GB2146103A - Gas operated low velocity gun - Google Patents

Abstract

A gun comprises a barrel (10) a rotatable carrier (16) which defines cartridge receiving positions (17) and to which cartridges are presented in an endless belt, a reciprocable member (33) mounting a firing pin (53) and movable forwardly under the bias of a spring (63) when released by a trigger (12), and an actuator (32) which moves with the member (33) and engages the carrier (16) to rotate it when the actuator (32) moves backwardly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gas operated, low velocity gun This invention is concerned with a gas operated, low velocity gun.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a gun that is simple in construction and operation.

The present invention is a gun having a barrel, a carrier defining cartridge receiving locations and rotatable to present said locations in sequence to a position at the rear of the barrel, a reciprocable member engaging the carrier to rotate it upon movement of the member in one direction, a trigger mechanism for holding the member against the bias of a spring in the opposite direction, and a firing pin for firing a cartridge in said position upon movement of the member in said opposite direction.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a gun according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the detail of a part in the gun of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a cross section on the line Ill-Ill in Fig. land Figures 4, 5 and 6 are respectively an end elevation, a side elevation and a plan view of one link of a flexible belt supplying cartridges to the gun.

Referring now to the drawings, a gun according to the present invention is provided with a barrel 10, a cartridge feeding mechanism 11, and a trigger 1 2 mounted beneath a stock 1 3 which terminates in butt 14. The cartridge feeding mechanism 11 includes a rotatable carrier 1 6 which defines five locations each for receiving a cartridge 1 7 in a link 1 8 of a belt. Each link 1 8 is provided with ears 1 9 which interfit with the ears of adjacent links, the ears being provided with aligned holes 20 whereby adjacent links may be secured together by means of a pin, as is conventional.Each link 18 also defines a cartridge receiving hole 21 so that the link encloses the cartridge as does a chamber in a revolver. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the cartridge containing belt can be supplied at one side of the carrier where the body 22 of the gun is cut away and, each link having passed through the uppermost carrier location in which the cartridge is aligned with the barrel 10, recovered with the spent cartridge cases at the other side of the carrier.

As the carrier 1 6 has five cartridge locating positions, it must be rotated one fifth of a turn after firing to present a new cartridge in the top position and this function is achieved by a reciprocating member 25 which cooperates with the carrier 1 6 and forms part of the feeding mechanism 11.

The member 25 comprises four sections, namely a piston 30 with associated piston rod 31, an actuator 32, a stabiliser 33 and a spring seating section 35.

The piston 30 moves in a cylinder 36 in the body 22 of the gun, the cylinder being connected at its forward end to the interior of the barrel 10 by a port 39 so that when the projectile being fired has cleared the port 39 the piston 30 is exposed to the pressure of the combustion gases in the barrel.

The actuator 32 is connected to the piston 30 by means of the piston rod 31, passes axially through the carrier 1 6 and serves to support the carrier. The actuator 32 is provided with grooves 45 which extend axially at each end of the actuator but are skewed in a middle portion, the skew totalling one fifth of a turn. The grooves 45 are engaged by pistons or dogs 46 which extend inwardly from a ring 47 which in turn is connected to the carrier 1 6 by way of a ratchet mechanism which transmits only anticlockwise movement (as seen in Fig. 3) from the ring to the carrier.

It should also be understood that if necessary means, which may be quite conventional, may be provided to index the carrier properly with a cartridge properly aligned with the barrel and to resist any unintentional movement of the carrier clockwise. Such means are not illustrated in the drawings as they form no part of the present invention.

The stabiliser 33 is of the same diameter as the actuator 32 and moves in a bore in the body of the gun. The stabiliser has two radially extending ridges 50 which engage in grooves in the body 22 to prevent rotation of the stabiliser and hence of the member 25.

At the bottom of the stabiliser is a bent 52 and a hammer 53, secured to the stabiliser, extends up through a slot in the body 22.

At the rear end of the stabiliser 33 is provided the spring seating section 35 comprising an end plate or disc 61 of greater diameter than the stabiliser and an axially extending support 62. The section 35 moves in a bore in the stock and a compression spring 63 is seated between the inside of the butt 14 and the end plate 61.

The trigger 1 2 cooperates with a sear 64, both the trigger and the sear being pivotally mounted beneath the body 22, and the sear in turn is cooperable with the bent 52 to retain the member 25 in a rearward position in which the spring 63 is compressed. The trigger 1 2 and sear 64 constitute the trigger mechanism.

When the member 25 is in its rearward position the gun is ready to fire. Movement of the trigger causes the sear 64 to move out of the bent 52 allowing the member 25 to move forward under the force of the spring 63. The hammer 53, moving with the member 25, causes the firing pin to strike the percussion cap and fire the round located in line with the barrel. This forward movement of the member causes the actuator to turn the ring 47 clockwise but this movement is not transmitted to the carrier 1 6 because of the ratchet mechanism.

When the projectile moving along the barrel clears the port 39, the pressure of the gases in the barrel acts upon the front face of the piston 30 causing the member 25 to move rearwardly against the force of the spring 63.

During this movement the skewed portions of the grooves 45 turn the ring 47 clockwise, the member 25 being fixed against rotation by the ridges 50 on the stabiliser 33, and this movement is transmitted to the carrier which moves one fifth of a turn to its next indexed position in which the next cartridge is presented in line with the barrel.

Movement of the member 25 continues until the sear again engages the bent and the gun is ready for the next round to be fired.

The links of the carrier may be made of any suitable material but it is preferred to use a synthetic resin material to reduce the weight.

Many such materials are known which have the necessary strength, bearing in mind that each link effectively acts as the firing chamber for the cartridge it carries.

Claims (8)

1. A gun having a barrel, a carrier defining cartridge receiving locations and rotatable to present said locations in sequence to a position at the rear of the barrel, a reciprocable member engaging the carrier to rotate it upon movement of the member in one direction, a trigger mechanism for holding the member against the bias of a spring in the opposite direction, and a firing pin for firing a cartridge in said position upon movement of the member in said opposite direction.

2. A gun as claimed in claim 1, in which said member includes an actuator having skewed formations engageable with interfitting formations coupled to the carrier through a ratchet mechanism to transmit rotational movement to the carrier only when the member is moving in said one direction.

3. A gun as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which said member includes a piston moving in a cylinder which is in communication with the barrel of the gun such that the gases in the barrel can act upon the piston to move the member in said one direction.

4. A gun as claimed in any preceding claim, in combination with a cartridge belt which defines cartridge receiving holes, the belt being engaged by the carrier and each said hole acting as a firing chamber for the cartridge therein at said position.

5. A gun as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the trigger mechanism comprises a trigger and a sear, the sear being engageable with a bent on said reciprocable member.

6. A gun as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a hammer is mounted on and moves with said member.

7. A gun substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

8. A flexible belt for supplying cartridges to a gun and comprising interconnected links, each link being adapted to receive a cartridge for transport thereof and to act as the firing chamber therefor.