Gun Mount
A folding weapon mount installed on the deck of a carrier vehicle. In one folding configuration the profile of the vehicle, mount and mounted weapon is lowest with respect to the profile obtained in an upright configuration. The folding is achieved by the rotation of a threaded shaft which changes the distance between two parallel lower axes. Appropriate legs pivotally respectively connect each lower axis to one parallel upper axis serving also as a weapon bearing cross bar.
The present invention is in the field of mounts for weapons. More specifically the invention relates to vehicle mounting of guns, light cannons and missiles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMounting of weapons on vehicles is implemented in cases in which the vehicle is to take part in combat or defensive activity. Typical combat vehicles are personnel carriers and armoured personnel carriers. In the art there are several types of weapons mounted on combat vehicles, such weapons are rocket launchers machine guns of various types, light cannons, grenade launchers etc. Crew carriers such as armoured crew carriers are often required to be transported to sites of action. Actual transport may be effected by boarding the vehicle on a carrier boat or a pane. In such case it may be beneficial to lower the profile of the vehicle and external mount. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,409 a turret for mounting weapons an a carrier vehicle deck is disclosed, in which the mount is easily convertible from a prostrate to upright position, in which the weapon mounted is easily controlled by crewmen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In accordance with the present invention, a weapon such as a machine gun, a missile launcher, a light cannon, a medium cannon or a combination thereof, is installed in a configurable mount. As described schematically in FIGS. 1A-C to which reference is now made, the folding weapon mount of the invention is capable of changing configuration. In
The FWM of the invention uses a screw thread as the driving mechanism of contracting the legs as is described schematically in
In
In
Firing Control and Crew Safety
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the FWM and weapons installed therein are completely controllable from inside the carrying vehicle. The crew may be concealed inside the vehicle and yet completely control the activity of the weapon and FWM by remote control mechanism. Thus, the actuators governing the horizontal angle and vertical angle of the weapon are fully controlled from inside the carrier. In another aspect of the invention, target acquisition and firing control is also provided through an electronic control system.
In
Benefits of a Mount Embodying the Invention
As described above, the use of a mount of the invention adds an additional degree of freedom to the firing control system. Thus the elevation angle computed for a specific target relates to not only to the static positioning of the weapon relative to a deck of the carrier vehicle, but also of the instantaneous folding state o the FWM. The benefit is especially noticeable in built up areas in which the buildings and other artifacts aimed at or obstructing the line of sight to a target may be very close to the carrying vehicle, such that the folding state affect the actual capability of sighing a specific target or otherwise have an appreciable effect on the firing angle by changing the distance of the weapon from the deck of the carrier vehicle vertically. In open areas, the FWM may be folded down to reduce the profile of the crew carrier harboring the FWM, thus decreasing the chances of exposure.
The folding mechanism of the instant invention based on a threaded shaft is very robust and can be used to raise or lower light to relatively heavy weapons either manually or mechanically by the use of an actuator. If the actuator as in some embodiment is an electric motor, actuation can be controlled remotely and even during travel or even battle.
Claims
1. A folding weapon mount for bearing at least one weapon, wherein said mount is installed on the deck of a carrier vehicle such that in one configuration the profile of the vehicle and mount and mounted weapon is low with respect to the profile obtained in an upright configuration of said mount, said mount comprising:
- parallel front and a rear lower axes;
- an upper axis serving as a weapon bearing cross-bar;
- a weapon support connected with said upper axis,
- at least one threaded shaft for changing the distance between said lower axes, and
- legs connected to said lower axes for sustaining said weapon bearing cross-bar.
2. A folding weapon mount as in claim 1 and wherein said at least one threaded shaft is connected to a mechanical actuator.
3. A folding weapon mount as in claim 2 and wherein said actuator is an electric motor.
4. A method for changing the distance of at least one weapon from the deck of the carrier vehicle vertically, wherein a folding weapon mount supports said at least one weapon, and wherein a weapon bearing cross-bar of said mount is lowered and raised by the rotation of at least one threaded shaft.
5. A folding weapon mount for bearing at least one weapon on a carrier vehicle, wherein a firing control system thereof collects information related to at least one of the group containing distance from target, weapon inclination, horizontal weapon angle and folding state of said folding mount, and wherein said firing control system calculates angular parameters which are fed to a set of actuators to regulate the configuration of the folding weapon mount and the weapon.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 2, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Inventors: Eyal Berkovich (Haifa), Shimon Chachamian (Kiriat Hayim), Elazar Avirbrach (Carmiel), Yehuda Kiperwas (Kiriat Yam)
Application Number: 11/569,967
International Classification: F41A 23/00 (20060101); G06G 7/80 (20060101);