US2587611A - Grenade launcher valve - Google Patents

Description

MalCh 4, 1952 ,1. c. GARAND GRENADE LAUNCHER VALVE -r 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Aug. `14, 194e Jahn Burn-nd.

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March 4, 1952 J. c. GARAND 2,587,611

GRENADE LAUNCHER VALVE: v Filed Aug. 14, 194e 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 John. D Gurus-La.

Patented Mar. 4, i952 UNITED STATES OFFICE GRENADE LAUNCHER VALVE Application August 14, 1946', Serial No. 690,432

(Cl. 25'1a127) 2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March amended April 30, 1928; 370 0.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to improvements in a valve mechanism for association in a grenade-launcher assembly which is especially designed for attachment to the caliber .30 Ml U. S. rifle. l

That is to say, the features of this invention are incorporated in a grenade-launching attachment for a rearm of the gas-operated type and, as will be seen, the invention is especially directed to the provision of a novel valve mechanism particularly adapted to reduce the pressure of the actuating gases on the recoiling members of such rearm.

As is well known, a grenade-launcher is customarily attached to the muzzle of the rearm and the grenade is discharged from the launching device by ring a blank cartridge in such firearm. When the firearm employed is of the gas-operated type, as is common, it is most desirable that such firearm may be utilized for grenade launching without any modification to the gas system. And, furthermore, in the usual case, the Weight of the grenade is many times heavier than that of a bullet normally fired from the rearm so that in order to launch the grenade, the gases must necessarily maintain a high pressure within the barrel for a much longer time than when firing a bullet.

During this period, a portion of the actuating gases are divertedV through the usual gas port in the barrel so as to impinge with an excessively high and continuing pressure on the piston of the rearm. As a result of this action, the piston and recoiling members of the gas-operated fire-- arm are driven rearwardly with violent force and at a velocity considerably greater than normal due to the tremendous acceleration given such parts by the excessive gas pressure with the consequence that there is excessive breakage of these parts, even, too frequently, of the receiver of the rearm.

There are already known to the art, launcher assemblies that can not only be quickly and conveniently attached to the gun barrel of a gasoperated weapon but which Will, through the very act oi attaching the launcher, automatically open a, valve to permit the escape of gas from the gas cylinder to prevent application of excessive forces to the recoiling parts due to the greater duration of gas pressure during grenade launching` Obviously they proper operation of 3, 1883, as G. 757) such valve in both its open and closed positions is an essential requirement, yet valves heretofore utilized have not successfully withstood the severe temperatures andl stresses of such application.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved valve mechanism for the gas system of agas-operated firearm which cooperates with a grenade launcher in such a way as to reduce the gas pressure on the recoiling members in order to prevent damage to such members and to the rearm, in general, when a grenade is launched.

Also, it is well known that such valves-as are used in connection with grenade-launching devices are necessarily subjected to high pressures and temperatures. Most such valves embody springs for actuating purposes which, of course, deteriorate under high pressures and temperatures. It is, therefore, a special feature of the construction of this invention that the use of springs is obviated.

It will be appreciated that such a valve as we arerr here concerned with must positively open when the plunger of the assembled launcher moves` against it, while at the same time when the valve is in closed position, means must be provided to prevent its being jarred or shaken open. In other words, it is desirable', for proper functioning, that the valve must be forcibly lopened and as Will be seen the construction of this invention is so arranged. Yet the valve must close readily after the launcher is removed.

The specic nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly K appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the muzzle end of a gas operated firearm incorporating a valve constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2-is a front elevational View of the assembled gas cylinder lock screw and valve.

Fig. 3i is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled gas cylinder lock screw and. valve taken along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig. 3 taken on the plane A- thereof.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the valve member.

In Fig. 1, there is shown a conventional grel nade-launching device 6o assembled to the front end portionof a gas-operated rearm of the type similar tothe U. S'. riiie caliber .30, M1. A gas cylinder lil is shown mounted beneath, and

3 locked to, the end of the firearm barrel 2, as by a screw collar 5.

The usual gas port 6 is provided in the barrel and this is in communication with a gas port 1 provided in the gas cylinder l so as to provide a passage for the actuating gases to be admitted into the gas cylinder whereby such gases may impinge on the face of a piston 9 reciprocable within the gas cylinder. This piston 9 connects with the operating parts of the rearm which are not shown.

The novel combination gas cylinder lock screw and valve assembly of this invention consists of a housing which is indicated generally by 20 and which is provided with an axial opening or bore 22, as shown in Fig. 3. This housing 20 includes a main body portion 24 which is insertable through collar 5, an enlarged head portion 26 on the forward endof body portion 24 and separated therefrom by a neck portion 28 of reduced diameter, and an inner or rear end portion 23 which is threaded and cooperates with threads in the forward end of the gas cylinder as shown, Rear end portion 29 is also separated from the main body by a reduced diameter neck portion 21.

The valve member 34 includes a forward spindle-like or stem portion 30 and a rear coneshaped head portion 32. The stem portion 30 comprises a split or expansible cylindrical member having spaced apart and similarly-shaped parts 42. The latter are formed by providing an inwardly-extending `cut-away 44 in the stem member and, as shown, the said parts 42 are integral with the head portion 32 so that the valve is, of course, a unitary member even though having an expansible stem portion.

The valve member is inserted into the rear end of bore 22 of the housing 20 and the stem 30 is adapted to frictionally engage the interior thereof. As shown, the rear the housing 20 is provided with a conical valve seat 46 substantially complemental with the cone shaped head 32, thereby providing a tight seal between the gas cylinder I and a plurality of slots or exhaust ports 62 when in the closed or forward position as will be later described more fully.

Within the central portion of the bore 22 of the housing 20 there is provided an outwardly sloping conical surface 40. Likewise the extremities of the stem parts 42 of valve 34 are shaped so as to provide conical surfaces 43 complemental to the surface 44. Thus, as the valve member 1s forcibly moved rearwardly relative to housing 20, the sloping surfaces 4G and 43 engage one another with a cam-like action so that the split parts 42 of the expansible member are compressed together.

Corresponding side surfaces of the parts 42 are cut-away to provide aligned and preferably correspondingly-shaped cut-outs I, as shown in the drawings. Also, the housing 20 is provided with oppositely-disposed holes 52 therein which extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing member and at the same time are in communication with the cut-outs 5l. A pin or rod member 54 is disposed in the cut-outs 5| crosswise of the stem 30 of the valve and has its opposite end portions engaged in holes 52 as shown. The rod member 54 acts as a stop to limit the movement of the valve member in the housing 20. That is to say, the rod 54 limits rearward movement of valve member 34.

Spaced, longitudinally extending slots 62 are cut out of the periphery of bore 22 of housing end of the bore of l 20 to provide exhaust ports which communicate with the interior of. gas cylinder l0 when valve member 34 is in its rearward or open position. Slots 62 also function as slots cooperating with an assembly tool.

In assembling the device, the parts 42 are squeezed together and the valve stem 30 is inserted into bore 22. Pin 54 is then inserted in holes 52 securing the valve member 34 in assembly in housing 20. The lock screw is then ready to be screwed into assembly in the gas cylinder l0.

When a grenade launcher 60 is mounted on the rie, a projecting stud-like part or plunger member 6l on the mounting bracket 63 is arranged to contact the forward surface of the valve stem 30. As the grenade launcher 60 is assembled to the rifle, the plunger 6l projects into bore 22 of lock screw 20 to engage the forward ends of the parts 42, and thus the valve head 32 is forcibly moved rearwardly relative to the housing so as to provide communication ,between the interior of gas cylinder I0 and ex haust ports E2 of the housing.

In this condition, a substantial quantity of the actuating gases are diverted through the ports in the valve so as to escape to the atmosphere and thereby render the gas pressure force on the piston practically inoperative. When the grenade launcher 6U is removed from the muzzle of the firearm, the valve is readily closed by the application of any suitable force thereon.

It will thus be also seen that the accidental displacement of the valve member in the lockscrew body member is resisted by the frictional engagement between the prongs 42 and the interior of the bore 22, so that the valve 34 will remain in its closed position until forcibly opened by assembly of a grenade launcher on the rifle.

1 claim:

1. A valve mechanism for a grenade launcher, comprising a valve housing, said housing being provided with an axial bore therethrough having a conical counterbore on one end thereof, said housing being provided with oppositely disposed aligned openings which extend transversely thereof and lead into said axial bore, a valve member movably mounted in said housing, said valve member including a head portion constructed to engage said conical counterbore and a split expansible stem portion which projects from said head portion and extends into the bore of said housing, said stem portion being provided with a flattened surface, said housing and said stem portion being provided with cooperating cam surfaces arranged to resiliently urge said valve member inwardly relative to said housing and thereby yieldingly hold said head portion of said valve member on said conical counterbore of said housing, and a pin member having its opposite end portions disposed in said openings and the center portion engaging said flattened surface of said stem portion whereby movement of said valve member away from said counterbore is limited. y

2. A valve mechanism for a grenade launcher, comprising a valve housing, said housing having an axial bore in one end thereof terminating in a conical counterbore and a larger axial bore in the other end thereof with a tapered bore connecting said bore and said larger bore, said housing being provided with oppositely disposed aligned openings which extend transversely thereof and lead into said axial bore, a valve member movably mounted in said housing, said valve member including a head portion constructed to engage said conical counterbore and a stem portion which projects from said head portion into said bore of said housing and terminating in a tapered head portion constructed to engage said tapered bore, said stem portion being provided with a fiattened surface intermediate of said head portion and said tapered head portion, said stern portion consisting of a spiit rod-like part which is contraetable when said tapered head portion is moved along said tapered bore of said housing and expansible to engage said tapered bore to Cain said valve member into said housing and thereby yieldingly hold said head portion of said valve member on said conical counterbore of said housing, and a pin member having its opposite end portions disposed in said openings and the center portion engaging said attened surface of said stem yportion whereby movement of said valve member away from said counterbore is imited.

JOHN C. GARAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 548,835 Lafferty Oct. 29, 1895 645,722 Holmes Mar. 20, 1900 852,334 Lewis Apr. 30, 1907 1,753,631 Walters Apr. 8, 1930 1,800,173 Anderson Apr. 7, 1931 1,997,116 Nielsen Apr. 9, 1935 2,079,647 Abegg May 11, 1937 2,310,902 Voelkel Feb. 9, 1943 2,390,738 Rutherford Dec. 11, 1945 2,402,060 Luster June 11, 1946 2,416,287 Coates Feb. 25, 1947 2,455,361 Garand Dec. 7, 1948

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