Carriage for antiaircraft guns

Feb.

5, 1929.

1,700,902

Y. P. G. LE PRIEUR

CARRIAGE FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS

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Feb. 5, 1929.

1,700,902

Y. P. G. LE PRIEUR

CARRIAGE FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS

Filed Dec. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Feb. 5, 1929.

1,700,902

Y. P. G. LE PRIEUR

CARRIAGE FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS

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Feb. 5, 1929. 1,700,902

Y. P. G. LE PRIEUR CARRIAGE FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS

Filed Dec. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4

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Patented Fek. 5, 1929. 1,700,902

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YVES PAUL· GASTON LE PRIEUB, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCliiT^ ANONYME t.A PRECISION MODEBNE, OF PARIS, FRANCE, A COMPANY OF FRANCE.

CARRIAGE FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS.

AppWmatin· Sled December 5, 1927, Serial No. 237,945, and in France December 9, 1926.

In some of the known gun carriages, such as those adapted for antiaircraft machine guns, it happens that the parts controlling the horizontal and vertical laying out and the sighting glasses are disposed in a manner such as will make the gunners using these parts and glasses prevent the other gunners from loading the gun.

In view of removing this drawback I dispose an arm which I will term hereinafter “fictitious gun” parallel to the gup by means of a parallel motion pivotally secured to the gun and to the rotating part of the gun carriage. This fictitious gun is always at a height corresponding to that of the head of the pointer who is seated on the rotating part of the carriage so as not to hinder the gunner loading the gun and to allow the gun to be controlled easily both in the horizontal and vertical planes. The fictitious gun is provided with the sighting means such as a device for direct sighting or else a correcting device allowing the movement of the target during the time of flight of the projectile to be taken into account.

The fictitious gun may be disposed below or above the gun. In the first case, it may be disposed somewhat in front of the gun so as to give the pointer a seat in front of the gun trunnions in view of freeing the gun completely.

The term gun used by me is intended to cover either one or more machine guns. In the case of a plurality of machine guns the latter are disposed together in a cradle borne by the trunnions of the carriage.

By way of example I have described hereinbelow and shown on appended drawings two forms of execution of a gun carriage according to my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a simple carriage of which Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a multiple carriage.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken at 90° with reference to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view partly sectional.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the firing device as seen at 90° with reference to Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 and 8 are a side view and a plan view of the device actuating simultaneously the cocking levers of the machine guns.

The gun carriage (Figs. 1 and 2) is borne by a conical support 1 secured to a stationary platform 2. Tnis carriage is constituted by a conical carriage 3 resting on the top of the support 1 through a ball or a step bearing 9. and kept over the center of the said support through the rollers 5 and 6 moving in suitable paths provided in the top and bottom of the support. The carriage of the so called 60 crinoline type is provided with arms 7 directed rearwards and bearing at their ends 8 the trunnions of the machine gun 9. The carriage 3 is also provided towards its front with spindles 10 parallel to the axis of the 65 trunnions 8 and secured to a fictitious gun 11. The latter is connected with the machine gun 9 through the rods 12 the length of which is equal to the distance between the axes of 8 and 10 and pivotally secured to the gun at 70 a point 13 the distance of which to the trunnions 8 is equal to the length of the fictitious gun 11. A parallel motion is thus constituted which may be deformed to suit the angular direction given in the vertical plane to 75 thegun and to the fictitious gun.

The carriage 3 carries at its lower part a seat 14 with a back 15 disposed in a manner such that when the pointer is seated thereon, his head 16 is about at the height of the trim- 80 nions 10 of the fictitious gun. In this position the pointer may use the controlling wheel 17 for levelling which wheel acts through the shaft 18 ending with the worm 19 meshing with an annular toothed part borne by the 85 support 1. The pointer may also use the wheel 21 for raising the gun, the said wheel acting through a shaft 22 and a worm 23 on a toothed wheel 24 sfecured to the trunnions 10 of the fictitious gun 11. The seat 14 ₈q has extensions 25 serving as foot rests the end of each of which is provided with a pedal 26, 27 of which one controls through a suitable device not shown the connection and disconnection of the two controlling handwheels 95 and the other controls the firing device of the gun.

The sighting device is borne by the fictitious gun 11 and is disposed with reference thereto as required for correct firing. For instance iqq as shown on Fig. 2, the fictitious gun 11 may be constituted oy a frame formed by two parallel rods 11,11' over which a carriage 28 bearing the sighting glass 29 may slide. The parts giving the levelling corrections and act- 105 ing on the sighting glass 29 are preferably disposed on the other side of the gun. For instance, these parts may comprise a calculating plate 30 well known per se which acts on a sighting rod 31 sliding in a pivoting 110

1,700,902 the turret. A second rod 144 is pivotally secured to the lever 142 through one end and to the rack 145 through the other.

The rack 145 drives a sector the vertical axis 147 of which extends as far as the trun- 70 nions of the cradle (Figs. 3 and 4) and is provided with a projection 148 bearing on a lever 149 passing through the trunnion 104 of the cradle 103 and adapted to control the cam 151 connected with that part of the firing 75 device which is borne by the cradle. This part shown on Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a rod 152 pivotally secured through one end to the cam 151 and through the other to a lever 153 to the spindle 154 of which is keyed a projec- 80 tion 155. The latter actuates a push rod 156, the end of which 157 is adapted to act on the firing device of the gun. There are as many projections 155 and rods 156 on the spindle 154 as there are individual guns whereby 85 the latter may be fired simultaneously.

It may be of interest on the contrary to control the firing of only a group of machine guns through the pedal 139. In such a case two projections 155 only for instance are dis- 80 posed on the spindle 154, which cortespond to the guns 101 and 101'. Another pedal controlled through the other foot, controls a transmission similar to that controlled by 139 and passing through the other trunnion 1 104' of the cradle.

It controls another spindle 154' inside the cradle to which are secured projections 155' acting on the push rods 156' for firing the two machine guns 102, 102'. It should be noted that the simultaneously controlled machine guns are disposed symmetrically with reference to the middle of the cradle so as to ensure the equilibrium of the stresses due to the firing.

The ammunition box 125 is disposed on a platform 161 borne by the turret 106.

। To the left of the cradle 103 is secured an arm 162. To the flask 105 is pivorally secured the end of an arm 163 connected i through the rod 164 with the arm 162. The . distances between pivoting axes are exactly equal for each two sets of axes whereby the t arm 163 remains always parallel to the axis I of the machine guns. This arm 163 forms the fictitious gun.

The fictitious gun used for pointing may serve for drilling purposes. More generally it is used for supporting the correcting device 165 which may be of the type described in my prior patent Appln. Ser. No. 106,703. Through such a device which I will not describe in detail the taking into account of the firing data causes the sighting glass 166 through which the pointer follows the target to oe moved by a suitable angle. The correcting device may be moreover removed instantaneously.

In a certain number of machine guns such as the Hotchkiss guns for which the frame 31' whereby it is placed parallel to the 1 direction to be given to the glass. The move- : ments of this rod 31 are followed by the glass 29 by means of suitable connections 32 be5 tween the pivoting frame 31' and a similar pivoting frame 29' to which the glass 29 is secured; a second line of sight parallel to the first one and adapted to be used by the gunner loading the gun may be disposed on the pivot70 ing frame 31', a second levelling handwheel being provided.

On Figure 3 and following, the guns 101, 101', 102 and 102' rest in a cradle 103 and are held from moving with reference to the 15 cradle for instance through a common control not shown. The cradle rocks round the shafts 104 and 104' in bearings borne by the flasks 103 and 103' secured to the turret 106.

The setting of the gun as to elevation is provided by the helically cut pinion 111 of forged bronze, said pinion meshing with a toothed sector 112 of steel secured to the shaft 104 of the cradle. The pinion 111 meshes with a steel worm 113 to which is keyed the bevel pinion 114 meshing with the bevel pinion 115 borne by the shaft of the handwheel 116 controlling the elevation of the gun.

The turret 106 rests through the thrust bearing 119 on the pivot 117 secured to the basis 118, a ball bearing 121 being interposed moreover between 106 and 117. The bearings 119 and 121 are mounted on the pivot 117 and are held tightly through the nuts 122 and 123 each provided with a safety nut.

The pivot 117 is centered over and secured to the basis 118. The turret 106 is provided with the levelling and firing devices, with the gunner’s seat 124 and the ammunition box 125.

The levelling is controlled from the top of the directing column 126 by the handwheel 127 which controls through the shaft 128 and the bevel pinions 130 and 131, the shaft 132 which actuates in its turn (Fig. 5) the shaft 133 actuating through an Oldham clutch the worm 135. The whole of this control gear borne entirely through ball bearings is enclosed.. Two inspection doors are provided in front of the nevel pinions.

The worm 135 meshes with a bronze toothed wheel 136 secured to the basis 118. The levelling is provided by the motion of the worm round this wheel.

The pointer sits in the seat 124 provided with a back riveted to a plate 137 provided with a shaft borne by the turret. The pointer’s feet may be disposed on foot rests 138 and 138' secured to the turret.

The gunner using the correcting device stands behind the pointer’s seat.

¹ Near the right foot of the pointer is arranged (Fig. 3) the firing pedal 139 the movement of which is limited by a stop 140 secured in a support. The pedal 139 is connected through a rod 141 with the lever 142 pivotally secured to a spindle 143 secured to

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1,700,002 above described carriages are specially adapted, the gun must be cocked each time firing is resumed through a lever to the side of the machine gun. As the sides of the 5 guns may be reached only with difficulty in the case of a multi-gun carriage, I have devised the automatic arrangement shown on Figs. 7 and 8.

The cocking lever 163 of each machine gun 10 such as the gun 101 is secured to a. rack 166 meshing with the toothed sector 167 keyed to the shaft 168 borne by the gun cradle perpendicularly to the guns. This shaft bears a bevel pinion 168 meshing with a bevel 15 pinion 171 keyed to the crank 172 the axis of which is borne by a lug 173 secured to the cradle. The shaft 168 bears a sector such as 167 for each machine gun. It is thus apparent that when the crank 172 is rotated, 20 all the cocking levers are simultaneously cocked.