US1837980A - Mechanism for automatically opening and closing the breech of guns - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1931. N. E. METHLIN 18,837,989

MECHANISM Fo AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH GUNS Filed Sept. 25, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOQ Dec. 22, 1931. N, E METHUN 11,837,980

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS Filed Sept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FTTOR/VEYY Dec. 22, 1931. 1,837,98Q

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS N. E. METHLIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 25} 1950 ITTORNEYS.

N. E. METHLEN Dec. 22, I931.

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS Filed Sept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m vszvrqa,

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Dec. 22, 1931. N. E. METHLIN 1,837,980

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS M am)? M N. E. METHLIN Dec, 22, 1931.

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS Filed Sept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v El n.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 rare NICOLAS EMILIEN' METHLIN, OF PAIR-IS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER &, CIR, OF PARIS, FRANCE, A. LIIEITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE FLECHAN ISM FOR AUTOFIATIOALLY OPENENG AND CLOSING THE BREECI-I OF GUNS Application filed This invention relates to improvements in the invention claimed in prior U. S. Letters Patent No; 1,731,863;

In this prior specification a mechanism has 3 been describedfor automatically opening and device which is also' automatic.

closing the breech of guns, characterized by an abutment and guiding member for the breech operating lever,th1s member comprising an abutment and a sliding surface for the opening movements of the breech, connectedtoa bearing surrace for holding the breech block in the open position during the end of the movement of return to battery position of the gun. The closureof the breech was effected automatically under the action of a spring stressed during the opening movement when the support of the-lever onthe guiding member was removed.

X In the form of construction described and illustrated, the removal of this support was obtained by withdrawing themember laterally from the lever inorder to permit the latter torotate. The invention was applied by way of example to a breech with concentric screw threads, the operating lever being keyed upon the'trunnion axisof the breech block.

Fhe object of the present invention is to provide improvements in this automatic controlling mechanism.

The invention is described and illustrated as applied to a breech block with an eccentric screw, and in this particular application themechanism for controlling the movements of-the breech block is associated with a firing Means are also provided to permit the hand operation of the breech block and also of the firing.

The essential feature of the invention consistsin principle in the means employed for September 25, 1930, Serial No. 484,3S6, and in France May 24, 1930.

is illustrated by way of example in the accom panying drawings, in which Figure 1' is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken along the line 1-1 in Figure 2,

showing the members in the closed breech position and arranged for automatic firing.

Figure 2 is aback elevation with a part in section taken along the line 22 in Figure 1, showing more particularly the transmission between the oscillating operating lever and the breech which has an eccentric screw.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1, showin in particular the firing members in the position for which firing has been efiected.

Figure 4- is a sectional elevation of a part taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 3 and showing the shutter combined with the firing rack rod in a position preventing firing.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 55 in Figure 1, showing a detail of the shutter control.

Figure 6 is a view in sectional elevation similar to Figure 1, the members being shownin the open breech position.

Figure 7 is aback elevation with a part in section analogous to Figure 2', the section being taken along the line 77 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view with a part in sec tion taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 6 showing the device for withdrawing the spring bufier of the breech operating lever.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section corresponding to Figure 3 and showing the firing mechanism, the members of which are shown in the cooked position for firing a first shot.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of a part corresponding to Figure 1, the members shown being arranged in the practice position for which all automatic motions are thrown out of engagement.

Figure 11 is an external longitudinal elevation of the whole of the mechanism.

In these figures, A is the gun barrel and B the breech block which is here of thet ype having an eccentric screw thread. C is the oscillating breech operating lever which for the closing movements of the breech is controlled by a spring recuperator.

D is the cradle onwhich the gun barrel recoils E is the guiding arm similar to the guiding arm E in prior specification 1,731,863 but which according to the present invention, is rigidly secured to the cradle and as in the said prior specification comprises a vertical core 6 and two horizontal fins e 6 the whole arrangement of which forms the guiding groove for the buffer or" the hand grip upon recoil; this groove decreases gradually in depth from front to back. 6 is the vertical abutment surface of the hand grip upon return to battery position.

The breech operating lever C is also provided with a spring grip C comprising a bufier or pin C constantly urged towards the axis of the barrel by a spring and adapted to run along the groove in the arm E when the barrel recoils, so as to abut against the vertical surface 6 of the said arm-upon the return to battery position, in order to cause the breech to open and then to slide on the hori zontal surface 6 It is immediately seen that in order to close the breech after the return to battery position of the barrel, it is sufficient to push the spring pin C inside its grip so as to make it escape from the support 6 formed on the fixed arm E.

In the particular case envisaged, that is to say the automatic control of a breech with an eccentric screw thread, the operating lever C is according to the invention, pivoted about a shaft 0 carried by a support A rigid with the barrel A. The control of the operating lever C is effected as in the device according to the main patent by a recuperator comprising a cylinder H rigid with the barrel and in which moves a piston I, a spring J being interposed between the end of the cylinder H and the piston I. The piston I is mounted at the end of a rod 1 the back end of which is coupled by means of a link C with a crank C rigid with the lever C. In this case, however, a diaphagm l is placed between the piston l and the spring J and in addition the piston and the diaphragm are guided longitudinally by tongues 2' and 11 respectively sliding in grooves h formed in the cylinder H.

According to the invention the rotation of the screw breech block is produced by the oscillation of the lever C by means of the following transmission. The screw breech block zomprises a toothed sector B which engages with a pinion K formed at the end of a sleeve K which forms a nut for the rod of the pis- ;on of the recuperator T The latter comprises a screw thread with a very long pitch, :0 as to permit the rotation of the sleeve nut K to be obtained when the screw threaded .od 1 moves longitudinally in one direction )r the other. This sleeve nut comprises a :ollar on which are arranged ball thrust bear- 7 ngs K which engage on corresponding seatngs on the recuperator cylinder H. The manner in which the opening and closing of he breech block l3 resultfrom the longitudinal displacements of the screw threaded rod I will be immediately seen by an examination of Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7.

It has been shown above that the closing of the breech was obtained by the pivotal movement of the operating lever C under the action of the recuperator H, I, J when the lever was permitted to leave the arm E after the return to battery position of the barrel by the withdrawal of the pin C of the said lever The device for controlling the disengagement of the pin C is formed according to the present invention, by a pin L keyed upon the upper end of a rod L to the lower end of which is keyed a lever L the free end of which is engaged in a recess formed in the back end of a horizontal rod M adapted to move longitudinally in bearings D D mounted on the cradle. At the forward end this rod comprises a shoulder M the rear side of which bears against the bearing D and a return spring N is placed in a lodgment formed in the bearing 1) between the shoulder M and a shoulder formed on this bearing. This spring N always tends to turn the rod M backwards and consequently to separate the pin L from the pin C The forward end of the rod M is recessed to receive a spring piston M serving as an elastic support for the lower end of a lever U keyed upon a boss 0 which at its opposite end comprises a sec nd lever the upper end of which engages in a slot P formed at the rear end of a rod P.

The boss 0, O, U can turn about a fixed shaft D secured to the cradle D and a hand lever Q keyed to the outer end of this boss 0 enables the system of levers U 0 to be controlled. Naturally if it is not desired to combine the automatic breech controlling mechanism with the firing mechanism the lever Q will only control the lever with a view to withdrawing the pin C so as to permit the breech to be closed.

The rod P is the first member of a system of rodding for controlling the upward and downward movements of a shutter adapted to permit or prevent the expansion of the spring causing the firing to take place.

For this purpose the rod 1 is pivoted to one of the arms 1% of a bell crank lever R, R mounted on a shaft D secured to the cradle D. The end of the arm lt is in its turn pivoted to the lower end of a vertical rod S the upper end of which acts on a lever T pivoted about a shaft D secured to the cradle l). The free end of the lever T penetrates into a recess formed at the base of a vertical shutter U sliding in a support D rigid with the cradle. The support D comprises an aperture d for the passage of the end of the firing rod and the shutter comprises an analogous aperture U adapted to be made to correspond with the aperture 6Z6.

It will immediately be. seen that according; as the shutter is in its lower position, as

shown. in Figure 1,. or: in its upper position,

Thevertical rod Sis always urged upwards and consequently the: shutter is also always urged upwards by a spring pusher s situated in a lodgment formed at the base of the support D and which is always pressed by its spring against the lower end of the said rod S.

The transmission serving for producing the firing operation is formed by a rod V rigid with a rack V arranged near the rear face of the gun barrel and adapted to slide in supports a, a carried by the latter.

The rear support a serves as a guide and abutment for the rod: V which is constantly urged forward by aspring WV interposed between the rear end of the lodgment formed in the support a and a shoulder on the rod V.

The rack V acts directly on the firing hammer X pivoted about a shaft carried by the gun barrel by means of its engagement with a small toothed sector .70 formed on the boss of the said hammer.

In order to produce the firing action, the latter can strike a pusher Z) sliding in a lodgment formed at the back of the screw breech block B, this pusher transmitting the shocks it receives from the hammer to the striker through a lever 6 The control rodding of the shutter U which is actuated on the one hand by the hand lever Q comprises on the other hand a de vice permitting it to be automatically controlled by the screw threaded' rod I of the recuperator operating the breech lever.

For this purpose the forward end of the recuperator cylinder H comprises an axial casing H in which a spring buffer Y the rear end of whichis situated opposite the forward end of the screw threaded rod 1 and can be pushed forward by the latter and the forward end of which is in contact for automatic firing with a pin T which may be keyed in two difierent angular positions on. the lever T operating the shutter U.

For this purpose the boss of the pin T (Fig. 5) forms a lodgment for a helical spring which constantly presses it against the boss of the lever T. The latter comprises for example two grooves arranged in suitable directions and in one or the other of which a pin engages which projects from the boss of the pin T According as the pin engaged in one or the other of the rooves the pin T occupies the position snown in Figures 1 and 6, or that shown in Figures 4 and 10, the firing rodding being thus actuated automatically or not actuated by the'recuperator rod of the breech.

Finally the automatic breech controlling mechanism may be put out of action temporarily, for example in order to-facilitate practice manoeuvres, by locking the driving s rin J of the s rin recu erator in its L a c:

compressed position.

For this purpose the recuperator cylinder H is provided with a l'ocking'pin Z pivoted about a shaft carriedby the cylinder and which may be moved into an inoperative position (Figure 6) or into an operative position (Figure 10) by means of a spring grip .2 which can be engaged in the two positions in question. The wallof the cylinder H also comprises an aperture permitting the passage of the said locking pin Z which, when it occupies the position shown: in Figure 10, is engaged in. a catch: formedv on. the diaphragm 1 which is moved into the said position by hand operation;

It will immediately be seen that when the diaphragm is thus held in its rear position, the spring of therecuperator cannot possibly act on the piston I and when the breech lever is operated; by hand; the gun attendant does not have to exert the force necessary forcompressing the spring.

The operation of the automatic breech I mechanism, and of the firing mechanism when it is present, is as follows When the members occupy the positions shown in Figures 1' to 3, the mechanism is arranged for the automatic control of the breech and the firing action, the breech being closed and the grip of the lever G having its pin C engaged in the groove in the arm E.

If the barrel is assumed to be loaded in order to fire thefirst shot, the spring W of" the firing' rack V must first of all be stressed by bringing the hammer by hand from the position shown in Figures 1 to 3 to that shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9. In this operation the rod V compressesthe spring W and its end disengages from the apertures (Z and U formed respectively in the support D and the shutter U.

As soon as the shutter has thus been released the transmission mechanism ST actuated by the spring buffer 8 makes the shutter rise into the positionv shown in Figs. 6 and. 9. This actuation of the said transmission S-T by the spring bufier. s is permitted then abuts by its collar M against the end of its support D The lever O rigid with the hand leverQ, pushes the rigging P forward which, by means of the rigging RR ST moves the shutter U into its lower position, theaperturc U of the shutter being positioned in this way opposite the fixed aperture 03 of the support D As soon as this result has been obtained the rod V is acted upon by its spring .V and is thrown forward and its rack V actuates the hammer X which thus produces the firing action (Figures 1 to 3).. I I I When the shot has been fired, the gun barrel by recoiling carries with it the breech recuperator H-l and the firing rod V. During the recoil the breech lever G acts as in the form of construction describedin the Fat ent No, 1,731,863, that is to say, its spring pin C first travels along the groove in the arm E and then leaves thelatter before the end of the recoil.

As soon as the spring pin leaves the bore 6 of the arm under theaction of its spring, it is driven towards the outside of the grip, so that when the return to battery positiontakcs place, it can come into contact with the abutment surface 6 Du ing the returnto battery position the pin C encounters the vertical abutment surface a which has the effect of making the lever C and the crank (J ri id with the latter pivot from front to back about the shaft c..

The crank C in'its movement carries along the rod P of the recuperator and also the diaphragm I and the piston I, the backward movement of which has the effect of stressing the spring J of the said recuperator.

Moreover, the longitudinal displacement of the screw threaded piston rod 1 produces the rotation of the pinion sleeve K K and consequently that of the screw breech block B by means of the toothed sector B The spent cartridge case is ejected after the pin has been lifted along the abutment surface e and commences to slide on the surface 6 At the end of the return to battery position of the barrel, the pin C of the grip upon the upper surface of the arm E and it is situated opposite end in contact with the releasing finger L the breech being nat urally open (Figure 6).

In order to continue firing, the gun is loaded by hand, for example, and the lever Q is then moved from front to back in order to produce the automatic closure of the breech and the consequent automatic firing of a shot.

This pivotal movement of the lever Q produces a pivotal movement of the same amplitude of each of the two levers O The rotation of the lever Q has no effect on the hammer action in view of the fact that this lever and the rod P are coupled together with the desired play by means of the slot P The rotation of the lever produces the forward displacement of the rod M and consequently the pivotalmovement of the lever L the corresponding rotation of the rod L I and of the finger L which disengages the spring pinC As soon as the latter has left it support on arm E, the expansion of recuperator spring J' moves the rod I forward again, the effect of whichis to make the breech lever C pivot from back to front.

. The pin C first slides upon the longitudinal outer face of the arm ll; it passes oppo si e the origin of the groove, mounts the lower wing e by means of an incline c (Figure 6) and then, continuing its circular movement, it engages at the front end of the said groove (Figure 2).

Towards the end of the power stroke of the recuperating piston I, the front end of the rod 1 strikes, the back end of the spring buffer Y, the axial movement of which causes the rotation of the finger T and consequently that of the lever "I" which produces the downward movement of the shutter U.

[as soon the aperture U becomes situted opposite the rod the latter, under the action of its spring W, is thrown into the said catch A and in its movement carries along the rackV which actuates the firing mechanism as indicated above. The barrel rccoils and the same cycle of operations is reproduced.

When it isdesired to execute firing with n action hand operated and not necessarily o'wing'the operation of closing the breech, 1b sufficient to disengage the transmi sion between the buffer Y and the rod.- controlling the shutter U by simply lift- "inger T out of the line of action of ad buffer Y as indicated above.

The finger T then occupied the position shown in Figs. t and 10.

in this case the breech which has previbeen closed, as shown above, by the r 'nent of the h nd lever Q from its irate position to its back position in order to obta n the firing action at any m:.ment, .cient to lower the said lever ard position. The firing acproduced as indicated for firing hot. to effect practice manoeuvres, for it is proper to employ the device or action, shown in Fig. and described above. In this case the breech is opened and closed by turning the breech lever (l by hand, by means of its hand grip C".

Naturally the longitudinal displacements of the screw threaded rod I of the breech block recuperator are effected in the same way as when the breech was opened and. closed automatically, so that the movements necessary for firing may follow the closure of the breech.

But the firing action may also be obtained as indicated above by moving the hand lever Q, from the intermediate position to the for- Ward position, the finger T remaining then in its raised position.

Claims:

1. In a mechanism for automatically opening and closing a gun breech, an operating lever, a guiding and supporting arm for said operating lever, said arm being rigidly secured to the gun cradle and having a guiding surface for said lever during the movement of recoil of the gun, an abutment and sliding surface for the opening movement of the breech, and a bearing surface for holding the breech in the open position during the latter portion of he movement of the gun in returning to battery, a pin carried by said lever and resiliently urged into engagement with said surfaces, a spring normally tending to force said operatin lever to a position to close the breech, means for compressing said spring when said breech is opened, said spring being prevented from closing the breecn by the engagement of said pin with said bearing surface, and means for moving said pin out of engagement With said bearing surface to permit closure of the breech under the action of said spring.

2. In a gun, a rotatable breech block eccentrically threaded into the breech of said gun, a toothed sector formed on said breech block, a pinion engaging said sector, a threaded sleeve secured to and extending axially of said pinion, a threaded rod engaging said threaded sleeve, means for preventing rotation of said rod, a breech operating lever operatively connected o said rod and pivotally mounted on said gun, means for automatically moving said lever about its pivot during the counter-recoil movement of the gun and thereby rotating the breech block to open position, resilient means yieldingly resisting said movement of the lever, means for taining said lever in breech open position, including a pin carried by said lever an d a detaining surface engaged by said. pin, and means for disengaging said pin from said surface to permit closure of the breech under the action of said resilient means.

3. In a gun, a rotatable breech block eccentrically threaded into the breech of said gun, a toothed sector formed on said breech block, a pinion engaging said sector, a threaded sleeve secured to and extending axially of said pinion, a threaded rod engaging said threaded sleeve, means for preventing rotation of said rod, a breech operating lever operatively connected to said rod and pivotally mounted on said gun, a guiding and supporting arm for said operating lever, said arm being rigidly secured to the gun cradle and having a guiding surface for said lever during the movement of recoil of the gun, an abutment and sliding surface for the opening movements of the breech; and'a bearing surface for holding the breech in the open position during the latter'portion of the movement of the gun in'returning to battery, a pin carried by said lever andresiliently urged into engagement with said surfaces, a spring normally tending to force said operating lever to a position to close the breech, means for compressing said springwvhensaid breech is opened, and means for moving said pin out of engagement With said bearing surface to permit closure of the breech under the action of said spring.

4. In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech of the type wherein a breech op. erating lever is automatically actuated by the counter-recoil movement of the gun to open the breech and is maintained in breech open position by the engagement of a pin carried by said lever With an abutment and guiding arm, means for disengaging said pin from said arm to allow said operating lever to be actuated for closing the breech comprising a shaft journalled in the gun cradle, a finger formed on said shaft and positioned for movement into contact With saidpin, a lever secured to said shaft, a rod having a cavity into which the free end ,of said lever extends, resilient means resisting longitudinal movement of'said rod, and means for shifting said rod in opposition to said spring to rotate said shaft and finger comprising a' hand-actuated lever and a oneWay motion transmitting device operatively' connecting said hand lever to saidrod. i

5. In a gun, a breech block, means for automatically opening said breech block by the movement of said gun in returning to battery, means for closing said breech block, means for firing the gun, and common controlling means for said breech closing and firing means.

6. In a gun, a breech block, means for automatically opening said breech block by the movement of said gun in returning to battery, means for'closing said breech block, and means actuated by said breech closing means for automatically firing said gun upon completion of the breech closing operation.

7. In a gun, the combination With means for closing the breech thereof, of means for controlling the firing action comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the gun cradle, a hand-actuated member for controlling the angular displacement of said lever, said member also controlling the actuation of the breech closing means, a firing hammer, means for actuating said hammer including a member supported by the gun barrel and longitudinally movable relative thereto, resilient means tending to force said member in a direction to actuate said hammer to fire the gun,

a shutter slidably mounted in the gun cra-.

die in the line of movement of said longitudinally movable member and having an aperture therein, said shutter preventing movement of said member to firing position except i when said aperture is in registration therewith, transmission means operatively connecting said shutter and said lever, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a position wherein said shutter prevents movement of said member to firing position.

8. In the combination set forth in claim 7, means for automatically controlling the movement of said shutter comprising a lever forming part of said transmission means, a finger adapted tobe clamped in a predetermined position With respect to said lever, means actuated by the breech closing means for automatically impacting said finger upon completion of the breech closing operation and thereby moving said lever to operate the shutter, and means for clamping said finger in a second position out of line of movement of said impacting means.

9.v In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech, a breech operating lever, means for automatically actuating said lever to open the breech bV the movement of the gun in returning to battery, means for closing said breech including a spring which is compressed during the breech opening operation, and means for locking said spring in compressed position so that the breech may be opened by manually actuating said operating lever Without the necessity for compressing the spring. 7

10. In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech, a breech operating lever, means for automatically actuating said lever to open the breech by the movement of the gun in returning to battery, means for closing said breech including a diaphragm operatively connected to said operating lever and longitudinally movable in a casing carried by said gun, anda spring interposed between said diaphragm and said casing and adapted to be compressed during the breech opening operation, and means for locking said diaphragm in its position compressing said spring comprising a locking pin mounted on said casing normally out of engagement with but adapted to be moved into engagement with said diaphragm, and means for locking said pin in either engaged or disengaged position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. I

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN.

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