Back to results
US 10,955,213 B1Granted
Internal equilibrator for elevating struts of artillery systems
AssigneeMandus Group LLC
InventorsJerome Curtis Nathan, John Michael Stanley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elevating assembly that includes an elevating strut that is manipulated mechanically between a first retracted configuration and a second extended configuration for moving the gun. An internal chamber can be defined within the elevating strut for compressible fluid. A pressure of the compressible fluid within the elevating strut can be tuned and maintained in order to reduce the weight of the gun overcome by the elevating strut during the manipulation.
Claims29
An artillery system, comprising:
- a base;
- a gun supported by the base;
- and
- an elevating assembly having an elevating strut manipulateable between a first retracted configuration and a second extended configuration, the elevating strut being configured to cause the gun to move relative to the base in response to a manipulation between the first retracted configuration and the second extended configuration, and wherein the elevating strut includes:
- an internal chamber having compressed fluid therein and operative to reduce a weight of the gun overcome by the elevating strut during the manipulation,
- a first portion connected to the base,
- a second portion connected to the gun, and
- a seal assembly sealing the internal chamber from an external environment, wherein:
- the first and second portions are moveable relative to one another for manipulation of the elevating strut between the first retracted configuration and the second extended configuration
- the first portion is at least partially received within the second portion;
- the internal chamber is within the second portion and bounded at least partially by the first portion and the seal assembly;
- and
- the internal chamber has a first volume at the first retracted configuration and a second volume at the second extended configuration that is greater than the first volume.
10 more elements
An elevating assembly for an artillery system, comprising:
- an elevating strut having a first portion associated with a base of the artillery system, and a second portion associated with a gun of the artillery system, the first and second portions moveable relative to one another and adapted to define an internal chamber therein for compressible fluid;
- an accumulator defining a storage chamber for the compressible fluid, the storage chamber fluidly connected with the internal chamber;
- and
- a drive assembly integrated with the elevating strut and adapted to mechanically move the second portion relative to the first portion, wherein the drive assembly comprises:
- a gear assembly integrated with the first portion, and
- a screw assembly extending from the gear assembly and configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis in response to an input received at the gear assembly;
- wherein, in response to a movement of the first portion relative to the second portion:
- the elevating strut causes the gun to move relative to the base;
- and
- a quantity of the compressible fluid is transferred from the storage chamber and into the internal chamber.
7 more elements
A method for manipulating a gun in an artillery system, the method comprising:
- associating a first portion of an elevating strut with a base and a second portion of the elevating strut with a gun, the first and second portions moveable relative to one another and defining an internal chamber within the elevating strut;
- pressurizing the internal chamber with a compressible fluid;
- operating a drive assembly integrated with the elevating strut and adapted to mechanically cause the first portion to move relative to the second portion to move the gun relative to the base between a first retracted configuration and a second extended configuration;
- providing additional compressible fluid to the internal chamber as the elevating structure moves from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration;
- and
- controlling a rate of the providing of the additional compressible fluid using a floating piston to move the additional compressible fluid from an accumulator and into the internal chamber, the floating piston biased by a ballast opposite the compressible fluid.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.