Adjustable Guide Rails for Submarine Weapon Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing storage and guidance devices for weapons in submarines face difficulties in retrofitting and repair due to the challenge of precisely adapting plastic rails to the caliber of the weapons, making these processes time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A storage and guidance device with adjustable guide rails that can be moved radially within the tube, allowing for precise alignment with the weapon caliber without the need for post-processing, utilizing adjusting screws and threaded bushings to secure the rails, and combining metal and plastic profiles for increased rigidity and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plastic rails are screwed onto radially protruding welding studs and finished by a caliber milling machine, then the rails can be adapted to the weapon caliber, but the retrofitting and repair work becomes extremely difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails are made adjustable through threaded adjusting means that allow radial movement. The adjusting means include threads engaged with the tube wall and adjustment elements that can be rotated to move the guide rails radially inward or outward, enabling dynamic adaptation to different weapon calibers without requiring complex milling operations during repair
Solution Approach 2:
The adjusting mechanism is divided into separate functional elements: threaded adjusting means engaged with the tube, adjustment elements with radial adjustment capability, and guide rails that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows for simpler repair of individual components rather than the entire assembly
2Manufacturing precision
If plastic rails are oversized in the radial direction and then milled to final dimension, then the rails can fit the weapon caliber, but the process requires post-processing that complicates production and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails are pre-adjusted to the correct radial position during assembly using the threaded adjusting means, eliminating the need for subsequent milling operations. The adjustment is performed once during installation or repair, and the position is then locked and maintained without requiring further post-processing
Solution Approach 2:
The complex caliber milling operation is extracted and replaced by a simpler threaded adjustment mechanism. Instead of removing material through milling, the system uses pre-formed rails that can be radially positioned through thread rotation, removing the need for complex post-processing equipment and operations
3Ease of manufacture
If guide rails are made adjustable radially within the tube, then the production and repair is simplified, but the device complexity increases due to additional adjusting means
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded adjusting means serve multiple functions: they provide radial positioning of the guide rails, act as mounting fixtures for the rails, and enable adjustment for different weapon calibers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and simplifies the overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The adjusting mechanism is designed to be self-contained and self-adjusting. The threaded adjusting means with radial adjustment capability allow the guide rails to be positioned and locked without requiring external milling equipment or complex tooling, enabling simple field adjustment and repair
Data Source
AI summary
The storage device has tube with several guide rails (18a-18c) that are extended longitudinal direction. The adjustment units adjust the radial distance of guide rails. The guide rails are mounted on multiple tube side bolted setscrews.