US1651128A

US1651128A - Automatic gun

Info

Publication number: US1651128A
Application number: US668643A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas M Jervey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-10-15
Filing date: 1923-10-15
Publication date: 1927-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1944-11-29

Description

' T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN Filed'flct. 15. 1923 1 1 Sheets-Sheet 1 l INVENTOR JerVe A TTORNE Y T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN Filed Oct. 15, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR T MJe rl/ey T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC Gun Filed Oct. 15. 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR A TTORNEY r Gal 'r. M. Jam Ev AUTOMATIC GU 11 Filed Oct. 15. 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN TOR A TTORNEY' Nov. 29, 192 7.

T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN 11 Shedts-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 15, 1925 INVENTOR TMJer've By M/ ATTORNEY Nov. 29,1927. 1,651,128

' T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATI C GUN Filed Oct. 15; 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN VEN TOR R .MJerl ey A TTORNE Y Nov. 29; 1927.

'r. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN Filed Got. 15. 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR M Jerv'e y A TTORNE Y 11 Shets-Sheet 9 IN VENTOR M Jervey T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN Filed Oct. 15. 1923 mm Mn l l ml mhmmh om.

Nov; 29, 1927.

Nov. 29, 1927.

T. M. JERVEY AUTOMATIC GUN Filed Oct. 15,-1.923 11 Sheets- Sheet l0 INVENTOR TMJerv y ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNETED STATES FFHQ E AUTOMATIC GUN.

Application filed October 15, 1923. Serial No. 668,643.

The subject of this invention is an automatic gun designed primarily for a caliber of 37 m/m or heavier thou h not necessarily limited to any specific cali er.

In designing an automatic gun it is desirable that the loading of the gun should be positive and certain; that the parts may be operated manually as well as automatically;- that jamming of rounds may be quickly relieved; and that the structure should be as simple as proper functioning will permit.

With these and other objects in view I have devised a novel means for positioning a charge to be loaded into the gun, associated with which is a novel rammer' for forcing the charge home, the operation of the means for positioning the charge'being such that jamming of the charge is easily and quickly overcome, and the gun is designed with as few parts as is consistent with proper operation.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a right hand side elevation of the gun;

Fig. 2 is a left hand side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view with the magazine removed;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation, partly in section, with the breech block shown open and the parts in ready toload position;

Fig. 6 is a right hand side elevation, a portion of the cradle broken away, and the parts shown in the position assumed at the instant before the ramming home of the charge;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the breech block closed and the feed tray in its up position;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cradle with the gun removed and showing the feed tray in its up position.

Fig. 9 is a left hand side elevation, with a portion of the cradle broken away and parts in section, showing a round in the p0- sition assumed at the mstant before ramming home the round;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, showing the parts in ready to fire position;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary left hand side elevation, with a portion in section;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the forward feed tray arm; 1

Fig. 13 is an elevation of the same;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the rear left hand feed tray arm;

Fig. 15 is an elevation of the same;

7 Fig. 16 is a plan view .of the firing hammer;

Fig. 17 is an elevation of the same;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of the latch plate for retracting the cartridge release latch of the magazine;

Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 20 is a plan view of the cartridge release latch;

21 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 22 is a view in elevation of the feed tray atch bolt;

Fig. 23 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the hand operatin slide;

Fig. 24 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 25 is a view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary sectional view of the magazine, showing the plungers for locking the magazine in place;

Fig. 27 is a similar view show'in' the mounting of the cartridge release paw and the strip retaining means;

Fig. 28 is a fragmentary view in vation of the magazine;

Fig. 29 is a cross section of the rammer rod, showing the latch for locking the rod in its rearmost position;

Fig. 30 is a section of the rammer rod, showlng the cam groove and slot therein;

Fig. 31 is a sectional view showing the latch retaining bolt and latch plate assembly;

Fig. 32 is an enlar ed detailed view, partly iin section, of one of the cartridge detaining eferring to the drawings by numerals of reference:

In carrying out my invention I provide a cradle 1 in which reciprocates the gun 2, being guided in such reciprocation by ribs 3, provlded on the gun near the breech thereof, working in guide ways 4. formed on the inner facies pf the sides of the cradle (see Figs. 4 an 5 A breech block 5 is provided for closing the breech of the gun, which, as herein shown, is of the vertically sliding type and is provided with a U-shaped recess 6 opening at its upper surface to permit a round to be placed in and extracted from the gun when the breech is open. Arms 7 are proside ele- I (see Figs. 4, and 1 vided on the breech block, the functions of which will appear as .the description proceeds, and they may be conveniently rovided by means of a yoke 8, with which t ey are integral which is attached to the lower part of the breech block in any desired manner.- As herein shown T ribs 9 are formed on opposed faces of the yoke adapted to enter vslots formed in the breech block, the yoke being then bound in place by screws or otherwise. As is usual, a firing pin is carried by the breech block having a notched disk 10 through rotation of which the pin be ad'usted along its longitudinal axis an locke in such adjusted position by means of a latch 11 which is adapted to selectively-enter the notches.

' Associated with the 'un is a rammer 12, 0%, the rod of which is housed in a casing 13 rigid on the cradle.

' The preferredform of rod herein shown is vat hollow and has a coiled-spring 14 housed therein which is compressed upon rearward movement of the rammer between a screw plug 15 which closes the end of the rod and a stop 16 which is secured to the cradle and extends within the rod through a slot 17 (see Figs. 1, 7 and 10) formed longitudinally thereof. The spring is held in compressed position by a spring actuated lunger; 18 (see Fig. '29) which is house in a recess in the rammer and is extended to engage the rear edge of the casing whenthe rammer is in its rearmost position. The

rammer is formed with an angled or U-' shape head 19 roviding a rammer finger 19 (Fig. 10) w ich is normally held in elee position but which is automatically turned to ramming position by a lug 20 (see Figs. 4 and 5) secured to the gun and projecting into a cam groove 21 formed in, the rammer. As will be evident the rammer may be drawn to its rearmost position manually by grasping the head thereof or is moved to such position by recoil of the gun.

For the purpose of operating the gun by'hand a slide 22 (Figs. 4, 5, 23, 24and 25) is mounted, preferably on the outer face of the left hand side of the cradle, to reciprocate in a T-groove provided in such side plate. The slide is formed with a gri 23 in which is mounted a spring retracte plunger 24 which engages a latch 25 adapted .to normally. rest in notches 26 to hold the slide in forward or rearmost position and which isreleased by forcing the plunger inwardly. The slide is formed with a cam or inclined surface 27 which engages one arm of a bell crank lever 28 (Figs. 2 and 11) pivoted to the cradle and swung, when the slide is drawn rearwardly, so that its other arm forces forwardl a striker ro'd extension 29 (Figs. 2, 10 an '11) which projects throu h a slot 30 formed in .the side of the era e and which is secured to the striker rod 31 mounted for reciprocation withinthe cradle.- V

Striker rod 31 has a reduced portion 32 which is housed in a casing 33, rigid on the cradle, in which casing is a resilient element, such as the coil spring 34, which surrounds the reduced'portion and is compressed by the forward movement of the ro The rear-end of the rod is formed with a shoulder 35, adapted to contact the end 36 of a hammer which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 37 secured to the left side'of the gun'at the breech thereof, and also with a lug 38 spaced from the shoulder and adapted to engage the'rib 36 (Figs. 16 and 17) of the hammer when the rod moves forwardly to swing the hammer to cocked position in which position the rib 36 may pass the lug the un.

T e hammer is formed with a head 39 which is adapted to swing through an arc of to engage the firing pin. The hammer, when swung 'to cocked position is held by a sear 40 which is pivotally mounted on the left hand side of the gun and which is urged by a sear spring 40' into engagement with a lug 39 of the hammer. The scar is adapted to be tripped by the trigger to release the hammer.

\Vhen the slide 22 is drawn rearwardly a lever 41 pivoted at the left side of the gun cradle is rocked through its connection with the slide, which is herein shown as a stud 42 on the slide working in'a T roove in the lever. The lever 41 is formed with a nose 43 which'engages a shoulder on a cam 44 secured on the projecting end of a shaft 45 which is jour-naled in the side of the cradle and which has rigidly mounted on its inner end a latch plate 46 (Figs. 7,8 and 9). Rocking'of the lever will therefore rock the shaft and latch plate against a resiliently held plunger. 47 which presses upon a toe 48 of the latch plate and tends to retain the plate in normal position.

The latch plate normally engages the lower edge of a slide 49 which works vertically in a groove formed in the side wall of the cradle and which is also supported by the left hand arm of the breech block yoke, which armis in turn held in'its raised posltion by a lug 50 on the latch plate which normally underlies the arm.

When the latch plate has been rocked to free the slide and arm as just described, a cam 51rigid on the pivot shaft of the lever 41 engages :1 lug 52 (see also Figs. 4 and 5), projecting from a crank 53, which crank is pivotally mounted on an arm 54 depending from the gun, to rock such crank. lVhen the crank is rocked a-stud 55 thereon which engages in a groove formed in the breech block yoke causes the breech block to move downwardly to open position. The crank is connected through a link 56 with a piston rod 57 working 1n a housing 58 in which is a resilient element, such as the coil spring 59, which is compressed upon rocking of the crank to breech opening position and stores up energy for closing the breech. The breech is, however, prevented from closing during loading by a suitable latch herein shown as a spring actuated latch 60 which is secured to the gun and which engages a breech block stop 61 carried by the block. This latch is released by an angle lug 62 on the rammer coming into contact with a pin 63 on the latch and so retracting the latch to free the block as the rammer moves forwardly to ram a charge into the breech of the gun.

To provide for feeding a series of rounds to the gun and placing the rounds successively in position to be rammed into the gun, I prefer to mount upon the cradle a magazine of any desired form, a preferred form of such magazine being herein shown, in which trunnions 64 are provided on the cradle on which the magazine 64 is pivotally mounted so that it may be swung forwardly when charging the magazine. The magazine is held in normal position by

plungers

65, 65

(Figs. 26, 27 and 28) which are housed therein and move transversely thereof and which are forced outwardly by springs to enter cups 66 66 positioned in lugs formed on the cradle. Pins 67-67 are carried by the respective plungers and extend through slots formed in the magazine and may be grasped between the thumb and forefinger and drawn toward each other to release the plungers from the cups and free the magazine to swing upon the trunnions.

One of the plungers, herein shown as the right hand plunger 65 is formed with an extension thereon carrying a pin or projection 68 which takes into an aperture formed in the lower portion of a cartridge strip 69 which is positioned in the magazine, thus holding the cartridge strip in place. Pivotally mounted at the bottom of the cartridge strip is a latch 70, spring actuated to underlie the cartridges in the strip and retain them in place when the magazine is unlocked and swung from normal position,

and rocked to free dzhe cartridges, when the magazine is in normal position, by suitable means such as the plate 71 which is secured to the cradle in position for its end to engage the latch and rock it against the tension of the spring.

Cartridges are forced from the magazine by suitable means such as the lazy tongs 72 forced toward extended position by a spring 73 housed in the side of the magazine. The lazy tongs is preferably provided with a shoe 74 which rests upon the topmost cartridge.

' From the magazine the cartridges are fed successivel into a tray 75 which is mounted in the era le on arms77, 7 7' which are pivoted to the sides of the cradle. The tray is provided at its rear end with a latch 78 which engages, when the tray is in its up position, the head of a latch bolt 79, secured in the cradle to hold the tray elevated but which is disengaged by a cartridge falling into the tray, from the magazine to free the tray. When the latch is freed the tray is still held in its up position by the actuating slide heretofore described which is in turn held by the latch plate 46 and left hand arm of the breech block yoke.

During hand operation of the gun, when the slide 22 is drawn rearwardly, the latch plate is rocked from the actuatin slide and the breech block forced downwardly to open the breech. The actuating slide and tray are then free to drop being forced downwardly by the spring 80 housed in a casing 81 rigi d on the cradle and working against a hollow plunger 82 which actuates, through links 83, the feed tray arms. One of the feed tray arms, in this instance shown as the rear left hand tray arm, is rigid on a pivot 84 which is journaled in and extends through the side of the cradle and carries on its outer end a cam 85 which, when the arm rocks toward tray lowering position, swings into the path of the slide 22 and is engaged. by the slide in its rearward travel and rides up the cam surface 86 of the slide thereby forcing the tray back to up position thus jogging the tray sufliciently to insure proper positioning of the cartridge therein and clearing any jams. WVhen the slide is again thrust forwardly the tray drops since the latch plate is prevented from swinging back to normal position by the arm of the breech yoke engaging a lug 87 projecting therefrom as seen most clearly in Fig. 6.

As the feed tray drops downwardly to feeding position, lugs 87 extending from the rear arms contact the surfaces 8888 of dogs 89-89 which are pivoted on the cradle and which are thus swung inwardly, being also aided in such movement by the coil springs 90, to engage the cartridge next above the one in the tray and so prevent a double feed. The cartridge is held securely positioned in the tray by means of the retaining leaves 91:91 which are pivotally mounted at each side of the tray and which are pressed upwardly by the spring pressed plungers 92.92 so that they will rock to allow a cartridge to pass into the tray and will then spring back to normal position to overlie the cartridge and prevent it from being accidentally displaced from the tray. Provision is also made for holding the cartridge against longitudinal movement within the tray, and for this purpose .I provide a cartrid e retaining finger 93 connected to Ill] the rig t hand feed tray arm having an 1 angled end '94 which engages over the rim.

of. the cartridge when the my is in up position and prevents the cartridge from sliding forwardly as might. occur when the gun is pointed downwardly or upon recoil of the gun."

The 'cartrid'gerctaining finger has an angularly disposed portion 95 thereon which, when the tray is swung downwardly, engages the rear of the cartridge and pushes it orward a short distance as the angled end of the finger disengages from the rim of the cartridge.

When the tray reaches its lowermost position a lug 96 projecting from the rear right hand feed, tray arm engages the spring pressed plunger 18 which has been holding the rammer in its rearmost position and .forces the plunger inwardly so as to release the rammer. The rammer then moves ,forwardly under impulse of its spring 14 and forces the cartridge into the cartridge chamber. When the rammer has reached the limit of its forward movement" the angled face of a lug 62 formed on the rammer head engages the pin 63 of the latch thereby retractmg the latch and freeing the breech block.

The breech block, being free from the latch,is immediately drawn to its up or closed position by the spring acting through link 5: upon the crank 53 through the rocking of which crank the breech block is raised in a manner similar to thatdescribed hereinbefore for the lowering of the block. In risactuating slide and tray'thereby restoring the tray to normal position, during which restoration of the tray the lugs 87 engage the faces 97 of the dogs and swing them to position to release the next cartridge from the magazine and allow it to drop into the tray. During the upward movement of'the breech block the rammer is raised to elevated position by reason of the fact that the ramming finger of the rammer head is extending within the U of the block and is carried up with the block. During this up .movcment the rammer is drawn slightly rearwardly by passing up the inclined face 98 of a projection 99 which extends from the breech of the gun and is held in such up position by engagement of said projection with a lug 100 formed on the rammer. a

To fire the gun the grip 101 is grasped and the safety plunger 102 is forced inwardly by the grip of the hand thereon thus freeing the trigger 103 which is then pulled rearwardly. This safety plunger may be of any well known type as the same forms no part of the present invention. v The trigger is connected through a rod 104 (Fig. 2) to the trigger mechanism 105, which mechanism is.

in the form of a lever pivotally mounted at the side of the gun and which has extending .side pate of the gun.

therefrom substantially at right angles thereto, a collapsible lunger 106, (Fig. 5), which rojects throng a slot formed in the The end of this plunger is angled off so that the collapsible portion will be forced-back, or to the left (Fig.5 to permit the sear to pass on counter recoil, at will move outwardly under the action of its spring, not shown, to underlie the sear when the hammer is in cocked position. Since this plunger extends from the forwardly extending arm of the trig er mechanism 105 (Fig. 2) it swings upwar 1y as the lever 105 moves rearwardly thereby releasingthe sear. Associated with the trigger mechanism is a half cock 107 which is pivotally mounted at the side of the cradle and which is swung when the trigger mechanism is pulled rearwardly so that its extension 108 is swungdownwardly to allow the striker rod extension 29 to pass the same. The half cock normally liesv in a position to engage a notch 118 formed in the striker rod extension.

The rearward swinging of the trigger mechanism trips the sear thereby freeing the hammer and striker rod so that the striker rod moves rearwardly under the force of its spring swinging the hammer through an arc of to impinge upon the firing pin and prime the round.

When around is discharged, as just described, the gun recoils' within the cradle and the arms 7 of the breech block come in contact with the cam surfaces 109, provided on the sides of the cradle, which forces the breech block to lowermost or open position. When the arms have reached the position 110 in recoil the block is completely open, and extraction takes place due to the shoulders 111 of the breech block engaging the arms 112 of the extractors which are pivotally mounted on the gun and which have on their other arms, extractor lips 113 which en age the rim of the cartridge or round and aw the cartridge from the cartridge chamber as the breech block is opened. After extraction a slight further recoil of the gun is had which permits the extractors to house themselves in recesses 114 formed on the breech of the gun so that the extractor lips will be out of the way and not liable to in ury from being struck by the rim of the cartridge and also 'so as to permit the tray to come down lioiush with the rear of the cartridge cham- During this recoil of the gun the rammer I ment with the projection 99 of the gun so that the rammer could not interfere with extraction of the cartridge. During recoil of the gun the hammer has also been drawn to cocked position by reason of the fact that the striker rod has only a very short travel rearwardly and the engagement of the striker rod lug 38 with the'rib 36 of the hammer will necessarily cause the hammer to swing upon its pivot until it has reached cocked position in which position the lug is allowed to pass the rib.

Upon counter-recoil the rammer is turned to its down or ramming position by means of the angled lug 2O engaging in the cam groove 21 of the rammer and the left hand arm of the breech block yoke comes in contact with the lug of the latch plate 46 thereby rocking the latch plate to release the actuating slide and allow the feed tray to again drop as heretofore described to position a cartridge to be forced into the cartridge chamber upon forward movement of the rammer, which movement takes place by reason of release of the rammer by the tray as heretofore set forth.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil of the gun, the rammer normally in position clear of an extracted cartridge, means for retaining the rammer in such position during recoil, a sliding breech block carried by the un, cooperating means on the block an cradle for opening the breech block during recoil, means for locking the breech block in open position, a loading tray carried by the cradle, a magazine on the cradle for feeding rounds to the tray, means for locking the tray in round receiving position unlocked by delivcry of a round to the tray, means for retaining the round in position in the tray releasing the round when the tray moves to load ing position and urging the round toward the chamber, means associated with the gun and cooperating with the rammer for automatically moving the rammer to ramming position during relative movement of the gun and rammer, means associated with the tray for automatically releasing the rammer when the tray has reached loading position,

means carried by the rammer for releasing the breech block locking means when the rammer has reached the limit of its forward movement, means for holding the tray in elevated position after unlocking of the tray locking means cooperating with means on the block on counter recoil to free the tray to move toward loading position, means associated with the magazine actuated by movement of the tray toward loading position to retain roundsin the magazine and by movement thereof in the reverse direction to feed a round into the tray, the block and tray holding means cooperatin to restore the tray to normal position, the breech block and rammer cooperating to restore the rammer to normal position and manually operable means for moving the tray to free jams therein.

2. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed therebv, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, the rammer normally in position clear of an extracted cartridge, means for retaining the rammer in such position during recoil of the gun, a sliding breech block on the gun, cooperating means carried by the breech block and the cradle for opening the breech block during recoil, means for locking the breech block in open position, means associated with the gun and engaging the rammer for automatically moving the rammer to ramming position during relative movement of the gun and rammer, means carried by the rammer for releasing the breech block locking means when the rammer has reached the limit of its forward movement, the breech block and rammer cooperating to restore the rammer to normal position, a loadingtray and means carried by the tray for automatically releaslng the rammer when a round has been brought in line with the gun.

3. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carriedby. the cradle, the rammer recoilin with the gun and the spring compress thereby, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, the rammer normally in position clear of an extracted cartridge, means for holding the rammer in such position during recoil, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, means for automatically opening the breech block during recoil, means for locking the breech block in open position, means associated with the gun for turning the rammer to rammin position during relative movement of t e gun and rammer, means carried by the cradle for automatically lacing a round in line with the gun, including means for releasing the rammer, means carried by the rammer for unlocking thebreech block when the rammer has reached the limit of its forward movement, the rammer and block cooperating to'rock the rammer to normal position.

4. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, the rammer normally in position clear of an extracted therein, a rammer and a rammer spring car-v ried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, the rammer normally in position to clear an extracted cartridge, means carried by the gun for holding the rammer in such position during recoil, means associated with the gun for rocking the rammer to ramming position during relative movement of the gun and\ rammer, and means connected to the cradle for automatically releasing the rammer when a round has been placed in line with the 6. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, the rammer normally in position to clear an extracted cartridge, means for holding the rammer in such position during recoil, and means associated with the gun for rocking the rammer to ramming position during relative movement of the gun and rammer.

7. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoilingv with the gun and "the s ring compressed thereby, a sliding breech ldlock cooperating with the rammer to move the rammer to a position clear of an extracted cartridge, means for retaining the rammer in such position during recoil of the gun, means for locking the rammer in cocked position during recoil, means associated with the gun for moving the rammer to cartridge en-' gaging position during relative movement of the gun and rammer and means for automatically releasing the rammer when a round. has been brought to position in line with the gun. a

8. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer recoiling with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means whereby when the gun' has traveled through its recoil the rammer is held in cocked position, means for normally retaining the rammer in elevated position,

cooperating means on the gunand rammer for rocking the rammer to rammin position during relative movement of t e gun mums rocking the rammer to ramming position during relative movement of the gun and rammer. Y I

10. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and a rammer spring carried by the cradle, the rammer adapted to recoil with the gun and the spring compressed thereby, means operating on rearward movement of the rammer to lock the rammer in' cocked position, the rammer normall held in elevated position, and means earned bythe gun for rocking the rammer to lower position during relative movement of the gun and rammer.

11. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a rammer and rammer spring carried by the cradle, the spring compressed by rearward movement of the rammer, the rammer normally held in elevated position and 00- operating means on the gun and rammer for rocking the rammer to lower position during relative movement of the gun and rammer.

12. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, cooperating means on the block and cradle for opening the breech block during recoil, a loading tray carried by the cradle, a

magazine on the cradle for feeding rounds to the-tray, means for locking the tray in round receiving position unlocked by delivcry of a round to the tray, means for retaining the round in position in the tray releasing the round when the tray moves to load ing position and urging the round toward the chamber, means for holding the tray in normal position after unlocking of-the tra locking meanscooperating, on counter reco-i with means on the block to free the tray to 'move towardv loading position, means associated with the magazine actuated by movement of the tray toward loading position to retain rounds in the magazine and by movementthereof in reverse direction to feed a.

round into the tray, the block and tray holding means cooperating to restore the tray to normal position, a resiliently actuated member released by movement of the tray to loading position to move a cartridge from the tray into the cartridge chamber and manually o erable means for moving the tray to free ams therein.

13. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, cooperating means on the block and cradle for opening the breech block during recoil, a loadin tray carried by the cradle, a magazine on--tl ie cradle for feeding rounds to the tray, means for locking the trayun round receiving position unlocked by del 1vcry of a round to the tray, means for holding the tray in round receiving position after unlocking'of the tray locking means cooperating, on counter recoil, with means on the block to free the tray to move toward loading position, means associated with the magazine actuated by movement of the tray toward loading position to retain rounds in the magazine and by movement thereof in the reverse direction to feed a round into the tray, the block and tray holding means cooperating to restore the tray to normal position, and manually operable means for moving the tray to relieve jams therein.

14. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, cooperating means on the block and cradle for opening the breech block during recoil, a loading tray carried b the cradle, means actuated by movement 0 the tray for feedin successive rounds to the tray, means for Ice ing the tray in round receiving position unlocked by delivery of a round to the tray, means for holding the tray in round receiving position after unlocking of the tray locking means, cooperating, on counter recoil, with means on the block to free the tray to move toward loading position, the block and tray holding means cooperating to restore the tray to normal position after the tray is freed of its round and manually operable means for moving the tray to relieve jams therein.

15. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, cooperating means on the block and cradle for opening the breech during recoil, a loading tray carried by the cradle, means actuated by movement of the tray for feeding successive rounds to the tray, means for locking the tray in round receiving position, unlocked by delivery of a round to the tray, and means for holding the tray in round receiving position after unlocking of the tray locking means cooperating, on counter recoil, with means on the block to free the tray to move toward loading position, the block and tray holding means cooperating to restore the tray to normal position after the tray has been freed of its round.

16. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a sliding breech block carried by the gun, cooperating means on the block and cradle for opening the block during recoil, a loading tray carried by the cradle, means for feeding successive rounds to the tray, means for locking the tray in round receiving position unlocked by delivery of a round to the tray and means for holding the tray in round receiving position 'after unlocking of a loadiu tray carried by the cradle and means for holding the tray in round receiving position during recoil actuated by means 'on the block, during counter recoil, to free the tray to move toward loading position.

18. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein. a breech block for the gun, a loading tray carried by the cradle, means for bolding the tray in round receiving position dur ing opening of the block, and means carried by the breech block for releasing the tray holding means on counter recoilof the gun.

19. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a loading tray carried by the cradle, mechanism actuated by movement of the gun for automatically operating the tray and manually operable means for operating the tray. such means causing the tray to move toward loading position and return to normal posltion.

20. The combination of a cradle, a gun therein, a loading tray carried by the cradle. mechanism for automatically operating the (ray and manually operable means for unlatching the tray and causing a preliminary rocking movement thereof before allowing the tray to be lowered to round receiving position.

21. A cradle, a gun mounted to recoil and counter recoil free'ly therein, a breech block for the gun, a link motion controlled feed mechanism actuated by the breech block on counter recoil to. position a round in rear of the breech of the gun and in line with the axis of the bore at the end of counter recoil, and means energized by the gun released by the feed mechanism to force the round from the feed mechanism into the cartridge chamber.

22. A cradle, a gun mounted to recoil and counter recoil freely therein, a breech block for the gun, a feed mechanism actuated by the breech block on counter recoil to position a round in rear of the breech of the gun and in line withthe axis of the bore at the end of counter recoil and means energized by the gun released by the feed mechanism to force the round from the feed mechanism into the cartridge chamber.

23. A cradle, a gun mounted to recoil and counter recoil freely therein, a breech block for the gun, feed mechanism actuated by the breech block on counter recoil to position a round to be fed into the gun and means energized and positioned by the gun on recoil and counter recoil and released by the feed mechanism to force the round from the feed mechanism into the cartridge chamber.

24. A cradle, a gun mounted to recoil and counter recoil therein, a breech block for said gun, means for opening the breech block, a feed mechanism actuated by the breech'block when open to position a round to be fed into the gun, means released by the feed mechanism to force the round from the feed mechanism into the cartridge chamber, means released by said last mentioned means for closing the breech block and restoring the feed mechanism to normal position. v

25. A cradle, a gun reciprocable thereon, a breech block, means for openin the block, feed mechanism actuated by the lock When open to position a round to befed into the .gun and restored to normal position by the block in closing.

26'. A cradle, a gun reciprocable thereon, a rammer normally held by the gun clear of thebore and adapted to be energized by the r gun on recoil for independent return to battery, means operableon counter-recoil for moving the rammer to loading position, a breech block, means-for opening the block and locking it in open position, said locking means rendered inoperative by'the rammeron arriving in battery, and said block in closing adapted to restore the rammer to initial position.

27. A cradle, a gun reciprocable thereon, a rammer adapted to be energized by the gun on recoil for independent return to batsimultaneously opening the block with the gun in battery and moving the tray through a half cycle. a

29. In an automatic gun, a breech block, a feed tray movable into and out of loading position, and manually operable means for simultaneously opening the block with the gun'in battery and moving the tray throug a half cycle.

30. In an automatic gun, a breech block, a feed tray movable into and out of loading position and manually retractable means for simultaneously opening the block with the gunin battery and: rocking the tray, said means when restored to initial position permitting the tray to move to loading positlon.

31.. A cradle, a gun reciprocable thereon, a breech block, a firing'mechanism therein, a hammer for said mechanism and manually operable means carried by the cradle for simultaneously opening the block with the gun in battery and cooking the hammer,

- THOMAS M. JERVEY.