| JP08193796 | CARTRIDGE CASE FOR SIMULATED GUN |
| WO/2003/036221 | TARGET PRACTICE AMMUNITION |
| JP2011153987 | EJECTION TESTING APPARATUS |
| 1. | A mortar adapter for accommodation in the barrel of a mortar and including a projectile firing tube and a breech position, wherein the projectile firing tube can be loaded with a projectile of smaller caliber than the caliber of the mortar barrel, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by an automatically operating safety facility which includes a breech block (7, 9) which can be moved in the adapter in a guide means (4, 5) transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical breech position (2) and forms the bottom of the breech when fully inserted into the breech position and has such measure¬ ments in the insertion direction that at least one end (13, 14) will touch the adapter mantle line in the inserted posi tion and the other end will lie within the adapter, so that the adapter can be inserted freely into the barrel (16) of the mortar when the breech block (7, 9) is in its fully inserted position and, in said position, is acted upon by a spring force (20) which strives to pushout the breech block (7, 9) , wherein the breech block has a firing pin (15) which is positioned so that when the breech block (7, 9) is fully inserted, the firing pin will lie centrally in register with the mortar firing pin (22) , which is thus able to strike the firing pin (15) , which in turn strikes the detonator cap of the practice projectile of smaller caliber inserted in the adapter and whereby, when the adapter (1) is outside the barrel, the breech block (7, 9) is displaced from its inserted position by a spring force, so that the breech block (7, 9) will cover the detonator cap of the practice projectile of smaller caliber. |
| 2. | A mortar adapter according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the end of the adapter (1) which faces towards the barrel has an oblique slide surface (14) which is inclined inwardly and downwardly towards the underside of the breech block, so as to facilitate insertion of the breech block by pressing against the inner surface of the barrel (16). |
| 3. | A mortar adapter according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the breech block (7, 9) is twotiered and has geometrically two levels (7, 9), of which the width of one level or tier (7, 9) corresponds to the diameter of the breech (2) and the width of the other level or tier (9) is greater than the breech diameter, wherein the outer edges (10, 11) of said tier move in parallel grooves (4, 5) that are located on one side of the mortar adapter (1) and extend transversely to the breech (2) to at least the other side of the breech, so that when the breech block is inserted, the whole of the crosssectional area of the breech will be covered by the narrower tier (7) . |
| 4. | A mortar adapter according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the inner end of the breech block (7) is semicircular in shape (8, 12) . |
The present invention relates to a mortar adapter which has the form of a dummy mortar shell or projectile and which is 5 intended to fit the barrel of a standard mortar. The adapter has a practice missile launching tube and a practice missile breech position and can be loaded with a practice projectile whose caliber is smaller than the caliber of the mortar bar¬ rel. The object of the present invention is to provide a
10 mortar adapter which can be used in mortar practice and which will accommodate a practice projectile in a manner such that as the practice projectile is inserted in the mortar adapter, a safety device will be brought automatically from an active safe state to a released and locked state when the adapter is
15 inserted into the mortar barrel.
The object is achieved in that the safety function operates automatically and has the characteristic features set forth i the characterizing clause of the following Claims. 20
The invention will now be described in more detail with refe¬ rence to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
25 Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mortar adap¬ ter, adapter, and illustrates the locations of a practice projectile and a safety mechanism device in the form of an en closure piece, not shown in the Figure;
30 Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mortar adapter take along the line II-II in Figure 1 and rotated through 90°;
Figure 3 is a top view of the end-closure piece;
»
35 Figure 4 is a side view of the end-closure piece;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mortar adapter simi lar to the view shown in Figure 2, with the end- closure piec partially inserted into the mortar adapter from one side
thereof and located in a position of readiness in front of the launching tube;
Figure 6 illustrates the mortar adapter partially inserted into the mortar barrel and the end-closure piece inserted in a weapon-safe position in the mortar adapter; and
Figure 7 is a contemplated cross-sectional view illustrating the mortar adapter inserted to its bottom position in the barrel, wherein the Figure shows the end-closure piece fully inserted into the mortar adapter and locked in this position, although in a safety-release position for firing of the prac¬ tice projectile.
Figure 1 is thus a longitudinal sectional view of the mortar adapter, the largest dimension of which corresponds to the caliber of the mortar barrel. The rear end of the mortar adapter is the upper end of the illustrated adapter in Figure 1, and it is thus this end of the adapter that is inserted to the bottom position in the mortar. The mortar adapter has a centre bore 2 which forms the projectile breech position, i.e. the position of the practice projectile when located in its firing position in the mortar. The bottom end of the illustra¬ ted mortar adapter, i.e. the end which faces upwards in the mortar barrel, is provided with an attachment region 3 for accommodating the launching tube which serves as a practice projectile aiming or sighting tube. When firing a practice projectile with the aid of the mortar adapter, the adapter is first loaded with the practice projectile, placing the projec- tile in its breech position. The bottom of the breech is for¬ med by an end-closure piece, hereinafter called the breech block, (not shown in Figure l) , which is inserted into grooves 4 and 5 which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the breech and from one side of the mortar and beyond the other side of the breech, without passing through the other side of the mortar adapter.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II in Figure 1 and illustrates the cylindrical bore 2 of the breech.
The grooves 4 and 5 are shown to extend from the right side of the mortar adapter as shown in Figure 2, and to extend beyond the left side of the breech region. As will be seen from the Figure, the grooves have a semi-circular configuration after passing the symmetry line 6-6. A breech block is now inserted into the grooves 4 and 5, from the right side of the Figure 2 illustration. The breech block is shown in top view in Figure 3 and in side view in Figure 4. The breech block has two tiers or levels. A first tier 7 has a width which corresponds to the diameter of the breech 2. As will be seen from Figure 3, the left end of the breech block tier 7 is semi-circular in shape, as shown at 8. The other end of the tier 7 is straight. The other tier, or level, 9 is broader than the tier 7 and has edge regions 10 and 11 which fit into respective grooves 4 and 5. The inner end of the tier 7 is also semi-circular, as shown by the arc 12. The other edge is cut transversely in line with the edge of the tier 7. The right end edge of the breech block illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is provided with a guide shoul¬ der 13. The guide shoulder 13 has an oblique outer end which functions as a guide surface as the breech block or end- closure piece is pushed into the mortar adapter, i.e. into the grooves 4 and 5, by sliding against the inner surface of the barrel. This will be described in more detail further on. The breech block includes a striking pin mechanism 15, which is only shown schematically in the drawings and which is acti¬ vated by the conventional mortar firing pin mechanism when the breech block is in a practice projectile firing position, i.e. a safety release position.
Figure 5 illustrates the breech block 7 inserted slightly into the mortar adapter, although the adapter has not yet been in¬ serted fully into the mortar barrel, but lies in front of the mouth of the barrel. The barrel is referenced 16. Figure 5 also illustrates a breech block counterpressure mechanism or anvil, generally referenced 17. The counterpressure mechanism is located in the mortar adapter on the same level as the grooves 4 and 5 and at the bottom thereof. As will be seen, the grooves 4 and 5 are terminated at their respective bottoms in a semi-circular shape 18 corresponding to the semi-circular
shape 12 of the breech block. The counterpressure mechanism 17 is thus placed in the left end of the grooves 4 and 5. This counterpressure mechanism includes a pin 19 which acts against a pressure spring 20 and has an attachment in the bottom of a bore 21 accommodating the pin 19. The pin 19 is thus able to move backwards and forwards in the bore 21, against the force exerted by the spring 20.
Figure 6 illustrates the next position of the breech block, where the practice projectile is made safe against firing.
Thus, in this position, the practice projectile is located in the breech position, or alternatively a projectile propellant is placed in the breech position with the practice projectile placed in front of the propellant. Whichever case applies, the inner end of the propellant or the practice projectile, i.e. the end containing the fuse, rests against the upper side of the breech block 7. Since the practice projectile is centered in the breech, the detonator of the practice projectile will be located in the centre 22 of the breech. However, the breech block striking pin 15 is located on one side of the centre position 22, meaning that the detonator of the practice projectile cannot be activated, or alternatively the detonator of the propellant cannot be activated. For the sake of simpli¬ city, the practice projectile will be considered to include a propellant in the following, and consequently no difference will now be made between a propellant and a practice projec¬ tile. As shown in Figure 6, in this stage of operations, the breech block has not been inserted into the mortar adapter to an extent such that the guide shoulder passes free from the inner surface of the barrel 16. The mortar adapter thus still lies outside the mouth of the barrel. Neither is the inner end of the breech block affected by the counterpressure mechanism 17.
Figure 7 illustrates the breech block 7 in a locked and firing position. In this stage, the breech block 7 has been inserted into the mortar adapter to an extent at which the guide shoulder 13 is in engagement with the inner surface of the barrel and in which the left end of the breech block presses
the pin 19 against the force exerted by the spring 20. The mortar adapter is now inserted in the barrel and the pin 19 urges the breech block to the right through the action of the spring 20, so that the breech block 13 will now lie against the inner surface of the barrel. The breech block is therefore locked and located in its firing position, i.e. the firing pin 15 lies in the centre 22 of the barrel. When the mortar adap¬ ter, together with practice projectile and propellant, is dropped down in the barrel, the mortar firing mechanism will immediately activate the breech block firing pin and the pro¬ pellant will be fired, so as to propel the practice projectile from the firing tube of the mortar adapter and thus from the mortar. The mortar adapter, on the other hand, remains in the mortar barrel. Immediately the mortar adapter is removed from the barrel, the breech block returns automatically to the position illustrated in Figure 6, i.e. a safe position in which the mortar adapter can again be loaded with a propellant and practice projectile.
It should be noted that the mechanism described together with the breech block and grooves in the mortar adapter is referred to as a wedge mechanism in use with conventional guns. It should also be noticed that the mortar adapter has a configu¬ ration and weight which coincides with the shape and weight of standard conventional mortar ammunition.
It is emphasized that the mortar adapter (also called dummy mortar shell) is dropped into the mortar barrel and that the projectile propellant is fired when the mortar adapter reaches the firing position at the bottom of the mortar barrel, there¬ with propelling the practice projectile from the barrel.
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