Abstract: A recoil brake for controlling recoil and counterrecoil movements of a gun includes a brake cylinder; a piston slidably received therein; a hollow piston rod affixed to the piston and arranged for connection to a breechblock of the gun; a throttle passage for braking the motion of the piston; a buffer spear affixed to an end of the brake cylinder and extending within the hollow piston coaxially therewith; and a buffer spear chamber within the piston rod; a throttle sleeve affixed to the piston and extending therewithin, surrounding the buffer spear. The throttle sleeve and the piston rod define an annular inlet channel, while the throttle sleeve and the buffer spear define an annular outlet channel. A check valve is located between the inlet and outlet channels, and it opens solely in response to pressure in the inlet channel when the piston moves in a direction outwardly of the brake cylinder (recoil movement). An axially extending throttle groove is provided in the outer surface of the buffer spear.

Abstract: A turret gun assembly includes a turret, a gun having a barrel being adjustable in inclination about a trunnion axis, a magazine for accommodating rounds of ammunition, and a loading device for advancing rounds of ammunition from the magazine into a position behind the barrel in a longitudinal alignment therewith. The improvement wherein the loading device has a cam drive having a cam track mounted at an ammunition discharge location of the magazine and a follower guided in the cam track; a transfer arm mounted for pivotal motion about the trunnion axis; an ammunition-gripping holding clamp articulated to the transfer arm by a hinge connection and being arranged for gripping said ammunition.

Abstract: A recoil brake 10 for a gun includes a cylinder 11 and a piston 12 which is slidably mounted in cylinder 11, with braking force being supplied when piston 12 is extracted by the recoil movement of the gun barrel and presses hydraulic fluid through a narrow flow cross section. In order to be able to accommodate the recoil brake in an area protected against enemy fire or shrapnel, even if space is cramped, the structural length of the recoil brake is reduced by including a further piston rod in the form of a hollow cylinder which is disposed within cylinder 11 so as to coaxially surround the first piston rod 12. This second piston rod 13 is extracted only after the first piston rod 12 has reached its maximum extended position.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ammunition rack for vertically storing cartridge ammunition in the ready room of the loader on the turret platform of a tank and removing the ammunition therefrom; the rack having a stay tube for centering the cartridge base and a clamping device for fastening the projectile. The clamping device can be pivoted upwardly around a turret fixed pivot by way of a holding lever upon removal of the projectile after the clamping device has been released and the ammunition unit has been removed therefrom.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic loader for an armored vehicle having a rotatable turret adapted to feed vertically stored projectiles from a storage magazine into the loading chamber of a large caliber weapon from which it can be inserted into the gun barrel by means of a rammer. The arrangement of the invention provides a rapid transporting of the vertically stored ammunition from a space saving storage position to a loaded ready to fire position.The automatic loader of the invention includes an automatically driven endless ammunition magazine at least partially mounted within a predetermined outer elevation of the turret and within a predetermined inner elevation region of the vehicle trough.

Abstract: A cannon barrel assembly has a barrel member centered on and extending along a barrel axis, a barrel tube member generally coaxially surrounding the barrel and having a pair of axially opposite tube muzzle and breech ends, and respective muzzle and breech bearings at the tube ends axially displaceably supporting the barrel member therein. At least one of the bearings comprises two lower and one upper segmental slide elements generally angularly equispaced about the axis and radially set in one of the members against axial displacement therein. The two lower elements are also set in the one member against radial displacement therein while the upper element is limitedly radially displaceable in the one member. Springs braced between the one member and the upper slide element urge same radially against the other member in surface contact therewith and thereby urge the two lower slide elements in surface contact against the other member also.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic loader for an armored vehicle having a rotatable turret adapted to feed vertically stored projectiles from a storage magazine into the loading chamber of a large caliber weapon from which it can be inserted into the gun barrel by means of a rammer. The arrangement of the invention provides a rapid transporting of the vertically stored ammunition from a space saving storage position to a loaded ready to fire position.The automatic loader of the invention includes an automatically driven endless ammunition magazine at least partially mounted within the outer elevation a of the turret and within the inner elevation region b of the vehicle trough. This magazine is separated from the personnel chamber of the armored vehicle by means of armored walls and includes a loading tray which is connected to a feeder for pivotally transporting a vertically stored projectile into a loading position from which it can be slid into the gun barrel of the weapon by means of the rammer.

Abstract: An automatic loading arrangement of a gun barrel weapon. An ammunition holder is provided having a portion which is adapted to be pivotally connected to another ammunition holder and so on to form a band magazine, for the purpose of holding thin-walled cartridged ammunition units, preferably tank and armored vehicle ammunition having a combustible casing, which ammunition can be transported and guided to a loading tray or chamber without being damaged by outside influences, for example travel shocks, vibrations, etc.The ammunition holder has a semi-circular arcuately shaped tray adapted to conform with the shape of the cartridged ammunition, which tray has a small inner diameter region to matingly receive the projectile head and a relatively larger inner diameter region adapted to matingly receive the cartridge bottom.

Abstract: A pneumatic recuperator mechanism has a sealable valve which communicates a storage chamber with a displacement chamber; the mechanism includes a recoil piston which is connected to the gun barrel and is slidable jointly with a piston rod; the mechanism is improved in such a way, that with a predetermined built-in cross section a simple and light recuperator mechanism with a high heat-free operative readiness is formed.This object is achieved in that the displacement chamber 1 and the storage chamber 2 have the same inner diameter d and are arranged within only one cylinder 3, whereby the recoil piston 5 and the valve 6 are slidably received by the inner wall 4 of the cylinder 3. The valve 6 is advantageously in the shape of a disc and the recoil piston 5 is offset relative thereto. The valve 6 as well as the recoil piston 5 are provided with wear-resistant and delay-free seals 18, 24, 36 and guide bands 7, 23.

Abstract: A hydraulic recoil brake system for braking the recoil of a gun barrel during and after the firing traverse period. The system includes a hydraulic cylinder in which a hollow piston and piston rod are reciprocally mounted in the cylinder. The piston rod is connected to the gun barrel. A regulating throttling mandrel is fixedly mounted in the cylinder and axially extends into the hollow piston and hollow cylinder. The piston and cylinder are constructed and shaped in such a way that at least two flow passages F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 are defined. While the first flow passage F.sub.1 is present during the entire recoil movement the second flow passage F.sub.2 is present only during the firing traverse period. The second flow passage F.sub.2 extends from a first inner partial chamber disposed in front of the recoiling piston to a second partial inner chamber disposed behind the recoiling piston.

Abstract: A combination recuperator and gun barrel recoil brake form a single constructional unit assembly. This assembly includes a storage cylinder in which a recoil (brake) cylinder is mounted by means of a separating piston which forms part of the recoil cylinder and which is slidably disposed in the storage cylinder. A recoil piston is slidably disposed in the recoil cylinder and is operatively connected via a piston rod to the gun barrel. A guide bushing is mounted in the rear end wall of the storage cylinder and forms an axial guide for the piston rod of the recoil piston. The outer surface of the guide bushing forms together with the inner wall surface of the recoil cylinder and the internal bore of the separating piston a first passage for permitting a controlled flow of the pressurized liquid between the pressurized liquid chamber in the storage cylinder and the interior of the recoil cylinder.