GB584267A - Improvements relating to ammunition belt feed mechanisms for automatic guns - Google Patents

Abstract

584,267. Cartridge - feed mechanism. WAGHORNE, H. May 2, 1944, No. 8267. [Class 92 (ii)] A belt ammunition feed mechanism for automatic guns comprises a sprocket drum for advancing the ammunition and a device for stopping the firing of the gun, the said device being rendered effective after the last round of the belt has passed beyond means normally engaging the ammunition passing to the feed mechanism, so as to stop the gun before the said last round has passed on to the sprocket drum. In the construction shown, the cartridge belt passes through the feed entry 3 of a housing 1 which contains belt feed mechanism as described in Specification 584,268, the cartridges being fed to the gun through a mouth 7 and the links being ejected through a shoot 6. At one end of the housing is a rotatable cap 36 having finger ribs 41 whereby it may be rotated clockwise against the action of a spring, its rotational movement being limited by a fixed stop 35. Anticlockwise movement of the cap under the action of the spring is normally prevented by a spring- controlled pawl 33 mounted on a pivoted arm 30, the other end of which is connected to the lever 26 of toggle links 25, 26 of which lever 25 is pivoted to the housing 1. Within the feed entry 3 is mounted on a spindle 14 a shoe 13 which is urged downwards by a spring to engage the ammunition, the spindle being mounted on a bracket on a cover 16 hinged at 17. Outside the feed entry the spindle 14 carries an arm 23 fitted with a pin bearing a roller 24. When the last round of ammunition passes the end of shoe 13, the shoe falls and spindle 14 thereby rotates sufficiently to cause roller 24 to engage the toggle links thus moving lever 30 about its pivot and releasing the cap 36. The inside surface of the cap has a cam groove 44 engaged by a pin 45 on a plunger 46, and as the result the rotation of the cap resulting from the fall of shoe 13 causes the plunger 46 to fall into the path of the breech mechanism to prevent further firing. The opening of the cover 16 about its hinge pins 17 also prevents further firing, the means for this purpose comprising a lever 47 pivoted on the common pivot pin 29 of link 26 and lever 30 and embracing the common pin of links 26, 25. When the cover is lifted the spindle 14 passes upwards through an arcuate slot 21 in the wall 18 of the feed entry and engages the lever 47 causing the latter to rock and thereby actuate the toggle levers.