Mar 31, 2026

US12590771 - Large-caliber gun having a breech assembly with multiple chambers

A large-calibre firearm including a breech assembly including a breech block rigidly connected to a firearm barrel, a breech support movable in axial translation relative to the breech block and coupled to a breech head, the assembly further includes a plurality of loading chambers, a mechanism for moving the chambers, configured to support the chambers and successively place one of the chambers in a firing position, and at least one other chamber in a supply position, in which the at least one chamber is able to receive ammunition via its rear end, and a locking mechanism configured to move the breech head and the chamber placed in the firing position between an unlocked position and a locked position, in which the chamber is closed off at its rear end by the breech head and opens out at its front end into the firearm barrel.

Assignee: KNDS FRANCE
Inventors: Steve Baert, Frédéric Hubschwerlen, Marc Gauci
Filing date: 2023-05-19

firearmbreechlarge-caliberammunition

The patent describes a large-caliber firearm featuring a breech assembly with multiple loading chambers that can be sequentially positioned for firing and reloading. It includes a locking mechanism that secures the chamber in place during firing, ensuring proper alignment with the barrel.

Claim 1

1 . A large-caliber gun including a cradle and a recoiling mass mounted so as to be movable relative to the cradle, the recoiling mass including a barrel having a longitudinal axis and a breech assembly, the breech assembly including a breechblock secured to the barrel, a breech support movable in axial translation relative to the breechblock and coupled to a breech head, wherein the breech assembly further includes: a plurality of loading chambers each intended to receive a round of ammunition, a mechanism for moving the chambers and configured to support the chambers and successively place one of the chambers in a firing position, namely between the breechblock and the breech head and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, and at least one other chamber in a feeding position, in which the at least one chamber is able to receive a round of ammunition via a rear end of the at least one chamber, and a locking mechanism configured to move the breech head and the chamber placed in the firing position, between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein in the locked position the chamber is closed off at the rear end thereof by the breech head and opens out at a frond end thereof into the barrel, the locking mechanism being further configured to move both the breech head and the chamber placed in the firing position to the locked position by a movement of the breech head. a plurality of loading chambers each intended to receive a round of ammunition, a mechanism for moving the chambers and configured to support the chambers and successively place one of the chambers in a firing position, namely between the breechblock and the breech head and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, and at least one other chamber in a feeding position, in which the at least one chamber is able to receive a round of ammunition via a rear end of the at least one chamber, and a locking mechanism configured to move the breech head and the chamber placed in the firing position, between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein in the locked position the chamber is closed off at the rear end thereof by the breech head and opens out at a frond end thereof into the barrel, the locking mechanism being further configured to move both the breech head and the chamber placed in the firing position to the locked position by a movement of the breech head.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12590771

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12590771