Weapon-Mount Interface Study - Tripod Mount M3

A mathematical model of the M3 Tripod Mount for the M2 Machine Gun was developed by the Research Directorate, Weapons Laboratory at Rock Island to study the dynamic response of the tripod when it is subjected to force excitation due to a firing machine gun. This model was used to construct a digital computer program capable of predicting tripod motions and stresses for any reasonable firing situation. The program output consists of time histories of parameters that describe the motion of the gun barrel, and maximum stresses in the tripod legs. The program input comprises elevation and azimuth angles of the gun, properties of soil at the emplacement site of the weapon, degree of tripod leg extension, and a forcing function generated from the output of the USAWECOM computer program for the M2 gun.