EP0141018B1 - Turret mounting for an automatic gun - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a turret mount for automatic firearms according to the features in the preamble of claim 1.

From DE-C-1 124 852 is known according to the preamble of claim 1 a mounting of two automatic firearms, in particular machine guns, which in a turret of an armored car is offset to the rear relative to a further, centrally arranged tubular weapon, around the axes of separately mounted roller blinds vertically pivoted, are attached to a respective holding part. The holding part is equipped with channels for laterally ejecting the empty cartridge cases and cartridge belt parts. For the vertical swivel movement, however, a large swivel area is required inside the turret, especially with these fixed-mount machine guns, because the rear end behind the swivel axis, with a maximum pipe elevation, projects deep into the tank turret and into the area below the turret bearing. This space requirement, for swiveling the firearm in the turret, is required for machine guns because a swiveling flap, accessible at the rear end, must be opened to insert new ammunition belts. The installation position of the machine gun in the faceplate also does not allow the barrel to be changed without removing the machine gun from the holder or without disassembling it.

From DE-C-2 126 294 a machine cannon arranged in the center of a turret with a separate sleeve and belt deflection and an additional belt feeder is known, the machine cannon and the feed and discharge channels also being mounted in a roller screen. In this arrangement, however, the machine cannon is also arranged in a fixed manner and the belt members are mainly led horizontally into the open over a relatively long discharge path through profiled channels.

Furthermore, US-A-3 134 302 discloses a machine gun with a muzzle-coated mount next to the main weapon. The machine gun known from this, however, is rigidly installed next to the main gun barrel. The machine gun is mounted for longitudinal movement in a carriage, which is connected to the lower part of the carriage, only to absorb the recoil movements. This adjustable lower part is firmly attached to the cradle of the gun barrel, not shown. The longitudinal displaceability of the weapon is therefore limited only to the short spring travel of the recoil damping spring. In addition to the longitudinally displaceable guide means for damping recoil, the known turret grease thus contains no further slides and slide guide elements.

US-A-2 415 153 discloses a mount for a firearm on the side wall in the cockpit opening of an open light aircraft. In this case, a rail is fastened in the front area of the side drop side, in which a base or support element is arranged displaceably. The base rotatably supports a forked yoke in which the weapon can be tilted vertically and laterally. This weapon mount with the function of a gimbal serves the sole purpose of bringing the weapon into a target or firing position that is favorable for the pilot or shooter when the aircraft is in any flight position.

The invention has for its object to improve the turret mount for automatic firearms according to the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that the space required for pivoting at least one within one or more pivotable roller shutter (s) about a common elevation axis (s) attached automatic firearm, preferably a machine gun, is reduced inside the turret without the discharge channels for belt and ammunition or the belt feed lines of your own or another barrel weapon being obstructed and inserting the ammunition belts, changing the barrel and installing and removing the firearm within the tower is.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1.

Due to the advanced forward firing position of the automatic firearm, in which only firing takes place, this solution means that only a very small swivel radius is required within the turret, which means that the space surrounding the firearm within the roller cover is also optimal for the feed of the belts or Discharge channels of the propellant charge sleeves and belt parts of one or more tubular weapons arranged on an elevation axis can be used. The retractability of the firearm in an index position that is always the same for inserting the ammunition belts, for changing the barrel and for installing and removing the firearm also creates space in the tower for, for example, optical devices, height adjustment gear, the rotating ring bearing of the tower, etc.

Advantageous refinements and developments emerge from the subclaims.

According to a special feature of the invention, the guide elements are designed as a rod that can be retracted with the firearm and are guided in an anti-glare slide guide, so that a sleeve deflecting duct leads directly to the outside in the shortest possible way before the slide guide and a belt link ejection channel that can be partially swung away leads through a cover plate to the outside below the slide guide . Characterized in that the upper part of the belt ejection channel located on the firearm can be pivoted away, in the retracted position of the firearm it is possible to change the tube by swiveling the tube down be carried out from the weapon holder. As a result, as seen in the firing direction, on the right-hand side of the firearm, in addition to its own belt feed line, in particular space for a further barrel weapon, for example a machine gun, arranged parallel to the barrel axis on the same elevation axis. Due to the possibility of adjusting the slide guide and a bolt that is positively fastened to the slide, the firearm can assume a precise right-angled position with respect to the elevation axis.

According to a further special feature, the guide elements are designed as T-rails, which are adjustably connected to the roller screen as a lower mount in a horizontal and vertical position. On the guide elements, an upper mount, which is fastened with the firearm and provided with spring elements, can be withdrawn from a firing position into a loading or changing position of the firearm. This mounting allows a fixed arrangement of a belt link ejection channel leading to the right on the roller cover and a downward sleeve discharge shaft on the lower mount. The arrangement of a baffle in the sleeve discharge chute makes it possible for the empty propellant charge sleeves to pass directly to the outside through the side cover plate of the roller screen and the sleeve discharge chute at the same time in a cranked arrangement as a sleeve discharge chute passing under the firearm on the left parallel to the firearm on the same elevation axis arranged further barrel weapon can be used to save space. The arrangement of a vertically pivotable firearm, each equipped with its own roller blind, on the elevation axis of a further tube weapon advantageously allows the possibility of direct articulation of the aperture of the first firearm through the aperture of the second tube weapon.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, largely without the details that are not essential to the invention.

• Fig. 1 in einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der in Fig. 2 gekennzeichneten Linie I-I ein linksseitig in einer Walzenblende gelagertes Maschinengewehr ;
• Fig. 2 in einem Halbschnitt entlang der in Fig. 1 angegebenen Linie 11-11 das gleiche Maschinengewehr mit Anordnung der Lafettierung und Lagerung an der linken Außenwand der Walzenblende ;
• Fig. 3 in einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der in Fig. 2 gekennzeichneten Linie 111-111 die Befestigung der Lafettierung an der Walzenblende sowie den Gurtzuführ- und Auswurfkanal und den Hülsenablenkschacht ;
• Fig. 4 in einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der Linie IV-IV der Figur 5 ein auf einer feststehenden Unterlafette angeordnetes zurückziehbares Maschinengewehr ;
• Fig. 5 im Halbschnitt entlang der in Fig. 4 gekennzeichneten Linie V-V das Maschinengewehr mit Lagerungen der Walzenblende im Turm sowie die Anordnung des Gurtgliedzuführ- und Auswur^fkanals ;
• Fig. 6 in einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der in Figur 5 gekennzeichneten Linie VI-VI neben der eigenen die Anordnung eines Hüisenableitschachtes und eines Gurtgliedauswurfkanals einer weiteren Rohrwaffe.

It shows :

• 1 shows a sectional view along the line II marked in FIG. 2, a machine gun mounted on the left in a roller screen;
• Fig. 2 in a half section along the line 11-11 shown in Figure 1, the same machine gun with arrangement of the mount and storage on the left outer wall of the roller blind.
• Fig. 3 in a sectional view along the line 111-111 marked in Fig. 2, the attachment of the mount to the roller cover as well as the belt feed and ejection channel and the sleeve deflection shaft;
• 4 shows a sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 5, a retractable machine gun arranged on a fixed lower mount;
• . Fig. 5 taken along line VV in Figure 4 is marked in half section the machine gun with bearings of the roll shutter in the tower as well as the arrangement of the Gurtgliedzuführ- and Auswur ^f channel;
• Fig. 6 in a sectional view along the line VI-VI marked in Figure 5 in addition to its own the arrangement of a Hüisenablitschachtes and a belt member ejection channel of another gun.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an automatic firearm 18, preferably a machine gun, seen on the left-hand side in the firing direction, is mounted within a roller shutter 3. The roller cover 3 is connected by the bearing 5 so as to be vertically pivotable to a horizontally rotatable tower 21 (not shown). A table 34, which is fixedly connected to it, is arranged inside the roller cover 3, on which a slide guide 20, which is displaceable in the lateral direction 35, is connected via known fastening means 37. In the slide guide 20, two guide elements 17 designed as rods are slidably arranged in two guide bores 36 running in the axis-parallel direction of the firearm 18, which are connected on one side to a slide 16 at the rear end. The firearm 18 is connected to the carriage 16 by a releasable bolt 14. The slide guide 20 receives two further rods 29 arranged axially parallel to the firearm 18. These rods 29 are equipped with springs 32, 33, which are supported one behind the other on the slide guide 20, for absorbing the recoil and forward forces of the firearm 18, the rods 29 being connected to the slide 16 in the front firing position 19 via two bayonet couplings 28.

To load the firearm 18, the flap 27 must be opened laterally. In the firing position 19, the flap 27 would abut the belt feed line 8 and the feed line, not shown, of a second barrel weapon 23, for example. In order to be able to load the firearm 18 properly, after loosening the bayonet coupling 28 which is positively connected to the slide 16, the firearm 18 can be retracted from a taken index position 25 into a rear position 24 by rotating a mechanism (not shown) by 90 ° . In this position 24 the flap for inserting the ammunition belts can be swung open in an opening area 40. In this position 24, the tube 31 can be changed by swiveling it down to the tube change position 26, and after the bolt 14 has been removed from the slide 16, the firearm 18 can be pulled completely out of the mount.

In addition to the holder 14, the firearm 18 is mounted in a gas-tight manner in a front attachment 7 in the front area by a ball ring 15 in the firing direction. Through guides 22 arranged inside the diaphragm attachment 7 the ball ring 15 is also guided in the rear position 24. The diaphragm attachment 7 is screwed onto the roller diaphragm 3 and protrudes from the opening of the diaphragm surface 1, which leaves the diaphragm seal 2 free. The roller screen 3 is supported on one side within the tower 21 on the left side in the tower wall 6 by the bearings 5 and the cover plate 12. This enables simple mounting of the roller screen 3 by inserting it into the opening of the screen mounting, so that the screen attachment 7 can then be attached to the roller screen 3. The firearm 18 is adjustable on the table 34 due to the displaceability of the slide guide 20 in both directions 35 of the elevation axis 4. The firearm 18 is rotated around the bullet ring 15. A compensation of a possible oblique position of the firearm 18 with respect to the elevation axis 4 of the roller screen 3 can be achieved by the bolt 14, for example by an adjustable thread.

The adjustment of the same position of the firearm 18 on the elevation axis 4 relative to a second barrel weapon 23 is in a form not shown by the articulation of the aperture 30, z. B. from a machine gun, possible.

Within the roller cover 3, the empty cartridge casings can be derived in the shortest possible way directly horizontally from the firearm 18 through the cover plate 12 mounted on the long side in the tower 21 outwards in the direction 11 in front of the slide guide 20.

So that the retraction process of the firearm 18 is not hindered by the belt link ejection channel 13 located below the firearm 18, a section 38 of the belt ejection channel 13 starting at the firearm 18 is arranged so as to be pivotable away about an axis 39 lying parallel to the weapon. In the forward firing position 19, the ammunition belts are first guided upwards in the direction 9 through the belt feed line 8 and then into the firearm 18 from above.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrates within a roller cover 103 an arrangement on the right-hand side in the firing direction of an automatic firearm 118, preferably a machine gun, the firearm 118 together with a spring-loaded upper mount 144 on a lower mount connected to the roller cover 103 145, from a front shooting position 119 into a rear position 124 for loading, for changing the barrel and the firearm 118, is retractable. The upper mount 144 is connected to the firearm 118 via the bolts 153, 154.

The roller screen 103, similar to the roller screen 3 (FIG. 1), can be swiveled vertically about the elevation axis 104 and is equipped with a screen seal 102 against rainwater and dust, a relatively short screen attachment 107 protruding from the screen surface 101 in the weft direction from the roller screen 103. The roller screen 103 is mounted on the right-hand outer tower wall 106 and on the left-hand side on the hood of the tower 121 about the elevation axis 104 in the bearing 105. In the arrangement of a further automatic barrel weapon 123, the roller shutter 103 is articulated by a shutter 130, for example a machine gun, mounted in a common roller bearing 105.

The lower mount 145 essentially consists of two T-rails 147, which are designed as guide elements 117 and are arranged axially parallel to the firearm 118 and are connected to one another via a base plate 150, on which the upper mount 144 is locked in the front firing position 119 by means of a fixation 146. The firearm 118 fastened in this way, like the firearm 18 (FIG. 1), requires an extremely small swiveling space in the interior of the tower 121 due to the far advanced arrangement within the roller screen 103, 3 (FIG. 1). This arrangement allows the tube to be raised 31 (Fig. 1) and 131 from minus 15 ° to plus 55 °.

In index position 125, the firearm 118 with the upper mount 144 can be retracted after loosening the fixation 146 in the rear position 124, for inserting the ammunition belts, for changing the barrel 131 and the firearm 118 on the lower mount 145. The ammunition belts which can be removed from the belt feed line 108 can be inserted into the firearm 118 when the flap 127 is open at the top, as seen on the left in the firing direction. The tube change of the tube 131 can also be carried out on the left side of the firearm 118, as seen in the firing direction, in a manner not shown. In position 124, the firearm 118 can be pulled completely out of the guide of the lower mount 145 with the upper mount 144 to the rear. After a loading process, tube change or weapon change, the firearm 118 is automatically locked in the front firing position 119 by the fixation 146.

For adjustment, the lower mount 145 is connected to the shortened diaphragm attachment 107 with respect to the elevation axis 104 via a horizontally and vertically adjustable bearing 151. The bearing 151 consists of a lower bearing half which is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis 142 in the diaphragm attachment 107 and of an upper bearing half which is fastened to the front end of the lower mount 145 and receives the lower bearing half in a horizontally lying axis 141.

The advanced installation position of the firearm 118 allows the belt feed line 108 to be arranged on the upper inner edge of the roller cover 103 and a sleeve discharge shaft 110 of the firearm 118 downward into the sleeve discharge shaft 152 of a further tube weapon 123. With this mounting, the sleeve discharge shaft 152 passes under the firearm 118, a further shaft 143 of the second pipe also below the sleeve discharge shaft 152 weapon 123 leads through cover plate 112 to the right into the open. Above the sleeve discharge shaft 152, the belt link ejection channel 113 of the firearm 118 also opens out through the cover plate 112. The empty propellant charge cases of the firearm 118 are passed from above through the case discharge shaft 110 passing through the T-rails 147 into the case discharge shaft 152, which runs several times horizontally and at an incline, the case discharge shaft 110 at the junction with the case discharge shaft 152 having a direction of discharge of the empty charge case influencing baffle plate 148 is provided, through which the propellant charge sleeves can be deflected such that they can be ejected directly in the direction 111 through the outlet opening 149 into the open. This emission is not affected by an unfavorable position of the vehicle, for example an inclined position.

Just as advantageous as the left-hand assembly of the roller cover 3 (FIG. 1), the roller cover 103 is pushed into the roller bearing 105 from the right-hand side during assembly and the cover attachment 107 is then screwed on.

Claims (10)

1. Turret mount for automatic firearms, particularly for machine guns, which are affixed to a firing turret rotatable about a vertical pivot in the turret of an armoured vehicle, possibly in addition to a separate mount for a further barrel weapon, particularly a shell gun, apertures being provided in the outer lateral wall of the turret and channels being provided between the lateral wall of the turret and the firearm for the purpose of ejecting the empty casings and removing the cartridge belt elements, characterized by the fact that :

a) the turret mount mainly consists of a slide (16, 144) connected to the firearm (18, 118) and of a slide guide (20, 145) connected to the turret (3, 103) and having guide elements (17, 117, 147) as a result of which the firearm (18, 118) is pivotable by means of the turret (3,103) into an unchanging index position (25, 125) and is mounted in such a way that in this index position (25, 125) it can be drawn back by means of the guide elements (17, 117) from the front firing position (19, 119) into a rear position (24, 124) for the purpose of inserting the ammunition belts and changing the barrel (31, 131) and the firearm (18, 118) ;

b) the turret mount has a securing device by means of which the firearm (18, 118) can be locked in a front firing position (19, 119) advanced by an ample distance within the turret (2, 103) ;

c) the turret mount between the guide (16, 144) or slide guide (20, 145) and the firearm (18, 118) being provided with separate means (29, 32, 33, 154) known per se for a longitudinally displac- able recoil spring action of the firearm (18, 118).

2. Turret mount in accordance with Claim 1, characterized by the fact that two bars (17) constructed as guide elements are rigidly connected to the slide (16) and are mounted for the withdrawal process in two borings (36) of the fixed slide guide (20) while in the firing position (19) the slide guide (20) is interlockingly connected with the slide (16) via two bars (29) resiliently mounted in the slide guide (20), by two bayonet couplings (28) positioned in the slide (16) and made detachable for the withdrawal operation.

3. Turret mount in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following features ;

a) the slide guide (20) is affixed on both sides to a table (34) connected to the turret (3) by means of securing elements (37) in such a way as to be adjustable in the direction (35) ;

b) the slide guide (20) is positioned on the table (34) and paraxially to the firearm (18) behind a casing diverter device (10) leading horizontally to the outside from the firearm (18) through a cover plate (12) mounted in the turret (21) ;

c) to the slide guide (20) is affixed a section (38) starting on the barrel weapon (18) of a belt element ejection channel (13) which passes through the cover plate (12) to the outside and which can be pivoted about an axis (39) parallel to the firearm (18) out of the space required for the withdrawal of the firearm (18).

4. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized by the following features ;

a) for the purpose of securing the firearm (18) the slide (16) is equipped with a bolt (14) and the turret (3) is provided with a diaphragm attachment (7) extending as far as the mouth of the barrel of the firearm (18) ;

b) the diaphragm attachment (7) is provided with an internal guide (22) on which is guided, in the course of the withdrawal process, a ball race (15) affixed to the mouth of the firearm (18) ;

c) the bolt (14) at the same time forms an equalizing element for a slanting position of the firearm (18) in relation to the elevation axis (4) ;

d) the bolt (14) is releasable from the holder in the rear withdrawn position (24) the firearm (18) then being detachable from the guide (22).

5. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that the lateral opening zone (40) of a belt insertion flap (27) which is closed in the front firing position (19) contains a belt feed device (8) of the firearm (18).

6. Turret mount in accordance with Claim 1, characterized by the following features :

a) the mounting system (144, 145) consists of an upper mount (144) integral with the firearm (118) and resiliently absorbing the recoil forces and of a lower mount (145) connected to the mantlet (103) ;

b) the lower mount (145) mainly consists of two T-rails (147) constructed as guide elements (117) mounted paraxially to the firearm (118) and interconnected via a baseplate (150) ; and

c) on the lower mount (145) the upper mount (144) in the front firing position (119) is connected by a securing device (146) which is situated on the upper mount (144) and which is releasable for the operation of withdrawing the firearm (118).

7. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized by the following features :

a) the lower mount (145) is connected to a shortened diaphragm attachment (107) of the turret (103) via a bearing (151) which adjusts the lower mount (145) horizontally and vertically ;

b) the bearing (151) consists of a lower half-bearing mounted pivotably about a vertical axis (142) in the diaphragm attachment (107) and of an upper half-bearing affixed to the front end of the lower mount (145) and receiving the lower half-bearing in a horizontally situated shaft (141).

8. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized by the turret (3, 103) separately accommodating the firearm (18, 118) which can be articulated to a separate firing turret (30, 130) situated on the same elevation axis (4, 104) and accommodating a second barrel weapon (23, 123).

9. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1, 6, 7 or 8, characterized by the following features :

a) for the removal of the empty propellant charge casings, a casing diversion shaft (110) extending between the T-rails (147) as far as the cover plate (112) is provided for the firearm (118) while for the second barrel weapon a casing diversion shaft (152) with multiple horizontal and oblique inclination is provided underneath the firearm (118) ;

b) the casing diversion shaft (110) mainly leads into the casing diversion shaft (152) from above.

10. Turret mount in accordance with any one of Claims 1 and 6 to 9, characterized by the casing diversion shaft (110), at the point where it leads into the casing diversion shaft (152) is provided with a baffle plate (148) which influences the direction in which the propellant charge casings are diverted and by which the said propellant charge casings can be deflected in such a way that they are directly ejectable into the open in the direction (111) through the outlet aperture (149).

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