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US 6,802,238 B1Granted
Sponson tow plate-mounted helicopter armament apparatus and associated methods
OwnerPaul H. Sandersoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
External armament apparatus, including a machine gun, an associated ammunition box for supplying belted ammunition to the gun, a flare dispenser, a missile launcher or other external stores apparatus, and a forward looking infrared sensor (FLIR), is exteriorly supported on a landing gear sponson tow plate of a helicopter, adjacent a cabin area gunner's window. The external mounting of the gun and other armament apparatus frees up cabin space, permits the gunner's window to be closed with the gun in a ready position, and permits a 0.50 caliber machine gun to be used an alternative to either a 7.62 mm mini-gun or a single barrel 7.62 mm machine gun adjacent the gunner's window.
Claims20
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear sponson structure having a tow plate on an outboard side thereof;
- a hollow support block structure directly secured to said tow plate and projecting outwardly therefrom in an outboard direction;
- a rearwardly and upwardly inclined elongated machine gun support arm member having a lower end secured within said support block structure;
- and
- external stores apparatus directly secured to said hollow support block structure and being disposed outboard thereof.
2 more elements
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear sponson structure having a tow plate with a front portion, a rear portion, a central portion disposed between said front and rear portions, and an outboard side;
- a hollow support block structure directly secured to said central portion and projecting outwardly from said outboard side;
- a rearwardly and upwardly inclined elongated support arm member having a lower end secured within said support block structure, and an upper end;
- a machine gun rotatably mounted on said upper end of said support arm member;
- external stores apparatus secured directly to said hollow support block structure outboard of said support arm member and disposed outwardly from said hollow support block structure in an outboard direction;
- a flare dispenser secured to said rear portion of said tow plate;
- and
- a belted ammunition box secured to said tow plate above said hollow support block structure and disposed inboard of said support arm member.
5 more elements
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear sponson structure having a tow plate with a front portion, a rear portion, a central portion disposed between said front and rear portions, and an outboard side;
- a hollow support block structure secured to said central portion and projecting outwardly from said outboard side;
- a rearwardly and upwardly inclined elongated support arm member having a lower end secured within said support block structure, and an upper end;
- a machine gun rotatably mounted on said upper end of said support arm member;
- external stores apparatus secured to said hollow support block structure outboard of said support arm member;
- a flare dispenser secured to said rear portion of said tow plate;
- and
- a belted ammunition box secured to said tow plate above said hollow support block structure and disposed inboard of said support arm member,
- said external stores apparatus being a missile launcher assembly.
6 more elements
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear sponson structure having a tow plate with a front portion, a rear portion, a central portion disposed between said front and rear portions, and an outboard side;
- a hollow support block structure secured to said central portion and projecting outwardly from said outboard side;
- a rearwardly and upwardly inclined elongated support arm member having a lower end secured within said support block structure, and an upper end;
- a machine gun rotatably mounted on said upper end of said support arm member;
- external stores apparatus secured to said hollow support block structure outboard of said support arm member;
- a flare dispenser secured to said rear portion of said tow plate:
- a belted ammunition box secured to said tow plate above said hollow support block structure and disposed inboard of said support arm member;
- and
- a forward-looking infrared sensor secured to said front portion of said tow plate.
6 more elements
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear structure having an outboard side to which a tow plate is directly secured, said tow plate having an outboard side;
- a machine gun support structure secured directly to said outboard side of said tow plate and projecting outwardly therefrom;
- an upwardly extending machine gun support member having a lower end secured to said machine sun support structure, and an upper end;
- external stores apparatus secured directly to said machine gun support structure and positioned outboard thereof;
- and
- a belted ammunition box secured to said landing gear structure above said machine gun support structure and disposed inboard of said machine gun support member.
3 more elements
Armament apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a landing gear structure having an outboard side,
- a support structure secured to said landing gear structure and projecting outwardly from said outboard side thereof;
- an upwardly extending machine gun support member having a lower end secured to said support structure, and an upper end;
- external stores apparatus secured to said support structure outboard thereof;
- a belted ammunition box secured to said landing gear structure above said support structure and disposed inboard of said machine gun support member;
- and
- a forward-looking infrared sensor secured to said landing gear structure.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.