EP1589312B1 - Ammunition magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

A military machine gun has a magazine (1) with one, two or more discrete channels (3, 5) incorporated within the single magazine case. Each channel is allocated to a particular type of ammunition e.g. anti-tank and explosive ammunition. Each channel is so constructed that there is no physical contact between the different types of ammunition (7).

Description

The invention relates to an ammunition magazine in which one or several types of ammunition can be stored in such a way that contact of the guide protection zones with assemblies of the magazine, foreign matter in the magazine or the adjacent construction is avoided.

An ammunition generally has guide protection zones specified by the ammunition manufacturer in which holding, guiding or poking can only be very limited or not at all. Particular attention is paid to guide guard zones, e.g. on the bottom of the cartridge below the primer cap and in the case of sub-caliber ammunition in the area of the projectile protective cap. In previously known ammunition magazines, contact of the guide protection zones with magazine components or components of the adjacent construction can not be completely avoided. Unfavorable operating conditions (high acceleration forces due to driving dynamics, dirt due to handling under adverse climatic conditions, etc.) can thus lead to damage to the ammunition and thus reduced performance data of the system or even to (ignition) of the ammunition in the system.

From DE 36 35 467 C1 a flexible belt channel for supplying strapped ammunition to an automatic firearm is known.

A device for feeding ammunition from a stationarily arranged ammunition container is described in DE 101 23 835 A1.

An ammunition magazine is the DE 42 06 677 C2 removable.

A device for feeding cartridge belts is disclosed in DE 35 10 308 C2.

A double cartridge change feeder is described in DE 36 27 360 C1.

An ammunition supply for unbalanced ammunition from DE 36 44 513 C1 provides an ammunition container with shelves, in which the ammunition in one or more Loops over each other. Furthermore, the ammunition supply to an endless conveyor chain, which is guided over at least one drive wheel and a plurality of deflection devices.

EP 0 152 549 A1 describes a device for feeding cartridges to a firearm from an ammunition container, wherein the conveyor chain, which is guided on a guide rail, can be extended or shortened. The ammunition container consists of an inner and an outer container. Due to this structure, one slide per container shifts the outlet opening.

US 4,674,392 A discloses a cartridge feeder of various types of ammunition from a two-part ammunition magazine, d. h., With two magazine arrangements on both sides of the feeder.

The US 4,951, 547 A, which forms a basis for claim 1, deals with an ammunition magazine containing different types of ammunition in the magazine.

Proceeding from this, the invention has the object to show a magazine in which a contact of the guide protection zones of the stored in the magazine and to be removed during firing ammunition under all conditions of use is avoided.

The problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

The invention is based on the idea of providing a magazine comprising one or more ammunition channels with an approximately rectangular or U-shaped cross section, in which the design of the ammunition channels provides correspondingly dimensioned free spaces (vibrating chambers) at the guide protection zones defined, for example, by the manufacturer. The cross-section of the ammunition channels is designed in such a way that contact of individual guide protection zones of an ammunition within the magazine with magazine components or foreign substances and optionally outside of the magazine with the adjacent construction is preferably avoided under all operating conditions. Guide protection zones are defined by the manufacturer in Reef and include the areas of an ammunition that should not be touched. These areas are in practice at the ammunition head and at the ammunition base in the area of the primer.

The channels can be wound together in any shape (spiral, oval, rectangular, etc.) around a center (center) with one or more turns. Downtown the two ends of the ammunition channels are connected together. As a result, depending on the individual case in the magazine different amounts of ammunition can be stored without reducing the total number of cartridges. The magazine can be made variable. For example, depending on the tactical requirements of the ratio of armor-piercing ammunition (KE) to splinter ammunition (HE) can be adjusted.

The leadership of the ammunition at the permissible zones is designed in such a way that disengagement of the ammunition from the intended vibration chambers due to the driving dynamics or other force is prevented. It is also advantageous that the deposition of foreign substances in the magazine is avoided.

At loading openings at the ends of the ammunition channels, the ammunition channels can be filled with ammunition. With a suitable arrangement of the channels, several channels can be filled via a common loading opening. Depending on the version, the loading openings are loaded from above, below or to the side.

The magazine may include strapped and non-belted ammunition, e.g. by using suitable funding in the channels, such as conveyor stars, conveyor belts, etc. record. The magazine and the ammunition can be stored in any position, such as horizontally, vertically or diagonally in the room.

The ammunition can be made by milling solid material, by welding sheets on a base plate, by bending hollow sections, by casting, etc. from any materials.

Fig. 1

eine Darstellung eines Magazins mit zwei ineinander verschlungenen Munitionskanälen und gemeinsamer Beladeöffnung im Magazin,

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung eines Magazins aus Fig. 1 mit eingelegter Munition in einem Munitionskanal,

Fig. 3

eine Schnittdarstellung des Magazins aus Fig. 1 mit beispielhaftem Kanalquerschnitt,

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung eines Magazins aus Fig. 1 mit eingelegter Munition in der gemeinsamen Beladeöffnung.

Based on representations, the invention will be explained in more detail. It shows:

Fig. 1

a representation of a magazine with two intertwined ammunition channels and common loading opening in the magazine,

Fig. 2

1 a representation of a magazine with inserted ammunition in an ammunition channel,

Fig. 3

1 is a sectional view of the magazine from FIG. 1 with an exemplary channel cross-section,

Fig. 4

an illustration of a magazine of FIG. 1 with inserted ammunition in the common loading opening.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, 1 with an ammunition magazine (magazine) with two separate ammunition channels 2 and 3 are located in the middle of the magazine channel ends 4 and 5. Preferably located in the center of the magazine is a loading opening 6 to which the ammunition 7 either one of the two ammunition channels 2, 3 can be supplied. The two ammunition channel ends 8 and 9 outside the magazine 1 represent the interface of the magazine 1 for further (not shown) supply of ammunition to the weapon. In addition, 2 and 3 suitable conveyor elements 10 and 11 are shown on both ammunition channels, which of an electric motor drive 12th be driven in the middle of the magazine.

1 shows a possible embodiment of the described magazine 1 with parallel ammunition channels 2 and 3 entwined around the magazine center. Both inner ammunition channel ends 4 and 5 are located in the region of the common loading opening 6 in the center of the magazine 1, the outer ammunition channel ends 8 and 9 at the edge of the magazine. In addition, conveying elements 10 and 11 for both ammunition channels 2 and 3 and the necessary drive 12 are shown.

2 shows the magazine 1 with a strapped ammunition 7 in the fully loaded ammunition channel 2.

3 shows a cross section through the parallel ammunition channels 2 and 3 of the magazine 1. Below the position of a primer 13, in the region of a Führungsschutzzane F3, a free space 14 is incorporated on the full channel length, the contact of the Zündhütchens 13 with the magazine bottom 15 excludes. This space or this track 14 is additionally provided by openings in the magazine bottom 15, which allow an outflow of non-illustrated foreign bodies below the primer 13.
The height of the magazine 1 is limited to the extent necessary for the guidance of the ammunition 7 in order to indemnify the protective zones defined by the manufacturer, for example F1 and F2, at an ammunition tip 16. A wall 17 of the ammunition channels 2 and 3 is undercut in the region of the belt member 18 such that a vertical movement and thus a contact of the ammunition 7 with the adjacent construction (eg roof of the storage room) is avoided.

FIG. 4 shows the magazine with ammunition 7 inserted into the loading opening 6. In contrast to the ammunition channels 2 and 3, loading and unloading of the ammunition 7 as well as insertion into the ammunition channel to be filled are possible at the loading opening 6 due to the upwardly open access ,

Other unspecified variants include, inter alia, that the loading opening 6 can be closed by a corresponding attachment after loading, which includes the inner cross section of the ammunition channels 2, 3 for safe ammunition storage in loading position.

Another advantage arises when the magazine for measuring the loading amount is a suitable counter.

In FIG. 1, the ammunition 1 is occupied by 36% in the ammunition channel 4 and the ammunition 3 by 64% in the ammunition channel 5, here strapped, in FIG. 2 by 13% and 87% and in FIG. 3 by 71% and 29%. ,
In practice, this means in a Munitionsbestückung example, a total of 200 cartridges that, for example, only 200 armor-piercing cartridges (ammunition 2) or only 200 anti-aircraft cartridges (ammunition 4) in the ammunition channels 3, 5 are involved. According to Fig. 1, for example, 72 armor-piercing (ammunition 2) on the ammunition channel 3 and 128 antiaircraft cartridges (splinter ammunition) can be supplied as ammunition 4 on the ammunition channel 5 of the weapon and so on.

The two ammunition channels 3, 5 are intertwined wrapped around a center within the magazine 1. Preferably, the ammunition channels 3, 5 are wound parallel and not meandering. This has the advantage of a lower friction in the supply of ammunitions 2, 4 to the weapon.

It goes without saying that the principle can also be applied to non-taped ammunition.

Claims (9)

1. Munitions magazine (1) consisting of one or more munitions channels (2, 3) with

   - an approximately rectangular or U-shaped cross section of the one or more munitions channels (2, 3), with

   - the channel, or channels, (2, 3) being wound in any shape, in the shape of a spiral, oval or rectangle around a common centre point in the magazine (1) by one or more windings, and

   - the ends of the munitions channel within the magazine (1) being connected to each other at the centre point and

   - the cross section of the munitions channels (2, 3) being designed so that

   - correspondingly dimensioned clear spaces are provided at defined guide protection zones (F1, F2, F3) of the munitions (7) at which these may not be touched, with,

   - to realize a guide zone (F1, F2) at a nose of the munitions (16), the height of the magazine (1) being limited to a dimension necessary for the guidance of the munitions (7) and

   - to realize a guide protection zone (F3) below the position of a percussion cap (13) of the munitions (7), a clear space (14) being incorporated in the area of the guide protection zone (F3).
2. Munitions magazine according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that a wall (17) of the munitions channels (2, 3) for belted munitions (7) is undercut in the area of the belt link (18).
3. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that on the end of the munitions channels (2, 3) at least one loading opening (6) is located from which the munitions (7) are introduced into the munitions channels (2, 3).
4. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the loading of different munitions channels (2, 3) takes place from one and the same loading opening (6).
5. Munitions magazine according to Claim 4,
   characterized in that the loading opening (6) is accessible from above, from below or from the side, depending on the design.
6. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the orientation of the magazine (1) and of the munitions (7) takes place in all spatial positions.
7. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the magazine (1) has suitable conveying devices (10, 11) for transporting the munitions (7).
8. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, after loading, the loading opening (6) can be closed by a suitable cover, which cover has the internal cross section of the munitions channels (2, 3) to securely hold the munitions in the loaded position.
9. Munitions magazine according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a suitable counter is fitted in the magazine for measuring the amount of the load.

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