US673702A - Breech-closing mechanism for ordnance. - Google Patents

Description

No. 673,702. I Patented May 7, IQGI. m. DABMANCIER & DALZON. BREECH CLOSING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANGE.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet I.

g No. 673,702. Patented May 7, I90l.

m. DARMANCIER & A. DALZON. BREEGH GLOSINGMECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

1 (Application filed Oct. 24, 1398. v I (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 673,702. Patented May 7, l90l. M. DARMANCIEB & A. DALZON.

BREECH CLOSING MECHANISM FOB ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 189B.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 673,702. Patented May 7, 19m.

- m. DARMANCIER & A. DALZDN.

BBEECH CLOSING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No. 673,702. Patented May 7, mm.

m. nAnmAmclsn & A DALZON. BREECH CLOSING MECHANISM FOR URDNANCE.

. (Application filed Ot. 24,;1898.) (No Model.)

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T FFIQFN MICHEL DARMANOIER AND AIME DALZON, OF ST. OHAMOND, FRANCE.

BREECH-CLOSING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,702, dated May 7, 1901.

Application filed October 24, 1898. Serial No. 694,430. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that we, MICHEL DARMANCIER and AIME DALZON, engineers, citizens of the Republic of France, residing at St. Chamond, Loire, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech-Closing Mechanism for Ordnance, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to breech-closing mechanism for ordnance of all calibers; and it has for its chief objects, first, to enable the breech to be opened or closed by causing an operatingshaft supported by the gun to be turned in one or the other direction, and, secondly, to prevent premature firing and the swinging back of the breech-block during firing.

The annexed drawings represent two constructive arrangements of the improved mechanism.

Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, relate to one arrangement, Fig. 1 being a rear view of the breech mechanism, the breech-block being closed. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line A B of Fig. 1, the breech-block being shown in plan. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the mechanism after the completion of the rotation of the breech-block, the first stage of opening. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line C D of Fig. 3, the breech-block being in plan. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section corresponding to Fig. 4, showing the breech-block at the completion of its rearward movement, the second stage of opening. Fig. 6 is a corresponding view to Fig. 5, showing the breechblock swung around and the breech fully open, the third and final stage of opening. Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, are respectively analogous views representing the second arrangement. Fig. 13 is a part sectional view, on a larger scale, of the breech mechanism shown in Fig. 1, a part of the breech-block and of the carrier-ring being broken away inorder to exhibit the catch and pawl mechanism.

The following description is applicable to both arrangements:

1 is the breech, and 2 the operating-shaft, by a continuous rotation of which the breech mechanism is operated. This shaft is worked by a crank 3 or by a motor and has keyed on it two bevel- pinions 4 and 5. The pinion 4 gearswith a bevel-wheel 6, mounted on an axis 7, parallel with the axis of the breechblock 8 and carrying a pinion 9, meshing with a toothed sector 10 on the breech-block. The pinion 5 gears with a bevel-wheel 11, mount ed on the hinge-bolt 12, on which is keyed a pinion 13, capable of gearing with a rack 14, out on the breech-block 8. The shaft 2 and the bolt 12 are fixed to the gun by suitable. brackets or supports. The crank 3 is movable longitudinally on the square end 15 of the shaft 2, and when the breech is closed ongages in a safety-jaw 16, which prevents it from turning.

The breech-block 8 is provided with a projection 17, adapted to abut against a stop 18 on the carrier-ring 19, which also carries a shoulder 20 and a stud 21, the nose of which engages either in a circumferential or transversal groove 22 or in a longitudinal groove 23 in the breech-block. The said block, which may or may not be cylindrical, is provided with an interrupted screw, the threads of which may be either right or left handed.

In a recess in the carrier-ring 19 is located acatch 24,which is pressed toward the breechblock by a spring 25. The inner end 26 of this catch is adapted to enter either a circumferential groove 27 or a recess 28 in the breech-block. When the said end of the catch is not resting in either one or the other, its outer end 29 enters a cavity 30 in a projection 31 of the breech.

In the connection with the catch 24 is a pawl 32, Fig. 13, which is movable around a pivot 33. This pawl hasa rounded nose working in a notch in the end 26 of the catch 24, and it has also a tail 34, capable of rising up an incline cut in the projection on the ace of the breech.

To prevent premature firing and the swinging back of the breech-block, the latter,which is traversed by a vent 36, has a T-shaped groove 37, in which is fitted a safety-slide 38, adapted to cover this vent. This slide carries the whole or a part of the devices necessary for firing by percussion or by electricity and terminates in a lateral projection or heel 3.9, having a bevel edge 40, capable of entering a recess 41, formed with an inclined face 42 in the carrier-ring 19. The safety-slide 38 also carries an arm or projection 43, adapted to come into contact with a lever 44, pivoted at 45 to the gun. This lever carries a stud 46, engaging in a groove 47 in the boss of the crank 3.

A locking rod or blade 48 is situated in a longitudinal groove in the breech-block and is connected to it by a pin 49. This rod terminates in a milled head 50, by which it can be lifted slightly when the breech is closed. It can also engage in one or the other of two notches 51 and 52 in the slide 38, and will remain locked in the latter notch by the internal wall of the upper plain portion or sector 53 of the carrier-ring 19, the edge of which is beveled at 54, so as to press the said rod or blade 48 fully into its groove before it is locked therein by the said upper plain sector.

The working of the mechanism is as follows,it being assumed that the breech is closed and the parts in the position represented in Fig. lz'To open the breech, the crank 3 is drawn or slid to the right to release it from the jaw 16 and is then turned on the shaft 2. This movement first produces the partial rotation of the breech-block on itself through the medium of the pinion 4 and the wheel 6 and of the pinion 9 in gear with the toothed sector 10. The pinion 5 and the Wheel 11 also cause the hinge-bolt 12 to turn idly, as the pinion 13 has not yet come into engagement with the rack 14. The rotation of the breech-block 8 is arrested directly the projection 17 strikes against the stop 18. During this first phase the wedge-like groove 27,sliding over the end 26 of the catch, has pushed back thislatter into its groove and has caused the outer end 29 to enter into the cavity 30, thus locking the carrier-ring to the breech. At the same time the groove 22 has traveled along the nose of the stud 21, so that the latter is in line with the groove 23. Directly the rotation-of the breechblock 8 is completed its rearward sliding movement commences, for the pinion 13 gears with the rack 14 and the sector 10 is thrown out of gear with the pinion 9. As soon, however, as the forward end of the groove 23 comes against the nose of the stud 21 the sliding movement of the breech-block ceases,Fig. 5, while the recess 28, Fig. 3, comes exactly opposite the end 26 of the catch 24. From this moment the breechblock 8 being unable to turn on itself or to move backward a swinging movement of the whole arrangement around the bolt 12 follows, the pinion 13 moving the carrier-ring 19 by means of the breech-block itself. At the start of the rotation of the carrier-ring 19 the tail 34 of the pawl 32 descends the incline on the breech and permits the projection 26 of the catch 24 to enter the cavity 28, thus connecting the breech-block 8 rigidly with the carrier-ring and rendering possible the movement of this ring by the pinion 13 on the commencement of the closing movement of the breech. Sim ultaneously therewith the means for preventing premature firing and the swinging back of the breech-block operate as follows:

On the commencement of the opening the necessary motion of the crank 3 to the right causes the lever 44 to oscillate and brings it into the position shown in Fig. 3. This movement is transmitted by the arm 43 to the safety-slide 38, the bevel 40 of which comes in front of the incline 42, up which it rises, thus continuing to draw the slide 38 to the right until the bevel is disengaged from the'incline. The slide 38 is thus held away from the center of the breech-block by the external edge of the carrier-ring 19. At the same time the locking rod or blade 48, which is raised out of the notch 51 by the displacement of the slide has fallen back into the notch 52, and when the rotation of the breechblock is almost completed the said rod encounters the incline 54, which pushes it back into its groove, whereupon the sector 53 looks it securely therein, as described. The slide is thus absolutely fixed relatively to the breech-block 8 during the entire rearward movement of the latter and its rotation around the hinge-bolt.

To close the breech, the shaft 2 is turned.

in the contrary direction. From the beginning of the movement, the breech-block 8 being rigidly connected with the carrier-ring 10, the whole arrangement under the action of the pinion 13 turns around the bolt 12 until the front face of the carrier-ring 19 comes against the rear face of the gun. Thereupcn the catch 32, the tail 34 of which has only then ridden up the incline on the breech, has caused the catch 24 to reenter into its cavity and disengaged its end 26 from the recess 28, thus causing its other end to lock the carrierring 19 to the breech and rendering possible the forward movement of the breech-block,

which movement isimparted to it by the pinion 13, gearing with the rack 14, and is limited by the projection 17 abutting against the carrier-ring. The toothed sector 10 then comes into gear with the pinion 9 and the breech-block 8 receives its movement of rotation, limited by the projection 17 abutting against the stop 20. The breech being now closed, the crank must be pushed fully to the left, both to cause it to engage in the jaw 16 and prevent it being turned during firing and to permit subsequent firing. The slide 38, indeed, has been rendered free to be moved only when the closing movement has been completed and the heel 39 returned opposite the recess 42; but to enable the firing to be brought about the locking rod or blade 48 must be raised so as to permit the slide 38 to be pushed back fully to the left. Now this movement of the slide is only possible when the lever 44 has resumed the position indicated in Fig. 1 and which can only take place when the crank 3 has been previously en tirely pushed to the left. Premature firing is thus rendered impossible so long as the breech has not been completely closed-that is to say, the crank 3 properly engaged in the jaw 16. Moreover, when theslide 38 is pushed to the left its heel 39 engages in the recess 41 IIO of the carrier-ring, and thus acts as a key for connecting the breech-block with the carrierring and preventing the swinging to open the breech-block.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the axis 7 is rigidly connected with the gun.- The wheel 6 therefore remains permanently in gear with the pinion 4, and only the sector 10 is disengaged from the pinion 9.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 to -12 differs from the preceding only by reason of the axis 7 being secured to the carrier-ring 19. The wheel 6 is therefore disengaged from the pinion 4, and thus ceases to be in connection with the shaft 2, the toothed sector 10 being likewise disengaged from the pinion 9. The working of this second arrangement is, however, substantially the same as the first one. In both these examples the working of the breech necessitates longitudinal movement of the breech-block, but our mechanism is equally applicable to breech-blocks in which such movement is unnecessary. In this case the mechanism would be simplified by dispensing with the rack on the breech-block and its pinion.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. In a breech mechanism for ordnance, the combination with the breech-block provided with a suitable groove, the gearing for effecting longitudinal and swinging movements of in position, and means suitably connected to the gun, operated by said crank and engaging said projection for actuating said slide.

2. In a breech mechanism for ordnance, the combination with the breech-block, the carrier-ring, the gearing foroperating said block, the operating-shaft for the gearing and the crank for the shaft, of the safety-slide mounted in the breech-block and suitably extending therefrom, a projection formed integral with the extended end of said slide, a locking-rod arranged in the breech-block and adapted to engage said slide for retaining the same in position, and a lever pivotally connected to the gun, operated by said crank arm and adapted to engage said projection to actuate said slide.

3. In a breech mechanism, a crank for operating a gearing for imparting a suitable movement to a breech-block, a safety-slide adapted to be mounted in the breech-block, a locking-rod secured within the breech-block and adapted to engage said slide for retaining the same in position, a projection connected to the outer end of said safety-slide, a lever pivoted to a gun and adapted to engage said projection and actuate said slide when the lever is operated, and means carried by said,

lever and engaging said crank for imparting movement. to the former when the latter is operated.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presenceof two witnesses.

MICHEL DARMANOIER. AIME DALZON.

Witnesses:

J. PENEF, PETEL.

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