US1722923A - Fire-control apparatus for guns - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1929. H. JUST ET AL FIRE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR GUNS Filed Dec. 12, 927' Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED "(STATES 1,722,923 ATENT OFFICE.

Hammer: JUST Ann nnnmann HORT, or 'nssnu, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS 'ro FRIED. Knurr AKTLENGESELLSGEAFT, or ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

rmn-con'rnor. APPARATUS ron Guns.

Application filed December 12, 1927, Serial No. 239,577, and in Germany October 27, 1926.

This invention relates to fire control apparatus for a gun having a rock ng foundation which comprises a mounting on said foundation, a sighting means carrier cardamcally arranged on sai mounting, a gyroscope rotatable about an axis fixed on said sight; ing means carrier, and a body adjustable for elevation independently of the gyroscope, and the object of this invention is to so construct an apparatus of the kind stated having an electrical firing device comprising two adj ustable contact members adapted to register one with the other that the angular position of the axis of the gyroscope cannot be disturbed by the adjusting movement imparted to said contact members. An indicating device may further be combined in a simple manner with the firing device, which indicating device gives the commander of the guns a clear image of the position the gun barrels assume relative to the pointing axis arranged on the observing station, the commander thus being enabled to take suitable precautionsto increase the firing speed'or to eliminate disturbance;

' Cardan ring G formed by the trunnions e 80 .representing the pointing axis of the observduring the pointing operation. ,1

An embodiment of the fire control apparatus forming the subject matter of the present invention and intended for naval guns is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which: a

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus, looking in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ship, partially in section. "Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1, looking from the left.

Referring to these Figures, A denotes the ship and A a pedestal rigid on it and mounted at the observing station. An arcuate hear- 6 This bearing body B constitutes the frame, laterally adjustable in the direction of the aim, of a sighting device. A lateral training gear with ahand wheel C is provided for bearing body B. This training gear is connected to the training gears D of the guns by an electric long-distance control device hav-' ing a transmitter 0' and a plurality of receivers (1 corresponding to the number of guns. In the drawing only a single unis illustrated as the firing. operation is 51c same for all the guns. The axis of curvature of the arcuate bearing body B and the axis of the pivot 72' intersect in apoint Z, and an adjustable semi-circular member E is mounted in the the trunnions passes through point 1 at right angles to the axis of rotation of member On the Cardan ring G is mounted for free 5 swing motion a casing H by means of two trunnions h, the common axis of which passes at right angles through the axis of the trunnions e in the point 1.. A sighting telescope H is mounted on casing H. A pointer J is mounted on casing H for rotation around the axis of the trunnions M, which pointer may be set to the firing-angle A corresponding to the distance of the aim relative to the sighting telescope H by means of a small electric motor it mqunted on casing H. The pointer J carrles a mark 2' that may register with a corresponding marktg of the Cardan ring G. The mark g} is so located, that the axis of the maticall in a manner known in itself, that the mar s z" and g register. In the casing H is mounted a. gyroscope K by means of which the sighting line of the telescope H, pointed on the'aim, and the elevation of the pointer J arranged .on casing H may be fixed in space in vertical direction for a suflicient length of time. And due to the action of the automatic controlling device including the contact pieces 11' and g the pointing axis formed by the axis of the trunnions e is also maintained in its vertical position in space.

On the mounting L of each gun is arranged an electric motor L intended to drive the elevating gear and having a device for regulating its speed, said elevating gear having a toothed are m fixed on the cradle M of the gl'in. A shaft N vertically mounted on the n mountin L is inpositivel connection with the toot ed are m, whichrshaft serves gun mounting and to actuate a following pointer of the receiver L arranged on the gun mounting of a long distance controlling apparatus operating on the follow-the -pointer system. The receiver L may be adjusted from the observing station to the firlng angle A corresponding to the distance of the aim and serves together with the elevating motor L for adjusting the gun barrel in elevation. Each receiver is fitted with means for allowing account being taken of a supplemental elevation due to the degreeof wear of the gun barrel.

An electrical firing device, the casing L of which is mounted on the gun mounting, is

provided for each gun; In each casing L is mounted for free rotation an annular body Q, carrying an adjusting mark 9 which forms a contact piece. A pointer R is further rotatably mounted in the casing L co-axially with the annular body Q, which pointer is likewise fitted with a mark 1' to mark 9 and forming a contact piece. The contact pieces 9 and 'r -lie in the firing circuits belonging to the individual guns and having a common additional switcharranged at the commanding station common to all guns. The pointer R can be adjusted by means of a worm gearing r which is so positively connected to shaft N through the intermediary of a shaft N positively connected thereto and by a shafting N mounted on the positively connected to shaft N by :a bevel gear n that the pointer R and the gun barrel always turn in equal 7 same elevation as the or proportional angles. *A- device intended to take account of an angle of pre-ignition corresponding to the elevating speed may be interposed beforethe bevel gear 92 In this case the pointer R has imparted to it an angular position modified by the angle of prelgnit-ion.

An electric long distance controlling apparatus-2 is provided for each annular body Q of the firing devices of the individual guns,

which apparatus have a common transmitter F connected to the motor F of the observing station so that an angular posit-ion corresponding to the elevation of the pointing axis arranged at the observing station (axis of the trunnions 0 can be imparted to-the annular bodies Q. A device intended to take account of an angle of pro-ignition corresponding to the rolling speed of the ship may be arranged before the transmitter F in which case the annular bodies Q, have im parted to them an angular position altered by the angle of pre-ignition. When the marks r and g register, each gun has the pointing axis (axis of the observing station,

except for the angles of pre-ignition and a supplemental angle of elevation taken account. ofat'lthe receiver L At" the common commanding station there f is arranged a receiver of an electric long discorresponding mark 9 ,The front surface of the'annular body Q is differently colored on both sides of the diameter determined by the mark 9 e. g. yellow on the upper half denoted by g and blue on the lower half '9 The annular body Q is connected by. a wiring 2 to the long distance controlling apparatus F by means of which the same angular position can beimparted to it as to the annular bodies Q.

The casing A has iotatably mounted in it a pointer R co-axial with the annular body Q Pointer R corresponding to the pointer R carries an adjusting mark r co-operating with the mark 9 adjusted by an electric long distance controlling apparatus 3 which may be actuated selectively from transmitters S arranged on the individual guns and positively connected with the shafting N whereby the same angular position is imparted to the pointer R as to the pointer R belonging to the gun in question. -A wire 9 is fixed on the front surface of the casing A before the annular body Q and the pointer R which wire extends in 'the direction of a diameter that denotes the angular position of the plane of the gun platform.

When the trunnions k assume horizontal position, and the sighting telescope H which is automatically fixed-in elevation in space by the gyroscope K, has been pointed to the aim by means of a hand wheel C of. the traming gear of the observing station, and the pointer J has been adjusted to the firing angle A relativeto the gyroscope casing H and to the sighting telescope H by means of the motor 72., and the member E has been turned into such an angular position by motor F, that the marks 9 and i register, then, at any inclined position of the ships body, a gunbarrel, the axis of the bore of which coincides withthe pointing axis formed by the axis of the trunnions e of the observing station, would be correctly pointed on the aim, that is, the'point-ing error, due to the canting of the guns horizontal trunnions would be eliminated. When the marks g and 1 of the firing devices of the individual guns register, all the guns have the same elevation as the pointing axis of the commanding station, ex-

The pointer R can be tery commanding station, that the gun is ready. The commander then connects the pointer R of the receiver located at the battery station with the transmitter S of one of the guns ready for firing, and the pointer R is adjusted to the same angular position as thus forms an image of the position of the gun barrels relative to the plane of the platform of the guns by its position reggive to the mark, formed by the wire a 0 he receiver casing A The annular body Q the angular position of which corresponds to the elevation, invariable in the space, of the pointing axis of the observing station, executes a to and fro swing m otion relative to the receiver casing A d e to the rolling motion of the ship. The ark g of body Q deflects by equal angles rom a middle position denoted by pointer lt if the ship has a horizontal floating position, as is the rule. When the snip is rolling upward (on the side of'the muzzle of thei'gun barrel), the pointer mark 7' is in the rangeof the upper yellow half 91'' of the annular body and, when the ship is rolling downward,- in the range of the lower blue half g By observing the marks r and Q3 of the indicating members Q and R 0t barrels are the pointer R of the gun in consideration, and,

and 1' of the gun allotted to the receiver A Q R also register, and the marks of the other guns approximately register, so that all the guns are tired approximately in a volley. Then all the guns are brought into loading position, loaded, and adjusted anew as to the distance of the aim, whereupon they are signalled as Ready. As the shots were tired before the-ship had attaiuedlthe horizontal position" in rolling downwards a sulfieiently longtime is at disposal for the carrying out "of these operations during the period of time the ship takes to reach its lower positi/ori. With the upward motion of the shi the elevating gears of theguns are starte on the order Lower breech end in a ,manner corresponding to that described with the downward motion, and all shots are fired again nearly simultaneously while the gun turned through before the ship has reached its horizontal floating position. Thereupon the next volley is prepared at once .and fired in the above-described manner after the indicating device formed by the receiver A Q? R the commander is able to ascertain at any moment where the ship' is in its upper or lower position. When the ship is in the upper position and the pointer mark 1' is at its greatest angular distance from the mark 9 within the range of the upper yellow half 9 of body Q and the guns are to be fired while being turned through during the subsequent downward roll of the ship, them, after the elevating motors L of all the guns 7 have been set to the same speed and the firing circuit has been closed by throwing-in the additional switch located in the battery commanding station, the commander gives the order Raise breech end, or he starts the elevatin gears of the guns in the desired direction liy operating a suitable switch of an The muzzles of the gun barrels now move withadditional speed in the sense of the rolling motion, and the mark r travels towards the mark 9 with a correspondingly increased speed. As soon-as these two marks register, which now takes place before the ship reaches the horizontal floating position, the marks g the beginning of the next downward motion of the ship. As can be seen, a sufliciently long time is at disposal with the described mode of operation, to fire two volleys during each rolling period.

When notable difierences arise between the individual guns as to the required amount of supplemental elevation, so that the gun barrels' in their firing positions deviate by corresponding angular amounts from the parallel position, it may happen, when small rolling angles are encountered of the same degree as these angular amounts, that upon the order Raise breech end or Lower breech end some of the guns are not fired. In this event the orders Raise breech end and Lower breech end, or inversely, must be given shortly afterone another; the shots lost upon the second one. g

This invention also enables redress at once,

when the guns are fired while rolling through, in case the ship has in position of rest an inclined floating position or lists over so that the marks T and are unable to register upon the ship rolling. For, 'in this case the mark g of the receiver of the (1 m: manding station does not deflect uniformly toward both sides relative to the mark 1' As soon as the commander observes this. fact, a regulation corresponding to this angle of listis madein the receivers L of all guns, so

that the guns now have imparted to them an elevation modified by this angle of list and the pointers R and R assume again at least approximately a middle position, from which the marks 9 or g deflect by equal angles to ward both sides. The guns then can be fired when"rolling through.

' What we claim and Letters Patent, is

1. A fire control apparatus for a gun desire to secure by the first order then are fired upon 7 having a rocking foundation comprising a mounting on said foundation, a-sighting. means carrier cardanically. arranged on said mounting, a gyroscope rotatable about an axis fixed on said sighting means carrier,

a inember adjustable relative to said sighting means carrier for range and establishing an cording to the elevation of said gun,'and

connections arranged between the other of said contact members and said body whereby an adjustment is imparted to said last-named contact member corresponding to the elevation of said body.

2. A device according to claiml, in which said last-named connections comprise a long distance control apparatus.

3. A fire control apparatus according to claim 1, in which said mounting is rotatable in lateral direction and carries saidbody adjustable for elevation independently ofgsaid gyroscope, said sighting means carrier being cardanically mounted on said bod I 4. A fire control apparatus or a gun having a rocking foundation comprising a mounting on said-foundation, two adjustable index members arranged on said mounting and adaptedto register one with the other,

' a body adjustable for elevation, means formaintaining the elevation imparted to said body in space independently of the rocking movement of said foundatiomconnections so arranged between one of said index members and said gun that said index member is adjusted according to the elevation of said gun, and connections arranged between the other of said index members and said body whereby an adjustment is imparted to said last-named index member corresponding to the elevation of said body.

5. In a fire control apparatus according to claim 4, means arranged on the mounting for said index members adapted to indicate the angular {position of the foundation.

6. A re control apparatus for a gun having a rocking foundation comprising a mounting on said foundation, a sighting means carrier cardanically arranged on said mounting, a gyroscope rotatable about an axis fixed on said sighting means carrier, a body adjustable for elevation independently of said gyroscope, an electrical firing device comprising two adjustable contact members adapted to register one with the other, two adjustable index members adapted to register one with the other, connections so arranged between one of said contact members, one of said index members and said gun that said contact and index members are adj usted according to the elevation of said gun, and

connections arranged between the other of said contact and index members and said body whereby an adjustment is imparted to said last-named contact and index members corresponding to the elevation of said body. 7. In a fire control apparatus according to claim 4 for a plurality of guns means for selectively connecting each of said guns to one of said index members, the other index ,member being connected to said body adjustable for elevation.

The foregoing specification signed at Colpgne, Germany, this 25 day of November, 192

HEINRICH .rusr. ,HERMANN HORT.

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