Recoiling barrel operated pivoted loading tray mechanism

Dec. 23, 1958

H. W. ALDRIN

2,865,254

RECOILING BARREL OPERATED PIVOTED LOADING TRAY MECHANISM

Filed Sept. 17, 1954

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Dec. 23, 1958 h. w. aldrin 2,865,254

RECOILING BARREL OPERATED PIVOTED LOADING TRAY MECHANISM

Filed Sept. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2

Fig. 2

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Dec. 23, 1958 h. w. aldrin 2,865,254

RECOILING BARREL OPERATED PIVOTED LOADING TRAY MECHANISM

Filed Sept. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3

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Dec. 23, 1958 h. w. aldrin 2,865,254

RECOILING BARREL OPERATED PIVOTED LOADING TRAY MECHANISM

Filed Sept. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4

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United States Patent Office

2,865,254

Patented Dec. 23, 1958 two ring sectors 4 which are guided in guide tracks 7 on cradle carriers 5 and 6. Ring sectors 4 and guide tracks 7 serve to pivot the gun barrel and its jacket for elevation and depression of the gun, the pivot axis of the 5 barrel being coaxial with the axis of loading tray 13 when the same is in the position shown in Fig. 2. To facilitate the pivotal movement of the gun barrel, balls, rollers or needles may be fitted between sectors 4 and tracks 7.

The top wall of jacket part 3 supports a sleeve 8 through which a shaft 9 is extended. There is further provided coaxially with shaft 9 a housing 10 within which a spiral spring 11 is disposed. One end of the spring is secured to shaft 9 and the other to housing 10. The 15 end of shaft 9 within jacket part 3 mounts a jacket sleeve 12 in which the loading tray 13 is fitted which is shown as a cylindrical tube. Tray 13 may either occupy the position of Fig. 1 which is the ramming position of the tray or the position of Fig. 2 which is the loading 20 position of the tray. For purpose of ramming a shell inserted in the tray, the tray is slotted at 14. A rammer 15 may enter the tray by means of the slot. Rammer 15 is axially slidable on a 'bar 16 one end of which is secured to a bracket 17 extending from the top wall of 25 jacket part 3 and the other to the front wall of jacket part 3. A spring 18 serves to actuate the rammer. The arrangement and the actuation of the rammer are conventional and a detailed description thereof is not essential for the understanding of the invention.

Breech ring 19 mounts a camming plate 21 having a cam way 22 coacting with a cam roller 23. Roller 23 is mounted on an arm 24 ending in a shaft 25 pivotally supported in the top wall of jacket part 3. Shaft 25 has secured thereto a curved arm 26 pivotally linked to 35 jacket sleeve 12 and hence to tray 13.

Jacket sleeve 12 and tray 13 both have a cut-out 27 so disposed that the cut-out together with a cradle like extension 20 of breech ring 19 forms an ejection path for an ejected cartridge case when the loading tray is in -ίΟ the loading postion of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1, a shell is shown inserted in the loading tray, the projectile being designated by 28 and the cartridge case by 29. For purpose of loading the tray through jacket part 3, an opening 3α is provided in the appro_4g priate wall of jacket part 3. The diameter of this opening should be at least equal to the inner diameter of loading tray 13.

In order releasably to retain the loading tray in the loading position of Fig. 2 and in alignment with load₅₀ ing opening 3α, a releasable locking device is provided. This locking device is shown in detail in Fig. 3 but for reason of clarity of illustration omitted in Figs. 1 and 2. It is mounted on a bracket 30 extending from tray 13 and comprises a catch 32 pivoted to bracket 30 by a ₅₅ pivot pin 31. Catch 32 extends through a hole 37 in a plate 37α fixedly secured to bracket 30 and is engageable with the respective edge of plate 37α as can be clearly seen in Fig. 3. A spring 33 urges catch 32 into engagement with plate 37α. An arm 34 is on one end piv_β0 oted to catch 32 and on the other end linked to a bell crank 35 pivoted at 36 to tray 13. In the catch position of catch 32 the respective arm of bell crank 35 extends into tray 13 and hence the path of a cartridge casing 29 placed in tray 13.

q₅ The end of tray 13 mounting the locking device of Fig. 3 mounts a second releasable locking device. This second locking device is shown in detail in Fig. 4 but omitted in Figs. 1 and 2 for reason of clarity of illustration.

The second locking device comprises a spring housing -0 38 fixedly secured to tray 13 and slidably housing a plunger ending in a catch 39. A spring 41 urges catch 39 into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the catch

2,865,254

RECOILING BARREL OPERATED PIVOTED LOADING TRAY MECHANISM

Henry Wilhelm Aldrin, Bofors, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolag Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden

Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,664

Claims priority, application Sweden October 1,1953

Claims. (Cl, 89—45)

The present invention relates to a loading tray arrangement for a firearm especially a recoiling gun, and more particularly to recoiling guns mounted on wheels or tracks.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loading tray arrangement for guns of the general type above referred to, which permits loading of the gun in any elevational position of the barrel thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loading tray arrangement suitable for coaction with a cartridge magazine without requiring to lower or raise the magazine jointly with the gun barrel. Such an arrangement affords the advantage that the total weight of the components to be raised or lowered jointly with the gun barrel is greatly reduced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loading tray arrangement in which the recoil movement of the barrel automatically moves the tray from the ramming position into the loading position and in which the loading of a shell automatically returns the tray into the ramming position for purpose of ramming a loaded shell.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the appli- TC cation.

In the accompanying drawings several preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: ₄₅

Fig. 1 is an isometric view, partly in section, of a loading tray arrangement according to the invention showing the tray in its ramming position.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view, partly in section, similarly to Fig. 1 but showing the tray in its loading position. ₅₀

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of locking means for releasably retaining the tray in its loading position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detailed view of locking means for releasably retaining a shell inserted in the loading tray. --

Fig. 5 is an isometric diagrammatic view of a loading tray arrangement according to the invention showing the loading tray equipped with cartridge deflecting means in its ramming position.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 5 showing ₆₀the tray and the cartridge deflecting means in the loading position.

Fig. 7 is an isometric diagrammatic view of a loading tray arrangement according to the invention and of a modification of the cartridge deflecting means, the tray being shown in its ramming position, and

Fig. 8 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the tray in the loading position.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, these figures show a recoiling gun barrel 1 ending in a breech ring 19. ₇₀The breech end of the barrel is slidably mounted in a jacket composed of parts 2 and 3. Jacket part 3 mounts

2,885,254 abuts against the bottom rim of a cartridge case 29 inserted in the tray thereby preventing an axial rearward movement of the cartridge case out of the tray. A nut 40 serves to retain the plunger and its catch within spring housing 38. The second locking device further comprises a sleeve housing 42 in which a plunger 43. is urged by a spring 44 against one arm of a two-arm lever 45 pivoted to tray 13 by a pivot pin 46. The lever arm coacting with plunger 43 is biased into a position in which it engages the forward edge of the base rim of the cartridge case thereby preventing a forward or ramming movement of the latter. The other end of lever 45 coacts with a release bar 47 which should be visualized as being disposed near the ramming device and as coming into engagement with lever 45 when the loading tray is moved into its ramming position as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Engagement of lever 45 with release bar 47 pivots the lever in clockwise direction against the action of spring 44 thereby releasing the cartridge case for the ramming operation.

As. is evident from the previous description, the design of the locking devices of Figs. 3 and 4 may be altered in various respects. It is only necessary that the locking devices are designed to be capable of performing the aforedescribed functions.

Figs. 1 and 2 finally show an ejection hole 48 through the bottom wall of jacket part 3. This ejection hole leads to a deflector chute 49 and serves to direct a cartridge case 29 leaving cradle like extension 20 away from the gun.

The loading tray arrangement as hereinbefore described, operates as follows:

Let it be assumed that the loading tray is in the position of Fig. 1, that a shell has been inserted in the loading tray and that the shell has been rammed. When the gun is fired, barrel 1 and breach ring 19 will recoil, that is, move towards the right as seen in Fig. 1, relative to the jacket. As a result, roller 23 and with it arm 24 will ride along cam way 22 moving in unison with the breech ring. The rotation of arm 24 will pivot through arm 26 tray 13 into the loading position of Fig. 2 thereby also causing tension of spring 11. Furthermore, lever 45 is released from release bar 47 and moved by spring 44 into the position of Fig. 4. When the loading tray reaches the position of Fig. 2 it is retained in this position by the locking device of Fig. 3 against the action of the tensioned spring 11 which seeks to return the tray into the ramming position.

The loading tray is now ready for a loading operation. When a shell is inserted in the tray, the locking device of Fig. 3 is released by engagement of the respective arm of bell crank 35 with the cartridge case. Furthermore, catch 39 engages the rearward edge of the rim of the cartridge case and lever 45 the forward edge of this rim thereby securing the shell against axial displacement in either direction. The slanted edge of nose 39 permits passage of the cartridge rim against the action of spring 41.

The loading tray being released, the tensioned spring will return the tray into the ramming position whereby bar 47 comes in contact with lever 45 and pivots the lever out of engagement with the cartridge rim. The new shell is now ready for ramming and subsequent firing.

As previously mentioned, the cartridge case of a fired shell leaves jacket through cut-out 27, cradle like extension 20, ejection hole 48 and deflector chute 49.

Further to facilitate the ejection of a cartridge case from the jacket, an upper deflector may be provided. This deflector is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in form of an upside down chute 50. It extends laterally from the tray, or more specifically from jacket sleeve 12 and is in alignment with the axis of the barrel and cradle like extension 20 when the loading tray is in the loading position.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a design in which the fixed upper deflector of Figs. 5 and 6 is replaced by a movable upper deflector. According to these figures, an upside-down deflector chute 55 is pivoted by means of pivot pins or a pivot shaft 57 to ears or lugs 56 extending from jacket part 3. The depending side walls of the chute are longitudinally slotted at 54. Guide pins or a guide shaft 53 on arms 51 and 52 extending from cradle like extension 20 are slidably guided in slots 54.

As is apparent from Figs. 7 and 8, the recoil of the barrel pivots chute 55 from the shallow position of Fig. 7 into the steep position of Fig. 8 in which the chute forms a downwardly directed continuation of the ejection path provided by cradle like extension 20 and cut-out 27.

It is further possible to arrange an upper deflector so that its far end is pivotally supported by arms 51 and 52 and its near end bears against the bottom of extension 2© when tray 13 is in the ramming position of Fig. 1. Upon movement of the tray into the position of Fig. 2, the near part of the deflector will be raised into alignment with cutout 27 in a manner similar as has been described in connection with Figs. 7 and 8.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.