Automatic Charge Magazine Revolving Track Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ammunition handling systems for artillery guns with modular or powder bag propellant charges are complex, requiring many moving parts and are prone to malfunctions, leading to slow and unreliable firing operations.
Innovation Solution
An automatic charge magazine with a revolving track and a control unit that manages few moving parts, using a hydraulic system for efficient ejection of propellant charges directly to the gun, ensuring rapid and reliable firing by preselecting and adjusting charge containers for simultaneous impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ejection mechanisms and individually driven discs are used to transfer increment charges, then charge selection and transfer capability is improved, but system complexity and risk of malfunction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple ejection mechanisms into a single ejection mechanism that serves both functions: ejecting increment charges from storage tubes to the charge preparation device, and ejecting prepared charges from the charge preparation device to the loading pendulum. This merging reduces the number of separate mechanisms from two to one, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining full charge selection and transfer capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single ejection mechanism is designed with universal functionality to perform multiple tasks: it can eject increment charges of different sizes and types, transfer them to the charge preparation device, and subsequently eject the prepared charges to the loading pendulum. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized mechanisms for each transfer stage.
2Reliability
If two separate ejection mechanisms are used for charge transfer, then charge transfer completeness is improved, but firing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate ejection mechanisms into one integrated mechanism that performs both ejection stages in sequence. This single mechanism first ejects increment charges to the charge preparation device, then immediately ejects the prepared charges to the loading pendulum without requiring switching between separate mechanisms, thereby maintaining transfer completeness while increasing firing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The single ejection mechanism operates continuously through both transfer stages without interruption or idle time between ejections. The mechanism maintains continuous useful action by seamlessly transitioning from ejecting increment charges to ejecting prepared charges, eliminating the time loss that would occur with separate mechanisms requiring repositioning or reactivation.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple individually driven discs with separate rotary gears are used, then charge positioning precision is improved, but system reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individually driven discs with separate rotary gears into a single disc with a single rotary gear mechanism. This unified mechanism positions multiple increment charges simultaneously using one gear system, thereby reducing the number of independent components that could fail while maintaining precise charge positioning through the coordinated design of the single disc and its cutouts.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces the risk of fire interruptions and allows for rapid, precise transfer of propellant charges, maintaining conventional handling processes while enhancing operational efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The ejection member (15) consists of a hydraulic cylinder (17) with which the increment charge (4) or increment charges can be moved in their longitudinal direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to an automatic charge magazine (1) for storage and handling of propellent powder charges of the modular charges and/or powder bag charges type, also termed increment charges (4), for projectiles, for example shells, which are arranged in a fireable manner, together with the increment charges (4), in an artillery gun, preferably of the vehicle- mounted artillery gun type, wherein the charge magazine (1) comprises a plurality of charge containers (5, 5', 5'') arranged in a drivable revolving track, which charge containers (5, 5', 5' ' ) are arranged to assume feed-in and feed-out positions (2, 11) for the feed-in and feed-out of at least one increment charge (4) to and from the charge containers (5, 5', 5''). The invention can principally be deemed to be characterized in that the charge magazine (1) also comprises at least one ejection member (15, 31, 32, 33, 34), which ejection member, in response to control signals (i2) from the said control unit (22), ejects one or more increment charges (4) from the respective charge container (5, 5', 5'')/ applied in the feed-out position, to a loading tray (18) belonging to the gun.