US2915947A

US2915947A - Cartridge projectors and belting means therefor

Info

Publication number: US2915947A
Application number: US562685A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heeley Roland
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1956-02-01
Filing date: 1956-02-01
Publication date: 1959-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1976-12-08

Description

R. HEELEY Dec. 8, 1959 CARTRIDGE PROJECTORS AND BELTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 1, 1956 l .UJ. a rw S e h m m ud K h k H mm H! B,

Dec. 8, 1959 R. HEELEY 2,915,947

CARTRIDGE PROJECTORS AND BELTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 1, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 8, 1959 R. HEELEY 2,915,947

CARTRIDGE PROJECTORS AND BEL'I'ING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 1, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,78LII2 i fill/6n Z OI 456 Roland Heeley HZQ, Byhis AH (-37 112 w W M Mm.

CARTRIDGE PROJECTORfi AND BELTHJG MEANS THEREFOR Roland Heeley, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe ,Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 1, 1956, Serial No. 562,685

Claims. (Cl. 89-413) The present invention relates to projectors for use in the chambering of cartridges and to link assemblies and to coupling means adapted to belt the projectors together as well as to means for delivering said belted projectors successively to a station from which the cartridges housed in the projectors are fired or explosion rammed into a firing chamber of a gun. I

I In order to chamber cartridges in guns having high cy clic'rates and commonly used in aircraft it has been proposed to feed to the guns cartridges housed in projectors which have the general shape of cartridge cases and from which the cartridges are fire rammed into the firing chambers of the guns.

. In the use of previously proposed projectors, cartridges in the process of being chambered in guns are occasionally fired with resulting damage to the guns and injury to personnel. In order automatically to feed cartridges housed in projectors to guns having high cyclic rates of fire it is desirable that the projectors shall be strongly coupled together. Moreover, in order that the cartridges may' be fed to the gun from difl'erent stacked positions in an airplane, for example, a substantial amount of play between the belted projectors is necessary, it being desirable that adjacent projectors and accordingly the cartridges in them shall be swung bodily to a limited extent circumferentially around one another, shall be tilted into and out of lengthwise converging or fanned relation with one another and shall be twisted to a slight extent with relation to each other about an axis which is disposed subsantially normal to and passing generally through the common axes of the cartridges and the projectors in the vicinities of the combined centers of gravity,

of the projectors and their housed cartridges.

It is an object of the present invention to provide projectors from which cartridges may be quickly and eifectively chambered in guns without danger of their being fired while they are being chambered and also to provide a suitable link assembly and coupling means for quickly and effectively belting and debelting the projectors and for causing the belted projectors and the cartridges in them to be delivered from storage bins or boxes, located at different positions with relation to the gun, to feeder mechanism from which the cartridges are fire rammed into the gun. It is a further object of the invention to provide link assemblies which may be coupled in two different operating positions on the projectors so that in accompanying high and low velocity cartridges, respectively, of a given type, the pull exerted on the projectors by the link assemblies will be substantially in alinement with the centers of gravity of the combined projectors and high and low velocity cartridges, respectively.

With the above objects in view and in accordance with a feature of the present invention there is provided a tubular projector adapted to receive a cartridge in a predetermined position and having a closed end an outer side of which has formed in it a pocket housing a primer, andan inner side of which has a median shield portion adapted to be engaged by the entire rear end of a primer of the cartridge positioned in the projector, and also hav-.

ing a cavity surrounding said shield portion and a passage extending between said pocket and said cavity. The shield portion at the inner'side of the closed end of the projector is engaged by the entire rear end of the primer of the cartridge and extends laterally slightly beyond said primer and when the primer of the projector is detonated, impact of the high pressure gases is exerted against the portion of the rear end of the cartridge spaced from the cartridge primer thereby insuring that the cartridge primer shall not be detonated as the cartridge is being cham bered in the gun.

The present invention consists in the above and novel features hereinafter described for permitting, in a limited degree, adjacent projectors having cartridges in them. to swing circumferentially of one another, to swing into toed-in and toad-out fanning relation with one another and to twist relatively to one another about axes passing generally through the combined centers of gravity of adjacent belted projectors and cartridges housed in the projectors. By belting the projectors having cartridges in them, as above described, said projectors may be quickly and effectively fed from boxes or bins, which are located in dilferent positions with relation to the gun, to the feeder of the gun.

' Other features of the invention are hereinafter disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate two embodiments of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, said invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

I In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in longitudinal central section, a projector as well as a link assembly and coupling rings used for belting two or more projectors together, a 30 mm. low velocity cartridge being shown in phantom in said projector;

v Fig. 2 shows, in side elevation, two of the projectors belted together, said projectors and cartridges positioned in the projectors being shown in parallel relation;

Fig. 3 shows the projectors and the cartridges illustrated in Fig. 2 arranged in converging or toed-in (full lines) and diverging or toed-out relation (dash-dot lines), the link assembly and its associated coupling rings permitting movement of the projectors between these two fanning positions;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on a line corresponding to a line IV-IV of Fig. 2 showing the projectors and their associated cartridges swung circumferentially of one another;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing in perspective oneof the projectors, a pair of coupling rings and various parts of one of the link assemblies;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing.

a modified projector and a modified link assembly for use therewith;

- Fig. 7 shows, in perspective, the coupled projectors illustrated in Fig. 2 in twisted relation as permitted by the link assembly connecting them;

Fig. 8 is a view showing portions of the link assembly a the projectors; and

Fig. 10'is a View on the line XX of Fig. 9. The present invention is disclosed with reference to

projectors

20, 20a (Fig. 6) for housing, respectively, eitherlowvelocity 30 mm. cartridges 22 or high velocity,- 30 mm. cartridges (not shown), and ,with reference to;

Patented Dee 8, 1959 or explosive-rammed into a firing chamber (not shown) l of a gun.

The belted projectors 20, 28a, after the cartridges. 22 have been fired from them, advance to an uncoupling station 38 where they are disconnected from the

link assemblies

24, 24a and accordingly from one another.

The projector 20 comprises a tube portion 32 (Fig. 1)

. having an outer cylindrical surface 34 and a cylindrical bore 36 of a diameter slightly greater than that of a circular feeding band 38 which is formed on a case 40 of the cartridge 22 just forward of an extractor groove 42 of said case. The case 40 of the cartridge 22 has formed in it just forward of the feeding band 38 a circumferential channel 44 adapted, when the rear end of the case of the cartridge engages an end or abutment cap 46 (Figs. 1, and 7) of the projector 20, to receive a crimp ring 48 formed on the tube portion 32 of the projector, said crimp ring serving to retain the cartridge in its proper longitudinal or housed position in the projector. There is also formed on the tube portion 32 of the projector 20 at the forward end of the cylindrical bore 36, a flared face 58 for facilitating the insertion of the cartridges 22 into the projector.

The projector has a closed end, head or rear portion provided with a cylindrical bore 52 (Fig. l) which is concentric with, and has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical bore 36 and press-fitted into the bore 52 is the end. cap 46 which may be described as having inner and outer sides. The end cap 46 of the projector 28- is quickly and effectively pressfitted into its proper position in the bore 52 by forcing a laterally projecting flange 54 of said cap against a shoulder 56 at the forwardend of the bore 52.. The cylindrical bore 52 may be described as being separated or spaced from the bore 36 by the shoulder 56.

The outer side of the end cap 46 has formed in it a pocket 58 adaptedto receive a primer 60, and the inner side of said cap comprises a median shield or shield portion. 62 and an annular marginal portion or face 64, said portions being spaced from one another by an annular cavity 66 which may be described as surrounding said shield or shield portion or as being arrangedbetween median and marginal salient portions of the inner side of said end cap. Extending between the primer receiving pocket 58 and the cavity 66 area plurality of passages 68 through which explosive gases pass into the cavity when the primer has been detonated by means hereinafter described. The median shield. 62' and the annular marginal face 64 are engaged, respectively, by a primer 70 and a marginal portion of the rear end of the case 40*of the cartridge 22 positioned in the projector, said shield being sutficiently large to cover said primer.

In order to couplethe link assemblies 24 to associated pairs of projectors 20 there are formed on the outer cylindrical faces 34 of the projectors longitudinally spaced annular ribs, lands or flanges 72 (Figs. 1, 5 and 7) which are arranged in parallel relation and have peripheral faces 74 lying in a common cylinder and opposed faces" or sides 76 forming, with a cylindrical bearing face 78 of the projector, an annular channel or circumferential guideway 80 for slidingly receiving segment or

end plates

82, 84, respectively, of the link assemblies 24. The bearing face 78 may be regarded as forming part of the outer face of the projector 20.

The arcuate segment or

end plates

82, 84 are of a thickness slightly less than the depth of the annular channel 80 and slidable along the peripheral faces 74 ofthe-liands 72 are couplings or coupling rings 86 which are adapted to slide toward a median plane 88 .of the channel to positions in which they overlie the channel and serve to lock the segment plates in the channel. The

segment plates

82, 84 are provided with shoulders 37, 89, respectively, for limiting inward sliding movement of the coupling rings 86 over the channels 80. The coupling rings 86 may be described as movable between active positions, in which they overlie the

segment plates

82, 84 and form with the lands 72 and the cylindrical face 78 undercut guideways, and inactive positions in which the rings are moved out of overlying relation with the cylindrical face 78 and thus allow the segment plates to be released from the projectors.

Each link assembly 24 comprises the segment plate 82, which has a central box-like or bearing portion 90, provided with a tapered bore 92 having an axis 93, the segment plate 84-, a fulcrum stud 94, which has an axis 95, is welded or otherwise secured to the segment plate 84 and extends with a slight amount of clearance through the bore 92 and has a head 96 thereof housed in the bearing portion of the segment plate 8 2, and a leaf spring 98 having a central anchoring or median portion 180 which fits slidingly over the box-like or bearing portion of the segment plate 82 and frictionally engages one or both of the rings 86, and having 'end or outrigger portions 102 adapted to bear against or frictionally engage the outer cylindrical face 34 of the projector 20. i

The head 96 of the fulcrum stud 94 has truncated faces 104 for permitting, for purposes hereinafter explained, limited tilting between the

segment plates

82, 84 about axes disposed at substantially right angles to the

axes

93, 95 of the tapered bore 92 and the fulcrum stud 94, respectively. 94, which is secured in the segment plate 84 and may be considered part of this plate, and the bore 92 of the segment plate 82 are suitably constructed and arranged to permit the projectors 20 and accordingly the cartridges 22 in them to tilt laterally generally about an axis 106 disposed at right angles to planar side faces of the bearing portions of the segment plates 82 and passing generally through the central portion of the bore 92, suchmotion effecting relative fanning of the. projectors against the action of the leaf spring 98 from a maximum toed-in or converging relation (shown in full lines Fig. 3) to a maximum toed-out or diverging relation (shown in dash-dot lines), said spring when permitted to do so serving to urge the projectors 20 into their normal or parallel relation shown in Fig. 2. The segment or

end plates

82, 84 may be described as being swiveled for movement relatively to each other about the axes 95, 186 the first of which axes extends transversely of and is arranged between the median portions of the projectors and allows twisting between the projectors coupled to the segment plates and the second of which axes substantially intersects said one axis and is arranged transversely of the projectors at substantially right angles to said one axis and allows the projectors coupled to associated end plates to be moved into toed-in and toedout fanning relation.

The head 96 of the fulcrum st-ud 94has a width W which is somewhat less than the width W of the inside of the box-like or bearing portion 90 of the segment plate 82 and accordingly each of two adjacent belted projectors 20 is permitted to twist as above stated with relation to the other to a considerable degree, 10 for example, about the axis of the stud until the head of the stud and an inner wall of the box-like portion of the stud arein engagement as shown in Fig. 8. The axis 95 of the fulcrum stud 94 may be described as being disposed generally normal to and approximately intersecting axes 110 of the projectors 20 and the cartridges 22 housed therein. By causing the

segment plates

82, 84 to be" moved circumferentially of the annular channels 80 of In each of the link assemblies 24 the stud the. projectors 20 or to be in slidingly coupled relation ciroumferentially of the faces 34 of the projectors it is possible for one projector and the linkage assembly 24 coupled to it to be swung bodily about an adjacent projectoij as shown; in Fig. 4, thus' facilitating the feeding of the .belted ammunition from different stacked positions and also facilitating the packaging of belted ammunition in boxes for shipment. The

segment plates

82, 84 are so arranged on the projectors 20 by the ribs or lands 72, that, when theprojectors are coupled together by the linkages, a pull exerted by a leading projector through the linkage on 'afollowing projector is substantially in alinement with the combined centers of gravity of the projectors and their associated cartridges. p

The belted projectors 20 are pulled onto and along upper and

lower tracks

112, 112a (Figs. 9 and of the feed mechanism 26 associated with the gun by sprockets 114 which engage opposite end portions of the cylindrical surfaces 34 of the projectors and feed said projectors to the projecting station 28 where an electric firing pin 116 slidable through an abutment 117 engaged by the end caps 46 0f the projectors is brought into engagement with the primers 60 housed in said end caps to fire-ram the cartridges housed in the projectors into the firing chamber (not shown) of the gun, The belted projectors 20, after passing the projecting station 28 where there is an instantaneous dwell, continue to move to'the right with the result that upper and

lower wedge cams

118, 120 force apart the coupling rings 86 on the projectors to inactive positions away fromthe ribs, lands or flanges 72 of the projectors, thus causing the projectors to be disconnected from their link assemblies and accordingly from each other.

The projector 20a (Fig. 6) is generally similar to the projector 20 and has a head or closed rear end 122 which is formed integral'with a tube portion 32a of the projector. An outer side'of the closed end 122 of the projector 20a is provided with a pocket 58a and an inner side of the closed end of said projector has a median shield or shield portion 62a, an annular marginal face 64a and an annular cavity 66a. Passages 68a, in the closed end 122 of the projector 20a, extend between the pocket 58a and the cavity 66a.

The

projectors

20 and 20a are adapted to accommodate the low velocity cartridges 22 and also the high velocity cartridges (not shown) which are similar to and slightly longer than the low velocity cartridges. It has been found that in order to feed the belted ammunition quickly and effectively to guns having high cyclic rates, the axes 95 of the fulcrum studs 94, along which is applied force for feeding the projectors and the cartridges housed therein to the projecting station 28, should be in approximate alinement with the combined centers of gravity .of the projectors 20 and the cartridges. Because of the fact that the high velocity cartridge (not shown) is slightly longer than the low velocity cartridge 22, the combined center of gravity of the

projector

20, 20a and the high velocity cartridge housed in it will be forward of the combined center of gravity of the

projector

20, 20a and the, low'velocity cartridge housed in it. With the foregoing considerationsin view, ribs, lands or flanges 72a formed on theprojector 20a are spaced slightly farther apart (Fig. 6) than are the ribs or lands 72 on the projector. 20 (Fig. 2) and have slidable on peripheral faces 74a thereof modified coupling rings 86a. Fitting in an annular channel 80a formed on a cylindrical bearing face 78a of the projector and opposing side or end faces 76a.of'the lands 72a are segment plates 82a, 84w which have' shoulder-

s

87a, 89a, respectively, for limiting inward movement, that is, movement toward each other, of thecoupling rings 86:: over the peripheral faces 74a of the lands 72a and over the annular channel 80a.

, .The segment plate 84a has secured to it a fulcrum stud 94ahaving an axis 95a and the segment plate 82a has abox-like 'or bearing portion 90a provided with a bore 92:; having an. axis 93a, the stud and.the. bo're,- when low velocity cartridges 22 in the projector20a are being delivered tov the gun by the feeding mechanism 26, having their axes spaced a distance d rearward of a median plane 88a of the annular channel 80a and the segment plates and when high velocity cartridges in the projectors are being delivered to the gun by the feeding mechanism the axes of the stud and the bore being arrangeda distance dforward of the median plane. When the projectors 20a, acted upon by the feeding mechanism 26 and having in them low velocity .cartridges respectively, are belted by the link assemblies 24a positioned as disclosed in Fig. 6, the axes 95a and 93a of the fulcrum stud 94a and the bore 92a will be in substantial alinement with the centers of' gravity of; the combined projectors 20a and their cartridges 22. When the

segment plates

82a, 84a. are reversed in the guideways 80a from their positions shown in Fig. 6 the axes 95a, 93a ,of the fulcrum studs 94a of the segment plates 84aand the bores 92a of the segment plates 82a will be arranged in substantial alinement with the centers of gravity of the combined belted together projectors 20a and the high velocity cartridges (not shown) housed in said projectors. a

The

fulcrum studs

94, 94a of the

segment plates

84, 84a are swiveled, respectively, in the bores'92, 92a of the

segment plates

82, 82a and accordingly the segment plates may be described as being swiveled together for movement. The link assembly 24a is so constructed and arranged that when the

segment plates

82a, 84a are arranged in their regular positions shown in Fig. 6 in the annular guideways or channels a of the projectors 20a, the swivel connection between these plates is in substantial alinement with a line joining the combined centers of gravity of the projectors and associated low velocity cartridges housed therein. When the

segment plates

82a, 84a are in their reversed arrangement in the annular guideways or channels 80a the swivel connection between these plates is in substantial alinement with a line joining the centers of gravity of the projectors 20 and associated high velocity cartridges housed therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A projector for use in the chambering of cartridges and adapted to be belted to another projector by the use of arcuate segment plates and coupling rings, said projector comprising a tubular portion which is shaped and arranged to receive a cartridge and from which the cartridge is fire-chambered and which has a peripheral face provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced circular flanges which are arranged in parallel relation and between which the segment plates fit for movement circumferentially of the projector, peripheral faces of said flanges being arranged in a common cylinder and being adapted to have said coupling rings slid over them to retain said segment plates between the flanges.

2. In combination, a projector having a tube portion adapted to receive a cartridge and having an outer'cylindrical periphery from which project a pair of longitudinally spaced circular ribs which are arranged in parallel relation, having peripheral faces arranged in a common cylinder and form with a portion of said cylindrical periphery a circumferential guideway, a segment link adapted to fit slidingly in said guideway, and rings which are adapted to slide, respectively, on the peripheral faces of the ribs between positions in which they overlie the guideway and retain said link in said guideway and positions in which they are moved away from the guideway to permit said link to be moved away from the guideway.

3. For use in the feeding of ammunition to automatic guns, the combination of a pair of projectors each having an outer face provided with spaced lands, a linkage comprising end members adapted to fit respectively slidingly for movement around the outer faces of the projectors between said lands, and couplings which extend respeca tively around said outer faces of the projectors and are I movable on said lands between active positions, in which they form with said outer faces and said lands, undercut guideways for retaining respectively said end members of the linkage'in sliding relation with said outer faces of the projectors, and inactive positions in which said members are released respectively from the projectors.

4. For use in the feeding of ammunition to automatic guns, the combination of a pair of projectors each having a cylindrical outer face and a pair of spaced :parallel;

lands projecting beyond said face, a linkage comprising segment plates adapted to fit respectively slidingly on the cylindrical outer faces of the projectors between the lands, and rings which surround said outer faces of the projectors and which are slidable on said flanges toward each other to active positions, in which they overlie the segment plates and form with said lands, undercut guideways for coupling to the projectors said segment plates respectively in sliding engagement circumferentially of the outer faces of said projectors, and inactive positions in which the rings are moved on the lands out of overlying relation with the segment plates and accordingly allow said segment plates to be released respectively from the projectors. 7 u r 5. For use in the feeding of ammunition: to automatic 7 guns, the combination of a pair of projectors each having an outer cylindrical face 'and' a pair of parallel annular lands peripheral faces and opposing inner sides of'which form with said cylindrical face an annular channel, a linkage comprising segment plates which are adapted to fit slidingly in the respective channels, and rings which which extends generally transversely of and is located,

between the projectors to permit twisting movement between the projectors, said segment plates also being adapted to permit the projectors and the cartridges in them to be tilted into longitudinal toed-in and toed-out relation and thus to permit fanning of said projectors.

6. For use in the feeding of ammunition to automatic guns, the combination of a pair of projectors each having an outer cylindrical face and a pair of spaced parallel cylindrical ribs which have peripheral faces and inner margins and which form with the cylindrical face an annular channel, a linkage comprising segment plates which are adapted to fit slidingly in the respectivechannels, and pairs of rings which slidingly fit respectively on the peripheral faces of the ribs of each projector and are movable toward each other to active positions determined by their engagement with associated segment plates in overlying relation with margins of the channels thus serving to couple the segment plates respectively slidingly to the projectors, said rings being movable on peripheral faces of the ribs to inactive positions in which they are out of overlying relation with the segment plates and accordingly release said plates from the projectors,

said segment plates being adapted for relative pivotal movement about an axis which extends generally transversely of and is arranged between the projectors and permits twisting movement between said projectors, said segment plates also being adapted to permit the projectors and accordingly the cartridges in them to be tilted into toed-in and toed-out relation to each other thus permitting fanning of the projectors, and a leaf spring which has a median portion mounted upon one of the segment plates and frictionally engaging at least one of the rings associated-with said one plate mounted upon one of the projectors and which hasend portions frictionally engaging, the other projector. t u r I j 7. For use in the feeding of cartridges to an automatic gun, the combination of a pair of projectors each of which is adapted to house and to fire ram a cartridge and each of which has a cylindrical outer face, and a linkage comprising a pair of members, cooperating units for positively coupling the members to the projectors respectively and for allowing limited amounts of movement of the members respectively circumferentially of the outer faces of the projectors, means for swivelingly coupling said members for movement relatively to each other about axes one of which extends transversely and is arranged between the median portions of the projectors to allow twisting between the projectors coupled to associated members and the other of which axes substantially intersects said one axis and is arranged transversely vof the projectors and at substantially right angles to said one axis and thus allowsthe projectors coupled to associated ,members and accordingly the cartridges housed in said a cartridge, has an outerface and has formed on said face a pair of spaced parallel circumferential flanges forming with said face a circumferential channel, linkages each comprising a pair of end plates, coupling rings slidingly mounted on said pairs of flanges on the projectors for movement between active position, in which said rings retain, respectively, said end plates in the channels in coupled relation with the projectors, and inactive posi-' tions in which the end plates are released from the channels and accordingly from their coupled relation with the projectors, a projecting station; guideways along which the projectors carried by said linkages are moved past the projecting station, means for firing the cartridges in the projectors from said projectors and into a firing chamber of the gun, sprockets for moving the projectors along the guideways, and cams constructed and arranged to be engaged successively by the coupling rings after the projectors have been moved past said projecting station whereby to move said rings on said flanges to their inactive positions.

9. For use in the feeding of ammunition to automatic guns, the combination of a pair of projectors which are adapted to house cartridges respectively and each of which is provided with an outer cylindrical face having projecting beyond it a pair of longitudinally spaced parallel circular flanges, a linkage comprising segment plates adapted to fit respectively slidingly on said cylindrical faces of the projectors between the pairs of flanges, and rings which surround said outer faces of the projectors and which are slidable on said flanges between active positions in which they form with said faces and said flanges undercut guideways for retaining the segment,

plates respectively in sliding coupled relation circumferentially of the outer faces of the projectors, and inactive positions in which said segment plates are uncoupled respectively from the projectors, said segment plates being so arranged on the projectors by saidflanges that when the projectors are coupled together by the linkage, a pull exerted by a leading projector through the linkage on a following projector is centered substantially in alinement with the combined centers of gravity respectively of the projectors and their associated cartridges.

10. For use in the feeding of cartridges to automatic guns, the combination of a pair of projectors each of which houses a cartridge and has a cylindrical outer face provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced parallel flanges projecting beyond and extending circumferentially around said outer face and having peripheral faces, a linkage which comprises segment plates adapted to fit slidingly in regular or reversed selective arrangement on said cylindrical outer faces of the projectors between said flanges and which comprises a connecting swivel which pivotally connects the segment plates and is oflfset lengthwise of the projector from median circumferential lines of said segment plates, rings which surround said peripheral faces of the flanges of the projectors and which are slidable on said faces between active positions in which they form with the flanges undercut guideways for coupling the segment plates, respectively, to the projectors in sliding relation circumferentially of the outer faces of the projectors, and inactive positions in which the rings are moved away from the segment plates thereby causing said segment plates, respectively, to be uncoupled from the projectors, said linkage being so adapted that when the segment plates are arranged in their regular positions in the guideways of the projectors said connecting swivel is in substantial alinement with a line joining the combined centers of gravity of the projectors and associated low velocity cartridges housed therein and, when the segment plates are in their reversed arrangement in the guideways said connecting swivel is in substantial alinement with a line joining the centers of gravity of the projectors and associated high velocity cartridges housed therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,275 Meilicke Jan. 7, 1919 1,343,060 Prideaux June 8, 1920 15 2,426,527 Sanford et al. Aug. 26, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 864,439 France Jan. 17, 1941