US4528891A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Firing control system for a direct firing weapon mounted on a rotary-wing aircraft
Assignee: NATIOALE INDUSTRIELLE Ste
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Filing: 1982-09-28
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Granted: 1985-07-16
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Expires: 2002-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Firing control system for a direct firing weapon mounted on a rotary-wing aircraft, which is designed to be actuated by the pilot himself and comprises an electronic computer, the said weapon being mounted for rotating about two transverse axes Y-Y' and Z-Z', due to driving means controlled by the said computer. According to the invention, said firing control system is characterized in that it comprises a sighting system on which a target and an adjusting mark can appear simultaneously, which adjusting mark can be moved on the said sighting system by a control of the pilot, as well as means to determine the coordinates of the position of the said adjusting mark with respect to a system of axes tied to the aircraft and to transmit them to said electronic computer at least when the said adjusting mark is brought to a position on the said sight finder where it is superposed on the said target.
Inventors
- 👤 Alain M. Brunello
- 👤 Guy G. Catani
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:45
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G5/00; F41G5/14; F41G5/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
Firing control system for a weapon mounted on an aircraft and firing a projectile which travels in essentially a straight line, said system comprising: an electronic computer; mounting means for mounting said weapon on said aircraft for rotation about two transverse axes; driving means controlled by said computer for rotating said weapon about said axes; optical sighting means providing a field of view which is fixed relative to said axes and which permits a direct line-of-sight to a target by a pilot of said aircraft; an electro-optical device generating a luminous mark on a screen which is fixed relative to said axes, the position of said mark on said screen being manually adjustable by said pilot; means for measuring the coordinates of the position of said mark relative to said axes; means for projecting an image of said mark onto said field of view in said optical sighting system; and means for transmitting said coordinates to said computer at least when said image is positioned to lie in said line of sight to a target.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
Firing control system for a weapon mounted on an aircraft and firing a projectile which travels in essentially a straight line, said system comprising: an electronic computer; mounting means for mounting said weapon on said aircraft for rotation about two transverse axes; driving means controlled by said computer for rotating said weapon about said axes; optical sighting means providing a field of view which is fixed relative to said axes and which permits a direct line-of-sight to a target by a pilot of said aircraft; an electro-optical device generating a luminous mark on a screen which is fixed relative to said axes, the position of said mark on said screen being manually adjustable by said pilot; means for measuring the coordinates of the position of said mark relative to said axes; means for projecting an image of said mark onto said field of view in said optical sighting system; and means for transmitting said coordinates to said computer at least when said image is positioned to lie in said line of sight to a target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said optical sighting means comprises a semi-transparent mirror through which said target can be seen and onto which said image can be projected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 further including range means for supplying to said computer a range signal representing the distance to a target.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said range means is display means under the control of said pilot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said range means is a range-finder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 further including means for supplying to said computer signals representative of the attitudes, attitude changes, and air speed of said aircraft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said computer is programmed to assume that a target being tracked in said sighting system is moving in a straight path at constant speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said computer is programmed to assume that a target being tracked in said sighting system is accelerating at a constant rate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-07-15 | 1989-01-14 | 1989-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-07-15 | 1993-01-14 | 1993-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-07-15 | 1997-01-14 | 1997-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |