EP0072668B1 - Ammunition handling system - Google Patents

Ammunition handling system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0072668B1
EP0072668B1 EP82304250A EP82304250A EP0072668B1 EP 0072668 B1 EP0072668 B1 EP 0072668B1 EP 82304250 A EP82304250 A EP 82304250A EP 82304250 A EP82304250 A EP 82304250A EP 0072668 B1 EP0072668 B1 EP 0072668B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
train
carrier
orientation
phase
round
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP82304250A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0072668A2 (en
EP0072668A3 (en
Inventor
Douglas Pray Tassie
George Lawrence Walker, Jr.
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/293,817 external-priority patent/US4401008A/en
Priority claimed from US06/293,818 external-priority patent/US4474102A/en
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of EP0072668A2 publication Critical patent/EP0072668A2/en
Publication of EP0072668A3 publication Critical patent/EP0072668A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0072668B1 publication Critical patent/EP0072668B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00—Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/54—Cartridge guides, stops or positioners, e.g. for cartridge extraction
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B39/00—Packaging or storage of ammunition or explosive charges; Safety features thereof; Cartridge belts or bags
    • F42B39/08—Cartridge belts

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an ammunition conveyor system for providing rounds of ammunition seriatim from a stationary supply to a gun in a turret which has unrestricted rotation in train.
  • US ⁇ A ⁇ 2649840 describes an ammunition conveyor for providing rounds from a stationary supply to a gun in a turret which has unrestricted rotation in train about an axis;
  • the hollow cylinder is driven in continuous rotation in one direction of rotation by means of a motor.
  • the engagement means disposed within the cylinder is a brush of resilient material.
  • the brush carried by the continuously rotating hollow cylinder, serves to frictionally engage each round and rotate them always in the same sense into the current orientation of the gun turret.
  • each carrier and round assembly conveyed into said orientation means is engaged by one or other of said cam surfaces and is cammed thereby about its respective pivot respectively clockwise or anti-clockwise through no more than 180° into said current orientation in train of the gun turret.
  • the characterising structure provides for positive mechanical engagement with each round to effect its rotation into the desired orientation. Moreover a round is rotated about its pivot axis by no more than 180° at a time.
  • the gun turret system includes a gun turret 10 having a gun 12 which is unrestricted in its rotation in train or azimuth with respect to a stationary deck 14.
  • the turret for example, may be of the type shown in US-A-3,766,826 or US-A-3,995,509.
  • Rounds of ammunition are provided to the gun from an ammunition supply system 16 which is stationary with respect to the deck.
  • the supply system may be generally of the type shown in US-A-4,004,490, but without a return of fired cases to the storage drum, or US-A-3,788,189.
  • the supply system 16 is of the type wherein a linked belt of ammunition is hung in festoons from support elements, as shown, for example, in US-A-2,573,774, or US-A-2,710,561, or the H. C. Foshag designed system used with the 20 mm towed vulcan air defense system.
  • the rounds of ammunition travel from the supply to the gun in a train 18 of interconnected carriers 20.
  • the train 18 passes through a lower chute 22 from the supply to a rounds orientation means 24 and therefrom through a booster 25 and an upper chute 26 to the feeder 28 of the gun 12.
  • the carriers are a modified form of a conventional link or pivot 30 such as the XM28AS-78D006-002.
  • Each link comprises a first element 32 having a yoke shape with a central portion 34 and two distal portions 36 and 38 adapted to snap onto the cartridge case of the round.
  • the link also comprises an element 40, adapted to snap onto the case between the portions 36 and 38 of the next succeeding link, and having two biased apart bent fingers 42 and 44 which are adapted to pass through a hole 46 in the central portion 34.
  • a clip 47 having a "U" shaped aperture therein is adapted to engage the bent fingers to interlock the two elements 32 and 40.
  • the hole 46 may be made substantially elliptical and the fingers substantially flat to normally align the two elements in parallel, yet permit full 360° rotation about a diameter through the cartridge case, between the two elements via the rotation of the fingers within the hole.
  • This diameter of the case should preferably pass through the centroid of the assembly of round and clipped thereon to link elements.
  • the link may include a special orienting element, such as a bent-in element 48 to engage an annular groove 50 in the case 52 of the round 54.
  • the link may also include guide feet 56 and 58 adapted to ride in guide channels in the chutes 22 and 26.
  • the first embodiment of the rounds orientation means 24 comprises a plate 60 which has fixed thereto a hollow cylinder 62 which is coaxial with the axis of rotation 64 of the turret in azimuth, and is coupled to the turret to rotate therewith.
  • the plate has a cutout 66 therein adapted to pass a carrier assembly and a respective round of ammunition in a predetermined orientation to the axis of rotation 64.
  • the cylinder 62 is cut at its distal end along a substantially diagonal plane, to form a symmetrical, single nose cam surface 68.
  • the nose of the cam, the axis of rotation 64, and the longitudinal axis of the round of ammunition as it passes through the cutout 66 all lie in a common plane.
  • the cam surface 68 is symmetrical with respect to this common plane.
  • a roller 80 is journaled for rotation at the end of a lever arm 82 which is mediately mounted to the cylinder 62 by a pivot 83 passing through an oversize hole in the arm.
  • a spring 84 biases the arm downwardly against the pivot.
  • the other end of the lever arm 82 has a pocket cam surface 85 which is engaged by an eccentric cam 86 fixed on a shaft 88 which is driven by suitable shafting from the turret. As the shaft 88 turns, the lever with the roller dithers to and fro a few degrees.
  • the roller 80 serves as the actual nose of the cam surface 68, and the high point of this actual nose is in continual movement with respect to the remainder of the cam surface.
  • this moving nose is to preclude a round of ammunition, as it passes through the rounds orientation mechanism, from being perfectly aligned with the plane of summetry, but 180 0 out of alignment with the cutout 66, and hanging up on the nose.
  • the inside diameter of the cylinder 62 is made small enough that the nose engages the side of the projectile of the round, yet large enough that the base of the cartridge case clears the inner wall of the cylinder.
  • an additional pair of elements 90 may be fixed within the cylinder to provide respective cam surfaces 92 each adapted to engage the base, i.e., the extractor disk, of a cartridge case.
  • each round of ammunition In operation, as each round of ammunition is carried along into the rounds orientation mechanism, its projectile will abut the cam surface 68 and the round and its associated carrier assembly will be progressively swiveled about its respective pivots with the next succeeding and next preceding carrier assemblies. As the round approaches alignment with the cutout 66, its extractor disk will engage one or the other of the cam surfaces 92 and be guided thereby.
  • the elements 90 may be omitted, and the cutout 66 may be provided with a downwardly extending bellmouth 94 to guide the base. portion of the round into the cutout 66.
  • the booster 25 has a sprocket 91 which assists in the pulling of the train of rounds up through the rounds orientation mechanism and third delivery into the loader.
  • the loader has an in-feed sprocket which pulls the train of rounds into an extraction mechanism to remove each round in sequence from its carrier assembly. Each stripped round is then fed into the gun.
  • the extraction mechanism may, for example, be of the type shown in US-A--3,333,506.
  • the second embodiment of the rounds orientation means 100 comprises a plate 102 which has fixed thereto a hollow cylinder 104 which is coaxial with the axis of rotation 64 of the turret in azimuth, and is coupled to the turret to rotate therewith.
  • the plate 102 has a cutout 106 (similar to cutout 66) therein adapted to pass a carrier assembly and a respective round of ammunition in a predetermined orientation to the axis of rotation 64.
  • the cylinder 104 is cut at its distal end along two, substantially diagonal, mutually intersecting planes, to form two, symmetrical, single nose cam surfaces 108 and 110.
  • the two noses, the axis of rotation 64, and the longitudinal axis of the round of ammunition as it passes through the cutout 106 all lie in a common plane 124.
  • Each of the cam surfaces 108 and 110 is symmetrical with respect to this common plane 124.
  • a dithering roller assembly 112 and 114 is respectively mounted on each nose, as described with respect to the first embodiment, to preclude a round of ammunition from hanging up on the nose.
  • a second stage cam means (120,122) is fixed to and between the plate 102 and the chute 26.
  • This mechanism comprises an outer tube 120 which is an extension of the tube 104, coaxial with . the axis 64, whose interior wall justclears the base of the round, and an interior tube 122, also coaxial with the axis 64.
  • the inner tube 122 has two helical slots 130 and 132 therein.
  • the slot 130 is adapted to clear the diameter of the projectile of a round.
  • the slot 132 is adapted to clear the diameter of the case of a round.
  • the inner tube 122 has a plurality of guides fixed to its edges which bound these helical slots.
  • Guides 134,135, 136 and 138 are adapted to engage the feet 56 or 58 of a carrier 30, guides 140 and 141 are adapted to bear on the projectile, and guides 142 and 143 are adapted to bear on the case, all to guide a misaligned round through the helical slots, as it is pulled upwardly through the orientation mechanism, into the upper chute 26.
  • No booster has been shown between the orientation mechanism and the upper chute, but a booster may be provided as shown in Fig. 6).
  • a round 118 which is 180° misaligned, is progressively rotated, as it is pulled upwardly, into alignment with upper chute 26.
  • the upper chute 26 is aligned with the cutout 106.
  • a round 116 which is aligned with the cutout 106 is pulled up without rotation between the guides 128 and 140.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automatic Assembly (AREA)
  • Lifting Devices For Agricultural Implements (AREA)
  • Transplanting Machines (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Intermediate Stations On Conveyors (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
EP82304250A 1981-08-17 1982-08-11 Ammunition handling system Expired EP0072668B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/293,817 US4401008A (en) 1981-08-17 1981-08-17 Ammunition handling system
US293818 1981-08-17
US06/293,818 US4474102A (en) 1981-08-17 1981-08-17 Ammunition handling system
US293817 2002-11-13

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0072668A2 EP0072668A2 (en) 1983-02-23
EP0072668A3 EP0072668A3 (en) 1983-05-18
EP0072668B1 true EP0072668B1 (en) 1987-01-28

Family

ID=26968158

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82304250A Expired EP0072668B1 (en) 1981-08-17 1982-08-11 Ammunition handling system

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0072668B1 (no)
KR (1) KR890000475B1 (no)
DE (1) DE3275313D1 (no)
ES (1) ES8405142A1 (no)
IL (1) IL66467A (no)
NO (1) NO157193C (no)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0156983B1 (de) * 1984-01-11 1987-05-13 Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Bührle AG Munitionskanal an Feuerwaffe
US5594194A (en) * 1995-05-01 1997-01-14 Martin Marietta Corporation Dual-axis ammunition reorienter

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB543842A (en) * 1940-08-22 1942-03-16 Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to ammunition belts
GB624354A (en) * 1944-12-19 1949-06-07 Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to gun turrets and to the supply of ammunition thereto
US2480950A (en) * 1945-07-14 1949-09-06 Autoyre Co Inc Cartridge belt link
US2649840A (en) * 1950-03-17 1953-08-25 Jr Donald W Davidson Belt feed for aircraft guns
US2915947A (en) * 1956-02-01 1959-12-08 United Shoe Machinery Corp Cartridge projectors and belting means therefor
NL101644C (no) * 1957-04-16
NL102280C (no) * 1959-01-31

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0072668A2 (en) 1983-02-23
NO822783L (no) 1983-02-18
KR840001328A (ko) 1984-04-30
NO157193C (no) 1988-02-03
DE3275313D1 (en) 1987-03-05
KR890000475B1 (ko) 1989-03-18
EP0072668A3 (en) 1983-05-18
NO157193B (no) 1987-10-26
ES515078A0 (es) 1984-05-16
ES8405142A1 (es) 1984-05-16
IL66467A (en) 1987-12-31

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