(19)
(11) EP 0 522 831 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
12.05.1993 Bulletin 1993/19

(43) Date of publication A2:
13.01.1993 Bulletin 1993/02

(21) Application number: 92306240.0

(22) Date of filing: 07.07.1992
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: F41A 9/16, F41A 9/21, F41A 9/43
(84) Designated Contracting States:
CH DE FR GB LI SE

(30) Priority: 12.07.1991 US 731164
10.01.1992 US 819546

(71) Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Lawrence, Keith Edward
    Peoria, Illinois 61614 (US)
  • Behrens, Edward Harold
    Cheshire Massachusetts 01225 (US)
  • Sullivan, Mary Beth
    Lititz, Pennsylvania 17543 (US)
  • Vanderwerken, James Michael
    Schoharie, New York 12157 (US)
  • Chiabrandy, Robert Ernest
    Burlington, Vermont 05401 (US)

(74) Representative: Szary, Anne Catherine et al
London Patent Operation, GE Technical Services Co. Inc., Essex House, 12-13 Essex Street
London WC2R 3AA
London WC2R 3AA (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Autoloading apparatus for tank cannon


    (57) An autoloader, capable of loading regardless of gun elevation, includes arcuate guide tracks, mounted for movement in azimuth with the gun and having a radius of curvature centered on the gun elevation axis, which serve to mount a trolley for guided movement between a lower magazine position and an upper gun loading position. A compact rammer, mounted by the trolley, extracts a shell from a magazine while in the trolley magazine position and controls the shell during transfer to the trolley gun loading position where the shell is rammed into the gun breech. In one disclosed embodiment, the guide tracks are mounted to a weapon pod of an exterior, turret mounted gun for movement in azimuth and elevation with the gun. In an alternative embodiment, the guide tracks are fixedly mounted in vertical orientation between the turret roof and the turret floor, and the rammer is pivotally mounted to the trolley to access shells from magazines variously located in the turret, the tank hull and the turret bustle.






    Search report