US3331281A - Round feeding mechanism for automatic guns for discharging rounds from a round magazine - Google Patents

Round feeding mechanism for automatic guns for discharging rounds from a round magazine Download PDF

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US3331281A
US3331281A US534967A US53496766A US3331281A US 3331281 A US3331281 A US 3331281A US 534967 A US534967 A US 534967A US 53496766 A US53496766 A US 53496766A US 3331281 A US3331281 A US 3331281A
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round
carriage
feeder
rounds
pawls
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US534967A
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Jafvert Erik Wilhelm
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Saab Bofors AB
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Bofors AB
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    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41WEAPONS
    • F41AFUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/01Feeding of unbelted ammunition
    • F41A9/06Feeding of unbelted ammunition using cyclically moving conveyors, i.e. conveyors having ammunition pusher or carrier elements which are emptied or disengaged from the ammunition during the return stroke
    • F41A9/07Reciprocating conveyors, i.e. conveyors pushing a plurality of ammunition during the feeding stroke

Definitions

  • ROUND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS FOR DISCHARGING ROUNDS FROM A ROUND MAGAZINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7', 1966 A T'TORNE rs 3,331,281 HARGING July 18, 1967
  • E. w. JAFVERT SM FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS FOR DISC ROUND FEEDING MECHANI ROUNDS FROM A ROUND MAGAZINE Filed March '7, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.
  • automatic guns can be provided with a round magazine of the type mentioned above, as this will make it possible to load more rounds in the gun than if the gun, as in most cases, is provided with a round magazine consisting of a single vertical round compartment disposed in the same vertical plane as the barrel of the gun straight above a ramming position for the rounds in the rear prolongation of the barrel. It is also possible to provide a gun with two round magazines of the type first mentioned disposed on opposite sides of the gun, whereby it will be possible to load the gun with two different types of ammunition so that the type of ammunition can be changed or chosen rapidly during fire.
  • a round magazine of this type must obviously, however, be disposed at the one side of the vertical plane containing the barrel of the gun and a round feeding mechanism is consequently necessary, which can discharge.
  • the rounds one at a time from the round magazine, so that the round compartments are emptied in a predetermined order, and move the rounds in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axes to a position in the vertical plane containing the barrel of the gunv
  • the last mentioned position can then be either a ramming position in the rear prolongation of the barrel or an intermediate position, which lies in the same vertical plane as the barrel but straight above the ramming position. From this intermediate position the rounds can subsequently be fed downwards into the ramming position by a special round feeding mechanism.
  • a round feeding carriage which is located underneath the round magazine spaced from the lower open exit ends of the round compartments by a distance at least corresponding to the diameter of the rounds and which is reciprocatingly movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rounds and thus perpendicular to the vertical plane containing the barrel of the gun over a distance corresponding to the spacing between the center lines of adjacent round compartments in the magazine.
  • This round feeding carriage is provided with a number of round feeder pawls corresponding to the number of round compartments in the magazine.
  • round feeder pawls are arranged one after the other in the direction of movement of the feeder carriage with a mutual spacing corresponding to the center line spacing between adjacent round compartments so that the round feeder pawls can engage each one round located in the space between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments.
  • the round feeder pawls When the round feeder carriage is moved towards its discharge position, the round feeder pawls will bring along all the rounds located in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments, whereby at the end of this discharge movement the round closest to forward discharge end of the feeder carriage will be delivered to a ramming position or an intermediate position in the vertical plane containing the barrel of the gun, at the same time as a new round is fed downwards into the space between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments from the round compartment still holding any rounds, which is furthest away from the discharge end of the round feeder carriage. Thereafter the round feeder carriage is to be returned to its initial or neutral position in such a way that the rounds located in the space between the round feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments are not simultaneously displaced.
  • a round feeding mechanism of this type presents several problems, for which satisfactory solutions must be found.
  • the rounds which are brought along by the round feeder carriage during its discharge movements and to which consequently a considerable kinetic energy is imparted, must be retarded in some suitable way at the end of the discharge movement.
  • the rounds located in the space between the round feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments must be kept stationary in their positions in some suitable way during the return movement of the feeder carriage. It must also be ascertained that the new rounds from the round compartments are fed downwards into the space between the exit ends of the round compartments and the round feeder carriage in a correct predetermined order.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a round feeding mechanism of the type described above, which is simple, reliable and compact.
  • the round feeding mechanism according to the invention is characterized by two rows of check pawls disposed parallel to the direction of movement of the round feeder carriage on opposite sides thereof, each one of said rows comprising a first check pawl for each round compartment in the round magazine except for the round compartment furthest away from the discharge position of the roundfeeder carriage, said first check pawls being pivoted in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage about stationary axes located straight below the associated ones of round compartments so as to be swingable between as raised position, in which said first check pawls are extending obliquely upwards opposite to the direction of the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage between the rounds disposed in the space between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments, and a depressed position, in which said first check pawls lie beneath said rounds and consequently can be passed by said rounds.
  • the mechanism comprises control means for said first check pawls, said control means being responsive to the movement of the round feeder carriage and being coupled to said first check pawl so as to move said check first pawls into their depressed position before the beginning of the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage and to keep the check pawls in this depressed position during the first part of the discharge movement of the feeder carriage, until each check pawl has been passed by one round brought along in the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage, and subsequently to return the check pawls to their raised position before the end of the discharge movement of the carriage.
  • first check pawls will consequently be in their raised position at the end of the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage and will thereby, as they are in this raised position extending obliquely upwards opposite to the discharge position, stop the rounds which are lying in the space between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments and which have been brought along in the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage.
  • these first check pawls are in their depressed position and will consequently not prevent the displacement of the rounds lying between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments in the discharge direction.
  • the check pawls are moved to their depressed position already during the last part of the return movement of the round feeder carriage.
  • each one of the two rows of check pawls comprises an additional, second check pawl for each round compartment closest to the discharge end of the round feeder carriage, said second check pawl being also pivoted in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the round feeder carriage about stationary axes located straight below the associated one of round compartments so as to be swingable between a raised position, in which these second check pawls are extending obliquely upwards in the discharge direction between the rounds lying in the space between the carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments, and a depressed position, in which these second check pawls lie beneath said rounds and consequently can be passed by them.
  • These second check pawls are urged by spring means towards their raised positions and will consequently during the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage be automatically pushed down into their depressed position against the action of the spring means by the rounds brought along by the round feeder carriage, whereby these rounds can pass said second check pawls.
  • these second check pawls will, however, be automatically returned by the spring means to their raised position, whereby they will prevent the rounds lying in the space between the round feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments from being displaced during the return movement of the carriage.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically, seen from the rear end of the gun and in the direction parallel to the barrel; a round magazine, the most important parts of a round feeding mechanism according to the invention and those parts of the gun, which are of interest in connection with this round feeding mechanism; FIG. 1 showing the round feeding mechanism during the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage and FIG. 2 showing the round feeding mechanism during the return movement of the carriage.
  • FIG. 3 shows the round feeding mechanism more in detail and in perspective seen from its discharge end and with certain parts of the mechanism cut away.
  • FIG. 4 shows a detail of the control means for the check pawls in the round feeding mechanism.
  • FIG. 5 shows in detail a part of the mechanism for driving the round feeder carriage from the recoiling mass of the gun.
  • FIG. 6 shows in detail a mechanism for driving the round feeder carriage manually.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show a round magazine 1 comprising six vertical round compartments 2, which are arranged side by side and each hold one stack of rounds 3 lying one upon the other.
  • the round compartments are open at their lower exit ends and are provided with spring means (not shown in the drawing) exerting a permanent downwards pressure upon the rounds lying in the round compartmets.
  • Underneath the round magazine there is a round feeding mechanism comprising a stationary base plate 4 and a round feeder carriage 5 reciprocatingly movable in the base plate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rounds. During the discharge movement of the round feeder carriage 5, that is when the carriage is moving to the right in FIGS.
  • a round will, as will be further described in the following, be delivered to an intermediate or ready position in a locking device consisting of two flaps 6, which are swingable about mutually parallel axes and are spring-loaded in direction towards each other.
  • This ready position lies in the same vertical plane as the barrel of the gun (not shown in the drawing) and straight above a loading tray 7, which is arranged to support and guide the rounds during the ramming operation. The upper side of this loading tray will consequently serve as a ramming path for the rounds.
  • the down-feeder 8 designates a vertically reciprocatingly movable down-feeder, which is controlled from the recoiling mass of the gun in such a way that it will during the recoil movement of the gun push a round lying in the ready position on the flaps 6 between the flaps downwards onto the loading tray 7, that is to the ramming position.
  • the down-feeder 8 is returned to its upper position so that at the end of the recuperation movement a new round can be delivered from the round magazine to the ready position on the flaps 6.
  • the down-feeder S can for instance be controlled by a downfeeding mechanism of the type described in the copending United States patent application No. 475,939.
  • the down-feeding mechanism is designed, wherefore the down-feeder 8 can also be controlled in any other suitable manner.
  • the round feeding mechanism according to the invention can also be used for feeding the rounds directly to the ramming position, if the other parts of the gun are designed to permit this.
  • a new round must conseqeuntly be discharged from the round magazine and delivered to the ready position on the flaps 6 during the recuperation of the recoiling mass of the gun, that is the round feeder carriage 5 must be moved to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 during the recuperation movements of the recoiling mass and be returned to the left in FIGS. 1 and 2 during the recoil movement of the recoiling mass.
  • the round feeder carriage 5 supported by the base plate 4 is provided with two parallel rows of round feeder pawls 9 extending in the direction of movement of the carriage.
  • the round feeder pawls 9 are mounted in pairs on opposite ends of shafts 10 mounted for rotation in the feeder carriage.
  • the mutual spacing between the shafts 10 corresponds to the spacing between the center lines of two adjacent round compartments 2 in the round magazine.
  • the feeder pawls 9 are swingable between the raised position shown in FIG.
  • each one of the shafts 10 is provided with a coil spring 11 urging the feeder pawls 9 attached to the shaft towards their raised position.
  • the feeder carriage 5 is running in the base plate 4 on wheels 12 journalled on the ends of two or several of the shafts 10.
  • All the shafts 10 are mechanically interconnected through an axially displaceable rod 13, which is coupled to the shaft 1t) throughdownwards pointing levers 14 attached to the shafts.
  • the feeder pawls 9 will consequently swing simultaneously between their raised position and their depressed position.
  • a feeder spring unit 15 is connected between the feeder carriage 5 and the base plate 4.
  • the feeder spring unit 15 .5. is shown in section in FIG. 6 and consists of a cylinder 16 and a piston 17 with a piston rod 18 displaceable therein.
  • a coil spring 19 is arranged between the piston 17 and the one end wall of the cylinder 16.
  • the cylinder 16 of the feeder spring unit 15 is, as can be seen in FIG. 3, connected to the base plate 4, whereas the piston rod 18, as can be seen in FIG. '6, is connected to a bracket arm 27 projecting downwards from the lower side of the feeder carriage 5. In FIG. 3 this bracket arm 27 is hidden by other parts of the round feeding mechanism.
  • the feeder spring unit 15 endeavours consequently to move the feeder carriage 15 to the right in FIG. 3, that is in the discharge direction. In FIG. 3, the feeder carriage is shown in the position, which it occupies at the end of a discharge movement.
  • the feeder carriage 5 is driven in synchronism with the firing of the gun by means of a cam slot bar 20, which is reciprocatingly movable in its longitudinal direction and is coupled to the recoiling mass of the gun so as to be moved to the right in FIG. 3 during the recuperation movement of the gun and to the left during the recoil movement.
  • the cam slot bar 20 is shown in the position, which it occupies, when the recoiling mass of the gun is in its runout position.
  • the feeder carriage 5 is coupled to the cam slot bar 20 through a link 21, which is pivoted about a pin '22 at its one end.
  • the pin 22 is journalled in the base plate 4.
  • the link 21 At its opposite end the link 21 is provided with a roller 23 projecting into a groove 24 in the lower side of the feeder carriage 5 at its discharge end.
  • the lower side of the link 21 carries an additional roller 25 running in a cam slot 26 in the cam slot bar 20.
  • FIG. 5 shows schematically the cam slot bar 20 and the link 21 seen from above and with the feeder carriage 5 removed.
  • the members are shown in full lines in the position occupied by them, when the recoiling mass of the gun is in the run-out position, and with dotted lines in the position occupied by them at the end of the recoil movement.
  • the cam slot 26 in the cam slot bar 20 has a narrow portion and a wide portion.
  • the roller 25 on the link 21 lies in the wider portion of the slot 26, when the recoiling mass of the gun is in the run-out position.
  • the roller 25 is then pressed against the S-shaped side of the cam slot 26 by the force from the feeder spring unit 15, which keeps the feeder carriage 5 in its discharge position.
  • the cam slot bar 20 is moved to the left in FIGS. 5 and 3 to the position shown with dotted lines in FIG. 5, whereby the roller 25 will enter the narrow portion of the cam slot 26, so that the link 21 is pivoted about its pivot pin 22 and will, by means of the roller 23 projecting into the groove 24 in the feeder carriage 5, return the carriage 5 to the left in FIG. 3.
  • the feeder spring unit will be cocked.
  • the cam slot bar is returned to its right hand position in FIG. 5, whereby the spring feeder unit 15 will move the feeder carriage 5 in the discharge direction to its discharge position.
  • the feeder carriage 5 When the recoiling mass of the gun is in the run-out position and thus the cam slot bar 20 is in its right-hand position in FIGS. 3 and 5, the feeder carriage 5 can, as can be seen in FIG. 5, due to the shape of the cam slot 26 be reciprocated without hindrance from the cam slot bar 20 and its cam slot 26. This makes it possible to drive the feeder carriage 5 manually, which is necessary, when the round magazine is to be emptied and after the loading of the magazine, when the first round is to be fed to the ready position on the flaps 6.
  • the manual drive mechanism for the feeder carriage 5 is shown in detail in FIG. 6 and comprises a double-armed lever 28 pivoted about a pin 29 on a nut 30.
  • the nut 30 is mounted on a threaded shaft 31, which is mounted for rotation in the base plate 4 and is coupled to a hand-operating crank 33 through level gears 32.
  • One end of the double-armed lever 28 is provided with a roller 34 running in a guide groove 35 in the 6 stationary base plate 4.
  • the opposite end of the lever 28 is provided with a fork 36 having its legs disposed on opposite sides of the piston rod 18 of the spring feeder unit 15. The space between the legs of the fork 36 is such that the piston rod 18 can be axially displaced within the fork 36.
  • the legs of the fork 36 are provided with rollers 37, which can be brought toact against the bracket arm 27 projecting downwards from the feeder carriage 5.
  • the lever 28 and the nut 30 are shown in their inoperative position, which they occupy during firing, when the feeder carriage 5 is driven from the recoiling mass of the gun.
  • the hand-operating crank 33 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow 38, whereby the nut 30 is moved to the left in FIG. 6 and the arm 28 is pivoted about its roller 34 in the direction indicated by an arrow 39.
  • the rollers 37 in the fork 36 will then press against the bracket arm 27 on the feeder carriage 5 and move the feeder carriage to the left in FIGS. 6 and 3, at the same time as the feeder spring unit 15 is being cocked.
  • the hand-operating crank 33 is rotated in the opposite direction, whereby the feeder carriage 5 will be moved by the feeder spring unit 15 in its discharge direction towards its discharge position.
  • the stationary base plate 4 is provided with two rows 40 and 40 of check pawls running parallel to the direction of movement of the feeder carriage 5 on opposite sides of the carriage so that the row 40 of check pawls will cooperate with the forward ends of the rounds whereas the row 40 of check pawls cooperates with the rear ends of the rounds.
  • Both rows of check pawls are designed and controlled in exactly the same manner, with the exception that the check pawls have somewhat different shapes in view of the different diameters of the rounds at their forward ends and rear ends. It is consequently sufficient to describe the design and the operation of the rear row 40 of check pawls, which is best seen in FIG. 3. As can be seen in FIGS.
  • the row 40 of check pawls comprises two different types of check pawls, viz. on the one hand five check pawls 41 pointing forwards, that is in the discharge direction of the feeder carriage 5, and on the other hand five check pawls 42 pointing rearwards, that is opposite to the discharge direction of the feeder carriage 5.
  • the forwards pointing check pawls 41 are arranged below each one of the round compartments 2 in the round magazine 1 with exception for the round compartment closest to the discharge end of the feeder carriage 5, and are pivoted in a vertical plane about stationary axes in the base plate 4 located straight below the associated round compartments.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are in a corresponding way arranged below each one of the round compartments 2 with exception for the round compartment further away from the discharge end of the feeder carriage 5 and are pivoted in a vertical plane about stationary axes in the base plate 4 located straight below the associated round compartment. At those round compartments that are provided with a forwards pointing check pawl 41 as well as a rearwards pointing check pawl 42, these check pawls are pivoted about the same axis. Beneath the pivot shafts on the check pawls 41 and 42 there is a groove 43 in the base plate 4, in which groove two rods 44 and 45 are axially displaceable.
  • the rod 44 is a control rod for the forwards pointing check pawls 41 and is provided with a notch 46 for each check pawl 41.
  • the check pawls 41 are provided with downwards pointing lugs 47 projecting into the notches 46.
  • the check pawls 41 are consequently interconnected through the control rod 44, whereby they will assume the same position and be pivoted simultaneously about their axes.
  • the rod 45 forms a corresponding control rod for the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 and is provided with one notch 48 for each check pawl 42, the check pawls being provided with downwards pointing lugs projecting into the notches 48, whereby the check pawls 42 are interconnected through the control rod 45 and will assume the same position and be pivoted simultaneously about their axes.
  • the bottom of the groove 43 is provided with two elongated openings to the lower side of the base plate 4.
  • Short taps 49 and d are attached to the lower side of the rod 44 and 45 respectively and project downwards through said elongated openings, as can be most readily seen in FIG. 4.
  • the tap 49 attached to the rod 44 is provided with a head 51 and in a corresponding way the tap 50 attached to the rod 45 is provided with a head 52.
  • the heads 51 and 52 have a larger breadth than the elongated openings in the bottom of the groove 43, whereby the heads prevent the rods 44 and 45 from being lifted out of the groove 43.
  • a spring unit 53 is arranged between the two heads 51 and 52 at the lower side of the base plate 4.
  • the spring unit 53 consists of a telescopic rod 54 and a coil spring 55 acting between the two parts of the telescopic rod.
  • the spring unit 53 endeavours consequently to move the rod 44 to the right and the rod 45 to the left in FIGS. 3 and 4 and thus to pivot the check pawls 41 and '42 to their raised positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this raised position the forwards pointing check pawls 41 are extending obliquely upwards in the discharge direction of the round feeding carriage 5 between the rounds lying in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are in their raised positions extending obliquely upwards opposite to the discharge direction of the feeder carriage between the rounds lying in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments. From this raised position the forwards pointing check pawls 41 as well as the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 can be pivoted to a depressed position, in which the check pawls lie underneath the rounds in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments so that these rounds can pass above the check pawls.
  • the forwards pointing check pawls 41 are brought into this depressed position during the discharge movement of the feeder carriage 5 in that the rounds brought along by the feeder carriage depress the check pawls 41 against the action of the spring unit 53, which will then be cocked.
  • the check pawls are automatically returned to their raised position by the cocked spring unit 53.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are depressed by a special control mechanism comprising a rod 56 axially displaceable in the base plate 4 and resting with its one end against the head 52 attached to the control rod 45 for the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 and having its opposite end coupled to a lever 57 attached to the one end of a shaft 58 mounted for rotation in the base plate 4.
  • the rod 56 is kept in its neutral position shown in FIG. 4 by two coil springs 59.
  • the neutral position of the rod 56 corresponds to the fully raised position of the rearwards pointing check pawls 42.
  • the shaft 58 is provided with an S-shaped lever 60 and the opposite end of the shaft (not visible in FIG. 4) is in the same way as shown in FIG.
  • the rod 56 will thereby push the control rod 45 for the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 to the right in FIG. 4 against the action of the spring unit 53, which will be cocked, so that the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are brought into their depressed positions.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are kept in this depressed position during the first part of the subsequent discharge movement of the feeder carriage, until each one of the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 has been passed by a round lying in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit ends of the round compartments.
  • the round feeding mechanism described above for the round magazine 1 has the following cycle of operation. Let it be assumed that the gun has been firing for some time so that some rounds have been fired. The round compartment 2 in the round magazine 1 furthest away from the gun is therefore partially emptied, whereas the remaining five round compartments are completely filled with rounds. Let it further be assumed that the recoiling mass of the gun is presently in its run-out position. This means that the round feeder carriage 5 is in its discharge position shown in FIG. 3 and has just delivered a round to the ready position on the flaps 6 underneath the completely raised down-feeder 8. The loading tray 7 is empty, as a round has just been rammed into the loading chamber in the breech ring of the gun by the ramming mechanism of the gun.
  • All round feeder pawls on the round feeder carriage 5 are in the raised position and the pair of the feeder pawls closest to the discharge end of the feeder carriage are lying outside the actual round magazine, as they have just delivered a round onto the flaps 6.
  • the remaining five pairs of feeder pawls on the feeder carriage 5 lie behind one each of the rounds, which lie in the space between the feeder carriage and the lower exit ends of the round compartments 5 straight below the five round compartments closest to the discharge end of the feeder carriage.
  • the rounds in the space between the feeder carriage 5 and the exit ends of the round compartments 2 do not rest directly upon the feeder carriage, but the rear ends of these rounds are resting on a rib 63 on the base plate 4, as can be seen in FIG. 3, whereas the fore ends of the rounds are resting upon a corresponding rib (not visible in FIG. 3) on the base plate 4 on the outside of the row 40' of check pawls.
  • a number of spring-loaded guide levers 64 corresponding to the number of round compartments 2 are pivoted in a vertical plane so as to be depressed by the rounds lying in the space between the feeder carriage 5 and the exit ends of the round compartments.
  • Each one of the round compartments 2 is at its lower exit end provided with a locking flap 65, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the locking flap 65 can be pivoted into the round compartments so as to prevent the rounds from leaving the compartments or be pivoted into the walls of the round compartments so that rounds can be discharged from the compartments by the spring force permanently acting upon the stacks of rounds in the round compartments.
  • Each one of these locking flaps 65 is in any suitable manner not shown in the drawing controlled by a feeler member, which registers whether there is any round lying in the space between the feeder carriage and the exit end of the associated round compartment. If there is a round in this space, the locking flap 65 is kept in its locking position so that it will be in the way of the lowermost round in the round compartment and prevent this round from being discharged from the round compartment and from resting on the round lying underneath the round compartment between the exit end of the round compartment and the feeder carriage.
  • the locking flap 65 is moved to the side so that the lowermost round in the round compartment will be pushed downwards into the space between the feeder carriage and the exit end of the round compartment, whereafter the locking flap 65 is immediatley returned to its locking position in that the feeler member controlling the locking flap 65 is actuated by the round just discharged from the round compartment.
  • the locking flap 65 In the position assumed above all locking flaps 65 are consequently projecting into their associated round compartments. Further the forwards pointing check pawls 41 as well as the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are in their raised positions.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are pivoted to their depressed positions, in the manner previously described, by the control mechanism shown in FIG. 4 and are kept in this depressed position during the remaining part of the return movement of the feeder carriage 5.
  • the downfeeder 8 will, as already mentioned, push the round resting on the flaps 6 downwards between the flaps onto the loading tray 7.
  • the ready position on the flaps 6 is consequently empty, whereas a round is resting upon the loading tray 7.
  • the round feeder carriage 5 is fully returned to its left-hand position in FIGS.
  • the feeder carriage 5 is, as previously described, moved to the right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and the round feeder pawls 9 on the feeder carriage will bring along the rounds lying in the space between the feeder carriage and the eXit ends of the round compartments in this movement.
  • the forwards pointing check pawls 41 will then be depressed to their depressed positions by these rounds, which can consequently pass above the forwards ointing check pawls.
  • the rearwards pointing check pawls 42 are, as previously described, kept in their depressed p0 sition by their control mechanism, until each one of these pawls has been passed by one round.
  • the row 40 of check pawls could of course include a rearwards pointing check pawl also for the retardation of this round, in which case it would be necessary, however, to lengthen the base plate 4 to the right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In order to save space it is therefore preferable to provide the springloaded check plunger 68 for the retardation of this round.
  • the locking flap 65 of this round compartment When during the discharge movement of the feeder carriage the round at the rear end of the feeder carriage leaves the space between the feeder carriage and the exit end of the round compartment furthest away from the discharge end of the feeder carriage, the locking flap 65 of this round compartment will, as shown in FIG. 1, be swung out of the way, whereby the lowermost round in this round compartment will be discharged from the round compartment downwards into the space between the lower end of the round compartment and the base plate behind the rearmost pair of round feeder pawls on the feeder carriage, whereafter the locking flap 65 is immediately returned to its locking position.
  • the down-feeder 8 is, as previously described returned to its upper position and will consequently not prevent the feeder carriage 5 from delivering a new round to the flaps 6 at the end of its discharge movement.
  • the round-feeding mechanism according to the invention shown in the drawing and described above is provided with a cam path 67 (see FIG. 3) attached to the upper end of a vertical rod 69, which can be manually rotated by means of a control rod 70 so that the cam path 67 is moved from an inoperative position shown in full lines in FIG. 3 to an operative position shown in dotted lines.
  • a round feeding mechanism for an automatic gun having a round magazine including several vertical round compartments located side by side, each holding a stack of rounds lying one upon the other and having a lower open exit end for said rounds, for discharging the rounds held in said magazine one by one in a predetermined order, comprising a horizontal round feeder carriage underneath said round magazine and spaced from said lower exit ends of said round compartments by a distance at least corresponding to the diameter of said rounds, said round feeder carriage being reciprocatingly movable perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the rounds in said round compartments over a distance corresponding to the spacing between the center lines in adjacent round compartments between a neutral position and a discharge position for discharging at the end of a discharge movement from said neutral position to said discharge position a round at its forward discharge end and being provided with a number of round feeder pawls corresponding to the.
  • each one of said two rows of check pawls comprises a second check pawl for each one of said round compartments except for the round compartment closest to said discharge end of said round feeder carriage, said second check pawls being pivoted in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of said carriage about stationary axes located straight below associated ones of said round compartments so as to be swingable between a raised position, in which said second check pawls are extending upwards in the direction of said discharge movement of said carriage between the rounds disposed in the space between said carriage and said lower exit ends of said round compartments, and a depressed position, in which said second check pawls lie beneath said rounds and can be passed by them, and comprising spring means urging said second check pawls towards said raised position.
  • a mechanism as claimed in claim 2, comprising for each one of said two rows of check pawls a first axially displaceable rod parallel to the associated row of check pawls, said first rod being coupled to said first check pawls of said associated row so as to swing said first check pawls about their pivot axes upon axial displacement of said first rod, and a corresponding second axially displacement rod parallel to said associated row of check pawls, said second rod being coupled to said second check pawls of said associated row so as to swing said second check pawls about their pivot axes upon axial displacement of said second rod, spring means urging said first and second rods in directions corresponding to rotations of 7 said first and second check pawls respectively towards their raised positions, said first rod being coupled to control means responsive to the movement of said round feeder carriage so as to be displaced during the return movement of said carriage from its discharge position to its neutral position against the action of said spring means to a position bringing said first check pawls into their depressed position and to be maintained
  • said spring means comprise a spring acting between said first and second rods.
  • a mechanism as claimed in claim 1, comprising manually operated means for reciprocating said round feeder carriage between said discharge position and said neutral position.

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US534967A 1965-03-10 1966-03-07 Round feeding mechanism for automatic guns for discharging rounds from a round magazine Expired - Lifetime US3331281A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE314265 1965-03-10

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US3331281A true US3331281A (en) 1967-07-18

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US (1) US3331281A (ja)
JP (1) JPS5120838B1 (ja)
AT (1) AT272155B (ja)
BE (1) BE677627A (ja)
CH (1) CH466093A (ja)
DE (1) DE1578359C3 (ja)
ES (1) ES323965A1 (ja)
FI (1) FI41928C (ja)
FR (1) FR1470909A (ja)
GB (1) GB1138286A (ja)
NL (1) NL147536B (ja)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3596556A (en) * 1969-04-07 1971-08-03 Gen Electric Feeder drive
US3683743A (en) * 1969-08-01 1972-08-15 Stoner Eugen Morrison Linkless cartridge feed system
US3927598A (en) * 1973-04-02 1975-12-23 Bofors Ab Device for loading an artillery piece
US4069740A (en) * 1975-08-14 1978-01-24 Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle Ag Automatic weapon equipped with at least two cartridge magazines
US4388854A (en) * 1981-02-26 1983-06-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Ammunition storage and transfer mechanism
US4687409A (en) * 1984-06-15 1987-08-18 Vickers Shipbuilding And Engineering Limited Article handling apparatus
US4982650A (en) * 1989-10-16 1991-01-08 General Electric Company Modular ammunition packaging and feed system
US5458044A (en) * 1993-03-12 1995-10-17 Giat Industries System for storing and feeding propellant charges
WO1998025095A1 (en) * 1996-12-02 1998-06-11 Bofors Ab A method and device for feeding freely selectable projectiles from compartment magazine
US6490958B1 (en) * 2002-01-11 2002-12-10 General Dynamics Armament & Technical Products, Inc. Apparatus for storing charge units
US20120167750A1 (en) * 2011-01-04 2012-07-05 Lockheed Martin Corporation Rapid fire launch system
US10871337B1 (en) * 2020-01-30 2020-12-22 Junsheng Zhou Plunger driven reloading system for removable ammunition magazines
WO2021221770A3 (en) * 2020-03-06 2022-03-03 Moog Inc. Loading mechanism for suspended loop ammunition

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3046642A1 (de) * 1980-12-11 1982-07-08 Wegmann & Co, 3500 Kassel Automatische ladeeinrichtung fuer schusswaffen
DE3111514A1 (de) * 1981-03-24 1982-10-28 Diehl GmbH & Co, 8500 Nürnberg Ladevorrichtung fuer eine in einem panzerfahrzeug eingebaute bewegliche rohrwaffe
IT8248746A0 (it) * 1981-07-09 1982-07-02 Secr Defence Brit Apparecchio di alimentazione di munizioni per cannoni montati in torretta
DE3219800C2 (de) * 1982-05-26 1985-04-25 KUKA Wehrtechnik GmbH, 8900 Augsburg Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Munition zu einer Maschinenwaffe
SE460558B (sv) * 1985-06-19 1989-10-23 Bofors Ab Skottmagasin foer helautomatiska artilleripjaeser
JPS6423437U (ja) * 1987-07-30 1989-02-08
DE3931192A1 (de) * 1989-09-19 1991-03-28 Rheinmetall Gmbh Schachtmagazin fuer modulare treibladung
JPH09165033A (ja) * 1995-12-15 1997-06-24 Gifu Plast Ind Co Ltd 折り畳みコンテナの連結構造
DE102022132823A1 (de) 2022-12-09 2024-06-20 Rheinmetall Air Defence Ag Munitionszuführung einer Kanone und Verfahren zur Zuführung von militärischen Wirkkörpern zu einer Kanone

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2790356A (en) * 1951-11-30 1957-04-30 Bofors Ab Feeding mechanism for a gun including a ramming chamber
US2988963A (en) * 1946-04-11 1961-06-20 United Shoe Machinery Corp Automatic feed mechanisms
US3306165A (en) * 1963-12-12 1967-02-28 Bofors Ab Device for feeding cartridges of ammunition out of a cartridge magazine of an automatic gun

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2988963A (en) * 1946-04-11 1961-06-20 United Shoe Machinery Corp Automatic feed mechanisms
US2790356A (en) * 1951-11-30 1957-04-30 Bofors Ab Feeding mechanism for a gun including a ramming chamber
US3306165A (en) * 1963-12-12 1967-02-28 Bofors Ab Device for feeding cartridges of ammunition out of a cartridge magazine of an automatic gun

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3596556A (en) * 1969-04-07 1971-08-03 Gen Electric Feeder drive
US3683743A (en) * 1969-08-01 1972-08-15 Stoner Eugen Morrison Linkless cartridge feed system
US3927598A (en) * 1973-04-02 1975-12-23 Bofors Ab Device for loading an artillery piece
US4069740A (en) * 1975-08-14 1978-01-24 Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle Ag Automatic weapon equipped with at least two cartridge magazines
US4388854A (en) * 1981-02-26 1983-06-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Ammunition storage and transfer mechanism
US4687409A (en) * 1984-06-15 1987-08-18 Vickers Shipbuilding And Engineering Limited Article handling apparatus
US4982650A (en) * 1989-10-16 1991-01-08 General Electric Company Modular ammunition packaging and feed system
US5458044A (en) * 1993-03-12 1995-10-17 Giat Industries System for storing and feeding propellant charges
WO1998025095A1 (en) * 1996-12-02 1998-06-11 Bofors Ab A method and device for feeding freely selectable projectiles from compartment magazine
US6490958B1 (en) * 2002-01-11 2002-12-10 General Dynamics Armament & Technical Products, Inc. Apparatus for storing charge units
US20120167750A1 (en) * 2011-01-04 2012-07-05 Lockheed Martin Corporation Rapid fire launch system
US10871337B1 (en) * 2020-01-30 2020-12-22 Junsheng Zhou Plunger driven reloading system for removable ammunition magazines
WO2021221770A3 (en) * 2020-03-06 2022-03-03 Moog Inc. Loading mechanism for suspended loop ammunition
US20230140580A1 (en) * 2020-03-06 2023-05-04 Moog Inc. Loading mechanism for suspended loop ammunition
US11747103B2 (en) * 2020-03-06 2023-09-05 Moog Inc. Loading mechanism for suspended loop ammunition
EP4085228A4 (en) * 2020-03-06 2024-01-10 Moog Inc. LOADING MECHANISM FOR SUSPENDED LOOP AMMUNITION
AU2021264494B2 (en) * 2020-03-06 2024-02-15 Moog Inc. Loading mechanism for suspended loop ammunition

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES323965A1 (es) 1966-11-16
NL6603085A (ja) 1966-09-12
NL147536B (nl) 1975-10-15
DE1578359B2 (de) 1974-01-10
AT272155B (de) 1969-06-25
FI41928C (fi) 1970-03-10
JPS5120838B1 (ja) 1976-06-28
DE1578359A1 (de) 1970-11-12
FR1470909A (fr) 1967-02-24
CH466093A (de) 1968-11-30
GB1138286A (en) 1968-12-27
DE1578359C3 (de) 1974-09-05
BE677627A (ja) 1966-08-01
FI41928B (ja) 1969-12-01

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