US2489749A

US2489749A - Gun and gun carriage

Info

Publication number: US2489749A
Application number: US614715A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burney Charles Dennistoun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-01-01
Filing date: 1945-09-06
Publication date: 1949-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1966-11-29

Description

Nov. 29, 1949 c. D. BURNEY GUN AND GUN CARRIAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 Inventor D.BU RNEY Nov. 29, 1949 C. D. BURNEY GUN AND GUN CARRIAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 Inventor C, D. B UR way Attorneys Nov. 29, 1949 C. BURNEY GUN AND GUN CARRIAGE 3 Sheets-She et 3 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 Inventor B uRA/EY Attorneys Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATE TENT QFHCE GUN AND GUN CARRIAGE Charles Dennistoun Burney, Baynards Park, near Cranleigh, England Section 1, Public Law 69c, August s. 1946 Patent expires January 1, 1963 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to recoilless guns of the kind in which the gun barrel does not require any mechanism for absorbing the recoil shock on firing and does not transfer any substantial recoil shock to the gun mounting or carriage. The term recoilless is used herein to denote a gun in which the whole or substantially the whole of the barrel recoil is eliminated and no shock or substantially no shock is transferred to the mounting. In some instances, however, a small recoil shock may be transferred to the mounting and in some cases a degree of barrel recoil may be allowed for the purpose of operating automatic loading mechanism.

The invention has for its main object to provide an improved construction of mobile recoilless gun adapted for dropping from aircraft. The invention is primarily devised for application to recoilless guns as described in the specification of my prior concurrent patent application, Serial No. 552,347, filed September 1, 1944, for improvements in or related to ordnance and small arms, although it is also applicable to other recoilless guns.

A further important object is to enable guns of the kind set forth to be carried by and dropped from aircraft as normally built and adapted for carrying and dropping torpedoes, so that it is unnecessary to build new aircraft or make substantial alterations to existing aircraft for carrying and dropping guns.

According to the main feature of the invention, I provide a mobile recoilless gun in which the barrel is supported on horizontal trunnions by a bracket which is rotatable on an underframe, wheeled at or near one end, about a vertical pivot disposed between the wheels at one end of the underframe and the other end of the underframe, but nearer to the wheeled end of the underframe than the other, and wherein the centre of gravity of the gun proper lies between the muzzle and the vertical pivot, so that with the ma or portion of the underframe constituting a false trail extending forwardly beneath the gun barrel, unobstructed access is obtained to the breech end of the gun overhanging the wheels, and the gun barrel and mounting as a whole forms a stable structure, both for firing and transport. Thus in its firing position, as well as during transport, the gun barrel extends over the major portion of the underframe, in which respect the gun differs from normal guns, in the case of which in the firing position the major portion of the underframe usually forms a trail extending rearwardly i. e. oppositely to the gun barrel. For this reason the major and forwardly extending part of the underframe is herein referred to as a false trail.

An important advantage of locating the vertical pivot nearer to the wheeled end of the underfrarne than the other, which arises in the case of guns according to the present invention, in which the barrel in its normal firing position extends over the major portion of the underframe, with its breech end extending beyond the wheeled end of the underframe, is that there is no trail to obstruct access to the breech end of the gun for the purposes of loading and laying.

The gun is ready for loading on an aircraft with its barrel extending in its normal firing position, longitudinally over the major portion or false trail of the underframe, in which position the overall length of the gun and. carriage as a whole is a minimum, and the gun and carriage form a compact structure which will occupy a minimum of space on or in an aircraft.

In consequence of the weight distribution of gun in relation to the wheels and the underframe, with the barrel in its firing position overlying the false trail or major portion of the underframe, if the gun on its mounting is loaded in an aircraft with its barrel directed towards the tail of the aircraft, when it is dropped from th aircraft, say from a height of three or four feet, the gun as a whole will make a stable three point landing on its two wheels and the end of the false trail, and will travel forward on its wheels without overturning. Preferably, the false trail itself, which may be either of single or split type, carries at its rear end a shoe, or lever member, which is rotatable about an axis at right angles to the trail. in combination with brake mechanism acting on the wheels of the gun carriage, which is operated by rotation of the shoe or lever caused by its engagement with the ground. By this means the gun carriage may be rapidly brought to rest after being dropped from an aircraft.

The gun with the barrel overlying the false trail or major portion of the underframe may be slung beneath the body of an aircraft, in a manner similar to a torpedo, by means of two arms which encircle the barrel of the gun, which arms are simultaneously opened to release the gun when it is to be dropped. This mechanism may be similar to the torpedo mounting and dropping gear employed on torpedo carrying aircraft, the gun barrel taking the place of the torpedo, and it is contemplated that such aircraft could be used ning the axle, in a manner similar to that commonly employed in connection with motor carsr' Provision may be made for locking th springs between the wheels and the gun, when the gunis swun into firing position, so as to prevent the possibility of movement on firing:

Means may be provided for clamping'the muzzle false trail, with the gun barrel clamped in this position. If the gun is to be provided with a shield, in order to permit rotation of the gun through 180 or 360, thegun shield may be at- The platform l5 and false trail 2 are mounted on the wheels 1 and the axle structure la through the intermediary of suitable leaf spring structures 8, and the barrel i is adapted to be elevated about the trunnions 3 by the elevating gear 9. The leaf spring structures .3 are parallel and spaced apart along the axle structure 1a; each spring structure has one end thereof secured to the axle structure lai The opposite end of each spring structure 8 is securedto the false trail 2 at 25, and the false trail is supported by the spring structures 8 at the point-2G"'intermediate the length of the spring structures; For traversing the gun the traversing-gear i9 is operated to rotate the mount 4 on l5lrthe=platform To permit an all round traverse end of the gun to the false trail of the carriage, so that the gun can be towed by means of the tached to the gun-itself, the-lower part of the shield being hinged to enable it toclear the wheels I when the'gun is being rotated. Theshield-on the gun may operate in conjunction with a lower shield mounted on the wheeled under-frame.-

Ifdesired theprotectionafi-orded by shieldmay' be increased-by employing disc wheels of armour plate and 'so--;m0unting th mbn their axle treesthatthey can berotated into a planeat right anglesto the axis of-thegun,-so as in efiectto fOrn'r extensions-of the shield in the downward direction? Adjustable means would, or

course, be provided for locking the wheels either" A incth-is position or-in theirnormal running posi tion.,'withtheir planes-parallel'tothe-axis of the Animportant'advantage of the'invention when" the gun is of the-recoille'ss typedescribe'd in the above-mentioned applicationySerai'No. 552,347, in-

voluing considerableextension 'ofthe gun'in rear the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan View thereof with the shield removed,

Figure 3 is a view showing the gun mounted fortransport by an aeroplane; and

Figure 4 is a front view illustrating a modification of the field gun mounting of Figures 1 and 2.'

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a recoilless field gun, for example, of 3.45" calibre, is mounted on a carriage with its barrel I extending in the same direction as the false trail 2 of the carriage; The

gun is mounted on trunnions 3 pivotally carried. by a bracket or mount t rotatable about a vertical axis 5 projecting upwardly from a platform 6, which, together with the false trail 2, constitutes the chassis or underframe of the gun carriage. As will be seen, the axis of the trunnions lies vertically above and is intersected by the axis of the vertical pivot 5.

The center of gravity G of the barrel lies between its muzzle la and the axis of the trunnions 3.

trail by a clamping device generally indicated at 43; The-end'of the false trail 2 is provided with I fitting-to enable'the gun-to be an eye i5 or other towed when desired.

When inaction the protection afforded by the shield iimay-be increased'if the wheels l areso mounted on the ends of their axle treeythat they '1 may be rotated rearwardly about vertical axes. into positions at right angles to their normal runningpositions, as illustrated'by Figured:

The gun may be slung beneath an aeroplane as illustrated by Figure'3, theibarrel being gripped to those employed by clamps or bands 58 similar on aircraft for them-slinging .oftorpedoes, and similar means beingiprovided leasing the clamps or bandsilll when it is desired-to drop the gun from the aeroplane at a shortfdistance above the ground.

Asuthe gun will land from an aeroplane with considerable forward velocity, it isdesirableto provide it with braking means. thefalse trail 2 is which on landing engages with the ground and operates suitable rod and lever mechanism 293' coupled to the-wheel brakes 2!, so that the brakes of the wheels 1 are applied as soon as the spike 89 engages the ground.

The same braking mechanism will'serve to pre-' vent accidental movement of the gun carriage from its arranged firing position, the brakes bein applied by hand operated mechanism in. the usual way, so that the spike i9 is projected H from the false trail into a position in which it can be forced into the ground so as to form an anchor opposing'any forward or rearward move-.- ment of the gun from its firing position, due. to.

any partial forward or rearward recoil of the mounting on firing, although the gun of 166% non-recoil type.

I claim:

In a guncarriage, a pair ofspaced wheels;

axle structure supported by-said wheels, a o r of spaced parallel leaf spring structures e ing substantially horizontally from same side of the axle structure as said spri the ends of the springs distant from the a. 1; structure being secured to said false trail and the false trail being supported bysaid springstrum tures intermediate the length-of the latter, a bracket carried by said false trail above and outwardly from said axle structure, said bracket being rotatable with respect to said trail on a for opening or re-' For this purpose may be fitted with a groundspike is preferably said axle structure, a falsetrailpositioned on the 5 vertical axis, a second bracket having gun trunnions and pivotally connected to said first bracket on a horizontal axis lying a substantial distance above said axle structure, a recoilless gun ba el carried in said trunnions with its muzzle dir' :5 away from the axle structure to fire in the direction of said false trail, the center of gravity of said barrel being disposed between the barrel muzzle and said horizontal axis upon Which said trunnion is rotatable.

CHARLES DENNISTOUN BURNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 6 Name Date Pompili Nov. 19, 1912 Cooke Feb. 11, 1919 Schneider July 22, 1919 Giles Oct. 18, 1921 Schneider Apr. 1'7, 1923 Randolph Aug. 12, 1924 Rosner Sept. 30, 1924 Riabouchinski Feb. 28, 1928 Joyce -1 Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Denmark Jan. 23, 1899 Austria May 11, 1903 Denmark July OTl-IER REFERENCES" Popular Science, April 1944, page 132, Nazi 75- 20 mm. Paracannon.