Automatic firearm

Oct. 8, 1935. n. Mancini 2,016,646

AUTOMATIC FIREARM

Filed Nov. 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Niccolo inventor β*’

Oct. 8, 1935.

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N. MANCINI

AUTOMATIC FIREARM

Filed Nov. 21, 1932

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2,016,646

Sheets-Sheet 2

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Niccoio' Moncint

IWENTOH ft» Attorney

Patented Oct. 8, 1935

2,016,646

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,016,846 AUTOMATIC FIREARM Niccold Mancini, Florence, Italy Application November 21,1932, Serial No. 643,624 In Italy June 3,1932

Claim. (Cl. 42—4)

The present invention has for Its object a firing or safety mechanism, especially intended for machine guns with a recoil barrel and double-armed block lever, of safe and simple construction and r> functioning.

More especially, one of the main characteristics of the invention resides in the special structure of the trigger which, in combination with the peculiar conformation of the fire-pin, is Αεί o signed to prevent the casual discharge of the arm when unguarded.

Another characteristic feature of said trigger consists in holding the breech block open oh the cessation of firing and thus preventing the car15 tridge from remaining within the barrel, with a view of hindering its ignition on the barrel becoming heated to excess.

Further special features, which will be specified hereinafter, concern the regulatable contrivance 20 for slackening the firing and for the automatic lubrication of the arm.

The annexed drawings illustrate, by way of example, one form of execution of the inventicn embodied in a machine gun with a recoil barrel 25 and a double-armed block lever, the arm being represented, in longitudinal section, in

Fig. 1 in a position of rest, relatively to the moment of firing; in

Fig. 2 with all the movable parts in the extreme 30 position of recoil; in

Fig. 3 with the breech in firing position, the breech block at a moment of its forward course, the fire-pin held by the block lever; in

Fig. 4 with the breech and breech block in the 35 firing position and the fire-pin at a moment of its forward course; in

Fig. 5, as above, but with the breech block stationary upon the trigger.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 represent various cross sections of 40 the trigger which is seen in

Fig. 9 in perspective form.

Now with reference to the drawings as specified above, in which like parts are marked with like references, the arm is essentially composed 45 of:—

A frame or support i and of a movable breech 2 with its spring 2'; of a breech block 3 and a fire-pin 4 with their springs 3' and 4'; of a double-armed block lever 5 pivoted by means of the 50 pin 7 on the movable breech 2, whose front arm is attached at its extremity to the spring 5' fixed to the breech, while the end of the rear arm carries the snap tooth 6 with its spring 6'. The movable breech 2 also carries the trigger 9 with 55 its spripg 9' and with the rest of its movable parts which will be particularly described in the sequel, while to the frame or support is fixed the inclined plane 8 and the actuating knob 9.

Immersed in the oil contained in the box 13; fixed to the frame or support, there is the pump 5 14 with its piston and spring 15’, the said piston being furnished with an extension adapted to emerge from the box 13 in order to maintain contact with the movable breech.

The operation of the arm, familiar in its gen- 10 eral details; and with special reference to the firing and safety mechanism concerned, is as follows:—

On the firing of the shot, the barrel-breech 2 recoils, carrying along with it the breech block 15 3, the fire-pin 4, as well as the block lever 5, and compressing the spring 2'.

During this retrograde movement the lever 5 encounters the inclined plane 8 which compels it to rotate about its pin 7 compressing the spring 20 S'. Consequently, the breech block 3 is released, and while the breech 2, urged by the spring 2', turns to the firing position—it continues its recoiling movement, compressing the spring 3' and, at the same time, withdrawing the case from the 25 fired cartridge and conveying the fire-pin 4 to its extreme retrograde position against its spring 4'.

The trigger being assumed to be still actuated, the springs 3' and 4' push forward the breech block 3 and fire-pin 4, Fig. 3. The latter comes 30 to a standstill with its tooth 17 upon the tooth 8 of the block lever 5 until the breech block 3 shall have reached its normal firing position, because then only can the lever 5 obey the action of the compressed spring 5’ and turn about its pivot 7, 35 being once more fast upon the breech block 3 in order to block the latter. No sooner has this occurred, than the fire-pin 4, having become disengaged from the block lever tooth 17 from tooth 6 is enabled to descend in order to produce igni- 40 tion.

It might, however, happen that, owing to the imperfect introduction of the cartridge into the arm, the block lever 5 would be unable completely to settle upon'the breech block 3, in which case 45 the fire-pin 4 would remain in but the least possible engagement with the tooth 6. It would be natural for the firer, on hearing no report, to relinquish the trigger, in order to examine the weapon. A shock of any nature might cause the 50 complete stoppage of the block lever, and the fire-pin, meeting with no obstructions would bring about the firing of the shot, which is objectionable. The other tooth 18 with which the fire-pin is provided further to the rear, serves to obviate this 55

9,018,848 drawback. On the trigger 9 being released, its tooth 19 descends and is interposed between the teeth 17 and 18 of the fire-pin and, even were the block lever suddenly to enter its seat, the 6 fire-pin would no longer fire any shot, inasmuch as its tdoth 18 straightway proceeds to strike against the tooth 19 of the trigger 9.

The latter also serves to hold the breech block open on firing being suspended, thus ensuring, 10 as is highly desirable in automatic fire-arms, the introduction of the cartridge into the barrel at the instant of firing only. The other tooth 20 of the trigger allows the attainment of this result by checking the breech block. In Fig. 6 is shown 15 the trigger 9 with its tooth 20 lowered; in Fig. 7 with the same raised through the action of the tooth 21 of the breech block, in Fig. 8 with the tooth. 20 again lowered after the passage of the breech block. The tooth 2i of the breech block, 20 in its recoil, pushes up the tooth 20 which, however, urged by the spring 9', once more descends as soon as the tooth 21 has passed beyond it. It, therefore, holds the breech block in its extreme position of recoil. It is only on the knob 9 be25 ing again pressed, that the said breech block is released and enabled to start forward in order to reassume its position.

The breech block must preferably remain open during the cessation of firing or between two 30 rounds of shots, so that no cartridge remain in the barrel when the barrel is hot. This will avoid involuntary firing. In its course passing beyond the tooth 20 (see Fig. 9), the tooth 21 is held back with the breech block leaving the car35 tridge in its reservoir, and leaving the barrel empty until the following pressure on the trigger. Owing to this pressure the tooth 20 is raised and withdraws from the tooth 21. The breech block then starts forward bringing the cartridge into 40 the barrel and causes the firing.

Fig. 9 shows the detent in perspective and in Figs. 6-7 the detent is shown in front view within the fire-arm, and in side elevation, partly in sec tion, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This detent may be moved up and down by means of the stud 9 (see Figs. 1-3), which is connected with it through a bell crank and a centrally pivoted lever (Figs.

1—3). The stud 9” is actuated by finger pressure. 5 The detent will be moved also in response to the return movement of the obturator 8. The obturator 3 slides with its projection 21 (Figs. 4-8) along the inclined plane 20 of detent 9 (Fig. 9) and raises the detent as shown in Fig. 7. The obtura- 10 tor is locked in the position shown in Fig. 2 unless the stud 9 is depressed to move the detent into the position shown in Fig. 3. Owing to this arrangement no cartridge need be left in the bar^rel· 15

The lubrication of the arm is effected as follows:—At each stroke the piston IS Fig. 2 is compelled by its spring IS’ to follow the breech 2. The latter, returning to the firing position, again pushes forward the piston within its pum-stock, 20 whereby the surrounding oil, contained in the box 13, is injected into the special small lubricating -channels 16 leading to those parts of the arm that call for the lubricant.