United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 4,635,530

Welde 45 Date of Patent: Jan. 13, 1987

54 AUTOMATIC HAND FIREARM WITH 3,805,668 4/1974 Zellweger et al. ................... 89/177
RGOLY LOCKED BREECH FOR 3,890,881 6/1975 Hurlemann et al. .............. 89/59 X
AMMUNTION WITH EXTREMELY HIGH 3,985,062 10/1976 Hupp et al. ........................... 89/159
PROJECTILE MOMENTUM 4,397,217 8/1983 Hupp ................................... 89/177
75 Inventor: Helmut Weldle, Oberndorf, Fed. Primary Examiner-David H. Brown
Rep. of Germany Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McCormick, Paulding &
Huber
73) Assignee: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Fed. Rep. of 57 ABSTRACT
Germany
An automatic hand firearm for ammunition with ex
(21) Appl. No.: 805,401 tremely high projectile momentum is designed as a
22 Filed: Dec. 4, 1985 recoil loader which has a mounted barrel, supported by
a spring and brake system (6, 7) on the weapon housing,
Related U.S. Application Data a breech block (9,10), which can be rigidly locked with
63 Continuation of Ser. No. 552,676, Nov. 17, 1983, aban the barrel and which encompasses a breech block car
doned. rier (9), movably led in the weapon housing (2) and
supported on a breech-closing spring, and also encom
30 Foreign Application Priority Data passes a plug (10) which is longitudinally adjustable in
Nov. 30, 1982 DE Fed. Rep. of Germany ....... 3244315 relation to the breech block carrier, which carries lock
ing parts (14) which can be engaged or disengaged with
51) Int. Cl." ........................ F41D 15/04; F41F 19/06 locking parts (15) on the barrel (1), and having devices
52 U.S. Cl. ........................................ 89/159; 89/177; comprising cams (18) and follow-up parts (17) for en
89/193 gaging-and-disengaging locking parts (14, 15) with the
58 Field of Search .......................... 89/159, 193, 177 counterrecoil and recoil motion of the breech and with
(56) References Cited which the device for disengaging the locking parts (14,
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 15), arranged on the barrel (1) and on the plug (10), with
the recoil motion of the breech block, is arranged be
2,987,968 6/1961 Jonson ................................... 89/193 tween breech block carrier (9) and plug (10). If weaker
3,024,706 3/1962 Wild ...................................... 89/193 ammunition is also to be fired with the same weapon,
3,036,501 5/1962 Wild ...................................... 89/193 the loading process can be supported by an additional
3,058,400 10/1962 Hailston et al. ....................... 89/193 gas-operated-loading-device.
3,110,222 11/1963 Harvey ... ... 89/159
3,171,326 3/1965 Baker .................................... 89/177
3,713,363 1/1973 Hurlemann ....................... 89/159 X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Jan. 13, 1987 Sheet 1 of 3 4,635,530
U.S. Patent Jan. 13, 1987 Sheet 2 of 3 4,635,530

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U.S. Patent Jan. 13, 1987 Sheet 3 of 3 4,635,530
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arms. In fact, with the known, stationary machine
AUTOMATIC HAND FREARM WITH RIGIDLY weapons, which are designed as recoil leaders with a
LOCKED BREECH FOR AMMUNITION WITH two-piece breech block, the release of the breech block
EXTREMELY HIGH PROJECTILE MOMENTUM is effected in that the plug, returning with the barrel, has
5 cam and follower elements, which, with the recoil of
This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. the barrel, run with the rigidly locked plug against cams
No. 552,676 filed on Nov. 17, 1983, now abandoned. in the barrel or breech housing and thus effect the re
A need exists to fire ammunition with extremely high lease of the plug. At the moment of impact of the fol
projectile momentum by means of hand firearms. An low-up parts against the cams on the weapon housing,
example of a weapon of this type is a combat shotgun, 10 considerable kinetic energy is transmitted to the
which makes it possible to bring a greater number of weapon housing. Thus, at this moment, very high force
projectiles (large calibre shot) up to a distance of 100 to peaks result, which can, of course, with stationary ma
150 m into the target. The firing of such ammunition chine weapons, be absorbed by the weapon housing and
with hand firearms is only possible if it succeeds in the mount carrying the weapon housing, but whose
distributing, as evenly as possible, the projectile mo 15 absorption by a rifleman is, in particular, no longer
mentum over the time interval between two shots, so possible when the ammunition has a very high projec
that the force to be absorbed by the rifleman always tile momentum.
remains within limits which can be tolerated by the Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to de
rifleman. sign an automatic hand firearm in such a manner that
The firing of ammunition with extremely high pro 20 the force, transmitted by the projectile momentum onto
jectile momentum is only possible when the weapon has the weapon housing and to be absorbed by the rifleman,
a rigidily locked breech. Hand firearms with a rigidly is almost uniform and, in any case, that strong force
locked breech are usually designed as gas-operated peaks are avoided.
loaders. With gas-operated loaders, a connection to a This object is solved according to the invention by a
gas cylinder, in which a movable piston is arranged 25 weapon which is designed as a recoil loader, having a
which carries out, under the influence of the gas pres mounted barrel, supported by a spring and brake system
sure acting on it, a movement causing the release of the on the weapon housing, a breech block, which can be
breech, is established by a bore leading into the barrel of rigidly locked with the barrel and which encompasses a
the weapon. Usually, a two-part breech block is used breechblock carrier, movable in the weapon housing
with gas-operated loaders, said breech block having a 30 and supported on a breech-closing spring and also en
breech block carrier and a plug which is longitudinally compasses a plug which is longitudinally adjustable in
movable in relation to the breech block carrier and relation to the breech block carrier, which carrier lock
which carries locking parts which can be engaged or ing parts which can be engaged or disengaged with
disengaged with corresponding locking parts on the locking parts on the barrel, and having devices compris
barrel of the weapon by the relative motion between 35 ing cams and cam and follower elements for engaging
breech block carrier and plug. The gas piston acts on and-disengaging locking parts with the counterrecoil
the breech block carrier and gives the breech block and recoil motion of the breech block and with which
carrier the relative motion, required for the release of the device for disengaging the locking parts, arranged
the breech block to the plug. The release process usu on the barrel and on the plug, with the recoil motion of
ally only takes place after the projectile has left the 40 the breech block, is arranged between breech block
barrel of the weapon, so that the rifleman must absorb carrier and plug.
the entire projectile momentum by way of the rigidly The invention, therefore, makes use of known princi
locked breech. Thus, with previously known hand fire ple of the recoil loader with rigidly locked, two-piece
arms, firing of ammunition is possible only with rela breech block, although this principle has previously
tively small projectile momentum. 45 only been used with stationary machine weapons, be
Hand firearms with rigidly locked breeches, which cause the recoil impulse transmitted onto the weapon
are formed as recoil loaders, are, essentially, only housing is so great that its absorption by a rifleman
known in form of pistols. Thereby, the barrel is, at first, cannot be expected, so that the application of this prin
taken along by the one-piece breech block until a lateral ciple with a hand firearm, intended for firing ammuni
shifting by barrel or breech block takes place by way of 50 tion with extremely high projectile momentum, must
cams attached in the housing, whereby locking pins appear as futile from the start. With the hand firearm
attached to the breech disengage with the barrel, as, for according to the invention, however, unlike with the
example, with the Colt-Government pistol. The barrel known recoil loaders, the relative motion between the
is without springs thereby and is returned to the firing breech block carrier and the plug is not effected by
position by means of the striking breech when loading 55 cams arranged in the weapon housing, but by devices
the weapon. With these types of weapons, the barrel which are attached between breech block carrier and
strikes undamped on supports, which end its recoil plug. These devices come into effect in that, from the
motion and effects the release between barrel and system comprising the recoiling barrel and the locked
breech block. The recoil impulse, transmitted onto the breech, the barrel is increasingly and to a much greater
weapon, is so great that an arrangement of this type is 60 extent slowed down by the spring and brake system
completely unsuitable for ammunition with extremely than the breech by the breech-closing spring, so that the
high projectile momentum. breech block carrier endeavours to continue its move
Of course, recoil loaders which have a two-piece ment with the initial speed imparted to it. As a result,
breech block are also known from mounted machine 65 the barrel with the locked plug remains increasingly
weapons, however, the recoil forces, transmitted onto behind the breech block carrier, whereby the release
the weapon housing with such a breech system, are so devices engage and effect the release of the plug, so that
strong that, until now, rigidly locked recoil loaders with the breech block carrier with the plug can then com
a two-piece breech have not been used with hand fire pletely separate itself from the barrel. Since the relative
 4,635,530 4
3
motion between breech block carrier and barrel is pro carrier; said position then gives the breech block carrier
duced by braking the barrel, the relative motion in an additional acceleration when firing ammunition with
creases slowly and steadily, so that the release of the low projectile momentum, so that the loading action
plug is also started with the initial speed 0 and no jolts duly takes place. Thereby, the arrangement can be
whatsoever appear thereby through which force peaks made, for example, in such a way that the gas-operated
can be transmitted to the weapon housing. Even the loading-device, setting in a little delayed as a result of
sudden acceleration of the plug in the direction of mo the gas flow processes, only has a negligible effect when
tion the breech block carrier, which occurs after the ammunition with high projectile momentum is used
release of the plug, does not lead to an increase but with which a support by the gas-operated-loading
rather to a decrease of the force transmitted to the 10 device is not required.
weapon housing because the breech block carrier, As especially simple way to influence the effect of the
which exerts a certain force onto the weapon housing gas-operated-loading-device consists in the arrange
by way of the breech-closing spring, is slowed down. ment of a shut-off valve in the connection between
On the whole, this type of system can be adjusted in barrel and cylinder. It is understood that "shuf-off
such a way that a projectile momentum can be ery 15 valve' also refers to a value which not only either com
evenly distributed over a greater time span, whereby it pletely frees or completely blocks the connection be
is possible for the rifleman to avoid unreasonable force tween barrel and cylinder, but which can also be put
peaks. into intermediate positions in which it more or less
With a preferred embodiment of the invention, the strongly throttles this connection. This type of valve
plug is pivoted about its longitudinal axis with a cylin 20 can easily be designed in such a way that it can be ad
drical attachment in a bore of the breech block carrier justed to different types of ammunition. For example,
and is held in the breech block carrier by a bolt which the shut-off valve could be formed by a slide, which is
is inserted in a diagonal bore of the attachment and arranged in the cylinder and which more or less closes
which engages in a slanting slot of the breech block or else frees the bore leading into the cylinder wall.
carrier. and, as a result, also effects a rotation of the plug 25 Such a slide can be readily adjusted from the side turned
with a longitudinal movement of the plug in relation to away from the piston, without any sealing problems
the breech block carrier, which bolt, for its part, is appearing thereby, because the slide, as well as the
secured in its position by the firing pin axially passing piston, can be tightly led along the side, turned away
through the plug. from the piston, of the bore in the cylinder.
This type of embodiment is both especially simple 30 With a preferred embodiment of the invention, care
and very stable, as is required for a hand firearm which has been taken that a shut-off valve of this type does not
is subjected to very high forces and which is intended have to be adjusted by hand to the various types of
for ammunition with extremely high projectile momen ammunition but is automatically brought into a position
tunn. which is adapted to the projectile momentum of the
In addition to those force peaks which arise due to 35 respective ammunition. The use of the firearm accord
the release processes, force peaks can also arise as a ing to the invention is not only simplified hereby, but it
result of the barrel and/or the breech block still having is above all guaranteed that, with a change of the type
a considerable speed at the end of their recoil motion of ammunition, an adjustment of the shut-off valve is
and then strike quite hard on buffers which are attached not necessary and hence not to be forgotten. As result of
to the weapon housing for this purpose. Since these 40 this kind of omission, prior art configurations are sus
force peaks are also disturbing, the previously described ceptible to encountering problems with too low a pro
system must be planned in such a way that barrel and jectile momentum leading to jams or else, with too great
breech are almost completely stopped when they reach a projectile momentum, leading to considerable target
the intended end positions, so that the forces, which are errors or even injuries as a result of too hard a recoil.
required for the complete braking, which is necessary 45 This automatic adjustment of the shut-off valve is
before the reversal of movement, do not appear as dis achieved with the preferred embodiment of the inven
turbing force peaks. As a result, the system according to tion in that the position of the shut-off valve is con
the invention must be very accurately adjusted to the trolled by an inert mass, movably mounted in relation to
projectile momentum of the intended type of ammuni the barrel and loaded by a spring. As a result of selec
tion. If several types of ammunition with varying pro 50 tion of the proper size of the mass and the force of the
jectile momentum are to be fired with one weapon, the spring on the recoil action of the barrel, the mass can
setting must be adjusted to the type of ammunition with only follow a slow recoil motion of the barrel, as occurs
the strongest projectile momentum, because the avoid when firing ammunition with low projectile momen
ance of excessive force peaks is absolutely necessary tum, and thereby keep the valve open, whereas the mass
herefor, with the result that, with ammunition with 55 remains behind in relation to the barrel and all the more
lower projectile momentum, a trouble-free operation is effects a closing of the bore, the quicker the recoil mo
no longer guaranteed because the projectile momentum tion of the barrel results with greater projectile momen
is then possibly no longer adequate to effect the loading tum.
action. In order to remedy this and to enable use of the Even with such an embodiment of the invention, the
weapon according to the invention also for ammunition 60 shut-off valve can be formed by a slide arranged in the
with varying projectile momentum, a further embodi cylinder and this slide can directly form the inert mass
ment of the invention provides that the breech block effecting the vale position and be loaded by a spring,
carrier is, additionally, in operative connection with a which is installed in the cylinder and which endeavours
gas-operated-loading-device, variable in its action, in to hold the slide in an inoperable position, which is
particular, disconnectible. Such a gasoperated-loading 65 behind in relation to the firing direction and in which
device can, in a known manner, have a cylinder, con the slide frees the bore. It is particualrly useful if the
nected by a bore with the barrel, and a piston, movable slide is formed as a casing, which has, on its periphery,
attached in the cylinder acting on the breech block an annular tee-slot into which slot the bore leads when
 4,635,530 6
5
the slide assumes its in operable position and which is The thusfar described component parts of the rifle
connected with the interior of the casing by way of form a fully operable recoil-operated loader. If a shot is
radial bores. This construction of the slide guarantees fired with the position of the rifle shown in FIG. 1, with
that the forces exerted by the gas pressure on the casing locked breech, then the recoil causes a return of barrel
equalize in axial direction and the position of the slide is 5 1 together with the rigidly locked breech 9, 10.
independent of the gas pressure prevailing in the cylin Thereby, the recoil of barrel 1 is more strongly braked
der. by the recoil spring 3 and system 6 with the friction
In the following, the invention is described and ex brake 5 than the breech block carrier 9 by the relatively
plained in greater detail with reference to the embodi weak breech-closing spring 11. Consequently, barrel 1
ments of the invention illustrated in the drawing. The 10 remains increasingly further behind the breech block
features, which can be derived from the description and carrier 9 while recoiling, so that a relative motion also
drawing, can be used individually or jointly in any com takes place between breech block carrier 9 and plug 10,
bination with other embodiments. They show: which results in a rotation of plug 10 controlled by slot
FIG. 1 a longitudinal section through a rifle con 18 in conjunction with pin 17. In this way, the rigid
structed according to the invention, 15 locking between plug 10 and the back end of barrel 1 is
FIG. 2 a longitudinal section through the breech of released, so that later on the breech block carrier 9 also
the rifle according to FIG. 1, on a larger scale, takes along plug 10 in axial direction and, thus, discon
FIG. 3 a cut along the line III-III through the ar nects it from the back end of the barrel. When barrel 1
rangement according to FIG. 2, has reached the back end position, determined by the
FIG. 4 a longitudinal section through a further em- 20 force of the recoil spring 3 and the characteristic prop
bodiment of a gas-operated-loading-device for a rifle erty of system 6, it is again returned to its front position.
according to the invention and In a similar manner, breech block carrier 9 is also re
FIG. 5 a traverse/time diagram of the barrel and turned to the front by the breech-closing spring 11 after
valve motion with the embodiment according to FIG. reaching its back end position, whereby plug 10 takes
4. 25 along a cartridge from the magazine 24. A pushing in of
The barrel 1 of the rifle shown in FIG. 1 is movable plug 10 into bore 13 of breech block carrier 9 is pre
mounted in its longitudinal direction in the weapon vented by the above-mentioned lever 21, which falls
housing 2 and is propped by a recoil spring 3 and a between the locking cans 14 on the plug as soon as the
system 6, containing a friction brake 5, on support 8 locking cams are separated from barrel 1. When plug 10
containing cup springs 7. A breech block, which con- 30 reaches the rear barrel end, lever 21 is deflected from
sists of a breech block carrier 9, movable in its longitudi the rear end of barrel 1 and attachment 12 of the breech
nal direction in the weapon housing 2, and of a plug 10, block carrier 9 is pushed onto the cylindrical section of
which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and can be plug 10 and the plug is thereby rotated behind the lock
rigidly locked with the back end of barrel 1, interacts ing cams 15 at the rear end of the barrel after the plug
with the back end of barrel 1. The breech block carrier 35 has attained its foremost position.
9 is loaded by a breech-closing spring 11 which abuts at The special feature of the described recoil-operated
the back end of the weapon housing 2. As can be seen in loader is the separation of the breech block carrier 9
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the breech block carrier 9 has, on its from barrel 1 with a differential speed beginning at 0,
bottom side, an attachment 12, in which a bore 13, con whereby the turning of the plug out of the locking
centric to the axis of barrel 1, is located and into which 40 mechanism is extended in time and, thus, a completely
plug 10 engages. At the front end, plug 10 has radially jolt-free release is guaranteed. Furthermore, the existing
projecting, axis parallel locking cams 14 which, with a spring systems can be adjusted in such a way that, with
locked breach blook, set behind corresponding locking ammunition with the greatest projectile momentum,
cans 15 at the back end of the barrel 1. With a released that is, when there is no gas pressure support, the barrel
breech, the cams 14 on the plug are opposite gaps be- 45 reverses its direction of movement before it runs against
tween the locking cams 15 on barrel 1 and vice versa. a stop, mechanically limiting the recoil path, while the
In the cylindric section of plug 10, there is a bolt 16, breach reaches its rear end position with a speed at
attached at right angles to the longitudinal axis, which which a trouble-free loading is still guaranteed, how
extends with one end beyond the periphery of plug 10. ever, no force peaks worth mentioning appear anymore.
This end forms a pin 17 which engages into a slot 18, 50 Thus, the entire loading action can be controlled in such
which runs inclined to the surface line of plug 10 or a way that the projectile momentum is very evenly
bore 13 in the breech block carrier 9. By means of the distributed over an extended period and the rifleman is
engagement of pin 17 into the slanting slot 18, a form able to safely fire ammunition with extremely high pro
locking connection, which allows a limited axial move jectile momentum.
ment of plug 10 in relation to the breech block carrier 9 55 Of course, such an adjustment makes it impossible to
with simultaneous rotation, exists between the plug 10 still also guarantee a trouble-free operation of the rifle
when ammunition is to be fired which has a considera
and attachment 12 on the breech block carrier 10. Bolt
16 is held in plug 10 by the firing pin 19, which is in bly lesser projectile momentum than the ammunition to
serted into corresponding bores, concentric to the axis which the recoil-operated-loading-system is adjusted.
of barrel 1, of breech block carrier 9 and plug 10 and 60 However, in order to be able to also use the rifle for
held at its back end by an inserted clamp 20. FIG. 2 and those types of ammunition with lesser projectile mo
FIG.3 reveal additional details of the breech and com mentum, the rifle has an additional gas-operated-load
ponent parts mounted in it, namely, a lever 21 for stop ing-device. This gas-operated recoil-operated loading
ping plug 10 while released, an extractor hook 22 and a device comprises, in a conventional manner, a cylinder
spring-suspended ejector bar 23. These details are, how- 65 31 which is fastened to the top of barrel 1 and is con
ever, of a conventional type in their design and function nected with the interior of the barrel by a radial bore 32.
and do not need to be explained in greater detail here In the cylinder 31, a piston 33 is movably mounted
since they do not belong to the invention. which carriers, at its end in the rear in relation to the
 4,635,530
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firing direction, a piston rod 34, which protrudes from lar tee-slot 48, into whose area bore 32, connecting
the bottom of cylinder 31 and is opposite the front sur barrel 1 with cylinder 31, leads when slide 44 assumes
face of the breech block carrier 9. The piston rod 34 is its inoperable position, which is defined by its position
surrounded by a compression spring 35, which en at stop 47. The annular tee-slot 48 is connected by radial
deavours to hold piston 33 in the front position shown bores 49 with the interior of the casing-shaped slide 44,
in FIG. 1. Between the radial bore 32, leading into so that powder gases from the barrel 1 can enter into
barrel 1, and the interior 36 of the cylinder, which is cylinder 31 by bore 32, annular tee-slot 48 and radial
adjacent to the front face of piston 33, there is a valve 37 bores 49.
which is formed with the illustrated embodiment, by a In FIG. 5, curves 51 and 52 illustrate the recoil mo
rotary slide, operable from outside, which either con tion of the barrel-breech-system with ammunition hav
nects radial bore 32 with the interior 36 of cylinder 31 ing weak or strong projectile momentum. The ordinates
or else closes radial bore 32. This valve 37, therefore, of the diagram according to FIG. 5 give paths and the
enables one, when firing ammunition with extremely abscissa time t during which the paths, marked by the
high projectile momentum, to deactivate the gas ordinates, is covered. It can be readily seen that the
operated-loading-device by blocking radial bore 32. On 15 motion of the barrel-breech-system, reproduced by
the other hand, when firing ammunition with lower curve 52, occurs a great deal more quickly with strong
projectile momentum, valve 37 can be opened, so that projectile momentum and, thus, also with greater accel
an additional acceleration is given to breech block car eration that the recoil motion of the barrel-breech-sys
rier 9 by the gas pressure acting on piston 33; said accel tem with weak projectile momentum, which is illus
eration guarantess that breech. 9 is released and reaches trated by curve 51. Curve 53, indicated by a dot-dash
its rear end position, as is required for a trouble-free line, in FIG. 5 illustrates the motion of the system
loading action. Thus, even if the speed, given to barrel formed by slide 44 and compression spring 45. This
1 and thus to breech 9, as a result of the recoil would not system is adjusted in such a way that, with weak projec
be sufficient to bring about a trouble-free separation tile momentum, the slide 44 follows the recoil motion of
between breech block and barrel that is, if such force 25
the barrel-breech-system, so that slide 44, therefore,
were only to bring the breech block to its rear end retains its position in relation to this system and, during
position the action will be supplemented by gas pres the entire recoil motion, bore 32 is in the area of slot 49
sure. The advantage of the embodiment of the rifle of slide 44 and propellent gases can enter into cylinder
according to the invention is fully maintained, namely, 31 without hindrance. The gas-operated-loading-device
that the release of the breech block is started completely 30
then becomes completely active in the above-described
jolt-free by the relative speed, slowing increasing as a 26.
result of braking barrel 1, of breech block carrier 9 in On the other hand, with strong projectile momentum,
relation to barrel 1 and then merely accelerated by the a relative motion occurs between the barrel-breech-sys
gas pressure, becoming increasingly active, without tem and slide 44, which is essentially given by the verti
resulting in any pressure peaks. 35
cal distance between the curves 52 and 53 in FIG. 5.
It is understood that value 37 does not have to have
only two positions, with which the gas-operated-load This means that slide 44 in cylinder 31 remains behind in
ing-system is either inoperative or operative, but that relation to the quickly recoiling barrel 1, due to its mass
several positions are possible, with which bores of vary moment of inertia against the force of the spring 45, so
ing cross-sections are freed, in order to thereby more or that it closes bore 32 between barrel 1 and cylinder 31
less strongly throttle the gas flow entering into cylinder with its back section and, thus, prevents an overflow of
31 and to thereby adapt the effect of the gas-operated gases into cylinder 31. Thus, the gas-operated-loading
loading-device to several different types of ammunition. device remains inactive, so that the entire loading action
Irrespective of how many adjustment possibilities are is effected exclusively by the recoil impulse.
provided, a valve of this type does however have the 45 It can be readily seen that the mass of slide 44 and the
disadavantage that it must be adjusted manually to the force of spring 45 can be chosen in such a way that, in
respective type of ammunition, so that the possibility connection with the designing of the control surfaces on
exits that the correct adjustment does not take place for slide 44, such an amount of gas is always admitted into
a number of reasons. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 cylinder 31 that, in a wide range of different types of
automatically adjusts to the respective type of ammuni 50 ammunition, the impulse exerted by the recoil and the
tion and, thus, guarantees that such errors cease when gas pressure on the barrel-breech-system or breech, is
handling the rifle. In FIG. 4, barrel 1, breech block always sufficient to carry out the loading process in a
carrier 9 and plug 10, as well as cylinder 31 with the trouble-free manner without, however, the impulse
radial bores 32 leading into the barrel 1, piston 33 and energy being substantially greater than the energy re
piston rod 34 are only schematically indicated. Their 55 quired for the loading process, so that no appreciable
design corresponds to the embodiment according to energy-surplus exists which would have to be destroyed
FIG. 1. and might lead to intolerable force peaks,
Unlike the embodiment of the invention according to It is understood that the invention is not restricted to
FIG. 1, a slide 44, shaped as a casing, is movably the illustrated embodiments, but that variations thereof
mounted in its longitudinal direction in cylinder 31. this 60 are possible within the scope of the invention. This is
slide 44 is loaded, at its end in front in relation to the valid both for the special design of the spring and brake
firing direction, by a compression spring 45, which is system for the mounted barrel, the design of the two
arranged in cylinder 31 and whose end, turned away piece breech and, not least, for the design of the valves
from slide 44, abuts at a cover 46 screwed onto the front of the gas-operated-loading-device.
end of cylinder 31. The spring 45 endeavours to hold 65 The reference designations in the patent claims do not
slide 44 in a rest position in which its rear end adjoins a represent any restrictions, they merely serve to provide
stop 47, which is formed by a pin radially protruding a better understanding.
into cylinder 31. Slide 44 has, on its periphery, an annu What is claimed:

r n
 4,635,530 10
1. In a firearm having a recoil operated shell loading full recoil movement for said plug and assure
mechanism and including a housing, a barrel slidably proper loading of the a succeeding shell, and to
received in the housing for movement in a recoil and a provie for less than full recoil movement of the
counter-recoil direction, a recoil spring, a carrier also barrel when the barrel is so disengaged,
slidably received in the housing and cooperating with 5 (g) whereby positive shell loading and firing is ac
the breech end of the barrel to define a chamber for a complished with shells of both low and high mo
loaded shell, a breech closing spring to urge the carrier return.
in the counter-recoil direction, the improvement to said 2. The firearm according to claim 1 wherein said
carrier characterized by a bolt mechanism comprising: coupling means more particularly comprises a cylinder
(a) firing pin means provided in said carrier, 10 defining a cylinder bore that communicates with a bore
(b) a cylindrical breech block plug slidably received defined in the interior of the barrel, a piston movably
in a bore defined by said carrier and said plug defin mounted in the cylinder bore and acting on said carrier,
ing an axially extending opening for receiving said and a shut-off valve arranged between the barrel and
firing pin means, said plug having a breech end and the cylinder bore.
a recoil end, 15
(c) locking means provided in part on the breech end 3. The firearm according to claim 2 wherein said
shut-off valve includes a valve element in the form of an
of said plug and in part on the breech end of the inert slide element of predetermined mass, and a spring
barrel to normally lock said plug to said barrel, acting on said element mass in such a way that the mass
(d) coupling means between said barrel and carrier to of the valve element cooperates with the force of the
selectively supplement said recoil operated loading 20 spring during recoil action of the barrel such that said
mechanism by recoil gas pressure generated as a valve element follows a slow recoil motion of the barrel
result of barrel recoil motion due to firing shells of when firing ammunition of low projectile momentum,
low momentum, and means for disconnecting said and operates to keep the shut-off valve open.
coupling means in response to the recoil impulse 4. The firearm according to claim 3 wherein the said
encountered when shells of high momentum are 25 valve element is loosely received in the cylinder bore to
fired,
(e) camming means provided in part on said plug and provide substantial clearance between the valve slide
in part on said carrier for rotating said plug in and bore element.
response to recoil and counter-recoil motion of the 5. The firearm according to claim 4 wherein said slide
carrier, said plug rotation in the recoil direction 30 valve element defines a peripherially arranged tee-slot,
causing disengagement of said locking means to said barrel defined bore communicating with said tee
release said plug from the barrel, and slot when said slide valve element assumes a normal
(f) said plug being movable axially relative to the shut-off position forsksaidsk shut-off
k is
valve.
sk
carrier and barrel when so disengaged to provide a
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