US2390097A - Machine for manipulating belts of cartridges for automatic guns - Google Patents

Description

I Dec. 4, 1945. c. T. HALL ETAL 2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS Filed Nov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I c. 'r. HALL ETAL MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC anus Filed Nov. so, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n/mim- M M MMIMQ'M/ Dec. 4, 1945. -c. T. HALL ETAL 2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS 0F CARTRIDGES FDR AUTOMATIC GUNS Filed Nov. 30. 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet s Ihveniar CZML/JM mgm M'ww Dec. 4, 1945. c, HALL Em 2,390,091

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS Filed Nov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I jizvenfor L -g4. m M t: .31 By W )A M 24% a4, Mwzw Dec. 4, 1945. c, T, HALL r AL 2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS Filed Nov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 31 245W M, M?

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Patented Dec. 4, 1945 earns AT NT QFFICE Charles Thomas Hall and Richard William Harris, Deptford, London S. E. 8, England Application November 30, 1942, Serial No. 467,394 In'Great Britain December 16, 1941 11 Claims.

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to machines for manipulating belts of cartridges for automatic guns, and refers more particularly to a machine adapted to remove some of the cartridges from a cartridge belt and replace them by others of a different kind, for example those with tracer bullets. Such a machine will be referred to hereafter as a machine of the kind described.

For the purposes of supply, cartridge belts are often made up at factories, or depots, and issued for use .to the services but it frequently happens that the cartridges composing a belt are not all suitable for a particular purpose in view and it is desired to change the composition of the belt by removing some of the cartridges and substituting others of a different kind. Usually the new cartridges are inserted at regular intervals along th length of the belt but the ratio of substituted cartridges to the number in a complete belt varies according to requirements. For example where tracer bullets are to be incorporated in a belt filled with ordinary small arms ammunition the ratio may vary from one tracer to four ordinary bullets, to a one in ten ratio.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine of the kind described, comprising a feeding device for a cartridge belt, a reciprocable cartridge manipulating device, drivlIlg means operably connected to said devices and arranged to drive said devices consecutively in such manner that the feeding device is actuated intermittently and the cartridge manipulating device is caused to reciprocate only Whilst the feeding device is stationary, the cartridge manipulating device being adapted to extract a cartridge from th belt on one stroke and on the return stroke to feed another to replace the extracted cartridge, and cartridge feeding means to feed cartridges to the cartridge manipulating device. The cartridge feeding means may comprise a magazine, wherein a movable feeder may be located at the bottom of the magazine and adapted to move each cartridge laterally from the magazine into alignment with the manipulating device.

The belt feeding means may comprise a ratchet drive actuated by an eccentric on the said driving means, and the pawls of the ratchet may be coupled by a link to a lever having a fixed stroke, the pivot of said link on the lever being adjustable along said lever to enable varying lengths of belt to be fed at each stroke.

The manipulating device may be adapted to be reciprocated by a cam actuated by the driving means. Separating elements operably coupled to the driving means may be adapted to be moved into engagement with the cartridges on either side of a. cartridge in alignment with the cartridge manipulating device to ensure sufficient space for the cartridge to be inserted.

One way of carrying the invention into effect will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a machine for manipulating disintegrating cartridge-belts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with the front cover removed to expose the mechanism.

Figure 1A is a fragment of Figure 1 showing how the cartridges are arranged in the magazine.

Figure 2 is a section of Figure l on the line A-A, a few parts being omitted and some which are in advance of the section shown in chain lines.

Figure 3 is a section on the line B-B, Figure 1, a few parts being omitted.

Figure 4 is a plan showing the general arrangement of the machine.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a work table showing the cartridge manipulating devices and associated parts.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an end view of a detail in Figure 6.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings the machine comprises a base plate I on which are fixed two upright members 2 and 3 which support a substantially horizontal plate or work-table 4 over which the cartridge belt, consisting of cartridges connected by links 5, is fed to enable the desired operations to be performed on it. The upright members 2 and 3 consist of substantially rectangular plate-like castings and comprise bearings for various shafts of the machine and supports for other parts. The belt is fed intermittently over the work-table and during each period of rest the operations of removing one cartridge and substituting another of a different kind are effected.

The means for feeding the belt over the table comprises a pair of sprocket Wheels or other suitably fiuted discs 6 which are rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 7 fixed to the front upright 2, parallel with the surface of the work table, and so disposed that the teeth of the sprocket wheels protrude slightly through suitable slots in the table. Thesprocket wheels are so spaced apart along the stub shaft that the teeth of the wheels may engage successive cartridges along the length of the belt while the clips or links thereof pass 'supply' of cartridges to through the space between said wheels. Above the table there is mounted a cartridge feeding device consisting of a 'magazine 8 in which the cartridges 9, Figure 1A, are superimposed in a single vertical row as shown so that they approach the table 4 with their axes substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to the cartridges in the belt. as the. latter'passes across the work-table. The feeding device may be the same as that described and illustrated in British Patent Specification No. 539,184 and, if desired, a cartridge feeding hopper, such, for example, as that described and illustrated in said specification may be provided to furnish a continuous the cartridge feeding device. The sprocket wheels are intermittently rotated by means which will be described in detail later and thus if the leading end; of a belt is laid on the table withthe first two cartridges. in engagement with the teeth of the sprocket wheels the belt will be fed across the table in a series of movements when the machine is operated. The table is providedwith curved portions NI extending downwardly from the horizontal part thereof to lead the belt upwardly to the. table and downwardly away therefrom as the operation proceeds. Side guides II, Figure 4, of suitable shape are also provided to effect lateral control of the belt as it is fed upwardly to the table. These guides are bent or flared at the entrance as indicated by the shading in Figure 4. At the position where the cartridges are removed and replaced by fresh ones there is also provided a top guide plate l2 disposed above the table, parallel to. it and at a distance above the same suflicient to permit the belt to pass through the tunnel thus formed while at the same time effectinga top control of the belt to prevent it from disengaging from the sprocket teeth. This plate will be described in greater detail when the cartridge manipulating devices.

are. being described.

The machine may be manuallyoperated and for this purpose is provided with a handwheel l3 having a handle or crank l4 and fixed on short horizontal shaft l5 which is journalled in the upright 3;. The inner end of the handwheel shaft has attached thereto a small gear wheel H5 which engages a larger gear wheel H. The latter is fixed on a shaft l8 journalled in both uprights parallel to the handwheel shaft and vertically below it. A spring clutch is is provided to connect, the gear wheel [6 to the shaft l5 so that the drive ceases in the event of a jam and a detent 60. prevents rotation of the handwheel in the wrong direction. Where convenient a. power driving device such as an electric motor may be used as hand operation israther fatiguing when many belts are to be manipulated. For the power drive the handwheel l3 may be replaced by a pulley arranged to be belt driven by an electric motor suitably geared down. The second shaft l8 has an eccentric fixed to it near the end thereof remote from the gearwheel IT and behind the front; frame. To facilitate description, this shaft will be hereafter termed the eccentric shaft. A strap 2| on said eccentric has a rod 22 which is pivoted at 23 to the lower end of a curved (i. e. arcuate) lever 241Which is in turn pivoted to the upright 2 at a position 25. A link 26 is pivoted to'the curved lever at a point between the lever pivot and the eccentric rod pivot and the other end of the link is pivoted at 21; to a pawl lever 28 provided with two pawls 29 which engage the teeth ofa ratchet wheel in the manner described below. The ratchet wheel is rotatable on a stub shaft 30 fixed in the upright 2 and the pawl lever is also pivoted on this shaft 30. On the ratchet wheel there is fixed a gear wheel 3| which meshes with another gear wheel 32, of half its diameter and fixed to the. sprocket wheel assembly. Thus as the eccentrio is rotated; the sprocket: wheels are intermittently rotated, the distance of each movement depending on the location of the pivot point of the link 26 on the curved lever. This pivot point may be varied at will and for this purpose the curved lever is furnished with a series of holes 33 spaced along the curve from the position where the. eccentric rod is pivoted towards the lever pivot. The pawl lever is arranged to return to a fixed angular; position, relatively to the machine on each return stroke, and the necessary differences in the stroke for different ratios are made by varying the angular position of the lever at the end of the driving stroke. The pitch line of the holes on the curved lever therefor consists of an arc struck from the link pivot 21- on the pawl when the latter is in the return position and of a radius equalto' the link length and the lever is shaped symmetrically about this pitch line. The holes are then spaced out on the arc at' points formed by the intersection of similar arcs (struck from the various positions of the link pivot at the end of-the' various driving strokes, corresponding to the different ratios) on the pitch line in its other position, i. e. at the end of'the eccentric stroke. As previously mentioned, the ratio of substituted cartridges to the total number in the belt may e. g. from a 11-10 ratio up to a 1:4 ratio and therefore the movements imparted tothe ratchet wheel, which vary for each different ratio, only differ slightly when the ratiois changed a little, e. g. from lr9-to 1110;

To enable fairly robust teeth to be provided on the ratchet wheel in spite of the small possible variations inthe stroke of the pawl lever the ratchet wheel is geared to the sprockets by the 2:1 gearing above described and the ratchet wheel is provided with the same number of teeth as either of the sprocket wheels. It will therefore be; seen that the sprocket wheels are to move an odd number of teeth, to suit a particular ratio, the pawl lever on its down (or feeding) stroke will" have to move a distance around the rim of the ratchet wheel equal to several whole teeth plus half a'tooth. On its reverse stroke, which is ofcourse through exactly the same arc, the ratchet wheel is held stationary by a detent 34 described below and thus the driving pawl would come to rest half way between the crests oftwo teeth. To; overcome this diificulty, two pawls are provided, as previously stated, and these are spaced apart circumferential-1 around the periphery of the, ratchet wheel by a distance such that while one pawl is in operative engagement with a teeth the other pawl rests idly between the crests of two" teeth, see Figure 3. On the next driving stroke of the pawl lever, this idle pawl, which has operatively engaged a tooth of the ratchet wheel as the lever comes to rest on the previous returrr'stroke, becomes the driving pawl. During this stroke the other pawl isidle and remains between the crests oftwo teeth. A

/ locking pawl 01- detent 3.4 is provided to prevent backward movement of the ratchet wheel on the upward stroke of the pawl lever; This detent has two projections, spaced apart by a distance equal to half the pitch of a ratchet wheel tooth,

vary over a wide range,

see Figure 3, which successively engage ratchet teeth when the sprocket wheels are moved through odd numbers of teeth. In order to hold the sprocket wheels stationary, during the operation of the cartridge manipulating devices, a cam operated lever 35 is provided which has a roller 36 adapted under the action of a spring 37, Figure 3, to engage the teeth of one of the wheels each time the sprockets come to rest. Otherwise the weight of the belt on one side might easily cause the sprocket wheels to move, as the pawls and detent above described only hold the parts against movement in one direction. This lever is pivoted on the upper part of a bracket 38 which extends upwards from the base of the machine beby a cam 39 which is mounted on the eccentric shaft and engages a roller 40 on the lever. During the movement of the sprocket wheels the cam roller therefore clicks over the teeth until the end of the movement is reached when the cam rise prevents the roller from moving away from the teeth of the sprocket. The rise of the cam is so shaped and of such length as to cover all proportions of movement to rest periods throughout the range of the machine. The eccentric shaft is further provided with a bevel gear wheel 4|, at a position between the eccentric and the large gear wheel previously mentioned, which forms a. part of the manual driving means. Another bevel gear wheel 42 which engages the above mentioned bevel gear wheel is fixed on one end of a shaft '43 journalled in a bracket 44 extending upwardly between the frames 2 and 3, the bevel gear shaft being located at right angles to the eccentric shaft. At the other end of the bevel gear shaft is fixed a disc 45 having a cam groove 46 in its inner side face in which a cam roller 41 runs. The roller is mounted on a lever 48 which is pivoted at 49 to the bracket 44 which supports the bevel gear shaft, at a position near to the base of the machine. The upper end of the lever is pivoted at 50 to the cartridge manipulating device.

As previously mentioned the cartridges are superimposed in a vertical row in the lower part of tween the front and back frames and is operated the magazine and if the cartridges are of the rimmed variety it will be apparent that the rims might interlock if an attempt is made to feed them endwise from the base of the magazine. To overcome this, the cartridge feeding device comprises an oscillating feeder 5| having a receptacle or groove 52 shaped to receive one cartridge at a time. The receptacle is, at one position of the feeder, beneath the magazine, see Figure 2, and a cartridge therefore falls into said receptacle. Thereupon the feeder swings to the left, as viewed from the front of the machine, Or in Figure 2, and carries the cartridge into alignment with the cartridge manipulating device. Meanwhile the outlet of the magazine is stopped by a block 53 on the feeder whose upper surface is level with the height of the top walls of the groove or receptacle. The feeder is also provided with mangular ledge 54 located to the left of the receptacle, as viewed from the front of the machine, for a purpose mentioned later when the operation of the manipulating device is described. The receptacle is fixed to one arm 55 of a bell-crank lever, such arm oscillating through the necessary distance in equal arcs about a vertical line. The bell-crank lever is pivoted at 56 to a lug on the bracket 44. The other arm 51 of the bellcrank is disposed at substantially 90 to the first arm and has a cam roller 58 on it which engages a cam 59 fixed on the eccentric shaft. A tension spring 6| holds the roller in contact with the cam. In this way a cartridge to be inserted into the belt is brought into axial alignment with the position in the belt for which it is destined.

The cartridge manipulating device comprises a lever 62 disposed substantially horizontally and pivoted at 50 to the cam lever 48, previously de scribed, which co-operates with the grooved cam disc.

The forward end of the device comprises a pusher constituted by a vertical face 63 on the lever and forward of this an extractor constituted by an overhanging hook or claw 64 projecting from said face, see Figure 7. A cam roller 65 is attached to an upstanding lug on the lever and run in a fixed cam '66 having a horizontal groove in it for the major part of its length with upwardly directed portions at each end. Thus as the device moves to and fro it rises slightly at the end of each stroke. Instead of a groove cam a cam having the same contour as the top of the groove in the cam 66 may be used and the roller 65 held against it by a spring, for example a torsion spring at the pivot 50.

In operation the device is so disposed that While the belt is moving over the work-table the extractor is about /8 of an inch back from its extreme forward position but is clear of the moving cartridges because the cam roller is on the top of the forward upwardly directed part of the fixed cam. As the belt movement ceases, the extractor moves back and slightly downwards so that it engages the rim of a cartridge and removes it from the belt. This cartridge is received on the angular ledge 54 of the feeder which has a back stop 90. The oscillating feeder then movesto the left as viewed from the front of the machine and the extracted cartridge falls sideways off the angular ledge and into a chute 6! leading to a box or the like. Meanwhile a fresh cartridge in the receptacle is brought by said movement of the feeder into axial alignment with the pusher face 63 which then moves forward and pushes it into the vacated space in the belt. During the first part of the forward or pusher movement of the feeder the latter is raised up a little by the rise of the rear part of the fixed cam to enable the extractor to pass over the head of the fresh cartridge and permit the pusher face to engage the same. When the pusher stroke is completed the device is retracted above A; of an inch to remove the pusher face a short distance to the rear of the heads of the cartridges in the belt to clear the same as the belt moves by in its next intermittent movement.

The top guide plate which holds the belt against upward movement during the manipulation is hinged to the table at one end on a pivot 68 and may be clamped down by a latch 69 at the other. At the part nearest to the belt it is provided with a small ramp or pressure plate [0 which almost touches the belt and thus prevents any appreciable upward movement.

A further top guide plate H is also provided and this is normally fixed, although it can be detached when necessary. This plate is also provided with a ramp 12 which forms an extension of the ramp 10 on the hinged top plate. Lateral control of the belt during the operations thereon is afforded by side guides l3, l4 and i5, and a plate 16 supports the bullet end of a cartridge.

To facilitate the insertion of a cartridge into the belt, and prevent its rim from fouling those of the two neighbouring cartridges, there is provided a separating device consisting of a grooved 4- plate 11'. This is moved. upwardlay as described below as soon as the extractor has removed. a cartridge: from thebelt and the flanks; of the separating device force the said neighbouring cal.- tri'dges sideways so that there is ample. room for the incoming cartridge. The separator i fixed to a lever 18 pivoted at 19 to: abrack'et 81 depending from the table. A spring 82;.pulls the: lever and separator upwards but it is depressed at the necessary times by a: roller 83 mounted on an arm 84 which is fixed to: the arm. 55 oi the bell-crank lever which supports. the. feeder 51'... The. upper surface of the lever i8 is formed into a. cam of suitable: contour Where the roller engages it, see Figures 2 and. 3..

What we claim as. our invention and desire; to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus; for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, the. combination. with an intermitr tently' operated conveyor step movementin a predetermined. path to: abelt containing: cartridges, of. means for feeding replacement cartridgesto apoint adiacent said path, mechanism for engaging and removing. a cartrid'ge from. the belt and transferring: a replacement cartridge from said'point; to: the vacated position. in said belt, and; means driving said con- Veyor and mechanism. in. such. timed relation. that said mechanism is operated. to: removeand replace a cartridge while the belt is. stationary.

2. In apparatus for repiacing cartridges in. a cartridge belt, the combination. with an intermittently operated. conveyor for imparting step by step movement in a predetermined path-to a belt containing: cartridges, placement cartridges toa point adjacent said path, mechanism for engaging and removing a cartridge from the.- be-lt and. transferring. a replacement cartridge from. said point to the vacated position in said belt, means. driving said conveyor and mechanism in such timed relation that said mechanism is operated to remove and replace a cartridge While the belt is stationary, and means for adjusting.- said; driving means to vary the period. of operation of the-conveyor and of. movement. impartfrom one to the. next thereby: to alter the extent ed; to the belt. in advancing position ofirest.

3. In apparatus for replacing cartridges; in a cartridge belt, the combination- With a conveyor for feeding a belt containing. cartridges in a predetermined. path, of means for feeding. replacement cartridges to a point adjacent said path, mechanism for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the-vacated position. in said. belt,. and means driving said com veyor and -mechanism in timed relation,

4. In apparatus for. replacing cartridges. in. a cartridge belt,. the combination. with a conveyor for feeding a belt containing cartridges in a predetermined path, of means for feeding replacement cartridges to a point adjacent said.- path, said means including a cartridge magazine, a first: mechanism for removing a cartridge laterally from said magazine and delivering. the same to said. point in. alignment with the. cartridges in said belt, a second mechanism. for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the vacated position in said belt, and means driving saidconveyor and mechanisms in: timed relation.

5. In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt,. the combination. with a: conveyor for imparting step by of means for feeding repositions of. rest, of means aaoonc-z for feeding a belt: containing cartridges ina predetermined path, of means for feeding replacement cartridges to a point adjacent said path, a first mechanism for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a. replacement cartridge irom said point to the vacated position in said belt, a second mechanism operableto engage and move apart the cartridges at each side of each vacated. position during. the transfer to. such position of the replacement cartridge. and. means driving. said conveyor, and said. mechanisms in timed relation.

6-. In apparatus for inserting cartridges in a cartridge belt having cartridge receiving pockets therein, the combination. with. a conveyor for feeding said belt. in apredetermined path, of a magazine supporting. cartridges with the axes of the. cartridges. disposed transversely of said path, a first mechanism for removing said. cartridges, one at a. time, from said magazine. and. displacing the same laterally to a position in alignment with. a beltpocket, a second. mechanism for transferring the cartridges, one at a time, from said position. into the belt pocket, and. means drivin said conveyor and. mechanisms. in timedrelation.

In apparatus for inserting. cartridges in a cartridge belt, having cartridge. receiving pockets therein, the combination. with a conveyor for feeding saidbelt in. a. predetermined path, of a magazine supporting cartridges with the axes of the cartridges. disposed transversely of. said path, a. first mechanism. for removing said cartridges, one. at a. time from. said magazine. and displacing. the same laterally to a position in alignment with a belt. pocket, a second'mechanismfor transferring the cartridges, one at a, time from said position into the belt pocket, and means driving said conveyor and, mechanisms in such timed relation that the movement of. the conveyor and the belt carried thereby is interrupted during transfer ofthe cartridge from said position into the belt pocket.

8. In. apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, the combination with an intermittent conveyorior feeding a belt containing cartridges in a predetermined path to successive for feeding. replacement cartridges one at a time to a point adjacent said path, mechanism operable while the belt occupies a position. of rest for engaging and removing. a cartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge. from said point to the vacated. position in. said belt, and means driving said conveyor and mechanism in timed relation.

9i In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt,.the. combinationwith an intermittent conveyor for feeding abelt. containing. cartridges in. apredetermined path. to successive positions of rest, of meansfor feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a point adj'acentsaid path, said means including a cartridge magazine inwhich the cartridgesaredisposed with theaxes thereof transverse. to the belt, a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one. at a. time and in a direction lateral to the cartridgeaxis. from said magazine to saidpoint, asecond mechanism operable While the beltv occupies a position of restior engaging. andremoving. a cartridge from the. belt and. transierring a. replacement cartridge from said point to the vacated position. in said belt, and

means. driving said convey-on, and mechanisms in.

timed relation.

10.. In apparatus. for replacing cartridges. in. a cartridge. belt, the combination with an intermittent conveyor for feeding a belt containing cartridges in a predetermined path to successive positions of rest, of means for feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a point adjacent said path, said means including a cartridge magazine in which the cartridges are disposed with the axes thereof transverse to the belt, a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one at a time and in a direction lateral to the cartridge axis from said magazine to said point, a second mechanism operable While the belt occupies a position of rest for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the vacated position in said belt, said second mechanism including a recipro- Wcable element operable on one stroke to engage and remove the cartridge to be replaced and on the return stroke to engage and insert in the belt the replacement cartridge means for effecting reciprocal movement of said element, and means driving said conveyor and mechanisms in timed relation.

11. In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, the combination with an intermittent conveyor for feeding a belt containing cartridges in a predetermined path to successive positions of rest, of means for feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a point adjacent said path, said means including a cartridge magazine in which the cartridges are disposed with the axes thereof transverse to the belt, a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one at a time and in a direction lateral to the cartridge axis from said magazine to said point, a second mechanism operable while the belt occupies a position of rest for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the vacated position in said belt, and means driving said conveyor and mechanisms in timed relation, said last named means including connections to said conveyor constructed for adjustment to alter the period of movement of the conveyor and thereby the advance of the belt from one position of rest to another.

CHARLES THOMAS HALL. RICHARD WILLIAM HARRIS.

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