US2308798A - Compressed air practice firing device - Google Patents

Description

jm., w, wm M. PME@ www COMPRESSED AIR PRACTICE FIRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1l, 1959 f' f f y1 @www-@MM atenteol Jan. t9, 1943 arr COMPRESSED A1 R PRACTICE FIRING DEVIC Maximilian Peiker, Vienna, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for practice tiring from guns such as mine throwers, shell throwers or the like and more specifically pertains to an auxiliary barrel for use on such guns.

An object of the invention resides in providing an auxiliary barrel of small bore adapted to be fitted to a gun barrel wherein the auxiliary barrel is provided with means for propelling a small projectile by compressed air.

A more specific object of the invention resides in means for controlling the admission of compressed air to the auxiliary barrel for propelling a projectile including a spring-actuated piston normally interrupting the supply of compressed air including claws for releasing the piston to admit compressed air in the auxiliary barrel for propeiling a projectile therein.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the annexed drawing and the following description wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a mine thrower and the auxiliary barrel mounted on the mine thrower.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational View partly in section illustrating the rear portion of the auxiliary barrel.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the pressure reducing valves connected in the compressed air supply for the auxiliary barrel.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Fig.

l a mine thrower having a gun barrel 4. The

mine thrower is of the well known type and an auxiliary barrel 2 is secured to the barrel l of the mine thrower by means of flexible steel clips 5 or the like. The auxiliary barrel 2 is provided with a bore of a smaller caliber than the main bore i and the auxiliary barrel is provided for the purpose of projecting a relatively small projectile so that practice firing may be carried out without incurring the costs of discharging the main gun. The projectile is adapted to be propelled in the auxiliary barrel 2 by means of compressed air supplied to the conduit 6.

The rear end of the auxiliary barrel is provided with a casing to which the conduit 6 supplying the compressed air is connected. The casing is provided with a passage leading the compressed air supply from the conduit 6 to the air channel 2li as shown in Fig. 2. This channel is normally closed by means of a plunger I2 which with a leather packing I3. The leather packing I3 is secured between the plunger I2 and a conical part I4 of the plunger assembly. The plunger I2 is urged forwardly by means of a spring 9 and releasably maintained in such a position by means of a pair of claws 8. The claws 3 are pivotably mounted on pins I as shown in Fig. 2.

A striker pin 'I is slidably mounted in an end of the casing and terminates adjacent the small arms of the claws. When the usual gun striker engages the pin I the latter engages the small arms of the claws 8 to thereby pivot the claws on the pins IB. Such pivoting movement of the claws will release the plunger I2 for rearward movement by pressure of the compressed air supplied through the conduit 6 and channel 20. Such rearward movement of the plunger I2 uncovers an opening 3E] in the casing so that the compressed air may then pass into the auxiliary barrel 2 in back of a projectile therein. The compressed air iiowing into the auxiliary barrel 2 will thereby eject the projectile from the auxiliary barrel. After the release of the pin I the plunger I2 as well as the claws 8 and the pin 'I are returned to the initial position by the spring S whereby the opening 3i! is closed.

The auxiliary barrel 2 may be readily fitted to any type of gun without altering the weapon and it is thereby possible to lire projectiles at a relatively low cost and to practice aiming of the gun in a comparatively small space in proportion to the range of an actual projectile fired from the gun barrel 4.

The invention includes means for controlling or adjusting the pressure of the compressed air supplied through the conduit 6. Such means may include a plurality of pressure reducing valves 22 as shown in Fig. 3 which are set at different pressures. These pressure reducing valves may be arranged in the compressed air supply conduit 6 and the compressed air may be directed through any one of the reducing valves 22 by means of a valve 23. All of the pipes leading from the pressure reducing valve 22 converge in the supply conduit (i as indicated at II. Thus, the pressure of the compressed air may be reduced before admission to the air channel 25) in Fig. 2 in accordance with the position of the valve 23. Thus, it is possible to inuence the trajectory of the projectile red from the auxiliary barrel 2 by adjustment of the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the channel 20.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural details it will be is slidably mounted in the casing and provided aDDIGCated that Changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art. Such modications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an arrangement for practice ring, an auxiliary gun barrel, a casing secured to the auxiliary gun barrel having a channel therein, a conduit for supplying compressed air to said channel, a plunger, a spring urging the plunger to a position to close said channel, pivotable claws maintaining the piston in a position to close said channel, a slidable pin for moving the claws to a position to release said plunger, and said casing having an opening therein communicating with the auxiliary barrel closed by the periphery of the piston when the same is in a position to close said channel.

2. In an arrangement for practice firing, an auxiliary barrel having a casing mounted thereon, said casing having a channel therein for receiving air under pressure, said casing having an opening therein communicating with the auxiliary barrel, a plunger movable Within the casing to close said channel and said opening, pivotable claws maintaining the plunger in a position to close said channel and the opening, and means for pivoting said claws to release the plunger for movement by the air under pressure to communicate the channel with said opening.

MAXIMILIAN PEIKER.

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