US2517660A - Ammunition magazine - Google Patents

Description

0. R. HAAS AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Aug. 8, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 25, 1944 Inventor 0210 R. fiacw 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 25, 1944 mick/104a" g- 1 o. R. HAAS 2,517,660

AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Original Filed May 25, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inven for 0220 R Haas 8, 1950 o. R. HAAS 2,517,660

AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Original Filed May 25, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 8, 1950 o. R. HAAS AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Original Filed May 25, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 [n pen for 02 20 R. Ha as Byfi .9 19220 1 Aug. 8, 1950 o. R. HAAS 7 2,517,660

AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Original Filed May 25, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 [nvenfor Otto R. aaa

Aug. 8, 1950 Original Filed May 25. 1944 O. R. HAAS AMMUNITION MAGAZINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 [nvenfor Patented Aug. 8, 1950 AMIVIUNITION MAGAZINE Otto R. Haas, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Original application May 25, 1944, Serial No.

537,267, now Patent No. 2,460,384, dated February 1, "1949. Divided and this application August 5, 1946, Serial No. 688,523

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ammunition magazines and more particularly to magazines from which ammunition is to be loaded automatically into guns of large caliber. This application is certain parts being broken away to illustrate the shell-feeding mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation, partly in section, of the magazine, this view being on a a division of application Serial No. 537,267, filed larger scale than Fig. 2; May 25, 1944, Patent No. 2,460,384, dated Febru- Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3; ary 1, 1949, in my name. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the front end of the The invention is illustrated herein as applied magazine illustrating .a part of the drive mechato a gun of large caliber designed for use in an nism by which the shells are fed around the airplane. It is an object of the present invenmagazine; tion. to provide an improved magazine for ac- Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI of Fig. 5; commodating large shells to be fed therefrom Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the cam tQ-a gun. To this end and in accordance with shaft illustrating certain of the mechanisms a feature of the invention, the magazine provides operated therefrom;

a substantially continuous antifriction support- Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII--VIII of ing surface for sustaining the weight of the shells Fig. 6, and

as they are indexed in the magazine to a release Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the magastation from which they are withdrawn to be fed zine.

into the gun. This supporting surface is illus- The invention is illustrated herein as embodied trated as being formed of a plurality of small 2 in a magazine l0 (Fig. 1) associated with alarge rolls arranged in staggered relation over which caliber gun I2 mounted in a frame I4 which in the shells pass as they are indexed through the the illustrated embodiment of the invention is magazine. In order to accommodate a large carried by the nose It of an airplane. The shells number of shells in the restricted space available are fed in a step-by-step manner in the magazine in the nose of an airplane, the magazine is to a. release station from which they are transkidney-shaped and is located above and to the ferred into ramming position in alinement with rear of the gun and substantially concentric the bore of the gun and then rammed into the therewith. The magazine provides a pair of gun as illustrated and described fully in the kidney-shaped tracks each of which is formed aforementioned application. The magazine is of a pair of members between which the shells carried by a frame I8 comprising a pair of side are confined for movement and shell-engaging frame members 20 supported at their forward members are positioned between each pair of portions on the trunnions 22 of the gun and by shells and are interconnected and guided for a support 24 at their rearward portions. The movement in a path parallel to the path of moveframe l8 also comprises a rear frame member 28 ment. of the shells thereby to feed the shells in secured by screws 28 to the rear ends of the side a step-by-step manner through the magazine. frame members 20.

The lower central portion of the magazine is The magazine It comprises a forward wall 30 provided with openings to accommodate the shells secured to and extending between intermediate upon their movement out of the magazine as they p s of e S frame ers 0 and a are transferred into ramming position in alinee r a 32 Carried y the rear ame me b ment with the bore of the gun. These openings 26. The front and rear walls Of the magazine are normally closed by gates which are opened are generally ki yp d s h wn in Fig. 2 at a predetermined time during the loading opandthe shells are carried in the magazine as eration to permit a shell to pass therethrough. will be described, for movement in a kidney- The above and other features of the invention, shaped path. As shown in Fig. 2 the magazine including various novel combinations of parts is located above the gun and is generally conand details of construction, will now be more centric with the bore of the gun thereby to particularly described by reference tothe accomeconomize on the limited space available in the panying drawings and thereafter pointed out in nose of the plane. The movement of the shells the claims. through the kidney-shaped path in the magazine In the drawings: makes it possible to use the maximum number Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a magazine assoof shells in the limited space available. ciated with the breech end of a gun and in The rearward ends of the shells are supported which the present invention is embodied; in the lower run of their path of movement by Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the magazine, a track formed of a plurality of antifriction rolls 34 arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in staggered relation thereby to provide a substantially continuous antifriction surface. These rolls are carried by pins 36 (Fig. 4) supported by spaced plates 38 which are in turn carried by bolts 40 secured to and extending forwardly from, the rearward wall 32 of the magazine. The upper run of the track is similarly formed of a plurality of antifriction rolls 42 arranged in staggered relation and carried between plates 44 which extend upwardly from a curved plate 46 (Fig. 3) which is carried by a plurality of supporting tubes 48 extending between the front and rear walls of the magazine. These tubes 48 also serve to connect the rear wall of the magazine to the rear frame member 26. For this purpose threaded plugs 50 are fitted into the rearward ends of the tubes 48 and receive screws 52 passing through the frame member 26. Tapered pins 54 pass through laterally extending flanges of the plate 46, tubes 48 and the associated plug 50 thereby to secure the plate and the plugs to the tubes.

Extending around the periphery of the rear wall 32 of the magazine and spaced forwardly thereof is a series of plates 56 (Figs. 3 and 4) which form guideways for the rims R of shells S to prevent axial movement of the shells relatively to the magazine. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the shells are supported throughout the upper run of their path of movement and through a large part of their lower run by the antifriction rolls 34 and 42 thereby to reduce the frictional resistance to their movement. the shells it is important in order to obtain a high firing rate and keep the power requirements for feeding the shells at a minimum that all friction in so far as possible be eliminated between the shells and their supporting surfaces. In the upper run of path of movement the shells are supported between rolls 42 in the plate 46 and the flange-engaging plate 56 and in their lower run they are supported between the rolls 34 and the lower edge of the plate 46.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the forward portions of the shells are guided for movement in a track 62. This track is formed of a central plate member 64 pinned to the tubes 46, this plate member being similar in construction to the plate 46. Antifriction rolls 66 are carried by the upper marginal portion of the plate to support the weight of the shells at their forward portions in the upper run in their path. To constrain the forward portions of the shells against movement upwardly from the rolls 66 a curved plate 68 surrounds the shells-this plate being carried by tubes (Fig. 1) extending between the forward and rearward walls 30 and 32 of the magazine. The lower ends of the plates 68 are secured to brackets I2 extending upwardly from the side frame members 20. These brackets extend inwardly toward each other below the shells in the lower run of the magazine and carry antifriction rolls 14 (Fig. 4) arranged substantially parallel to the rolls 34 (Figs. 3 and 4).

For imparting a step-by-step feeding movement to the shells around the magazine a rod 16 is positioned between each pair of shells, each of these rods carrying a pair of shell-engaging members 18 shaped as indicated in Fig. 3. These rods 16 have secured to their ends T-shaped arms 80, the outer ends of which are connected by links 82 to the adjacent T-shaped arms thereby to pro vide an endless chain. The links are connected Because of the great weight of to the arms by pins 64 which carry rolls 86 arranged to ride on tracks 90 and 92 carried by the front and rear walls 30, 32 of the magazine. These tracks are adjustably secured by screw and slot connections 96 (Fig. 3) to their supporting walls. Screws 98 threaded through bosses I00 carried by the walls, engage shoulders IN on the tracks to facilitate the accurate adjustment thereof. The tracks 90 and 92 terminate inwardly of the ends of the magazine to permit the rolls 86 to be received between teeth I02 of sprockets I04 carried by shafts I06 journaled between the front and rear walls of the magazine. These sprockets are driven in a step-by-step manner as will be later described to operate the chains formed of the links 82 and arms 80 thereby carrying the rods 16 to move the shells in a step-by-step manner through the magazine. The lower runs of the chains are supported by tracks I68 carriedby the front and rear walls of the magazine.

In order to load the magazine the shells are inserted in the upper central portion thereof. To permit the insertion of the shells therein with the flanges of the shells lying between the plate 56 (Fig. 9) and the rear wall 32 of the magazine, the plates 44 carrying the supporting rolls 42 (Fig. 3) terminate at opposite sides of the upper central portion of the plate 46 providing a space therebetween. Mounted for vertical movement in the space thus formed is a depressible plunger IIO urged upwardly into shell-supporting position by a spring H2 thereby normally to form a continuation of the track formed by the rolls 42. The plunger IIO includes a shank portion H4 slidable in a bore in the plate 46. To inserta shell in the magazine the nose is inserted between the plates 64 and 66 (Fig. 9) and the rear end of the shell placed on the plunger H0. This plunger is depressed by force exerted on the back end of the shell until the flange of the shell is below the lower edge of the flange-engaging plate 56 whereupon the shell is moved rear wardly to carry the flange back of the plate 56 so that upon release of pressure on the shell by the operator the plunger H0 forces the shell into the position shown in Fig. 9. 1

In order to absorb the shock when the nose of the shell is inserted between the plates 64 and 68 a hardened metal insert H6 is provided in the plate 64 in place of the antifriction rolls 66 at this point. The plate 68 which normally constrains the forward portion of the shell against upward movement is recessed at II8 to facilitate insertion of the shell between the plate 68 and the plate 64. In order to hold the shell in position after it has been inserted in the magazine a forwardly extending bracket I20 is secured to the plate 68 and projects below the recessed portion of the plate 68 to engage the shell forwardly. thereof.

The shells are fed in a step-by-step manner through the magazine by intermittently driving the sprockets I04 through a distance sufficient to move a shell into position to be removed from the magazine. The shaft I06 carrying the sprockets at one side of the magazine extends forwardly of the front wall of the magazine (Figs. 1 and 5) and is connected by. a coupling I22, a variable speed mechanism I24 and beveled gears I26, I28 to a cam shaft I30 journaled in bearings I32 in the side frame members 20. This cam shaft is driven intermittently by a motor I33 and a one revolution clutch I35, as explained fully in the aforementioned application. the

magazine.

clutch being engaged upon energization of a No. 2,309,595, granted January 26, 1943, on an application filed in the" nameof L. E. James. Such a mechanism causes slow starting and stopping of the drive shaft I06 and rapid movement of the shaft between the starting and stopping portions of the cycle of operation.

To permit removal of the shells from the magazine it is provided with a release station at the lower central portion, the tracks being interrupted at this portion and gates I34 (Figs. 3 and 4) being provided for supporting the shells until that portion in the cycle of operations in which the shells are to be removed from the The gates I34 are formed of curved plates slotted at I36 to receive bolts I38 by which the gates are supported for sliding movement. These bolts are in turn carried by brackets I40, the bracket for the forward gate being carried by the bracket 12 whereas the bracket for the rearward gate is carried'by the roll-supporting plate 38. The under'surfaces of the gates are provided with rack teeth I42 engageable with gear segments I44, carried by a shaft I46 journaled in bearings I48 in the rear frame member 26 and in bearings I50, I52 (Fig. 6) carried by a transverse frame member I54 secured to the side frame members 20. Upon movement of the segments in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 the gates are moved to the left to free the shell supported thereby for downward movement out of the magazine.

The shaft I46 is operated to open the gates I34 in timed relation to the feeding movement of the shells in the magazine. The forward portion of the shaft I46 (Fig. 6) carries a pinion I56 engageable with teeth I58 of a rack I60 mounted for vertical movement in a guideway I62 secured to the front wall of the frame mem ber I54. The rack I60 also has rack teeth I64 arranged for engagement by a gear segment I66 carried by a transversely extending shaft I68 in a forwardly extending bracket I secured to the frame member I54. The gear segment I66 is arranged to be connected during normal operation of the apparatus by a pin I12 (Fig. 7) to the rearward end of a lever I14 carried by the shaft I66 and provided at its forward end with a cam roll I16 received in a groove I18 (Fig. 6) in the side of a cam I80 carried by the cam shaft I30. It will be noted that the cam groove I18 is concentric with the shaft I through the greater portion of its length so that the gates are in their closed positions except for a short time only during a cycle of operations. During the loading of the magazine the gates must be maintained in their closed positions to prevent the shells from dropping from the magazine at the release station. Accordingly, the gear segment I 66 is disconnected from the lever I14 by moving the pin I12 out of engagement with the lever so that movement of the lever will not be imparted to the gear segment I66. In order to position the gear segment in its initial position as shown in Fig. 6 when it is disconnected from the lever I14 the segment is formed with an upwardly extending arm I82 engageable with a stop screw I84 threaded into the bracket I10.

The pin I12 is carried by one end of an arm I86 (Fig. 8) the other end of which carries a guide pin I88 slidable in a bore I 90 in the bracket 6 I10. Pivoted to the outer end of the pin I88 is an upwardly extending arm I92 (Fig. 6) the upper end of which is pinned to a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft I94 to the rear end of which is pinned an arm I96. The upper end of the arm I96 is provided with a handle I98 slidable in a cylindrical portion 200 of the arm and provided at its inner end with a pin 202 arranged to be received in one of a pair of recesses in a plate 206 secured by screws 208 to the front wall 39 of the magazine. With the arm I96 positionedas shown in Fig. 6 the gear segment I66 is connected to the lever I14 by the pin I12 so that upon operation of the cam shaft I30 the gate I34 will be opened and closed. However, if the handle I98 is retracted and the arm I96 swung into its other position the shaft I94 will be turned to rock the arm I92 in a direction to withdraw the pin I12 from engagement with the lever I14, the pin seating in a bore H0 in the bracket I10, thereby locking the gear segment in the position shown in Fig. 6. The gear segment is now disconnected from the lever I14 and the gates will remain closed during operation of the cam shaft I30 to enable ammunition to be supplied to the magazine while preventing shells from dropping from the magazine at the release station.

In describing the operation it will first be assumed that the magazine and gun are empty of shells. In order to load the magazine the control arm I96 (Fig. 6) is moved to withdraw the pin I12 (Figs. 7 and 8) out of engagement with the lever I14 thereby to disconnect the lever from the gear segment I66 so that the cam shaft I30 can be operated without causing the gates at the release station to be opened. This movement of the pin I12 out of engagement with the lever I14 and its simultaneous movement into the bore 2I0 locks the gear segment I66 in the position shown in Fig. 6. A switch 2I2 (Figs. 1 and 5) is provided in a circuit to the solenoid I31 so that upon closure of this switch by the operator the clutch I35 is engaged and the cam shaft I30 operates through the gearing I28, I26 and the variable speed transmission I24 to turn the adjacent shaft I06 causing a feeding movement of a shell which has been previously inserted at the loading station as shown in Fig. 9. After each shell is inserted in the magazine the switch 2| 2 is closed whereupon the shells are indexed one step and this operation is continued until the magazine is filled with ammunition.

The arm I96 is now returned to the position of Fig. 6 causing the gear segment I66 to be connected by pin I12 (Fig. 7) with the lever I14 so that at a predetermined time during a subsequent indexing movement the gates I34 (Fig. 3) will be operated to release a shell to the transfer tray which loads it into the gun as described in the aforementioned application.

The provision of the antifriction rolls 34, 42, 66 and 14 for supporting the shells in their feeding movements minimizes the load on the mechanism by which the shells are fed. By making the magazine kidney shaped, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a maximum number of shells is accommodated in the limited space available in the nose of the plane in which the gun may be mounted.

It will be understood that during the normal operation of the apparatus the cycle of operation may be initiated by closing a switch to the solenoid I31 or the feeding movement of the shells in the magazine may take place automatically at the close of a firing cycle, as illustrated and described fully in the aforementioned application.

Since the means for controlling the operation of the feeding mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated herein.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A kidney-shaped shell magazine comprising a pair of arcuate parallel vertically-disposed spaced plates, antifriction rolls journaled in the upper margins of the plates and projecting slightly above the upper edges thereof, said rolls being arranged in staggered, overlapping relation to provide a substantially continuous antifriction shell-supporting surface, plate members associated with each of said plates and forming therewith endless arcuate kidney-shaped shell-supporting tracks, means supporting said plate members in equidistant relation to the associated plates throughout the peripheries of the plates, antifriction rolls journaled in the upper margins of those portions of the plate members below the plates, said last-named rolls projecting slightly above the upper edges of the plate members and being arranged in staggered, overlapping relation whereby a pair of continuous kidney-shaped shell-supporting tracks with antifriction shellsupporting surfaces are provided, said plate members having interrupted portions below said plates to permit egress of shells downwardly from said tracks, retractable gates normally bridging said interrupted portions, means for feeding shells in a step-by-step manner aroundsaid tracks to said gates, and means for retracting said gates.

, e e OTTO R. I-IAAS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,447,860 Johnston Mar. 6, 1923 2,192,677 Hoagland Mar. 5, 1940 2,305,667 Brentnall Dec. 22, 1942 2,375,453 Webb May 8, 1945 2,428,414 Elliott Oct. '7, 1947 2,429,497 Trotter Oct. 21, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,009 Great Britain 1913 538,808 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1941

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