Method and apparatus for armament control
OwnerMark L. Stromireinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An armament control system for helicopter mounted weapons is disclosed in which the area of fire could penetrate the arc created by the rotating blades. The system consists of subsystems which provide data for the rotor blade position and the armament aim and a control circuit to discriminate the firing of the armament when conditions meet the set criteria. The rotor blade position data subsystem may be used to provide information for a plurality of control circuits and weapons.
Claims7
A control apparatus for synchronous operation of an armament and a plurality of blades rotating in an arcuate path comprising;
- a drive shaft to which said blades are fixedly attached providing for the rotation of said blades in a substantially horizontal plane vertically disposed above said armament;
- stationary means adjacent to said shaft;
- rotating means fixedly attached to said shaft and cooperating with said stationary means;
- a mount providing for secure retention of said armament;
- said mount having elevational means and also traversal means;
- rotor blade position means for providing a determination of position of said blades, said rotor blade position means includes a plurality of coils on said stationary means and plurality of magnets on said rotating means, said rotor blade position means receives a signal generated in said coils by said magnets and said generated signal indicates position of said blades in said arcuate path;
- armament aim means providing for an indication of aim of said armament, said indication of aim including both vertical elevation and horizontal traversal;
- and
- control means receiving said determination of position and said indication of aim to provide synchronous operation of said armament and said rotating blades.
The method of synchronous control for an aircraft operable between an armament and a plurality of blades whose rotation forms an arcuate path disposed vertically above said armament, comprising the following steps:
- continuously determining position of said blades in said path of arcuation;
- continuously calculating penetration through said path of arcuation of a projectile discharge by said armament including vertical elevation and horizontal traversal of said penetration;
- and
- synchronizing activation of said armament and said rotor blades to provide for a maximum rate of discharge of said armament between said blades, activating said armament when said penetration through said path of arcuation does not coincide with one of said blades.
A control apparatus for synchronous operation of an armament and a plurality of blades rotating in an arcuate path comprising:
- a drive shaft to which said blades are fixedly attached providing for the rotation of said blades in a substantially horizontal plane vertically disposed above said armament;
- stationary means adjacent to said shaft;
- rotating means fixedly attached to said shaft and cooperating with said stationary means;
- a mount providing for secure retention of said armament beneath said horizontal plane means;
- said mount having elevational means and also traversal means;
- rotor blade position means for providing a continuous determination of position of said blades;
- armament aim means providing for a continuous indication of aim of said armament, said indication of aim including vertical elevation and horizontal traversal;
- and
- control means receiving said continuous determination of rotor blade position and said indication of aim to provide synchronous operation of said armament and said rotating blades, said control means activating said armament when said indication of aim and said determination of position do not coincide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.