DRIVE AND QUICK STOP FOR A WEAPON WITH PREFERABLY LINEAR BREECH OR AMMUNITION FEED

• US 20110290103A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: BAUMANN, Berthold, HERRMANN, Ralf Joachim, LAWITZKE, Klaus, SCHMEES, Heiner
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/18
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/18 Hang-fire prevention
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 7/08 Drives for externally-powered guns, i.e. drives for moving the breech-block or bolt by an external force during automatic firing
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/50 External power or control systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/51 Boosters, i.e. externally-powered motors

Abstract

A drive for a breech/breech carrier renders it axially adjustable relative to a weapon barrel. The drive includes a motor, two engaging cams mounted on a chain arranged below the breech and guided around two sprocket wheels. A slide is mounted in a guide at the bottom of the breech/breech carrier so as to move at a right angle to the direction of fire, with a groove extending over its entire width. The respective engaging cam entrains the breech in forward motion relative to the direction of fire, or in reverse motion, once the shot is fired, and transports the breech forwards, is displaced from the groove, and moves backwards without the breech, thereby allowing breech rest periods in a forward position. During firing, the slide moves, whereas it remains stationary when no shot is fired so no further engaging cam can entrain the breech backwards.

Claims

1. A drive provided with a quick stop device operably connected to a breech, or a breech support, of a weapon, wherein the breech or breech support is moveable between a front limit position and a rear position in an axial direction with respect to a weapon barrel of the weapon, wherein the drive comprises:

(a) a motor;

(b) a chain that is driven by the motor and to which at least two driver studs are fitted;

(c) at least two sprocket wheels arranged underneath the breech, wherein the chain with the at least two driver studs is passed around the at least two sprocket wheels;

(d) a slide mounted in a guide disposed at a bottom on the breech, or at a bottom on the breech support, so that the slide is moveable transversely with respect to a firing direction, and a groove extends over the entire width of the slide, wherein a respective one of

the at least two driver studs moves the breech via the groove either, forward in the firing direction or backward after a shot is fired, wherein during

the times in which the breech is stationary in the front limit position, the driver stud that transports the breech forward is moved out of the groove and the driver stud is moved backward on a first weapon side and without the breech, and

when a shot has been fired, the slide moves to the first weapon side, and when no shot has been fired, the slide remains in a first position in which the slide has been moved away from the driver stud so that neither driver stud is in position to drive the breech to the rear position.

2. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the at least two sprocket wheels is driven by the motor, either directly or indirectly, and the one sprocket wheel driven by the motor drives the chain.

3. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breech is accelerated or braked in accordance with movement defined by a sinusoidal function, wherein the sinusoidal function is predetermined by a radius of the at least two sprocket wheels.

4. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lever moves the slide to a left-hand position, and in the process of moving the slide to the left-hand position the lever stresses a compression spring.

5. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein a recoil movement of the weapon barrel acts on a barrel lock of the weapon so that the barrel lock drives a pin that is arranged to be moveable in a longitudinal direction, together with a plunger, in a bearing block that is fixed to a weapon housing.

6. The drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein a spring is included between a sleeve and the plunger, wherein the pin is mounted in the sleeve.

7. The drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein a linkage is moved by a rear edge of the barrel lock during weapon recoil, and the linkage rotates the lever removing a lock from the slide that holds the slide in a right-hand position or a left-hand position, in a rest position, by means of a tab.

8. The drive as claimed in claim 2, wherein the breech is accelerated or braked in accordance with movement defined by a sinusoidal function, wherein the sinusoidal function is predetermined by a radius of the at least two sprocket wheels.

9. The drive as claimed in claim 8, wherein a lever moves the slide to a left-hand position, and in the process of moving the slide to the left-hand position the lever stresses a compression spring.

10. The drive as claimed in claim 2, wherein a lever moves the slide to a left-hand position, and in the process of moving the slide to the left-hand position the lever stresses a compression spring.

11. The drive as claimed in claim 3, wherein a lever moves the slide to a left-hand position, and in the process of moving the slide to the left-hand position the lever stresses a compression spring.

12. The drive as claimed in claim 6, wherein a linkage is moved by a rear edge of the barrel lock during weapon recoil, and the linkage rotates the lever thus removing a lock from the slide that holds the slide in a right-hand position or a left-hand position, in a rest position, by means of a tab.