Patent ID: 8826794

Claim:
A sliding contact assembly for attachment to a breechblock and a breech ring of a gun system breech mechanism that defines a breechblock headspace and a breech ring headspace, the sliding contact assembly comprising: a block slide connector that is assembled to the breechblock within the breechblock headspace; a ring slide connector that is assembled to the breech ring within the breech ring headspace; wherein the block slide connector includes: a block slide housing; an electrical connector that is assembled to the housing and that terminates in a set of conductors; a set of compression springs that are assembled to the housing; and a set of block slide connector sliding contacts that are secured to the housing and that linearly translate under the action of the set of compression springs, and that are further secured to the set of conductors; wherein the ring slide connector includes: a ring slide housing; an electrical connector assembly that is secured to the ring slide housing; and a set of ring slide connector contacts that are secured to the ring slide housing; wherein the set of ring slide connector contacts slidably engage and establish electrical connection with the set of block slide connector sliding contacts upon closure of the breech mechanism; and wherein the set of ring slide connector contacts disengage from the set of block slide connector sliding contacts upon opening of the breech mechanism.