EP1610086B1 - Ammunition container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (1), comprising an outer casing (2) with a cardboard inner liner (3) to receive a munition (4) that can slide axially between locked and released positions, a forward sleeve (10) with flexible fingers and a fixed plastic stop (16), has a cylinder (16b) on the stop that ensures a radial spacing of the flexible fingers when the liner is released to allow removal of the munition. The fixed stop has a conical section that is connected to the cylinder by one or more radial ribs, and is fixed to a wedge (20) of a compressible material, e.g. foam, that is attached to the outer casing. The inner liner is also fitted with one or more additional cylindrical wedges.

Description

The technical field of the invention is that of ammunition transport containers and in particular containers for setting an explosive ordnance.

We know in particular by the EP1101077 a container comprising an inner envelope movable between a locking position and an unlocking position. This inner envelope comprises a front portion comprising flexible tongues which bear against the front pocket of a projectile arrow.

In the locked position, the tabs are held radially by a fixed case. In the unlocked position, a pull on the munition deforms the tongues radially allowing the extraction of the latter out of the container.

During a fall of this container on its closure lid, the ammunition is held by the tabs which can not deform radially through the holster.

Such a container is well adapted to maintain an ammunition arrow whose projectile comprises a front pocket whose profile, substantially conical, allows to deform the tabs and allows the extraction of the ammunition.

It is however unsuited to the setting of a munition with an explosive projectile formed charge and which does not include such a front pocket.

The usual explosive projectiles have a profile in the form of a "bottle" comprising a body substantially of caliber and prolonged by a sub-calibrated neck which ends with an impact contactor.

The only stop surface available for such a projectile is a flange generally present at the impact switch. But such an abutment surface is perpendicular to the axis of the ammunition and can not ensure the spacing of the holding fingers. This results in a risk of jamming of the munition in the container prohibiting any subsequent extraction.

It is the object of the invention to provide a container for overcoming such disadvantages.

Thus, the container according to the invention allows the effective setting of a munition regardless of the profile of the bearing surface available on the projectile body.

The invention therefore relates to a container for ammunition of the type comprising a case inside which an inner envelope receiving a munition can slide between two axial positions, a locking position of the ammunition and an unlocked position, the inner envelope comprising a front sleeve carrying flexible fingers, the sleeve cooperating in the locking position with a fixed stop fixed to the case and ensuring the holding of the fingers on an area of the projectile to limit the translation thereof, characterized in that the fingers comprise a front portion which terminates in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the case and able to maintain a zone of the ammunition, the container comprising means integral with the fixed stop and ensuring a radial spacing of the flexible fingers at a distance projectile in the unlocked position of the inner envelope.

According to a particular embodiment, the means ensuring the radial spacing of the fingers may comprise a cylinder coaxial with the inner casing.

The fixed stop may comprise a conical profile cooperating, in the locking position, with a complementary profile of the fingers of the sleeve.

According to a particular embodiment, the fixed stop may comprise a cone portion connected to the coaxial cylinder by at least one radial rib.

The sleeve will then have slots separating the fingers, slots for receiving the ribs of the fixed stop.

The fixed stop may be secured to a wedge of compressible material attached to the case.

The wedge of compressible material may advantageously comprise a conical profile extending that of the stop.

The sleeve of the inner envelope will surround a front portion of the projectile, an inner surface of the sleeve forming a support for the body of the ammunition.

The sleeve may have a generally conical shape surrounding a front portion of the projectile sleeve extended by a scope that will be fixed to the inner casing.

The container may comprise at least one cylindrical wedge secured to the inner casing, wedge intended to be interposed between said casing and the ammunition.

• la figure 1 représente en coupe longitudinale un conteneur selon l'invention renfermant une munition, conteneur représenté en position verrouillée,
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la précédente montrant le conteneur en position déverrouillée couvercle retiré,
• les figures 3a et 3b sont des vues de la butée fixe seule, la figure 3b étant une coupe suivant les plans brisés repérés AA sur la figure 3a, la figure 3a étant une vue arrière de la butée,
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective de la butée fixe seule,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du manchon seul.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of a particular embodiment, a description given with reference to the appended drawings and in which:

• the figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a container according to the invention containing an ammunition, container represented in locked position,
• the figure 2 is a view similar to the previous one showing the container in the unlocked lid removed position,
• the Figures 3a and 3b are views of the fixed thrust alone, the figure 3b being a cut following the broken plans spotted AA on the figure 3a , the figure 3a being a rear view of the abutment,
• the figure 4 is a perspective view of the fixed stop only,
• the figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sleeve alone.

Referring to the figure 1 , a container 1 according to the invention comprises a case 2 inside which can slide an inner envelope 3 enclosing a munition 4.

The holster 2 of the container has a generally cylindrical shape. It is advantageously made of cardboard and is closed at one end by a crimped metal base.

The case is closed at its other end by a cover 6 which will be secured to the case for example by a threaded connection 7.

Ammunition 4 is here an explosive ammunition for tank. It comprises a fuel sleeve 4a integral with a base 4d and a projectile 4b with a shaped charge having a nose 4c sub-calibrated ending with an impact switch 8 bearing a flange 9.

The inner casing 3 comprises a cylindrical body formed of two coaxial cardboard tubes 3a and 3b, body slidably mounted inside the case 2. Cylindrical shims 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d and 23e (see FIG. figure 2 ) are interposed between the ammunition 4 and the envelope 3. These wedges improve the maintenance of the ammunition and ensure the absorption of radial shocks.

The inner tube 3b carries a plastic collar 24 which is in contact with a circular rim of the base 4d.

According to the invention the inner casing 3 also comprises a front sleeve 10 of generally conical shape. This sleeve surrounds the nose 4c of the ammunition 4 and a part of the front of the body 4b of the ammunition 4.

The figure 5 shows this sleeve 10 alone. It is made of plastic and has a rear cylindrical bearing surface 11 which is fixed for example by gluing to the inner tube 3b of the casing 3. A shoulder 12 separates the conical portion and the cylindrical bearing surface of the sleeve 10. This shoulder plays the role of mechanical stop during the mounting of the sleeve 10 on the body of the inner casing 3. The shoulder 12 makes it possible to transmit the mechanical compressive forces between the sleeve 10 and the tubes 3a and 3b of the casing 3 (tubes assembled by example by stapling).

As can be seen in figure 5 , the sleeve 10 carries at its front portion flexible fingers 13 separated by slots 14.

This figure 5 is a section along a median plane passing through two fingers 13 of the sleeve. There are here six fingers 13 separated by six slots 14 regularly distributed angularly. The fingers 13 comprise a thickened front portion 13a which terminates in a plane 10b perpendicular to the axis 15 of the sleeve (which is also the axis of the envelope 3, the ammunition 4 and the case 2).

The fingers 13 are applied to the nose 4c of the projectile behind the flange 9. The plane 10b then forms a stop surface prohibiting the extraction of the ammunition.

Thus the sleeve 10 ensures the recovery of the inertial forces of the ammunition 4 during a fall in a direction F. These inertial forces are communicated by the projectile, via the sleeve 10, to the inner casing 3 and the necklace 24.

The lid 6 carries a base block 18 of deformable foam itself bearing against a rigid polystyrene wedging 19 surrounded by a cardboard ring 28. This ring is crushed by the collar 24 during a fall in the direction F.

The sleeve 10 has a conical outer surface 10a which is intended to cooperate with the internal surface of a stop 16.

This stop 16 is more particularly visible on the Figures 3a, 3b and 4 . It comprises a cone portion 16a and an inner cylinder 16b coaxial connected by radial ribs 16c (here six ribs 16c regularly distributed angularly, but only one rib is necessary).

The abutment 16 is made here in one piece of plastic material. As this is particularly visible in the figure 3a , the ribs 16c extend axially over the entire height of the abutment 16. As will be explained later, the inner cylinder 16b has the necessary height to ensure sufficient opening of the sleeve 10 in the unlocked position, in order to allow the passage of the flange 9 of the projectile 4b. The inner cylinder 16b has its base in the same plane as the large base 17 of the abutment 16.

The internal profile 18 of the abutment is a cone having the same conicity as the outer surface 10a of the sleeve 10.

The inner cylinder 16b has an internal diameter allowing the passage of the flange 9 of the nose 4c of the projectile 4b.

During the assembly of the container the slots 14 separating the fingers 13 receive the ribs 16c of the stop. The sleeve 10 then comes without disadvantages in contact with the stop 16 despite the presence of the inner cylinder 16b which is positioned inside the sleeve 10.

The fixed stop 16 is integral with a shim 20 of compressible material (for example foam) which is itself secured to the case 2 (by gluing or stapling).

The shim 20 thus has a conical inner bore 20a shaped to receive the abutment 16. The latter is immobilized axially relative to the shim 20 between two countersinks 21a and 21b. The mounting of the abutment 16 in the flexible wedge 20 is by simply clipping between the countersinks. The flexibility of the wedge material allows this mounting.

The shim 20 also has a conical profile 22 which extends that of the abutment 16 and is also applied against the outer profile of the sleeve 10 in its locked position.

When the container 1 receives a munition 4 and is closed (position of the figure 1 ), the sleeve 10 is in contact with the abutment 16 (as well as with the conical profile 22). Stop 16 and profile 22 thus prevent the radial opening of the fingers 13. This contact stiffens the fingers 13 by preventing their buckling under the action of a compressive force communicated by the ammunition 4. The fingers 13 therefore remain in place back of the collar 9 of the ammunition 4.

When the container 1 drops in the direction G, the body 4b of the projectile abuts against the sleeve 10 by its front portion 4e to the caliber ( figure 1 ).

The inertial forces of the munition are communicated by the sleeve 10 to the abutment 16 and the shim 20 which crushes to dampen the shock.

As this is particularly visible in the figure 2 to remove the ammunition from the container is slid the inner casing 3 towards the rear of the container. During this movement the fingers 13 are spaced radially by the inner cylinder 16b which remains fixed relative to the case 2. They then allow the passage of the collar 9 of the ammunition 4. The latter is no longer locked in translation and can be extracted without difficulty from the container 1.

To introduce a munition in the container will also slide back the envelope 3, which will have the effect of spreading the fingers 13 with the inner cylinder 16b, thus allowing the introduction of the ammunition.

It will be noted that, by design, the elasticity of the fingers 13 of the sleeve 10 would allow, during the introduction of the ammunition passage of the flange 9 of the nose (if the fingers 13 were not sufficiently spaced by the inner cylinder 16b) .

Various variants are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It is thus possible to define a container whose sleeve is of different shape and adapted to the profile of another type of projectile.

In all cases there will be provided flexible fingers bearing against an area of the projectile, the fingers being simply held in their locking position by a fixed stop and being spaced apart by appropriate means away from the projectile in their unlocked position, authorizing the extraction of the ammunition.

Claims (10)

1. A container (1) for ammunition of the type comprising a case (2) inside which an inner casing (3) receiving the ammunition (4) comprising a projectile (4b), able to slide between two axial positions, one in which it blocks the ammunition and the other in which it unblocks the ammunition, the inner casing (3) incorporating a front sleeve (10) having flexible fingers (13), such sleeve cooperating in its blocking position with a fixed limit stop (16) integral with the case and ensuring the retention of the fingers (13) on a zone of the projectile to limit its translation, such container being characterised in that the fingers (13) comprise a front part (13a) which is limited by a plan (10b) perpendicular to the axis (15) of the case and able to maintain a zone of the ammunition, the container incorporating means (16b) integral with the fixed stop (16) and ensuring a radial spacing of the flexible fingers (13) at a distance from the projectile in the unblocking position of the inner casing (3).
2. A container according to Claim 1, characterised in that the means ensuring the radial spacing of the fingers (13) comprise a cylinder (16b) coaxial to the inner casing (3).
3. A container according to Claim 2, characterised in that the fixed limit stop (16) incorporates a conical profile (18) cooperating, in the blocking position, with a matching profile (10a) on the fingers (13) of the sleeve (10).
4. A container according to Claim 3, characterised in that the fixed limit stop (16) comprises a conical portion (16a) connected to the coaxial cylinder (16b) by at least one radial rib (16c).
5. A container according to Claim 4, characterised in that the sleeve (10) incorporates slots (14) separating the fingers (13), such slots intended to receive the ribs (16c) on the fixed limit stop (16).
6. A container according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the fixed limit stop (16) is integral with a shim (20) made of a compressible material fixed to the case (2).
7. A container according to Claim 6, characterised in that the shim (20) of compressible material incorporates a conical profile (22) extending that of the limit stop (16).
8. A container according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the sleeve (10) of the inner casing (3) surrounds one front part (4e) of the projectile, an inner surface of the sleeve (10) forming a support for the ammunition body (4).
9. A container according to Claim 8, characterised in that the sleeve (10) is globally conical in shape surrounding a front part (4e) of the projectile, such sleeve extended by a seat (11) fastened to the inner casing (3).
10. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it incorporates at least one cylindrical shim (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 23e) integral with the inner casing (3), such shim intended to be placed between said casing and the ammunition (4).

Images