Exit Cover. The exit cover is stationary mounted to
the exit end of the outer drum. The exit cover is
constructed like the entrance cover. It controls the
position of the rounds as they pass from the scoop disk
to the exit cover. A spring-loaded timing pin on the exit
cover is used to index the drum for installation of the
exit unit.
Scoop Disk. A scoop disk is mounted on each end
of the inner drum helix. Each scoop disk has two sets of
sprocket spur gears located 180 degrees apart. These
spur gears mesh with the retainer gear in the
entrance/exit covers that provide rotating support for
the inner drum helix. The sprockets attached to the spur
gear transfer rounds from the entrance cover retainer
partitions to the drum partitions, and from the drum
partitions to the retainer partitions in the exit cover.
EXIT UNIT
The exit unit is attached over an opening in the exit
cover and geared to the exit cover retainer gear. The exit
unit contains two gear-driven sprocket assemblies. The
sprocket assemblies remove live rounds or expended
cases from the retainer partitions in the exit cover and
place them in the conveyor elements. Before you install
the exit unit to the exit cover, press and hold the exit unit
timing pin and the exit cover timing pin to make sure
there is proper gear alignment between the two
components. Once the exit unit is properly attached to
the exit cover, make sure that the spring-loaded timing
pins release.
The exit unit also contains a last-round switch that
is electrically connected to the gun control firing
circuits. The projectiles of the 20-mm rounds actuate
the switch. The switch prevents expended rounds
(empty cases) from being fed into the gun and jamming
it. Before the gun will fire, the ammunition must be
cycled through the ammunition drum until the first
round actuates the last-round switch. When there is no
more ammunition present or when expended rounds are
present, the last-round switch is released. This
automatically initiates the gun clearing cycle and
terminates gun firing. Before the gun can be fired again,
the ground loading crew to actuate the last-round
switch must manually position live ammunition.
ENTRANCE UNIT
The entrance unit is attached over the opening in
the entrance cover and geared to the entrance cover
retainer
gear.
The
entrance
unit
contains
three
gear-driven
sprocket
assemblies.
The
sprocket
assemblies remove live rounds or expended cases from
the conveyor elements and place them in the entrance
cover retainer partitions. Before installation, press the
spring-loaded timing pin and align the scoop sprocket
stud pin with the entrance unit timing mark. With the
entrance unit properly timed and aligned, you must
press the entrance cover-timing pin and align the timing
mark on the scoop disk with the timing mark on the
entrance cover. You need to properly time and align
both the entrance unit and the entrance cover to ensure
proper gear alignment between the two components.
Once the entrance unit is attached to the entrance cover,
you should make sure that the spring-loaded timing
pins release.
REVIEW NUMBER 2 ANSWERS
A1.
The two cycles of the M61A1 gun are the
firing cycle and the clearing cycle.
A2.
The firing cycle begins in the M61A1 gun
when power is applied to the firing contact
assembly.
A3.
After the projectile leaves the barrel, the
extractor lip of the breech-bolt assembly
removes the empty case from the chamber.
A4.
The main cam path is elliptical shaped.
A5.
The six operations the breech-bolt assembly
performs during a full firing cycle are feed,
chamber, lock and fire, unlock, extract, and
eject.
A6.
The clearing cycle starts when the clearing
solenoid is energized.
A7.
The M61A1 gun continues to receive rounds
during the clearing cycle. The guide bar cam
fingers eject all unfired rounds.
TRANSFER UNIT AND ADAPTER ASSEMBLY
The transfer unit and adapter assembly are actually
two separate components bolted together to form one
unit. They are never separated at the organizational
maintenance level. The function of each component is
discussed in the following paragraphs.
Transfer Unit
The transfer unit is gear-driven by the gun and
attached to the M61A1 gun housing by quick-release
pins to make maintenance easier. The gear-driven
sprocket assemblies and guides maintain positive
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