Patent GB-316152-A (GB)
IPC: F41A9/16
Filed: 1929-07-23
Abstract: 316,152. Schneider et Cie. July 23, 1928, [Convention date]. Ordnance breech mechanism; machine guns.- An automatic gun is provided with a drum magazine, the rotary cartridge holder I, Fig. 1, of which is mounted on a shaft e movable longitudinally by a bearing-slide L and hand gear M, Fig. 26, to cause a projection e<5> on the shaft to engage a helical slot E<2> in the magazine casing E and thereby rotate the cartridge-holder by one step to cause the first cartridge to descend on to a loading tray F. The tray is suspended from a casing D on the gun cradle B by rods F<1>, F<2> which, under the pull of a spring G, load the cartridge into the gun chamber after the tray has been released from a stop h moved aside by the weight of the cartridge in the tray. The forward movement of the shaft e also engages the clutch e<1> with a clutch d<1> rotated step-by-step to feed the cartridges during the recoil and run-out movements of the gun barrel by a ratchet V<1> driven by a roller v engaging a groove A<1> in the barrel. The loading-tray spring G is connected at one end to the rod F<1> and at the other end to a link G<3>, Fig. 26, pivoted at G<2> to the casing D and engaging a rod Q sliding in the barrel. The rod Q has notches Q', Q<2> engaging a spring-controlled bolt Q<3> which is depressed by a handle q<2> to engage the bolt with the notch Q<2> and thereby partly relax the spring G<3> during transport. The bolt Q<3> also has an incline (not shown) which releases the extractors N' thereby permitting the spring S<2> to close the wedge breech-block P. After opening the breech and operating the gear M, the first cartridge can be loaded by the spring G in its partly relaxed condition. After firing, the breech is automatically opened during recoil by the engagement of a cam-lever U with a roller D<2> on the casing D and the bolt Q<3> re-engages the notch Q' so that, during run-out, the spring G may be again fully stressed. The extractors N<1> are operated by the hook P<1> on the breech-block during its opening movement and serve to retain the breech-block open. When a cartridge is loaded by the tray F, the extractors are released to cause the breech to close and the firing-pin T is cocked by riding up inclines on the barrel. A spring-controlled slide 0, Fig. 16, released during recoil, retains the cartridge K in the chamber. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) also describes means to allow automatic or single-shot fire in which the firing pin T is retained by a spring bolt X, Fig. 39, (Cancelled), released by a lever x engaged by a rod Y' arranged in the gun trunnion b. The rod is operated by a lever Z on a slide Y<2>, Y<3> pulled by a lanyard Y. By adjusting a lever Y<6>, a short or a long pull can be given to the slide for automatic or single-shot fire, respectively. A short pull, which is held, holds the bolt X clear of the firing pin, whereas a long pull, which is let go, causes the lever Z to slip over the end of the rod Y<1> so that the firing pin is again held until the next shot is fired by pulling the lanyard. Fig. 43 (Cancelled) shows the ratchet mechanism for operating the magazine from the recoil-operated link V'. The feed-pawl V<3> is carried by a rocking arm V<2> and is released by a fixed pin d<6>, whilst the retaining pawl D<3> is mounted on the casing D and is released by a pin v<2> on the arm V<2>. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.