US-12624920-B2 - Single armament control unit

Abstract

A Single Armament Control Unit (SACU) that operates a single missile tube as opposed to multiple tubes. The SACU provides for interlock pin and umbilical depression from the housing on the rotation of a single crankshaft controlled by a single motor where the rotor of the motor and the rotational axis of the crankshaft are generally parallel to the missile tube.

Inventors

• Parker Wilson Adams
• Matthew Richard Montgomery

Assignees

• ON-POINT DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240403

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A Single Arming Control Unit (SACU) for a missile cradle, the SACU comprising: a housing; a motor in said housing; and a crankshaft in said housing including at least two cranks, wherein: a first crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a first plane through an axis of rotation of said crankshaft; a second crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a second plane through said axis of rotation of said crankshaft; said first crank is connected to an interlock pin for a missile tube in said missile cradle; said second crank is connected to an umbilical connector for said missile tube in said missile cradle; and said second plane and first plane are not parallel; wherein, said motor acts to rotate said crankshaft between a first safe position and a second armed position.
2. 2 . The SACU of claim 1 , further comprising: a safety arm and a safety pin; wherein when said motor rotates said crankshaft from said safe position to said armed position said motor also causes said safety arm to extend said safety pin from said housing.
3. 3 . The SACU of claim 2 , wherein a rotor of said motor is arranged generally parallel with said axis of said crankshaft.
4. 4 . The SACU of claim 3 , wherein said rotor of said motor is arranged generally parallel with said safety arm.
5. 5 . The SACU of claim 4 , wherein said rotor of said motor is arranged generally parallel to said missile tube.
6. 6 . The SACU of claim 1 , wherein said first plane is positioned relative said second plane so that said interlock pin extends from said housing before said umbilical connector extends from said housing when said crankshaft rotates from said first safe position to said second armed position.
7. 7 . The SACU of claim 1 , wherein said missile tube includes a TOW missile.
8. 8 . The SACU of claim 1 , wherein said missile cradle is arranged generally parallel to a second missile cradle.
9. 9 . The SACU of claim 8 , wherein said missile cradle is arranged generally coplanar to said second missile cradle.
10. 10 . The SACU of claim 1 , wherein a rotor of said motor is arranged generally parallel with said axis of said crankshaft.
11. 11 . The SACU of claim 10 , wherein said rotor of said motor is arranged generally parallel to said missile tube.
12. 12 . The SACU of claim 1 , further comprising: a circuit board electrically interconnected to said umbilical connector for sending signals to said missile tube; and a connector for electrically interconnecting said circuit board to a Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) so said circuit board receives signals from said VCU.
13. 13 . The SACU of claim 12 , wherein said circuit board includes a portion for sending signals to a splice cable electrically interconnected with a second umbilical connector.
14. 14 . An arming system for multiple missile tubes, the arming system comprising: a first Single Arming Control Unit (SACU) for a first missile cradle, the first SACU comprising: a first housing; a circuit board in said first housing; a first motor in said first housing; and a first crankshaft in said first housing including at least two cranks, wherein: a first crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a first plane through an axis of rotation of said first crankshaft; a second crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a second plane through said axis of rotation of said first crankshaft; said first crank is connected to an interlock pin for a first missile tube in said first missile cradle; said second crank is connected to an umbilical connector for said first missile tube in said first missile cradle; and said second plane and first plane are not parallel; wherein, said first motor acts to rotate said first crankshaft between a first safe position and a second armed position; and a second SACU for a second missile cradle, the second SACU comprising: a second housing; a second motor in said second housing; and a second crankshaft in said second housing including at least two cranks, wherein: a first crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a first plane through an axis of rotation of said second crankshaft; a second crank of said at least two cranks is arranged in a second plane through said axis of rotation of said second crankshaft; said first crank is connected to an interlock pin for a second missile tube in said second missile cradle; said second crank is connected to an umbilical connector for said second missile tube in said second missile cradle; and said second plane and first plane are not parallel; wherein, said second motor acts to rotate said second crankshaft between a first safe position and a second armed position; wherein said circuit board electrically controls both said first motor and said second motor.
15. 15 . The arming system of claim 14 , wherein a rotor of said first motor is arranged generally parallel with said axis of said first crankshaft.
16. 16 . The arming system of claim 14 , further comprising: a first safety arm and a first safety pin; wherein when said first motor rotates said first crankshaft from said safe position to said armed position said first motor also causes said first safety arm to extend said first safety pin from said first housing.
17. 17 . The arming system of claim 16 , further comprising: a second safety arm and a second safety pin; wherein when said second motor rotates said second crankshaft from said safe position to said armed position said second motor also causes said second safety arm to extend said second safety pin from said second housing.
18. 18 . The arming system of claim 14 , wherein said first motor and said second motor move in tandem.
19. 19 . The arming system of claim 14 , wherein in both said first SACU and said second SACU said first plane is positioned relative said second plane so that said interlock pin extends from said housing before said umbilical connector extends from said housing when said crankshaft rotates from said first safe position to said second armed position.
20. 20 . The SACU of claim 14 , wherein said missile cradle is arranged generally coplanar to said second missile cradle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/493,831, filed on Apr. 3, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention This disclosure is related to the field of arming control systems for missile launchers, and more particularly to an arming system which is primarily designed to interconnect with a single TOW missile tube. 2. Description of the Related Art Produced since 1970, the TOW (“Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided”) missile is one of the most utilized guided anti-tank missiles in the world. The concept of the weapon is relatively straight-forward. The missile is mounted inside a dedicated launch tube which is aimed at the target. Aiming is typically accomplished by a human operator utilizing a Target Acquisition System (TAS) which provides some form of a visual sight either relying on daylight or infrared (IR) night-vision. When triggered, the missile leaves the launch tube and is propelled toward the target. Originally, the missile would trail guiding wires through which communication information could be sent from the launcher to the missile. More modern versions, however, can now use wireless signals in the same way. An infrared (IR) beacon in the missile's tail is located by the TAS and provided to a Flight Control Subsystem (FCS) which allows the location of the missile to be tracked during flight and that allows for the flight to be adjusted based on the position of the reticle in the aiming system. The reticle is maintained on the target during the missile's flight by the operator and this steers the missile. Feedback between the operator's positioning of the reticle and the detected position of the missile is transmitted via the wires or wireless connection to flight surfaces of the missile to allow it to be directed into the target identified by the reticle positioning. Specifically, that it will impact the point indicated by the operator as the target. TOW missiles are very versatile with one of the key aspects of their value and pervasiveness being their ability to be launched from a variety of platforms and carry a variety of warheads. These include where the missile is launched by infantry from a modular tripod mount that breaks down into a number of components, to use on secondary mounts for vehicles, to use on dedicated armored vehicles designed to utilize TOW missiles as their primary armament. While these systems all ultimately utilize the same missiles, it is important to recognize that their support systems and missile launchers are often quite different. In a vehicle mount, the operator will typically want to be inside the vehicle so as to be protected by its armor (under armor) as this is, in many respects, the point of utilizing an armored vehicle at all. This separates the operator (as well as any others using the vehicle) from the missile itself. This is positive from a defensive point-of-view, but can result in problems related to the use of a missile. Part of the flexibility of TOW missiles is that are typically provided in a tube or other container prior to use. This tube is then designed to be placed within a launcher assembly which includes all the electronics to aim, fire, and guide the missile during flight. Because the missile comes pre-packaged in the tube, interconnection of the launcher with the tube can utilize generally common electrical interconnection components and the human interface elements of the TOW operation (e.g. the aiming using the reticle) are similar regardless of missile type. In effect, the TOW missile tube makes the system somewhat modular and allows for an operator to use a first kind of missile from their launcher, eject the spent tube from the launcher, and install and fire an entirely different kind of TOW missile without substantially altering their interaction with the targeting and aiming. FIG. 1 provides an image of a prior art launcher assembly (100) for use on a vehicle such as a Bradley fighting vehicle. In FIG. 1, the launcher (100) has been removed from its exterior housing. This launcher (100) will typically be mounted on a turret or similar structure. As should be apparent from FIG. 1, the launcher assembly (100) comprises two cradles (101) and (102) which are used to support the missiles in their tubes. Two cradles (101) and (102) are not required but are near ubiquitous as the system has typically been constructed to provide either two or four missiles (two launchers) depending on battlefield role. Further, as the launcher (100) was constructed to be durable and repeatedly reusable, it has become a default standard simply through long use. Single tube launchers have traditionally been limited to systems which are directly fired by infantry, such as through a tripod mount or on a ring turret, where the user is exposed and (at least partially) outside the vehicle. The two cradles (10