US2358340A

US2358340A - Recoil mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2358340A
Application number: US447520A
Authority: US
Inventors: Victor F Lucht
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-06-18
Filing date: 1942-06-18
Publication date: 1944-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1961-09-19

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l Vista? RLLII: t.

V. F. LUCHT RECOIL MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1942 Sept. 19, 1944.

v. F. LUCHT 2,358,340

RECOIL MECHANISM Filed June 18. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 47 e46 44 70 E g/ i( 1'/ 1'/ /L 779 G#- A 462 445 4a. 5 c' as Y f i# v A y l fs sa l l A *s Si 43 l Fi '7 Fi g l Syvum/vio@ Victnr Fl Lucht ably/MW Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES APATENT OFFRE 2,358,340 nEoorL MEoHANIsii/rA -Victor F. Lucht, Washington, D. C. Application June 1s, i942, seria1No.447,52u

(o1. ca -43) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

3 Claims.

amendedApril 30,1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel arrangement of apparatus for controlling the movement of gun parts in recoil and/ or counterrecoil.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved structure for mounting a recoil spring coaxially with a gun barrel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gun recoil cylinder coaxially mounted around a gun barrel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a light and compact recoil mechanism especially designed for mounting in an airplane wherein space and weight requirements are exacting.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a gun barrel having a recoil cylinder coaxially mounted thereon with fluid tight packing adapted to withstand the rather high temperature in the vicinity of the gun barrel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a recoil mechanism for a gun having relatively short fluid flow passages.

The specific 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 drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a central cross sectional view and shows the position of the parts of the recoil and buffer mechanisms in their normal positionwith the barrel B at one end of its operating stroke.

Figure 2 is a central cross `sectional view and shows the position of the parts of the recoil and buffer mechanisms when the barrel B is at the other end of its operating stroke.

Figure 3 is a central cross sectional View and shows the position of the parts of the recoil and buffer mechanisms in one position of the barrel B as it returns from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1 and said one position lies in a region defined by limits MN wherein buffer action effecting movement of barrel B is predominant.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on line lI-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the elements shown in the upper right hand corner of Fig. 1.

taken substantially Essential elements of my invention comprise supportv cylinder Ajbarrel B, piston cylinder C, sleeve D, cradle tube E and recoil spring F. A pressure responsive valve having general reference numeral G is carried by the piston cylinder C.

The barrel B is adapted to slide relative to aluminum support cylinder A carrying spaced annular aluminum bronze bearing members IIJ, II, I2, I3, I4, I5, IB for providing a good wear? lng surface between barrel B and support cylinder A. The aluminum bronze bearing members I0, II, I2, I3, I4, I5, I6 are conveniently fastened to the support cylinder .A by means of tongue and groove connections but it is apparent that the bearing members may be fastened to the support cylinder A by other means, for instance, by a screw-threaded connection.

It is noted that the Support cylinder A has, at its downward end in Figure l, an annular L- cross sectional shaped flange I1 having internal screw threads I'Ia thereon and has, at its upper end in Figure l, a screw-threaded portion Iia for attachment of recoil mechanism inclosing structure as will be seen later. A second support cylinder annular flange I8 having four` equally spaced fastening holes Ia therethrough is formed integral with flange I'I; and, the cylindrical structure produced by flange I8 isadapted to receive a fastening implement (not shown) by which the cradle tube or support cylinder A is fastened to support cylinder E. Holes I8@ lare adapted to receive projections on said implement. v y

Cylinder piston C of steel is yfastened to barrel B by means of the cooperating nut kIll and connecter 20 which are each screw-threaded to the cylinder piston C and barrel B respectively and hence cylinder piston C has the same motion as barrel B. Cylinder piston C snugly surrounds support cylinder A and slides thereon as the barrel B moves due to recoil and/or counterfecoil forces.

The stationary cradle cylinder E having sleeve D snugly and fixedly mounted therein and having screw threads `Zlict'engaging support cylinder screw threads I'Ia is closed at its upper end yin Figure 1 by means of screw-threaded follower 2I which engages cradle cylinder threaded portion 20D. Screw threaded annular follower 2I (Fig. 7) is adapted to adjustably tension

annular packing

22, 23 between bottom annular adapter 24 and annular movable vgland 25; top adapter 2B separates packing 22 from packing 23 and also annular dished membersV 22a are disclosed in Figure 7 but it is apparent that other means similar to dished members 22a are readily suggested by one skilled in the art for providing aV fluid tight connection `between tube E and movable cylinder pistonC.

Also, cradle tube E is formed with anvinternal annular shoulder c (Fig. 7) which `is recessed so as to hold annular bushing 21, preferablyof hardened phosphor bronze so as to provide a suitable wear resistant stationary spring seat for recoil spring F. 'I'he other end of spring F is normally biased against annular shoulder 28a (Fig. 1) on piston cylinder C'so as to normally| press the piston cylinder C and attached gun stationary cradle .head openings 10a.

alternately-placed about the annular valve casing V44. The valve casing 44 besides forming a valveY seat for valve body 46 also cooperates with cylinder piston projection or piston head 10'for blocking fluid flow through openings 10a in the cylinder piston head 10 when the barrel B and associated cylinder piston C returns in counterrecoil; in recoil, valve casing 44, due to fluid pressure, is moved against bracket 43 thus allowing recoil fluid to flow through the cylinder piston In counte'rrecoil the valve casing 44 moves against cylinder piston head 10 and blocks fluid iiow through cylinder piston projection openings' 10a and substantially all the fluid flow in the vicinity of head 10 occurs through l valve body opening 46a; however, fluid pressure actingron valve body Wall 46d causes movement of valve body 46 against the action of spring 48 barrel B downward to the position shown in Fig; l. Y y From the structure thus far described it should be obvious that the gun barrel B and associated cylinder piston C both recoil due to firing of the associated gun, and thereafter the .gun `barrel'l?. Vand. associated cylinder piston C-return .tonor mal position under the influencev of tensioned refV coil spring F. f .3. l y.

The annular space between cylinder piston C and support cylinderrAV at their upper ends in- Figs. 1 and 7 is made tight by the following expedient: annular packings 29, 3U separated vby gland 3| and adapted to conform to the abutting Y surfaces of annular support cylinder shoulder 32 andannular gland 33 respectively is compressed by screwing screw-threaded follower 34 on cooperating support` cylinder screw threaded rportion 35. Y

Sleeve D (Fig. 2)v havinga cut-out fluid orifice or slotted passage 36 of predetermined dimen- Vsions as will be described laterris maintained in Vfixed relationshiptov cradle tube E by means of filling screw plugs 31 which extend into sleeve circular hole 38 and is held by cradle tube tapped portion 39. Y

In the recoil oil filling operation screw-threaded plugs |31, 40 are removed and` recoil oil is circulated into cradle tube opening 4| and out of cradle tube opening42 (Fig. 1) until the circulated oil flows uniformly without discontinuity due to entrapped air in the composite recoil cylinder. The recoil cylinder. for conning the recoil cylinder oil or similar fluid is defined bysupport cylinder A, cradle tube E and the fluid tight connection comprising packing 22,23.V

The cylinder piston C carries the pressure responsive valve assembly .G on the left hand end The valve assembly G corn-` thereof in Fig. 5. prises the following essential elements: annular bracket 43 threaded on the end of cylinder piston C, annular valve casing 44 slidably mounted on cylinderpiston C,V Valve guides 45 screw-threadedly mounted on valve casing 44 and 'cooperating v withV the bracket guide holes 43a, valve body 46 45an d valve bodies 4B Vare that the guide pins 41 for holding valve in the valve casing hollow portion 44aV valve casing open-i l and tends to close port 44b thus causing the barrel B` to return in counterrecoil with limited velocity inthe region defined by the limitsV M,-N -(Fig.1). Y t

It is noted that the cylinder piston C carries two spacedannular projections or heads 10, 1| each havingouter bearing surfaces adapted to make close sliding contact with the sleeve D which-has two diametrically opposite throttle openings 3B therethrough (Fig, 4). l,Sleeve -open,

ings 36 are designed to offer resistancetoiiuid flow in a degreevdepending upon the position of cylinder piston C whereby the cylinder piston C and Vbarrel, B travel with substantially variable velocityV notwithstandingfthat substantially constant propelling forces are exerted on theY barrel B. It is also noted that due-to the spacing of cylinder annular heads 10, 1| with respect to sleeve D correspondingly different size orifices'are formed at the sleeve where those annular projections contact thesleeve.

In order to understand the controllingrforces exerted on cylinder piston C in its movement one important fact must be understood, namely, that on recoil the sleeveaperture formed Vby the cooperation ofrcylinder piston head 1| will be controllingV since the brakingV effect of ythe other,

annular projection is made ineffective due to the large holes 10a uncovered when thevalve casing 44 is moved to the left in Fig. 5; and that on counter recoil in the range defined by M, lN shown on Fig. 1 the aperture formed by annular piston 'head 10 with sleeve D is Vof small relative size kther limit the fluid flow through portY 44h and further retard the movementof the cylinder-piston C in counterrecoil.V

In Vcarrying out one rrecoil and counterrecoil Y stroke it is noted that both valve casing 44 and valve body'46 each individually serve as a'valve body for the control'of fluid flow.`

Resilient disc of leather or. similar material fastened to nutV I9 as by means of screws 80a serves to absorb some of the shock;between the cradle tube and barrel when it returns to normal position'(Fig. 1)k at the end of the counterrecoil= stroke. Y

. Operation-In the recoilk o f the gun, the parts being in the position shown in Figure l, the braking fluid to the right of the valved piston 10 will pass freely through said piston and through the

ports.46ajinthe valve

46, and 44a in valve casing 44, which ports are now ginning of this stroke pressure. of the Voilagainst the right end 0f ther/alf@ casing. causes the4 in registry. `At thebesame to move slightly to the left against the pressure of spring 48, and away from the piston 'IU thus providing a space between said piston and casing to permit fluid to pass freely through the opening 16a of the piston 10. During this movement of the valve casing 44, the ports 46a and 44h remain in registry. Upon counterrecoil the reaction of the spring 48 forces the valve casing 44 against the piston 1|) closing the opening 18a. The pressure to the left of the valve 46 will cause it to move back into its casing 44 against the pressure of spring 48 and close the ports 46a and 44h and prevent the passage of oil therethrough. When the gun reaches battery position the spring 48 will return valve 46 to normal position with ports 46a and 44h again in registry preparatory to the repetition of the cycle. In normal or battery position, as shown in Figure 1, the valved recoil piston 1I occupies the position N. In this position the left end of the passage 36, from N to M does not function during recoil stroke, but only that portion of the passage from N to the tapered right end. Valved piston Ill resists somewhat the counterrecoil movement of the gun by reason of the closing of the valve 46 but this does not interfere with the operation of the piston 'H during counterrecoil until piston reaches position N in Figure 3, that is to say, at the point of the passage 36 Where it leftl end begins to taper off. During the last part of the counterrecoil or from about point N to M, piston 10, (the Valves of which are closed during counterrecoil), meets with increasing resistance due to the decreasing taper of the left end of the slotted passage 36. The valved piston 'I0 thus provides a buffer action at the end of the counterrecoil stroke of the gun.

I claim:

1. In a recoil and counter-recoil apparatus for a gun barrel, the combination of a gun barrel, a stationary tubular supporting member provided with internal bearing surfaces for the said gun barrel, a tubular member mounted for sliding movement on the external surface of the said tubular supporting member, the said tubular sliding member and the said gun barrel being secured together at one end thereof to move in unison, a second stationary tubular member surrounding the said tubular sliding member and spaced therefrom to provide an annular fluid space, a recoil spring within the said annular space, and a piston on the said tubular sliding member in sliding engagement with the internal surface of the second said tubular member.

Cil

2. In a recoil and counter-recoil apparatus for a gun barrel, the combination of a gun barrel, a stationary tubular supporting member provided with internal bearing surfaces for the said gun barrel, a tubular member mounted for sliding movement on the external surface of the said tubular supporting member, the said tubular sliding member and the said gun barrel being secured together at one end thereof to move in unison, a second stationary tubular member surrounding the said tubular sliding member and spaced therefrom to provide an annular fluid space, a recoil spring within the said annular space, and a pair of pistons on the said tubular sliding member in sliding engagement with the internal surface of the second said tubular member, one of the said pair of pistons being provided with valves.

3. In a recoil and counter-recoil apparatus for a gun barrel, the combination of a gun barrel, stationary tubular Supporting member provided with internal bearing surfaces for the said gun barrel, a tubular member mounted for sliding movement on the external surface of the said tubular supporting member, the said tubular sliding member and the said gun barrel being secured together at one end thereof to move in unison, a second stationary tubular member surrounding the said tubular sliding member and spaced therefrom to provide an annular nuid space, a recoil spring within the said annular space, the second said tubular member being provided in its internal surface with a slotted passage having a maximum central opening and tapering toward the breech end of the barrel and toward the muzzle end thereof, and a pair of pistons on the said tubular sliding member in sliding engagement with the internal surface `of the second said tubular member, one of the said pistons being, in the battery position of the said connected barrel and tubular sliding member, substantially at the juncture between the said maximum central portion and the said tapered breech end portion of the slotted passage, and the other of the said pistons being substantially at the end point of the said tapered end portion, the last said piston being provided with Valves adapted to be closed during the counter-recoil stroke whereby the said valved piston cooperates with the said tapered breech end portion of the slotted passage to buffer the last portion of the said counter-recoil stroke.

VICTOR F. LUCHT.