Ordnance – Mounts – Light machine gun type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2001-09-25
Johnson, Stephen M. (Department: 3641)
Ordnance
Mounts
Light machine gun type
C089S037110, C089S037220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293179
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to armament apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a specially designed rotatable pintle arm assembly used to operatively mount a machine gun, representatively on an end of a support plank structure disposed within a helicopter cabin area at a door opening thereof.
In military helicopters, machine guns are often mounted in the cabin area inwardly adjacent a side door opening thereof so that the machine gun may be manually fired outwardly from the door opening area. Conventionally configured mounting structures for these machine guns are typically subject to several problems, limitations and disadvantages. For example, to reposition the gun from its firing orientation to a stowed orientation within the cabin area it is necessary to lift the gun and upwardly pivot it about a horizontal axis of its underlying support structure into the cabin area. This procedure must subsequently be reversed to later reposition the gun in its firing orientation. Because of the weight and bulk of the gun, this tends to be an awkward and difficult task. Additionally, it can be hazardous to the gun operator if, during the vertical pivoting of the gun, the gun or its associated mounting structure falls on the operator or pinches his hand or other body part.
A further problem typically associated with conventionally constructed machine gun mounting structures, particularly in this application, is that they tend to permit an undesirably large degree of “play” between the mounting structure and the underlying base structure to which it is secured. This mounting structure play undesirably reduces the aiming accuracy of the supported gun during firing thereof. Another disadvantage of a conventionally constructed machine gun mounting structure in this particular application is that its bottom portion which is anchored to the underlying support structure is maintained in a fixed relationship with such support structure. The result is that horizontal gun rotation can be achieved only at the juncture between the gun and the upper portion of the mounting structure that contacts and supports the gun.
As can be readily seen from the foregoing, a need exists for an improved machine gun mounting structure which addresses these problems, limitations and disadvantages. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a specially designed rotatable pintle arm assembly is provided for mounting a machine gun on a support structure in a manner permitting the pintle arm assembly to be rotated about a vertical axis and permitting the pintle arm assembly to be releasably locked in a selected rotational orientation about such vertical axis.
In an illustrated preferred embodiment thereof, the pintle arm assembly is incorporated in aircraft armament apparatus comprising a support plank structure mountable on the floor of an aircraft cabin area in a manner such that the support plank structure longitudinally extends generally between opposite outer side wall door openings of the cabin area. The support plank structure representatively includes elongated front and rear spar members between which a honeycombed metal core section is disposed, the core section having metal covering skin structures extending along its top and bottom sides. The support plank structure preferably has an outer end portion partially defined by a specially designed pintle mounting block structure having top and bottom sides, and a mounting opening extending vertically therethrough about a vertical axis.
According to a feature of the invention, the pintle mounting block structure is secured to and interlocked with the support plank structure in a manner such that at least substantial portions of end loads imposed on the plank structure are transferred through the pintle mounting block structure to the core portion of the plank structure. Illustratively, the pintle mounting block structure has forwardly and rearwardly projecting tongue portions which are complementarily received in corresponding spar end grooves and secured therein by suitable fasteners, and inwardly projecting top and bottom side flanges which overlap and are suitably secured to the top and bottom covering skin portions of the plank core structure.
The pintle arm assembly preferably includes a vertically orientable inboard post structure having a lower end section receivable in the pintle block mounting opening of the plank structure, an outboard post structure horizontally offset from the inboard post structure and being supportingly connectable to the machine gun, and an elongated support member having opposite first and second end portions. The support member extends between the inboard and outboard post structures with its first and second opposite end portions being respectively secured thereto.
The armament apparatus also includes securement structure for securing the lower end section of the inboard post structure within the pintle block mounting opening in a manner such that the pintle arm assembly projects upwardly from the outer plank end portion and is rotatable relative thereto about the previously mentioned vertical axis. Locking structure is also provided and is operative to releasably lock the pintle arm assembly relative to the outer end portion of the support plank structure in a selectively variable rotational orientation about the vertical pintle arm assembly pivot axis. The ability to pivot the pintle post about a vertical axis permits the machine gun which it operatively supports to be horizontally swung into and out of the aircraft cabin area without having to lift the gun and pivot it about a horizontal axis.
The securement structure representatively includes first and second annular tapered roller bearing structures having cone portions and being receivable in the plank end portion mounting portion in a circumscribing, axially spaced relationship on the lower end section of the inboard post structure, and in an axially oppositely oriented relationship with one another. A tightening structure, representatively a tightening nut, is used to axially lock the lower end section of the inboard post structure within the plank mounting opening and exert axially inwardly directed forces on the cone portions of the first and second tapered bearing structures. This causes the inboard post assembly to be very firmly braced against both axial and lateral play relative to the support plank, thereby substantially improving the supported machine gun's aiming accuracy during firing thereof.
The locking structure preferably includes a first detent structure having a spaced series of openings therein, a second detent structure having a locking member disposed thereon and movable into and out of a selectively variable one of tne series of openings, and attachment structure for fixedly attaching one of the first and second structures to the support plank structure outer end portion, and for attaching the other one of the first and second detent structures to the inboard post structure for rotation therewith about the vertical pintle assembly pivot axis to receivingly align a selected one of the series of openings with the locking member.
Illustratively, the first detent structure is a lock ring member anchored to the plank end portion and through which the lower end section of the inboard post structure may be extended, the series of openings being circumferentially spaced around the lock ring and extending axially therethrough. The second detent structure is anchored to the inboard post for rotation therewith about the vertical pintle arm assembly pivot axis and includes a spring-loaded expansion pin extendable into and removable from a selected one of the series of lock ring openings.
In one embodiment thereof, the outboard post structure includes a vertical stud member rotatably connectable to the machine gun and fixedly secured to th
Johnson Stephen M.
Konneker & Smith P.C.
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