EP0297280A1 - Magazine with an unbelted cartridge feeding system - Google Patents

Abstract

Magazine (2) with a filling opening (160) and a beltless feed system which has manual filling with cartridges (12) through the filling opening (160) and automatic sequential feeding to a firearm barrel: one in the filling direction (B) manually and for this opposite feed direction (Z) automatically movable cartridge receiving device (6), a first clamping device (50, 56) which is operatively engaged with it and can be pretensioned in the feed direction (Z) and a device for automatically but releasably blocking the feed system during the filling phase, specifically in Feed direction (Z) when the first tensioning device (50, 56) is released and / or in the filling direction (B) when a cartridge gap (13) occurs in the cartridge receiving device (6) behind the filling opening (160).

Description

The invention relates to a magazine with a filling opening and a beltless feed system according to the preamble of claim 1.

The feed system essentially consists of a cartridge receiving device and a first tensioning device that is operatively engaged with it. The cartridge receiving device can be moved in two directions, namely in a feed direction and a filling direction opposite to this. During the firing phase, the feed system automatically and sequentially feeds the cartridges in the feed direction to a firearm barrel. For this purpose, the first tensioning device is preloaded in the feed direction and its active engagement with the cartridge receiving device. During the filling phase, on the other hand, the cartridge receiving device can be manually inserted into the filling level using a handle tion can be moved. The cartridges can be arranged through the filling opening one after the other on the cartridge receiving device. Because of the active engagement of the cartridge receiving device with the first tensioning device, the first tensioning device is thereby simultaneously biased in the feed direction.

Such a magazine has already been developed by the applicant. In this known magazine, the cartridge receiving device is realized by an endless chain. The chain here essentially consists of two endless chain strands which are guided parallel to one another and which in turn are connected to one another by cross bars. The distance between the cross bars is adapted to the diameter of the cartridge cases. This transport chain is guided in a meandering magazine channel and wraps around a sector of the first tensioning device. The tensioning device essentially consists of a drum, which in turn is automatically rotated by a spring drive in a direction of rotation corresponding to the feed direction.

When the transport chain moves in the feed direction, the magazine cartridges are guided in the direction of a feed channel. Upstream of the feed channel is an inclined plane, which lifts the cartridges out of the transport chain and transports them into the feed channel. At the output end of the feed channel, the foremost cartridge in each case is held by magazine lips and is removed there by the weapon in the axial direction from the feed channel. When all magazine-sharp cartridges have been removed from the magazine, a dummy cartridge firmly connected to the transport chain runs against the magazine lips. The magazine should then be reloaded at the latest.

To load the known magazine, the transport chain is moved in the filling direction opposite to the feed direction. Cartridges fed into the chute-like filling opening reach the magazine channel underneath and come to rest between two cross bars of the transport chain. The cartridges are usually fed into the hopper with one hand; moving the transport chain in the direction of filling with the other. The filling shaft can also comprise two mutually parallel shaft sections, so that two parallel rows of cartridges are in it for transfer to the transport chain.

Compared to a magazine with a cartridge belt, the generic magazine has the advantage of a higher packing density due to the beltless feed system. In addition, it offers the cartridges better protection against external influences. In addition, there is greater freedom of movement for the shooter, as this is not impaired by hanging cartridge belts. Finally, the equipment of a machine gun, e.g. a machine gun or a submachine gun, with such a magazine to save weight compared to equipping with a cartridge belt of the same number of cartridges.

The invention is concerned with the task of providing a magazine of the generic type mentioned at the outset, which is characterized by simple operability while maintaining as far as possible its previous advantages.

This object is achieved by the magazine mentioned in claim 1, that is, in that the generic magazine is equipped with a device which automatically but releasably blocks the feed system during the filling phase, and seen in the feed direction when the first clamping device is released and / or in the filling direction when a cartridge gap occurs in the cartridge receiving device behind the filling opening.

This blocking device, which is only active during the filling phase, has the advantage that the handle for manual movement of the cartridge receiving device in the filling direction and for simultaneous tensioning of the clamping device can be released at any time during the filling phase, without the cartridges then automatically moving in the feed direction to the dispensing opening of the magazine be moved. A (brief) release of this handle may become necessary during filling if the cartridge holder has to be moved by such a large distance by hand that this is no longer possible with a hand position and the hand position must therefore be changed in between. The need to let go of the handle when changing the hand position arises in particular when only one hand is available, for example when cartridges are inserted into the filling shaft with the other hand.

The blocking device also has the advantage that a possible cartridge gap can still be recognized in the area of the filling opening. A cartridge gap can e.g. B. occur when cartridges jam in the hopper and / or the transport chain moves faster than cartridges can be fed.

The blocking device preferably has a first blocking means for blocking in the feed direction and an independent second blocking means for blocking in the filling direction, in such a way that the two blocking means do not simultaneously block the feed system in both directions of movement. The mutual independence of the two blocking agents creates greater operational reliability of the same, since possible disruptions of one agent do not necessarily affect the other.

A locking device is provided to inactivate the two blocking means during the shooting phase and is coupled to the first blocking means in such a way that it brings or keeps it out of blocking engagement in its closed position, that is to say when the filling opening is closed. Likewise, the second blocking means is preferably coupled to the feed system in such a way that a movement of the feed system in the feed direction brings the second blocking means out of blocking engagement or holds it.

The aforementioned couplings of the two blocking means with the locking device on the one hand and the feed system on the other hand ensure in a simple manner that the feed system is not blocked during the shooting phase. It should be remembered that the locking device is regularly closed during the shooting phase.

The described coupling of the second blocking means to the feed system also enables the former to be moved safely and without unnecessary additional movement from one to the other Cartridge gap occupied - to be able to conveniently bring out the blocking position. The cartridge gap only has to be moved back under the fill opening in the feed direction. It is therefore only necessary to carry out the movement of the feed system that would have been necessary to fill the cartridge gap anyway. All in all, a complete filling of the magazine is made considerably easier without the shooter requiring special attention.

A mechanical locking engagement of the two blocking means with the feed system, including the cartridges stored therein, is particularly preferred. A mechanical lockout intervention proves to be particularly fail-safe in harsh combat conditions. In this case, the first blocking means preferably engages on a magazine cartridge; the second blocking means, on the other hand, on an element of the cartridge receiving device, for example on one of the cross bars mentioned.

Filling the cartridge receptacle after the blocking intervention has been carried out is made easier by such an arrangement and design of the blocking means, the next to the cartridge space coming from the location of the blocking intervention in the feed direction always being exactly below the filling opening.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention and the associated advantages result from the following description of specific exemplary embodiments together with the accompanying drawing.

• Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht, teilweise aufgebrochen, eines Aus­führungsbeispieles eines Magazins, bei dem gerade Patronen von Hand nachgefüllt werden;
• Fig. 2 eine Teilansicht des in Fig. 1 links oben liegenden Ma­gazinbereiches, bei dem ein erstes Blockiermittel eine Bewegung der Patronen-Aufnahmevorrichtung in Zuführ­richtung blockiert;
• Fig. 3 eine der Fig. 2 entsprechende Teilansicht, bei der ein zweites Blockiermittel eine Bewegung der Patronen-Auf­nahmevorrichtung in Füllrichtung blockiert;
• Fig. 4 eine der Fig. 3 entsprechende Teilansicht, bei der eine weitere Patrone von Hand eingefüllt worden und dabei eine Lücke entstanden ist;
• Fig. 5 eine Teilansicht, wobei die Füllöffnung durch die Schließvorrichtung geschlossen und somit die Inaktivie­rung der Blockiermittel in Zuführrichtung gewährleistet ist.

The drawing shows:

• Figure 1 is a side view, partially broken away, of an embodiment of a magazine in which cartridges are being refilled by hand.
• FIG. 2 shows a partial view of the magazine area located at the top left in FIG. 1, in which a first blocking means blocks a movement of the cartridge receiving device in the feed direction;
• 3 is a partial view corresponding to FIG. 2, in which a second blocking means blocks a movement of the cartridge receiving device in the filling direction;
• FIG. 4 is a partial view corresponding to FIG. 3, in which a further cartridge has been filled in by hand and a gap has formed in the process;
• Fig. 5 is a partial view, wherein the filling opening is closed by the closing device and thus the inactivation of the blocking means is ensured in the feed direction.

The magazine 2 has a housing 4 which essentially has the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. A cartridge receiving device in the form of an endless chain 6 is guided in the longitudinal direction in the housing 4. The chain 6 has transverse bars 10 running transversely to its longitudinal direction, which are articulated with chain links, not shown. The clear distance between the cross bars 10 is just so large that a cartridge 12 has space between them.

In Figure 5, the magazine 2 is filled and a cartridge 12-1 lies against the magazine lips 16. This has left the area between the cross bars 10 of the chain 6. The cartridge 12-2 immediately following it is led out of this area by a deflection surface 18 and only touches one of the cross bars 10. In the area of the deflection surface 18, a channel 20 is provided which allows the cross bars 10 to pass through.

The chain 6 of the embodiment can take 150 cartridges 12. In addition, about six blank cartridges are captively connected to the chain. When the chain moves in the feed direction, these dummy cartridges ensure that the last cartridge 12 comes to rest on the magazine lips. The first dummy cartridge in the feed direction Z thus takes the position of the cartridge 12-2 shown in FIG. 5 and is movably and captively connected to the one cross bar 10.

After the last cartridge 12-1 has been fired, the captive nature of the dummy cartridge with the chain prevents the cartridge from advancing in the feed channel 15. The channel 20, which is only designed for the cross bars 10, forms a stop for the dummy cartridge, as a result of which the movement of the chain 6 in the feed direction is arrested . The last blind cartridge in the feed direction Z ensures that the drop lever 180 does not assume its operative position and thus movement of the chain in the filling direction B can be initiated immediately. If the filling state is finally reached when the magazine is filled, the first dummy cartridge in the filling direction B runs against an abutment in the magazine and thus locks the movement in the filling direction of the chain. The endless chain 6 runs through the interior of the housing 4 in a meandering way and is guided by guide grooves in the two magazine walls 35 running parallel to the drawing plane of the figures. The chain links, not shown, engage in these guide grooves. Guide ribs 29 also serve to guide the cartridges in magazine 2.

In a preferred embodiment, a roller-shaped drive wheel 32 with correspondingly designed teeth 33 engages in the cross bars 10 of the chain 6. The drive wheel is acted upon by a spirally wound band spring 50 with a torque acting in the feed direction Z. Preloading the spring 50 ensures that the last cartridge 12 is pressed against the magazine lips 16 via the chain 6 and the blank cartridges. The rotary knob 56 is non-rotatably connected to the drive wheel 32 and arranged coaxially outside of the housing 4. It serves the shooter as a handle for moving the chain 6 when filling the magazine.

In the area of the upper side of the magazine 2 (FIG. 1) at a short distance to the left of the dispensing opening 14 there is a shaft-shaped filling opening 160 for inserting the cartridges 12 into the magazine 2. The filling opening 160 can be closed by a cover 164 which is pivotably mounted in the direction of arrow C. . 1 to 4, this cover 164 is in its open position. In this position, the shooter can manually insert individual cartridges 12 into the filling opening 160, from where they enter the magazine due to gravity. In Fig. 5 the lid is in its closed position. In this position, the cover 164 engages in a limit force locking mechanism 163 and is held securely there. The end face 165 of a projection 166 protruding from the inner face 167 of the cover 164 forms a supplement to the guideway for the magazine cartridges 12.

Blocking means are arranged in the area of the filling opening 160, which together form a blocking device.

The first blocking means has a two-armed lever 170, which is pivotally mounted to a limited extent about an axis 171 running at right angles to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2. The axis 171 is arranged on the side of the filling opening 160 pointing in the feed direction Z. The lever 170 has an approximately sawtooth-shaped first lever arm 174 and a second lever arm 178. At the bottom of the second Lever arm 178 engages a second tensioning device in the form of a coil spring 172. The coil spring 172 biases the lever 170 in a counterclockwise direction of rotation. As a result, the first lever arm 174 located on the left of the axis 171 in FIG. 2 strives to fall into the path of the cartridges 12 and to block its further movement in the feed direction Z with a stop face 176 provided on the end face.

If the shooter closes the lid 164 of the filling opening 160 (FIG. 5) after the magazine has been filled, the free end of the underside of the lid 167 meets a protruding nose 175 of the second lever arm 178 of the two-arm lever 170. As a result, the two-arm lever 170 becomes clockwise so far , ie against the restoring force of the coil spring 172, pivoted that its first lever arm 174 is pivoted completely out of the movement path of the cartridges 12. When the lid 164 is closed, the first blocking means is ineffective.

The longitudinal surface 177 of the first lever arm 174 facing the chain 6 is shaped in the manner of an inclined plane or a convexly curved surface. As a result, the first lever arm 174 is pivoted upward against the restoring force of the coil spring 172 during a chain movement in the filling direction B of cartridges 12 mounted on the chain 6 and then slides on these cartridges 12.

The first blocking means therefore always allows the chain 6 to move in the filling direction B, with or without cartridges 12, but blocks a movement in the feeding direction Z during the filling phase, that is to say with the lid 164 open. The shooter can therefore easily turn the knob 56 counterclockwise with one hand during the filling phase, thereby moving the chain 6 in the filling direction B, at the same time feeding cartridges 12 with the other hand over the filling opening 160 of the chain 6 and, after a rotational movement, grasping the knob 56 by hand, to be able to turn it further.

If no further cartridges 12 are supplied during the filling phase or if there are longer pauses between the insertion of individual cartridges 12 into the filling opening 160 and the shooter moves the chain 6 too quickly in the filling direction B, the second blocking means comes into engagement with the chain 6. This intervention prevents a further chain movement in the filling direction B.

The second blocking means has a lever arm 180 designed as a drop lever, the pivot axis 181 of which is arranged above the chain 6, in the filling direction B, behind the filling opening 160. If the space between two crossbars 10 arrives in the area below the drop lever 180 without passing a cartridge when it passes through the filling opening 160, it falls into the path of the crossbars 10 and thus locks the chain 6 in the filling direction B. The lever arm 180 is for this purpose only pivotally arranged to a limited extent and thus forms a stop for the transverse bar 10 (FIG. 3).

When the chain is blocked, the space between two crossbars is located under the filling opening 160, so that a further cartridge can be inserted into the chain, thus creating a cartridge gap 13. The insertion of further cartridges in the chain 6 requires filling this cartridge gap 13. To do this, the empty space 13 must be guided under the filling opening 160. This is done by releasing the rotary knob 56: the chain moves by the driving force of the spring 50 in the feed direction Z, whereby the drop lever on its longitudinal surface 182, which is convexly curved in the exemplary embodiment, is pivoted out of its locked position by the last cartridge which has been completely magazine.

This cartridge now runs against a surface 176 on the lever arm 174 of the first blocking device, the length of the lever arm being designed such that when the chain is blocked, the cartridge gap 13 is guided exactly below the filling opening 160. If a cartridge gap 13 occurs during loading, the chain 6 can only move back and forth within a distance corresponding to the cartridge gap 13.

After filling the cartridge gap 13, the shooter can move the chain 6 again in the filling direction B and refill additional cartridges 12. The second blocking means thus causes cartridge gaps 13 to be automatically recognized and corrected immediately.

Claims (15)

1. Magazine (2) with a. a filling opening (160) and b. A beltless feed system which has for manual filling with cartridges (12) through the filling opening (160) and for their automatic, sequential feeding to a firearm barrel:
b.1 a cartridge receiving device (6) which can be moved manually in the filling direction (B) and the feed direction (Z) which is opposite thereto, and
b.2 a first tensioning device (50, 56) that is operatively engaged with it and can be preloaded in the feed direction (Z),
characterized by c. a device for automatically but releasably blocking the feed system during the filling phase in the feed direction (Z) when the first tensioning device (50, 56) is released and / or in the filling direction (B) when a cartridge gap (13) occurs in the cartridge receiving device (6 ) behind (seen in the filling direction (B)) the filling opening (160). 2. Magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the blocking device has a first blocking means (170, 172) for blocking in the feed direction (Z) and an independent second blocking means (180) for blocking in the filling direction (B) and both blocking means (170 , 172, 180) are arranged and designed such that they do not simultaneously block the feed system in its two directions of movement (B, Z). 3. Magazine according to claim 1 or 2 with a closing device (164) for the filling opening (160), characterized in that the first blocking means (170, 172) by the closing device (164) in the closed position is brought out of blocking engagement or held. 4. Magazine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second blocking means (180) is brought or held out of blocking engagement by movement of the feed system in the feed direction (Z). 5. Magazine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or second blocking means (170, 172, 180) are designed for a mechanical locking engagement with the feed system, including the cartridges (12), in the region of the filling opening (160) is / are. 6. Magazine according to claim 5, characterized in that the first blocking means (170, 172) for a locking engagement with the magazine cartridges (12) and the second blocking means (180) for a locking engagement with elements (10) of the cartridge receiving device (6 ) are laid out and arranged. 7. Magazine according to claim 6, characterized in that the first and / or second blocking means (170, 172, 180) is arranged and designed / are such that in the case of his / her locking engagement the next following from the location of the locking engagement in the feed direction (Z) Cartridge space is below the fill opening (160). 8. Magazine according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the first blocking means (170, 172) has a first lever arm (174) and a lever arm (174) in the cartridge movement path in the magazine (2) pivoting second clamping device (172), the first lever arm (174) is designed at its free end in the manner of a sawtooth, such that it has a stop surface (176) acting as an abutment for a magazine cartridge (12) moving in the feed direction (Z) and an inclined plane acting as a sliding surface ( 177) or convexly curved surface for the magazine cartridges (12) moving in the filling direction (B). 9. Magazine according to claims 2 and 8, characterized in that the closing device (164) provided for the filling opening (160) in the closed position, the first lever arm (174) against the force of the second clamping device (172) outside the movement path of the magazine cartridges ( 12) holds. 10. Magazine according to claims 8 and 9, characterized in that a) the first blocking means (170, 172) has a second lever arm (178) connected to the first lever arm (174), b) both lever arms (174, 178) project from a common axis of rotation (171) in the opposite direction, c) the axis of rotation (171) is arranged on the side of the filling opening (160) lying in the feed direction (Z), d) the second tensioning device (172) acts in the form of a coil spring on the second lever arm (178) and e) the closing device (164) in the form of a hinged lid in its closed position presses the second lever arm (178) against the helical spring. 11. Magazine according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the second blocking means (180) is a lever arm which can be pivoted into the cartridge gap (13) and can be pivoted out of this only in the feed direction (Z). 12. Magazine according to claim 11, characterized in that the lever arm (180) is a drop lever arranged above the magazine cartridges (12). 13. Magazine according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the lever arm (180) is designed and arranged such that it is pivoted out of a cartridge gap (13) from the next in the feed direction (Z) cartridge (12) and in the area of Filling opening (160) slides on the cartridges (12). 14. Magazine according to claim 13, characterized in that the on the cartridges (12) sliding surface (182) of the lever arm (180) is substantially convexly curved. 15. Magazine according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the pivot axis (181) of the third lever arm (180) is arranged on the side of the filling opening (160) lying in the filling direction (B).

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