US3762268A - Ammunition handling system - Google Patents

Ammunition handling system Download PDF

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Publication number
US3762268A
US3762268A US00270934A US3762268DA US3762268A US 3762268 A US3762268 A US 3762268A US 00270934 A US00270934 A US 00270934A US 3762268D A US3762268D A US 3762268DA US 3762268 A US3762268 A US 3762268A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
belt
ammunition
container
aft
aft end
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00270934A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Gaye
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
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Publication of US3762268A publication Critical patent/US3762268A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A9/00—Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
    • F41A9/61—Magazines
    • F41A9/79—Magazines for belted ammunition
    • F41A9/80—Magazines for belted ammunition having provision for quick-coupling of the belts of adjacent magazines

Definitions

  • An ammunition storage and feeding system includes a plurality of ammunition storage and feeding containers which may be manually interlocked seriatim and whose contained belts of ammunition will, thereby, be respetctively interlocked seriatim, all at the gunners convenience, during firing.
  • Bobkowski shows an elaborate system having a helical conveyor which transports loose rounds of ammunition from special hoppers to a gun (somewhat in the manner of a meat grinder).
  • the hoppers may be fed to the conveyor in series, and after the contents of one hopper are extracted, the conveyor will extract from the next hopper without a hiatus therebetween.
  • a feature of this invention is the provision of an ammunition storage and feeding system including a plurality of ammunition storage and feeding containers which may be manually interlocked seriatim and whose contained belts of ammunition will, thereby, be respectively interlocked seriatim, all at the gunners convenience during firing.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the armament system including the machine gun and the ammunition storage and feeding system;
  • FIG. 2 is an end view of the respective interlocking ends of the ammunition boxes.
  • FIG. 3 is an end view similar to FIG. 2, showing the respective ends of the ammunition belts fixed to the ends of the boxes;
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of the boxes of FIG. 3, showing the boxes and their respective belts in an intermediate stage of being interlocked;
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the feeder of the gun of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below of the distal end of the ammunition storage system flexible guide which locks onto the feeder;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view from above of the distal end of the guide of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the leading end of the ammunition belt locked in and to the guide of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the ammunition storage system cover, showing the depleted ammunition indicator.
  • FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the ammunition storage system showing the cover in its open position.
  • FIG. 1 An ammunition storage and feeding system embodying this invention is shown in FIG. 1 incorporated in an armament system having a machine gun 10 of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 152,889, filed June 14, 1971 by R. Pettinga et al.
  • the machine gun has a side stripping feeder l2 incorporated therein whose feeder sprocket 13 is controlled be a cam operated positive clutch and brake (not visible) of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,118 issued May 11, 1971 to L.K. Wetzel.
  • the gun is mounted in a yoke 14 by a pair of pivot pins 16.
  • a frame 18 is fixed to the side of the yoke, and has a cover 20 fixed thereto.
  • the frame has two spaced apart side walls 22 and 24, a bottom 26 integral therewith, and is adapted to hold two ammunition cans 28 and 30 therein.
  • the cans may be slid in from the aft end and slid out the forward end of the frame; and may be secured in place by a forward latch arm 32, and an aft latch arm 34, both extending from a rod which is pivotally mounted to the wall 24.
  • the cover 20 has an aft upper integral wall 36 at a relatively large included angle, and a forward upper integral wall 38 at a relative small included angle to provide a middle mutual vertical gap to receive the aft attachment fitting 40 of a flexible guide 42, which also has a forward fitting 44 for attachment to the feeder 12 of the gun.
  • the guide may be covered by a cloth sleeve 45.
  • the cover has a gunproximal side wall 46 which is integral with the frame and the upper walls 36 and 38, and has a gun-remote side wall 48 which is hinged at its top to the aft upperwall 36, and helddown by a quick-release fastener, not shown, so that access to the interior of the cover may be obtained.
  • a roller 50 is journalled on a shaft 52 extending to and between the gun proximal wall and an intermediate wall 54 bounding the gap.
  • the aft attachment fitting 40 is releasably secured to the sidewalls of the cover by a pair of quick-release catches 56.
  • the forward attachment fitting 44 includes a rectangular C-shaped channel 58 having an interior L-shaped bracket 60 to guide the case 62 of each round of ammunition 64, and a flat spacer 66 to guide the nose 68 of each round.
  • a handle 70 has a longitudinal 90 extension 72 from which depend a pair of transversely spaced apart ears 74. Each ear has a transversely extending forward pin 76 and a transversely extending aft pin 78.
  • Fixed to the channel 58 is a transverse bracket 80 which has a pair of transversely spaced apart side plates 82.
  • Each side plate 82 has an upstanding earportion 84 with a transversely extending pin 86, and a depending portion 88 with a forward, upper notch 90 and an aft, lower notch 92.
  • a transverse plate 94 has a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally and upwardly extending ears 96. The aft end of each car 96 is pivoted to the forward end of the respective ear 74 on pin 76, and the forward end of each ear 96 is pivoted to the respective ear-portion 84 on pin 86 to form a toggle between the plate 94 and the handle extension 72.
  • the plate 94 also has two transversely spaced apart teeth 98 and 100 which extend through respective apertures in the channel and the aft guide bracket into the enclosed volume of the C-shaped channel 58.
  • teeth 98 and 100 which extend through respective apertures in the channel and the aft guide bracket into the enclosed volume of the C-shaped channel 58.
  • the feeder 12 has a first pair of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally extending pins 112, and a second pair, transversely spaced therefrom, of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally extending pins 113.
  • An aperture 114 is provided in the aft upper wall 36, straddled by a pair of cars 115.
  • a crank-shaped rod 116 is disposed through the aperture 112 and is pivoted to and between the ears 115 by a pin 117.
  • the lower end of the rod 116 has a feeler-foot 118 and the upper end has a signal-flag 120.
  • Each of the ammunition cans 30 and 28 is open topped and has two side walls 122, 124, a forward end wall 126, an aft end wall 128, and a bottom wall 130.
  • the forward end wall 126 has a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally extending lugs 132, each with a respective upwardly directed notch 134.
  • the wall 126 also has an upwardly extending tooth 136, and an L-shaped bracket 138 whose leg 140 extends longitudinally forward and whose foot 142 extends upwardly.
  • the foot 142 has a downwardly directed
  • the aft end wall 128 has a pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally extending lugs 146, each with a respective transversely outwardly directed pin 148, adapted to mate with the respective notch 134 on an adjacent lug.
  • the wall 128 also has an upwardly extending tooth 150, and an arm 152 having a pivot 154, a transversely extending tooth 156, and a longitudinally extending handle 158 having an upper cam surface 160.
  • the belts of ammunition are formed by conventional metal links 162 each having two spaced apart loops 164 encircling the case of the preceding round of ammunition and a central loop 166 encircling the case of the suceeding round of ammunition.
  • Each can of ammunition is loaded with a continuous belt of ammunition, in folded layers, with the end of the lowest layer being brought up adjacent the inside surface of the aft end wall 128 and over, with the tooth 150 passing between the second and third rounds from the end of the belt.
  • the open single loop of the last link is held against the outside surface of the aft end wall 128 by the tooth 156 of the pivoted arm 152.
  • the leading end of the belt is brought over the top of the forward end wall 126 with the tooth 136 passing between fifth and six rounds of the belt.
  • the second through fifth rounds hang downwardly adjacent the outer surface of the end wall 126 with the first round R swung upwardly and adjacent the toe of the foot 142 and all within the bracket 138.
  • the aft can is tilted and its notched lugs 132 are hooked onto the pinned lugs 146 of the forward can.
  • the single loop 166 of the link passes through the notch 144 of the L-bracket 138 and straddles less than the diameter of the case of the round; the corner 162 of the L-bracket 138 engages the surface 160 of the handle 158 and cams the arm 152 about its pivot 154, disengaging the tooth 156 from the single loop 166; and finally the single loop snaps over the diameter of the case of the round, hereby inter connecting the two belts of ammunition.
  • the arrangement of the cans is determined by the need to have the leading element of the belt of ammunition be a round of ammunition. rather than a link. Should a link be required as the leading element, then the arrangement of the cans would be reversed.
  • the feeler-foot 118 of the signal rod 116 rests on the topmost layer of the ammunition belt of the aft can.
  • the foot 118 is lowered, thereby raising the signal 120, thus indicating to the gunner the forward can is empty and that a fresh can should be hooked on behind the present aft can.
  • the latches 32 and 34 are released, and the cans are pushed forward until the empty forward can is out of the frame. The latches are reengaged and the empty can is unhooked.
  • the leading end of the belt of the forward can is brought aft, up-around the roller 50, and through the aft attachment fitting 40 of the flexible guide
  • the belt is led through the guide and out the forward attachment fitting 44.
  • the handle is swung up to project the teeth 98 and 100 between the third and second rounds, thereby locking the belt to the fitting.
  • the storage system may be carried in the field in this disposition, ready for attachment to the feeder of the gun.
  • the forward upper notches are fitted onto the pins 112 and the handle 70 is swung down so comprises:
  • An ammunition storage and feeding system for linked rounds of ammunition comprising:
  • a first ammunition container having a forward end first container in such a disposition that while said containers are being serially intercoupled the first portion of the last link passes into said recess to snap around the case of the first round and an aft end for receiving and storing a first belt 10 of the second belt disposed therein; and of linked rounds of ammunition having a forward said belt intercoupling means further includes; end and an aft end; third means for releasing said first support means a second ammunition container, having a forward from the first portion of the last link of the first end and an aft end, for receiving and storing a secbelt before this first portion has snapped over the .ond belt of linked rounds of ammunition having a diameter of the case of the first round.
  • container intercoupling means consisting of a sepasaid first support means is a pivoted arm having a rate first portion fixed to said aft end of said first cam receiving surface, and container and a separable second portion fixed to said third means is cam coupled to said second consaid forward end of said second container, for seritainer for engaging said cam receiving surface of ally interconnecting said first and second containsaid arm for causing said arm to release the first ers; and portion of the last link after the first portion of the belt intercoupling means consisting of a separable last link has entered said forward opening of said first portion fixed to said aft end of said first conrecess in said second support means.
  • a system according to claim 1 further including: forward end of said second container, said first porhousing means for receiving and releasably storing a tion for receiving the aft end of the first belt and plurality of serially interconnected containers. said second portion for receiving the forward end 6.
  • a system according to claim 5 further including: of the second belt, and for automatically serially elongated ammunition guide means having an aft end intercoupling the aft end of the first belt to the forcoupled to said housing and a forward end for couward end of the second belt while saidcontainer pling to the feeder of a machine gun.
  • intercoupling means serially intercouples said first said guide means being adapted to guide the passage and second containers. of a belt of ammunition from said housing means 2.
  • a system according to claim 1 wherein: to the feeder of the machine gun. said first portion of said belt intercoupling means 7.
  • a system according to claim 6 further including: comprises; indicator means coupled to said housing and having; first means for retaining the last link in the aft end a first portion disposed within said housing for enof the first belt adjacent the outer face of said aft gaging and being affected by the belt of ammuniend of said first container; and tion, and said second portion of said belt intercoupling means a second portion disposed without said housing and comprises; affected by said first portion. second means for retaining the first round in the 8.
  • a system according to claim 6 further including: forward end of the second belt adjacent the outer a belt of linked rounds of ammunition having an aft face of said forward end of said second conportion thereof disposed in said second ammunitainer; tion container, an intermediate portion thereof diswhereby the intercoupling of said first and second posed in said first ammunition container, and a forcontainers causes the interengagement of the ward portion thereof disposed in and through the first round of the second belt with the last link of length of said guide means. the first belt.
  • a system according to claim 8 further including: 3.
  • indicator means for indicating ammunition belt consaid second portion of said belt intercoupling means sumption, coupled to said housing and having comprises; a first portion disposed within said housing adjaa second support means, projecting from the outer cent said second ammunition container and supface of said aft end of said second container, havported by said aft portion of said belt, and ing a recess opening upwardly for receiving the a second portion disposed without said housing and forward end of the second belt and opening forhaving a disposition responsive to and indicative ward for passing a first portion of the last link in of the extent of the support of said first portion the aft end of said first belt; and of said belt.
  • said first portion of said belt intercoupling means for indicating ammunition belt consaid second portion of said belt intercoupling means sumption, coupled to said housing and having comprises; a first portion disposed within said housing adjaa second support means, projecting from the outer cent said second ammunition container and supface of said aft end of said second container, havported

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)
  • Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
  • Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)
US00270934A 1972-07-12 1972-07-12 Ammunition handling system Expired - Lifetime US3762268A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US27093472A 1972-07-12 1972-07-12

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US3762268A true US3762268A (en) 1973-10-02

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US00270934A Expired - Lifetime US3762268A (en) 1972-07-12 1972-07-12 Ammunition handling system

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US (1) US3762268A (cs)
JP (1) JPS5610556B2 (cs)
CH (1) CH564754A5 (cs)
DE (2) DE2334895C2 (cs)
FR (1) FR2192284B1 (cs)
GB (1) GB1427576A (cs)
IT (1) IT991011B (cs)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4065999A (en) * 1974-10-18 1978-01-03 Ab Bofors Magazine for tank
US4142443A (en) * 1976-06-23 1979-03-06 Fabriqe Nationale Herstal S.A. Visual checking device for machine guns and similar weapons
US5111729A (en) * 1990-10-04 1992-05-12 General Electric Company Ammunition storage system
US8539872B2 (en) * 2007-05-08 2013-09-24 Joseph R. Moody Machine gun ammunition holder incorporating center of gravity downward ejection-deflector
US20160076839A1 (en) * 2014-09-17 2016-03-17 Jesse L. Davison Low ammunition warning switch
WO2016159830A1 (ru) * 2015-03-31 2016-10-06 Михаил Васильевич БАСОВ Устройство бесперебойной подачи патронов (варианты)
US20210222977A1 (en) * 2018-04-12 2021-07-22 Eliran ATIAS Ammunition storage and feeding system
CN113899238A (zh) * 2021-11-12 2022-01-07 重庆建设工业(集团)有限责任公司 一种快速连接式柔性输弹导引
US20240102755A1 (en) * 2022-09-26 2024-03-28 Sig Sauer, Inc. Ammunition carrier assembly and system for a machine gun

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0083551B1 (de) * 1982-01-05 1986-03-19 SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Magazin für Feuerwaffen
SE9302181D0 (sv) * 1992-06-26 1993-06-23 Denel (Proprietary) Ltd Ammunition feeder chute

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3246565A (en) * 1962-08-11 1966-04-19 Brevets Aero Mecaniques Devices for feeding ammunition to automatic guns by means of cartridge belts

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH476972A (de) * 1967-06-16 1969-08-15 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Munitionsbehälter

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3246565A (en) * 1962-08-11 1966-04-19 Brevets Aero Mecaniques Devices for feeding ammunition to automatic guns by means of cartridge belts

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4065999A (en) * 1974-10-18 1978-01-03 Ab Bofors Magazine for tank
US4142443A (en) * 1976-06-23 1979-03-06 Fabriqe Nationale Herstal S.A. Visual checking device for machine guns and similar weapons
US5111729A (en) * 1990-10-04 1992-05-12 General Electric Company Ammunition storage system
US8539872B2 (en) * 2007-05-08 2013-09-24 Joseph R. Moody Machine gun ammunition holder incorporating center of gravity downward ejection-deflector
US20160076839A1 (en) * 2014-09-17 2016-03-17 Jesse L. Davison Low ammunition warning switch
US9435594B2 (en) * 2014-09-17 2016-09-06 Contract Fabrication & Design, Llc Low ammunition warning switch
WO2016159830A1 (ru) * 2015-03-31 2016-10-06 Михаил Васильевич БАСОВ Устройство бесперебойной подачи патронов (варианты)
RU2609850C2 (ru) * 2015-03-31 2017-02-06 Михаил Васильевич Басов Устройство бесперебойной подачи патронов
US20210222977A1 (en) * 2018-04-12 2021-07-22 Eliran ATIAS Ammunition storage and feeding system
US11674766B2 (en) * 2018-04-12 2023-06-13 Eliran ATIAS Ammunition storage and feeding system
CN113899238A (zh) * 2021-11-12 2022-01-07 重庆建设工业(集团)有限责任公司 一种快速连接式柔性输弹导引
US20240102755A1 (en) * 2022-09-26 2024-03-28 Sig Sauer, Inc. Ammunition carrier assembly and system for a machine gun
US12085354B2 (en) * 2022-09-26 2024-09-10 Sig Sauer, Inc. Ammunition carrier assembly and system for a machine gun

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2334895C2 (de) 1983-09-08
GB1427576A (en) 1976-03-10
FR2192284A1 (cs) 1974-02-08
JPS5610556B2 (cs) 1981-03-09
CH564754A5 (cs) 1975-07-31
FR2192284B1 (cs) 1978-09-08
JPS4957700A (cs) 1974-06-04
DE2334895A1 (de) 1974-01-24
IT991011B (it) 1975-07-30
DE7325297U (de) 1977-03-17

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