GB1374755A - Gun with recoiling barrel and transersely moving breechblock - Google Patents

Abstract

1374755 Gun RHEINMETALL GmbH 12 Nov 1968 [5 Dec 1967] 53705/68 Heading F3C A gun has a recoiling barrel 1 provided with a bottom plate 4, a base breechblock 5 embracing the bottom plate 4 and displaceable transversely of the barrel 1 in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the latter, a pair of rollers 6 projecting laterally one on either side of the breechblock 5, and a corresponding pair of fixed inclined guide tracks 7 disposed one on either side of the barrel 1 so that opening of the breech is caused as the rollers 6 ascend the tracks 7 during return movement of the barrel 1 after recoil. In the open position of the breechblock 5, as shown, the counter-recoil movement is almost complete. In this position, which is reached when the highest point on the ascending curve 8b of the guide tracks 7 is occupied by the rollers 6, the counter-recoil movement is arranged to be halted for a brief period and a shell 12 is positioned by means of an automatic loading device 11. The rollers 6 then follow the steeply descending curve 8c as the residual forward travel of the barrel 1 is completed, so that the barrel is closed at the rear by the breechblock 5 which drops down, whereafter the shot can be fired. The resultant recoil causes the barrel 1 together with the breechblock 5 to move rapidly rearwards, the rollers 6 being moved along horizontal guide grooves 9 causing switches 8d forming the lower portions of the curves 8b of the guide tracks 7 to rise. The rollers 6 come to rest on short straight sections 8a of the guide tracks 7 at the completion of recoil. Before firing, a fresh shell 12 is fed to the automatic loading device 11. Without any interruption, the barrel 1 together with the breechblock 5 is now moved forward by a tensioned counter-recoil mechanism (not shown) and the above operation repeated. The breechblock 5 is coupled to the bottom plate 4 by levers 16 secured to torsion springs 13, 14 arranged side by side in the bottom plate 4 transversely of the barrel axis and clamped each by one end only at opposite sides of the barrel 1. The levers 16 are guided in grooved bars 17 secured to the underside of the breechblock 5. While the breechblock 5 is being raised when the barrel 1 moves forward, the springs 13, 14 are put under stress, so that the closing operation which takes place automatically due to the weight of the breechblock 5 is reinforced by the tensioned springs.