GB2248916A - Self-loading hand weapon - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-loading hand weapon, preferably a rifle, is provided with an opening 3 in a part rigid with the barrel 1, said opening being perpendicular to the barrel axis and housing a coaxial cylindrical breechblock 4 which can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis for loading and which contains a cartridge chamber 9 which aligns with the barrel 1 when the breechblock 4 is in a firing position and which is sealed off at the rear, and with an arrangement for pivoting the breechblock 4 out of the firing position into a loading position in which the cartridge chamber 9 is accessible for introducing a cartridge 14, and for pivoting the breechblock 4 into a firing position after the introduction of the cartridge whereby, owing to the arrangement for pivoting, particularly owing to a switch-wheel drive, the breechblock 4 is only rotatable in one direction. There is a rotatable flywheel (40, 42, 46, 48, 54, 56, 58, Fig. 2 not shown) which has a drive connection to the breechblock 4 such that in the period of time after the firing of a round up to the time when the weapon is ready to fire the next round the flywheel is constantly in rotation and during at least a part of the aforementioned period of time delivers stored kinetic energy for driving the breechblock. Shock loading is thus reduced. <IMAGE>

Description

2 24 3910 SELF-LOADING HAND WEAPON The invention relates to a self-loading

hand weapon, such as a rifle.

It is Pwia&n from Gernw, OfferlegurigsscLl-if-c No. 2B 13 635 for s=. a weapon to have an opening provided in a part rigid with the barrel, the opening being perpendicular to the barrel axis and housing a coaxial basically cylindrical breechblock which can be pivoted about, its longitudinal axis for loading and which contains a cartridgechamber which aligns with the barrel when the breechblock is in a firing position, and with an arrangement for pivoting the breec,-.r-'.oci. out of the firing position into a loading position in whier the cartridge chamber is accessible for introducing a cartridge, an- for pivoting the breechblock into a firing position after the introduc,-,ion of the cartridge.

In the known weapon the cylindrical breechblock at the same ar wheel of a Geneva gear, and the driv' g wheel time forms the st engages grooves in the star wheel with pins. The driving wheel- itself is driven by a control valve which is connected to a gas loading device and which is driven in a linear reciprocating motion and which rotates the driving wheel of the Geneva gear in two steps each of 1L whereby after each of these steps the aforementioned wheel comes to a stop. The loading operation which takes place automaticallY after the firing of a round calls for two pivoting movements of the breechblock and, in the known weapon, this likewise requires two pivoting movements of the switch-wheel, said movenents each taking p-'---2e -F--, nm rest and between which movements the switch-wheel is braked to a stop.

since the driving wheel or switch-wheel is turned only in steps and has to undergo heavy acceleration at the start of each step and heavy deceleration at the end of each step, there is, particularly in the case of a high firing rate which in the case of automatic weapons should be approximately 2000 rounds per minute, and in the case of a correspondingly high average rotational speed of the switch-wheel, the danger of heavy wear and tear in the region of the drive connection between the control valve and the switch-wheel. Conversely, there is an upper limit on the firing rate if it is intended not to exceed certain set values as regards the acceleration and deceleration of the switch-wheel.

The object of the invention is to reduce sudden, jerky accelerations in the known weapon referred to above.

According to this invention there is provided a self-loading hand weapon having a barrel, a part which is rigid with the barrel and has a basically cylindrical opening defining an axis perpendicular to the barrel axis, a coaxial basically cylindrical breechblock housed in the opening and pivotable about its longitudinal axis for loading and firing, the breechblock containing a cartridge chamber which is aligned with the barrel when the breechblock is in a firing position, and an arrangement for pivoting the breechblock out of the firing position into a loading position in which the earl-ridge chamber is accessible for introducing a cartridge, and for pivoting the breechblock into a firing position after the introduction of the cart-ridge, wherein the weapon includes a rotatable part having a drive connection to the breechblock which is arranged such that in the period of time after the firing of a round up to the time when the weapon is ready to fire the next round the rotatable part is constantly in rotation. The weapon may, therefore, be such that in the period of time after -ion for the firing of a round up to the reaching of the firing posit the next round the device for pivoting the breechblock need not be braked to a stop. As soon as the firing position for the next round is reached the total arrangement can, however, very well be completely at rest. The advantage of the invention lies in the reduction of sudden shock-like loading.

The rotatable part may be driven by an external drive, for example by an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. In such embodiments in which the rotatable part is stopped when the firing position for the next round is reached, it is also possible, depending on the type of drive used, for the drive, for example the above-mentioned electric motor, to be switched off and stopped, or, alternately, the drive connection between the electric motor or the internal combustion engine and the rotatable part can be disengaged, for example with the aid of a clutch. It is also possible to provide an hydraulic clutch which is not shifted, but which, so-to-speak, slips when the rotatable part is stopped in the above-depicted manner whereb, however, the drive y means continues to run. It is also conceivable, instead of an hydraulic clutch, to employ a friction clutch working with dry friction.

In an embodiment of the invention the rotatable part is a flywheel which has a drive connection to the breechblock such that during at least a part of the aforementioned period of time the flywheel delivers stored kinetic energy for driving the breechblock. Whereas, in the known weapon, the switch-wheel which is driven directly by the control valve should be as light as possible, i.e. should have as small a gyrating mass as possible, owing to the heavy accelerations and decelerations which it undergoes, the present embodiment provides for a flywheel which is in a position owing to the kinetic energy stored in it to do mechanical work. The aavantage is that, as compared with the prior art, the more uniform motion of the device pivoting the breechblock leads to a reduction in the number and force of the sudden shocklike loads which occur, and, due to the uniform rotational movement, the device according to the invention is also suitable for high firing rates. The flywheel can, as in the subsequently described specimen embodiment, be formed by parts of the weapon. However, the flywheel can also be formed entirely or partially by the rotor of a drive means (for example electric motor or internal combustion engine).

In an embodiment of the invention the weapon may be provided with a gas piston of conventional type in which, following the expansion of the combustion gases, the gas piston is returned by-a return spring into its starting position, and the force of this return spring can also contribute towards the drive for the pivoting movement of the breechblock and, possibly, also for driving the loading device. Such a spring may well be of advantage in obtaining a further uniformization of the.motions involved, i.e. a more uniform speed. In another embodiment of the invention, however, in a gas-operated weapon the flywheel is driven basically only during the presence of gas pressure from the gas piston. The arrangement in this case, therefore, is such that the self-loading operation of the weapon can be maintained even if the gas piston has no return spring. In this case, the mass moment of inertia of the flywheel and the kinetic energy delivered to the flywheel by the gas piston must be sufficiently dimensioned to carry out all movements of the weapon during the return of the gas piston into its starting position which, in this case, is also effected by the flywheel. In this embodiment it is of advantage that, if there is a return spring, the arrangement can be suc h that thanks to the energy stored in the flywheel the weapon remains operative if the return sprin breaks; it may, however, be the case that the capability of the weapon is slightly restricted in such a case.

In another embodiment of the invention the gas loading system is without return spring. Consequently, in this case the flywheel and the energy delivered to it are dimensioned such that the operation of the weapon is guaranteed for all envisaged firing modes in the absence of a return spring.

An important advantage of the invention whose benefit is felt to the full especially in embodiments without a return spring is that the movements of the pivoting device can take place completely independently of the presence of springs and, therefore, virtually any operating rates can be selected. In contrast, arrangements with springs are 6 generally fully operative only in a limited range of the operating rate, and the operating rates achievable with springs are restricted to maximum values because the spring must also accelerate its own mass when extending.

Preferably, the energy stored in the flywheel is used not only to perform the pivoting motion of the breechblock, but it is also connected to other parts of the weapon. Thus, in an embodiment of the invention the rotatable part has a drive connection to a cocking means for cocking a firing hammer of the weapon. This permits a particularly simple construction of the weapon and, as is explained in the description, prevents sudden shock-like loading.

In an embodiment of the invention in which the weapon, as also in the case of the known weapon initially described, has at least one eccentric cam for controlling a feeder with which cartridges are pushed out of a magazine into the cartridge chamber of the breechblock, it is en visaged that at least one constant diameter cam is a com ponent of the rotatable part, particularly of the flywheel.

The advantage with this embodiment, as also in the case of further described embodiments, is that parts which are needed anyway in the weapon contribute towards the gyrating mass of the flywheel so that despite a relatively heavy flywheel the weight of the weapon does not increase.

The flywheel need not be in the form of one single mass, but there may be several masses rotating about separate axes which are suita.41y connected to each other, for example by means of toothed-gear drives. In another embodiment of the invention, however, all parts of the flywheel are disposed so as to be rotatable about a single common axis. This dispenses with the need for a gear drive and there results a very compact simple construction.

I In an embodiment of the invention in which in the period of time between the firing of a round and the reaching of the firing position for the next round a switch-wheel of a switch-wheel drive driving the breechblock performs one full revolution, there is a locking mechanism which stops the switch-wheel after precisely one full revolution. Such a locking mechanism appears advantageous if single rounds are being fired or also if single rounds are being fired at short intervals, or also for the last round of a burst of fire. This locking mechanism makes it possible to provide the flywheel with a certain excess of kinetic energy so that unexpected resistances which, for example, can occur as a result of fouling or also changes in the conditions of lubrication can safely be overcome. Yet, owing to the locking mechanism, the weapon is in a precisely defined position for the firing of a further round. Even when the weapon is provided with this locking mechanism, the number of sudden shock-like accelerations of the rotatable part is at most 50% compared with the above-mentioned known weapon. Even in the case of bursts of fire or continuous fire the locking mechanism may be convenient because it guarantees that the movements of the weapon are in each case only initiated after the ignition of a cartridge.

In an embodiment of the invention the gas piston engages a crank which is coupled to the flywheel. This design is particularly simple and spacesaving and it makes it possible in a simple manner to bring the gas piston back into its starting position through the flywheel after the gas pressure has stopped, even if there is no return spring. A further advantage is that the gas piston does not have any free travel at the beginning or end of its motion which drives the flywheel. This also increases the obtainable firing rate.

<6 Preferably, in the firing position the crank position is a few degrees after top dead centre and the gas pressure ends no later than the time at which the crank has reached bottom dead centre. This ensures the quick reliable transfer of the energy of the gas piston to the flywheel. In the specimen embodiment, top dead centre corresponds approximately to the forward-most position of the gas piston in the direction of fire.

In an embodiment of the invention the cocking means exhibits a lever which can pivot about the pivot axis of the firing hammer and which is connected by a link to a joint which is eccentrically disposed on the rotatable part, said joint possibly being the same joint which is also engaged by the gas piston. The depicted embodiment is likewise characterized by a simple space-saving construction.

In an embodiment of the invention the firing spring is loaded to maximum tension no later than the time at which the gas pressure ends. The advantage of this is that,an operation which requires relatively much energy, namely the tensioning of the firing spring, can be performed directly by the gas pressure so that the energy stored in the flywheel after the gas pressure has stopped can be smaller and, thus, the mass moment of inertia of the flywheel can be smaller than if this stored kinetic energy were also required for tensioning the firing spring.

0

Claims (16)

1. The embodiment of the invention described in Claim 14 has proved

   particularly advantageous in terms of design and operation. The embodiment described in Claim 15 exhibits a particularly convenient form of control for the feeder which pushes the cartridges out of the magazine into the cartridge chamber.

   Cl Specimen embodiments of the invention are described and explained below with reference to the drawings in which:

   Fig. 1 is a side view, partially broken off, of the parts of an automatic rifle which are important with regard to the invention; Fig.
2. 2 is a top view in the direction of arrow II in Fig. 1; Fig.
3. 3 is a front view in the direction of arrow III in Fig.

   Fig.
4. 4 is a rear view in the direction of arrow IV in Fig. 2; Fig.
5. 5 is a section on line.V-V in Fig. 2; Fig.
6. 6 is a section on line VI-VI in Fig. 2; Fig.
7. 7 is a section on line VII-VII in Fig. 2; Fig.
8. 8 is a section on line VIII-VIII in Fig. 2, turned through 180'; Fig.
9. 9 is a longitudinal section through the receiver with the cylindrical breechblock, turned through 1800 and thus in the same orientation as shown in Fig. 8; Fig.
10. 10 is a section on line IX-1X in Fig. 2, likewise turned through 1800; Fig.
11. 11 is a graphic representation; Fig. 12 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 8, but partially in section and broken off; Fig. 13 is a view of the firing pin in the direction of arrow XIII in rig. 12, broken off; ID Fig. 14 is a detail of a modified embodiment; Fig. 15 is a side view of the firing pin; Fig. 16 is a view of the firing pin in the direction of arrow XVI in Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a section on line XVII-XVII in Fig. 15; Fig. 18 to 20 are details of the movable dog and of a guide pin of a coulisse; Fig. 21a to f are the operating principle of the coulisse.

    Fig. 3 is enlarged in comparison with Fig. 1 and 4 to 8.

    Fig. 2 is enlarged by a factor of 1.17 in comparison with Fig. 1 and 3 to 7.

    The embodiment shown in the drawings is an automatic rifle suitable for firing caseless cartridges.

    AS shown in Fig. 9, a part 2 which is rigidly connected to a barrel 1 contains a cylindrical hole 3 whose axis 31 is perpendicular to the barrel axis and intersects the barrel axis. Mounted in this hole 3 is a cylindrical breechblock 4 which is rotatable about the axis 3' of the hole 3. The drawing shows this breechblock in the firing position. in this firing position a cartridge chamber 9 in the breechblock 4 aligns with the bore 5 of the barrel 1. The cartridge chamber 9 is symmetrical with respect to a transverse centre plane of the rifle on which the axis of the barrel 1 is perpendicular and in which the axis of the breechblock 4 lies. A caseless cartridge 14 in the cartridge chamber 9 consists of a propellant body 8 with projectile 7 projecting at the front. on either side of the aforementioned transverse centre plane 1 \MW 1 1 ( the cartridge chamber 9 which has an approximately rectangular d:lear cross section exhibits stop faces 10 which project into the clear cross section and which come into contact with corresponding counter-faces 11 of the propellant body 8, thereby fixing the position of the cartridge 14 in the cartridge chamber 9. The cartridge 14 shown in rig. 9 is supported on two diagonally opposite stop faces 10, and the propellant body 8 is recessed in a (in Fig. 9) lefthand end region in the region of the other two diagonally opposite corners in such a way that these recesses accommodate the stop faces (not shown in Fig. 9) for a cartridge which is introduced into the cartridge chamber in the opposite direction, i.e. whose projectile would then point to the right, with the result that the cartridge shown in Fig. 9 is not hindered from assuming its shown position.

    On the side of the hole 3 opposite the barrel 1 a firing pin 21 is mounted in a hole 22 of an insert 23 (Fig. 12) inserted into the part 2, and the longitudinal axis of the firing pin 21 aligns with the bore of the barrel 1. The firing pin 21 is provided with a,stop shoulder 24 on its side facing away from the breechblock 4. The stop shoulder 24 comes up against a stop face 25 of the insert 23 after the propellant body of the cartridge has ignited. The contact of the stop shoulder 24 on the aforementioned stop face creates a seal which largely prevents the escape of combustion gases. The firing pin 21 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 8 in which its front end which acts on a detonating compound of the cartridge when firing is not penetrating the hole 3. This is also the case even when, with the weapon uncocked, the firing hammer 66 is up against the firing pin 21. To ignite a cartridge, the firing pin 21 is struck to the front, i.e. to the left in Fig. 8, by the firing hammer 66.
12. 12- To load the weapon after firing a round, the breechblock 4 is turned through 90' in a clockwise direction in Fig. 9 (in an anticlockwise direction in Fig. 7) so that the cartridge chamber 9 is perpendicular to the axis of the bore 5 and one of the open ends of the cartridge chamber is facing upwards towards a magazine 31 which is disposed above the barrel 1 of the weapon and extends parallel to said barrel. This magazine 31 is a bar magazine in which the cartridges 14 are arranged such that they are perpendicular to the direction of fire and the tips 33 of the projectiles 7 point towards the barrel axis. The cartridge 14 which is in first place in the magazine (last place when viewed in the direction of fire) aligns with the cartridge chamber 9 in the breechblock 4 when the latter is in the loading position. A shaft or hole 12 is machined into the part 2 on the side opposite the magazine 31. In the other figures the cartridges 14 are shown in a somewhat simplified representation. Fig. 9 differs in scale somewhat from the other figures; Fig. 9 itself is not strictly to scale. In the other figures the part 2 has, in places where it would obstruct clarity, been partially omitted entirely, and partially only indicated by a few outlines.

    A Geneva gear is used, among other things, to drive the breechblock 4. This Geneva gear comprises grooves 35 which are worked into the end face of the cylindrical breechblock 4 facing the observer in Fig. 7; there are four such grooves 35 which are disposed radially,separated by an angle of 90 from each other and which run into the outer cylindrical surface.

    p )3 Mounted in the part 2 at an angle of 450 to the right below the rotation axis 3' of the breechblock 4 as viewed in rig. 7, and outside the hole 3, but closely juxtaposed to it, is a shaft 40 whose rotation axis runs parallel to the rotation axis 3' of the breechblock 4. Beginning at the right-hand outer end, i.e. from the side facing the observer in Fig. 1, the following parts are mounted on the shaft 40 such that they cannot turn relative to the shaft 40:

    A flat circular disc 42 which is mounted coaxially on the shaft 40 (Fig. 1); in the viewing direction of Fig. 1 behind the circular disc 42 a first eccentric cam 44 which deviates only slightly from a circular form and exhibits only a slight eccentricity in relation to the shaft 40, see Pig. 5. Behind the first eccentric cam 44 there is a second eccentric cam 46, see Fig. 6, which basically has the form of a circular disc, but which is mounted on the shaft 40 eccentricly, namely at about the centre between its centrepoint and its outer limit.

    Behind the second eccentric cam 46 there is a circular disc 48 which is coaxial with the shaft 40 and which can only be clearly seen in Fig. 2 and which bears on its rear side two pins 50 and 51 intended for engaging the grooves 35, see Fig. 2 and 7. In the firing position shown in all figures with the firing hammer cocked and retained by the sear, the pins 50 and 51 are outside the grooves 35. The pins 50 and 51 are at an equal distance from the axis of the shaft 40, but they are not exactly diametrically opposed, but form together an angle of about 1450 which is open towards the breechblock 4 whereby the pins 50 and 51 are at an equal distance from the rota tion axis of the breechblock 4. They are at a distance away from the outer ends of the grooves 35 which are nearest to them and point downwards and towards the right respec tively in Fig. 7. The circular disc 48 with the pins 50 and 1 t- 51 is in close proximity to the parallel side wall of the part 2. The shaft 40 penetrates the part 2, and at its end region which projects beyond the side face of the part 2 facing away from the observer in Fig. 1, said side face being at the top in Fig. 2 and facing the observer in Fig. 4, the shaft 40 bears, as shown in Fig. 2 in a direction from bottom to top and once again rigidly connected to it, first of all a control disc 54 (Fig. 2) for indirectly locking the breechblock, followed by a disc 56 whose edge forms a release cam, and a circular disc which is coaxially connected to the shaft 40 and which, on its outward-pointing side visible in Fig. 4, bears a projection 59 which interacts with a spring-mounted dog 230 (which is formed by a leaf spring) of a knob 175 which is coaxial with the circular disc 58 and is disposed in Fig. 4 in front of the disc 58, said interaction taking place such that the user of the weapon can, by turning the knob 175 in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, turn the circular disc 58 and thus the shaft 40.

    This knob 175 is made slightly stiff so that it is not turned when, during normal operation of the breech which is still to be described, the shaft 40 turns in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. If, on the other hand, this knob is made to turn easily, then it can also be turned during the rotational movement of the shaft 40, but it is subjected only to an extremely low torque with the result that the rotating of this knob, for example in the case of continuous fire, does not represent any danger to the firer. The knob 175 may, in particular, be mounted such that it latches.

    The above-described parts rigidly connected to the shaft 40 as well as the shaft 40 itself together form a rotating gyrating mass or a flywheel which makes it possible to store kinetic energy in this flywheel, said energy then being delivered from the flywheel to carry out the loading operation. In particular, this flywheel is suitable for storing kinetic energy which is supplied to it over a 1 Z relatively short space of time and for retransmitting the energy over a relatively long space of time.

    The weapon in the specimen embodiment is a gas-operated weapon whose gas piston (not shown) acts on the (in Fig. 1) right-hand end of a control rod 60. Immediately after a round has been fired the gas pressure forces the control rod 60 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The control rod 60 is mounted on the circular disc 42 by means of a joint 61 which is also engaged by a link 62. In the firing position shown in Fig. 1, this joint 61 is not at top dead centre, but about 30' from it in a clockwise direction. Therefore, as a result of the gas pressure the movement of the control rod 60 means inevitably that the circular disc 42 and with it the shaft 40 together with all parts attached thereto are set in rotation, said rotation, as viewed in Fig. 1, taking place in a clockwise direction. The arrangement is such that the gas drive for the control rod 60 is finished before the joint 61 has reached bottom dead centre, i.e. basically that position in which the control rod 60 has moved furthest downwards (in relation to the direction of fire). As soon as the gas pressure ends there is no external drive for the flywheel arrangement formed by the shaft 40 and the parts connected to it; however, as a result of the kinetic energy stored in this flywheel arrangement it continues to turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 at least until the joint 61 has again assumed the position shown in Fig. 1.

    The free end of the 16ng lever arm of a cocking means 65 is connected to the joint 64 of the link 62 facing away from the link 61. The purpose of the cocking means 65 is as follows: The firing hammer 66 of the weapon shown in its cocked state in Fig. 1 must, after it has performed its striking action during which it moves in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, be brought by the cocking means 65 back into the cocked position through an anticlockwise 16 pivoting movement against the force of the firing spring 67 which is in the form of a spiral spring. The firing hammer 66 is held in the cocked position with the weapon ready to fire by a catch 68 of a trigger lever 70 which is pivot-mounted about a barrel-rigid pivot pin 69 and which engages a notch 72. Connected to the trigger lever 70 at a joint 73 is a trigger bar 74 which, when it is moved forwards, swings the catch 68 downwards out of the region of the notch 72, thus allowing the firing hammer 66 to strike. The weapon is, as far as it is shown, set up merely for continuous firing. Continuous fire is ended when the trigger bar 74 is moved to the rear again so that the firing hammer 66 is once again caught by the catch 68. Of course, it may also be convenient to design the weapon for firing individual rounds and short bursts of fire with a defined number of rounds; such measures are known and do not relate to the present invention. The trigger bar 74 is connected to a trigger to be actuated by the firer. This connection is not shown.

    The cocking means 65 is mounted on a pivot pin 75 which runs parallel to the shaft 40 and is held in the part 2, and this pivot pin 75 also serves for the pivot mounting of the firing hammer 66. The cocking means 65 consists basically of an approximately U-shaped metal part, both legs of which 265 and 267 are connected by a yoke 270 which can be seen in section in the partially broken-off Fig. 1. The leg 267 is in close contact with the directly adjacent leg 78 of the firing hammer 66 and exhibits two ring-segment-shaped, axially symmetrical recesses 272 which are engaged by two projections 274 which are integral with the leg 78 of the firing hammer 66. The width.of the projections 274 in the circumferential direction is smaller than the angle of the recesses 272; more specifically, the angle of the recesses 272 is about 900 greater than the width of the projections 274, measured in degrees. The angle of the recesses 272 is, thus, so great that the edge of these recesses does not come into contact with the projections on the cocking means 1-1 when the cocking means 65, after cocking the firing hammer, has again reached the position shown in Fig. 1 and 1 1 the firing hammer 66 now strikes. The cocking of the firing hammer 66 against the force of the firing spring 67 begins when, starting from the position shown in Fig. 1, the circular disc 42 has covered only a few degrees and, as shown in Fig. 11, the circular disc 42 is still in the acceleration phase. Thus, no sudden shock will act via the link 62 on the flywheel arrangement. There is also a certain reduction of the acceleration imparted to the cocking means 65 through the braking force exerted on the control rod 60 by the flywheel as its accelerates. This reduces the occurrence of heavy shock-like loading.

    In the specimen embodiment, the gas pressure ends approximately at the same time as the firing hammer 66 is cocked. At this time the breechblock 4 has, as will be described later, also been turned through 900 in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig.7. The energy for this rotational movement of the breechblock 4 is taken directly from the gas pressure moving the control rod 60. The operations which, after completion of the cocking of the firing hammer 66, still have to be performed before the weapon is again ready to fire or, in the case of continuous fire, until the next round can be fired automatically are, however, performed exclusively by the kinetic energy stored in the flywheel arrangement after the gas pressure has ended.

    At the rear end region of the control rod 60 which is formed by a plate there is in close proximity to the joint 61 a diagonally downward projecting lug 80 which, immediately before the circular disc 42 reaches the position shown in Fig. 1, comes into contact with a lug 81 of a locking lever 82 and pivots the latter against the force of a spiral spring 83 in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 so that a longer lever arm 84 of the locking lever 82 is swung into the path of a non-undercut stop face 85 on the control rod 60, thereby preventing a further movement 1 of the control rod 60 to the left, thus ending the rotation of the flywheel arrangement. As soon as the movement of the control rod 60 to the left has come to rest and, therefore, no more force is acting on the front end of the long lever arm 84, the locking lever 82 is pivoted back again into the position shown in Fig. 1 by the spiral spring 83 and the weapon is now ready to fire the next round.

    The locking lever 82 is pivot-mounted on a hinge pin 86 mounted in the part 2, whereby likewise pivot-mounted on said hinge pin directly behind the locking lever 82 in Fig. 1 is a first control plate 88, see also Fig. 5, which has a large hook-shaped cutout 89 whereby two parallel side faces 90 and 91 of this cutout 89 are separated by a distance equal to the diameter of the first eccentric cam 44. When the first eccentric cam 44 rotates the first control plate 88 is thus pivoted slightly about the hing pin 86. Pivot-mounted on a pivot shaft 93 in an area above the hinge pin 86 and slightly more forward in the direction of fire is a second control plate 95 which is immediately behind the first control plate 88 in the viewing direction of Fig. 1 and 5 and which exhibits a recess 96 in the form of a relatively short slot with two parallel side faces 97 and 98 which are directed slightly downwards from the horizontal towards the front, and the second eccentric cam 46 is disposed in the recess 96 and is always in contact with the faces 97 and 98. The rear end 94 of the second control plate 95 is attached approximately in the middle area of a bell crank 99 by means of a pivot shaft 100. Pivot mounted in the lower end region of the bell crank 99 on a joint 101 is a link 102 whose front turning joint is formed by a hinge pin 103 which.is rigid with the barrel and is disposed in the part 2. The hinge pin 103 is slightly lower than the hinge pin 101. The link 102 has an upward sweep in order to leave room for the cocking means 65.

    When the two eccentric cams 44 and 46 rotate the jo front upper free end 105 of the bell crank 99 performs a coupling motion whose path corresponds approximately to the 2_) curve 106 shown in Fig. 61 and during the execution of such a motion the end 105 of the bell crank 99 pushes a cartridge from the magazine 31 into the cartridge chamber which in this instant is in a position turned through 900 with respect to Fig. 9.

    If the weapon is to be equipped with a rounds counter for bursts of fire of, for example, three rounds each, then a three-tooth switch-wheel 108 can be pivot-mounted about the stationary hinge pin 103 of the link 102, and this switch-wheel 108 is switched one step further by a lug 109 on the second control plate 95 on each upwards movement of the second control plate 95. As already mentioned, the provision of a rounds counter is not a subject of the present invention.

    As can be seen from Fig. 7, starting from the position shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 40 first of all performs a rotation through about 150 in a clockwise direction until the pin 50 comes into engagement with the downward-pointing groove 35, causing the rotational movement of the breechblock 4 in an anticlockwise direction. After a further rotation of the shaft 40 through about 90' the rotational movement of the breechblock 4 is completed and the pin 50 leaves the groove which is now pointing forwards. After a further rotation of the shaft 40 through about 120' the pin 51 comes into engagement with the downward-pointing groove; after a further rotation of 900 the renewed rotation of the breechblock 4 through a further 90' is completed and after a further rotation of the shaft through about 150 the pins 50 and 51 have again reached the position shown in Fig. 7. During one complete revolution of the shaft 40 the breechblock 4 is turned twice through 90 in an anticlockwise direction. Following the initial rotation through 90' the longitudinal direction of the cartridge chamber 9 is vertical and aligns with the cartridge 7, 8 which is in first place in the magazine, i.e. furthest to the rear in the direction of fire. This cartridge is z- inserted fully into the cartridge chamber by the abovedescribed movement of the end 105 of the bell crank 99. Then the breechblock 4 is, as already explained, turned a second time through 90' in an anticlockwise direction so that the cartridge which has just been inserted is now in the firing position.

    on its side which is visible in rig. 8 the breechblock 4 exhibits four edge recesses 112 which are at 90' from each other and which extend inwards from the outer cylindrical surface, and the upper end 113 of a double-arm locking lever 114 pivot-mounted about an axis 115 is held in one of the edge recesses 112 by the fact that the free lower end 116 of the locking lever 114 is, in the position shown, up against a control face 117 of the control disc 54. Disposed opposite the control face 117 on the control disc 54 is a control face 118 whereby the control face 118 occupies a greater circumferential angle than the control face 117. Transitions 119 and 120 of reduced radius are situated between the two control faces 117 and 118 which are cylindrical surfaces of equal radius about the axis of the shaft 40. When, during the rotation of the control disc 54, the end 116 is in contact with these transitions 119 and 120, the pins 50 and 51 are at the same time in engagement with the grooves of the breechblock 4 and drive the latter. The edge recesses 112 have approximately the form of a relatively flat "V", both legs of which form an angle of slightly more than 900. In the region of the tip the edge recess is concavely rounded and in the region of the outer ends it is convexly rounded. The locking lever 114 has basically the form of a "C". The form of the edge recesses 112 and of the transitions 119 and 120 is such that the locking lever 114, without much play at its two ends, enables or disables the rotation of the breechblock 4. The moments which are transmitted during Z) the rotation of the control disc 54 from the latter to the lever arm 116 try to lift the lever arm 116 off the 2-4control disc 54. In addition, the moments transmitted during the rotation of the breechblock 4 from the latter to the lever arm 113 try to lift the lever arm 113 off the breechblock 4. Wear is thereby reduced. As long as the end 116 of the locking lever is in contact with the control faces 117 or 118, the breechblock 4 is locked and is not driven. As soon as the transition 119 comes into the region of the end 116, the drive of the breechblock 4 starts through the engagement of the pin 50 in the adjacent groove 35, and, as a result, the end 113 is forced out of the edge recess 112. As soon as the breechblock 4 nears the loading position the end 113 of the locking lever 114 is again swung into one of the edge recesses 112 by the transition 120 of the control disc 54. After loading, the pin 51 comes into contact with one of the grooves 35 and swings the breechblock 4 into the firing position in which it is turned through 1800 as compared with Fig. 8.

    As can be seen in Fig. 8, the outer end of the firing pin 21 is engaged via a single-arm lever 126 by a helical spring 124 which retracts the firing pin. When the firing hammer 66 is released, whereby it turns in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8, the end face 76 of the yoke of the firing hammer which is formed basically by a U-shaped plate strikes against the outer end 130 of the firing pin 21.

    On the side of the part 2 visible in Fig. 10 a catch lever 135 is mounted on the pivot pin 73 which, at its end facing the firing hammer 66, bears a catch 137 which is held in engagement with a support-surface 138 of the firing hammer as long as the end 140 of the catch lever 135 facing away from the catch 137 is forced radially outwardsi viewed from the shaft 40, by the release cam 142 of the disc 56.

    1 2-' The release cam 142 exhibits two arc-shaped cam sections 142', 142" of different radius with a gradual transition 143 between the two radii and an abrupt change 144 of radius which allows the catch lever 135 to swing in a clockwise direction when, after the firing of a round, the shaft 40 7-6 has performed its above-described revolution and has again assumed its position as shown in Fig. 1. Under the force of the firing spring 67 the firing hammer 66, through the intermediary of the non-self-locking wedge face pair 1371 (on the catch) and 138, forces the double-arm catch lever 135 out of the latched position and, insofar as the firing hammer is not locked by the catch hook 68, strikes the firing pin 21 to fire the next round. The face 66' of the firing hammer 66 which forms a segment of a cylindrical surface and adjoins the surface 138 glides along the surface 13711 of the catch 137 and exerts a moment on the catch 137 which tries to lift the catch 137 off the surface 6V.

    As can be seen from FigA, a short single-arm lever 152 is mounted on a shaft 150 parallel to the shaft 40. This lever projects upwards and a link 154 is pivotmounted on it about a pivot axis 155. Pivot-mounted at a joint 156 at its other end, the link 154 bears an ejector 158 which, if the magazine 31 still contains at least one cartridge, is held by the latter in a position which, viewed in the direction of fire, is behind the cartridge which is to be introduced next into the breechblock 4, whereby the ejector is supported on a support surface 2' of the part 2. Above the joint 156 the ejector 158 bears a bent extention 158' which engages a guide shaft 159'' which is limited by blocks 159 and 1591. While the lever 152 is mounted such that it cannot turn relative to the shaft 150 at the end region of said shaft facing away from the observer in Fig. 4, a singlearm lever 160 is mounted such that it cannot turn relative to the end region of 1 i L -I the shaft 150 facing the observer, said lever 160 exhibiting at its end a slot 164 which is engaged by a pin 162 of a double-arm lever 166.

    One lever arm of this double-arm lever 166 extends between the pin 162 and the hinge pin 168. The other lever arm 170 forms an angle of approximately 135 0 with the first-mentioned lever arm. The free end of the lever arm 170 X <6' exhibits a groove pin 172 on the side facing away from the observer. If there is a cartridge in the magazine 31, the lever drive chain 158, 154, 152, 160, 166 assumes the position shown in Fig. 4, whereby the groove pin 172 on the lever arm 170 assumes a position near the peripheral edge of the disc 58 without touching the edge of the disc 58. If, on the other hand, there is no cartridge in the magazine 131, the lever drive chain 158, 154, 152, 160, 166 whose drive elements 152 and 160 are rigidly connected to each other is supported on the peripheral edge of the disc 58 via the groove pin 172 under the influence of the force of a tension spring 171. Only when the disc 58 is moved slowly, as is the case during manual actuation of the knob 175, does the groove pin 172 drop into a groove 173 in the disc 58 due to the force of the tension spring 171. Through the intermediary of the groove pin 172 and the lever drive chain the curved guiding of the groove 173 finally causes the movement of the ejector 158 which initially moves into the place of the cartridge 14 shown in Fig. 4, and, owing to the engagement of the extension 1581 in the guide shaft 159'' as a result of the movement of the joint 156 under the force of the spring 171, the ejector 158 performs a pivoting motion in a clockwise direction so that it is now approximately in the position of the cartridge 14 shown in Fig. 4.

    As long as the groove pin 172 is guided in the first half of the groove 173, the further rotational movement of the disc 58 causes the movement of the ejector 158 through the cartridge chamber 9 which is in the loading position. The extension 1581 is no longer in the guide shaft 159'', but has slipped out of it. If there is a cartridge in the cartridge chamber itis ejected. The second half of the groove 173 causes the retracting of Z the ejector 158 and, with the exit of the groove pin 172 from the groove 173 the lever drive chain again moves back into the initial position and the force of the spring 171 is, as described above, again supported on the edge of the disc 58. During ejecting, an edge 1521 of the lever is in contact with an edge 1541 of the link 154. These edges limit the pivoting angle between these two parts to approximately 15'.

    The automatic rotation of the disc 58 which is initiated when firing takes place at a high angular velocity so that, owing to the inertia of the double-arm lever 166, the groove pin 172 cannot drop into the groove 173, which guarantees that after the magazine has been emptied the ejector 158 automatically does not go into the action position.

    The groove 173 effects a positive and thus reliable drive of the ejector 158 in both directions of movement of the ejector. The groove 173 has the shape shown in Fig. 4 with two adjacent curved sections. The groove 173 is at its shortest distance from the'axis of the disc 58 at the point where these two sections come together to form an obtuse angle.

    Cocking by means of the knob 175 is also necessary if cartridge has failed to fire. When cocking in this manner, the shaft 40 and all parts connected to it are turned by hand in precisely the same manner as takes place automatically after the firing of a round. If, therefore, when cocking, there is still a cartridge in the magazine in the position shown in Fig. 4, this cartridge is pushed by the feeder 105 into the cartridge chamber 9 when cocking the weapon in the above-depicted manner when the breechblock 4 has turned through 90' out of the position in which the cartridge failed when firing the round. The newly introduced cartridge which, 3D in this example, strikes with the tip of its projectile against the tip of the projectile of the failed cartridge pushes the failed cartridge downwards out of the cartridge chamber and ejects it through the hole 12 (Fig. g). If there are no more cartridges in the magazine the failed cartridge is removed by the ejector 158.

    The graph in Fig. 11 shows the relationship between the angular position of the shaft 40 and its angular velocity. The rotation angle 00 in the graph in Fig. 11 corresponds to the firing position of the weapon shown in the figures. The rotation angle is measured in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. At a rotation angle of approximately 400 the shaft 40 and thus the flywheel have reached the maximum rotational velocity of approximately 25 degrees/ms, corresponding to a rotational speed of approximately 69 l/sec, corresponding to approximately 4167 1/min. This maximum rotational velocity is, therefore, about twice as high as the rotational speed which would result with a firing rate of 2000 rounds per minute assuming that the shaft 40 rotates at constant velocity without stopping between the individual rounds. Between this maximum value at approximately 40' of the rotation angle and a rotation angle of approximately 700 there is a severe drop in speed of the flywheel which is caused by the loss of energy during the first rotation of the breechblock 4 through 900. The breechblock 4 which is rotatably mounted in the hole 3 in which it moves freely, but still fits snugly and thus seals well, delivers kinetic energy to the flywheel towards the end of its rotational movement through 900 so that the speed of the shaft 40 increases again in the range between approximately 70 and 900 rotation angle. Then there is a gradual fall which, at a rotation angle of approximately 2800, once again exhibits a brief severe drop in speed which is caused by the second rotation of the breechblock 4 through 90' by the Geneva drive. Between 1000 and 2400 there is also a visible drop in speed which is caused by the loss of energy of the flywheel as a resuli 3 of inserting a cartridge into the cartridge chamber which is in the loading position. The kinetic energy still present at a rotation angle of 360' corresponding to an angular velocity of the flywheel of approximately 10/ms is consumed by the control rod 60 being braked by means of the locking lever 84. Such an excess of energy at the end of a complete revolution is useful in order to be able to overcome any strong resistances of the mechanism to motion which may be caused, for example, by wear or also fouling.

    In order, however, largely to rule out such fouling, the breech mechanism including the loading mechanism of the weapon and the magazine are preferably fully encapsulated.

    only in Fig. 3 is it indicated that the parts of the weapon shown in the drawing are disposed inside a housing 180 which also exhibits the mounting for the knob 175.

    most of the various discs and levers of the described specimen embodiment consist of sheet steel which, in most cases, has a thickness of 1 mm. In order to make reliable joint connections with such relatively thin steel, these connections are often effected by folding one steel part around the other steel part connected by the joint. This can be seen particularly clearly by comparing Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 taking the example of the locking lever 82 whose horizontal side pointing downwards in Fig. 1 is adjoined by a tab which is bent over to the rear and is again bent at the top around the end of the first control plate 88 which is hinge-mounted on the hinge pin 86. This tab which belongs to the locking lever 82 is identified in Fig. 5 by the reference character 82'. In cases where further such folds are visible in the drawings these are likewise identified by a correspondingly modified reference character.

    32- In the specimen embodiment the disc 42 has a diameter of approximately 50 mm; the first eccentric cam 44 is almost a circular disc of approximately 41 mm diameter; the eccentrically mounted second eccentric cam 46 has a diameter of about 25 mm; the disc 48 has a diameter of about 38 mm; the disc 56 has a diameter of about 35 mm, and the disc 58 has a diameter of about 69 mm. The parts which have just been mentioned are parts of the flywheel. The mass moment of inertia of these parts is also joined by the mass moment of inertia of the control disc 54, the shaft 40 and also the pins 50 and 51. There results a total mass moment of inertia of approximately 4 X 10-4 kgm2. With the above-described maximum speed of about 4100 revolutions per minute an energy of about 30 J is thus stored in the flywheel. This energy is sufficient to perform the abovedepicted movement operations without additional drive from the gas piston.

    The firing hammer 66 (Fig. 12) is pivot-mo unted on a pin 75 which is disposed in the part 2. A firing spring 67 in the form of a helical spring is, in a manner not shown, tensioned again after the firing of a round by an automatic tensioning means of the weapon. The firing hammer 66 is basically in the form of a U-shape. It exhibits two parallel spaced- apart legs 68 which are connected by means of a yoke 69, and between said legs 68 there is also the firing spring 67. The front end face 76 of the yoke is set back in relation to the front end face of the legs 68. These end faces of the legs 68 form a stop face 77.

    Fig. 12 shows the position of the individual parts with the weapon cocked. The catch 137 which interacts with the support surface 138 of the firing hammer 66 releases the firing hammer 66 in automatic operation of the weapon whenever a new cartridge has been introduced into the cartridge chamber and the breechblock 4 has W 33 again assumed its firing position.

    The outer end of the firing pin 21 is indirectly engaged by a helical spring 124 which retracts the firing pin. The spring is disposed on a pin 125 which is rigidly disposed in the part 2, said pin also serving as the pivot pin for a single-arm lever 126 which is formed by a slightly angled plate exhibiting a slot 140 with which the plate engages recesses 1281 of the firing pin 21 provided in two opposite sides of the shank 128. Towards the rear end section of the shank 128, i.e. towards the right in Fig. 12, the recesses 1281 are limited by a slightly thicker part 127 of the shank. This slightly thicker part forms shoulders 1271 on which the lever 126 is supported by edge areas of the slot 140. The part 127 is made in one piece with the remaining firing pin and is therefore very strong. The spring 124 is not in the path of the combustion gases escaping at this point despite the seal formed by the shoulder 24 and the corresponding stop face, and therefore the spring 124 is subject to little fouling.

    When the firing hammer 66 is released, whereby it turns in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 12, the front end face 76 of the yoke of the firing hammer 66 strikes against the outer end 130 of the firing pin 21 and sets the firing pin in motion against the force of the spring 124. Then, after a further travel of approxi mately 1 mm, the stop face 77 of the firing hammer 66 impacts on a stop 129 which, owing to a certain elasticity of the material forming the firing hammer 66, immediately throws back the firing hammer 66 even before the firing pin 21 has reached the detonating compound of the cartridge. The firing pin 21 which is in a state of free flight from the instant the firing hammer impacts the stop 129 fires the cartridge after a delay time which is determined by the length of its free-flight travel and its velocity and 3is thrown back with great force by the developing propellant gases, but can no longer reach the firing hammer which has sprung back off the stop 129. The stop shoulder 24 of the firing pin comes into contact with the corresponding stop face of the insert 23, thereby forming a seal for the propellant gases even before the lever 126 has been moved back by the spring 124 into its initial position shown in Fig. 12. Before this seal takes effect, the gases escape which overtake the firing pin on firing and which are quite likely to foul or destroy the functional components disposed behind the firing pin. So that, during this rapid return motion of the firing pin 21, no detrimental influences act on the lever 126, the recesses 1281 parallel to the direction of displacement of the firing pin 21 are made sufficiently long. The (in Fig. 12) left-hand limiting face of the recesses 1281 is likewise to the left of the (in Fig. 12) right- hand face of the stop 129. The stop 129 is formed by a screw nut holding the insert 23 in the part 2.

    When, in the absence of a cartridgei the firing pin 21 strikes on empty space, the lever 126 which comes up against the stop 129 limits the movement of the firing pin towards the left (in Fig. 12) owing to its engaging the part 127 of the firing pin 21.

    The firing hammer 66 which is thrown back against the force of the firing spring 67 through the impact on the stop 129 is, after reaching a reversal point in its motion, accelerated again by the firing spring in the direction of the firing pin 21 which has in the meantime returned to its starting position. However, the firing hammer 66 does not reach the firing pin 21 because the firing hammer 66 is caught by a hammer cocking means which has in the meantime come into action and the firing hammer 66 is moved back into its cocked position shown in Fig. 12.

    d Fig. 14 shows a modification in which, instead of the lever 126 and the spring 124, a single leaf spring 150 is provided which, like the lever 126, contains the slot 140. The leaf spring 150 is secured by screws 152 on the part 2.

    Fig. 15, 16 and 17 show the firing pin 21 whereby the recesses 1281 are represented particularly clearly.

    The firing pin 21 has a total length of 22 mm; the shank 128 has over the majority of its length a square cross section of 3.2 mm side length. In the region of the recesses 128' the thickness of the shank 128 visible in Fig. 16 is slightly reduced and is 2.8 mm in that area. The part 127 which has a larger cross section than the shank 128 exhibits a maximum cross section dimension of 4 mm in the section shown in Fig. 17. The rear end face of the firing pin is spherical and the shoulders 127' are convexly arched as shown in Fig. 15. The length of the recesses 1281 is 6. 5 mm and the maximum length of the part 127 is 2.5 mm. The reiaining dimensions of the firing pin can be taken from Fig. 15 to 17 which are to scale.

    The diameter of the breechblock 4 is 34 mm. The other dimensions can be taken from Fig. 12 which is to scale.

    The stop 129 and the firing hammer 66 are made from the steel alloy 16 MnCr 5 and have a Vickers hardness HV1 660+60.

    The knob 175 is mounted in a bearing bushing 220 (Fig. 3) which is welded into the housing 180. The knob 175 is held by a screw 222 which engages the threaded bore 224 of a wheel 226 which, from inside the housing 180, engages the bore of the bearing bushing 220 with a shaft stub 228 exhibiting the threaded bore 224. When 36 the weapon is ready to fire, but is not actuated, the rotation axis of the knob 175 and of the wheel 226 aligns with the axis 3' of the breechblock 4.

    Fig. 18 is a view of the wheel 226 in Fig. 3 from the right, but turned in relation to Fig. 3. Fig. 19 is a section on line =-XIX in Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a view in the direction of arrow XX in Fig. 18, partially broken off. As shown in Fig. 18 and 19, the wheel 226 bears outside its rotation axis a spring-supported dog 230 which is formed by the free end of a leaf spring 300 which is fastened to the wheel 226 by a rivet 302. The dog 230 projects through a hole 304 in the disc-shaped part 306 of the wheel 226. The dog 230 is preloaded by the leaf spring 300 in the direction of the circular disc 58 which is adjacent to the wheel 226 inside the housing 180 and which is coaxial when the weapon is not actuated. If the weapon is to be cocked to unload the weapon or after a cartridge has failed to fire, the knob 175 is turned by hand by the firer so that the direction of rotation of the knob 175 agrees with the normal direction of rotation of the disc 58. The dog 230 then engages a face 238 of the projection 59 running essentially perpendicular to the drawing plane in Fig. 4 and turns the disc 58, as a result of which the above-described cocking operation is effected.

    If, on the other hand, the movement of the weapon parts is intiated by the weapon, for example when firing a round, then this movement must not be transmitted to the above-described cocking means. Owing to the displaceable mounting of the weapon system in the housing (described immediately below) it is not possible during normal operation of the weapon when firing a round for the projection 59 to come into engagement with the dog 230. Nevertheless, it is conceivable that uncontrolled influences may move the actuating part of the cocking 31 means and, during a weapon-iniated loading operation, the projection 59 may collide with the dog 230. In this case, the wedge face 235 of the projection 59 impacts on the dog 230 and pushes it back without any appreciable torque being transmitted to the knob 175.

    The projection 59 exhibits another slanting face 240 whose direction of slope, if one assumes the disc 58 to be horizontal, runs in Fig. 4 approximately from right to left, i.e. points in the direction of fire. This slanting face 240 is provided because the weapon shown is a rifle with a slidably mounted system. The barrel 1 with the part 2 (rigid with the barrel) and all other shown parts in the housing 180 are displaceably guided perpendicular to the drawing plane in Fig. 3 and thus parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel. For this purpose, the housing 180 exhibits sliding guides, namely inwardpointing strip-shaped projections 250 which engage parallel longitudinal grooves 252 in the part 2 rigid with the barrel. The barrel-rigid part 2 is supported in the housing 180 by a spring which is not shown. When a round is fired the barrel-rigid part 2 moves backwards opposite to the direction of fire as a result of the recoil and is, after the round has been fired, moved forwards again in the direction of fire by the aforementioned spring. During this backwards movement of the barrel-rigid part 2 the disc 58 also moves, and the shaft 40 which is coaxial with this disc 58 thus no longer aligns with the knob 175 which is fixed on the housing. During the time in which the barrel-rigid part 2 is not in its rest position, but is in a position displaced to the rear as a result of the firing of a round, it would be possible through whatever circumstances for the knob 175 to be turned slightly. As a result, the dog 230 can get into the path executed by the projection 59 during the forwards movement of the barrelrigid part 2. To ensure that this does not 1 4 1 3% result in any malfunction, the slanting face 24 0 is provided which ensures that, when during the depicted movement the slanting face 240 of the projection 59 impacts on the dog 230, the latter is pushed back against the force of the spring 300, so that the barrel-rigid part 2 can assume its proper position.

    In order to guarantee that, when cocking is performed by means of the knob 175, the breechblock 4 which is in the firing position again accurately assumes the firing position after cocking, and also to ensure that the firer cannot inadvertently turn the cocking knob in the wrong direction, there is a coulisse designed for a rotation angle of 360' disposed between the knob 175 and a part which is rigid with the housing. The coulisse, whose operation is accurately represented in Fig. 21, is provided on a part 320 which surrounds the bearing bushing 220 in the manner of a flange. The coulisse 330 exhibits an inner edge 332 and an outer edge 334, see also Fig. 3. Mounted on the wheel 226 which is rigidly connected to the knob, more specifically on its disc 306, is a pin 340 which is disposed eccentrically in relation to the rotation axis of the wheel 226 and which serves as the mount for a guide arm 342. At its end this guide arm 342 exhibits a guide pin 344 which interacts with the edges 332 and 334 of the coulisse. The guide arm 342 is loaded by a spring 346 so that the guide pin 344 is constantly pressed against the inner edge 332 of the coulisse. The guide arm 342 and its mounting are shown in detail in Fig. 18 to 20. To provide a better view of the guide pin in Fig. 3, the pin 340 is drawn there turned through 122'.

    In the starting position shown in Fig. 21a in which the cartridge chamber aligns with the barrel axis the knob 175 0 1 59 is located through the engagement of the guide pin 344 in a recess 348 of the inner edge 332. This acts as a critical load ratchet. If the knob 175 is turned in the correct direction of rotation by the firer, whereby the pin 340 turns in an anticlockwise direction with the disc 306 as viewed in Fig. 21, the guide pin 344 leaves the recess 348 and is brought into the position shown in Fig. 21b. When the knob 175 is turned briskly, the guide pin 344 is directed outwards by an outwards-pointing face 354 of the inner guide edge and finally, as viewed in Fig. 21d, comes against a stop 349 which is formed by the outer coulisse edge 334 and projects more or less radially inwards, as a result of which the rotational movement of the knob is ended. The stop or face area 349 is not exactly radial, but is concavely curved with a raaius of curvature which is less than the pivoting radius of the guide pin 344 about the pin 340. Therefore, the inner end 356 of the stop 349 prevents the guide pin 344 from being swung inwards under the force of the spring 346. As soon as the firer releases the knob, however, the wheel 226 can turn back through a fraction of a degree whereby this rotational movement is caused by the spring 346, and the guide pin 344 under the load of the spring 346 falls radially inwards through the narrow point 350 between the inner and outer edges of the coulisse into the starting position shown in Fig. 21a. If the firer attempts to turn the knob 175 in the opposite direction, the guide pin 344 is moved slightly out of the recess 348, but it comes up against a support surface 352 of the inner edge 332, as shown in Fig. 21f, thereby effectively preventing incorrect turning of the knob.

    Tt is also possible to make the arrangement such that the spring 4 1 ( 1 LED 346 presses the guide pin against the outer guide edge and that the stop which terminates the rotational movement is disposed on the inner guide edge. The shape of the guide edges must then be modifi ed accordingly. The centrifugal force acting on the guide pin as a result of the rotational movement of the wheel 226 is of no significance in view of the low angular velocities concerned. The described coulisse can also be used for different rotary drives on a weapon and quite generally for any rotary drives. The advantage of this coulisse lies in its reliable functioning and in the fact that after a predetermined rotation angle, 3600 in the example, it terminates the rotational movement by a clearly perceptible stop. After briefly releasing or reducing the torque on the actuating part, it is possible to recommence the rotational movement.

    With this weapon, by using a simple gear drive it is possible to use a different coulisse with which the rotational movement is terminated after 1800 rotation angle. With such a coulisse the outward and inward projecting projections of the edges 332 and 334 along the circumference are provided twice in total. The rotational movement can also be terminated by the coulisse after an angle of less than 180. It is also possible, even if not readily applicable in the case of the described weapon, to terminate the rotational movement after unequal angles which add up to 3600, i.e. the projections of the curves 332 and 334 must be provided double and must be arranged such that, for example, the stops take effect after rotation angles of 160 and 200.

    r What is claimed is:- 1 Self-loading hand weapon, preferably rifle, with an opening (3) provided in a part (2) rigid with the barrel, said opening being perpendicular to the barrel axis and housing a coaxial basically cylindrical breech block (4) which can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis for loading and which contains a cartridge chamber (9) which aligns with the barrel (1) when the breech block is in a firing position, and with an arrangement (35, 40, 50, 51) for pivoting the breechblock out of the firing position into a loading position in which the cartridge chambet is accessible for introducing a cartridge (14), and for pivoting the breechblock into a firing position after the introduction of the cartridge, wherein there is a rotatable part (flywheel 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 54, 56, 58) which has a drive connec tion to the breechblock (4) such that in the period of time after the firing of a round up to the time when the weapon is ready to fire the next round the rotatable part is constantly in rotation.

    2. Weapon as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotatable part is a flywheel (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 54, 56, 58) which has a drive connection to the breechblock (4) such that during at least a part of the aforementioned period of time the flywheel delivers stored kinetic energy for driving the breechblock.

    3. Weapon as defined in claim 2, wherein said weapon is in the form of a gis-operated weapon with a gas piston and a return spring.

    Weapon as defined in claim 2, being in the form of a gas-operated weapon with a gas piston, wherein the 54, 56, 58) is driven flywheel (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, basically only during the presence of gas pressure from the gas piston (control rod 60).

    5. Weapon as defined in claim 4, wherein the gas loading system is without a return spring.

    6. Weapon as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotatable part (disc 42) has a drive connection to a cocking means (65) for cocking a firing hammer (66) of the weapon.

    weapon as defined in any one of the preceding claims in which there is a feeder (105) for inserting a cartridge into the cartridge chamber which is in the loading position, said feeder being actuated by at least one rotatable constant diameter cam, wherein at least one constant diameter cam (44, 46) is a component of the rotatable part.

    Weapon as defined in any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein all parts (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 54, 56, 58) of the flywheel are disposed so as to be rotatable about a single common axis.

    Weapon as defined in any one of the preceding claims in which in the period of time between the firing of a round and the reaching of the firing position for the next round a switch-wheel (48, 50, 51) of a switchwheel drive driving the breechblock (4) performs one full revolution, wherein there is a locking mechanism (locking lever 82, lug 80, stop face 85) which stops the switch-wheel after precisely one full revolution.

    10. Weapon as defined in at least one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the gas piston engages a crank (joint 61) which is coupled to the flywheel.

    11. Weapon as defined in claim 10, wherein in the firing position the crank position is a few degrees after top dead centre whereby the gas loading system is such that the gas pressure ends no later than the time at which the crank reaches bottom dead centre.

    43- 12. Weapon as defined at least in claim 6, wherein mounted so that it can pivot about the pivot axis of the firing hammer (66) is a lever as cocking means (65) which is connected by a link (62) to a joint (61) which is eccentrically disposed on the rotatable part.
13. 13. Weapon as defined in claim 12 and any one of claims 3 or 5, wherein the cocking means (65) is coupled to the flywheel (42) in such a way that a firing spring (67) is loaded to maximum tension no later than the time at which the gas pressure ends.
14. Weapon as defined in any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein the rotation axis of the flywheel and the rotation axis of the firing hammer (66) and of the cocking means (65) are spaced apart parallel to each other in one' plane in which a part (control rod 60) gas piston and coupled to the flywheel driven by the is displaceable, whereby the angle formed by the cocking means (65) and the link (62) when the weapon is ready to fire is about 900 whereby the crank position is about 30 after top dead centre.
15. 15. Weapon preferably as defined in any one of the preceding claims in which there is a feeder (105) for inserting a cartridge into the cartridge chamber (9) which is in the loading position, said feeder being actuated by two constant diameter cams (44, 46) which are connected such ' that they cannot turn to a switchwheel (48, 50, 51) which actuates the breechblock (4) whereby each constant diameter cam is always in contact with two opposite parallel edges (90, 91-, 97, 98) of a lever and whereby the two edge pairs are at an angle from each other which is different from 00, wherein coupled to the first constant diameter cam (44) is a first control lever (first control plate 88) which can be pivoted about a barrel-rigid axis (pivot pin 86) whereby coupled to the second constant diameter cam (46) is 1 a second control lever (second control plate 95) which.

    with one end, flexibly engages a bell crank (99) forming the feeder and, with its other end, is hinged (joint 93) on the first control lever at a distance from the latter's pivot axis.

    AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS.

    A self-loading hand weapon having a barrel, a part which is rigid with the barrel and has a basically cylindrical opening defining an axis perpendicular to the barrel axis, a coaxial basically cylindrical breechblock housed in the opening and pivotable about its longitudinal axis for loading and firing, the breechblock containing a cartridge chamber which is aligned with the barrel when the breechblock is in a firing position, and an arrangement for pivoting the breechblock out of the firing position into a loading position in which the cartridge chamber is accessible for introducing a cartridge, and for pivoting the breechblock into a firing position after the introduction of the cartridge, wherein the weapon includes a rotatable part having a drive connection to the breechblock which is arranged such that in the period of time after the firing of a round up to the time when the weapon is readyto fire the next round the rotatable part is constantly in rotation.

    2. A weapon according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable part is a flywheel which has a drive connection to the breechblock such that during at least a part of the aforementioned period of time the flywheel delivers stored kinetic energy for driving the breechblock.

    A weapon according to claim 2, which is gas-operated, and has a gas piston and a return spring.

    4. A weapon according to claim 2, being in the form of a gasoperated weapon with a gas piston, wherein the flywheel is driven basically only during the presence of gas pressure from the gas piston.

    5. A weapon according to claim 4, wherein the gas loading system is without a return spring.

    -4b- - 6. A weapon according to any preceding claim, wherein the rotatable part has a drive connection to cocking means for cocking a firing hammer of the weapon.

    C A weapon according to any preceding claim, further comprising a feeder for inserting a cartridge into a cartridge ch_an.ber which is in the loading position, wherein the feeder is actuated by at least- able one rotatable eccentric cai. vt-Licin. iss- a component off the rotat part.

    weapon according to e-;nv ef 2 --o 7, whe::-ein a-. par-s of th,e flywheel are disposed so as to be rotatable about a single- ---- n axis. n-.. mo, G. i's weapon according zo any preceding claim, -n which, in 1-1he:,erlod of t--me between the firing of aa -round and the reaching of the position for the next round. a s-w:.t--'..i-wheel ol a swich-wheel driving the breechblock per-Forms one full revolution, -Lnd in,.hLc- there is a lockinp- mechanism whIch stops the switch-wheel a4-er Preciselly one full revolution.

    G. 1% weapon according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the gas A pi--,-on engages a crank which is coupled to the flywheel.

    weapon according to claim 10, in which, the f"iring the crank Dosition is a f;-ew dearees after 7.c)o dead centre whereby the gas loading system is such m-at the gas pressure ends no 1 later than the time at which the cra-nL- -reaches bottom dead centre.

    weapon according to claim 6. including a leever pivotable aLouz -.-ne Divot axis of the firini; hammer to act as cocking means, ever being connected by a link to a joint which is eccentrically I-sDosed on the rotatable part.

    - z - A weapon according to claim 122 and any of claims '-: or::;, wherel-r. the cocking means is coupled Lo the flywhee. Jn suc.h. a way 4,:---- a firing spring is loaded to maximum tension no later than the ime at which the gas pressure ends.

    2 '0' 14. A weapon according to any of claims 2 to 13, wherein the rotation axis of the flywheel and the rotation axis of the firing hammer and of the cocking means are spaced apart parallel to each other in one plane in which a part driven by the gas pis-Ion and coupled to the flywheel is displaceable, whereby the angle formed bY the cocking means and the link when the weapon is ready to fire is about 901 where by the crank position is about 300 after top dead centre.

    io 15. A weapon according to any preceding claim, including a feeder for ilnserting a cartridge into the cartridge cham.ber n --^.-e loadinz position, the feeder being actuated by two eccen-,-n-ic- cams which are connected such -chat they ca-nnot turn relazlve zo a swizch wheel which actuates the breechblock, whereby each cam is always in contact with two opposite parallel edges of a lever and whereby the two edge pairs are at an angle from each cther which is different from 00, wherein, couDled to the first eccenzr-c cam, is a first control lever..,,hich can be,pivoted about an axis which is rigid with respect to a barrel of the weapon, and wherein, coupled to the second eccenzric can, -s asecond control lever which, with one end, flexibly engages a bell crank forming the feeder and, :s- with its other end, is hinged on the first control lever at a d 1.ance Lrom the latter's piv= axis.
16. 16. A self-loadine hand weapon constructed and substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.

    1 arranged