US3054297A - Automatic stop limit for gun control - Google Patents

Description

p 1962 B. c. WELLS ETAL 3,054,297

AUTOMATIC STOP LIMIT FOR GUN CONTROL Filed March 3, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|

FTTTTTI TRAIN DRIVE MOTOR TO MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM :TIIITIIIH |1lllllllllllllllllllllll IllllllllllHlIlll ilHllllh-i 66 INVE TOR8 I lIHIIIIIllllllllllllllmnflfi! Cl L CHARLES J. MAHLER ATTORNEYS p 18, 1962 B. c. WELLS ETAL 3,054,297

AUTOMATIC STOP LIMIT FOR GUN CONTROL Filed March 3, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RIGHT TRAIN FIG.6

I INVENTORS BRUCE C. WELLS CHARLES J; MAHLER ATTORNEYS FIG.2

Sept. 18, 1962 B. c. WELLS ETAL AUTOMATIC STOP LIMIT FOR sun CONTROL a Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3, 1958 mm mm 4 km qI. r

I m In INVENTORS BRUCE C. WELLS CHARLES d. MAHLER BY mw mdE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,054,297 AUTOMATIC STOP LTMIT FUR GUN CONTROL Bruce C. Wells and Charles J. Mahler, Buffalo, N.Y., as-

siguors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Mar. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 718,93tl Claims. (Cl. 74-35) The present invention relates to a stop device and more particularly to a new and improved limit stop mechanism suitable for use with trainable gun mounts.

Moreover, the invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved limit stop mechanism for use with conventional power-operated guns wherein means are provided for determining the position of the guns at all times, and in which means, settable at will to difierent settings, give a visual indication of the position at which the stop devices of the mechanism are set to function during training of the guns, around an azimuth circle either in one direction or the other, as the case may be, and in which means controlled by the operation of the stop devices function to provide a signal which causes the conventional driving motor to slow down before the guns reach the limits of their range of operation the driving motor being controlled remotely in any conventional manner. Furthermore, the invention provides adjustable stop means which may overrun the initial stop setting due to failure of the slow-down mechanism of the aforesaid system without damage thereto or necessitating resetting of the stop means. This arrangement overcomes disadvantages encountered in prior art devices, for the reason that such devices require certain readjustments should overrunning occur. Moreover, the invention provides an improved limit stop mechanism which is simple in structure, economical to manufacture and which possesses highly satisfactory qualities of ruggedness and durability in service.

Briefly, the limit stop mechanism consists essentially of a main gear having a dial fixed thereto provided with a suitable degree scale and an indexing element cooperating therewith, the main gear being driven by a worm operatively connected to a conventional drive motor for the guns. A degree scale is provided on the dial for indicating the stop setting for training in one direction, and a similar degree scale is provided on the dial for indicating the stop setting for training in the reverse direction, this training movement being hereinafter referred to as a right train and a left train. The device further includes stop setting discs, settable at will to different settings about the degree scale on the dial, wherein the position of the discs with respect to the position the dial may be varied, if desired, from 50 to 360, for example, by unlocking normally locked pinions, cooperating with dial means and rotating the pinions with respect to the aforesaid main drive gear assembly whereupon the dial means are moved to a selected setting. Thus the stop devices function as the guns approach the desired gun training position or angle. Neans including a potentiometer are provided and cooperate with each stop setting device and are actuate-d thereby to initiate a signal. The signal is adapted to be employed to cause the drive motor to slow down as the discs reach a point corresponding to the preselected setting thereof.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved limit stop device for use with power driven gun mount.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved limit stop mechanism for power-operated gun mounts wherein the guns are decelerated before reaching the limits of their range of operation and wherein the actual training angles of the guns may be accurately indicated at all times.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved limit stop device wherein means, settable at will to difierent settings, automatically control the drive motor of a power-operated gun mount.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved limit stop mechanism wherein a signal developed in response to movement of adjustable means settable at will to different settings causes the train drive motor and/or the elevational drive motor to slow down as the guns approach a position corresponding to the setting of the adjustable means.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the limit stop mechanism of the present invention in connection with a conventional train drive motor and gun mounts;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the limit stop mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a View in diagrammatical form, illustrating the actuating mechanism for operating the signal producing elements during gun training cycles.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 11 generally indicates the limit stop mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is particularly adapted for use with power operated gun mounts which include conventional components such, for example, as a training circle or gear 12 which supports a pair of guns G. The training circle is adapted to be driven by a train drive motor 13 controlled by a conventional control unit (not shown), and a through motor shaft 14, Worm 15 mounted on one end of shaft 14 in driving engagement with a worm wheel 16 secured to shaft 17 which carries a train pinion 18 in engagement with training circle 12.

It will be understood that upon operation of the motor the guns are trained in either of two directions such, for example, as to the right or to the let Since the aforesaid gun mount construction and arrangement is well known in the art to which the present invention pertains further detailed description of the mount is deemed unnecessary.

The limit stop mechanism of the present invention is provided With a driving gear or Worm wheel 24 adapted to be connected to the motor shaft 14 by a flexible shaft 25 having a worm 26 on one end thereof in engagement with worm wheel 24 and a gear 27 on the other end thereof in engagement with a gear 28 mounted on the motor shaft 14 and thus by this arrangement a driving connection is provided between motor 13 and the worm wheel 24- of the limit stop mechanism 11, whereupon the worm wheel 24 and training gear are rotated in unison.

It will be noted, FIG. 3, that the gear 24 is secured to one end of rotatable sleeve 29 as at 31, the other end of the sleeve having a dial 32 secured thereto as at 33, it being understood by this arrangement that the gear 24, sleeve 29 and the dial 32 are secured together in such a manner as to rotate as a unit in response to rotation of the Worm wheel 24 by the Worm 26. The

sleeve 29 is rotatably supported in a bearing 3 carried by a support 35 which may constitute the front panel of a casing for enclosing the mechanism 11, as best shown on FIG. 3. The dial 32 is provided with a pair of identical degree scales $6 and 37, the aforesaid scales cooperating with an index element 36 mounted on the support 35, the aforesaid scale and index arrangement being adapted to accurately indicate the position of the guns G supported on the training gear 12.

A sleeve 39 is disposed Within sleeve 29 and is rotatably supported on a shaft 41, the sleeve 39 extending through sleeve 29 and having a gear 42 secured to one end and an arm 43 secured to the other end thereof. The arm 43 is carried by a split clamp 44 disposed about the sleeve 39 and clamped thereto by a nut and bolt 45. The shaft 41 extends through sleeve 39 and has secured to one end a gear 46 and an arm 47 secured to the other end thereof, the arm 47 being carried by a split clamp 48 disposed about the shaft 41 and clamped thereto by a nut and bolt 49, as more clearly shown on FIGS. and 6.

As shown on FIG. 2, gear 46 is provided with an indicator or pointer 51 secured thereto as at 52, the gear 46 being in engagement with a driving pinion 53 mounted on a stud shaft or locking bolt 54 carried by and in threaded engagement with the degree indication dial 32 and adapted to rotate the gear or disc 46 in response to rotation of the aforesaid dial 32. It will be noted that gear 42 is provided with an indicator or pointer 55 secured thereto as at 56, the gear 42 carrying the pointer 55 being in engagement with a driving pinion 57, similar to driving pinion 63 and mounted on a stud shaft or locking bolt 58 carried by and in threaded engagement with the aforesaid dial 32 and adapted to rotate the gear 4-2 in response to rotation of the dial By the aforesaid locking bolt arrangement it will be understood that when pinions 53 and 57 are locked to disc 32 by their respective locking bolts discs or gears 42 and 46 are driven by their respective pinions 53 and 57 in response to rotation of dial 32 through sleeve 29, worm wheel 24- and worm 26. It will be further understood, however, that the aforesaid disc elements 42 and 46 are settable at will to different settings about the dial 32 whereupon pointers 51 and 55 on the respective disc elements are moved to the desired degree markings on the dial 32 thereby to cause the stop limit mechanism to function when the guns have been moved either in a right or left train, as the case may be, an amount corresponding to a preselected setting of the discs 42 and 46. The desired settings of the discs 42 and 46 may be accomplished by loosening the locking bolts a detail of which is illustrated on FIG. 6 and which normally locks the pinions 53-57 to the dial 32, an amount sufficiently to unlock the pinions from the dial 32 and allow free rotation of the pinions. Thus upon rotation of the pinions the discs 42 and 46 may be rotated with respect to the dial 32 to position the degree indicators 51 and 55 on the discs 42 and 46 in registration with the desired degree markings on dial 32.

It will be noted FIGS. 3 and 5 that the arms 43 and 47 each carry a pin or roller '59 on the free end thereof, each roller 59 being adapted to cooperate with a detent or lever 61 mounted on one end of a pair of shafts 62 respectively. Each shaft 62 is supported by bracket 63 carried by or forming a part of the casing which encloses the mechanism Ill and having secured thereto and rotatable therewith a gear 64, the aforesaid shaft being journaled in supports or brackets 63. A shaft 65 is rotatably supported by each of the brackets 63 and having a pinion 66 mounted on one end, the other end thereof connected to a potentiometer 67 thereby to operate the potentiometers in response to the rotation of the potentiometer shafts 65. The potentiometers, when operated, are particularly adapted to provide a slowdown signal for the train drive motor when discs 42 and 46 have been rotated an amount corresponding to a preselected setting thereof, the signal being developed as arms 4-3 and 47 are rotated by their respective driving means to actuate the detents 61 each of which, in turn, rotates a shaft 65 through its respective gear 64 and pinion 66. It will be understood, however, that dial 32 is rotated an amount corresponding to the rotation of the guns by sleeve 22 as worm Wheel 2 is driven by worm 26. Furthermore, one of the potentiometers will be operated to provide a signal in accordance with a preselected setting of disc 42 as the guns are trained in one direction (right train) and approach a position corresponding to the preselected setting of disc 42 and the other potentiometer will provide a signal in accordance with a preselected setting of disc 46 as the guns are trained in the reverse direction (left train) and approach a position corresponding to the preselected setting of disc 4-6.

For example, as arm 47 is rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow A, FIG. 5, the left train detent 61 is moved as roller 59 mounted on arm 47 engages the detent. Upon movement of the detent in the aforesaid manner rotative movement is imparted to the wiping contact of potentiometer 67 disposed at the right of arm 47, by way of shaft 62, gears 64 and 66 and wiping shaft 65 and thus the potentiometer is operated and produces a signal when the guns are trained to the left and reach a position corresponding to the preselected setting of discs 46. It will be understood that although arm 43 rotates in the same direction as arm 47 during the left train cycle of operation, the potentiometer 67 associated therewith and disposed at the left of arm 43 will not be operated, for the reason that during this cycle of operation roller 59 on arm 43 overrides the right train detent without effecting operation of the specific potentiometer associated therewith. When arm 43 is rotated in the direction as indicated by arrow B, FIG. 5, the right train detent 61 is moved as the roller mounted on arm 43 engages the aforesaid detent. In response to this movement, rotative movement is imparted to wiping contact of potentiometer 67 disposed at the left of arm 43, by way of shaft 62, gears 66 and 66, and wiping shaft 65 and thus the potentiometer is operated and produces a signal when the guns are trained to the right and reach a position corresponding to the preselected setting of disc .2. During this cycle of operation roller 59 on arm 47 overrides the left train detent 61 without effecting operation of the specific potentiometer associated therewith.

Each of the gears 64 is provided with a return device generally indicated by the reference character 68 for returning the potentiometers to an initial position after the potentiometer shafts have been rotated in the aforesaid manner by the pin and detent arrangement. As shown on FIG. 4, each return device comprises a pair of mutually spaced pins or rollers 69 mounted on each of the gears 64- and normally in engagement with an elongated head 71 carried by a piston or member '72 movably arranged within a support or bracket 73. A spring '74 is disposed about each member '72 and having one end in engagement with head 71 and the other end thereof in engagement with bracket 73. By the aforesaid arrangement the potentiometers and component parts thereof such, for example, as the conventional slider carried by each of the shafts 65 are maintained in an initial position. Upon actuation of the slider shaft 65 through pinion 66, gear 64, detent 61 and arm 43, as heretofore more fully set forth, the return mechanism 68, under the the influence of spring '74, now compressed by rollers 69 in response to rotation of gear 64, will move the slider shaft 65 back to its initial position.

Referring again to FIG. 1 it will be understood that the aforesaid motor and gear arrangement is adapted to cause rotation of the guns and worm wheel 24 in either right or left train in accordance with the direction of rotation of train drive motor 13. It will be understood that the limit stop device if of the present invention is constructed and arranged to develop signals when disc 42 is moved a predetermined amount in one direction and disc 46 is moved a predetermined amount in the reverse direction, such movement of the discs corresponding to the amount of movement or training of the guns by reason of the aforesaid driving connection therebetween.

Briefly stated in summary the automatic stop limit of the present invention is particularly adapted for use With power operated gun mounts and although the invention has been described in connection with a gun training mechanism it will be understood, however, that, if desired, the invention may be used in connection with a gun elevation or depression mechanism.

What is claimed is:

I. A signal altering mechanism suitable for use with a power operated gun trainable in either of two directions and comprising a rotatable dial element having a degree scale disposed about the outer edge thereof, power operated gun means for rotating said dial element according to the rotations of said gun, a pair of rotatably mounted disc members settable to a different setting with respect to said scale on the dial element, a first coupling means normally locked to the dial element in engagement with one disc member of said pair of disc members for rotating said one disc member in either direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of the dial element, a first locking means carried by said dial element for locking the first coupling means to said dial element at a preselected setting and for releasing the first coupling means to allow adjustment of the dial member to said preselected setting with respect to said dial element as the locking means is released, a second coupling means normally locked to the dial element in engagement with the other disc member of said pair of disc members for rotating the other disc member in either direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of the dial element, a second locking means carried by the dial element for locking the second coupling means to the dial element at a preselected setting and for releasing the second coupling means to allow adjustment of the other disc member to said preselected setting with respect to the dial element as the second locking means is released, a first potentiometer for altering a signal received thereby as the potentiometer is operated, means including a first gear train operatively connected to said first potentiometer for operating the first potentiometer as the first gear train is operated, means carried by the one disc member for operating the first gear train when the one disc member has been rotated an amount corresponding to said preselected setting, a second potentiometer for altering a signal received thereby as the potentiometer is operated, means including a second gear train operatively connected to said second potentiometer for operating the second potentiometer as the second gear train is operated, and means carried by the other disc member for operating the second gear train when the other disc member has been rotated an amount corresponding to said preselected setting.

2. A signal altering mechanism suitable for use with a power operated trainable gun operable in either of two directions and comprising a rotatable dial having a degree scale thereon, power operated gun means for rotating said dial according to the rotation of the gun, a pair of rotatably mounted disc members settable to different settings with respect to said scale on the dial, a first coupling device normally locked to said dial in engagement with one disc member of said pair of disc members for rotating said one disc member in either direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of the dial, first means carried by said dial for locking the first coupling device to the dial at a preselected setting and for releasing the first coupling device to allow adjustment of said one disc member to said preselected setting with respect to the dial as the first means is released, a second coupling device normally locked to said dial in engagement with the other disc member of said pair of disc members for rotating the other disc member in either direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of the dial, second means carried by the dial for locking the second coupling device to the dial at a preselected setting and for releasing the second coupling device to allow adjustment of the other disc member to said preselected setting with respect to the dial as the second means is released, a first potentiometer for altering a signal received thereby as the potentiometer is operated, a first gear train operatively connected to the first potentiometer for operating the potentiometer, a first detent carried by said first gear train for operating the gear train, a first actuating arm carried by said one disc mem her and actuated thereby for actuating the first detent upon rotation of the one disc member, a second potentiometer for altering a signal received thereby as the potentiometer is operated, a second gear train operatively connected to the second potentiometer for operating the second potentiometer, a second detent carried by the second gear train for operating the second gear train, a second actuating arm carried by the other disc member and actuated thereby for actuating the second detent upon rotation of the other disc member.

3. A signal altering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein means including a first spring biased member returns the first potentiometer and first gear train to an initial position after the one disc has been rotated and the first potentiometer has been operated.

4. A signal altering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein means including a second spring biased member returns the second potentiometer and second gear train to an initial position after the other disc member has been rotated and the second potentiometer has been operated.

5. A signal altering mechanism suitable for use with a power operated trainable gun operable in either of two directions and comprising a rotatable dial having a degree scale disposed about the outer edge thereof, driving means for imparting rotary movement to said dial in either of two directions and corresponding to the direction of rotation of a gun, rotatably mounted disc means settable to different settings with respect to said degree scale on the dial, coupling means normally locked to said dial for rotating said disc means in either direction according to the direction of rotation of the dial, 1ocking means carried by said dial for locking said coupling means to the dial at a preselected setting and for releasing the coupling means to allow the disc means to be moved to a preselected setting, means for altering an electrical signal when the disc means are rotated an amount corresponding to said preselected setting, actuating means including a gear train for operating the signal altering means, and means carried by and movable With said disc means for operating said actuating means and gear train when the disc means has been rotated an amount corresponding to said preselected setting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,029,362 Hall June 11, 1912 2,365,982 Trofimov Dec. 24, 1944 2,426,597 Chafee Sept. 2, 1947 2,586,982 iNaugler et al. Feb. 26, 1952 2,662,146 Wilentchik Dec. 8, 1953

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