US1874422A

US1874422A - Gun mount

Info

Publication number: US1874422A
Application number: US441357A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rex B Beisel
Original assignee: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corp
Current assignee: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corp
Priority date: 1930-04-03
Filing date: 1930-04-03
Publication date: 1932-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1949-08-30

Description

R. B. BEISEL Aug. 30, 1932.

GUN MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 10, 1928 INVENTOR. PEX B. 85551..

A TTOR.

R. B. BEISEL Aug. 30, 1932.

GUN MOUNT Original Filed April 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. n Qex B. BE\3EL.

A TTOR Patented Aug. 30, 1932 IBEX B. BEISEL, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO CURTISS AEROPLANE & MOTOR COMPANY, INC A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GUN MOUNT Befi leii for abandoned application Serial No. 268,907, filed April 10, 1928. This application filed April 8, 1930. Serial No. 441,35"1.

t more particularly to gun mounts for aircraft.

An object of the invention is to P o ide a gun mount for aircraft in which the usual adjustment of the gun carriage is obtained by foot or pedal action rather than by hand as heretofore.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a gun mount for aircraft in which the adjusting pedals are movable both with and with respect to the gun carriage either independently or simultaneously, the movements 111-0118 instance being such that the gun carriage ii vertically adjusted and in the other instance such that it is adjusted or rotated horizontally.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary pedal arrangement whereby the adjusting mechanism, and hence the gun carriage, can be locked and released as desired.

The advantages of a gun mount thus characterized are as follows: N hand manipula tion of the gun mount is under any circumstances required. The gunner can, while.

seated, freely adjust the gun mount both vertically and horizontally. This is equivalent to adjusting the gun mount in elevation, and in azimuth respectively; With one continuous motion the adjusting mechanism can be released and the gun carriage adjusted. The return of the lock mechanism into locking engagement is instantaneous and automatic the moment pressure on the lock release'pedal is removed. The adjusting pedals offer at all times a solid foot rest against which the gunners feet are firmly braced. It becomes unnecessary for the gunner to stand erect or to exposehishead or shoulders above the top of the body of the machine. Moreover, as only a very insignificant portion of the gun mount is exposed, little or no resistance is offered thereby during flight. Such, and other advantages, result from the use of a gun mount of the character herein set forth.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denotelike or F corresponding parts, A

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a standard type 'of military aeroplane having installed therethe adjusting and for illustration, a military aeroplane of more or less conventional design is shown. Such aeroplane includes the usual fuselage or body 10, supporting surfaces 11-11, empennage 12, power plant 13, and landing gear 14. Within the bod two cockpits are provided. Said coc pits are designated respectively as 15 and 16. To shield the occupant of the cockpit 16a wind shield 17 is provided. Within the cockpit 16 the gun mount designated in its entirety as 18 is fastened. As indicated in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, the gun mount 18 consists of a rotatable up-right member 19 carried at one end above and beyond the cockpit coaming, to which extended end, the gun carriage 20 is pivotally fastened as at 21. The gun carriage 20 is provided at its forward end with a collar 21 to which the machine gun, designated in its entirety as 22, is mounted for free swinging movement both vertically and horizontall The upright member 19 is carried throug out a substantial portion of the depth of the fuselage or body 10. At its upper end it is mounted in a hearing 23 fastened to the fuselage frame. At its lower end it is mounted in a bearing 24 similarly fastened to the fuselage frame. Intermediately of its ends it is mounted in a bearing 25 provided at the upper end of a sleeve 26 carried along a substantial portion of the length of the up-right member from a point 'at' or near its lowerend. This sleeve 26 is non-rotatable. It has keyed thereto as at 27 a vertically slidable bevel gear 28. The-func- I tion of this gear 28 is that of a lock'rather 5 than a gear. The manner in which this gear- The pedals 32 are mounted tomove'not only with but also with respect to the arms 31. That the latter movement may be obtained, each pedal 32 is provided at its lower end with a sleeve 33 thru which the arms 31 are carried. The inner leg of each pedal 32,

it will be noted, extends beyond its associated sleeve 33 Such extended portion,

designated as 34, provides in eifect a bell crank extension. Each said extension at its forward end ispivotally fastened as at 35' to a rod connection which, at its opposite end, is pivotally fastened as at 37 to the. gun carriage of gun carrying arin- 20. It is by means of this connection 36 that the gun car riage is vertically adjusted thru the rotationalmovement of the pedals 32 about the pedalarms 31 as an axis; e

The lock release mechanism, in addition to the gear 28 and gear segments 29, includes an auxiliary pedal 38 for each pedal 32 and a spring 39. The auxiliary pedals 38 are pivotally fastened as at 40 to the pedals 32 and have pivotally fastened thereto as at 41 links 42. At their opposite ends the links 42 are pivoted as at 43 to the arms 44 fastened to and extending off from a shaft 45 carried from one to the other of the pedals. This shaft 45 has fastened thereto a sleeve4 provided withcams 47 by means of which, thru the operation of the auxiliary pedals 38,-the

gear, 28 is raised out of mesh with the gear segments 25). The working face of each said cam47 .is described about the center of the pedal arms 31 as an axis. .To release the adustingxmechanism it is only necessary that one or the other of the. auxiliary pedals 38 be depressed. The spring 39, which encircles the sleeve 26, and which bears at 'on an annular flange 48 extending-out from said sleeve and on the top face of thegear 28. respectively,

acts to return the latter into meshing engagement with the gear segments 29 when pressure on the pedals 38 is removed.

The gear segments 29, it will'ibe noted are fastened to the inner arms of the pedals 32 i and by their engagement with the car 28 lock the pedals 32 in that gnsition o rotational ad ustment desired. arcuate slot 50 is formed in the cockpit coaming to admit of the passage o the-connection 36 therethru its opposite ends.

. with and by as well as its rotational movement with the up-right member 19. i

As intimated, a gun mount thus characterized may be freely manipulated by the gunner while seated. To obtain horizontal adjustment of the gun mount it is but necessary to depress one or theother of the auxiliary pedals 38 until the cams 47 shall have raised the gear lock 28 out of. engagement with the fected either simultaneously or separately as desired. As the gun carriage adjustment is obtained thru foot action alone, the gunner may use both hands in manipulating the gun 22 as desired.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to-cover all such modifications and changes.

What I claim is: 1. A'gun mount for aircraft including a gun carriage adjustable in rectangularly opposed planes in its relation to the aircraft, and unitary foot-operated mechanism associated with and by means of which the gun carriage is adjusted in either or both said planes.

2. In combination, an aerial vehicle, a cockpit comprising a gunners compartment in cluded therein, a gun carriage adjustable in rectangularly opposed planes in its relation to the aircraft and in relation to the gunners compartment, unitary foot-operated mechanism associated with and by means of which i the gun carriage is adjusted in either or both of said planes-with reference to said compartment, and means for locking said gun car-- riage in its adjusted'position fixedly relative to said compartment.

3.. A- gun mount 'foraircraft including a- I J gun carriage adjustable in rectangularly op-i posed planes in its relation to the aircraft, 'a unitary foot-operated mechanism associated is adjustable in either or both sai planes, and means operable to lock said adjusting mechanism and hence the n carria e.

4. A gun mount or aircra means of which the uncarriage including an I upright member, an adjustable gun carrying arm pivotally fastened to said member, foot-' operated mechanism having an axis of rotation passin thru said member, and a connection exten lng between said mechanism and said arm substantially parallel with said member.

5. A gun mountfor aircraft including a rotatable up-right member, a gun carrying arm movable with and adjustable in its relation to said member, an arm rigidly fastened to said member, said arm being movable with said member about an axis passing thru said member to rotate said gun carr ing arm, and mechanism carried by said rigi arm and connected to said gun carrying arm for adjusting said last mentioned arm.

6. A gun mount for aircraft including a gun carriage rotatable and vertically adjustable in its relation to the aircraft, foot-operated mechanism by means of which said carriage is both rotated and vertically adjusted, and foot-operated mechanism by means of which said first mentioned mechanism is locked and unlocked in its relation to said carriage.

7. A gun mount for aircraft including a gun carriage both rotatably and vertically adjustable in its relation to the aircraft, a foot pedal movable both with and with respect to said gun carriage to respectively rotate and vertically adjust it as aforesaid, mechanism operable to lock and release said pedal, and an auxiliary foot pedal operable to actuate said lock mechanism.

8. In combination, an aerial vehicle, a

cockpit comprising a gunners compartment included therein, a gun carriage adjustable in its relation to sald aircraft and to said cockpit, a support for the gun carriage, footoperated mechanism associated with and by means of which the gun carriage is adjusted, and means operable in its relation to said support to lock and release said mechanism. 9. A gun mount for aircraftcomprising an upright, a gun carrying arm associated with the upper part of said upright and arranged for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said upright and also for rotational movement about a normally horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to the first named axis, an operating arm as- 9 sociated with a lower part of said upright and also arranged for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said upright and for rotational movement about a normally horizontal axis perpendicular thereto,means for moving said operating arm about said two axes, and means for transmitting the motion of the operating arm to the gun carrying arm to cause correspondmg movements thereof.

10. A gun mount for aircraft comprising a normally upright member, a gun carrying arm carried thereby and mounted for rotational movement about a normall horizontal axis substantiallyp'erpendicu ar to the upright member, an operating arm also carried by the u right member which arm is also mounted For rotational movement about a normally, horizontal axis substantially erpendicular to the upright member an is maintained substantially parallel to the gun carrying arm, a link connecting the two arms, and means for moving said operating arm to adjust the position of the gun carrying arm. I

11. A gunmount for aircraft including a gun carriage adjustable in elevation and in azimuth with respect to the aircraft, and unitary foot operated means horizontally and vertically rotatable to adjust the azimuh and elevation respectively of said gun carriage.

12. A gun mount for aircraft including a gun carriage adjustable in elevation and in azimuth with respect to the aircraft, unitary foot operated means horizontally and vertically rotatable to adjust the azimuth and elevation respectively of said gun carriage, and unitary locking means adapted to lock said gun carriage in any position of adjustment.

13. A gun mount for aircraft including a gun carriage adjustable in elevation and in azimuth with respect to the aircraft, unitary foot operated means horizontally and vertically rotatable to adjust the azimuth and elevation respectively of said gun carriage, unitary locking means adapted to lock said gun carriage in any position of adjustment, and an operating device for said lock? ing means associated with said adjusting means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

REX B. BEISEL.