US1622861A - Ordnance breech mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1927. Y 1,622,861

A. T- DAWSON ET AL oRDNANCE BREECH MECHANISM Filed Aug.25. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 29 1927.

A. T. DAWSON ET AL ORDNANCE BREECH MECHANISM Filed Aug 25 1926 5 A'Sheets-Sheet a mdwnmw:

A. T DAWSON ET AL ORDNANCE BREEGH MECHANISM Filed Aug.25. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

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ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKI-IAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LON- DON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 VICKERSLMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON;

ENGLAND.

Application filed August 25, 1926, Serial No. 131,491), and. in Great Britain` September 16, 1925.

This invention relates to breech mechanism of the vertically sliding block type for semi-automatic guns convertible at will into quick-tiring guns, such breech mechanism having a spring which is energized during the automatic opening of the breech in semiautomatic operation and serves to close the breech when the gun has been re-loaded. For-hand actuation of the breech mechanism (i. e. during quick-firing operation) the aforesaid spring is, in one known form of such breech mechanism, left in action so that the operato-r has to compress the spring during the opening of the breech by the operation of the breech actuating hand lever, which operation is rendered difficult owing to the strength of the spring, whilst in another known form of breech mechanism the spring is disengaged for hand actuation in which case it is correspondingly difficult to closer the breech owing to the Weight of the vertically sliding breech block.

According to the present invention in order to avoid the above-mentioned diiiculties We provide two springs one of which is in action during both the semi-automatic and the quick-firing operations and which is of such ystrength as to balance or approximately balance the weight of the breech block, and the second spring is in action together with the former .spring during semiautomatic operation onlv, this second spring being disconnected during quick-tiring operation. Thus during semi-automatic operation there are two springs in action (which springs combined serveA the purpose of the single spring heretofore employed) and during quick-tiring operation there is only one spring in action which serves to balance or approximately balance the weight of the breech block so that the latter can be operatedA easily by hand. In order to differentiate these springs we will hereinafter refer to the spring that is in action during both the semi-automatic and the quick-firing operations as the balancing spring and the spring that is in operation together with the balancing spring during semi-automatic operation as the main closing spring. The said balancing spring may be arranged longitudinally at the side of the gun opposite to that Where the breech actuating hand lever is situated and may be compressed by a rack transversely at the lower part of the breech ring and is operated automatically on the run-out movement of the gun to open the breech during semi-automatic operation, and the main closing spring may be carried by the breech actuating hand-lever Which,l during semi-automatic operation, is connected to the gun and disconnected from the breech actuating crank shaft and which] during quick-firing operation is disconnectedr from the gun and connected to the said crank shaft, the connecting and disconnecting being effected by spring-controlled catches operated simultaneously When the operator grasps the handle of the breech actuating hand-lever; the said main closing spring in the former or semi-automatic condition is compressed bv a rack member operated Lby a pinion on the crank shaft as is Well understood and moves With the breech actuating hand-lever in the other .or quick-firing condition and is therefore not energized during this operation.

In order that the said inventionv may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will noW be described more fully with reference to the'accompanying drawings in Which:-

Figure l is a rear elevation of the breech end of a gun provided with our improvements, p

Figure 2 is a plan of vFigure l,

Figure 3 isa side elevation of Figure 1 as viewed from the left of the latter ligure,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 1 as fiewed from the right of the latter ligure, an

Figure 5 is a section taken approximately on the line 5, 5 of Figure 4c.

A is the breech ring of the gun, B is the vertically sliding breech block, C is the breech actuating hand-lever arranged at the right-hand side of the gun with the handle uppermost, D is the transverse breech actuating crank shaft which passes through the lower part of the breech ring and to the right-hand end of which the hand-lever C can be connected in the manner hereinafter described, this shaft operating the breech block B in any known lor desired manner. E is the aforesaid balancing spring arranged longitudinally in a. recess in the left-hand side of the breech ring A and F is the aforesaid main closing spring carried by the breech actuating hand-lever C The balancing spring E is retained in position in its recess by a cap El and is operated upon by a rack member E2 which engageswith a part pinion D1 attached to the breech actuating crank shaft D near the lefthandend thereof; consequently this balancing spring is compressed during the opening of the br'eech'vrhether this opening is eiected by the hand-lever C during quick firing operation, or whether it is effected automatically on the run-out movement of the gun during semi-automatic operation. Attached to the breech actuating crank shaft D contiguous to the part pinion D1 is a crank D2 provided with a lateral pin or projection D3 for co-operating with curved or inclined operating surface on a pawl D4 pivoted t a bracket on the cradle as is described in the specification of our patentapplication liled concurrently herewith. The said crank and pawl could however be replaced by the usual cam and pawl. In either case the breech actuating crank shaft D is operated to open the breech automatically during the run-out movement of the gun and in so doing the balancing spring E is compressed as is also the main closing spring F as will now be described.

The said main closing spring F is carried in a recess in the breech actuating handlever C and is held in place by a cap F1. This spring acts upon a rack member F2 meshing with a part pinion D5 attached to the right-hand end of the breech actuating crank shaft D. In the semi-automatic condition of the parts the breech actuating hand-lever C is connected to the breech ring of the gun by means of a plunger C1 (Figure 5) operated by one arm of a lever C2 the other arm of which is operated upon by a spring C3 interposed between this arm and a catch Cl forming part of a hand grip C5 which in the semi-automatic condition of the parts occupies the position shown in Figure 5 in which the catch C4 is out of engagement with a. notch D6 in the part pinion D2. Under these conditions, which are those occurring during semi-automatic operation, the spring F is compressed as well as the spring lE during the opening of the breech and both these springs are therefore operative in closing the breech. For quick-firing operation the hand grip C5 is operated in grasping the handle of the breech actuating hand-lever C and this causes the catch C4 to engage with the aforesaid notch D6 of the part pinion D5 and at the same time a pin C6 on a portion of the hand grip C5 rocks the aforesaid lever C2 in order to release the plunger C1 from engagement with its notch in the breech ring,

.these .movements of the catch C* and the lever C2 compressing the spring Ci'. In this condition of the parts7 the hand-lever C is connected to the breech actuating' crank shaft D and in opening the breech by hand the aforesaid balancing spring E is alone B4 appertaining to the semi-automatic gear would be placed in the inoperative position. As the effective weight of the breech b lock tending to move it to the open position 1s at the maximum when the gun is firing hori@ zontally and is Zero when the gun is 'firing vertically, we preferably arranged the balancing spring E to be of such strength as to balance the elfective weight of the breech block at an angle of elevation intermediate between the two extremes for antiaircraft guns.

The lever C2 is provided with a projection C2x which extends through the side of the hand-lever C as shown. `This projection is for the purpose of liberating the plunger C1 from the gun in the event of the breech mechanism failing to close automatically. Under these circumstances the catch C* is unable to rise and actuate the lever C2 as the head of the catch is under the toothed portion of the part pinion` D5. When the plunger C1 is raised by pressing on the projection C2c the handlever C can be moved until the catch C2 reaches the position for engaging with the notch D6 whereupon the breech mechanism can be closed by means of the said hand-lever.

lVhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In ordnance breech mechanism of the vertically sliding block type for semi-auto matic guns convertible at will into quickfiring guns, the con'ibination of two springs one of which is in action during both the semi-automatic and the quiclcfiring operations and which is of such a strength as to approximately balance the weight of the breech block, and the second spring is in action together with the former spring during the semi-automatic operation only.

2. In ordnance breech mechanism of the vertically sliding block type for semi-automatic guns convertible at will into quickfiring guns', the combination with the transversely arranged crank shaft for operating the breech mechanism by hand, and the hand-lever at one end of said crank shaft, of a spring arranged at the side of the gun opposite to that where said hand-lever is situated, said spring being of such strength as to approximately balance the Weight of the breech block, means for energizing said spring from said crank-shaft during the opening ot' the breech mechanism during both the semi-automatic and the quick-firing operation, a second spring carried by said hand-lever, and means for energizing said second spring during the semi-automatic operation only.

3. In ordnance breech mechanism of the vertically sliding block type for semi-automatic guns' convertible at will into quick- {iring guns, the combination With the transyersely, arranged crank shaft for operating the breech mechanism `by hand, and the handlever at one end of said crank-shaft, of a spring arranged at the side of the gun opposite to that Where said hand-lever is situated, said spring being of such strength as to approximately balance the Weight of the breech block, means for energizing said spring from said crank-shaft during the opening of the breech mechanism yduring both the semi-automatic and the quick-firing operations, a second spring carried by said hand-lever, means for connecting said 'hand-lever to the gim and disconnecting it from the crank-shaft during semi-automatic operation, a breech mechanism closing spring carried by said hand-lever, and means for energizing said spring from the crankvshaft during semi-automatic firing When the hand-lever is connected to the gun.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM. i

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