For Limiting The Field Of Fire Patents (Class 89/41.18)
  • Patent number: 10337815
    Abstract: A firearm support for a firearm includes: a body, which is provided with at least one profile on its surface; a feeler pin, for striking against the profile and for being coupled to the firearm so as to follow the movement of said firearm; a support element, rotatable around a first axis (z-z) relative to the body. The support element is suited to be coupled to the firearm, thus allowing mutual rotation between the support element and the firearm around a second axis (x-x).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: LEONARDO S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gian Battista Leonesio, Paoloandrea Castelletti, Gianmario Gregorini
  • Patent number: 9121670
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and systems are disclosed for controlling a turret assembly with two or more gimbaled, swivel assembly sub-systems, such as a gimbaled gun and a gimbaled electro-optical sensor. The turret can be automatically slewed in response to one of the swivel assemblies rotating. A user can switch turret modes reflecting a priority between the gimbaled sub-systems system so that one takes priority over the other(s) during a mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Fox, Bruce E. Exely, Michael C. Mareschal, Thomas D. Linton
  • Patent number: 8833232
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for controlling a turret assembly with two or more gimbaled, swivel assembly sub-systems, such as a gimbaled gun and a gimbaled electro-optical sensor. The turret can be automatically slewed in response to one of the swivel assemblies rotating. A user can switch turret modes reflecting a priority between the gimbaled sub-systems system so that one takes priority over the other(s) during a mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Fox, Bruce E. Exely, Michael C. Mareschal, Thomas D. Linton
  • Patent number: 8757487
    Abstract: An embodiment of an optoelectronic apparatus for assisting an operator in determining the shooting attitude to give to a hand-held grenade launcher so as to strike a moving target including an electronic processing unit configured so as to: measure the pitch angle and the heading angle of the grenade launcher and the distance of the target when the grenade launcher is moved by the operator during the pointing of the moving target, determine position data indicative of the positions of the moving target, determine a future impact time of the grenade on the target on the basis of position data and of data indicative of the ballistics of the grenade, determine a shooting attitude of the target on the basis of the impact time, measure the pitch angle and heading angle indicating the attitude imparted to the grenade launcher by the operator, compute a pitch difference between the shooting pitch angle and the pitch angle measured and a heading difference between the shooting heading angle and the heading angle meas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Selex Galileo S.p.A.
    Inventors: Nicola Santini, Andrea Magi, Enrico Fossati
  • Patent number: 8561519
    Abstract: A multi-weapons system comprising: an active defense system (ADS) comprising a mortar launch tube mounted on a support base-plate rotatable 360 degrees; a weapons system comprising a machine gun mounted alongside the active defense system (ADS) on the support base, a motor with mechanism to rotate the support base-plate with the active defense system (ADS) 360 degrees, drive means to adjust the power capacity of the motor between that required for the active defense system and that required for the machine gun, control means to rotate and adjust the elevation of the launch tube and adjust the directional movement of the machine gun, computer and electronic means to automatically rotate and fire the active defense system display and control means to manually operate the machine gun, control means to override the manual operation of the machine gun and prevent its firing when the active defense system is automatically activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Israel Military Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuval Karakookly
  • Patent number: 8317100
    Abstract: An automatic optical sighting system generates at least one adjustment for an adjustable optical system based on at least one detected condition, an appropriate dynamic model of a projectile in flight, and a solution of the equations of motion in flight, so that the projectile will have a trajectory between an origin and a selected target that helps the projectile to hit the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: AOSS, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard T. Windauer, William True McDonald, Ted C. Almgren
  • Patent number: 7806331
    Abstract: An automatic optical sighting system generates at least one adjustment for an adjustable optical system based on at least one detected condition, an appropriate dynamic model of a projectile in flight, and a solution of the equations of motion in flight, so that the projectile will have a trajectory between an origin and a selected target that helps the projectile to hit the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventors: Bernard T. Windauer, William True McDonald, Ted C. Almgren
  • Publication number: 20090139393
    Abstract: A method is described of preventing weapon fire during operation of a self-contained gimbaled weapon system (GWS). The GWS has a sighting system, a weapon and a weapon cradle. The the weapon cradle is elevated by an operator using a first elevation drive and moved in azimuth using an azimuth drive. In the method, the sighting system is moved using a second elevation drive and the azimuth drive to acquire a target based on signals received from a first operator interface and display unit located remotely from the GWS. The method further involves observing target information received from the first operator interface and display unit using a second operator interface and display unit, and overriding operator control of the weapon based on the observation of the second operator interface and display unit to prevent weapon fire for a controlled time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: James P. Quinn
  • Patent number: 7455007
    Abstract: A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) includes methods for implementing no fire of the weapon, including a method based on azimuth coordinates of predetermined no fire zones which are stored in a control unit, and overriding operator control of the GWS from a second observation unit which his separate from a first or gunner observation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Recon/Optical, Inc.
    Inventor: James P. Quinn
  • Patent number: 6986302
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing accidental friendly fire situations from occurring are provided. Locator devices provide location information of friendly forces to a plurality of command centers. The command centers also receive targeting information from friendly weapon systems and determines if the friendly weapon systems are targeting any of the friendly forces. If a friendly force is determined to be targeted, an associated command center instructs the weapon system to be disabled from firing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Christopher M. LaFata
  • Patent number: 6820532
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Inventor: Paul H. Sanderson
  • Patent number: 6308610
    Abstract: A trunnion assembly for mounting a launching device including a barrel for launching a liquid or a solid including at least one horizontal locating assembly to allow limited horizontal movement of the launching device; and at least one vertical locating assembly for varying the vertical inclination of the launching device. The structure for varying the extent of horizontal movement of the trunnion assembly includes at least one resilient movable stop assembly; and the structure for varying the extent of vertical movement of the trunnion assembly includes at least one resilient stop assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventors: Ronald S. Deichmann, Robert L. Kuykendal