BOLT ASSEMBLY FOR WEAPON AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE REBOOT SHOCK ABSORBER SYSTEM OF SUCH A BOLT ASSEMBLY

Abstract

BOLT HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR A WEAPON AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE REBEAT DAMPER SYSTEM OF SUCH A BOLT HEAD ASSEMBLY. The invention relates to a bolt assembly comprising a bolt sleeve (2), a recoil damper system (3), a fluid filling valve (5) for the damper system (3), and a trim gauge (4) having a fluid level indicator (40) mounted to move axially relative to the bolt sleeve (2). According to the invention, the bolt sleeve (2) comprises an axial internal housing (22) opening through an opening (23) on the rear face of the bolt sleeve (2), the recoil damper system (3), the filling valve (5), and the trim gauge (4) being received in the internal housing (22). The invention also relates to a method for controlling the fluid level in the recoil damper system (3) of such a bolt assembly. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 2.

Description

Title of the invention: BOLT HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR WEAPON AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE SHOCK ABSORBER SYSTEM RETREAT OF SUCH A CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY

[0001] The technical field of the invention is that of artillery weapons, in particular large caliber weapons.

[0002] The present invention relates in particular to the trimming of a recoil damping system of such a weapon, and relates to a breech assembly for a weapon comprising a recoil damping system and a trimming gauge, as well as to a method for checking the trimming of such a recoil damping system.

[0003] On many artillery weapons, the cradle is connected to the breechblock sleeve by a recoil-absorbing system comprising one or more elastic links, brakes, or recoil springs, which include a body integral with the cradle and a rod sliding within the body and attached to the breechblock sleeve. The calibration of the recoil-absorbing system consists of verifying that the quantity of fluid and / or the pressure in this system is nominal.

[0004] It is known to perform this control operation by visually checking the positioning of a gauge relative to the end of the shock absorber system. The position of this gauge is generally visualized by using colored or graduated markers arranged along the gauge.

[0005] However, to date, viewing the gauge position requires access to the sides of the weapon.

[0006] The invention aims to provide an implantation of the parry gauge in a weapon integrated into a remotely operated turret without any access on the sides of the weapon.

[0007] The solution is based on allowing the filling and viewing of the trim gauge from the rear of the cylinder head sleeve.

[0008] The invention thus relates to a breechblock assembly for a weapon comprising:

[0009] - a cylinder head sleeve having a rear face;

[0010] - a recoil damping system connected to the cylinder head sleeve;

[0011] - a fluid filling valve for the shock absorber system; and

[0012] - a trimmer gauge connected to the recoil damping system, the trimmer gauge comprising a fluid level indicator mounted to move axially relative to the cylinder head sleeve, the fluid level in the recoil damping system being indicated by the axial position of the indicator,

[0013] characterized in that the cylinder head sleeve comprises an internal axial housing opening through an opening at the rear face, the recoil damping system, the filling valve and the trim gauge being received in the internal housing, the opening opening into a means for viewing the axial position of the indicator provided in the internal housing and allowing the passage of the indicator and the filling valve, the indicator being movable between a recessed position, in front of the viewing means, and a maximum protrusion position, in which the indicator protrudes into the viewing means.

[0014] With such a breech assembly, the filling and viewing of the paring gauge is done from the rear of the breech sleeve, which allows the integration of the weapon incorporating such a breech assembly into a remotely operated turret without any access from the weapon's sides. In other words, the present invention makes it possible to adapt the paring reading of a recoil-absorbing system to the readability constraints imposed by a weapon whose architecture does not allow access to the weapon's sides.

[0015] The recoil damping system can be at least one element such as a brake, a recuperator or an elastic link.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, the viewing means is a through-conical recess arranged between the opening and a cylindrical section of the internal housing and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical section, the opening being a circular opening and the recess having a small diameter end on the cylindrical section side and a large diameter end on the opening side.

[0017] Alternatively, the recess could have another flared shape towards its end on the rear face of the cylinder head sleeve.

[0018] Preferably, the recess has an internal reflective surface either added or machined from the cylinder head sleeve. Such a reflective surface is capable of reflecting light, like a mirror, and thus of visualizing the portion of the indicator and the filler valve extending through the recess.

[0019] Advantageously, the internal reflective surface covers an angular domain of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the recess.

[0020] Alternatively, the internal reflective surface may cover a given angular sector of less than 360 degrees.

[0021] Preferably, the recess has a taper angle between 10 and 160 degrees, and more preferably between 30 and 120 degrees.

[0022] Preferably, the indicator is in the form of an indicator rod comprising graphic elements arranged along said rod, including at least one first graphic element associated with a decoupled recoil damping system, a second graphic element associated with a prepared system and a third graphic element associated with an over-prepared system.

[0023] Advantageously, the graphic elements are colored areas of a different color or spaced apart from each other.

[0024] For example, the coloured areas may include a first coloured area of ​​red colour, a second coloured area of ​​green colour and a third coloured area of ​​white colour.

[0025] Alternatively, the graphic elements could be patterns or graduations.

[0026] Preferably, the valve filling orifice is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the recess and oriented towards the opening.

[0027] Preferably, the opening is located at the upper edge of the rear wall of one of the two side cheeks of the cylinder head sleeve.

[0028] The invention also relates to a method for controlling, by an operator, the fluid level in the recoil damping system of a cylinder head assembly as defined above, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

[0029] - the operator positions himself at the opening in the rear face of the sleeve cylinder head;

[0030] - the operator visually detects the trimming gauge indicator using of the visualization means, where applicable by reflection on the internal reflective surface; and

[0031] - deduce the position of the indicator and therefore the state of being unprepared, prepared or overprepared of the system using a color code.

[0032] Preferably, in the case where it is deduced that the system is unprepared, the method further includes a step of opening the filling valve and proceeding to fill the system with fluid from the filling port until the prepared state is reached.

[0033] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiment, a description made in light of the accompanying drawings, drawings in which:

[0034] [Fig. 1] is a partial perspective view of the rear face of a cylinder head sleeve of the cylinder head assembly according to the invention;

[0035] [Fig.2] is a side view in longitudinal section along the longitudinal axis of the internal housing of the cylinder head assembly, showing the indicator as well as the positioning of the eye for visual control of the indicator;

[0036] [Fig.3A] shows a longitudinal sectional side view at the level of the viewing means, as well as the visual obtained when the system is disconnected;

[0037] [Fig.3B] shows another longitudinal sectional side view at the level of the viewing means, as well as a visual obtained when the system is disconnected;

[0038] [Fig. 3C] shows a longitudinal sectional side view at the level of the viewing means, as well as a visual obtained when the system is prepared; and

[0039] [Fig.3D] shows a longitudinal sectional side view at the level of the viewing means, as well as a visual obtained when the system is too prepared.

[0040] If we refer first to Figures 1 and 2, we can see that the breech assembly 1 according to the present invention is intended to equip a weapon whose integration does not allow access to the sides of the weapon, but only to the rear of the weapon.

[0041] Overall, the cylinder head assembly 1 comprises a cylinder head sleeve 2, a recoil damping system 3, a trim gauge 4, a filling valve 5 and a viewing means 6. In the Figures, the representation of the cylinder head assembly 1 has been deliberately limited to the rear part thereof.

[0042] The breech sleeve 2 comprises, in a known manner, two cheeks 20 between which a breech wedge 21 is movable. The breech sleeve 2 includes an internal housing 22 extending from an opening 23 on the rear face 2a of the breech sleeve 2, towards its interior. This internal housing 22 extends along a longitudinal axis XI parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weapon tube (not shown). The opening 23 is here formed at the upper edge of one of the two cheeks 20 and at the outer corner of this cheek 20. The opening 23 has a circular cross-section. The internal housing 22 is sized to receive, by sliding, the trim gauge 4 connected to the shock absorber system 3 and the filling valve 5 of the shock absorber system 3.

[0043] The recoil damping system 3 is known per se. This recoil damping system 3 may be at least one element such as a brake, a recoil spring or an elastic link.

[0044] The trim gauge 4 is connected, in a known manner, to the recoil damping system 3. The trim gauge 4 includes a fluid level indicator 40 in the form of an indicator rod 40 mounted to move axially relative to the cylinder head sleeve 2. In other words, the indicator rod 40 is connected to the damping system 3 and is mounted to move within the internal housing 22 along an axis X2 parallel to the axis XI of the internal housing 22. More precisely, the indicator rod 40 moves progressively in translation, depending on the fluid level in the damping system 3, between a retracted position, away from the opening 23, and a maximum protrusion position, closer to the opening 23. The direction of translation of the indicator rod 40 is an axial direction, parallel to the longitudinal axis XI of the internal housing 22, as shown by the double arrow in [Fig. 2].The indicator rod 40 has several colored marks or zones 41a, 41b, 41c arranged along the rod 40 from the free end of the rod 40 on the opening side 23. In the embodiment shown, the rod 40 has three colored zones 41a, 41b, 41c, for example, a red zone 41a on the free end side, followed by two green zones 41b, . 41c, the three coloured areas 41a, 41b, 41c being slightly separated by an uncoloured area.

[0045] The filling valve 5 is accessible from the rear face 2a of the cylinder head sleeve 2. It is closed by a screw cap 50, which simply needs to be unscrewed from the rear to allow filling through the filling orifice of the valve 5. The cap 50 has a hexagonal cross-section and its longitudinal axis is coaxial with the longitudinal axis XI of the internal housing 22. Thus, the valve 5 and its cap 50 are mounted to move axially along the longitudinal axis XI of the internal housing 22.

[0046] The viewing means 6 is arranged and configured to allow visualization of the indicator rod 40 from the rear face 2a of the cylinder head sleeve 2. This viewing means 6 is a flared through recess 6 extending from the opening 23 and communicating with the internal housing 22. The recess 6 is flared towards the opening 23. The central longitudinal axis of the recess 6 is coaxial with the axis of the opening 23 and with the axis XI of the internal housing 22. In the embodiment shown, the recess 6 is a frustoconical recess opening on one side to the outside, through the opening 23, and on the other side into a cylindrical section 220 of the internal housing 22.The diameter of the cylindrical section 220 is less than the diameter of the opening 23, and therefore the diameter of the recess 6 at its end on the side of the cylindrical section 220 is less than its diameter on the side of the opening 23, so that the recess 6 has sufficient taper to allow direct visual access to the indicator rod 40. The frustoconical recess 6 may have several successive frustoconical portions with different angles of taper, for example a first frustoconical portion opening into the cylindrical section 220 and a second frustoconical portion opening outwards.

[0047] To facilitate the visualization of the indicator rod 40, the recess 6 has an internal reflective surface 60. This reflective surface 60 may be due to a surface finish resulting from machining in the cylinder head sleeve 2 or an added reflective surface, for example glued, fixed or fitted by shape matching in the recess 6. For example, the reflective surface 60 may be a surface of metallic material having a smooth and / or polished surface finish, with or without surface treatment, a surface of polymer material with a metallic surface coating having a smooth and / or polished surface finish, or any other surface suitable for reflecting light and producing a mirror effect.

[0048] The reflective surface 60 extends over a certain length from the small-diameter end of the recess 6. It can extend from the small-diameter end to the opening 23 or to an area near the opening 23. Similarly, the reflective surface 60 can cover an angular range of 360 degrees, namely the entire of the side wall of the recess 6, or cover an angular sector of less than 360 degrees. In the case of an angular sector of less than 360 degrees, this angular sector covers at least partially the indicator rod 40.

[0049] In use, when it is desired to check the trim of the shock absorber system 3 of a weapon equipped with the breech assembly 1 according to the present invention, it is sufficient to look at the opening 23 in the rear face 2a of the breech sleeve 2, as shown in [Fig.2]. The colored area(s) 41a, 41b, 41c of the part of the indicator rod 40 that protrudes into the recess 6 are reflected, by mirror effect, onto the internal reflective surface 60 of the recess 6. These colored areas 41a-41c can therefore be visually detected by directly observing the reflective surface 60 of the recess 6. Based on the visual pattern obtained, i.e. the colored pattern formed by the reflection of the colored area(s) 41a-41c, it is then possible to deduce the position of the indicator rod 40 and therefore the fill level of the damping system 3.Indeed, each visual is a color code associated with a position of indicator 40, said position being associated with a state of depreciation, preparation or overpreparation of the shock absorber system 3. .

[0050] In [Fig. 3A], the resulting image (on the right of [Fig. 3A]) shows the reflection R50 only in the color associated with the filling valve 5. This implies that only the filling valve 5 protrudes into the recess 6 (on the left of [Fig. 3A]). The indicator rod 40 is located in front of the recess 6, in the cylindrical section 220 of the internal housing 22, in a so-called depressed position. Such a depressed position of the indicator rod 40 corresponds to a malfunction of the shock absorber system 3. In such a malfunctioned state, firing is prohibited. In this case, the shock absorber system 3 must be completely filled via the filling port after unscrewing the cap 50 from the rear face 2a.

[0051] In [Fig. 3B], the resulting image shows the reflection R50 of the color associated with the filling valve 5 as well as the reflection R41a of the first colored area 41a of the indicator rod 40. This implies that the filling valve 5 and the first colored area 41a protrude into the recess 6. The indicator rod 40 has therefore moved axially from its recessed position to a first protruding position in the recess 6. Such a first protruding position of the indicator rod 40 also corresponds to a detached state of the damping system 3. The color of the first colored area can be red.

[0052] In [Fig. 3C], the resulting image shows the reflection R50 of the color associated with the filling valve 5, as well as the reflections R41a and R41b of the first 41a and second 41b colored zones of the indicator rod 40. This implies that the filling valve 5, the first colored zone 41a, and the second colored zone 41b protrude into the recess 6. The indicator rod 40 has therefore moved into Axial translation from its first protruding position to a second protruding position in the recess 6. This second protruding position of the indicator rod 40 corresponds to a ready state of the shock absorber system 3. The color of the second colored zone 41b can be green. Detection of the ready state can be easily and quickly achieved simply by detecting two colored zones of distinct colors associated with the indicator rod 40. Such a ready state authorizes firing.

[0053] In [Fig. 3D], the resulting image shows the reflection R50 of the color associated with the filler valve 5's plug 5, as well as the reflections R41a, R41b, and R41c of the first 41a, second 41b, and third 41c colored zones of the indicator rod 40. This implies that the filler valve 5's plug 5, the first colored zone 41a, the second colored zone 41b, and the third colored zone 41c protrude into the recess 6. The indicator rod 40 has therefore moved axially from its second protruding position to a third protruding position, referred to as the maximum protrusion position, within the recess 6. Such a maximum protrusion position of the indicator rod 40 corresponds to an over-adjusted state of the damping system 3. The color of the third colored zone 41c can be green or any other color. such as the color of an unpainted area.The detection of the over-prepared state can be carried out easily and quickly by simply detecting three or more colored zones associated with the indicator rod 40. Such an over-prepared state prevents firing.

[0054] It is understood that the particular embodiments which have just been described have been given by way of indication and not limitation, and that modifications may be made without departing from the present invention.

[0055] For example, the color code for the colored areas can be any suitable color code. Similarly, the colored areas along the indicator stem can be replaced by any suitable graphic element capable of being visually distinguished. Regarding the viewing means, the recess can have any flared shape allowing visual access to the internal surface of the recess, without being limited to a frustoconical shape.

Claims

Demands

1. A breechblock assembly (1) for a weapon comprising: - a breechblock sleeve (2) having a rear face (2a); - a recoil damping system (3) connected to the breechblock sleeve (2); - a fluid filling valve (5) for the damping system (3); and - a trim gauge (4) connected to the recoil damping system (3), the trim gauge (4) having a fluid level indicator (40) mounted to move axially relative to the breechblock sleeve (2), the fluid level in the recoil damping system (3) being indicated by the axial position of the indicator (40), characterized in that the breechblock sleeve (2) comprises an axial internal housing (22) opening through an opening (23) at the rear face (2a), the recoil damping system (3), the filling valve (5) and the trim gauge (4) being received in the internal housing (22),the opening (23) leading into a viewing means (6) of the axial position of the indicator (40) provided in the internal housing (22) and allowing passage of the indicator (40) and the filling valve (5), the indicator (40) being movable between a recessed position, in front of the viewing means (6), and a maximum protruding position, in which the indicator (40) protrudes into the viewing means (6).

2. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the viewing means (6) is a through frustoconical recess (6) arranged between the opening (23) and a cylindrical section (220) of the internal housing (22) and coaxial with the longitudinal axis (XI) of the cylindrical section (220), the opening (23) being a circular opening and the recess (6) having a small diameter end on the cylindrical section (220) side and a large diameter end on the opening (23) side.

3. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the recess (6) has an internal reflective surface (60) attached or machined from the mass of the cylinder head sleeve (2).

4. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the internal reflective surface (60) covers a domain angular of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis (XI) of the recess (6).

5. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the recess (6) has a taper angle between 10 and 160 degrees, and more preferably between 30 and 120 degrees.

6. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the indicator (40) is in the form of an indicator rod (40) comprising graphic elements (41a-41c) arranged along said rod (40), of which at least a first graphic element (41a) is associated with a detuned recoil damping system (3), a second graphic element (41b) is associated with a prepared system (3) and a third graphic element (41c) is associated with an overprepared system (3).

7. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the graphic elements (41a-41c) are colored areas of a different color or spaced apart from each other.

8. Cylinder head assembly (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5 or any one of claims 6 and 7 taken in dependence on claim 2, characterized in that the filling orifice of the valve (5) is coaxial with the longitudinal axis (XI) of the recess (6) and oriented towards the opening (23).

9. A method for checking, by an operator, the fluid level in the recoil damping system (3) of a cylinder head assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - the operator positions himself at the opening (23) in the rear face (2a) of the cylinder head sleeve (2); - the operator visually detects the indicator (40) of the trim gauge (4) using the viewing means (6), where appropriate by reflection on the internal reflective surface (60); and - deduce the position of the indicator (40) and therefore the trimmed, trimmed or overtrimmed state of the system (3) using a color code.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that, in the case where it is deduced that the system (3) is unprepared, the method further comprises a step of opening the filling valve (5) and proceeding to fill the system (3) with fluid from the filling orifice until the prepared state is reached.

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