US2453977A - Cartridge feeding device - Google Patents

Description

4 .1.0 EAME$ 2,453,977 i CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE I Filed March28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 16, J Q EAMES 2,453,977

CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE iled March is, 1946 r '4 sheets-sheet 5 Nov. 16, 1948.

Jro. EAM ES CARTRIDGE. 'FE EDINq DEVICE Filed March as, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v fidezzibr".

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 stares PATENT QFFLQE James Owen Eam'es, Washingtbn; Conn, assignon to'fioy sl sanford'woodburypGonna.

Application-March 28, 1946,;Serial1N0. 655,803;

. invention. relates. particularly. to g-Iunsoi the class in which the cartridges are; fed. to. the. gun gripped, in links forming. a.fl'exib1e.. b.elt,. the belt being of the fdisintegrating. type" i Guns; of. the. aioresaiditype are. well known. Each. cartridge is. gripped; in: resilient fingers forming parts of a link,a plurality such links being. fi exibly interconnected to form a belt. latter. is .stcredainatsuitabl'e. magazine. placed adZQacBn-t. the gum. and thebelt-is. fed-,in a stepby-step movement by. suitable mechanism, formpart-of theagun, andby, means. of. which movementeachand. the cartridge gripped thereby are. positioned in predetermined. relation to theechamber 'or breechr'eady for stripping of the cartridgeland the chamberingi thereof. The devicesfor feeding; eachcartridge into such predleterminedrelation. to the chamber may be. op: erated by any of several well-known means, either by therecoil' ofsthe exploded charge. by penumatici or. hydraulic] means electrically or otherwise. in any even-t a pawl or si'milar element adaptedto. engage the links seriatim. is

.giuen. the necessary reciprocating movement. for

feeding the belt. M In certaimprior guns; attemptshavebeen made to. insure proper positioning of. the link and its. individually gripped cartridge proper relation to. the chamber by the use of antibacklash devices designedgto-onercome the. surge of the belt dne tomoinentum thereof; under rapid.- fire conditions}. fonexample by the. use of a spring-pnesseci..lever bearing. on the. top. of. the

to .force..portiohsoifithelatter in-to aslot in I .afloor of cartridge ieedlway, from; which position ..the.. cartridge is smp ea Such means h-a-s proved unsatisfactorymecause oi the. likelisome: the momentum of thebelt overcoming the tension on thespring and overriding the slot sue-h casexthe cartridge: moved off.- rcenter. withfrespect to: the'stripping device and nn'siiringonjramming:results;

My inventinm aecnrding lyf has iona principal object the provisiomof meansfon positively seizing the link on both sides thereof, and-preferablyat a time when thecartridge is approaching stripping positionywh-ich means is unaffected by the momentum of the belt, to position the link accurately in predetermined relation to the said i'laving its parts so constructed and arrangedas to hecapableof' ready adaptation to 8'Glairns. (Cla 89 33 to automaticguns, and

a common type of gun with little alteration in pie-existing parts; I V

Still another. object isto provide link posi'e tioningand' holding means which will. not only position: the'link in the manner aforesaidf-bnt will maintain such" operation; 7 i I it furtherobj'ect' is' to combine in the li'nl zs positioning and holding" means elements which are" eiiective' to maintain downward, as well" as longitudinal, positioning: of the link to prevent axialdisplacement: of the link. during stripping;

Other and. further objects will become appar'- ent" as the description proceeds:

My invention will; .for convenience; be [.de: scribed as applied -to a "gun'utilizing' a rotary sleeve actuated by the reciprocation of the bolt; the sleevehaving gear teeth engaginga carrying the belt feeding pawls. It. wi1l be understood; however, that. the invention is capable of'being embodied in guns otherwise constructed, except that theyshall include" some kind of re? ciprocable member for feedingthe links seriatim to" the gun" and a slot or equivalent co-aligning means" wherein certain parts of. the" link are adapted to lie to position the link for'the stripping' operation. Accordingly; in carrying out the invention in one f0rm;.I.provide a member sli'cl'able with respect to the rack, the member having, an inclined cam surface or surfaces adapted to' abut and, during certain phases of the. cycle, to impart a camming action to the link Resilient means, e;. a compression spring; is provided" intermediate the rack. and the slidable member to cause joint. movement thereof during predetermined portions of the cycle. and to permit relative movement there: between at. other times, and a. positive stop is interposed between the. rack and member to. limit said relative displacement therebetween 1116 cam surface is co-operative with the pawl or pawls. to grip the link therebetween to. feed the latter positively toa position in axial. alignment with the breech during the feeding stroke of, the rack, and immediately thereafter to thrust the link downwardly to engage the cartridge grip-'- ping fingers thereofwith the edges-of; the teed position during; the stripping way slot, llhIOllgh'Which opening the cartridge is moved after'stripping thereof. Following the stripping operation, the cam surface is. released from the'link to permit the latter to be moved Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing.

the several principal parts constituting the essence of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 10, and 11, there are shown the pertinent portions of a gun in which my invention may be embodied and including the cartridge feedway II, the receiver l2, and the bolt l3, the latter being indicated schematically. The feedway H is substantially an open-sided boxlike structure having a floor 2|, a front wall 22, a rear wall 23, and a cover 24, the latter being constituted in part by the feeder assembly 25. The floor 2| has an elongated slot 26 disposed axially of the gun and having chamfered margins 21 (Fig. 1) to receive certain' parts of the cartridge link 3| to be hereinafter detailed, the contour of the edges of the slot beingsuch as to permit the stripped cartridge to pass through the slot into the receiver with its axis inclined 32 in an'individual link 3| of a well-known type,

for example, as shown and described in the copending application of Roy S. Sanford and John J. Murphy bearing Serial Number 542,559 and filed June 28, 1944, which has now matured into Patent Number 2,426,527, granted August 26, 1947. Links 3| 'areconnected into a flexible belt by interengaging portions (not shown), it being understood that feeding movement imparted to a link will feed the remaining links to and through the feedway Step-by-step movement is imparted to the cartridge belt by feed pawls 33 (Fig, 11) bridged by a member34, and therefore operable together. Compression spring 35 constantly urges pawls 33 into feeding relation with respect to a link while permitting yielding thereof upon return movement of the pawls. It is to be noted that in Figs. 1 through 9, pawls 33 are, for reasons of clarity, shown diagrammatically.

To maintain the belt against backlash to some extent, a pairof belt holding pawls 36 is provided, which pawls have, for clarity, been shown as a single pawl below the links. However, the effects of pawls 36 would be the same whether positioned above or below the links. For convenience of assembly and operation, they are, in the gun itself, located within the housing 31 and hence above the links. It will appear fr-omwhat follows that pawls 36 are only accessory to the link engaging means forming the principal sublect matter of the invention.

Feed pawls 33 are pivoted at 4| to the belt 7 feed rack 42, the latter comprising a generally elongated body having laterally extending flanges 43 slidable in grooves 44 transversely of the framework 41 forming part of the feeder 25.

On its upper face the rack 42 is provided with teeth 45 in mesh with teeth 48 cut in the .periph- (both not shown) protruding from the bolt l3. Thus upon reciprocation of the bolt, the tube 46 will be rotated alternately clockwise and counterclockwise to actuate the rack 42 to the left for feeding and to the right for return, in synchronism with the strokes of the bolt.

Slidably secured to the rack 42 is the stripper 5| (Fig. 11) comprising an elongated body having laterally extending flanges 52 slidable in corresponding grooves 53 in the rack 42 and a pair of camming elements 54 having inclined working faces 5-5 and horizontal working faces 56. It will be noted that the horizontal faces 56 are substantially semicircular in transverse contour (Fig. 10) for a purpose to appear.

Disposed in grooves 6| in the upper face of the stripper 5| is a pair of pins 62 encircled by compression springs 63 bearing at one end against the pins 64 fitted into the underside of the rack 42, and at the other end against the heads 65 of the pins 62, the heads in turn bearing against the flattened faces 66 of the pin 61 screwed into a suitable aperture in the stripper 5|. Movement of the stripper 5| relatively to the rack 42 under influence of the interposed springs 63 is restrained in one direction by engagement of the pins 64 against the semicylindrical end faces 68 of the grooves 6|.

' Stripper 5| is so disposed longitudinally with respect to the feedway II as to effect anengagement of either the surfaces or 56 with predetermined portions of the link 3| (Fig. 10), it being noted that the protruding substantially central portion 40 of the link lies intermediate the elements 54 whereby the link may be held against axial movement while the cartridge is being stripped therefrom, the rounded edges of the faces 56 minimizing friction and facilitating engagement of the forward face 56 with the depressed zone of the link. However, during passage from the entrance to the feedway to stripping position, the round is limited to an axial position fixed by the walls 22 and 23 abutting the tip and base of the round respectively, there being just suflicient clearance to permit feeding of the round without undue play.

Before proceeding to a description of the operation of the device, reference is made to Fig. 5 in which the link 3| is shown in proper relation to the margins 21 of the slot 26 for stripping of .the cartridge. It is to be noted that the portions 76 of the link embrace or grip the casing of the cartridge and that the chamfer of the margins 21 is congruent with the outer surface of the portions I0. Thus when the link and cartridge have been brought to a position directly over the feedway, downward thrust by the stripper, as will be detailed, will engage the portions 10 within the slot, as shown, to fix laterally the link and cartridge, and from which fixed :position the round may be stripped endwise and forwardly of the link as the bolt moves forward to engage the base of the round. Simultaneously the elements 54 (Fig. 10) prohibit axial movement of the link relatively to the cartridge.

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 9, there is shown a series of views depicting successive steps in the operation. In Fig. 1 the bolt is closed; 1. e., a, previous round has been chambered and detonation is occurring. Alternatively the bolt may be closed without a round being in the breech. The succeeding rounds, vnumbered 2, 3, etc,, of a replacement belt, are shown feeding from the right, the link 3| beingabout to be contacted by pawls 33 for feeding. Round is held sgamst. movement to ithe ileft lby :elements "51. therstrtpperlfdi l-being against 'tpi'ns u fraukifl mthe Matter zbeing'rrestrained yitheuteeth 'QISttubeWG. .Thus, assumingithatrthe were being mitiallyiloaded, iit wouldabelimpmsible :to zinsert the lbelt in :.the Broadway with round I over the slot 26. Accordinglygz-nozmund is :in :th'e feedway :slnt zan'd *sthe gun may. The initially -::.eharged "without .causing :a dam, understoodiin :the-sart;

.Assuming; :ror .claritmithat the {gun is: being inttialtwchargemstheerbolt fisiswmoningibackxtliig. 212 ,tthe springs 83 retaining: elements 15'4 against link 2131 ilhmfnrg thismtime'rthe :ltu'be t6 :is11being rotated clockwise byithe lbol't,. as rdescribemrand rack W2. :beinguzmiprocatedto ithe zlzett'to :cause .pawls :l33 lt :=:i'eed:round J Lin ithe same :dirention, lse towardritheislottfifi.

.CEmEi-gJBmmm-d'. 3'1"JlSlHDW ton :top rof the bolt t-3, but zthe :bolt :is continuing to -.move ito :the :rear. morml figsmsand f3 iit wi'llibeseen that i-l'lnk 'il l i :is constantly .cpositively fhel'cl, being :pinched relements: Slrand apawls L33. CiBdltzM .fFi'g. 4) .hasinowclearediround l and will continue :for asshort rdistance therebeyond to complete athe :actuatinn =of rack: 42. Just :prior toithe end thealeiftrstroke of menu, stripper 5lcabutsithezleft handwalltof the housing i'lhand 'eamfi'zaces 555-ibegin ftmforce link :31 ldownwardly. FLIItIIGIZiIIIUVBmBIflT-UTTTQEK 42 will 'oomplete the camming action, and link will forced into engagement withhslot mwes described. Such phase :is sshown in .Fig. .5, at whichtime the gun is'iilullyachargedy theirbolt L3 is heldback .by the sear ".not shownfi; the .pawls: 33' have completed full travela'toithe llett, 'and'round l is in the' slot iii.v .It will be noted 'that the camming of "the link :31 .into the slot 26 -l'has "permitted the surfaces i'fiieto pass rover the link under the force of springs 63, and :imwhichzposi-tion the stripper is effective toui hold the Blink and round "in position fo rrthez-stripping ofithe latter.

.Touiire fthe gun, operation of the trigger not shown) releases the :sear to permit the bolt to movedorwardwEigQ-hD under-urging of its driving spring (not shown). Round I is engaged by the bolt, stripped 'from 'lin'k and passed through siot 26 into the receiver ior chambering by th'ei-bolt. It "will berecalled that slot 26 wider forwardly of the cross sectionillustrated to permit inclined transit of the round therethrough.

Forward mevemen't of the bolt reversely ,ro- .tates.tube46=totactuaterackfl2 tothesright. Inclined surfaces of stripper '51 abutrlink am, and continuedmovement.oLrackAZ .to the right carries pawls over roundz, spring 35 yielding meanwhile, and springs c263 lbeing compressed. nuring theistrippmg of round I elements 54 may eitherr beheld .temporarllyibyzfriction against'x the link 3| or may .move with the-mack 42 until surfaces 55 abut link'fila as aforesaid.

Reicrring to Fig. 7, round 'lis chamberedan'd 'stripperjl .isheldaga'instroundfl by springs 63. Bolt i=3 isr'forwardand locked ready for' firing. Fig. 7 represents the parts of the gun in the same positions indicated in connection with Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 8, round I has been fired and the bolt [*3 is moving back. Pawls 33 move round 2 toward slot 26 while empty link 3| is moved to the left toward the ejection chute (not shown) by link Ma. The parts of the device are now in the positions of Fig. 2. Succeeding portions of the cycle are the same as described in connection with Figs. 3 and 4.

aimFigriufthe boltziszbackiandirmmd '2 is :in the feedway'rslot, :the situation :being *thersame :as in Fig. 5. :During :automatic fire thet phases .pf the cycle :repeat these.- shown :and .describedin :Figs. 6, 7,18, and-i9.

:One.importantxadnantageaofrmy:inuentionrover prior *devices rresides .iin instant adaptability toi'rig'htsori'lefit-handrfeed. 'Depending uponzthe wayiitvis dmired to:mount the 1gun,.it maybe necessary to feed from thes-leit-hand side orthe right-:hand side :thereof. :Some prior devices werezsubject mossuch eonwersion only lay-installing anotherxzset otrcertain :pf the :parts :designed iur onemr' the other hand, thereby complicating manufacturing and iinventory :problems. 'C'ontrastedwvithithis, the :rack :andstripperfi't symmetrical :and "maylibe. -interchanged from one side of "the .zfieedway to "the other for rights :nr leftelmnd "feed.

While I have .z-shown :a :particular embodiment ofrmysinvention, itzwill be 1 Understand, of course, that .I :do anot -wish .to be "limited thereto .since many :modificationssmay "he made, and .I :thereforercontemplate hyxtheappended:claimsrtoscover any such modifications as fall within "the rtrue spiritzandscopeofmyinvention.

'FHaW-ing described :my' tinvention, what .1 claimiandzdesnte torsecmerby Letters Rater-rt is:

1. ansautomatic .Lghn aadaptedtto fire roartridges carried to :thegnnrby rgripping. links mprisingxa ifiexible belt, Tthe combination comprising-zaifeedwayfor ."the itbeltgssaid. feedwayrhaving ta slot idefined *by edges in isaidv feedw'ay'for :engagement with :a ZPDI'fiOH of each 1 link, :means for feeding. the :belt :in =:a :step-"by-step movement Ito position :eaoh and fits gripped cartridge 'in alignment with said sldt,..and:means for moving said link intdlinterlockedrrelation with the edges of zsaidzsldt and:maintaining said relation during stripping of the i=oartridge' from .the 'link for :chambering :thereof, said. last :mentioned .means including a member carried *by, and slidable with respect :to said eeding=means and having a cam surface for engagement with the dink whereby to" izorce'rsaid :to :slot ledge-engaging rpos'i'tion.

2..:I'n -'-an automatic gun adapted to fire .cartridges :oarriedto the gun :byagripping links comprisinga flexible belt, t the combination :compris- .ing :aroadway :for :the belt, .said feedway having "a .slot defined :by :said' feedway for engagement with aiportion of each :said Blink, means for feeding the belt in a step-by-stepxmovemen't to position each slink and tits rgripped cartridge inralignmentwithtsaid slot, :and means formovirrg :said link into .linterlocke'd relation with the edges of saidtsslot :and .maintaining -.said"relation during'stripping dfathecartridge from the link torchamberingrthenenf, said last mentioned means including a member carried by and slidable 'vwithn'espectitoisaid :feeding meansand ''hav'- irrg:atleastronexslopingfelement for camrriing the linkito slot edge-engaing position. v in :an-aautomatio :gun .adapted :to firewcar- .tridges-:-carried sto the gun byrgripping liriks comprising ta flexible t belt, tthe :combi-nation compris ing a. feedway zfor-zthemelt, said ffeedway having a slot defined by edges in said feedway for engagement with a portion of each said link, means for feeding the belt in a step-by-step movement to position each link and its gripped cartridge in alignment with said slot, and means under the control of said feeding means and the link for moving said link into interlocked relation with the edges of said slot and maintaining said relation during stripping of the cartridge from the link for charribering thereof, said last mentioned' means including a member carriedby and slidable with respect to said feeding means and having at least one sloping element for camming the link to slot edge-engaging position, and a resilient member intermediate saidmember and feeding means for permitting movement of said member upon actuation thereof by'the fed link and for urging said member to'normal position during said camming action.

4.'In an automatic gun adapted to fire car-- tridges carried to the gun by gripping links comprisinga flexible belt, the combination comprising a feedway for the belt, said feedway'having a slotdefined by edges in said feedway' for engagement with a portion of each link, means for feeding the beltin a step-by-step movement to positioneach link and its gripped cartridge in alignment with said slot, and means under the controlof said feeding means and the link for moving said link into interlocked relation with the edges of said slot and maintaining said relation during stripping of the cartridge from the link for chambering thereof, said last mentioned means including a member carried by and slidable with respect to'said feeding means and having at least one sloping element for camming the link'to slot edge-engaging position, a resilient memberintermediate said member and feeding means for permitting movement of said member upon actuation thereof by the fed link and for urging said member to normalposition during said camming action, and a rigid element intermediate said member and feeding means for limitingrelative sliding movement of said member with respect tosaid feeding'means upon said actuation by the link.

5. In an automatic gun adapted to fire cartridges'carried to the gun by gripping links comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprising a feedwayfor the belt, said feedwa'y havin a slot defined by edges in said feedway for engagement with a portion of each link, a slide including a link feeding pawl, means for reciproeating. said slide for presenting each link and its gripped cartridge successively toza, position in alignment with said slot, and a member slidably supported on said slide and having link-engaging elements for forcing the link into engagement with the edges of said slot and maintaining'said engagement during stripping of the cartridge from the-link.

. 6. In an automatic gun adapted to fire cartridges carried to the gun by gripping links comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprising a feedway for the belt, said feedway having a slot defined by edges in said feedway for en; gagement with a portion of each said link, a slide including a link feeding pawl, means for reciprocating said slide for presenting each link and its gripped cartridge successively toa position in alignment with said slot, a member slidably supported on said slide and having elements engageable by the link for forcingthe link into engagement with the edges of said'slot and maintaining said engagement during stripping of the cartridge from the link, and a resilient' element intermediate said slide and memberfor per mitting yieldable sliding movement therebetween upon engagement of said elements by the fed link,.the member imparting force to the link after said resilient-element has been stressed beyond a predetermined value.

7. -In an automatic gun adapted to firecartridges 'carriedto the gun by grippinglinks. com: prising a flexible belt, the combination comprising a feedway for the belt, said feedwayhaving a slot defined by edges in said feedway for engagement with a portion of eachlink, a slide including a link feeding pawl, means for reciproeating said slide for presenting each said link and. its gripped cartridge successively to a position in alignment with said slot, a member slidably.'sup-' ported on said slide and having elements engageable by the linkfor forcing the link into engagement witlrthe 'edges'of said slotandrnain taining said engagement during stripping of the cartridge from the link, a resilient element intermediate said slide and'member for permitting yieldable sliding movement 'therebetween upon engagement of said elements by the fed'link, the member imparting-force to the link after said resilient element has been stressed beyond a predetermined =value, ,and a stop intermediate -isaid slide and member for limiting relative movement therebetween upon feeding movement of a link against said member. y

1 8. In an automatic'gun adapted to fire car tridges carried to the gun by gripping'links'comprising a flexible belt, the combination comprising a feedway for, the belt, said feedwa'y having a slot defined by edgesin said feedway for engagement with a portion of each link, a slide in cluding a, link feeding pawl, means for reciprocatin ;said slide for presenting each said link and its gripped cartridge successively to a-position in alignment with said slot, and a member slidably supported on said slide and having'linkengaging elements for forcing the link into engagement with the edges of said slot and maintaining said engagement during'stripping of-the cartridge from the link, at least one of said linkengaging elements being also adapted to cooperate with a mating portion of the link to maintain a predetermined longitudinal position of the link during stripping.

r ,JAMES OWEN EAMES.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Dec. 24, 1940

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