GB1207164A - Improvements in or relating to automatic weapons - Google Patents

Abstract

1,207,164. Machine gun. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. 27 Oct., 1967 [21 Dec., 1966], No. 49019/67. Heading F3C. The Specification describes the multi automatic weapon disclosed in Specifications 1,207,163 and 1207,165. The claims relate to the breech and firing mechanism of that weapon. The weapon comprises a barrel supporting rotor presenting ways 18 for bolt assemblies 110, each barrel 60 being associated with a corresponding bolt assembly, cartridge firing mechanism 122, 124 in each bolt assembly, cam members 112 and 44 on the bolt and on the housing 20 respectively to reciprocate the bolts as the rotor moves within the housing, a single main-spring 142 mounted on the housing, lever mechanism comprising a cocking lever 160 and a firing lever 162 mounted on the housing the levers having arms 174, 179 projecting inwardly and circumferentially displaced from each other so as to sequentially engage and disengage the firing mechanisms of the bolts to pivot the levers and successively compress the spring 142 and drive each firing mechanism in turn into contact with a cartridge carried by the corresponding bolt and fire it. The hinged cover 30 of the housing 20 mounting the spring 142 and its pin 144 carried a bolt locking cam 164, a cocking lever stop lug 165, a bolt unlocking cam 168 and a retractor cam 166. The cocking and firing levers 160, 162 may be pivoted to the cover instead of to the housing directly, as shown. Each bolt carries its slidable firing pin 124 and hammer 122, a spring 126 normally maintaining this firing mechanism in a rearward position, a locking and unlocking tang or hook 131 and cartridge rim gripping means 132a. Rollers 112, 114 on the bolt engage, respectively, the cam groove 44 in the housing and the sides of the bolt ways in the rotor. Fig. 11a-11e (not shown) depict the bolt and firing mechanism action. As the bolt moves forward hammer 122 engages limb 174 of cocking lever 160 which rotates clockwise, its nose 176 engaging firing lever 162 to move its limb 179 rearwards and compress the spring 142. The rotor movement brings the rear face of the hammer in front of the now rearwardly positioned limb 179, locking cam 164 engaging tang 131 to tilt the bolt so that its forward end locks into a circumferential locking groove (16). On further transverse movement of the bolt limb 174 slips off the front of hammer 122 allowing spring 142 to rotate firing lever 162 clockwise, its limb 179 driving the hammer and firing pin forward to fire the cartridge. On further transverse movement of the bolt the hammer moves clear of limb 179, housing cam 168b engages beneath tang 131 to lift the bolt from its locked position and housing cam groove 44 returns the bolt, assisted at high firing rates by the action of retractor cam 166 on the hammer. Cams 164..166 may be releasably attached to the cover 30.