US12398972 - Remote operated gun breech

A remote operated mechanism is provided for raising and lowering a seal in a gun loader breech via a transfer gear. The mechanism includes a servo motor, a pinion, a clutch and a worm gear. The servo motor axially rotates the pinion. The clutch controllably engages and disengages with the pinion. The worm gear couples the clutch to a shaft that engages the transfer gear. The clutch disengages the pinion from the motor in response to recoil from firing the gun. The worm gear includes a worm screw that axially turns with the pinion and a worm wheel that engages the worm screw to laterally spin a shaft connected to the transfer gear. The clutch includes a coupler for engaging the worm screw, a spur gear that connects the coupler to the pinion, and a spring that pushes the coupler to engage the worm screw prior to firing.

• Assignee: United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
• Inventors: Matthew Thomas Buckler, Timothy Gerald Burcham, Yui Jean Clifford, Thomas Klebert Houck, Jr., Jonathan Edward Scroggins, Annette Christine Straziuso
• Filing date: 2024-08-05