AUTOMATIC GUNNERY SHOCK WAVE SCORING APPARATUS USING METALLIC CONDUCTORS AS SHOCK WAVE SENSORS

• US 3,778,059 A
• Filed: 09/28/1971
• Issued: 12/11/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank G. Jr. Bamser, George W. Rohrbaugh
• Original Assignee: Frank G. Jr. Bamser, George W. Rohrbaugh
• Inventors: Rohrbaugh, George W., Bamser, Frank G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siskind, Marvin
• Application Number:
  US05/184,605
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 273/12.2R,12.2S 340/16,323 73/12 35/25
• US Class Current: 273/372
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/06 Acoustic hit-indicating systems, i.e. detecting of shock waves F41J5/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/12 for indicating the distance by which a bullet misses the target F41J5/02 - F41J5/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/906 Airborne shock-wave detection

Abstract

An automatic gunnery scoring system responsive to the airborne acoustic shock wave produced by a projectile such as a bullet or the like as it passes through a target area and comprising mutually perpendicular elongated acoustic energy conductors located adjacent the perimeter of the target with one or more acoustic transducers attached to an end or ends thereof, but no more than one on each end, for producing an electrical signal when the shock wave from the projectile is transmitted thereto through the respective conductor means. Four electrical signals are thus produced which are fed to electronic circuitry to determine the location of each '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on the target in rectangular coordinates and providing a suitable indication thereof.

Claims

1. An automatic gunnery target scoring system responsive to the airborne primary acoustic shock wave of a supersonic projectile for detecting a projectile '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and the location thereof on a target, comprising, in combination:

first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means located adjacent the perimeter of said target in a substantially mutual perpendicular relationship along a first and second rectangular coordinate axis and being aligned substantially in a plane defined by said target to contact the outwardly expanding primary shock wave of said projectile wherein said translation means transmits a relatively higher velocity secondary acoustic shock wave therein from the point of contact with said primary shock wave;

a pair of acoustic transducers mounted a selected distance apart on each of said first and second acoustic energy translation means in a predetermined relationship with said target, being respectively responsive to said higher velocity secondary wave to produce an electrical output signal upon the incidence thereof, said electrical output signals of each of said pair of transducers having a timed relationship which is a function of the difference in arrival times of said primary and secondary waves to the respective acoustic transducer;

first electrical circuit means coupled to one pair of acoustic transducers, being responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby to provide a first signal which is a measure of said difference of arrival times of said primary and secondary waves respectively to said one pair of sonic transducers;

second electrical circuit means coupled to the other pair of sonic transducers being responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby and providing a second electrical output signal which is a measure of said difference in arrival times of said primary and secondary waves along said second coordinate axis; and

indicator means coupled to said first and second electrical circuit means for providing an indication of said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on said target along a first and second coordinate axes.

2. An automatic gunnery target scoring system responsive to the airborne acoustic shock wave of a supersonic projectile for locating the position of a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on a target, comprising:

a. first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means located adjacent the perimeter of said target in a substantially mutual perpendicular relationship along a first and second rectangular coordinate axis being aligned substantially in a plane defined by said target to contact the outwardly expanding airborne shock wave of said projectile wherein said translation means transmits a relatively higher velocity acoustic shock wave therein in response to contact with said airborne shock wave;

b. a pair of acoustic transducers coupled to each of said first and second translation means and responsive to said higher velocity shock wave to produce an electrical output signal upon the occurence thereof, said electrical output signals of each of said pair of transducers having a timed relationship which is a function of the position said projectile enters the target along one of said coordinate axes;

c. first electrical circuit means coupled to one pair of said transducers responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby for providing a first output signal which is a measure of the difference of arrival time of said higher velocity shock waves respectively to each tranducer of said one pair of transducers;

d. second electrical circuit means coupled to the other pair of said transducers responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby for providing a second output signal which is a measure of the difference in arrival time of said higher velocity shock waves respectively to each transducer of said other pair of transducers; and

e. display means coupled to said first and second electrical circuit means for indicating the position said projectile enters said target.

3. An automatic gunnery target scoring system according to claim 2 wherein said first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means comprises respectively a first and second acoustic conductor means and wherein each pair of acoustic transducers are mounted on the ends thereof.

4. An automatic gunnery target scoring system according to claim 3 additionally including projectile barrier means partially surrounding said acoustic conductor means being substantially coextensive therewith for preventing projectiles from striking said acoustic conductor means and having an unobstructed opening facing toward said target.

5. A target scoring system according to claim 4 additionally including acoustical isolation and damping material located between said acoustic conductive means and said projectile barrier means.

6. An automatic gunnery target scoring system according to claim 2 wherein said first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means respectively comprise first and second pairs of acoustic conductor means and wherein a pair of acoustic transducers are respectively mounted thereon such that each acoustic transducer is mounted on one end of a respective conductor means.

7. A target scoring system according to claim 6 wherein each acoustic transducer is mounted in the same end of a respective conductor means pair.

8. An automatic gunnery target scoring system according to claim 2 wherein said target has a predetermined length and a width dimension and said first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means comprises a first and second metallic rod member respectively having lengths substantially coextensive with said length and width dimension and being positioned substantially parallel thereto with the midpoints thereof substantially aligned with the center of said target.

9. An automatic gunnery target scoring system according to claim 2 wherein said first and second electrical circuit means each comprises:

a first and second level detector circuit respectively coupled to a pair of acoustic transducers and providing a control signal at the output thereof upon the occurrence of an electrical signal produced by the respective transducer coupled thereto;

a control circuit coupled to said first and second level detector circuit being responsive to the control signals produced thereby and generating a first output signal indicative of the control signal occurring first in time and a second output signal indicative of the difference in time between the occurrence of said control signals;

a reference frequency signal source;

a coincidence gate circuit coupled to said second output signal off control circuit and said reference frequency signal source for producing a pulse of said reference frequency signal having a pulsewidth proportional to the difference in arrival times of said primary and secondary acoustic wave to said pair of acoustic transducers; and

circuit means coupled between said coincidence gate and said indicator means for providing a control signal to said indicator means to generate a visual indication of the difference in said arrival times and thereby provide an indication of the location of said hit relative to the center of said target.

10. The invention as defined by claim 9 and additionally including signal amplifier means coupled between said pair of acoustic transducers and said first and second trigger circuits.

11. The invention as defined by claim 9 wherein said circuit means coupled between said coincidence gate and said indicator means comprises a counter circuit.

12. The invention as defined by claim 9 and additionally including manual reset means coupled to said control circuit and said inDicator means for resetting said control circuit after the occurrence of both control signals applied thereto.

13. The invention as defined by claim 9 wherein said reference frequency bears a predetermined relationship to the sound velocity in said acoustic energy translation means.

14. The invention as defined by claim 2 wherein said indicator means comprises a first and second numerical decimal indicator means for indicating the location of said hit along said first and second coordinate axis from the center of said target.

15. An automatic gunnery target scoring system responsive to the airborne primary acoustic shock wave of a supersonic projectile for detecting a projectile '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and the location thereof on a target, comprising, in combination:

first and second elongated acoustic energy translation means located adjacent the perimeter of said target in a substantially mutual perpendicular relationship along a first and second rectangular coordinate axis and being aligned substantially in a plane defined by said target to contact the outwardly expanding primary shock wave of said projectile wherein said translation means transmits a relatively higher velocity secondary acoustic shock wave therein from the point of contact with said primary shock wave;

a pair of acoustic transducers mounted on each of said first and second acoustic energy translation means in a predetermined relationship with said target, being respectively responsive to said higher velocity secondary wave to produce an electrical output signal upon the incidence thereof, said electrical output signals of each of said pair of transducers having a timed relationship which is a function of the position said projectile enters said target and the difference in arrival times of said secondary waves to the respective acoustic transducer;

first electrical circuit means coupled to one pair of acoustic transducers being responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby for providing a first output signal which is a measure of said difference of arrival times of said secondary waves respectively to said one pair of acoustic transducers along said first coordinate axis;

second electrical circuit means coupled to the other pair of acoustic transducers being responsive to said electrical signals produced thereby for providing a second output signal which is a measure of said difference in arrival times of said secondary waves to said other pair of acoustic transducers along said second coordinate axis; and

indicator means coupled to said first and second electrical circuit means for providing an indication of said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'hit'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on said target along said first and second coordinate axes.