US2236312A

US2236312A - Gun mount, more especially for use in aircraft

Info

Publication number: US2236312A
Application number: US202936A
Authority: US
Inventors: Funk Alfred
Original assignee: Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm AG
Current assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH; Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke AG
Priority date: 1937-04-30
Filing date: 1938-04-19
Publication date: 1941-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1958-03-25

Description

March 25, 1941.

A. FUNK Filed April 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w N x J w, a y 9 5:11 w 115;: a? :::i :55; x a a w \W t .b 4 ,7, @333 x 7 B a 3 1. 1 5 mu w m 23 F E w 7 Inventor: v ZLVAJ March 25,1941. AFUNK 2,236,312

GUN MOUNT, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN AIRCRAFT Filed April 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. FUNK March 25, 1941.

GUN MOUNT, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN AIRCRAFT Filed April 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 In venzan' Patented Mar; 25, 1941 Q aesasiz GUN MOUNT, none uses on Flu schait,

Application April 19, 1938, serial N i. April 36, 1937 5 Claims. (@1- 89-315) This invention relates to gun mounts; and refers particularly to gun mounts for use in aircraft. It aims, among other things, to provide means for mounting a gun in aircraft in such a manner as to aflord maximum accuracy and" ing line is disposed at an angle to the 8Xl8 0f the barrel. This angle depends upon the distance ofthe target to be sighted and must correspond I to the curve described'by the projectile, which must intersect the sighting line at the target.

Since deflection of the projectile by gravity always occurs in a vertical direction, it is assumed when mounting the sightingdevice that, when fired, the gun is always so held that the axis of its barrel and the sighting .line lie in the same vertical plane. If the gun, when in firingposi-' tion, is not so held that the ams of the barrel and the sighting line lie in the same vertical plane, for instance, if the gun is tipped, the 'con- 30: ditions taken into consideration whemmounting the device on the gun no longer exist, and accuracy of aim can no longer be depended on. If

the gun is held by a carrier member which is not,

fixed in position, or if, when this carrier memher changes its position, the gun is tipped, means must be provided to enable the gunner to adjust the gun to a position necessary for obtaining accuracy. Therefore when mounting guns on vehicles they have been so supported for rotation that it is possible, at all positions of the vehicle,

to adjust the gun so that theaxis of the barrel and the sighting line lie in one vertical plane.

Provision must-further be made so that in no position which the gun may assume relative to its carrier member is the gunners visibility ob- In this invention the gun traverses a pane or panel which constitutes the carrier member for the gun and is sumciently strong, consisting for instance of a thick glass pane or artificial resin plate, to transmit the forces created by the gun. so The latter is supported for rotation about an ems always be properly adjusted relative to the sight I sightingv line can never extend through nonextending throughthe panel, at least an annular portion of which is transparent and the center of which coincides with the axis of rotation of the gun. The mean radius of the panel must equal the distancebetween'the points at which 5 the sighting line and the axis of rotation extend through thepanel. When the vehicle turns about an ams which is substantiallyparallei to the axis of rotation of the min the latter can without interfering with visibility along the sightingiline.

If the gun is supported relative to the panel for rotation about its own ans, and also-for rocking movement in any desired plane, vfor instance by means of a ball or a Garden joint, then durlug the rotary and oscillating movements of the gun relative to the panel the point at which the sighting line traverses the panel lies in an annular path. Therefore the panel must at least be transparent in this annular portion of its total area and the'required minimum widthof the transparent panel portion must correspond to the largest possible angle through which the gun may be oscillated relative to the panel, and 25 to the distance between the sighting line and the ans of rotation.

if the gun is arranged on a vehicle, and more especially on an aircraft, it is advisable toprevent the relative wind from hindering the gunner handling it and also to render its range oi fire greater than is possible by merely supporting it for rotation and oscillation in the panel. To this end it is advantageous to support the gun in the panel for oscillation and rotation and to arrange the panel for displacement. in a meridian slot of a cupola which can be rotated relativeto the craft, By rotating the eupola the meridian slot can be adjusted in any desired direction radially to the aids of rotation of. the cupola The panel carrying the gun can be shifted alone the slot and the gun itself can be oscillated relative to the panel whereby an extended range of fire, which under favorable circumstances exceeds degrees, is obtainable. When the 45 cupola is turned and the panel moved the gun is correctly positioned relative to the sighting device. Relative movement occurs between the gun and the panel during which, however, the

50 transparent parts and so visibility isnot hinolered.

In the drawings amped to this specification and forming part thereof an embodiment of my in- I vention is illustrated diagrammatically 5 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a section on the line.i-iof Figure 2 along the axis of a cupola in the meridian slot of which the panel forming the carrier member for the gun is arranged for displacement. to

the barrel extend in one vertical plane.

four different relative positions of the gun, the

panel, and the cupola.

Referring to the drawings, 1 isv the gun and 2 is a bearing having a partly spherical outer surface and serving to support the gun like a ball joint, for oscillation in the bearing body 3 fixed to the vaulted panel or pane 5. This panel is mounted in a frame which is arranged for displacement in a meridian slot l2 of a cupola l3 which is supported by an antifriction bearing 25 for rotation on an aircraft body or fuselage 26. To the frame 4 of the panel 5 carrying the gun l are fixed arms 14 which can be turned about bolts l5 mounted in the cupola I3. The bolts l5 are so arranged that their common axis extends through the center of the cupola and at right angles to meridian slot l2. If the panel 5 is to be moved in the meridian slot a bowed handle'lG connected to the arms I4 is locked about the bolts I5. If the cupola is also to be rotated the handle it is rocked about the axis of rotation of the said cupola.

In order to secure the panel 5 and the cupola,

IS in different positions to which the gun may be adjusted a locking device operable by means of an auxiliary handle 22 is provided. Movement of the latter is transmitted by means of Bowden cables 2| and 28to spring urged locking

pins

20 and 21 provided in the frame 4 and cupola l3 respectively, to engage notches l8 in an edge I l of the meridian slot and notches 9 in the fuselage 26. By pressing the two handles l6 and 22 together the locking pins 20 and 21 are withdrawn from their notches so that the cupola l3 and the panel 5 can be rotated and moved respectively.

In order to guard the gunner against the relative wind the frame 4 includes, besides the panel 5 carrying the gun, covering

panels

23 and 24 which are located on each side of the panel 5 in the direction of the meridian line and which, with the panel 5, cover the greater part of the length of the meridian slot. The covering panels i 24 are so staggered relative to the panels 23 that When aiming the gun at a target, the cupola I I3 is first so rotated that the center of the meridian slot extends approximately through the. target. Then the panel 5 is so moved in the slot that the gun points approximately at the target, and finally the gun is so oscillated relative to the panel that the sighting line, that is, the line which connects the bead 30 with the center of the sight 3|, pointsexactly towards the target.

When adjusting the gun it is held in such a position that the sighting line and the axis of Therefore, when the cupola I3 is rotated, the gun is 'rotated relative to the panel 5. Visibility for the gunner cannot be obstrutedbecause the panel 5 is transparent at all annular portions surrounding the bearing 3 for such width that at all positions of the cupola 13, frame 4 and gun I, the sighting line :r-a: extends through this transparent portion (see Figures 3 and 5 to 8) and is not obstructed by non-transparent parts. The

width of the transparent annular portionof the panel 5 corresponds to the angle of oscillation through which the gun can be rocked and to the distance between the sighting line a::z: and the axis of the barrel of the gun, which also constitutes the axis of rotation: of the said gun.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to one skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An aircraft gun mount comprising, in combinationwith' an aircraft body having a wall with an opening therein, a slotted curved shell adapted to cover said openingjmeans positioning said shell over the opening for rotation about an axis intersecting the plane of said opening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned inside the same, a frame member of substantially the contour of said" shell and having an opening therein,

means extending from the frame and pivotally 1 intersecting the plane of said opening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned inside the same, a frame member of substantially the contour of said shell and having an opening therein, means extending from the frame and pivotally connected with said supporting means for swinging the frame, a transparent panel fixedly positioned within the opening in said frame, a gun extending through said panel and said slot, and gun supporting means carried by the panel constructed and arranged to support the gun for rotary movement about its longitudinal axis.

3. An aircraft gun mount comprising, in combination with an aircraft body having a wall with an opening therein; aslotted curved shell adapted to cover said opening, means positioning said shell over the opening for rotation about an axis intersecting the plane of said opening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned inside the same, a frame member of substantially the contour of said shell and having an opening therein, means extending from the frame and pivotally connected with said supporting means for swinging the frame, a transparent panel fixedly positioned within the opening in said frame, a gun extending through said panel and said slot, and gun supporting means carried by the panel constructed and arranged to support the gun vfor universal pivotal movement about a point lying substantially within the surface of the panel and for rotary movement about its longitudinal axis.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the gun supporting means carried by the'panel consists of a ball joint.

5. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the frame is provided with other openings around the aforesaid opening, a panel in each of said openings, and the gun supporting means is carried by the panel in the aforesaid opening.

ALFRED FUNK.