WO1985003118A1

WO1985003118A1 - Target detection unit to be installed on firearms

Info

Publication number: WO1985003118A1
Application number: PCT/EP1985/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vladimir Jezic
Original assignee: I + I Ingenieurtechnik + Innovation Für Präzisions
Priority date: 1984-01-12
Filing date: 1985-01-10
Publication date: 1985-07-18
Also published as: DE8400652U1; EP0168450A1; AU3882685A

Abstract

The unit is essentially comprised of a lens device (2) arranged on the gun barrel (1) of the firearm and producing a representation of the field of firing. Said representation is brought, in principle by any kind of transfer unit, here by an image conducting cable (3), to an image reproducing or recording apparatus (4). An instructor has thus the possibility to control, at least at the beginning of the shot wether the firearm was correctly directed by the respective shooter in the target direction, what are the faults which have been made, and the importance of those faults.

Description

Gun-mountable target sensing device

The invention relates to a device that can be attached to firearms for detecting a target.

The correct handling of firearms, especially handguns, usually requires lengthy practice. This is especially true for those weapons that do not have precise sights, such as

Riflescopes or the like should be used. Such sighting devices are largely unsuitable for small arms, such as shotguns, against fast-moving targets (eg clay pigeons) because the necessary time for target detection is lacking due to the above-mentioned rapid movement of the target Aim at the target moving at high speed without any aids and with the correct lead angle. The only thing that can be aimed at is the barrel or barrels of the shotgun. Basically similar, but to a lesser extent, also applies to precision weapons Rifles equipped with riflescopes During the learning phase, the shooter often makes unconscious mistakes, which cannot be corrected easily by an instructor, because the latter can at best estimate the type of error, but not its extent.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device which makes it possible to precisely identify all of a shooter's mistakes in the handling of firearms. This. The object is achieved in that the firing area of the firearm can be imaged on an image plane by means of a lens arrangement which can be attached to the barrel or barrels of the firearm and has an optical axis which is approximately parallel to the axis of the barrel or barrels, and that an image transmission device is attached to the firearm for forwarding the image of the firing field generated in the image plane is arranged at a position remote from the firearm.

The invention is therefore based on the general idea of creating the possibility by forwarding the image of the firing field to a distant position that an instructor placed at the distant position or - if the distant position is visible from the shooter - the shooter himself handling of the respective firearm can control. This makes it easy to specify the type and extent of errors.

In an expedient embodiment of the invention, the lens arrangement can be connected to an image recording or reproducing device via the image transmission device in order to be able to control the handling of the weapon during firing or to be able to check it after firing.

In principle, it is possible for the image transmission device to work wirelessly with a transmitter arranged on the firearm and a receiver connected upstream of the image recording or image reproduction device.

This arrangement offers the advantage that the gunner can move almost arbitrarily with the weapon relative to the image recording or playback device and in particular can greatly change his distance from this device. In view of the particularly low susceptibility to faults and the low weight of the device parts arranged on the weapon itself, it is generally advantageous if a (miniaturized) video camera is arranged as the image transmission device on the firearm, which video camera produces the lens arrangement on the image plane Converts image into electrical signals, which are then passed on to the image recording or reproducing device via cables.

According to an advantageous alternative arrangement, an optical image conductor cable connected to the lens arrangement, which consists of an ordered bundle of optical fibers made of glass or glass-like material, can also be connected as the image transmission device.

Such an image guide cable can direct the image of the firing field directly to the eye or into the field of view of a viewer placed at a distance from the firearm, by looking directly into the end of the image guide cable remote from the gun or, if necessary, observing a focusing screen that observes on the end of the image guide cable remote from the gun takes the image transmitted by it. In the latter case, imaging optics are expediently arranged between the end of the image conductor cable on the screen side and the screen in order to be able to produce a screen image that is enlarged compared to the cross section of the image guide.

In addition, there is also the advantageous one

Possibility given to connect the image conductor cable at its end remote from the lens arrangement via an optical adapter and a video camera to the image recording or display device. In all of the aforementioned embodiments, the image recording device can be arranged in a carrying container, in particular a backpack or knapsack, and carried by the shooter. In this case, the device is primarily used for documentation and subsequent reproduction of the use of weapons, for example in the case of police operations by snipers.

In order to prevent long phases from being recorded without any firing, it can be provided that the

Image recording device by a special signal - e.g. by means of an acoustic signal such as shout - switches on and switches off after a predefinable delay after firing a shot or after actuating the trigger on the weapon. This also ensures that a possible second, third shot, etc. are recorded.

If necessary, the special signal can also be generated by a switch.

For the rest, it may also be sufficient if the image recording device only records the moment the shot is fired, for example if the shooter has already largely learned how to use the weapon safely and only minor errors are to be expected or only the use of the weapon is documented shall be. In this case, the image recording device can be switched on or off via a switch which interacts with the trigger lever of the weapon.

In order to be able to reproduce the axis of the barrel or the barrel of the weapon, the lens arrangement can be equipped with a corresponding, adjustable crosshair. Instead, however, it is also possible to electronically generate a corresponding image of a cross when using an electronic image display device and to make it visible on the screen.

Moreover, an optical symbol can be generated electronically on the screen when a shot is fired or when a trigger is actuated on the firearm.

Finally, there is also the option on the

A symbol indicating the direction of movement of the firearm, e.g. to generate an arrow electronically, in the latter case the weapon must cooperate with special sensors that can detect the movements of the weapon and convert them into signals. Accelerometers, for example, are suitable for this purpose, which react to movements of the weapon transverse to the axis of the barrel or barrels. If necessary, the weapon can also be supported in an articulated manner, with swiveling movements of the weapon in the horizontal and vertical directions by means of potentiometers or the like. are detectable.

All the above-described embodiments of the device according to the invention are also suitable for exercises with the weapon without live ammunition or with blank cartridges or the like. The image recording can be used to determine immediately or later whether the respective shooter would have hit the target or which errors have been made.

Above all, this has the advantage that it can be practiced without any impairment of security with targets which move extremely quickly and describe complicated trajectories. For example, it is possible to or the like on a rope, a boom. requested orderly target object to use, which moves quickly on a circular closed path, the path plane can optionally be inclined relative to the ground plane or even wavy with respect to a central plane. Depending on the placement of the shooter inside, under or outside the area around which the target object flows, the most varied degrees of difficulty can be simulated.

In addition, when using weapons without live ammunition, the invention also gives the possibility of different, differently positioned shooters simultaneously trying to "hit" the same target. If the image recording device is set up for multiplex operation, a single recording device is sufficient for a large number of shooters.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of advantageous embodiments which are shown schematically in the drawing.

It shows

1 shows a side view of a shotgun with a device according to the invention for detecting the firing field, here consisting of a lens arrangement arranged on the barrels and an image guide cable, FIG. 2 shows the handling of this shotgun, FIG. 3 in the form of a sequence of pictures each of which

Device for the detection of the firing field produced images of the firing field of the shotgun, when correctly detected and the target was successfully hit, and Fig. 4 shows a practice arrangement in which shooters standing at different places try to hit a target object rotating on any complicated path.

According to FIG. 1, a telescope-like lens system 2 is arranged on the side of the shotgun barrels 1 of a shotgun, the optical axis of which is oriented at least approximately parallel to the axes of the shotgun barrels 1. The lens system 2 produces, in a known manner, an optical image of the firing field located in front of the shotgun in an image plane on the side of the lens system 2 facing the shooter.

This optical image is fed to a recording or display device 4 by means of a flexible image guide cable 3, which consists of a large number of ordered optical fibers (made of glass or similar material), as shown in FIG.

Thus, the shotgun of the shotgun can be recorded or viewed remotely from the shooter without affecting the shooter.

The screen device 4 can optionally also be equipped with an image recording device, so that the sequence of images transmitted via the image conductor cable can also be viewed later. Otherwise, a video camera with an optical adapter for connection to the image conductor cable 3 is connected upstream of the screen device or the image recording device. All of these device elements can be housed in a common housing, as shown. Instead of the image recording or screen device 4, the optical image transmitted via the image conductor cable 3 can also be thrown directly onto a small screen by means of corresponding imaging optics, which is observed directly by a viewer.

If necessary, the observer can also look directly into the end of the image guide cable which is distant from the firearm and on which an eyepiece lens is expediently arranged to facilitate viewing in order to observe the firing field of the weapon.

Finally, the video camera can be arranged in miniaturized form directly on the weapon, so that it is possible to transmit the electrical image signals generated by the same via an electrical cable

(instead of the image conductor cable 3) to the image recording or display device.

If necessary, the cable connection can also be replaced by a wireless transmission if one at the

Gun arranged transmitter interacts with a receiver connected upstream of the image recording or screen device.

If the shotgun is handled correctly, the sequence of images shown in FIG. 3 results:

The target here is a clay pigeon 5, which is thrown into the field of vision of the shooter by a conventional throwing machine.

The firing direction of the shotgun is indicated by a "crosshair", which appears approximately in the middle on the screen of the screen device 4 and is expediently generated electronically. Around the crosshair accordingly To adjust the axis of the barrel 1 of the firearms, the position of the crosshair on the screen can be set similar to the position of a coordinate cross on a measuring oscilloscope.

The edge of the screen is indicated by dashed or dotted lines in FIG. 3.

First of all, the fast moving clay pigeon 5 must be "grasped"; at this point, the direction of the shot would lead past the clay pigeon 5. Then a "swinging" of the shotgun takes place until the clay pigeon 5 is overtaken and overtaken and finally the shot direction of the shotgun crosses the trajectory of the clay pigeon 5 with the correct reserve dimension. Now the shot must take place while the shotgun is still being moved according to the trajectory of the clay pigeon 5. The successful hit can finally be recognized by the shattering clay pigeon 5 ', provided that live ammunition (in this case, shot) is used.

If it is not practiced with live ammunition or only with blank cartridges, the clay pigeon would not be disassembled or the target would hit the target. In this case there is the possibility, for example, of coupling the trigger lever of the weapon to a switch, the actuation of which generates an electronically generated symbol 6 for the firing of the shot on the screen and is also recorded by means of the image recording device which may be provided. When looking at the image sequence from the distance between the target and the crosshairs, it can thus be readily determined whether the weapon is or was correctly aligned at the time the "shot" was fired. In addition, another arrow-like symbol 7 can also appear electronically on the screen, the direction of the arrow representing the respective pivoting direction of the weapon. In this case, motion detectors (not yet shown) must be provided, for example sensors which react to accelerations of the weapon transverse to the axis of barrels 1 and whose output signals are converted by means of a computer to generate the symbol 7 mentioned.

If necessary, the image recording device can also be accommodated in a knapsack 8, which is carried by the respective shooter. In this way, all of the shooter's activities can be recorded.

In order to reduce the weight to be carried by the shooter, it is sufficient if only a transmitter with antenna is accommodated in the knapsack, which converts the image signals generated by a video camera into corresponding transmission signals, which are then collected and recorded or recorded by a central point be depicted. For example, the video camera 10 is arranged directly on the weapon and with the transmitter via a. electrical cable connected. Instead, it is also possible to accommodate the video camera in the knapsack and optically connect it to the lens arrangement 2 (cf. again FIG. 1) via an image conductor cable according to FIG. 1.

According to FIG. 4, a target object 11 can be moved in the manner of a sling on a circular path 14 by means of a rope 12 or the like holding the same, which is fastened to a high mast 13, the plane of the circular path to the ground. Surface can be more or less inclined. If, instead of the rope 12, a relatively rigid boom is arranged, which is mounted on the mast rotating and angularly movable with respect to the mast axis, then the target object 11 can optionally also be moved on undulating, very complicated tracks.

In any case, there is the possibility that the shooters will carry out 15 exercises of very different levels of difficulty. Thus, the shooter 15 'tries to hit the target object 11 on a section of the path 14 running in the direction of the shooter 15', while the shooter 15 "tries to hit the moving target object 11. The shooter 15" 'tries to hit the target object 11 , while the same passes through the shooter's field of view approximately in the transverse direction. Finally, the shooter 15 "" tries to hit the target object 11 while he is being scanned "overhead" by the same.

Since the device according to the invention makes it possible to practice the weapon in a very practical manner even without using live ammunition, all the exercises shown in FIG. 4 can be carried out simultaneously without the shooters endangering each other.

In the exercises shown in FIG. 4, a single image recording or reproduction device can be used for all shooters 15. On the one hand, this is possible because the shooters can be set up at appropriate spatial distances so that the shooters have to fire their shots one after the other. If, in exceptional cases, a shot was fired by several shooters at the same time, it would have to be connected upstream of the image recording or reproduction device. th gate circuit can be guaranteed that, according to a priority to be specified, only the recording for one shooter is carried out while suppressing the recordings for the other shooters. If necessary, a so-called multiplex operation is also possible, which allows simultaneous recording for several shooters.

In an advanced stage of training of shooters, it is generally possible if only one picture is taken at the time the shot is fired - whether with live ammunition or without one. Video cameras are particularly suitable for this purpose, in which the charge image generated is obtained over a long period of time, for example until the camera is actuated again. Such cameras already available on the market can therefore replace a video recorder for image recording if only one image is to be recorded at the moment the shot is fired.

Finally, it is advantageous that the device according to the invention enables very realistic "fighting games" without firing a sharp shot, since at least instantaneous images are recorded when the shot is fired and thus it can be checked without any risk of injury whether a real target, possibly also a human being, is fired a sharp shot would have been taken.

Claims

1. Attachable to firearms device for detecting a target, characterized in that the firing field of the firearm by means of a barrel or the

Barrels (1) of the firearm attachable lens arrangement (2) with the axis of the barrel or barrels (1) approximately parallel optical axis can be imaged on an image plane, and that on the firearm an image transmission device (3) for forwarding the in Image plane generated image of the firing field is arranged at a position distant from the firearm.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lens arrangement (2) via the image transfer device (3) is connected to an image recording or .. image display device (4).

3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the image transmission device works wirelessly with a transmitter arranged on the firearm and an upstream of the image recording or reproducing device (4) receiver.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a video camera is arranged as the image transmission device (3) on the firearm, which converts the image generated by the or its lens arrangement (2) on the image plane into electrical signals , which are passed on to the image recording or reproducing device (4) via cable.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that an image conductor cable (3) is connected as an image transmission device to the lens arrangement (2).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the image conductor cable (3) conducts the image to the eye or to a matt disc arranged in the field of view of the viewer.

7. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the image conductor cable (3) at its from the Linsen¬ arrangement (2) remote end via an optical adapter and a video camera with the image recording or image playback device (4) is connected.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the image recording device in a Tragbehältπis - in particular backpack or Tor¬ nister (8) - is arranged.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the lens arrangement (2) with Faden¬ cross or the like. is equipped.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that on the screen of the image reproducing device (4) a cross or other the direction of the axis of the barrel or barrels (1) of the weapon reproducing the representation can be generated electronically.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an optical symbol (6) is generated electrically on the screen of the image display device when a shot is fired or when a trigger is actuated on the firearm.

12. The device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that on the screen of the image display device a symbol representing the direction of movement of the weapon (7) e.g. Arrow is generated electronically.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the image recording device (4) by a special - e.g. Acoustic signal switches on and switches off after a specifiable run-on time after firing a shot or after actuating a trigger on the weapon.

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the image recording or reproducing device (4) is each connected to a plurality of lens arrangements (2) of a plurality of firearms.

15. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the transmitter or the like in a backpack worn by the shooter, knapsack (8). is housed or can be accommodated.