IL32109A - Ammunition handling system for dispensing discrete rounds and gun system embodying same - Google Patents

Description

ΙΠΙΤΪ ο»ν»3»π »τ »¾η οητη CPTIT) mm1? r mm *&rn AMMUNITION HANDLING SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING DISCRETE ROUNDS AND GUN SYSTEM EMBODYING SAME.

- - —- ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article handling system having article infeed means, a moving article receiver, and transfer means for receiving articles in succession from the infeed means and transferring or dispensing the articles in succession to the receiver in accurately timed relatioq to the receiver movement with the articles disposed in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. A weapon system embodying the article handling system for dispensing ammunition rounds laterally in succession from an ammunition magazine to a gun, such as an open chamber gun.

RELATED COPENDING APPLICATIONS Reference is made herein to copending application Bevierl No. 32025 1 . IV· 1969 ?i*rWj filed Ap*fc4--l.£,-4£6* , and entitled "Method of and Article Handling System for Dispensing Discrete Articles" BACKGROUND OF. THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: This invention relates generally to the article handling art and more particularly to a novel article handling system for feeding or dispensing articles in succession to a moving article receiver in accurately timed relation to the receiver movement with the articles disposed in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. The invention relates also to a weapon system embodying the article handling system for feeding ammunition rounds laterally in succession to a gun.

As will appear from the ensuing description, the article handling system of the invention may be employed to advantage in a wide variety of article handling applications. The principal application of the invention, however, involves feeding of ammunition rounds to a ^Si- gun, particularly a high firing rate open chamber gun. For this reason, the invention will be disclosed in connection with this particular weapon application. 2. Prior Art: Stated generally, the present invention is concerned with feeding or dispensing articles in succession to a moving article receiver in such a way that the articles are presented to the receiver in accurately timed relation to the receiver movement and with the articles disposed in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. It will be immediately recognized by those interested in the art that this requirement exists in many article handling applications. One such application, for example, involves lateral feeding of ammunition rounds to a gun having a rotary ammunition receiver formed with ammunition receiving chambers, or the like= An exemplary gun of this type is an open chamber gun.

Open chamber guns are known in the art. Particularly, practical guns of this type, for example, are disclosed in prior art patent numbers 2,865,126; 2,847,784; 2,983,223; 2,831,401; 3,041,939; and 3,046,890. Generally speaking, an open chamber gun is characterized by a breech frame having a firing strap and containing a rotary breech cylinder. This breech cylinder has a number of firing chambers spaced circumferentially about and opening laterally through the circumference of the cylinder. During firing operation of the gun, the cylinder is driven in rotation to rotate the firing chambers in succession to ammu-nition infeed, firing, and ejection positions in the listed sequence.

The open side of each firing chamber, when in infeed position, registers with a lateral ammunition infeed opening in the breech frame to permit lateral infeed movement of an ammunition round into the chamber. When in firing position, the open side of each firing chamber is closed by the breech frame firing strap, and the firing chamber opens forwardly to a gun bore to condition the gun for firing an ammunition round in the chamber. The open side of each firing chamber, when in ejection position, registers with a lateral ejection opening in the breech frame to permit lateral ejection of the spent cartridge case of a fired round, as well as an unfired round, from the chamber. A characteristic feature of the open chamber guns disclosed in the above-mentioned prior art patents resides in the complementary, generally triangular round shapes of the firing chambers and ammunition rounds. In this regard, it will be observed in the patents that each firing chamber and ammunition round has a generally triangular round shape in transverse cross-section, such that when an ammunition round is positioned in a firing chamber, one curved side of the round is exposed at the open side of the firing chamber. At least this exposed side of each round has substantially the same radius of curvature as the breech cylinder and is substantially . i flush with the cylinder circumference. The firing chambers and ammunition rounds may have either a generally equilateral triangular round shape, in which event all three sides of each round and the two sides of the firing chamber have substantially the same radius of curvature as the breech cylinder, or a generally isosceles triangular round shape, in which event only the exposed side of each round has the same radius of curvature as the breech cylinder. With this latter configuration, the two remaining sides of each round and the two walls of each firing chamber have a common radius of curvature which differs from that of the breech cylinder.

An open chamber gun of the type under discussion may have either a fixed barrel or a rotary barrel construction. A fixed barrel open chamber gun is one in which the gun barrel or barrels are secured to and remain stationary with the breech frame. During firing operation of such a fixed barrel gun, the breech cylinder is driven in inter- -■· mittent rotation in such a way that each cylinder firing chamber is momentarily arrested in firing position, and an ammunition round is fired in the chamber while the latter is stationary in this position. A rotary barrel open chamber gun, on the other hand, has a number of gun barrels which are secured to the breech cylinder, in coaxial alignment with its firing chambers, respectively, and rotate with the cylinder. During firing operation of such a rotary barrel gun, the breech cylinder and barrels are driven in continuous rotation, and each ammunition round is fired during rotation of its containing firing chamber through firing position.

Patent No. 3,041,939 in the above list of prior art patents discloses a rotary barrel open chamber gun. The remaining patents disclose fixed barrel open chamber guns. As is well-known to those versed in the open chamber gun art, a major advantage of a rotary barrel gun over a fixed barrel gun resides in the high firing rate capability of the rotary barrel gun. It will become evident as the description pro-ceeds that the article handling system or ammunition feed system of the invention may be utilized to feed open chamber ammunition rounds to either a fixed barrel or a rotary barrel open chamber gun. However, the invention is particularly concerned with and will be disclosed in connection with its application to a rotary barrel open chamber gun.

Briefly, during operation of an open chamber gun, the open chamber ammunition rounds are fed laterally to the breech cylinder in such a way that each round undergoes lateral infeed movement into a cylinder firing chamber in infeed position, through the open side of the chamber. The round then rotates laterally with its containing chamber to firing position, where the round is fired. After firing, the spent cartridge case of the round is rotated laterally to ejection position and ejected laterally from the firing chamber through the open side of the chamber.

At this point, it is significant to recall that article feed systems of the general class to which the present invention pertains present two basic requirements. These requirements involve (1) feeding or dispensing articles in succession to a moving article re-ceiver in accurately timed relation to its movement, and (2) presenting each article to the receiver in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. Consider, for example, an open chamber gun. The breech cylinder of such a gun constitutes a moving or rotating article receiver, and the open chamber ammunition rounds constitute articles which must be fed in succession to the cylinder, with the longitudinal axes of the rounds parallel to the cylinder axis, as the cylinder firing chambers rotate to infeed position. It will be evident to those versed in the art that the ammunition rounds may be fed to such a gun in various ways. For example, the rounds may be transported in succession to infeed position relative to the rotating breech cylinder with the ad acent rounds spaced a distance equal to the circumferential spacing between the cylinder firing chambers and at an infeed velocity such that each round arrives in infeed position concurrently with an empty firing chamber. The aforementioned prior art Patent No. 3,041,939 discloses an ammunition feed system of this kind. This type of feed system, while having several advantages, also possesses certain disadvantages which, the present invention seeks to overcome. Thus, the ammunition rounds must be joined by a belt or other equivalent conveyor means for maintaining the proper spacing, orientation, and infeed velocity of the incoming rounds. This belt, in turn, reduces the ammunition storage efficiency, increases the overall size and weight of the ammunition. feed system, creates a problem of belt disposal, and adds an effective mass which must be transported by the ammunition feed system. Another serious deficiency of such ammunition belt feed systems resides in the fact that the infeed velocity of the ammunition round and the ammunition belt is required to equal the peripheral or rim velocity of the rotating breech cylinder. In a high firing rate open chamber gun, this cylinder rim velocity is relatively high and may result in an excessive ammunition infeed velocity „ The remaining prior art patents referred to earlier disclose an alternative, beltless method of feeding ammunition rounds to an open chamber gun. In this case, the rounds are completely detached from one another and are fed in succession to the gun with the adjacent rounds disposed in mutual contact. A particular advantage of this beltless ammunition feed method resides in the fact that the required ammunition infeed rate, i.e., rounds per unit time to be de-livered to the gun, may be achieved with an ammunition infeed velocity which is substantially less than the infeed velocity required to the belt feed system discussed above. This is due, of course, to the eli-miniation of the spaces between the adjacent incoming ammunition rounds in the beltless feed method, whereby a given infeed velocity of the incoming rounds results in a greater ammunition infeed rate, in terms of the number of rounds per unit time delivered to the gun, as compared to the effective ammunition infeed rate of the belt-type ammunition feed system.

Insofar as ammunition infeed velocity is concerned, therefore, a beltless ammunition feed method is the ideal method of feeding open chamber ammunition rounds to a high firing rate open chamber gun. However, the existing beltless ammunition feed systems, such as those disclosed in the earlier mentioned patents, are ill-suited to or incapable of use with such a gun for the reason that these feed systems require intermittent infeed motion of the incoming ammunition rounds. This results from the fact that the incoming ammunition rounds undergo an effectively single step acceleration directly from their infeed path into the breech cylinder firing chambers. That is to say, the leading round in the ammunition in-feed column of mutually contacting ammunition rounds is located in direct infeed relation relative to the breech cylinder. As each empty firing chamber rotates to firing position, the currently . leading round enters the chamber directly from the infeed column and the remaining rounds in the column are advanced to locate the following round in direct infeed relation relative to the breech cylinder. Thus, the entire ammunition infeed column must be periodically arrested and accelerated as the successive rounds in the column enter the cylinder firing chambers. Obviously, this intermittent infeed motion of the incoming ammunition rounds renders the existing beltless ammunition feed systems completely unsuitable for use with high fire rate open chamber guns because of the high frequency of the acceleration and deceleration cycles and the large forces required to periodically accelerate and arrest the incoming ammunition column.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved article feed system of the character described for feeding or dispensing unattached or beltless articles to a moving article receiver. A unique and highly important advantage of the feed system resides in the fact that it permits uniform -r-9- 3751 infeed motion of the articles being fed and thus eliminates the necessity of intermittently arresting and accelerating the incoming articles, as required in the prior art feed systems discussed above. In this regard, then, the present article feed system is ideally suited for use as an ammunition feed system for high firing rate open chamber guns.

In general terms , the article feed system of the invention is characterized by an article infeed means and an article transfer means The article infeed means is equipped with a suitable article transport mechanism for conveying or transporting the articles to be handled in sue cession from an article storage facility, such as a storage magazine, to the article transfer means. The incoming articles are thus transported by the infeed means with the adjacent articles disposed in mutual contact as in the existing beltless article or ammunition feed systems referred to earlier.

The article transfer means of the: present feed system com;-prises a rotary article transfer wheel which is interposed between the infeed means and the article receiver and operates to transport the incoming articles in succession from the infeed means to the receiver.

This transfer wheel has a number of article receiving pockets spaced circumferentially about and opening laterally through the circumference of the wheel. During operation of the feed system, the transfer wheel is driven in unison with movement of the article receiver to cause rotation of the transfer wheel pockets in succession through an infeed transfer station adjacent the article infeed means and an outfeed trans-fer station adjacent the article receiver. As each pocket rotates through the infeed station, it receives the leading article from the article infeed means. Each article on the transfer wheel is thereafter ejected from its containing wheel pocket to the article receiver during -r±tr=- - 5ί- subsequent rotation of the pocket through the outfeed transfer station.

The transfer wheel pockets are constructed and arranged to space and orient the articles during their transfer from the infeed means to the receiver in such a way that the articles are presented in succession to the receiver in accurately timed relation to the movement of the receiver through the outfeed transfer station and in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of the receiver movement.

A unique feature of the invention resides in the fact that the articles being fed to the article receiver undergo, effectively, a two-step acceleration during their transfer from the article infeed means to the receiver. Thus, as will appear from the ensuing description, the articles undergo an initial acceleration during their infeed transfer movement from the infeed means to the article : transfer wheel and a second acceleration during the outfeed transfer movement from the transfer wheel to the article receiver. This multiple step article accelerating action is effective to provide several unique and highly important advantages. For example, it permits uniform or constant speed infeed movement of the articles from the article storage facility to the article transfer wheel and thus eliminates the necessity of intermittently ar-resting and accelerating the column of contacting articles between the storage facility and the transfer wheel. Moreover, a relatively high effective article infeed rate may be achieved with a relatively low, uniform article infeed velocity. As a consequence, the present article feed system is ideally suited for use as an ammunition feed system for feeding open chamber ammunition rounds to a high firing rate open chamber gun„ Another advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the peak acceleration loads to which the articles are subjected during their transfer from the article infeed means to the article receiver are minimized .

As noted earlier, and as will appear from the ensuing description, while the present article feed system is particularly adapted for use as an ammunition feed system for feeding open chamber ammunition rounds to a high firing rate open chamber gun, the feed system ma be employed to advantage in a variety of other article handling applications. In this regard, it will become evident that the present feed system may be provided with any desired number of article accelerating stages and may be designed to feed articles to a moving article receiver in any desired timed relation or spacing as well as in any attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. However, the invention will be disclosed in connection with its use as an ammunition feed system for a high firing rate open chamber gun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an article handling system according to the invention, in this instance an ammunition feed system for feeding open chamber ammunition rounds laterally in succession to an open chamber gun; Fig. la is a top plane view of the ammunition feed system shown in Fig. 1; Figs 2, 3, A, and 5 are enlarged fragmentary detail views illustrating the infeed transfer mbvement of successive ammunition rounds from an ammunition infeed guide to a rotary ammunition transfer wheel of the feed system; Figs . 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary detail views illustrating the outfeed transfer movement of successive ammunition rounds from the. transfer wheel to the rotating breech cylinder of the open chamber gun; and -«÷2— Figs . 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary detail views illustrating certain: force and velocity vectors active on ; the ammunition rounds during their transfer movement from the infeed guide to the transfer wheel.

DESCRIPTIO ; OF . THE . PREFERRED . EMBODIMENTS In general terms, the invention provides a beltless article feed system, represented in the drawings by the ammunition feed system 10, for feeding discrete unattached or beltless articles 12 in succession to a moving article receiver 14. The article feed system includes an article infeed means 16 and an article transfer means 18. The article infeed means 16 embodies an article transport mechanism 19 for conveying or transporting the articles 12 in succession along a prescribed path of motion from an article storage facility 20 to the article transfer means 18 with the articles disposed in side-by-side mutually contacting or abutting relation in a row or column extending lengthwise of their in-feed path. The article transfer means 18 is located between the article infeed means 16 and the article receiver 14 and operates to transfer the incoming articles 12 in succession from the infeed means to the receiver in such a way that the articles are presented to the receiver in accurately timed relation to the movement of the receiver and in a predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement. In the particular inventive embodiment illustrated , the incoming articles 12 undergo a two-step acceleration during their transfer from the infeed means to the receiver. Thus, the articles are initially accelerated as they pass from the infeed means 16 to the article transfer means 18. Thereafter, the articles are again accelerated as they pass from the transfer means to the article receiver 14.

To this end, the article transfer means 18 comprises a rotary article transfer wheel 22 having a number of article receiving pockets 24 spaced circumferentially about and opening laterally through the circumference of the transfer wheel. Drive means 26 are provided for driving the wheel in rotation to cause rotary motion of the wheel pockets 24 in succession through infeed and outfeed transfer stations I and 0 in alternate sequence. The infeed transfer station I is located at the outfeed end of the article infeed means 16. The outfeed transfer station 0 is located along the path of movement of the article receiver 14.

Briefly, during operation of the present article feed system , the article transport mechanism 19 is operated to convey or transport the articles 12 in succession along their infeed path from the article storage facility 20 to the infeed transfer station I of the article transfer means 18. The articles are thus transported from the storage facility to the infeed station with the articles disposed in side-by-side abutting relation in a column extending lengthwise of their infeed path. The article transfer wheel 22 is driven in unison with infeed movement of the articles to the infeed station and movement of the article receiver 14 through the outfeed transfer station 0. As each transfer wheel pocket 24 rotates through the infeed position I, it receives from the infeed means the leading article of the article infeed column. The leading article then rotates with its containing transfer wheel pocket 24 to the outfeed transfer station 0, where the article is ejected, by article ejection means 28, from the pocket to the moving article receiver 14. According to one feature of the invention, the transfer wheel pockets 24 are spaced and shaped to locate the articles contained therein in accurately spaced and oriented relation relative to their circular path of movement with the transfer < wheel. As a consequence, the articles are fed or dispensed to the article receiver 14 in accurately timed relation to the movement of the receiver to the outfeed transfer station 0 and in predetermined attitude relative to the direction line of receiver movement through the station. Accord- 5 ing to another feature of the illustrated feed system, the incoming articles 12 are transported through the infeed means 16 to the infeed transfer station I at a relatively slow uniform infeed velocity. As each transfer wheel pocket 24 rotates through the station, the leading article currently emerging from the infeed means enters the pocket in such a way that the article is progressively accelerated from its infeed velocity along the article infeed path to an intermediate velocity along the circular path of movement of the pocket from the infeed transfer station I to the outfeed transfer station 0. This intermediated velocity is the transfer wheel rim velocity. During subsequent rotation of each trans- 15 fer wheel pocket through the outfeed station, its contained article is ejected from the pocket to the moving article receiver 14, by article ejection means 28, in such a way that the article is again progressively accelerated from its intermediate velocity to the velocity of the article receiver through the outfeed transfer station 0.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, the particular inventive embodiment which has been selected for illustration is an ammunition feed system for an open chamber gun 30. In this instance, the articles 12 comprise open chamber ammunition rounds and the article receiver 14 comprises the breech cylinder of the open chamber gun 30.

The article storage facility 20 pLs an ammunition magazine from which the ammunition rounds 12 are fed in succession to the gun cylinder 14 by the ammunition feed system 10.

The illustrated open chamber gun 30 is a high firing rate, rotary barrel open chamber gun. This gun has a breech frame 32 in which the breech cylinder 14 is rotatably mounted. Formed in the cylinder are a number of longitudinally extending firing chambers 34 which are uni-formly spaced about and open laterally through the circumference of the cylinder. Each firing chamber is rotatable with the cylinder through in-feed, firing, and ejection positions. When in infeed position, the open side of each firing chamber registers with a lateral ammunition infeed opening in one side of the breech frame to permit lateral infeed move-ment of an ammunition round 12 into the chamber. In firing position, the open side of each firing chamber is closed by the breech frame firing strap 36 to condition the gun for firing the round in the chamber. When in ejection position, the open side of each firing chamber registers with an ejection opening in the opposite side of the breech frame to permit lateral ejection of the spent cartridge case of a fired round, as well as an unfired round, from the chamber.

The front end of the breech cylinder 14 is exposed through a front opening in the breech frame 32. Secured to and extending for-wardly from the front end of the cylinder are gun barrels 38 equal in number to the firing chambers 34. Each barrel is coaxially aligned with a firing chamber and contains a bore which opens rearwardly to the chamber .

As noted earlier and illustrated in the drawings, the open chamber ammunition rounds 12 and breech cylinder firing chambers 34 have complementary generally triangular round shapes in transverse cross-section. Each round, when positioned in a firing chamber, has one curved side exposed at the open side of the chamber. This exposed side of each round is substantially flush with the cylinder circumference. < Mounted on the rear end of the breech frame 32 is a breech cylinder drive motor 40. During firing operation of the open chamber gun 30, the breech cylinder 14 is driven in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1 to cause rotation of the cylinder firing chambers 34 to their infeed, firing, and ejection positions in succession. As will appear presently, the illustrated ammunition feed system 10 operates to feed an ammunition round 12 to each firing chamber as the latter rotates through infeed position. During subsequent rotation of each firing chamber through firing position, its contained ammunition round is fired by firing means 10 (not shown) embodied in the gun. After firing, each firing chamber rotates to ejection position, wherein the spent cartridge case of the fired round is ejected, and then returns to infeed position to receive the next live ammunition round from the ammunition feed means 10.

It will become evident to those versed in the art that a variety of ammunition infeed means may be utilized to feed the ammunition rounds 12 to the ammunition tranfer wheel 22. The particular infeed means 16 illustrated is of the type disclosed in the aforementioned copending application. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to describe the in- feed means in complete detail. Suffice it to say that the illustrated ammunition infeed means 16 comprises an infeed guide 42, in this instance a feed chute, which extends between the ammunition storage magazine 20 and the ammunition transfer wheel 22. This feed chute has two longitudinally separable sections 42a and 42b. Section 42a is an infeed section which is attached at its infeed end to the storage magazine. The feed chute section 42b is an outfeed section which is attahced to the open chamber gun 30. The infeed end of the feed chute sections 42a opens to the interior of the magazine 20 through an exit opening 43 in the forward magazine wall to permit the ammunition rounds 12 to feed from the magazine •ί. into the feed chute. Rotatably mounted on the wall, within the lower portion of the exit opening, is a guide roller 44 which protrudes through a bottom opening in the infeed section as shown. The outfeed section 42b of the ammunition feed chute 42 is disposed between and attached to a pair 5 of parallel frame walls 48. These frame walls are rigidly joined to the front and rear ends of the breech frame 32 of the open chamber gun 30 and extend from the infeed side of the frame in planes normal to the rotation axis of the breech cylinder 14. The outfeed end of the feed chute section 42b is spaced from and opens toward the gun 30. As shown in the drawings, and hereinafter explained in detail, the ammunition transfer wheel 22 is rotatably mounted between the frame walls 48, in the region between the outfeed end of the outfeed sections 42b and the gun. When loading the illustrated ammunition feed system 10, the loaded ammunition magazine is installed in its illustrated feed position. In this position, the infeed section 42a of the ammunition feed chute 42 is longitudinally aligned with and opens to the outfeed section 42b of the chute. Removable coupling pins 50 are provided for releasably joining the infeed section to the frame walls 48.

It will be recalled that the ammunition infeed means 16 em- 20 bodies an ammunition transport mechanism 19 for conveying or transporting the ammunition rounds 12 in succession from the storage magazine 20 to the infeed transfer station I of the ammunition transfer wheel 22. In the particular infeed means illustrated, the transport mechanism comprises, in part, an ammunition storage bag 52 which contains the ammu- 25 nition rounds 12. The rounds are disposed within the bag in side-by-side abutting relation in a row or column extending lengthwise of the bag.

The bag is constructed of polyurethane plastic or other suitable material and is initially sealed at both ends to contain the rounds in the bag.

According to the invention disclosed in the co-pending application, the ammunition bag is coiled, folded in serpentine fashion, or otherwise placed in the storage magazine 20 in such a way that the leading end of the bag extends through the infeed sections 42a of the ammunition infeed chute 42 and is exposed at the open end of this section. The article transport mechanism 19 further comprises a bag splitting and feeding means 54 located at a bag feeding and splitting station S adjacent the leading end of the outfeed chute section 42b. This bag splitting and feeding means comprises a pair of powered friction feed rolls 56 which are rotatably mounted between the frame walls 48 at opposite sides of the outfeed chute section. Feed rolls 56 are driven in the indicated directions in a manner to be explained presently. Located opposite each feed roll is a pressure roller 58. Each pressure roller is mounted on a supporting bracket 60 which is pivoted on the frame walls 48 for swinging of its pressure roller toward and away from its adjacent feed roll. The pressure rollers 58 are normally urged to retracted positions, away from their feed rolls, by springs 62. Solenoids 64 are opoeratively connected between the roller brackets 60 and the frame walls 48 for urging the pressure rollers 58 toward their respective feed rolls in response to energizing of the solenoids.

The ammunition transport mechanism 19 is conditioned for operation by splitting the leading end of the ammunition storage bag 52 for a small distance along diametrically opposed parting lines 66 and then installing the ammunition magazine 20 in the feed system in the manner explained above. When thus installing the storage magazine, the split leading ends.68 of the ammunition storage bag are threaded between the friction feed rolls 56 and their adjacent, currently retracted pressure rollers 58. In this regard, it will be observed that when the ammunition storage magazine is installed, the adjacent ends of the ammunition feed chute sections 42a, 42b are spaced a small distance to define therebetween exit openings through which the split bag ends may extend. The infeed chute section 42a mounts guide rollers 70 at opposite sides adjacent these exit openings around which the split bag ends are trained, as shown. As will appear presently, during firing operation of the open chamber gun 30, the feed rolls 56 are driven by the breech cylinder drive motor 40 in the directions indicated. With the feed rolls thus powered, energizing of the pressure roller solenoids 64 is effective to urge the split bag ends 68 into frictional contact with the rolls and thereby cause endwise driving or feeding of these ends outwardly from the ammunition feed chute 42.

According to the invention disclosed in the co-pending application, this outward feeding of the split ends pulls the ammunition storage bag 52 endwise from the storage magazine 20, through the infeed sections 42a of the ammunition feed chute, to the bag feeding and splitting station S and progressively splits the bag endwise along its parting lines 66 as the bag enters the station. The ammunition rounds 12 contained in the bag are thereby dispensed or ejected in succession from the bag at the station. Thereafter, the rounds continue to move in succession through the outfeed section 42b of the ammunition feed chute 42 to the infeed transfer station I of the ammunition transfer wheel 22.

The aforementioned co-pending application discloses two different techniques for splitting the ammunition storage bag 52 as the latter is pulled through the bag feeding and splitting station S. Ac-cording to one of these techniques, the outfeed section 42b of the feed chute 42 mounts blades for slitting the bag along its parting lines 66. According to the other disclosed bag splitting technique, the bag is split with a ripping or tearing action by the divergent, longitudinal feeding , forces exerted on the split bag ends 68 by the bag feed rolls 56. In this case, . the ammunition storage bag 52 may be perforated or otherwise weakened along its parting lines 66 to facilitate ripping of the bag along these lines. The particular ammunition transport mechanism illustrated employs this latter bag splitting action.

It is evident at this point that the ammunition infeed means 16 is operative to convey or transport the ammunition rounds 12 laterally in succession from the ammunition storage magazine 20 to the infeed transfer station I of the ammunition transfer wheel 22. The rounds are thus transported along a prescribed infeed path with the rounds disposed in side-by-side abutting relation in a column extending lengthwise of the path. It should be noted here that while the particular ammunition in- feed means illustrated is ideally suited for use in the present feed system, a variety of other infeed means illustrated is ideally suited for use in the present feed system, a variety of other infeed means may be employed. Thus, the present feed system may employ any infeed means capable, of feeding ; the ammunition rounds laterally in succession to the infeed transfer station I in the manner explained above.

The primary contribution of the present invention resides in the construction of the article transfer wheel 22 and its arrangement in the feed system 10. This transfer wheel has a generally cylindrical drumlike body: 72 which is positioned between the frame walls 48 in the region between ammunition infeed opening of the open chamber gun 30 and the out- feed end of the ammunition feed chute section 42b. The axis of the trans- fer wheel extends parallel to the axis of the breech cylinder 14 and normal; to the infeed path along which the ammunition rounds 12 are transported to . the transfer wheel by the infeed means 16. Extending coaxially from the "ends of the transfer wheel body are shafts or axes 74 which are 3 I 1 journaled in bearings 75. on the frame walls 48. As noted earlier, the transfer wheel 22 is driven in rotation by drive means 26 including a motor 40 mounted on the rear end of breech frame 32 of the gun 30. Drive means 26 further comprise a drive gear 76 rigid on the motor shaft. This gear meshes with a driven gear 78 rigid on the transfer wheel 22. The breech cylinder 14 and transfer wheel are thus driven in unison in the opposite directions of rotation indicated by the arrows in the drawings. For reasons which will appear presently, the pitch diameter of the drive gear 76 and the pitch diameter. of the driven gear 78 are so sized that the transfer wheel turns at a somewhat slower rim speed than the breech cylinder. According to the invention disclosed in the earlier mentioned co-pending application, the feed rolls 56 are driven in the opposite direction indicated through a gear train 80 including a gear on the lower roll which meshes with the transfer wheel gear 78.

Formed about the circumference of the transfer wheel body 72 are a number of uniformly spaced, generally radially projecting teeth 84 which define therebetween the transfer wheel pockets 24. Each tooth 84 is longitudinally co-extensive with the transfer wheel body and is radially tapered to a relatively sharp tip, as shown. Referring to Figs. 2 through 8, it will be observed that each transfer wheel pocket 24 is tapered in cross-section and is bounded by leading and trailing side walls 86, 88 provided by the sides of teeth 84. These side walls are curved to approximately the same radius as the size of each ammunition round 12 and define an included angle approximating 60° . Accordingly each pocket and ammunition round have generally complementary triangular round shapes in cross-section. In this regard, then, the transfer wheel pockets are similar in shape to the breech cylinder firing chambers 34. Unlike the firing chambers, however, which have planes of symmetry containing the breech cylinder axis, the transfer wheel pockets may be inclined or canted forwardly in the direction of transfer wheel rotation, as shown. In this case, the trailing side walls 88 of the transfer wheel pockets are located substantially in uniformly spaced radial planes containing the rotation axis of the wheel. As a consequence, the longitudinal planes of symmetry of the pockets, and hence the pockets themselves, then incline forwardly in the direction of rotation of the transfer wheel. This forward inclination of the pockets provides the leading side wall 86 of each pocket with a greater width dimension, measured between the bottom of the pocket and the tip of the corresponding transfer wheel tooth 84, than the trailing side wall 88 of the pocket. If desired, the pockets may be symmetrical about radial planes of the transfer wheel.

According to the present invention, the transfer wheel pockets have a uniform depth such that the width of the leading pocket side walls 86, measured between the bottoms of the pockets and the tips of the corresponding transfer wheel teeth 84, is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the corresponding width of each curved side of an ammunition round 12. Thus, when an ammunition round is fully seated in a transfer wheel pocket 24, the outer leading apex of the round is substantially flush with the tip of the immediately preceding transfer wheel tooth 84. The outer trailing apex of the round, on the other hand, protrudes a distance radially outward beyond the immediately following tooth. The outer or exposed side of the round then slopes outwardly at an acute angle relative to the circular path of motion of the round with the transfer wheel, as may be readily observed in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring now to Figs. 2 through 5, it will be observed that the transfer wheel 22 is disposed relative to the ammunition infeed guide 42 in such a way that a plane parallel to the rotation axis of the wheel and containing the longitudinal centerline of the guide is approximately tangent, in the region between the transfer wheel infeed and outfeed stations I, 0, to the circular path of motion traversed by the longitudinal centerlines of the transfer wheel pockets 24. The outfeed end of the ammu-nition guide is located at the infeed transfer station, closely adjacent the periphery of the transfer wheel and opens toward the wheel. The transfer wheel pockets 24 and teeth 84 thus rotate in succession past the open outfeed end of the guide. It will be seen that each transfer wheel tooth travels through the infeed transfer station I along a circular direction line of movement which approaches the station at an acute angel relative to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition infeed guide 42 and then curves away from the outfeed end of the guide to merge tangentially with the axis of the guide and finally curves back toward the transfer wheel outfeed station 0.

Attached to and located between the frame walls 48, in the region between the open chamber gun 30 and the ammunition infeed guide 42, is a curved ammunition retaining guide 90. This retaining guide is cylindrically curved about the axis of the ammunition transfer wheel 22 and extends from the outfeed end of the guide to the breech frame 32 of the gun. As shown best in Figs. 2 through 8, the retaining guide is radially spaced from the transfer wheel 22 a distance just slightly greater than the radial projection, beyond the tips of the transfer wheel teeth 84 , of the outer trailing apex edges of the ammunition rounds 12 contained within the transfer wheel pockets 24. Along the longitudinal edges of the retaining guide 90 are flanges 92 which straddle the transfer wheel in its endwise direction so as to restrain the ammunition rounds against endwise movement in the wheel pockets. 37,51 Considering the operation of the illustrated ammunition feed system 10 to this point, the system is conditioned for operation by installing a loaded ammunition magazine 20 in the ammunition infeed means 16 in such a way that the split leading ends 68 of the ammunition storage bag 52 extend outwardly through the exit openings defined between the adjacent ends of the ammunition infeed guide sections 42a, 42b and pass between the bag feed rolls 56 and their respective pressure rollers 58. The breech cylinder drive motor 40 is then energized to drive the breech cylinder 14, the ammunition transfer wheel 22, and the feed rolls 56 in rotation. The ammunition infeed means 16 remains otherwise inoperative until the pressure roller solenoids 64 are energized. Energizing of these solenoids extends the pressure rollers 58 toward their respective feed rolls 56 to cause outward feeding of the split bag ends 68 from the ammunition infeed guide 42. The ammunition storage bag 52 is then pulled end-wise from the magazine 20 through the bag feeding and splitting station S and is concurrently split lengthwise along its parting lines 66 as the bag enters the station. The ammunition rounds 12 contained in the bag are ejected or dispsensed in succession from the split leading end of the bag at the station and thereafter pass in succession through the outfeed section 42b of the ammunition infeed guide 42 to the infeed transfer station I.

At this point, it is significant to note that the adjacent ammunition rounds 12 in the ammunition infeed column are inverted relative to one another. In other words, one set of alternate rounds are disposed with apices thereof adjacent one side of the ammunition infeed guide 42. The remaining, intervening rounds are disposed with apices thereof adjacent the opposite side of the guide. The confronting curved sides of the adjacent rounds thus abut one another.

According to the present invention, the rotary speeds of the article transfer wheel 22 and the feed rolls 56, and the number of ammunition receiving pockets 24 in the wheel, are selected to provide the incoming ammunition rounds 12 with an effective infeed rate (i.e., rounds per unit time) to the infeed transfer station I which is just slightly greater than the rate of movement of the transfer wheel pockets (i.e., pockets per unit time through the infeed transfer station. In a typical open chamber ammunition feed system according to the invention, for example, the ratio of the ammunition infeed rate to the rate of movement of the transfer wheel pockets is on the order of 1.2 approx. Accordingly, the adjacent ammunition rounds 12 in the ammunition infeed column are retained in contact, and a generally uniform endwise infeed load is maintained on the column.

As each ammunition round 12 emerges from the outfeed end of the ammunition infeed guide 42 into the infeed transfer station I, an approaching tooth 84 of the ammunition transfer wheel 22 enters between the round and the following round within the infeed guide 42, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The emerging round, which is then captivated between the approaching tooth, the immediately preceding tooth, and the curved ammunition retaining guide 90 is moved forwardly by the approaching tooth into the immediately preceding transfer wheel pocket 2 . The round is then transported by the wheel from the infeed transfer station I to the outfeed transfer station 0 where the round is ejected and transferred, in the manner explained below, to the currently rotating breech cylinder 14.

At this point, attention is directed to Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8 which illustrate certain unique and beneficial actions which occur in the present ammunition feed system 10 during transfer of each ammunition *6· round 12 from the ammunition infeed guide 42 to the ammunition transfer wheel 22. For convenience in the ensuing description, each ammunition round having an upwardly directed apex, as viewed in the drawings, is designated by the subscript a^ and each intervening round is designated by the subscript b_. As each round 12a emerges from the infeed guide 42 into the infeed transfer station I, it presents its curved, currently bottom side toward the approaching transfer wheel tooth 84 and its currently upper apex toward the ammunition retaining guide 90. Initial contact of the approaching tooth with the emerging round involves engage-ment of the tooth tip with the confronting bottom side of the round, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The tooth then exerts on the round a force F along a line of action tangential to the transfer wheel. This force urges the emerging ammunition round 12a upwardly against and forwardly along the ammunition retaining guide 90 in such a way that the emerging round 12a is subjected to a counterclockwise moment which rotates the upper apex of the round forwardly and the lower leading apex downwardly into the adjacent transfer wheel pocket 24.

This action causes the emerging ammunition round 12a to assume a final position within the pocket, wherein the currently upper curved side of the round seats against and slides along the retaining guide, as shown.

Consider next an ammunition round 12b which emerges from the infeed guide 42 into the infeed transfer station I with an apex of the round presented downwardly and toward the approaching tooth 84 of the ammunition transfer wheel 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. In this case, the thrust of the following ammunition round against the trailing side of the emerging round produces on the latter round a camming action which urges the upper curved side of the emerging round against the ammunition retaining guide 90. Initial contact of the approaching transfer wheel tooth 84 with the emerging round 12b involves engagement of the tooth tip with the trailing side of the round. Again, the tooth exerts a force F on the round which, in this case, urges the round upwardly against and forwardly along the retaining guide 90 in such a way that the round enters the adjacent transfer wheel pocket 24 without counterclockwise rotation of the round as occurred during the transfer of the preceding round 12a to the transfer wheel.

It is evident, of course, that the above infeed transfer actions are repeated for each of the ammunition rounds 12a, 12b as the latter emerge in succession from the ammunition infeed guide 42 to the infeed transfer station I. After entrance into their respective transfer wheel pockets 24, all of the ammunition rounds assume essentially the same position or attitude relative to their common circular path or direction line of motion from the infeed transfer station to the outfeed transfer station 0. In these positions, the apices of the rounds are directed inwardly toward the center of the transfer wheel and the opposing curved sides of the rounds slide along the inner surface of the curved ammunition guide 90. It is significant to note here that the thrust of the transfer wheel teeth 84 against their engaged ammunition rounds 12 and the frictional drag forces exerted on the rounds by the curved ammunition retaining guide 90 produces a clockwise moment, as viewed in Fig. 1, on the rounds which causes the latter to assume their illustrated positions. In these positions, a clearance 100 exists between the trailing side of each round and the trailing side wall 88 of its containing transfer wheel pocket 24. The purpose of this clearance will be explained presently. ted earlier, a significant feature and advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that the ammunition rounds 12 undergo a two-step acceleration during their transfer from the ammunition in-feed means 16 to the open chamber gun 30. This two-step acceleration permits infeed movement of the ammunition rounds to the transfer wheel 22 at a relatively low and uniform infeed velocity. One of these accelerations occurs during transfer of the ammunition rounds from the ammunition infeed guide 42 to the ammunition transfer wheel 22 and will be discussed at this point. The second acceleration occurs during trans-fer of the ammunition rounds from the transfer wheel to the breech cylinder 14 of the open chamber gun 30 and will be discussed later.

Relative to the first acceleration step, attention is again directed to Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8, where it will be observed that each transfer wheel tooth 84 approaches and travels through the infeed transfer station I with two velocity components Vr and V^, Velocity component V is normal to the direction line of infeed movement of the ammunition n rounds 12 and is of no consequence. The velocity component V^, on the other hand, is parallel to the direct line and is effective to accelerate the emerging ammunitipn rounds along the direction line. In this con-nection, it will be noted that the velocity component V of each tooth 84 has an initial magnitude at the instant of initial contact of the tooth with an emerging round 12 at the infeed transfer station I and progressively increases to the rim velocity of the transfer wheel 22 as the tooth rotates through the station to a position wherein the tip of the tooth is disposed in a plane normal to the direction line and containing the transfer wheel axis. At this position, the velocity component Vn is zero and the velocity component is maximum. According to the present invention, the ammunition transfer wheel 22 is driven at a 29 ~■ 3731 ' constant rotary speed such that the velocity component of each wheel tooth 84 has an initial magnitude, as the tooth approaches the infeed transfer station I, which approximates the uniform infeed velocity of the ammunition rounds 12. In a typical open chamber ammunition feed system of the kinds illustrated, for example, the ammunition infeed velocity is on the order of 12 feet per second. The ammunition transfer wheel 22 is sized and driven at a rotary speed which provides each wheel tooth 84 with an initial velocity component on the order of 12.3 feet per second and a final or rim velocity of 16.1 feet per second.

It is now evident that as each ammunition round 12 emerges from the ammunition infeed guide 42 into the infeed transfer station I, the round is engaged by an approaching transfer wheel tooth 84. The approaching tooth accelerates the emerging round from its infeed velocity along its infeed path to a final velocity, equal to the transfer wheel rim velocity, along the curved path of motion of the transfer wheel teeth in such a way that the round enters and assumes its illustrated oriented attitude within the adjacent wheel pocket 24. The ammunition round is then transported by the transfer wheel to the outfeed transfer station 0, where the round is ejected to the currently rotating breech cylinder 14.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 6, and 7, it will be seen that the curved ammunition retaining guide 90 terminates closely adjacent the breech cylinder 14 of the open chamber gun 30. The cylinder end 90a of the guide is spaced circumferentially of the cylinder from the breech frame firing strap 36 so as to define between the guide end and the strap an ammunition infeed opening to the cylinder.

As noted earlier, the ammunition rounds 12 are transferred from the transfer wheel pockets 24 to the breech cylinder firing chambers 34 by the ejection means 28. The illustrated ejection means comprise a pair of strap-like cams 102 which are attached at one end to the breech frame firing strap 36. The frame ends of these cams are recessed into the firing strap, as shown, in such a way that the cams are tangentially disposed relative to the breech cylinder. The opposite or free ends of the cams engage in circumferential grooves 104 formed in the transfer wheel 22 adjacent its ends. The free ends of the cams are substantially flush with the bottoms of the wheel pockets 24.

As each ammunition round 12 approaches the outfeed transfer station 0 on the ammunition transfer wheel 22, the round engages the ammunition ejection cams 102 and is thereby cammed laterally out of its containing wheel pocket 24 and through the breech cylinder infeed open-ing. In this regard, it will be noted that the cams are disposed to engage each ammunition round as the latter moves beyond the end 90a of the curved ammunition retaining guide 90 to a position opposite the in-feed opening. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be observed that the rotation of the breech cylinder 14 and the rotation of the transfer wheel 22 are so timed that each ammunition round 12 is cammed from its containing transfer wheel pocket through the infeed opening concurrently with rotation of an empty breech cylinder firing chamber 34 to ammunition infeed position opposite the opening to receive the entering round. Thus, the ammunition rounds are transferred laterally in succession from the transfer wheel to the firing chambers.

This ammunition outfeed transfer, like the ammunition infeed transfer discussed earlier, involves certain unique and beneficial actions. Thus, referring to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be observed that initial contact of each ammunition round 12 with the ammunition ejection cams 102 involves engagement of the inner apex of the round with the free ends of the cams . The trailing side of each round is then engaged by the outer tip of its driving transfer wheel tooth 84. As a consequence, a counterclockwise moment, as viewed in the drawings, is exerted on the round which rotates the outer trailing apex of the round outwardly relative to the transfer wheel to a position wherein this apex enters the breech cylinder firing chamber 34 which is then approaching ammunition infeed position. The outer trailing apex of the round is then situated in the path of rotation of the trailing wall of the approaching chamber. Rotation of this trailing wall into contact with the entering round thus continues the counterclockwise rotation of the round to the proper attitude for entrance into the firing chamber. The round assumes a final position within the chamber wherein the curved side of the round which is exposed through the open side of the chamber is flush with the circumference of the breech cylinder 14. The round then rotates with the cylinder to firing position opposite the breech frame1 firing strap 36, wherein the round is fired.

It is evident from the foregoing discussion, then, that the ammunition rounds 12 are presented laterally in succession to the rotating breech cylinder 14 in accurately timed relation to rotation of the cylinder and in a predetermined attitude relative to the circular direction line of movement of the cylinder firing chambers 34 through their ammunition infeed position, such that each round enters a firing chamber. In connection with this transfer of each ammunition round from the trans-fer wheel 22 to the breech cylinder 14, it is significant to note that the clearance 100 which initially exists between the inner apex of the round and the trailing wall 88 of its containing transfer wheel pocket 24 permits the round to undergo its above described counterclockwise rotation during transfer to its cylinder firing chamber. ted earlier, each ammunition round 12 undergoes a second acceleration during transfer to the rotating breech cylinder 14. In this regard, it will be observed that the above described camming action which ejects each round from its containing transfer wheel pocket 24 is effective to accelerate the round from its intermediate approach velocity with the transfer wheel 22, i.e. transfer wheel rim velocity, to a final velocity along a linear path of motion merging tangentially with the circular path of motion of the breech cylinder firing chambers 34. According to the present invention, this final velocity of each round is made to approxi-mate the rim velocity of the rotating breech cylinder 14.

Briefly reviewing the operation of the illustrated ammu-nition feed system 10, the ammunition rounds 12 are fed laterally in succession to the infeed transfer station I along a prescribed infeed path by the ammunition infeed means 16. This infeed movement of the rounds occurs at a relatively uniform infeed velocity with the rounds disposed in side-by-side abutting relation. As the rounds emerge in succession from the ammunition infeed guide 42 to the infeed transfer station I, they enter the ammunition receiving pockets 24 in the ammunition transfer wheel 22 and are simultaneously accelerated from their uniform ve-locity to the rim velocity of the wheel. The rounds are then transported in succession from the infeed transfer station to the outfeed transfer station 0. As the rounds approach this latter station, they are cammed from their containing transfer wheel pockets and again simultaneously accelerated from their intermediate approach velocity with the transfer wheel to the rim velocity of the rotating breech cylinder 14. Each ammunition round emerges laterally from the transfer wheel into a firing chamber 34 of the breech cylinder and then rotates with the cylinder to firing position within the open chamber gun 30. In the event that the _Γ± ammunition rounds comprise cased ammunition, the spent cases of the rounds are ejected from the firing chambers during rotation of these chambers through ejection position following firing.

It is now evident that the articles or ammunition rounds 12 undergo an essentially three-stage motion through the present article handling or ammunition feed system 10. The three-stages of this motion are infeed motion through the infeed guide 42, transfer motion of the transfer wheel 22, and outfeed motion on the receiver or breech cylinder 14. These motions occur at different constant velocities with acceleration steps between the stages. Thus, the infeed motion occurs at a relatively slow constant infeed velocity with the adjacent rounds in mutual contact. The rounds are then accelerated at the infeed transfer station I from their infeed velocity to a constant, somewhat higher trans fer velocity which is the rim velocity of the transfer wheel. At the outfeed transfer station 0, the rounds are again accelerated from their transfer velocity to a final and still higher outfeed velocity which is the rim velocity of the breech cylinder.

In connection with this three-stage motion of the ammunition rounds 12, it is significant to observe that the number of pockets 24 in the transfer wheel 22 exceeds the number of chambers 34 in the breech cylinder 14. This feature permits the transfer wheel to turn at an intermediate transfer velocity, that is at a rim velocity which is greater than the constant infeed velocity of the rounds but less than the outfeed or rim velocity of the breech cylinder, and still maintain the required rate of movement of the rounds, i.e. rounds per unit time, to the breech cylinder, such that each cylinder firing chamber will receive a round. It will be obvious to those versed in the art that rim speeds of the transfer wheel and breech cylinder will be in a ratio which is inversely proportional to the ratio of the number of transfer wheel pockets and cylinder chambers .

It is now evident that the transfer wheel and breech cylinder, rotate at constant speeds and are correctly timed with respect to their angular velocities and angular position so that the transfer wheel pockets and cylinder chambers rotate in unison through the outfeed transfer station, as explained. The bag feed solenoids 64, on the other hand, are not energized simultaneously but in random fashion. When these solenoids are energized, the column of incoming trounds is set in motion. The forces then exerted on the ammunition bag are of such magnitude as to accelerate the column to the required infeed speed, i.e. feed rate, when the first round in the column makes contact with the transfer wheel. Since at that time the rounds are not necessarily synchronized with the transfer wheel, the first round may contact the tooth of the wheel as follows: a. In the proper timing for entrance into a wheel pocket (as if synchronized with the wheel) . b. Too early.

In the event condition (a) above occurs , the operation pro-cedes as described earlier. If condition (b) occurs, the infeed motion of the ammunition column is slowed until a transfer wheel pocket is properly located relative to the first round, after which the operation proceeds as described. If desired, a solenoid actuated gate may be mounted on the infeed guide 42 at the infeed transfer station for extension into the path of the incoming rounds when the bag feed solenoids 64 are de-energized, so as to block passage of rounds to the transfer wheel, and retraction clear of the path when the latter solenoids are energized to resume feeding of rounds. « 731 The present ammunition feed system provides several advantages.

First, it permits firing of unattached or beltless ammunition rounds, thus eliminating the problems and costs, discussed earlier, attendant of a belt-type ammunition infeed system. Secondly, the two-step acceleration of the incoming ammunition rounds which occurs in the present feed system permits the ammunition rounds in the infeed ammunition column approaching the infeed transfer station I to be disposed in side-by-side abutting relation, whereby a given ammunition infeed rate (i.e., rounds per unit time) may be achieved with a minimum infeed velocity of the rounds. Third, this relatively slow infeed motion of the incoming ammunition rounds occurs at a generally constant infeed velocity. Thus, the earlier discussed problems, i.e. excessive power requirements, etc., which attend ammunition feed systems requiring intermittent arresting and acceleration of an entire infeed column of incoming rounds are avoided. In this regard, it is significant to note that the accelerating action which occurs in the present feed system has two unique features. First, the masses which are accelerated are individual ammunition rounds rather than an entire group or column of rounds. Secondly, each round is accelerated from its in-feed velocity to its final velocity, i.e. the rim speed of the breech cylinder 14 in two-steps or stages rather than in a single step or stage. These features minimize the acceleration forces on the rounds, thereby avoiding damage to the rounds and reducing the power requirements .

In conclusion, it is significant to recall that while the invention has been disclosed in connection with an open chamber ammu-nition feed system for feeding open chamber ammunition rounds to an open chamber gun, the article handling system of the invention is not limited in usefulness to this particular application. Accordingly, while the invention has been disclosed in connection with an illustrative embodiment thereof, various modifications are possible within the spirit and scope

Claims (1)

1. 32109/2 V 1 ♦ In am open chamber ammunition handling system for discrete unattached open chamber ammunition rounds of gonerally equilateral triangular round shape In transverse cross-section, the combination comprising: ammunition transfer means having an infeed transfer station and an outfeed transfer station; ammunition infeed means for conveying said rounds laterally in succession to said infeed station and there dispensing said rounds in succession to said transfer means including a guide having a width approximating the height of each round measured between an apex and the opposite side of the round for guiding said rounds to said infeed station with the rounds disposed side-by-side in an infeed column wherein the length of each round is transverse to the column, and the adjacent rounds are inverted relative to one another and have confronting rounded sides in seating contact} and said transfer means including a rotary ammunition transfer wheel having a number of relatively slender tapered clreumferentially spaced teeth defining intervening ammunition receiving pockets opening laterally through the circumference of said wheel, means rotatably supporting said wheel fo rotation of said pockets in succession through said stations in alternate sequence 32109/2 in such manner that eaeh pocket receives a round from said infeed means at said infeed station during movement of the respective pocket through said infeed station and thereafter transports its contained round to said outfeed station, ·.. means for driving said wheel in rotation, and ejection cam means in the path of rotation of said pockets through said outfeed station for camming each round laterally from its containing pocket during rotation of the respective round through said outfeed station, eaeh transfer wheel pocket having a generally V-shape for receiving a round apex irs and generally matching the received apex portion of the round, each pocket "being hounded hy leading and trailing sidewalls relative to the direction of wheel rotation which are provided hy the sides of the adjacent transfer wheel teeth, said sidewalls of eaeh pocket defining an included angle of approximately 60°, the trailing wall of each pocket toeing disposed substantially in a radial plane containing the rotation axes of said transfer wheel, and the leadin wall of each pocket inclining forward in the direction of wheel rotation and 32109/2 having a concave curvature approximately matching the curvature of each rounded side of an ammunition round, whereby said rounds enter said pockets without jamming at said infeed station and are cammed from said pockets without jamming at said outfeed station* wjf*r i* to* Κ Ϊ .¾ * The com ination accordin to claim 1 , including: an open chamber gun having a rotary ammunition receiver with a number of ammunition receiving chambers spaced clrcumferentlaly about and opening laterally through the circumference of said receiver for receiving said rounds apex first, and each chamber having a generally V-shapet in transverse cross-section matching the transverse cross-seotion of each round| means or driving sai ammunition receiver in timed relation with and in a direction opposite to the direction ofrotation of said trans er wheel to cause uni ied movement of said chambers and pockets in the same direction through said outfeed sta ion; and said ejection cam means comprise inclined ramp means at Said outfeed station engageable with the round contained within each transfer wheel pocket during its rotation through said outfeed station and 32109/2 extending from said transer wheel toward said receiver at an acute angle relative to the rotary path of motion of said pockets and chambers through said o tfeed station such that the leading vail of each pocket generally parallels said ramp as the respective wall travels past said ramp fo camming each round laterally from its containing transfer wheel pocket into the corresponding receiver chamber* 3· An open chamber ammunition handling system for discrete unattached open chamber ammunition rounds substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings* ~ 33