WEAPON LAUNCHING TUBE STRUCTURE, AND NAVAL PLATFORM COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE STRUCTURE OF SAID TYPE

• US 20190063872A1
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Naval Group (Government of France)
• Original Assignee: Naval Group (Government of France)
• Inventors: LAMOTTE, Arnaud, RAFFOUX, Johan, LAVOIX, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/042 the launching apparatus being used also as a transport container for the rocket F41F3/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/052 Means for securing the rocket in the launching apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/08 for marine torpedoes F41A23/22 takes precedence

Abstract

A weapon launching tube structure, and in particular a torpedo launching tube structure, includes a tube inside which weapon guiding slides are mounted at regular intervals around the weapon. The slides are made from a single slide blank obtained by an extrusion process.

Claims

1. A weapon launching tube structure (25), comprising a tube inside which weapon guiding slides (26, 27, 28, 29) are mounted at regular intervals around the weapon, wherein the slides (26, 27, 28, 29) are made from a single slide blank (20) obtained by an extrusion process.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the slide blank (20) is obtained by an aluminum extrusion process.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the slide blank (20) has a section with a curved profile (21) to marry the contour of the weapon, at each end of this profile, a bent portion (22, 23) for bearing on the inner wall of the tube, and in its intermediate portion, a withdrawn foot (24).

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein the withdrawn foot (24) is provided asymmetrically between the bent bearing portions (22, 23) of the blank (20).

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the tube (25) includes four slides (26, 27, 28, 29), including two lateral lower slides (26, 27) and two lateral upper slides (28, 29).

6. The structure according to claim 5, further comprising, in its upper part, at least one access hatch (30) to means forming an interface of the weapon, wherein cutouts are formed in the upper slides (28, 29) at this hatch, between a bent bearing portion on the inner wall of the tube and the withdrawn foot.

7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

8. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the slides (26, 27, 28, 29) are associated with screwing means (33) from the outside of the tube (25), making it possible to fasten the latter in this tube.

9. The structure according to claim 8, wherein the slides include reinforcing and maintaining bosses (34) at the screwing means (33).

10. A naval platform, further comprising at least one tube structure according to claim 1.

11. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the slide blank (20) has a section with a curved profile (21) to marry the contour of the weapon, at each end of this profile, a bent portion (22, 23) for bearing on the inner wall of the tube, and in its intermediate portion, a withdrawn foot (24).

12. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the tube (25) includes four slides (26, 27, 28, 29), including two lateral lower slides (26, 27) and two lateral upper slides (28, 29).

13. The structure according to claim 3, wherein the tube (25) includes four slides (26, 27, 28, 29), including two lateral lower slides (26, 27) and two lateral upper slides (28, 29).

14. The structure according to claim 4, wherein the tube (25) includes four slides (26, 27, 28, 29), including two lateral lower slides (26, 27) and two lateral upper slides (28, 29).

15. The structure according to claim 2, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

16. The structure according to claim 3, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

17. The structure according to claim 4, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

18. The structure according to claim 5, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

19. The structure according to claim 6, wherein covers (31, 32, 35) are provided to close the open ends of the slides.

20. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the slides (26, 27, 28, 29) are associated with screwing means (33) from the outside of the tube (25), making it possible to fasten the latter in this tube.