US2323430A - Ordnance - Google Patents

Description

juflv & fl@u J. c. TRQTTER 3 ORDNANCE 7 Filed Dec. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l ENVENTOR Patented July 9 i943 ORDNAN CE John 0. Trotter,

Bell Aircraft Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to Corporation, Buflalo, N. Y.

7 Application December 13, 1941, Serial No. 422,908

12 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance, and more particularly to improvements in flexibly mounted multiple machine gun batteries and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved directional stability in multiple batteries of the type that are mounted to be freely pivotable about an axis for aiming purposes and wherein the gun barrel axes are oflset from said pivot axis. Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple gun battery of the character referred to which is of improved compactness and lesser overall dimension. another object of the invention is to provide an improved twin-gun battery unit wherein the cartridge belt link ejection chute means thereof is of improved character. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cartridge belt link ejection chute device for use in connection with paired machine guns or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gun battery including a pair of machine guns or the like mounted in parallel upon-a coon support so as to be pivotable as a unit relative to the support and including improved belt link ejection chute means disposed to extend between said guns. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cartridge belt link ejection chute device for use in conjunction with and disposed to extend between paired machine guns or the like, wherein said chute means is of reduced width whereby rotational moments of the machine gun recoil forces about the center line of said gun unit are of reduced order. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a twin-gun mounting device including an ejected link discharge chute arrangement of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially along line iii-II of Fig. 1.

The drawings illustrate the invention in connection with a mount for supporting a pair of machine guns which are arranged in parallel and designated at iiii. The guns ill-48 are arranged to be fed by corresponding cartridge belts threading into the respective cartridge ieedway and feed pawl mechanisms thereof through suitable apertures leading into the outer side wall portions of the respective gun casings; and to discharge their disintegrated belt links through apertures in the opposed inner wall portions oi the gun casings, as indicated by the arrows of the drawing (Fig. 2). Each gun is mounted upon a corresponding pair of bearer tubes i2-|2 extending parallel to the under surface of the respective gun and longitudinally thereof. The bearer tubes corresponding to each gun are interconnected by means of transverse brackets H-IG at opposite ends thereof; and the guns IU-Hl are slidably mounted for reciprocation longitudinally of the respective bearer tube sets by means of slide bearing brackets |i-i8 adjacent forward and rearward end portions thereof, respectively. Piston-cylinder shock absorber devices are connected to extend between corresponding of the slide bearing and transverse bracket devices iii-i6, as indicated at 20 (Fig.

'l); and therefore it will be understood that each gun is separately mounted upon a pair of corresponding bearer tubes so as to be freely reciprocable longitudinally thereof, and that a shock absorbing device is thus arranged in conjunction with each machine gun bearer tube unit for individual control of the recoil and counter recoil operations of the respective guns.

Each pair of bearer'tube units is provided intermediately of its ends with a mounting bracket having a laterally extending arm portion 22 disposed transversely of and fixedly mounted upon corresponding 01 the bearer tubes i2-i2 so as to be integral therewith. Upright portions 24-28 extend from each of the corresponding bracket base portions 2222 so as to be adjacent the corresponding inner side portions of the respective machine guns. The bracket portions 24-24 are arranged at their upper ends to be connected by means of a transverse shaft 25 extending integrally with the opposed bracket structures so that the two machine gun bearer tube units are thereby interconnected by means of rigid structure so as to be unitary.

The transverse mounting shaft 25 is journaled in a bearing block 26 which is carried by an upright plate 28 disposed centrally of the gun unit and extending in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the gun Hlifl. At its lower edge the plate 28 is formed to extend integrally from a chambered casing structure 30 which is in turn fixed at its forward end portion by meansof connectors 32 to an upright post 34 (Fig. 1). The post 34 is adapted to be rotatably mounted within a suitably socketed base support (not shown), as will be understood by those versed in the gun mount art, whereby the twin gun unit will be mounted so as to be freely pivotable about the vertical axis of the mounting post 34 for aiming adjustments of the gun battery in azimuth. Also, by reason of the shaft-bearing connection 25-28 the guns and bearer tubes unit is freely rotatable about the horizontal axis of the shaft 25 relative to the gun support casing and post structure 30-34, for aiming adjustments of the gun battery in elevation.

A pair of opposed circular side wall plates 40-40 are mounted upon corresponding of the gun support brackets 24-24, as by means of fixed connectors 42, so as to rotate unitarily with the gun battery and coaxially of the bearing shaft 25 upon aiming adjustments of the gun battery in elevation. The side plates 40-40 are perforated as indicated at 44-44 in registry with the cartridge belt link ejection ports of the corresponding of the gims il 0; and link deflector plates 46-48 are mounted as at 41-41 to extend from corresponding of said guns through the perforated portions of the side plates 40-40 for guiding the ejected cartridge belt links as they are thrown from the gun link ejection ports into the corresponding chamber spaces which are provided between the center plate 28 and the side plates 40-40. Thus, the links are directed as indicated at 48-48 by the deflector devices 48-48 to move in smooth curving paths leading first laterally into the corresponding link receiving chamber portions of the mount device and thence downwardly therethrough as indicated at 48-49 for final discharge through the open bottom portion 50 of the casing structure 30.

The central plate and side plate portions 28-40-40 are so relatively spaced as to provide corresponding chambers at opposite sides. of the center plate 28 of sufiicient width to accommodate the cartridge belt links in free sliding relation therewithin when the links are disposed flatwise of the chambers. Thus, it will be understood that the total width of the link receiving housing structure between the opposed side plate portions 40-40 will be only slightly greater than twice the minimum dimension of the links which are to be accommodated, plus the thickness of the central plate 28. Consequently, the total width of the ejected link accommodating structure of the invention may be substantially reduced compared to prior art devices for similar purposes. For example, in my prior Patent No. 2,243,365 I disclosed a somewhat similar twin-gun mount and ejected link discharge structure wherein the link accommodating housing structure comprised only a pair of outer walls corresponding to the side wall members 40-40 of the present invention; and in such case no equivalent of the center plate portion 28 of the present invention was provided or suggested. Consequently, it was necessary in the structure of my earlier patent to provide the link accommodating structure to be of a width dimension more than twice the maximum overall dimension of the link to be accommodated, because of the tendency of the oppositely ejecting links to move from the opposed gun ports into the single link accommodating chamber in the form of oppositely directed streams of links tending to jam together and bridge the space between the side walls thereof unless the space between the side walls measured more than twice the overall length dimension of the links.

Thus, for example, in the case of standard 50 caliber machine gun cartridge belts the links measure about T's inch in thickness and are about 1% inches long. Therefore, it is necessary in such case in connection with the device of my asaa iso prior patent referred to, to provide the link, accommodating chute structure of an inner width dimension of about 3% inches in order to avoid jamming of the links; whereas in the case of the present invention the total width dimension between the opposed side wall portions 40-40 of the link housing structure may be of the order of only about 2 inches, and no jamming of links will result. Consequently, the present invention enables the guns I0-i0 of the twin-gun to be placed approximately 1%, inches" closer together, and therefore they may each be mounted about inch closer to the vertical axis of rotation of the gun unit about the mounting shaft 34, than can be the case in connection with the disclosure of my prior patent referred to.

It will be appreciated that as a result of this closer mounting of the guns relative to the axis of azimuth rotation, the rotational moments of the gun recoil forces relative to this axis will thereby be of substantially reduced order compared to gun mount arrangements of the prior art. Consequently, the gun battery of the present invention is inherently more stable when the guns of the battery at opposite sides of the azimuth pivot axis are firing irregularly or in non-synchronized relation; and the battery is therefore adapted to be handled and aimed by the gunner with increased facility and accuracy, and the firing thereof wil1 be of greatly improved efiectiveness.

It will be understood that the combination gun battery mount support and ejected link receiver of the invention provides an unusually compact plural gun mount arrangement wherein the guns are individually mounted for shock absorbing reciprocation relative to the unitary gun mount structure, without interfering with free universal pivoting of the gun mount unit structure. The combination mount support and link receiver device is disposed to extend between the guns of the battery so as to register with the link ejection ports of the respective gun casings, and is so formed and arranged as to be adapted to receive the gun ejected links in an improved manner irrespective of the gun reciprocative movements relative thereto in connection with recoil and counter-recoil operation. The above referred to features and advantages are attained in combination with the additional important advantage provided by reason of the novel formation and arrangement of the mount support and link receiver device whereby the latter is adapted to convey the gun ejected links away from the guns in improved manner while being of reduced width whereby the guns of the battery are mounted at positions substantially closer to the azimuth pivot axis of the gun battery for improved directional stability compared to devices of the prior art.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In ordnance, a twin-gun battery comprising a support, a pair of machine guns mounted in parallel upon said support, a pivot connection device formed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extending between said guns, said guns having oppositely facing link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediateiy of saiduns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding-link ejection ports of said guns and centrally disposed partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pair of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns.

2. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising i a support, a pair of machine guns mounted in parallel upon said support, a pivot connection'device formed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extending between said guns and offset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof, said guns haviii ing oppositely facing link ejection ports for dis-.

charge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding cartridge'belts,

an ejected link chute disposed intermediately of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns, and a centrally disposed partition extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into-a pair of separate link receiving chambers'lying adjacent respective of said guns, said chambers having width dimensions only slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but prevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement through saidv chute device.

3. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a support, a plurality of machine guns mounted upon said support, a pivot connection device formed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extending between said guns and oifset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof, said guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacent respective of said guns, said chambers having width dimensions only slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but prevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement through said chute device.

4. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machine guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links therefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and transversely support, a pivot connection device formed on said support for mounting the latter to be pivotable for azimuth adjustments of the gun battery aim about an axis extending between said guns and offset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof, said guns having link ejection ports for discharge of'cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding car tridge belts, an ejected link chute device disposed intermedlately of said guns and having link reeeiver portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacent respective of said guns, each of said chambers having a width dimension only slightly greater than the fiatwise thickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but are prevented from rotating about more than one axis during movement thereof through said chute device.

6. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery com! prising a plurality of machine guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links therefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device and parallel to said guns so as to divide said chute device into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns. '7. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machine guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediateiy of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacent respective of said guns. said guns being mounted as a unit so as to be pivotable in elevation upon said partition means, said chute device being pivotally mounted upon a base support so as to provide a gun battery azimuth pivot axis extending between said guns and offset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof, said chambers having width dimensions only slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but prevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement through said chute device.

8. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machine guns having link election ports for discharge of cartridge belt links therefrom, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having link receiver portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said' chute device so as to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns, said guns being pivotally mounted as a unit for elevational adjustment upon said chute device, and said chute device being pivotally mounted upon a base support for azimuth adjustment of said gun battery.

9. In ordnance, a multiple gun battery comprising a plurality of machine guns having link device disposed intermediately of said ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a plurality of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacent respective of said guns, said guns being mounted as a unit so as to be pivotable in elevation upon said partition means, said chute device being pivotally mounted upon a base support so as to provide a gun battery azimuth pivot axis extending between said guns and oifset from the respective longitudinal center lines thereof.

10. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising a frame support a pair of machine guns mounted for independent recoil reciprocation upon said frame support, said guns having link ejection ports for discharge of cartridge belt links from said guns upon disintegration of the gun feeding cartridge belts, an ejected link chute device pivotally mounted upon said frame support, said chute device being disposed intermediately of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pair of separate link receiving chambers lying adjacent respective of said guns, each of said chambers having a width dimension only slightly greater than the flatwise thickness dimension of said links whereby the latter are freely slidable therethrough but are prevented from rotating about transverse axes during movement through said chute device, said chute device having a pivot connection device formed thereon for mounting of said chute device upon a base so as to be pivotable thereon about an axis transverse to the axis of said pivotal support of said frame support.

11. In ordnance, a twin gun battery comprising a frame, a pair of machine guns mounted upon said frame to reciprocate independently thereon in response to recoil forces, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having ejected link receiver portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pair of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns, said frame being pivotally mounted upon said chute device and said chute device being adapted to be pivotally mounted upon a base support for universal adjustments of said gun battery.

'12. A twin-gun battery comprising a pair of machine guns mounted in parallel for firing cartridge from disintegrating cartridge belts comprising successive cartridges interconnected by links, said guns having oppositely facing link ejection ports for discharge of said cartridge belt links upon disintegration of said belts, an ejected link chute device disposed intermediately of said guns and having apertured wall portions thereof in registry with the corresponding link ejection ports of said guns and centrally disposed partition means extending transversely of said chute device so as to divide the latter into a pair of separate link receiving chambers adjacent respective of said guns.

JOHN C. TR/OTTER.

Images