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US 12,723,833 B2Granted
Self-propelled gun system
AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc
InventorsRichard Peter Lewin, Edward Elliott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-propelled gun system defining a recoil mitigation system comprises a chassis; a gun barrel and a chassis suspension system comprising a first wheel arm extending away from the chassis to a first wheel, the first wheel being rotatably mounted on the first wheel arm, the first wheel configured for engagement with a support surface. The first wheel arm and first wheel are configured to support the chassis a distance (Dz) apart from the support surface. The recoil mitigation system is operable such that a maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) of the chassis from the support surface in the z-axis for a gun firing condition is controlled to be set according to a predetermined relationship by pivoting the first wheel arm relative to the z-axis.
Claims17
A self-propelled gun system, comprising:
- a chassis extending along an x-axis, a first end of the chassis and a second end of the chassis spaced apart from one another along the x-axis, the chassis extending along a y-axis, a first side of the chassis and a second side of the chassis spaced apart from one another along the y-axis, the x-axis being at right angles to the y-axis;
- a gun barrel having a barrel axis, the barrel being mounted to the chassis by a pivot mount, the barrel being pivotable relative to the x-axis about a pivot axis aligned and/or parallel with the y-axis;
- a chassis suspension system comprising a wheel arm extending away from the chassis to a wheel, the wheel being rotatably mounted on the wheel arm, the wheel configured for engagement with a support surface, the wheel arm and wheel configured to support the chassis a distance (Dz) apart from the support surface in a z-axis, the z-axis being perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis;
- a recoil mitigation system operable such that a maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) of the chassis from the support surface in the z-axis is variable to thereby vary the available damping distance in the z-axis to absorb recoil force (Fr) from the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel;
- and
- a brake control device configured for applying a braking force to the wheel in response to movement of the chassis in the x-axis by a recoil force (Fr) from the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel,
- wherein the brake control device is configured for applying the braking force to the wheel after the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel and after the wheel has started rotating along the support surface in response to the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel, and
- wherein the brake control device is configured to gradually and/or intermittently apply the braking force to the wheel after the wheel has started rotating.
5 more elements
A method of operation of a self-propelled gun system, the self-propelled gun system including
- a chassis extending along an x-axis, a first end of the chassis and a second end of the chassis spaced apart from one another along the x-axis, chassis extending along a y-axis, a first side of the chassis and a second side of the chassis spaced apart from one another along the y-axis, the x-axis being at right angles to the y-axis,
- a chassis suspension system comprising a wheel arm extending away from the chassis to a wheel, the wheel being rotatably mounted on the wheel arm, the wheel configured for engagement with a support surface, the wheel arm and wheel configured to support the chassis a distance (Dz) apart from the support surface in a z-axis, the z-axis being perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis, the wheel arm being pivotable relative to the chassis,
- a resilient suspension unit to bias the wheel arm to move the chassis back to being spaced apart from the support surface by a set maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) after displacement of the chassis away from the set maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max), and
- a brake control device configured for applying a braking force to the wheel in response to movement of the chassis in the x-axis by a recoil force (Fr) from the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel;
- and
- the method comprising, for each gun firing condition:
- pivoting the wheel arm relative to the chassis to change the distance of the chassis from the support surface in the z-axis to the set maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) for the gun firing condition;
- wherein the set maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) of the chassis from the support surface for the gun firing position is set according to a predetermined relationship;
- and
- the brake control device is controlled to apply the braking force to the wheel after the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel.
7 more elements
A gun system, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a gun barrel;
- a chassis suspension system comprising a wheel arm extending away from the chassis to a wheel, the wheel being rotatably mounted on the wheel arm, the wheel configured for engagement with a support surface, the wheel arm and wheel configured to support the chassis a distance (Dz) apart from the support surface;
- a recoil mitigation system operable such that a maximum recoil damping distance (Dz_max) of the chassis from the support surface is variable to thereby vary the available damping distance in a first direction to absorb recoil force from the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel;
- and
- a brake control device configured for applying a braking force to the wheel in response to movement of the chassis in in a second direction by a recoil force from the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel,
- wherein the brake control device is configured to gradually and/or intermittently apply the braking force to the wheel after the wheel has started rotating along the support surface in response to the firing of a projectile from the gun barrel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.