Patent GB-881054-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to mechanism for loading guns
IPC: F41A9/42
Filed: 1960-07-11
Abstract: 881,054. Gun loading mechanisms. RHEINMETALL G.m.b.H. July 11, 1960 [July 15, 1959], No. 24174/60. Class 92. Relates to a loading mechanism for a gun mounted in an armoured gun mount or turret and adapted to be loaded with shells from a shell rack located at the rear end of the barrel below the centre line of the gun barrel. According to the invention the loading mechanism comprises a reciprocably mounted loading arm 12, 16, Fig. 3, and a pivotally mounted loading arm 10 adapted to be reciprocated or pivoted respectively in a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the barrel, the arm 12, 16 being adapted to engage the front end of a shell 5 and lift it from the rack (not shown) to the level of the rear end of the barrel whilst the arm 10 moves in an arcuate path to engage and lift the rear end of the shell from the rack and push the shell into the gun barrel. The arm 12, 16 comprises two telescopic parts 12, 16 which are extended by a sliding block 13, the lower end of the part 12 being pivoted at 17 to the arm 10 which is in the form of a lever pivoted at 11 to a member 4 rigidly secured to the gun cradle 3. A crank 19 rotatable about a shaft 18 on the member 4 transmits motion to the arms via a connecting rod 21 and a bell-crank lever 20 pivoted on the member 4 and having one end of one arm pivoted to the sliding block 13. When the crank 19 is rotated, the sliding block 13 and arm 12, 16 are moved through an arc of a circle from the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the upper end of the part 16 moves into a position under the nose of the shell 5. On further rotation the part 16 is extended to lift the nose of the shell as shown in Fig. 3 and on full extension of the part 16, continued rotation of the crank 19 swings the arm 10 about the pivot 11 to engage the rear end of the shell and to push it into the barrel as shown in Fig. 4. On full rotation of the crank 19 the parts are restored to their original positions. A coil spring under compression may be interposed between the member 4 and the pivotal connection of the connecting rod 21 and bell-crank lever 20 to maintain the loading mechanism in the deadcentre position and to balance the forces during the various stages of operation. The crank 19 may be operated manually, hydraulically, or by an electric motor 30, Fig. 4, or the recoil of the gun may be used to tension a spiral spring 33, Fig. 8 (not shown) connected with the crank 19 and the energy stored in the spring used to drive the loading mechanism. Fig. 11 shows a loading mechanism operable by a pedal 35 the crank 19 being omitted. The shell rack 36, Fig. 13, is attached to the member 4 by stays 37 and is provided with a spring 38 which acts upon the shell loading trough 39 to feed the shells upwardly in the rack. The trough 39 is guided by rollers 41 in a guide rail 42 provided with projections 43-46 adapted to be engaged by a spring-urged bolt 48 which is connected by a release rod 49 with a release lever 50 attached to the rack by a bell-crank lever 51 and a lever 52 so that it is guided for parallelogram motion. The slide block 13 is provided with a projection 53 which acts upon the free end of the lever 51, the arrangement being such that during the return of the loading arms to their initial position the lever 51 is moved by the slide block 13 causing movement of the lever 50 to effect release of the bolt 48 from the projection 43 to permit the loading trough 39 to be raised and bring a shell to the loading position. A cartridge box 55, Fig. 15, for receiving ejected spent shell cases is located by the side of the rack 36 and is mounted on a common plate 56 attached to the member 4. The ejected shell case drops upon a guide plate 60 pivoted at 61 and rolls towards the spring-urged closing flaps 62 of the box 55 which open under the weight of the case, the case falling into the box. The flaps immediately close to prevent propellant gases escaping from the box which may be provided with means for exhausting the gases from inside the box. A push rod 66 hinged to the loading lever swings the guide plate 60 upwardly to permit 'free movement of the loading arms during the loading operation.