Howitzer with pivotable loading arm and ammunition magazine of the endless-chain type

摘要

In the case of an armoured howitzer having a weapon which is supported in the turret of a tank on trunnions, having a rotary magazine, which is arranged in the rear of the turret and in which the shells are stored essentially horizontally in the firing direction, having a device (which is arranged between the magazine and the breech of the weapon) for passing individual shells from the magazine to the weapon, and having a device (which is fitted on the weapon support and follows its elevation) for ramming the shell, it is provided that the transfer device has a loading arm which is supported on a trunnion, extends on the side of the weapon to the magazine and can be pivoted between an essentially horizontal receiving position in front of the magazine and a transfer position which passes the shell to the ramming device at the respective elevation of the weapon, the loading arm being locked in place in the receiving position and, after releasing the lock, pivoting into the transfer position, against the force of a restoring spring, just by the weight of the shell, and, after passing the shell to the ramming device, pivoting back into the receiving position under the influence of the restoring spring.