RECOIL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A WEAPON |
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申请号 | EP01944727.5 | 申请日 | 2001-03-02 | 公开(公告)号 | EP1309829B1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2011-11-16 |
申请人 | Vader Pty Ltd; | 发明人 | GIZA, Richard; | ||||
摘要 | A recoil control mechanism for a weapon which fires a projectile which is characterised by the generation of a forward counterforce to the rearward recoil simultaneously with absorption of rearward recoil force upon initiation of propoulsion of the projectile. The forward counterforce is generated by propelling a first mass forwardly upon firing the projectile and substantially simultaneously propelling a second mass rearwardly for absorbing some of the recoil force. In one mechanism (10), the first mass may be the weapon's barrel (12) and the second mass its breach block (14). Expaning gases (36) from detonation of propellant in cartridge (24) enter a reaction volume (28) between the barrel (12) and breech block (14). These gases drive barrel (12) forwardly against force transmission spring (16) to impose a forward counterforce on the weapon's frame (18). Substantially simultaneously recoil from detonation of cartridge (22) together with the gasses (36) in reaction volume (28) drive breech block (14) rearwardly against force absorbing spring (20). | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present invention relates to a weapon and in particular to a recoil control mechanism for a weapon. Such a weapon including a recoil control mechanism is known from In this specification the term "projectile" is to be understood as encompassing one piece generally solid projectiles such as bullets, pellets, darts, flechettes, artillery warheads, projectiles as in for example A problem with all weapons which fire a projectile, particularly those that rely upon detonation of an explosive propellant, is recoil. That is, firing the weapon (for example by detonation of a charge of explosive propellant within the weapon) produces a forward propelling thrust on the projectile and an equal and opposite rearward force, or recoil. Recoil limits the accuracy and portability of weapons. First it produces a force which has the effect of rotating the weapon about the centre of gravity of the weapon and its support (which for a firearm would be the shooter), resulting in vertical climb and lateral drift of the muzzle end of the barrel for succeeding firings. Recoil forces also cause torque, which has the effect of 'twisting' the weapon. The muzzle is thrown off the target in an irregular half circular motion around the longitudinal axis of the barrel. Similar to the effect of muzzle climb, the time of reacquisition of the target is therefore increased for subsequent rounds and accuracy is therefore significantly affected. During automatic firing recoil can significantly affect the accuracy of the succeeding rounds. Second, the force of recoil must be absorbed by the weapon, or the shooter if the weapon is a firearm, or transmitted to a support mounting and thus to ground for heavier weapons such as artillery pieces. Thus it may cause discomfort and fatigue or even injury to a shooter, or require heavier supporting structures, or complex "soft" mounting carriages for mobile artillery weapons. Large masses are sometimes used in firearms to absorb the recoil velocity, however this compromises portability. Clearly, if the recoil of a weapon could be substantially reduced if not eliminated within the weapon itself, it would reduce the above problems. There are many known recoil reducing mechanisms, including arrangements which are initiated by the rapidly expanding gases produced by the detonation and burning of an explosive propellant. Generally, however, the known arrangements effectively only reduce the recoil without cancelling or at least substantially eliminating it. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved recoil control mechanism. The invention is characterised by the generation of a forward counterforce to the rearward recoil simultaneously with absorption of rearward recoil force momentarily after propulsion of the projectile is initiated. Accordingly, in accordance with claim 1, the invention provides a recoil control mechanism for a weapon for firing a projectile in a forward direction which includes a first mass and a second mass which are substantially simultaneously driven in substantially opposite directions upon firing, wherein the first mass is driven in the forward direction to counter a rearward recoil of the weapon and the second mass is driven in the rearward direction for absorbing some of the recoil force and the first mass and the second mass include opposed reaction surfaces and a gas which tapped from a fining chamber of the weapon upon fining enters between the reaction surfaces to drive the first and second mass apart. The first mass and the second mass are solid inertial weights. Preferably the mechanism includes a frame, the first mass and the second mass being associated with the frame for the frame to guide their respective forwards and rearwards movement, and including a force absorbing means which is operative between the second mass and the frame and a force transferring means which is operative between the first mass and the frame. In accordance with claim 22, the invention provides a method of countering recoil of a weapon caused by the firing of a projectile, the method including providing a first mass to be driven forwardly in the same direction as the projectile to counter a rearwards recoil force and providing a second mass to be substantially simultaneously driven rearwardly against a force absorbing means for absorbing some of the rearwards recoil force. The generation of a forward counterforce simultaneously with absorption of the residual recoil force over the time period of the recoil, allows the achievement of a resultant force-time characteristic which may be reasonably predetermined. For example, for a projectile which is fired by detonation of an explosive propellant, the recoil force of a weapon is reasonably calculable from knowledge of the amount and type of propellant and the masses etc. that are involved, or it may be empirically determined experimentally, and from this appropriate parameters for the counterforce and recoil absorption sub mechanisms can be calculated (and possibly experimentally adjusted) to give a predetermined resultant force-time characteristic. Thus the invention gives an improved recoil control mechanism. It is envisaged that in some embodiments of the invention, the recoil of the weapon may be at least substantially eliminated if not fully cancelled (that is, the resultant force is substantially zero over the recoil time period). It is also considered that a resultant forward force could be generated. Preferably the first mass is a barrel and the second mass is a breech block of the weapon and a means is provided associated with the barrel and a frame of the weapon for transferring a forwards force to the frame from the forward motion of the barrel. This means may include a compression spring or pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement or electromagnetic means which is operative to return the barrel to its firing position. The barrel and the breech block are also preferably biased towards each other relative to the frame of the weapon. This bias may be provided by a tension spring which is connected between the barrel and the breech block. Thus, as force from the forward momentum of the barrel is being transferred to the frame, the rearwards recoil force imparted to the breech block is being absorbed by the tension spring. Thus the tension spring provides a force absorbing means against which the breech block is driven. The tension spring may also be operative to restrain the breech block in its firing position momentarily upon detonation of the propellant to provide an adequate reaction surface for initiating the forward movement of the projectile and then to return it to its firing position after its rearward movement. Alternatively the bias of the breech block and the barrel towards each other may be provided by means acting independently between the barrel and the frame and the breech block and the frame. Such means acting between the barrel and the frame may constitute the above described means for transferring a forwards force to the frame from the forward motion of the barrel. The independent means may each comprise a helical spring. It is envisaged that the first mass and the second mass may be additional components. The recoil control mechanism may also be provided as an attachment per se for a weapon. Various of the foregoing or following features for biasing the breech block and barrel and providing gas reaction surfaces may be adapted to the masses of such alternative embodiments. In the preferred arrangement wherein the first mass is a barrel and the second mass is a breech block of the weapon, a chamber for receiving a cartridge containing the projectile (such as a bullet) and explosive propellant is preferably provided at a loading end of the barrel. The chamber is associated with the barrel and the breech block to provide an interposed gas contact region therebetween for receiving expanding gases from the chamber upon firing of the projectile from the cartridge. Thus, upon firing of the cartridge, expanding gases from the propellant force the projectile from the cartridge and propel it through the barrel, and momentarily after initiation of the projectile's movement, the expanding gases following the projectile which emerge from the cartridge into the chamber expand into the interposed gas contact region to blow the barrel forward and simultaneously blow the breech block backwards to thereby reduce if not eliminate the recoil of the weapon. The chamber may be provided by the barrel, by the breech block, or the barrel and the breech block in combination, or by a separate chamber member. Preferably the component or components providing the chamber are in a structural relationship such that the interposed gas contact region is defined in part by at least two facing reaction surfaces, with each reaction surface being directly or indirectly associated with one of the barrel or the breech block. Preferably the reaction surfaces are substantially normally orientated relative to the forward and rearward directions to maximise the forces applied thereto in the forward and rearward directions by the gas pressure. The aforesaid structural relationship may be realised by a telescopic arrangement of one component relative to another, as will be described in more detail below. It is to be understood that the weapon will include a firing mechanism for initiating detonation of the explosive propellant and in the preferred embodiment this may include a firing pin associated with the breech block which is operable via a trigger mechanism carried by the frame, as is known. The weapon may also provide for semi automatic or fully automatic operation utilising the energy stored during the blow back of the breech block, as is also known, in which case a magazine will need to be provided. A suitable firing mechanism and a mechanism for providing semi or fully automatic operation including a magazine for the cartridges will not be described in further detail herein as there are many such known mechanisms from which a person skilled in the art may choose to provide suitable such mechanisms for the weapon. A weapon incorporating the invention, in its preferred form involving blow forward of the barrel, may include additional features associated with the barrel for increasing the forwards momentum thereof. Such additional features include, for example, the provision of a conical bore for the barrel and/or muzzle breaks for redirecting the gas from the barrel, as are known. The weapon in its preferred form may be a firearm such as a rifle, shotgun, pistol or revolver. For a better understanding of the invention, the principle thereof for various embodiments, as well as a specific embodiment, which are given by way of non limiting example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings (which are not to scale).
A recoil control mechanism 10 of a weapon as schematically shown in The recess 26 of the breech block and the barrel 12 are shaped such that when in the ready to fire position ( On firing, the rapidly expanding gases 36 from the explosive propellant in cartridge 24 propel bullet 25 into the bore of barrel 12 and also flow through ports 29 into the interposed gas contact region 28 ( The reaction surfaces of the interposed gas contact region may have any desired shape. Thus instead of being flat, as shown in After the pressure of the expanding gases has reduced, the breech block 14 and barrel 12 are returned to the positions shown in The sequence of events for recoil control in the weapon 80 upon firing of a cartridge 100 will be evident from The initial forward movement of barrel 84, breech block 86 and mass 88 combined with the subsequent rearward movement of barrel 84 and breech block 86 against spring 96 simultaneously with continued forwards movement of mass 88 against double spring 94 allows for the recoil in the weapon 80 to be controlled. An example weapon, namely a pistol 100 incorporating an embodiment of the invention, comprises a frame 102 ( The slide 110 is rearwardly movable relative to frame 102 against the bias provided by a helical compression spring 122 which acts between a boss 124 which is pinned to the frame 102 by a pin 126 and a spring holding bracket arrangement 128 provided on the forward portion 118 of the slide beneath barrel 108. A pin member 130 (which may be cylindrical) extends through bracket 124 for guiding and supporting the spring 122 as it compresses with rearwards movement of slide 110. The frame 102 includes an extension 132 for covering the spring 122. The barrel 108 is forwardly movable relative to frame 102 against the bias provided by a helical compression spring 134 which acts between the boss 124 pinned to frame 102 and a depending lug 136 of the barrel 108. The pin member 130 is associated with the lug 136 for supporting spring 134. Pin member 130 can slide through boss 124. A rib on the lowermost surface of lug 136 of barrel 108 slides within a groove in the frame 102 to guide the barrel. Frame 102 carries a firing mechanism which includes a trigger 138 and hammer 140 adapted to be cocked by the slide 110 when it moves rearward from the position shown in full lines in The chamber unit 116 includes a cylindrical forward portion for telescopically engaging within a cylindrical recess in the rear end of barrel 108 to provide an interposed gas contact region 144. The gas contact region is partly defined by facing reaction surfaces of the barrel and the chamber unit. The rear portion of chamber unit 116 includes a depending extension 146 (see The slide 110 includes an extractor adapted for engaging and withdrawing cartridges from chamber 114 when the slide 110 moves rearward. When the cartridge shell is drawn back by the extractor it is engaged by an ejector and thrown out through ejection opening 156 in the slide 110 (see The magazine 106 holds cartridges 158, the uppermost of which rests against a depending central rib 160 on the slide 110. The magazine is provided with a known spring follower to press the cartridges upward successively as each topmost cartridge is withdrawn and fired by the pistol 100. The slide 110 moves rearward to the position shown in Although only a single detailed embodiment ( It is also to be understood that the invention is not restricted to applications where a projectile is fired via detonation of an explosive propellant, whether that propellant be encased, as in for example a cartridge, or otherwise presented for firing a projectile, as in for example caseless ammunition, or whether it be a solid, gaseous or liquid propellant. Thus, the invention is considered to be applicable to all types of weapons which fire a projectile and in which recoil occurs, notwithstanding the means or manner by which the high pressure is developed that is necessary to propel the projectile forwardly. It is considered that such means or manner may include for example electromagnetic (as in "rail guns") or electrothermal systems, air propulsion systems of various types and others. Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the present invention without departing from the ambit thereof as defined by the scope of the following claims. |