EP3403042B1 - Shell magazine - Google Patents

Description

The technical field of the invention is that of magazines for shells with automated handling.

In order to allow higher rates of fire and to reduce the physical efforts of the personnel of a large caliber artillery, it is known to automatically supply an artillery weapon with propellant charges and ammunition.

So the patent FR2825144 describes a load magazine comprising compartments with walls substantially parallel to one another. Each compartment makes it possible to have propellant artillery charges in a substantially horizontal manner in columns of charges, superimposed and parallel to each other.

Each propellant charge is supported by a support means thus avoiding that a higher charge rests on a charge situated below. The loads thus arranged allow an automated gripping means to seize the desired loads.

Such a store with such support means is unsuitable for supporting shells which are extremely heavy relative to propellant charges. In addition, the device as described does not prevent the rebound of the charges stored in the store during shocks and jolts which may occur during firing and transport operations on board all terrain vehicles for example.

The patent FR2048095 describes a shell magazine comprising vertical compartments in which the shells are placed one above the other and picked up by pliers. Such a store cannot prevent shocks and jolts received by shells.

The invention therefore proposes to solve the problem of keeping shells in place in an automated store in preventing the vertical movements of the shells and while still allowing the passage of a gripper.

In addition, the invention makes it possible to adapt the magazine according to the length of the type of shell to be transported.

Thus the invention relates to a magazine for shells characterized in that it comprises at least one compartment defined by at least one pair of walls, compartment capable of receiving the shells arranged substantially horizontally and one above the other in column, and a gripping means for vertically extracting the shells from their compartment, magazine comprising at least one support means disposed between each shell of the same column, support means which is pivotally mounted between a support position, in which it supports the shell located above the support means, and an erased position allowing the passage of the shell located under the support means, a magazine for shells comprising at least one holding means located above the longitudinal axis of each shell , holding means which is retractable by pivoting between a holding position in which it limits the upward movements of the shell and a retracted position in which it allows the passage of a shell seized by the holding means, the passage from the holding position to the retracted position being caused by a pressing of the gripping means on the holding means when the gripping means are lowered into the compartment, the holding means having a length L such that the circle of radius L described by the end of the holding means is at most tangent with the shell when the latter is in abutment on the support means.

Advantageously, the holding means can be locked in the retracted position by a locking finger.

Advantageously, the magazine includes a means for longitudinally shelling shells comprising, in each compartment, at least one pair of pivoting flaps each around a substantially vertical axis, flaps intended to be placed on either side of the longitudinal axis of the shell and at the level of the latter's warhead, so as to prevent the horizontal translation of the shell when they are in the closed position.

Advantageously, each flap comprises at least one fixed support means which is fixed on one of its faces oriented towards the inside of the compartment in the open position, so that when the flap is in the open position, the fixed support means contributes to supporting the shell when introduced into the compartment.

Advantageously, the longitudinal position of the wedging means can be adjusted by displacement of the pivot axis of the flaps along the walls in order to adapt the position of the wedging means to the length of the shells to be blocked.

Advantageously, the walls have two series of holes, each series of holes being arranged at a lower and upper part of the wall, the longitudinal adjustment of the wedging means being done by positioning each end of the vertical axis of each flap. in either of the holes in each set of holes.

• La figure 1 représente une vue de trois quarts d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue partielle de face en coupe transversale d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention.
• La figure 3 représente une vue partielle de face en coupe transversale d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention en cours de saisie d'un obus.
• La figure 4 représente une vue partielle de face en coupe transversale d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention, l'obus étant extrait hors du compartiment.
• La figure 5 représente une vue partielle de trois quarts d'un détail d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention avec ses volets fermés.
• La figure 6 représente une vue partielle de dessus d'un détail d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention avec ses volets ouverts.
• La figure 7 représente une vue partielle de dessus d'un détail d'un magasin à obus selon l'invention avec ses volets fermés.
• La figure 8 représente de façon schématique un mode de réalisation dans lequel un compartiment comporte plus de deux obus superposés.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, drawings in which:

• The figure 1 shows a three-quarter view of a shell magazine according to the invention.
• The figure 2 shows a partial front view in cross section of a shell magazine according to the invention.
• The figure 3 shows a partial front view in cross section of a shell magazine according to the invention while entering a shell.
• The figure 4 shows a partial front view in cross section of a shell magazine according to the invention, the shell being extracted from the compartment.
• The figure 5 shows a partial view of three quarters of a detail of a shell magazine according to the invention with its shutters closed.
• The figure 6 shows a partial top view of a detail of a shell magazine according to the invention with its open shutters.
• The figure 7 shows a partial top view of a detail of a shell magazine according to the invention with its shutters closed.
• The figure 8 shows schematically an embodiment in which a compartment has more than two superimposed shells.

According to figure 1 , an automated shell magazine 1 is intended to be loaded on board a vehicle to supply an artillery piece (vehicle and artillery not visible).

To this end, the magazine 1 comprises a series of compartments 2 intended to contain shells 100. Each compartment 2 is delimited by a pair of vertical side walls 5 and two compartments 2 adjacent to each other have a wall 5 in common.

The shell magazine 1 also comprises a gripping means 3 comprising a clamp 3a intended to grip the shells 100 individually in each compartment 2, as and when the supply requirements of the part are required to extract them from above the magazine 2 .

This gripping means 3 is made mobile along a horizontal rail 4 which extends along the rear face AR of the magazine 1, over the entire length of the magazine. The gripping means 3 moves along this rail 4 thanks to a motorization (motorization not visible) of the means of gripping 3 meshing on a rack 4a of the rail 4. The gripping means 3 is movable vertically in order to be able to enter and exit the clamp 3a in each compartment to seize a shell 100 each time. This vertical mobility is also obtained by displacement along a vertical rack (vertical rack not visible).

Each compartment 2 is intended to accommodate shells 100 parallel to each other, in vertical columns where each shell 100 is positioned substantially horizontally with its warhead 100a oriented towards the front face AV of the store 1. The shells 100 are placed in the magazine 1 by the front face AV during its supply of shells. This arrangement, rocket 100b forward, allows access to the rockets in order to adjust them.

According to figures 1 and 2 , each wall 5 comprises at least one support means 6 located vertically between each shell 100. Each support means 6 is intended to support a shell and is in the form of a part which can pivot relative to the wall 5 around a axis 5a substantially horizontal between a substantially horizontal support position in which it supports the shell by the lower part of the latter (lower part situated below the longitudinal axis 20 of the shell), and a retracted position, substantially parallel to the plane of the wall 5 in order to clear the upward passage of the compartment 2 so that the shell 101 located under the support means 6 can come out once the shell 100 located above the support means 6 has been removed . Each support means 6 comprises a spring (spring not visible), the action of which tends to maintain the support means 6 in the support position (support means 6 horizontal).

The raising of the support means 6 along the wall 5 in the erased position is effected by the passage of the shell 101 located under the support means 6.

In order to prevent the vertical movement of the shells 100 during their transport or the firing, each wall 5 also comprises at least one retractable holding means 7 situated above the longitudinal axis 20 of each shell 100. Each retractable holding means 7 is able to pivot between a holding position in which it limits the upward movements of the shell 100 and a retracted position in which it allows the shell entered by the clamp to pass. The holding means 7 pivots relative to a horizontal axis 7a secured to the partition 5.

So that the holding means 7 can be retracted without interfering with the shell which it aims to maintain, we will choose ( figure 2 ) a length L of the holding means 7 such that the circle of radius L described by the end of the holding means 7 is at most tangent with the shell when the latter is in abutment on the support means 6.

Furthermore, to maintain the shell, the holding means 7 will be given an inclination such that in the holding position it interferes with the shell animated by an upward movement. We can thus choose an inclination of the holding means 7 ensuring maximum deflection of the shell of the order of a millimeter. We notice on the figure 2 , that the angle α between the holding means 7 and the vertical is of the order of 75 °. In this position the shell is effectively maintained. If this angle were increased, the possible clearance for the shell would also be increased. If this angle is less than 40 ° the shell is no longer maintained ( figure 3 ).

Each holding means 7 comprises a spring (spring not visible) whose action tends to keep the holding means 7 in the holding position.

According to figure 3 , the passage from the holding position to the retracted position is caused by a support of the gripping means 3 on the holding means 7 when the gripping means descend into the compartment. The holding means 7 is thus pivoted downwards. For this, the gripping means 3 comprises a bearing surface 3b in the form of a sheet metal panel, a substantially vertical portion of which is intended to interfere with the holding means 7 in order to fold it down (see also the figure 1 ).

As visible at the figure 4 , the holding means 7 can be locked in a substantially vertical retracted position by a locking means 21 comprising a locking finger 21 engaging in a housing 21a of the holding means 7. The locking means 21 is pushed by a spring return (spring not visible) to the housing 21a fitted on the holding means as shown in figures 4 and 8 .

Thus, when the holding means 7 is pushed by the bearing surface 3b secured to the clamp 3a of the gripping means 3 which enters the compartment 2, its housing 21a is positioned opposite the locking finger 21, which is pushed towards this housing 21a by its return spring. The holding means 7 is then automatically locked in the retracted position and will not hinder the ascent of the clamp 3a carrying a shell.

It will be noted that such a locking means 21 is useless for the means 7 for holding the shell located lowest in the compartment (see figure 2 ). Indeed, during the gripping phase of the latter shell and its initial ascent phase, the holding means 7 always remains kept apart by the bearing surface 3b. It then automatically resumes its holding position, pushed by its return spring, when the bearing surface 3b no longer keeps it apart. During this upward movement of the clamp 3a carrying the shell, the locking means 21 always immobilizes in the retracted position the holding means 7 of the shell located highest in the compartment 2. The latter holding means 7 therefore does not interfere with the ascent and the output of the clamp 3a.

If compartment 2 has more than two superimposed shells, it becomes necessary to provide a locking means 21 for all the holding means 7 other than that of the shell located lowest in the compartment.

The figure 8 gives an example of this embodiment in which compartment 2 has more than two superimposed shells. The magazine includes a locking means 21 making it possible to block the holding means 7 in the retracted position for all the shells in compartment 2 except the one located at the bottom. The locking means 21 have the effect of releasing the upward passage of the clamp 3a which, thanks to them, will not interfere with the holding means 7 during the extraction of the shells. The holding means 7 associated with the lowest shell is kept erased by the bearing surface 3b of the gripping means. It returns to the holding position, pushed by its return spring, during the ascent of the clamp 3a, without hampering the movement of the latter.

Each locking means 21 comprises a handle 21b making it possible to extract the locking finger 21 from its housing 21a in the associated holding means 7 in order to return the holding means 7 to the holding position (the return to the holding position being ensured by the return spring mentioned above). This operation is performed when the shell of magazine 1 is completed.

As seen on figures 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , to provide better support for the shell 100 and also better support, several support means 6 and several holding means 7 are distributed in horizontal rows on the wall 5 in the longitudinal direction of the shell. Each space between a row of support means 6 and a row of holding means 7 defines a level intended to receive a shell.

Only the lowest level of the store has no support means 6, this function being provided by the bottom of the store 2.

According to figures 1 , 5 , 6 and 7c each shell compartment 2 comprises a longitudinal wedging means 8 for the shells 100. Each wedging means 8 comprises a pair of flaps 9 extending between the lowest and the highest level of each compartment 2.

Each flap 9 is pivotally mounted relative to a wall 5 around a substantially vertical axis 9b.

As visible to figures 5 and 7 , each flap 9 when in the so-called closed position, is intended to place its free edge 9a opposite the vertical pivot axis 9b, against a part of the warhead 100a of the shell 100.

In this way the two flaps 9 arranged on either side of the warhead 100a oppose the longitudinal translation of the shell. Note that the flaps 9 are in contact with the shell of the shell only at a horizontal plane including the longitudinal axis 20 of the shell. In this way, the flaps 9 do not oppose the upward movement of the shell during its entry by the gripping means 3. It will be noted that the flaps are advantageously placed behind the rockets in order to allow access for adjustment or exchange of these.

By opening the flaps 9 as in the figure 6 , it allows the introduction of shells 100 into the compartment through the front face of the magazine 1 in a horizontal movement.

With respect to each level with the exception of the lowest, the so-called external face of each flap 9 which is oriented towards the shell 100 when the flap 9 is open, comprises a support means 6a said means fixed support because it does not pivot around a horizontal axis like the other support means 6.

When the flaps 9 are open, this fixed support means 6a contributes to supporting the shell 100 when it is placed in a level of the compartment 2. For this it is placed at the same height as the other support means 6 of the level concerned.

According to figure 7 , in order to make the magazine adaptable to shells of different length, each wedging means 8 is adjustable longitudinally by moving the flaps 9. For this, the pivot axes 9b of the flaps 9 can be placed in holes 9c of a series of holes 9c located at the top and bottom of each wall 5.

The invention thus makes it possible to ensure perfect wedging of the shells in the magazine to prevent the vertical rebounds of the shells. The invention also makes it possible to wedge the shells longitudinally as a function of their length.

Claims (6)

1. A magazine (1) for shells (100) that comprises at least one compartment (2) defined by at least one pair of walls (5), the compartment (2) being able to receive the shells (100) arranged substantially horizontally and one above the other in a column, and a gripping means (3) allowing to vertically extract the shells (100) from their compartment (2), the magazine (1) being characterized in that it comprises at least one supporting means (6) arranged between each shell (100) of a same column, the supporting means (6) being mounted so as to be pivotable between a support position, in which it supports the shell (100) located above the supporting means (6), and a retracted position allowing the passage of the shell (100) located below the supporting means (6), the magazine (1) for shells (100) comprising at least one holding means (7) located above the longitudinal axis (20) of each shell (100), the holding means (7) being retractable by pivoting between a holding position, in which it limits the upward movements of the shell (100), and a retracted position in which it allows the passage of a shell (100) gripped by the gripping means (3), the transition from the holding position to the retracted position being caused by pressing the gripping means (3) on the holding means (7) when lowering the gripping means (3) within the compartment (2), the holding means (7) having a length L such that the circle of radius L described by the end of the holding means (7) is, at most, tangent with the shell when the latter is supported on the supporting means (6) .
2. The magazine (1) for shells (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding means (7) can be locked in the retracted position by a locking finger (21) .
3. The magazine (1) for shells (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a longitudinal blocking means (8) for longitudinally blocking the shells (100), comprising, within each compartment (2), at least one pair of flaps (9) pivoting around a substantially vertical pivot pin (9b), the flaps (9) being intended to be located on either side of the longitudinal axis (20) of the shell (100) and at the warhead (100a) of the latter, so as to prevent the horizontal translation of the shell (100) when they are in the closed position.
4. The magazine (1) for shells (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that each flap (9) comprises at least one fixed supporting means (6a) which is attached on one of the faces thereof, oriented toward the interior of the compartment (2) in the open position, such that, when the flap (9) is in the open position, the fixed supporting means (6a) contributes to support the shell (100) when inserting the latter in the compartment (2).
5. The magazine (1) for shells (100) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the longitudinal position of the blocking means (8) can be set by moving the pivot pin (9b) of the flaps (9) along the walls (5) so as to adapt the position of the blocking means (8) to the length of the shells (100) to be blocked.
6. The magazine (1) for shells (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the walls (5) comprise two series of holes (9c), each series of holes (9c) being located at a lower part and an upper part of the wall (5), the longitudinal setting of the blocking means being performed by positioning each end of the vertical pivot pin (9b) of each flap (9) in one hole (9c) of each series of holes.

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