Patent GB-190812231-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Barrel Recoil Guns.
Inventor: LEHMANN HERMANN
Filed: 1908-06-05
Granted: 1908-10-15
Abstract: 12,231. Lehmann, H. Aug. 28, 1907, [date applied for under Section 91 of Patents &c. Act, 1907]. Ordnance breech mechanism.-Relates to semiautomatic wedge breech mechanism and consists in providing two springs which are stressed during recoil and independently released at the end of run-out so that one effects the opening and the other the closing of the breech. Fig. 1 is a side view of the gun and cradle, Fig. 2 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 12 shows the parts relating to the extractor. The slide K attached to the gun A has an extension K', which works in a bearing M attached to the cradle B and receives cylinder 0, the closed end of which forms an abutment for springs R, S, which control the opening and closing of the breech, respectively. The other eni of the spring R abuts against a nut L working.in a tube N. This tube is screwed to the guide K<1> and has an annular projection n', against which the other end of the spring S bears. Connected to the nut L is a rod J', which passes through the cylinder 0 and is connected to a cylindrical portion J<1>, which slides in the guide K<1>, and a portion J of rectangular section which slides in the guide K. Connected to the piece J is one arm F<1> of a bell-crank lever F, F<1> which is pivoted at c<4> to the gun, the other arm F<1> being connected by a catch c<3> to the hand-operated breech-opening lever C, C<1> the arm C' of which has a heart-shaped projection c<2> engaging with a groove d<2> in the wedge-block D. Projecting from the arm F is a piece f, which, during recoil, moves along a slide H attached to the cradle. When the gun recoils after firing it takes with it the guide K, K', N and the levers F, F<1>, but the cylinder O being, by means of its projection o<3>, held fast by a stop P on the cradle, the spring S is first compressed and afterwards the spring R, and a bolt Q, mounted in the guide K<1> and moving with the gun, springs into a recess o' in the projection o' of the cylinder 0. When the gun runs out the bolt Q takes the cylinder O with-it until the projection f<2> on the lever F is no longer restrained by the slide H, whereupon the spring R is released, the breech opens, the extractor E is rocked bv the tappets G, Fig. 12, and an arm U on the extractor is brought into such a position that, when a new cartridge is inserted and the extractor turned back, the bolt Q is released, and, the spring S becoming unstressed, the cylinder O and piston J return and thereby close the breech. Modifications are described in which the breech opens at the end of recoil or during run out. A further modification is shown in Figs. 18 and 21 and consists in a special construction for the bolt Q when'automatic, loading- apparatus is used. The rod W, which is connected to a moving part of the loading apparatus, has inclined faces w<2>, w<3> which engage with the inclined face q<2> on the hooked end of the bolt Q, the other end of which engages successively with recesses o<5>, o<6> on the cylinder 0 and releases it iu stages so that the breech-block at first partly closes the breech and acts as a retainer for the cartridge.