US2378191A - Ammunition feed - Google Patents

Ammunition feed Download PDF

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US2378191A
US2378191A US424636A US42463641A US2378191A US 2378191 A US2378191 A US 2378191A US 424636 A US424636 A US 424636A US 42463641 A US42463641 A US 42463641A US 2378191 A US2378191 A US 2378191A
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gun
chute
cartridges
belt
container
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US424636A
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Corte Alfred
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Lockheed Corp
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Lockheed Aircraft Corp
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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
    • F41A9/54Cartridge guides, stops or positioners, e.g. for cartridge extraction

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an improved ammunition feed especially adapted for use with machine guns and the like which must be freely movable about one or more axes, as when mounted in airplane, boat or tank turrets, providing both traversing and elevating movements for the gun or guns carried therein.
  • the ammunition supply for the machine guns of a movable turret is ordinarily made integral with the gun mount; in which case the feeding is little dilferent from that of a stationary gun, or, it is placed on some more or less stationary part of the turret.
  • the cartridge belt must be twisted through some 110 to allow the belt to follow the angular movement of the gun as it is elevated and lowered.
  • the integral mounting arrangement is, of course, the simplest and the most reliable. However, it means placing the ammunition box close to the gun and hence taking up space inside the turret. If the ammunitionsupply requirements exceed a certain number of cartridges, the size of the necessary supply box rather than the size of the gunner will determine the size of the turret.
  • the power feed advances onecartridge.
  • the power available is sufficient to lift the ammunition under the most severe conditions of ad verse acceleration.
  • the feed is intermittently: operated by the gun, one and only one cartridge will be, advanced for each cartridge fired even for accelerations considerably less than one g.
  • FigureI is a central vertical section through a twin gun airplane turret showing the cartridge feeding chutes and mechanism for elevating the cartridges from an ammunition container to the gun breech, the dotted lines showing the position of the upper chute when the gun has been elevated for vertical fire.
  • Figure II is a half of a vertical cross-section of the turret with one gun and its feed mechanism shown in elevation from the muzzle end of the gun.
  • Figure III is a top plan view of Figure II with the turret shell omitted.
  • FIG. IV is a fragmentary detail in plan view, partly in section to show the spent gas operating mechanism associated with the gun barrel.
  • Figure V is an elevation view of the spent gas 7 operating mechanism of Figure IV, with the gun barrel omitted.
  • Figure V1 is a muzzle end view of Fig. IV.
  • Figure VII is an enlarged detail view of the cartridge chutes and cartridge feeding mechanism.
  • Figure VIII is a further enlarged detail of the-upper or final cartridge feeding mechanism whicl'iideliversthe cartridges through a right angle turn, in the plane of the belt, to the conventional gun feeding mechanism.
  • a turret shell ll] rotates about its vertical axis in a horizontal ring bearing 'll forming part of an airplane structure, a central pedestal l2 and column l3 being connected thereto at the axis C of the elevating portions of the turret.
  • the gun B one of a pair disposed on either side of the gunner, is mounted on, and moves as a unit with the elevating portions of the turret.
  • the pedestal I2 and column l3 preferably do not carry the weight of the turret, which weight is supported by the ring bearing H, but serve as a power and communications conduit, and support the ammunition feed chutes of this invention.
  • the cartridges hang in a second loop prior to entering an upper chute 2
  • the cartridges As the cartridges leave the upper chute they feed around a curved chute 22 into a position parallel to and adjacent the gun breech but slightly therebelow, the regular gun feeding mechanism being relied upon to lift the few cartridges suspended between the gun breech and the surface of the curved chute 22.
  • the second hanging loop 20 provides sufficient slack'in the cartridge feed belt to provide for the elevating motion of the gun, since the gun and the upper chute 2i pivot about the turret axis C and the chute therefore takes up the slack of the loop 26 when moved to the dotted line position of Figure I.
  • the power for the ammunition feed is derived from the residual pressure of the gas in the gun barrel just after the bullet has left the muzzle 23 as shown in detail in Figures IV and V.
  • This gas is allowed to escape from the muzzle into an expansion chamber 24 which has a tube 25 slightly larger than the bore of the gun for the bullet to pass through, and through which the gases eventually escape.
  • This expansion chamber 24 is two-fold. First, it creates a back pressure on the gases for a short time so the combustion can continue. Although this continued combustion time adds nothing to the velocity of the bullet, it does allow at least part of the burning of the gases to be completed within the chamber, so that when the gases finally emerge from the gun, a large fraction has ceased glowing and hence the flash is considerably reduced. Also, the after-burning tends to prolong the pressure interval and thus provide continued power behind the piston.
  • a cylinder 26 and piston 27 are located adjacent to the expansion chamber with an opening 28 leading from the expansion chamber into the cylinder.
  • the cylinder chamber is vented to the atmosphere by means of ports 29 in the cylinder wall located so that during the stroke, they are closed on. by the piston but at the end of the stroke, the head of the piston has moved past the ports so that the gas is allowed to escape from the cylinder.
  • the pressure in the chamber rapidly builds up.
  • the gases escape partly into the head space of the cylinder and partly directly to the atmosphere through the exit port.
  • the gases in the chamber will have escaped through the exit port and the pressurewill have dropped to atmospheric.
  • the gas in the cylinder can expand in two ways: first, by moving the piston and second, back through the connecting port to the chamber and thence to the atmosphere.
  • the pressure in the expansion chamber is high and the gas in the cylinder has no alternative but to move the piston.
  • the movement of the piston is dependent upon the relationship between the size of the piston and the size of the port leading into the expansion chamber. In any case. the high initial force of the piston serves to start th load moving and the remaining pressure keeps it moving, until by the end of the piston stroke, the load has been allowed to gradually come to a stop.
  • the piston 21 is connected by means of a wrist pin 30 and outside connecting rods 3
  • One cable 35 is led into a coupling 36 which divides into two cables 31 and as each leading to a similar ratchet mechanism.
  • the three ratchet mechanisms are located respectively inside the ammunition container M, at the bottom of the lower chute l9, and at the turn of the upper chute 2
  • Each of these shell advancing devices consists of a sprocket, wheel 39 over which the cartridges and links travel in much the same manner as a chain over a sprocket.
  • the sprocket wheel is turned through one tooth, by a lever arm 40 which drive the sprocket through a pawl 4! and ratchet 42 arrangement which in turn is actuated by the flexible cable 34 from the piston 21.
  • an escapement mechanism bears directly upon'the cartridge in such a manner as to keep the belt from falling back, while the piston and the lever arm return to the rest position.
  • the escapement mechanism is conveniently associated with one or more of the ratchet mechanisms; and comprises a detent device working in conjunction with the ratchet mechanism to prevent the cartridges from falling back after they have been lifted by the ratchet, and also to resist the inertia of the moving Cartridges fro carrying them past more than one tooth of the ratchet.
  • the position of the escapement in Figure VIII may be considered the rest position, wherein a lever 44 is pivoted at 45 to a bracket on the chute and has a roller 45 bearing on one cartridge while a second lever 41 is pivoted to the second roller 49 clear of the approaching cartridge shown as substantially level with the sprocket.
  • the total lift from the f ammunition container to the-gun is accomplished in four stages.
  • the ammunition is brought to the mouth of the container.
  • Third, the belt goes through-a second loop and enters the middle chute, which middle chute is stationary with respect to the guns and hence movable in elevation with respect to the lower chute.
  • it goes through the upper chute where the belt makes a right angle turn in the plane of the belt to enter the guns with the nose of the cartridge pointing forward.
  • the first stage of the lift is accomplished by one of the ratchet motors placed in the mouth or exit of the ammunition container. It lifts the cartridge belt to the top of the container where the exit is located.
  • the second ratchet motor is located at'the bottom of the lower chute where it lifts the belt from the first loop and, pushes it through the chute to the second loop.
  • the third motor is located between themiddle and upper chutes, where it serves to draw the belt from the second loop into and through the middle chute and feeds it into the upper chute.
  • the second phase of the ammunition feed problem is the accomplishment of the lifting of the cartridges without interfering with the operation of the turret. As mentioned previously, it is not feasible to allow the entire ammunition container to move with the guns so that some provision must be made for the movements of the turret in traverse and in elevation.
  • the cartridge belt is led-up to the gun so that it does not interfere with or is not interfered with by the movement of the guns in elevation. This is accomplished by leading the belt to a point near the axis'of rotation of the turret in elevation. This is done in such a manner that the apex of the dihedral angle formed by the intersection of the planes of the cartridge belt as it approaches and as it leaves the center of the turret is on or near the axis of rotation of the turret in elevation.
  • the effect on the cartridge belt of elevating the turret is merely to cause the belt to fold about whichever of the shells is at the apex.
  • the belt is made to flex in its normal manner and even these fiexures I take place with the assistance of guiding chutes and sprockets, so that there is no chance of the belt binding or entering the gun in other than the normal manner. It would also be noticed that although the ammunition feed derives its power from the gun. it does not in any way affect the operation of the gun, since the source of power is the gas remaining in the barrel after the bullet has left the gun.
  • Mechanism for advancing a cartridge belt to a gun comprising a gun mount for movement in traverse and elevation, a container curved substantially about the axis of traverse movement of the gun and constructed and arranged to move with the gun intraverse, the belt being contained in the container so that its cartridges are in substantially radial relation to said axis.
  • the container having an outlet for the belt, a first chute fixed relative to the container and extending from adjacent said outlet in the general direction of the gun. the first chute being adapted to contain and direct the belt so that its cartridges are sub stantially tangent to circles concentric with said axis.
  • belt advancing means on the container and first chute operable to maintain a slack twisted loop in the belt between said outlet the first chute wherein the cartridges are twisted into positions at right angles to the plane of elevation of the gun
  • a second chute constructed and arranged to move in traverse and elevation with the gun and adapted to direct the beltinto the gun, the second chute having its belt receiving end spaced from and related to the belt discharging end of the first chute to allow a slack loop of the belt to hang between the chutes adjacent the axis of elevation movement of the gun
  • belt advancing means on the second chute for advancing the belt and for maintaining the second named loop, and means forioperating the first and second named belt advancing means in unison.
  • a mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including power transmitting means interconnecting the sprocket means, and power means operatively connected with said power transmitting means.
  • a mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a cylinder and piston mechanism adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, and means operatively connecting said cylinder and piston mechanism with said sprocket means on the chutes so that said cylinder and piston mechanism simultaneously operates said sprocket means.
  • a mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a cylinder and piston mechanism adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, means operatively connecting the sprocket means of said chutes, and a resilient impulse transmitting connection between said cylinder and piston mechanism and the last named means whereby said cylinder and piston means is operable to simultaneously operate said sprocket means.
  • a mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a ratchet means at each sprocket means for operating the same, a cylinder and piston means adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, and means operatively connecting said ratchet means with the cylinder and piston means to be operated thereby.
  • a mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein, ratchet means at the sprocket means operable to intermittently advance the ame, a power operated mechanism connected with the ratchet means operable for producing simultaneous advancement of the sprockets, and escapement means at the sprocket means for resisting over travel of the linked cartridges and operable to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes.
  • An ammunition advancing mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun movable in elevation relative to said container, said mechanism comprising a first chute adapted to extend from the container and operable to guide the linked cartridges therefrom, means for supporting the first chute to be stationary with respect to the container, a second chute, means for supporting the second chute to adapt it for movement in elevation with the gun, the linked cartridges being adapted to extend from the first chute to the second chute, a cartridge advancing means on each chute, members on the chutes for engaging the cartridges to provide a slack loop in the linked cartridges which extend between the chutes to allow free flexing of the linked cartridges during the movement of the second chute relative to the first chute, and guide means stationary with respect to the second chute adapted to turn the linked cartridges to a given position with respect to the gun after delivery from the second chute.

Description

June 12, 1945. A. CORTE 2,378,191
AMMUNITION FEED 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1941 FIG I INVENTOR ALFRED CORTE BVWM figeni A. CORTE 2,378,191
{KMMUNITION FEED Filed Dec. 27, 1941 June 12, 1945.
5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOP ALFRED Conn:-
Bye/1t JunelZ, 1945. coR E AMMUNITION FEED Filed Dec. 27, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J/v VENTOR ALFRED COR r5 BY {gent June 12, 1945. A. CORTE 2,378,191
" AMMUNITION FEED Filed Dec. 27, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I /v VE/V TOP ALFRED 60/? T5 BY Z i a 2 flye/zt A. CORTE June 12, 1945.
AMMUNITION FEED 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1941 HM Q I /v vnvfo ALFRED Com:
Patented June 12, 1945 AMMUNITION FEED Alfred Corte, Glendale, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, a corporation of California Application December 27, 1941, Serial No. 424,636
'1 Claims. (01. 89-33) This invention relates to an improved ammunition feed especially adapted for use with machine guns and the like which must be freely movable about one or more axes, as when mounted in airplane, boat or tank turrets, providing both traversing and elevating movements for the gun or guns carried therein.
The ammunition supply for the machine guns of a movable turret is ordinarily made integral with the gun mount; in which case the feeding is little dilferent from that of a stationary gun, or, it is placed on some more or less stationary part of the turret. With the latter type of installation, itis usual to provide a long loop of ammunition between the supply box and the gun to compensate for the varying distance between the gun and the box as the gun is moved in traverse. In addition, the cartridge belt must be twisted through some 110 to allow the belt to follow the angular movement of the gun as it is elevated and lowered.
The integral mounting arrangement is, of course, the simplest and the most reliable. However, it means placing the ammunition box close to the gun and hence taking up space inside the turret. If the ammunitionsupply requirements exceed a certain number of cartridges, the size of the necessary supply box rather than the size of the gunner will determine the size of the turret.
Rather than increase the size of the turret, the practice has been to move the ammunition supply box to the lower part of the turret and to use the twisted loop. This again is subject to the criticism that under certain conditions'of acceleration, and unless the ammunition belt has been loaded just right, the shells will not enter the gun properly and the gun will jam.
Another consequence of moving. the ammunition supply down into'the fuselage of the plane is v the need for a separate device to assist in the lifting of the belt up to the gun, since the gun is limited in theweight of belt which it can lift and still operate reliably, .The most successful of these prior devices has been an arrangement in which there is provided a small reservoir of cartridges near the gun and with the main supply below. The cartridge belt runs from the main supply box up to the reservoir, which may consist of one or several loops located near the gun. The lift from the main supply box is accomplished by an electric motor drive which is connected to a limit switch in such a manner that it will maintain the number of cartridges in the reservoir within certain limits. The gun itself will draw the cartridges from the reservoir. Although simple in principle, the extra equipment needed for this device. is sufficiently complicated that occasional failures may be expected, particularly under the diversity of conditions such as extremes of acceleration and temperature which are encountered in service. I
It is accordingly an object of this invention to develop an ammunition feed which operates directly from the gun and hence is at least as reliable as the gun and requires no separate power system. In principle, each time the gun fires a round, the power feed advances onecartridge. The power available is sufficient to lift the ammunition under the most severe conditions of ad verse acceleration. Yet, since the feed is intermittently: operated by the gun, one and only one cartridge will be, advanced for each cartridge fired even for accelerations considerably less than one g.
Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.
This invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described,
A preferred form of this invention is shown diagrammatically in the drawings, wherein:
FigureI is a central vertical section through a twin gun airplane turret showing the cartridge feeding chutes and mechanism for elevating the cartridges from an ammunition container to the gun breech, the dotted lines showing the position of the upper chute when the gun has been elevated for vertical fire.
Figure II is a half of a vertical cross-section of the turret with one gun and its feed mechanism shown in elevation from the muzzle end of the gun.
Figure III is a top plan view of Figure II with the turret shell omitted.
Figure IV is a fragmentary detail in plan view, partly in section to show the spent gas operating mechanism associated with the gun barrel.
Figure V is an elevation view of the spent gas 7 operating mechanism of Figure IV, with the gun barrel omitted.
Figure V1 is a muzzle end view of Fig. IV. Figure VII is an enlarged detail view of the cartridge chutes and cartridge feeding mechanism.
Figure VIII is a further enlarged detail of the-upper or final cartridge feeding mechanism whicl'iideliversthe cartridges through a right angle turn, in the plane of the belt, to the conventional gun feeding mechanism.
As shown on the drawings I have chosen to illustrate the power ammunition feed in connection with an airplane turret A such as has been disclosed in my previous application, Serial No. 362,067, filed October 21, 1940. However, I have simplified the turret enclosure by the ommission of that part thereof which rotates in elevation about a horizontal axis. For present purposes it will be convenient to consider the gun B as elevating about the axis C, the gun mounting and elevating mechanism being omitted. As shown and described in my above mentioned copending application, a turret shell ll] rotates about its vertical axis in a horizontal ring bearing 'll forming part of an airplane structure, a central pedestal l2 and column l3 being connected thereto at the axis C of the elevating portions of the turret.
The gun B, one of a pair disposed on either side of the gunner, is mounted on, and moves as a unit with the elevating portions of the turret. The pedestal I2 and column l3 preferably do not carry the weight of the turret, which weight is supported by the ring bearing H, but serve as a power and communications conduit, and support the ammunition feed chutes of this invention. I
It is not feasible to carry an adequate supply of ammunition in a container attached to and elevating with the gun, so I provide a generally arcuate container l4 suspended by brackets l5 below and approximately aligned with the ring gear H, in order to provide clearance within the turret for the gunners seat and foot rest, as well as entrance to such space. Accordingly, the container It rotates with the turret as the latter is traversed in azimuth. Because of the arcuate shape of the container its capacity is increased if the cartridges are placed therein point inwards. Thus the cartridges l6, linked together by a belt or disintegrating links, are drawn out of the container at one corner I! and are twisted through an angle of approximately 135 while hanging in a loop l8, prior to entering a lower chute l9 wherein the cartridges point away from the longitudinal center line of the turret.
From the lower chute [9 the cartridges hang in a second loop prior to entering an upper chute 2| which is attached to and elevates with the gun B. As the cartridges leave the upper chute they feed around a curved chute 22 into a position parallel to and adjacent the gun breech but slightly therebelow, the regular gun feeding mechanism being relied upon to lift the few cartridges suspended between the gun breech and the surface of the curved chute 22. The second hanging loop 20 provides sufficient slack'in the cartridge feed belt to provide for the elevating motion of the gun, since the gun and the upper chute 2i pivot about the turret axis C and the chute therefore takes up the slack of the loop 26 when moved to the dotted line position of Figure I.
The power for the ammunition feed is derived from the residual pressure of the gas in the gun barrel just after the bullet has left the muzzle 23 as shown in detail in Figures IV and V.
This gas is allowed to escape from the muzzle into an expansion chamber 24 which has a tube 25 slightly larger than the bore of the gun for the bullet to pass through, and through which the gases eventually escape. The purpose of this expansion chamber 24 is two-fold. First, it creates a back pressure on the gases for a short time so the combustion can continue. Although this continued combustion time adds nothing to the velocity of the bullet, it does allow at least part of the burning of the gases to be completed within the chamber, so that when the gases finally emerge from the gun, a large fraction has ceased glowing and hence the flash is considerably reduced. Also, the after-burning tends to prolong the pressure interval and thus provide continued power behind the piston. Secondly, by means of this expansion chamber, at least a part of the energy represented by the residual pressure is made available to operate the ammunition feed. A cylinder 26 and piston 27 are located adjacent to the expansion chamber with an opening 28 leading from the expansion chamber into the cylinder. At the end of the piston stroke, the cylinder chamber is vented to the atmosphere by means of ports 29 in the cylinder wall located so that during the stroke, they are closed on. by the piston but at the end of the stroke, the head of the piston has moved past the ports so that the gas is allowed to escape from the cylinder.
Immediately after the bullet has left the gun muzzle, the gases in the gun barrel escape from the muzzle into the expansion chamber 24, and.
the pressure in the chamber rapidly builds up. The gases escape partly into the head space of the cylinder and partly directly to the atmosphere through the exit port. In a short time, the gases in the chamber will have escaped through the exit port and the pressurewill have dropped to atmospheric. The gas in the cylinder can expand in two ways: first, by moving the piston and second, back through the connecting port to the chamber and thence to the atmosphere. During the first part of the cycle, the pressure in the expansion chamber is high and the gas in the cylinder has no alternative but to move the piston. Later in the cycle, the movement of the piston is dependent upon the relationship between the size of the piston and the size of the port leading into the expansion chamber. In any case. the high initial force of the piston serves to start th load moving and the remaining pressure keeps it moving, until by the end of the piston stroke, the load has been allowed to gradually come to a stop.
The piston 21 is connected by means of a wrist pin 30 and outside connecting rods 3| to a spring shock absorber 32 and thence to a coupling 33 to two cable drives 34 and 35 which transmit the piston movement in tension to shell advancing ratchet mechanisms, on of which is shown in detail in Figure VIII. One cable 35 is led into a coupling 36 which divides into two cables 31 and as each leading to a similar ratchet mechanism. The three ratchet mechanisms are located respectively inside the ammunition container M, at the bottom of the lower chute l9, and at the turn of the upper chute 2|. Since the three ratchet mechanisms are identical, it will be convenient to describe the last mentioned, which is detailed in Figure VIII.
Each of these shell advancing devices consists of a sprocket, wheel 39 over which the cartridges and links travel in much the same manner as a chain over a sprocket. The sprocket wheel is turned through one tooth, by a lever arm 40 which drive the sprocket through a pawl 4! and ratchet 42 arrangement which in turn is actuated by the flexible cable 34 from the piston 21. As soon as the cartridge has'been advanced, an escapement mechanism bears directly upon'the cartridge in such a manner as to keep the belt from falling back, while the piston and the lever arm return to the rest position.
The escapement mechanism is conveniently associated with one or more of the ratchet mechanisms; and comprises a detent device working in conjunction with the ratchet mechanism to prevent the cartridges from falling back after they have been lifted by the ratchet, and also to resist the inertia of the moving Cartridges fro carrying them past more than one tooth of the ratchet. The position of the escapement in Figure VIII may be considered the rest position, wherein a lever 44 is pivoted at 45 to a bracket on the chute and has a roller 45 bearing on one cartridge while a second lever 41 is pivoted to the second roller 49 clear of the approaching cartridge shown as substantially level with the sprocket.
When the first roller 46 ridesup on the next car tridge the second roller 49 drops down behind the following cartridge until the position of rest is again reached.
A previously mentioned, the total lift from the f ammunition container to the-gun is accomplished in four stages. First, the ammunition is brought to the mouth of the container. Second, it goes through a loop and enters the lower portion of the chute, which lower portion is stationar with respect to the traverse ring and the ammunition box. Third, the belt goes through-a second loop and enters the middle chute, which middle chute is stationary with respect to the guns and hence movable in elevation with respect to the lower chute. Fourthly, it goes through the upper chute where the belt makes a right angle turn in the plane of the belt to enter the guns with the nose of the cartridge pointing forward.
The first stage of the lift is accomplished by one of the ratchet motors placed in the mouth or exit of the ammunition container. It lifts the cartridge belt to the top of the container where the exit is located. The second ratchet motor is located at'the bottom of the lower chute where it lifts the belt from the first loop and, pushes it through the chute to the second loop. The third motor is located between themiddle and upper chutes, where it serves to draw the belt from the second loop into and through the middle chute and feeds it into the upper chute. Here, the
regular gun feeding mechanism takes over to accomplish the fourth stage of the processof lifting the cartridges from the ammunition container to the gun.
The second phase of the ammunition feed problem is the accomplishment of the lifting of the cartridges without interfering with the operation of the turret. As mentioned previously, it is not feasible to allow the entire ammunition container to move with the guns so that some provision must be made for the movements of the turret in traverse and in elevation.
Since the ammunition containers are attached to the traverse ring, the containers move with the (ill - ward.
turret in traverse. The cartridge belt is led-up to the gun so that it does not interfere with or is not interfered with by the movement of the guns in elevation. This is accomplished by leading the belt to a point near the axis'of rotation of the turret in elevation. This is done in such a manner that the apex of the dihedral angle formed by the intersection of the planes of the cartridge belt as it approaches and as it leaves the center of the turret is on or near the axis of rotation of the turret in elevation. Thus, the effect on the cartridge belt of elevating the turret is merely to cause the belt to fold about whichever of the shells is at the apex. This is a perfectly normal movement of the belt and is accomplished without difiiculty. In practice, the folding does not take place exactly at the axis, but about six inches therefrom and a small loop is provided for compensation. After executing this fold, the cartridges are able to move with the gun but have their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the axis of the gun, while to be useful, the axes must be parallel to that of the gun with the noses for- It is necessary to turn the belt through a right angle lying in the plane of the belt. In order to have the shells come out 'of this turn in alignment with the gun breech the belt is led forward and then reversed in direction, with the noses of the shells on the inside of the arc and a very compact arc will be realized.
It will be noticed that the belt is made to flex in its normal manner and even these fiexures I take place with the assistance of guiding chutes and sprockets, so that there is no chance of the belt binding or entering the gun in other than the normal manner. It would also be noticed that although the ammunition feed derives its power from the gun. it does not in any way affect the operation of the gun, since the source of power is the gas remaining in the barrel after the bullet has left the gun.
Having thusdescribed my invention and the present preferred embodiments thereof, I desire to emphasize the fact that many modifications may be resorted to ma manner limited only by a just'interpretation of the following laim.
I claim as my invention:
1. Mechanism for advancing a cartridge belt to a gun comprising a gun mount for movement in traverse and elevation, a container curved substantially about the axis of traverse movement of the gun and constructed and arranged to move with the gun intraverse, the belt being contained in the container so that its cartridges are in substantially radial relation to said axis.the container having an outlet for the belt, a first chute fixed relative to the container and extending from adjacent said outlet in the general direction of the gun. the first chute being adapted to contain and direct the belt so that its cartridges are sub stantially tangent to circles concentric with said axis. belt advancing means on the container and first chute operable to maintain a slack twisted loop in the belt between said outlet the first chute wherein the cartridges are twisted into positions at right angles to the plane of elevation of the gun, a second chute constructed and arranged to move in traverse and elevation with the gun and adapted to direct the beltinto the gun, the second chute having its belt receiving end spaced from and related to the belt discharging end of the first chute to allow a slack loop of the belt to hang between the chutes adjacent the axis of elevation movement of the gun, belt advancing means on the second chute for advancing the belt and for maintaining the second named loop, and means forioperating the first and second named belt advancing means in unison.
2. A mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun, the mechanism comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including power transmitting means interconnecting the sprocket means, and power means operatively connected with said power transmitting means.
3. A mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun, the mechanism comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a cylinder and piston mechanism adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, and means operatively connecting said cylinder and piston mechanism with said sprocket means on the chutes so that said cylinder and piston mechanism simultaneously operates said sprocket means.
4. A mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun, the mechanism comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a cylinder and piston mechanism adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, means operatively connecting the sprocket means of said chutes, and a resilient impulse transmitting connection between said cylinder and piston mechanism and the last named means whereby said cylinder and piston means is operable to simultaneously operate said sprocket means.
5. A mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun, the mechanism comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein and adapted to advance the same, means on the chutes for engaging the linked cartridges to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes, and means for intermittently moving the linked cartridges including a ratchet means at each sprocket means for operating the same, a cylinder and piston means adapted to be operated by the muzzle blast of said gun, and means operatively connecting said ratchet means with the cylinder and piston means to be operated thereby.
6. A mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun, the mechanism comprising spaced chutes adapted to guide the linked cartridges from the container to a position adjacent the gun, supporting means for each chute, one of said supporting means being movable with respect to the other supporting means, sprocket means on each chute adapted to engage the linked cartridges therein, ratchet means at the sprocket means operable to intermittently advance the ame, a power operated mechanism connected with the ratchet means operable for producing simultaneous advancement of the sprockets, and escapement means at the sprocket means for resisting over travel of the linked cartridges and operable to maintain a slack loop in the linked cartridges extending between the spaced chutes.
7. An ammunition advancing mechanism for transporting linked cartridges from a container to a position adjacent a gun movable in elevation relative to said container, said mechanism comprising a first chute adapted to extend from the container and operable to guide the linked cartridges therefrom, means for supporting the first chute to be stationary with respect to the container, a second chute, means for supporting the second chute to adapt it for movement in elevation with the gun, the linked cartridges being adapted to extend from the first chute to the second chute, a cartridge advancing means on each chute, members on the chutes for engaging the cartridges to provide a slack loop in the linked cartridges which extend between the chutes to allow free flexing of the linked cartridges during the movement of the second chute relative to the first chute, and guide means stationary with respect to the second chute adapted to turn the linked cartridges to a given position with respect to the gun after delivery from the second chute.
ALFRED CORTE.
US424636A 1941-12-27 1941-12-27 Ammunition feed Expired - Lifetime US2378191A (en)

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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2430454A (en) * 1945-03-21 1947-11-11 Alfred J Cormier Water chest rack for a machine gun mount
US2436370A (en) * 1942-07-24 1948-02-24 Albert M Alexander Automatic firearm feed mechanism
WO1981001328A1 (en) * 1979-10-30 1981-05-14 Ares Inc Two stage shell feeding apparatus with shell feeding path control
US20110290103A1 (en) * 2008-12-04 2011-12-01 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably linear breech or ammunition feed
US20110314996A1 (en) * 2008-12-04 2011-12-29 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably a linear breech or ammunition feed
US20120186423A1 (en) * 2009-07-23 2012-07-26 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. system and a method for protected reloading of a remote controlled weapon station
US8479633B2 (en) 2008-12-04 2013-07-09 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Breech drive for a weapon with a linear breech or ammunition feed
WO2013183046A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-12 Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd. Belt/metallic link chain loaded ammunition feeder in a remote controlled weapon station
US8616112B2 (en) 2008-12-04 2013-12-31 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Breech drive for a weapon
US9644916B2 (en) 2014-02-14 2017-05-09 Merrill Aviation, Inc. Modular weapon station system

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2436370A (en) * 1942-07-24 1948-02-24 Albert M Alexander Automatic firearm feed mechanism
US2430454A (en) * 1945-03-21 1947-11-11 Alfred J Cormier Water chest rack for a machine gun mount
WO1981001328A1 (en) * 1979-10-30 1981-05-14 Ares Inc Two stage shell feeding apparatus with shell feeding path control
US4348938A (en) * 1979-10-30 1982-09-14 Ares, Inc. Two stage shell feeding apparatus with shell feeding path control
US8413565B2 (en) * 2008-12-04 2013-04-09 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably a linear breech or ammunition feed
US20110314996A1 (en) * 2008-12-04 2011-12-29 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably a linear breech or ammunition feed
US8402874B2 (en) * 2008-12-04 2013-03-26 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably linear breech or ammunition feed
US20110290103A1 (en) * 2008-12-04 2011-12-01 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Drive and quick stop for a weapon with preferably linear breech or ammunition feed
US8479633B2 (en) 2008-12-04 2013-07-09 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Breech drive for a weapon with a linear breech or ammunition feed
US8616112B2 (en) 2008-12-04 2013-12-31 Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh Breech drive for a weapon
US20120186423A1 (en) * 2009-07-23 2012-07-26 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. system and a method for protected reloading of a remote controlled weapon station
US8833228B2 (en) * 2009-07-23 2014-09-16 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. System and a method for protected reloading of a remote controlled weapon station
US9285177B1 (en) * 2009-07-23 2016-03-15 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. System and a method for protected reloading of a remote controlled weapon station
WO2013183046A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-12 Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd. Belt/metallic link chain loaded ammunition feeder in a remote controlled weapon station
US10132581B2 (en) 2012-06-05 2018-11-20 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Ltd. Belt/metallic link chain loaded ammunition feeder in a remote controlled weapon station
US9644916B2 (en) 2014-02-14 2017-05-09 Merrill Aviation, Inc. Modular weapon station system

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