partielle d'une crosse d'une arme à mise à feu mécanique équipée du dispositif selon l'Invention, les autres éléments de l'arme restent identiques à ceux de l'arme représentée à la figure 1,
• les figures 3 et 4 illustrent des schémas de visée sur cibles fixe et mobile, respectivement, pour expliciter le fonctionnement du dispositif selon l'Invention.

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

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with cutaway partial of an electric firearm equipped with the device according to the invention,
• Figure 2 is also a partial longitudinal section of a stock of a mechanical firearm equipped with the device according to the invention, the other elements of the weapon remain identical to those of the weapon shown in Figure 1 ,
• Figures 3 and 4 illustrate sighting diagrams on fixed and mobile targets, respectively, to explain the operation of the device according to the invention.

A weapon designated by the general reference 1 comprises in a known manner a stock 2, a barrel 3 extended by a chamber 4 and having an axis 5 or firing axis. The weapon 1 is also provided with a sighting support 6 delimiting a sighting axis 7 parallel to the firing axis 5. It comprises a magazine 8 of ammunition 9, which is associated with a reset spring 10. A member It can occupy three positions A, B and C. Position A can control, for example, burst fire, and position B, single shot. Position C constitutes a safety catch. The weapon 1 comprises a handle 12 which integrates supply means 13 constituted by batteries or accumulators and a trigger 14 secured to an axis 15 sliding relative to a support 16 secured to the handle 12.

The trigger 14 is subjected to the action of a spring 17 bringing it back to its original position. The axis 15 carries at its end a control circuit 18 making it possible to fix three positions for driving the trigger 14 which will be explained below.

In the butt 2, there was arranged according to the invention a computer 19 of known type, associated with processing electronics, a microcontroller and a trigger circuit. The role of the computer is to process the electrical signals received according to the firing sequence provided below and to deliver a signal authorizing the shooting. For this purpose, two gyrolasers 20 and 21 make it possible to define a reference point for the weapon. The laser gyro 20 defines a direction X and includes a mechanical reference parallel to the axis 5 of the barrel. Similarly, the laser gyro 21 defines a direction Y and includes a mechanical reference parallel to the axis 5 of the barrel. Preferably, the directions X and Y are perpendicular to each other and define a plane perpendicular to the firing axis 5 of the gun. The gyrolaser 20 is connected to the computer 19 by input conductors 22, and the gyrolaser 21 to the computer by input conductors 23. The two gyrolasers 20 and 21 are controlled by the computer 19 using the output conductors 24. The computer 19 and the gyrolasers 20 and 21 are supplied with electrical energy from the generator 13 by conductors 25. The computer 19 is also connected to the trigger 14 by conductors 26a and to the control member 11 by a driver 26b.

The computer 19 delivers a signal which is sent via a command 27 to a firing circuit 28. This circuit 28 is of the high voltage type and initiates an electrical firing mechanism for the ammunition 9. The circuit 28 is an electronic assembly for converting current into high voltage current. The mechanism 29 is a known element of the trade, and it provides electrical initiation of the ammunition 9 housed in the chamber 4 of the weapon.

As a variant and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the circuit 28 and the mechanism 29 are replaced by an assembly ensuring firing by percussion of the ammunition 9. To this end, the command 27 is sent to a power circuit 30, supplying the winding 31a of an electromagnet 31 which actuates the ammunition 9 located in the chamber 4 by a striker 32.

The striker 32, for example a steel or soft iron bar, is housed inside the winding 31a. At its rear part, the striker 32 comprises a shoulder 32a on which bears a return spring 33. When the winding 31a is supplied with current, the magnetic field created inside the coil 31a causes the striker 32 to move, which percussion initiates the ammunition 9 housed in the chamber 4. The supply current is then cut, and the striker 32 is returned to its arming position by the return spring 33. The other elements of the weapon remain identical to those of the weapon shown in Figure 1.

The operation remains the same whether the firing is electrical or mechanical, and it is as follows. In accordance with FIG. 3, the shooter takes aiming along curve 40. In the absence of the device according to the invention, the shooter presses the trigger tail 14 at point 41, while the real firing position intervenes at point 42 This possibility of shooting is obtained when the shooter presses fully on the trigger tail 14, the control member being in position A or B. According to the invention, the shooter proceeds as described above by describing the curve 40, and by actuating the trigger tail which has, as indicated above, three insertion positions. The first position authorizes the powering up of the gyrolasers 20, 21 and of the computer 19. The second position authorizes the firing, and the third allows the direct firing without the aid of the device according to the invention.

Concretely, when the shooter has taken aim and is on target, he presses the trigger 14 to reach the first insertion position mentioned above. The gyrolasers 20 and 21 provide a reference, and the computer 19 records the equation of a sighting curve 43 on the target and processes this curve in real time to calculate a virtual theoretical average point 44 very close to the real center of the target . When the shooter starts the shot, it is actually the weapon that activates the start of the shot when the aim will pass over or near an area close to the virtual theoretical average point 44. It is quite obvious in this case that the shot is fired if and only if the shooter passes through the said area close to the average point . Thus, by pressing the trigger 14 to reach the second position, the shooter corrects his aim and the computer triggers the shot when the target league returns to the vicinity of the mean point. If not, the shot is impossible and the release of the trigger causes the gyrolasers to be switched off and the results recorded to be canceled.

Mobile target shooting takes place in a slightly different scenario. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, the shooter begins to take aim by following the target according to the real aim curve 50 and presses the trigger 14 to reach the first position. The gyrolasers 20 and 21 are then activated and provide a reference in a plane perpendicular to the firing axis. The shooter continues to follow the target, and the computer determines an average curve 51 by a polynomial of the fourth degree. It presses harder on the trigger to reach the second position and anticipates the trajectory of the target. When the line of sight passes through the virtual point 53 of the target position, in front of the average point 52, the computer 19 starts firing.

To achieve significant accuracy, it is of course necessary that the line of sight or the shooter does not proceed through a systematic bias. To improve accuracy, the weapon can be fitted with all modern sighting systems such as optical or infrared glasses, light amplifications, etc.

Claims (8)

1. A fire triggering device for a fire arm (1) notably equipped with a cannon (3), a chamber (4), an ammunition (9) magazine (8), means to transfer the ammunition from the magazine into the weapon chamber, a trigger grip (14), a firing circuit (28) triggering the firing of a munition located in the weapon chamber (4) by means of a firing mechanism (29), and an electric generator (13), characterised in that it comprises a reference means (20,21) enabling a target to be spotted in a plane, a computer (19) associated with electronic processing means enabling a mean aiming point to be calculated for the target using data supplied by the computer (19) and controlling firing, the electric generator (13) supplying the reference means (20, 21), the computer (19) and the firing circuit (28).
2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the reference means is formed of two gyrolasers (20,21) supplying the coordinates of the target in a plane perpendicular to the axis (5) of the cannon 3).
3. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that each gyrolaser (20, 21) is fitted with a mechanical reference parallel to the axis (5) of the cannon (3).
4. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the trigger (14) is of the electric type and has at least three positions :

   - a first position which activates the gyrolasers (20, 21),

   - a second position allowing the munitions to be fired, and

   - a third position controlling direct fire.
5. A device according to any one of the above Claims, characterised in that the firing mechanism (28) is of the high tension electric type associated with electrically ignited ammunition.
6. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the firing mechanism is of the mechanical percussion type comprising a power circuit (30) and an electromagnet (31) to activate a firing pin (32), associated with a return spring (33), said mechanism being associated with ammunition initiated by percussion.
7. A device according to any one of the above Claims, characterised in that the computer (19), the gyrolasers (20, 21)and the firing circuit (28) are housed in the butt (2) of the weapon.
8. A device according to any one of the above Claims, characterised in that the electric generator (13) is housed in the hand grip (12) of the weapon.

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