Claims
- 1. A gun trunnion angular-sensing mechanism operable with a gun mounted for elevational rotation on a gun trunnion, comprising:an angular-position readout device comprising an angular position sensor and having an input shaft; and a linkage including two pinned joints and extending between the gun trunnion and the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, the linkage rotating the input shaft proportionately to a rotation of the gun on the gun trunnion, and wherein the input shaft of the angular position readout device is supported on a bearing structure.
- 2. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the angular-position readout device is an angular resolver.
- 3. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the linkage is a parallelogram linkage.
- 4. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the linkage is a parallelogram linkage havinga gun trunnion arm affixed at a first end thereof to the gun trunnion and rotating with the gun trunnion, the gun trunnion arm having a gun trunnion-arm length, a control arm parallel to the gun trunnion arm and having a control-arm length equal to the gun trunnion-arm length, the control arm being affixed at a first end thereof to the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, a fixed arm comprising a body which is fixed relative to the gun trunnion and the angular-position readout device, and having a fixed-side length measured between the gun trunnion and the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, and a linkage arm having a linkage-arm length equal to the fixed-side length, the linkage arm being pivotably attached at a first end thereof to a second end of the gun trunnion arm and being pivotably attached at a second end thereof to a second end of the control arm.
- 5. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the rotation of the input shaft is the same as the rotation of the gun trunnion.
- 6. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the gun is a gun in a turret of a tank.
- 7. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the angular-position readout device produces an angular position output signal on a cable.
- 8. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, further includinga fire-control computer that receives an output signal of the angular-position readout device.
- 9. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pinned joints includes a pivotable attachment comprising a double-row, angular contact, ball bearing.
- 10. A gun trunnion angular-sensing mechanism operable with a gun mounted for elevational rotation on a gun trunnion, comprising:an angular-position readout device comprising an angular position sensor and having an input shaft, wherein the input shaft of the angular position readout device is supported on a bearing structure; and a linkage rotating the input shaft by the same amount as a rotation of the gun trunnion, the linkage comprising a gun trunnion arm affixed at a first end thereof to the gun trunnion and rotating with the gun trunnion, the gun trunnion arm having a gun trunnion-arm length, a control arm parallel to the gun trunnion arm and having a control-arm length equal to the gun trunnion-arm length, the control arm being affixed at a first end thereof to the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, a fixed arm comprising a body which is fixed relative to the gun trunnion and the angular-position readout device, and having a fixed-side length measured between the gun trunnion and the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, and a linkage arm having a linkage-arm length equal to the fixed-side length, the linkage arm being pivotably attached at a first end thereof to a second end of the gun trunnion arm and being pivotably attached at a second end thereof to a second end of the control arm.
- 11. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the gun trunnion arm is integral with the gun trunnion.
- 12. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the angular-position readout device is an angular resolver.
- 13. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the gun is in a turret of a tank.
- 14. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the angular-position readout device produces an angular position output signal on a cable.
- 15. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 10, further includinga fire-control computer that receives an output signal of the angular-position readout device.
- 16. A gun trunnion angular-sensing mechanism operable with a gun mounted for elevational rotation on a gun trunnion, comprising:an angular-position readout device comprising an input shaft, an angular position sensor that reads an angular position of the input shaft, and an input-shaft bearing structure supporting the input shaft; and a linkage rotating the input shaft by the same amount as a rotation of the gun trunnion, the linkage comprising a gun trunnion arm affixed at a first end thereof to the gun trunnion and rotating by the same amount as the gun trunnion, the gun trunnion arm having a gun trunnion-arm length, a control arm parallel to the gun trunnion arm and having a control-arm length equal to the gun trunnion-arm length, the control arm being affixed at a first end thereof to the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, a fixed arm comprising a body which is fixed relative to the gun trunnion and the angular-position readout device, and having a fixed-side length measured between the gun trunnion and the input shaft of the angular-position readout device, and a linkage arm having a linkage-arm length equal to the fixed-side length, a first pivotable attachment between a first end of the linkage arm and a second end of the gun trunnion arm, and a second pivotable attachment between a second end of the linkage arm and a second end of the control arm.
- 17. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the angular position sensor is of the inductance type.
- 18. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the first pivotable attachment comprises a first double-row, angular contact, ball bearing.
- 19. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the second pivotable attachment comprises a second double-row, angular contact, ball bearing.
- 20. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the gun trunnion arm is integral with the gun trunnion.
- 21. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the angular-position readout device is an angular resolver.
- 22. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, wherein the angular-position readout device produces an angular position output signal on a cable.
- 23. The angular-sensing mechanism of claim 16, further includinga fire-control computer that receives an output signal of the angular-position readout device.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/162,442, filed Oct. 29, 1999
US Referenced Citations (10)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/162442 |
Oct 1999 |
US |