US2340705A - Automatic machine gun charger - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1944. T. B. SLATE AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER Filed June 22, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 1, 1944. T. B.SLA1"E 2,340,705

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER Filed June 22, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 m3 m2 pow mmw mm o Feb 1, 1944. SLATE 2,340,705

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER 1 Filed June 22, 1939 6 Shets-Sheet s Feb. 1, 1944. I T. B. SLATE AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 22, 1939 Feb. 1, 1944. T. a. SLATE I AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER Filed Jun 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 i: l w mus 15. Slnle I l I? i i l I 0 1 l I l l l I K: 11:! ll 0 N Feb. 1, 1944. 'r. B. SLATE AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER Filed June 22, 1939 6 Sheets-finest 6 nN on f? TltnmasB-Slai 1 Patented Feb. l, 1944 UNITED STATE PATENT oFicg AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN CHARGER Thomas B. Slate. Washington, D. 0., assignor to Slate Experimental Development Company,

Burbank, Calif.

Application June 22, 1939, Serial No. 280,635 Iii Claims. (01. 89-1) to lock the bolt of the gun in the rear position when the gun is not in use, leaving the barrel of the gun open at all times which aids in cooling the barrel and eliminates the possibility of a run-away gun. It is also an object of the invention to provide an automatic cut-off device which controls'the main switch on the charger, to provide a positive manually controlled switch which will completely open the charging circuit after the charger has operated the gun consecutively for a predetermined number of times.

- The art of machine gun recharging presents a problem in recharging the gun quick enough not to cause the operator to lose sight of his target or to have his attention distracted by the fact that the gun is not firing. Electricalrechargers are entirely too slow because of the time necessary for an electrical motor to build up speed and the item of its weight is a drawback when powerful enough to recharge quickly. Pressure cylinder rechargers, where the cylinder is stationary, operating a piston, has the problem of a packing gland on the piston to make it gas tight, having a variable amount of friction that changes when adjusting or tightening the piston gland; and there is also the problem of frosting when any part of the piston is exposed while the charger is in a stationary position.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a recharger for machine guns that is extremely quick in action, and that requires the smallest fraction of time after the gun fails to fire before setting the recharger 'inaction. In my invention such setting in action is entirely automatic and does not require the attention of the gun operator,-and entirely replaces the usual trigger solenoid for setting the gun in action; it has its power cylinder piston mechanism completely covered by the cylinder when not in action; it has no stufling glands on its piston to cause friction by tightness or to be affected by frost. It will automatically cease charging the gun after charging it a predetermined number of times in succession without once firing, and will notify the operator by a pilot light if the charger is operating. 7

It is also my object to use liquid carbon dioxide gas as a source of carbon'dioxide gas as it main tains high pressure and is anhydrous enough not to cause freezing of operating parts.

I attain these and other objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention applied to a machine gun and in operating position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same with charger in operating position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a machine gun with my gun charger in detached position and shown in perspective;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the charging cylinder piston with spring 230 added;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of the charging cylinder piston;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the charging cylinder;

Fig. '7 is a detail longitudinal section through a portion of the charging cylinder and showing one end of the charging cylinder piston in side elevation;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the charging cylinder on line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of mymachine gun charger;

Fig. 10 is a button plan of the machine gun charger with the cover broken-away;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the machine gun charger; with the cover removed;

Fig. 12 is an edge elevation of the charging cylinder valve body 21;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the charging cylinder valve body;

Fig. 14 is an end view of the valve body 21, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of the valve body 21;

Fig. 16 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of the automatic cut-oft arm l6;

Fig. 17 is a transverse section on line II-ll of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an end elevation of in Fig. 16; 3 Fig. 19 is a detail section of intake valve seat the device shown Fig. 20 is an end elevation of intake valve seat 30;

Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the automatic cut-out cam;

Fig. 22 is a transverse section on line 22-22 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a side elevation of the recharger base plate I:

Fig. 24 is an edge elevation base plate I;

Fig. 25 is an end elevation of base plate I;

Fig. 26 is a top plan view of the automatic cut-out pawl 20;

Fig. 27 is a side elevation of the automatic cut-out pawl 20;

Fig. 28 is an end elevationof member 20;

Fig. 29 is a side elevation of the gun locking arm I2;

Fig. 30 is an end elevation of the arm;

Fig. 31 is an edge elevation 01' the charging cylinder arm 22;

Fig. 32 is a side elevation cylinder arm 22;

Fig. 33 is an end elevation of the charging cylinder arm; a

Fig. 34 is a side elevation of valve 28; I

Fig. 35 is an end edge elevation of the automatic control insulated block cover;

Fig. 36 is an end elevation of the automatic control insulated block;

Fig. 37 is a detail perspective view of the switch control arm I 4;

Fig. 38 is a detail perspective view of the delay solenoid arm 32;

Fig. 39 is a perspective view of the automatic cut-out control arm I3;

Fig. 40 is a diagrammatic wirin Fig. 41 is a perspective view of the automatic cut-out switch and automatic cut-out cam and associated parts;

Fig. 42 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the automatic cut out mechanism with members I 6 and II in their rearward position, the dotted line position showing the forward positions of 'piston I1 and arm I6 and pawl 20 engaged by stud 64 from the/ratchets of automatic cam l when piston I 7, arm I 6 and cam I5 are at rest. I

Fig. 43 is a side elevation of the cover plate 35.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a conventional machine gun I, having a forward mounting bracket 2 and a rear gun mounting bracket 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and a conventional manual recharging handle 4. The gun has a rear recharger guide block mounting slot 5 and a front recharger guide block and bolt head slot 5a. A rear recharger mounting guide block 6, asshown in Fig gun locking view of the electric 3, and the head of front recharger mounting guid bolt 60.. seat in the slots Bfand 5a respectively, and bolt the charger tothe gun.

The gun charger has a base plate I, and cover 8. screws or bolts 9 holding the cover in place, firing control member I0, and a scar adjustment bolt I I (shown in Figs. 2 and As shown in Figs. 23, 24 and 25, member la is a hollow boss on base plate I, through which the sear I0 extends to the sear adjustment bolt I I. Member 1b is an angle boss'to receive gun locking arm I2 and its mounting pin which seats in aperture I2 but is not shown. Member III is a of the chargin and disengaged full lines in Fig. 3. Member I l is shown are openings for the bers I6 and I! move sear used ln-the normal firing time machine gun when the pin 6| is in the position sng wn in st in Figs. 10 and 11. The sear adjustment bolt is usual equipment used on trigger solenoids.

A gun locking arm or sear I 2' pivotally mounted at I2 (see Figs. 3, 29 and 9) engages core 44 at one end and has the other end pro jecting into the plane of the charging studtl, which moves in slot 63 of the gun charger. Slot 63 is aligned with slot 52 of the gun to receive the charging stud 6| slots 62 and 63, as shown in Fig. 3. The spring I2a which bears against arm I2, as shown in Fig. 29, causes the latch I2 to catch pin 6|, when solenoid 42 is deenergized, and locks the bolt of the gun to the rear when the charger is inoperative.

A spring-loaded pivoted out out control arm or lever I3 is provided as shown in Figs. 39, 9 and 42. Members I3 and I4 shown in Fig. 11,

, protrusion of cut out control lever I3 and cut out I4. Lever I3 has a lug I3a, insulation block I31; and bend I30, as shown in Fig. 39. As shown in Fig. 10, I312 is a spring normally holding lever I3 in contact with cam I5, and normally holding contact points 50 out of engagement. I provide an automatic cut out I4 (shown in Figs. 9, 41 and 3'7) which has a lug Ma and insulation block Mb. A novel automatic cylindrical cut out cam I 5 has spaced ratchet elements I5 and cam elements A, B, C, and D-although any desired number, either more Or less than four, can be provided, if desired. Forward of each of the cam surfaces A, B, C, D, is a ratchet surface I5, in a plane at right angles of that of cam I 5' for engagement by. pawl 20. I So, shown in Figs.- 35 and 36 is the opening in insulation block 34 and its cover wardly of the gun in the direction indicated by the dotted lines. The rear: end of spring I8 is seated in a recessed portion of disk 5:2,. as,

shown, and presses against said disk, which is aflixed to member'IG. Piston I1 has an enlarged rear end I la slidable in the enlarged annular recessed portion I of arm I6, as shown in Fig. 42. automatic cut out arm I6 to slidably receive piston I1.- Spring I9 which is shorter and not as still. as the spring I8 bears against the cover-8 at its rear end, and at its forward end against annular projection matic cut out arm I6 and tends to push it forwardly toward the mouth of the gun.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 42, spring I5e, which bears against and is mounted in the rear end of cam I5 is stiffer than spring I9, but not as stifi as spring I8 in piston I1. Spring I8 is sui flciently strong to compress spring I9 and spring I5e. Member I1 slides within member I6 and compresses spring I8 after member I6 has previously compressed spring I 9 and abutted against the cover 8. When the annular projection Ila of member I 60 of member I 6 at the endof recess ISc, memtogether as a unit. While the breech bolt: is moving forwardly into battery, the pin 6| allows lug I3a of member I3 which oscillates in I6b designates the bore or channel in- I6d of member IS the auto- I1 engages the abutmentto flip up and catch a ratchet element of cam l3 before the sleeve is carried to the left by He. Pawl 20 pushes the ratchet the distance of one ratchet length to correspond essentially to the distance member [8 moves. The rest of the movement is absorbed by the compression of spring l8 and the movement of member I! relative to member It. This combination of spring action'is such that when the charging cylinder 23 travels to the rear and pushes on piston II. the first action is to move out out arm 56 by compressing spring I9 to'where pawl 20 will ride off of cut out pawl release pin 86 and engage ratchet IE on part 15. Spring IS in piston I! will compress andthen the very last part of the stroke of charging cylinder 28 moves cam I5 one notch. As the charging cylinder 23 and pin 8| return forward the spring pressure against piston I! will continue to exert a force through pawl 20 against ratchets E5 of cam I5 until pin 6! slides ofi of cam l3c, whereby lug I311 of lever l3 will engage the ratchet face lb, of cam l5. Spring pressure on lever It tends to cause it to engage ratchet surfaces IS. The pawl 20, as shown in Fig. 42 is pivotally suspended on pin or bolt 20a from the flanges I60 of automatic cut out arm l8 and is pressed downwardly by spring 2| to engage successively the cut out cam members B, C, and D.

Referring to Figs. 27 and 42, the bottom surface of pawl 20 is designated as 20b and is adapted to engage any of the ratchet surfaces ii of cut out cam l5.

As shown in Figs. 9, 31 and'32, a charging cylinder extension or arm 22 is screw-threaded to charging cylinder 23 and has projections 22a and 22b. Projection 22b pulls 6i back. Projection 22a operates piston 11. Referring to Figs. '7 and 8, within charging cylinder 23 and encircling piston 25 is a return spring which causes the return of cylinder 28 when fluid pressure against same is relieved. Charging cylinder piston 26 has threaded ends Md and 24b. As shown in Fig. 5, piston 24 has a. longi- 4 tudirial channel 26a extending through it from end to end. A gland 25, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, is secured to the end of piston is by a suitable nut 28, said gland being slidable in cylinder 23, and functions to make the cylinder pressure tight.

As shown in Figs. 9, l3, l4 and 15, charging cylinder piston 24 is screw-threaded at its front end to valve body 21 and remains stationary while charging cylinder 23 is operated by the,

pressure of carbon dioxide flowing through a channel 24a of stationary piston 24. Charging cylinder extension 22, as shown in Figs. 32, 33 and 9, has an extension 22a which engages piston I1 and an extension 2% which engages charging pin 6|. Piston chanel 24a. communicates with the valve port 3| in valve body 21. Mounted -in valve chamber 29 of valve body 21 is a valve 28 having a needle point 30', as shown in detail in Fig. 34, and is preferably adjustable in length, as shown. Valve 28 is pressed by a spring 29a on the valve seat 30, as shown in Fig. 9. Opening out of valve chamber 29 is an exhaust port 291:, as shown in Fig. 13. Valv body 27 has a threaded recess 25c to receive the threaded end 241) of piston 26.

Member 32, shown in Fig. 38, is a delay solenoid.

arm or flapper having contact point 88 and oppositely disposed spring 33a. Member 35, shown in Fig. 36 is an insulated block having a cover 36' (shown in Fig.35). Member 33 has allowing projection Ma to drop into cam A on an aperture 28' for the charging cylinder: an aperture 55' for solenoid 55': an aperture 34b for spring 38a; an aperture 881; for spring I20: and an opening It for the automatic. out of! arm l8; and opening I541 for theautomatic cut out cam I5, as shown in Fig. 36.

Referring to Fig. 41, I provide a contact spring mechanism including automatic cut off switches or contact springs 86 and 87, said members having contact points 98.

Before any movement occurs on cam l8, lug its is engaging cam l5 at ratchet A. The first movement would move it to ratchet B, the second movement to ratchet C and the third movement to ratchet D. As shown in Fig. 41, the cylindrical rear end of cam i5 is of such length that it is equivalent of four positions of cam IS,

the third movement. As shown in Fig. 41, lug I la of cut out N is resting on the smooth surface of the cylindrical end of earn it in a position where it would take one or more movements to its fourth position to bring it to a position to allow lug Ma to drop into the first cam element and thereby separate contact points 38 of spring contacts 86 and 31. When cam I5 is pushed forward by pawl 20 until the spring tension of member 81 of automatic cut out lever It causes lug is to move into the first cam element, breaking contact elements 38, such operation thereby stops any further action of the charger. Lever Id, it will be noted, is pivotally mounted at Iflc, as shown in Fig. 41.

lwember 31 is a spring and is mounted in spring tension away from the contact point on member 36 and is held in contact against its tension by automatic cutout lever l4 through lug la'in contact with the cut out cam l5. It is the cam l5 that holds the contact points 88 of contact springs 31 and 36 in contact.

As shown in Fig. 9, an electric conduit 39 carries the wires 57, 59 and 60. Also I provide a pressure pipe line 48 leading from a suitable source of pressure, preferably a container of liquid carbon dioxide (the container not being shown) to connection 40', which connects with passage-30 and thence to passage 3| through valve body 27.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 9 and 11, I provide a valve solenoid 5i and a gun lock solenoid 62, arranged in aligned position as shown. Valve solenoid M has a core 38; and gunlock solenoid 42 has a core M. Electric current is supplied from a suitable source to valve solenoid 6i by the valve solenoid wire 45; and

to the gunlock solenoid 42 by the gunlock solenoid wire 46, as shown.-

Referring to Fig. 10, I provide avalve solenoid As shown in Fig. 9, there is a delay solenoid or relay 55 having the usual core 58, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 40. As shown in Figs. 9 and 40, a wir 5'! leads from switch 31 .to the usual gun trigger (not shown). A wire 88 leads to a suitable source of electric supply such as a battery. A wire 80 leads from switch 33 to pilot light 58.

As shown-in Figs. 42 and 43, the stud 64 protrudes from the under side of cover plate 35 and engages pawl 20 when arm I8 is at rest in its front position (as shown in dotted lines), relative to the gun, and functions to disengflge cut out pawl 20 from engagement with any of the four vertical or ratchet faces II of automatic cut out cam I 5. This is to allow cam I to reset or return to its original position if the sun should fire normally and pin 3| engag the cut out contro1 lever I 3 and thereby disengage its lug l3a from the ratchet faces I! of cam l5, allowing cam It to return to its original position. At the stage of operation illustrated in Fig. 42, lug Ila on lever I3 is out of contact with cut out cam ll because pawl 20 is holding cam It in stationary rear position and will continue to do so as pin 8| contacts bend I30 of lever I3 and thereby operates lever II.

The charging stud or pin 8| extends through and oscillates in slot 62 of the machine gun as shown in Fig. 3, and also extends through the corresponding slot 63 of the charger base plate 1. The function of pin BI is to recharge the gun; either manually or automatically. My charger mechanism is bolted on the machine gun and held in place by guide blocks 8 and mounting bolts 8a, in slots 5 and la, respectively, of the machine gun. The heads of members 6 and Bar are beveled to engage the corresponding beveled walls of slots 5 and Ba of the machine gun to secure "the charger to the gun.

To operate the charger, wire Bl is energized electrically by operating a trigger switch. Current flowing through main switch contact 33 to gun lock solenoid i2 causes the solenoid core M to push on gun locking arm 92, unlocking the gun, which allows it to start firing.

When the charging cylinder 23 pulls pin ti to the rear, pin 68 rides upon the cam bend lie of lever i3, which in turn closes contact points he. Contact points 59 control the delay solenoid or relay B5, 63. When this circuit is closed by the operation of pin 8| riding over the bend 9 3c of lever N the delay relay 55, 6B is energized, whereupon'it opens switch 33 and breaks the circuit and cuts off the flow of carbon dioxide gas, by reason of thebroken circuit to the valve control solenoid. The delay solenoid or relay 55, t8 pulls on the small flapper 32 which opens switch 33.

When pin 6| returns forward oil from cam 13 it opens switch 50, which in turn controls the delay relay. The delayed release of this relay 55, 58 after the circuit is broken is the action which controls the delay in the operation of the charger. of the delay relay drops down to a point where the spring pressed flapper 32 closes switch 33, the charger functions again.

If the gun fires normally, charging stud 6| returns before the delay relay loses enough magnetic power to allow contact points 33 to close.

Spring 13d (shown in Fig. normally holds contact points 50 out of engagement and they are closed by the operation of cut out control arm l3, actuated by the operation of the charg- When charging pin Bl leaves its locked open position it allows the lever l3 to open contact points 50 momentarily, if the gun fires normally, and allows them to remain open if it fails to fire. If the contact points remain open longer When the holding power process of recharging,

delay solenoid 55, 38,

operates lever 34, which actuates valve 28 to unseat it from valve seat and open passage 30 and simultaneously closes valve 29, allowing fiuid pressure from pressure pipe line 40 to enter through passage 30 and port 3| into channel 24a of member 24 and flow into charging cylinder 23. This causes the charging cylinder 23 to move rearward, thereby pulling charging stud 6|, by reason of its engagement by projection 22b, to its rear position.

It will be seen that when charging pin OI contacts cut out control lever i3 at cam bend l3c it causes contactpoints to close reenergizing delay relay 5!, H, and consequently opens contact points 33, thereby deenergizing valve solenoid 4i, and allowing pressure valve 30 (Fig. 9) to close and exhaust valve 23 to open, allowing cylinder 23 to return to its original position due to the action of spring 23a (Fig. 7), thus causing the gun to resume firing.

When charging cylinder 23 operates, in the its cylinder arm projection 22a contacts piston l1 and operates arm l8 and pawl 20, which is carried by arm l3, and pushes piston I! to its extreme rear position. When arm I B returns by the action of spring 89 to its original position. pawl 20 rests on stud 84, which holds it out of contact with cam II. as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 42.

If the gun fires after recharging after the first time, pin 6| pushes arm l3 and its lug in out of contact with cam B, allowing cam it, pressed by spring lie to return to its original forward position. If the gun fails to fire when recharged, lug l3a retains contact with cam it, while pawl 20 moves to cam C. .Consequently if the gun continues to fail to firepawl 20 moves from cam B to cam C, and D, consecutively, lug We of lever l3 retaining cam 15 in its consecutive positions. In the final position, lock lug a (Fig. 41) engages the ratchet surface I6 adjacent cam A of cam it, opening main switch contact points 38 and stopping the charger from further recharging. If, however, the gun fires before cam D-is reached, cam I6 is returned to its original position and will again permit the gun to recharge one, two, or three times, as before, if it should again fail to fire.

When the operator holds the trigger switch in contact and the gun fails to fire normally, contact points 33 close, thereby electrically connecting valve solenoid 4| and pilot light 53 through wire 80, causing the pilot light to glow each, time the charger recharges the gun. If the gun fails to fire after three consecutive rechargings, and contact points 33 are opened, the pilot light 53 will cease to glow, indicating that the automatic cut out has functioned as provided for.

To recharge the gun after recharger cut out has functioned, press levers l3 and. II down simultaneously. This disengages lugs Na and Ila from cam II and resets the charger for continued operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a new article of manufacture for use in an automatic machine gun charger, a hollowcut out arm comprising a hollow cylindrical element having a circumferentially enlarged portion. a

spring bearing against said portion urging said arm in one direction, said arm having a portion of its interior circumferentially enlarged to form an annular chamber, a hollow piston slidably mounted in said am, a spring contained within said piston and tending to move it in the same direction as said arm and relative to it to the limit of its movement, said piston having a circumferentially enlarged inner end slidable in the annular chamber of the aforesaid arm, a springpressed pawl carried by the aforesaid arm, said pawl having a front and bottom operative surface, a cam adapted to be engaged by said pawl including a series of frusto-conical cam faces spaced from each other and connected by a cylindrical element, and a series of pawl-contacting surfaces disposed in a plane at right angles to that of the cylindrical element, one surface intersecting each cam face so that the pawl-contacting surfaces are spaced parallel to and euutdistant from each other.

2. In an automatic gun charger, the combination of electrically-controlled means for recharg-' ing the gun, an electric circuit attached to and controlling said means, a normally closed automatic cut-out switch in said circuit, a cut-out.

control member operatively connected to said switch, a charging element, fluid pressure means for actuating said charger element and operatively connected to same, said control member including a cam having spaced frusto-conical cam faces, and a series of ratchet surfaces disposed in a plane at an angle to the aforesaid cam faces, a pawl adapted to operate said cam and to be operated by said charging element the control member including a cylindrical end member of thesame length as the total length of the aforesaid cam and ratchet members, said cylindrical and member being adapted to release the automatic cut out switch to a position to open the circuit after a predetermined number of successive recharges, and means to automatically reset said cam if the gun functions normally before said predetermined number of recharges.

3. In combination with the mechanism defined in claim 2, a manually controlled means in the circuit arranged to close the charger circuit after the charger has operated the gun successively for a predetermined number of successive recharges. 4. In an automatic gun charger, the combination of electrically-controlled means for recharging the gun, including a charging element, and fluid pressure means operatively connected to said element for actuating same, an electric circult connected to and controlling said means, a normally closed switch in said circuit, an automatic cut out switch control lever having a projecting lug, a cam including a series of frustoconical cam faces spaced from each other and connected by a connecting element, a series of pawl contacting surfaces on said cam disposed in a plane at right angles to that of the connecting element and spaced equal distances apart, a pawl engaging said cams and operated by said charging element, said cam including a cylindrical section forming a continuation of the element and of the same length as the total length of the series of cam and ratchet elements and supporting the lug of the automatic cut out switch control lever in position to hold the switch in closed circuit for a predetermined number of successive recharges.

5. In combination with the mechanism defined in claim 4, said fluid pressure means including a valve means for admission of fluid under pres- P ppet valve element acting as intake and exsure for actuating said charging element, said valve means having a single combined needle and haust valve, and a single lever attached thereto and operating same.

a 6. For an automatic gun having a reciprocating breech bolt, a charger comprising a source of fluid under pressure, a pressure actuated element adapted to charge the gun, a valve connected between the said source of fluid and said pressure actuated element for admission of fluid under pressure for actuating said charging element, a first electric circuit including a source of current and means for operating said valve, means for locking the bolt of the gun in rear position, spring means urging said locking means to operative position, a second circuit including said source of current and means for moving said locking means to inoperative position, a third circuit including said source of current and means for controlling a predetermined number of successive recharges of the gun, a normally closed switch common to said first, second and third circuits and including spring contact members, an automatic cut-out device for controlling the aforesaid switch and comprising a spring pressed pivoted. member for operating oneof said spring contact members to opensald switch, said pivoted member having a projecting lug, the aforesaid cut-out device including a cam constructed and arrangedto be actuated by said-- charging element and comprising a plurality of linearally spaced conical cam elements and a cylindrical section in contact with said lug to hold said pivoted member out of operative position, said cylindrical section being of a predetermined length corresponding with the overall length of the cam elements and constructed so that movement of said cam allows said pivoted member to come into switch opening position.

7. In an automatic gun charge, an automatic cut out device comprising a ratchet like cam having a series of conical cam faces, a series of pawl contacting faces, said faces being linearly spaced equal distances apart, a cylindrical element forming a continuation of the cam member and being of the same length as the total length of the series of cam and ratchet faces, and an electric circuit including an automatic cut out switch in contact with said cylindrical, member and adapted to be held in position to close the circuit for a predetermined number of successive recharges, a pawl adapted to engage any of said ratchet faces. a spring controlled element carrying said pawl, and a' pivotally mounted switch control arm having a lug in contact with a pawlcontacting face and adapted to be moved by said cam faces into engagement with a succeeding one of the aforesaid pawl contacting faces and disposed in a position to be brought into or out of position with said cam faces.

8. For a machine gun having a reciprocating charging pin, a charger mechanism adapted to be fastened to the machine gun and including a slidable pressure controlled charging cylinder operably engageable with the charging pin, a cut out arm, a spring actuating said out out arm, a

piston mountedin the path of said charging cyling engagement with the aforesaid spaced ratchet element of the said out out cam, said lever having an element thereof engageable by the charging pin of the gun to release said lever from operspring operatively connected to and tending to move the piston and arm and forwardly of the gun, said piston being actuated by the charging cylinder, 9. spring-pressed'pawl carried by the aforesaid hollow cut out arm, an automatic cut out cam having spaced cam and ratchet elements with which said pawl is operably engageable, a pivoted cut out control lever in locking engagement with any of the aforesaid ratchet elements, said out out control lever having an element thereof engageable by the charging pin of the gun to release said lever from operative engagement with the cut out cam at predetermined times, and a fixed stud disposed in the path of the aforesaid pawl to disengage same from operative connection with the automatic cut out cam. V

10. In combination with a gun having a reciprocatlng charging pin a charging mechanism adapted to be fastened to the machine gun and including a control means for said charger mechanism, a lever element foractuating said control means to inoperative position, a locking device mounted on said charging mechanism to unlock the charging pin, electrical means for operating said locking device to unlock the charging pin, an automatic cam mounted on said gun, said cam having spaced cam and ratchet elements and a cylindrical element engageable by said lever element to hold it in inoperative position, a pivoted cut out control lever operably engageable element, and a spring engaging the cut out cam and tending to actuate it to its forward position.

12. In combination with a machine gun having a, charging pin, a charger mechanism adapted to be attachedtothe machine gun, said mechanism including a charging cylinder, a hollow cylindrical cut out arm arranged to be actuated by the charging cylinder, said hollow cutout arm having an annularly enlarged interior portion, a hollow piston slidably mounted in said arm, said piston having an enlarged head slldable in the aforesaid enlarged interior portion of the arm, a short spring pressing against the cut out arm to press it forwardly, a longer spring mounted in and pressing against the piston to press it forwardly, a spring-pressed pawl carried by the aforesaid cut out arm, a cut out cam having spaced ratchet and cam elements. each being engageable by the aforesaid pawl under predetermined conditions, a cover plate of the charger having a stud positioned to disengage the pawl from said out out cam, a pivoted cut out control lever shaped to be engaged and operated by the charging pin, said lever having an element adapted to operatively engage any of the spaced ratchet elements of the cam to lock same.

13. In combination with the mechanism defined in claim 12, the aforesaid cam elements comprising frusto-conical cam faces connected by a cylindrical element, each of the cam elements terminating in a ratchet element, said ratchet elements being spaced equal distances apart for engagement by the aforesaid pawl.

14. In combination with a machine gun having a charging pin, a charger mechanism adapted to be fastened to the machine gun and including a charging cylinder, valve-controlled means for supplying fluid under pressure to and thereby actuating the charging cylinder, spring means for returning the charging cylinder to its original position, electrically controlled means for locking the bolt of the gun in rear position when the gun is not in use, a hollow cut out armhavinga spring pressing it forwardly of the gun, a hollow cut out piston mounted in said arm and having a longer spring of different tension from the firstwith any of said spaced ratchet elements of said cam to lock the cam, said lever having a portion thereof also engageable with the charging pin to disengage said lever from the automatic cut out cam-at predetermined times when the charging pin is operated.

11. In combination with the mechanism defined in claim 10, a valve controlled fluid pressure supply means said charger mechanism also including a stationary hollow piston in communication with said valve-controlled fluid pressure supply means, a, charging cylinder slidably mounted on said piston, a spring tending to return said charging cylinder to its original forward position, a hollow cut out arm, a light spring actuating said arm, a hollow piston slidably mounted in said out out arm, a heavier spring mounted in said piston, the said piston and the said arm having means for operative engagement after a hunted movement of the piston in the arm to cause them to move as a unit in one direction, the aforesaid piston being operably engageable byan element of the charging cylinder, a pawl carried by the aforesaid cut out arm, said pawl being engageable with any of the ratchet elements of the cut out cam, a stud mounted on the charger mechanism and protruding in the path of said pawl to disengage it from the ratchet mentioned spring pressing the piston forwardly, said piston being operable by the charging bylinder, said cut out arm carrying a spring-pressed pawl, a cut out cam having a series of spaced cam and ratchet elements with which the aforesaid pawl is releasably engageable. a spring pressing said cam forwardly, an automatic cut out switch mounted on said charger, the aforesaid cam having a cylindrical element engageable by the automatic cut out switch to hold said switch in closed position for a predetermined number of successive recharges corresponding with the number of cut out ratchets on the cam, said cylindrical element being of the same length as the total length of the spaced cam and ratchet elements.

15. In combination with a machine gun having a charger pin, a gun charging mechanism adapted to engage said pin and including a charging cylinder engaging the charging pin, valvecontrolled means for actuating the cylinder by fluid pressure, spring means to return the charging cylinder to original position, means for locking the bolt of the gun in rear position when the gun,

- is not in use, a cut out arm and spring-pressed cut out piston actuated by the charging cylinder, said out out arm having a pawl, a cut out cam engageable by said pawl, said pawl in turn being releasable from the cut out cam by the 09659. 1;-

of the charging pin, the automatic cut out device controlling the main switch on the charger. and including spring contact members, a pivoted member having a projecting lug, said pivoted member being in operative contact with one of the spring contact members. the aforesaid cut out cam having a series oi ratchcts, and having a cylindrical section of a length corresponding with the length of the aforesaid cam and ratchet elements and adapted .to hold the switch in open position a predetermined time while the lug of the pivoted member of the automatic out out device is in operative contact with said'cylindrical end of the cam to limit the operation of the charging mechanism to thenumber of ratchets used.

16. In combination with a machine gun having a charging pin, a charger mechanism adapted to be attached to the machine gun, a charging cylinder, fluid operated means for actuating the charging cylinder, electrical means for locking of trolled by the cut out cam'to open the circuit.

after the gun has been recharged the predeter- 15 mined number of times.

THOMAS B. SLATE.

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