BREECH DRIVE FOR A WEAPON WITH A LINEAR BREECH OR AMMUNITION FEED

• US 20120132061A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• 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: HERRMANN, Ralf-Joachim, LAWITZKE, Klaus, SCHMEES, Heiner, BAUMANN, Berthold
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/17
• 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 mechanism or drive (100) for a weapon is described, which is characterized by only a limited acceleration of the breech (20) and a jerk- and recoil-free operation, thereby reducing the inertia force and the required power and increasing the repetition rate. The reduction of the required power also results in a reduction of braking power in the case of a quick stop. For this purpose, the rotational motion of preferably a motor (50) or the like is converted to a forward or reverse motion of the breech (20) using the Scotch yoke principle. In order to allow rest periods of the breech in the end limit positions, the rod (3) and the yoke (1) are arranged radially and displaceable relative to each other so that the yoke radius changes when the yoke (1) is rotated. A control cam (6) radially guides the rod (3).

Claims

1. A drive operably connected to a breech so that the breech is moveable in an axial direction with respect to a weapon barrel of a weapon, wherein the drive comprises:

(a) a crank driven via a rotation shaft connected to a motor;

(b) a connecting rod arranged so that a rear end of the connecting rod is moveable in a groove formed in the crank, and a front end of the connecting rod is connected to the breech, or to a driver of the breech, via a pinion, wherein

the crank and the connecting rod are connected to one another via a shaft that is integrated in the groove;

(c) at least one sliding means arranged at the rear end of the connecting rod, wherein the at least one sliding means runs, guided by a first control cam, along the first control cam, wherein

the first control cam is an intrinsically closed cam structure and has a plurality of defined areas defining a movement profile for the breech, wherein

the driver of the breech, or a part of the breech, has a tooth system that engages the pinion, wherein the pinion is integrated at a front of the connecting rod so as to rotate on the connecting rod and, as a result of rotation of the pinion, the breech is moved via the connecting rod during rotation of the crank.

2. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first control cam is integrated in a housing lower part of a crank housing.

3. The drive as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first control cam includes a groove that is open at a bottom.

4. The drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

(d) a second control cam integrated in a housing upper part that and is identical to a housing lower part except that the housing upper part is in mirror-image form to the housing lower part.

5. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first control cam has four different areas defining the movement profile of a feed off the breech.

6. The drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first control cam has a thick bean shape.

7. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of eccentric gear wheels are located between the rotation shaft and the motor and rotate at twice the rotation speed of the crank.

8. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breech is coupled directly to the front end of the connecting rod, wherein the driver is connected in an interlocking manner to the breech via one or more driver tabs, and wherein the breech is moved parallel to the axial direction that is at least in a direction of a weapon barrel axis of the weapon barrel.

9. The drive as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

(d) a second control cam integrated in a housing upper part that is identical to the housing lower part except that the housing upper part is in mirror-image form to the housing lower part.

10. The drive as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

(d) a second control cam integrated in a housing upper part that is identical to the housing lower part except that the housing upper part is in mirror-image form to the housing lower part.

11. The drive as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first control cam has four different areas defining the movement profile of a feed of the breech.

12. The drive as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first control cam has a thick bean shape.

13. The drive as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first control cam has four different areas defining the movement profile of a feed of the breech.

14. The drive as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first control cam has a thick bean shape.

15. The drive as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first control cam and the second control cam each have four different areas defining the movement profile of a feed of the breech.

16. The drive as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the first control cam and the second control cam has a thick bean shape.