Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh

Rheinmetall W & M Gmbh

Rheinmetall Industrie Gmbh

Rheinmetall Industrie Aktiengesellschaft

Ralf-Joachim Herrmann

Heiner Schmees

Berthold Baumann

Henning Von Seidlitz

Klaus Lawitzke

Udo Sabranski

Norbert Kohnen

Rolf Bartolles

Marold Elspass

Hans Hülsewis

Bernhard Scheideler

Wolfgang Seidel

A mortar includes at least one barrel mounted movably over a ball journal in a bottom supporting device, and an aiming device serving to aim the barrel vertically and horizontally. In order to be able to aim the barrel of the mortar automatically in a simple and cost advantageous manner, the aiming device preferably comprises a carriage that can be moved along guideways essentially horizontally towards or away from the barrel. At the carriage, the first end region of a pivoted arm is mounted so that it can be rotated about a pivot axis, and the second end region of the pivoted arm is connected with a spherical plain bearing, guiding the barrel. The spherical plain bearing embraces a housing part, which is open at its end faces and in which an inner part is mounted spherically (rotatably), which contains a cylindrical barrel guide, for movably accommodating the barrel.

Mortar

A drive for a weapon is provided, wherein rotational motion of a motor is converted to a forward or reverse motion of the breech in a simple manner using the Scotch yoke principle. In order to allow rest periods of the breech in the end positions, the crank radius is defined by a control cam, which changes when the crank is rotated. The hinge pin of the crank may be externally driven via a pinion shaft. A yoke pin is arranged in a groove of the crank so as to be radially displaceable and carries the breech carrier or the breech in a groove extending transversely to the direction of fire via a sliding block. Two rollers are arranged on the crank pin and run in control cams in the weapon or crank housing. The control cam is subdivided into different sectors/sections, thereby achieving the desired motion of the breech.

Breech drive for a weapon

A mechanism or drive () for a weapon is described, which is characterized by only a limited acceleration of the breech () and a jerk- and recoil-free operation, thereby reducing the inertia force and the required power and increasing the repetition rate. The reduction of the required power also results in a reduction of braking power in the case of a quick stop. For this purpose, the rotational motion of preferably a motor () or the like is converted to a forward or reverse motion of the breech () using the Scotch yoke principle. In order to allow rest periods of the breech in the end limit positions, the rod () and the yoke () are arranged radially and displaceable relative to each other so that the yoke radius changes when the yoke () is rotated. A control cam () radially guides the rod ().

Breech drive for a weapon with a linear breech or ammunition feed

A drive, having a quick stop mechanism, for a breech is axially adjustable relative to a weapon barrel, and includes a motor, two counter-rotating chains and sprocket wheels that guide the chains. Engaging cams and control cams are integrated into the chains. A slide mounted at the bottom of the breech is displaceable transversely to the direction of fire and has a groove that the engaging cams engage to entrain the breech in a forward or reverse motion relative to the direction of fire. The engaging cam transporting the breech forwards is displaced from the groove while the control cam displaces the slide simultaneously to its center position via its ascent ramp, thereby allowing breech rest periods in the forward limit position. Firing causes the slide to move from the center position to the left hand side whereas it remains in the center position when no shot is fired.

Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably a linear breech or ammunition feed

A drive for a breech/breech carrier renders it axially adjustable relative to a weapon barrel. The drive includes a motor, two engaging cams mounted on a chain arranged below the breech and guided around two sprocket wheels. A slide is mounted in a guide at the bottom of the breech/breech carrier so as to move at a right angle to the direction of fire, with a groove extending over its entire width. The respective engaging cam entrains the breech in forward motion relative to the direction of fire, or in reverse motion, once the shot is fired, and transports the breech forwards, is displaced from the groove, and moves backwards without the breech, thereby allowing breech rest periods in a forward position. During firing, the slide moves, whereas it remains stationary when no shot is fired so no further engaging cam can entrain the breech backwards.

Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably linear breech or ammunition feed

A tube weapon comprises a weapon tube arranged in an exchangeable fashion using screw thread at a breech block of the tube weapon, and a cradle tube in which the weapon tube is axially and displaceably positioned. Despite using screw thread for connecting the weapon tube with the breech end, prevention of axial, and preferably also radial play, are assured, whereby the weapon tube is removable via a cradle tube in front of the breech block. The weapon tube is pre-loaded in the stress direction, which occurs with firing stress, by a screw thread ring arranged in front at the breech block. The screw thread ring encircles the weapon tube and is preferably partially screwed in detachable fashion into the anterior end of the breech block, and efficiently supports itself, axially, with its anterior end located against a collar of the weapon tube.

Tube weapon

A gun barrel with a gun barrel liner and a breech ring, which are joined with each other by a bayonet thread. A continuous cavity is left between adjacent bayonet ridges of the gun barrel liner and the bayonet ridges of the breech ring that are located axially behind them or in front of them. A locking segment is inserted in at least one of the cavities that is formed in the installed gun barrel liner between adjacent bayonet ridges of the gun barrel liner and the bayonet ridges of the breech ring to prevent unintentional detachment of the gun barrel liner from the breech ring. The locking segment can completely fill the corresponding cavity.

Gun barrel

It is proposed that a loading chamber of a weapon with a breech mechanism no longer be part of a cannon tube but rather that it form, together with a breechblock, a unit, which additionally contains a device for firing ammunition and which can move relative to the bore portion of the cannon tube. This design solution can be used in all weapons with various and different breech mechanisms.

Weapon with breach mechanism

To seal a pipe mortar, a sealing element () is inserted between the pipe () and the base (), with the element elastically balancing out the axial relative movements between the pipe () and the base (). The sealing element () is preferably prestressed, with the gas pressure supporting the sealing effect. The sealing element () can be a U-shaped or L-shaped steel ring. In the U-shaped sealing element (), the legs () are axially prestressed to the extent that the sealing ring () and the pipe () or the base () are pressed together to produce an adequate seal. In the L-shaped sealing element (), the inside leg () produces the gas-tight connection when the pipe () and the base () are screwed together. A sealing lips () of the sealing ring () elastically absorbs changes in length between the pipe and the base that occur during firing.

Pipe mortar

A reconnaissance sonde to be dropped and erected in an area for wirelessly transmitting data to a data processing apparatus. The sonde includes a housing having top and bottom portions; a parachute disposed at the top housing portion; a plurality of support legs peripherally mounted on the housing in a circumferential array and having a folded state and a deployed state; a drive for simultaneously moving the support legs from the folded state into the deployed state upon landing of the sonde; a GPS navigation system, a magnetic field sensor and an attitude sensor for accurately determining a position and an attitude of the sonde; at least three target bearing determining sensors supported by the housing and distributed circumferentially; an electronic evaluating apparatus supported by the housing and connected to the GPS navigation system, the magnetic field sensor, the attitude sensor and the target bearing determining sensors for evaluating measured sensor signals thereof; a transmitting and receiving apparatus connected to the electronic evaluating apparatus for wirelessly transmitting evaluated signals to a remote data processing apparatus or an additional sonde; and a battery for supplying electric energy to the sonde components.

Reconnaissance sonde

A rifled weapon tube (,), from which spin-stabilized projectiles (,) with driving bands (,) are fired. In order to reduce manifestations of wear on a driving band (,), it is known to stabilize a spin angle (&dgr;) occurring during the firing or to cut deeper rifling grooves (,) into an inside wall (,) of the weapon tube (,). Both options can be realized only within limits as the compatibility between weapon tube (,) and projectile (,) must be ensured. The invention provides for another option of reducing the wear on the driving band (,). Increasing the number of rifling grooves (,) on the tube inside wall (,) reduces the frictional stress that occurs on the driving band (,). This new type of design for the rifling groove flanks (,), formed between a groove bottom (,) of rifling groove (,) and a lands (,) between the rifling grooves (,), reduces the total wear volume on the driving band (,). In this case, the rifling flanks (,) extend nearly perpendicular to the rifling groove bottom (,).

Weapon tube

A spin-stabilized projectile includes a projectile body having a trailing end; a first circumferential groove provided in the projectile body; and a second circumferential groove provided in the projectile body between the first circumferential groove and the trailing end of the projectile body. A rotating band is received in the first circumferential groove and a sealing ring is received in the second circumferential groove. The scaling ring has a radial and an axial clearance of between 0.5 and 1 mm from the walls of the second groove.

Sealing ring arrangement for a spin-stabilized projectile

A weapon barrel includes a muzzle, a breech, a chamber at the breech and a rifling, formed of alternating lands and grooves, extending along an interior of the weapon barrel. The lands have a hardened surface to a depth of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. The hardened surface extends along a barrel length portion which includes the muzzle.

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Senzig, Germany

Ralf-Joachim Herrmann