US2396896A - Blank cartridge firing device for cannons, guns, etc. - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1946.

B. H. SMITH BLANK CARTRIDGE FIRING DEVICE FOR CANNONS, GUNS, ETC

Filed March 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 p VII INVENTOR. Bu 01y Heme 5mm rron/5y March 19, 1946; s rr 2,396,895

BLANK CARTRIDGE FIRING DEVICE FOR CANNONS, GUNS, ETC

Filed March 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Bu)? w H4 WLF) 5M1 Th BY Patented Mar. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLANK CARTRIDGE FIRING DEVICE FOR CANNON S, GUNS, ETC.

Application March 16, 1944, Serial No. 526,718

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a blank cartridge firing device for cannons, guns and the like.

More specifically, the invention proposes certain improvements in firing devices adapted to be used in connection with guns in general and particularly with guns used on ships for firing life lines between ships and ship and shore. Heretofore, it has been common practice to use primers for this purpose, but it has been found that these primers are highly unreliable and often require the use of several primers before a primer that will actually fire is found. Primers of this type are generally carried on ships at sea for long periods at a time and the undeterminable eiiects of unfavorable climatic conditions, and time affect the operation of these primers to the point where it has been found that whole groups of them are rendered useless for their intended purposes. This uselessness is generally not apparent, requiring that the primers be actually used under firing conditions to determine their utility.

It i the object of this invention to construct a firing device which may be mounted upon a cannon or gun for firing purposes, and which employs conventionally constructed blank cartridges for achieving the firing of the explosive charge within the barrel of the gun. Since such cartridges are generally weather-proof in character and do not readily deteriorate, it becomes apparent that these blank cartridges will not be aifected by unfavorable climatic conditions and time, and each will fire when employed in this new and improved firing device.

It is proposed to characterize the blank cartridge firing device by a bushing adapted to be threadedly mounted through the side wall of a cannonor gun in alignment with the firing charge thereof. It is proposed to place a blank cartridge within the hollow of the bushing in a manner so that its explosive material when exploded will contact the firing charge and ignite the same. I

Still further, it is proposed to provide the bushing with a base member designed to pivotally support a firing pin member carrying a firing pin alignable with the tubular opening of the bushing. A resilient means is arranged between the base and the firing pin member in a novel manner to urge the firing pin member towards the bushing to cause its firing pin to smartly hit the head of the cartridge and explode the same when the firing pin member comes down into position upon the cartridge.

Stillanother object of the invention proposes the provision of a latch member upon the base for holding the firing pin member in a loaded condition so that when the latch is released the resilient means will be free to urge the firing pin member into its firing position.

Still further, the invention proposes to slidably engage the blank cartridge into the bushing in a manner to cause its explosive repercussion force to eject the exploded cartridge from th bushing. The arrangement is such that the repercussion will throw the firing pin member backwards. Moreover since the resilient means tends to urge said firing pin member forwards into an operative position, if said resilient means should become broken its rearward motion under the influence of the ejected cartridge, will move it to its rearward inoperative position where it will emain and give visible notice that the resilient mean has become broken.

It is a further object of this invention to con struct a blank cartridge firing device for cannons and guns which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fi 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a cannon provided with a blank cartridge device constructed in accordance with this invention and shown partly in vertical section to reveal interior constructions.

Fig. 2 i a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a different position of the parts.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The blank cartridge firing device for cannons, guns and the like, according to this invention, is intended to beused in combination with a cannon, gun or similar device I ll which has not been disclosed in detail on the drawings, only a portion of its side wall being shown. The cannon l0 may be of the yp enerally used on ships at sea for shooting life lines between a ship and a second disabled vessel which is adapted to be used in connection with a breeches buoy for rescuing persons from the disabled ship or said cannon may be of any other type. The cannon opening through the side of said cannon or gun for communicating with the firing charge and having a pair of upwardly directed spaced lugs spaced from said opening, a threaded bushing for threaded mounting in said Opening in the side of said cannon or gun and engaging through said opening in said base for clamping the base upon said cannon or gun and having a passage for receiving and supporting a blank cartridge for firing said charge, a firing pin member having a keeper opening and a side opening and also having a pair of lugs adjacent said spaced lugs, a pivot pin extending through all of said lugs for pivotally mounting said firing pin member, a hook member pivotally connected with the rear of'said base and engageable with said keeper opening in said firing pin member for holding said firing pin member in cocked position, and a spring coaxially mounted upon said pivot pin at a point between said lugs and having one end fixedly held relative to said base and having its other end extending radially and engaging in said side opening in said firing pin member for urging said firing pin member into firing position.

2. A blank cartridge firing device for cannons, guns and the like, comprising a base for engaging upon the outside of a cannon or gun and having at one end an opening for alignment with an opening through the side of said cannon or gun for communicating with the firing charge and having a pair of upwardly directed spaced lugs spaced from said opening, a threaded bushing for threaded mounting in said opening in the side of said cannon or gun and engaging through said opening in said base for clamping the base upon said cannon or gun and having a passage for receiving and supporting a blank cartridge for firing said charge, a firing'pin member having a keeper opening and a side opening and also having a pair of lugs adjacent said spaced lugs, a pivot pin extending through all of said lugs for pivotally mounting said firing pin member, a hook member pivotally connected with the rear of said base and engageable with said keeper opening in said firing pin member for holding said firing pin member in cocked position, and a spring :0- axially mounted upon said pivot pin at a point between said lugs and having one endfixedly held relative to said base and having its other end extending radially and engaging in said side opening in said firing pin member for urging said firing pin member into firing position, and said firing pin member having another opening into which the end of said spring may engage for changing the tension of said spring.

BURTON HAWLEY SMITH.

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