Aktiebolaget Bofors

Nobel Corporate Services

Sten Hallqvist

Erik Eriksson

The disclosure relates to an automatic gun which employs case ejectors (1, 1') for realizing extraction and ejection of the cartridge case from a spent round. The case ejector is also utilized for arresting the breech block during the recoil of the weapon and holding the breech block in an open position so that ramming home of a new round (3') may be executed. The ejector is exposed to the round in process of being rammed home, which round, during its thrust towards the homed position in the barrel, entrains the ejector so that the breech block (2) is released and may execute its closing movement int. al. with the assistance of spring means placed under tension during the opening movement of the breech block. The ejector and the breech block are designed with cooperating arrest and abutment surfaces which take up portions of the kinetic energy of the round which is in the process of being rammed. A separate buffer device (5) is also connected to the ejector, by means of which device the above-mentioned retardation/cushioning may be amplified. By such an arrangement, the feeding and ramming speed of the gun may be increased without the risk that each respective round jolt against the rear face of the barrel and derange the breech block in its closing cycle. Such a derangement would occasion cease-fire.

Cartridge case ejectors in automatic guns

An automatic weapon is provided with a device for increasing the rate of fire. The breech mechanism of the weapon is controlled by means of recoil movements which arise on discharge of the weapon, and by an operating cam and spring member included in the breech mechanism. Two case ejectors are disposed for arresting the breech block in the total recoil position of the breech and holding the breech block in the open position for ramming-home of a new round. In the arrested position of the breech block, the ejectors are exposable to the new round during its ramming cycle. A portion of the kinetic energy inherent in the round is transmitted to the ejectors which, may accompany the round and release the breech block for actuation by the spring member towards its closed position. The operating cam is movably disposed at least when the breech is located in the total recoil position. The spring member begins to actuate the breech block on its movement towards the arrest position at an earlier stage than total recoil position.

Apparatus for increasing the rate of fire in automatic weapons

The invention relates to bearing means for a gun barrel (3) mounted in the breech casing of a weapon in which the breech casing comprises a sleeve member (2) enclosing a rear part of the gun barrel (3). The bearing means comprises a cylindrical sleeve (10) positioned between said breech casing sleeve member (2) and the adjoining external gun barrel surface. The sleeve (10) is provided with a spring part which consists of a plurality of finger springs (17) distributed about the peripheral surface of the gun barrel and engaging by the force of spring an enlarged cylindrical part (7) of the external gun barrel surface. This enlarged, cylindrical part (7) has such a length (d) in the longitudinal direction of the gun barrel that the finger springs (17) are engaged to said part (7) during the first phase of the recoil during which the shell, projectile or the like has not yet left the bore of the barrel (3). By means of this invention any play in the bearing means can be compensated so that the spread of shots is reduced.

Bearing means for a gun barrel

A stripper (5) is arranged at a breech ring of a large-calibre firearm. A ramming unit is arranged to insert a shell (11) and a charge (10) into the bore and chamber of the firearm during an insertion process. During the extraction process of the ramming unit which follows the insertion process the stripper goes into coaction with the bag charge and retains this in the chamber position. The stripper coacts with blocking means which during at least part of the insertion process prevent the stripper from being turned out. At a predetermined insertion position the ramming unit (12) achieves a releasing of the blocking means and at the releasing of the latter the stripper is released and can assume a turned-out position. The stripper is actuated to the turned-in position by means of a closing mechanism, and during this actuation the blocking means are prepared to again retain the stripper in the turned-in position at a renewed ramming.

Device for stripper

A rammer car has a rammer head which is movably supported in the transversal direction. The rammer car is composed of two units which are arranged to carry out a longitudinal displacement movement between the units in the riding direction of the rammer car. The rammer head is fastened in the first unit and the latter is arranged to be forced by the second unit to carry out a turning movement during the longitudinal displacement movement between the units, during which the rammer head follows the first unit and therewith carries out its turning movement in the transversal direction. After said longitudinal displacement movements the units are co-ordinated for a longitudinal displacement movement together in the longitudinal displacement direction.

Device for guiding a rammer head in its transversal direction

A breech ring (1) in a firearm, which can be closed and opened with a screw mechanism which comprises a screw (4). The breech ring has conical threads (5) which can coact with corresponding threads on the screw. The threads of both the breech ring and the screw have sectors without threads, arranged so that the screw can be inserted into its final longitudinal displacement position and thereafter turned into coaction with the threads of the breech ring for securing of the screw in the breech ring. In the sectors without threads there are arranged counter-holding plate springs (11a, 11b, and 11c) which in coaction with a stripper achieve a counter-holding and centering function for a bag charge (18) or the like, which has been inserted into the firearm by a ramming unit behind a shell or the like, the position of which in the longitudinal direction is thereafter adjusted during the extraction of the ramming unit from the chamber of the firearm. The respective counter-holding springs then have the form of a plate spring fastened in one end which assumes a position unactuated by the screw with the aid of its own spring action, and a position actuated by the screw when it is pressed down into the sector without threads.

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Karlskoga, Sweden

Sten Hallqvist