Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably a linear breech or ammunition feed

• US 8,413,565 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdosh, Samir
• Application Number:
  US13/154,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 42 2- 491, 89125-199, 89 9- 131, 89 17- 26
• 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 drive, having a quick stop mechanism, for a breech is axially adjustable relative to a weapon barrel, and includes a motor, two counter-rotating chains and sprocket wheels that guide the chains. Engaging cams and control cams are integrated into the chains. A slide mounted at the bottom of the breech is displaceable transversely to the direction of fire and has a groove that the engaging cams engage to entrain the breech in a forward or reverse motion relative to the direction of fire. The engaging cam transporting the breech forwards is displaced from the groove while the control cam displaces the slide simultaneously to its center position via its ascent ramp, thereby allowing breech rest periods in the forward limit position. Firing causes the slide to move from the center position to the left hand side whereas it remains in the center position when no shot is fired.

Claims

1. A drive provided with a quick stop device operably connected to a breech, or 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) at least one motor;

(b) two chains arranged to run in opposite directions with respect to each other;

(c) a plurality of sprocket wheels around which the chains are passed, wherein the at least one motor is operably connected to rotate the plurality of sprocket wheels so as to set the two chains in motion in opposite directions;

(d) a driver stud and a control stud are integrated on each chain;

(e) a slide is mounted at a bottom of the breech so that the slide is moveable transversely with respect to a firing direction of the weapon, wherein

a groove is located in the slide so that the driver stud on each chain is moveable to engage the groove in order to drive the breech forward and backward in the firing direction between the front limit position and the rear position, wherein a first chain of the two chains moves to drive the breech forward in the firing direction and a second chain of the two chains moves to drive the breech backward in the firing direction, wherein times in which the breech is stationary in the front limit position are implemented when the driver stud of the first chain that transports the breech forward is moved out of the groove, while at the same time the slide is moved to a central position via engagement of a run-on ramp of the slide with the control stud on the first chain, and when a shot has been fired, the slide is moved from the central position to a left hand position of the left hand side of the weapon, and wherein the slide remains in the central position when no shot has been fired so that none of the driver studs of the two chains are positioned to drive the breech to the rear position.

2. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bevel gear is disposed to rotate two pinion shafts, wherein the bevel gear is driven by the motor and the two chains are set in motion via two rear sprocket wheels so that the two rear sprocket wheels rotate in opposite directions.

3. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the slide is in the central position, an upper web of a holder that is fixed to a weapon housing of the weapon engages the groove in the slide so that the breech is connected in an interlocking manner to the weapon housing.

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

(f) a lever that is rotated by a stud of a barrel lock of the weapon during weapon recoil, wherein the lever guides the slide to the left hand position, along a chamfer of the slide, by engaging a tab on the lever, in the form of a wedge, with the chamfer of the slide.

5. The drive as claimed in claim 3, wherein, until a start of a rearward movement, the breech remains locked in the front limit position and, during loading, in the rear position, a locking catch is arranged so as to pivot on the holder to engage in the groove in the slide, so the locking catch holds the breech in the front limit position.

6. The drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the corresponding driver stud on the two chains runs from underneath into the groove in the slide, thereby forcing the locking catch forced out of the groove and releasing the breech for transport.

7. The drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide is mounted on two guide bolts at the bottom on the breech so that the slide is moveable transversely with respect to the firing direction.

8. The drive as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the slide is in the central position, an upper web of a holder that is fixed to a weapon housing of the weapon engages the groove in the slide so that the breech is connected in an interlocking manner to the weapon housing.

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

(f) a lever that is rotated by a stud of a barrel lock of the weapon during weapon recoil, wherein the lever guides the slide to the left hand position, along a chamfer of the slide, by engaging a tab on the lever, in the form of a wedge, with the chamfer of the slide.

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

(f) a lever that is rotated by a stud of a barrel lock of the weapon during weapon recoil, wherein the lever guides the slide to the left hand position, along a chamfer of the slide, by engaging a tab on the lever, in the form of a wedge, with the chamfer of the slide.

11. The drive as claimed in claim 8, wherein, until a start of a rearward movement, the breech remains locked in the front limit position and, during loading, in the rear position, a locking catch is arranged so as to pivot on the holder to engage in the groove in the slide, so the locking catch holds the breech in the front limit position.

12. The drive as claimed in claim 9, wherein, until a start of a rearward movement, the breech remains locked in the front limit position and, during loading, in the rear position, a locking catch is arranged so as to pivot on a holder to engage in the groove in the slide, so the locking catch holds the breech in the front limit position.

13. The drive as claimed in claim 10, wherein, until a start of a rearward movement, the breech remains locked in the front limit position and, during loading, in the rear position, a locking catch is arranged so as to pivot on the holder to engage in the groove in the slide, so the locking catch holds the breech in the front limit position.

14. The drive as claimed in claim 4, wherein, until a start of a rearward movement, the breech remains locked in the front limit position and, during loading, in the rear position, a locking catch is arranged so as to pivot on a holder to engage in the groove in the slide, so the locking catch holds the breech in the front limit position.

15. The drive as claimed in claim 11, wherein the corresponding driver stud on the two chains runs from underneath into the groove in the slide, thereby forcing the locking catch forced out of the groove and releasing the breech for transport.

16. The drive as claimed in claim 12, wherein the corresponding driver stud on the two chains runs from underneath into the groove in the slide, thereby forcing the locking catch forced out of the groove and releasing the breech for transport.

17. The drive as claimed in claim 13, wherein the corresponding driver stud on the two chains runs from underneath into the groove in the slide, thereby forcing the locking catch forced out of the groove and releasing the breech for transport.

18. The drive as claimed in claim 14, wherein the corresponding driver stud on the two chains runs from underneath into the groove in the slide, thereby forcing the locking catch forced out of the groove and releasing the breech for transport.