US3706255A - Ammunition booster - Google Patents

Abstract

A feed mechanism which comprises a rigid booster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate, having an upper side, inserted in the angular bend so as to form a 90* corner around which ammunition rounds cannot be pushed by a booster mechanism alone; and a bumper attached to the side whereby the bumper and stop plate are inserted into the angular bend of the rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds which strike the stop plate during passage through the angular bend without damaging a weapon by feeding directly into it.

Description

United States Patent 1 3,706,255

Magnuson [451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] AMMUNITION BOOSTER 2,525,765 10/1950 Betge ..221/261 72 Inventor: R I d A. M S ttl W h. 1 0 an agnuson ea e as Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Borchelt [73] Assignee: The United States of America as Assistant ExaminerH. J. Tudor represented by the Secretary of the AttorneyHarry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Her- Army bert Berl and Robert M. Lyon [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1970 Appl. No.: 65,558

11.8. CI. "86/1, 86/26, 89/33 E Int. Cl ..C06b 21/02, F42b 33/10 Field of Search..,..56/26, l, 27; 89/33 E, 33 EA;

[57] ABSTRACT A feed mechanism which comprises a rigid booster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate, having an upper side, inserted in the angular bend so as to'form a 90 corner around which ammunition rounds cannot "be pushed by a booster mechanism alone; and a bumper attached to the side whereby the bumper and stop plate are inserted into the angular bend of the rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds which strike the stop plate during passage through the angular bend without damaging a weapon by feeding directly into it.

7 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to feeding mechanisms for automatic firearms and more particularly to a novel and improved means of utilizing an ammunition booster in rapid fire weapon in such a way as to prevent ammunition from jamming the weapon feed system.

2. Description of the Prior Art All the prior art feeding mechanisms have failed to provide any compensable means where the ammunition fed into the firearm is controlled and without jamming the ammunition belt during deceleration. All known feeding mechanisms for firearms have no means of presenting asurface in spaced angular relationship to the direction of the force on the rounds extended by the feeder mechanism. No control has been made available in the field of ammunition feeder mechanisms which would absorb the impact energy of rounds striking the rigid control devices utilized in automatic firearms.

In a device for cartridge magazine of a gun comprising one or more vertical cartridge compartments in which the cartridges are linked in one vertical row with longitudinal axis of each cartridge extending horizontally, and the cartridges are fed out of the compartment upwardly, by the booster sprocket, a stop plate was provided which would control the movement of these cartridges. To prevent the jamming of ammunition rounds in the feeding mechanism of a firearm the weapon feed mechanism should be allowed to pull in one round at a time out of the flexible chute and thus avoiding jamming of rounds by the steady force of the feeder sprocket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The cartridges in the conveyor channel, referred to hereinafter as booster chute, are moved by the pressure of the succeeding cartridges which are brought along by the conveyor means and upon striking the stop plate are stopped until needed by the weapon feeder system. The stop plate provides a 90 corner which the rounds cannot negotiate without help from the weapon feed mechanism. Through this arrangement, as a round is pulled out of the 90 corner by the weapon feed mechanism, the following round, driven by the sprocket, strikes the stop plate with considerable momentum. This impact energy is dissipated by allowing the stop plate limited rotational movement about its pivot shaft and providing it with a resiliant bumper on its upper surface where it reacts against the inner surface of the rigid booster chute.

My invention provides a novel and improved device, which allows the rigid booster chute to raise ammunition rounds to where it is within the pull capability of the weapon feed mechanism and also allows the weapon feed mechanism to select one round at a time, as needed, rather than having ammunition rounds forced into the weapon under a steady pressure of the ammunition booster. A stop plate is inserted in the angular bend of the rigid booster chute forming a corner around which the ammunition rounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone. This novel concept prevents the booster chute mechanism from causing damage to the weapon by feeding directly into it and 'the ammunition rounds which are thus stopped by the stop plate will slide one at a time around the 90 corner with each succeeding pull of the weapon feed mechanism. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by the following description when considered in relation to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The FIGURE is a longitudinal section along the ammunition booster showing the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides, in combination, a feed mechanism 10 which comprises a rigid booster chute 12 having angular bend 13, a stop plate 14 with upper lip 15 inserted and pivotally fastened in angular bend 13 by pivot shaft 22, or similar fastening, and bumper 16 made from rubber or other suitable shock absorbing material, attached to stop plate 14 at upper lip 15. The entire combination of stop plate 14 and bumper 16 is inserted into angular bend 13 of booster chute 12. As rounds 17 are moved into the feeder system through booster chute 12, which holds linked ammunition 17 in line, thus preventing it from buckling, they move around angular bend 13 in booster chute 12 wherein stop plate 14 is connected and as rounds 17 are pushed forward around the 90 corner provided by the stop plate, each exerts a force against stop plate 14 and is stopped until weapon feed mechanism 10 pulls it out. Each time a round 17 makes contact with stop plate 14 it strikes it with much force. Without the novel bumper 16 on upper lip 15 of stop plate 14 the impact energy would affect ammunition feeder mechanism 10 and produce unnecessary friction on inside wall 19 of booster chute l2 and almost all parts of weapon 9 and feed mechanism 10 as well. Attaching a bumper 16, preferably with some strong adhesive used for rubber to metal or synthetic to metal adhesion, to upper lip 15 of stop plate 14 causes the impact energy to be absorbed by bumper l6 and ammunition 17 flow not to be interrupted or disturbed.

As shown in FIG. 1 ammunition rounds 17 are advariced one space at a time by sprocket 20, which is driven by a booster motor, not shown in the drawing, inside rigid booster chute 12 where ammunition rounds are held in line without buckling. As ammunition rounds 17 approach angular bend 13 in the rigid booster chute 12 they make contact in a spaced angular relationship with stop plate 14, thereby preventing the force produced by the booster motor from affecting cooperation with feed mechanism and a means for.

the orderly advancement of ammunition rounds 17 without the need for a special rate reducing device being installed.

A major advantage of bumper 16 affixed to stop plate 14, in the present invention resides in the elimination of the constant jamming of feed mechanism 10 on impact of advancing rounds 17 with stop plate 14 as the formerly unprotected stop plate 14 made with angular bend 13 of booster chute 12.

l wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An ammunition feed mechanism which comprises in combination a rigid booster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate inserted in said angular bend forming a 90 corner around which said corner ammunition rounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone; a

bumper attached to upper sideof said stop plate whereby said bumper and said stop plate are inserted into said angular bend of said rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds entering into a weapon.

2 In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said ammunition rounds which are stopped by said stop plate slide one at a time around said corner with each succeeding pull of weapon feed mechanism.

3. In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said stop plate to which said bumper is attached is positioned at an angle which presents a surface in a spaced angular relationship to the direction of the force on the rounds exerted by the booster motor.

4. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim'3 whereby said bumper is selected from a group of materials consisting of rubber, plastic, and other synthetics.

5. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein said angular bend is formed at an angle of about 35 to about 40.

6. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein said bumper is attached to said upper lip of said stop plate by means of an adhesive selected from a group consisting of epoxy resins, asphaltic, acrylic and polyurethane compounds.

7. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein said stop plate is bolted pivotally to said rigid booster chute.

Claims (7)

1. An ammunition feed mechanism which comprises in combination a rigid booster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate inserted in said angular bend forming a 90* corner around which said corner ammunition rounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone; a bumper attached to upper side of said stop plate whereby said bumper and said stop plate are inserted into said angular bend of said rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds entering into a weapon.

2. In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said ammunition rounds which are stopped by said stop plate slide one at a time around said 90* corner with each succeeding pull of weapon feed mechanism.

3. In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said stop plate to which said bumper is attached is positioned at an angle which presents a surface in a spaced angular relationship to the direction of the force on the rounds exerted by the booster motor.

4. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 whereby said bumper is selected from a group of materials consisting of rubber, plastic, and other synthetics.

5. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein said angular bend is formed at an angle of about 35* to about 40*.

6. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein said bumper is attached to said upper lip of said stop plate by means of an adhesive selected from a group consisting of epoxy resins, asphaltic, acrylic and polyurethane compounds.

7. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein said stop plate is bolted pivotally to said rigid booster chute.

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