AERIAL SURVEILLANCE AND FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 3,715,953 A
• Filed: 02/04/1966
• Issued: 02/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William L. Allan
• Original Assignee: William L. Allan
• Inventors: Allan, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bentley, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US04/525,802
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 89/1,1A,1.5E,36.46,41,41.5,41.6,41.61,41.62,41.7,41.7L,41.7ME,47R 244/3.16 33/46 331/94.5 88/10,1Y 178/6.8 250/199 343/889 52/7,108 350/21,22,23,24,81,301,302
• US Class Current: 89/36.14
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/065 Structural association of sighting-devices with laser telemeters
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/266 Periscopes for fighting or armoured vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna

Abstract

An aerial surveillance and fire-control system including an elevatable fire-control and scanning section and a control console mounted in a combat vehicle. The scanning section is defined by a TV camera, a pulsed laser rangefinder/illuminator, and an azimuth readout device, all mounted on a three-axis, ratestabilized platform. A protective, but transparent, housing is provided for the scanning section, and this housing, when retracted, is seated in a mating compartment in the roof of the vehicle. A coilable, extendible type mast is provided for raising and lowering the scanning section. A cable-reel assembly disposed adjacent the coiled mast within the vehicle supplies the electrical cable within the mast.

Claims

1. An aerial surveillance and fire-control system for observing surrounding terrain and providing fire control for a semiactive, homing missile system comprising, in combination:

a ground control station having a control console mounted therein;

a scanning section including a protective housing, a three-axis, stabilized platform mounted within said housing, and a television camera, a laser rangefinder-illuminator and an azimuth reference device all mounted on said platform;

a mast apparatus for raising and lowering said scanning section, said apparatus including a tubular, coilable, extendible mast device having one end connected to the base of said scanning section housing and supporting the same in a generally vertical plane and the other end wound on a rotatable drum housed in said ground control station; and

a cable-reel assembly mounted in said ground control station, said assembly including a multi-core, coaxial cable, said cable extending axially through said tubular mast and having circuitry electrically interconnecting each of the elements of the scanning section with said control console.

2. An aerial surveillance and fire-control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mast apparatus further includes a rotatably driven drum mounted horizontally in said control station, a series of pairs of guide rollers mounted in said control station in a vertical plane above said drum, each pair of rollers being spaced-apart vertically, said mast device being adapted to be wound on said drum in a strained, flattened condition for storage and being adaptEd to extend by unfurling into a rigid tubular structure upon being passed between said series of pairs of guide rollers.

3. An aerial surveillance and fire-control system as defined in claim 2 wherein the mast device is constructed of a plurality of concentrically nested tubular elements.

4. An aerial surveillance and fire-control system as defined in claim 3 wherein said ground control station is a mobile combat vehicle.

5. An aerial surveillance and fire-control system as defined in claim 4 wherein a compartment is provided in the roof of the vehicle for housing said scanning section therein when said mast apparatus is in the retracted position.