GB2296962A

GB2296962A - Loading Apparatus for a Weapon

Info

Publication number: GB2296962A
Application number: GB9600439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roland Bertiller; Hubert Schneider
Original assignee: Mauser Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH
Current assignee: Mauser Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH
Priority date: 1995-01-14
Filing date: 1996-01-10
Publication date: 1996-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-10
Also published as: CH692119A5; FR2729463B1; DE19501003A1; GB9600439D0; GB2296962B; DE19501003C2; FR2729463A1

Description

T ITLE 1 Loadine AlpiDarntii-c; for a WeaT>on 2296962 This invention

relates to a loading apparatus for a barrel weapon, particularly one operated by gas pressure wherein cartridges are loaded into a cartridge receiver by means of a feed slide under the force of a closing spring, the weapon being of a drum-kind, such as one having a rotating cylinder.

In practice such weapons are loaded mechanically by hand. For this purpose a winding device is located on the weapon and by means of a hand crank the device is operated to draw the feed slide against the closing spring force and into the rearmost position. A further device is used to move the belt feed shaft in the direction of rotation of the magazine drum. After the coupling to the winding device has been released the feed slide moves rapidly forwards and pushes a cartridge into the cartridge receiver. These operations are repeated a number of times until a cartridge is presented in the firing position. The winding device is then removed from the weapon. These loading operations are time consuming and may require several minutes.

Drum or cylinder fed magazine weapons are used for - 2 example as cannon in aircraft. The weapon has to be loaded and readied for use on the ground by means of a winding device of the type referred to. This results in some risk particularly if the aircraft lands after having used only part of the ammunition loaded.

In DE 40 09 050 C2 there is disclosed a drum weapon actuated by gas pressure. The method of loading the weapon is not disclosed in any detail and is effected in accordance with the existing prior art methods.

A device for the linear movement of a cartridge feed slide is disclosed in DE 38 40 674 Al. The purpose is to enable the movement of the slide during the complete loading process to be carried out in a technically simple and time-saving manner with a small number of personnel. This system does not provide safety features.

A further cartridge feed device for an automatic firearm is disclosed in DE 28 25 091 C2.

One object of this invention is to provide a loading apparatus for a weapon which enables the time taken in the loading of the weapon to be reduced.

According to this invention there is provided loading apparatus for a drumtype barrel weapon, operated by gas pressure with cartridges being inserted into a cartridge store by means of a reciprocating feed slide moved in the opening direction against the force of a - 3 closing spring, an opening pawl being driven in a linear manner in the opening direction and in opposition to the opening direction by a threaded spindle rotatable in both directions by a motor drive, the pawl being pivotable and guided in slideways whereby the feed slide follows the pawl in the movement in the opening direction and whereby the pawl is disengaged operatively from the feed slide when movement is effected opposite to the opening direction.

The loading apparatus thus remains on the weapon and does not impede the normal firing operation. For loading purposes the feed slide is opened a number of times, for example three, using the motor drive system of the opening pawl until the cartridges are loaded in the cartridge holders of the drum. The loading process takes very little time and can be carried out without additional personnel.

The loading apparatus described offers the further advantage of not requiring additional apparatus such as that required in the known art for loading in the event of a detonation failure. The loading apparatus described can be activated even when such a failure occurs.

The safety of operation in flight, for example, is further improved by the fact that it is only after the 4 - aircraft carrying the weapon is airborne or shortly before firing that the pilot is able to effect the automatic loading operation.

In a preferred version of the invention the linear movement of the pawl can be brought to a stop after a part movement in the opening direction. This provides an additional safety function because the loaded weapon is thus rendered safe as a result of the fact that the drum of the weapon holding the cartridges is rotated out of the firing position. It is thus pivoted away from the firing pin. The pilot may thus land with the weapon rendered safe even if all the ammunition has not been fired.

The apparatus can be used either with a belt ammunition feed system or with one having no belt links.

This invention is further described by reference to embodiments shown as examples and with reference to the drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 shows a part section through a loading device of a drum weapon, Figure 2 shows a section along the line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a section along the line III-III of Figure 1, Figure 4 shows the opening pawl of the loading apparatus in the initial position, Figure 5 shows the pawl of the loading apparatus in the safe position, and Figure 6 shows the pawl in the released position.

A barrel weapon of the drum kind and operated by gas pressure has a cartridge feed slide (1) and a drum associated therewith and having a drum drive shaft (2). The gas pressure drive is known and is therefore not shown in detail. A cartridge feed device (3) is indicated in Figure 2.

A closing spring (4) acts on the feed slide (1). Guide rails (6,7) (Figure 3) are formed in part (5) integral with the weapon. Between the said rails a pawl shoe (8) is guided parallel to the opening direction (A) of the feed slide (1). Each guide rail (6,7) has an upper slideway (9) and a lower slideway (10). The slideways (9,10) join each other at the front end (11) and rear end (12).

On the pawl shoe (8) an opening pawl (13) is mounted and pivoted about a shaft (14). The pawl (13) has guide pins (15,16) which slide in the slideways (9,10). The guide pins (15,16) are pressed by a pressure spring (17) into the upper slideway (9) and lower slideway (10) of the guide rails (6,7) respectively (Figure 3). The pawl (13) has a lug (18) which extends into the path of the feed slide (1) when the guide pins (15,16) engage the upper slideway (9) and which releases the feed slide (1) when the guide pins (15,16) engage the lower slideway (10).

The pawl shoe (8) is attached to a threaded spindle (19). A trapezoidal threading (10) of the threaded spindle (19) is engaged by pinion wheel (21) of worm drive (22) of which the shaft (23) can be rotated by a motor (24) in either direction as required (Figure 2). The threaded spindle (19) and thus the pawl shoe (8) are displaceable in the direction h or in the direction v as desired and parallel to the opening direction (A). The worm drive (22) operates on a self-locking principle.

On the threaded spindle (19) a helical groove (25) is provided in addition to the trapezoidal threading (20)_ The said groove is engaged by a gear wheel (27) with a spring (26). The gear wheel (27) engages a toothed rim (29) of a rotating device (30) via an intermediate gear wheel (28). The rotating device (30) is mounted on the drum shaft (2) of the belt feed shaft and has a torsion spring (31). Energy stored up in the torsion spring on the rotation of the rotating device (30) acts on the drum shaft (2) via an overrunning coupling (32).

The shaft (33) of the intermediate wheel (28) is equipped with control cams (34) having associated electrical switches (35). They serve to indicate the three positions (Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6) of the opening pawl (13) which are described in detail below.

A tool fixture (36) into which a hand crank can be inserted for emergency operation of the apparatus is provided on the shaft (34) of the worm drive (22).

The method of operation of the apparatus is generally as follows and from the initial position shown in Figure 4.

The closing and firing direction is shown by arrow S. In the initial position the guide pine (15) is in the zone of the front end (11) of the slideway (9). The lug (18) of the pawl (13) has thus been pivoted into the path of the feed slide (1). If the motor (24) is now actuated the threaded spindle (19) is moved back by the worm drive (22) and thus draws the pawl (13) in the opening direction A by means of the pawl shoe (8). In this process the feed slide (1) is drawn in the direction opposing the force of the closing spring (4).

At the same time the rotation of the threaded spindle (19) causes the gear wheel (27) to be rotated by helical groove (25). The said gear wheel, via the intermediate wheel (28) and the toothed rim (29), subjects the torsion spring (31) of the rotating device 8 - (30) to tension. This determines the direction of rotation of the drum. The said direction can be preselected by the right-hand or left-hand pitch of the helical groove (25).

On completion of approximately half the stroke between the initial position shown in Figure 4 and the pawl release position shown in Figure 6 the safe position shown in Figure 5 is reached. This is indicated by the relevant control cam (34) and the associated electric switch (35). In this safe position the drum with the cartridges has been pivoted out of the firing position and thus away from the firing pin (not shown). The weapon is thus rendered safe. Even if the power fails the safety of the weapon is ensured, as the worm drive (22) is self-locking.

On the further movement of the pawl (13) the feed slide (1) is moved further in the direction of the pawl release position. If the pawl (13) reaches the rear end (12) of the slideway (9) it is automatically pivoted via the guide pins (15,16) out of the slideway (9) into the lower slideway (10). The lug (18) then releases the feed slide (1). This position likewise is indicated via the relevant control cam (34) and the associated switch (35).

It now moves rapidly forwards in the firing 9 direction (S) under the effect of the closing spring (4) of the feed slide (1). In this process a cartridge is pushed into the cartridge holder of the drum and this latter is further rotated into the prestressed direction. Owing to the overrxinning coupling (32) the drum shaft (2) moves unimpeded. This position is illustrated in Figure 1.

To complete the loading operation the spindle is then moved in the direction v by changing the direction of rotation of the motor (24). In this process the pawl (13) returns to the initial position shown in Figure 4 with guide pins (15,16) then situated in the lower slideway (10), the lug (18) of the pawl (13) is outside the traject of the feed slide (1). Only when the front end (11) of the slideway (9,10) is reached and the direction of rotation of the motor (24) is changed will the lug (18) of the pawl (13) once again enter the path of the feed slide (1). When this position has been reached it is likewise indicated by the position of one of the control cams (34) and of the associated electric switch (35).

The operations described are repeated until the weapon is fully loaded. The operation can also be initiated in the event of a detonation failure.

CLATMS 1. Loading apparatus for a drum-type barrel weapon, operated by gas pressure with cartridges being inserted into a cartridge store by means of a reciprocating feed slide moved in the opening direction against the force of a closing spring, an opening pawl being driven in a linear manner in the opening direction and in opposition to the opening direction by a threaded spindle rotatable in both directions by a motor drive, the pawl being pivotable and guided in slideways whereby the feed slide follows the pawl in the movement in the opening direction and whereby the pawl is disengaged operatively from the feed slide when movement is effected opposite to the opening direction.

Claims

2. Loading apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the movement of

the pawl can be stopped at an intermediate position in the opening direction.

3. Loading apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, wherein the threaded spindle is actuated by a motor driven worm gear drive having a self-locking action.

4. Loading apparatus in accordance with any precedin 9 11 - claim, wherein the motor drive is an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

5. Loading apparatus in accordance with Claim 3 or 4, characterised by the fact that a coupling for a tool is provided on the work drive shaft.

6. Loading apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein a gear wheel is rotatable by 1 means of the threaded spindle and a belt feed shaft or a drum feed shaft is prestressed in a desired direction of rotation by means of the said gear wheel acting through a rotating device.

7. Loading apparatus in accordance with Claim 6, wherein a helical groove for driving the said gear wheel is provided on the threaded spindle.

8. Loading apparatus in accordance with Claim 6 or 7, wherein the said rotating device is provided with a torsion spring for prestressing in the direction of rotation.

9. Loading apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding Claims 6 to 8, wherein the said rotating device 12 acts on the drum feed shaft via an overrunning coupling.

10. Loading apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein switches actuated by control cams indicate the operative positions of the pawl.

11. Loading apparatus constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.

12. A weapon incorporating apparatus according to any preceding claim.