Automatic Gun

a light-mounted breech-loading gun, in which the recoil of the first shot is turned to account in discharging the empty cartridge case, reloading, and returning the gun to firing readine , Automaton (Greek automatos, spontaneous), a self-moving machine performing actions like those of a living being, and often shaped like one. The walking statues of Dedalus, the flying dove of Archytas, the brazen head of Friar Bacon, the iron fly of Regiomontanus, the door-opening figure of Albert us Magnus, the parading knights of the clock presented to Charlemagne by Harun al Rashid, the toy carriage and attendants constructed by Camus for Louis XIV., and the flutepluyer of Vaucanson, are among the noteworthy automata.