Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-buhrle Ag

Oerlikon Contraves Ag

Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-burhle

Erwin Bohler

Werner Bruderer

Kurt Muller

Bruno Ruppen

Hanspeter Novet

Jurg Dunki

Robert Gerber

Beat Iten

When using a multi-barrel firing weapon, such as a Gatling-type gun or canon, it is desired during a firing burst, to first fire the initial or lead cartridge or ammunition round when the rotating array of weapon barrels, during running up to speed, has attained its full rotational speed, that is, when the firing weapon is capable of firing at the full or maximum firing rate. In this way there is realized the desired high precision and low round scattering of the weapon system. The cartridge infeed apparatus requires a certain amount of time until it has reached its full cartridge infeed velocity. The initial or lead cartridge therefore should only then be delivered to the multi-barrel firing weapon after completion of the running up to speed of the array of weapon barrels and after the cartridge infeed apparatus has reached its full or maximum cartridge infeed velocity. To that end, there are provided two cartridge transfer wheels which are interconnected by a clutch, these cartridge transfer wheels being arranged between two endless chains. There are also provided a separate cartridge return channel and a sensor for determining the starting position of the initial or lead cartridge.

Apparatus for infeeding cartridges

During the infeed of cartridges from an ammunition container or magazine to a firing weapon, problems arise in the event there are not simultaneously fulfilled the following three requirements: (a) the first cartridge of a firing burst or series firing should be first delivered to the firing weapon following completion of the run-up-to-speed of the firing weapon; (b) the last cartridge of a firing burst or series firing should be delivered to the firing weapon before the firing weapon has been braked; and (c) the spent cartridge cases should be returned by the cartridge infeed apparatus to the ammunition container. To fulfill these objectives, there is provided an arrangement composed of an endless storage chain, a transfer location, and a switchable gate, in order to allow the temporary storage of spent cartridge cases during reverse movement of the cartridge transport apparatus.

Apparatus for the infeed of cartridges to a firing weapon

Cartridges are usually fed axially to a rotating array of barrels of a multi-barrel cannon or firing weapon, by means of a cartridge feeding apparatus, for example, an endless conveyor belt or chain. The cartridges must then be accelerated to the peripheral speed of the rotating array of barrels, since the spacing between the individual barrels is considerably greater than the pitch spacing between successive cartridges on the endless conveyor belt or chain. Uniform acceleration of cartridges fed by the conveyor belt or chain up to the peripheral speed of the rotating array of barrels of the firing weapon is effected in that the deflector wheel or sprocket comprises a predetermined number of radially adjustable slides. These radially adjustable slides define recesses or pockets for receiving the cartridges. Structure, such as a cam arrangement, is also provided for radially translating these slides during rotation of the deflector wheel or sprocket.

Deflector sprocket for a cartridge feed device in an automatic

When a cartridge is inserted into the weapon barrel of a firing weapon by a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocatable breechblock, a front end surface of the breechblock impacts against the base of the cartridge. The cartridge to be inserted must be secured so that it cannot slide off such front end surface of the breechblock during cartridge insertion. This cartridge securement is attained in that the cartridge is held against radial displacement by an extracting or withdrawal claw and diametrically opposite thereto by means of a securing cam or lug provided at a feeler element or pin. To eject the empty cartridge case and during the insertion of the next cartridge, the feeler element or pin together with the securing cam or lug is pushed back by means of a control cam or rail.

Apparatus for radially securing a cartridge inserted by a breechblock

In an externally powered firing weapon the danger exists with an ignition delay or hangfire condition that the cartridge still is ignited after the positively reciprocated breechblock has been unlocked from the weapon barrel. The safety apparatus in accordance with the invention prevents, in case of an ignition delay, firing of the cartridge after unlocking of the positively reciprocated breechblock. Heretofore known safety devices of this type are complicated and a substantially simple design is strived for. The safety apparatus in accordance with the invention automatically decouples the breechblock carrier from the breechblock head when the breechblock head is locked in the weapon barrel. The device responding to an ignition delay prevents unlocking of the breechblock head from the weapon barrel and coupling of the breechblock carrier with the breechblock head. The breechblock head locked by means of a rotary lock to the weapon barrel and the breechblock carrier are preferably coupled together by means of a rotary coupling.

Safety apparatus for an externally powered firing weapon

In the case of a twin-barrelled firing weapon, the apparatus for delivering ammunition from a container structure to the firing weapon is located between the two weapon barrels of the firing weapon. In order to accommodate or store as much ammunition as possible in the space between the two weapon barrels, the cartridges are arranged not only side by side but also one behind the other. There is provided as the container structure a first front container from which cartridges are delivered to one weapon barrel and a second rear container from which cartridges are delivered to the other weapon barrel. The cartridges from one of the two containers are delivered to the related weapon barrel by a device for axially displacing the cartridges.

Apparatus for delivering ammunition from a container structure to a

The holding or clamp apparatus for the barrel cluster of a multi-barrel firing weapon, in particular, a Gatling type gun, is constructed such that a quick and easy replacement of the weapon barrels without the use of tools is possible. Up to now, each weapon barrel was secured by threaded connections. According to the invention, a locking ring is rotatably mounted at a substantially ring-shaped barrel support. This locking ring can be selectively locked in two positions on the substantially ring-shaped barrel support. In its first position, each one of its cams project into a recess of the associated weapon barrel and thereby secure the substantially ring-shaped barrel support against axial displacement with respect to the weapon barrels. Each weapon barrel contains a polygonal, such as a square section, which is embraced by holding claws or clamps of the barrel support, thereby securing such weapon barrel against unintended rotation about its own lengthwise axis.

Holding apparatus for weapon barrels of a multi-barrel firing weapon

Switch or control cables for switching-over or changing-over deflectors are known and have the disadvantage that they can only be operated from one predetermined location. In accordance with the invention, the switch or control cable is subdivided into two switch or control cable sections which are interconnected by a coupling. The switch or control cable which is tensioned by a spring can now be selectively released from a holding device for switching-over or changing-over the deflector and displaced by the spring or by disengaging the coupling, in which case only one of the two switch or control cable sections is displaced by the spring.

Switch or control cable arrangement and method of using the same

In a Gatling gun containing a rotary weapon barrel assembly and positively reciprocating breechblocks, each of which is operatively associated with one weapon barrel of the weapon barrel assembly, each breechblock is provided with a spring-loaded firing pin and a cocking pin which are cocked and released by two control cams for piercing a cartridge. These two control cams are displaced from a safety or unarmed position into a firing position by a control slide possessing oppositely extending control grooves or slots. This firing apparatus possesses no pivotable parts as opposed to known apparatuses.

Firing apparatus for an externally powered firing weapon

In the case of delayed firing of a cartridge or a so-called hang-fire condition in an externally powered firing weapon there must be prevented that further cartridges are fed into the firing weapon. In a known safety or monitoring apparatus of this type a deflector must be pivoted such that the infed cartridges, instead of arriving at the firing weapon, arrive at an ejection channel. The change-over of this deflector requires high acceleration forces because a great mass must be pivoted through a large pivot angle in a short period of time. In accordance with the invention the deflector comprises two segment members which are displaceable in the direction of the cartridge axes, one of which segment members selectively protrudes into the travel path of the cartridges.

Monitoring apparatus for monitoring delayed firing cartridges in an

It has been shown that at high firing rates or cadences, especially in externally powered firing weapons like Gatling guns, the rebound of the breechblock head during its locking at the rear end of the weapon barrel can have damaging effects. At its rear end the weapon barrel possesses an internal circumferential groove following, in a forward direction of the weapon barrel, an annular flange provided with teeth forming an inner gear toothing. The breechblock head possesses teeth forming an outer gear toothing. In the locked position of the breechblock head the teeth of its outer gear toothing are located in the aforementioned internal circumferential groove and bear upon the teeth forming the inner gear toothing of the annular flange. The damaging effects due to the rebound of the breechblock head can be alleviated or completely avoided by widening the circumferential groove.

Growing community of inventors

Dubendorf, Switzerland

Erwin Bohler