US 2011/0209603 A1Published application

Machine Gun-Armed Aircraft Apparatus and Associated Methods

AssigneeContract Fabrication and Design, LLC

InventorsMark D. Serkland, James A. Hardin, Steven S. Cone

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Abstract

A single pintle arm-based structure is provided for mounting a machine gun on the exterior of a helicopter fuselage on the frame of or adjacent a gunner's cabin area side wall opening such as a window or door. The mounting structure permits horizontal pivotal motion of the single pintle arm and gun among lockable service, stowed, crew-served and full forward positions. The gun and the mounting structure, in their stowed position, are disposed externally of the helicopter, thereby permitting of the fuselage side wall opening, with the pintle arm being pivotable about an axis external to the fuselage.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Armed aircraft apparatus comprising:

an aircraft having a fuselage with a side wall opening extending inwardly therethrough and having a periphery;
a base structure exteriorly secured to said fuselage adjacent said opening periphery, a generally vertical first axis extending through said base structure outwardly of said periphery;
support apparatus having only a single generally horizontally extending arm member having an inner end portion directly secured to said base structure for rotation relative thereto about said first axis, and an outer end portion;
a machine gun directly mounted on said outer end portion of said single arm member, in an overlying relation therewith, for rotation relative thereto about a second axis parallel to said first axis;
and
locking structure operative to releasably lock said single arm member in a selectively variable one of a plurality of rotational orientations relative to said base structure and releasably lock said machine gun in a selectively variable one of a plurality of rotational orientations relative to said outer end portion of said single arm member, including:
(1) a service position in which substantially the entire length of said single arm member and a breach portion of said machine gun are swung inwardly through said fuselage opening into the interior of said aircraft;
(2) a stowed position in which said single arm member longitudinally extends in a rearward direction from said base structure outwardly along said fuselage opening, with said machine gun forwardly extending generally parallel to the length of said single arm member;
(3) a crew-served position in which said single arm member is swung somewhat outwardly from said stowed position thereof and forms an acute angle with a fuselage portion adjacent the fuselage opening with said machine gun pointing in an outward direction;
or and
(4) a full forward position in which said single arm member projects generally transversely outwardly from a fuselage portion adjacent the fuselage opening, with said machine gun being pointed in a generally forward direction.

8 more elements

A method of arming an aircraft having a fuselage with a side wall opening therein which opens into the interior of the aircraft, said method comprising the steps of

providing only a single arm member having inner and outer end portions;
externally securing said inner end portion of said single arm member directly to the fuselage in a manner such that the length of said single arm member extends generally horizontally and said single arm member is pivotable relative to the fuselage, about a generally vertical first axis disposed outwardly thereof, into and out of the side wall opening;
rotatably mounting a machine gun directly on and in an overlying relationship with said outer end portion of said arm member;
and
providing locking structure operative to releasably lock said single arm member in a selectively variable one of:
(1) a service position in which substantially the entire length of said single arm member and a breach portion of said machine gun are swung inwardly through said fuselage opening into the interior of said aircraft;
(2) a stowed position in which said single arm member longitudinally extends in a rearwardly direction from said base structure outwardly along said fuselage opening, with said machine gun forwardly extending generally parallel to the length of said single arm member;
(3) a crew-served position in which said single arm member is swung somewhat outwardly from said stowed position thereof and forms an acute angle with a fuselage portion adjacent the fuselage opening with said machine gun pointing in an outward direction;
and
(4) a full forward position in which said single arm member projects generally transversely outwardly from a fuselage portion adjacent the fuselage opening, with said machine gun being pointed in a generally forward direction.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.