GB129299A - An Improved Method and Means for Actuating Gun Triggers. - Google Patents

Abstract

129,299. Constantinesco, G., and Haddon, W. July 14. 1916. Fire between aircraft propeller blades, controlling and synchronizing.-Relates to the control and actuation of gun triggers, particularly those of machine guns mounted on aeroplanes and arranged to fire between the propeller blades. According to the invention, the trigger is actuated by means of a wave impulse generated by a cam device driven by the motor and transmitted through a liquid column to the trigger as described in Specifications 9029/13 and 128,589, [both in Class 69 (ii), Hydraulic presses &c.]. As shown in Fig. 1, the aeroplane engine drives an impulse-wave generator 31 which is connected by a pipe 32 to the trigger-actuating device 33. The pipe 32 is filled with liquid, and pressure is put upon the liquid by a pump contained in the control lever 34 which is connected through a pipe 35, cock 36, and controlling valve 37 with the pipes 32. The control lever, shown in Fig. 2, comprises a handle 38 normally locked relatively to the main portions 39 by balls 40 kept in grooves by a rod 41 which is pressed inwards,. when desired, by a knob 42. The inner end ot the rod 41 carries a piston 44 to put pressure upon the liquid in the chamber 45. The controlling-valve 37, Fig. 5, comprises a chamber 46 into which the pressure liquid from the chamber 45 passes, to act against the spring 47, open the check valve 48, and pass to the pipe 32. By drawing the handle 38 outwards on the part 39, the pressure is reduced in the chambers 45 and 46, and the spring 50 then causes the bolt-head 51 to open the valve 48 to allow the pressure to drop in the pipe 32. The generator 31 comprises a cam, rotated from the engines, and arranged to act at every revolution on a piston which produces an impulse wave in the liquid when it is under pressure. The trigger-acting device 33, shown in Fig. 9, comprises a plunger 71, to actuate the trigger, acted upon by a spring 72 and provided at the rear with a piston 73 upon which the impulse wave acts, after it has opened a valve 74 which acts as a reflected-wave absorber, any reflected wave from the piston 73 being absorbed in the passage 75 through the valve. In a modified form of trigger-actuating device, the piston 73 is formed as a conical valve having a smaller conical valve seat so that the wave acts upon a larger area as soon as the valve lifts. In a further modification, applied to a Vickers machine gun 82, Fig. 13, the piston 83 of the trigger motor 81 engages the bar 84 which, in turn, engages the trigger bar 85 of the gun. The wave generator 87 is driven through a cardan shaft 88 at double the propeller speed, the wave being transmitted along the liquid column 32. The reservoir 90 supplies the liquid under pressure to the system by means of the pipe 91. Pressure is put upon the system by drawing the rod 92 of the piston 95 outwards, thus extending the spring 93, and then releasing the rod, whereby oil under pressure is obtained in the cylinder 94. To commence firing, a Bowden-wire lever 96 is pulled; the wire of this mechanism, being fixed to the projection 97 pulling on the lever 96, causes the sheath 98 to force inwards the pin 99, thereby closing the opening in the washer 101 and stopping communication between the space 100 and the pipe 91. Further movement of the pin 99 causes the pin to engage an abutment 102 on the valve 103, thus opening the pipe 91 to the oil under pressure in the cylinder 94. When the system is under pressure, the impulses are transmitted to the piston 83 in accordance with the position of the propeller blades.