US3183778A - Cartridge supply device - Google Patents

Description

May 18, -1,965 R. STADELMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVI CE Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet l May 18, 1965 R. sTADELMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

May 18, 1965 R. STADELMANN CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVI CE Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 M//H /77/7/7/T May 18, 1965 R. sTADr-:LMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

8 /l 9 I7 43 M /7 V( 0 4/\ n 42 495/ A o 3 l gis 4850 46 i ai `f\` f5 u\ 225 18a 30a 306 30 3U|c I9 May 18, 1965 R. STADELMANN CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 Fig l 5 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII'$11'.b

Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 F ig. 7

United States Patent 3,183,778 CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE Rudolf Stadelmann, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Verwaitungsgesellschaft der Werkzeugmaschinenfabrilr Uerllron, Zurich-@erliirom Switzerland Filed Nov. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 321,631 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 9, 1962, 13,164/ 62 2 Claims. (Cl. 89-33) The invention relates to a cartridge supply device for automatic lire arms having a supply channel connected to the weapon proper and surrounding the supply path for the cartridges, and guides arranged ahead of this supply channel, which locate the conveyer path for the cartridges, conveyer means for the transport of cartridges lying loosely side by side engaging into the said conveyer path.

Weapons have become known in which the cartridges in the conveyer channel are moved by the pressure of the succeeding cartridges which are brought along by the conveyer means. When, however, the store of cartridges in the magazine is exhausted and no more cartridges are supplied by the conveyer means, then no drive acts any more on the cartridges contained in the conveyer channel of the weapon, so that these cartridges are no longer moved along and can no longer be fired. This constitutes a reduction of the availability of the ammunition store contained on the drum.

Moreover there exist weapons which are moreover provided with a mechanism, hereinafter called a rake, which engages the cartridges running into the supply channel and moves the same in the rhythm of the tiring successively in a position ahead of the breech into the loading position. Such raices operate continuously, i.e. at every shot and therefore can give rise to breakdowns. When, moreover, the energy for the drive of the rake has to be drawn on the kinetic energy of the breech of the weapon, this results in a reduction of the cadence of the weapon.

The invention has the primary object of obviating the said disadvantages by replacing said rake by more suitable means which come into operation only upon the magazine becoming empty in order to move the few remaining cartridges along and that it is accordingly less liable to breakdowns and moreover does not affect the cadence ot' the weapon.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent later from the specification and the accompanying drawing, I provide a cartridge feeder device for an automatic firearm, comprising in combination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing the feeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges, conveyer means engaging into said conveyer path for the transport of the cartridges lying loosely side by side, a sensing member capable of engaging into said conveyer path and having a sensing position, in which it is held by the cartridges moving along said conveyer path, and a drop-oit position, a pusher member having a position of readiness outside said feeder path and a working position inside said feeder path and on transition from said position of readiness to said working position pushing along the cartridges located in said feeder channel, a connecting member connecting said sensing member with said pusher member, and power means moving said sensing member from its sensing position into its dropoi'l position after the passage of the last cartridge through said guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel, and moving said pusher member from its position of readiness into its working position by the aid of said connecting member driven by said sensing member.

In the accompanying drawing two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section on the plane of symmetry I-I of FIG. 2 of a twin gun.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of one half of the gun as seen from the right hand side of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a section of the cartridge supply device according to the rst embodiment shown in the rest position of the supply member.

FIG. 4 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 3 in the working position of the supply members.

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a detail of part of the cartridge supply device on the second embodiment with the weapon proper broken olf.

FIG. 6 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 3 of the second embodiment of the cartridge supply device.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective detail views of parts of a conveyer disc, namely in FIG. 8 when combing one cartridge out of the same.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 a twin gun is mounted on the platform 2, which is mounted rotatably on a base 1. The side shields 3 of this gun, which are tixed on that platform, form the bearings for the two shield trunnions 4a of the cradle i on each of which a cartridge magazine 5 constructed as a drum is rotatably mounted. These magazines 5 take part in the elevation setting movements of the automatic iire arms d mounted on the cradle 4. Such a drum magazine S with the conveyer disc 7 combing the cartridges out of the same is described in detail and illustrated in tl e U.S.A. patent specilicaton No. 2,910,917. In the drawing a plate covering the conveyer disc in the direction of the weapon d is denoted 8 while the cover' separating the drum magazine 5 from the conveyer disc is referred to by the character 9. From the FIGS. 7 and 8 it is clear that the member denoted conveyer disc is formed by radially directed rods 11 attached at equal angular spacing on the hub 1d, which discs bound compartments 12 for receiving the cartridges 36B. On each of these rods 11 two cams 13 are attached each of which has a support face for a cartridge 30 and a control face 13a. Two stripper cams 14 provided with inclined control faces 15 are attached on the cover plate 8 (FIG. 3) and protrude into the region of the apertures 16 which are cut of the cover plate 8 and extend over the whole length ofthe rods 11 of the conveyer disc.

As Shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 two side walls 17 are attached on the plates 8 and 9, which carry those members which serve for the conveying of the cartridges from the conveyor disc 7 to the weapon 6. At the inner faces of the walls 17 two arms 1S are pivotally mounted on pins 52 (FIG. 4). These arms 18 carry auxiliary arms 18a directed transversely of their longitudinal axes, which auxiliary arms are connected with one another by means of a bar 19 lying parallel to the plate 8. On the bar 19 the carriers 20 of the two circular rounded strips 21 constructed as guides are mounted which in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 of the arms 18 iind their continuation in two lugs 24 likewise constructed as guides, which are arranged as continuations of the supply duct 23 encircling the cartridge supply track of the weapons 6 and are attached thereon. The strips 21 constructed as guides, the jaws 33 and lugs 24 determine the conveyer path 54 for the cartridges into which engage star wheels 26 and 27 serving as the conveyer means for the transport of the cartridges 30 lying loosely side by side. The ends of the strips 21, which in FIG. 3 are on the right hand side, lie at the level of the control face 15 of the stripper cams 14.

In the arms 18 the shaft 25 is journalled, the axis of which forms the centre of the curve strips 21 and on which the two star wheels 26 and moreover the gear wheel 29 having internal gearing are keyed, which latter is in a. driving connection. withV the motor 2S in a manner not illustrated in detail. As shownv in FIG. 5 the necks of the cartridges lie in recesses on the forward star wheel 26 while the rear star wheel 27 engages into the ejector grooves 30C of the cartridge feet.

In the bracket 31 fixed to the plate 8 the bolt. 32 is clamped on which two jaws 33 provided with control faces 33a are fixed. In the arm 31a of the bracket 31 there is. moreover fixed -an axle 34, on which a sensing leverV 35 constructed as a sensing member engaging into the cartridge conveyer track 5S is pivotally mounted. A bar 36 having two forked ends is pivotally mounted as a connecting member on the one hand on this sensing lever 35 and moveover on the lever 37. The latter is ixedly Vmounted on a shaft 38 whichl is rotatably journalled in thetwo side walls 17 of the frame, on which shaft moreover the two supply levers 39 are keyed (FIG. 5) the supply levers 39, the shaft 38 and the lever 37 form between themselves the ixedly connected paths of a pusher member capable of being pushed into lthe cartridge supply n path; The supply levers 39have push faces 39a which in the readiness position run approximately parallel to the control faces 33a of the jaws 33. The forward supply member 39is subject to the pressure of a portion spring 40 which acts on. the same and accordingly also on the shaft` 3S and on the rear supply member and consequently on the pusher member in the clockwise rotational sense (FIG. 3) the spring 40 may be replaced by aY spring which as viewed in FIG. 3 acts on the sensing lever 35 in the counter clockwise direction or on the connecting rod 36,towards the lift.

In the sidewalls 17 and in the bracket 41 lixedly con-V nected with the plate 8 the shaft 42 is journalled rotatably on` which theends of the two levers 43 are keyed. These levers are loaded by the coiled springs 44 pushed o ver the shaft and bearing on the bracket 41, which springs act rotationallyv in the clockwise sense on the same (FIG. 4). On each of the levers 33 one end of the bars 53vis pivotally attached, the other ends of which are pivotally attached `to the arms 18. These arms 18 are accordingly pulled by the arms 53 under the bias of the springs 44 away from the platform. A cam 43a counectedl withl one of the levers 43 limits the movement of the arms 1S in this direction by abutting the plate 8. At the end ofa movementof the levers 43 performed against the force of the springs 44 one of these levers operates in a manner not 'shown in detail a switch which controls the coupling which is built between the driving motor 28 and the members moving the cartridges away from the magazineV 5 such as the conveyor disc 7 and the star when@ 2.7.'-

'On the basis of this construction the following manner of operation results: Y

VWhen putting the gun in readiness for firingthe cartridges haveto be supplied to the weapons from the drum magazines 5 associated with. each of the two weapons 6, so that then a cartridge lies there ready for firing before the open bridge. Before the beginning of this, loading operation` the arms 18 assume with the car- Y tridge` guide 21A a position as illustrated in FIG. 4. After the starting ofthe motor 23 driving the drum magazine 5, the conveyor disc l and the star wheels'26, 27 synchronously,'the cartridges'are transferred in the manner describedl in the aforesaid U.S.A. patent specification No.

2,910,917 from the magazine 5 through the rotary con- Y v eyer disc 7 from the compartments 12 of which they are combed in accordance with FIG.' 8, by the Ycontrol face 30a ofthe cams13 and 14 into the recesses of the rotating star 'wheels` 2 7, 26.

.After the first 'ofthe cartridgesy moved by the star: 21,23 have reached a posiwheels 26, 2,7 along the guides tion indicated for clarity in FIG. 4 at F, it abuts the sensing .lever 35, which is in the drop-off position. This lever isV then turnedrin the clockwise sense while at the same time the spring 40 Vis loadedv to such an extent that under-the 'bias'of this spring V40 it canmove with its tip.

of position (FIG. 4) into the raised sensing positionV (FIG. 3) at the same timethe push member with its two supply levers 39'is swung by the movement of the rod 36 connected with it from its working position in the supply channel 33 into the` position of readiness outside the supply track 22 namely to such an extent thatthe cartridges which move along the control surface 33a of the jaws 33 can enter unhampered into the supply channel 23 (FIG. 3).

During this movement along the surfaces 33a the cartridges 3) are combed out ofthe recesses ofthe star wheels 26, 27, and are moved along into the supply channel 22 by the pressure of the subsequent cartridges contacting one another along a generatix. When theforemost cartridge has reached its end position ahead of the breech, in whichpit is supported laterally, the arms 18` with the strips 21 are forced by the reaction applied by the cartridges located outside the star wheels 26, 27v on the cartridge moved by the latter along, prior to being combed out, from the upper position illustrated in FIG. 4 into the lower position according to FlG. 3 against the bias of the springs 44. In this position the drive of the conveyer means, i.e. also of the star wheels 26, 27, is interrupted automatically by the couplingv 24 by means of the lever 43a. As soon as one cartridge has been fired, the pressure acting on the arms 1S diminishes, so that the same are pulled upwardly by the springs 44, Upon starting of this movement of the arms the coupling 45 with the driving motor 28 is. automatically re-engaged by means of the lever 43a. This upward movement of the arms 1S effects aV shortening of the conveyer path containing the cartridges between the weapon 6 and the conveyer disc 7 and bounded by the guides Z1, 24 and 33 in such a manner that before the conveyer; members 7, 26, 27, after the engaging of the coupling'have again reached their operational rotational speed, the cartridges are pushed along in the supply channel 23. By the mobility of the arms 1S and of the strips 21 it is made possible to store a cartridge and by this storage to compensate small differences in the supply output of the conveyor disc 7. as comparedwith the consumption of the weapon.

When the magazine 5 isempty and no more cartridges are transferred from the conveyer disc 7 to the star wheels 26, 27', the sensing lever 35 is forced by the bias of the springs 14 downwardly as soon as the last of the cartridges conveyed along by these wheels has passed the same. Thereby the supply levers 39 are turned in the clockwise sense about their axes 33 so that their pusher faces '39a bear on the rearmost of the three cartridges still to be tired which at this moment for example assume positions as the cartridges denoted M, N, O, in FIG. 3.

After the tiring of the cartridge M assumed to be lying rhisY working position of the push member 39 is determined by theA sensing lever 35 forV which the shaft 25 acts as an abutment during its downward movement. v

In FIG. 6 arffurther embodimentof the invention is illustrated bj way of example. In contrast to the first embodimentrdescribed hereinabove the sensing lever 55, Y which is here in driving connection with the supply levers 39, carries laterally a square cam' 46. Onthe axle 32 Y moreover the lever 47 is pivotally mounted, whichhas a Y Y rectangular shaped resty surface 47a, Whchlies in the same plane directed Vtowards the axle as the cam 45 'i of the lever 45. A sensing lever 43 is pivotally mounted on the axle 34 so that its rounded control'face 49 lies sisef/vs ina common plane with the roller journalled laterally on the lever 47. A spring 51 acts on the sensing lever 4S as well as on the lever a7 in the counter-clockwise rotational sense.

The manner of operation is brieiiy as follows:

ln the rest position both levers 55 and 4S bear on the shaft 255 under the pressure of the springs biasing them (FlG. 4). When setting up the readiness for firing, the first cartridge engaged by the conveyer wheels 26, 27, pushes both levers upwardly. During this movement the lever 55 gets with the face dela of its cam te in contact with the face 47h of the lever 47 and pushes the same during its continued upward movement in the clockwise sense about the axis of rotation 32. When the two levers 55 and t6 have reached their highest position under the pushing action of the cartridge, the lower face of the cam do lies at the level of the rest face 47a of the lever 47. Thereby the latter can move under the bias of its associated spring 5l in the counter-clocltwise direction, it can reach with its face 47a from below under the cam 46 of the sensing lever 55 and thereby retain the same in this position (FIG. 6).

In contrast the sensing lever S8 remains mobile and drops, after the irst cartridge has moved past the same, by the bias of the spring 51 acting on it onto the cartridge following the same in the star wheels which by its movement pushes it again upwardly. As long as cartridges are supplied by the star wheels 26, 27, the sensing lever t3 swings accordingly in this small angular range up and down, the roller 50 mounted on the lever 47 rolling along its control face di?. This face is so constructed that upon a movement of the sensing lever 48 within this range no drive is applied to the lever 47 in the sense of turning the same. As soon as, however, the last cartridge of the store in the magazine has passed the sensing lever 48, the same is moved downwardly by the bias of the spring 5l. Then by the upper part of its control face 49 a pressure is applied on the roller 50 and accordingly on the lever 47, and the latter is turned about the axle 32 in the clockwise sense, whereby the support of the cam 46 from below on the sensing lever 55 is abolished and the latter is forced downwardly by the spring 4t). The supply members 39 push during this movement of the sensing lever 55 in the manner described hereinabove the last three cartridges still contained in and ahead of the supply channel 23 successively in a position before the breech of the weapon.

While I have described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings what may be considered typical and particularly useful embodiments of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself t'o the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated; for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cartridge feeder device for an automatic lirearm, comprising in combination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing a feeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges, conveyor means engaging into said conveyor pathfor the transport lof the cartridges lying loosely side by side, a cartridge operated loading lever having a drop-off position in which it is engaging into said conveyor path and a loading position in which it disengages the cartridges moving along said conveyor path, a pusher member having a position of readiness outside said feeder path and a Working position inside said feeder path and on transition from said position of readiness to said working position pushing along the cartridges located in said feeder channel, a connecting member connecting said loading lever with said pusher member, spring means moving by the aid of said connecting member and after the passage of the last cartridge through said guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel said loading lever from its loading position into its drop-olf position and said pusher member from its position of readiness into its working position, said conveyer means moving said loading lever from its drop-off position into its loading position to load said spring means by the action of the first cartridge being pushed through said guides.

2. A cartridge feeder device for an automatic firearm, comprising in combination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing a feeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges, conveyor means engaging into said conveyor path for the transport of the cartridges lying loosely side by side, a cartridge operated loading lever having a drop-off position in which it is engaging into said conveyer path and a loading position in which it disengages the cartridges moving along said conveyer path, a pusher member having a position of readiness outside said feeder path and a Working position inside said feeder path and on transition from said position of readiness to said working position pushing along the cartridges located in said feeder channel, a connecting member connecting said loading lever with said pusher member, spring means moving by the aid of said connecting member and after the passage of the last cartridge through said guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel said loading lever from its loading position into its drop-olf position and said pusher member from its position of readiness into its Working position, said conveyer means moving said loading lever from its drop-off position into its loading position to load said spring means by the action of the first cartridge being pushed through said guides, a sensing member, a control cam attached to said sensing member, a locking lever, a roller journalled on said locking lever and abutting said control cam, said locking lever having a rest face, said loading lever having a cam capable of being arrested in said loading position by contact with said rest face, said spring means comprising a spring biasing said sensing member, which after the passage of the last cartridge through said conveyor path raises said locking lever by means of said control cam of said sensing member moving into its release position and thereby releases said loading lever, and a further spring, which after the raising of said locking lever moves said pusher member from its position of readiness into its working position.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A CARTRIDGE FEEDER DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC FIREARM, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A FEEDER CHANNEL ADJOINING SAID FIREARM AND ENCLOSING A FEEDER PATH OF THE CARTRIDGES THERETO, GUIDES ARRANGED AHEAD OF SAID FEEDER CHANNEL AND DETERMINING THE CONVEYING PATH OF THE CARTRIDGES, CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGING INTO SAID CONVEYOR PATH FOR THE TRANSPORT OF THE CARTRIDGES LYING LOOSELY SIDE BY SIDE, A CARTRIDGE OPERATED LOADING LEVER HAVING A DROP-OFF POSITION IN WHICH IT IS ENGAGING INTO SAID CONVEYOR PATH AND A LOADING POSITION IN WHICH IT DISENGAGES, THE CARTRIDGE MOVING ALONG SAID CONVEYOR PATH, A PUSHER MEMBER HAVING A POSITION OF READINESS OUTSIDE SAID FEEDER PATH AND A WORKING POSITION INSIDE SAID FEEDER PATH AND ON TRANSITION FROM SAID POSITION OF READINESS TO SAID WORKING POSITION PUSHING ALONG THE CARTRIDGES LOCATED IN SAID FEEDER CHANNEL, A CONNECTING MEMBER CONNECTING SAID LOADING LEVER WITH SAID PUSHER MEMBER, SPRING MEANS MOVING BY THE AID OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE LAST CARTRIDGE THROUGH SAID GUIDES ARRANGED AHEAD OF SAID FEEDER CHANNEL SAID LOADING LEVER FROM ITS LOADING POSITION INTO ITS DROP-OFF POSITION AND SAID PUSHER MEMBER FROM ITS POSITION OF READINESS INTO ITS WORKING POSITION, SAID CONVEYOR MEANS MOVING SAID LOADING LEVER FROM ITS DROP-OFF POSITION INTO ITS LOADING POSITION TO LOAD SAID SPRING MEANS BY THE ACTION OF THE FIRST CARTRIDGE BEING PUSHED THROUGH SAID GUIDES.

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