US2546804A - Cartridge feeding device for automatic firearms - Google Patents

Cartridge feeding device for automatic firearms Download PDF

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Publication number
US2546804A
US2546804A US531726A US53172644A US2546804A US 2546804 A US2546804 A US 2546804A US 531726 A US531726 A US 531726A US 53172644 A US53172644 A US 53172644A US 2546804 A US2546804 A US 2546804A
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feeding
firearm
pawl
feed
feeder
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US531726A
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Webb George
William L Swartz
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COLT'S Manufacturing CO
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COLT'S Manufacturing CO
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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
    • F41A9/49Internally-powered drives, i.e. operated by propellant charge energy, e.g. couplings, clutches, energy accumulators

Definitions

  • zThis invefition relatesito a. cartrid e, feedin device for an. automatic firearmand, moreiparticlilafrly'. tomaigmagazinei.attachahlei tor. an 2111.1 matidfirearm' and pro'vided with boostermech ji'i'ism adapted'zto be actuatedlbyca,moiiablemem- :tuatedl feeding i mchanismfladapted tojj reed; a loaded ieederifrom any appropriate. receptacle or container suchas a magazine or ieedi tray to anal-through" thaieed channel of. the firearm.
  • Fig. 1 is a rear end elevation of a magazine and firearm having combined therewith a booster mechanism comprising the present invention, the magazine being broken away in parts to better disclose certain features of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the firearm and magazine shown in Fig. 1, said view being from the right hand side of Fig. 1 and illustrating the parts of the firearm and booster mechanism in their position at the instant a cartridge in the firearm is fired.
  • Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but shows certainmovable parts of the firearm and booster mechanism in the position they assume at the end of the movement of said parts of the firearm in recoil direction.
  • Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevavation of the cam member including another embodiment of the invention comprising a clearance slot or opening to permit quick return of the bell crank which is actuated by the cam member to energize the power means of the booster mechm'.
  • Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view illustrating details of the booster mechanism per seshown in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. '7 is a further enlarged fragmentary side view of the booster feeding means and pawl retracting per se of the booster mechanism at the end of the movement of said feeding means in feedingdirection, the pawl retracting means being in its initial or first position in said view.
  • Fig. 8 is a view smilar to Fig. 7 but shows the booster feeding mechanism at the commencement of its feeding stroke, the pawl retracting mechanism being illustrated in theposition it occupies just prior toretracting the movable pawl to inoperative position.
  • Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrates the pawl moved to and latched in its inoperative position.
  • Fig. 10 is a sectional vertical view of certain parts of the booster feeding means and pawl retracting means viewed on the line
  • the firearm l0 preferably, though not restrictively, is of the type adapted to fire rounds or cartridges of a caliber considerably greater than rifle caliber and particularly cartridges having a caliber of approximately 37 mm.
  • Said firearm comprises a breech casing l2 which is surmounted partially of its length by a feed box Hi, the feed box being provided with a feed channel l6 extending transversely therethrough and defined at its ends by suitable openings in opposite side Walls of the feed box It.
  • the breech casing l2 and feed box I4 may be considered as a single casing notwithstanding the fact they are actually separable in accordance with the standard manner in which the firearm is manufactured.
  • a barrel extension having a depending portion l8 to which is secured a bracket 20 which is movable therewith.
  • the portion I8 and bracket 20 reciprocate automatically in recoil and counter recoil directions as the firearm functions.
  • the explosion taking place upon the firing of a round 'or cartridge moves the barrel extension and por-' tion [8 thereof in recoil'direction to the position substantially shown in Fig. 3 and, following this, a spring mounted in recuperator tube 22 quickly moves the barrel extension and its portion I8 in counter-recoil direction to the position thereof shown in Fig. 2.
  • the present drawings illustrate a frame-like magazine, generally designated 24, secured to the feed box [4 by suitable latches 26 and pins 23 extending longitudinally of the firearm to interconnect projecting members on the feed box and the end portions of the magazine frame.
  • the magazine 24 comprises a rear end plate 30 and a front end plate 32 which are held in spaced relationship by a plurality of suitably spaced struts or rods 34, the spacing between the end plates being sufficient to accommodate cartridges ,33
  • Struts 34 also support in spaced relationship a plurality of narrow elongated plates 36 and 38which comprise a skeletal channel or guideway for a feeder. Plates 35 and 38 are maintained properly positioned on said struts by a plurality of spacing sleevess The guideway defined by plates 35 and 38 passes around the upper portion of the firearm and extends from approximatelyone end to, the other of the feed channel 15. Except for its shape, the magazine herein illustrated generally resembles the framelike magazines illustrated in U. S. Patent 2,375,453, dated May 8, 1945, andcopending application, Serial No. 498,624, now U. S.
  • Patent 2,537,562 to which attention is directed for a asmuch as themajor portions of the magazine extended above the firearm when disposed in ribiimalpositiom gravity assisted inthe' feeding tooth-52 adap edito bereceiveddnsuitable spaeed T lt Li SI- 'tO loe iinderstood thatfthefied' BOX -"l 4 contains" an automdticallyreciprdcable" feed slide having a feed ip'awl; engaging afeeder to move theisamet'in feeding directiomthrough thewfeed hannel; l6.
  • the iiiringispeed of the firearm will either bemateriallyiqim peded or'a t-misfunction or a malfunction of the.firarmiwilllresult.v 1 .T 1 l tf nlt is-therefore the principal ,object of the presentainyention to Lprdvide booster mechanism which; is adapted't .be -mounted adjacent a t feederiguideway and. be actuated by ower means naergized "by the firearm; whereby a, feeder is -moved in t feedinglfdirection. in said. guideway by said' h-booster.
  • Iogillustratelarrexemplaryinstallatiom of the booster mechanism comprising i the present invention the same is shown supported bysa- -rnagazinenld.MiSaid booster. mechanism includesi means ,eng'ageahle with aIfee'der 4,8130 move fthe-gsame in [feeding ..direction'.”ii1f "the” 7 guideway ior-medi by platesiiedflandjii; While' ,the'ffeeder tElliJhasQbeemiHustraiied.
  • the booster mechanism indet'ail comprises a pair offspaced plates- 42 wh h a e; invented "be w tr a vfi .guidj'eway and supported'bya pair of the struts 34;;Blates 42 arejrespectivelyprovided ontheir erfsuifface'sjj'with opposed :guide' grooves" 44 iwhich preferably extend the fulllength of the Tjplatesi A depending member '43; is provided-on f'UIie'"I 1d of each plate 42 for purposes to be descr b v 1. A; A i Mi 1.
  • Springs 12 are of such size that they will quickly move-the feeding means 46 jnfeeding direction ,andtstill be under tension when the feeding means ,fifinhas been moved to the limit of its pathi of movement in feeding'direction, whereby the small apertured plates 14 will normally always be main- .tained-in the annular notches of pins 68.
  • the T-shaped member 66 is provided with a lug 15 which depends from the end of said member that is secured to the feeding means.
  • a stop block I is disposed between and secured to the adjacent ends of spaced plates 42 by a pin which is threaded at its ends and extends through suitable openings in said ends of said plates and said stop block 15. Pin 15 is secured in said plates and block by a plurality of nuts 15 respectively threaded on the opposite ends of said pin 15.
  • the block 15 not only serves as a stop means adapted to be engaged by the lug 15 to limit the movement of the feeding means in feeding direction under the conditions stated in the foregoing but said block l5 also serves as a spacing means for maintaining one end of each of said plates 42 relatively properly spaced.
  • said block l5 also serves as a spacing means for maintaining one end of each of said plates 42 relatively properly spaced.
  • the other end of the coupling member 18 is secured to one end of a flexible cable 80.
  • Cable 80 passes around a rotatably mounted pulley wheel 82 supported in the magazine by a suitable bracket 84 which is mounted on a pair of the struts 34, the other end of the cable terminatin in a loop 86 depending below the lower portion of the magazine adjacent the right hand side of the feed box.
  • a bracket 83 is fixedly mounted on the magazine adjacent the right hand side of the breech casing, said bracket having a depending portion terminating in a pair of spaced legs 89 which are respectively provided with aligned apertures receiving a pivot pin 92.
  • a bell crank 94 is pivotally mounted on pin 92 and one arm of the bell crank is provided with a laterally projecting lug 9B a which is disposed in the loop 86 of the lower end of cable 86.
  • cam member iiii provided with a cam face [00 which extends upward and rearward from said portion of bracket 26.
  • Cam member 98 reciprocates in recoil and counter-recoil direction with the depending portion it of the barrel extension and the shape of the cam is such that, when moving in recoil direction, the cam face" iiiil engages a laterally extending lug I62 provided on the outer end of the other arm of bell crank 95 from that which engages the cable 80.
  • cam member may properly be considered part of the power means.
  • the tooth 52 of the pawl 50 is slidably moved with respect to the portion of the feeder assembly disposed adjacent said feeding means, said tooth being thus moved from engagement with one feeding notch in the feeder to the next succeeding feeding notch therein.
  • the cam member 98 is also moved there with in counter-recoil direction so as to release the lug I82 on the bell crank and permit the spring device comprising spring E2 to move the feeding means 46, and the feeder assembly engaged thereby through the medium of pawl 50 in feeding direction which is toward the left as viewed in Fig. l.
  • the excess energy developed by the firearm during recoil movement is utilized advantageously to energize power means connected to feeding means in a booster mechanism in a magazine. While the barrel extension and certain other parts of the firearm are moving in' counter-recoil direction to operate the conventional feed slide of the firearm, the energy stored in springs 12 of the powermeans of the booster mechanism in the magazine is utilized to supplement the conventional feeding mechanism of the firearm.
  • no undue burden is placed upon said conventional feeding mechanism regardless of the fact that a magazine, or other suitable feeder assembly supporting and guiding means, may contain a feeder assembly considerably longer than that which could be normally fed' properly by said conventional feeding mechanism cf the firearm.
  • the present power means comprising the plurality of springs 12 may be varied as to the force produced by utilizing either one, two'or all three of the springs provided for attach ment between the relatively movable members comprising strut 34 and T-shaped member 66. Further adjustment of said force may also be obtained by using stronger or weaker springs. If a relatively short feeder is to be used, probably a single spring 12 will be sufiicient to provide adequate force in the booster mechanism and, accordingly, the middle spring is used singly,
  • Figfaillustrat's the lcani' member fl fld inc'ounter-recoil direct-ion. 1 in engaeine'fi with fia mfac'e l26 of (1am Movement of thelug'lllz througnthedearan'ce “githe paw150 to in erififi'ispossible where over-travel bfthe g means 56 in counter-feeding direction Botatable member H 4 and ratchet wheel IIG 2 videjd; IWh febythe pavvl iifl, while moving thus j'ompirise mechanism' *adapted to h' proding directi'onjdoesnot 'engagefthe next "gressively inoved st' W1 e from one position, fen geableff e'eding notch 0f thefeeder until rated ifi 7; 0 "andthr pb itiori-, -
  • V v I I 'I'h right hand end of the lower side of each is beveled j'siightly iipward' and rearward i1 is 51 b ith avertieal pertureweg nig disposedin each apeifltiire bi s the'righthaiid; end orpawl nvva 'd andthe left hand end"up 15f hand nd oi 'the" lower-"side:of each T l w r d y.
  • I feeding means 65 reciprocates 1n direbtiii 'due twthermovement b'e'r s'e; one tooth ofethe .successive'teeth on the ratchet wheel.
  • Such advancement of the rotatable member H4 also advances the lug H8 an equal distance.
  • the feeding means 46 may advance in feeding direction to feed the feeder assembly one more time since, upon the feeding means 46 moving in counter-feeding direction during the next reciprocation, the tooth on the ratchet wheel engaged by the fixed pawl I28 during said reciprocation will serve to cam the pawl 51) to the inoperative position thereof illustrated in Fig. 9. Thereafter, the feeder assembly will not be advanced by the feeding means and pawl 56 notwithstanding the fact that said feeding means will be continuously reciprocated by the power means of the booster mechanism.
  • the booster mechanism is reset in operative position by manually rotating the ratchet wheel H6 and rotatable member I H until they occupy the position shown in Fig. 7 or any other position which will permit feeding of the required number of cartridges prior to retraction of pawl 55.
  • the pawl 56 is then released from its latched position shown in Fig. 9 by manually engaging the lower portion 536 of the latch i361 and moving it toward the ratchet wheel HS until .the locking detent I3 on the pawl is clear of the upper end of latch its. Following this, spring 58 will automatically move the pawl to the position shown in Fig. 7.
  • the tooth 52 of pawl may not move substantially above the position thereof illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 inasmuch as the outer end of cam I24 normally rides on the cylindrical outer surface of rotatable member I M as is clearly evident from Fig. '7; r a
  • the booster mechanism will feede larger or smaller portion of a feeder assembly containing a greater or lessernumber of cartridges than the feeder assembly illustrated in Fig; 1, for example, said change may be effected by replacing the present ratceht wheel H6 with another one having sumcient teeth to correspond to the number of rounds-which it is desired to have boosted or fed by the booster mechanism,
  • the ratchet wheel should be of the same diameter as the present one so as to be readily interchangeable therewith.
  • latch mechanism is provided to automatically engage saidpawl upon the camming of the pawl to its inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 9.
  • Said latch mechanism comprises a latch member 66 pivotally mounted intermediately of its ends on a pintle. I32 carried by the feeding means 46. Theupper end. of the latch 136 is engageable with a locking detent 134' space between said teeth.
  • Such change of said end of the pawl !28 may be effected by providing adjustment means, not shown, to vary the longitudinal position thereof with respect to members 43 on spaced plates ,42. which support the fixed pawl. Rather than vary the position of the fixed pawl l2 8 With respect to spaced plates 42 under the circumstances described above however, it is deemed preferable to supply one or more sets of substitute parts, said sets each comprising a ratchet wheel and a fixed pawl properly cooperable therewith whereby said substitute parts may replace the ratchet wheel andpawl presently mounted in the booster mechanism when it is desired to change the feeding capacity of said booster mechanism.
  • V a ratchet wheel and rotatable member of larger diameter may be used but, in this event, a different feeding means having a longer projection H 0 n S t wfieee sei: 'ing; means could; be readily 'efiectecl howeizei'i lill o ftilegoingn descriptions o th'e. intention, terms used ta descrilee position or diret; 914 as; upward; rearward, downward, left hang side, right hand side, front, rear, and thelilge, arerto- Ice-considered when themagazine. anal fire.- ami are disposed in the. normal; position, thereoi which is the position of.
  • W thefi'iae ding mean s cgmgrfes a spri e slsed W and th'e counting mec anism comp a Q ratchet,operated cam for s ting the nasal an inoperative position.
  • o hei 'es ie me n a be n mgyfifl e ni sisrmiesd ex t o efie e retrast oo 9 the p w om its en a em nt w th the ees r es en iei means r hol n th aw n it re. recta 122??- tion.
  • a cartridge feeding device for use with an automatic firearm having a transverse feed channel for receiving a cartridge feeder assembly, the said cartridge feeding device comprising in combination, a power actuated repetitively operable feeding means engageable with the feeder assembly to move the said feeder assembly intermittently into the firearm feed channel, and mechanism acting independently of the length of "the feeder assembly and constructed and arranged to automatically render the feeding means inoperative after the feeder assembly has been moved by the feeding means toa predetermined extent.
  • a cartridge feeding device for use with an automatic firearm having a transverse feed channel for receiving a cartridge feeder assembly, the said cartridge feeding device comprising in combination, a power actuated repetitively operable feeding means engageable with a portion of the feeder assembly to move the said feeder assembly intermittently into the firearm feed channel, and counting mechanism includ-' ing means constructed and arranged to automaticall render the feeding means inoperative after a predetermined number of feeding operations.
  • a maga-- zine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel, a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and including feeding means additional to the firearm feed mechanism and engageable with the feeder assembly to assist the firearm feed mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for repetitively operating the said booster mechanism, and means acting independently of the length of the feeder assembly and constructed and arranged to operate when the feeder assembly has been moved to a predetermined extent to automatically render the feeding means of the booster mechanism ineffective and to thereby cause continued movement of the feeder assembly to be thereafter-ef fected solely by the feed mechanism of the fire- 12.
  • an automatic firearm provided with a transverse feed channel and with feed mechanism immediately adjacent the feed channel for engaging a cartridge feeder assembly to move it intermittently through the channel during the functioning of the firearm
  • a magazine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel
  • a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and including feeding means additional to the firearm feed mechanism and engageable with the feeder assembly to assist the'firearm feed mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for repetitively operating the said booster mechanism, and counting mechaism including means to automatically render the feeding means of the booster mechanism ineffecfeed mechanism immediately adjacent the feed 7 channel for engaging a cartridge feeder assembly to move it intermittently through the channel during the functioning of the.
  • a magazine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has-an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel, a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and in' cluding a reciprocable spring-pressed pawl engageable during each advancing stroke with the feeder assembly to assist the firearm feeding mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for reciprocating the pawl, and a ratchet operated cam mechanism constructed to be set to count offa predetermined number of feeding strokes in response to the reciprocations of said pawl and serving upon the counting of the final stroke of said predetermined number of strokes to operate the cam to shift the pawl to a position out of engagement with the feeder assembly to permit continued movement of the latter to be effected thereafter solely by said feeding means.

Description

27,, 1951 ca. WEBB ET AL CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1944 tt army Invent 02 "5 Esargs Webb IAZ'ZZZI'smL. 5145 2.2
amh 2'7, I51 5. WEBB ETAL CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1944 2 W ZHMMI W 5 H u z in 1 5 .WZM I G. WEBB ET AL CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 19, 1944 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 m n-am; lorries ommmemmmnmn DEVIGEEQB SVAUTOMATIC aeorgewebbxfiartfpra, and 'WilliangL' Swm-tz, '"West Hartford, Conn., assignors to *Gnlts Manufacturing -"Gompany, a corporation of agpplication Allin,- 9 1Kial NM:
'- 13iGlaims.
zThis invefition relatesito a. cartrid e, feedin device for an. automatic firearmand, moreiparticlilafrly'. tomaigmagazinei.attachahlei tor. an 2111.1 matidfirearm' and pro'vided with boostermech ji'i'ism adapted'zto be actuatedlbyca,moiiablemem- :tuatedl feeding i mchanismfladapted tojj reed; a loaded ieederifrom any appropriate. receptacle or container suchas a magazine or ieedi tray to anal-through" thaieed channel of. the firearm. 1 "In s|id firearmfltheofeed 'slidejwhichengages the': feeden, to .movl itI.thro.3.igh' theieedj channel his actuated ,by. certain .-parts Tof. thfirearm,w1 1i1e moving in counter-recoil"direction. gl-l enceljthe standard or iconventional.-,means ,ini the: firearm iwhichmove saidumovable parts in counter-recoil direction harewsiifliciently powerful. to; operate thi-feed l 'slid Ain; feditlg ildirectiont for purposes lof m oving a}:loadedcfeederiofllifriitedulengthio .iandihrotiglithiebdbhahfielillt hasheen f Qllild,
accommodate fifteengorl twenty rounds or. ;ar-
llnhanfiellwithout impbsinaahy Jlhdll; uiiden upon said; movableiparts-ofathjifirearm.j Itwhas also-beenwfnundcthatLwhere avmagazinepr snit- Able wg'izide means are so lconstructed that gravity Lassi'sts in the ieding ofathl. feedei; tqthe je'ed channel; feeders loi sufiieient...1erf th. to. aGQQmom'odate a numberof. cartridges somewhat greater 'Llt-han'" ififteen' maylw be .satisfactorilyj fed. to, land "through.- the lfeedinhannel by lthemconvv n iqf feedislide provided inl.th;;firearm.
lLLIri installationsylwhere it. isYfllasirBdQtq :fejed loaded feeders,'l ofl ithef .fiexiblejorllrigidj; type,
having .capac'itiesigreatei Jaharithirty cartridges,
forexample, siich ,anladditional,burden isflsome- .stimes placed upon .thewmovable parts 1011 ,the
firearm, while moving in a. vcounter,-reo1oi1j direc- ,.tio1'i to actuateinthe.\feed s'lide,..that thejwfiri ng :1; speed of the firearm ieimpeded and; if) saidburden is siifficiently greatrmalfunctioningorganisfunctioning of the firearm may. result.
IT .certain wparts'. oi the. firearm whi h automati- Liially. move, in.-ref oi1.idirectionhincident, to1 the firingfofirounds' on cartridgeswiri the; firearm ta ise moizedlby s'izcnjgrea't forcenthatl'iitilizationiiof l even.alsubstantialcpart ofq'sai'd iorcawoinldlilace mariner-swa &8.
no undue burden en'the satisfactory-functioning of"the fire arm. :Accqrdinglygit-is=amobjept of the present invention to provide a booster meehatively carried by a -magazineattaohed -to tne firearmand provided With-power-means adapted toj be energized by a certain-movable mm loer on the "firearm; w'hile said member is moying in recoildirection.
"It 'is another-object of-the-invention to---provide, feeding means connected to saidpower means; whereby, -yvi1enj-tl 1e movable parts of the firearm are 'r noyingin counter-recoil;direction, saidpower means moves said feeiing means and 1 the .iee l r eedthqr -i e it is agifnrthei 'gbjeotof 'the invention to pro- ;vjde a retractable pawl; on said -f eeding-: means which is engageable lay-pawl retracting nieiianism automatically operative to retract said pawl tq arr inoperatiye pr n -feederengaging posijtign after a, predetermined pcrtion'of the feeder l as been rnqyed in ;eed ing--direetion by said booster mechanism, said' portionmftlie 'feeder corresponding directly toa predetermined-numb er of the, partridgefs qarried joy thefeeder.
:11!) ,is a" still' f urther object 'Off the invention to pro'y ide a pawlretra cting means in;the form 10f a c;o1 ntingmech-a nisfii gomprising a -=ratcliet Wheel which is progressively moved stepwise in one"direction' asyt he feeding-means reiprocates, said ratchet wlgeeljoeing gconnected to 'a mernfier adapted; to be progrsiiely and sirnu1taneoas1y Imov ed t hereby-from on e positior-yto anothe and, ineident, toyreaching said latter position, salid member Willengage and fetractsaid pawl from itsieederegaging position.
a corolla y: qri e'i eeq i bi it is anothembie tj t ssreimq ihe w tr n :whe l/ is ad ancedsten e wfi pfil fili the space betw@n;.u 2s=i tee h .R PWQ' D ciprocative' movementof the feeding means and,
trimaran-readi -m e aadmng s t l feeding direction. a 'distanceequal ,td the' space bet een succes ive ga rid ea h i l i E 53?- ineimea s momma-. the nump rjq te m the ratchet-wheel will correspqnd to thenmfiloer n t. car r d s iwhi ice e de ed i d in fe di q re tioag ri e.i i is m an 123 4, to Q i nnttheiee ine e l i m e sii acletillanotberome t qii. -i ye i pi emto pr ried asfio' the easea mhs it a te d t azine tientiif i1 .aiter.
It is one further object of the invention to attach a cam member to a certain part on the firearm which is automatically reciprocable in opposite directions upon the firing ofthe firearm, the cam face of the cam member being so 1 shaped that while moving in recoil direction, it
operates a coengaging means which is moved thereby to energize the power means of the-booster mechanism.
As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is a further object of another embodiment of the invention to provide a clearance opening adjacent one end of the cam face of the cam member whereby the means actuated by said cam face may pass through said opening at the end of the movement thereof by said cam face to permit quick actuation of the feeding mechanism in feeding direction by the power means that has just been energized by said cam member while moving in recoil direction.
Other objects of the invention, as well as details of the foregoing objects and details of the invention are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings show the embodiment of the invention which is deemed preferable, but it will be understood that the drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a rear end elevation of a magazine and firearm having combined therewith a booster mechanism comprising the present invention, the magazine being broken away in parts to better disclose certain features of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the firearm and magazine shown in Fig. 1, said view being from the right hand side of Fig. 1 and illustrating the parts of the firearm and booster mechanism in their position at the instant a cartridge in the firearm is fired.
. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but shows certainmovable parts of the firearm and booster mechanism in the position they assume at the end of the movement of said parts of the firearm in recoil direction. I
Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevavation of the cam member including another embodiment of the invention comprising a clearance slot or opening to permit quick return of the bell crank which is actuated by the cam member to energize the power means of the booster mechm'. V
i Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view illustrating details of the booster mechanism per seshown in Fig. 1.
Fig. '7 is a further enlarged fragmentary side view of the booster feeding means and pawl retracting per se of the booster mechanism at the end of the movement of said feeding means in feedingdirection, the pawl retracting means being in its initial or first position in said view.
Fig. 8 is a view smilar to Fig. 7 but shows the booster feeding mechanism at the commencement of its feeding stroke, the pawl retracting mechanism being illustrated in theposition it occupies just prior toretracting the movable pawl to inoperative position.
Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrates the pawl moved to and latched in its inoperative position.
Fig. 10 is a sectional vertical view of certain parts of the booster feeding means and pawl retracting means viewed on the line |!3l B of Fig. 7, said view also showing. one end of a feeder mounted in operative position in the guideway of the feeding means and rearward of the feed pawl thereof.
Referring to the drawings, the firearm l0 preferably, though not restrictively, is of the type adapted to fire rounds or cartridges of a caliber considerably greater than rifle caliber and particularly cartridges having a caliber of approximately 37 mm. Said firearm comprises a breech casing l2 which is surmounted partially of its length by a feed box Hi, the feed box being provided with a feed channel l6 extending transversely therethrough and defined at its ends by suitable openings in opposite side Walls of the feed box It. For all practical purposes as far as the present invention is concerned, the breech casing l2 and feed box I4 may be considered as a single casing notwithstanding the fact they are actually separable in accordance with the standard manner in which the firearm is manufactured.
'Reciprocable within the breech casing I2 is a barrel extension having a depending portion l8 to which is secured a bracket 20 which is movable therewith. The portion I8 and bracket 20 reciprocate automatically in recoil and counter recoil directions as the firearm functions. The explosion taking place upon the firing of a round 'or cartridge moves the barrel extension and por-' tion [8 thereof in recoil'direction to the position substantially shown in Fig. 3 and, following this, a spring mounted in recuperator tube 22 quickly moves the barrel extension and its portion I8 in counter-recoil direction to the position thereof shown in Fig. 2.
To illustrate the principles of the invention to,
advantage, the present drawings illustrate a frame-like magazine, generally designated 24, secured to the feed box [4 by suitable latches 26 and pins 23 extending longitudinally of the firearm to interconnect projecting members on the feed box and the end portions of the magazine frame. The magazine 24 comprises a rear end plate 30 and a front end plate 32 which are held in spaced relationship by a plurality of suitably spaced struts or rods 34, the spacing between the end plates being sufficient to accommodate cartridges ,33
therebetween. Struts 34 also support in spaced relationship a plurality of narrow elongated plates 36 and 38which comprise a skeletal channel or guideway for a feeder. Plates 35 and 38 are maintained properly positioned on said struts by a plurality of spacing sleevess The guideway defined by plates 35 and 38 passes around the upper portion of the firearm and extends from approximatelyone end to, the other of the feed channel 15. Except for its shape, the magazine herein illustrated generally resembles the framelike magazines illustrated in U. S. Patent 2,375,453, dated May 8, 1945, andcopending application, Serial No. 498,624, now U. S. Patent 2,537,562 to which attention is directed for a asmuch as themajor portions of the magazine extended above the firearm when disposed in ribiimalpositiom gravity assisted inthe' feeding tooth-52 adap edito bereceiveddnsuitable spaeed T lt Li SI- 'tO loe iinderstood thatfthefied' BOX -"l 4 contains" an automdticallyreciprdcable" feed slide having a feed ip'awl; engaging afeeder to move theisamet'in feeding directiomthrough thewfeed hannel; l6. ,iWhile 'iioft shownin the present drawings, said feed slide is"fu1ly described and clearly illustrated, in U. "S: Patent 2,375,452 and depending appl qation',;'serial o mans,- As shewmtherein theifeed; slideds automaticallyme- .cip'roatedeby' certain "movable parts. in-the -firearm .,-,d'1'1ring "the functioning fthereof v, and comprises ithe t sole means 1 in the "firearm 'and -maga- 1 notches or" betweenethevlinksi of. the, feeder 4E whereby as feeding meansAii .movesminjfeeding direction during its reciprocativemovements;
5 the feeder assembl-yuisimovedrintfeeding direc; tionw -lt is to be understood that ar-feederi as; sembly' comprises afeeden completely or partial l-y loaded -with: cartridges; as. i a. t.
Feedingmeansji6=may belcontposed,.=of.a plurale ity--of 'spaced side members which-respectively directly carry said ribs 48, said side tmemberfi being held" imassembled relationship bmany :suitable means :suclm-as pins-,-orrivets 54; Pawltfieeispivotally --supported betweent-saids side members zin which moves .the feeder-in feedingdirection l5 of saidieeding means one-transversely extending; in tsigguideway; ,ifisfstated alcove;- however; the pivot -pin=- 55. O'ne legofthe :Leshaped; paw/ ine Jfjeedihg of ,the jeeder'arid ther-cartridgesconextends substantial-1y horizontallyavhilethenther 11; d ffhe eiflis assistedby'; gravity While movlegdepends: theizefrom tsubstantiallytvertiaallyn i the guidetvays finisaidmagaz'iness such A -substantially -U shaped-.1springhfieheextends feeding isacdomplishedsatisfactorily bythe-feed o v e-swi "in h feedinemeans slidetof the firearm biltjgwhen itiis desired'to n engages he p n ng-leg foftthenpawlger increase the capacity .of the "magazinesby makwas to :normally biasrthettoothfl of-saidpavvl v ing;;.the same larger or when it is desirable'or upward-end into engagement with the feedernece'ssaryttosdlshape the, same that gravity will assembly. 1. not provide sufiicientl additional force to supply Inordenthatthe-feederassemblymay'notice the; total amount of force needed by the feed slidettoffeed a feederofgreater cartridge oapac'ity, other, means must be provided to supply suchadditional forceflas. is. required to move 'a V'fe eder of longer length in said guidewayor the iiiringispeed of the firearm will either bemateriallyiqim peded or'a t-misfunction or a malfunction of the.firarmiwilllresult.v 1 .T 1 l tf nlt is-therefore the principal ,object of the presentainyention to Lprdvide booster mechanism which; is adapted't .be -mounted adjacent a t feederiguideway and. be actuated by ower means naergized "by the firearm; whereby a, feeder is -moved in t feedinglfdirection. in said. guideway by said' h-booster. Iogillustratelarrexemplaryinstallatiom of the booster mechanism comprising i the present invention, the same is shown supported bysa- -rnagazinenld.MiSaid booster. mechanism includesi means ,eng'ageahle with aIfee'der 4,8130 move fthe-gsame in [feeding ..direction'."ii1f "the" 7 guideway ior-medi by platesiiedflandjii; While' ,the'ffeeder tElliJhasQbeemiHustraiied. as an endless flexible artticu1afied=1inkttype oil-feeder, it ;is to betund'er- Istooditha't alabooster "of the'l type to be presently gdescr ilied {is also equally adapted td feed or asinyt'he feeding. of disintegratinglink or rigid tiib f ders'l'of anyreasonably, practical length ifv the feeders are flexible, 'theybooster is feeder. isliof the endless type as illustrated in the tpneseht drawings. or, otherwise; In Fi 1,?Tinci- 'udentally thefeeder 4Q is onlyfragm'entarily illustrated but itis to be understood that said feeder gcoiitinue sf I enemy: jgaround j-the guideway and through the: feed channel 1 6;; of the feed-box;
Considering the booster mechanism indet'ail, the same comprises a pair offspaced plates- 42 wh h a e; invented "be w tr a vfi .guidj'eway and supported'bya pair of the struts 34;;Blates 42 arejrespectivelyprovided ontheir erfsuifface'sjj'with opposed :guide' grooves" 44 iwhich preferably extend the fulllength of the Tjplatesi A depending member '43; is provided-on f'UIie'"I 1d of each plate 42 for purposes to be descr b v 1. A; A i Mi 1. mreciprocable feedingmeans '46 is provided on itswpposite sides'fwithi projecting horizontal ribs ig'l'iifwhich are' 'respectively slidably -=received in guide grooves l k *Feeding means flfi pivetally supports an L-shaped pawl 50 having a feeding coperable therewith regardless of whethert moved away from the pawlin a direction normal to thepathofamovem-ent of the. feede s.-
=the
gui-deway; supplementary guide; means; compris ing apair of ,spacedr flanges .621: are, mounted on and respectively .proj ect inward.- from the spaced plates 3% ofi-theu-guideway. As is, clearly; shown in. Fig. 10; .saidinward projecting ,fiangesifiz gver lap the oppositelyveextending; side fianges fi d 9f the feeder .48, whereby-vthe feedenmay only move longitudinally .of: the g-uidewayna-t leastat that particular uportion;thereoi where the supplementaryr uidezmeansisloca d Po-Wer means to move the feeding feeding directionfiomprises a :T- haped itfiawhich is securedtto one;end;,of -the iffeeding me s brtaat aaster eenin 6? t e mem s providedeorn outer; 1 10 1 1 pl-urality of' nacad annn a r. one: the spasms-tennis r .ivitn; aenlur i p a eda ps iured 1 1 6? S -1 i0 Which -one of-the ;of a plurality of he ical sprin s 1.- 1 j- JLrQ Q Qj AY 1XS se ured E' f o ends of said springs are respectively secured .gto
-small apertured platesza tone 1 of the; apertures 10f aahfif a 1 lacem ntsne stin n ie nlatelislis o eaen h aneu a ":pin, .--;-;Theconnection; between, member, .56 I and J r fine me ns-see such; tha sai i a a ibfi. s tl .pivotally;mpteda b 61 .i f- ,mitthe springs E2 to fin dytheir W ave while the feeding means is moving between its two limits of movement. t
q; Springs 12 are of such size that they will quickly move-the feeding means 46 jnfeeding direction ,andtstill be under tension when the feeding means ,fifinhas been moved to the limit of its pathi of movement in feeding'direction, whereby the small apertured plates 14 will normally always be main- .tained-in the annular notches of pins 68. Movement of the=feeding means 4B--in feeding direction is normally limited by- -a stop pawl flfl tpiv- 'otallymounted on a the 1 magazine adj acent" the 1 -feed box-1G and:adaptedwto-engagev one of alplu- 70*ralityotnotches in-Ithe feeder at the endiof each feeding movement of the feed slid in feeding directione it order hat eeding ns; 4fi- -may no Jpe movedtsubstantialmfurtherziinfeedingad rection 75 than the position thereof indicated in Figs. 6, 7
and 9 when the feeder 40 is removed from the guideway, the T-shaped member 66 is provided with a lug 15 which depends from the end of said member that is secured to the feeding means. A stop block I is disposed between and secured to the adjacent ends of spaced plates 42 by a pin which is threaded at its ends and extends through suitable openings in said ends of said plates and said stop block 15. Pin 15 is secured in said plates and block by a plurality of nuts 15 respectively threaded on the opposite ends of said pin 15.
The block 15 not only serves as a stop means adapted to be engaged by the lug 15 to limit the movement of the feeding means in feeding direction under the conditions stated in the foregoing but said block l5 also serves as a spacing means for maintaining one end of each of said plates 42 relatively properly spaced. However, under normal conditions of use when a feeder is mounted in the guideway and is engaged by the feeding means 46, there is a space between the adjacent faces of lug i5 and stop block 75* when the feeding means reaches the limit of its movement in feeding direction.
A projection it extends longitudinally from the other end of feeding means 4t and is so constructed as to be adjustably secured to a threaded end of a coupling member 18 by means of a nut 19 threaded on said end of the coupling member. The other end of the coupling member 18 is secured to one end of a flexible cable 80. Cable 80 passes around a rotatably mounted pulley wheel 82 supported in the magazine by a suitable bracket 84 which is mounted on a pair of the struts 34, the other end of the cable terminatin in a loop 86 depending below the lower portion of the magazine adjacent the right hand side of the feed box.
A bracket 83 is fixedly mounted on the magazine adjacent the right hand side of the breech casing, said bracket having a depending portion terminating in a pair of spaced legs 89 which are respectively provided with aligned apertures receiving a pivot pin 92. A bell crank 94 is pivotally mounted on pin 92 and one arm of the bell crank is provided with a laterally projecting lug 9B a which is disposed in the loop 86 of the lower end of cable 86.
Secured to a portion of bracket 2!? which projects laterally outward from the right hand side thereof is a cam member iiii provided with a cam face [00 which extends upward and rearward from said portion of bracket 26. Cam member 98 reciprocates in recoil and counter-recoil direction with the depending portion it of the barrel extension and the shape of the cam is such that, when moving in recoil direction, the cam face" iiiil engages a laterally extending lug I62 provided on the outer end of the other arm of bell crank 95 from that which engages the cable 80. In the course of the movement of cam member 98 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the lower arm of bell crank 94 is moved downward, as well as the depending lower end of the cable. Such movement of the bell crank and cable causes the feeding means 45 to be moved in counter-feeding direction toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, to energize or tension springs 72 which comprise power means for the booster. It is to be understood that energizing the power means comprising the springs 12 means stretching the springsso as to place them under greater tension than that possessed by them when rection while the cable 80, bell crank 94 and cam" member 98 move said feeding means in counter feeding direction. Hence, said cable, bell crank,
and cam member may properly be considered part of the power means.
When the cable and bell crank 9 4 are being initially adjusted upon installation thereof the magazine and on the firearm respectively, the position of the cam engaging lug 192 ,must be properly adjusted so that it assumes its correct lowermost position, indicatedin Fig. 2, whereby the cam member 98 will slidably engage said lug H32 to move the feeding means 46 the proper distance in counter-feeding direction. Locating the lug I02 in said proper position is accom-- plished by rotating nut 19 in the proper direction to adjust the threaded end of the coupling member '58 longitudinally with respect to the projec-y tion 16 on the feeding means and thus move the end of the cable secured to the coupling member the correct amount either toward or from the feeding means 46. V
During the movement of the feeding means 46 in counter-feeding direction the tooth 52 of the pawl 50 is slidably moved with respect to the portion of the feeder assembly disposed adjacent said feeding means, said tooth being thus moved from engagement with one feeding notch in the feeder to the next succeeding feeding notch therein. As soon as the barrel extension is moved by the recuperator mechanism in counter-recoil direction, the cam member 98 is also moved there with in counter-recoil direction so as to release the lug I82 on the bell crank and permit the spring device comprising spring E2 to move the feeding means 46, and the feeder assembly engaged thereby through the medium of pawl 50 in feeding direction which is toward the left as viewed in Fig. l.
Hence, the excess energy developed by the firearm during recoil movement is utilized advantageously to energize power means connected to feeding means in a booster mechanism in a magazine. While the barrel extension and certain other parts of the firearm are moving in' counter-recoil direction to operate the conventional feed slide of the firearm, the energy stored in springs 12 of the powermeans of the booster mechanism in the magazine is utilized to supplement the conventional feeding mechanism of the firearm. Thus, no undue burden is placed upon said conventional feeding mechanism regardless of the fact that a magazine, or other suitable feeder assembly supporting and guiding means, may contain a feeder assembly considerably longer than that which could be normally fed' properly by said conventional feeding mechanism cf the firearm. V
The present power means comprising the plurality of springs 12 may be varied as to the force produced by utilizing either one, two'or all three of the springs provided for attach ment between the relatively movable members comprising strut 34 and T-shaped member 66. Further adjustment of said force may also be obtained by using stronger or weaker springs. If a relatively short feeder is to be used, probably a single spring 12 will be sufiicient to provide adequate force in the booster mechanism and, accordingly, the middle spring is used singly,
the two outermost springs being disconnected anism is provided fozifaurposes of moving the 7"m T-shape'd -inemb'er 66a Said 'outenm'st names!) and-pawl tooth: 52 from the position 'ings' mayilbe eithercompletelyremoved' from shown in- Fig's. 7 and-Sate the .inoperativeor nonmagaz'inebr th'ey"may simply depend io'c'isely feeder engag'ing"positionthereof shown in Fig. from" the-strut 341* If somewhat greater force is 9"aften as predetermined portion of the-feeder desired than that provided byori'espring in the assembly hasbee'n' movedi-in' feeding-direction Booster "mechanism, the 'middle spring is dis- =bythe feeding-means 46' and-paw150; i-L
donnected andthetwo'outerrnost springs are'uti- The counting and pawl retracting mechanism 1 dF-"StiITgreater' iforce is obtained whenall comprises'a depending projection-l lU-carried =by three s prings 'aieusedi 10 oneiside-imembei of the feeding "mean'sr46: *iA
Under s'ome conditions of use, it may be found pintle l lz'projects laterally fromone' side of tlfat-itisidesirableto have the'feeding means lfi -the"projection110 andipivotally'supports a roe in 'feding direc'tio'n niore quickly thanis tatable-memberi H4=-and'a" ratchet='iwheel. H6. rrnitted when using the typeoijcamshown in Rotatable-fmember I I l-"Is preferably a circular s. 1 to 5': Accordingly?another-"embodiment 'di'se-ofapprecia'bh thicknessandisprovided with the inventidn contemplatest euse of scam mam lug?!fi iitending'iadially outwardbeydiid mber I M vi hiclfhasa cam face I86eizt'f1dthe periphery of 'the-rotatabie member said smg W ward and rearward 's'ubstantial1y" i'n' the inrside elevation resenibling an angularly'sidd s'am manneras' cam facellwof cam-me ber'sa. too'thi Rotatable memberi lfl4"i and'ratchet wheel new 61', the outer side of ham member 'l flfi 'is rme-arenuaqn-vmcmonm ngagementw'ith ach ed, adjacent the mwer end of cam jface other; so as to bemormallyimo'vable in unison, with an ai'cuate clearance slot oropeniri'g "by ineans of 'accincav'spiingWasher l wwhich 56}; which is adapted to permit passage 'oi lug also"" ounte'd on their intle ll2an'd held in n th e w r grin of the ten crank-after said resilient engagement against -ratohetWvheel m slidalo'ly" engaed th' cam "ijacellfifi jior hy athreadewnut l'lz'which ism'o'unt'ed-'o'n the e fQIfQ'B of the power means comprising 7 spring Tz'fivillquickly inove 11215102 on thd-loe'll 6i wsnapea: i A l cl earance opening {08 before -"Ihe d ending leg of thepayvl 50 is provided 4 hasstartedto'jmove' in counwith' a' :er'ally projecting cam: lzwwhimexction; n ence' the power nieansfof 'tnds' inthie directiori b: the rotatabl m'erhechjanismyqill beperinitted to start ber H4 and is piovided" vvith 's eam faems g means'LQSfin'feeding-direcs'l idafbly ngfageablejliki one side 'oflu'g H8 6f the q a, a the-same time that" 'the otatabTe iheniBei-"IJM the pawl 50*tp t'he r If 1% m an qfthe'fireariiicorrinieniies inoperative positionfthereofillustrateiifinil i 9 mqve thj f 'eederlih feeding direiitionincident as tliefotatable inefiiiier indif -in e eckwise di- 0 the nciVem'ent of the panel extension and rection-as viwed i'n Fig; 9. "Figfaillustrat's the lcani' member fl fld inc'ounter-recoil direct-ion. 1 in engaeine'fi with fia mfac'e l26 of (1am Movement of thelug'lllz througnthedearan'ce "githe paw150 to in erififi'ispossible where over-travel bfthe g means 56 in counter-feeding direction Botatable member H 4 and ratchet wheel IIG 2 videjd; IWh febythe pavvl iifl, while moving thus j'ompirise mechanism' *adapted to h' proding directi'onjdoesnot 'engagefthe next "gressively inoved st' W1 e from one position, fen geableff e'eding notch 0f thefeeder until rated ifi 7; 0 "andthr pb itiori-,=-=1ms- 1.62 has passed 'izlqi' ongh opening 108 "of ated 'ihFig. 8, whileflihe pawlfiflis l rogressively Oi ihfii feeder asseinbly'irffeding' direction he guidevvaj 'inthemagaiinez Baidiotatahle Mummy since the conventiona'l feeding mechanism of firearm "is I well adapted "to properly ,ied" a eehahisin progress vely move'd in clockwise asemlolir of certain lengths" in feeding "direction? -yieyvedfin' Fifg's. '7'through 9; 'by"en- "dir mom it has heenj'found preferable to have ag'enient 'of oneftootnbfthe ratchetwhel with it booster inechanismof,the type described ir-hiend pea pawrjlz vvhi'c'hjis'supported from oye'oprate'to feed on'li; a' certain pdrtibnof ending mein er 43 of s'ide plates'flfl." PJvvl e"'fe'e'der"as'sembly and then be disengaged lfi f is piovided witlfia pluralityof-ufps tanding th re om to permit'fthe gfonventionaljfeeding spacedears 12a isp'ectively'disposed adjacent infierafiarismiof f eed t'he remainder of" the; feeder fine-"or thedpnding hiernbers 43.'Earsfi zsland y: l his'ff'is pa ticular y true in'the Ease "inembe'rs 4'3 areiiransversely aperture' td receive t i=3 f ders of the type illustrated inijliig. a bolt l29 which "s'euifes "saidfpavvl tosf said A eendles's feeder assembly ofjthe 42." "i =1:- *1- 1. t: :1 i'
V v I I 'I'h right hand end of the lower side of each is beveled j'siightly iipward' and rearward i1 is 51 b ith avertieal pertureweg nig disposedin each apeifltiire bi s the'righthaiid; end orpawl nvva 'd andthe left hand end"up 15f hand nd oi 'the" lower-"side:of each T l w r d y. th st TOileijfeedin of that" portion 'of said J6O p semb'ly' which is last fe dfto thelfeed" e pq in rme rmm oqc i' i r ul f i q lith iw trisi e .i t i l g Q the a v r l ed aifiitefd mm. v
I feeding means 65 reciprocates 1n direbtiii 'due twthermovement b'e'r s'e; one tooth ofethe .successive'teeth on the ratchet wheel.
engages the free end of fixed pawl I28 and, as the feeding means 456 is moved slightly further in counter-feeding direction, said tooth is moved (i by said pawl to position B in Figs. '7 and 9, whereby the ratchet wheel H6 and rotatable member H4 are automatically advanced the distance between two adjacent teeth on the ratchet wheel.
Such advancement of the rotatable member H4 also advances the lug H8 an equal distance.
As one tooth moves from position A to position B,-.the next succeeding tooth will engage the upper surface of the left hand end of pawl I28 and move it downward to the position there- Springs l29 permit such vances the feeder assembly a distance amounting to that between the centers of two adjacent cartridges in the feeder assembly. 'Upon the feeding means reciprocating in counter-feeding direction, the ratchet wheel I I6 advances the lug H8 on the rotatable member H4 a distance approximately amounting to the space between two Accordingly, it may be said that each tooth on the ratchet wheel corresponds to a cartridge in the feeder assembly as far as the relative advancement of the feeder assembly and lug H8 is concerned. Therefore, the feeding means 46 and pawl 50 will function to advance in the guideway of the magazine a number of cartridges in the feeder assembly equal to the number of the teeth on the ratchet wheel H6.
I After the ratchet wheel and lug H8 have been advanced from the position shown in Fig. '7, the so-called starting position, to the position shown in Fig. 8, the feeding means 46 may advance in feeding direction to feed the feeder assembly one more time since, upon the feeding means 46 moving in counter-feeding direction during the next reciprocation, the tooth on the ratchet wheel engaged by the fixed pawl I28 during said reciprocation will serve to cam the pawl 51) to the inoperative position thereof illustrated in Fig. 9. Thereafter, the feeder assembly will not be advanced by the feeding means and pawl 56 notwithstanding the fact that said feeding means will be continuously reciprocated by the power means of the booster mechanism.
In order that pawl 50 may be retained in in- 12 Only when the pawl 56 is moved by lug H8 to the position shown in Fig. 9 does the upper end of the latch I36 engage beneath the locking detent I34 on the cam to maintain thepawl in inoperative position. r
'After a feeder has been exhausted of all cartridges and the magazine or other cartride containing and guiding means is reloaded, the booster mechanism is reset in operative position by manually rotating the ratchet wheel H6 and rotatable member I H until they occupy the position shown in Fig. 7 or any other position which will permit feeding of the required number of cartridges prior to retraction of pawl 55. The pawl 56 is then released from its latched position shown in Fig. 9 by manually engaging the lower portion 536 of the latch i361 and moving it toward the ratchet wheel HS until .the locking detent I3 on the pawl is clear of the upper end of latch its. Following this, spring 58 will automatically move the pawl to the position shown in Fig. 7.
The tooth 52 of pawl may not move substantially above the position thereof illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 inasmuch as the outer end of cam I24 normally rides on the cylindrical outer surface of rotatable member I M as is clearly evident from Fig. '7; r a
Should it be desired to change the feeding capacity of the booster mechanism described above so that the booster mechanism will feede larger or smaller portion of a feeder assembly containing a greater or lessernumber of cartridges than the feeder assembly illustrated in Fig; 1, for example, said change may be effected by replacing the present ratceht wheel H6 with another one having sumcient teeth to correspond to the number of rounds-which it is desired to have boosted or fed by the booster mechanism, Preferably, the ratchet wheel should be of the same diameter as the present one so as to be readily interchangeable therewith.
In substituting another ratchet wheel having a different number of teeth from the present one, since the length of the reciprocative path of the feeding means 56 will preferably remain the same, the end of the pawl lZS which engages the ratchet I wheel should preferably be varied either toward or away from the ratchet wheel, depending on whether the substituted ratchet wheel has' a greater or fewer number of teeth than the presently used one, to compensate forthe change in operative position, latch mechanism is provided to automatically engage saidpawl upon the camming of the pawl to its inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 9. Said latch mechanism comprises a latch member 66 pivotally mounted intermediately of its ends on a pintle. I32 carried by the feeding means 46. Theupper end. of the latch 136 is engageable with a locking detent 134' space between said teeth.
' Such change of said end of the pawl !28 may be effected by providing adjustment means, not shown, to vary the longitudinal position thereof with respect to members 43 on spaced plates ,42. which support the fixed pawl. Rather than vary the position of the fixed pawl l2 8 With respect to spaced plates 42 under the circumstances described above however, it is deemed preferable to supply one or more sets of substitute parts, said sets each comprising a ratchet wheel and a fixed pawl properly cooperable therewith whereby said substitute parts may replace the ratchet wheel andpawl presently mounted in the booster mechanism when it is desired to change the feeding capacity of said booster mechanism.
Should it be further desired'to so increase the capacity of the booster mechanism beyond that which can be obtained by using a ratchet wheel of the same diameter as the presently shown one,
V a ratchet wheel and rotatable member of larger diameter may be used but, in this event, a different feeding means having a longer projection H 0 n S t wfieee sei: 'ing; means could; be readily 'efiectecl howeizei'i lill o ftilegoingn descriptions o th'e. intention, terms used ta descrilee position or diret; 914 as; upward; rearward, downward, left hang side, right hand side, front, rear, and thelilge, arerto- Ice-considered when themagazine. anal fire.- ami are disposed in the. normal; position, thereoi which is the position of. the firearm am magazine shownfrom; therearend in Eigl of-the, present Qrawings when said figure is vieweot While hold;- ingthe sheet containing the same in, siihsta-n: tiallyv vertical position with the longitudinal axis thereqj disposed horizontally. Said descriptive are to be oonsiderecl'in the same. relative "sense regardless 'of the position in which the magazine and firearm maybe ultimately disposed. in 7 "ii Wh'l e the invention has been illustrated and -'describecl in its preferredembodiment and has included certain details, should.- he understood "that the invention is not to be limited tovthe greoise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be. carried.- out in other Ways, 'ijalling Within the scope oi the invention "as el im What we claim is z 1. Inan automatic firearm having a feed channel and feed mechanism operable automatically to move a feeder assembly therethrrough, and'a a Qguicleway communicating with the feed and adapted to support and guide "a or assembly in its movement therein,"' the 1 on ofa booster mechanism comprising is? the and e eti i el erab t engage eii ect the nov ement'ofthe feeder assembly w Y W V 'nel'poixier means "for actuatiiig the ,fe in it ee and at independently off the len ths? th n structed (1 arranged to rienderth fedi ig means inefie c tiye after the feeder assembly'has been mgyed by the ie e c'ling means a predetermined extent. V
2. In an automatic firearm haying a feed channel and feed mechanism operable automatically to move a feeder assembly 'therethrough, and a magazine mounted on the firearm and provided i h a sir-leeway WJ P the feed channel and adapted to support and guide a geede r assembly in its n oy e ment there the motivatio of a Master msshee seme 'is tg eding means additional to the feed c lfian sm I. the fi arm and operable riodically .efiect the moyegn operations. no bination according toclaimg, W thefi'iae ding mean s cgmgrfes a spri e slsed W and th'e counting mec anism comp a Q ratchet,operated cam for s ting the nasal an inoperative position.
4. In an automatic firearm having a feed channel and feed mechanism operable automatias embly ther'ethrough,
i I n he fire and n y (communicating with h A .y. ort and l iil cce e 3F?3P1Y}} i m m 9? th h recombinat on p a t 1 anism Wherecomprising reciprocable feeding meantimtional to the feed mechanism of the fireaga aine mounted on the firearm and'proivided:
ig nieans a'dgiitional to the'i'ee'd mechanism "feeder assembly and con e a n th ss i si tita mb t m an toneimc ed we "m pro re si el n o e-foe o i s n the feeding means and upon fg hinged a M I scammed; at-s i to eac reason o aw item e a men t t th der. assim- 1. an a oma ic fi earm v n a iced enamel nd feesi me h nism op rable autom icato mo e a etlt throu am o ine. m u a nd p ov ded ith a q ivew m w t e te d, th s Ja a d; o and ide L teal zs mji l r & her in the. Qm i ei-m o a eq i mam om isin te inmte le e d fi ee ldi dnal t he eed m elia sm o th fire in, a pawl carried thereby and 'aglanted en go a d m re the Role: at an lteqipfqciit o o he eed ng me ns atin re pons t the ec rq t on. o hei 'es ie me n a be n mgyfifl e ni sisrmiesd ex t o efie e retrast oo 9 the p w om its en a em nt w th the ees r es en iei means r hol n th aw n it re. recta 122??- tion.
6 i e m nat on accor ing t la m a in he pawl re r t n meansmm riss .rvtsbe operated earn, the ratchet being actuated the narr w n mo emen 9;" iliep ss lins to m re t 9am nto posit on to ef e t the rei 't iifil Q the ne line b a combin t on a or in to s m a the t a in mea ompr se a rat he n. s a tuat d b th repi ro atfme n r m n of the eedin m ns t m ve h p in position t one t e r actio o th aw h eb and be n .cp .te and a ranged to be init al s t n h .des re ion t count fi a exeelet rmine n mb r o t i, o q ati s o the e n m an be ore the new re hes it salt et a t m on 8.111 a au t c fire rm hav n a ice ann l mechan sm autom c operable :to feed a feeder assembly through the channel, a memb nt rmit nt mo able n re o "an c unte s-reco dir tio s a he fir arm flin t ns a am per ied by {Said ste rable member n fo me with a am ace x ndin a Ja an e t the path moveme o sa d .camen term n in a one end i a openin ext n ins tran v rsely to said C face en ine .m s
izio imounted o said firear and ro ide .wi a uidew y communicating wi s i t ed pha .Ilel and vshaped to st port ,andisui e a fe er a Isembly for movement sa olm e inea h 'bination of a booster mechanism comp; V, ieeding' .meanis additiona to t e Ilia me han Zof the firearm andpositioned andiormed toeneaee and mov a d eede assembly i eedin direction in .said euideway timed r lation 300 the operation of isaidfirearm .feed zms fih i i Power means icompfisingfla gspring deviceicgntnected ,ito .s'aid .feeding Jneans 1110 more the ,same in-feeding rdirectio'iifia bellcrank levclxpiv otedjflto a flied porti-on" of'ctheifirearm, means interconiiiecting'said fspring device with one )arnii of said lever, and .a projecting .lug ionithe other arm of 'the levr engaging rthe said .camiMPQIl .ieaQhsi c- 75 cessive movement thereof in recoil direction so 15 as to rock the lever and thereby energize said spring device until the cam has been moved to a position where the opening therein permits the passage of the lug therethrough to release the lever from the influence of the cam, whereby the spring device is free to relax and effect the movement of the feeding means. I
9. A cartridge feeding device for use with an automatic firearm having a transverse feed channel for receiving a cartridge feeder assembly, the said cartridge feeding device comprising in combination, a power actuated repetitively operable feeding means engageable with the feeder assembly to move the said feeder assembly intermittently into the firearm feed channel, and mechanism acting independently of the length of "the feeder assembly and constructed and arranged to automatically render the feeding means inoperative after the feeder assembly has been moved by the feeding means toa predetermined extent.
10. A cartridge feeding device for use with an automatic firearm having a transverse feed channel for receiving a cartridge feeder assembly, the said cartridge feeding device comprising in combination, a power actuated repetitively operable feeding means engageable with a portion of the feeder assembly to move the said feeder assembly intermittently into the firearm feed channel, and counting mechanism includ-' ing means constructed and arranged to automaticall render the feeding means inoperative after a predetermined number of feeding operations.
11. The combination of an automatic firearm provided with a transverse feed channel and with feed mechanism immediately adjacent the feed channel for engaging a cartridge feeder assembly to move it intermittently through the channel during the functioning of the firearm, a maga-- zine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel, a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and including feeding means additional to the firearm feed mechanism and engageable with the feeder assembly to assist the firearm feed mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for repetitively operating the said booster mechanism, and means acting independently of the length of the feeder assembly and constructed and arranged to operate when the feeder assembly has been moved to a predetermined extent to automatically render the feeding means of the booster mechanism ineffective and to thereby cause continued movement of the feeder assembly to be thereafter-ef fected solely by the feed mechanism of the fire- 12. The combination of an automatic firearm provided with a transverse feed channel and with feed mechanism immediately adjacent the feed channel for engaging a cartridge feeder assembly to move it intermittently through the channel during the functioning of the firearm, a magazine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel, a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and including feeding means additional to the firearm feed mechanism and engageable with the feeder assembly to assist the'firearm feed mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for repetitively operating the said booster mechanism, and counting mechaism including means to automatically render the feeding means of the booster mechanism ineffecfeed mechanism immediately adjacent the feed 7 channel for engaging a cartridge feeder assembly to move it intermittently through the channel during the functioning of the. firearm, -a magazine including a guideway for engaging and guiding a feeder assembly which guideway has-an end portion positioned adjacent the firearm feed channel so as to guide the feeder assembly to the said feed channel, a booster mechanism positioned adjacent the magazine guideway and in' cluding a reciprocable spring-pressed pawl engageable during each advancing stroke with the feeder assembly to assist the firearm feeding mechanism in moving the feeder assembly along the guideway toward and through the firearm feed channel, means for reciprocating the pawl, and a ratchet operated cam mechanism constructed to be set to count offa predetermined number of feeding strokes in response to the reciprocations of said pawl and serving upon the counting of the final stroke of said predetermined number of strokes to operate the cam to shift the pawl to a position out of engagement with the feeder assembly to permit continued movement of the latter to be effected thereafter solely by said feeding means.
GEORGE WEBB. WILLIAM L. SWARTZ.
REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:
UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 642,018 Ternstrom Jan. 23,1900 1,290,852 Sturgeon Jan. 7, 1919 1,399,440 Payne Dec. 6, 1921 1,451,339 Kottas Apr. 10, 1923 1,525,065 Browning Feb. 3, 1925 1,692,277 Pfeiifer Nov. 20, 1928 1,903,288 Dabrasky et a1 Apr. 4, 1933 2,027,893 Williams Jan. 14," 1936 2,047,596 Romberg July 14,1936 2,303,479 Lesnick Dec. 1,,"19 42 2,366,395 Hall Jan. 2, 1945 2,377,828 Trotter et a1 June 5, 1945 2,388,670 Bixby Nov. 13, 1945 2,415,413 Burgess Feb. 11, "1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,332 Great Britain of 19.14 306,440 Great Britain May 21'? 1929 355,767 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1930 449,943 Great Britain' July 7,1936 349,820 Italy June 23, 1937 834,485
France Aug. 22, 1938
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Citations (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US642018A (en) * 1898-07-25 1900-01-23 Ernst Ternstroem Automatic machine-gun.
GB191402332A (en) * 1914-01-29 1914-12-03 Moubray Gore Farquhar Improvements in Cartridge Feed Mechanism for Machine Guns.
US1290852A (en) * 1917-03-01 1919-01-07 John C Sturgeon Automatic gas-operated firearm.
US1399440A (en) * 1919-12-05 1921-12-06 Auto Ordnance Corp Gun
US1451339A (en) * 1918-08-16 1923-04-10 Kottas Arthur Magazine firearm
US1525065A (en) * 1923-12-15 1925-02-03 John M Browning Automatic firearm
US1692277A (en) * 1927-08-29 1928-11-20 Colt S Mfg Co Cartridge-feeding device for automatic firearms
GB306440A (en) * 1928-02-20 1929-05-02 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Improvements in or relating to machine guns
GB355767A (en) * 1929-02-22 1931-08-28 Lucien Albert Boussel Improvements in or relating to guns for use on air-craft
US1903288A (en) * 1932-02-23 1933-04-04 Dabrasky August Cartridge feed mechanism
US2027893A (en) * 1935-03-19 1936-01-14 David M Williams Belt feeding means for guns
GB449943A (en) * 1934-10-12 1936-07-07 Costruzioni Meccaniche Breda E Cartridge feed mechanism for automatic firearms
US2047596A (en) * 1933-01-20 1936-07-14 Rheinische Metallw & Maschf Cartridge feed device
FR834485A (en) * 1937-07-24 1938-11-22 Automatic Firearms Improvements
US2303479A (en) * 1941-04-07 1942-12-01 Brewster Aeronautical Corp Machine gun and magazine
US2366395A (en) * 1941-01-21 1945-01-02 Molins Machine Co Ltd Cartridge feeding mechanism for automatic guns
US2377828A (en) * 1941-09-05 1945-06-05 Bell Aircraft Corp Gun feed accessory device
US2388670A (en) * 1942-05-22 1945-11-13 Guy T Bixby Feed mechanism for cartridge belts
US2415413A (en) * 1942-02-26 1947-02-11 Wilfrid M Burgess Cartridge feeding mechanism

Patent Citations (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US642018A (en) * 1898-07-25 1900-01-23 Ernst Ternstroem Automatic machine-gun.
GB191402332A (en) * 1914-01-29 1914-12-03 Moubray Gore Farquhar Improvements in Cartridge Feed Mechanism for Machine Guns.
US1290852A (en) * 1917-03-01 1919-01-07 John C Sturgeon Automatic gas-operated firearm.
US1451339A (en) * 1918-08-16 1923-04-10 Kottas Arthur Magazine firearm
US1399440A (en) * 1919-12-05 1921-12-06 Auto Ordnance Corp Gun
US1525065A (en) * 1923-12-15 1925-02-03 John M Browning Automatic firearm
US1692277A (en) * 1927-08-29 1928-11-20 Colt S Mfg Co Cartridge-feeding device for automatic firearms
GB306440A (en) * 1928-02-20 1929-05-02 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Improvements in or relating to machine guns
GB355767A (en) * 1929-02-22 1931-08-28 Lucien Albert Boussel Improvements in or relating to guns for use on air-craft
US1903288A (en) * 1932-02-23 1933-04-04 Dabrasky August Cartridge feed mechanism
US2047596A (en) * 1933-01-20 1936-07-14 Rheinische Metallw & Maschf Cartridge feed device
GB449943A (en) * 1934-10-12 1936-07-07 Costruzioni Meccaniche Breda E Cartridge feed mechanism for automatic firearms
US2027893A (en) * 1935-03-19 1936-01-14 David M Williams Belt feeding means for guns
FR834485A (en) * 1937-07-24 1938-11-22 Automatic Firearms Improvements
US2366395A (en) * 1941-01-21 1945-01-02 Molins Machine Co Ltd Cartridge feeding mechanism for automatic guns
US2303479A (en) * 1941-04-07 1942-12-01 Brewster Aeronautical Corp Machine gun and magazine
US2377828A (en) * 1941-09-05 1945-06-05 Bell Aircraft Corp Gun feed accessory device
US2415413A (en) * 1942-02-26 1947-02-11 Wilfrid M Burgess Cartridge feeding mechanism
US2388670A (en) * 1942-05-22 1945-11-13 Guy T Bixby Feed mechanism for cartridge belts

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