EP0157111A1 - Ammunition container for an automatic loading mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

For an automatic loading device of a barrel weapon, an ammunition container is to be created as a linkable part of a band magazine, through which thin-walled ammunition, preferably main battle ammunition with a combustible sleeve, can be transported without interference in the event of external disturbances, for example driving impacts, vibrations, etc., and fed to a charging cradle . The ammunition container (1) has a semicircular-shaped shell (2) which is adapted to the cartridge ammunition (3) and has a small inside diameter in the area (4) of the projectile head (5) and a comparatively larger inside area (6) of the case base (7). In the areas (4), (6) on one long side, the ammunition (3) enclosing pivotable retaining clips (9), (10) are arranged, which contain the respective opening and closing mechanisms (11), (12) and can be coupled via form-locking means 25 are interconnectable. In cooperation with the opening and closing mechanisms (11, 12) and an ammunition ejector (not shown), the form-locking means (25) on the one hand ensure a common, uniform opening of the holding clip (9, 10) and an unloading process which is gentle on the ammunition and on the other hand an independent return stroke of the holding clips ( 9, 10), so that thin-walled cartridge ammunition (3) can be held radially without play in a self-locking safety device in the ammunition container (1) in the event of external interference.

Description

The invention relates to ammunition containers of an automatic loading device according to the preamble of claim 1. From DE-OS 30 46 642 a tape magazine of an automatic loading device is known which is arranged in a flat design in the turret of a main battle tank in order to save as large a number of cartridges as possible, if necessary in various types of ammunition, in the immediate vicinity of the weapon and to ensure a time-saving cartridge supply. The belt magazine conveys the cartridges in feed trays transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge to a deflection point, from which they are pushed out of the magazine via a deflection lever and pushed into a loading tube. The individual links of the conveyor shells are rotatably connected to one another in the cartridge axis and guided in the circumferential direction. The conveyor bowls form partial ammunition containers for holding horizontally stored cartridges.

However, it has been shown that ammunition containers formed from x-shaped conveying shells are not able to protect thin-walled ammunition, in particular main battle tank ammunition with a combustible sleeve, in the event of driving impacts, vibrations, vibrations, natural vibrations and similar interferences against damage or destruction. Such damage is caused primarily by the fact that radial clearance between the cartridge and the ammunition container cannot be avoided in the ammunition container due to manufacturing tolerances, in particular also not because the cartridge is against its base in the area has different diameters over its projectile head area. Due to different tolerances with play, on the one hand between rigid conveyor shells designed as container walls and the sleeve bottom and on the other hand between the rigid conveyor shells and the projectile head area, experience has shown that the damage is accelerated due to superimposed vibrations, vibrations etc.

In contrast, it is an object of the invention to provide an ammunition container for the automatic loading device mentioned at the outset, by means of which thin-walled ammunition, preferably battle tank ammunition with a combustible sleeve, can be transported without interference in the event of external interference such as driving impacts, vibrations, vibrations, etc. and can be fed to a charging cradle without interference can.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1. The subclaims name advantageous refinements and developments.

The invention is advantageously characterized in that the ammunition containers are now able to stably hold cartridge ammunition with multiple diameters in their entire length range and, regardless of existing tolerances on the ammunition or on the ammunition container, by swiveling holding clamps arranged several times on the ammunition container in the storage position to be attached without movement. Particularly advantageous is an arrangement of a retaining clip in the areas of the sleeve bottom and the round of the round of the cartridge ammunition on the ammunition container in that the cartridge ammunition is safe and radially free of play in the loading according to its mass distribution can be held in stock position, the holding clamps being able to individually follow the existing diameters of the ammunition in the holding areas on the projectile head and on the case bottom by means of a closing mechanism containing a pretensioning means of an opening and closing mechanism, as a result of which thin-walled ammunition, in particular main battle ammunition with a combustible case, also in the case of extreme interferences occurring in the radial direction can be safely held in the ammunition container radially without movement.

Due to a one-sided arrangement of the holding clips on the same long side of the ammunition container and by the possibility of coupling the opening and closing mechanisms of both holding clips during the opening stroke, both holding clips are simultaneously and evenly from the holding position surrounding the cartridge ammunition into an opening position releasing the cartridge ammunition via only one external opening mechanism swivels.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each opening and closing mechanism contains a lifting lever which is rotatably connected to the holding clip at one end and contains a bore at the other end for receiving an eccentric arranged on a drive shaft of the opening and closing mechanism. The fact that between the eccentric and the lifting lever there is a self-locking securing device that is under tension in the closing direction by torque-generating biasing means, each retaining clip is securely held in the closed position.

According to a further feature of the invention, the mutually facing ends of the drive shafts include form-locking means which can be coupled, the on a drive shaft-arranged positive locking means as an automatically drivable opening lever and the positive locking means located on the other drive shaft is designed as a shoulder with a shoulder and the opening lever and the shoulder of the driver are arranged in such a way that only during the opening process of the retaining clips of the driver in the drag position with the Opening lever is connected, whereby the retaining clips can assume their closed positions independently of each other, but allow a common opening.

Characterized in that for the basic setting of the opening lever and the driver of the lifting lever is each connected via a fine adjustment device with the holding clip, a simple fine adjustment of the holding clips against each other can be carried out in the holding position of the cartridge ammunition. The fine adjustment device expediently consists of a pin which is guided in the holding clamp and is designed as an eccentric in the guide region of the lifting lever.

The cartridge ammunition can be advantageously ejected evenly and gently parallel to the ammunition container axis during the opening process of the holding clips from the ammunition containers by the arrangement of an ammunition ejector arranged on the drive shaft in the functional area of the holding clips.

Characterized in that the shell shape of the ammunition container in the region of the case base is designed such that in a horizontally rotating band magazine the retaining clips are always arranged on the outside either on the top or bottom of the ammunition container, horizontally stored cartridge ammunition is advantageous at the rear turning point of the magazine at ge opened brackets can be picked up obliquely from above and can also be pushed out obliquely downwards at the front turning point when the brackets are open.

This expedient arrangement and space-saving mode of operation of the retaining clips, but also not least because the mechanical pretensioning means consist of spiral springs wound around the drive shafts, result in small, compact ammunition containers in their outer designs, which. as linkable transport links form an endless belt magazine with a particularly small space requirement.

The invention will be explained with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the details shown in the drawings, which largely dispenses with details not essential to the invention.

It shows:

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of the ammunition container with the opening and closing mechanisms of two retaining clips.
• FIG. 2 shows a top view II of FIG. 1 the ammunition container with a cartridge ammunition located therein and held by the holding clips;
• 3 shows, in a cross section along the area marked III-III in FIG. 1, the profile of the casing shape of the ammunition container in the region of the casing base with a fastening arrangement of a holding clip;
• Fig. 4 in a cross section along the area marked IV-IV in Fig. 1 the Be consolidation of the spiral spring wound around a drive shaft in an area of the ammunition container corresponding to the base of the cartridge of the cartridge;
• 5 shows, in a cross section along the area marked V-V in FIG. 1, a reduced half-shell shape in a container area assigned to the projectile head of the ammunition, with an opening lever attached to different drive shafts and a driver of the retaining clips;
• 6 shows a cross section along the area marked VI-VI in FIG. 1, a holding clip in the closed holding position and an ammunition ejector which is retracted and fastened to the drive shaft;
• 7 shows, in a cross section along the area marked VII-VII in FIG. 1, the arrangement of a retaining clip fastened in the area of the projectile head of the ammunition with cartridges;
• 8 shows, in a cross section along the surface identified by VIII-VIII in FIG. 1, the fastening of the spiral spring wound around a drive shaft in an area of the ammunition container corresponding to the projectile head of the ammunition with cartridges;
• Fig. 9 in a marked in Fig. 1 with IX Side view of the ammunition container from the left side;
• FIG. 10 shows the ammunition container from the right side in a side view marked X in FIG. 1;
• 11 shows a cross section through a fine adjustment device along the area identified by XI-XI in FIG. 9;
• FIG. 12, in a view XII marked in FIG. 5, the opening lever and the driver in a drag position present for both retaining clips during the opening process;
• FIG. 13 shows an enlarged, fragmentary illustration of FIG. 3, the holding clip in a holding position locked by the opening and closing mechanism;
• FIG. 14 corresponding to FIG. 13 the holding clip in a loading and unloading position opened by the opening and closing mechanism;
• Fig. 15 in a sectional view the side view of interconnected ammunition containers as parts of a tape magazine.

In Figures 1 and 2, the entire ammunition container 1 is shown as part of a tape magazine 35 shown in Fig. 15 of an automatic loading device for barrel weapons, not shown. According to FIGS. 3 to 8, the ammunition container 1 contains a shell 2, which is semicircular in cross-section, the inside diameter of which for the uniform reception of thin-walled cartridges Ter ammunition 3, preferably main battle ammunition with a combustible sleeve, is sold several times. The cartridge ammunition 3 is supported once in the area 4 of the projectile head 5 and in the area 6 of the case base 7. Corresponding to the different diameters of the projectile head 5 and the case base 7, the inside diameter d _{1 of} the conveying shell 2 in area 4 is smaller than the inside diameter d ₂ performed in area 6. To ensure high stability, the ammunition container 1 is provided in the receiving area 4 of the comparatively heavy projectile head 5 in the outer area with reinforcing ribs 42. So that the ammunition 3 can be placed in the areas of the stable case bottom 7 and the projectile head 5, the ammunition container 1 is designed in the area of a combustible propellant charge sleeve 41 in a manner not shown. On both ends 43, 44 of the ammunition container 1, as an axial limitation of the ammunition 3, end walls 45, 46, the end wall 45 as a loose flange via screw connections according to the hole pattern arrangement of FIG. 10 and the end wall 46 being integrally connected to the ammunition container 1 .

In the areas 4, 6 on the same long side 8, the ammunition container 1 is equipped with two pivotable retaining clips 9, 10 which partially surround the cartridge ammunition 3 in the circumferential direction. The retaining clip 9 is pivotally arranged by an opening and closing mechanism 12 about a rigid axis 47 attached to the container 1, while the retaining clip 10 is pivotably arranged by an opening and closing mechanism 11 about a rigid axis 48 attached to the container 1.

The opening and closing mechanism 11, 12 consists essentially of a lifting lever 16, which is at one end 17th is rotatably connected to the holding clip 9, 10 and at the other end 18 contains a bore 19 for receiving an eccentric 22 arranged on a drive shaft 20, 21. The drive shafts 20, 21 are arranged offset from one another and are mounted in the areas of the holding clips 9, 10 on the ammunition container 1, the shaft 21 being additionally mounted in a bearing 50 in the area 4.

In order to perform an individual radial and play-free holding function that is independent of one another in the regions 4, 6, the drive shafts 20, 21 each contain, in the closing direction 15, torque-generating mechanical pretensioning means 13, 14, which consist of spiral springs 37, 38 wound around the drive shafts 20, 21 The ends of which are fastened on the one hand to a pin 39 of the drive shafts 20, 21 and on the other hand to a pin 40 arranged on the ammunition container 1.

The mutually facing ends of the drive shafts 20, 21 contain, according to FIGS. 5, 12, form-locking means 25 which can be coupled, the form-locking means 25 arranged on the drive shaft 20 being designed as an automatically drivable opening lever 26 and the form-locking means 25 located on the drive shaft 21 as a driver 28 has an approach 27. The extension 27 of the driver 28 and the opening lever 26 are arranged in such a way that the driver 28 is connected to the opening lever 26 only in the trailing position 29 during the opening process of the holding clips 9, 10. As a result, both retaining clips 9, 10 can be pivoted openly in the opening direction 51 (FIG. 13) by means of only one opening drive, not shown, through the opening lever 26 and the respective opening and closing mechanisms 11, 12 from a holding position 23 surrounding the ammunition 3.

After the release lever 26 has been disengaged from the external opening drive, the shoulder 27 of the driver 28 ensures a separate return stroke of the holding clips 9, 10 in the closing direction 15 (FIG. 14), so that the holding clips 9, 10 correspond to the respective existing ammunition diameters in the areas 4, 6 can adjust.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, in the closed position 23 of the holding clamps 9, 10, between the eccentric 22 and the lifting lever 16 there is a self-locking securing means 24 which is under tension in the closing direction 15 by the biasing means 13, 14. This securing means 24 is opened when the holding clips are opened Rotation of the drive shafts 20, 21 canceled by the opening lever 26 (FIG. 5) in the direction 52.

For the basic setting of the opening lever 26 and the driver 28, the lifting lever 16, in accordance with FIG. 11, is each connected to the holding clamps 9, 10 via a fine adjustment device 30. The fine adjustment device 30 consists essentially of a pin 49 guided in the holding clip 9, 10 and designed as an eccentric 31 in the guide area of the lifting lever 16. The fine adjustment can be carried out for each holding clip 9, 10 from the front, even when the ammunition container 1 is installed will.

So that the ammunition can be ejected gently and evenly from the container, each drive shaft 20, 21 contains in the functional area of the holding clips 9, 10 an ammunition ejector 32 equipped with the lever 33, as shown in FIG. 6.

As can be seen in FIG. 15, the ammunition containers 1 form an endless conveyor chain. Each ammunition container is 1 to form a particularly flexible, space-saving chain on both end faces 43, 44 (FIG. 2) on the support bolts 53 of the end walls 45, 46 (FIG. 2) connected to the subsequent ammunition container 1 via tabs 54. The sleeve shape 34 (FIG. 3) of the ammunition container 1 is designed in the region 6 (FIG. 2) of the sleeve base in such a way that with this horizontally rotating band magazine 35 which is driven and guided in a known manner, the holding clip 9, 10 is always on the outside either on the top or on the bottom is arranged on the ammunition container 1, as a result of which horizontally mounted and thin-walled ammunition 3 can be picked up obliquely from above at the rear turning point of the tape magazine 35 when the holding clip 9, 10 is open, and obliquely at the front turning point 36 also when the holding clip 9, 10 is open can be ejected into a charging cradle 55 at the bottom.

Reference symbol list

• 1 ammunition container
• 2 bowl
• 3 ammunition
• 4 area
• 5 projectile head
• 6 area
• 7 sleeve base
• 8 long side
• 9 retaining clip
• 10 retaining clip
• 11 opening and closing mechanism
• 12 opening and closing mechanism
• 13 preloading means
• 14 preloading means
• 15 closing direction
• 16 lifting lever
• 17 end
• 18 end
• 19 location hole
• 20 drive shaft
• 21 drive shaft
• 22 eccentrics
• 23 position
• 24 Freezing
• 25 positive locking means
• 26 opening lever
• 27 approach
• 28 drivers
• 29 Drag position
• 30 fine adjustment device
• 31 eccentrics
• 32 ammunition ejectors
• 33 levers
• 34 envelope shape
• 35 tape magazine
• 36 turning point
• 37 spiral spring
• 38 spiral spring
• 39 pen
• 40 pen
• 41 sleeve
• 42 reinforcing ribs
• 43 end face
• 44 end face
• 45 end wall
• 46 end wall
• 47 axis
• 48 axis
• 49 bolts
• 50 bearings
• 51 Opening direction
• 52 direction
• 53 support bolts
• 54 tab
• 55 charging cradle
• d ₁ inner diameter
• d ₂ inner diameter

Claims (9)

1. Ammunition container of an automatic loading device for barrel weapons, which holds cartridge ammunition to be conveyed in a multiple arrangement as a trough-shaped part of a band magazine, characterized by the following features: a) the ammunition container (1) contains a shell (2) which is semicircular in cross-section to receive the ammunition (3), the inside diameter (d ₁ ) of which is smaller in the front area (4) of the projectile head (5) of the ammunition (3) than the inside diameter (d ₂ ) formed by the case base (7) in the rear area (6) of the ammunition with cartridges; b) in the areas (4, 6), the ammunition container (1) on the same long side (8) contains a pivotable holding clip (9, 10) partially surrounding the cartridge ammunition (3); c) each retaining clip (9, 10) is equipped with an opening and closing mechanism (11, 12) which is connected to one another during the opening process and which is independent of one another in order to exert an individual and in the areas (4, 6) of the cartridge ammunition (3) contains radially backlash-free holding function in the closing direction (15) torque-generating biasing means (13, 14). 2. Ammunition container according to claim 1, characterized in that each opening and closing mechanism (11, 12) contains a lifting lever (16) which is rotatably connected at one end (17) to the retaining clip (9, 10) and at the other End (18) contains a bore (19) for receiving an eccentric (22) arranged on a drive shaft (20, 21) of the opening and closing mechanism (11, 12). 3. Ammunition container according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that between the eccentric (22) and the lifting lever (16), in the closed position (23) of the retaining clip (9, 10), one in the closing direction (15) by the biasing means ( 13, 14) there is pre-tensioned self-locking securing (24). 4. Ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the following features: a) the mutually facing ends of the drive shafts (20, 21) contain couplable form-locking means (25); b) the positive locking means (25) arranged on the drive shaft (20) can be driven automatically Opener lever 26 and the form-locking means 25 located on the drive shaft 21 are designed as a driver 28 provided with a shoulder 27, the shoulder 27 and the opener lever 26 being arranged with respect to one another such that only during the opening process of the retaining clips 9, 10 of the driver 28 in the drag position 29 is connected to the opening lever 26. 5. Ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the basic setting of the opening lever (26) and the driver (28) of the lifting lever (16) is each connected via a fine adjustment device (30) to the holding clip (9, 10) . 6. Ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fine adjustment device (30) consists of a in the holding bracket (9, 10) and in the guide region of the lifting lever (16) as an eccentric (31) formed bolt (49) . 7. Ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an ammunition ejector (32) is arranged on the drive shaft (20, 21) in the functional area of the holding clamps (9, 10), by means of the lever (33) of which the ammunition (12 3) can be ejected evenly from the ammunition container (1) during the opening process of the retaining clips (9, 10). 8. Ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sleeve shape (34) of the ammunition container (1) in the region (6) of the sleeve base (7) is designed such that the holding clip in a horizontally rotating band magazine (35) (9,10) always outside is not arranged on the top or bottom of the ammunition container (1), as a result of which horizontally mounted cartridge ammunition (3) can be picked up obliquely from above at the rear turning point of the tape magazine (35) when the holding clip (9, 10) is open and at the front turning point (36 ) can also be ejected obliquely downwards with the holding clip (9, 10) open. 9. ammunition container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by the following features: a) the biasing force of the holding function of the holding clip (9,10) is generated by mechanical biasing means (13,14); b) the mechanical prestressing means (13, 14) consist of spiral springs (37, 38) wound around the drive shafts (20, 21), the ends of which are on the one hand on a pin (39) of the drive shafts (20, 21) and on the other hand on one on the ammunition container (1) arranged pin (40) are attached.

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