Ballistic elevation angle generator

Claim 2

In a ballistic computer for providing fire control signals as a function of target range and nonstandard firing conditions, a ballistic elevation angle generator comprising: means for producing a first signal representative of target range modified as a function of the initial velocity value for a given ammUnition with nonstandard firing conditions; means for producing a second signal representative of target range modified as a function of the drag value for the given ammunition and the nonstandard firing conditions; and computation means responsive to said first and second signals for forming a power series approximation of the ballistic elevation angle signal for the given ammunition with the nonstandard firing conditions.

Claim 3

In the ballistic computer of claim 1 which also includes means adapted for receiving signals representative of the selected ammunition type, wherein said means for producing said first signal includes means for compensating for differences in the initial velocity value due to the selected ammunition type.

Claim 4

In the ballistic computer of claim 2 wherein said means for producing said second signal includes means for compensating for differences in the drag value due to the selected ammunition type.

Claim 5

In the ballistic computer of claim 1 which also includes means adapted for receiving signals representative of the selected ammunition type and model number, wherein said means for producing said first signal includes means for compensating for differences in the initial velocity value due to the selected ammunition type and model number.

Claim 6

In the ballistic computer of claim 4 wherein said means for producing said second signal includes means for compensating for differences in the drag value due to the selected ammunition type and model number.

Claim 7

In the ballistic computer of claim 1 which also includes means adapted for receiving signals representative of the selected ammunition types, wherein said computation means includes means for forming the power series aRs + bRsRm + cRsRm2 where Rs is said first signal; Rm is said second signal; and a, b and c are coefficients whose values are a function of the selected ammunition type and standard firing conditions.

Claim 8

In the ballistic computer of claim 6 wherein said means for producing said first signal includes means for compensating for differences in the initial velocity value due to the selected ammunition type.

Claim 9

In the ballistic computer of claim 7 wherein said means for producing said second signal includes means for compensating for differences in the drag value due to the selected ammunition type.

Claim 10

In a ballistic computer for providing fire control signals as a function of target range, firing conditions and signals representative of the selected ammunition type, a ballistic elevation angle generator section comprising: means for producing a first signal representative of target range modified as a function of initial velocity effects due to the nonstandard firing conditions for the selected ammunition type; means for producing a second signal representative of target range modified as a function of drag effects due to the nonstandard firing conditions for the selected ammunition type; and power series forming means for forming a ballistic elevation angle signal from a power series of said first and second signals with the values of the coefficients of the power series being a function of the selected ammunition type and standard firing conditions.

Claim 11

In a ballistic computer for providing fire control signals as a function of target range, firing conditions and signals representative of the selected ammunition type, a ballistic elevation angle generator section comprising: means for producing a first signal representative of target range modified as a function of initial velocity effects due to the nonstandard firing conditions for the selected ammunition type; means for producing a second signal representative of target range modified as a function of drag effects due to the nonstandard firing conditions for the selected ammunition type; and power series forming means for forming a ballistic elevation angle signal from a power series of said first and second signals with the values of the coefficients of the power series being a function of the selected ammunition type and standard firing conditions.

Claim 12

In the ballistic computer of claim 9 wherein said means for producing said first signal includes means for modifying the target range signal as a function of the effects of ammunition grain temperature and effective full charge on initial velocity.

Claim 13

In the ballistic computer of claim 10 wherein said means for producing said second signal includes means for modifying the target range signal as a function of the effects of air temperature, air pressure and initial velocity on the drag characteristics.

Claim 14

In a ballistic computer for providing fire control signals as a function of a target range signal and firing conditions, a ballistic elevation angle generator section comprising: means For developing a first signal as a function of the target range signal, and the difference between the initial velocity for a given ammunition with nonstandard firing conditions and an initial velocity value for standard firing conditions; means for developing a second signal as a function of the target range signal, and the difference between the drag value for the given ammunition with the nonstandard firing conditions and a drag value for standard firing conditions; and computation means responsive to said first and second signals and to the target range signal for forming a power series approximation of the ballistic elevation angle signal for the given ammunition and the nonstandard firing conditions.

Claim 15

In a ballistic computer for providing fire control signals as a function of a target range signal and firing conditions, a ballistic elevation angle generator section comprising: means For developing a first signal as a function of the target range signal, and the difference between the initial velocity for a given ammunition with nonstandard firing conditions and an initial velocity value for standard firing conditions; means for developing a second signal as a function of the target range signal, and the difference between the drag value for the given ammunition with the nonstandard firing conditions and a drag value for standard firing conditions; and computation means responsive to said first and second signals and to the target range signal for forming a power series approximation of the ballistic elevation angle signal for the given ammunition and the nonstandard firing conditions.

Claim 16

In the ballistic computer of claim 12 wherein said computation means includes means for combining said first signal and the target range signal to produce a third signal representative of target range compensated for the difference between the initial velocity for the given ammunition and the nonstandard firing conditions and the standard initial velocity value; and means for combining said second signal and the target range signal to produce a fourth signal representative of target range compensated for the difference between the drag value for the given ammunition and nonstandard firing conditions and the standard drag value.

Claim 17

In the ballistic computer of claim 13 wherein said computation means includes means for forming the power series aRs + bRsRm + cRsRm2 where Rs is said third signal; Rm is said fourth signal; and a, b, and c are coefficients having values which are a function of the given ammunition type and standard firing conditions.

Claim 18

In the ballistic computer of claim 14 wherein said means for forming the power series includes a master-slave time division multiplier arrangement having a master multiplier unit and at least two slave multiplier units; with the signal Rm being applied to the master multiplier, the signal Rs being applied to a first one of said slave multipliers, and the output signal from the first slave multiplier being applied to a second one of said slave multipliers.

Claim 19

In the ballistic computer of claim 15 wherein said means for forming the power series further comprises a first scale factor multiplier for multiplying the signal Rs by the coefficient a; a second scale factor multiplier for multiplying the output signal of said first slave multiplier by the coefficient b; a third scale factor multiplier for multiplying the output signal of said second slave multiplier by the coefficient c; and means for summing the output signals of said first, second and third scale factor multipliers to form the ballistic elevation angle signal.

Claim 20

In the ballistic computer of claim 12 wherein said means for developing the first signal includes first circuit means for forming the product of the target range signal and a signal representative of the normalized variation of grain temperature from a standard grain temperature value; second circuit means for forming the product of the target range signal and a signal representative of effective full charge; and means for scaling and combining the output signals from said first and second circuit means to produce said first signal.

Claim 21

In the ballistic computer of claim 17 wherein said means for scaling and combining includes first multiplier means for multiplying the output signal from said first circuit means by a first coefficient whose value is a function of the type of said given ammunition, so as to scale the output signal from said first circuit means as a function of initial velocity effects due to grain temperature for the given ammunition type; and second multiplier means for multiplying the output signal from said second circuit means by a second coefficient whose value is a function of the given ammunition type, so as to scale the output signal from said second circuit means as a function of initial velocity effects due to effective full charge.

Claim 22

In the ballistic computer of claim 18 wherein said means for scaling and combining includes third multiplier means for multiplying the target range signal by a third coefficient whose value is a function of the model number of the given ammunition, so as to compensate for initial velocity differences between models of the given ammunition type; and said means for scaling and combining further includes means for combining the output signal from said third multiplier with the output signals from said first and second multiplier means.

Claim 23

In the ballistic computer of claim 12 wherein said second means includes first circuit means for forming the product of the target range signal and the normalized variation of air temperature from a standard air temperature value; second circuit means for forming the product of the target range signal and the normalized variation of air pressure from a standard air pressure value; means for combining the output signal from said first circuit means with said first signal to produce a third signal; first multiplier means for multiplying said third signal by a coefficient whose value is a function of the given ammunition type, so that the output signal therefrom is scaled as a function of the drag effects due to air temperature variations for the given ammunition type; and means for combining the output signals from said first multiplier means and said second circuit means to produce the second signal.

Claim 24

In the ballistic computer of claim 20 wherein said second means further includes second multiplier means for multiplying the target range signal by a coefficient whose value is a function of the model number of said given ammunition so as to compensate for drag value differences between model numbers of the selected ammunition; and said means for combining further includes means for combining the output signal from said second multiplier with the output signals from said first multiplier and said second circuit means.