Mechanically inclined guys, look over my elevation design for my Gatling gun?

[Ezra Coli]

I've been sketching out plans for elevation and windage adjustments for my dual AK gatling Gatling gun I'm designing. Yeah I know there's plans out there, but I want to make my own. There are two AKs that sit on theior sides top to top (to enabe drum mag use) but I didn't want to have them be fixed on the carrier frame, I want to be able to adjust them once they are on the frame. This is my idea for elevation adjustment, it is only one of two attachment points for the AKs, this one will require a bolt in the forward most portion of the receiver bottom as shown. It should be obvious how it works, but just in case: The large Allen bolt turns, the washers welded to the bolt on top of the frame and below the steel bushing keep it in place, the threaded sleeve rides up or down as the allen bolt is turned raising or lowering the AK that is attached to the braket which is welded to the threaded sleeve. The smaller Allen bolt is tightened down to kee the large bolt from turning once the elevation is acceptable.

I was going to use the same kind of setup on the rear trunion of the AK to adjust for windage.

Questions:

1. is this a decent low tech solution for a currently machine shop-less garage tinkerer? I can build this kind of setup, but is there something better?

2. Is a single 1/2 steel bolt on the front receiver and one on the rear trunion enough to hold an AK firmly to a steel frame and steady against recoil?

Here's the elevation sketch, the threaded tubes/bushing/washers are cut away:

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data/500/4868Elevation.jpg

And here's the general layout from the top. Where you see the attachmnet point on the lower receiver is where these elevation bolts will go, so this image is outdated:

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data/500/4868GAT2.jpg

[LeadHead]

WOW, I really like how you included charging handles into the design, Very thoughtful.

I'll take one.
:D

[Skibane]

I feel like I'm reading Popular Mechanics or Machine Design... :D

What's the advantage of putting extensions on the original AK's charging handle?

[Schuetzenman]

:cool:

[Delta Tango]

VERY SLICK!!!!!

[Krupski]

Originally posted by Ezra Coli
http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data/500/4868Elevation.jpg

What do you use to draw those nice graphics?

Roger

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by Skibane
I feel like I'm reading Popular Mechanics or Machine Design... :D

What's the advantage of putting extensions on the original AK's charging handle?

Well, one of the charging handles will be on the bottom, so to make it easy to charge, I added an extension. I figred I might as well do both so I can sit comfortably in my lawn chair on the front porch and blast away without bending forward to charge the rifles when my gunner's mate relaods the drums! ;)

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by krupski
What do you use to draw those nice graphics?

Roger

I use Adobe Illustrator. Been using it since 1988 so its just the natural choice. I'd prefer to do stuff like this in a CAD program so when my ship comes in I can just take it to a CNC shop and have THEM build it!;)

[Gunny302nd]

Originally posted by Ezra Coli
Well, one of the charging handles will be on the bottom, so to make it easy to charge, I added an extension. I figred I might as well do both so I can sit comfortably in my lawn chair on the front porch and blast away without bending forward to charge the rifles when my gunner's mate relaods the drums! ;)
And the Gunny says.... GO FOR IT!

[swingset]

Originally posted by Ezra Coli
I use Adobe Illustrator. Been using it since 1988 so its just the natural choice. I'd prefer to do stuff like this in a CAD program so when my ship comes in I can just take it to a CNC shop and have THEM build it!;)

Use Corel Draw, most CNC shops can use Corel illustrations to work off of, at least in 2D.

Sillystrator can output several formats that will translate to Corel, but as I said that's 2D...you need a real CAD solution if you're going to design in 3D for a prototype of finished part.

[machinegunhand]

I'm not understanding how that could work? I think if you put a groove in the big bolt and screwed the small bolt into the groove to hold the big bolt in place while you adjusted it the threads would move it up and down

[Ezra Coli]

No, the little bolt holds the large bolt in place AFTER it has been adjusted. I missed showing a weld actually, the two washers are welded to the large bolt, the portion of the large bolt that is inside the steel bushing is not threaded, so it turns freely, held in place by the washers which act as flanges and keep the whole thing in place. So the threads rotate, the threaded tube / AK mount is threaded also so it "rides" up and down.

I think it will work, don't see why it wouldn't, but you never know until you actually build one (which I'll be starting soon).

[machinegunhand]

I get it now, looks great:) It may need some slide with the frame to compensate for the bolts angle changing.

[machinegunhand]

Originally posted by machinegunhand
I get it now, looks great:) It may need some slide with the frame to compensate for the bolts angle changing.

A hing conected to the AK's would work better. Looks like you have it all figured out

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by machinegunhand
A hing conected to the AK's would work better. Looks like you have it all figured out

Yeah, I will have something to allow for angle change- I still need to work out the mount where it actually connects to the AK. It has to be solid and stand up to recoil and vibration. Not sure about that just yet. Plenty of ideas, but dwelling on it usually turns up the most efficient and simple solution.

This is fun, just got a new angle grinder today and am about to fidget around with these elevation parts.

[Skibane]

I still need to work out the mount where it actually connects to the AK.

Wal-Mart, Academy Sports and West Marine sell swivel mounting brackets for boat seats that might work. Essentially, they're VERY heavy-duty "Lazy Susan" bearings, made out of two pieces of steel plate with a set of roller ball bearings sandwiched between them. Only cost a few bucks.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/04/21/i010421sq01.jpg

If you're a big spender, you can also spring for the companion mounting pedistal! :D

http://a1460.g.akamai.net/f/1460/1339/6h/www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/59/38/i015938sq01.jpg

[Ezra Coli]

Originally posted by Skibane
Wal-Mart, Academy Sports and West Marine sell swivel mounting brackets for boat seats that might work. Essentially, they're VERY heavy-duty "Lazy Susan" bearings, made out of two pieces of steel plate with a set of roller ball bearings sandwiched between them. Only cost a few bucks.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/04/21/i010421sq01.jpg

Hmmmm, what I need is that thing, about the size of an AK receiver's height near the front end...

The actual carrier for the two AKs will be mounted on a heavy duty tripod and counterweighted for ease of use!:D