US2353885A - Shoulder mortar - Google Patents

Description

y 13, 1944- H. J. FANGER ET AL 2,353,885

SHOULDER MORTAR Filed April 18. 1942 INVENT'ORS HENRY GEUENHAGEN 75:01AM J. FQNGEE Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES ATENT c erics.

SHOULDER MORTAR Application April 18, 1942, Serial No. 439,457

3* Claims.

This invention has relation to military mortars and more particularly relates to a type of military mortar especially adapted for employment as a shoulder weapon in which the barrel may be inserted in a casing member which also serves as a shoulder stock.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a mortar which telescopes in the sense that muzzle end of the barrel is inclined downwardly.

A further object is to provide a shoulder member which may interchangeably provide a shoulder stock and a casing for a mortar barrel, and house within the casing a firing pin mechanism which is thereby protected from injury in rough usage. Another object is to provide a mortar readily adaptable in assembly in shoulder firing, having sturdy construction with minimum of parts, which is easily and rapidly. assembled and disassembled for cleaning and repair and replacement of parts, and to improve generally upon the type of apparatus described. With the foregoing and other objects in view all of which will be apparent as this description proceeds, the invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts herein illustrated and described with reference to the accompanying drawing, it being understood that various and minor changes in form, construction, materials and details may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit nor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

One form which the invention may advantageously take is illustrated in the several views of the drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal side elevation of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a lateral transverse section on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section axially of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlargement, in section, of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section showing a barrel member inserted in a casing stock.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top viewof a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

7 is an. elongatedfragmentary plan bottom view of a portion of structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is anenlarged view of a portion of structure shownin Fi '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal fragmentary section of a modified form of the invention.

- Referring to the drawing, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Ill indicates an elongated cylindrical barrel open at a discharge end II and having at its opposite end means for coaxially connecting the barrel to a combined shoulder stock and a casing member l2, the connecting means of the barrel being herein indicated as threads l3. Adjacent its connecting end the barrel is provided with an external circumferential reinforcing sleeve M which is preferably integral with the barrel, but could also be made a separate member and shrunk on the barrel body. The sleeve l4 provides a shoulder l5 adjacent the thread I3 and is also provided with circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves l6 whereby the barrel may be more firmly gripped for connecting and disconnecting the barrel relative to the stock member l2.

The combined stock and casing member I2 is a substantially cylindrical tubular elongated body which, since it does not necessarily receive explosive force, may be of substantially thinner material than the barrel and of correspondingly less tensile strength. At its forward end I! the combined stock and casing is adapted to coaxially mount the barrel member ID, as will be more fully described hereinafter. At its opposite end I 8 the tubular opening thereof is closable by a closure member l9 which comprises a cushion shoulder pad 20 which is recessed or hollowed out as at 2| to receive therein a cup or sleeve member 22 to which the pad 20 may be secured at its recess by teeth or pins 23. The cup or sleeve 22 has an extended cuff 24 adapted to slide snugly internally of the tubular stock body l2, the length of the extended cup portion 24 being substantially the same as the length of the thread l3 of the barrel l0 whereby, when the barrel is inserted in the stock casing, the cuff 24 will abut upon the shoulder l5 of the barrel and thus secure the barrel against movement in the stock casing I2 as thus shown in Fig. 5. The outer wall of cuff member 24 may carry adjacent its free edge a pair oppositely disposed radially extending pins 25 which are received in bayonet slots 26 at the shoulder-pad end of casing l2 whereby the closure member may be releasably locked at the end of the tubular stock casing. preferred that the bayonet slots 26 be angularly turned intermediate its ends so that the pins 25 may slide longitudinally of the extended portion of the bayonet slot and thus relieve the pins 25 from recoil shock when the mortar is fired, it

being preferred that the open end of the casing 2 I2 be flanged outwardly as at 28 to take the recoil shock against collar-ring 29 which is im? bedded in the padded member circumferentia-l'ly v T of the sleeve 22.

If it is desired, the inner axially H aligned wall of the cufl may be also threaded with threads having a pitch similar to the 'f threads on the connecting end of-v thehbarrel whereby the threaded connecting end. of. the. ,1 barrel may be releasably connected to the cuff for facilitating the insertion and removal of the barrel from the casing or as at 24a, Fig. 5.

Interposed between the connected end of the barrel member and the mounting end H. of the casing stock is an assembly of a breech block,

firing pin, and manually operable trigger. In

the present exemplificationa closure block 30 of substantially heavy material is welded as at 3| in the open mounting end H of the stock casing: At its' outer or terminal end portion the closure block is recessed asat 32', thewalls of the recess being threaded to receive the cooperating threads l3 of the .barrel memberso that the barrel. may be mounted thereto with sides of the stock casing relatively offset open- I ings 44 and 45 which are preferably somewhat elongated or ovoidal so that when the weapon,

is inclined upwardly the openings l i, 45 are substantially 'circular in averti'cal plane normal to the eye. In order that accurate sighting may be accomplished at various angles of inclination of the weapon the sight opening 45,

which may be referred to "as the bottom sight 7 10 opening, maycomprise a slidable plate 45 overlying a1 rectangularopening 41, the plate being slidab ly mounted between small clip members {M48 whichf'may' be stamped up at the edges of 3 the openingJ Stop members 49 may alsobe stamped up froin'the body of the stockcasing to limit the movement of the plate 46, and'a calibration 50 may be stamped in the casing parallel with the. plate 46 so that the sight 45 may be adjusted to predetermined angles of.

inclination or to varying distances of range for firing a projectile. I 5 l A shoulder strap 5| of any suitabletype may be; connected at oppositeend portions of the stock casing l2 for-purposes of convenient portability of the device.

From the foregcing-descript'ionit willbe understood that the barrel member lil is connectable and disconnectable from the mounting blockdfluat the?mounting.end I'Vof the stock casing. When thus disconnected the barrel may be; inserted in thef'stock casing by removal of the shoulder l5 abutting the closure block 30 when the barrel is mounted in axial alignment at-the end of the casing. The closure block 30 also provides a breech; end for the barrel, the

At its inner or rearward the shoulderupad' member: [9' including its'attached 011E124 whereupon the barrelmay be in serted in the stock-casing, muzzle end first, the cylindrical casing; 31 of the firing pin sliding intothe bore za'tthe forward end of the barrel, and the cufi Z l of-the shoulder'member enclosing the threaded "portion I3 of the barrel and engaging the shoulder l5,- .whereby the barrel isresecurely kheld" inpla'ce,uponjlocking of the pins 25 in the bayonet sl'ot126;

In the modification of Fig. 9 ther'e is a 'somewhat modified" form of shoulder member where' byzadvantage maybe taken of'the space in the trigger member extending radially outwardly therefrom though a bayonet slot 42 in the cy-' lind'rical casing 3! and is adapted to releasably lock the trigger spring 39 against the'tension thereof by engaging the trigger shank behind the: shoulder of the bayonet slot 42-, It will be noticed that the cylinder casing 31 isbf 'con- ,f

siderably less diameter than the tubularportion 52 cf the stock casing. Therefore, when the barrel is mounted at the mounting end'of the stock casing the trigger pin mechanism-will be mountedaxially centrally thereof in space'relation to the'stock casing wall which protects the trigger 40 from being inadvertently released from its locked position. In order that the trigger may be readily accessible an opening 43 is provided in the wall of the stock casing whereby, the trigger is accessible to the manipulating handlof an operator. f j

Since this mortar is especially adapted for shoulder firing. it is 'man'ifest that in operation it would betilted at anangle with the barrel end pointing upwardly; In! such upwardly tilted: position a sight means-is provided so that e the Weapon may be sightedior aimed on'a'line sight substantially :level with the eye of the operator, by'sighting through the stoclccasing; For this purpose. there; are: provided. at; opposite recess of, the shoulder pad member. In Fig. 9

the -pin members "25 (a) extend radially inwardly from the 'i'nnenwall'ofthe cuff 24(0) and engage invthe bayonet slo-t" the rearward or shoulder ingyl-2- to' abut'again'st: the transverse wall of thejcapping closure member 21(a), the pad 2.6 '(a'); thus permitting pins 23(a); .1

.Itwill be noted that in Fig. 3 and "also Fig: 9; there I is I shown by dotted lines a projectile device in. the-mortar barrel, which bears the 1 reference characters-A; B, C. This device consists of an adapter member A, sealing valve late iaymount ing-an explosive bomb: C,'-thedet'ailed elements of which are not a part: of. this invention,*but are included in other applications. The projectile device A, B, C; is conventionally shown I 25111:) being? secured. thereto by the burrs or here'because this mortar is especially adapted to thefiringlthereof, and is 'illustrat'ive' of a the idea that the sleeve member 23 'ofi the mortar 1;. preferably of sufficient axial length SO-- as to.

include the adapter A and sealing plate Bfsince the: greatest pressure of. the explosive force is rearwardly of theisealing. placeB to overcome the inertia of the projectile body.

It. is: sometimes; desirable that the barrel of the mortar be -inclineddownwardly, such as when beingused; by parachute troops,- and also by ground troops when in action or moving about in-barbed wire; underbrush' and: the. like. Thereend of I the stock casfore, means are provided for releasably holding the projectile in the barrel when downwardly inclined. As one example of such a means, there is provided adjacent the breech end of the barrel an annular upraised portion of slightly less diameter, of the nature of an annular ring 52 which is relatively wide axially, preferably having a gradual incline in its wall so that the free end of the portion A of the projectile device may ride up the incline. The radial thickness of the ring 52 is somewhat exaggerated in the drawings, a thickness of about two or three percent of the barrel bore being suitable, and depending also on the weight of the projectile to be used. The projectile device has elongated fins Al having slots A2 at the free end to provide a resiliency to the edge of the fin so that the edge of the fin may pass by the annular ring 52 and resiliently bear thereagainst, whereby a resilient releasable frictional gripping engagement is obtained relatively between the annular ring 52 and the adapter fin Al, sufiicient to releasably hold the projectile body A, B, C, in the barrel when the barrel is inclined downwardly, indents A3 releasably engaging the ring 52.

Having thus described theinvention, what it claimed as new and patentable is:

l. A military mortar including a cylindrical barrel having a discharge end and threaded at its opposite end for releasable connection to a shoulder stock member, a shoulder stock comprising a tubular body threaded at a mounting end for coaxial releasable connection to the barrel member, being open at its opposite end to receive the barrel therein when the barrel is dismounted from the stock, said stock being of greater inner diameter than the outer diameter of the barrel for encasing the barrel, and a breech block and firing-pin assembly coaxially mounted at the connection between the barrel and the stock when the barrel is connected at said mounting end of the stock, and a manually operable trigger for operating the firingpm.

2. In a military mortar, a cylindrical barrel having a discharge end and being threaded at its opposite end for releasable connection to a shoulder stock member, a shoulder stock comprising a tubular body having a threaded end for coaxially mounting the barrel thereto, said stock being open at its opposite end for receiving and encasing the barrel when the barrel is dismounted from the stock, a unitary assembly of a breech block, a firing-pin and a trigger coaxially mounted at the connection between the barrel and stock when the barrel is connected at the mounting end of the stock, said barrel having internally at its threaded connecting end a means releasably to engage ammunition for holding it against the inadvertent dropping out of the barrel when the barrel is inclined downwardly.

3. In a military mortar, a cylindrical barrel having a discharge end and being threaded at its opposite end for releasable connection to a shoulder stock member, a shoulder stock comprising a tubular body threaded at a mounting end for releasable coaxial connection to the barrel member, said stock being open at its opposite end for receiving and encasing the barrel when the barrel is dismounted from the stock, said stock having at its said opposite open end a removable padded closure member; a unitary assembly of a breech block, a spring actuated firing-pin and a trigger member coaxially mounted at the connection between the barrel and stock when the barrel is connected at said mounting end of the stock, said firing-pin and its actuating spring being housed in a cylindrical casing mounted at the rearward end of the breech block and extending into the tubular stock member in spaced relation to the wall thereof whereby a space is provided circumferentially of the said firing-pin housing for receiving an end of the barrel when the barrel is encased within the stock.

HERMAN J. FANGER. HENRY GRUENHAGEN.

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