Anti-bounce apparatus for reciprocating bolt assemblies of automatic cannon

For an automatic cannon having a breech and a bolt assembly mounted for axially reciprocating movement to and from the breech, the bolt assembly including a bolt and a bolt carrier mounted thereto for relative axial movement therewith and locking means for locking the bolt to the breech during firing, the bolt carrier preventing unlocking of the locking means when the carrier is forwardly relative to the bolt, bolt assembly anti-bounce apparatus, which comprises:

• a member connected to the bolt carrier for reciprocating movement therewith;
• frictional locking means including a radially movable element mounted for axial sliding movement along the member and disposed, when the bolt carrier is proximate to the breech, between said member and portions of the cannon fixed to the breech, said frictional locking means being responsive to impact forces for radially moving into frictional locking engagement with said portions of the cannon fixed to the breech;
• and
• inertial means, including a weighted element mounted for axial sliding movement along said member rearwardly of said radially movable element and responsive to forward impact by the bolt carrier with the breech, for impacting the radially movable element to instantaneously lock said member to said portions of the cannon fixed to the breech to substantially prevent bouncing of the bolt carrier from breech, whereby premature and erratic unlocking of the locking means is prevented.

For an automatic cannon having a breech and a bolt assembly mounted for axially reciprocating movement to and from the breech, the bolt assembly including a bolt and a bolt carrier mounted thereto for relative axial movement therewith and locking means for locking the bolt to the breech during firing, the bolt carrier preventing unlocking of the locking means when the carrier is forwardly relative to the bolt, bolt assembly anti-bounce apparatus, which comprises:

• first and second members connected to the bolt carrier for reciprocating movement therewith;
• frictional locking means disposed, when the bolt carrier is proximate to the breech, between the first member and first portions of the cannon fixed to the breech, and between the second member and second portions of the cannon fixed to the breech;
• and,
• inertial means, responsive to forward impact by the bolt carrier with the breech, for causing the frictional locking means to instantaneously lock the first and second said members to said first and second cannon portions, respectively, to substantially prevent bouncing of the bolt carrier from breech, whereby premature and erratic unlocking of the locking means is prevented.

For an automatic cannon having a breech and a bolt assembly mounted for axially reciprocating movement to and from the breech, the bolt assembly including a bolt and a bolt carrier mounted thereto for relative axial movement therewith and locking means for locking the bolt to the breech during firing, the bolt carrier preventing unlocking of the locking means when the carrier is forwardly relative to the bolt, bolt assembly anti-bounce apparatus, which comprises:

• first and second elongate cylindrical pistons connected to the bolt carrier for reciprocating movement therewith, said pistons extending substantially forwardly of the bolt carrier and having stops at forward ends thereof;
• frictional locking means including at least one tubular, radially expandable element disposed around each of said pistons for axial sliding movement therealong rearwardly of said stops and, disposed, when the bolt carrier is proximate to the breech, between each of said first and second pistons and portions of the cannon fixed to the breech;
• and,
• inertial means, including at least one tubular weighted element disposed around each of said pistons for axial sliding movement therealong rearwardly of said expandable element and said stop and responsive to forward impact by the bolt carrier with the breech, for causing the frictional locking means to instantaneously lock said first and second pistons to said cannon portions, fixed to the breech, to substantially prevent bouncing of the bolt carrier from breech, whereby premature and erratic unlocking of the locking means is prevented.

For an automatic cannon having a breech and a bolt assembly mounted for axially reciprocating movement to and from the breech, the bolt assembly including a bolt and a bolt carrier mounted thereto for relative axial movement therewith, bolt assembly anti-bounce apparatus, which comprises:

• bolt-to-breech locking means including at least one locking lug pivotally mounted to the bolt, means defining a corresponding recess in the breech for receiving a locking portion of the locking lug, means defining portions of the bolt carrier for engaging corresponding portions of the locking lug to cam the locking portions thereof outwardly into the breech recess in response to continued forward movement of the bolt carrier after the bolt has impacted the breech, and means defining mating engagement surfaces on said bolt carrier and locking lug portions, said engagement surfaces being shaped to cause said bolt carrier and locking lug to maintain engagement during said camming outwardly of the locking portions;
• a member connected to the bolt carrier for reciprocating movement therewith;
• frictional locking means disposed, when the bolt carrier is proximate to the breech, between said member and portions of the cannon fixed to the breech;
• and,
• inertial means, responsive to forward impact by the bolt carrier with the breech, for causing the frictional locking means to instantaneously lock said member to said portions of the cannon fixed to the breech.