Weapon with a barrel cluster

Abstract

A weapon having a barrel cluster, having at least one, preferably multiple, weapon barrel(s) and having a bolt, and only one of the weapon barrels is oriented in alignment with the single bolt and interacts therewith for the purposes of firing. The barrel cluster has a front, muzzle-side barrel holder and has a rear, bolt-side barrel holder, and has, in a partial region, a control body with a control cam which is incorporated on the circumference. By way of said control cam, the barrel cluster can be adjusted as a whole and independently of the firing of the weapon. The control body is preferably electronically rotated, for which purpose a pin of the actuator engages into the control cam of the control body.

Claims

1. A weapon having a barrel cluster, comprising: a plurality of weapon barrels; a breech; and a mounting, wherein only one of the plurality of weapon barrels of the barrel cluster is aligned with the breech so as to be aligned in a barrel axis, and the only one of the plurality of weapon barrels at this point in time in terms of firing interacts with the breech, and wherein bearing points of the mounting are configured by stationary, mutually spaced-apart bezels in a barrel axis direction.

2. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrel cluster has a front muzzle-side barrel holder and a rear breech-side barrel holder.

3. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrel cluster in a part region has a control element having a control curve which is incorporated in a circumference.

4. The weapon as claimed in claim 3, wherein the barrel cluster in its entirety and independently of the firing of the weapon is adjusted by way of the control curve in the control element.

5. The weapon as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control element is electronically rotated, and wherein a bolt of an actuator engages in the control curve of the control element.

6. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrel cluster is mounted in the mounting.

7. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bezels have a removable upper part in the form of a quick-release fastener.

8. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein slide rollers are incorporated in the bezels.

9. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein cooling plates are adapted to be placed between the plurality of weapon barrels and are incorporated within the barrel cluster, said cooling plates thermally separating the the plurality of weapon barrels from one another.

10. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sleeve, having openings, incorporated with the barrel cluster.

11. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front portion of the mounting is provided with an internal diameter that is larger than the barrel cluster.

12. The weapon as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control curve is adapted to a maximum number of weapon barrels integrated in the barrel cluster.

13. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of weapon barrels are configured to rotate conjointly with the control element.

14. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of weapon barrels are fixedly plug-fitted.

15. The weapon as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plurality of weapon barrels are individually replaceable.

16. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor.

17. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of weapon barrels are configured to be readjusted by an operator.

18. The weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of weapon barrels are readjusted automatically.

19. A weapon having a barrel cluster, comprising: a plurality of weapon barrels; a breech, and a mounting, wherein none of the plurality weapon barrels of the barrel cluster is aligned with the breech, and none of the plurality of weapon barrels interacts with the breech before firing, and wherein bearing points of the mounting are configured by stationary, mutually spaced-apart bezels in a barrel axis direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a barrel cluster according to the invention, having a holder, in a perspective illustration;

(3) FIG. 1a shows a perspective illustration of the holder having only one weapon barrel;

(4) FIG. 2 shows the barrel cluster from FIG. 1, having an electric drive;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the barrel cluster in a front view; and

(6) FIG. 4 shows the incorporation of the barrel cluster in a weapon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) A barrel cluster, presently having three weapon barrels 2, 3, 4 of a weapon 100 having a breech 50 is identified with the reference sign 1. The barrel cluster 1 comprises a front muzzle-side barrel holder 5 and a rear breech-side barrel holder 6. Only one weapon barrel 2 (3, 4) at the breech-side in the weapon 100 herein is aligned with the breech 50, this typically being the lower weapon barrel, that is to say the weapon barrel that is located below the two other weapon barrels 3, 4 that are located beside one another. This weapon barrel 2 is aligned with this breech 50 and also in terms of firing interacts with the breech 50 only in this position.

(8) The barrel cluster 1 in a part region has a control element 8 having a control curve 9 which in turn is incorporated in the control element 8 on the circumference. The barrel cluster 1 in its entirety can be adjusted by way of this control curve 9 and a barrel change can thus be performed in a manner independent of firing the weapon 100. The control curve 10 that is incorporated on the circumference in the control element 8, or the profile of said control curve 10 such as the gradient, etc., in turn is adapted to the maximum number of weapon barrels that are insertable into the barrel cluster 1, that is to say adapted to the maximum number of weapon barrels which can be integrated in the barrel cluster 1. In the present exemplary embodiment, there are three weapon barrels 2, 3, 4 which in each case have to be rotated by an angle of 120.

(9) FIG. 1a shows the barrel cluster V having only one weapon barrel 2. A barrel cluster having two weapon barrels 2, 3, (4) is likewise conceivable. The control curve 9 in this instance for this barrel cluster can also display a profile that is identical to that of the three weapon barrels 2, 3, 4, since the adjustment or rotation, respectively, of the barrel cluster 1 is independent of firing.

(10) A mounting 20 of the barrel cluster 1 (1) in general is shown in FIG. 1, said mounting 20 in this instance being incorporated in the weapon 100, FIG. 3. Both illustrations show the safe transportation position of the barrel cluster 1. None of the barrels is aligned with the breech 50.

(11) The bearing points are formed by two stationary bezels 21, 22 which are mutually spaced apart. The spacing preferably results from the length of the control element 8. In the preferred embodiment, the bezels 21, 22 in each case have a preferably removable upper part 21.1, 22.1 in the form of a quick-release fastener. Moreover, slide rollers (not illustrated in more detail) are preferably incorporated in the bezels 21, 22.

(12) The barrel change is performed preferably electrically by way of an actuator 10 (FIG. 2), for example by way of a motor. The latter activates a bolt 11 which implements the rotation of the barrel cluster 1. The weapon barrels 2-4 then also rotate conjointly with the control element 8 such that another weapon barrel can be moved in front of the breech 5. Alternatives for changing a barrel are known to a person skilled in the art.

(13) Plates 13 which serve for cooling the weapon barrels 2-4 (FIG. 3) can be provided between the weapon barrels 2-4. The weapon barrels 2-4 can be thermally separated from one another on account thereof. A variant that supports cooling is shown by way of incorporating a sleeve 51 that has openings and also contributes toward stabilizing the barrel cluster 1, 1.

(14) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.