US 5,668,343 A · Gatling type multi-barrel weapon with sliding chambers

Abstract

A GATLING type multi-barrel weapon includes a revolving assembly with sliding loading and firing chambers that are in axial alignment with the barrels of the weapon. Each chamber is able to move between an open and a closed position following a translational to-and-fro movement in parallel to the rotational axis of the revolving assembly, the two positions being at a distance from one another such as to define a loading space that extends axially for a distance corresponding to the length of a munition. When the chamber is in its open position, supports retain a munition received in the loading space, the supports being formed of two supports respectively provided on the front end face of each chamber and on a ring mounted sliding on the rear part of the barrel. The weapon notably allows plastic-cased telescoped munitions having a polygonal cross section to be fired.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An improvement for a GATLING type multi-barrel weapon, notably designed to fire telescoped munitions, the weapon including a revolving assembly formed of a body housed in a frame extended by the barrels of the weapon and supporting in a slideable manner sliding chambers formed of tubular elements, each of the sliding chambers being axially aligned with one of the barrels of the weapon and being able to move between an opened and a closed position following a translational movement parallel to a rotational axis of the revolving assembly, the improvement comprising:

two munition retaining supports that, when a sliding chamber is in its open position such that a front end face of the sliding chamber is located at a distance from a rear end face of the associated barrel to enable a munition to be loaded between the sliding and the associated barrel, hold the munition in axial alignment with the sliding chamber and the associated barrel, and wherein each sliding chamber is slidably mounted on a sliding chamber support and guiding member and is rotationally fixed with respect to the support and guiding member.

An improvement for a GATLING type multi-barrel weapon, notably designed to fire telescoped munitions, the weapon including a revolving assembly formed of a body housed in a frame extended by the barrels of the weapon and supporting in a slideable manner sliding chambers formed of tubular elements, each of the sliding chambers being axially aligned with one of the barrels of the weapon and being able to move between an open and a closed position following a translational movement parallel to a rotational axis of the revolving assembly, the improvement comprising:

munition retaining support means for, when a sliding chamber is in its open position such that a front end face of the sliding chamber is located at a distance from a rear and the face of the associated barrel to enable a munition to be loaded between the sliding chamber and the associated barrel, holding the munition in axial alignment with the sliding chamber and the associated barrel;
and
support and guiding means for supporting and guiding each of the sliding chambers, each of said sliding chambers being mounted thereon and being rotationally fixed with respect to the support and guiding means.

A method for supporting munitions and guiding sliding chambers in a GATLING type multi-barrel weapon, notably designed to fire telescoped munitions, the weapon including a revolving assembly formed of a body housed in a frame extended by the barrels of the weapon and supporting in a slideable manner sliding chambers formed of tubular elements, each of the sliding chambers being axially aligned with one of the barrels of the weapon, and being able to move between an open and a closed position following a translational movement parallel to a rotational axis of the revolving assembly, the method comprising:

providing two munition retaining supports for, when a sliding chamber is in its open position such that a front end face of the sliding chamber is located at a distance from the rear end face of the associated barrel to enable a munition to be loaded between the sliding chamber and the associated barrel, holding the munition in axial alignment with the sliding chamber and the associated barrel;
and
providing a support and guiding member for supporting and guiding each of the sliding chambers, each of the sliding chambers being mounted thereon and being rotationally fixed with respect to the support and guiding means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gatling type multi-barrel weapon with sliding chambers

Life of this patent

Gatling type multi-barrel weapon with sliding chambers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18