FRAME

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a weapon housing, particularly for machine guns. The invention specifically relates to a method for realizing the weapon housing.

[0002] In practice, receivers for machine guns, such as the MG3, are manufactured from sheet metal using a bending / embossing process. The basic shape is cut from the sheet. This is followed by bending with intermediate annealing, etc., to relieve the stresses created during bending. The curved section is then riveted to the sheet metal, the receiver is welded, and the guide rails / guide strips of a bolt carrier are riveted in place. A disadvantage is that the production of these receivers is now only feasible to a limited extent, partly due to material limitations. Furthermore, the bending / embossing process is only used by a few manufacturers. The necessary equipment wears out, and its replacement is time-consuming and expensive.

[0003] The invention therefore aims to demonstrate a method that can be used to manufacture a weapon casing.

[0004] The problem is solved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 1 and a weapon housing having the features of claim 3.

[0005] The solution is based on the idea of ​​machining the housing from a solid block of steel. This opens up the possibility of changing the material, using new materials that, for example, allow milling as a machining process from a single block of material. This possibility arises because formability is no longer required to the same extent as in previous bending / embossing manufacturing processes.

[0006] The new manufacturing method allows the use of, among other things, the following materials: C35(E) (carbon 35%, electrofused) in the normalized state; C35 (E) in the tempered state; C40 (E) in the normalized state.

[0007] For minor design changes that do not require direct hardening of the weapon housing, the following material groups are also conceivable: classic unalloyed structural steels, e.g. S355; micro-alloyed structural steels, titanium alloys, e.g. TiAl6V4.

[0008] The milling of small weapon parts is disclosed, for example, in DE 199 53 365 A1, DE 10 2004 021 952 B3, and DE 10 2012 019 422 B3. These documents do not mention using this process for a weapon housing itself. US 2014 / 0331535 A1 discloses and teaches how to construct a lower receiver housing for receiving an ammunition magazine from a left and a right half-shell, with a vertical parting line between the abutting half-shells, whereby the parts are then to be detachably connected. A number of manufacturing and processing options for the half-shells are addressed, such as machining, casting, forging, 3D printing, and injection molding.US 2008 / 0216375 A1 discloses a weapon housing which is also formed from a left and a right half-shell with a vertical parting line between them; a design with a lower and upper shell would not be possible due to the geometry. GB 2410787 A discloses a two-part weapon housing.

[0009] The weapon housing according to the invention consists, as a result of its manufacture, of a thin-walled hollow body with various openings and penetrations. For machining the inner contour, it is therefore provided that the weapon housing preferably consists of two half-shells, the respective inner contours of which are created separately. To simplify manufacturing, these half-shells can be further subdivided into individual parts. These individual or multiple shells are then welded together.

[0010] Milling the housing components with their thin walls presents a challenge. This requires fixtures that support the housing components over the largest possible area during internal machining from the outside and during external machining from the inside.

[0011] The advantage of this solution lies, among other things, in the fact that standard machine tools can be used. With suitable raw materials, virtually distortion-free production is possible. Different material strengths no longer lead to varying degrees of bending back. Tool adjustments are no longer necessary. Production in small batches is also economically viable. In particular, cost-effective manufacturing is possible for small and medium batch sizes.

[0012] The solution will be explained in more detail using a sketched example with a drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 a weapon housing consisting of an upper and a lower shell, Fig. 2 a further subdivision of the upper and lower shell into several individual parts.

[0013] In Fig. 1 Reference numeral 1 denotes a weapon housing of a machine gun or machine gun (not shown in detail). The weapon housing 1 is preferably in two parts and comprises a lower shell 2 and an overhanging shell 3 as subassemblies of the weapon housing 1. The lower shell 2 and the upper shell 3 contain openings 5 ​​and recesses 6, respectively. At the front, the two shells 2 and 3 form a barrel support 4 for the weapon barrel (not shown in detail).

[0014] Fig. 2 shows the lower shell 2 and the upper shell 3. Fig. 1 , which have been further divided into two sub-assemblies 2.1, 2.2 and 3.1, 3.2 respectively. These sub-assemblies 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2 can be further broken down to simplify manufacturing.

[0015] The weapon housing 1 is manufactured as follows: A steel block (not shown in detail) is used, corresponding in size to the respective subassembly 2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2. Preferably, the steel block should correspond at least in length. An inner contour 2', 3', 2.1', 2.2', 3.1', 3.2' as well as the openings 5 ​​and recesses 6 are preferably milled (milled in or out) into this steel block. The thickness of the housing wall is preferably, but not necessarily, approximately 2.5 mm.

[0016] The subassemblies 2, 3, or the subassemblies 2.1, 2.2 and 3.1, 3.2 are then connected together, preferably welded, to form the weapon housing 1.

[0017] It is understood that the internal contours 2', 3', 2.1', 2.2', 3.1', 3.2 also include necessary guide rails, etc. These can also be subsequently added to the weapon housing as separate components, for example by riveting or welding.

[0018] As previously stated, the steel block can be made of a material such as C35(E) in the normalized condition, C35(E) in the tempered condition, or C40(E) in the normalized condition. Alternatives are known.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a weapon housing (1), wherein the weapon housing consists of at least two subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2) which form a lower casing (2) and an upper casing (3) of the weapon housing, wherein the two casings, namely the lower casing (2) and the upper casing (3), form, at the front, a barrel support (4) for a weapon barrel, wherein an inner contour (2', 3', 2.1', 2.2', 3.1', 3.2') is machined in one solid block for each of the respective subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2), wherein openings (5) and recesses (6) are machined into the at least two subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2), wherein the machining process is a milling process and wherein the subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2) are then joined together by welding to form the weapon housing.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the solid block is a steel block.

3. Weapon housing (1) consisting of at least two subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2) which form a lower casing (2) and an upper casing (3) of the weapon housing (1), wherein a barrel support (4) for a weapon barrel is formed at the front by the two casings, namely the lower casing (2) and the upper casing (3), wherein an inner contour (2', 3', 2.1', 2.2', 3.1', 3.2') is machined at least in one solid block for each of the respective subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2), and wherein openings (5) and recesses (6) are machined into the at least two subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2), and wherein the machining process is milling, wherein the subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2) are then joined together by welding to form the weapon housing.

4. Weapon housing (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the solid block is a steel block.

5. Weapon housing (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the weapon housing consists of more than two subassemblies (2, 3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2).

6. Weapon housing (1) according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the material is C35(E) in the normalized state, C35(E) in the tempered state, or C40(E) in the normalized state.