US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Roger K Waid

Martin J Neumeyer

Jaunutis B Gilvydis

Joseph M Dabrowski

Donald J Carlson

John Geraltowski

James R Underwood

Richard H Fryer

Glenn O'Rourke

Valentine P Daubar

A military tank having a turret, a gun mounted in the forward portion of turret, and ammunition storage magazines in the rear portion of the turret. A loader is arranged within the turret in alignment with the gun to transfer individual rounds of ammunition from the magazine area into the gun. The arrangement provides a compact storage system capable of storing a relatively large number of rounds in a given height turret.

Ammunition storage and transfer mechanism

A TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided) missile system is mted on a combat vehicle turret for greater combat effectiveness. Before the missile is launched, the gunner keeps the target in his sights in azimuth by powering the turret through a movable sight to which the turret is slaved by a lock mechanism. Missile launch energizes certain electrical devices which unlock the mechanism to make sight movement independent of the turret, open the turret drive motor power switch, and set a brake on the motor which locks the turret against movement to provide a stable platform for tracking the target during missile flight. After a preset time to allow for on-target impact, the devices are automatically reset and the turret drive is again slaved to the sight in azimuth.

Fire control mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Roger K Waid