Gun tube support assembly

摘要

This invention relates to a gun tube support assembly ( 10 ), which comprises four support sections ( 12 ) arranged annularly around a gun tube ( 13 ) and received in an opening in a cradle ( 15 ) of a gun. Each support section ( 12 ) comprises a bush housing ( 14 ), a cradle bush ( 16 ) and a damping means sandwiched between the bush housing ( 14 ) and cradle bush ( 16 ). The damping means is in the form of a rubber pad ( 18 ) made of relatively high-temperature silicon rubber. The rubber pad ( 18 ) includes a plurality of protrusions 18.1 extending from a face of the pad ( 18 ) for abutting an outer surface of the cradle bush ( 16 ). The protrusions ( 18.1 ) accommodate compression of the pad ( 18 ), the arrangement being such that the rubber pad ( 18 ) absorbs and dampens kinetic energy emanating from the gun tube ( 13 ) during firing of a projectile.