Contact body of a breechblock with multiple contact pins
The contact body with three needles in a triangular arrangement addresses wear and manufacturing complexity issues, enhancing signal quality and robustness in gun barrel breech systems by stabilizing electrical connections and reducing interference.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing gun barrel breech designs with multiple contact pins are prone to wear, require complex manufacturing, and are susceptible to interference currents, affecting programming accuracy and stability.
A contact body with three contact needles arranged in a triangular configuration, where the first needle serves as a ground, the second as a programming lead, and the third as an opposite pole, reducing interference and enabling redundant data transmission, with conductor rails ensuring stable electrical contact.
The design enhances signal quality, reduces programming errors, and provides a more robust breechblock with improved manufacturing simplicity and reduced wear, allowing for higher data rates and compact design.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025079594_28052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] "CONTACT BODY OF A GUN TUBE LOCK WITH MULTIPLE CONTACT PINS"
[0002] The invention relates to a contact body of a gun barrel breech with several contact needles, with an axially movable guide body for receiving the several contact needles, wherein the contact needles are arranged axially movable on the guide body, wherein the guide body can be arranged or is arranged axially movable within a receptacle of the breech wedge.
[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a gun barrel breech with a breech wedge and a contact body, wherein the breech wedge has a receptacle and the contact body is arranged within the receptacle. The invention further relates to a method for actuating a gun barrel breech.
[0004] In the case of electrical ignition of a propellant charge in the breech of a weapon, such as a tank gun, an electrically conductive contact with the ammunition must be established. This is usually achieved with contact pins that are pressed against a contact of a propellant igniter when the breechblock is closed. If the breechblock is a wedge breech, the wedge moves radially to a bore axis to open the charge chamber. To prevent damage to the contact pins, they are retracted, especially before the breechblock opens.
[0005] To bring the contact needles into contact with the ammunition after the breechblock closes, a contact body is used to move the contact needles. This contact body is located in a recess in the breechblock wedge and is actuated, for example, by a mechanical linkage during opening and closing, such that the contact needles move back and forth. For this purpose, the contact needles are typically mounted axially movable within the contact body, and the guide body is axially displaceable by the linkage.
[0006] From the generic patent EP 3 719 436 A1, a contact body for a gun barrel breech is known. The described contact body comprises a housing in which two axially movable contact needles are mounted. An internal guide body receives the two contact needles and enables their rotation by means of contact pins that interact with helical recesses on the contact needles, so that axial movement results in a rotational movement of the contact needles. The contact body is provided with a cover with openings through which the contact needles protrude and can be removed if necessary. An elastic spring holds the guide body in position, while a lever moves the guide body in the firing direction upon activation. The contact sleeves in which the contact needles are mounted also contain springs that pre-tension the needles.Additionally, openings are provided for the installation of covers and a lead contact holder, which establishes the electrical connection via the contact pins to the contact needles. The contact needles are made of electrically conductive material and are designed to establish a reliable electrical connection when rotated. For this purpose, the tips of the contact needles are equipped with scraping edges that remove material to improve contact.
[0007] One of the two contact needles, for example, serves to ignite the propellant charge of the ammunition. This needle transfers the necessary energy to fire the cartridge.
[0008] The second contact pin is responsible, for example, for transmitting control or programming data. Parameters such as the time until detonation are entered into the ammunition control system via this contact pin. The casing or breechblock can be used as a ground. It has been shown that programming with a single contact pin can be susceptible to interference currents.
[0009] US Patent 8,371,206 B1 discloses an ignition and signal transmission system for weapons with a wedge breech, such as 120mm and 105mm cannons. The system utilizes a contact point between a stationary breech ramp and a moving wedge breech. A first contact group is located centrally beneath the breech ramp and is connected to an external control computer, which handles ignition and ammunition control. A second contact group is located within the wedge breech and connects to the first contact group when the breech is in the forward position and the weapon is loaded. Upon firing, the wedge breech moves back, separating the contacts and interrupting the control circuits.After the wedge breech returns to its forward position, the connection remains broken until the weapon is reloaded and the wedge breech moves vertically again, reconnecting the contacts and making the system ready for another shot. To ensure a reliable electrical connection, the contacts are spring-loaded, allowing them to make contact reliably even with slight misalignments. The spring-loaded contacts are located on the ramp, while the mating contacts on the breech are fixed pins. The system enables the transmission of firing signals as well as the control and monitoring of electronic functions within the ammunition, including the safety setting.
[0010] Although three contact needles are known from US 8,371,206 B1, these needles are not held in place by an axially displaceable guide in a receptacle of the breech wedge. While the contact needles of US 8,371,206 B1 are individually spring-loaded, they slide along the base of the receiver when the breech wedge is retracted, resulting in wear. The distance between the contact needles is relatively large. The breech wedge is weakened at several points by multiple receptacles for the individual contact needles. Furthermore, the design with multiple receptacles in the breech wedge is complex to manufacture.
[0011] The invention is based on the objective of designing the contact body in such a way that the wedge lock can be designed to be stable and at the same time safe programming of the ammunition is ensured.
[0012] This problem underlying the invention is now solved by the fact that the contact body carries three contact needles.
[0013] The first contact needle is preferably used exclusively for firing the cartridge relative to the housing as a ground. The first contact needle can be positioned centrally relative to the cartridge chamber. The second contact needle is used as a programming lead.
[0014] The third contact pin serves as the second programming wire, acting as the opposite pole, thus eliminating the need for the chassis ground during programming. This prevents interference from the chassis ground from affecting the programming signal. The contact pins do not need to be explicitly assigned to a negative or positive terminal; this can be reversed.
[0015] The third contact pin improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the programming signal. This reduces the risk of programming errors caused by interference currents. A higher data rate is also possible with the third contact pin.
[0016] More than three contact pins are also possible. This allows for redundant data transmission across multiple contact pins or redundant power supply across multiple contact pins.
[0017] In an axial top view, the contact needles are arranged in a triangular shape, meaning that the contact needles lie in pairs in different planes. This allows for a compact design.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the bolt, the contact element is positioned eccentrically to the chamber and thus also to the cartridge case head. This allows the contact element to be manufactured with a small diameter, since the eccentric arrangement ensures that all contact points on the cartridge case head are made with the contact pins spaced as close together as possible. The compact design of the contact element also allows for a smaller recess in the bolt wedge, resulting in a more robust bolt body.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the contact body is smaller than the diameter of the largest contact ring of a cartridge. The cartridge is arranged in the cartridge chamber, and the contact body is positioned eccentrically to the cartridge or to the cartridge case head.
[0020] Preferably, the contact pins are spaced between 1.4 cm and 2 cm apart. This reduces the stress on the wedge plate and allows for good signal quality and a compact design. In a preferred embodiment, the contact pin spacings are 1.5 cm, 1.6 cm, and 1.9 cm. From a spacing of 1.5 cm, the influence on the openings for the contact pins in the wedge plate located in front of the contact body is reduced to such an extent that the permissible stress on the wedge plate between the openings is not exceeded. The distance between the openings should be as large as possible.
[0021] Preferably, three conductor rails are provided, with each contact needle being contacted by one of the conductor rails at a circumferential surface of the respective contact needle. Each conductor rail has a contact tongue. The contact tongues are preferably biased against the circumferential surface of the contact needles. The contact needles are arranged to be axially displaceable relative to the conductor rails. This creates frictional or sliding contacts between the conductor rails and the contact needles.
[0022] The contact body comprises a contact body housing. The conductor rails are fixedly arranged within the contact body housing, in particular, they are secured. The conductor rails are preferably guided to the rear along the outer circumference of the guide body. This allows for easy contacting of the conductor rails at their ends and maximum spacing between the conductor rails, thus minimizing crosstalk.
[0023] Preferably, the conductor rails with the contact tongues are arranged compactly. For this purpose, a first contact tongue and a second contact tongue can be arranged in a first plane, and a third contact tongue in a second plane offset parallel to the axial direction of the contact needles. Alternatively, all three contact tongues are arranged axially spaced apart from each other in different planes.
[0024] The conductor rails have the following additional benefits:
[0025] The conductor rails enable the establishment of electrical contact from the supply line, for example, in the form of a contact pin with only one intermediate contact within the contact body between the contact needle and the conductor rail. By using the conductor rails as a spring element, contact between the contact needle and the conductor rail is ensured.
[0026] Furthermore, the conductor rails can be used as a spring element to ensure contact between the conductor rail and the supply line in the form of the contact bolt in the locking wedge.
[0027] Return springs can be supported on an end face of the guide body, interacting with the contact needles. The contact needles can have a stop on their circumference, with the respective return spring being supported against the stop of the associated contact needle.
[0028] The contact needles are preferably arranged to rotate. Rotation leads to the removal of oxidation or fouling layers on the cartridge case base, which improves the electrical contact between the contact needles and the ammunition. The tips of the contact needles are preferably equipped with at least one scraping edge.
[0029] There are now numerous possibilities for designing and further developing the contact body, the gun barrel closure, and the method. Reference is first made to the claims subordinate to claim 1. A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing and the accompanying description. The drawing shows:
[0030] Fig. 1 shows, in a highly schematic representation, a contact body with three contact needles, and
[0031] Fig. 2 shows a highly schematic representation of the contact points of the ammunition on the cartridge case base and the position of the contact needles.
[0032] Figure 1 shows a contact body of a weapon breechblock with three contact needles 2, 3, 4. The contact needles 2, 3, 4 are guided in receptacles (not shown) of an axially movable guide body 5. The guide body serves to accommodate the multiple contact needles 2, 3, 4 and to move them axially together. The guide body 5, together with the contact needles 2, 3, 4, can be moved axially by means of an actuator and / or a linkage. The guide body 5 is arranged in a receptacle of a breech wedge (not shown). By axially moving the guide body 5, the contact needles 2, 3, 4 can be brought into contact with the base of a cartridge case (not shown). In order to allow the contact needles 2, 3, 4 to adapt to the position of the cartridge when pressed on, the contact needles 2, 3, 4 are individually arranged axially movable on the guide body 5.
[0033] The contact needles 2, 3, 4 are arranged at uniform intervals. The distance between the contact needles 2, 3, 4 is preferably between 1.4 cm and 2 cm.
[0034] There are three conductor rails 6, 7, 8, each of the contact needles 2, 3, 4 being contacted by one of the conductor rails 6, 7, 8 on a circumferential surface of the respective contact needle 2, 3, 4.
[0035] The conductor rails 6, 7, 8 each have a contact tongue 9, 10, 11, wherein the contact tongues 9, 10, 11 are biased against a circumferential surface 12, 13, 14 of the contact needles 2, 3, 4. The contact needles 2, 3, 4 are arranged to be axially displaceable relative to the conductor rails 6, 7, 8, thus forming friction or sliding contacts between the conductor rails 6, 7, 8 and the contact needles 2, 3, 4.
[0036] It is possible that the first contact tongue 9 and the second contact tongue 10 are arranged in a first plane, and the third contact tongue 11 in a second plane offset in the axial direction parallel to the contact needles 2, 3, 4. This results in a more axially compact design.
[0037] Return springs 15 are supported on an end face of the guide body 5, and the return springs 15 interact with the contact needles 2, 3, 4, pushing them towards the cartridge chamber. Figure 1 shows only one of the three return springs 15 as an example. The contact needles 2, 3, 4 may have a stop on their circumference, with the respective return spring 15 being supported against the stop of the associated contact needle 2, 3, 4 (not shown in detail). The contact needles 2, 3, 4 are preferably rotatably arranged, and in particular, the tips of the contact needles 2, 3, 4 are equipped with at least one scraping edge 16.
[0038] Figure 2 shows a projection of the ammunition's contact points on the cartridge case base and the position of the contact pins 2, 3, 4. The cartridge has a central contact area 17 located in the region of the weapon barrel's axis of symmetry.
[0039] Concentric to this central contact area 17 are an inner contact ring 18 and an outer contact ring 19. The first contact needle 2 contacts the central contact area 17. The second contact needle 3 contacts the inner contact ring 18. The third contact needle 4 contacts the outer contact ring 19. The circumference 20 of the contact body 1 and the center point M of the contact body 1 are shown schematically.
[0040] It is clearly visible that the contact body 1 is positioned eccentrically to the cartridge chamber and thus also to the case head, and that the diameter of the contact body 1 is smaller than the diameter of the largest contact ring 19 of the cartridge. This allows the contact body 1 to be manufactured with a small diameter, since the eccentric arrangement ensures that all contact points 17, 18, 19 on the case head can be contacted with the contact pins 2, 3, 4 at the smallest possible distance. Due to the compact design of the contact body 1, the recess in the breech wedge can also be smaller, resulting in a more robust breechblock.
[0041]
[0042] 1 contact body
[0043] 2 first contact needle
[0044] 3 second contact needle
[0045] 4 third contact needle
[0046] 5 guide bodies
[0047] 6 first conductor rail
[0048] 7 second conductor rail
[0049] 8 third conductor rail
[0050] 9 Contact tongue
[0051] 10 Contact tongue
[0052] 11 Contact tongue
[0053] 12 Circumferential area
[0054] 13 Circumferential area
[0055] 14 Circumferential area
[0056] 15 Return spring
[0057] 16 scraping edge
[0058] 17 Central contact area
[0059] 18 Inner contact ring
[0060] 19 Outer contact ring
[0061] 20 Circumference of the contact body
[0062] M Center of the contact body
Claims
Patent claims:
1. Contact body (1 ) of a weapon breechblock with several contact needles (2, 3, 4), with an axially movable guide body (5) for receiving the several contact needles (2, 3, 4), wherein the contact needles (2, 3, 4) are arranged axially movable on the guide body (5), wherein the guide body (5) can be arranged or is arranged axially movable within a receptacle of the breech wedge, characterized in that the contact body (1 ) carries three contact needles (2, 3, 4).
2. Contact body according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the contact needles (2, 3, 4) is between 1.4 cm and 2 cm.
3. Contact body according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that three conductor rails (6, 7, 8) are provided, wherein each of the contact needles (2, 3, 4) is contacted by one of the conductor rails (6, 7, 8) on a circumferential surface (12, 13, 14) of the respective contact needle (2, 3, 4).
4. Contact body according to claim 3, characterized in that the conductor rails (6, 7, 8) each have a contact tongue (9, 10, 11 ), wherein the contact tongues (9, 10, 11) are biased against the circumferential surface (12, 13, 14) of the contact needles (2, 3, 4).
5. Contact body according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the contact needles (2, 3, 4) are arranged axially displaceable relative to the conductor rails (6, 7, 8), wherein friction or sliding contacts are formed between the conductor rails (6, 7, 8) and the contact needles (2, 3, 4).
6. Contact body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first contact tongue (9) and a second contact tongue (10) are arranged in a first plane, and a third contact tongue (11) is arranged in a second plane offset in the axial direction of the contact needles (2, 3, 4).
7. Contact body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that return springs (15) are provided on an end face of the are supported by the guide body (5), with the return springs (15) interacting with the contact needles (2, 3, 4).
8. Contact body according to claim 7, characterized in that the contact needles (2, 3, 4) have a stop on their circumference, wherein the respective return spring (15) is supported on the stop of the associated contact needle (2, 3, 4).
9. Contact body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact needles (2, 3, 4) are arranged rotatably and in particular the tips of the contact needles (2, 3, 4) are equipped with at least one scraping edge (16).
10. Weapon barrel breech with a breech wedge and a contact body (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the breech wedge has a receptacle and the contact body (1) is arranged within the receptacle, characterized in that the contact body (1) is arranged eccentrically to the cartridge chamber and thus also to the cartridge case base.
11. Weapon barrel closure according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the diameter of the contact body (1) is smaller than the diameter of a largest contact ring (19) of a cartridge.
12. Method for actuating a weapon barrel breech according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first contact needle is used exclusively for firing the cartridge relative to the housing as a ground, wherein the second contact needle is used as a programming line and the third contact needle is used as a second line for programming as the opposite pole.