US1443677A - Mounting for small-caliber guns - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1923. 1,443,677

G. H. CHALLENGER. Moumme FOR SMALL. CALIBER Guns.

FILED JuLY 6, 1917.

Patented 30, 1923.

UNITED GEORGE HENRY sfPATa-NT OFFICE,

CHALLENGER, OFWESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, AS SIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND. i

"MOUNTING roe SMALL-CALIBER GUNS.

Application filed July 6, 1917. Serial Il a-179,975.,

(mm mm THE rnovr srons or THE ac'r or'haacn 3, 1921, 41 sum. 1., 1313.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY CHAL- LENGER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway,

Westminster,

land, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Mountings for Small-Caliber Guns, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No.

9,389, of 1915, filed June 26,1915), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mountings for small caliber guns particularly those carried by an arm or frame which is pivoted to enable the angle of elevation of thegun to-be varied and 1s rotatably carried, to enable the gun to be trained, by an aeroplane or other aircraft.

According to the invention the pivoted frame carrylng the gun is rotatably mounted at the upper part of a well or chamber in which .the gunner is accommodated preferably in a sitting position. The gun frame may be pivoted to a ring and is trained by rotating the ring by hand .either directly or through gearing; the gun is elevatedby displacing the frame about its pivots by hand either directly or through gearin The gun may be pivoted to the frame in suc a manner that it can be moved relatively to the frame both vertically and laterally to en- ,able accurate pointing of the gun to be effected after the ring and frame have been dispaced, to bring the gun approximately into the desired firing position.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which igure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the forward art of an aeroplane fuselage provided w1th a form of the improve-- ments, Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 with the frame for the gun in a different position, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation'showing the means for supporting the gun on the aforesaid frame.

A is part of the fuselage, A is the ilots seat and A. is the gunners seat. B, are the side members of the frame that carries the gun and B. is the rotatable ring to which these side members are pivoted. C is the in the county of London, Engthe ring B well or chamber within which the gunner 'is accommodated and at the upper end of which the ring B is mounted.

In the example shown the members B, B are in the form of arms which are pivoted to the ring B at points I), b diametrically or approximately diametrically opposite each other, these arms being so arranged as to, constitute the sides of an isosceles triangle or similar figure. whose base extends through the pivots b, b of the arms B, B and whose apex I) carries the gun. The means shown for carrying the gun comprise a cli D en'- circling the casing of the gun, whic clip is pivoted at d for elevating movements to a member D having a spigot 03 which is rotatably mounted in the apex b of the arms B, B for training movements. By reason of this arrangement of mounting, the gun canreadily be brought to any desired angle-of elevation and training and when employed on aircraft as shewn can also be depressed to a degree which is limited only by'the contour of thecar or fuselage on which the gun is mounted. Thus in the example shewn. is made of approximately the same diameter as the'width ofthe fuselage and the arms B, B are made of such length that their apex b can be caused to pro'ect beyond the sides ofthe .fuselage, (see 1gure 2) so that the guncan then be fired vertically downwards ifdesired, the gunner in this case standing between the said arms. The ring is arran ed at such a height above the gunners seat level with the gunners shoulders when 'he is in the sitting position,

or head and the 2 that it is approximately said ring may be suitably padded ar'oundits inner and upper surface to minimize or prevent injuryto the gunner if he should be.

thrown against the ring. The seat A instead of being fixed as shewn, may be connected to the ring B so that it moves in training therewith.

The aforesaid arms B, B may be provided with counterbalancing springs or weights sov that they can be readily raised and lowered releasable means may be emand readily ployed for lockingthe arms and the ring B in any desired posltion.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a gun mounting, the combination with a well or chamber in which the gunner gun can be elevated and depressed with re-' spect to said frame.

2. In a gun mounting, the combination with a well or chamber in which the gunner is accommodated, of a ring rotatably mounted at the upper part of said well, a frame ivotally connected to said ring so that said ame can be displaced to vary the angle of elevation of the gun, and means for connect ingthe gun to said frame in such a manner that the gun can be elevated, depressed and trained with respect to said frame.

3. In, a gun mounting, the combination with a well or chamber in which the gunner is accommodated, of a ring rotatably mounted at the upper part of said well, a frame composed of two arms connected to ether at their. outer ends and pivoted to sai ring at their inner ends, and means for connecting the gun .to the outer ends of said arms in such a manner that the gun can be elevated and depressed with respect to said arms.

4. In an aeroplane gun mounting, the combination with the fuselage of the aeroplane, of a well or chamber in said fuselage for accommodating the gunner, a horizontal ring rotatably mounted at the up er part of said well, said ring being made 0'? the same diameter as the width of the fuselage, a frame composed of two arms connected' to ether at their outer ends and pivoted to tie ring at their inner ends, said arms being made of such length that their outer ends can by moving the arms about their pivots be caused to project beyond the "ing a approximately selage, a frame composed of two arms connected together at their'outer ends and pivoted to the ring at their inner ends, said arms being made of such length that their outer ends can by moving the arms about their pivots be caused to project beyond the sides' of the fuselage, and means for supporting the gun on said outer ends of the-arms.

in such a manner that the gun can be elevated and depressed with respect to said arms.

6. The combination, with an aerial craft, having a plat-form of a frame revoluble horizontally thereon, a support horizontally pivoted to said frame, to swing through opposite vertical arcs of equal extent, said support carrying'a gun, and means of axial rotation for said support, whereby the gun may revolve about the longitudinal axis of said support. v

7. The combination, with an aerial craft, having a platform, of a gun mount comprisframe horizontally revoluble upon said platform, and a gun support, also includin means for swinging said support throng opposite vertical arcs, to train the gun both upwardly and downwardly, auxiliary means of adjustment for the gun in the vertical lane of said arcs, and means of rotation ibr said gun about the longitudinal axis of said support.

In testimony whereof, I aflix m signature. GEORGE HENRY C ALLENGER.

Images