EP0034441A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical means for monitoring the boreline direction of a gun
Assignee: BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
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Filing: 1981-02-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A gun (4) is provided with an arrangement for determining the boreline direction of its muzzle during firing. The arrangement is particularly applicable to battle tanks having relatively long and massive barrels across which temperature gradients giving rise to thermal stresses can be developed. A reflector (5) is mounted on the muzzle (6) so as to reflect a beam of light from an optical source (8) mounted on the mantlet (10) to an optical detector (9) mounted along side the source. By this means the pointing direction of the muzzle relative to the cradle (11) within which the barrel is mounted can be accurately monitored.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederick Garner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 17:01
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G3/00; F41G3/32; F41G3/323
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A gun including a barrel mounted so as to be rotatable in elevation; optical means for monitoring the boreline direction of the barrel in the region of its muzzle, said optical means including an optical detector arranged to receive an image from an optical source via a reflector mounted on the muzzle, and,the optical means being mounted so as to be movable in elevation with said barrel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A gun including a barrel mounted so as to be rotatable in elevation; optical means for monitoring the boreline direction of the barrel in the region of its muzzle, said optical means including an optical detector arranged to receive an image from an optical source via a reflector mounted on the muzzle, and,the optical means being mounted so as to be movable in elevation with said barrel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A gun as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the optical means is mounted on a member which moves with and is rigidly coupled to a cradle within which the barrel is slidably mounted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A gun as claimed in claim 2 and wherein the optical means is mounted on a mantlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A gun as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and wherein the optical source is arranged to generate a narrow beam of infra-red light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A gun as claimed in claim 4 and wherein the optical detector comprises a two dimensional receiving surface which is positioned so as to receive light via said reflector from the optical source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A gun as claimed in claim 5 and wherein the receiving surface comprises a two dimensional matrix of individual photosensitive devices.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A gun as claimed in claim 6 and wherein the photosensitive devices are photo diodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A gun as claimed in claim 5 and wherein the optical detector comprises a two dimensional receiving surface which is constituted by a sheet of material whose electrical properties are modified by the presence of an optical image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3684383A
Cited
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