LIGHTWEIGHT WEAPON SYSTEM
The technical field of the invention is the technical field of light weapon systems which can be adapted 5 to a vehicle hatch.
The armoured vehicles for military use often comprise a group of weapons adapted to their main mission. In the case of a tank which is a vehicle specialized in direct fire or flat trajectory fire, the tank comprises a barrel for 10 the antitank or anti-infrastructure direct fire. This weapon is often associated with a small or medium-caliber secondary weapon intended for anti-personnel or anti-minor equipment direct fire.
However, some missions require more versatility, 15 and a weapon intended for indirect fire or curved ballistic fire is desired. To this end, it is known to equip the gun numbers with light mortars (caliber of 40-80mm) or with portable grenade launchers. They must be manned from the exterior of the vehicle, which implies an exposure of the gun 20 numbers to enemy fires, which is not acceptable.
On the other hand, a mortar for vehicle, which is manned under a turret to ensure the protection of the gun numbers is known from the patent FR2572803. Such a device causes a heavy impact on the vehicle whose architecture must 25 be deeply modified to embed the mortar in the compartment of the vehicle. This type of impact is not acceptable for a so-called optional weaponry.
A turret of an armoured vehicle comprising a weapon support rigidly integral with the turret is also known from 30 the patent EP0011856. However, this weapon support is not a light weapon system which can interface with a manhole.
A breech-loading mortar is known from the patent FR2674949. This weapon system is the main weaponry of the turret and not a secondary weaponry. It requires specific 35 2
means (not described in this patent) allowing to load the mortar through the turret and also allowing to control the rotation of a projectile supporting bushing of this mortar from the interior of the turret. This system is thus heavy and complex. 5
Finally, a vehicle comprising two muzzle-loading mortars which are manned under armour is known from the patent EP1273869. It is here the entire vehicle which is dedicated to the supply with ammunition of each mortar. This device is thus also complex, and it cannot be associated with 10 a turret without a significant impact on the vehicle architecture.
The subject-matter of the invention is a weapon system which can equip a vehicle, which weapon system is of the mortar type that can be manned from the interior of the 15 vehicle and without generating a heavy impact on the vehicle architecture.
Thus, the invention relates to a light weapon system for firing mortar shells and interfacing with a manhole of a compartment, the weapon system comprising: 20
 a mortar tube,
 a collar surrounding the manhole and extending vertically above the manhole, the collar being closed by a hinged hatch and comprising an opening to allow the supply of a shell to the mortar tube through the muzzle of the mortar 25 tube,
 a support of the mortar tube fixedly integral with the collar by a first end and comprising, at its second end, a pivot link integral with the mortar tube,
 the opening arriving, towards the exterior of the collar, 30 between sides of the support and facing the muzzle of the tube when the tube is in a horizontal position,
 elevation orientation means of the mortar tube,
 firing means to trigger the firing of the shell. 3
According to an embodiment of the invention, the light weapon system comprises means for closing the opening, ensuring a ballistic protection.
Advantageously, the closing means is integral with loading means comprising a drawer for containing a shell, the 5 drawer being slidably mounted by a slide linkage in the opening of the collar.
Advantageously, the drawer comprises a chute for allowing the tube to pass through, the drawer pushing, when sliding, the shell in the muzzle of the tube. 10
Advantageously, the chute of the drawer is open in its upper part to allow the muzzle of the tube to enter and exit from the drawer during the elevation positioning movements thereof.
The light weapon system can comprise an elevation 15 angle sensor for providing the elevation pointing of the tube.
Advantageously, the firing means is a firing pin assembly which can be controlled from the interior of the vehicle and located in the breech of the barrel. 20
Advantageously, the elevation orientation means of the tube is an electric actuator.
The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description made in reference to the appended drawings, in which: 25
FIG.1 shows a three-quarter view of a light weapon system according to the invention, mounted on a vehicle.
FIG.2 shows a top three-quarter view of a light weapon system according to the invention.
FIG.3 shows a top three-quarter view of a light 30 weapon system according to the invention, in a first loading phase and without any hatch.
FIG.4 shows a top three-quarter view of a light weapon system according to the invention, in a second loading 4
phase and without any hatch.
FIG.5 shows a top three-quarter view of a light weapon system according to the invention, in a last loading phase and without any hatch.
FIG.6 shows a top three-quarter view of a light 5 weapon system according to the invention, in a pointing phase and without any hatch.
FIG.7 shows a side view of a light weapon system according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a pointing phase. 10
FIG.8 shows a top three-quarter view of loading means according to the invention.
According to FIG.1, a turret 100 of an armoured vehicle (vehicle shown very schematically) comprises two 15 manholes 101 and 102 to allow all or part of a gun number to enter into or exit from a compartment formed by the turret 100.
Each manhole is closed by a hinged hatch 101a and 102a. One of the manholes 101 carries a light weapon system 1 20 according to the invention, which is intended to fire mortar shells.
This weapon system 1 comprises a mortar tube 2 which is, according to the embodiment shown, oriented in relative bearing parallel to the main weapon 100a of the 25 turret 100. The pointing in relative bearing of the weapon system 1 will thus be performed by the rotation of the turret or of the entire vehicle. The weapon system 1 is attached at the manhole by conventional fixing means, such as screws and/or bolts, other means could be used. 30
It could be contemplated to make the weapon system 1 integral with the vehicle in another position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle or of the turret. Thus, the weapon system can be attached perpendicularly to 5
the main weapon 100a of the turret, for example.
According to FIG.2, the weapon system comprises a collar 3 extending vertically above the manhole 101a (hole not shown). This collar 3 surrounds the entire periphery of the manhole. A support 4 of the mortar tube 2 is fixedly 5 integral at a first end of the collar 2, below a hinge 5 for opening the hatch 6. The support 4 extends substantially horizontally in an interfacing plane P of the weapon system 1 on the manhole. The support 4 comprises, at its second end, a pivot link 4b for allowing the rotation of the tube 2 around 10 the horizontal axis A to orientate the tube 2 in elevation and thus to adjust the elevation.
According to the embodiment shown, the support 4 comprises two sides 4a between which a front part of the tube 2, comprising the muzzle of the tube 2, can be arranged when 15 it is in a horizontal position.
The weapon system 1 comprises elevation orientation means 7 of the tube 2. According to the embodiment shown, the orientation means 7 is an electric actuator integral with a side 4a of the support 4 and integral by another end with the 20 pivot link 4b connected to the tube 2 (for example, by a rod-crank system).
According to another embodiment shown in FIG.7, the second end of the actuator can be directly integral with the tube 2. This actuator 7 can be controlled from the 25 compartment of the turret 100.
The weapon system 1 comprises means (not shown) for measuring the orientation in elevation of the tube 2. Such means are well known by the one skilled in the art, they can be constituted by an angular sensor for example, or by any 30 other measuring means allowing to indicate the elevation pointing value of the tube to a gun number of the weapon system located in the compartment of the turret 100.
According to FIG.3, the weapon system 1 is shown
6
without its hatch and without its hinge so as to see the inner operation of the weapon system 1.
Thus, it can be seen that the collar 3 comprises, in its wall, an opening 8 arriving, towards the exterior of the collar 3, between the sides 4a of the support 4 and 5 facing the muzzle 2a of the tube 2 when the tube is in a horizontal position.
This opening 8 corresponds to loading means 9 of the tube 2. The loading means could be a drawer 9 which is slidably mounted by a sliding linkage 10 in the opening 8, 10 the drawer sliding from the interior of the collar 3 to the exterior, and vice versa.
In FIG.8 especially, it can be seen that the drawer 9 comprises, on one of its sides, a window 11 for placing a shell 12 within the drawer 9. It can be noted that the shell 15 12 is arranged such that its rear part is the closest from the opening 8, such that this part enters first in the muzzle 2a of the tube 2 when loading the shell 12 as shown in FIG.4.
During the loading, from the compartment of the turret 100, the gun number has access to the drawer while 20 being protected by the hatch 6 which blocks the collar (hatch not shown in FIG.4). He pushes the drawer towards the tube 2a, the shell 12 thus penetrating the muzzle 2a of the tube 2.
As can be seen in FIG.8, the drawer 9 has a 25 stretcher shape and thus comprises a chute 9a which is sized such that the tube 2 enters the drawer 9 when the latter is pushed to slide the shell 12 in the muzzle 2a of the tube 2.
Furthermore, the chute 9a of the drawer 9 is entirely open in its upper part. Thus, the tube can be 30 rotated to be positioned in elevation without being hindered by the drawer 9.
According to FIG.5, once the drawer 9 is pushed at the end of the opening 8, between the sides 4a of the support 7
4, the shell is entirely pushed into the front part 2a of the tube 2. The drawer 9 carries, at its rear part, a plate (9b) (FIG.8) forming means for closing the bottom of the opening 8. This plate 9b ensures the ballistic protection of the collar 3 once the tube is pivoted. Locking means (not shown) 5 will allow to lock the drawer 9 with respect to the collar 3 in this position. The plate 9b will be made in a material having resistance capacities similar to that of the collar 3, and will have a thickness similar to that of the collar.
The drawer 9 is thus open on its upper part, 10 leaving the tube 2 visible and free to move upwards.
According to FIG.6, the gun number controls the desired fire elevation position from the interior of the turret by operating the actuator 7. The tube 2, under the action of the orientation means 7, raises the muzzle 2a of 15 the tube, which causes the shell to fall at the bottom of the tube 2 by gravity.
Once the desired fire elevation position is obtained, the gun number can control the firing of the shell by means conventionally known by the one skilled in the art, 20 such as a remotely controllable firing pin assembly arranged in the breech 2b of the tube 2.
According to a simpler embodiment of the weapon system according to the invention, it can be contemplated not to equip the weapon system with a loading drawer. In this 25 case, the shell will be manually inserted in the muzzle of the tube through the opening 8.
A rotating flap can be provided to close the opening 8 but, in this case, the ballistic sealing is not ensured during the loading phase. However, the small size of 30 the opening 8 and its situation protected by the sides 4a of the support 4 leaves a low exposure of the gun number with respect to ballistic threats.
Thus, the invention allows to equip an armoured 8
vehicle with a light weapon system which can be safely manned from the compartment of the vehicle, without providing significant modifications to the vehicle.
In FIG.1, it can be noted that the pivot link 4b between the tube 2 and the support 4 is cantilevered with 5 respect to the turret bustle. It allows the tube 2 to point in height without its breech interfering with the turret. According to another embodiment shown in FIG.7, the pivot link 4b between the tube 2 and the support 4 is arranged at the rear part of the tube, thereby preventing, when raising 10 the tube 2, potential interferences with vehicle components arranged below the device 1. 9

We Claim:
1 – A light weapon system (1) for firing mortar shells (12) and interfacing with a manhole (101) of a 5 compartment (100), the weapon system (1) comprising:
 a mortar tube (2),
 a collar (3) surrounding the manhole (101) and extending vertically above the manhole (101), the collar (3) being closed by a hinged hatch (6) and comprising an opening (8) 10 to allow the supply of a shell (12) to the mortar tube (2) through the muzzle of the mortar tube (2),
 a support (4) of the mortar tube (2) fixedly integral with the collar (3) by a first end and comprising, at its second end, a pivot link (4b) integral with the mortar 15 tube (2),
 the opening (8) arriving, towards the exterior of the collar (3), between sides (4a) of the support (4) and facing the muzzle (2a) of the tube (2) when the tube (2) is in a horizontal position, 20
 elevation orientation means (7) of the mortar tube (2),
 firing means (2b) to trigger the firing of the shell (12).
2 – The light weapon system (1) according to claim 1, wherein it comprises means for closing the opening (8), ensuring a ballistic protection. 25
3 - The light weapon system according to claim 2, wherein the closing means is integral with loading means comprising a drawer (9) for containing a shell (12), the drawer (9) being slidably mounted by a slide linkage (10) in the opening (8) of the collar (3). 30
4 - The light weapon system according to claim 3, wherein the drawer (9) comprises a chute (9a) for allowing the tube (2) to pass through, the drawer pushing, when sliding, the shell (12) in the muzzle (2a) of the tube (2).
5 - The light weapon system (1) according to claim 35 10
4, wherein the chute of the drawer (9) is open in its upper part to allow the muzzle (2a) of the tube (2) to enter into and exit from the drawer (9) during the elevation positioning movements thereof.
6 - The light weapon system (1) according to one of 5 claims 1 to 5, wherein it comprises an elevation angle sensor (20) for providing the elevation pointing of the tube (2).
7 - The light weapon system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the firing means is a firing pin assembly which can be controlled from the interior of the 10 vehicle and located in the breech (2b) of the barrel.
8 - The light weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the elevation orientation means (7) of the tube is an electric actuator (7).