US 5,767,436 A · Aircraft support plank mounting of 30 mm machine guns

Abstract

An elongated support plank structure longitudinally extends transversely through the cabin area of a helicopter and has outer end portions projecting outwardly beyond opposite sides of the helicopter. A pair of 30 mm machine guns are mounted on the plank end portions and are supplied with belted ammunition from magazine boxes mounted on the plank within the cabin area via flexible feed chutes interconnected between the magazine boxes and interiorly rollered feed adapters interconnected between the outer ends of the feed chutes and the inlets of the machine gun feeder mechanisms. The 30 mm machine guns are secured to the outer plank end portions by specially designed mounting structures each having a cradle portion with axis-adjustable roller assemblies that engage the gun and essentially preclude lateral movement thereof relative to the cradle, but permit roller-guided longitudinal gun recoil movement, during firing of the gun. During firing of the gun, the gun moves longitudinally relative to fixed position recoil pin portions of the mounting structure and resiliently transfers its longitudinal recoil and counter recoil forces to such pin portions. Each cradle is gimbal-supported within a mounting structure securable to one of the plank ends, and a bore sight adjustment subassembly is interconnected between the mounting structure and the cradle and is used to pivotally adjust the cradle relative to the mounting structure about two mutually perpendicular axes to thereby adjust the elevation and azimuth bore sight settings of the gun.

Claims30

Dependent claims

Apparatus for supporting a machine gun having a firing axis and a receiver portion with side sections extending parallel to and spaced apart around the firing axis, said apparatus comprising:

a cradle structure having a plurality of elongated parallel support members positionable to extend in an outwardly opposing, parallel relationship with the side sections of the receiver portion;
a roller system associated with said support members and operative to engage the receiver portion side sections in a manner (1) rollingly supporting the machine gun for axial movement relative to said cradle structure, and (2) precluding appreciable lateral movement of the machine gun relative to said cradle structure during said axial movement, said roller system being adjustable in a manner selectively varying the lateral orientation of the supported machine gun relative to said cradle structure;
and
an interconnection structure carried by said cradle structure and operative to engage the supported machine gun in a manner permitting only a predetermined length of axial travel thereof relative to said cradle structure.

1 more element

Aircraft armament apparatus comprising:

a support plank having an outer end portion;
a mount structure;
means for securing said mount structure to said outer end portion of said support plank;
a machine gun having a barrel extending along a firing axis, and a receiver portion having an opposite pair of side sections extending generally parallel to said firing axis;
a cradle structure receiving said machine gun and having a plurality of elongated parallel support members extending in an outwardly opposing, parallel relationship with said side sections of said receiver portion;
roller means associated with said support members and engaging said side sections of said receiver portion in a manner (1) rollingly supporting said machine gun for axial movement relative to said cradle structure, and (2) precluding appreciable lateral movement of said machine gun relative to said cradle structure during said axial movement, said roller means being adjustable in a manner selectively varying the lateral orientation of said machine gun relative to said cradle structure;
interconnection means carried by said cradle structure and operative to engage said machine gun in a manner permitting only a predetermined length of axial travel thereof relative to said cradle structure;
pivot means interconnected between said cradle structure and said mount structure permitting pivotal adjustment movement of said cradle structure relative to said mount structure about first and second mutually perpendicular bore sight adjustment axes each perpendicular to said firing axis of said machine gun;
and
bore sight adjustment means interconnected between said mount structure and said cradle structure and being operative to releasably hold said cradle structure in a selectively variable pivotally adjusted position relative to said mount structure.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aircraft support plank mounting of 30 mm machine guns

Life of this patent

Aircraft support plank mounting of 30 mm machine guns

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30