GB191515208A - Improvements in and relating to Mountings for Machine Guns and the like. - Google Patents

Abstract

15,208. Birmingham Small Arms Co., and Norman, G. Oct. 28. Machine and other aiming - rests.-Relates to mountings f o r machine guns and the like especially for use on aeroplanes, of the kind in which the gun is mounted on a universal pivot situated near the operator to minimize the movements of the head and body in manipulating the gun, such pivot being constituted by a vertical rotatable pillar connected to the gun by an horizontal joint, and the gun being supported by a telescopic strut jointed to the base of the vertical pillar. The invention comprises an arrangement characterized by the pivotal support for the gun being positioned at the rear of the butt end on a rotatable pillar or other member so disposed that, when the shooter's shoulder is brought into position, the joint or fulcrum centre of the gun lies close to his neck. As shown in Fig. 1, the gun 11 is supported. about a fulcrum centre 4 by an extension-piece 5, the supporting-pillar 2 carrying a shoulder support 12 and being rotatable between. adjustable stops 37, 38 in a base-plate 1. whilst it is provided at its upper end with lugs 3 between which the extension member 5 is pivoted. In the interior of the extension member 5 are formed lugs co-operating with lugs on the joint member 4 constituting a bayonet joint, by means of which the gun may be readily attached to, or detached from, the mounting. The weight of the gun is supported by a telescopic strut 13, 14 pivoted at its lower end 22 to the pillar 2 and carrying at its upper end a cup or socket 16 in which the grip member 17 of the gun may be retained by spring catches 18. The telescopic strut comprises, as shown in Fig. 5, an outer tube 13 carried by the lower attachment part 22, and within which an upper tube 14, attached to the part 21, is adapted to slide, being guided by a bush or sleeve 19 on the end of the tube 13 and a flange 20 on the end of the tube 14. A central tube 24 attached to the lower member 22 supports one or more compression springs 23. To limit the extension or contraction of the strut, collars 27, 28 are adjustably clamped to the tube 13 to form stops for a collar 26 formed on the end of a longitudinally slotted tube 25 attached to the upper member 21 and tube 14. The upper stop 27 is internally recessed, as shown at 30, Fig. 7, to permit free passage of the solid parts of the slotted tube 25. To render the strut 13, 14 rigid, when desired, for firing purposes, the collar 26 may be split and adapted to grip the tube 13, being actuated for this purpose by means of a Bowden transmission device 33 operated by a thumb-lever 34 located on the cup or socket member 16. The pillar 2 may, as indicated in Fig. 1, be supported by brackets 46, 47 on the upper and lower longerons of an aeroplane, or, as shown in Fig. 12, it may be mounted on an horizontal pivot 39 and be laterally adjusted, stops 40, 41 and a clamp 43, 44 being provided.