US1409195A - Automatic fuse setter for machine guns - Google Patents

Description

R. V. MORSE.

AUTOMATIC FUSE SETTER FOR MACHINE GUNS APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1921- 1A9J95y Patented Mar-14, 1922.

INVENTOR mm AWN? S Aw g Q mm 3 R 4 Y J $P$QW Q s a 7m x a .5 W mm a hm .H .ilagsl Elm & mm. m kW 7 I v h v W wm To all whom it may concern:

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nonna'r v. monsn, or rrnaca, new ,YORK.

AUTOMATIC FUSE SETTER FOR MAGHINE GUNS.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application filed may 2, 1921. Serial No. 466,297.

Be it known that 1, ROBERT V. MORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Automatic Fuse Setter for Mach ne Guns, of which the following, taken with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. This invention relates to anti-aircraft ordnance, and in particular to machine guns capable of firing shells having adjustable nism. The

time fuses, such as the one pounder type for example. In my copendin application direct fire control system, er. No. 456,119, filed March 28, 1921, there is described a system of fire control involving a mechanism which automatically set the fuses of the shells as they were being fed into the machine gun,-the. amount of the setting being under the control of the gunner, who could thus vary the range of the bursting point as promptly tion. The preferred form of mechanism selected for description in that application was of the multiple unit type, and the invention herein described relates to .a modification consisting of a single unit type of mechabasic features of invention common to both types are covered in the 'copending application referred to, and the features herein described are merely those relating to the single unit type, which in'general requires a much greater rapidity of action in its mechanical elements, but employs fewer parts and so is cheaper to construct.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1' 1s a longitudinal view partly n cross-section showing the portions of the machine gun mechanism relatingto the fuse setting. Fig. 2 is an end view of the oscillating head mechanism. v,

Referringnow to Fig. 1, a tubular clutch element 10 of the cone-faced type is mounted so that it can slide longitudinally but not turn in the bracket 11, which is integral with the gun case or other suitable fixed part of the gun mechanism. The clutch element 10 is arranged so that when moved to the right as shown in Fig. 1 it can grasp the body of the shell or cartridge 12 and hold it from rotation. Within the clutch element 10, and rotatable relative thereto, is a clutch element 13 adapted to grasp the fuse ring 14 of the shell 12 when forced into enga ement therewith.- This clutch element 1 is and easily as he could the direca ing in the form of a long sleeve having flanges" 15 and 16 thereon, and terminating at the other end in a collar 17 having a notch 19 therein similar to a jaw clutch, this collar 17 also having an external lug 20, which is arranged so that it can strike against an adjustable stop 21. A shaft 22 extends longitudinally through the clutch element or sleeve 13, and is keyed thereto by means of a feather key connection so that the sleeve 13' can slide longitudinally relative to the shaft 22, while the rotary motion of the shaft 22 is positively transmitted to the sleeve 13. A'spring 23 is locatedbetween the clutch 10 and the flange 15, and another whichis shown projecting into the notch 19.

This external sleeve or tube 26 is arranged to slide freely on thesleeve 13, and the sleeve 13 can also turn freely within the external sleeve 26, which is held from rotation by a stud (not shown) connecting it to the reciprocating arm 30, and also by a ridge or key 31 which lies in a suitable notch in the fork of the arm 30. The rounded heads of the fork of the reciprocating arm 30 lie between the flanges 25 and 27, so that the external sleeve 26 is reciprocated by the motion ofthe arm 30.

The arm 30 is pivoted at 32 to a fixed portion of the gun or frame, and is oscillated by the action of a reciprocating head 33 which is slidably mounted on the reci rocatrod 34. The reciprocating head 33 is driven by the rod 34 through the action of two intermediate springs 35 and 36, which bear against the head 33 and against fixed collars 37 and 38 which are securedto the rod 34. These springs 35 and 36 may be omitted but are desirable to give a cushioning in the driving force, so asto prevent m due shock and strain. A similar pair of springs 39 and 40 engage fixed collars 41 and 42 secured to the reciprocating rod 34 trans- 'mit the driving force to movable collars 43 so that it can oscillate through a moderateangle.

As shown in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 2,

the other arm 45 of the be'll'crank 45 carries a air of studs or'pins47 and 47', be-

tween which lies a pin 48 extending from a collar 49 rotatably mounted on an extension of the shaft 22. A set of planetary gears 50 are mounted on shafts secured to this collar 49, these gears 50 rolling on suitable fixed internal gear teeth in the casing 51 and driving a central pinion 52 on the shaft 22, thus rotating the shaft 22 when the pin 48 is oscillated. This planetary gearing is so proportioned that a motion of the pin 48 and collar 49 through a portion of a revolution,say for example,is suflicient to rotate the shaft 22 through a complete revolution,-since the motion is considerably multiplied by the transmission, as will be obvious to those familiar with the principles of planetary gearing. The torque of the shaft 22 is transmitted by a feather key to the sleeve 13 and collar 17 as has been described,the rotation of the collar 1? being limited by the lug 2O striking the adjustable'stop 21. This stop 21 is attached to a worm gear 54 as shown in cross-section in Fig. 1 and can be rotated to any desired position by the worm 55 operated by the control wheel 56 through suitable gearing. The control wheel 56 also operates at the same time, through the gearing 57, an adjustable stop screw 58. A second adjustable stop 59 is arranged so that it can be independently adjusted by the handwheel 60..

An extension 61 on the bell 'crank 45 is arranged to play between the stop 58 and stop 59, and serves to absorbsome of the momentum of the apparatus when in action, though this feature is not strictly necessary and-may be omitted in some constructions if desired.

The apparatus may be arranged to operate with either a gas operated or recoil operated type of machine gun, as all that is necessary is to link it to the operating mechanism so a reciprocating motion is applied to the rod 34, as by an oscillating linkage 62 driven by a reciprocating element of the machine gun 63 for example. The linkage 62 is preferably connected so that the rod 34 will be moved to the left on the recoil of the gun, and moved to the right on the counter-recoil; the connection may be modified of course according to the type of gun used, and it is not strictly necessary that the fuse 1setting action occurs on the counterreco1 The operation of the mechanism is as operations. First, the clutch 10 meets the body of the shell or cartridge 12 and grips it as shown in Fig. 1, thus holding it from rotation. Further motion of the applied forces compresses the intermediate spring 23 which permits the clutch 13 to advance and grip the fuse ring 14 of the shell 12, as shown in Fig. 1. After the fuse ring has thus been gripped by the clutch 13, further motion of the applied forces merely compresses the spring 24 and increases the pressure on the clutches 10 and 13, until the rotating motion of setting begins, as will now be described.

The movement of the reciprocating rod 34 to the right has also compressed the spring 39 so as to force the collar 43 to the right against the bell crank 45, tending to swing it counter-clockwise around the pivot 46, and this force is transmitted through the pins 47 and 48, collar 49, planetary gearing 50 and pinion 52 to the shaft 22, which thus tends to turn the clutch sleeve 13 and collar 17. However, the tooth 28 in the notch 19 prevents the collar 17 and clutch 13 from turning, and hence prevents the shaft 22, collar 49 and bell crank 45 from moving or yielding to the force applied by the spring 39. As the arm 30 swings more and more to the right forcing the sleeve 26 against the spring 24, the tooth 28 is withdrawn from the notch 19, whereupon stop 21. The amount of the fuse setting thus v given is determined by the location of the adjustable stop 21 as controlled by the worm 55 and control wheel 56. This completes the operation of setting as performed by a' motion to the right.

The motion of the reciprocating rod 34 to the left compresses the spring 36 and forces the reciprocating head 33 and arm 30 toward the left, carrying the sleeves 2 6 and 13 and clutch 1O bodily with it. Thus the clutch 13 is first withdrawn. from engagement with the fuse ring 14, and then the clutch 10 is withdrawn from the shell -12. At the same time the tooth 28 is pressing against the collar 17, though not at first lying in the notch 19. However, the motion of the rod 34 to the left has also compressed the spring 40 and forcedthe bell crank 45 to the left,rotating it in a clockwise direction; and. this, through the action of the gearing 50 turns the shaft .22 backward so as to turn the collar 17 back to its former position. As the collar 17 reaches its former osition the tooth 28 falls into the notch 19.-

he apparatus is then back to the beginning of the cycle described, and ready for the next shell. In general it will be seen that mosses the mechanism performs the operations of se1zing the shell and setting its'fuse by a notion in one direction, and on the return notion releases the shell and prepares for ;he next cycle by returning to its initial;

)osition. v

It will be understood that the particular Form of mechanism shown is merely by way f example, and that various modifications ind adaptations maybe made in difi'erent deigns as will be evident to those skilled in he art, without departing from the essential eatures of the invention as defined by the ollowing claims.

I claim- I y 1. In an automatic fuse setter for mahine guns, the combinationofa clutch eleient adapted to grip a fuse ring, means for pplying a torque to said clutch element, leans for restraining said element from otating in response to said torqueuntil fter said clutch element has become firmly ngaged with the fuse ring, and control leans for limiting the amount of rotation of Lid clutch element after it is released by Lid restraining means, wherebythe amount E tlhe setting of the fuse ring may be con- 01 ed. a

2. In an automatic fuse setter for machine ms, the combination of a clutch adapted i hold a shell from rotation, a clutch eleent adapted to grip the fuse ringv of the tell, a spring between the first mentioned utch and said clutch element, means for rrcing said clutch and clutch element .into lgagement, a spring between said forcing eans and the cl' tch element, means for a'pying a torque to said clutch element, eans for locking said clutch element yainst said torque, means for releasin the cking means when the last mentioned spring is compressed, and adjustable means for limiting the amount of rotation of the clutch element whereby the amount of the fuse setting is controlled.

3. In an automatic fuse setter formachine guns, the combination of a rotatable element adapted to set the fuse ring of a shell, means vfor storing the energy required to rotate said element, means for locking said element from rotation, means for releasing the lock,-and adjustable means whereby the amount of rotation of said element is controlled. i

4. In an automatic fuse setter for machine guns, the combination of a clutch element,

a drive shaft for rotatin said element, gear-' ing for rotating said s aft, and a spring arranged to store the power required to turn said shaft.

5. In an automatic fuse setter for machine guns, the combination of a clutch element, a drive shaft for rotating said element, gearing for rotating said shaft, mechanical means arranged to operate said gearing, a .65 reciprocating element, and a yielding sprin drive arranged between said mechanica means and said reciprocating element.

6. In an automatic fuse setter for machine guns, the combination of a clutch element, a drive shaft for rotating said element, a multiplying gearing, a reciprocating rod, mechanical means connecting the rod to the gearing, an oscillating arm driven by the rod and arranged to reciprocate the clutch element, means for controlling the amount of rotation of the clutch element, and ielding means arranged to cushion the action of the applied forces.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th da of A I'll. 1921.

no ERT iroRsE.

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