Patent GB-1461237-A (GB)
Title: Weapon assembly
IPC: F41A3/74
Filed: 1975-02-19
Abstract: 1461237 Sealing barrels of weapons; mortars DIEHL 19 Feb 1975 [13 March 1974 3 April 1974] 6926/75 Heading F3C A large-calibre weapon assembly (e.g. for mortars) has a cartridge or firing chamber 3 which has sealing rings 34, 35 at either end for sealing the chamber 3 relative to a barrel part 5 and to a base piece 6 (having ignition means 7) when the chamber 3 is in a firing position; the sealing rings 34, 35 are connected to clamping nuts 31, 32 which are screwed on to the ends of the chamber 3 and which are drivable via a drive which allows of independant driving of the nuts 31, 32 whereby simultaneous sealing of rings 34, 35 is not necessary and, through differential action by the drive, ring 34 can seal subsequently to ring 35 and vice-versa. In the embodiment of Figs. 1-3, the chamber 3 bears a plate 8 having bearing blocks 10, 11, 12 in which are mounted shafts 13, 14 carrying toothed wheels 15, 16 engaging the nuts 31, 32, the shafts 13, 14 being connected via a threadedpin connection 17, 18 permitting relative rotation. An angularly movable compensating member 21 carried by a rotary block 19 has two camming lugs 23, 24 which engage respectively into openings 25, 26 of rotary drive parts 27, 28 arranged on shafts 13, 14, the member 21 being rigid with a compensating lever 22. The rotary block 19 has a toothed segment 19.1 engaging with teeth 45.1 of a centering pin 45 which is engageable with a centering bore 1.1 in a housing 1. In use of the weapon assembly, the clamping lever 22 is moved to position C to move the centering pin 45.1 and sealing rings 34, 35 to ineffective positions. A swinging movement of the cartridge chamber 3 about trunnions 4 may then be effected into the desired loading position (D) and thereafter the chamber 3 is swung back to its normal position, and the lever 22 is swung into position E for centering the chamber 3. The sealing rings 34, 35 are applied against the barrel part 5 and base piece 6, compensating movement of the member 21 for non-simultaneous application taking place, the member 21 swing- ing about a pin 20. When both sealing rings 34, 35 are butted against their respective sealing surfaces, the rings 34, 35 are braced by a short movement of the lever 22 into position F. Fig. 5 illustrates the mounting of the sealing rings 34, 35 which are mounted so as to be displaceable in guide bores 53 of chamber 3. The rings 34, 35 and nuts 31, 32 have corresponding coned surfaces 54, 55. Holding rings 41 are fastened to the nuts 31, 32 via rivets 56. The end sealing surfaces 57, 58 of the sealing ring 34 or 35 and barrel part 5 or base piece 6 lie at right angles to the bore. In Fig. 6 (not shown) however the surfaces are coned. They may also be spherically curved. In Fig. 7 (not shown), the sealing surfaces (57, 58) lie at right angles to the bore and a flange (38.1) with a coned surface (55) butts against a corresponding surface of a flange (39) of the nut. In the embodiment of Fig. 4 (not shown), the compensating member 21 is replaced by a planetary body (48) having internal teeth (46, 47) meshing with toothed wheels (49, 50) of shafts (51, 52) which are axially displaceable. In a modification a plate or bevel gearing can be used. In the further arrangement of Fig. 8 (not shown), there is provided a differential transmission with one gear shaft (59) and two contrary toothed helically toothed wheels (60, 61) meshing with the nuts (31, 32), the shaft (59) being slidable in bearings (10, 11).