GB579193A - Improvements in or relating to mountings for machine guns or automatic rifles - Google Patents

Abstract

57 9, 193 . Machine-gun mountings. MOTLEY, L. Sept. 9, 1942, No. 12715. [Classes 92 (i) and 92 (ii)] Relates to machine guns or automatic rifles of the kind in which one or more barrels are secured to a carrier unit, such as an arm 5, which swings about a horizontal axis X on an intermediate unit B which rotates about a vertical axis Y-Y, the rear ends of the guns being considerably in front of the horizontal axis. According to the invention, an ammunition belt-box or tank 14 is mounted on the unit B at a position considerably behind the breech opening or openings of the gun or guns and one or more guides for cartridge belts extend from the tank or tanks to the region of the breech opening or openings. In the construction shown, two barrels 1, 2 are mounted on the arm 5, the barrel 1 being disposed slightly forward of the barrel 2. Lateral guides extend from the breech openings to points immediately above the lower ends of two compartments of the guide 16. The two compartments form one rigid structure which is pivoted at 17 at its forward end and is guided by rollers 22 on the top of the ammunition tank. The latter is also divided into two compartments corresponding to those of the guide 16. The arm 5 is bent, as viewed from above, and carries a lateral extension 6 which engages in a bearing 7 of the unit B. Thus, in plan, the unit B and the tank 14 lie respectively to the right and left of the rear end of the arm 5. The weight of the gun is balanced by springs 11, the lower ends of which are connected, in a manner not shown, to the unit B. In a modification, the forward end of the shoot is secured rigidly to the carrier unit and the rear end terminates in line with the bearing 7, the tank 14 in such case being disposed beneath the bearing.