US2452147A - Training mechanism for firearms - Google Patents

Description

ct. 26, 1948. F. w. REINHOLD ETAL 2,452,147

TRAINING MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Original Filed May 9, 1945 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 inwniars Fmnk WReinholaZ Jofm J Mac'l'e jowski .5 zheir/lzzorney Oct. 26, 1948- F. w. RElNHOLD :1- AL 2,452,147

TRAINING MECHANISM FOR- FIfiEARMS Original Filed May 9. 1945 2 Sheets-Shet 2 interlocking relation with the other hole.

Secured to the lower end of the support 22 and extending to the left from said support as viewed from the rear of the gun 28 is an arm 48 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is usedby thergunner to swing the supportsfi-and accordingly the gun 20 in azimuth. The upper end of the arm 40 has bifurcations 42a, 42b (Fig. 2) bored to support rotatably a pin-44 having secured to it by a screw 45 a handle 46 which the gunner grips with his leftha'nd and swings downward to fire the gun through mechanism described in said application:Serial No.. 592,-

864. When the gun is idle, the handle 46 is rigidly secured to the arm 40 by a latch 48 which fits in registering slots 50 (Fig. 2), 52 (Figs. 1 and 2) formed in the handle and the bifurcation 42a and which has secured to it a guide pin 54 (Fig. 2) fitting in a recess 55 of the handle. A spring 58, which is housed in a recess (50 of the handle 43 and has extending into it afpin 62 secured to the latch '48, constantly-urges the latch into the slot 52, in

which position the latch prevents the handle from beingswung downward by the gunner. The handle 46 may thusbe considered as constitutingpart of thearm 40 so far as the training of'the gun is concerned.

In order to move the gun 20 in elevation, there is provided a lever I28 (Figs. 1, 3,4 and 5) secured to one end of a horizontal'shaft I30 which is rotatably mounted in bosses of. the support 22 and has secured to itsother end an arm -.I3I (Fig. 1)

operatively connected througha link. 832 to an arm I 34 secured to the left trunnion 28 of the gun; Pivotally mounted upona pin. I36 (Figs. 1,

3 and 4)-fix'ed .tothe lever I23 is a bracket I38 comprising a handle I40 bored to receive a detent I42 .(Figs..4' and 5) provided with a head IM. "The upper end of the lever I 28 hasa forwardly extending'fiange provided with three'holes I46 (Figs. 1

and 4) I48 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4), and I50 (Figs. 3 and 5) the line ofcente'rs I52 (Fig. 3) of which is centered about the axis of the pin I36. The detent I42 is constantly urged-to the: left, as viewed in Fig. 5, by a springl 54 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) arranged tendenc during firing to jump about the axis of the trunnions 28, with the result that the gunner when using the handle I40 unconsciously tries to counteract such movement and thus tends to overcontrol the gun in elevation. With a view to steadying the training of the gun on the target when said gun is swung through angles of 30 or less,there is secured to the inner end of a shaft I 64 (Figs. 1,3 and 4), rotatably mounted in a bore I66 (Fig. 4) of the bracket I38, a pinion I68 (Figs. 3 and 4) which, when the stud I58 (Fig. 5) of the detent I42 registers in the hole I50, is in meshing engagement with teeth I10 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) of an arcuate rack I12 which is bolted to the support 22, the teeth of the rack having a pitch line centered at the axis of the shaft I30. To the outer end of the shaft I64 is pinned a crank I" having a handle which the gunner rotates with his right hand to move the gun in elevation. By providin the above-mentioned rack I12 and pinion I68, when swinging the gun 20 in elevation through low angles there is less strain on the gunner than when the gunner actuates the gun directly through the bracket handle I40. It will be appreciated that there is little tendency for the gun 20 to jump during firing when it is elevated above 30, at which time it is usually firing at fastmoving targets, such as airplanes, and is then more rapidly trained in elevation on the target by the useof the bracket handle I40.

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

1. In a firearm, a support freely rotatable in azimuth, a gun freely rotatable in elevation upon the support, and means constructed and arranged to enable a gunner to move the gun manually in elevation with relation to the support, said means comprising a lever, a bracket which is carried by the lever and is securable in at least two different 1 operative positions upon said lever, a rack sein a recess I55 (Figs. 4 and 5')of the handle I40 1 and having its outer end in engagement with the head I44 of the detent. The bracket I33 may be swung upon the pin I36 into positionsin which a stud I58 (Fig. 5) of the detent I42 selectively registers in any one oftheholes I46, I48, I50 the detent being retained in said holes by the action of the springI54.

When the stud I58 of the detent I 42 registers in either of the holes I46, I l8,*the gunner, grasping the handle I40 with his right hand-and sighting along line I 60(Fig; 1), trains'thegun in elevation on the target by moving the handle, and accordingly the lever I228, about the axis of the shaft I30." In order that the gunner shallnothave to move out of a comfortable or natural position when he is training the gun on thetarget by the use of the handle I40, the bracket I38 ismovable about the pin I36 to move the stud I58 of thedetent I 42 into register in either of the holes I46,

I38 upon the lever'I28 may bereadily effected by pressingthehead I44 of the detent- I42inward against the action of the sprin I 54 to withdraw the stud I58 from the'holein which it is held in The gun 2n whenelevatedless than 30 has .5

Such change-in the position-0f the bracketcured to said support, and a pinion and a crank therefor both rotatably mounted in the bracket, said pinion when the bracket is in one of its operative positions upon thelever being in meshing engagementwith the rack and when the bracket is in another operative position upon the lever being held in an inoperative position away from said rack.

2. In a firearm, a support freely rotatable in azimuth, a gun which is rotatable in azimuth, to-

gether with the support, and in elevation with relation to said support, a lever having two or more openings, mechanism for moving the gun in elevation in response to movement of said lever, a

bracket which is pivotally mounted upon said lever and comprises a handle, a detent which is associated wit-h the handle and is constructed and interlocking relation and then swinging the arranged to be moved interchangeably into interlocking engagement With any one of said openings to secure the bracket in different operative positions upon said lever, a rack secured to said support, and a pinion and a crank therefor rotatably mounted in the bracket, said pinion when the detent is in interlocking engagement in one of said openings being in meshing engagement with said rack, rotation of the crank with the detent thus positioned causing movement of the lever relatively' to the support and accordingly movement-of the gun in elevation.

FRANK We REINHOLD. JOHN J. MACIEJOWSKI.

No references cited.

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