Patent GB-581331-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to power-operated mechanism adapted for moving guns, implements, tools or other devices as a consequence of movement of control means therefor
IPC: F41A27/26
Filed: 1943-06-10
Abstract: 581,331. Gun mountings ; gun sights. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd. (United Shoe Machinery Corporation). June 10, 1943, Nos. 9744 and 11121. [Classes 92 (i) and 92 (ii)] [Also in Group XXIX] Power - operated mechanism for laying and training guns comprises two fluid-pressure motors each having a double-acting piston and a reversing valve, manually-operated means for controlling the valves, and follow-up means. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 9 (9744/43) the brush portion 10 of the gun 12 has an adaptor bar 14 mounted on each side and provided with trunnions 16, 18 journalled in bushes 20 in the upper ends of two supporting plates 24, 26. A shield of armour plate is also secured to the bars 14 by brackets 30. The lower ends of the plates 24, 26 are joined by a hub 32 journalled on a kingpin 34 mounted in a post 36 carried by a block 42 adjustably supported on an arcuate track 54 and secured by a clamp 58. The kingpin is held in the post by a flange 48 at its upper part and a spring catch 52 engaging a groove 50. To facilitate stowing, the post 36 may be turned on a pivot 44 after the release of a catch 46. The gun is elevated by a double-acting piston motor 60 having a toothed rack 80 engaging a toothed sector 26 formed on a bracket 24 fixed to the plate 26. Training of the gun is effected by a double-acting piston motor 62 secured to the plates 24, 26 and having a toothed rack 98 engaging a toothed sector 102 integral with the post 36. The two motors are controlled by two piston control valves actuated by a handle 64 movable in two directions at right angles. The handle 64 is pivoted to a lever 116 and a bell-crank lever 44 each pivoted to a block 118 rotatably mounted on a bracket 120 secured at its lower end to one of the bars 14 and at its upper end to a boss on a cross-member secured to the adaptor bars. The blocks are joined by a bar 122 having an arm 124 connected by a link 138 to an ear 134 on a strap 132 adjustably clamped to an internally-screwed cap 160 engaging a thread on the control valve casing, the cap being rotatably coupled to the control valve 150. Similarly, the bellcrank lever 114 is coupled by a link to an adjustable clamp on a screwed cap for actuating the other control valve. The caps are urged towards their intermediate position by a pair of spring-loaded plungers 176 mounted in brackets 182 and engaging cylindrical parts on the ears 134. The lever 116 and the arm 124 are associated with dashpots 252, 250 respectively. Each control valve has four pistons co-operating with five series of holes in a liner some of the holes leading to the power cylinders being pear-shaped so as to throttle the exhaust and prevent over-running. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 (11121/43) a pair of guns are remotely controlled and a reflex sight is provided actuated either directly by the control handles or in synchronism with movements of the guns by lever and linkage mechanism. In this form arms 44 clamped to side rods 42 on the guns are pivoted in side plates 52 joined at the top by T-shaped members 56 and at the bottom by W-shaped members 54 pinned to posts 62 supported by ball-bearings on a base-plate 64. The T-shaped members, which are supported by ball-bearings mounted on a plate 60, are coupled together by a link and are connected by a link 73 with a double-acting power cylinder 70 whereby the guns are turned in azimuth. The piston rod of the power cylinder 80 for elevating the guns is coupled to a slide 86 having a part 90 slidably mounted on the outside of the cylinder. This part carries a pair of plates 92 engaging travellers 100 slidable on the posts 62 and having arms connected by links 104 with arms on the brackets 44. The control handles 38, which are supported by a bracket 40 secured to an armour plate shield at the rear of the gun compartment, are clamped to a T-shaped carrier 112 pivoted between arms 116 on a member 118 rotatably mounted in the bracket 40. The carrier 112 has an arm 128 provided with a recess 120 cooperating with a stop-pin 122 and connected by a link 130 and bell-crank lever 132 with a Bowden wire 134 for actuating the control valve 140. The rotary member 118 also carries a notched stop-plate and is connected to a Bowden wire 144 for actuating the control valve 150 for the cylinder 80. The Bowden wire 134 is coupled by a bell-crank lever and link with one end of a floating lever 172<1> linked at the other end to the slide 86 and intermediately to the spindle of the control valve. The Bowden wire 144, is coupled to a floating lever 172 for actuating the control valve 150. The reflex sight 34 is pivoted at 202 in a yoke 204 and is tilted by a linkage 234, 228, 220, 250, 246 and 248 while it is rotated by a linkage 216, 212, 208, 206.