Patents Assigned to Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
  • Patent number: 5076138
    Abstract: When cartridges are delivered from a stationary cartridge magazine to an elevatable firing weapon, it is customary to use a deflection or guidance unit, by which the cartridges can be reliably delivered to the elevatable firing weapon in every position of the latter. The cartridges are delivered to the elevatable firing weapon in a telescopic guide or infeed channel. With large elevation of the elevatable firing weapon, this telescopic guide channel is substantially contracted. On the other hand, this telescopic guide channel is substantially extended when the elevation of the elevatable firing weapon is relatively small. In the telescopic guide channel there is provided a bucket chain for conveying cartridges. The individual buckets of this bucket chain are interconnected by knee joints, so that the bucket chain can likewise be extended and contracted. One end of the telescopic guide channel is mounted at the stationary cartridge magazine and the other end is mounted at the elevatable firing weapon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Peter Mannhart, Roland Streit, Kurt Muller
  • Patent number: 5052761
    Abstract: In load-dependent brake valves it is customary to control the brake force as a function of the stroke of vehicular suspension springs. If the stroke of the vehicular suspension springs is not proportional to the vehicle load, there is the risk that either the empty vehicle or the full vehicle is too strongly braked. This can be avoided in that a pivotable brake lever is pivotable as a function of the stroke of the vehicular suspension springs, the pivotable brake lever comprising a first pivoting range in which a first edge of a piston of the load-dependent brake valve is supported and a second pivoting range in which a second edge of the aforesaid piston is supported. It is thereby achieved that the brake force is always proportional to the vehicle load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Riet Thony
  • Patent number: 5036611
    Abstract: A weapon housing for a firing weapon including a front portion and a rear portion in which the front and rear portions are spaced apart by means of a plurality of bands. The weapon barrel is carried by the front portion and the firing device is carried by the rear portion. Cartridge chambers are fed laterally to the weapon housing. The bands which connect the front and rear portions of the housing, preferably, are fiber bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Samuel Schmid
  • Patent number: 5001986
    Abstract: Within the tactical operating distance, the projectile body in a short-range projectile ought to exhibit as far as possible the same performance characteristics as the corresponding normal or full-range projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Daniel Meister
  • Patent number: 5000632
    Abstract: For manufacturing a pinion of a pair of mating bevel gears having contact-line tooth bearing or crowning in accordance with the method developed by Litvin et al, the cutter radii of respective outer and inner blade edges in the duplex or double-cut method and therewith the centers of rotation of the cutter heads as well as the center of rotation of a generating gear are altered in relation to the settings for manufacturing the mating or meshing gear. This would require cutter heads provided with adjustable cutter radii. In order to render possible the use of commercially available cutter heads, provision is made for achieving the alternation of the cutter radii by inclination of the cutter-head axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Hermann Stadtfeld
  • Patent number: 4969298
    Abstract: In order that bar-shaped cutters can be ground as accurately as possible, it is essential that the bar-shaped cutters are clamped as close as possible to the surfaces which are to be ground. For this purpose, each bar-shaped cutter is pressed against two stop faces or surfaces by means of two claws of a clamping lever, and the one claw which is closer to the surface to be ground is structured to be more elastic or resilient than the other claw. Particularly, the claw closer to the surface which is to be ground is more intensely pressed or forced against the bar-shaped cutter than the other claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Robert Leutwyler, Georg Machler
  • Patent number: 4955163
    Abstract: A method is disclosed in which only one working point or machining point on a machining tool, which in general can comprise a grinding wheel or disc, is in machining contact with a workpiece such as a gear blank during a machining operation. The position of this single working or machining point can be selectively chosen within a machining region of the grinding wheel or disk and can be prescribed to lie in a zone of fixed or variable radius of the grinding wheel or disk. This is achieved through at least one feed motion, in general a feed motion of the grinding wheel or disc, effected in addition to feed motions known per se in machining processes performed essentially according to the indexing generating method. This means that the machining contact point between the grinding wheel or disk and the gear blank does not wander on the grinding wheel or disk in correspondence with the generating feed motions but can be confined to a predeterminate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Gerd R. Sommer
  • Patent number: 4951547
    Abstract: During delivery of ammunition to a firing weapon from an ammunition magazine, in which the ammunition is arranged in an endless storage and conveyor chain, high acceleration forces occur, since the entire ammunition supply in the ammunition magazine must be accelerated to the required infeed velocity in the shortest possible time. In order to maintain as small as possible these acceleration forces in the ammunition magazine, the endless storage and conveyor chain is telescopically structured according to the invention, so that not all cartridges in the ammunition magazine have to be simultaneously accelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Hanspeter Novet, Bruno Ruppen
  • Patent number: 4952874
    Abstract: The position-reading system for machine-tool parts rotatable through 360.degree. renders possible accurate position determination by using a scale although there is present a measuring gap. This is achieved by the use of two reading units angularly offset at a predetermined angle with respect to one another and by the use of an indicating unit which contains evalution and switch-over means. These evaluation and switch-over means evalute the output signals of the two reading units and switch, on the one hand, one reading unit, upon passage thereat of the measuring gap, to become position-reading inactive and, on the other hand, the other reading unit to become position-reading active, such other reading unit taking over the corresponding momentary position value or reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Hermann Stadtfeld
  • Patent number: 4930950
    Abstract: In addition to a generating drum, by means of which gear wheels to be maufactured according to the generating method are produced, the gear-cutting machine also comprises setting drums, particularly an eccentric drum, an orientation drum and an inclination drum. Prior to commencing the gear-cutting operation to produce a gear wheel by means of a cutter head, these three setting drums are rotated into the respective required position by means of the adjusting apparatus constructed according to the invention. This adjusting apparatus comprises a computer for controlling the setting of the drums and a locking device controllable by the computer for locking or securing one setting drum at the cutter head. Furthermore, there is provided an automatic position-reading device for transmitting the setting of the drums to the computer, as well as a device controllable by the computer for actuating clamping devices of the respective setting drums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
    Inventor: Hermann Stadtfeld
  • Patent number: 4915028
    Abstract: The dud de-arming device serves to de-arm a fuze of a projectile which has remained lying on the ground or the place where it landed as a dud in order to prevent the discovered dud from still exploding when touched or moved. As to spinning projectiles the dud de-arming device should de-arm the fuze after disappearance of the projectile spin and for spinless projectiles the dud de-arming device should de-arm the fuze after a certain time following the impact deceleration of the spinless projectile. The dud de-arming device comprises a rotor which can be rotated by spring force. This rotor can assume an armed or live position due to the projectile spin or by virtue of the firing acceleration. Upon disappearance of the projectile spin or by virtue of the impact deceleration the rotor should assume a de-armed or safety position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
    Inventor: Robert Apotheloz
  • Patent number: 4913031
    Abstract: In the case of weapon barrels which are only secured at one of their ends at the weapon housing during firing of the weapon there occurs, particularly during series firing, bending vibrations or oscillations which impair the hit probability of the fired projectiles. In order to preclude or at least dampen such bending vibrations of the weapon barrel the invention contemplates securing a vibration damping device or damper at the muzzle of the weapon barrel. This vibration damper comprises an inertia body which is resiliently connected with the weapon barrel muzzle. Also provided is a brake device which dampens the movement of the inertia body relative to the weapon barrel. The inertia body preferably comprises two ring members which are pressed by springs against two disc members which are rigidly attached to the weapon barrel muzzle. Between the weapon barrel and the ring members of the inertia body there are arranged resilient elements, such as blade or leaf springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
    Inventors: Werner Bossard, Thomas Pesek
  • Patent number: 4910922
    Abstract: The apparatus for grinding rough-cut longitudinally curved gear teeth of a helical bevel gear, comprises two spindles for respectively mounting a tool and a workpiece, and structure for translatably and adjustably arranging at least one spindle of these two spindles. A separate electric motor arranged coaxially with each of the two spindles serves for driving the tool and for driving the workpiece, respectively. The separate electric motors are mutually interconnected by an electric shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
    Inventors: Erich Kotthaus, Otto Hildinger
  • Patent number: 4898069
    Abstract: For feeding cartridges from a stationary container to a firing weapon having an elevation adjustability or control, it is necessary to provide means for deflecting cartridges according to the weapon's elevation. It is common practice to use either plate channel arrangements or flexible cartridge feed channels as a deflecting mechanism, both of which however, are afflicted with serious shortcomings. According to this invention, the deflecting mechanism involves a helical cartridge feed channel which is attached to the firing weapon and which comprises an infeed aperture or opening where cartridges are coaxially aligned with respect to the elevation axis and an outfeed aperture or opening where cartridges are in essentially parallel alignment with the weapon barrel axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Samuel Schmid
  • Patent number: 4896606
    Abstract: An optical proximity fuze for detonating the associated projectile or missile at a desired distance from a target is extremely sensitive to interfering effects, for example, to rain drops which simulate a target which is non-existent. To minimize the probability of the optical proximity fuze responding in undesired manner to rain drops and thus to reduce the danger of premature detonation of the projectile or missile due to interfering effects, the optical proximity fuze comprises at least two optical transmitters at each of which there is arranged at least one respective optical receiver. The target distance is simultaneously measured by the at least two optical receivers in several chronological measurements. Detonation is only accomplished when the at least two receivers simultaneously respond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Beat De Coi
  • Patent number: 4895077
    Abstract: It is desirable, on the one hand, to fabricate the projectile core or body of a material as frangible as possible in order to achieve a good radical effect thereof in the target. On the other hand, the material should be sufficiently ductile to enable the projectile to penetrate several armor plates. Therefore, a relatively ductile projectile-core rod is inserted in a relatively brittle projectile-core central section, such projectile-core rod being anchored at its rear end in a projectile-core tail and at its front end in a projectile-core nose or tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Hansruedi Miethlich, Nicole Chabarekh
  • Patent number: 4895075
    Abstract: Upon detonating a projectile in the proximity of a target, there are produced projectile fragments which fly towards the target in a predetermined direction. To have as many fragments as possible fly towards the target, the projectile must be detonated at a suitably selected angle measured between the line of sight which extends between the projectile and the target, and the projectile flight trajectory. This detonation angle varies as a function of the encountering velocity of the projectile and the target. A predetermined reference value associated with a predetermined encountering velocity value is computed using a stationary firing control system and represented by the quotient c/(2VBg), wherein c is the velocity of light and VBg is the predetermined encountering velocity value. Such reference value is stored in a storage device aboard the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Klaus Munzel
  • Patent number: 4890537
    Abstract: In a firing weapon with an elevatable weapon barrel, it must be possible to fix or lock the weapon barrel in each desired position. For this purpose, known firing weapons are equipped with braking devices in which large frictional forces occur, thereby making it necessary to use servo-mechanisms. In accordance with the invention, the elevation of the weapon barrel is fixed or locked by means of a cylinder and a piston. The piston comprises a closeable through-passage opening through which a pressure medium flows, as long as the through-passage opening is open between a chamber located on one side or face of the piston into an other chamber located on the other side or face of the piston. The through-passage opening is closeable for fixing or locking the weapon barrel at a predeterminate elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Roland Streit, Peter Mannhart, Samuel Schmid
  • Patent number: 4885975
    Abstract: Cartridges are usually fed axially to a rotating array of barrels of a multi-barrel cannon or firing weapon, by means of a cartridge feeding apparatus, for example, an endless conveyor belt or chain. The cartridges must then be accelerated to the peripheral speed of the rotating array of barrels, since the spacing between the individual barrels is considerably greater than the pitch spacing between successive cartridges on the endless conveyor belt or chain. Uniform acceleration of cartridges fed by the conveyor belt or chain up to the peripheral speed of the rotating array of barrels of the firing weapon is effected in that the deflector wheel or sprocket comprises a predetermined number of radially adjustable slides. These radially adjustable slides define recesses or pockets for receiving the cartridges. Structure, such as a cam arrangement, is also provided for radially translating these slides during rotation of the deflector wheel or sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventors: Erwin Bohler, Werner Bruderer
  • Patent number: 4884490
    Abstract: In order to cool the barrel inner wall of a weapon barrel of a firing weapon at a predetermined location, typically at the rear end region of the weapon barrel, one or more cooling fluid channels are arranged at the barrel wall of the weapon barrel. The cooling fluid channels open at the barrel inner wall. By means of an apparatus which can be actuated by the gas pressure of the propellant gases, there is injected into the interior of the weapon barrel a dosed quantity of cooling fluid after the firing of each cartridge or ammunition round. This apparatus preferably comprises a piston arrangement having a first piston of larger diameter and which is subjected to the gas pressure of the propellant gases and a second piston of smaller diameter at which impinges the cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle AG
    Inventor: Ernst Hurlemann