Patent GB-134826-A (GB)
IPC: F41A9/36
Abstract: 134,826. Bangerter, F. Nov. 4, 1918, [Convention date]. Void [Published under Sect. 91 of the Act]. Machine guns; cartridge belts.-Consists of an automatic gun having a rotary group of barrels and a corresponding group of breech-blocks which are moved in turn towards the corresponding barrels to clamp an intermediate series of cartridge chambers in firing position and fire the cartridges behind each of the barrels in succession. The invention also includes (1) forming the cartridge chambers as the links of a driving chain passing over sprocket wheels, and providing means to charge the chambers from a cartridge belt, feed the chambers to firing position, and eject the empty cartridge cases, (2) operating the gun automatically by slidable gas-cylinders mounted on the muzzle ends of the barrels, (3) means for regulating the speed of discharge, (4) safety means for stopping automatic action in case of a misfire, (5) a support for two cartridge-belt reels, which support can be turned on a vertical pivot to bring either reel to feeding position, and (6) a stand for the gun fitted with elevating and training clamps. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the barrels D<5> enclosed in a cooling-jacket D<9> and connected to a sleeve D rotatable on a fixed shaft C<7> forming the central member of a frame comprising longitudinal members such as C<3>, C<5> connected by transverse plates C, C<1>, C<2>. At the rear of the barrels and rotating therewith is a ring E<2> carrying a series of breech-bolts E<4> one behind each barrel, the bolts being moved in succession towards and away from their respective barrels to lock and unlock an intermediate series of cartridge chambers K by the engagement of projections E<15> on the bolts with a fixed cam-groove F<2> shown developed in Fig. 11. Each breechbolt carries a spring-controlled firing-pin E<5> having a projection E<14> which engages a cam surface F<3> to cock and release the pin when the breech-block is in firing position and firmly supported at the rear by a separate cam surface G. As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the cartridge chambers K are linked together by pins K<7> to form a chain passing over a sprocket wheel J<2> on the sleeve D and a sprocket wheel J<1> on a shaft J rotated by a crank J<4> when operating the gun by hand. The cartridges are fed to the chambers from a belt O<4> formed of loops of elastic fabric on a thin metal band which is threaded over a pivoted idler wheel O, the belt having recesses to engage projections M<3> on a carrier drum M, from which drum the cartridges are pushed in turn into the chambers by plungers L<6> carried on a drum L' fast with the carrier drum. The plungers are reciprocated by projections L<8> thereon engaging a fixed cam slot L<10>. The chambers carry rollers K' engaging a guide K<10> on their way to firing position and a guide P<11> on leaving the firing position, the latter guide serving to withdraw the chambers from the barrels. At the lower end of the guide P<11> is an inclined surface P<25> with which the rims of the cartridge cases engage to extract them from the chambers, the cases being then taken between a rapidly rotating friction pad P<22> driven from the shaft J, and a spring-controlled idle roller P<26>, and passed into an ejection tube. To enable the gun to fire automatically after discharging the first shot, the barrels are fitted with gas cylinders D<13> which are moved forwards by the gases following the projectile. The cylinders carry rollers D<21> which engage slots D<10> in the casing D<9>, and during rotation of the barrels bear against a fixed cam rail Q<20> that serves to move the cylinders rearward to bring the rollers behind a cam lever Q<16> (see plan Fig. 3) as the barrels reach the firing position. On firing. the lever Q<16> is therefore moved aside against the action of a spring in a casing Q<4>, the reaction of the spring causing a surface Q<21> on the lever to engage the roller D<21> to rotate the group of barrels. If a misfire occurs, the roller D<21> engages a lever R<1> that is cushioned by a spring R<5> and acts through linkage R<8>, R<9> to impart rearward movement to a rod R<14> carrying a pawl R", which locks the automatic cam lever Q<16>. By acting on a lever R<17> at the rear of the gun, the rod R<14> may be moved forwards to permit automatic fire to be resumed. The speed of discharge may be regulated by a brake S', Fig. 3, acting on the drum E<2>, or by adjusting the strength of the spring in the casing Q<4> by a handwheel Q<11>. Cartridge-belt reels U<9>, U<10>, Figs. 3 and 14, are carried in a frame U<4> vertically pivoted to an arm N extending from the gun frame. The frame U<4> is retained in position for either reel to be used by spring plungers U<20>, U<22> engaging recesses in the frame 180 degrees apart. Each reel can be readily removed from its spindle U<7> by pressing in a spring locking-pin U<14>, which has a cut-away part U<17> registering with the spindle. The gun is trunnioned at C<10> to the upper part of a socket T<4>, Fig. 3. revolubly mounted on a vertical pivot carried by legs T<2>. The gun is clamped in elevation by a lever T<12> acting through a link T<13> on a screw-operated split band round the trunnion, and a similar screw clamp T' acting on the socket T<4> is employed to lock the gun in training.