GB191517004A - Improvements in Machine Guns. - Google Patents

Abstract

17,004. Austin, H. Dec. 3. Machine guns; cartridge belts.-Relates to machine guns of the kind in which the chamber is separate from the gun barrel and is adapted to be clamped between the barrel and the breechblock before the gun is fired and afterwards to be removed and replaced by another chamber containing the next cartridge to be fired, the chambers containing the cartridges being preferably connected together by pivotal lugs forming a belt, which is preferably endless. According to the invention, an endways sliding breechblock is used and is securely locked in the closed position against rearward motion. In the form shown, the belt of chambers D passes over a feed-barrel E, which is rotated one step each time the breech-block C is drawn back by a compound rocking lever J and a link H forming a toggle breech action opened by handle K and closed by a spring M. The feed-barrel is fast on a spindle F and is rotated by means of a pinion N<1> and spring drum N, which is wound up by a handle P<2>; the rotation is performed by steps under the control of a cam Q on the spindle F coacting with a lug r on a slide R worked by the compound lever J by means of a pin and slot r<2>, r'. The spring firing-pin S is cocked by the opening movement of the breech-block, and the gun is fired after the breech is closed, by depressing the trigger T against its spring t<3>. The firing-pin is held at safe by a pawl V until the breech is closed, the pawl V being thrown out of action by a cam j<2> on the compound lever J at the moment this completes its movement. The spring S<2> of the firing-pin takes its abutment against a plate U, which serves also to transmit spring pressure to the pawl V by bearing against the tail v of that pawl. The front and rear ends of the chamber D are enlarged and fit loosely over the sprockets e, e at the ends of the feedbarrel E to allow a certain longitudinal freedom to the chamber while it is being pressed bv the breech-block against the gun barrel A; and the front and rear edges of the chamber are bevelled to fit corresponding bevels on the barrel and breech-block respectively, to ensure a correct centring of the chamber, which is guided in and out of the gun by a guard Y.