Patent GB-191323760-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the Breech Mechanism of Semi-automatic Ordnance.
Inventor: WADE HAROLD
IPC: F41A15/10
Filed: 1913-10-20
Granted: 1914-10-20
Abstract: 23,760. Wade, H., [Driggs, L. L.]. Oct. 20 Ordnance breech mechanism. - Relates to semiautomatic wedge mechanism of the kind described in Specification 9505/99 and consists (1) in arr a n g i n g the breechactuating cam to rotate about an axis parallel to the shaft of the breechactuating hand-lever, and (2) in providing a locking-lug on the cam for preventing opening of the breech by hand when working semi-automatically. When working by band, the cam is rotated into the inoperative position, and the handle of the breech-actuating hand-lever is secured to its shaft and unlocked from the gun by the turning-up of the handle of the band-lever in the manner described below. Fig 2 is a side elevation showing the breech closed and locked ; Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views showing the positions of the cam-block Q and the co-operating arm F<2> on the shaft F of the breech-actuating lever before firing and during the recoil respectively, the direction of recoil being shown by the arrows 1; and Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation of band-lever. The cam-block Q is rotatably mounted in a vertical socket B<2> formed in an arm B<1> of the cradle B, and is normally held by a torsion spring in the position shown in Fig. 8, in which a stop-face q<5> on the cam-block is pressed against a shoulder b<5> on the cradle arm B'. The breech-actuating shaft F has at its lower end two arms F<2>, F<3>, of which the arm F<2> carries a roller F<4> and is connected by a chain O to a spring in a casing P<3> carried by the gun A, and the arm F<3> has a projection f<3> which co-operates with a locking-lug Q<4> on the cam-block and prevents rotation of the shaft F when the gun is ready for firing. When the gun recoils, the roller F<4> strikes the front face q<4> of the cam Q<3>, and escapes past the cam by rocking the earn-block into the position shown in Fig. 9. During counterrecoil, the roller F<4> engages the rear face q<3> of the cam Q<3>, and, since the cam-block is stopped by the shoulder b<5>, the arm F<2> is rotated counter-clockwise and the breech is opened. The breech is maintained open by the extractor mechanism, which is of the type and acts in the manner described in the above-mentioned Specification. Upon release of the extractor mechanism by the new cartridge, the spring in the casing P<3> reacts and closes the breech, causing the arm F<3> to strike the locking-lug Q<4> of the cam-block and, by rocking the block, to push the lug aside, permitting the projection f<3> to pass into the locking position, whereupon the cam spring reacts and moves the lug Q<4> into the locking position shown in Fig. 8. The cam-block is rotatable into an inoperative position, in which it is held by a spring-bolt q<1>. The band-lever H fits loosely upon the upper end of the shaft F and may be secured thereto by a key k on a member K slidably mounted in the hand-lever. The member K is actuated by a pin-and-slot cam device h<1>, k<1>, of which the pin h<1> is carried by the pivoted handle H<1>. The hinge-pin N of the handle has a T-head which enters a recess in the breech end of the gun and acts as a bayonet-fastening to lock the hand-lever to the gun when it is unlocked from the shaft F,