Patent ID: 8297164

Claim:
Gun charging apparatus for selectively causing movement of a machine gun bolt pin between safe and armed positions thereof, the bolt pin having a return spring biasing it toward said armed position, said gun charging apparatus comprising: an actuating member supported for driven movement between a first position, a second position spaced apart from said first position, and a third position spaced further apart from said first position than said second position; said actuating member being: (1) operative to engage said bolt pin, drive said bolt pin to said safe position, at a limit location of said bolt pin and then hold said bolt pin in said safe position against the biasing force of said return spring, in response to said actuating member being driven from said first position to said second position, (2) operative to release said bolt pin and permit said bolt pin spring to drive said bolt pin back to said armed position in response to said actuating member being driven from said second position to said third position, said actuating member in said third position thereof being translated relative to said limit location of said bolt pin in said safe position thereof, (3) operative to drivingly re-engage said bolt pin, after said actuating member is driven from said third position to said first position, in response to said actuating member again being driven from said first position towards said second position, and (4) configured to permit said bolt pin to return to its armed position, and reciprocate during firing of the machine gun, during driven return of said actuating member from its third position to its first position; and drive apparatus operable to drive said actuating member to said first, second and third positions.