US2787192A - Semi-automatic repeating rocket launcher - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1957 S. A. STAM SEMI-AUTOMATIC REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed 0d. 5, 195:5

I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 )NVENTOR. 513E Phen A5 c am ATTURN 5Y5 April 2, 1957 s. A. STAM SEMI-AUTOMATIC REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed 001.. 5; 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 III 1/ 1/ INVENTOR. tE- 'hE'I-L A- Siam 4/ .RTTURNEYS.

April 2, 1957 s. A. STAM SEMI-AUTOMATIC REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Oct. 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5 1: EFIhEflA.5 lIaTFL .ATTUHNEYS.

United SEMI-AUTOMATIC REPEATINGRO'CKETP- j LAUNCHER Stephen A. Stam, Glendale, Califl, assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the'Army ,1,

Application October 5, 1953 Serial No. 384,360 9 Claims. (Cl. 89-1.7)

This invention relates to rocketjlaunichersa and more particularly to a semi-automatic repeating type of launcher similar to the one disclosed in a copending application, Serial Number 210,026, filed February 8,1951, now U. S. Patent No. 2,774,282, by Andrew Ballash etaL, and is an improvement over the launcher theredisclosed.

An object of the invention is to, provide loading means for a launcher of the above mentioned type which may be operated from either side of the launcher by separate end semi-cylindrical firing chamber having doors in'its side wall which are opened to receive, :andclo sedtoem brace a rocket from a magazine by oscillation of either of the aforesaid levers and their drive shafts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a launcher having a firing chamber therein, an opening in said firing chamber for admitting a rocket from a "m'agazine, a closure for said opening and interconnected means on each side of the launcher whereby'the'said 'elosure may be controlled to feed a rocket into the firing chambe'r from either side of the launcher. 1 p Another object of the invention is topro'vide'means for quickly removing the firing chambergass'embly forlcon venient servicing or maintenance,*without tl'ieuse fspecial tools and without the incur-r'ence ofany loose parts. Other objects and advantages will be apparent froma study of the following specification in connectioihw ith the accompanying drawings. i

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe launcherlreinovedj from its supporting tripod. Figure 2 is a transverse sectional line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal longitudinal sectional view to an enlarged scale on the line 3- 3; of Figure 2.

view taken on the Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse. sectional view to a still larger scale on the line of 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the forward part of the launcher, taken from the side opposite to Figure 1. h

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the clutch membet and parts associated with the first loading lever, the lever being shown in position dis-connected fromits shaft..

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of the gear means for connecting the first and second 'shafts.

Figure 8 is an enlarged'perspectiv vi retainer.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view ofgthe' re 1 en launcher with parts broken' away toiil detachablerear end cover, and

i adapter 4. Near its rear end the shaft 25 is enlarged axial movement of the sleeve, when it is desired to load the launcher from the left side thereof.

Figure 10 is a rear end view of the launcher showing the quick detachable means. r

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 identifies generally 'a main body or housing having a rectangular opening 2 in its top for the reception of a removable magazine 3 adapted to contain a plurality of rockets in horizontal stacked relation. The forward end of body 1 is fianged, as 'at 1a, and has an adapter 4 similarly flanged at 4a. Bolts 5 secure the body and adapter together. The rear end of the housing is similarly flanged at 1b, to which T'the flange 8a of a rear adapter or bearing support 8 is secured by means which Willhereinaftter be more fully explained.

Antifriction bearings, not shown, housed within the adapters 4 and 8 rotatably receive the forward and rearward ends, respectively, of a-firing chamber generally indicated at 7 in Figure 4.

-A main barrel portion 11 is secured by any conventional thread, not shown, to the forward end of adapter 4. A rear barrel portion 12 is secured to the adapter 8 by means of bolts 9, as clearly shown upon Figures 1 and 9. The'forward or main barrel 11, the rear barrel portion 12 and the firing chamber 7 have axis 13 in common.

The firing chamber 7 consists of a main semi-cylindrical portion 14, having front and rear "sleeves rotatable within the aforesaid antifriction bearings of the front and rear adapters respectively. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, spaced aligned lugs 15 are formedalong both longitudinal edges; and form port-ionsof continuous or piano type hinges. A left door or quarter-cylindrical portion 18 has hinge lugs int'erfitting with those along the edge of semicylindrical portion 14 for pivotal connection by a hinge pin 19 Figure 4.- In a similar manner-ya right door or quarter-cylindrical portion 20 is hingedly connected by pin 21 with the other longitudinal edge of semi-cylindrical portion 14. 'These doors are therefore so shaped and related with part 14 that when closed, the three elements form a complete cylindrical substantially gas-tight firing chamber.

'Manually operated means are provided to actuate the doors 18 and 20 between open and closed position. As the present invention is connected to the left door 18 only, further discussion of the right door 'is unnecessary except to state that the movement of both doors is controlled by cam slots, fully disclosed in the aforesaid application Serial No. 210,026, now U. S. Patent Number 2,774,282, while the firing chamber is being oscillated by the said manually operated means.

A bearing bracket 22 is secured to the left hand side of the'mainhousing 1 adjacent an opening 23 therein.

A first shaft 25 is held in spaced relationship with the housing 1 'and is journaled at its rear end in the bearing bracket 22 and at its forward end in a transverse bearing bracket 30 (Figure 2) formed integral with the forward and formed with splines 31 which engage internal splines 32 formed in a sleeve 33 slidable on the shaft 25, Figure 6. The sleeve 33 carries a first loading lever 24 and is adapted to'move into engagement with the splines by The shaft 25 is reduced in diameter at its rear end and is splined as at 34" to engage the splined opening in an arm 2411 which is pinned to a link 27 by a pivot pin 26, Figure 4. The link is formed with an elongated head 27a, Figure 3, ex-

' tending longitudinally of the launcher and terminating deems-by the pins 180. l, y 7 p V When .theloadingglever' fi is not in use it is pushed nrg o free its sleevebf the spline clutch on the. sli t25' aid is heldi'n' such position by a spring clip 35.

in ears 27b and pivoted to; lugs 18b on the left hand Fhtented Apr. 2,- 1957- As previously explained, the forward end of shaft is journalled in the bearing bracket 30. A flange 36, Figure 7, formed on the shaft 25 lies within the bearing bracket and together with an arcuate retainer 37, screw fastened to the bracket, restrains the shaft against longitudinal movement.

A second shaft 39, journalled for rotation in a cylindrical portion 40 of the bracket and having its axis of rotation disposed at 90 to the axis of rotation of the shaft 25, that is, transversely of the barrel axis, is provided with a bevel gear 41 fixed thereto and intermeshing with a bevel gear segment 38 fixed on the forward end of shaft 25 within bracket 30. A removable cover plate 30a, Figure 1, gives access to these gears.

Shaft 39 comprises a portion 39a and a portion 39b. See Figure 3. A clutch member comprising interengaging parts 42 and 42a secured respectively to the contiguous free ends of the shaft sections connect the said shaft sections when desired. The shaft sections 39b has a flattened end 39c which is pivotally connected with the bifurcated end of a second loading lever 43 by a pivot pin 44, normal to the axis of the shaft. See Figure 2. The lever 43 has an eccentric lug 45 offset from the pivot pin 44 and bearing against the end a of the cylindrical portion or sleeve 40 of the bearing bracket 30. The end of lug 45 constitutes a fulcrum point whereby the shaft 391: and its connected part of the clutch 42 can be disengaged from the remaining part 42a of the clutch, when the lever 43 is swung in a plane containing the axis of shaft 39]), into engagement with a resilient retaining clip 46, Figures 2 and 5. A coil spring 47, housed within the transverse portion 40 of bracket 30, surrounds shaft 39b and bears at one end against the clutch member 42 and at its other end against the cylindrical member 40 which is staked to the bracket by a pin 48. It will be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 3 that when lever 43 is moved into its clip 46 as indicated in dotted lines upon Figure 2, the lever will pivot on its lug 45 and withdraw the shaft 39/) and its clutch part 42 outwardly from engagement with clutch part 42a, against the urge of spring 47. The lever 24 and its sleeve 33 can then be moved forwardly along the shaft 25 to engage its splines 32 with the splines 31 on shaft 25. In reverse operation the lever 24 is disengaged as hereinbefore stated and the lever 43 freed from its clip 46 and moved outwardly so that it can then be oscillated through the are A as seen in Figure 5, the spring 47 having urged the clutch part 42 into engagement with its part 42a, consequently the shaft 25 will be oscillated by means of the meshing gears 38 and 41 to'thereby index a rocket into the firing chamber.

Four studs 50 are screwed into the rear end of the housing and are positioned to align with four holes 51 in flange 8a. See Figure 9. Two latches-52 are pivoted on the screws 53, threaded into flange 8a intermediate their ends for locking the rear adapter 4a in place. The extreme ends of the latches are provided with notches defining hooks 54 which engage and fit within grooves 55 in the respective studs 54). Pins 56 are slidable in holes 57 in the adapter body and are urged outwardly a limited distance by springs 58 to snap behind latches 52 as the latter move into the locking position shown upon Figure 9, to hold the latches in contact with their studs 50. Normally the screws 53 are tightened, but when it is desired to remove the rear adapter it is only necessary to loosen but not remove the screws 53, depress the pins 56 and then pivot the latches 52 about their screws 53 until they are free of the studs 50. The adapter can then be moved rearwardly to clear the studs. When returning the adaptor to position the procedure is reversed.

The firing chamber 7 comprising semicylindrical part 14 and quarter- cylindrical doors 18 and 20, is mounted for rotation in the launcher frame by forward and rearward bearings, not shown. The rearward bearing is carried by adapter 8. This chamber is thus held against axial movement by adapter or bearing support 8. Thus, when this support is removed as just described, by the pivoting of latches 52, the entire firing chamber can be withdrawn axially and rearwardly after removal of pivot pin 26. By this construction it is a relatively simple matter to withdraw the firing chamber for repairs, cleaning or inspection. Replacement is equally easy.

I have thus provided a loading mechanism for a launcher which is simple, eflicient and effects a very great saving in time if it becomes necessary in an emergency for the gunner to take over loading the launcher. Saving in time may also be accomplished by the gunner taking over loading while the loader is refilling the magazine 3.

While I have disclosed a form of the invention pres ently preferred by me, various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art after a study of the present disclosure. Hence the disclosure is to be taken in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense; and it is my desire and intention to reserve all modifications falling within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now fully disclosed the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a repeating rocket launcher, a support, a firing chamber assembly journaled in said support for rotation on a longitudinal axis, said assembly having an opening in its side wall through which a rocket may be gravity loaded into said assembly, said assembly including a door hinged therein and pivotable between open and closed positions by and in response to rotation of said assembly about said axis a shaft journaled on said support parallel with said axis, an operating connection between said shaft and assembly for rotating the assembly in response to rotation of said shaft, first and second operating levers pivoted on said support at respective left and right sides thereof, and clutch means operable selectively to connect either of said levers with said shaft.

2. In a rocket launcher, a housing; a firing chamber journaled for rotation on and within said housing and having an opening for loading a rocket into said chamber, a door pivoted to the wall of said firing chamber and pivotable to open and close said opening; and door operating means comprising a first shaft journaled on said housing at one side thereof and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said firing chamber, link and lever means connecting said door and said first shaft, a first loading lever, slidable on said first shaft, clutch means between said first shaft and first lever responsive to sliding thereof, a sec ond shaft journaled on said housing transversely thereof normal to said first shaft, gear means connecting both said shafts at their contiguous ends, a second loading lever pivoted on said housing, at the side of said housing opposite to said first shaft, and clutch means between said second lever and second shaft whereby the second loading lever may be connected to and disconnected from said second shaft and loading of said launcher effected from either side thereof, as desired.

3. In a repeating magazine-type rocket launcher, a supporting housing, a firing chamber assembly journalcd in said housing for rotation on an axis longitudinally thereof, there being an opening in the side wall of said assembly through which a rocket may be loaded thereinto, door means hinged to said assembly and pivotable between open and closed positions in response to rotation of said assembly, a first shaft journaled on one side of said housing parallel with said axis, a first loading lever including a sleeve slidable on said first shaft between first and second axial positions, means connecting said sleeve and shaft in said first position only, a second shaft journaled on said housing transversely of said axis, a second lever including a mounting journaled on said housing at the other side thereof in coaxial relation with said second shaft, gear means interconnecting said first and second shafts for synchronous rotation, pivot means supporting said second lever for movement about an axis transverse to said second shaft, clutch means responsive to movement of said lever on said supporting means to connect and disconnect said mounting and second shaft, and means operating said door means in response to rotation of said first shaft.

4. In a repeating magazine-type launcher, a supporting housing, a firing chamber assembly journaled in said housing for rotation on a longitudinal axis, there being an opening in the side wall of said assembly through which a rocket may be transversely loaded thereinto, door means hinged to said assembly and pivotable between open and closed positions in response to rotation of said assembly, a first shaft journaled on one side of said housing parallel with said axis, a first loading lever including a sleeve slidable on said first shaft between first and second axial positions, spline means connecting said sleeve and first shaft in said first position only, a second shaft journaled on saidhousing transversely of said axis and comprising first and second aligned sections, means mounting the second section of said second shaft for axial sliding relatively to said first section, a second loading lever hinged to the free end of said second section at the side of said housing opposite said first lever and pivotable about an axis normal to said second shaft, separable clutch means interconnecting the sections of said second shaft in response to axial movement of said second section toward said first section, spring means urging said second section into clutch-engaging position, means between said second lever and housing moving said second section to clutch-disengaging position in response to hinged movement of said second lever from operable to inoperable position, and gear means interconnecting the adjacent ends of said first shaft and the first section of said second shaft.

5. In a repeating rocket launcher, a housing having open front and rear ends, a front end adapter supporting a front bearing and closing said open front end, a rear end adapter closing said open rear end and supporting a rear bearing in coaxial alignment with said front bearing, a radially spaced stud secured in the rear face of said housing extending through said rear adapter and having a circumferential groove near its outer end, a chamber journaled in said bearings and having an opening in its side wall through which a rocket may be gravity fed into said assembly, said assembly including a door hinged therein and pivotable between open and closed positions responsive to rotation of said assembly about said axis, a manually rotatable lever journaled on said housing, manually disconnectable clutch means between said lever and assembly for rotating the assembly, latch means pivoted on said rear adapter and having a hook on its free end for engagement with the circumferential groove on the said stud for securing the said rear adapter to the rear end of the housing, and a spring pressed plunger in said rear adapter normally urged into the path of said latch to hold said latch and stud in locked position releasing said latch when depressed.

6. In a repeating rocket launcher, a housing, a generally cylindrical firing chamber journaled within said housing for rotation on its axis and comprising a semicylindrical tube portion and quartercylindrical doors each hinged along one edge to a respective edge of said tube portion, said doors being pivotable from a first position wherein said doors are closed to form with said tube portion a complete launching tube open only at its ends, to a second position wherein said doors are open to enable side loading of a rocket into said chamber, abutment means limiting forward axial movement of said chamber relatively to said housing, a rear adapter adapted to be secured to the rearward end of said housing to engage and prevent axial translation of said firing chamber, and means detachably securing said adapter to said housing whereby on removal of the adapter the firing chamber can be axially and rearwardly withdrawn from the housing.

7. The construction recited in claim 6, said last-named means comprising at least one pair of spaced pins secured to and extending rearwardly from said housing and adapted to extend through respective apertures in said adapter when the latter is in operative position on said housing, and a resilient lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said adapter said ends being slotted to fit channels in the ends of the respective pins when said lever is pivoted from an adapter-release position to an adapter-attaching position.

8. In a rocket launcher, a housing, means forming a firing chamber journaled in said housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis, said means having an opening in its side wall for receiving a rocket therethrough, a door pivoted to said means along one edge of said opening and adapted in one position to close said opening, a first shaft journaled on said housing at one side thereof and parallel with said axis, a second shaft journaled on said housing in normally horizontal transverse relation with said axis, bevel gears connecting contiguous ends of said shaft, a first lever slidable on said first shaft between first and second positions thereon, a splined connection between said first lever and first shaft effective in said second position only, a second lever on said second shaft, and a manually disconnectable coupling between said second lever and second shaft.

9. In a repeating rocket launcher, a housing, means forming a closed firing chamber within said housing and having an opening in its side wall through which a rocket may be transversely loaded into said chamber, a door hinged to the outer wall of said means and pivotable from an open position wherein a rocket may be loaded into said chamber, to a closed firing position with respect to said opening, first and second manually-actuatable door-operating levers journaled on said housing on opposite sides thereof, respectively, mechanism connected with said door to operate the same between open and closed positions, and clutch means associated with said levers and manually actuatable to connect and disconnect each said lever with said mechanism whereby said door may be operated from a selected side of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,371,075 Dawson et al. Mar. 8, 1921 1,394,490 Giles Oct. 18, 1921 2,440,634 Henney Apr. 27, 1948 2,451,522 Uhl et a1. Oct. 19, 1948 2,458,476 Lauritsen et a1. Jan. 4, 1949 2,504,160 Skinner Apr. 18, 1950 2,546,823 Holloway Mar. 27, 1951

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