Remote weapons charging handle adapter
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJames Bird, James Giacchi, Russell Jones, III, Matthew Moeller, David Bound
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A remotely-operated gun is mounted in a cradle having a linear actuator for charging the gun. A charging adapter that is fixed to the linear actuator enables different types of guns to be charged. The charging adapter is easily configured to accommodate different gun types.
Claims20
A remote weapons charging handle adapter for charging a gun having a forward and a rear end, the gun being mounted in a cradle having a linear actuator, the adapter comprising:
- a flange portion fixed to the linear actuator;
- a housing fixed to the flange portion, the housing having an upper rear bearing surface, a pair of side surfaces, a forward surface, and a rear stepped surface;
- a wire rope having a first end selectively engageable with one of a hard stop on the flange and a hard stop on the housing;
- a second end of the wire rope extending into an upper portion of the housing through a first spring and a piston such that the second end of the wire rope is translatable against the spring in a rear direction;
- an arm block having a rear curved bearing surface and a front planar surface that bears against the rear stepped surface of the housing;
- a rod fixed eccentrically to the arm block and extending through the housing;
- and
- a second spring disposed around the rod and bearing against the forward surface of the housing and a spring stop on an end of the rod to thereby bias the arm block in a forward direction.
A remote weapons charging handle adapter for charging a gun having a forward and a rear end, the gun being mounted in a cradle having a linear actuator, the adapter comprising:
- a flange portion fixed to the linear actuator;
- a housing fixed to the flange portion, the housing having an upper rear bearing surface, a pair of side surfaces, a forward surface, and a rear stepped surface;
- a wire rope having on one end a finger loop and a compression sleeve, the one end begin selectively engageable with one of a hard stop on the flange and a slot in a bottom of the housing;
- a second end of the wire rope extending into an upper portion of the housing through a first spring and a piston such that the second end of the wire rope is translatable against the spring in a rear direction;
- an arm block having a rear curved bearing surface and a front planar surface that bears against the rear stepped surface of the housing;
- a rod fixed eccentrically to the arm block and extending through the housing;
- and
- a second spring disposed around the rod and bearing against the forward surface of the housing and a spring stop on an end of the rod to thereby bias the arm block in a forward direction;
- wherein, in a first configuration of the adapter, the arm block extends transversely beyond one of the pair of side surfaces of the housing and, in a second configuration of the adapter, the arm block extends transversely beyond the other of the pair of side surfaces of the housing and further wherein an angular position of the arm block in the first configuration is 180 degrees from an angular position of the arm block in the second configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.