Title: Target-actuated weapon
Abstract: A weapon for accurately launching a projectile of a firearm toward a target and no other point of strike, comprising an electrically-actuated firearm with axially-stacked ammunition loads, a target sensor unit which generates a target sensor signal at such times as the projected bullet's point of strike and the projected target position coincide; a fire controller which generates a firing signal when both a trigger signal and a target sensor signal are present; and a sequence controller actuated by the firing signal to ignite one or more of the axially stacked ammunition loads to cause the projectile to strike the projected location of a target.
Patent Number: 6,871,439 Issued on 03/29/2005 to Edwards
| Inventors:
|
Edwards; Oliver Jackson (Foster City, CA)
|
| Assignee:
|
Zyberwear, Inc. (Ocoee, FL)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
663459 |
| Filed:
|
September 16, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
42/84; 89/41.01; 89/41.17 |
| Intern'l Class: |
F41A 017//00 |
| Field of Search: |
42/84
89/41.01,41.17
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 3650174 | Mar., 1972 | Nelson | 89/28.
|
| 4063368 | Dec., 1977 | McFarland et al. | 434/22.
|
| 4285153 | Aug., 1981 | Crouch | 42/84.
|
| 4332098 | Jun., 1982 | Estenevy | 42/84.
|
| 4370914 | Feb., 1983 | Voles | 89/41.
|
| 4402251 | Sep., 1983 | Burke et al. | 89/41.
|
| 4606256 | Aug., 1986 | De'Ath | 89/41.
|
| 4718187 | Jan., 1988 | Blake | 42/84.
|
| 4793085 | Dec., 1988 | Surawski | 89/36.
|
| 5272828 | Dec., 1993 | Petrick et al. | 42/84.
|
| 5392688 | Feb., 1995 | Boutet et al. | 89/41.
|
| 5544439 | Aug., 1996 | Grember et al. | 42/114.
|
| 5625972 | May., 1997 | King et al. | 42/84.
|
| 5937558 | Aug., 1999 | Gerard | 42/84.
|
| 5966859 | Oct., 1999 | Samuels | 600/500.
|
| 6123007 | Sep., 2000 | O'Dwyer | 89/135.
|
| 6174288 | Jan., 2001 | Samuels | 42/70.
|
| 6237462 | May., 2001 | Hawkes et al. | 89/41.
|
| 6286241 | Sep., 2001 | Constant et al. | 42/84.
|
| 6321478 | Nov., 2001 | Klebes | 42/84.
|
| 6360469 | Mar., 2002 | Mikuta et al. | 89/41.
|
| 6510643 | Jan., 2003 | O'Dwyer | 42/84.
|
| 6572375 | Jun., 2003 | Shechter et al. | 434/19.
|
Primary Examiner: Carone; Michael J.
Assistant Examiner: Thomson; M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Steinberger; Brian S.
Law Offices of Brian S. Steinberger, P.A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A system for electronically actuating a firearm, comprising:
a target sensor unit configured to determine a target offset angle, compute
a point-of-aim offset angle, and generate a target sensor signal when the
target offset angle and the point-of-aim offset angle are substantially
coterminous, having the same end point, wherein the target sensor unit
further comprises
a target sensor configured with a first detector to detect electromagnetic
radiation having wavelengths within 8 to 14 microns and to generate
detector signals, and
a target sensor processor coupled to the target sensor for analyzing the
detector signals to generate the target sensor signal; and
a firing unit electrically coupled to the target sensor unit, the firing
unit configured to electronically ignite one or more axially loaded
ammunition loads upon receiving the target sensor signal and a trigger
signal.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the target sensor unit further comprises:
a second detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation having
wavelengths within 3 to 5 microns and having signals which are spatially
correlated with the signals of the first detector having wavelengths
within 8 to 14 microns, and the target sensor processor analyzes signals
from the first and second detectors, which first and second detector
signals in ratio are indicative of target temperature.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the target sensor is an array of
microbolometer detector elements.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the target sensor array is a quad cell
detector array.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the target sensor is an array of detector
elements from among the class of barium strontium titanate, vandium oxide,
amorphous silicon or bimetal compositions.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein a position of a target is determined by a
sum of moments of the signals from ents illuminated by a target image.
7. A system for electronically actuating a firearm, comprising:
a target sensor unit configured to determine a target offset angle, compute
a point-of-aim offset angle, and generate a target sensor signal when the
target offset angle and the point-of-aim offset angle are substantially
coterminous, having the same end point; and
a firing unit electrically coupled to the target sensor unit, the firing
unit configured to electronically ignite one or more axially loaded
ammunition loads upon receiving the target sensor signal and a trigger
signal, the firing unit further comprising
an ammunition tube configured to store the one or more axially loaded
ammunition loads;
an ammunition tube receiver configured to insertably accept the ammunition
tube;
a fire controller for generating a firing signal upon processing the target
sensor signal and the trigger signal; and
a sequence controller for sequentially discharging the one or more axially
loaded ammunition loads upon receiving the firing signal.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ammunition tube has a conically
shaped receiver end electrically coupled to the ammunition tube receiver,
and a distal muzzle end for guiding the discharged one or more axially
loaded ammunition loads.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein an outer wall thickness of the ammunition
tube is 0.03 to 0.25 inches.
10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:
a plurality of receiver tube electrical contacts;
a receiver firing circuit configured to electrically couple the sequence
controller and the plurality of receiver tube contacts;
a plurality of ammunition tube contacts electrically coupled to the
plurality of receiver tube contacts; and
an ammunition tube internal firing circuit for electrically coupling each
of the plurality of ammunition tube contacts with a corresponding
ammunition load of the one or more axially loaded ammunition loads.
11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:
a plurality of ammunition tubes;
the ammunition tube receiver configured to insertably accept the plurality
of ammunition tubes; and
the sequence controller for sequentially discharging the one or more
axially loaded ammunition loads in the plurality of ammunition tubes upon
receiving the firing signal.
12. A method for actuating a firearm having axially loaded ammunition
loads, comprising the steps of:
identifying a target based upon target radiation patterns having
wavelengths within 8 to 20 microns;
determining a point-of-aim offset angle based upon a bullet drop, a firearm
delay time and the motion of the firearm;
determining a target offset angle based on motion of the target, a flight
velocity of the axially loaded ammunition loads, and a target range; and
electronically igniting the axially loaded ammunition loads when end points
of the point-of-aim offset angle and the target offset angle are
substantially coincident.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of computing a
centroid of the target radiation patterns, the centroid corresponding to a
target position.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of defining a
central zone of the target radiation patterns, the central zone
corresponding to a target position.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the central zone is bordered by a
radiance contour, the radiance contour defined at points within the target
radiation patterns where a second derivative of radiance of the target
radiation patterns is zero along a chord of the target radiation patterns.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to weapons and more particularly to a novel weapon
selectively capable of firing only on targets having a particular
radiative characteristic.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to employ a weapon
having various aids to sighting the weapon: i.e., indicating to the
operator the point of strike of the missile upon a visualized background
or field of view. The effective use of such weapons has involved having
the operator visually acquire a target image (whether by direct vision or
by augmented vision such as image intensifier, video or thermal infrared
telescope), aim the weapon by bringing the weapon sight ("crosshairs")
onto the target image, and choose the moment to manually pull a trigger to
cause the weapon to discharge the missile.
The literature is rich in inventions to enhance respectively the sighting
means, the manual trigger means, the ammunition, ammunition delivery
mechanization, and the operator's optical/mechanical/electronic interface.
It is very nearly empty of art addressing the problem of reliably firing
the weapon on, and only on the target. Historically, the use of firearms
to cause enemy casualties has been marginally effective. Some 5,000 rounds
were fired in the American Civil War for each enemy casualty. Such
ammunition expenditure rose in WWII to 35,000 rounds. American forces in
Viet Nam are variously estimated to have expended 100,000 to 200,000
small-arms rounds, or some two to four tons of small-arms ammunition, per
enemy casualty.
This problem of hitting the target is not primarily a challenge of firearm
design. On a rifle range the soldier is trained for endless hours to
compensate for mechanical and ballistic limitations of his weapon and to
repeatedly put his bullets "in the black" of the small paper targets. The
primary problem with firearm ineffectiveness in the field is the human
involvement. This includes the time to notice and identify an uncertain
and moving target, the time to bring the weapon into alignment, the
erratic motion of the shooter at the best of times, his increased
oscillation and shaking during combat, and the movement of the weapon as
the trigger is jerked, and again as the firing pin plunges into the
primer. When the target is running, hiding and shooting back, the soldier
tends simply to fire as many bullets as he can as fast as he can in the
general direction of the enemy, in hopes that some of them will hit
something useful. Prior art firearms thus have the immediate safety
disadvantage that almost no shot fired in combat causes an enemy casualty.
Statistically, weapon fire in combat serves only to intimidate the enemy
or to comfort the shooter. Further, bringing the ammunition to its point
of use is a great logistics and soldier burden. In addition, the monetary
cost of such combat expendables is large: of the order of the cost of a
personnel vehicle.
What has been lacking in prior art is a weapon which can sense when a
target is present at the projected point of impact of the missile, and
precisely fire the weapon at that instant. This requires that a target
sensor be provided with a firearm means which is capable of electric
initiation, which discharges quickly in response to the electrical signal,
and which provides repeating cycling without the delay and complexity of
mechanical reloading. To be of practical value in combat, the sensor
electronics must provide corrections for both target and weapon motion.
The firearm must be free of mechanical vibrations or shaking which would
disturb the quality of aim, and the entire system must be easily
manufactured, low in cost, and rugged in field use.
A practical target sensor and method for integration with such a weapon has
not been available. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,688 (1995) shows the use of a
television camera as a weapon sight for aiming, wherein the rifleman
designates the "target" by placing the scope crosshairs on it and
partially depressing the trigger. While it is not clear why the rifleman
would at that point prefer simply to kill the target, this patent invokes
an undisclosed "autolock-follow processor" circuit to differentiate and
follow a target and ignore the background. Such capability is not
generally known in the art. Further, the weapon is described simply as
"fired electrically" and no useful firearm method is taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,914 (1983) teaches a gun-aiming method for
calculationally averaging the swings of a rifleman's point of aim by
gyroscopic measurement. The rifleman first designates the desired point of
aim using his trigger switch. As said above, it is unclear why shooting at
that point would not be preferable to later swinging back to that point
and electrically firing the weapon. Of further disadvantage, the sighting
method is taught by its claimed results, not as an limitable design or
manufacture. Further, the use of a visible-light camera is taught and
illustrated and claimed, which greatly limits the use of the method in
combat. Further, no method for electrically firing the weapon is taught,
but the electrical firing is simply invoked without teaching. Finally, no
provision is taught for correcting for the effects of angular velocity
either of the target or of the weapon; thus at best the taught method of
aiming would be accurate only for a stationary weapon and stationary
target.
Several methods in the art are intended to relate the weapon fire to the
sensed presence of a target. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,439 (1996) describes a
modification to a prior art weapon with percussive firing, wherein the
sear is operated by a solenoid in response to a target signal. The target
signal is generated by a single infrared detector at the focal plane of a
lens. In that only a single detector is used, the weapon can provide no
compensation for either target motion or weapon motion. Additionally, no
method of interpreting the signal to differentiate human radiation from
other radiation patterns is taught. Use of electromechanical actuation has
the disadvantages both of firing pin jolt and solenoidal mass
acceleration. Both of these are likely to cause a significant movement of
the point of aim between electronic "fire" command and the exit of the
bullet from the barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,859 (1999) describes the use of infrared radiation from
a target imaged on a pyroelectric quad cell through unspecified optical
filters, to cause a solenoid to pull the trigger on a gun. Pyroelectric
detectors require the use of a mechanical chopper to modulate the incident
optical beam on and off, with the inherent disadvantages of mechanical
complexity, fragility and loss of half the target signal time. Further,
use of a pyroelectric quad cell significantly limits the detection range
due to its electronic noise. Additionally, no method is taught for
interpreting the signal to differentiate human radiation from, e.g.,
flames. No provision is made for compensating the point of aim for target
motion or weapon motion. The invention cannot deal with separate or
overlapping targets, but would shoot exactly between two targets standing
near each one another. The aiming disadvantages of mechanical percussion
firing are further increased by the taught impulse motion and delay in
action of a solenoid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,288 (2001) couples the matter of U.S. Pat. No.
5,966,859 above with a heart-beat cycle aiming indicating device, with no
abatement of the disadvantages noted above.
In the rich literature of inventions related to weapons, almost all
firearms taught since 1900 describe or assume ammunition loads to be
cartridges pre-packaged with ammunition and primer, loaded one at a time
into the weapon receiver, and mechanically discharged by percussion on the
primer. After firing, the chamber is cleared and a new ammunition load is
introduced for firing. This procedure can be done in a single shot or
manual manner or, as in automatic weapons, the pace or loading and
unloading procedure cycled faster so that multiple rounds or shots can be
fired in quick succession. However, it is to be understood that regardless
of how fast the mechanism for loading and unloading may be driven by
either recoil or external power, the sequence taught is first to load the
firing chamber with the proper cartridge followed by firing of that
cartridge and removal of the residue or cartridge casing which is then
replaced by another cartridge or ammunition load preparatory to a second
firing. Further, the method for igniting the propelling charge is
typically mechanical: the fall of the firing pin on the primer. The use of
percussion primers and associated physical components in modern firearms
has imposed constraints which have inhibited significant advances in
accuracy, safety, performance and reliability.
Although electronic components have been designed into the ignition systems
of firearms, generally the electrical components either supplement or
displace existing parts of the mechanical firing mechanism. A number of
methods for discharging a weapon using an electrical signal have been
taught in the art. These fall generally into one of two classes:
electro-percussive firing of conventional primers, or electric ignition of
flammable primers. Electro-percussive inventions are exemplified by the
following.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,187 (1988) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,085 (1988) teach the
use of a solenoid to actuate the firing pin, which increases the vibration
problems of mechanical pulse.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,469 (2002) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,558 (1999) teach the
use of a high voltage pulse through a mechanically driven firing pin to
ignite the primer, which retains the vibration while adding a thermal
pulse rise-time delay.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,153 (1981) describe a form of axially preloaded
magazine in which the ammunition loads are sequentially fired through a
plastic tube, inserted as a unit behind a separate smooth-bore weapon
barrel. This disadvantageous separation of the ammunition from the barrel
is overcome in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,007 (2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,643
(2003), in which preloading of the actual barrel is taught. However, these
last teach only a particular method of barrel assembly, and do not address
the system issues of such an electrically actuated firearm, especially a
means to direct the fire to the target.
Some electrical firearms using non-impact electric ignition of the primer
have been developed, but with significant limitations. For examples, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,332,098 (1982), U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,241 (2001) and U.S. Pat.
No. 3,650,174 (1972) teach the use of a spring-loaded pin delivering a
high voltage pulse to resistively heat and ignite the primer, which
requires a relatively slow firing cycle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,972 (1997)
discloses an electrically discharged firearm in which a heat sensitive
primer is ignited by a voltage induced across a fuse wire extending
through the primer. A laser ignited primer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,272,828 (1993), wherein an optically transparent plug or window is
centered in the case of the cartridge to permit laser ignition of the
primer. In such a device, however, power requirements are substantial and
limiting. In none of the devices of this paragraph is any other method of
sustained fire feasible, except by mechanically rejecting spent cartridges
and cycling another into the breech block, with the disadvantages of
mechanical disturbance of the point of aim and slow cycle rate as already
said.
Difficulties and problems have been encountered when employing such prior
art devices and procedures which stem largely from the fact that the
ammunition is loaded sequentially into the chamber which is time consuming
and the firing is achieved through mechanical means which is slow in
reaction time. Thus the prior art does not lend to nonmechanical rapid
firing of ammunition loads nor lend to fast-response electronic control of
the discharge. Additionally, the "fire" decision is not based on corrected
prediction of the intersection of the point of impact on a human-spectrum
radiator, including target motion and weapon motion.
In addition to the lack of a target sensor which is capable of sensing a
target, differentiating it from the background, separating and locating
intersecting target images, and compensating for weapon and target motion,
and the lack of a fast-firing, non-mechanical, easily manufactured firearm
component, provision of integration of such a target sensor with such a
weapon has been lacking.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a novel weapon which
fires only when the bullet or missile will usefully impact in a target.
Further, a long standing need has existed to provide a target sensor
combined with a corresponding novel weapon which weapon incorporates a
plurality of ammunition loads which may be electronically detonated so as
to fire individual or multiple loads from within the same firing chamber,
and thus be amenable to near-instantaneous firing response to electrical
signals from the target sensor, without mechanical impulse or vibration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION--OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the target-actuated
weapon described above, several objects and advantages of the present
invention are:
(a) to provide a firearm having multi-function capabilities attributable to
an all-electric fire control system that actuates the discharge only when
the firearm is aimed to strike a target.
(b) to provide a target-actuated firearm with rapid firing of missiles in
predetermined sequence, only upon targets as available.
(c) to provide a target-actuated firearm with selectable manual control of
firing of missiles in predetermined sequence independent of target
availability.
(d) to provide a firearm having great savings of ammunition, which if
otherwise fired would miss the target.
(e) to provide a firearm having increased lethal effectiveness for the
enhanced protection of a user in battle.
(f) to provide a firing and ignition system capable of transmitting a
firing signal from a target sensor processor through sequencing circuitry
connected to a power source and causing firing pulses to sequentially
launch axially-stacked missiles.
(g) to provide a firearm having greater fire power than can otherwise be
obtained by prior automatic weapons, by utilization of axially-stacked
loads of ammunition and provision of electrical signals for firing them
sequentially at an electronically-controlled rate.
(h) to provide a firearm which does not require selective aiming to rapidly
place at least one missile onto each target over which the point of aim
passes as it is traversed.
(i) to provide a safe, reliable, high-performance, modular, target-actuated
firearm that uses electrical power to ignite a primer for firing.
(j) to provide a firearm that eliminates the need for costly, moving and
wear-prone mechanical components for igniting ammunition primer.
(k) to provide a firearm that eliminates the need for cumbersome, jarring
and wear-prone mechanical components to sequentially load cartridges into
a breech block.
(l) to provide a target-actuated firearm having enhanced reliability,
efficient use of munitions, simplified manufacturability, and competitive
cost, inherently attributable to its modular design.
(m) to provide a firearm having superior target sensing according to
selected target characteristics.
(n) to provide a firearm having compensation of firing direction for target
motion and for weapon motion.
(o) to provide superior performance by eliminating mechanical components
associated with conventional firing mechanisms which tend to pull or jar a
weapon's aim off target.
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to
provide a novel weapon which incorporates a target sensor and a plurality
of ammunition loads that may be fired in a serial manner and in accordance
with a pre-determined sequence from a single barrel, on the occasion of
having both a firing command and a target at the missile's point of
impact.
The present invention attains these objects and other inherent objects and
advantages as described herein.
SUMMARY
In accordance with the present invention a weapon comprises an
electrically-actuated firearm, a target sensor, analytic and power
electronics to actuate the weapon fire at such time both that the user has
signaled a desire or readiness to fire and that a target is present at the
expected point of strike of the missile.
Accordingly, the problems and difficulties already described are obviated
by the present invention which provide a novel weapon having a target
sensor unit comprising a target sensor and a target sensor processor,
which transmits a "target-present" target sensor signal to a fire
controller at such times that the point of missile impact coincides with a
projected target position. The fire controller creates a firing signal
when it receives both a "target present" signal and a trigger signal. A
stock is provided for mounting one or a plurality of ammunition tubes and
for incorporating a trigger mechanism. A sequence controller means
actuates a firing circuit means upon receipt of the firing signal. An
ammunition tube is provided which houses a plurality of axially stacked
ammunition loads wherein each load comprises a detonator, gunpowder,
wadding and suitable missile. The ammunition tube incorporates a firing
circuit means, which may be electronically energized via the sequence
controller for selectively detonating selected or respective ones of the
plurality of ammunition loads.
The target sensor has an electronic fiducial mark which is adjusted to
coincide with the conjugate image of the missile's expected point of
impact. The target sensor receives radiation from the target, and provides
an image signal to the target sensor processor. Typically, this will be
infrared radiation, and the preferred radiation for human targets will be
detected in the waveband 6 to 20 microns, and preferably in the waveband
of 8 to 14 microns. The target sensor processor discriminates the target
radiation from the background radiation and determines the velocity of the
target relative to the average background, and transmits a "target
present" signal to the firing unit when the projected target position is
coincident with the fiducial. The firing unit transmits a firing signal
when both a trigger signal and a target present signal are received. This
firing signal causes the receiver firing circuit means to initiate a
firing pulse which is received by the ammunition tube firing circuit
means, and thereby ignites the gunpowder in the selected ammunition load
to place the missile approximately on the centroid of the target. An
electronic sequence controller is operably connected between the trigger
mechanism and the receiver firing circuit so that the sequence of firing
of the ammunition loads for units is sensibly automatic and does not
require any pre-selection on the part of the operator. Means are provided
within the bore of the ammunition tube for defining individual firing
chambers therein and for accepting and distributing the forces of recoil
into the barrel to prevent pre-ignition of the next propellant charge, and
into the stock of the weapon for external support.
A manual fire selector switch means is provided, whereby the fire
controller may be actuated and the weapon fired independent of any target
sensor signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, repeated elements retain the same number.
FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of the firing algorithm of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a side-elevational view, partly in section, of a novel firearm
or weapon incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a front-elevational view of the firearm or weapon shown in
FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 shows a side-elevational view of a three-chambered ammunition tube
employed in the weapon, of FIGS. 2 and 3, including its interface with the
muzzle end of the receiver, with tube bore and typical internal ammunition
loading indicated in dotted lines.
FIG. 5 shows a fragmentary sectional view of the ammunition tube receiver
showing circular electrical conductors on the ammunition tube and
congruent electrical conductors in the ammunition tube receiver;
FIG. 6 shows a side-elevational view of a three-chambered ammunition tube
employed in the weapon of FIGS. 2 and 3 and partly broken away to expose a
typical ammunition or firing load;
FIG. 7 shows a side-elevational view of a target sensor employed in the
weapon of FIGS. 2 and 3 and partly broken away to expose the lens means
and the detector, and showing the ray traces from typical targets;
FIG. 8 shows a simplest detector element array;
FIG. 9 shows a quad-cell detector array, with an indicated target image;
FIG. 10 shows a cruciform detector array;
FIG. 11 shows a matrix detector array, with a multiplicity of typical
target images;
FIG. 12 shows a quantified target image on a matrix detector array;
FIG. 13 shows a multiplicity of quantified target images on a matrix
detector array;
FIG. 14 shows a side-elevational view of a dual-waveband target sensor
employed in the weapon of FIGS. 2 and 3 and partly broken away to expose
the lens means, the beamsplitter, and the dual detectors, and showing the
ray trace from an on-axis targets;
FIG. 15 shows the vector directions of the weapon and target motion in the
far field, and
FIG. 16 shows a typical thermal image of a scene in the field, with a scan
pattern of the user's point of aim.
DRAWINGS - REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 Target Sensor
2 Stock
3 Trigger
4 Ammunition tube
5 Ammunition tube receiver
6 Receiver firing circuit
7 Manual fire selector
8A Ammunition tube contacts
8B Receiver tube contacts
9 Fire controller
10 Sequence controller
11 Target sensor processor
12 Power supply
13 Shoulder interface
14A Hand grip
14B Trigger guard
15 Barrel
16 Lands
17 Missile assembly
18 Propellant
18A Propellant, solid missile
18B propellant, bursting missile
19 Ammunition tube firing circuit
20A Wadding, solid missile
20B Wadding, bursting missile
21A Solid missile
21B Bursting missile
22A Detonation plate, solid missile
22B Detonation plate, bursting missile
23 Lens means
24 Sensing reticle
25 First target
26 Image of first target
27 Second target
28 Image of second target
29 single-sensor reticle
30 reference sensor
31 Quad cell element
32 Image on quad cell
33 Cruciform reticle
34 Image of point of strike
35 Bright target spot
36 Dimmer target spot
37 Yet dimmer target spot
38 target image
39 distant target image
40 Target image of intermediate distance
41 Vertical median irradiance
42 horizontal median irradiance
43 Single blob extended image
44 Multiple blob extended image
45 Second sensing reticle
46 Beamsplitter
47 Image focal cone
48 Lens means
49 First window
50A Boresight; point of aim
50B Point of aim offset angle
51A A first target
51B Target offset angle
52 A second target
53 First window
54 Second window
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are
set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present
invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together
with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by
reference to the following description, taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
The weapon will be described in two parts: the electrically controlled
firing subsystem and the target sensor subsystem which controls the firing
subsystem. Referring to FIG. 1, the operation of the novel weapon of the
present invention is illustrated in an operational flow diagram. The
electrically controlled firing system has two major subsystems: the target
sensor unit and the firing unit. Starting from the top, the system has a
power-saving on/off switch, not shown. A target sensor creates a signal
related to the scene which it images, and the signal is analyzed in the
target sensor processor. The target sensor processor outputs a signal when
a target is detected and projected to be at the weapon's projected point
of impact. In the firing unit, a trigger means creates a "fire" trigger
signal which indicates the desire of the operator to have the weapon fire.
Signals from the trigger means and the target sensor processor are input
to a fire controller which performs a logical AND operation, and from
which .backslash.a signal is sent to the sequence control means. The
sequence control means energizes one of a plurality of conductors in the
receiver firing circuit in the weapon stock, which signal is conductively
transmitted to one of a matching plurality of conductors comprising the
ammunition tube firing circuit in the proximal end of ammunition tube.
Each of the conductor pairs operates through the ammunition tube internal
firing circuit to cause the discharge of a single ammunition load. if the
operator actuates the trigger means AND if the target sensor processor
indicates that a target is present at the point of impact, then the weapon
fires one or more ammunition loads, in sequential order from the muzzle
end to the receiver end of the ammunition tube. Additionally, an override
means is provided as a "manual fire switch" which on closure enables the
operator to discharge the weapon directly, at will, independent of signals
from the sensor.
Referring to FIG. 2, the novel weapon of the present invention is
illustrated in a side view which includes a target sensor 1, and a stock 2
having a recoil transfer means 13 extending from one end thereof. The
stock 2 also includes a trigger means 3 and a hollow ammunition tube
receiver 5 which can insertably accept and fixedly locate one or more
ammunition tubes 4. As exemplified in this preferred embodiment, the stock
2 has a hand grip 14A and trigger guard 14B. In the preferred embodiment
the recoil transfer means 13 is a shoulder interface. In a pistol
embodiment of the weapon this will not be included; the hand grip 14B will
serve to absorb the recoil. In a mortar or field piece embodiment of the
weapon the recoil means may be a mounting structure which transfers the
recoil to the surface which supports the mounting structure The ammunition
tube 4 contains a plurality of contiguous axially stacked ammunition loads
adjacent the receiver 5 and is terminated at the distal end with a barrel
15 which serves to direct the trajectory of the missile. The ammunition
loads are individually discharged by electrical signals from the sequence
controller 9, which signals are transmitted to the ammunition load via the
receiver firing circuit 6, the receiver tube electrical contacts 8B, the
ammunition tube contacts 8A (here 8A and 8B are shown superimposed) and
the ammunition tube internal firing circuit which is shown in a subsequent
figure. The trigger means 3 creates an electrical signal to the fire
controller 10. The target sensor 1 creates a signal to the target sensor
processor 11 which analyzes the input signal to note the presence of a
target, and transmits a "target present" signal to the fire controller 10.
The fire controller 10 typically will be a microprocessor means, and
performs a mathematical AND operation on the inputs from the trigger means
3 and the target sensor processor 11 to create an output signal pulse to
the sequence controller 9. On receipt of the latter signal, the sequence
controller 9 discharges the ammunition loads sequentially, from the muzzle
end to the receiver end. These electrical operations are powered by a
power supply 12, typically carried within the stock 2.
A manual fire selector 7 is a switch means which enables direct operation
of the fire controller 10, such that the weapon is caused to discharge in
a preset firing sequence independent of the signal state from the target
sensor 1. The preset firing sequence might be a single shot, or a
plurality of sequential shots. The preset firing sequence is stored in the
fire controller 10, and is entered by the operator using a prior art data
entry pad such as a key pad, which is not shown.
For exposition, the firing signal generator, sequence controller, target
sensor processor and power supply are shown as separate elements.
Obviously these may be combined in one or more electronics units for
manufacturing convenience.
The weapon of FIG. 2 is shown as having a single ammunition tube 4. In
another embodiment, the receiver 5 will have a plurality of parallel ports
which can insertably accept and fixedly locate a corresponding plurality
of ammunition tubes 4. This multiplies the number of missiles which may be
fired without replacing ammunition tubes. Further, this multiple-tube
embodiment permits multiple types of ammunition loads to be installed for
selected use, such separate ammunition tubes each containing for examples
shotgun loads, or grenade loads, or solid shot loads. In this latter
embodiment comprising a plurality of ammunition tubes in the receiver, the
fire selector 7 will further provide for selection of the order in which
the ammunition tubes are to be discharged.
Referring to FIG. 3, the novel weapon of the present invention is
illustrated in an end view of the muzzle end which further illustrates the
target sensor 1, the receiver 5, and the barrel 15 where the lands 16 are
shown. The lands are raised spirals in the barrel which serve to rotate
solid projectiles to gyroscopically stabilize their axes in flight.
Referring to FIG. 4, the ammunition tube 4 is shown in an external view,
with internal parts indicated in dotted lines. The ammunition loads
comprise propellant 18 and the missile assembly 17. The ammunition tube
firing circuit 19 is comprised of a plurality of conductors, each of which
leads from a segment on the ammunition tube contacts 8A to the respective
propellant load 18. The ammunition tube firing circuit carries the
electrical signal which ignites the propellant; the other side of the
circuit, or "ground" is to the casing of the ammunition tube, which is
further connected to one of the segments of the ammunition tube contacts
8A. In this preferred embodiment the electrical contacts 8A are individual
circular rings stacked within a conical shape envelope, and insert into a
congruent mating conical port in the ammunition tube receiver 5, which
also serves to mechanically locate the receiver end of the ammunition tube
4 relative to the stock 2. The circular symmetry of the electrical contact
rings permits insertion and functioning of the ammunition tube in any
rotational position. The ammunition tube 4 is axially compressed into the
ammunition tube receiver 5 by a captivation means linking the two elements
comprising a ring 49 on the ammunition tube and a clamping means 50 or 51
affixed to the receiver.
In this preferred embodiment, the ring 51 affixed to the ammunition tube is
clamped against a mating surface integral to the receiver 5, and is
axially fastened thereto by a mechanical clamp means 52. In another
embodiment the ring 50 is of a ferromagnetic material and a mating ring 49
integral to the receiver 5 provides the axial clamping force, where either
or both rings 49 and of a re of magnetized material.
The ammunition tube can be preloaded at the factory or by the user in the
field, serving as a magazine of ammunition loads. In the field this loaded
ammunition tube can be quickly installed into the ammunition tube receiver
5 as a preloaded magazine. This permits the user to rapidly eject an empty
ammunition tube and fully reload the weapon in a few seconds with one or a
plurality of fully-loaded ammunition tubes. Uniquely, the expendable
ammunition tubes which also serve as a barrel for directing the missile
are thus quickly replaceable. This has the further great advantage that
much thinner barrels of lighter weight materials can be used for the
weapon, as contrasted with the prior-art use of heavy steel barrels
capable of shooting thousands of rounds with acceptable erosion. This can
enable a savings in weapon weight of 2 to 5 pounds, fully loaded. It has
the further great advantage that the weapon of the invention can be fired
in burst rates of tens of thousands of rounds per minute; in that greatly
accelerated barrel erosion attendant on such extraordinary fire rates is
acceptable since the barrel is always or often new.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the ammunition tube receiver 5 is shown in cross
section. The ammunition tube receiver 5 and the ammunition tube 4 have a
conical congruent interface for relative mechanical location in three
dimensions, and to thus position the receiver tube contacts 8B of the
conductors of the receiver firing circuit 6 so that in operation they
electrically contact ammunition tube contacts 8A, respectively. In this
preferred embodiment, the conductors of the receiver firing, circuit 6 are
terminated in conical electrodes SA integral with the conical port; in
another embodiment the conductors 19 terminate in spring-loaded contacts
which abut the ammunition tube contacts SA upon insertion of the
ammunition tube 4 into the ammunition tube receiver.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the ammunition tube and exemplar ammunition loads
are illustrated in partial cross section. For exposition, three different
types of ammunition load are shown loaded sequentially. In the case of the
solid missile 21A, wadding 20A seals the propellant 18A. A detonation
plate 22A closes the ammunition load at the muzzle end. This detonation
plate is key to the successful operation of the weapon: it serves to limit
the rearward shock transferred to propellant 18A when the preceding
propellant 18B is ignited. As shown, the detonation plate 22A is concave
toward missile 21A, and at installation provides a seal across the bore of
the ammunition tube. Upon ignition of propellant 183 it is forced
rearwards, and the expanding conical periphery is forced into the diameter
of the bore, and thus axially immobile, and thus provides a rear surface
to the firing chamber of the forward ammunition load. A compressible or
crushable plug 53 serves at assembly to transmit axial forces to ram the
sequential ammunition loads through the muzzle. Upon discharge of the
preceding propellant, and the consequential axial flexure of the
detonation plate 22A, the compressible plug permits a small axial flexure
of the detonation plate to occur without transfer of the shock to the next
missile 21A.
Considering now the different ammunition load shown subnumbered "B",
wherein a quantity of small shot constitutes the missile. This "shotgun"
ammunition load similarly comprises propellant 18B, wadding 20B, and
missile shot 21B, and is closed at the front by detonation plate 22B. In
the case of the relatively loose shot of this example, a compressible plug
is not needed to allow the small flexure of the detonation plate when the
prior ammunition load is fired.
In a second embodiment of the ammunition load, the compressible plug 53 may
replace the wadding 20A, and the conical seal of the detonation plate may
be made integral with the side wall of the missile 21A. In this second
embodiment, the missile would move slightly rearward on discharge of the
preceding ammunition load, and thereby would seal its own firing chamber
by expansion and pressure of the conical skirt of the detonation plate
against the inner surface of the ammunition tube.
Thus according to this invention a weapon system has no moving parts other
than the missiles and has the advantages of low cost in manufacture, light
weight, high reliability and great ruggedness in the field. It utilizes a
barrel only for one set of ammunition loads (or a few sets, if reloaded)
and has the advantages of low cost in manufacture and enables the use of
thin barrels of lightweight materials. Where a conventional automatic
firearm must withstand the shock, pressure and bore erosion of firing
thousands of rounds, the limited firing through the bore of the present
invention allows for the use of unconventional materials and manufacturing
methods. Such unconventional manufacturing methods may include the use of
lightweight metals and the use of circumferential fiber strengthening,
among others. Thus this limited-life barrel can potentially decrease the
weight of the loaded weapon by several pounds.
A weapon made according to the present invention has the further advantage
of rapid reloading in the field by insertion of a new ammunition tube. It
has the advantage of extreme rate of fire, in excess of 10,000 rounds per
minute if desired, since the successive missiles are launched by
electronic rather than mechanical cycling. A second round may be fired
immediately after the first, traveling close behind it while passing
through the barrel, and thus maintaining a high compression of the
propellant gases; this has the advantage of greatly increasing the
velocity of the first missile, e.g., for armor piercing or greater range.
Finally it has the great advantage that the instant of fire can be
controlled by electronic impulse from a firing circuit, enabling the
practical use of a computer firing solution from a target sensor.
Target Sensor: Target Centroid
Referring now to FIG. 7, the target sensor 1 is depicted in partial cross
section. A lens means 23 serves to project the image 26 of a distant
target 25 on a sensing reticle 24. For illustration, a second target 27 is
shown imaged 28 on the sensing reticle. The lens means might be reflective
or refractive, adapted to focus a high quality, achromatized
"color-corrected" image of a distant object onto the sensing reticle 24.
The waveband of transmission of the lens means 23 and of the sensing
reticle responsiveness is in the range of 6 to 20 microns and preferably
within the range of 8 to 14 microns. The electromagnetic radiation from
objects at the temperature of human targets peaks in this preferred
waveband, while the radiation from cooler foliage of vehicles or buildings
is significantly less in this waveband.
The reticle 24 generates a signal which varies monotonically with the
temperature of the distant object field within the projected image of the
reticle, which signal is transmitted to the target sensor processor. The
reticle 24 is comprised of detector elements which in concert yield
information about the location and properties of target radiance falling
on the reticle. The detector elements may be larger or smaller than the
image of the target. Preferably it is smaller: the irradiance from a
target is thus divided over a multiplicity of contiguous detector
elements, to facilitate enhanced location of the center of target
irradiance. Detectors for infrared use may operate uncooled, or may be
cooled to decrease internal noise and thus to increase the sensitivity of
the detector element to a given irradiance. Preferably the reticle will
operate uncooled and thus consume no power for refrigeration. Examples of
uncooled arrays of detector elements include silicon for the visible and
indium antimonide or InGaAs for the near infrared (3-5 micron wavelength).
The thermal infrared (6-20 micron) radiation can be detected by
microbolometers, such as vanadium oxide or barium strontium titanate
elements, whose electrical properties change measurably in response to a
varying thermal radiation load. Another method of radiation detection uses
small mechanical elements which deform under temperature change, thus
changing the capacitance of each element against a stationary reference
electrode. Arrays of vanadium oxide or barium strontium titanate elements
are commonly used in infrared cameras for fire fighting or night vision,
and are preferred materials for the target detector reticle.
Referring now to FIG. 8, one embodiment of the sensing reticle is
illustrated in the form of a single detector element 29. A "target
present" signal is generated by the target sensor processor 11 (FIG. 2)
whenever the single detector element 29 receives radiation in excess of
the background radiation by an amount which is greater than a selected
positive change in signal called the "threshold". This selection of
"threshold" by the operator corresponds to a preference either for higher
sensitivity to small or distant or cooler targets, or for fewer "false
positives" where the weapon would discharge at a merely warmer but
non-target spot. Typically the "threshold" is factory set or else adjusted
as an input to the target sensor processor by a prior art keypad or
similar control device (not shown). It is further desirable not to fire on
spots in the field which are significantly more radiant than a human
target (such as an automobile exhaust or fire); thus, it is desirable to
set an upper limit on positive difference in signal from the average
background radiation. This may be preset in software or else selected by
the operator, based on his judgement from field simulations and testing.
That is to say: the radiation of a man target filling a detector element
gives a certain signal corresponding to body temperature. Less signal than
that might mean the element is partially filled; more signal than that
means a brighter (hotter) and hence non-animal radiator is in the field.
In one embodiment of the target sensor processor the background radiation
is continually measured by a separate element or elements 30 added to the
reticle, which is used for measuring the radiation from a spot or spots
well separated from the reticle sensor area, as representative of the
background radiation. Positive difference between the reticle signal above
the reference detector signal is indicative of a possible target "hot
spot". Negative difference is ignored in the signal analysis, as
indicative of a hot spot passing before the reference detector but not the
reticle.
In a preferred embodiment of the target sensor processor for a single
detector element 29, the signal from the reticle is electronically
averaged over a time period of the order of a second as the image sensor
is angularly moved or swept across the background, to generate a normative
background signal level.
Using a single detector element of FIG. 8, the reticle must be mechanically
adjusted relative to the lens, to place the detector element on the
projected point of strike. This is commonly referred to as "sighting in"
the weapon system. Typically this will be implemented by moving the
reticle vertically and horizontally to correct for range and "windage"
respectively, which includes the specific parameters of mechanical
mounting and the weapon itself. Alternately the entire target sensor is
similarly moved in a prior art adjustable cradle ("scope mount"). A third
dimension of adjustment (focus) is desirable only for cases where close,
small targets are expected. Preferably the optical system is factory
adjusted or focused to the "hyperfocal" range, at which setting the
targets will be usably in focus over the useful range of the weapon.
We note that this single element has limited angular resolution, or
pointing precision: no data indicates which portion of the reticle element
is illuminated. A sharply focused image of a distant, suitable hot
radiator could illuminate any portion of the element and yield the same
electrical signal. Considering the typical example of a target sensor lens
means with a focal length of 100 mm, and a typical reticle element size
("D") of 100 microns (.mu.) square, it will be seen that the projected
image of the reticle at 250 meters will be a square 25.times.25
centimeters, and the perceived radiation could have come from any spot in
that square. This is marginally acceptable resolution for a firing
solution. To maximize the effectiveness of the missile it is preferable to
scan the target sensor across the field of potential fire, and thus the
target sensor processor the firing signal be generated when the temporal
first derivative of the signal from an indicated target is zero and second
derivative is negative, as the weapon is slowly scanned across the target.
This will in general put the point of impact at the radiative center of
the target.
Referring now to FIG. 9, a
