US2673634A

US2673634A - Terminal link for flexible feed chutes

Info

Publication number: US2673634A
Application number: US191799A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert L Corbo
Original assignee: Hughes Tool Co
Current assignee: Hughes Tool Co
Priority date: 1950-10-24
Filing date: 1950-10-24
Publication date: 1954-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 1971-03-30

Description

March 30, 1954' R L, CORE@ 25,573,634

TERMINAL LINK FOR FLEXIBLE FEED CHUTES Filed OGr.. 24, 1950 Patented Mar. 30, 1954 TERMINAL LINK FOR FLEXEBLE FREE CHUTES Robert L. Corbo, Van Nuys, Calif., assigner to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a coi'- poration of Delaware Application October 24:, 195i), Serial No. 191,799

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in terminal links for flexible feed chutes, and more particularly to improvements in terminal links including members for connecting the ends of such feed chutes to apparatus for receiving and discharging rounds of ammunition, e. g., ammunition boxes, ammunition booster mechanisms and loaders, automatic guns, etc., such as disclosed in the U. S. Patents 2,477,264 and 2,419,315.

When a iiexible feed chute is connected between an automatic gun and an ammunition box to pro vide a passageway for guiding ammunition assembled in belt formation, the general practice has been to provide terminal links for the ends oi the chute having iixed connectors projecting from surfaces or edges oi" the links for engagement with suitable companion members located on the gun and the ammunition box or any other apparatus to which the chute is connected. 1n connecting or disconnecting such links, considerable movement of the chute away from the place of attachment is required in order to remove the connectors from their companion members. Moreover, the process of disconnecting some types of xed connectors requires actual distortion or" the terminal link. It is obvious that such a process would have many disadvantages Where space is a limiting factor for a complete gun installation, and when the deformation required might result in permanent damage to the terminal link or the chute generally.

An object of this invention is to provide terminal links for an ammunition chute whereby the chute can be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from associated apparatus or equipment without deformation of said links or the chute structure.

It is another object to provide such terminal members whereby the connection and disconnection of the chute can be made with the least possible movement of the chute to and from its place of connection.

It is an additional object to provide terminal links for an ammunition chute that are structurally rigid so as to retain the shape of the end openings of the chute under severe service conditions involving frequently repeated connections and disconnections, and to provide such terminal links with retractile connectors whereby the links can be disconnected from their place of attachment with a minimum of movement of the links and the chute.

The invention and its objects will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. lt is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are ior the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a denition of the limits of the invention.

Fig. l is a view of the invention showing the terminal link attached to one end of an ammunition chute, and connected to an ammunition box by retractile connectors and associated alignment members.

Fig. 2 is a projection of Fig. 1 showing an opening outlined by the link through which ammunition passes.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the terminal link showing a connector retracted from engagement with an associated member as shown on the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. e is a section taken on line -i or" Fig. 2 showing detailed construction of the connector.

5 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing the terminal link attached to the other end of an ammunition chute which is opposite to that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. l, a flexible feed chute, for guiding ammunition assembled in belt formation, is shown by dotted lines, and is indicated generally by reference numeral it. The foresaid United States Patents 2,477,264, issued July 26, i949, and 2,419,315, issued April 22, 1947, both of which were assigned to Hughes Tool Company, of Houston, Texas, clearly describe the feed chute it, and said patents are hereby made a part of this disclosure, with particular reference to the constructional details of the means for linking together the transverse elements forming the chute and linking of the end transverse element to a terminal member.

In the present invention, the terminal link, indicated generally by reference numeral l2, includes two elongated horizontal members lil and l5 having at their extreme ends vertical legs lil', ld, l' and i6, and shaped for assembly opposite each other so as to form a unitary oblong structure having a transverse passageway i8 which conforms to the cross sectional conguration of the passageway existing in an attached ammunition chute it.

Mounted on each end of link l2 is a retractile connector 2t, which includes a guide element Z2 for a slidable bolt 2 mounted in a slidable manner within the guide element 22. A latch 2t, pivoted on bolt 2t by means of pin 28, is provided with a hook 3@ formed on one end so as to face the bolt, and on the other end with a nger grip 32 for manual operation of the lever. A leaf spring 34 (Fig. 4), normally urging the hook toward the bolt is interposed between the bolt and the finger grip side of the latch.

A stop 3S (Figs. 1 and e), projecting from the guide element 22, serves to limit the travel of the bolt by engaging the hook 3c in one direction of travel as shown in Fig. 3 and on the left of Fig. 1, and by engaging the pin 28 in the othei1 direction of travel as shown in Fig. l and on the right of Fig. 1.

The end vieiv of the terminal link i2 (Fie. 3), illustrates a plan view oi connector 2d in its relationship with respect to a socket member 238 which has a hollow cross action similar to guide element 22 so that bolt fill can enter and slide freely in the 'passageway at provided by the hollow cross section. n 3, the bolt 2li has been moved to the rig .t until hook Sii engaged stop 36, and its position is similar to that shown on the left side oi Fig. l. t is to be noted that a portion 25 of bolt remains in engagement with socket member to provide a means ier initial alignment so that chute le can be easily connected to an apparatus as a gun ci ammunition box, etc. The exact length of portion determines the distance the link .l2 must be nioved to completely break the connection 'new o the associated. apparatus. The len ot' portion 25 is such that a connection a eisccnnection oi the link anrl its attached chute can be rn substantially Without moving the link and chute combination, and Without distorting either the link or the chute. Thus, the icular conti uration into which the chute was iclined remains, even though repeated connections and disconu nections are required.

In Fig. e the bolt E/l has been moved toward the leit until pin engaged stop and, in this position, which is similar to that sho-Nn on the side of Fig. 1, bolt 2li has entered the passageway 39 of socket ineinber Sil a sucient distance to receive adequate support and to allow the hook of latcning lever 223, urged by sp g Eil, 'to erop behind car of nieniber F an integral part of Ineniber Sil is iormed by removing a section of wall that defines passag ay 59.

lo connect a completely asseni ed link l2, with its attached chute it as shown in i, to an apparatus such as ammunition boi; lil, bolt 255 of each retractile connector is Withdrawn until ,f

[il by inserting portions 25 of each bolt into passageway te of its respective socket member 33, Each bolt is the-n inovecl into its aligned pas- -L ereoy coinple latching the feed chute it in position.

Pressure on the latching lever 2@ at the linger ri-p in a dires-tion to overcoine the spring til vill lift the hook from behind car IES and permit withdrawal oi bolt 213 from the passageway 35i to complete the disconnection. Thereafter, a slight rd movement of the link will withdraw portion of bolt 2li troni socket member to free linl` l from the associated apparatus completely.

It is to ce noted, that niovenient of latch in a diri n opposing the force of spring til, is limited by the latch flanges 3l striking bolt as best shown on lett in Fig. 1, and in Fig. Such limited movement oi latch .5 insures the engagement of hook 30 with stop 36, which prevents complete Withdrawal of bolt 24 from guide of the retractile connector 29.

ln orde-1` to provide a rigid light weight structure for link i2, elongated members lil and l are le ci relatively thin material, and are providerl With channel shaped cross sections having extending in a direction across the passageway le. Extending from flanges and S' -which tace chute i6. and bent crosswise of members itl and it, are hooks i3, i3', l5, and E which have a spaced relationship, and a size and shape for attachment, by means of links ll and El', to the particular end of ammunition chute shown in Fig, 1,

Guide members il', il', le, and l extend through passageway il from flanges i5 and il provided on members lil and iii. Said guide members are oi" sufficient length and width to overlap the hooks i3, i3', l5, and l5. This oveilap serve-s to guide ammunition 513 over said hooks, and to prevent accidental disengagement iromlink il and il'.

Frein one edge of vertical legs lll and i6', hooks 2l 2S are bent inwardly to form means for attachment to links and 323 of ammunition chute it. From the opposite edge of vertical as to overlap the hooks il and 23. This overlap es gui e ammunition over hooks El and 23,

p. event their accidental disengage- 33 and S3'.

shown Fig. 5, is similar l 2, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, except for ations necessary for the attachment 'to other end of feed chute it. ...e ineinbers 53 and extending from opposing flanges ci elongated members E2 and are lient in the saine lrection so as to extend through C'e fa-y iorfned by assembling said ineinunitary structure i2. The guide partly broken away, is shown directly above Eoth guide members and 55 are l attached chute i@ by means of links 53 the and of its respective guide formed as part ci vertical leg Sii", en-

s hook provided for that purpose on feed A Fs, mounted as shown in Fig. 5, e hole link 5'! and prevents any possirerence with the movement of animun h might occur if the nose of a shell entered the hole. lt is to be understood from Fig. 5 that the other end or" link i2, While it is not shown, is constructed so as to be attached to feed in the s :ne shown. lt is to that terminal link il." is to e e connector Eil on each similar to link i2 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Various ino cations in the ci the invention herein described and illustrated can he made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the appended claims.

is claimed as new is:

l. ln an ammunition guiding system of the type comprising a Llegible feed chute having a plurality of transverse units interconnected by links and having a iirst transverse passageway therethrough, apparatus having an opening for receiving and for discharging ammunition, and a hollow socket means associated with the apparatus for aligning the rst passageway with the opening in the apparatus; a terminal link comprising an oblong frame structure having a secbe provided with a com iletJ retro ond transverse passageway which conforms to the cross-sectional configuration of the rst passageway in the feed chute, attachment hooks integral with and extending from said frame structure for attaching said terminal link to the links on the feed chute, and guide members integral with and extending from said frame structure and having a length and width to overlap said hooks thereby guiding the ammunition over said hooks and preventing accidental disengage- 1 ment of the links from said hooks; and connectors mounted on said frame structure, each comprising a guide element, a bolt slidably mounted within said guide element to enter and slide freely within the hollow socket means, a latch pivoted 1 intermediate its ends on said bolt, and a leaf spring disposed between said bolt and one end of said latch to urge the other end of said latch toward said bolt.

2. The terminal link defined in claim 1 wherein said guide element has four surfaces providing a rectangular cross-section longitudinally and transversely and has a portion of one of said surfaces cut away thereby leaving a narrow segment of said one of said surfaces, and a stop pro- 25 2,477,264

jecting from and integral with said segment of said one of said surfaces; wherein said bolt has three surfaces providing a, substantially U-shape cross-section, parallel leaves integral with said bolt and extending from two of said surfaces, each of said leaves having an orifice, and a pin extending through said orices and providing a pivot for said latch; and wherein a hook is lformed on one of the ends of said latch, said hook facing said bolt, and a linger lgrip formed on the other end of said latch for manually depressing said other end of said latch against the actionrof said leaf spring and for manually protracting and retracting said latch.

ROBERT L. CORBO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,732,408 Lewis et al. Oct. 22, 1929 2,031,302 Clark Feb. 18, 1936 2,419,315 Elliott Apr. 22, 1947 Pearson et al July 26, 1949