US 4,539,969 A · Cartridge assembly including pressure cylinder slidably located in casing

Abstract

Air gun apparatus for firing missiles 11 including a gun and a replaceable cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes a casing having a detachable hollow nose, a pressure cylinder slidably located in the casing, and a valve mechanism normally biased by a valve spring in the cylinder to close a gas discharge path from the interior of the cylinder to the hollow nose via a removable hollow valve abutment member. The valve mechanism is openable by forcible movement of the cylinder towards the hollow nose. The gun includes a seating at a breech end of a barrel, a breech, and a breech block assembly. A firing spring acts on an inertia member which is releasable by a trigger mechanism. The breech block assembly includes a thrust member biased in a direction toward the seating by a centering thrust spring for thrusting the cylinder 13 toward the barrel so as to take up clearances with the valve mechanism and to thrust the hollow nose against the seating when the breech block assembly is moved into a firing position. The cartridge is rechargable with compressed air by a pump having a reload mechanism to engage and support the cartridge after removal of the nose and abutment member.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Apparatus for firing missiles comprising:

(a) a gun and a replacable cartridge assembly,
(b) the cartridge assembly including a casing having a hollow nose, a pressure cylinder slidably located in the casing, and valve means normally biased by a valve spring in the cylinder to close a gas discharge path from the interior of the cylinder to the hollow nose,
(c) the valve means is operable by forcible movement of the cylinder toward the hollow nose,
(d) the gun including a seating at a breech end of a barrel, a breech block assembly, a firing spring which acts on an inertia member which is releasable by a trigger mechanism,
(e) said breech block assembly including a thrust member and a breech block movable to a firing position retaining the cartridge in said breech in a position wherein the hollow nose contacts said seating,
(f) said thrust member biased in a direction toward the seating by a centering thrust spring and movable relative to the breech block under thrust of said centering thrust spring to apply a centering thrust to the cartridge assembly to thrust the hollow nose against the seating,
(g) said thrust member directly applies said centering thrust to the cylinder to preload the valve means,
(h) said inertia member is mounted to move relative to the thrust member, and
(i) the firing spring is arranged to drive the inertia member toward the breech block assembly upon release by the trigger mechanism to apply an additional thrust, larger than said centering thrust, to said cylinder for opening the pre-loaded valve means.

6 more elements

A cartridge assembly for use in a gun for firing missiles, said assembly comprising:

(a) an elongate casing having an open base end, a hollow body, front end wall internal with said hollow body, and a nosepiece releasably secured to a front end of said hollow body to provide a hollow nose remote from said base end,
(b) a pressure cylinder slidably located in the hollow body and having a valve end portion,
(c) valve means being openable by forcible movement of the cylinder toward the hollow nose and having a valve member located in said valve end portion,
(d) a removable hollow valve abutment member having a hollow head and a cylindrical portion which extends from the head freely through the front end wall of said casing and into the valve end portion of the cylinder to align with and abut the valve member in the cylinder,
(e) the head of the valve abutment member being releasably clamped between one side of said front end wall and the nosepiece of the casing,
(f) said front end wall serving as a stop engageable by said valve end portion to limit movement of the cylinder toward the nose.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cartridge assembly including pressure cylinder slidably located in casing

Life of this patent

Cartridge assembly including pressure cylinder slidably located in casing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19