Safety apparatus in externally powered firing weapon

A safety apparatus for a multi-barrel weapon including a weapon housing, a rotor rotatable in said weapon housing, and a predetermined number of weapon barrels arranged at said rotor and feedable with cartridges which generate gas pressure in said weapon barrel upon ignition thereof and which may be subject to ignition delay, said safety apparatus comprising:

• a number of breechblocks each operatively associated with one of said weapon barrels;
• reciprocating means drivingly interconnecting said rotor and said breechblocks and reciprocating each one of said breechblocks between a forwardmost position and a rearmost position during said rotation of said rotor in said weapon housing;
• each breechblock comprising a breechblock head and a breechblock carrier;
• coupling means releasably coupling said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier;
• each breechblock being locked in its forwardmost position to the operatively associated one of said weapon barrels;
• a gas intake passage provided for each said weapon barrel;
• a gas pressure operable piston cooperating with said gas intake passage;
• said gas pressure operable piston being displaceable from an operative position to an inoperative position under the action of gas pressure generated in said weapon barrel;
• an actuator mechanism at least containing a first coupling member and a second coupling member;
• and
• in the event of said ignition delay condition and with said breechlock in its forwardmost position and said gas pressure operable piston in its operative position, said first coupling member of said actuator mechanism being coupled to said gas pressure operable piston and said second coupling member of said actuator mechanism acting upon said coupling means releasably coupling said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier such that said breechblock carrier is decoupled and released from said breechblock head under the action of said reciprocating means and said breechblock head remains locked in its forwardmost position.

A safety apparatus for a multi-barrel weapon including a weapon housing, a rotor rotatable in said weapon housing, and a predetermined number of weapon barrels arranged at said rotor and feedable with cartridges which generate gas pressure in said weapon barrel upon ignition thereof and which may be subject to ignition delay, said safety apparatus comprising:

• a number of breechblocks each operatively associated with one of said weapon barrels;
• reciprocating means drivingly interconnecting said rotor and said breechblocks and reciprocating each one of said breechblocks between a forwardmost position and a rearmost position during said rotation of said rotor in said weapon housing;
• each breechblock comprising a breechblock head and a breechblock carrier;
• coupling means releasably coupling said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier;
• each breechblock being locked in its forwardmost position to the operatively associated one of said weapon barrels;
• a gas intake passage provided for each said weapon barrel;
• a gas pressure operable piston cooperating with said gas intake passage;
• said gas pressure operable piston being displaceable from an operative position to an inoperative position under the action of gas pressure generated in said weapon barrel;
• an actuator mechanism at least containing a first coupling member and a second coupling member;
• in the event of said ignition delay condition and with said breechblock in its forwardmost position and said gas pressure operable piston in its operative position, said first coupling member of said actuator mechanism being coupled to said gas pressure operable piston and said second coupling member of said actuator mechanism acting upon said coupling means releasably coupling said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier such that said breechblock carrier is decoupled and released from said breechblock head under the action of said reciprocating means and said breechblock head remains locked in its forwardmost position;
• coupling means for coupling said breechblock head to said breechblock carrier;
• said actuator mechanism being mounted at said weapon housing;
• and
• said coupling means comprising:
• a retaining bracket;
• two latches retainable by said retaining bracket;
• and
• a two-armed actuating lever in engagement with said actuator mechanism mounted at said weapon housing.

A safety apparatus for an externally powered weapon including a weapon barrel and into which cartridges are insertable which may be subject to an ignition delay condition, said safety apparatus comprising:

• a breechblock;
• drive means positively reciprocating said breechblock between a forwardmost position and a rearmost position;
• first coupling means locking said breechblock in its forwardmost position to said weapon barrel;
• said breechblock comprising a breechblock head and a breechblock carrier;
• second coupling means releasably coupling said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier;
• said drive means being drivingly connected to said breechblock carrier;
• an actuator mechanism;
• said actuator mechanism containing a response member responding to said ignition delay condition and a release member acting, in the event of said ignition delay condition, upon said second coupling means in order to release said second coupling means and decouple said breechblock head and said breechblock carrier under the action of said drive means such that said breechblock head remains in said forwardmost position and locked to said weapon barrel under the action of said first coupling means.