US2842031A - Turret installation with ammunition feed mechanism - Google Patents

Description

y 8, 1958, Q. JOHNSON 2,842,031

' TURRET INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Quinton C. Johnson INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

2. ebk

y 3, 1958 c. JOHNSON 2,842,031

TURRET INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1954 N 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6f Quinton C. Johnson INVENTOR.

' 29 22 30 38:: I 38 260 k 26b B 2 i 36 Fig. 5 3 a 25 35 2; T 26 28 ATTORNEY.

INSTALLATION WITH AMMUNITION FEED MECHANISMI Johnson, Torrance, Ca]if.,':'assign'or to Quinton V I North' American Aviation, Inc- J. A plicationNovember 17', 1954, Serial No; 469,497v

' a a The present invention relates generally to aircraftgu n turrets and more particularlytoimproved ammunition feed-mechanisms therefor; v

In the'designan'd operation of gun turrets for aircraft, the cone offire defined by'the range of movement of the turret is frequently materially restricted byfrthe clearance requirements of the ammunition feed chutes. The present invention; is directed to 'an improved ammunition feed'ohute guide mechanismfor an aircraft gun turret such as may be insta'lled in the tail of'an airplane. The/range of .movem'entofsuch turrets-is usually restrict- "ed hyinterference between the flexible ammunition feed chut'es',' which enter the turrets for the-twin machine guns,

- and lthe mu structure adjacent'the openingin the aircraft.

'iihe zpresent improvement; is directedtomea'ns for automatically positioning the flexible ammunition feed "chutes 7 11b obtain themaximum clearances as the turret is rewtatd; The improved mechanism therebyeliminates the interferences which: have heretofore been encountered landiwhich restricted the range of movement of the'fturret,

creased. I A N m m fistt h ghil'e' means for ammunition feed chutesgand these prior iavrangementshave for' th'e most part been of the "demand :tprovi'ded doubt fulffeed"characteristics and in many. in-

zind-at-h cone of fire bf such turrets has- -been materially Units. mites 50 feed chute adapter mounting as takenalong-the lines horizontal axes-,is mounted a ball type turret 6 to which are fitted a pair of remotely fired machine guns 7. While the turret '6 is .shownby' way of exampleas a remotely controlled .balltype, it may be of other than the type shown as'jt'he present improvement is also applicable :to

such other. types and to other vehicles than air-craft; Theturret 6 may be rotated in azimuth about its vertical axis A--B by means ofan electric motor 6b through the Y ,drive gearing-6c and the guns may-therebyfbe swept in the horizontal plane (in azimuth ortraverse) either to the. right or to the left of their normal rearward-1y trained positions. The turret 6 may also be rotated in a well known manner about its mainhorizontal axis C-D, or in elevetion, by means of a second electric -m-otor 6d andisuita'ble gearing 6a, which may preferably be housed-withinlthe ball turret, in a manner well known -in the art." The numeral 8 indicates the flexible ammuni- 7 tion feed chutes for the machine guns 7 entering through the, surface of the ball turret through the guide adapter 40, chute-8L guided through adapter 9 and chute 8R through adapter 40. (See Fig. 3.)

Fig. 2 shows the "ball turret 6 in its central pos'ition llookingirearwardly with' the "right and' left hand guns ave been made-to flexible stallations resulted in damage to the chutes. Most of j "these prior devices permitted-freedom of the ammunition chute-to twist or change its position and direction inacrr aximum clearance when 'theichute is rotatedwith the gtii'rrettoward the adjacent supportingstructure, and to 'tfh ere by insure positive feeding without chute damage. f ilhese and other objects and advantages of. the present linyenti-on'wi'll become obvious to those skilled in the art Li -oilcwing a reading of the present specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a :part hereof, in which: w I t .1. :Fig. 1 is .anielevation'al view of thetail portion of "an .aircraft showing a turret to which the improved ammunitionr-feed guide mechanism has been applied;

2 is a transverse sectional view, to a larger scale, of-theinstallation looking rearwardly as taken along the lines2+2bf Fig. '1;

Fig. '3 is a perspectiveview of the. turret and associated "mechanism of Fig. 2 as viewed looking angularly and rearwardly with the turret rotated in azimuth to an extr'me' position toward the left;

Fig/4 is anenlarged view of the actuating mech- *an'ism' for the chute guide means as taken along the lines fi l "5 is a sectional plan view of the guide roller ascordance with the demands of the, movement of the guns for-turrets; but in contrast, the present improvedi mechanism' provides for the coordinated .guidance of the chute. by anticipating and positioning thechute to provide the in azimuth only and the remainder of the turret rotates in elevation with respect toithe ring 6).

7R and 7L centered-about both the vertical and horizontal: aXes',"or with the guns leveland trained directly longitudinally .toward'the rear of the aircraft. 'raemnet assembly 6 is' suitably housed within the fuselage opening 5d and supported from the structural framework thereof which may consist'essentially of the cross-tie me rnbe r Seattached' to the straightened vertical portions of the adjacent fuselage former" ring 5 The ball anemia "provided-with forwardly facing access openings-oai-which .iprovide openings for .removing and servicing the guns 7R and7L1 The ll turre s is suitably mountedupon itsvertic'al' axis A -B" by means'iof the top bearing. sup- :port; 9 attachedto the cross member 52 and by the bot-- tom: bearing support memberltl suitably supported from I the fuselage 'formerS Sf and the associated fuselage strucp turelgt-These bearing} supports9 and 10 receive the upper and lower' veritical :stub" shafts "ZSa'tta'ched to. the .arcuate ring-efforthe turret walland {about whichvertical ,axis

- AJB the turret may'pivot in azimuth. To drive the :turret in azimuth as described above 'bythe motor 671 and the gearing :60, there is provided a driving member or gear sector 11 having an upwardly ofiset central lor hub portion 11a suitably attached to the upper portion of the :arcuate ring 6 of turret 6. To this gear sector 11 may preferably be attachedthe' me'chanism by which i the ammunition chutes saanu 8L are automatically l guided. The ring ifif-tlierefore rotates with the turret The improved chute :guide' actuating mechanism is -shown to-an enlarged scale in the plan view in Fig-4 wherein the azimuth drive gear sector is indicated by the-..numeral- 11 and its upwardly ofiset' hubpontion ShPWn at 111, h in sturret uppenstu'bxshaft 2a passing through its bore at the central venticalaxis ATB. "Oneach side of .thepentraljaxis of the sector 11f .there is pivotally mounted the short rearwardly extend. ,ing leversdland 13 which aresuspendedgfrom the sec- 7 tor 11 by the pivots 14 and 15. Atftheir rearward pr pe i .3 terminals the short levers 12 and 13 are pivotally connected to the secondary levers or links 16 and 17 by means of the pivot bolts 18 and 19, respectively. The links 16 and 17 extend toward each other and overlap at the longitudinal centerline E- F of the turret at which they are interconnected by the pivot bolt 24, the sector 11 being suitably recessed at its underside at 11b to provide clearance for the head of the pivot bolt 24. The latter also serves to join the adjacent ends of the links -16 and 17 to the arcuate guide track 22, the upper and lower terminals of which are bored to receive the stub shafts 23 about which they are free to pivot in azimuth about the vertical axis A--B, both with respect to the aircraft and the turret. The track 22 is preferably T- shaped in cross-section, as more particularly shown in Fig. 5, with the stem of the Taportion removed adjacent its terminals to provide flattened portions having greater clearance. The track 22 is pivotally mounted for limited movement in azimuth with respect to the aircraft and i with respect to the turret 6 and is automatically positioned about the circumference of the forward portion of the turret, being disposed normally in the vertical longitudinal plane defined by the axes AB and EF. The levers 12 and 13 are arranged to abut or engage the fixed posts or stops 20 and 21, respectively, attached to the fixed fuselage structure, the levers 12 and 13 engaging the stops 20 and 21 as the turret swings in azimuth to the right or to the left, as indicated by the broken lines R and L, in Fig. 4. The track 22 accordingly serves as a cam or guide member and is automatically pivoted within a limited angle about its axis AB as the turret 6 is moved in azimuth.

At the forward central position of the turret 6, there is provided a guide roller assembly 25, which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and in greater detail in Fig. 5. This.

assembly 25 is comprised of a cross-tie frame 26 to which are attached the pivot bolts 27 and 28 upon which the flanged guide ro11ers29 and 30 are free to rotate, as well as the smaller diameter rollers 31 and 32 which engage the lateral edges of the abovementioned T-section track 22. The pivot bolts 27 and 28'also support the brackets 26a and 26b, between which are also pivotally mounted the control rods 33 and 34 by means of the pivot bolts 35 and 36. A secondary guide means consisting of a pair of vertically spaced horizontal guide tracks 37 and 38 are supported from the adjacent faces of the turret 6 (and not the ring 6 by means of the attachments 38a. It is between these vertically spaced horizontal tracks 37 and 38 that the flanged guide rollers 29 and 30 are disposed and engaged such that the guide roller assembly 25 is adapted to be moved laterally as the track 22 is rocked about the vertical axis AB. Each of the flexible ammunition chutes 8L and SR enters the turret 6 through an ammunition chute guide consisting of an adapter fairlead or guide such as 39 and 40 which are rotatably journalled within the frames 41 and 42 secured to the turret structure. The roller assembly 25 is connected by the short control rods 33 and 34 to the adapters 39 and 40, respectively, by the pivotal connections 33a and 34a. The opposite terminals of each of these control rods are connected to the pivots 35 and 36, being of the universal joint type in order that the control rods may follow the paths defined by the rotation of the adapters 39 and 40, as well as that within which the guide roller assembly 25 is confined by movement along the length of the track 22 as the turret is rotated in elevation and laterally with the track 122 and 'with'respect to the turret as the latter is rotated in azimuth.

The operation of the improved ammunition feed chute "guide mechanism is as follows: Movement of the turret 6 such that the guns 7 are trainedtoward the left, fin-azimuth, from the central position shown in Figs. 2 and 4;toward the position of Fig. 3, will result in -engagement" of the right'h'and lever 13 (as it moves in the counterclockwise direction) with the fixed stop 21 as shown in Fig. 4. This moves the lever 13, as well as the pivotally interconnected members 12 and 22, in the same direction, namely, toward the left of its central position with respect to the turret 6, and the axis EF, or toward the lines indicated at L in this figure. Inasmuch as the gear sector 11 and the turret 6 upon which it is mounted, are both moving in the counterclockwise direction in Fig. 4 about the vertical axis AB, the pivot 14 is moving away from the fixed stop 20 and this permits sufficient clearance for the clockwise rotation of the short lever 12 about its pivot 14. As the turret continues to be traversed in azimuth to the left, the short lever -13 in being cammed against the fixed stop 21, which serves as a detent, imparts pivotal movement to the track 22 in the same direction, namely, counterclockwise or lagging with respect to the movement of the turret, such that the track 22 is moved to the left of its normal position central with the ring 61 at the fore and aft axis EF to that indicated in the perspective view in Fig. 3. The track 22 becomes in effect a circumferential or arcuate guide track and serves to carry the roller assembly 25 with it to the left as also shown in Fig. 3.

The fixed tracks 37 and 38 attached to the turret serve to confine the rollers 29 and 30 of the assembly 25 to an arcuate path about the front spherical face of the turret while maintaining the same in a horizontal plane. As the track, 22 approaches the adapter 39 for the left ammunition chute 8L, the latter is compelled to rotate in the counterclockwise direction within its guide frame 41 along its rollers 390, as shown in Fig. 6. .At the same time the leading adapter 40 is moved a further distance forward than the track 22, with the result that the adapter 40 is rotated within its frame in the counterclockwise direction in such manner that the chute guide slot 40b within the adapter 40 is rotated from its upwardly and outwardly inclined neutral position of Fig. 2, to the substantially vertical position as shown in Fig. 3. As a result the relatively flattened outer face of the flexible ammunition chute is guided in close proximity to the edge of the opening 5d in the fuselage, being that position and attitude of the ammunition chute which permits the closest approach of the center of the circular adapter to the edge of the opening at its closest point of approach.

If in addition to the fully traversed position of the turret shown in Fig. 3, as the guns 7 are rotated in azimuth to their extreme position to the left, should the guns then also'be directed upwardly requiring rotation of the turret about the horizontal axis for elevation of the guns, and downward movement of the forward surface of the turret, the track 22 (as well as the ring 6f) are maintained in'the position shown in Fig. 3 with respect to the movable portions of the turret. The downward movement of the horizontal guide tracks 37 and 38, and the extent to which the track 22 has been offset, or has lagged from its normal central position, imparts clockwise rotation to each of the chute adapters 39 and 40 such that the approaching chute 8R continues to remain substantially parallel to the adjacent wall surface at the opening and at its point of minimum clearance, and assumes an attitude more nearly that shown in Fig. 2. It will, of course, be understood that where the turret is rotated in azimuth in the opposite direction the left chute 8L is rotated or twisted into a substantially vertical position when the turret is simply rotated in azimuth, and to inclined, but substantially parallel, positions when the movement of he turret results in combined azimuthal and elevational movements. Inasmuch as the adapters 39 and 40 are normally positioned in the lower hemisphere of the spherical turret 6, downward and rearward training of the guns, or depression of the turret in the elevational sense, brings the chute adapters nearer the mean horizontal plane of the turret or to similar positions, in the upper half of the turretiat which the cle arances ar na: as small'o'rias critical as those which prevail in theldwer half of'the turret upon opposite movement of theturret' when the gunsare elevated upwardly. It willrals'o' be apparent that the mechanism is such that 'tlieadaptersare not moved when the turret is rotated in elevation only, without-azimuthalmovement.

It will, accordingly b'e noted'that'a'n appreciable increase in the range of,movement of the turret is permitted by the coordinated guidance of 't'he' flexible ammunition "chuteby positive movement of't'heir adapter guides by the actuating and guiding mechanism which has been disclosed. By ineans of'the improved guide mec'hanism,'an

having a correct fire of'but 50 to '60 was increased to approximately 90. The improved construction is also applicable to nose and other installations and is not limited to the tailtypearrangement shown and described.

Other forrus and modifications of the present invention,

both with respect to its general arrangement and the details of its" several parts, will become apparentto those "skilled in the art after readingthefore'going description,

butpallare intended to'come' within the. scope and spirit 'ofthis inventionyasmore particularly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a

turret'having a pivotal mounting relative to said body positioned for rotation within an opening in said body, a drive member fixed to said turret, an arcuate track member coaxially mounted upon said turret pivotal mounting for rotation therewith and with respect thereto,

an ammunition feed chute extending. from Within said body through a wall of said turret to the interior thereof, pivotal means operatively connecting said drive member with said arcuate track member engageable with said body for imparting relative pivotal movement to. said track member through a lesser angle in the same direc? tionas said driven movement of said turret secondary guide 'means carried by said turret disposed normal to said track member for reception of a roller means, roller means'for engaging both said track member and said secondary guide means, andjammunition chute guide means movably mounted upon said turret for positioning by said roller means in accordance with the relative movement of said track member with respect to said turret for coordinated guidance of the ammunition feed chute in accordance with the pivotal movement of said gun I turretto provide greater clearance as said feed chute is rotated with said turret toward said body opening.

2. In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a turret having a pivotal mounting relative to said body positioned for rotation in azimuth and elevation, a drive.

member fixed to said turret, power means engaging'said drive'member for driving said turret in azimuth, an arcuate track member coaxially mounted upon said turret pivotal mounting for azimuthal rotation therewithand with respect thereto, abutment means carried by said, i body for limiting movement of a pivotal member, pivotal link means operatively connecting said drive member with said arcuate track member engageable with said abutment means for imparting relative azimuthal movement to said track member in a lagging direction with respect to the driven azimuthal movement of said turret,

and-ammunition chute guide means movably mounted upon said turret and operatively connected to said track I member for positioning said ammunition chute guide means in accordance with the relative movement of said track member for coordinated guidance of the ammunition feed chute in accordance with the azimuthal movement of said gun turret.

EL'Inv an aircraft gunturret installation, an

body positioned for rotation in azimuth and elevation, a

drive member fixed to said turret, power means engaging aircraft I body, a turret having a pivotal mounting relative to said fexperirr'iental turret installationof, theEmersonball type said drivemember far driving said tui ret in azimuth about anormally vertical axis, an arcuate track member 7 coaxially mounted upon said turret pivotaltmountin'g for azimuthal rotation therewith and with respect thereto 7 about said vertical axis, abutment means carried bysaid g body for limiting movement of a'p'ivotal member, pivotal link means operatively connecting said drive member with "said arcuate track member engage'able with said abutment means for imparting relative azimuthal movement to saidtrack member in a lagging direction with respect to the driven azimuthal movement of said turret, and ammunition'chute guide means including a roller assembly engaging said track member movably'mounted upon said turretlfor positioning in accordance with the relative movement 'of said track member'for coordinated guidance of the ammunition. feed chute in accordance with the azimuthal movement of said gun turret irrespective o f th'e elevational-movernents thereof. 4. In a gun turret installation for an aircraft including a ball turret havinga pivotalmounting relative to the aircraft, a gun carried by said turret, a' flexible ammunition chute extending from within the aircraft through a wan of-said ball turret to said gun and drive means for rotating said turret and said gun about: one of the rotational axe's'of 'said turret, the improvement of a-guide through which said drive means rotates said turret.

5. In turret construction, a vehicle body, a turret having a pivotal mounting relative to said body .and positioned within an opening in said body, an adapter element movably carried by and forming a portion. of the wall of said turret, an ammunition chute extending through said adapter element for feeding ammunition from a sourceof ammunition within said body to'the interior of said turret, and guide means operatively as sociated with said turret and with said body for'imparting predetermined movements to said adapter element and said ammunition chute that are coordinated with the movement of the turret wherebythe adapter element 7 and ammunition chute have a predetermined position corresponding to any particular positiontof said turret with respect to said body. I g

6. In gun turret construction, an aircraft body, a turret having a rotatable mounting relative to said body positioned Within an opening in said aircraft body,means for rotating said turret about at leastone axis, a flexible ammunition chute movably carried upon said turret in a region spaced from said axis for feeding ammunition from the interior of said-body through 'a wall ofsaid turret to the interior of said turret, and guide means operatively contacting said ammunition chute including a pivotal linkage operatively connected with .said gun ,turret rotating means and engageable with said aircraft body for imparting coordinated guiding movements to said ammunition chute movably carried by said turret both with respect to said turret and with respect to said aircraft body for facilitating a maximum range of movement of said turret with'respectto the openingin said aircraft body. 7 I

7. 'In a gun turret installation, an aircraft body, a turret having a pivotal mounting relative to said body, positioned for rotation within an opening in said body, a

drive member fixed to said turret, an arcuate track mem- Y ber coaxially mounted upon said .turret pivotal mounting forrotation therewith and with respect thereto, an ammunition feed chute extending from within said body through a wall of said turret to the interior'thereof, pivotal means operatively connecting said drive member with said track member engageable with said body for imparting relative pivotal movement to said track member in the same direction but through a lesser angle than said driven movement of said turret, and ammunition chute guide means movably mounted upon said turret .a gun fixed to a turret movable with respect to the aircraft about an axis fixed with respect to the aircraft, power means for moving said turret about said axis, an apertured adapter element rotatably mounted upon said turret at a point remote from said axis, a wall of said aircraft defining an opening about said turret, a flexible ammunition chute extending from a point outside said turret through the aperture in said adapter element to said gun at a point within said turret and camming means op- 8 eratively connected to said adapter element engageable with the aircraft upon movement of said turret and said adapter element toward a wall of said aircraft for rotating said adapterrelernent and the adjacent portion of said ammunition chute in a direction parallel to said adjacent wall upon movement of said turret to thereby facilitate the feed of the ammunition through said flexible chute to said gun and provide greater clearance with respect to said adjacent wall. I

9. An ammunition feed mechanism of the type called for by claim 8 characterized by said camming means including an arcuate element pivotally mounted on the aircraft for rotation about said axis operatively connected to said turret for rotation through a lesser angle than that through which said turret is rotated upon movement of said turret.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,252,227 Haberlin d Aug. 12, 1941 2,400,385 Blaylock May 14, 1946 2,520,736 Reek et al. Aug. 29, 1950 2,538,045 Ryan et al Ian. 16, 1951

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