Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SELF-LOADING GRENADE LAUNCHER
The present invention relates to a self-loading grenade
launcher having the features set forth in the preamble to
Claim 1.
Such a grenade launcher is described in the journal
"International Defense Review," Volume 22, No. 12/1989. It
has a cartridge belt feed device which conveys the frontmost
cartridge directly behind the cartridge chamber. An inertia
bolt, which is similar in its manner of action to that of a
machine gun, is moved by a closure-spring arrangement against
this frontmost cartridge, pushing it into the cartridge
chamber and firing it.
In the following, expressions such as "front," "rear,"
"side," etc. are used without further definition. They refer
in a11 cases to the weapon in horizontal firing position,
"front" indicating the muzzle and therefore the front end of
the weapon in the firing direction.
In order to make the grenade launcher ready for firing,
it is sufficient to move the inertia bolt, against the action
of the closure-spring arrangement, into its rearmost
position, in which it is held by a trigger device, and to
insert the cartridge belt into the feed device.
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The particular advantage of this type of grenade
launcher as compared with the previously best-known self-
loading grenade launcher, the US Mark 19, lies in this simple
course of movements; in the case of the US Mark 19, it is
namely necessary, after the insertion of the belt, for the
bolt first of a11 to be struck empty and then cocked again
since the frontmost cartridge of the belt is not fed directly
into the cartridge chamber upon the first striking of the
bolt but rather is first brought into a transfer position
from which it is conveyed by the second striking of the bolt
into the cartridge chamber and fired there.
This complicated loading process leads to errors in
operation as a result of which the weapon is either not ready
to fire after loading or fires at the wrong time.
The prior art grenade launcher which does not have this
disadvantage and is of very simple construction is, to be
sure, of unsatisfactory reliability in operation and
function.
Starting from this prior art, the object of the present
invention is to provide a self-loading grenade launcher
which, using the above-described advantages of the prior art
grenade launcher, has better reliability in operation, better
reliability in function, better operability, simpler
construction and/or a less expensive construction.
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This object is achieved by the features set forth in the
body of Claim 1.
The inertia bolt, in the same way as is also true of the
prior art grenade launcher, fires the cartridge which is just
being introduced into the cartridge chamber during the final
phase of its forward movement; in this connection, the
kinetic energy of the forward-moving inertia bolt is utilized
in order to counteract the commencing recoil of the fired
cartridge and to prevent the cartridge case from passing
prematurely out of the cartridge chamber.
The moment of firing depends on the speed with which the
inertia bolt moves forward. The necessary speed is obtained,
however, only if the inertia bolt reaches upon its return
travel a minimum cocking position and commences its closing
movement from said position.
If, in the prior art grenade launcher, the inertia bolt
does not reach this minimum cocking position due to a
disturbance (jammed cartridge case, incomplete or late-
burning propellant charge, incomplete withdrawal of the
cocking lever, for instance after a cartridge misfire), then
the firing of the next cartridge takes place too soon, before
it has been introduced sufficiently into the cartridge
chamber. The prematurely produced gas pressure can burst the
cartridge case and lead at least to a blocking of the
loading, but probably also to damage to the weapon.
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In accordance with the invention, Claim 1 provides a
barrier which, in the event of such a disturbance, if the
inertia bolt does not reach the minimum cocking position upon
its return. travel, prevents the forward travel of the inertia
bolt. Upon the action of the barrier, the user of the
weapon, in the same way as upon jamming, will, without
further examining the cause for the disturbance, pull the
cocking lever back in known manner and in this connection
move the bolt to behind the minimum cocking position so that
further disturbance-free operation is possible. Not even a
full cartridge will be ejected, but the movement of the bolt
will continue from where the barrier stopped it.
Thus, by the invention, the occurrence of a serious
jamming or even damage to the weapon is avoided.
This minimum cocking position defines the position which
the inertia bolt must assume in order not to fire the
following cartridge prematurely.
The release position corresponds to the position which
the inertia bolt assumes when it is released by means of the
trigger device. This release position is so selected that an
optimum moment of firing is assured.
In accordance with the development set forth in Claim 2,
the minimum cocking position is now brought as close as
possible to this optimal release position.
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In accordance with Claim 3, the barrier which prevents
the striking of the bolt when it has not reached the minimum
cocking position is developed as a ratchet mechanism with a
number of ratchet teeth and a ratchet pawl movable relative
to them. Ratchet teeth are teeth the one flank of which
rises gently and the other flank rises steeply. In front of
and behind the row of ratchet teeth, a space is provided for
the ratchet pawl, in which space the pawl changes its
orientation.
In this connection, the ratchet teeth are so arranged
that, upon the return travel of the inertia bolt, their
softly rising flanks come against the ratchet pawl.
Upon the return travel of the inertia bolt, the ratchet
pawl is so oriented that its free end points towards the
rear. In this connection, it is pressed under spring action
against the ratchet teeth and pressed away by their gently
rising flanks.
If the inertia bolt reverses its direction of movement
during this phase, then the ratchet pawl engages behind a
steep flank of a ratchet tooth and blocks the movement of the
inertia bolt.
At the end of the row of ratchet teeth, at a place in
the return travel of the inertia bolt which corresponds to
the minimum cocking position, the ratchet pawl comes free and
changes its orientation so that it points away from the
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steeply rising flanks of the ratchet teeth and therefore
cannot engage in them and thus does not prevent the movement
of the inertia bolt.
The switching of the orientation of the ratchet pawl is
effected by a nose which is arranged at a place which
corresponds to the minimum cocking position.
In accordance with Claim 4, the ratchet teeth are
combined to form a rack-like arrangement which is arranged
either on the inertia bolt or on the weapon housing, while
the ratchet pawl, which is aligned by means of spring
arrangement transverse to the rack, sits on the other one of
these elements.
The ratchet pawl is preferably seated on the housing,
since, if arranged on the inertia bolt, inertia forces acting
on it could impair its function.
In the case of the aforementioned known priority grenade
launcher, the control of the slides of the cartridge belt
feed device is effected by grooves which are developed in the
inertia bolt and in which drivers which are seated on the
slides are seated.
This, in itself, very simple control has, to be sure,
proven~unsatisfactory. The reason for this may reside in the
fact that during very short movement paths of the inertia
bolt, the slides must move over relatively long paths so that
their direct guidance must take place by guide grooves which
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are strongly angled and thus leads to high forces and can,
for instance in the case of dirt, no longer take place
reliably. Furthermore, the amount of wear is high.
In accordance with the invention, this problem of lack
of reliability in function and resistance to wear is solved
by the features set forth in Claim 5.
In this connection, a separate cam lever is provided
which extends along the path of movement of the inertia bolt
and is controlled with it via a control connection which is
formed of guide cam and driver. The cam lever is connected
to the slides via a rod.
Thus, it is possible to produce favorable force
relationships in the engagement between guide cam and driver.
Furthermore, it is possible to optimize the material of the
cam lever, which preferably has a guide groove, with
reference, in particular, to slight wear. Furthermore, the
driver, which preferably consists of a roller arranged on the
inertia bolt, can be optimized, in which connection its
weight contributes to the weight, which is in any event
necessary, of the inertia bolt and is thus non-problematical.
In accordance with Claim 6, the cam lever is swingably
mounted at its front end; its swinging movement is tapped off
behind its center by a two-arm shift lever and transferred
forwards. This arrangement, which at first sight appears
cumbersome, permits a transmission of force from the cam
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lever to the slides without step-up ratio. The necessary
tolerances between driver and control cam, which assure the
dependable operation of the weapon even in the event of dirt,
are thus also not increased.
In accordance with Claim 7, the lever control which
connects the rod to the slides, is arranged centrally and
developed symmetrically with two control levers. This
arrangement constitutes a condition for the exchangeability
of the slides and thus for the free selection of the
direction of the feeding of the cartridge belt.
Claim 8 covers the further development of the control
levers which are mounted in a swingable cover and provided,
in accordance with the invention, with a disengageable
coupling with which they easily pass into and out of
engagement with the rod which is seated in the housing of the
weapon above the inertia bolt. In this connection, the
control is effected in simple manner over only one of the two
control levers, which transmits it on its part to the other
control lever.
This transmission is effected, in accordance with Claim
9, by a pivoted connection between arms of the control
levers. This pivoted connection is effected, in accordance
with Claim 10, without the use of an intermediate element.
The engagement of each lever in the slide associated
with it is effected, in accordance with Claim 11, in the same
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manner in each case, which not only makes a simplification in
manufacture possible but constitutes another condition for
the aforementioned exchangeability of the slides.
In accordance with Claim 12, each slide is guided in a
transverse guide; these two transverse guides are of such
similar development that the two slides are exchangeable.
Upon this exchange, the slides are not only exchanged
but they are also reversed in their direction, i.e. turned
around, so that the transverse guides must be symmetrically
developed or active to their longitudinal axis.
This exchange of the slides makes it possible to develop
the weapon with the feed from the right or the left as may be
required, so that, when the weapon is installed, for
instance, in the entrance of a helicopter or in the hatch of
a tank, the cartridge belt can be fed from the more suitable
side.
A further object of the invention is to develop this
feed in such a manner that it is suitable for this purpose
and furthermore guides the cartridge belt and unbelts it with
maximum reliability of function.
This object is achieved by the features set forth in
Claim 13.
The individual cartridges are surrounded, with
frictional lock, approximately in the longitudinal center of
the cartridge case by a belt member which is developed in the
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manner of a pipe clamp and has, on the one side, a pin with a
head fastened pivotally to the belt member and, on the
opposite side, a protruding bow-shaped section having a slot.
The slot is widened at its front end and is so dimensioned
that the head of the pin of the adjacent cartridge can pass
through the widened portion of the slot but not the rest of
its section, in which the neck of the pin is guided. By
means of the pin-slot connection, the individual belt members
are pivotally attached to each other.
In the case of the arrangement of the slides which is
described in Claim 13, upon the forward travel of the inertia
bolt, the two slides move in opposite directions, each from
the outside from a starting position towards the inside, the
inner pawl of the first slide engaging behind the first
cartridge and conveying it up to in front of the cartridge
chamber. At the same time, the second slide moves in
opposite direction from its starting position and passes,
with the fixed support arranged on it, to alongside the first
cartridge where this support prevents the cartridge from
sliding out over its position behind the cartridge case.
Now, the inertia bolt has arrived behind this cartridge and
pushes it into the cartridge chamber, the belt member sitting
on the edge of the cartridge chamber and sliding rearward on
the cartridge. Upon the firing of the cartridge, the belt
member~and the rear part of the cartridge case surrounded by
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it are outside the cartridge chamber.
Upon the return travel, the fired cartridge case pushes
the inertia bolt towards the rear up to a position behind the
cartridge belt feed device, where the cartridge case comes
against an ordinary ejector and is ejected through a single
lateral window, regardless of whether the feeding of the
cartridge belt takes place from the right or the left.
At the same time, the two slides move back into their
corresponding starting position, the inner pawl of the first
slide swinging over the following cartridge and the support
of the second slide moving outward, in order not to interfere
with the extraction of the cartridge case. At the same time,
the swing pawl arranged on this second slide pushes the
following cartridge further into a position in which it is
guided further by said inner pawl upon the next forward
advance of the inertia bolt.
As can be seen, the moving up of each cartridge takes
place in two successive steps, in each case upon the forward
travel and return travel of the inertia bolt, so that
excessive accelerations and thus excessive inertia forces are
avoided.
It is expressly pointed out that here, and in the
claims, mention is made of only one pawl, support, etc., but
preferably several, and in particular two, such elements are
arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction
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of the weapon (transverse to the cartridge belt) in order to
hold the cartridge, upon a11 its movements, always aligned in
the longitudinal direction of the weapon.
Thus, the weapon is suitable also to receive, without
disturbance, a cartridge belt of the aforementioned type in
which, as a result of the attachment of the belt members to
each other, they are swingable with respect to each other.
In accordance with Claim 14, a fixed stop similar to the
support on the outer end of the second slide is seated on the
inner end of the first slide; this support has the object of
preventing the cartridge belt, which is advanced with the
bolt open, from sliding with its then frontmost cartridge
beyond the position which it is then to assume if it is to be
grasped and moved further by the inner pawl.
It has been found in tests that, upon firing, the
cartridge belt carries out very vigorous, whiplike movements
and experiences vibrations which can impair the introduction
of the frontmost cartridge moved behind the cartridge chamber
and directed to it.
In order to counteract this disadvantage, it is
proposed, in accordance of the invention, that directly
before or during the introduction of the cartridge into the
cartridge chamber, the cartridge belt from which this
cartridge has been already separated or removed, be moved
back slightly from this cartridge; the cartridge belt can now
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no longer strike, as a result of its unavoidable movements,
against the cartridge which is just being introduced into the
cartridge chamber.
At the same time, it is also advantageous to move the
support arranged on the second slide back away from the
cartridge so that it is not pressed forcefully towards the
side by the head of the inertia bolt and thereby subjected to
unnecessarily high wear.
While the said disturbances have up to now been
counteracted in the manner that the cartridge is arranged
with a large amount of lateral play in front of the cartridge
chamber, in the case of the invention the cartridge is held
precisely in front of the cartridge chamber until the process
of introduction commences and is only then released from its
lateral guides. As a result, the invention thus obtains a
very high dependability of function, regardless of the
position and alignment of the weapon or of the accelerations
acting on it. The weapon of the invention can thus also be
fired during travel on a vehicle moving over the terrain
without road jolts impairing the reloading function.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment shown in
Fig. 15, this release of the cartridge is effected in the
manner that the reversal in movement of the slides does not
take place only upon the firing and therefore in the
frontmost position of the inertia bolt, but already somewhat
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earlier, so that a further outer pawl which is arranged on
the first slide and is blocked against tilting at this time
pulls the cartridge belt back and the support moves away from
the cartridge which has just been introduced into the
cartridge chamber.
Iri order to block this outer pawl and therefore to
prevent its tipping, the second slide is so developed, in
accordance with Claim 16, that it grips over the outer pawl
and thus blocks it. It is thus possible to obtain this
blocking function without an additional structural part in
precise association with the course of movement of the two
slides.
As already mentioned above, the frontmost cartridge of
the cartridge belt is in an intermediate position when the
inertia bolt is in its rearmost position (release position).
In this intermediate position, the frontmost cartridge is
gripped behind and supported by the swing pawl of the second
slide.
Upon the insertion of the cartridge belt, however, the
cover bearing this swing pawl is swung up.
Furthermore, in the ready-to-fire position, the
frontmost cartridge lies continuously against this swing pawl
so that it must withstand a11 inertia forces exerted by the
cartridge belt.
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In order to fix the exact position of the cartridge belt
upon its insertion and with the cover open, and in order to
take up the inertia forces of the cartridge belt, an upwardly
urged blocking lever, which acts like a pawl, is arranged, in
accordance with Claim 18, below the cartridge belt fed,
against the protruding end of which lever pointing to the
longitudinal center of the weapon, the outer side of the
frontmost cartridge rests in said intermediate position.
If the belt is conveyed further, then the blocking lever
moves away downward evading the following cartridge, without
hindering it, and then passes, when it is in the intermediate
position, again upward in order to again act as support. In
this way, not only is a stop for the precise insertion of the
cartridge belt created, but, furthermore, the wearing-out or
even breaking-off of the swing pawl or structural parts
connected with it is prevented.
The cartridge used for the grenade launcher of the
invention is a rim cartridge, and therefore a cartridge with
a radially protruding rim. Furthermore, this cartridge bears
a belt member. If such a cartridge lies on a flat surface,
then the longitudinal axis of the cartridge is inclined to
this surface. The movement of such a cartridge precisely
parallel to its longitudinal axis is thus problematical.
In view of this problem, the invention is directed at
permitting an exact and thus particularly disturbance-free
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introduction of the cartridge into the cartridge chamber.
This object is achieved by the features set forth in
Claim 19.
In this case, below the cartridge chamber there is
developed a guide table on which the advanced cartridge belt
rests and can be fed smoothly and without disturbance onto a
cartridge rest.
When the process of removal from the belt takes place
and the frontmost cartridge is introduced into the cartridge
chamber, then the cartridge rest moves away downward in such
a manner that the cartridge, gripped on its bottom by the
head of the inertia bolt, can align itself to it, and thus be
dependably introduced into the cartridge chamber.
The tip of the cartridge thus always remains at the
height of the center of the cartridge chamber; only the rear
part dips so far downward upon the evasion of the cartridge
support that the axis of the cartridge is directed fully on
the axis of the core.
In order to make certain that the cartridge rest does
not yield at the wrong time, it is controlled, in accordance
with Claim 20, by the movement of the inertia bolt and is
released by the latter only when, shortly before or when it
removes the frontmost cartridge from the belt and in this
connection introduces it into the cartridge chamber.
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The cartridge rest bears the relatively heavy cartridge
at least for a short period of time, in which connection
blows acting on the weapon can multiply the load on the
cartridge rest. Spring loading alone is thus probably not
sufficient in order to provide assurance that the cartridge
rest only yields when it is controlled by the inertia bolt.
In order to remedy this problem, in accordance with
Claim 21, a lock is provided which holds the cartridge rest
fast in its normal position. The lock is released by the
inertia bolt so that the release of the lock is always
adapted in reliable manner to the lowering of the cartridge
rest, which is also controlled by the inertia bolt.
The cartridge rest can be developed as a plate, but, in
accordance with Claim 22 or 23, it is developed as an
arrangement of at least one transverse finger the mass of
which is relatively slight, so that its rapid evasion and
swinging back does not result in any disturbance in the
movement of the bolt and, in particular, does not result in
high wear.
It is a general rule that weapons of a11 kinds should
not be fired empty, namely without cartridge or buffer
cartridge in the cartridge chamber.
On the other hand, it is necessary, upon the
development, frequently to exert firing, loading operations,
etc. on the weapons.
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In order to avoid the damage to the grenade launcher of
the invention which it could experience by the empty firing
of the inertia bolt, a buffer spring arrangement which
intercepts and brakes the inertia bolt during the final phase
of its forward movement is provided in accordance with Claim
24.
This buffer spring arrangement is so developed that it
does not enter into action upon the normal shooting process,
since the inertia bolt can then move forward at most up to
the bottom of the cartridge which protrudes a distance out of
the cartridge chamber, but not up to the buffer spring
arrangement.
Preferably (Claim 25), two spring guide rods which
extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weapon are
provided for the closing springs, said rods passing through
the inertia bolt in each case in a longitudinal hole. At the
front end of each of these spring guide rods there is
arranged a buffer spring which rests against the front end of
the housing and preferably is seated in part, in a bore hole
so that sufficient space for the reception thereof is
created.
The arrangement of two buffer springs supplies, as does
the arrangement of two closure springs, a redundance of parts
which, in the event of the breaking of a spring, makes
further operation of the weapon possible, although perhaps
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with disturbances.
The buffer springs can possibly be installed only for
training purposes, and be removed before use of the weapon.
In a traditional self-loading weapon, the bolt is, as a
rule, guided in grooves and ridges which are developed within
the housing. These slide surfaces debouch into the ejector
opening and the opening for the feeding of the cartridge belt
and can therefore easily become dirty, which can lead to
disturbances in function.
Furthermore, the outer walls of the housing which form
these slide surfaces must be sufficiently stiff and thus
correspondingly heavy.
Furthermore, it is difficult to produce the slide
surfaces arranged with large distance apart opposite each
other with sufficient precision.
In order to improve the reliability in function of the
grenade launcher of the invention with, at the same time,
reduced cost of construction, the inertia bolt, in accordance
with Claim 26, is not guided on its outer surface but is
passed through by a longitudinal channel with which it is
seated displaceably on a longitudinal guide arranged fixed in
position in the housing.
The relatively small dimensions of the longitudinal
guide and of the longitudinal channel permit simple
manufacture with sufficient dimensional precision. The
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housing sidewalls, if they are not to perform other
functions, need merely be developed as covering and can be
correspondingly light or be made of correspondingly less
stable material, for instance plastic.
Most important, however, is the fact this guide
arrangement within the housing is at a far distance from
openings therein through which dirt can pass into the inside
of the housing.
With a suitable arrangement of the longitudinal guide,
its ends can be arranged in regions of the housing in which
no parts essential for the functioning are arranged; dirt
which is pushed by the movable inertia bolt to the ends of
the longitudinal guide can collect there without impairing
the reliability of the functioning of the weapon. Thus, the
operation of the weapon, even in dust and mud, is possible
over a long period of time without cleaning of the weapon
being absolutely necessary.
A particularly cost-favorable and, at the same time,
dirt-protecting and thus functionally dependable development
resides, in accordance with Claim 27, in the use of a round
rod as longitudinal guide which is guided in a clearance hole
within the inertia bolt.
The round rod can have annular grooves to receive
lubricant, slide rings, or dirt.
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A simple supporting of the bolt, such as, for instance,
by engagement of the driver in the guide groove of the cam
lever, is entirely sufficient in order to prevent the inertia
bolt from turning around the round rod.
The housing of the self-loading weapon of this type
affords great problems even if it is not to serve as
longitudinal guide for the inertia bolt: Development as a
forging of steel or light metal which is subsequently
machined is difficult and furthermore very expensive. A
welded~construction from blanks or stamped and bent parts is,
to be sure, easier and cheaper, but it is still difficult to
produce free of warping and in correct dimensions.
Furthermore, a welded housing has fine, inaccessible grooves
which can form the starting points for corrosion. Welded
housings of light metal are particularly expensive.
A housing which is as light as possible but with
accurate dimensions, preferably of light metal, with as few
joints as possible, is desirable.
This requirement is satisfied by the grenade launcher of
the invention described in Claim 28; in it, the main section
of the.housing is formed of a section of a hollow-profile
material which can possibly be subsequently machined (for
instance, ejection window). The hollow-profile material is
closed on its front side by a block in which the barrel is
seated and which possibly bears the longitudinal guide as
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well as spring guide rods.
The rear of the hollow-profile material section can be
closed by the trigger device.
The hollow-profile material can preferably be an
extruded hollow profile, preferably of light metal, for
instance duraluminum. The hollow-profile material can on the
inside have longitudinal ribs, etc., which can serve for the
guiding of the inertia bolt insofar as it is not guided by
the longitudinal guide rod described above.
The hollow-profile material can have longitudinal ribs,
longitudinal grooves, etc., on its outside which can serve to
receive a gun-carriage mount, sights, infrared illumination,
or the like.
The hollow-profile material is preferably, in accordance
with Claim 29, a closed box profile or hollow profile which
receives the inertia bolt and is extended towards the top by
an open box profile or hollow profile which receives the cam
lever and is covered by a removable cover. The lengthwise
partition wall between the closed and open hollow profiles
has a lengthwise extending milled slot which is passed
through by the driver arranged on the inertia bolt. The
swing pins for the cam lever, shift lever, etc. are also
seated in this partition wall.
The particular advantage of this arrangement is that the
sensitive control is arranged in a manner substantially
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protected separately against dirt and also powder gases and
nevertheless is readily accessible.
The outer andfor inner surfaces of the housing formed in
this manner are preferably (Claim 30) surface-treated in
order to achieve a camouflage coloring, resistance to
corrosion by, for instance, salt water, and improved abrasion
resistance, and other desirable surface properties.
Hard anodizing of the inner and outer surfaces of the
light-metal housing has proven particularly suitable.
As already mentioned, the cartridge belt which is fed
jerkily in the case of continuous firing, tends to carry out
sudden whiplike movements, which can lead to disturbances in
function.
In order to mitigate these movement and assure a smooth
entrance of the cartridge belt into the weapon, a belt
guidance platform which supports the cartridge belt from
below is provided in accordance with Claim 31 and a covering
which guides the cartridge belt from above is provided in
accordance with Claim 32, both of which can be applied
detachably to the housing of the weapon.
While the belt guidance platform and the covering adjoin
the cartridge belt from the bottom and top respectively at
the cartridge belt inlet opening of the weapon housing, this
opening, in accordance with Claim 33, is limited at its front
and rear ends by a freely rotatable cartridge belt guide
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roller. Both cartridge belt guide rollers have such a
diameter that a hooking of the cartridges to the rollers is
impossible. Preferably, both cartridge belt guide rollers
are of circular cylindrical shape and have the same diameter.
As already frequently mentioned above, the device of the
invention for the guiding and unbelting of the cartridge belt
can be reversed for feeding from the right or from the left
as desired, and preferably without the use of any exchange
parts. Accordingly, the weapon housing has, in accordance
with Claim 34, two entrance openings for the cartridge belt
which lie opposite each other.
These entrance openings are preferably arranged on both
sides of the housing but, in the case of special use of the
grenade launcher, for instance, in land, sea, or air
vehicles, can also be arranged on the top and bottom of the
housing.
In accordance with Claim 35, in order to avoid
unnecessary dirt, the entrance opening which is not being
used can be closed by a wall or covering which is preferably
developed as an attachable sheet-metal plate, but can also be
developed as a plastic plug which can be inserted.
The above-mentioned belt guide platform and covering are
developed symmetrically with respect to their center line,
which extends in each case transverse to the longitudinal
axis of the weapon, so that they can be arranged in front of
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each of the entrance openings.
In order still further to improve the disturbance-free
guidance of the cartridge belt contained in an ammunition
box, complementary holding means are developed on this
ammunition box and on the weapon housing, which means
comprise a mount closer to the or each entrance opening on
the housing (Claim 36).
The covering can be a structural element which is
permanently attached to the weapon housing but, in accordance
with Claim 37, it preferably forms a part of the ammunition
box so that the covering, after it has been placed on the
weapon housing, forms a continuous reliable guide for the
cartridge belt from the ammunition box into the weapon.
The covering is preferably arranged on the cover of the
ammunition box or forms a part with it (Claim 38).
The cartridge belt again can only be inserted into the
weapon when the cover bearing the slides has been opened and
the inertia bolt is in its rearmost position, namely its
position of release.
In this position of release, the inertia bolt is acted
on, to be sure, by the closure spring arrangement and is held
merely by the trigger device.
If the belt is inserted, or if it is attempted, for
instance, to eliminate a jam, then the hand of the user is
present in the path of movement of the inertia bolt. If the
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 26 -
bolt is now unintentionally released or if it becomes
released due, for instance, to a road jolt of the vehicle on
which the weapon is mounted, then an injury to the hand of
the user, which may be serious, is to be expected. This is
a11 the more serious if the user requires the injured hand at
that very time primarily in order to operate the weapon.
In order to avoid this disadvantage, a bolt lock which
is coupled to the cover and activated when the cover is
opened is provided in the weapon of the invention, in
accordance with Claim 39. This bolt lock either holds the
inertia bolt in its position of release and prevents its
firing even if it has been released by mistake or as the
result of a disturbance, or intercepts the forward traveling
bolt before it can reach the region of the cartridge feed
device and injure a hand which is present there.
This bolt lock can be positively coupled with the cover
or with its interlock but, in accordance with Claim 40, it is
preferably provided with a sensor which determines whether.
the cover is in its closed position or not.
This sensor can control a release device, but, in
accordance with Claim 41, it is preferably a feeler finger
which is urged into its blocking position by a spring, namely
into a position in which it makes the bolt lock active. The
feeler finger is directly connected for transmission of
movement with a lock lever which can engage into the inertia
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 27 -
bolt or into its path of movement and hold it fast or stop
it.
Insofar as the inertia bolt is provided with a driver
guided in the cam lever, said lock lever is advantageously,
in accordance with Claim 42, movable into the path of
movement of the driver. The driver namely forms a
particularly resistant structural part protruding from the
inertia bolt and is not damaged even if it travels forcefully
against the lock lever.
In order, now, to permit also easy construction of the
lock lever, it, in accordance with the development set forth
in Claim 43, engages into a recess in the cam lever. This
cam lever is of very stable development as a heavily loaded
structural part and is supported on a strong mount fastened
to the housing.
If the driver of the inertia bolt comes against the lock
lever, then the latter introduces a11 forces taken up by into
the sufficiently stable cam lever on which it rests in the
recess.
The engagement projection of the lock lever is in this
connection only slightly loaded, since it transmits a11
forces~acting on it; thus, there is no danger of the
engagement projection or the lock lever breaking off, but
rather assurance is had that the blocking always remains
active.
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The position of the engagement projection and of the
recess in the cam lever is so selected that the inertia bolt
is stopped only shortly before reaching the cartridge feed
device.
This arrangement has the advantage that the barrier, the
feeler finger of which extends into the region of the cover,
is developed as short as possible. Furthermore, by the
noticeable striking of the inertia bolt up to the lock lever,
it is clearly recognizable by the user that the inertia bolt,
by mistake or due to a disturbance, is no longer in the
release position, and before closing the cover he can bring
it again into its release position, so that the undisturbed
operation of the weapon can be continued, insofar as no
damage is present.
There are a large number of safety devices which will
prevent the unintended firing of a cartridge.
In a weapon of the type in accordance with the
invention, such a safety is even more important than in other
weapons, since the firing of a cartridge is to take place
only when the inertia bolt is at a given position shortly in
front of the end or its path of movement and has a given
speed there.
Another object of the invention is to provide an
effective safety.
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- 29 -
This object is achieved by the features set forth in
Claim 44; in accordance therewith, the firing pin is seated
in a firing-pin case which, in its turn, is seated in
longitudinally displaceable manner in the inertia bolt and is
movable into a rear position in which it prevent the firing
pin from emerging out of the impact bottom of the inertia
bolt in order to fire a cartridge.
While the dimensions, material, and weight of the firing
pin are structurally established within narrow limits, such
limitations do not apply to the firing-pin case, so that it
can be readily provided with safety devices or coupled to
them.
This firing-pin case is so developed, according to Claim
45, that there is no possibility of the firing pin firing a
cartridge when the firing-pin case is in its rear position.
The firing-pin case is connected in particularly
advantageous manner, according to Claim 46, by means of a
control lever with a cam which is fastened to the housing, so
that the firing-pin case is moved, for a11 practical
purposes, into its frontmost position only in the region of
that position of the inertia bolt, in which the firing of
cartridge is to take place. Thus, any improper firing is out
of the question.
The firing pin is connected via an intermediate part
with a firing-pin spring for the driving, is engaged or
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 30 -
locked in its cocked position, and is released as a function
of the position of the inertia bolt.
If the firing pin is not driven by the firing-pin spring
due to a break or the like of a functional part such as, for
instance, the firing-pin spring, then it can, upon the
striking of the inertia bolt move in uncontrolled fashion and
lead to further damage.
In accordance with Claim 47, however, in the absence of
the action of the firing-pin spring, the intermediate part
engages directly or indirectly into the control of the
firing-pin case in such a manner that it continues to remain
in its rear position.
The aforementioned grenade launcher of the prior art
has, on both sides of the path of movement of the inertia
bolt, a lengthwise slit in each of the housing sidewalls
which is passed through by a handle which extends transverse
to the longitudinal axis of the weapon and is fastened to the
inertia bolt.
Upon firing, the two handles carry out a longitudinal
movement; if this movement is prevented, then this can lead
to a disturbance in function.
Furthermore, dirt can enter the housing through the
longitudinal slits passed through by the handles.
However, the loading process is particularly cumbersome;
for it, the user must bend over the weapon and, with one or
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 31 -
both hands, grip the handle or each handle and pull it
strongly rearward. Since, in this case, the force of the
very strong closing spring arrangement must be overcome, a
considerable expenditure of force is necessary. Furthermore,
it is impossible, upon this activity, to retain the alignment
of the weapon on a mount, since the weapon) on its part, is
pulled strongly rearward via the handle or handles.
Thus, it is, for instance, purposeless to set the
uncocked weapon on a target, since the setting is lost upon
the cocking.
However, it is frequently particularly important, for
instance to direct the weapon in daylight onto a section of
the terrain, for instance a dip in the terrain or a street
where one expects the presence of the enemy at night.
In this case, it is not possible for safety reasons to keep
the weapon continuously cocked.
Furthermore, the user is forced, for instance, upon the
occurrence of a jam, to bend over the weapon and thus expose
himself dangerously.
These disadvantages limit the usefulness of the known
grenade launcher to a substantial extent.
These disadvantages are remedied by the features set
forth in Claim 48.
In this case, the handle for the cocking of the inertia
bolt is developed as a pull grip on the rear of the housing,
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 32 -
which grip is connected, via a rod, a pull member, or the
like, to the inertia bolt, so that, upon the pulling-out of
the pull grip, the inertia bolt is carried along rearward
into the release position.
Thereupon, the pull grip is pushed completely again into
the housing so that the inertia bolt can move back and forth
without being prevented by the pull grip, its rod, or its
pull member.
This development has no handle which moves back and
forth upon the shooting. The rod or pull member is moved in
its longitudinal direction through a housing opening in the
rear wall of the housing, and not in its transverse
direction, so that it can always completely cover the housing
opening passed through by them and thus exclude the
penetration of dirt.
However, the fact that the user who has gripped the
handle or pull grip with the one hand in order to cock the
inertia bolt can support himself with the other hand on the
rear of the housing, preferably on the handle arranged there,
is of particular advantage. Thus, a11 forces are active
between the two hands of the user; a component of force which
could disturb the setting of the weapon can be avoided after
a slight amount of practice.
However, in particular, the user upon cocking the
inertia bolt can remain covered behind the weapon and need
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 33 -
not bend over it.
Preferably, in accordance with Claim 49, a disengageable
barrier is provided which holds the handle or the pull grip
detachably in the inserted position in order to prevent the
handle loosening as a result of vibration or the like, and
disturbing the movement of the inertia bolt via the rod or
the pull grip.
A particularly suitable force-transmitting connection
between handle and inertia bolt without additional structural
parts is obtained by the features set forth in Claim 5. In
this case, there are preferably provided, as also in the
prior art grenade launcher, two closing springs each of which
is guided on a spring guide rod. The closing springs are
developed as compression springs; they are seated between the
inertia bolt and the rear end of the housing and each of them
surrounds a spring guide rod.
These spring guide rods, however, are not seated, fixed
in position in the housing, as in the prior art grenade
launcher, but are displaceable in their longitudinal
direction. On their rear, they bear the handle or pull grip,
and, on their front, they bear a driver arrangement by which
they grip behind the inertia bolt from the front and carry it
along rearward upon their rearward movement.
In their frontmost position, in which they are held as a
result of the detachable barrier which holds the handle,
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 34 -
their front ends extend preferably into recesses or holes in
the front end of the housing and are thus held stably against
lateral deflection upon the firing.
The driver arrangement can be formed by a protruding
annular collar, but it is preferably developed as a buffer
spring the front end of which rests on a support firmly
connected to the spring guide rod, for instance a spring
ring.
The two spring guide rods lie horizontally alongside
each other in the housing; the handle is thus formed as a
horizontal grip which extends transversely to the
longitudinal axis of the weapon. This is very favorable from
an ergonomic standpoint.
Furthermore, the weapon preferably has on its rear, in
customary fashion, two vertical grips arranged alongside of
each other, with each of which a thumb-actuated trigger plate
is associated. Both trigger plates can be combined into a
single thumb plate.
Upon the cocking of the inertia bolt, the user grips the
horizontal handle with that hand which he prefers to use and
with his other hand grips the vertical handle opposite it.
Now, the weapon is so to be pulled up with subjectively
little expenditure of force so that no force or scarcely any
force is applied to the mount of the weapon.
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The above-mentioned barrier for the detachable holding
of the horizontal handle has, in accordance with Claim 51, an
integrated release lever which is positively actuated upon
the gripping of the handle and places the lock into action
upon release of the handle. Thus, a necessary separate
operation (loosening of the lock) is integrated in another
operation (gripping or release of the handle), so that the
particularly simple operation is assured.
Another problem of the known weapon resides in the
danger of unintended firing due to a disturbance of the
weapon.
The inertia bolt is detachably held by the trigger
device, in which connection, by means of a hook-shaped swing
lever which is swingable by means of the trigger thumb plate,
it engages behind a transverse sear on the end of the inertia
bolt which is released upon the actuation of the trigger-
thumb plate.
Now, the inertia of the inertia bolt and the force of
the closing spring arrangement are large. If inertia forces
which act in longitudinal direction and support the force of
the closure springs, for instance due to the vehicle bearing
the weapon striking hard against a bump in the road, are also
present, then the force acting on the hook section of the
swing lever becomes very great.
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- 36 -
On the other hand, this swing lever (or better, a pair
of similar swing levers lying alongside each other) must not
be too heavy so that it is not, on its part, unintentionally
released by inertia forces against the force of the restoring
spring acting on it. This restoring spring, on its part,
must not be too hard, so that a targeted withdrawal is
possible. Due to the structural constrictions indicated, the
danger of a break in the force-absorbing parts of the trigger
device in the case of a weapon of the aforementioned type is
greater than, for instance, in the case of a self-loading
pistol. If this danger is reduced by a strong development of
the swing lever, then at the same time the danger of
unintended firing by inertia forces which actuate the trigger
device is increased at the same time.
While the last-mentioned danger can be reduced by
suitable safeties which can hold the swing lever or an
element particularly high inertia in the trigger device, the
danger of the breaking-off of the release lever cannot be
counteracted by any safety, which merely holds the trigger
device fast.
Proceeding from this problem, the invention solves these
difficulties by the features of Claim 52.
In this connection, a further additional safety device
which holds the inertia bolt fast independently of the
trigger device is provided.
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 37 -
If the trigger device fails, then the additional safety
device holds the inertia bolt fast in, or close to, its
release position.
If the above-mentioned spring lever should be broken and
the trigger device thus becomes inactive, then the weapon
could still be fired if necessary, the additional safety
device being used as trigger. The weapon is thus not
entirely useless despite a considerable disturbance.
In order to permit this possibility of emergency
operation, the additional safety device is contained, in
accordance with Claim 53, also in the trigger device, namely
by a catch hook of its own which preferably engages behind
the trigger sear on the inertia bolt like the swing lever
connected with the trigger.
It would be possible to associate the catch hook with an
actuating and locking arrangement of its own; according to
Claim 54, it is, however, preferred that it be coupled with
the safety device which is, in any event, present, so that a
separate operating handle and thus a separate operation can
be dispensed with.
The catch hook is arranged in positive manner slightly
in front of the actual release position, so that upon the
release of the trigger device, if the additional safety
device is active, the inertia bolt moves a short distance
forward, drops into the catch hook, and can no longer be held
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 38 -
by the trigger device proper.
If the weapon is now without safety, the shot takes
place. In order to prevent this, a measure is taken in
accordance with Claim 55 which permits the release of the
inertia bolt which is held by the catch hook only when it has
been previously moved back into the release position.
This measure can consist of a deeply recessed catch hook
which is held fast by the trigger sear on the inertia bolt
into which it engages in such a manner that is cannot enter
the non-safety position.
In this case, to be sure, the above-mentioned
possibility of the firing of the weapon by means of the
additional safety device is not present.
The object of the invention will be further explained by
way of example with reference to the accompanying
diagrammatic drawing, in which a single preferred embodiment
of the grenade launcher of the invention has been shown. In
this embodiment, all the above-indicated features of the
claims have been combined.
However, it is expressly pointed out that the
corresponding groups of features can be realized also
independently of other groups of features in the case of a
weapon.
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of an embodiment of a
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 39 -
grenade launcher of the invention, with the housing
cover and feeder cover removed;
Fig. 2 is a top view of the grenade launcher shown in Fig.
l;
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section through the grenade
launcher along the line III-III of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3 in which the feeder
position after insertion of the cartridge belt is
shown, the inertia bolt being in its release
position (rearmost position);
Fig. 5 is a sectional view, such as shown in Fig. 4, after
the inertia bolt has started its forward movement;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view, such as shown in Fig. in
4,
which the frontmost cartridge is in feed
position;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view, such as shown in Fig. upon
4,
the firing of the cartridge;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view, such as shown in Fig. upon
4,
the start of the return of the inertia bolt;
Fig. 8 is a sectional view, such as shown in Fig. upon
4,
the extraction of the fired cartridge case;
Fig. 9 is a partial section through the bolt head the
of
inertia bolt; and
Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic partial sectional sh owing the
of
bolt catch device.
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 40 -
In the figures, the same reference numerals have been
used in a11 cases for the same structural parts or elements.
The grenade launcher shown in the overall views of Figs.
1 and 2 consists essentially of a housing group 100, a bolt
group with spring and handle device 200, a feeder group with
control 300, and a trigger device group 400. The cartridge
belt introduced into the grenade launcher is designated 500;
it is known per se and as such does not form a part of the
weapon.
The Cartridge Belt 500
For a full understanding of the weapon, however, the
known cartridge belt will first of a11 be recalled, reference
being had to Figs. 1 and 3. In the other figures of the
drawing, the reference numerals relating to the cartridge
belt have been omitted in order not to confuse the drawing.
The cartridge belt contains a front cartridge 502, a
first following cartridge 504 and other cartridges 506 (only
one shown in Fig. 2).
Each of the cartridges 502, 504, and 506 has a missile
and a cartridge case, which at its rear end has a flangelike
protruding rim, and receives the primer and the propelling
charge.
Each cartridge case bears a belt member 508 which
surrounds it like a pipe clamp and is formed of a sheet-metal
band. The belt members 508 are omitted in Fig. 2.
CA 021S1401 1999-04-09
- 41 -
The belt member has on the upper and lower sides of the
cartridge 502, 504, in each case a wide, flattened projection
516 and 514 respectively, on the one side (to the left in
Fig. 3) a narrow flattened projection 510 which has a slot
with widened end, and on the other side a projection having a
pivot pin 512 which is arranged pivotally on it and has a
thickened free end.
When the belt is assembled the pivot pin 512 is seated
in the slot in the projection 510 of the adjacent belt member
508 and engages behind it with its thickened end.
If adjacent cartridges are shifted against each other,
then the thickened end of the pivot pin 512 comes in front of
the widened end of the slot which receives it so that the two
adjacent cartridges 502, 504 can be moved apart. In this
way, the removal from the belt takes place; the belt member
508 remains also on the unbelted cartridge.
The belt member 508 is seated, in the case of the un-
shot cartridge, approximately on the front half of the
cartridge case and tightly surrounds it.
If the cartridge is introduced into a cartridge chamber
108, then the belt member sits on the rear end of the
cartridge chamber 108 and is pushed rearward up to against
the rim of the cartridge. The cartridge can thus be
introduced into the cartridge chamber 108 only to such an
extent that the cartridge rim is separated from the rear end
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 42 -
of the cartridge chamber 108 by a distance which corresponds
to the axial length of the belt member 508.
The cartridge case is so constructed that it withstands
the gas pressure upon the firing, although it is not
completely introduced into the cartridge chamber 108.
The preferred embodiment of the grenade launcher of the
invention will now be described:
The Housing Group 100:
The main part of the housing group is formed by an
extruded hollow-profile bar 102, referred to in the following
as the "housing", which has essentially a cross section with
two parallel side arms which are connected in one piece at
their lower end and approximately at their center by, in each
case, a straight cross arm which is attached at a right
angle.
The housing 102 thus has a left housing wall 126, a
right housing wall 128, and a housing bottom 130.
The longitudinal center line of the housing is
designated 114.
The housing 102 is formed by the cutting to length and
subsequent machining of an extruded hollow-profile bar, in
which connection, as a result of the machining, a front
transversely extending milling is formed which serves for the
introduction of the cartridge belt 500, having a right
entrance opening 116 and a left entrance opening 118, and
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 43 -
furthermore, an ejection opening 120 developed in the right
housing wall through which fired cartridge cases, dummy
cartridges, or cartridge duds are ejected from the housing,
and a lengthwise milling in the upper transverse bar so that
by the latter a right housing rib 122 and a left housing rib
124, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are formed thereby; on each of
the facing edges of the two housing ribs 122, 124 there is
arranged a steel strip with a cam, namely the cam 138 for the
firing pin case 416 on the right-hand edge and the cam 140
for the control of the striking of the firing pin 414 on the
left edge.
The place where the recess in the upper transverse rib
limited by the two housing ribs 122, 124 is not necessary,
said rib remains, for instance at the bridge 144.
The housing 102 is hard-anodized in order to obtain a
suitable coloring (camouflage color) and surface quality
(resistance to rubbing and slide behavior).
Iri the front end of the housing 102, a steel block 104
is firmly arranged, it bearing the barrel 106, centered on
the longitudinal center line 114, having the cartridge
chamber 108.
The steel block 104 has, below and on both sides of the
barrel 106, in each case a rearwardly open blind receiving
hole 134 which is, in each case, passed through by a spring
guide rod 214 and receives a buffer spring 218 seated and
CA 021S1401 1999-04-09
- 44 -
supported on said bar.
The buffer spring extends towards the rear up into the
enlarged mouth of the receiving hole 134. This mouth is so
dimensioned that it can receive, in each case, a projection
204 of the bolt carrier 228 of the inertia bolt 202 when the
latter moves a11 the way forward (upon striking without
cartridge).
In the bottom of the blind hole 134, a stepped
supporting and receiving passage hole debouches in which the
spring.guide rod 214 developed with a guide ring bead and an
end pin is contained substantially without play. In this
connection, the free, front end of the end pin is rounded so
that the spring guide rod, when it is moved forward into the
receiving hole 134, can align itself.
In the center, between the two receiving holes, the
housing 102 is passed through lengthwise by a round rod 132
(Fig. l, indicated in Fig. 3) which is fastened in the steel
block 104 and guides the inertia bolt 202 upon its movement.
On the rear of the housing 102, the latter is closed by
an end covering 110 in which two guides 136 for the spring
guide rods 214 are seated and in which the round rod 132 is
supported.
The end covering bears a part of the trigger device
group 400 and can be removed towards the rear together with
the latter and the bolt group 200.
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 45 -
The top of the housing 102 is covered by a removable
housing cover 112 which extends from the end covering 110 up
to approximately the bridge 144.
Approximately in the center of the length of the housing
102, a ratchet pawl 142 is arranged for swinging around a
transverse pin on the inner side of the housing body 130 and
is so acted on by a spring system (not shown) that it tends
to assume a substantially vertical position.
On the housing 102 further parts, not shown in detail
here, are also fastened, for instance an ejector on the inner
side of the left housing wall 126, a mounting for a sight on
the outer side of the left housing wall 26, in each case a
mount for an ammunition box outside on the left or right
housing wall 126, 128 in the region of the left and right
entrance openings 118, 116, a mount for the application of a
gun mount on the outside on the left and right housing walls
126, 128 and/or on the housing bottom 130, etc.
Furthermore, at the rear end, on the outside on the left
and right housing walls 126, 128, there are arranged in each
case an upper and lower holding bracket extending rearward
and towards the outside; the end of the holding brackets
which lie one above the other are each connected by generally
vertical left and right handles 146, 148.
The gripping of one or both handles 146, 148 permits the
aiming.and firing of the grenade launcher in customary
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 46 -
manner.
Finally, on the rear of the left housing wall 126, on
the bottom and outside there is a rearward extending
extension which, on its rear end, has an inward-pointing
detent projection 150, but as a whole is so arranged that it
does not prevent the removal and insertion of the bolt group
200.
The Bolt Group 200:
The bolt group 200 has an inertia bolt 202 which is
formed of a bolt head 224 which is coaxial to the
longitudinal center line 114 and a bolt carrier 228 parallel
thereto, which lie one above the other and are connected
together at their rear.
The bolt head 224 has on its front side an impact bottom
208 which is limited on the right side by an ordinary spring-
actuated, forward protruding extractor 210.
Opposite this, an extractor (not shown) is also arranged
on the left side in order, in case of vibration of the
weapon, to assure a disturbance-free extraction of the
cartridge case through the region taken up by the cartridge
belt 500 up to in front of the ejection opening 120; this
left-hand extractor is opened upon the return travel of the
bolt by a stop which is fixed on the housing and it frees the
edge of the extracted cartridge case shortly before the
latter comes against the ejector which also fixed on the
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 47 -
housing.
The bolt head 224 has, coaxial to its longitudinal
center line 144, an axial bore hole 212 (see Fig. 7) which is
developed as a blind hole open at the rear, the bottom of
which is passed through in customary manner by a passage
channel for the tip of the firing pin 414.
This axial hole 212 receives the above-mentioned firing-
pin case 416, the firing pin 414, and its firing spring (not
shown).
The bolt carrier 228 has three holes: a fitted hole
(not shown) which is intended to slide substantially without
play on the round rod 132, and two rearwardly open closure-
spring-receiving blind holes 206 which are coaxial to in each
case one of the receiving holes 134.
The bottom of these closure-spring-receiving blind holes
206 is passed through in each case by a smaller hole through
which a spring guide rod 214 extends in each case.
Over the rear section of each spring guide rod 214 there
is placed a closure spring 234 which is developed as a coil
compression spring.
Each of these closure springs rests at the front against
the bottom of the corresponding closure-spring receiving hole
206 and at the rear against the spring rod guide 136.
The above-mentioned projections 204 are developed on the
front side of the bolt carrier 228.
CA 021S1401 1999-04-09
- 48 -
As stated when describing the housing group 100, the
spring guide rods 214 extend in the fire-ready condition of
the grenade launcher, forward up into the corresponding
developments of a corresponding receiving hole 134 in the
steel block I04, in which then a buffer spring 218 pushed
over the spring guide rod 214 is also received.
This buffer spring 218 can rest either directly against
the bottom of the receiving hole 134 or against a radial
projection of the spring guide rod 214.
Upon the pulling back of the spring guide rod 214, the
buffer spring 218 is carried along eight by the guide ring
bead formed in front of said spring on the spring guide rod
214 or by its support on the spring guide rod 214 itself.
The two spring guide rods 214 extend through the spring
rod guides 136 to the rear and are firmly connected to each
other there by a cocking grip 216 which extends below the
lower ends of the right and left handles 148, 146,
transversely and horizontally respectively.
In order to cock the bolt 202, the cocking grip 216 is
pulled out sufficiently far horizontally to the rear from the
housing 102 and pushed in forward direction then until it
comes against the stop. In this connection, the one hand of
the user grips the handle 146 or 148 corresponding to said
hand in order to support himself, while the other hand
actuates the cocking grip 216. Thus, cocking of the weapon
CA 02151401 1999-04-09
- 49 -
is possible without the user having to bend over the weapon
and without it being necessary to exert on the weapon forces
which might impair a possible previously effected adjustment
on a target.
In the region of the left end of the cocking grip 216,
there is arranged on it a release lever 120 which is
swingable about a vertical axis and pressed by spring force
towards the outside, it being so arranged that with the
cocking grip 216 pushed fully forward it engages in blocking
fashion behind the detent projection 150 of the housing 102.
In this connection, the facing edges of detent projection 150
and/or release lever 220 are so beveled that they engage in
each other when they are moved against each other.
The release lever is provided with a lengthening (not
shown) which is so arranged on the cocking lever 216 that,
upon the gripping of the latter, it can also be easily
gripped so that the releasable barrier formed by the detent
projection 150 and the release lever 220 is opened and the
cocking process is not prevented.
If the cocking grip, on the other hand, is pushed a11
the way forward and released, then this releasable barrier
150, 220 enters into engagement and prevents any undesired
release of the cocking grip 216.
The bolt head 224 furthermore bears at the rear on its
top a centrally arranged cam lever driver 22 which is
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preferably formed as a hardened roller which is turnable
around a vertical axis.
On the rear of the inertia bolt 202 there is furthermore
arranged a.trigger sear 230 which is developed as a
transverse upwardly extending strip the surface of which lies
just below the longitudinal center line 114 and the front
side of which forms a substantially vertically descending
transverse surface.
The trigger sear 230 is so developed that it is gripped
from above by a nose on the front end of a trigger lever 404
which is swingably supported in the trigger device 402 around
a horizontal axis. If the nose of the trigger lever 404 is
swung upward, the trigger sear 230 and thus the inertia bolt
202 are released so that the bolt can move rapidly forward
under the action of the closure springs 234.
Above the trigger sear 230 there is a hook-like catch
projection 232 which is open towards the front and can be
gripped from above; it is shown in Fig. 10 and will be
explained further below in connection with the trigger device
group 44.
On the bottom of the bolt carrier 228 there is arranged
a row of ratchet teeth 226 lying one behind the other in
longitudinal direction, the front tooth flanks of which
extend vertically, the tooth tips of which are horizontally
flattened, and the rear tooth flanks of which are inclined at
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a very shallow angle of, for instance, 10° with respect to
the horizontal.
The space between the rear tooth flank of a front
ratchet tooth 226 and the front tooth flank of a following
ratchet tooth 226 is flattened horizontally.
The vertical distance between the ratchet teeth 226 and
the ratchet pawl 142 arranged swingably on the housing 102 is
such that the ratchet pawl 142 can erect itself under the
ratchet teeth 226 only up to such an oblique position that it
is able, when it is tipped towards the rear, to apply itself
in blocking fashion against one of the front tooth flanks
while, when it is tipped to the front, it allows the ratchet
teeth 226 to slide unimpeded over it.
The length of the rack-like row of ratchet teeth 226 and
thus of the bolt carrier 228 is so dimensioned that this row
has traveled completely forward or backward over the ratchet
pawl l42 when the inertia bolt 202 is in its frontmost or
rearmost position.
In each of these positions, the ratchet pawl 142 can
thus erect itself completely under spring action so that.
upon the return travel of the inertia bolt 202, it is tilted
towards the rear while upon the forward travel thereof it is
tilted towards the front.
In the position shown in Fig. 1, the inertia bolt 202 is
in its~release position, in which it is held fast in its
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position by the engagement of the trigger lever 404 in the
trigger sear 230. This release position is slightly in front
of the rearmost end of the return travel, where it permits
the ratchet pawl to erect itself completely. Now, in the
release position, the front end of the rack-like row of
ratchet teeth 226 acts from the rear against the ratchet pawl
142 and tilts it forward.
If the inertia bolt 202 is now released, it travels
unimpeded over the ratchet pawl 142 until it comes into its
frontmost position. Here the ratchet pawl l42 moves up again
behind the rack-like row and is tilted towards the rear upon
the return travel.
If now, the return travel is interrupted for any reason,
for instance because a cartridge has been fired with
insufficient recoil or the user has been interfered with upon
the cocking of the inertia bolt 202, so that its rearward
motion is interrupted already in front of the release
position, the inertia bolt 202 can then no longer move
forward rapidly. This is only possible when the return
movement has been completed by means of the cocking grip 216.
Thus, an undesired firing is prevented which could
possibly take place, for instance, upon the release of the
cocking grip 216, since in the position of the inertia bolt
202 reached at that time (in front of the release position),
the trigger lever 404 can still not engage in the trigger
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sear 23o and hold the inertia bolt 2o2 fast.
The stopping of the inertia bolt 202 in a position in
front of the release position is advisable in the case of
many weapons, for instance most machine pistols or machine
guns, but in the case of the weapon described it is
furthermore of fundamental importance, since in this weapon
the firing of the cartridge 502 does not take place only when
it has been fully introduced into the cartridge chamber 108,
but rather already a short, precisely determined period of
time prior to this when cartridge 502 and inertia bolt 202
are in full movement, in which case, in known manner, the
kinetic energy then applied serves in order to take up a part
of the recoil which is produced by the shooting of cartridge
502.
Since, however, as mentioned at the start, the cartridge
502 cannot be introduced fully into the cartridge chamber
108, but protrudes by a considerable amount (axial length of
the belt member 508) our of the chamber 108 when it is fired,
the exact position of the inertia bolt 202 and its narrowly
tolerated speed in each case at the moment of firing become
highly critical values. The ratchet mechanism 142, 226
described sees to it that the speed of the inertia bolt 202
upon the firing of the cartridge 502 is definitely within the
permissible tolerance.
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The Feeder Grog 300:
The feeder group 300 consists of the actual feeder
device, its control, and the belt entrance; the control, on
its part, consists of the housing-side control elements and
the control elements arranged in a feeder cover 318.
The housing-side control elements consist of a cam lever
302 and a double-armed shift lever 310, both of which are
mounted for swinging around a vertical axis in the housing
102.
The cam lever 302 is formed of a downwardly open U-
shaped bar the upward facing bottom of which is perforated in
order to lighten its weight and to form dirt-collection
spaces. The U-shaped bar is, as a whole, slightly S-shaped
as seen from above. Its downward-directed cavity forms a
curved.cam 304 lying in a horizontal plane, in which the cam
lever driver 22 which sits centrally, on top and behind on
the bolt head 224 can slide practically free of play.
The cam lever 302 is swingably mounted on its front side
(top side of its S-shape) on a mounting pin 306 which is
arranged firmly, centrally and vertically in the bridge 144
and protrudes upward from it.
Upon the linear forward and rearward movement of the
inertia bolt 202 and thus of the cam lever driver 222, the
latter moves along the cam 304 and thus causes the cam lever
302 to effect a swinging movement the course of which is
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controlled by the curvature of the cam 304.
Shortly behind the center of its length the cam lever
302 has a cam lever recess 320 which is open toward the right
(toward the right housing rib 122), which recess extends into
the bottom and the right side wall of the cam lever, but in
no way impairs the action of the cam 304.
Into this cam lever recess 320 there extends a lock
lever (not shown) which is coupled with a spring-actuated
feeler finger (not shown) which is held down by the closed
feeder cover 318.
Normally, this lock lever is out of engagement with the
cam lever recess 320 and thus does not exert any action.
However, if the feeder cover 318 is opened, for instance
to insert a cartridge belt 500 or to eliminate a jam, then
the feeler finger can move out under spring action and carry
the lock lever along with it, which then engages into the cam
lever recess 320 and rests on the edge thereof.
If the user now by mistake permits the inertia bolt 202
to strike, then this is taken up by the running of the cam
lever driver 22 against the lock lever, so that the inertia
bolt 202 cannot reach and injure the hand of the aiming or
loading user which may be located just at this time in the
region directly behind the cartridge chamber 108. The
vibration upon this impact is so great that it is noted by
the user who then need merely pull the cocking grip 216 back.
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Due to the strongly beveled rear edges of the ratchet teeth
226, the inertia bolt 202 can be moved backward, although the
ratchet pawl 142 is tilted forward.
Directly behind the cam lever recess 320, the cam lever
302 has a side arm 308 which protrudes substantially at a
right angle to the left and the free end of which bears a
downward directed pin which fits and engages into a slot 312
in the rear end of the double-armed shift lever 310.
This shift lever 310 is at the height of the cam lever
302 between the latter and the left housing wall 126 and
extends approximately in the lengthwise direction of the
housing 102.
The double-armed shift lever 310 is formed of two arms
of equal length which form with each other a very obtuse
angle of about 165°.
In its center, the double-armed shift lever 310 is
arranged swingably on a vertical mounting pin 312 which is
fastened firmly, and protruding vertically upward, on the
left housing rib 124.
On the front, free end of the double-armed shift lever
310 there is arranged a shift lever pin 316 which protrudes
upward from the top of the shift lever 31d'. This shift
lever pin 316 is located slightly behind the bridge 144.
The housing cover 112 covers a11 housing-side control
elements (cam lever 312, shift lever 310) from above in dust-
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tight manner; only the front end of the shift lever 312
together with the shift lever pin 316 protrudes forward
beyond the front edge of the housing cover 112.
In front of the housing cover 112, a feeder cover 318 is
arranged on the housing 102 and fastened swingably around a
horizontal transverse axis by means of a hinge arrangement
which is developed on the top of the steel block 104. The
feeder cover 318 is shown in Fig. 1, its contour merely
indicated in dashed line in Fig. 2, and shown
diagrammatically in Fig. 3. In a11 three figures the feeder
cover 318 is in its closed condition in which it is held by a
releasable barrier.
The feeder cover 318 is wider by practically an entire
cartridge diameter than the housing; it extends rearward to
beyond the front edge of the housing cover 112 and thus
screen off in the manner of a roof the corresponding entrance
opening 116, 118 in the housing 102 from downward falling
dirt (mud, sand, earth).
Furthermore, the feeder cover 318 covers the slot
between the bridge 144 and the front edge of the housing
cover 112.
The feeder cover 318 is developed as a downwardly open
shallow container. In the part of the feeder cover 318 which
lies in the closed position thereof above the bridge 144,
there are fastened two vertical mounting pins 322, 324, the
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axes of which lie at equal distance from the longitudinal
center line 114 in a common plane perpendicular thereto.
On the left mounting pin 324 there swingably mounted a
substantially straight first control lever 326 which, in the
position of the inertia bolt 2o2 shown in Fig. 2 (release
position), extends forward and outward from the mounting pin
324 by an angle of about 15°.
The first control lever 326 is extended rearward and
terminates in a rear receiving jaw 336 which is in releasable
and force-transmitting engagement with the shift lever pin
316.
Also at its front end, this first control lever 326 has
a receiving jaw 338 which is in releasable force-transmitting
engagement with a first slide pin 346.
The first control lever 326 also has a control-lever arm
330 which protrudes substantially horizontally and at a right
angle from the region of the left mounting pin 324, which arm
extends to approximately over the longitudinal center 114
and, on its free end, bears an engagement pin 334 which
extends vertically downward.
On the right mounting pin 322, there is swingably
mounted a substantially straight second control lever 328
which, in the position of the inertia bolt 202 shown in Fig.
2 (release position), extends forward and outward by an angle
of about 15° from the mounting pin 324, namely symmetrically
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to the'first control lever 326.
At its front end, this second control lever 328 has a
receiving jaw 338 which is in releasable force-transmitting
engagement with a second slide pin 348.
The second control lever 328 is a lever, bent at a right
angle, the vertex of the angle lying within the region of the
right mounting pin 322.
The angularly bent part of the second control lever 328
forms a control-lever arm 330 which extends to approximately
above the longitudinal center 114 and at its free end has a
slot 332 which receives the engagement pin 334 with a slide
fit and extends substantially transversely to the path of
movement thereof upon the swinging of the first control lever
326.
The engagement pin 334 and the slot 332 thus form a
substantially play-free positive coupling which sees to it
that the second control lever 328 follows exactly in opposite
direction the movement of the first control lever 326 upon
the swinging movement thereof: If, for instance, the rear
part of the cam lever 302 swings in closure direction in the
top view of Fig. 2, then the two front receiving jaws 338 of
the two control levers 326, 328 move towards each other with
the same speed.
The two slide pins 346, 348 (Fig. 3) are preferably
developed as rotatably mounted rollers in order to reduce the
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friction upon the engagement in the receiving jaws 338.
The feeder cover 318, however, not only assumes a part
of the control, as described, but also the essential part of
the actual feeder device.
The latter has a first slide 342 and a second slide 344
(Fig. 4), both of which, displaceable horizontally and
transversely to the longitudinal center 114, are received in
a slide guide 340 which is contained in the feeder cover 318.
The first slide 342 bears, protruding upward, the first
slide pin 346, the second slide 344 (Fig. 4) also bears the
second slide pin 348. The two slide pins and their movement
paths are both on a common plane perpendicular to the
longitudinal center 114.
This slide guide 340 is so developed in its cross
section transverse to the direction of the slide movements,
and can be taken apart to such an extent that the two slides
342, 344 can be taken out and inserted again in direction
opposite their original direction of movement.
As a result of the symmetrical drive by the two control
levers 326, 328, the two slides 342, 344 also operate in
reverse alignment, but then convey the cartridge belt 500 in
opposite direction into the weapon, and therefore not through
the left entrance opening 118 as shown in Fig. 2 but through
the right entrance opening 116.
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The entrance opening 116 or 118 not used at the time is,
as can be noted from Fig. 3, closed by a sheet-metal plate
350 or other covering in order to prevent dirt from entering
into the weapon.
The further elements of the feeder device are described
with reference to Figs. 4 to 8 and, for the sake of clarity,
are provided with reference numerals only in those figures.
The first slide 342 has, protruding downwards on its
right end, a fixed stop 356 and, on its left end, an outer
pawl 352 and, approximately in the center, an inner pawl 354.
The second slide 344 has, protruding downward, at its
right end a fixed support 360 and at its left end a swing
pawl 358.
Each of the pawls 352, 354, and 358 are developed as
downward-protruding fingers which, on their upper end, can be
swung against spring force upward and tawards the entrance
opening 116 which is closed by the sheet-metal plate 350, in
each case around an axis which is parallel to the
longitudinal center line 114.
Tie cartridge belt 500 enters the weapon through the
other entrance opening 118.
The lower edges of the pawls 352, 354, and 358 are so
developed that, when they protrude downward and are moved in
direction of introduction of the cartridge belt 500, they
engage behind the frontmost and possibly the second cartridge
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502, 504 respectively and convey them.
If the pawls 352, 354, and 358, however, are moved,
opposite the direction of introduction, against a cartridge
504, they are then swung away by the cartridge which is
encountered so that they can pass below them.
When the two slides 342, 344 are present between the two
relative positions of Figs. 3 and 4, only the outer pawl 352
then comes into blocking engagement with the second slide 344
so that it then cannot be swung away but moves in the
direction opposite the direction of introduction of the
cartridge belt 500 against the second cartridge 504 and
pushes the latter (and thus the entire cartridge belt 500)
back slightly without swinging away.
On the housing 102, below the entrance opening 118 used,
the outer end of a blocking lever 362 pointing into said
opening is swingably mounted around an axis parallel to the
longitudinal center line 114; it is lifted by spring action
up into the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and can be
pressed down by the cartridge 504 traveling over it into the
position shown in Figs. 6 to 8.
The manner of operation of the elements borne by the two
slides 344, 346 and of the blocking lever 362 will be briefly
described below with reference to the sequence of movements
shown in Figs. 4 to 8:
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Fig. 4 shows the position of the cartridge belt 500 and
of the two slides 344, 346 when the weapon, after a shut has
been fired, is cocked and ready to shoot, and the inertia
bolt 202 is accordingly in its release position.
The blocking lever 362 is moved up and supports the
first cartridge 5o2 from the outside, the swing pawl 358 is
about to move away over this cartridge 502 and already grips
behind it but has not yet reached its fully vertical
position. The outer pawl 352 has just been swung away upward
by the second cartridge 504 and the inner pawl 354 is in its
fully vertical position.
If the cartridge belt 500, on the other hand, is first
to be inserted, then the feeder cover 308 is swung open, a11
pawls 352, 354, and 358 being then in fully vertical
position, the frontmost cartridge 502 of the cartridge belt
500 is placed behind the vertical, free end of the blocking
lever 362 pointing towards the longitudinal center line 114
and is held against it by slight pulling on the cartridge
belt 500, and the feeder cover 318 is again closed.
The position of a11 parts is then the same as in Fig. 4,
with the exception that the swing pawl 358 is in fully
vertical position and engages behind the first cartridge 502.
If the inertia bolt 202 now commences its forward
movement, then the two slides 342, 344 commence such a
movement that the two slide pins 346, 348 move towards each
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other until they reach the position shown in Fig. 5.
The inner pawl 354 has, in the meantime, moved in the
direction of introduction of the cartridge belt 500 against
the first cartridge 502 and the swing pawl 358 moves away in
the direction opposite to the direction of introduction.
Upon the further movement, the inner pawl 354 pushes the
first cartridge 502 up to in front of the cartridge chamber
108 (see Fig. 3), while the swing pawl 358 moves towards the
outside over the second cartridge 504. The fixed support 360
is moved up to the first cartridge which is held fast in a
precisely defined position between said fixed support 360,
the inner pawl 354, and cartridge rest fingers 366, which
will be explained further below. The fully erected outer
pawl 253 lies against the side of the second cartridge 504
which faces the first cartridge 502.
The distance between the two slide pins 346, 348 has
reached its minimum.
The bolt head 224 has now reached by the impact bottom
308 the bottom of the cartridge and pushes the first
cartridge 502 forward.
In this connection, the pivot pin 512 on the belt member
508 of the second cartridge 504 moves in the slot of the
projection 510 on the belt member 508 of the first cartridge.
The two slides 342, 344 reverse their direction of movement
and begin to move apart with their slide pins 346, 348.
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In this relative position of the two slides 342, 344,
the second slide 344, as already explained above, grips over
the outer pawl 352 and thereby prevents it from swinging.
The outer pawl 352 thus pushes the second cartridge 504
away, opposite the direction of introduction of the first
cartridge 502, the pivot pin 512 of the belt member 508 of
the second cartridge 504 being pulled out of the widening in
the slot of the facing projection 510.
The second cartridge 504 moves further outward until it
comes to rest against the swing pawl 358 (position in Fig.
7). In this connection, the second cartridge has made room
for the passing bolt head 224, in the same way as the inner
pawl 354 and the fixed support 360, both of which are moved
back by the first cartridge 502 in order to permit the bolt
head 224 to pass. The lateral supporting of the cartridge
502 is now no longer necessary since the front part of the
cartridge is already in the cartridge chamber 108 and the
bottom of the cartridge is held on the impact bottom 208.
When the cartridge 502 is fired, then a11 elements of
the feeder device are in the position shown in Fig. 7.
The return travel of the bolt now commences and the
sequence of movements described above takes place in the
reverse direction.
Upon the extraction of the cartridge case shot, the
inner pawl 354 and fixed support 360 approach and guide it.
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The two slides 342, 344 with their slide pins 346, 348
then move rapidly apart, the swing pawl 358 bringing the
previously second cartridge 504, which is now the first
cartridge 502, up into the position shown in Fig. 4, where it
is gripped from behind by the blocking lever 362.
In this connection, the fixed stop 356 or 350 prevents
the cartridge 502 from being conveyed too far.
On the outside of the housing 102, below the left
entrance opening 118, there is an outwardly and downwardly
curved belt guidance platform 376. If the right entrance
opening 116 is used for the introduction of the belt, then,
on basis of its symmetrical construction, it can also be
removed, turned around and introduced in the right-hand
entrance opening 116.
The blocking lever 362 can also be arranged in front of
the right entrance opening 116.
Adjoining the belt guide platform 376 in the housing 102
at the same level, there is a horizontal guide table 364
which, behind the cartridge chamber 108, has an opening which
is bridged over by a cartridge resting finger 366 at the same
height.
Said finger is swingably mounted on the right below the
adjoining edge of the guide table 364 on an axis parallel to
the longitudinal center line 114 and is pressed upward by a
spring, said opening in the guide table 364 fixing its upper
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end position.
The cartridge resting finger 366 is extended downward to
the right beyond the mounting by a guide lever 368 the end of
which forms a guide-lever driver 370.
This guide-lever driver 370 is so arranged, in
combination with the movement of the inertia bolt 202, that
when the frontmost cartridge 502 is to be introduced into the
cartridge chamber, the bolt 228 (shown in dashed line in Fig.
7) comes against the guide-lever driver 370 and in this
connection swings the cartridge resting finger 366 downward
(Fig. 7) to such an extent that the cartridge 502, despite
its protruding edge and despite the lower flattened
projection 514 of the belt member 508, can align itself
precisely coaxial to the cartridge chamber 108 and thus to
the longitudinal center line.
In order to prevent the cartridge resting finger 366
swinging in uncontrolled manner downward under the action of
blows, a clamping lever 372 is arranged swingable around an
axis parallel to the center line 114 below the left-hand edge
of said opening in the guide table 364, the lever engaging
below the free end of the cartridge resting finger 366 and
thus holding it fast.
The clamping lever 372 is provided on its lower side
with a clamping-lever driver 374 which can be pressed upward
by the bolt carrier 228, in the same way as the guide-lever
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driver 370, in order to release the guide lever 368 (Fig. 7).
As can be seen, the cartridge resting finger 366 is
swung away only when the cartridge 502 is just introduced
into the cartridge chamber 108 or its cartridge case is
extracted from it.
A11 the elements described above which come into direct
contact with the cartridge belt 500 are preferably arranged
at least in duplicate alongside each other in longitudinal
direction of the weapon in order to make certain that the
cartridges 502, 504, 506 are always aligned and remain
parallel to the longitudinal center line 114 during the
entire operation of the feeder.
On both sides of the entrance opening 118 used for the
introduction of the belt, there is located, as shown in Fig.
2, a cartridge belt feed roller 378 mounted for rotation
around a vertical axis, the diameter of which roller
corresponds approximately to that of a cartridge 502, 504,
506. In this way, a cleaner introduction of the belt is
assured.
These cartridge belt guide rollers 378 can also be
arranged on the other entrance opening 116.
The Tric~ger Device Group 400:
The trigger device group has the actual trigger device
402, which is arranged in a housing-like box which is
attached to the rear of the end covering 110 of the housing
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102 and is seated between the two handles 146, 148.
On both sides of the box, in ergonomic association with
the handles 146, 148, there is a thumb plate 406 which serves
as trigger and is connected with the trigger lever 404 in
such a manner that upon depression of one or both of the
thumb plates 406, the free end of the trigger lever 404 lifts
up, thereby releasing the trigger sears 230 and thus
permitting the inertia bolt 202 to move rapidly forward.
Below the thumb plate on one or each sidewall of the
box, there is a safety and fire-selection lever which is
arranged, fixed for rotation, on a shaft 406 (Fig. 10).
The safety and fire-selection lever has, as well as the
shaft 408, three positions of rotation, namely S (safety), E
(individual fire) and D (continuous fire). The position
shown in Fig. 10 is the position S (safety).
The construction of the associated safety and fire-
selection device is traditional and is not shown here; in the
turned.position S, the thumb plates 406 and the trigger lever
404 are locked; in the other positions of rotation they are
released; furthermore, in the position of rotation E
(individual fire), after a single swinging of the trigger
lever 404, the connection between it and the thumb plate 406
is interrupted so that the trigger lever 404 can, after the
release of a shot, again assume its trigger-sear holding
position, even if the thumb plates 406 remain depressed; in
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the turned position D (continuous fire), thumb plates 406 and
trigger lever 404 are continuously connected for movement
together.
In addition to the known safety device described, the
shaft 408, however, also has a non-circular control section,
shown in Fig. lo, which is surrounded by the forked end of
the one arm (support arm) 418 of a safety angle lever 242.
In the safety position S shown, the forked supporting
arm 4l8 is pressed with its rear end edge against a stop 420.
In the individual-fire and continuous-fire positions E and D,
on the other hand, the support arm 418 is moved away from the
stop 420 by the non-circular control section of the shaft
408.
The safety angle lever 424 is mounted for swinging in
the region of its vertex and has, as second arm, a catch hook
412 which, in the safety position S, extends forward over the
catch projection 232 of the inertia bolt 202 and grips around
the latter.
On the safety angle lever, there is furthermore seated a
projection 412 which has a flattening which rests flat
against a pressure plate 422 in the safety position S shown,
the pressure plate, in its turn, being swingably mounted and
urged by a spring against the projection 410.
As shown in Fig. 10, the catch projection 232 and the
free end of the catch hook 412 have a complementary
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development so that they can engage firmly behind each other
and hook to each other when the inertia bolt 202, despite the
selection of the safety position S, starts to move forward,
for instance as a result of a break of the trigger lever 404.
In contradistinction to the turned position S, in
positions E and D of the shaft 408 the safety angle lever 424
is so swung that the hook-shaped curved free end of the catch
hook 412 is lifted out of the path of movement of the catch
projection 232 and does not prevent the free movement of the
inertia bolt 202a
To be sure, if the support arm 418 breaks, so that the
safety angle lever no longer responds to the turned position
of the shaft 408, then the pressure plate 422 brings the
projection 410, and thus the catch hook 412, into the safety
position S shown.
As a result of the shape of the hook arrangement, upon
the engagement thereof the catch hook 412 is held fast and
the shaft 408 thus blocked, so that it is not possible to
disengage the safety of the weapon and thus unintentionally
to fire at the same time.
The above-described trigger device proper releases the
inertia bolt 202 but not the actual firing process. The
latter is released by the firing device shown schematically
in Fig. 9, namely in association with the precise position of
the inertia bolt 202; it has been pointed out above that, in
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the case of the weapon of the invention, the maintaining of a
precisely defined firing time within very close tolerances is
particularly important.
As already explained when describing housing group 100,
a cam 138 for the firing pin case 416 extends along the path
of movement of the bolt head 224 on the right housing rib 122
and a cam 140 for the firing pin 414 extends on the left
housing rib 124.
The firing pin case 416 has a bar-shaped front part and
a piston-shaped rear part which is received, movable back and
forth, in the axial hole 212 in the bolt head 224 which hole
is provided with a suitable diameter.
The two parts are passed through by a case lengthwise
hole 426, having a front, narrow passage for the tip of the
firing pin, a main section for the shank of the firing pin,
and a widened end section to receive the thickened end of the
firing pin.
On the outer circumference of the widened end section,
there is a depression which is developed as guide-lever
recess 428.
The firing pin 414, as already indicated, has a firing-
pin tip, a narrow firing-pin shank provided with guide-ring
projections and a thickened firing-pin end having a
rearwardly open blind hole which is formed to receive an
impact. spring (not shown).
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On the outer side of the thickened end of the firing
pin, a transverse projection with hole through it is formed
thereon; the hole of the transverse projection, which hole is
conically widened towards its end, forms a cocking-lever
receiver 434.
The rear end of the axial hole 212 in the bolt head 224
is closed by a spring-support bushing 44 on the bottom of
which the firing spring received in the blind hole in the
thickened end of the firing pin rests.
The bolt head 224 is slit from above down to its axial
hole 212 at the places at which the regions of movement of
the guide-lever receiver 428 and the cocking-lever receiver
434 are located; within the slit arrangement which is thus
formed, there lie, one behind the other, three control
elements mounted in each case on a corresponding horizontal
transverse axis in the bolt head 224.
The frontmost of these control elements is a guide lever
430 which is formed in the manner of a cradle and with its
two protruding ends extends along the cam 138 for the firing
pin case 416.
As can be seen, the tilted position of the guide lever
430 is dependent on the shape of the cam 138.
The guide lever 430 has a rectangularly protruding
driver finger 432 arranged fixed in position, the spherically
thickened free end of which is seated in the guide-lever
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receiver 428.
The tilted position of the guide lever 430 thus
positively determines the axial position of the firing pin
case 416.
The cam l38 is so developed that the guide lever 430 can
assume its front position only in that region of the bolt
movement in which also the firing is to take place. Since,
however, the passage for the tip of the firing pin 416 which
is formed by parts of the axial hole 212 and of the case
longitudinal hole 426 can only be sufficiently short to
permit the tip of the firing pin to pass through to a length
which is sufficient for the firing when the firing-pin case
416 is in its front position, such a firing is possible at
a11 only in the above-described narrow region of the bolt
movement in which the firing must take place.
The central control element is a cocking lever 436
which, like the guide lever 430, is developed in the form of
a cradle and extends along the cam 140, which forces its
tilted position around its support.
In contradistinction to the guide lever 430, there is
provided on the front end of the cocking lever 436
terminating on the cam 140 a roller which transmits the
forces to be applied upon the cocking of the firing spring.
The rear end of the cocking lever 436 is recessed by a
detent depression which faces the axis of rotation of the
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third control element (which will be described further
below).
The cocking lever has a cocking finger 440 protruding
approximately at a right angle and arranged fixed in
position, with a spherical free end which is seated in the
cocking-finger receiver 434.
In view of the high forces to be transmitted upon the
cocking of the firing spring, the cocking finger 440 and the
cocking-finger receiver 434 are made larger than the driver
finger 432 and driver-finger receiver 428.
The third, rearmost control element is a release 442
which is developed as double-armed angle lever the one (rear)
arm of which is pressed against the cam 140 or a suitable cam
and travels on it; the other (front) are has, on its free
end, a detent nose 438 which, when the firing spring is
cocked, falls into the detent depression on the rear of the
cocking lever 436.
As can be seen, the cam 140 can cause a tilting movement
of the release 442 the detent nose of which is then swung out
of the detent depression, whereupon the cocking lever is
released and the firing spring can strike, provided the local
development of the cam 140 permits this.
Fig. 9 shows the position which the firing device
assumes very shortly before the firing and therefore at the
front end of the cams 138, 140.
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The guide lever 430 has already assumed the tilted
position in which it has placed the firing pin case 416 in
its frontmost position. The cocking lever has already moved
away forward over the front bevel of the cam 140, which
causes its tilting for the cocking of the firing spring, but
does not rest against this cam 140 since it is held in its
position by the release 442 via the engagement between the
detent projection and the detent nose. When this release,
which is directly imminent, is tilted towards the rear by the
cam 140, the cocking lever can then tilt, the firing spring
can relax, and the firing pin can move rapidly forward and
fire the cartridge.
