Automatic cannon having an ammunition-receiving device

In an automatic weapon having a wedge-type breech 6, a linearly advancing and retracting feed finger 5 is provided to transport caseless ammunition 4 into the cartridge chamber 10a of the gun barrel 10, with the feed finger pushing against the rear face of the powder body 4a of the cartridged ammunition 4. An ammunition-receiving device is employed to prevent recoil of the ammunition 4 and consequent damage to the powder body 4a. The ammunition-receiving device includes leaf springs 2 which are disposed in the feed opening 3 of the gun housing 1, with the free ends 2a of the leaf springs 2 projecting radially inwardly to thus constrict the inner width of the feed opening 3. The free ends 2a of leaf springs 2 press on the outer surface of powder body 4a of the caseless ammunition and inhibit its forward movement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an automatic cannon having a receiving 
device for damping the movement of caseless ammunition as it is loaded. 
More particularly, the invention is directed to a receiving device for use 
with an automatic cannon of the type having a wedge-type breech, wherein a 
linearly advanced and retracted feed finger is employed for transporting 
the caseless ammunition through feed openings in the weapon housing and 
the breech and into the cartridge chamber of the gun barrel. 
In automatic cannons having a wedge-type breech, the ammunition is conveyed 
into the cartridge chamber of the gun barrel. The cartridge is pushed into 
the chamber by a feed finger which performs a forward and backward 
movement. This movement is always accelerated after a reversal of 
direction and is decelerated before a reversal of direction. When, during 
the feeding process, the movement of the feed finger is decelerated, the 
cartridge moves ahead of the feed finger and into the cartridge chamber. 
The cartridge recoils against the still-advancing feed finger and is 
pushed back by the finger into the cartridge chamber. With cartridge 
ammunition this does not result in malfunctions because the cartridge case 
is easily able to withstand the resulting mechanical stresses. The 
situation is different for caseless ammunition. If the recoiling 
ammunition hits against the advancing feed finger, the powder of the 
ammunition will break off to a greater or lesser degree in the impact 
area. The still-advancing feed finger is then no longer able to push the 
cartridge completely into the cartridge chamber. Accordingly, the part of 
the powder body of the caseless ammunition which projects from the 
cartridge chamber may be sheared off by the wedge-type breech as it 
closes. This may cause dangerous ignition of the ammunition outside the 
weapon. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to provide a receiving device for caseless 
ammunition which avoids sudden impact of the ammunition introduced into 
the cartridge chamber of the weapon. 
This object is accomplished by providing a receiving device having means 
for damping the forward movement of the ammunition as it enters the weapon 
.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The invention is based on the realization that, during the feeding of 
caseless ammunition 4, its disadvantageous recoil can be prevented by 
suitable damping means. Two embodiments of a receiving device which 
inhibits recoil when the ammunition 4 is loaded into an automatic cannon 
will be discussed below. 
In the first embodiment of the invention (see FIGS. 1-3), leaf springs 2 
are provided in the rear portion of weapon housing 1 for damping the 
forward movement of caseless ammunition 4. The free front ends 2a of leaf 
springs 2 project into the feed path for caseless ammunition 4 and thus 
constrict the feed opening 3 for the ammunition 4. The leaf springs 2 
extend around corresponding bracing fingers 11, which extend outward from 
the rear side of weapon housing 1 and provide internal supports which 
prevent leaf springs 2 from being permanently deformed should some object 
accidentally strike them. 
According to FIG. 1, three such leaf springs 2 are provided, one of these 
leaf springs 2 lying precisely on section line 2--2, while the other two 
leaf springs are placed symmetrically to the first, to the right and to 
the left thereof and offset by about 135.degree. with respect to the first 
leaf spring 2. The fixed ends of leaf springs 2 are each fastened to 
weapon housing 1 by means of a screw 2b. The free end 2a of each leaf 
spring 2 is bent radially outwardly and projects freely movably into a 
recess 1a provided in weapon housing 1 in such a manner that, if pressure 
is applied, the free end 2a of the leaf spring 2 is able to yield by 
springing radially outwardly. Every piece of ammunition 4 advancing into 
cartridge chamber 10a of gun barrel 10 must widen the feed opening 3 
constricted by leaf springs 2 as they project radially inwardly, i.e., 
once projectile 4b connected with powder body 4a has passed leaf springs 
2, the powder body 4a of the advancing ammunition 4 presses leaf springs 2 
radially outwardly. The tensioned leaf springs 2 exert a counterpressure 
on the outer surface of powder body 4a and thus brake the advance of 
ammunition 4, preventing it from moving ahead of the driving feed finger 5 
of the feed mechanism (not shown). This ensures that feed finger 5 is 
always in force-transmitting contact with the rear face of powder body 4a 
and thus advances the ammunition 4 safely and without damaging impact 
movements into cartridge chamber 10a. Advisably, the local position of 
leaf springs 2 is selected so that the first contact of powder body 4a 
with leaf springs 2 takes place immediately before the start of the 
deceleration movement of feed finger 5. 
In the further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, further 
leaf springs 7 are provided in feed opening 3a which is disposed in the 
breech wedge 6 itself. These further leaf springs 7 constitute an 
additional restraint for the ammunition as soon as its powder body 4a 
comes in contact with them. These additional leaf springs 7 reliably 
prevent recoil movements even at higher feed velocities. 
In modification of the invention, the spring paths and/or the spring 
characteristics of leaf springs 2 and 7 can be dimensioned differently, 
for example so that the ammunition 4 is initially decelerated only 
slightly in the region of leaf springs 2 and is then decelerated more in 
the region of springs 7. 
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in patent 
application P 36 18 267.2, filed May 30th, 1986 in the Federal Republic of 
Germany, the entire specification of this German application being 
incorporated herein by reference. 
It will be understood that the above description of the present invention 
is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the 
same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of 
equivalents of the appended claims.