GB1073846A - Automatic weapon mounted in an armoured turret - Google Patents

Abstract

1,073,846. Automatic weapons. RHEINMETALL G.m.b.H. Jan. 26, 1966 [Feb. 6, 1965], No. 3524/66. Heading F3C. An automatic weapon having a shield 4 is mounted in an armoured turret 1 (Figs. 1, 2, not shown) for pivotal movement in a vertical plane. A belt feeder 5 is detachably connected to the weapon and operable to feed ammunition to the weapon, the feeder 5 being pivotally mounted on a spindle arrangement disposed in a plane parallel to the vertical longitudinal plane of the weapon. The spindle arrangement is guidedly supported so that it is vertically movable in the parallel plane. The spindle arrangement may comprise a spindle 12 or short bearing pins projecting from the feeder 5, the ends of the spindle or pins co-operating with slots 13, 14 in metal guides 13<SP>1</SP>, 141 which are secured to the weapon cradle 3. The feeder 5 is packed in position on the cradle 3 by means of a projection 7 and recess 9 assembly, a projection 8 and latch 10 assembly, and a claw attached to the spindle and co-operating through rotation of the spindle with a notch in the guide 141 (Figs. 6, 7, not shown). The front end of the feeder 5 is supported by a spring 15. As the slot 14 is larger than the slot 13, on release of the feeder 5, the feeder moves downwardly and then pivots about the slot 14 to disengage the mouth 6 from the weapon. The feeder 5 is further guided by two rollers 23 mounted on the metal guides 13<SP>1</SP>, 14<SP>1</SP>. The feeder may then be swung away from the cradle about the longitudinal axis of the pivot spindle 12. A flat magazine may be substituted for the feeder 5 (Fig. 5, not shown).