Patent GB-784480-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to firearms
IPC: F41A9/16
Filed: 1956-01-17
Abstract: 784,480. Loading trays for firearms. AKTIEBOLAGET BOFORS. Jan. 17, 1956 [Feb. 14, 1955], No. 1580/56. Class 92 A loading tray 9 Figs. 1, 2 is connected by parallel link arms 6, 17 to non-recoiling but elevatable parts of the firearm so that the tray is movable in a vertical plane in parallelism to the axis of the barrel 1 between a first position in which a round on the tray can be inserted by axial movement into the chamber and a second position clear of the recoiling parts, the tray being urged to the second position by spring means 21 engaging a forked end extension of the arm 17. The arm 17 is pivoted at 16 on a bracket 15 rigid with the cradle 3 and the arm 6 is pivoted at 7 on a trunnion bracket 4 secured to the cradle 3. One end of a spring-actuated pin 28 projects from a bore in the cradle 3 and urges a catch 29 upwards to engage with a part 35 on the arm 17, the catch 29 being fixed on one end of a shaft 30 in the trunnion bracket 4, the other end carrying a lug 33 which co-operates with a lug 34 on the breech ring 2. A catch member 38 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a bracket 37 Fig. 3 on the breech ring 2 and is connected to a rod 39 extending through a bore in the breech ring, the rod 39 being urged inwardly by a spring 40 to be received in a groove 41 in the breech block 42 which moves vertically in the breech ring 2. The catch member 38 cooperates with an arm 44 secured to and extending on both sides of the link arm 17. The link arm 17 is also provided with a part. 45 co-operating with a bar 46 movable in a hole in the breech ring, the bar 46 cooperating with the firing mechanism to prevent its operation when the bar is located entirely within the breech ring. The bar 46 is kept in such position by the part 45 in all positions of the link arm 17 except that of the second position shown in Fig. 1. In this position a round has been rammed home and the breech block closed but no firing has taken place. The lower end of the arm 44 rests on the upper part of the catch member 38 and prevents downward movement of the loading tray and the lug 34 acts upon the lug 33 of the catch 29 to keep the latter out of contact with the part 35 of the link arm 17. A round 47 is now placed on the tray and if the rammed round is fired, the barrel and breech ring will recoil. The lug 33 will lose contact with the lug 34 and the catch 29 will be moved upwards to engage the part 35 and-retain the tray in the Fig. 1 position in spite of the arm 44 not bearing on the catch member 38. On recuperation of the breech block 42 Fig. 3 will be opened and the upper part of the catch member 38 given an inward movement by a ridge 43 on the breech block. At the same time, lug 34 will again engage lug 33 to disengage the catch 29 from the part 35 and the weight of the tray 9 and of the round moves the tray parallelly downwards. The hooked end of the catch member 38 grips the bevelled' edge of the arm 44 and retains the tray in this lower position as shown in Fig. 2. The round is rammed and on closing the breech block, the catch 38 is again given an inward movement to disengage it from the arm 44 and the spring device.21 will move the tray upwardly. The catch 38 having now returned to its outward position prevents downward movement of the tray.