Abstract: In a Gatling gun containing a rotary weapon barrel assembly and positively reciprocating breechblocks, each of which is operatively associated with one weapon barrel of the weapon barrel assembly, each breechblock is provided with a spring-loaded firing pin and a cocking pin which are cocked and released by two control cams for piercing a cartridge. These two control cams are displaced from a safety or unarmed position into a firing position by a control slide possessing oppositely extending control grooves or slots. This firing apparatus possesses no pivotable parts as opposed to known apparatuses.

Abstract: In the case of delayed firing of a cartridge or a so-called hang-fire condition in an externally powered firing weapon there must be prevented that further cartridges are fed into the firing weapon. In a known safety or monitoring apparatus of this type a deflector must be pivoted such that the infed cartridges, instead of arriving at the firing weapon, arrive at an ejection channel. The change-over of this deflector requires high acceleration forces because a great mass must be pivoted through a large pivot angle in a short period of time. In accordance with the invention the deflector comprises two segment members which are displaceable in the direction of the cartridge axes, one of which segment members selectively protrudes into the travel path of the cartridges.

Abstract: It has been shown that at high firing rates or cadences, especially in externally powered firing weapons like Gatling guns, the rebound of the breechblock head during its locking at the rear end of the weapon barrel can have damaging effects. At its rear end the weapon barrel possesses an internal circumferential groove following, in a forward direction of the weapon barrel, an annular flange provided with teeth forming an inner gear toothing. The breechblock head possesses teeth forming an outer gear toothing. In the locked position of the breechblock head the teeth of its outer gear toothing are located in the aforementioned internal circumferential groove and bear upon the teeth forming the inner gear toothing of the annular flange. The damaging effects due to the rebound of the breechblock head can be alleviated or completely avoided by widening the circumferential groove.