Compact Naval Weapon Mount Reducing Mass and Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing naval weapon assemblies are bulky and heavy, limiting their use to large-tonnage ships and making them unsuitable for low-tonnage vessels, while also complicating maintenance due to restricted access to electronic and motorization components.
Innovation Solution
A weapon assembly design featuring a cradle supported by a fork that pivots on journals integral with a mount, which can pivot relative to a base about a vertical axis, utilizing a fork formed by two vertical panels with bushings and a cylinder, along with gear motors for precise control and easy maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional turrets with large mass are used, then the weapon assembly has sufficient structural strength and stability, but the mass becomes too large for low-tonnage ships
Solution Approach 1:
The mount is segmented into two separate functional parts: a base that remains fixed to the deck and a mount body that pivots independently. This segmentation allows the weapon assembly to be lighter while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed bearing structure with multiple bearings (at least three, preferably four) that support the pivoting mount body.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a purely vertical support structure to one that incorporates horizontal pivoting capability. The mount body pivots relative to the base about a vertical axis, creating a two-degree-of-freedom system (elevation and azimuth) that reduces the need for excessive vertical mass while maintaining stability.
2Length of stationary object
If traditional bulky bases are used to house motorization and electronics, then all components are protected, but the vertical size increases and access for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The motorization means and electronic control units are extracted from the base and mounted on the mount body instead. This extraction allows the base to be minimized to its essential function of providing a stable mounting surface and pivot axis, while the components requiring maintenance access are positioned on the accessible mount body structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount body is designed to be dynamically accessible - it can pivot and be positioned in various orientations, allowing maintenance personnel to access components from multiple angles. The open structural design of the mount body with its panels and support elements provides inherent access paths to housed components without requiring the base to be oversized.
3Volume of moving object
If the base is designed to be compact, then the vertical size is reduced for better stealth, but access to components for maintenance operations becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The mount body acts as an intermediary structure between the compact base and the weapon cradle. It provides a platform that carries motorization and electronics while maintaining an open, accessible design. The mount body's structural elements (panels, support elements) serve as both load-bearing components and access pathways, mediating between the need for compactness and maintenance accessibility.
4Ease of operation
If a pivot mechanism with wheels on a track is used, then the mount can pivot relative to the base, but the assembly becomes complex and fragile
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the complex wheel-on-track mechanical pivoting system with a direct bearing-based rotation mechanism. The mount body pivots relative to the base through bearing elements that allow smooth rotation without requiring tracks, wheels, or complex guide mechanisms. This substitution dramatically simplifies the pivot mechanism while improving reliability for naval environments.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The mounting has a cradle (7) supporting a weapon (4) and rotatably mounted on a trunnion (13) integrated with a carriage. The carriage has a fork comprising two vertical panels (16a, 16b) each being integrated with a cartridge case (17) which is rotatably mounted on two rolling bearings with respect to a cylinder integrated with a base (2). A stiffener (23) disposed lateral to the panel has four arms with three arms supported on the fork.