US2334152A - Machine gun supporting device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 9, 1943. J. c. TRo'rTER MACHINE GUN SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1943. Q TROTTER 2,334,152

MACHINE GUN SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mJm/MM SH01/M444 Nov. 9, 1943. J, c; TRQTTER v2,334,152

MACHINE GUN SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Vice'iorthe Hummv l*One Vobject of thisinvention `is to overcome n y gun.

3' of the airplane.

. tofaordja "'chutefwhich will permit the oarf bridge/links ejected from "the -gun Ato f all therein l l vPatented Nov. 9, 1943 GUNSUPPGRTING JDEVICE .reim cf'rromr, andere, N. Y., assignent .Ben Aircraft Corporation, Buiialo, N.Y.v,n-a,corpora tion of New York appucauon May-1.3, 1940, sem-1N. esmas?.

(cree-3.1) 3

l 7-Claims' yinvention relates 1:to vsupporting devices land -more particularly lhas reference to `a supporting'ldevice for machine guns', the 'device being-'provided with Ymeans for 'attaching thereto n' the' `annnun'iticn boxes yand additional means ffor permitting the ammunition belt to feed into-'the feed vbloei:` ci the gun.

Heretoore no practical =means for attaching the'ammunitio'nboxtothe lrnaf'shne gun orto thevmachine gunfsupport has been proposed. Of

:course it-will -be readily appreciated ythat by mount-ing the 'ammunition -box vdirectly -to the gn maltel-*ially' increases the weight1 ci the gun Aand'detractsiromthe aimingcf thegun. Also,

a'sff-far as'I am aware, ythe-'majority of #the ammunition boxes movewith -the gum -and'b'ein'g `oset from vthecenter line ofthe mounting-'degun 'induces `a 'vibration in 'the they disadvantages nowpresent in Athe art.

nnothervcbjectis to provide `an ammunition box r`forieedinjg -thecartridges into the -machine Yet another object of this invention-iste prov'idea flight weight cradle for lsupporting -machineguns to be used in confined spaces, such a's"airplanes',` the light Iweight cradles-having attachedftheretojthe anununi'tion-boxes. y l A'still *further object of this invention is to 'e provide 'a' stationary amn'lunition `box ^for lmachine guns -Which is rprovided with Lmeans 'ffor 'enabling the cartridge belt to *feediinto-the gun When"the Ifeed `blocls. thereof is'not necessarily "1 onfthe center line vof the ammunition box.

' Q V-Arradditional#object isto provide-a constructicnf'ofthetyper'described which canbevcheaply' f andgeasly manufactured`r and which-consists lof a'fewmain'fworking parts.

j iTo'aphieVe'-1the labove and other objects, they Y invention its broadest concept comprises 'a f pairof iight weight cradles Vwhich f support twin machine fguns' The cradles `are carried uby a hollow vsupportthat is -swiveled in the fuselage The 'support is so formed as and bedeposited in a suitable receptacle..

1 'y `rllhe'cradlesarecarried by^a l'saddle Iwhich is rotatably 'journaled 4in 'the support so that the gzinilrlay*be redupwardly or downwardly. An ammunition box is *attached to thecradleat a Figure ;1` is la `side :elevfatienal =view `slfrowing'l` one of a pair- -oi machine guns'mou-rited I`on novel f structure.- l

-Figure Zis --a top yplan View cfthe--construotionshown in Figure 1. 1-

Figure -Y3is -a sectional-viewtaken -alnnfg 'the Referring vto thedraWi-ngs, Aand 'more f particularly 'itc iF-igures il yand 18,' I Lhave 'shown 1a-vertical support member-l provided-etats upper endwith a pair of cradles 2 and 3 each of which supports a'machinegun 4. 'Thesupport il iincludes a yhollow drum Ei which :is "formed vwith a 1cutaway portion i at1its-upper-`end.- -A bore 'Il is formed-in -the -drum ^5-and `plates Aare positioned on opposite sides :of `the -drum--thereby closingl the cutaway gportion. which fthe cradles 2 7 and 3 -are Yattachedito i'the support `I is provided In Figure "8, it 'will be noted that ythe saddle 9 'includes itwo jparts it and fH-each yof--which is disposed 4on opposite sides fof thesupport. Thamem-berll'll shas integrally formed therewith -'a horizcntal l'portion i2 which is -of such dialnetenas `torotate f reely inthe bore 1. 'The partv H is formed -w'rt'h a horizontal portion t3 -whichts snugly Within "a bore M formed "in 'the #member A locking pin Il 5 projects through aligned rapertures in `the members +2 and I3 forirolding' thesev Jparts in properposition.

'By virtue Aof fthe above 'described saddle, it'will be Y'apprecierted.that 'the'member 9 can be swungI through -an arc above and below -lthe i horizontall plane which of course v-will enable `the Vmachin gunste have flexibility of operation. v

In Figures 2 and-3, it will be seen that the cradles '2 and 3 ycomprise Ythe following,r 'elerrlentsA Y formed in the 'saddle 8; *Asa consequence, the

cradlesy 2 and 3v are rattached to the support AI byineansv of the nsaddle land can vbe moved" in a Vertical plane. At the outer end` of Atlieftube '2' and its corresponding member for-the cradle 3,.

is yattached. a bracket 2 "to "which is "removably aixed a 'gun sight 23'. "The rearward lends of ,Nr retos AA saddle -9 "by the tubes 2O and 2Iy are closed by means of a bracket 24 to which is suitably` attached an. op-

erating handle 25. Of course each gun 4 hasa. usual .back plate construction which I designate generally 26. A ring trigger 21 is also suitably associated with the rear portionv of thev assembly. l

The forward end of the tube 20 is closed by means ofa'bracket 28 which extends transversely of the tubes 2li' and 2| and is attached to' eachv tube as shown at 29.

Positioned between the tubes 20 and 2I and suitably attached to the precise details of construction herein set forth way of illustration, as it is apparent that Vmany f changes and -variations may be made therein.l by those skilled-in the art, without departingirom i the spirit of the invention, or exceedingthe scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: 1. Ina machine gunLa mountingdevicecomprising .a cradle in which the gun is 'adapted to be carried for fore andaft movement; a y' support for mounting the cradle to have swIvd-i "ing movement, anammunition box removably atfront bracket 28 andy a rear bracket 30,15 a recoil` compensating device 3 I.

attached at its, front endto the transversely ex-y tending member y28 and its Varms 33 are secured to the. for-ward portion of the. gun casing yas vshown at 35. As best-shown inv Figure 2, aA slidable strap36 having downturned ends 3l which flt over the] tutes-zucca 2| -is pcsitienea betweenrthe support I andtheoperating handlesfz. The

strap `36 is provided'rwith lugs` 38 which t into o themachine gun casing. W It will befappreciated therefore that vby virtue of-` the bracket Vcon-` struction 32 and the strap 3 6 themachinegun .4 iis mounted in the cradle2 forforward and rearward movement upon thefiring vof the gun.

; A5 hereinbefore pointed out, an irriportantfea.v

ture of this invention is the attaching of the ain-j f munition boxto the cradlecjReferrin'g to Figures 2 and 3, it can beseen that anammunitionbox e 401s attached tc the tube zo by means cf 'bolts 4 I. Each ammunition box is secured to `theradle at a point adjacent tc tue-feed blociregthegun, and this block is indicated by the numeraigdZ. Attached to the upper portion `of the ammunition box by a bracket 43 is a guide member 4 4.f Con-v sequently the -guide u, win permit theam'mum tion' beltjtc feed into the gun whenthe feed` blockv 42' maynot'be on thecenter line of ammunition box I0, .Thus the gun 'l can reciproateslightly.

the belt havingacertain degree. ofiiiexibiliti/ totake up the diierencebetween the center of..y feed andthe .center of the ammunition box.A A

s een. vthat there is integrally formed! with `the member 5 and extending downwardly therefrom a chute 46 which isformed withv angoisetdiseferring again to 'gures 1 and 3, itcanjbe charge mouth IIIV to whichcan beattachedacon: e l tainer (not shown) for collecting the links v:which f are ejected' by .the into' .the drum. ,ithrolsh slots 5. Also, a. spindle VV 1 8is assorelated with th Support I ,forinsertion into a socketor'the like in the fuselageofgtheairplane solthat they cradles 2 and 3 and the gun! may have swivelingmovement. j i.; j It` will be readily appreciatedfrom the above description that I have provided ,a -novel1 conf formed therewith;y a :second struction for attaching an ammunition box V:to a Y' supporting .cradle for machine lihe f box can beV easily removed from and vattached itc. the

cradle andis further provided with gidi'ng'mans for feeding ythe ammunition. belt'intofeedbloeit;V

of the gun even though the feed block is not .on

the center line of the ammunition box. Theydevice is relatively simplein const'ructionfand'ppf,. erationand can of: course be .cheaplyY and easily inanufactured.V r Y .f Y. lli/' hile.'l'.have'y shown and described-themeferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be redwood tha-Ii de ,not connue man( the ety - comprising a vertical support, y

said L- shaped portion.

' e Sims. a hollowzsupmtt. .abqrelmsam .mtatablymountedj 1nA the bore. f f

prising a .hollowjhorizorital member tached vto thecradle, guidefmeans supported by o the upper portion of theammunitionboxto guide rvthe cartridge belts into the feed block of the nia-v chine gun;' .and said support havingmeansfto admit the'ejectedlinks-from the'guninto the hollowsupport forc'ollection.

2. In a machine. gun, 'a mounting devieecomprising a cradle in which the gunis adapted to.y

bearried forfore and aft movement. -ahollow support. for'mounting the cradleto haveswivding movement, an'ammunition attaohedeto the cradle., guide means supported on.

portion of thefammunitionebox to guide the 1 triage belts. into thezfjeed block` of `the gun, means comprising 'a collectionpoint ciated with saidv supportjintorwhichthelkpka ejectedv cy'tnesun are red, and` the links from said collection point. v f

= 3.111 n'ei machine gun provmedwithcex'adf.

block. a mounting device comprising acrldienf which the gun is; adapted to be rrioimteti:lorim@4 and. aftmvement. ahollow supvdrt. formt; ms .the cradle. t0? hve. Swiveuns ammunition box attached to the cradle tion box tc guide the cartridge belts into thefeed bleek. cf .the machine gun, means ascocmedvith e the support into .which the links ejected giurare fed. .and'ahute cmmunisstmsmth means and attached the.supprtidfbil being adaptedtto remove the links trom said r.

letion point.

4. In mount i comme fer sans., shallow support. a bora .a rotatablyfmounted in the borI erthe. ySaddlV een prising a 11011.05. harizotal Y the b oreg' and Aan v Isshaped formed therewith, an d a cradle in' which-'thgfmef chinegun is ymounted. dapted v for Vmachine the bore and any fitted" Within" the nSt'mentionedQ-hw l 1" member and "hviasl an' 'Lfhrd tegrally formed therewith. means horizontal membersi-ftosetherr .and and. .ff

.6e-11n 'a sun assembl fbrovied. chine sunshvins vfeed ,blvcktamwntmsrm carryinggthemachinefsuns eradleedino the fsiblock-bfiesch. machine' wat. adeeud mansion the ruler l each ammunition nox io guido ino ammunition belts into the feed block of each gun.

7. In a gun assembly provided with twin mav chine guns having feed blocks, a mounting devvice comprising a vertical support, adapted for carrying the machine guns attached cradles to the support on opposite sides thereof, means f to mount the machine guns for forward and rearward movementA in each cradle during firing of the gun, an ammunition box removably secured to each cradle adjacentoto the feed block of each chine guns are adapted to pass for collection.

JOI-IN C. TROTTER. y

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