Smith, Thomas V.;

Omni pull percussion firing mechanism

A mechanical device for initiating the firing of a large cannon, comprising cylindrical case with a generally cylindrical yoke slidably mounted therein with a generally cylindrical hammer in turn mounted in said yoke. A lever is held up against the aft end of the case by means of an internal spring. The device is cocked by moving the lever sidewise in any direction, or directly aft. During cocking the hammer and yoke are moved aft. Upon completion of the cocking movement, the hammer is automatically released and moves forward to strike the firing pin. Upon release of the lever, the yoke and other parts are automatically reset under the action of springs.

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I claim:

1. A percussion type firing mechanism adapted to actuate the firing pin of a large cannon, comprising; a generally cylindrical hammer aligned with said firing pin, said hammer having an annular groove just aft of its midpoint and a flange at its forward end, said hammer being slidably mounted in a bore in a cylindrical yoke, the portion of said hammer between said annular groove and said flange closely fitting said bore in said yoke and the portion of said hammer aft of said annular groove being of reduced diameter, a pair of cage holes in the sidewalls of said yoke at diametrically opposed points, a pair of balls held captive in said cage holes; said mechanism further comprising a generally cylindrical case with a central hole in the base or after end thereof, said hole being big enough to snugly accommodate the outside diameter of said yoke, said bore in said yoke tapering at its aft end to a spherical shape and communicating to a hole in said aft end, a pivot comprising a rod with large and small bulbous end portions, said large bulbous end portion being inserted into the aft end of said yoke and engaging said spherical shape, a lever comprising a circular base with a central upstanding stem integral therewith, having its base attached to the aft end of said case, said aft end of said case having a rim portion adapted to receive and contain said circular base of said lever, a bore in said stem terminating in a spherical section near the base of said lever, the other end of said pivot engaging said spherical section of said bore to hold said lever onto the aft end of said case; a cylindrical cup with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside of said case and a central hole in the forward end thereof with a diameter equal to that of said bore in said yoke, said cup being nested inside said case with the flanged head of said hammer projecting through the central hole therein, a cylindrical sleeve with a stepped outside diameter slidably mounted over said yoke, an annular groove on the inside of said sleeve near the aft thereof, three helical coil springs mounted within said case with their axes co-linear but with different turn diameters, the outmost of said springs being mounted between the inside of said cup and the base of said case, the intermediate spring being connected between a flange at the forward end of said yoke and the base of said case, and said innermost spring being connected between said stepped portion of said sleeve and said flange on said yoke.

2. A mechanism for cocking, releasing and resetting a hammer of a percussion type firing mechanism comprising:

a generally cylindrical case having a forward open end and an axial hole in the aft end thereof;

a generally cylindrical yoke slidably mounted in said axial hole, said yoke having an axial bore therein, a pair of cage holes in the sidewalls thereof, and a flange at its forward end;

a cylindrical cup having an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of said case and slidably mounted in said case, said cup having a central aperture in the forward end thereof with a diameter equal to that of said bore in said yoke;

a generally cylindrical hammer having an annular groove and a flange at its forward end, slidably mounted in said bore of said yoke and said aperture of said cup, said flange projecting through said aperture and acting on the forward face of said cup;

clutching means to normally couple said hammer and yoke together comprising a pair of balls, which in the battery position of said mechanism and during cocking thereof ride in said pair of cage holes in said yoke and in said annular groove in said hammer;

two coil springs mounted about said yoke within said case with their axes co-linear but with different turn diameters, the first of said springs being mounted between the inside of said cup and the aft end of said case to bias said hammer in a forward direction, and the second of said springs being mounted between the flange of said yoke and aft end of said case to bias said yoke in a forward direction; lever means attached to the aft end of said case adapted to move said yoke and hammer aft relative to said case to compress said coil springs and cock said firing mechanism; and

means to automatically disengage said clutching means when said mechanism has been fully cocked, thereby permitting said first spring to impel said hammer in the forward direction to initiate the firing of said cannon, said second spring subsequently resetting said yoke to its battery position and re-engaging said clutching means.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the means to automatically disengage said clutching means comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve slidably mounted on said yoke, said sleeve having a stepped outside diameter and an annular groove on the inside surface thereof near the aft end thereof, and a coil spring mounted over said yoke between the flange of said yoke and the stepped portion of said sleeve to bias said sleeve in the aft direction, whereby upon completion of the cocking of said mechanism said balls are cammed into said annular groove of said sleeve to release said hammer for forward motion.

4. The mechanism of claim 2 or 3, wherein said lever means comprises a circular base portion having a diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of said case, and a central upstanding stem, said case having a rim portion at its aft end adapted to receive and constrain said circular base of said lever, whereby said mechanism may be cocked and fired by moving said stem sidewise in any direction as well as directly aft.