GB123002A - Improvements in or relating to Automatic Fire-arms. - Google Patents

Abstract

123,002. Goracuchi, F. de. Aug. 6, 1918. Machine guns.-Relates to recoiling - barrel automatic guns with rotating and sliding breech-blocks, and consists in (1) forming the breech frame or casing with two camslots, one for rotating the breech-block and the other for rotating the firing pin to bring it into the cocked and firing positions, (2) providing a sleeve co-acting with the firing-pin to effect automatic firing, and acting as a safety device, and (3) special cartridge-feed mechanism. In the construction shown, the breech-block c, Figs. 8 and 9, which is locked to the barrel extension or breech-body b by forward locking-lugs f, g, has an arm m, projecting through a cam slot 3, 4, Figs. 1 and 5, in the breech-frame a. The firing-pin l, s, Figs. 12 and 13, has a stud t engaging a doubletracked slot 15, 16, 6<1>, 7, 8, 16, Fig. 5, in the breech-frame. Mounted on a tubular extension i at the rear of the breech-block is a sleeve m, Figs. 8, 14, and 15, which is prevented from rotating by a stud p .engaging a straight slot 5 in the breech-frame. The sleeve is formed with a slot o into which a rib x, Figs. 12 and 13, on the firing-pin enters when the firing-pin is in its foremost position. The firing-pin is also formed with a projection r having a cam surface engaging a corresponding cam surface j, Fig. 16, forming one edge of a recess in the tubular extension i of the breech-block. When the barrel recoils, the breech block is rotated and unlocked by the cam slot 3, and during this rotation, the firing-pin is retracted by the action of the two cams j and r. During the further recoil of the breech-block, the firing-pin is rotated by the inclined slot 6<1>, Fig. 5, so that the rib x bears against the rear edge of the sleeve n. On the return movement, under the action of the spring V, the breech-block is rotated and locked by the cam slot 3, and the firing-pin is rotated by the inclined slot 16, Fig. 5, to bring the rib x into engagement with the slot o in the sleeve n, whereupon the firing-pin completes its forward movement and fires the gun. The cartridges are raised into the loading position by a spring 30, Fig. 18, fixed at its rear end to a non- recoiling part 24 and at the front to a bar 22 which recoils with the barrel and breech frame b, the effect of the recoil being to bend the spring upwards and so raise the cartridge. A spring catch 26, by engaging a notch 25 in the bar 22, limits the recoil of the barrel and retains it in its rear position. The catch is released during the return of the breech-block and firing-pin by a projection 29 on the firing-pin.