GB784739A - Improvements in or relating to automatic rammer mechanisms for guns - Google Patents

Abstract

784,739. Ordnance. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC INTERNATIONAL CO. April 11, 1950, No. 8835/50. Class 92 A rammer mechanism for a gun comprises a case 10 which is movable in an arcuate path from an ammunition-receiving position to the position shown, where it delivers the round 21 by free-flight delivery to the breech of the gun, the case 10 being provided with centering and supporting means for the round and means also. serving to direct the course of the round in its frceflight towards the breech. The case 10 shown has pivoted to it upper arms 23, 55, and lower arms 57, 62, all of which are pivoted at their other ends to form a parallel-link system. The upper arms are linked together at 47, 51, 53 to rotate in unison, and a branch 29 of the arm 23 is connected by a beam 34 pivoted at 35 to a pivoted lever 36, to the piston rod 43 of a hydraulic actuator 44. The actuator thus serves to move the case 10 to and frbm the receiving and ramming positions, the receiving position being located in front of a conveyer 172 fitted with cam-controlled clamping mechanisms and timed to deliver the rounds in sequence to the case. When a round enters the open end 11, Fig. 5, of the case its rim encounters abutments 89 on three circumferentially spaced toggle levers 85 which are pivoted at 84 to the case and which are linked to a spring- controlled sleeve 74. The toggle levers are thereby moved past a dead-centre position to bring rollers 87 thereon into a position where it engages and guides the round. The movements of the sleeve 74 during this action serve to actuate a further toggle system 141, 144, to bring a roller 147 into engagement with the round, the function of this roller being to counteract the effects of centrifugal force tending to disturb the round during the swinging movement of the case 10. As the rim of the round approaches the closed end of the case it comprises a buffer 12 and also rides over a spring-controlled latch 127 which then serves to hold the round in position. Fluid is then supplied to the actuator 44 to swing the case 10 to its ramming position, Fig. 2, the actuator being so arranged as to buff the movement of the case as it nears the end of its stroke. Towards the end of this stroke a cam 118 which is mounted on the pivot pin 20 of the arm 57 and which hitherto was clear of a roller 117 is rotated to engage the roller as shown in Fig. 5; the resultant movement of the roller serving to move a cam which in turn moves the latch 127 to free the round. The latter is now ejected from the case 10 by the buffer 12 being guided at first by the rollers 87, 147. As the rim of the round leaves the case it reaches the toggles and at the same time energizes an interlock associated with the actuator 44 to cause the parts to return to the initial position. Spent cases are received by a movable deflector shoot 69, Fig. 2, secured to a link 68 whose movements are controlled by an arm 66 of a bell-crank 64 whose other arm 63 is secured to the support arm 62.