US2376835A

US2376835A - Mounting device for fixed machine guns

Info

Publication number: US2376835A
Application number: US359596A
Authority: US
Inventors: John C Trotter
Original assignee: Bell Aircraft Corp
Current assignee: Bell Aircraft Corp
Priority date: 1940-10-03
Filing date: 1940-10-03
Publication date: 1945-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1962-05-22

Description

May 22, 19 5- .1. c. TROTTER MOUNTING DEVICE FOR FIXED MACHINE GUNS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1940 y 1945 J. c. TROTTER MOUNTING DEVICE FOR FIXED MACHINE GUNS Filed Oct. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 rneg- 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 Q Janene-yr. .vfiJh/n/ 0. Wow

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J. C. TROTTER MOUNTING DEVICE FOR FIXED MACHINE GUNS Flled Oct 3, 1940 May 22, 1945.

Patented May 22, 1945 "MOUNTINGEDEVICE FOSR FIXED .MACHINE John .C. Trotter, Williamsville, N. .Y.,' .assignonto Bell Aircraft Corporation, .Buflalo, N. ':Y.,. a corporation of "New York Application- October 3, 1940, "Serial N0." 359,598

1 21 Claims.

" The present invention relates to machine guns, and 'more' particularly to" a mounting" device for afixed-machine gun tobe used in-corifined-quar- --ters,'- su'ch as;---aircraft; tanks, or thelike.

'-A-' fixed-'machine' gun is usually'mounteddirectly on the airplane structure and is not provided withsa recoil dampeningunit. 1 Consequently; during firing, the -'loads applied to the airplane structure are high and thesstructure deflects considerably in various directions. As a result, :-.the. machine: gun does not remainron' the target which means of course that vtheshots are spreadover a relatively large. area. .On' theother hand, =my fixed mount issprovided with a recoil dampening unit'that causes the -gun to recoil along a-path parallel toathe barrel. Since the recoil forces are reduced, the airplane structure does not i deflect any appreciable amount and the spread of "shots is greatly reduced.

An object of the present invention is to pro- 1 vide a mountfor' fixedmachine guns that carries a recoil absorbing unit: that reduces the loads 1 applied to the airplane structure and increases the rateof fire of the gun.

Other objects of myinvention: are:

I (1) "To-provide a novelcartridgeieeding device that is so mounted on'the macln'ne gun'support as to allow thegun to recoil and yet -fee'd the cartridges into the block properly;

(2) To-provide a' mount '1.=for"fixed machine uns that is simple in construction and operation and "that can be" cheaply manufactured; and

a (3) "To provide a fixed machine gun mount that is 'provided 'with :means for -en'abling"the mount --to be usedwith. a synchronized'gun.

"To achieve the above and other objects, the inventiombriefiy 'comprisesa' light "-weight cradle that is attached toany suitable portion ofthe airplane structure by forward and rearward trunnion posts. v A recoilabsorbingunit is carried by the cradlesand the: gun to-compensate forthe r recoil. *As a resultgduringfiring of' the gun" the airplane structure; does-'not deflect any-apprecia- "ble amount and the shots-are spread'over a rel-ativ'elysmall area. "Ihisnot' o'nly increases the rate of fire of I thegun, but itwill also materially redu'ce the loads that are applied to" the airplane structure.

" In additionea novel feed chute for the cartridges is carried by the cradle at a point adjacent to the'feed'block' of the gun and the chute is so shaped as to permit the gun to recoil.

In the event the gun is to be used as a synchronized one, means are provided to permit a trigger motor to be mounted on a bracket attached' to the cradle in a position'close"to'- the trigger mechanism of the gun.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel mount fora fixed machine gun.

Figure 1.

' Figure 5 Ba sectional View taken along the line 5''5of Figure 1.

Figures 6 to =8 inclusive are longitudinal sectional views showing' the positions --of the-carbers 5 and as each of these members is identical to but one.

in construction,the-description will be limited The forward end of each tube-5 is closed by a plug 6 having integrally formed'there- "with an'extension 1. As best shown inliigures 1 and 3, 'the 'front trunnion 3 carries at its 'upper enda bracket 8 provided'with earsQ. Each; ear *9 isiormed'wi'th' aniaperture' l0 into which is *disposed" a bushing I l.

' tioned b'etween'each extension 'l-so that thebushings are adjacent to the extensions. "A" bolt 12 extends through apertures in the extension 1 "and through the bushings" I I. It will be noted thatthe bolt is formed with a shoulder l 3' ateach and thebracket 8 is-a strap 15, and one endof a recoil unit It isattached theretoy-asindicated at 17. The recoil unit -I6is identical in construction and operation to the unit covered in'my copending application; Serial'No. 33.6,286;'filed May '20, 1940; now Patent-2,339,898 issued" November ward end of the unit 16. is attached to-abracket 18 that bridges the tubes E'and'is secured" thereto in any suitable manner. "The forward, end-ofzthe "gun'casingis secured to the-recoil unit, as indi- The bracket 8 is'posiis adapted to slide in the slot 2|. The inner end of the bolt 22 is reduced, as shown at 24, and is attached to the gun casing. By virtue of the above mode of attachment of the gun l to the cradle 2, it will be appreciated that upon firing, the recoil will be taken care of by the unit It and the gun is free to move rearwardly by virtue of the slot 2| and the sliding block 23. As a consequence, the recoil forces are reduced by the shock dampener and the structure to which the mount is attached does not deflect any appreciable amount, thus enabling the gun to be kept on the target.

In Figure 5, it will also be noted that each casting is connected by a web 25 that is formed with downwardlyextending lugsZG. The upper end of the rear trunnion 4 is formed with a reduced head 2'! having a bore 28. A bolt 29 extends through a hole 30 in each lug 2B and through the bore 28, and a bushing 3| is positioned around the bolt 29 to reduce the'wear. A nut 32 is threaded onto the bolt for enabling the rear portion of the cradle 2 to be securely attached to the rear trunnion 4. s

As hereinabove pointed out, this invention is provided with means whereby the support may be used with a synchronized gun. In Figure 1, it will be seen that the casting 29 is also formed with ears 35 to which is adapted to be attached a bracket 36, as indicated at 31. A trigger motor 38 shown in the dot dash lines in Figure 2 is affixed to the bracket 36. The firing trigger of the gun can be actuated through a lever and roller mechanism such as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 328,989, filed April 10, 1940, now Patent 2,352,870 issued July 4, 1944.

On opposite sides of the feed'block 39 and suitably aifixed to the tube members 5 are lugs or the like 40. An ammunition box 4! is attached to the lugs as shown at 42. A cartridge feeding chute indicated generally 43 is positioned adjacent to the feed block of the gun as indicated in Figures 1 and 4. With reference particularly to Figure 4, it will be noted that the bracket I8 is provided with an upstanding portion 44 to which is afiixed a bracket 45 by means of bolts 46. The chute 43 comprises a base 41 which can be secured to the upper face of the bracket 45 in any suitable manner. Integrally formed with the base '41 are side walls 41'. The base is open at the front and rear ends and the rearward end or that end into which the cartridge links are fed from the ammunition box is flared downwardly as indicated at 48. To assist the feeding of the cartridge links into the feed block 39, it will be noted that leaf springs 49 are associated with the side walls and the inner end of each spring projects the short distance into the feed block as indicated at 50. Consequently the members 49 act as a resilient guide for the cartridge links and will insure proper feeding at all times.

The side Walls are further provided with ears 5! which form a partial cover for the chute 43 under which the cartridge links move and these ears will tend to straighten out the cartridge belt and prevent the belt from buckling or otherwise impairing the proper feeding of the ammunition to the machine gun.

In view of the fact that the feed chute 43 is attached to the cradle 2 instead of to the gun itself, no additional load is imposed upon the gun. Furthermore, the chute ,is so formed that the cartridge links will always be fed properly into the feed block of the gun, and it will permit the gun to recoil. The chute can be attached to either side of the cradle, as the strap I8 carries a bracket I 44 at each end.

The rear trunnion is provided with an adjustment device Gil so that the elevational position of the cradle 2 can be varied to permit the gun to fire in the desired position.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have provided a novel device for feeding cartridges into the feed block of a machine gun which can be attached to the cradle at a point adjacent to the feed block. In addition, the mount is provided with means to enable a trigger motor to be mounted on the cradle for actuating the trigger mechanism of the gun. The mount and its related parts are simple in construction and operation and can be cheaply and easily manufactured.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine gun mount comprising a gun provided with a feed block, a cradle for the gun having side portions, means for slidably securing and supporting the gun in the cradle, cartridge belt feeding means mounted adjacent the feeding block of the gun and supported wholly by one of the side portions of the cradle, said feeding mean including a base, a portion of which is flared downwardly, side walls for said base to form a chute, and an ammunition box mounted adjacent the chute and secured to the said side portion which supports the belt feeding means, the said downwardly flaring portion of the base of the feeding means extending to a point above the ammunition box and serving as a bridge between the ammunition box and the said chute, and spring leaf extensions attached to the side walls forming the chute and extending into the feed block of the gun.

2. A machine gun mount comprising a gun provided with a feed block, a cradle for the gun having side portions, ,means for slidably securing and supporting the gun in the cradle, cartridge belt feeding means mounted adjacent the feeding block of the gun and supported wholly by one of the side portions of the cradle, said feeding means including a base, a portion of which is flared downwardly, side walls for said base to form a chute, an ammunition box mounted adjacent the chute and secured to the said side portion which supports the belt feeding means, the said downwardly flaring portion of the base of the feeding means extending to a point above the ammunition box and serving as a bridge between the ammunition box and the said chute, spring leaf extensions attached to the side walls forming the chute and extending into the feed block of the gun, and upstanding members carried by the side Walls and forming a partial cover for the chute.

JOHN C. TROTTER.