US2389726A

US2389726A - Mounting

Info

Publication number: US2389726A
Application number: US505845A
Authority: US
Inventors: William V Goodhue
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1943-10-11
Filing date: 1943-10-11
Publication date: 1945-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1962-11-27

Description

Nov.. 27, 1945. w v, GQQDHUE 2,389,726

MOUNTING Filed Oct. 1l, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 27, 1945. w. v. GooDHuE MOUNT I NG Filed Oct. ll, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Willem VGooc'/lue Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNT STAT cries MUNTING Application October 171, 1943, Serial No. 505,845

(Cl. Sii-37) 21 Claims.

This invention relates to gun mounts and more particularly to means for mounting guns on armored vehicles, although it should be understood that in its broader aspects the invention is not thus limited.

Machine guns are commonly mounted on the hatch rings of armored tanks in such a manner that the guns may readily be swung into firing positions by an operator standing within the open hatch door. When traveling through heavily wooded country under conditions in which use of the gun is not necessary. it is desirable to move the gun into a protected position to eliminate the danger of damage to the gun or the danger of ripping the gun from its mounting by low overhanging branches which might be struck by the gun were it left in its firing position on the hatch ring. Heretofore this protection has been aliorded the gun by removing it from the hatch ring and storing it within the turret of the tank. In the use of heavy machine guns this practice not only requires considerable effort and time on the part of the operator but consumes valuable space within the turret for the storage of the gun.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages and difliculties in the handling and storing of guns of the type referred to. As illustrated herein, a storage receptacle is provided on the turret in which the gun may readily be placed and protected when not in use and an improved mounting is provided for the gun, facilitating its removal from the hatch ring and its transfer to the storage receptacle. To this end and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the gun is carried by a mount which is in turn carried by a support pivotally connected to the hatch ring for movement from firing position to a storage position in which the gun is placed in a container carried by the turret separate from the hatch ring. After the gun has been thus positioned, the support is disconnected therefrom so that the hatch ring may be turned freely without interference from the gun. The gun mount is readily connected and disconnected from the supp-ort on the hatch ring by an operator standing within the open hatch, thus making it possible rapidly to place the gun in operative position, should the need arise, Without exposing the operator to unnecessary danger.

In its broader aspects, the invention has for its object the provision of an improved mounting for a device which may be readily transierred from an operative position on a movable carriage carried by a base, into an inoperative or storage position on the base.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of mechanism embodying the present invention, showing the positions of the parts with a gun carried by the hatch ring of a tank in operative position and also illustrating by bro-ken lines the positions of the parts when the gun is in storage position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. l but on a larger scale, illustrating the gun in storage position but still connected with the hatch ring;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism with the gun in storage position on the tank;

Fig. 4 isl a sectional View on the line IV-IV of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the gun disconnected from the hatch ring;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of a locking pin for holding the hatch ring in proper position to be connected to the gun; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, a gun Il] is illustrated as being carried by a movable carriage or hatch ring l2 of a tank, a portion of the top wall of which is illustrated at ill. The gun is supported in a cradle I6 of a gun mount I8, the gun being secured to the cradle by pins 2i! and 22. The cradle i6 is pivoted by trunnion pins 24 between the spaced arms of a yoke 26 on the lower end of which is formed a pintle 28 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) journaled in a housing 3D. An equilibrator spring 32 (Fig. l) is carried in a housing 34 secured to the cradle I6. This spring is in the form of a torsion spring, one end of which is secured to the housing 34 and the other end of which is secured to the adjacent trunnion pin 24, thereby to counterbalance the gun as it is moved in elevation. Also carried by the cradle is an ammunition box bracket 35 secured by a strap 3S and screws All to the cradle I6.

The pintle 28 is held in the housing 3i] against axial movement. For this purpose the pintle is provided with a peripheral groove l2 (Figs. 2 and 4) to receive a locking pin it carried within a horizontal bore in a wall of the housing 3U. This pin is carried by an arm 46 secured by a screw 48 to'the housing 30. With the pin received by the groove 42 in the pintle as shown in Fig. 4, it prevents axial movement of the pintle but permits unlimited rotative movement thereof so that the gun may be swung in azimuth.

The gun mount thus far described is so arranged as to be connected to the hatch ring I2, as shown in Fig. 1, either with the gun Vcarried in operative position or swung downwardly with respect to the hatch ring to permit storage of the gun in a receptacle 50 carried by the top wall I4 of the tank turret. In order to facilitate the accurate positioning of the hatch ring relatively to the turret when it is desired to disconnect the gun mount from the hatch ring or to connect it thereto with the gun in the receptacle, a locking pin 52 (Fig. 6) is provided, This pin is slidable in a sleeve 54 carried by the hatch ring and secured in place by a plate 55 and is normally urged by a spring 56 toward the adjacent wall' of the turret which is provided with a recess 58 to receive the adjacent end of the pin when the hatch ring is in the proper position, To the outer end of the pin is secured a handle 60 to facilitate retraction of the pin by the operator from the aperture 58 to permit turning of the hatch ring relatively to the turret. Except when it is desired to lock the hatch ring in gunereceiving position, it should be free for unlimited turning movements, and accordingly the locking pin 52 is held in retracted position. For this purpose, a pin 62 carried by the hatch ring is arranged to act on the handle 60 to maintain the locking pin in its retracted position. The handle has a recess 66 arranged to permit inward movement of the locking pin when the handle is rotated to carry the recess into register with the pin 62. However, when the pin 52 is withdrawn a sufiicient amount, the handle 60 may be rotated to carry the recess out of register with the pin, whereby the handle rests upon the outer end of the pin 62 and the locking pin '52 is held in retracted position.

Carried by the hatch ring I2 is an upwardly extending bracket to which is pivoted a support for the gun mount comprising a pair of parallel supporting arms 12 fulcrumed on a pin 14V at opposite sides of the bracket. For coupling the gun mount to the supporting arms 12 a U-shaped locking member 16 is provided` This locking member includes a pair of parallel arms 11 (Fig. 4) pivoted on pins 18 projecting from the sides of the housing 30. For holding the pins in the housing they are provided with flattened surfaces 80 with which cooperate draw bolts 82, i

one of which is shown in Fig. 2, having cam surfaces 84 arranged, when the bolts are moved downwardly as viewed in Fig. 2 by tightening the nuts 86, to act on the attened surfaces 80 of the pins 18 and hold them rmly in place- The arms 11 carry outwardly projecting pins 88 engageable in curved grooves 90 in the inner faces of the supporting arms 12. These grooves, as shown in Fig. 2, each include a curved portion 92 concen- .trically disposed with respect to the pins 18 on which the locking member 16 is pivoted when the supporting arms 12 are in locking engagement with the gun mount, and another curved portion 94 concentric with the pin 14 on which the arms 12 are mounted. The pins 18 extend outwardly beyond the arms 11 of the locking member to be engaged by recesses 96 in the supporting arms 12 when the arms are locked to the gun mount. Lugs 98 carried by the housing 30 extend laterally from opposite sides there@ above and below the pins 18 in positions to engage the supporting arms 12 above and below the recesses 96 as shown in Fig. 1 thereby to assist in holding the gun mount rmly in the supporting arms.

Assuming that the gun is stored in the receptacle 59 and the supporting arms 12 are disconnected from the gun mount, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the connection between the supporting arms and the gun mount ris eiiected as follows. The locking member 16 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow a, after which the supporting arms 12 are swung downwardly, as shown by the arrow b, so that the pins 88 are received within the portions 94 of the grooves in the arms 12. The arms are moved downwardly until the extensions of the pins 18 are received by the recesses 96 in the arms and the lugs 98 of the housing 80 engage the faces of the arms adjacent to the recesses 98. The locking member 16 is now swung in a clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 2, the pins 88 carried thereby moving along the portions 92 of the grooves 90 in the supporting arms. The arms are now securely locked to the housing 30 by the pins 88 in the locking member 16, the extensions of the pins 18 and the lugs 93. Accordingly, the gun may be swung by the operator with the supporting arms 12 into an operative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

For locking the gun in this position, the bracket 10 is formed with an upwardly extending block |00 carrying a cam plate |02, With the gun in its operative position, being held there at this time by the operator, the locking member 16 is swung in a counterclockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it embraces the block |08 and engages the outer surface of the cam plate |02, thereby to hold the mount in the position shown in Fig. 1. Apertures |04 are formed in the arms 11 of the locking member 16 which are alined with an aperture |06 in the block |00 when the locking member 16 is in its locking position relatively to the block. Accordingly, a pin |08 can be inserted through the apertures in the arms 11 and the block |05. thereby to hold the locking member 16 in locking position. Pins |03 carried by the housing 30 enter recesses |05 in the block |00 and assist in holding the gun mount rigid at this time, In moving the locking member 16 in a counterclockwise direction relatively to the housing 30 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1 thereby to lock the gun mount in operative position, the pins 88 remain in the portions 92 in the supporting arms 12 so that the arms are still locked relatively to the gun mount. With the gun in the positionshown in Fig. 1, it may be swung in any direction and, assuming the locking pin 52 of the hatch ring to be withdrawn, the hatch ring with the gun mounted thereon may be readily swung to any desired position.

When it is desired to store the gun in the receptacle 50, the hatch ring |2 is turned until the locking pin 52 enters the recess 58 in the turret so that the gun is in proper position to be moved into storage position. The locking pin |08 is withdrawn, thus permitting the locking member 16 to be swung in a clockwise direction to free the mount from the block |00 carried by the hatch ring. With the gun turned about its vertical axis, so that it is parallel with the receptacle 50. it is lowered into the receptacle, the parts at this time assuming the positions shown in Fig. 2, the gun still being connectedto the arms 12 which suplport the gun during this movement.

The gun is now secured Within the receptacle I) by a locking pin IID which passes through the walls of the container and apertures in ears lI I 2 carried by the housing 30. With the gun thus secured within the receptacle 5G, the locking member 'I6 is now moved in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) to carry the pins 88 to the outer extremity of the portions 92 of the grooves SB. The supporting arms 'I2 are then moved upwardly out of engagement with the pins 88 in the locking member I6 into the positions illustrated in Fig. 5 and are locked therein by the pin |08 passing through apertures in the arms IZ and the aperture IUS in the block I. The gun mount is now entirely free of the hatch ring but is in position to be readily connected thereto whenever desired, asV

explained abovel' The locking arm I6 is held in the position shown in Fig. 5 during storage of the gun by spring-pressed detents I I 6 carried within the pins 88 and engageable with recesses II8 (Fig. 7) in the housing 30 when the locking member is moved into the position shown in Fig. 5. To obviate the danger of losing the locking pins |08 and I I, they are connected by chains or the like I2l3 and I22 to the hatch ring I2 and to the receptacle 50, respectively. The pins are provided with enlarged split outer ends which prevent their accidental Withdrawal from their respective locking positions. Additional locking pins I 24, |26 (Fig. 3) passing through the opposite Walls of the receptacle 5I] are provided further to hold the gun securely Within the receptacle. t

From the above, it will be seen that a convenient mechanism for supporting the gun in operative position on the hatch ring of the tank is provided, the mechanism being such' as to facilitate movement of the gun into storage position in a receptacle located on top of the tank turret and permitting the gun to be readily disconnected from the hatch ring so that when in storage position it will not interfere with the turning of the hatch ring by the operator.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a base, a carriage movable on said base, a device movable between an operative position on said carriage and an inoperative position on said base separate from said carriage. supporting means carried by said carriage, means for detachably securing said device to said supporting means, and means connecting said supporting means to said carriage for movement relatively, thereto whereby the device may be moved into inoperative position on said base when carried by said supporting means.

2. In combination, a base, a carriage movable on said base, a device movable between an operative position on said carriage and an inoperative position on said base separate from said carriage, means for supporting said device in operative position o-n said carriage for movement therewith, means connecting said supporting means to said carriage for movement relatively thereto whereby the supporting means guides said device in its movements between operative position on said carriage and inoperative position on said base, and means for detachably securing said device to said supporting means.

3. In combination, a base, a carriage movable on said base, a device movable between an operative position on said carriage and an inoperative position on said base separate from said carriage,

means for supporting said device in operative position on said carriage for movement therewith, means connecting said supporting means to said carriage for movement relatively thereto whereby the supporting means guides said device in its movements between operative position on said carriage and inoperative position on said base, means for detachably securing said device to said supporting means, and means for locking said supporting means to said carriage against movement relatively thereto.

4. In combination, a base, a carriage rotatably mounted on said base, a device movable between an operative position on said carriage and an inoperative position on said base, a support mounted on said carriage for pivotal movement about e, horizontal/axis, Vand means Yfor detachably connecting said device to said support, including means for locking said support against movement relatively to the carriage with the device in operative position.

5. In combination, a base, a carriage rotatably mounted on said base, a device movable between an operative position on said carriage and an inoperative position on said base, a support mounted on said lcarriage for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, means for detachably connecting said device to said support, including means for locking said support against movement relatively to the carriage with the device in operativ-e position, and means locating and locking said carriage in a fixed predetermined position relatively to said base so that the device may be moved between Koperative position on the carriage and inoperative position on the base.

6. In combination, a base, a carriage rotatably mounted on said base, a device movable between an operative position on the carriage and a storage position on the base independently of the carriage, a storage receptacle `carried by the base separate from the carriage, a support for said device mounted 0n the carriage for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to facilitate transfer of the device from its operative position to the storage receptacle, means for detachably connecting said device to said support, said lastnamed means including means for locking the support against movement relatively to the carriage with the gun in operative position, and means for locking the carriage to the base with the device in position to be transferred by the support to the storage receptacle.

7. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun movable between a firing position on the hatch ring and a storage position on the turret independent of the hatch ring, and means for coupling said gun to said hatch ring when the gun is in storage position.

8. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun movable between a firing position on the hatch ring and a storage position on the turret independent of the hatch ring, and means for coupling said gun to said hatch ring while the gun is in storage position and for locking said gun in operative position relatively to said hatch ring.

9. In. combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in iring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, supporting means carried by the hatch ring, means for detachably securing the gun mount to said supporting means, and means connecting'said supporting means to the hatch ring Yfor movement relatively thereto to facilitate movement of the gun between nring position and storage position.

10. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gunarranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in nring position cr to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, supporting means carried by the hatch ring, means for detachably securing the gun mount to said supporting means, means connecting said supporting means to the hatch ring for movement relatively thereto to facilitate movement of the gun between firing position and storage position, and means for locking said supporting means against movement relatively to the hatchl ring with the gun in ring position.

11. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in firing position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a support mounted on the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and means for detachably connecting said gun mount to said support.

12. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in ring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported; a support mounted on the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to carry the gun between firing position on the hatch ring and the storage position, and means for detachably connecting said gun mount to said support including means for locking the support against movement relatively to the hatch ring with the gun in firing position.

13. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in iiring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a support mounted on the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and means pivotally connected to said mount for detachably connecting the mount to the support.

14. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in ring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a support mounted on the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, a bracket carried by said hatch ring, and means carried by said mount for locking it to the support and for locking the support to the bracket with the gun in ring position.

15. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in ring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a storage receptacle carried by the turret separate from the hatch ring, a support for the gun mount carried by the hatch ring, said support being movable relatively to the hatch ring to facilitate h having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon,

transfer of the gun to the storage receptacle, and means for detachably-connecting said mount to said support.

l5. In combination, an armored tank turret having ahatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun movable between a firing position on the hatch ring and a storage position on the turret independent of the hatch ring, means for coupling said gun to said hatch ring when the gun is in storage position and for transferring the gun from the hatch ring to storage position, and means for locking the hatch ring to the'turret with the gun in position to be transferred t0 storage position.

17. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in firing position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a storage receptacle carried by the turret separate from the hatch ring, a support for the gun mount carried by the hatch-ring, said support being movable relatively to the hatch ring to facilitate transfer of the gun to the storage receptacle, means for detachably connecting said mount to said support, and means for locking the hatch ring to the turret with the gun in position to be transferred to the storage receptacle.

18. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch'ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in ring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a storage receptacle carried bythe turret separate from the hatch ring, a support for the gun mount carried by the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to facilitate transfer of the gun from its firing position to the storage receptacle, and means for detachably connecting said mount to said support.

19. In combination, an armored tank turret a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in iiring position or to be stored on the turret independently of the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a storage receptacle carried by the turret separate from the hatch ring, a support for the gun mount carried by the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to facilitate transfer of the gun from its ring position to the storage receptacle, and means for detachably connecting said mount to said support, said last-named means including means for locking the support against movement relatively to the hatch ring with the gun in operativeV position. Y

20. In combination, an armored tank turret having a hatch ring rotatably mounted thereon, a gun arranged to be carried by the hatch ring when in ring position or to be stored on the turret independently oi" the hatch ring, a mount in which the gun is movably supported, a storage receptacle carried by the turret separate from the hatch ring, a support for the gun mount carried by the hatch ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to facilitate transfer of the gun from its firing position to the storage receptacle, means for detachably connecting said mount to said support, said Vlast-named means including means for locking the support against movement relatively to the hatch ring with the gun in operative position, and means for locking of supporting arms pivoted to said hatch ring and arranged to engage opposite sides of said mount, a locking member carried by said mount for locking said arms thereto, and a member carred by the hatch ring cooperating with said locking member for holding said arms in a fixed position relatively to the hatch ring with the gun in ring position.

WILLIAM V. GOODHUE.