Recoil brake for a gun

Abstract

A recoil brake for controlling recoil and counterrecoil movements of a gun includes a brake cylinder; a piston slidably received therein; a hollow piston rod affixed to the piston and arranged for connection to a breechblock of the gun; a throttle passage for braking the motion of the piston; a buffer spear affixed to an end of the brake cylinder and extending within the hollow piston coaxially therewith; and a buffer spear chamber within the piston rod; a throttle sleeve affixed to the piston and extending therewithin, surrounding the buffer spear. The throttle sleeve and the piston rod define an annular inlet channel, while the throttle sleeve and the buffer spear define an annular outlet channel. A check valve is located between the inlet and outlet channels, and it opens solely in response to pressure in the inlet channel when the piston moves in a direction outwardly of the brake cylinder (recoil movement). An axially extending throttle groove is provided in the outer surface of the buffer spear. Further, there is provided an annular guide which is formed on the throttle sleeve and which surrounds and slidingly contacts the buffer spear. The annular guide cooperates with the throttle groove for forming a constricted passage for the hydraulic fluid as it flows from the buffer spear chamber through the outlet channel to one side of the piston as the piston moves into the brake cylinder (counterrecoil movement). Cross-sectional passage areas of the throttle groove along a length thereof determine the extent and the path length of the braking effect for the counterrecoil movement of the gun.