US3204528A - Intermittent feed mechanism for high-inertial load - Google Patents

Description

SeptQ'7, 1965 K. J. J. M GOWAN 3,204,528

' INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM FOR HIGH-INERTIAL LOAD Filed Sept. 30, 1963 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. MCGOWAN W/IW ATTORNEYS.

Se t. 7, 1965 K. J. J. M GOWAN 3,204,528

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM FOR HIGH-INERTIAL LOAD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Sept. 50, 1963 INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. MCGOWAN ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 7, 1965 K. J. J. M GOWAN 3,204,528

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM FOR HIGH-INERTIAL LQAD Filed Sept. 50, 1965 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,204,528 INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM FOR HIGH-INERTIAL LOAD Kenneth J. J. McGowan, Richmond, Ind., assignor to Avco Corporation, Richmond, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 312,670 19 Claims. (CI. 89-33) The present invention relates to intermittent feed mechanisms, and it provides improvements in such mechanisms particularly suited to the precise handling and positioning of high-inertia loads. While the invention is not limited to the driving of a rotary magazine for an automatic gun, it was created for such an application and is described below in such context, for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.

The primary multiple objects of the invention are to provide .an intermittent feed mechanism having the following attributes:

First, the ability to position, start angular rotation of, accelerate, decelcrate, and re-position a high-inertia load with precision and that quickness of response which is compatible with the high firing rate of modern automatic weapons;

Second, simplicity of parts and capability of rapid disassembly and assembly in the field;

Third, spring power and relatively few moving parts of durable and reliable construction.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following description of the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of the several parts of my improved intermittent feed mechanism, as completely disassembled, this figure, with the aid of the curved arrow eXpedien-ts and various center lines, showing the relationships between the various parts and disclosing each of the parts in detail;

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are front elevational views showing respectively, the relationships of the moving parts existing under the following conditions:

First, an instant slightly following the release of the locking pawl and the beginning of a cycle of feed operation;

Second, a later stage in that cycle during which the driven member has rotated counterclockwise approximately 20 degrees from its position in FIG. 2;

Third, the end of a cycle of driving operation; the driven member element in these three views is in front elevational section as indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view taken along the section line 5--5 of FIG. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the condition of the spiral spring when the parts are in the FIG. 4 condition;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view featuring the housing and showing the parts in the FIG. 4 condition;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the improved feed mechanism in accordance with the invention, the operating conditions being as in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary and perspective views showing the relationship between certain of the feed mechanism parts and the bolt rack of an automatic weapon, FIG. 8 illustrating the conditions which prevail when the bolt is beginning its rearward travel and starting to wind up the spiral spring, and FIG. 9 illustrating the conditions which prevail when the spring has beehfully Wound and the locking pawl is about to be released to feed another round from the magazine into the firing chamber; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a conventional rotary magazine together with the driven element of the intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with the invention.

Reference is firs-t made to FIG. 10 which shows a conventional rotary magazine for .a machine gun. As is known to those skilled in the art, a machine gun includes a bolt which is retracted after each firing operation. During or at the conclusion of the retraction of the bolt, a rotary magazine, such as that illustrated at 65 in FIG. 10, is rotated through an angle to position a new round in alignment with the firing chamber, whereupon the bolt advances and rams the new round into firing position. It is characteristic of automatic weapons that the rotary magazine is driven by an intermittent feed mechanism,

so controlled by the movements of the bolt that a fresh round is automatically aligned with the firing chamber before the bolt moves forward into battery position. The rotary magazine 65 shown in FIG. 10 is conventional and is provided with eight pairs of ammunition clips.

The magazine 65 is rotated step by step by the driven member 66 of an intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with the invention.

It is reiterated that the ordnance application herein shown is only one of many potential useful applications of the novel intermittent feed mechanism. Viewing the novel intermittent feed mechanism in broad outline, it comprises the combination of the following elements:

First, a housing 11 (FIGS. 1, 6 and 7);

Second, a driven member 66 (FIGS. 2 and 10) rotatably mounted on the housing and formed with alternating teeth and notches angularly spaced to define steps of intermittent motion;

Third, a source of energy comprising a spiral spring 43 (FIGS. 1, 5, and 7) disposed within said housing and adapted to be wound to store mechanical energy and to unwind to expend energy in driving;

Fourth, gear means 40 (FIGS. 1, 4, 8, and 9) bored for rotation and adapted to be turned in one angular direction to wind the spring (counterclockwise, FIGS. 8 and 9) and in the opposite angular direction to position the spring for rewinding;

Fifth, a locking pawl 17 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 9) pivotally mounted on said housing normally to engage a notch on said driven member;

Sixth, a spring-actuated stop pawl 29 (FIGS. 1 and 4) pivotally mounted on said housing and formed, and biased with a tendency to project into a later one of said notches; and

Seventh, positive actuating means 84 (FIG. 9) for releasing said locking pawl.

This combination further includes a clutch for controlling the angular motion of the driven member 66 in such manner as to permit the driven member to rotate through one step upon release of the locking pawl 17, this clutch comprising:

Eighth, a drive member 35 (FIGS. 1 and 3) rotatably mounted relative to the housing and formed with a crank portion 36 and a shaft portion 34 providing a mounting for said gear means 40;

Ninth, a driving ring member 39 (FIGS. 1 and 5) mounted on said shaft portion in concentric relation to said spring and keyed (by 47) tightly (see 46) to said drive member and loosely (see 45) to said gear means, the inner end 42 of said spring being connected to said ring member and the outer end 54 to said gear means;

and

driven member 66, abut to force the nose of the stop pawl 29 into a notch to stop the driven member (FIG. 4). When the gear means 40 is reversed in direction-i.e., rotated from the FIG. 9 to the FIG. 8 position, as by forward movement of rack 85the cam surfaces 90, 89 are separated and the crank portion 36 is restored to its ready position (slightly clockwise from the FIG. 2 position).

The invention having been summarized briefly, the discussion proceeds first to a description of operation and, second, to a more detailed description of the structure of the intermittent feed mechanism.

In the specific embodiment shown, the driven member 66 is provided with eight teeth 67-74 (FIG. 2) and eight notches 75-82 (FIG. 3) corresponding to the eight rounds of storage capacity of the magazine 65. The net result produced by the operation of the intermittent feed mechanism is to cause the driven member 66 intermittently to turn counterclockwise by an angle equal to the distance from one notch to the next (i.e., 45). Two aspects of this intermittent motion will be considered, to wit: when the motion occurs, and why it occurs.

First, let attention be directed to the vertical arm 20 of the locking pawl 17 (FIG. 2). This arm is actuated by lateral arm 19. The arm 20 and the arm 19 of the locking pawl are in approximately right-angled relation to each other. Near the end of the rearward travel of the bolt (not shown) a cam surface 84 on a rack 85 (FIG. 9), mounted on the bottom of the bolt and near the front thereof, strikes cam surface 83 on arm 19, depresses arm 19, and causes arm 20 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2, whereby the lock-ing surface on arm 20 disengages from the notch 79 and permits the driven member 66 to be driven counterclockwise through the FIGS. 2 and 3 positions and finally to the FIG. 4 position to cause a fresh round to be fed to the firing chamber i.e., to be aligned with the firing chamber. In the FIG. 4 position arm 20 engages notch 78.

The discussion is now directed to the events which cause this rotation of the driven member 66 and the later events which cause the driven member to stop after rotating by one notch. For the moment it will be stated, with amplification below, that the power driving the driven member is driven from the spiral springs 43 (FIGS. 5 and 7). This spring is convoluted in a counterclockwise direction proceeding outwardly from its center, in such manner that it is wound up to be energized by moving its radially outer end 43 in a counterclockwise direction. The spring is relieved when its inner end moves in a counterclockwise direction. It is reset for rewinding by moving both ends in a clockwise direction. Sufiice it for the moment to state that the rack 85 on the bolt causes the spring to be energized during rearward movement of the bolt. The spring relaxes when it drives the magazine. The rack on the bolt functions in this manner because that rack has teeth 91 on its underside which drive the gear 40. At the beginning of a cycle of operation the rack 85 moves toward the rear of the weapon to rotate the gear 40 counterclockwise to wind up the spring 43; then the new round is fed. During the chambering stroke, the rack moves forwardly to rotate the gear 40 clockwise to re-position the driving pawl for the next operation.

For reasons stated, therefore, the spring is energized to store power for driving the driven member as the bolt is retracted. Conversely, the spring is de-energized as the magazine rotates and is re-positioned as the bolt advances toward battery position.

Let the discussion now be directed to the operations by which, as the bolt reaches its rearward position and the arm of the locking pawl 17 goes into release position, the spring 43 causes the driven member 66 to be driven counterclockwise. Mounted in concentric relation within the spring is a driving ring member 39 which is mounted on shaft 34 and is rigidly secured to the inner end 42 (FIGS. 1 and 5) of the spring. Assuming the spring 43 to be energized, its inner end 42 tends to move counterclockwise, thus furnishing power to drive ring 39 counterclockwise. The driving ring 39 is keyed by element 47 (FIGS. 1 and 5) to shaft 34 and therefore tends to drive shaft 34 counterclockwise. The shaft 34 is an integral portion of a driving element which comprises not only that shaft but also the crank 36. Pivotally mounted on the crank 36 and carried thereby is a driving pawl 60 (FIGS. 1 and 3) formed with a surface which is adapted when in driving position to engage a tooth (such as 67) on the driven member 66 and to drive the driven member counterclockwise.

Thus it will be seen that by reason of the power and motion train comprising the spring 43, the driving ring 39, the shaft 34 keyed thereto, the crank 36, and the driving pawl 60, the driven member is, when released by the locking pawl 17, driven counterclockwise. The driving pawl 60 is normally biased outwardly into tooth-engaging position by a hairpin biasing spring 62 (FIG. 3).

The discussion now proceeds to the sequence of events which causes the driven member 66 to stop when it has turned angularly through one notch. In pivotally mounted relation to housing 11 is a stop pawl 29 (FIG. 4), the nose of which is formed with a stopping surface 88. The stop pawl is suitably biased so that the stopping surface tends at all times to move into a notch, thereby stopping the driving member 66. However, the bias provided by the spring 58 and the formation of the stopping surface 88 are such that the angular movement of the tooth (see FIG. 3, tooth 69) overrides the action of the stop pawl, unless the stop pawl is suitably driven into stopping position by means more rigid than a spring. To this end the crank 36 is formed at its leading edge with a cam surface 90, and the stop pawl 29 is formed at its trailing edge with a cooperating cam surface 89 (FIG. 2) so constructed and arranged that these two cam surfaces abut each other to force the stop pawl into stopping position after the driven member 66 has been driven angularly by one notch. This state of affairs is illustrated in FIG. 4, the two last-mentioned cam surfaces 89-90 being in abutment with each other so that the stop pawl is forced into a notch (such as 77), stopping the driven member 66, whereupon the lock pawl drops into a preceding notch (such as 78).

Attention is now directed to the return of the driving mechanism to its ready position, driving positions and ready positions being characteristic of intermittent feeds.

During the forward motion of the bolt the rack on the underside of the bolt turns the gear 40 clockwise, and the spring winder 53 (FIG. 1) moves the outer end 54 of the spring 43 clockwise. The spring 43 acts as a coupling between the gear 40 and the ring 39, driving the latter clockwise. The ring 39, being keyed to shaft 34, drives that shaft and the crank 35 clockwise, disengaging the crank cam surface from the stop pawl cam surface 89 and resulting in this set of conditions: first, the spring 43 is in unwound and de-energized condition; second, the driving surface of the driving pawl has underridden and then snapped behind a tooth (such as 74) and is now in position to drive that tooth. It will be understood that both the stop pawl 29 and locking pawl 17 are both in engagement with notches (such as 77 and 78 of FIG. 4) before this spring-repositioning action occurs, and remain in such engagement during spring repositioning.

Further structural aspects are now described.

The housing, generally indicated at 11 (FIG. 1) is suitably formed to define a compartment in which certain of the parts, such as spring 43 and the major portion of gear 40, are mounted. The housing is of generally box-like configuration, formed with an open top and wings 12 and 13, suitably apertured as shown at 14 to receive screws for securing the housing in placeas, for example, on the underside of a gun. The housing is formed with integral upstanding lugs 15 and 16 between which is pivotally mounted the locking pawl 17, the lugs being apertured as at 18 to receive a shaft 21 to which both arms 19 and 20 of the locking pawl 17 are secured, as by pins 22 and 23. v

The housing is tapped at 24 to receive a guide screw 25 for a compression spring 26 which presses against surface 92 and normally biases the locking pawl 17 into locking position.

The housing is tapped at 27 to receive the screw, threaded end of a stub shaft member 28 on which is pivotally mounted the stop pawl 29, suitable retainer means (not shown) being provided to maintain this relationship.

The housing is formed with aligned bosses 30 at the rear and 31 at the front, suitably bored to receive a rear bushing 32 and a front bushing 33. Rotatably mounted within these bushings and bores is the shaft portion 34 of the driving member 35. The rear face of the crank 36 is outboard of and parallels the front face of the housing, and the shaft 34 projects through bushing 33, bushing 32, and rear washer 37, the relationship of these parts being secured by a suitable locking means (not shown), such as a retainer embracing groove 38 formed on the rear of the driving member.

Mounted with their axes in alignment with bosses 30 and 31, between these bosses and in concentric relation to shaft 34, are the driving ring member 39 and the bore of the gear member 40. The driving ring 39 is formed with a curled transverse notch 41 which is rigidly secured to the curled inner end 42 of the spiral spring 43, the spring being located concentrically radially outwardly of the driving ring member 39. The gear 40 is formed with an angularly long keyway 45, and driving ring 39 and shaft 34 are formed with angularly short keyways 44 and 46, respectively, these three members 40, 39, and 34 being keyed together by a key 47.

. The face of gear 40 is tapped as at 49 and 50 to receive the fastening screws 51 and 52 of a wind-up device 53, which is rigidly secured to the gear and which simply comprises a pair of projections through which'the outer end 54 of the spring 43 is passed, the projection 55 providing a-post to which said outer end is rigidly secured.

The housing is tapped at 56 to provide a mounting for a post 57 to which is secured the biasing spring 58 for the stop pawl, thefunction of said biasing spring being to urge the stop pawl normally into its stopping position.

Let there be considered at this point the elements mounted on the face of the crank 36 (FIGS. 1 and 3), The projection or post 59 provides a stop definitive of the driving position of driving pawl 60 which is pivotally mounted on a stub shaft 61, the latter being grooved to receive a retainer (not shown). The driving pawl is normally urged into a driving position by a biasing spring 62 secured to a post 63. .Crank 36 is bore to interfit tightly with frontal extension 64 on the shaft portion 34 of the driving member.

Now, with further reference to FIG. 1, while the members 39, 35, and 47 always rotate together as a group, the gear 40 has more than 45 of rotational freedom with respect to this group. In practice I prefer that the keyway 45 approximate 55 in angular length, to provide for this freedom. Inspection of FIG. 1 will indicate why this freedom is provided. Bearing in mind that, when the gear 40 has completed spring winding and has attained its counterclockwise positional limit, it is at this phase that the locking pawl 17 is released, permitting the driving ring 39 and the driving member 35 to rotate counterclockwise approximately 45, while the gear 40 stands still. In other words, the key 47 and the keyway 44 of the driving ring 39 turn 45 from the region of shoulder 93 (FIG. 1) to the region of shoulder 48, so that at the end of the driving or intermittent feed operation key 47 is at or near shoulder. 48. When the gear 40 is turned clockwise during return of the parts to the ready position, shoulder 48 impacts against key 47, driving ring 39 and the driving member 35 clockwise. At the beginning of the next cycle of operation, the gear 40 is turned counterclockwise to wind up spring 43, while the driving ring 39 stands still, whereby shoulder 93 moves counterclockwise so that key 47 is effectively restored to a position closely adjacent shoulder 93. The point of this detail is that during spring winding the driving ring 39 stands still, while gear 40 moves counterclockwise. During the feeding operation proper the gear 40 stands still, while the driving ring 39 moves counterclockwise. During the return operation, both the gear 40 and the driving ring 39 move clockwise together.

Thus it will be seen that, in accordance with the invention, there has been provided an improved intermittent motion mechanism comprising, in combination:

First, a rotatably mounted driven member 66 formed (by 67-82) to define motion steps.

Second, rotary means 39, 35, and 60 for driving the driven member.

Third, a spiral spring 43 for supplying the power to drive the rotary means.

Fourth, spring-winding means 40, 53 movable in the counterclockwise direction to wind the spring by displacing end 54 of the spring While the other end 42 is restrained at 41 by the rotary driving means.

Fifth, locking means 17 normally engaging said driven member and restraining said rotary means and said spring, said locking means being disengaged from said driven member after the spring is wound, whereby the spring drives-said rotary means, said spring-winding and rotary means being mounted with sufficient angular freedom (key 47 moving from 93 to 48) to permit such relative motion.

Sixth, stop means 29 for engaging the driven member to terminate a motion step.

The spring-winding means 40, 53 is movable clockwise in synchronism with the rotary means 39, 35, 60 in order to reposition the spring.

While there has been shown and described What is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An intermittent feed mechanism which comprises, in combination:

9 a housing;

a driven member rotatably mounted on said housing and formed with alternating teeth and notches angularly spaced to define steps of intermittent motion;

a source of energy comprising a spiral spring disposed within said housing and adapted to be wound to store mechanism energy and to unwind to expend driving power;

gear means bored for rotation and adapted to be turned in oneangular direction to wind said spring and in the opposite angular direction to position the spring for rewinding;

a locking pawl pivotally mounted on said housing normally to engage a notch on said driven member;

a spring-actuated stop pawl pivotally mounted on said housing and formed and biased with a tendency to project into a later one of said notches;

and a clutch for controlling the angular motion of said drivenmember, said clutch comprising:

a drive member rotatably mounted relative to said housing and formed with a crank portion and a shaft portion, said shaft portion providing a mounting for said gear means;

a driving ring member keyed tightly to said drive member and loosely to said gear means to permit limited angular displacement between the ring member and gear means when the spring is wound or unwound, the inner end of said springbeing connected to said ring member and the outer end to said gear means;

and a spring-actuated driving pawl pivotally mounted on said crank portion and adapted normally to engage one of said teeth to drive the driven member.

2. An intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with claim 1, and positive actuating means for releasing said locking pawl.

3. An intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with claim 1 in which said crank portion and said stop pawl are formed with cam surfaces which, on completion of a step of motion of the driven member, abut to force the stop pawl into a still later one of said notches to stop the driven member.

4. An intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with claim 3, and positive actuating means for releasing said locking pawl.

5. An intermittent feed mechanism in accordance with claim 4 in which the driven member drives a rotary magazine of an automatic weapon, and in which the positive actuating means is secured to the bolt of said automatic weapon.

6. In an intermittent feed mechanism for the magazine of an automatic weapon, the combination of:

a rotatably mounted driven member formed to define motion steps;

rotary means having a crank portion for driving the driven member;

a spiral spring for supplying the power to drive said rotary means;

spring-winding means independent of the driven member and movable in one angular direction to wind said spring by displacing the outer end of the spring while the inner end is restrained by the rotary driving means;

the spring-winding means comprising a gear mounted coaxially with said rotary driving means; locking means normally engaging said driven member and restraining said rotary means and said spring,

said locking means being disengaged from said driven member after the spring is wound, whereby the spring drives said rotary means;

means for keying said spring-winding and rotary driving means with suflicient angular freedom to permit relative motion between the spring-winding means and the rotary driving means;

and stop means for engaging the driven member to terminate a motion step;

the spring-winding means being movable in the opposite angular direction in synchronism with the rotary means for resetting the spring.

7. In an intermittent feed mechanism for the magazine of an automatic weapon, the combination of:

a rotatably mounted driven member formed to define motion steps;

rotary means having a crank portion for driving the driven member;

a spiral spring for supplying the power to drive said rotary means;

spring-winding means independent of the driven member and movable in one angular direction to wind said spring by displacing the outer end of the spring while the inner end is restrained by the rotary driving means;

the spring-winding means comprising a gear mounted coaxially with said rotary driving means; locking means normally engaging said driven member and restraining said rotary means and said spring,

said locking means being disengaged from said driven member after the spring is wound, whereby the spring drives said rotary means;

means for keying said spring-winding and rotary driving means with sufiicient angular freedom to permit relative motion between the spring winding means and the rotary driving means;

and stop means for engaging the driven member to terminate a motion step;

said rotary driving means and said stop means being so formed and arranged as to position said stop means for such engagement;

the spring-winding means being movable in the opposite angular direction in synchronism with the rotary means for resetting the spring.

8. In an intermittent feed mechanism for the quick starting and stopping of a rotary magazine for an automatic weapon, the combination of:

a rotatably mounted driven member formed to define motion steps;

locking means normally engaging said driven member but releasable to ermit driving of said driven member at a high-torque level;

resettable rotary driving means for driving the driven member; and rotatably mounted stopping means for terminating a motion step of the driven member;

said rotary driving means and said stopping means being so formed and arranged that the driving means directly cams and turn the stopping means into engagement with the driven member to arrest the motion of said high inertia load.

9. In an intermittent feed mechanism, the combination in accordance with claim 8 in which the driven member is formed as a circular ratchet, the driving means includes a crank portion, and the locking means and stopping means are formed as outer and inner pawls, respectively.

10. The combination is accordance with claim 9 and spring means for supplying torque to the rotary driving means.

11. The combination in accordance with claim 10 and rotatably mounted gear means for building up the torque level of the torque supplying means.

12. The combination in accordance with claim 11 in which the gear means is rotatable in one direction to build up such torque and in the reverse direction to reset the driving means, but does not move when the driven member is being driven.

13. The combination in accordance with claim 12 in which the rotary driving means comprises a crank portion and a pivotally mounted driving pawl.

14. The combination in accordance with claim 13 in which both the driving and stopping pawls are normally biased toward their active positions, the driving pawl being overridden when the driving means is reset, and the stop pawl being overridden when the driven member is driven.

15. An intermittent feed mechanism having spring-wind, spring rewind, and reset conditions of operation which comprises, in combination:

a supporting framework;

driven means rotatably mounted with reference to said framework and formed with discontinuities definitive of steps of intermittent motion;

a mechanically strainable spring;

gear means bored for rotation and adapted to be turned in one angular direction to strain the spring during the spring-wind operation and in the opposite direction to position the spring for rewinding during the reset operation;

locking means pivotally secured with reference to said framework normally to engage one of said discontinuities to hold the driven means stationary during spring-wind and spring-reset operation, said locking means being disengaged to permit the spring t unwind;

stopping means pivotally ecured with reference to said framework;

and a clutch for controlling the angular motion of said driven means, said clutch comprising:

rotatably mounted drive means driven by said spring and formed with a shaft portion providing a mounting for the gear means, said drive means and gear means being so keyed together as to provide for synchronous angular motion during the spring-positioning operation, but [for limited relative rotational freedom during the spring-wind and spring-unwind operations, the drive means being provided with a surface which engages one of said discontinuities to drive the driven means during the spring-unwind operation. 16. In an intermittent feed mechanism for a rotary magazine for an automatic weapon, the combination of:

a rotary driven member, a stop pawl,

and rotary driving means including a crank member and n a driving pawl, said stop pawl being rotatably mounted on said crank member,

said crank member and stop pawl being formed with surfaces which abut at the conclusion of a step of intermittent motion, whereby the crank member directly turns and forces the stop pawl into position to stop the driven member.

17. In an intermittent feed mechanism of the type including a spiral spring having inner and outer ends, the combination of:

rotatable winding means for moving the outer end of the spring to wind it, said winding means being formed with a relatively long keyway having two shoulders;

a driving ring secured to the inner end of said spring and formed with a relatively short keyway;

a key tightly fitted to the short keyway and loosely fitted to the long keyway;

and releasable means for restraining said driving ring when the winding means turns in the angular direction to wind the spring;

the releasable means being opened to permit the driving ring to rotate relative to the winding means and to relieve the spring, so that the key moves to a position adjacent one of said shoulders,

said one shoulder abutting against the key to move the driving ring backW-ardly in synchronism with the winding means when the winding means turns in the opposite angular direction to reset the spring and driving ring,

the other shoulder finally abutting against the key when the winding means again turns in the first-mentioned -10 angular direction to rewind the spring while the releasable means again restrains the driving ring.

18. In an intermittent feed mechanism, the combination of:

turnable winding means;

turnable driving means;

means for loosely coupling the driving and winding means to permit limited slack therebetween;

a source of torque between the winding and driving means;

and releasable locking means for restraining the driving means while the winding means is turned in one direction to energize said source;

the releasable locking means being released to permit the source of torque to drive the driving means onwardly in said one direction while the winding means in stationary, whereby said slack is taken up in one direction;

the winding means and driving means being turnable in synchronism in the opposite direction to reset said source and to re-position said driving means;

the releasable locking means again restraining the driving means when the winding means in again turned in the first-mentioned direction to energize said source while slack is taken up in the opposite direction.

19. In an intermittent feed mechanism, the combination in accordance with claim 18 in which the turnable driving means drives a driven member,

in which the releasable locking means is a locking pawl engageable with the driven member,

in which there is mounted on the driven member a driving pawl engageable with the driven member,

and in which a stop pawl terminates each step of intermittent motion of the driven member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/59 Olson 74-822 5/61 Dixon 89-33 FOREIGN PATENTS 954,477 12/49 France.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,204,528 September 7, 1965 Kenneth J. J. McGowan I It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 44, for "driven", second occurrence, read derived same line 44, for "springs" read spring line 48, for "43" read 54 column 4, line 55, for "35" read 36 column 10, line 23, for "in", first occurrence, read is Signed and sealed this 29th day of March 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. AN INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION: A HOUSING; A DRIVEN MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND FORMED WITH ALTERNATING TEETH AND NOTCHES ANGULARLY SPACED TO DEFINE STEPS OF INTERMITTENT MOTION; A SOURCE OF ENERGY COMPRISING A SPIRAL SPRING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND ADAPTED TO BE WOUND TO STORE MECHANISM ENERGY AND TO UNWIND TO EXPEND DRIVING POWER; GEAR MEANS BORED FOR ROTATION AND ADAPTED TO BE TURNED IN ONE ANGULAR DIRECTION TO WIND SAID SPRING AND IN THE OPPOSITE ANGULAR DIRECTION TO POSITION THE SPRING FOR REWINDING; A LOCKING PAWL PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING NORMALLY TO ENGAGE A NOTCH ON SAID DRIVEN MEMBER; A SPRING-ACTUATED STOP PAWL PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND FORMED AND BIASED WITH A TENDENCY TO PROJECT INTO A LATER ONE OF SAID NOTCHES; AND A CLUTCH FOR CONTROLLING THE ANGULAR MOTION OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, SAID CLUTCH COMPRISING: A DRIVE MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING AND FORMED WITH A CRANK PORTION AND A SHAFT PORTION, SAID SHAFT PORTION PROVIDING A MOUNTING FOR SAID GEAR MEANS; A DRIVING RING MEMBER KEYED TIGHTLY TO SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND LOOSELY TO SAID GEAR MEANS TO PERMIT LIMITED ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN THE RING MEMBER AND GEAR MEANS WHEN THE SPRING IS WOUND OR UNWOUND, THE INNER END OF SAID SPRING BEING CONNECTED TO SAID RING MEMBER AND THE OUTER END TO SAID GEAR MEANS; AND A SPRING-ACTUATED DRIVING PAWL PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CRANK PORTION AND ADAPTED NORMALLY TO ENGAGE ONE OF SAID TEETH TO DRIVE THE DRIVEN MEMBER.

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