US3760732A — Weapon system for a set in-flight digital time fu…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 489 words

An improved rapid fire weapon system of the type wherein a moving target is tracked by a range finder having an output electrically connected to a computer that assimilates the range finder output producing a computer output which relates the distance from a fired projectile, as it exits from a muzzle of a gun to the target, said computer output being electrically connected to a pulse transmitter to cause said pulse transmitter to radiate a coded high frequency electromagnetic pulse as a function of the range finder sensed distance between said projectile while in flight and the target, wherein the improvement comprises: a receiving antenna located in said projectile for picking up said transmitted signal; a detector/discriminator, electrically connected to said antenna, detects said coded pulses transmitted and delivers at least one or more output pulses to an electrically connected amplifier and to an electrically connected muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier when the detector/discriminator detects a high voltage long duration signal from the pulsE transmitter calling for muzzle burst action, said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier being nonresponsive to the normal range setting pulses generating a first activation signal which can initiate a detonator; means for counting, electrically connected to said amplifier and responsive to said range setting pulses, generates a second activation signal after a predetermined maximum number of counts; means for gating the input to said means for counting responsive to said range setting pulses to prevent said counting means from receiving additional pulses from spurious signals which may be received by said antenna after the range setting pulses have been detected and amplified; means for generating additional pulses within said projectile are electrically coupled to said gating means, filling said means for counting with the additional pulses necessary to reach the predetermined maximum number of counts, said additional pulses being a function of the distance from the projectile as it leaves the muzzle of the gun and the target; a first means for supplying energy to operate circuitry of said detector/discriminator, amplifier, means for gating, and means for generating additional pulses after the projectile is launched; a second means for supplying energy to initiate said detonator upon receipt of an activation signal from either the means for counting and the muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier; a hand settable switch is electrically connected intermediate to said second energy source and said detonator providing for initiating said detonator in the event of electrical circuits failure in the pulse transmitter; means for safely arming said projectile is electrically connected intermediate to said counting means and said detonator, between said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier and said detonator, and between said hand settable switch and said detonator; and an electronic gate responsive to either said first or second activation signal and electrically coupled intermediate to said second energy source and said detonator, discharges energy from said second energy source into said detonator through said arming means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 489 words

An improved rapid fire weapon system of the type wherein a moving target is tracked by a range finder having an output electrically connected to a computer that assimilates the range finder output producing a computer output which relates the distance from a fired projectile, as it exits from a muzzle of a gun to the target, said computer output being electrically connected to a pulse transmitter to cause said pulse transmitter to radiate a coded high frequency electromagnetic pulse as a function of the range finder sensed distance between said projectile while in flight and the target, wherein the improvement comprises: a receiving antenna located in said projectile for picking up said transmitted signal; a detector/discriminator, electrically connected to said antenna, detects said coded pulses transmitted and delivers at least one or more output pulses to an electrically connected amplifier and to an electrically connected muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier when the detector/discriminator detects a high voltage long duration signal from the pulsE transmitter calling for muzzle burst action, said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier being nonresponsive to the normal range setting pulses generating a first activation signal which can initiate a detonator; means for counting, electrically connected to said amplifier and responsive to said range setting pulses, generates a second activation signal after a predetermined maximum number of counts; means for gating the input to said means for counting responsive to said range setting pulses to prevent said counting means from receiving additional pulses from spurious signals which may be received by said antenna after the range setting pulses have been detected and amplified; means for generating additional pulses within said projectile are electrically coupled to said gating means, filling said means for counting with the additional pulses necessary to reach the predetermined maximum number of counts, said additional pulses being a function of the distance from the projectile as it leaves the muzzle of the gun and the target; a first means for supplying energy to operate circuitry of said detector/discriminator, amplifier, means for gating, and means for generating additional pulses after the projectile is launched; a second means for supplying energy to initiate said detonator upon receipt of an activation signal from either the means for counting and the muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier; a hand settable switch is electrically connected intermediate to said second energy source and said detonator providing for initiating said detonator in the event of electrical circuits failure in the pulse transmitter; means for safely arming said projectile is electrically connected intermediate to said counting means and said detonator, between said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier and said detonator, and between said hand settable switch and said detonator; and an electronic gate responsive to either said first or second activation signal and electrically coupled intermediate to said second energy source and said detonator, discharges energy from said second energy source into said detonator through said arming means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 160 words

An improved rapid fire weapon system as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for counting comprises: a three decade counter coupled to said means for gating, first sequentially counts the number of coded pulses generated by said pulse transmitter and passed by said detector/discriminator and amplifier circuits, secondly, said counter is responsive to the output of the means for generating additional pulse, said means for generating additional pulses supplies the additional counts necessary to fill the counter to the predetermined maximum number and is directly related to the distance from the projectile to the target, the further the distance the greater number of additional counts necessary to fill the three decade counter; and an automatic initial clear circuit, electrically coupled to said three decade counter, generates a signal, after the projectile has left the muzzle of the gun, which sets the decades of said three decade counter to zero thus assuring a setting responsive only to the pulse transmitter.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 173 words

An improved rapid fire system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for gating comprises: a first ''''And'''' gate, having a first input electrically coupled to the output of said amplifier, allows pulses generated by the pulse transmitter to pass, having a second input; an ''''Or'''' gate, electrically coupled intermediate to said first ''''And'''' gate and said three decade counter permits the pulses generated by said amplifier to pass to said three decade counter; means for delaying said first ''''And'''' gate electrically connected intermediate to said amplifier and said second input of said first ''''And'''' gate inhibiting said first ''''And'''' gate from passing any subsequent spurious signals; and a second ''''And'''' gate having first input and a second input electrically connected to said means for generating additional pulses coupled to said delaying means and intermediate to said ''''Or'''' gate prevents passage of pulses generated by said means for generating additional pulses from reaching the three decade counter until a signal is received from said delay means making said second ''''And'''' gate responsive.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 114 words

An improved rapid fire system as recited in claim 3 wherein the delaying means comprises: a delay circuit having its input electrically coupled to the output of said amplifier for generating after a fixed predetermined period of time a signal; an inverter having its input electrically connected intermediate the output of said delay and said second ''''And'''' gate second input and its output electrically coupled to said first ''''And'''' gate second input for inhibiting said first ''''And'''' gate from passing subsequent signals received from said amplifier, when said delay delivers said signal simultaneously to said electrically coupled second ''''And'''' gate making it responsive to pass additional pulses from said means for generating additional pulses.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

An improved rapid fire system as recited in claim 4 wherein the means for generating additional pulses is a clock oscillator having an output pulse frequency of 100 herz.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 70 words

An improved weapon system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first means for supplying energy is a reserve battery activated by the set back forces created when projectile is launched, said battery activates said automatic initial clear circuit when 90 percent of the battery output voltage has been reached, and supplies energy to operate said clock oscillator, detector/discriminator, means for gating, means for delay, amplifier and three decade counter.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 84 words

An improved weapon system as recited in claim 1 wherein the second means for supplying energy is a piezoid generator, said piezoid generator supplies energy to operate electrically coupled said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier and initiates said coupled detonator when said electronic gate is triggered either by said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier or said activation signal of said three decade counter, said piezoid generator provides the energy to fire said detonator by the intermediate electrically connected said hand settable switch.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 121 words

An improved weapon system as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for safely arming said projectile comprises: a first pair of delay spin switches intermediate to said electrically coupled three decade counter and a coupled isolation circuit, said isolation circuit matches the impedance of said three decade counter to the impedance of said coupled electronic gate; and a second pair of spin switches electrically connect both the hand settable switch and the output of said electronic gate through an in series setback switch to said detonator preventing said detonator from receiving a malfunctioning timing signal from said muzzle burst level discriminator and amplifier, said three decade counter or said electronic gate prior to the projectile being launched from said gun.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

An improved weapons system as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic gate is a silicon controlled rectifier.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-09-24	1977-03-26	1977-09-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-09-24	1981-03-26	1981-09-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-09-24	1985-03-26	1985-09-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Weapon system for a set in-flight digital time fuze with muzzle action

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