Abstract: A hand-operated opening lever in a gun is pivotal about an opener shaft to move a wedge-type breechblock between an open position and a closed position, and includes: a lever body which is movable between a first, rest position and a second position for respective manual opening and closing operations; the lever body including a manually displaceable locking bolt and an energy storing device which includes a receiving chamber; a transfer device in form-locking connection with the opener shaft for transferring stored energy between the opener shaft and the lever body for actuating the opener shaft to move the wedge-type breechblock between the open position and the closed position; the transfer device, during automatic opening of the breechblock, causing energy to be stored in the energy storing device in the lever body, and transferring stored energy from the energy storing device to the breechblock during automatic closing of the breechblock; the transfer device including a follower member selectively engage

Abstract: A large-caliber gun has a breech support, a breech block movable relative thereto between open and closed positions, and a shaft centered on an axis and rotatable therabout in the support. Link mechanism connects the shaft and the breech block for angularly displacing the shaft between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the open and closed breech positions. A crank is fixed on the shaft. A lever pivotal about the axis between first and second positions has an abutment engageable angularly in only one direction with the crank. The shaft and crank are angularly displaceable independently of the lever. The lever can be pivoted from its second to its first position to similarly pivot the crank and shaft and displace the breech block into the open position. A spring-loaded biasing unit is connected between the lever and the crank and urges the crank angularly back against the abutment of the lever.

Abstract: A muzzle dampening or brake device adapted to be coaxially mounted on the muzzle end of a gun barrel. The inner diameter of the device corresponds to that of the gun barrel. The device has a pair of diametrically opposite gas exit openings. The device has a plurality of equiangularly spaced bores disposed in parallel uniformly spaced planes which place the interior of the device in communication with the exterior. The bores in each plane are angularly offset with respect to the bores of the next adjoining plane. Annular grooves are disposed on the exterior periphery of the device and are in communication with the bores to thereby permit the exiting of the smoke gases at firing and a better distribution thereof so as to minimize the blocking or lowering of visibility of the personnel servicing the gun.