US2339285A - Grenade launcher - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1944. w. T. MOORE GRENADE LAUNCHER Filed Nov. 21, 1941 "f'gli/Illlll/llllllllllllll Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED V STATES Frs I GRENADE LAUNcnEa Wiley 'I'. Moore, United States Army, Lavernen Okla.

Application November 21, 1941, Serial No. 119,996v

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 4 Claims.

'rifles or similar weapons adapted for use in' launching grenades.

A Aprincipal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, compactly arranged grenade launcher of light weight adapted for convenient and quick attachment to or detachmnt from the various types of'service rifles of this country.

The speciiic nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one form of a 'grenade launcher according to this invention shown attached to the muzzle end portion oi one type of service rifle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the grenade launcher shown in Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a sectional view taken upon the section line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in plan showing the means for securing the launcher to the rifle Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank used in forming the grenade retaining spring;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the grenade launcher shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Figure 2'showing the launcher on a muzzle having a larger diameter 'and with the' bayonet lug closer to the muzzle end than is shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is vshown a grenade launcher embodying the principles of this invention especially adapted for attachment to gas-operated weapons of the type wherein the 'gas cylinder underlies and projects to within a small distance of the muzzle of the barrel.

The interior of tubular element I0 is formed with an axial passage II of a diameter intermediate the bore and exterior diameters of the barrel I2 onto which the launcher is adapted to be attached. At its breech end portion, or portion 4Kadjacent the muzzle of barrel I2, the passage II is enlarged by barrel receiving bores I3 and I4 of successively increased diameters. 'I'he bore I3 *s eccentrically arranged with respect to the passage I I in such manner as to be tangential thereto on the lower side in a vertical axial plane (with respect' to the plane of the drawing) as indicated in Fig. 2 at I5. Bore I4 is also eccentrically disposed relative to passage II and likewise with respect to bore I3 in such manner as to be tangential to the latter bore on the upper side in a l vertical axial plane (with respect to the plane of the drawing) as shown at I6 in Fig. 2. By the arrangementof bores I3 and I4 as above described substantially crescent shoulders I1 and I8 are provided which function in a manner made more apparent hereinafter.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the exterior diameter of the tubular element I0 is such as to be received within the tubular shank I9 oi a grenade 20 in interbearing substantially uidsealed relation. To relieve the interbearing surfaces of the grenade shank I9 and tubular element I0 of friction inherent in a bearing of the close tolerances described, the exterior surface of the tubular element is relieved or cut away to any suitable pattern. The preferred pattern as shown in Figs, 1 and 2 comprises a series of uniformly spaced annular grooves 2| adjacent the muzzle of the tubular element I0 arranged to alternate with unrelieved portions 22 of substantially the same width. The grooves 2| are not limited in number but are comparatively narrow in width and are confined to approximately the forward one-fifth of tubular element I 0. Following the grooves 2i in a breechwise direction are a series of uniformly spaced annular grooves 23 of comparatively greater width than the grooves 2l separated by unrelieved portions 24 of substantially the same width as unrelieved portions 22. I'he breach end groove 25 may be of slightly greater Width than the grooves 23 if desired for a reason made clear hereinafter. While a preferred embodiment'of the grooves 2|, 23 and 25 includes the spaced annular arrangement shown and described it will be understood that other arrangements are contemplated.

A bracket 26 is secured to the breech end portion of tubular element I Il and extends below and rearwardly thereof in parallelism therewith as will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 for the purpose of securing the tubular element to a firearm. The bracket 26 is conveniently formed of T-shape in cross section and has the rear end portion of the web 21 bifurcated as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 in such manner as to receive the bayonet lug 28 of a weapon. For retaining the bayonet lug positionedwithin the bifurcated end portion of the web 28 a suitable socket 29 is formed on the rear end portion of the bracketfor housing a spring loaded catch 30 of any desirable design. 'Ihe catch has a face 3| that engages the rear face of the bayonet lug for rigidly securing the launcher to the firearm and a beveled face 32 which engages the bayonet lug during the operation of -aflixing the launcher to the firearm for automatically displacing the catch to permit the bayonet lug to enter the bifurcation. The catch may be manually retracted by means of the finger piece 33 to permit detachment of the launcher from the firearm.

'To insure the retention of a grenade upon the tubular element I-a resilient retainer 34 formed from a blank 35 having fingers 36 bent back upon the body 31 thereof as shown Ain Fig. 3 is provided. The body 31 is bent to arcuate form and is fitted within the groove 25 in such manner that the fingers 36 will be engaged by the interior wall of shank I9 to frictionally engage the same under their inherent resiliency. For normal use the retainer 34 will be of the width shown and located in groove 25 which is slightly wider than grooves 23 thereby providing for a stronger retainer; however, it will be apparent that retainers of a narrower width. may be provided for use in grooves 23 when it is desired to retain the grenade shank upon tubular element I0 in position other than that for maximum projection.

In operation the grenade launcher is aflixed to one oi' the standard service pieces, such as the gas-operated firearm shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The muzzle portion of the barrel I2 is inserted within the bore I3 simultaneously with the insertion of the bayonet lug within the bifurcated end portion of the bracket. The ca tch 30 is automatically depressed by engagement with the bay-v onet lug -and as soon as the muzzle engages the shoulder I1 and the bayonet lug is within the bifurcation the catch will engage the rear face of the bayonet lug with its face 3|, securely and detachably afxing the launcher in place. 'I'he shoulder I1 is so arranged that it snugly engages the muzzle between the bore and exterior wall thereof to provide a gas seal and relieve the load on the bayonet lug 28. A grenade 20 having a shank I9 is attached to the launcher with the shank receiving the tubular element I0 as shown inl Fig. 2 and the retainer 34 frictionally engaging the interior wall of the shank to retain it in place. If maximum range is desired the grenade shank will be positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is the usual case, as generally the sights, will be adjusted for a. range desired less than maximum projection of the grenade. However, if it is desired to regulate range by the force of projection applied to the grenade the latter may be positioned upon tubular element I0 accordingly by positioning a retainer 34 in a corresponding groove 23. The piece is loaded with a blank cartridge and trained upon the target. When training of the piece is accomplished the piece is fired and the gases of explosion impinge upon the base of the grenade projecting it forwardly. Because of the. relatively close spacing of the grooves 2| the grenade shank will leave the tubular element in the line of training of the latter since the shank cannot wobble relative to the tube I0. To detach the launcher from the weapon itis only necessary to withdraw the catch 30 from behind the bayonet lug 28 by means of the nger piece 33 and remove the launcher by a forward relative movement to the barrel I2.

The launcher shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is also adapted for use with another standard service piece having a muzzle portion projecting a shorter distance forwardly of the bayonet lug 28 and the latter lug spaced'a shorter distance below the axis of the bore of barrel I2 than the gas-operated rifle shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this case the muzzle of the piece is positioned in the bore I4 in engagement with the shoulder I8 in the same manner as the muzzle of barrel I2 fits within bore I3, as above explained, and with the bayonet-l lug being received in the bifurcated end of the bracket 26 also as above described in regard to the gas-operated weapon.

In Fig. 6 a slight modiiication of the launcher disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown. In this form the tubular element I0' and bracket 26' are formed as separatel elements suitably secured to each other in the manner shown, as by welding. This form of the invention has certain advantages over the form of Figs. 1 and 2 where the tubular element and bracket are made integral in that the two component parts are more easily fabricated than the integral form.

In Fig. 'l is shown a barrel I2' of larger diameter than barrel I2 which fits snugly in the larger bore I4, and the latter is of such depth that the muzzle end of the barrel engages the bottom thereof when the bayonet lug engages the launcher catch.

Having now described what I at present consider to be a preferred embodiment, I claim:

1. In a grenade launcher in combination, a tubular element provided with a plurality of enlarged bores of outwardly arranged successively increased diameters at one end portion, a bracket secured to said one end' portion in laterally offset and longitudinally extending relation to the tubular element, and means on the end portion of the bracket remote from its'attachment to the tubula;` element for detachably receiving and securing the bayonet lug of a firearm so provided; said enlarged bores being so constructed and arranged that the launcher may be affixed to firearms having barrels of diierent diameters and with the bayonet lug spaced different distances from the 'muzzle end of the barrel by positioning the muzzle thereof in a selected one of said enlarged bores and detachably securing the bayonet lug to said means.

. 2. The structure of claim 1 comprising an arrangement wherein said bores are disposed eccentrically relative to each other and to the passage in said tubular member.

3. The structure of claim 1 comprising an arrangement of the passage in the tubular element and said enlarged bores to form crescent shoulders at longitudinally spaced points for engaging the muzzle of a barrel intermediate the bore and exterior wall thereof.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the small--` est of said enlarged bores is tangent to the main bore of the tubular element and the succeeding bore is tangent to the said smallest of said enlarged bores at a point removed from the point of tangency of said smallest enlarged bore with said main bore.

WILEY T. MOORE.

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