US3139798A - Hoist for rounds of ammunition - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1964 Filed Dec. 12, 1962 H. w. ALDRIN 3,139,798

HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION 5 Sheets-Sheet l HENRY l/V/LHELM ALDR/IV Arrazutrs July 7, 1964 H. w. ALDRIN HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1962 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. 3 HENRY W/LHELM Amp/Iv (Lt/u. M

A 1 TERA/E Ts July 7, 1964 H. w. ALDRIN 3,139,798

HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION Filed Dec. 12, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

HENRY l V/LHELM ALDR/N United States Patent 3,139,798 HOIST FOR ROUNDS 0F AMMUNITION Henry Wilhelm Aldrin, Bofors, Sweden, assignor to Alrtiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Dec. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 244,206 Claims priority, application Sweden Dec. 23, 1961 Claims. (Cl. 89-46) The present invention relates to a hoisting device for hoisting cartridges to a gun from a store of ammunition located below the gun, and more particularly to a hoist in which the cartridges are fed one after the other to a substantially vertical feed shaft and then hoisted within the same. Ammunition hoists of this kind are used for instance for gun turrets on warships or in forts. Ammunition hoists of the general kind above referred to as heretofore known are generally operated by means of motor driven chains or hydraulically driven push rods. In such hoists, the rate of travel of the cartridges is rather slow and as a result several cartridges following closely one to another must be simultaneously. in the shaft to attain the required rate of feed. As a result the feed and transport mechanism of the hoist becomes rather complexand bulky. g

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved ammunition hoist of the general kind'above referred to in which the cartridges are hoisted so rapidly that a high average rate of feed can be obtained with singly feeding of the cartridges through the hoist shaft even though the shaft may be quite long as is frequently the case in practice. This affords the advantage that the hoist can be much simplified and is less bulky.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ammunition hoist in which the average rate of travel of the cartridges is high but is retarded at the discharge and feed end of the shaft. As a result the mechanism for stopping the cartridge drive for the purpose of feeding cartridges into the shaft can be simple, as it is not necessary to effect stoppage of the drive within a very narrow range and only one stopping position for each hoisting cycle need be provided.

The aforementioned objects, features and advantages 7 of the invention and other objects, features and advantages which will be pointed out hereinafter, are attained by providing in the hoist shaft a sled or carrier which coacts with the base flange of a cartridge to be hoisted by means of a lug protruding into the shaft and which is reciprocated in the shaft by means of a linkage system formed by swinging links or levers. The levers of the system reverse their direction of movement when the sled reaches one of its end positions and are so correlated that the rate of movement of the levers is automatically retarded prior to the reversal of the lever movements. As a result each cartridge to be hoisted starts at the feed end with substantially zero speed, is then accelerated to a high rate of speed and is decelerated when approaching the discharge end of the shaft. This affords the advantage that the force of the moving masses does not exceed comparatively small and readily controllable values.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

the sled is pivoted to one end of an output link, the other 3,139,798 Patented July 7., 1964 end of which is pivoted to one end of a two-arm link movable in a vertical plane along a curved path by means of a driven input link of the linkage system. The other arm of the two-arm link is guided in a curved guide track which guides the links of the linkage system so that the sled will perform the required accelerated and decelerated reciprocatory movements.

The hoist shaft may be straight along its entire length, but it is advantageous to curve the feed end of the shaft. The afore-described linkage and guide arrangements permitsuch curvature of the shaft withoutinterference with the movement of the sled. The curved lower end of the shaft is formed with a feed opening in alignment with which the sled rests on the bottom of the shaft which is slanted in that portion of the shaft. The flattening of the feed end of the shaft facilitates loading of the hoist since the usually heavy cartridges can be inserted in the hoist in an inclined position in which they can be more conveniently handled than in a vertical position.

In the accompanying drawing several preferred. embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a hoist according to the invention just after a cartridge has been loaded.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hoist on an enlarged scale and showing an intermediate operational stage. i

FIG. 3 is a perspective elevational view similar to FIG. 1 showing a cartridge near the discharge end of the hoist.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing loading of the cartridges from a supply magazine.

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line VV of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the hoist.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 5 in detail, there is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1 a gun 1 pivotally mounted by means of trunnions 2. The gun may be visualized as being mounted for instance in a gun turret of a warship. The store of ammunition should be visualized as being located in a storage chamber which is situated below the gun. The storage chambermay constitute part of the gun turret.

The hoisting device, which willbe more fully described hereinafter, serves to feed cartridges 6 one by one to a loading tray 5 exemplified as a pendulum pivotal about trunnions 4. The pendulum receives the cartridges in a vertical position and swings the same into the appropriate position for loading the gun. The gun loading mechanism as such does not constitute part of the invention and is hence not described in detail. i

The hoist comprises a hoist shaft 3 which is vertical or substantially vertical in its upper portion, but curved in its lower portion to define an angle of for instance about 30 degrees in reference to a vertical plane. The upper end of the shaft constitutes the discharge end thereof and the lower end, the loading end. The loading end of the shaft is open at its top side to form an elongated opening 3a for the insertion of cartridges into the shaft. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, a cartridge 6 inserted in the shaft will rest upon the bottom side of the hoist shaft due to its ownweight. In order initially to guide an inserted cartridge and to prevent it from being tipped up at the beginning of the hoist operation, a feed roller 7 having an approximately cross-shaped cross section is provided and mounted in a position such that it partly covers loading opening 3a.

A ready magazine for accommodating a number of cartridges may be provided at and above the loading opening. The magazine is formed by two arms 8 and 9 disposed on opposite sides of the opening and preferably foldably mounted. These arms when in the upright position of FIG. 1 provide lateral guidance for the cartridges "and coact with a wall 10 disposed at the lower end of the opening transverse of the same. The cartridges inserted in the magazine abut with-their base against the wall and slide along the same. as they are fed into-the shaft.

To prevent longitudinal displacement, wall 10 may be provided with guide tracks 10a which engage the base flange of the cartridges. The cartridges may be further secured against axial displacement before entering the shaft by giving arms Sand 9 the curved configuration best shown in FIG. 3.

Shaft 3 is formed bylarge fiat plates 11 and 12 which also form ahousing for the drive mechanism of the "hoist, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Inaddition'to the ready magazine formed by arms 8 and. 9 and wall :10, a main supply magazine, may be provided. This-magazine is'shown in FIG. '4 as'comprising a'guidetrack 13.

Shaft 3 hasa longitudinal .slot 14 along substantially its entire length and'a guide formed 'by guide tracks 15 and 16extends along the length-of the 'slot following the curvatureof the shaft (see FIG. 5). A carrier or sled 18 is slidably guided in tracks 15 and 16 by means of rollers17. The sled mounts ,a lug 19 which protrudes into shaft 3 through slot 14 to underlie a cartridge placed in the shaft, thereby carrying the cartridge "along when the sled is displaced along, the shaft from the loading end to the discharge end thereof.

FIGxl'shows' the sledin its lowermost'or loading position in which lug 19 abuts against the base of agcartridge placed in shaft 3 as previously described.

"FIG. *2 "shows an intermediate position in which the sled and with it the cartridge engaged by it has traveled along-part of the-"shaft and FIG. 3 shows the sled nearits uppermost position in which the cartridge is =-fed out through the upper end of the shaft and is transferred to the loading pendulum 5.

Lug 19 is pivotally mounted and preferably springloade'd so that it will move aside when the sled passes a run continuously. The control of the motor may be effected directly at the motor or by remote control and the motor may be stopped upon completion of one revolution by means of a magnetic brake. The linkage system is preferably so laid out that each revolution of the motor completes one hoisting cycle.

More specifically, motor is connected by an adapter 26 to a crank 27 to which is linked one end of a link 28. The other end of link 28 is linked to a crank 29 fixedly secured on a shaft 30 which is rotatable about a preferably horizontal axis mounted in the frame formed by plates 11 and 12. Shaft 30 also seats fixedly secured thereto a link 24, the forward portion of which is forked.

Cranks 27 and 29 are so correlated that shaft 30 turns through an angle of approximately 60 degrees in one direction of rotation and then returns to its starting position for each complete revolution of crank 27. Forked link 24 will perform a swinging movement in a vertical plane from the lowermost position of FIG. 1 into the uppermost position (approximately the position shown in FIG. 3) :and then return into its lowermostposition during each revolution of crank 27 The two limit positions of forked lever 24 correspond to the dead centers of the crank movement in which dead centers crank 27 and link .28 are in alignment as is shown in FIG. 1.

Assuming that the motorrotates at a constant rotational speed, it is obvious that the movement of link 24 in its vertical plane will .start very smoothly and be accelerated. The movement of the link will then be retarded until its direction of movement is reversed, whereupon the movement of the link is again first accelerated and then .decelerated. Link 24 is preferably so curved that its free end ,can swing in behind shaft 3 and into the position shown in FIG. 3.

Theprongs at the free forked end oflink'24 straddle a fulcrum pin 31 of a link in the form of two-arm lever. 22,

I .23. The length of the fork in link,24 is such that lever newly loaded cartridge at the end of its return run from the position ofFIG. 3 into the position of FIG. 1. As soonas the sled reaches its lowermost or loading position, lug 19 will again snap behind the cartridge now placed in the shaft for hoisting. The sled may also be fitted with a pivotal claw.20 which: grips the flange at the base of the cartridge during the movement thereof and secures the cartridge to the sled,'particula'rly during the last part of theL'u Ward'moVement of the sled when the rate of speed of'the sledmovement is. decelerated, as will be more fully described hereinafter. The .claw is released from the cartridge when the'same is transferred from the shaft to pendulum '5 so that the sledis free to return to the loading endof the shaft. Themounting and control of the'claw are not shown in detail as they do not constitutepart of the invention.

.The. drive mechanism for moving the, sled along shaft 3 in either direction is mounted in the space enclosed by plates 11 and 12 at the lower end of shaft 3. The mechanism comprises a linkage system formed by a plurality of links or levers linked to each other to swing back, and forth, as will bev morefully' described hereinafter. The linkage system isxpowered by means of a motor 25. The motor.:may be arranged .in a suitable and conventional manner to-be'switched off after each revolution, or-it may arm 22 can pass between theprongs of the fork. Arm 22 is linked to one end of a-link 21, the other end of which islinked .to sled 18. Line 21 isalso movable ina vertical plane and enters between the prongs of forked 'link 24. Lever arm 23 is guided by means of rollers, 32 into guide tracksj33 and 34formed on the inside wall ofplates 11 and '12 respectively. Tracks 33 and 34 define a curved ,path of movement for rollers 32 guided. therein; more specifically, the upper part. of the tracks is substantially vertical and the lower part of the tracks iscurved away from shaft '3. I

As is apparent, the spatial movement and the position of two- arm lever 22, 23 are controlled entirely by the positionof' forked link 24 and guide tracks 33, '34 since the fulcrum point-31 of the lever moves along a-curved path in its vertical plane and will always occupy a position controlled bythe position of link 24 while guide tracks 33 and 34control turning of the lever about its fulcrum-31 or, in other words, thespatialangular position of the lever.

In 'the starting or initial position of FIG. 1, the twoarm lever 22, 23 isapproximately horizontally disposed and as the forked link 24 swings clockwise, the lever is raised more and more (see FIG.'2)--:so that at the position of reversal of link 24'(corresponding approximately to FIG. 3.) the two- arm lever 22, 23 occupies a substantially vertical position.

In addition, lever 22,23 is moved upwardly, :partly due to the swinging movement of the lever from the position of FIG. 1 into the position .of FIG. .3 and partly due to the displacement of the turning point of: the lever in guide tracks 33,,34-from the lowermost position of FIG. 1 to theipositionof FIG. 3.

As it is evident, movement of lever 22, 23 from the position of FIG. 1 into the position of FIGS will cause a corresponding hoisting of sled 18 and such hoisting is further increased and the rate thereof is accelerated by the movement-of-link21 from the position of FIG. 1 in which link 23 is folded in reference to lever 22, 23 into the aligned position of FIG. 3 when and while lever 22, 23 is fully raised. However, as the angle defined by link 21 and arm 22 approaches more and more a 180- degree angle, the rate of movement of the sled is being correspondingly reduced or decelerated. In other words, the rate of movement of the sled While being hoisted from the position of FIG. 1 into the position of FIG. 3 first increases from zero speed to a high rate of movement and then decreases until again to zero speed at the top of the movement of the sled. By appropriately correlating the coacting lengths of the links, an average high rate of travel of the sled can be readily attained. The pattern of the speed of the sled movement when returning from its uppermost position into the position of FIG. 1 is substantially the same as during the hoisting of the sled.

The hoisting device according to FIG. 6 is in principle the same as that of the hoisting device described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 5, except that the curved forked link 24 is replaced by a straight link 35 which is so disposed that it will pass during its upward movement the cartridge magazine formed by arms 8, 9 and wall 10 and that it will also not interfere with the upward and downward movement of link 22, 23.

Link 35 is operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder 36 which is linked to the frame formed by plates 11 and 12 and actuates a plunger 38 linked to link 35 at 37.

The operation of the hoist according to FIG. 6 will be evident from the previous description.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A hoisting device for hoisting cartridges to a gun from a store of ammunition located below the gun, said device comprising a hoist shaft having a loading end and a discharge end for feeding cartridges singly one by one from the store to the gun, a single cartridge sled, guide means slidably guiding said sled along the shaft, said sled including a lug protruding into the shaft for engaging a cartridge therein to hoist the same from the loading end to the discharge end of the shaft, a drive means, and a linkage means coupled to said sled and said drive means for imparting to said sled a reciprocatory movement from one end of the shaft to the other, each reciprocatory movement of the sled constituting a hoisting cycle causing hoisting of one cartridge.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprises several links correlated and guided to impart to the sled an accelerating rate of speed at the beginning of its movement from one end of the hoist shaft towards the other and a decelerating rate of speed upon approaching said other end of the shaft.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprises an output link linked at one end to said sled for movement of the sled by said link, an intermediate first link, the other end of said output link being linked to one end of said first link, a curved guide track guiding the other end of the first link along a curved path in a vertical plane, an intermediate second link linked to an intermediate point of the first link to define a fulcrum for said link, said second link being swingably mounted in said vertical plane to permit movement of the fulcrum along a curved path in said plane, and transmission means drivingly coupling said second link to said drive means to impart to said link a swinging up and down movement, said links being so correlated that during each hoisting cycle the input link and the second link are moved from a folded position in reference to each other into an aligned position and back into the folded position, said sled being in the loading position when said links are in the folded position and in the discharge position when. said links are in the aligned position.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said curved guide track guiding one end of the first link has a configuration such that said first link is in a substantially horizontal position when the fulcrum thereof is in its lowest position in said vertical plane and in a substantially vertical position when said fulcrum is in its highest position.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said drive means is a rotary drive means, and wherein said linkage comprises an output link linked at one end to said sled for movement of the sled by said link, an intermediate first link, the other end of said output link being linked to one end of the first link, a curved guide track guiding the other end of the first link along a curved path in a vertical plane, an intermediate second link linked at one end to an intermediate point of the first link to define a fulcrum for the first link, a rotatable shaft fixedly seating the other end of said second link, said second link being swingable in said vertical plane to provide for movement of said fulcrum along a curved path in said plane, a third intermediate link fixedly secured at one end to said rotatable shaft, an intermediate fourth link linked at one end to said third link, an input link linked at one end to the fourth link and secured at the other end to said rotary drive means, said links being so correlated that during each revolution of the drive means the input link and the second link are moved from a folded position in reference to each other into an aligned position and back into the folded position, said sled being in the loading position when said output link and said second link are in the folded position and in the discharge position when said links are in the aligned position.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said rotatable shaft is stationarily and horizontally mounted, and wherein said second link has a forked portion straddling the fulcrum of said first link, said first link and said output link extending between the prongs of said forked portion to permit free movement of said output link and said first link between the folded position and the aligned position.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein said hoist shaft has a substantially vertical, straight upper portion and a curved downwardly slanted lower portion, said slanted shaft portion having an elongated feed opening in its upwardly facing side for loading a cartridge into the shaft in an inclined position, and said sled guide means being disposed at the loading end of the shaft opposite to the side thereof having said opening.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein a cartridge guide is provided at said loading opening above the same for gravity feeding of cartridges into the shaft, one at a time, and into engagement with said lug of the sled as successive cartridges in the hoist shaft are hoisted by the sled.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said cartridge guide comprises a pair of guide arms disposed on opposite sides of said opening for lateral guidance of the cartridges and a downwardly slanted wall at the rear end of said openings, said arms and said wall forming a ready magazine for stacking therein several cartridges to be fed, one by one, into the hoist shaft.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprises an output link linked at one end to said shaft for movement of the sled by said link, an intermediate first link, the other end of said output link being linked to one end of the first link, a curved guide track guiding the other end of the first link along a curved path in a vertical plane, an intermediate second link linked to an intermediate point of the first link to define a fulcrum for said link, stationarily mounted means rotatably supporting the other end of the second link for moving 8 said link in a vertical plane jointly with said first link, link are in the folded position and in the discharge posiand reciprocatory drive means coupled to said second tion when said links are in the aligned position. link to imparta reciprocatory movement to the same, each reciprocatory' movement of the drive means con- References Cited iI1 the file Of this Patent stituting a hoisting cycle, said links being so correlated 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS that during each hoisting cycle of the drive means the input link and the second link are moved from a folded 1554830 Webster Sept 1925 position in reference to each other into an aligned posi- FOREIGN PATENTS tion and back'into the folded position, said sled being in 251,176 Germany Sept. 26, 1912 the loading position when said output link and said first 10 321,921 Switzerland July 15, 1957

Claims (1)

1. A HOISTING DEVICE FOR HOISTING CARTRIDGES TO A GUN FROM A STORE OF AMMUNITION LOCATED BELOW THE GUN, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A HOIST SHAFT HAVING A LOADING END AND A DISCHARGE END FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES SINGLY ONE BY ONE FROM THE STORE TO THE GUN, A SINGLE CARTRIDGE SLED, GUIDE MEANS SLIDABLY GUIDING SAID SLED ALONG THE SHAFT, SAID SLED INCLUDING A LUG PROTRUDING INTO THE SHAFT FOR ENGAGING A CARTRIDGE THEREIN TO HOIST THE SAME FROM THE LOADING END TO THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SHAFT, A DRIVE MEANS, AND A LINKAGE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SLED AND SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO SAID SLED A RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT FROM ONE END OF THE SHAFT TO THE OTHER, EACH RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT OF THE SLED CONSTITUTING A HOISTING CYCLE CAUSING HOISTING OF ONE CARTRIDGE.

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