Patent ID: 7146898
Filing Date: 2006-12-12
Classification: F41A,F41F,F42B

Abstract:
1. A belt-fed machine gun for firing a multiplicity of cartridges encased in sleeves and linked to form a belt, said belt-fed machine gun including: a plurality of substantially parallel barrels mounted for circumrotation; a plurality of cradles for supporting the cartridges encased in the sleeves, said cradles being mounted for circumrotation with said plurality of substantially parallel barrels wherein a number of the plurality of cradles in an operative position are aligned coaxially with corresponding barrels; a housing and a breechblock which cooperates with the cradles during circumrotation to urge the cartridges and the sleeves towards the barrels, wherein said housing and said number of cradles in the operative position engage sleeves encasing cartridges to form chambers with said breechblock, and said breechblock further includes a guide to engage with the cartridges or sleeves for urging said cartridges and sleeves towards said corresponding barrels; and a firing mechanism for initiating a propellant charge in one or more of the cartridges supported by the cradles in the operative position.