US 5,208,418 AGranted

Aligning method for a fire control device and apparatus for carrying out the alignment method

AssigneeOerlikon Contraves AG

InventorsPeter Toth, Peter Schueepp

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Abstract

The method and apparatus for determining and correcting alignment errors between fire control devices and weapon systems are distinguished by the following features. Target measuring sensors are mounted on guns which are mounted on servo-controlled mounts, and the sensor line of sight of each target measuring sensor is aligned with the line of sight of the gun. The guns containing the target measuring sensors are aligned to a common measuring target using a target tracking device. A deviation between the measured position of the common measuring target and the position of the line of sight of the target measuring sensor is detected in the target measuring sensor of the gun which is controlled by the target tracking device. This deviation is evaluated and processed to determine an alignment error vector taken into account during control of the gun. Control signals used during a firing operation are corrected on the basis of the alignment error vector.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of correcting alignment errors between target tracking devices and guns of a weapon system, comprising the steps of:

mounting at least one target sensing device defining at least one sensor line of sight at least at one gun defining a gun line of sight;
aligning said at least one sensor line of sight to the at least one gun line of sight;
separately mounting at least one target tracking device and said at least one gun containing said at least one target sensing device, with the at least one target tracking device in spatially spaced relationship from the at least one gun;
aiming at a common measuring target, said at least one target tracking device and said at least one gun mounted target sensing device;
determining positional deviation data indicative of a positional deviation between measured positions of the common measuring target as determined by means of said at least one target tracking device and as determined by said at least one gun mounted target sensing device;
processing said positional deviation data and thereby determining at least one alignment error vector which includes data concerning mounting errors between the separately mounted at least one target tracking device and the at least one gun;
storing said at least one alignment error vector;
producing, by means of said at least one target tracking device, control signals for aiming said at least one gun at an actual target during a firing operation;
and
correcting said control signals produced by said at least one target tracking device by means of said stored at least one alignment error vector.

7 more elements

An apparatus for correcting alignment errors between a target tracking device and a gun, comprising:

at least one target sensing device for sensing a predeterminate target;
said at least one target sensing device being mounted on at least one gun defining at least one gun line of sight;
said at least one target sensing device defining at least one sensor line of sight extending at a predeterminate angle relative to said at least one gun line of sight;
at least one target tracking device for detecting and tracking said predeterminate target and separately mounted in spaced relationship from said at least one gun;
said at least one target tracking device controlling an aiming operation of said at least one gun at said predeterminate target;
a common measuring target constituting said predeterminate target and positioned relative to said at least one gun and said at least one target tracking device;
said at least one target tracking device and said at least one target sensing device generating positional data indicative of the position of said predeterminate target;
data processing means connected to said at least one target tracking device and said at least one target sensing device for determining and processing positional deviation data indicative of a positional deviation existing between measured positions of said common measuring target as determined by means of said at least one target tracking device and said at least one target sensing device;
and
said data processing means containing evaluating means for evaluating and processing said positional deviation data in order to thereby obtain at least one alignment error vector which includes data concerning mounting errors between the separately mounted at least one target tracking device and the at least one gun for use in connection with said aiming operation of said at least one gun.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.