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US 4,296,670 AGranted
Ordnance recoil energy control and recovery system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRobert P. Northup, Robert L. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ordnance recoil mechanism for controlling, collecting and storing firing reaction energy and for returning the recoil mass to battery by means of stored reaction energy including structure for storing energy not used in counterrecoil and making that stored energy available for use subsequent to return to battery of the recoil mass.
Claims15
A recoil mechanism for controlling movement of a recoil mass relative to a mount comprising:
- (a) a pressurized gas recuperator system including available capacity gas chamber means interconnecting said recoil mass and said mount for opposing recoil, for collecting recoil energy in the form of gas pressure in a gas recuperator as recoil movement of said recoil mass decreases the capacity of said variable capacity gas chamber means forcing gas therefrom into said gas recuperator, for driving said recoil mass in counterrecoil with use of only part of said collected energy and for transferring the remainder of said collected energy to another system subsequent to counterrecoil;
- (b) a hydraulic accumulator system for supplying, holding and distributing hydraulic fluid under pressure including a variable capacity hydraulic pump chamber;
- and
- (c) interface means responsive to said gas recuperator means for utilizing gas pressure collected in said recuperator for reducing the capacity of said hydraulic pump chamber to force hydraulic fluid from said chamber under pressure to effect a transfer of recoil energy from gas pressure to hydraulic pressure,
- whereby recoil energy can be generated and collected in the form of gas pressure during recoil, partially dissipated to drive the recoil mass in counterrecoil and thereafter transferred to a hydraulic system for use.
2 more elements
In a recoil mechanism for permitting and controlling movement of a recoil mass relative to a mount in response to a driving force, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a gas pressure recuperator system including variable capacity gas chamber means and a recuperator reservoir interconnected by gas conduits for absorption of recoil energy by compressing gas from said gas chamber means into said recuperator reservoir responsive to decreasing the capacity of the gas chamber means by recoil motion of the recoil mass and for driving said recoil mass in counterrecoil by partial expansion of said gas chamber means by pressure in said recuperator reservoir;
- (b) a hydraulic system including a variable capacity hydraulic cylinder, means for charging said cylinder with hydraulic fluid including a hydraulic reservoir and interconnecting hydraulic lines and hydraulic lines for movement of hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic cylinder under pressure for transfer and use of energy in the form of pressurized hydraulic fluid;
- and
- (c) energy transfer means for transfer of energy from said recuperator system to said hydraulic system after counterrecoil movement of the recoil mass including interface means for movement responsive to a change in the capacity of said gas chamber means to reduce the capacity of said hydraulic cylinder responsive and proportional to expansion of said gas chamber means from its partial expanded state to its full capacity.
1 more element
In an ordnance recoil mechanism for permitting movement of a recoil mass relative to a gun mount and to absorb firing reaction energy, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a closed cycle gas chargeable recuperator system including:
- (1) a recuperator for storing pressurized gas,
- (2) variable capacity gas chamber means,
- (3) gas conduit means interconnecting said recuperator and said gas chamber means,
- (4) means for substantially collapsing said gas chamber means responsive to recoil to force gas from said gas chamber means into said recuperator, and
- (5) means responsive to gas pressure in said recuperator to return said recoil mass to battery by partially returning said gas chamber means to its original capacity;
- (b) a hydraulic system including:
- (1) a reservoir for storing hydraulic fluid,
- (2) variable capacity hydraulic chamber means,
- (3) hydraulic conduit means for conducting hydraulic fluid from said reservoir to said hydraulic chamber means and from said hydraulic chamber means under pressure, and
- (4) means responsive to movement of said recoil mass for charging said hydraulic chamber means with hydraulic fluid from said reservoir;
- and
- (c) independently moveable means interposed between said variable capacity gas chamber means and said variable capacity hydraulic chamber means for reciprocally varying the capacity of said chamber means for transfer of energy from said recuperator system to said hydraulic system responsive to pressure in said recuperator.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.