Under-armour reloading system

Abstract

An under-armour reloading system for a vehicle having an interior and an exterior, with a remote weapon system mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. The system has an ammunition box configured to engage with the remote weapon system and mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. The ammunition box has a housing with an opening on one side and is mounted so as to be positionable adjacent a hatch on the exterior of the vehicle, which may be opened to permit access between the exterior and the interior of the vehicle. An elevator is engaged with an elevator platform, wherein the elevator is configured to move the elevator platform through the hatch between a raised position on or in the ammunition box and a lowered position within the interior of the vehicle.

Description

UNDER-ARMOUR RELOADING SYSTEMField of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to remote weapon systems and, in particular, to reloading systems for vehicle-mounted remote weapon systems.Background

[0002] Traditional manually controlled and loaded weapon systems mounted on vehicles are commonly located on the exterior of armoured vehicles such as tanks or light armoured vehicles (LAVs). These systems are accessible on the interior of the armoured vehicle for manual firing, reloading, and other operations. An operator may reload a weapon system, by taking ammunition stored inside the vehicle and manually loading it into the weapon system from the inside of the vehicle.

[0003] With the addition of remote weapon systems (RWSs) to armoured vehicles, such weapon systems are typically inaccessible from the interior of the vehicle, because there is no need for a human operator to manually interact with the RWS in order to fire it. However, the ammunition stores for RWSs are typically top-loaded, meaning they must be reloaded from outside the vehicle. This creates practical challenges for re-loading. To re-load a top-loaded, external RWS, an operator must take ammunition from inside the vehicle, exit the vehicle, climb on top of the vehicle, and manually re-load the RWS. This makes it extremely dangerous to reload a RWS during combat, because an operator must leave the protection of the armoured vehicle. This significantly limits the effectiveness of RWSs mounted on armoured vehicles.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for a means to re-load a RWS without requiring an operator to leave the protection of an armoured vehicle.Summary of the Invention

[0005] An under-armour reloading system for a vehicle having an interior and an exterior, with a remote weapon system mounted on the exterior of the vehicle, according to the present invention, has an ammunition box that is configured to engage with the remote weapon systemand is mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. The ammunition box has a housing with an opening on one side and is mounted so as to be positionable adjacent a hatch on the exterior of the vehicle, which may be opened to permit access between the exterior and the interior of the vehicle. An elevator is engaged with an elevator platform, wherein the elevator is configured to move the elevator platform through the hatch between a raised position on or in the ammunition box and a lowered position within the interior of the vehicle.

[0006] In another embodiment, the elevator is mounted within the ammunition box and extends from the ammunition box into the interior of the vehicle when in the lowered position.

[0007] In another embodiment, the elevator is mounted within the interior of the vehicle and extends from the interior of the vehicle to the ammunition box when in the raised position.

[0008] In another embodiment, a reloading platform is mounted on the interior of the vehicle and is positionable relative to the hatch to receive the elevator platform in the lowered position.

[0009] In another embodiment, the reloading platform is configured to move between a stowed position and an operating position, wherein the reloading platform occupies less space within the interior of the vehicle in the stowed position.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a remote weapon system (RWS), mounted on the top of a partial vehicle frame, with an under-armour reloading system according to the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the RWS of Fig. 2, rotated with the ammunition box positioned over the armoured hatch.

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the interior of the vehicle frame, showing spare ammunition for the RWS and a reloading platform in a stowed position.

[0014] Figure 4 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, showing the reloading platform in an operating position.

[0015] Figure 5 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, showing the elevator of the RWS lowered into the interior of the vehicle frame.

[0016] Figure 6 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, with the empty ammunition canister removed from the elevator.

[0017] Figure 7 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, with a spare ammunition canister loaded onto the elevator.

[0018] Figure 8 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, with the elevator raised to an intermediate position.

[0019] Figure 9 is another view of the interior of the vehicle frame of Fig. 3, with the elevator fully raised and the reloading platform in the stowed position.

[0020] Figure 10 is a cutaway detail view of an ammunition box of the RWS of Fig. 1 , showing the elevator in the fully raised position inside the ammunition box.Description of the Invention

[0021] An under-armour reloading system, according to the present invention, permits the reloading of an external vehicle-mounted weapon system, such as a remote weapon system (RWS), to be reloaded by an operator from within the interior of the vehicle without having to leave the safety of the vehicle. The reloading system has a bottom loaded ammunition box for a weapon system, which is positionable so as to be accessible from the interior of the vehicle and be reloaded using an elevator or other lift system from the interior of the vehicle.

[0022] The reloading system may be used with a wide variety of weapon systems, mounted on a variety of vehicles. In one exemplary embodiment, the reloading system may be used with a RWS 1 such as the EOS™ R800 platform, mounted on the roof of a vehicle 3, such as a light armoured vehicle (LAV). As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the RWS 1 has an ammunition box 2, which is preferably bottom loaded. The ammunition box 2 may rotate or move with the RWS 1 on the exterior of the vehicle 3, as shown in Fig. 2, and is operatively engaged with the RWS 1 to supply ammunition to the RWS 1. The outside surface of the ammunition box 2 may be armoured to protect the ammunition stored inside the ammunition box 2 from small arms fire.

[0023] The RWS 1 is rotatably mounted on or near an armoured hatch 4 on the vehicle 3. The RWS 1 may be rotated so that the ammunition box 2 is positioned above the armoured hatch 4 with the bottom of the ammunition box 2 facing the armoured hatch 4, as shown in Fig. 3. Alternatively, where the RWS 1 is mounted on a side of the vehicle 3, the ammunition box 2 may be side-loaded and configured so that the side of the ammunition box 2 may be positioned facing the armoured hatch 4.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 10, the ammunition box 2 has a housing 11 with an opening 12 on one side that may be closed by an elevator platform 21 that is shaped to fit over the opening 12. The housing 11 is sized to accommodate an ammunition canister 5 within the housing 11. The housing 11 is also sized to accommodate an elevator 6, or other lifting or moving mechanism, for loading the ammunition canister 5 into the ammunition box 2 of the RWS 1. Alternatively, the elevator 6 may be provided in the vehicle 3 and extend from the interior of the vehicle 3, through the open armoured hatch 4, to the ammunition box 2 of the RWS 1. In this type of configuration, the ammunition box 2 may not be closed by the elevator platform 21 , which may be sized to move through the opening 12 into the ammunition box 2 to position the ammunition canister 5 in place within the ammunition box 2 and then retract back inside the interior of the vehicle with the elevator 6.

[0025] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 10, the elevator 6 includes a pair of scissor lifts 22 with a motor 23, such as an electric motor or other suitable drive mechanism, operatively engaged with opposing sides of the elevator platform 21 to move between a raised position and a lowered position. Alternatively, the elevator 6 may be a winch and pulley system, one or more linear actuators, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or any other suitable type of lifting or moving mechanism. The elevator 6 moves the elevator platform 21 and an ammunition cannister 5 between a raised (or first) position, with the ammunition canister 5 within the housing 11 and the elevator platform 21 positioned over the opening 12 of the ammunition box 2, and a lowered (or second) position, with the ammunition canisters lowered or moved into the interior of the vehicle 3 on the elevator platform 21 for reloading.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3-9, the interior of the vehicle 3 is provided with one or more spare ammunition canisters 5 and the inside of the armoured hatch 4 is accessible by an operator. The RWS 1 may be reloaded by rotating to position the opening 12 of the ammunition box 2 over the armoured hatch 4. Preferably, the interior of the vehicle 3 is also provided with a reloading platform 31 , positioned at least partially below the armoured hatch 4, to facilitate reloading of the ammunition canister s by an operator within the vehicle 3. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the reloading platform 31 is mounted within the interior of the vehicle 3 and is preferably hinged, collapsible, or otherwise movable between a stowed position, as shown in Fig. 3, and an operating position, as shown in Fig. 4. When not required for a reloading procedure, the reloading platform 31 may be folded down or otherwise moved out of the operating position below the armoured hatch 4 into the stowed position to occupy less space within the interior of the vehicle. When needed, the reloading platform 31 may be raise or otherwise moved into position below the armoured hatch 4 to receive the elevator platform 31 and empty ammunition canister s during a reloading procedure (as discussed below). Preferably, the reloading platform 31 is configured to receive the elevator platform 31 and lock it in place on the face 32 of the reloading platform below the armoured hatch 4.

[0027] Ammunition canisters 5, when loaded with ammunition, can weigh more than 60 kg, making them difficult for an operator to handle within the vehicle 3. Accordingly, a reloading station 35 within the vehicle 3 may have sliding surfaces 36 adjacent to the reloading platform 31 to allow the operator to slide the ammunition canister 5 from the reloading station 35 onto the elevator platform 21 , when it is positioned on the reloading platform 31. The sliding surfaces 36 may be a smooth low-friction surface or may be configured with rollers or ball bearings to facilitate sliding of ammunition canisters 5 from the reloading station 35 onto the elevator platform 21. One or more spare ammunition canisters 5 may be stored at the reloading station 35 and empty ammunition canisters 5 from the ammunition box 2 that are removed during a reloading procedure may be refilled and stored at the reloading station 35 to facilitate rapid reloading of the ammunition for the RWS 1.

[0028] To complete a reloading procedure, the RWS 1 is positioned with the ammunition box 2 over the armoured hatch 4 of the vehicle 3, as shown in Fig. 2. An operator may raise the reloading platform 31 from a stowed position to an operating position, as shown in Figs 3 and 4. The operator may then open the armoured hatch 4 from inside the vehicle 3 and actuate the elevator 6 to lower the elevator platform 21 with an empty ammunition canister 5, as shown in Figure 5. The operator may then remove the empty ammunition canister 5 from the elevator platform 21 , as shown in Figure 6, and place a spare, pre-loaded ammunition canister 5 onto the elevator platform 21 , as shown in Figure 7. The operator then actuates the elevator 6 to lift the elevator platform 21 and ammunition canister 5 to an intermediate position where the end of the ammunition belt in the ammunition canister s may be clipped onto the remaining rounds in the feeder of the RWS 1 , as shown in Figure 8. The operator then fully raises the elevator 6 to load the ammunition canister 5 into the ammunition box 2 of the RWS 1 and closes the armoured hatch 4. The operator may then lower the reloading platform 31 to the stowed position. The entire reloading procedure may be performed “under-armour” from inside the interior of the vehicle 3. The operator, thereby, remains protected during the reloading procedure, facilitating reloading of the RWS 1 during combat.

[0029] The present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to an exemplary embodiment, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the following claims. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

What is Claimed is:

1. An under-armour reloading system for a vehicle having an interior and an exterior, with a remote weapon system mounted on the exterior of the vehicle, comprising: an ammunition box configured to engage with the remote weapon system and mounted on the exterior of the vehicle, having a housing with an opening on one side, wherein the ammunition box is mounted so as to be positionable with the opening adjacent a hatch on the exterior of the vehicle which may be opened to permit access between the exterior and the interior of the vehicle; and an elevator engaged with an elevator platform, wherein the elevator is configured to move the elevator platform through the hatch between a first position on or in the ammunition box and a second position within the interior of the vehicle.

2. The under-armour reloading system of claim 1 , wherein the elevator is mounted within the ammunition box and extends from the ammunition box into the interior of the vehicle when in the second position.

3. The under-armour reloading system of claim 2, wherein the elevator platform is sized to fit over the opening of the ammunition box and close the ammunition box when in the first position.

4. The under-armour reloading system of claim 3, wherein the elevator is a scissor lift.

5. The under-armour reloading system of claim 1 , wherein the elevator is mounted within the interior of the vehicle and extends from the interior of the vehicle to the ammunition box when in the first position.

6. The under-armour reloading system of claim 1 , wherein a reloading platform is mounted on the interior of the vehicle and is positionable relative to the hatch to receive the elevator platform in the second position.

7. The under-armour reloading system of claim 6, wherein the reloading platform is configured to move between a stowed position and an operating position, wherein the reloading platform occupies less space within the interior of the vehicle in the stowed position.

8. The under-armour reloading system of claim 6, wherein a reloading station is located on the interior of the vehicle adjacent the reloading platform and is configured for storing and securing one or more spare ammunition canisters.

9. The under-armour reloading system of claim 8, wherein the reloading station has sliding surfaces to facilitate sliding of ammunition canisters between the reloading station and the elevator platform when the elevator platform is in the second position.