US3382765A - Multiple drum-type magazine of particular utility with rocket-boosted ammunition and featuring radially inward helical feed toward a common reciprocal feed slide - Google Patents

Description

y 1968 K. .1. J. M GOWAN 3,382,765

MULTIPLE DRUM'TYPE MAGAZINE OF PARTICULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTED AMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON RECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l *5 a a I I 1/ r- (\l 1 I LO N l I d,-- Q q If) 1 I 2% n j 01 CO I (\l N I N I (\l s C 3 O INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN ATTORNEYS.

K. J. J. M GOWAN MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE 0F PARTICULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTED AMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 14, 1968 INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON REGIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1965 INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN W *LW-h- ATTORNEYS.

May 14, 1968 K. J. J. MCGOWAN 3,382,765

MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE OF PARTICULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTED AMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON RECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .9 H i G;

F m E(2) m D) Bi C(4) 8(5) E L? ML M B A INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN BY h a.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE 0F PARTIC- ULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTED AM- M'UNETEGN AND FEATURING RADIALLY IN- WARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON RECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Kenneth E. J. McGowan, Richmond, Ind., assignor to Avco Corporation, Richmond, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application Nov. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 591,288, now Patent No. 3,331,282, dated July 18, 1967, which is a division of application Ser. No. 478,570, Aug. 10, 1965, now Patent No. 3,315,567, dated Apr. 25, 1967. Divided and this appiication Mar. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 626,816

2 Claims. (Cl. 89-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is an ammunition supply. A plurality of cylindrical magazines are positioned side by side, defining a feed path. Each magazine comprises a helically wound ammunition guide having an output end and spring means for urging the ammunition toward the output end. A common delivery slide is disposed transversely of all of the output ends and along the feed path. Each magazine has a pawl pivotally mounted adjacent its output end and the delivery slide for the purpose of sensing whether a round of ammunition is present in the slide adjacent the output and associated with that pawl. When the answer is negative, a magazine whose pawl supplies the negative answer supplies a round to the delivery slide. The slide is provided with gauging means so that as it makes an advance stroke, one round of ammunition at a time is supplied to an ammunition feeder.

Recital of copending cases and general description of environment The present patent application is a division of Kenneth J. l. McGowan patent application Ser. No. 591,288, filed Nov. 1, 1966, entitled, Ammunition Feeder for Automatic Launcher for Rocket-Boosted Ammunition, hereinafter referred to as the parent patent application, now U.S. Patent 3,331,282, issued July 18, 1967, and patent application Ser. No. 591,288 is in turn a division of Kenneth J. I. McGowan patent application Ser. No. 478,570, filed Aug. 10, 1965, entitled, Automatic Launcher for Rocket-Boosted Ammunition, now U.S. Patent 3,315,567, issued Apr. 25, 1967. Both of the aforementioned patent applications are assigned to the same assignee as the present application and invention. By way of further introduction of the present invention, the launcher and the ammunition feeder of the grandparent and parent applications are now briefly described, so that a typical environment in which a magazine in accordance with the present invention is usefully employed may be understood. For full details relating to said launcher and ammunition feeder, kindly make reference to the randparent patent application, now U.S. Patent No. 3,315,567 issued Apr. 25, 1967, and to the parent patent application now U.S. Patent No. 3,331,282 issued July 18, 1967.

The field of invention The present invention relates to ordnance and specifically to magazines of particular utility for use with rocket launchers. An object of the invention is to provide a magazine for supplying ammunition, comprising a helically wound guide having an output and means including a drive spring and a 'belt for urging ammunition contained in said guide toward said output.

3,382,765 Patented May 14-, 1868 A related object of the invention is to provide an ammunition supply comprising:

A plurality of magazines, positioned side by side, each magazine comprising a helically wound guide having an output end and means for urging ammunition toward the output end;

A common delivery slide disposed transversely of all of the output ends;

Individual pawl means disposed adjacent each output end and said common delivery slide for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition is present in said delivery slide adjacent the associated output end, and in the event that the answer is negative, for permitting a round to be supplied to said delivery slide by the magazine having said output end;

And ganged means for driving out of said slide the rounds present in said delivery slide, one at a time.

Description of drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bolt, operating rod group, barrel, and round feed mechanism of an automatic rocket launcher in accordance with the invention of United States grandparent patent application Scr. No. 478,570, filed Aug. 10, 1965, now U.S. Patent 3,315,567, issued Apr. 25, 1967, as taken from the point of view of an observer located laterally to the right and upwardly and rearwardly of the rocket launcher, this figure showing the relationship among the parts at the beginning of extraction of the bolt after firing a round;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the rocket launcher receiver frame and a rack movable inwardly toward the ammunition-receiving opening of the launcher of FIG. 1, showing the relationships among the magazine feed, the receiver, and the ammunition opening;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an improved magazine construction in accordance with the present invention, as used with the FIGS. 1-2 launcher;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the FIG. 3 magazine;

FIG. 5 is a view of the FIGS. 3-4 magazine as installed in a rocket launcher;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are top plan and elevational views of an alternate form of improved magazine according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the alternate form of magazine as taken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevational View of a complete ammunition supply including a plurality of magazines per FIGS. 68;

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are views showing the progression of rounds of ammunition, these figures being used as aids in explaining the operation of the FIG. 9 ammunition pp y;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views showing the common delivery slide and the operation of the sensing pivoted pawl which is provided for each magazine section, these figures showing such operation under the following conditions: first, when the pawl is holding ammunition stationary in a given magazine, and second, when the pawl is permitting a round to be dropped from a magazine section into the delivery slide.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown the general arrangement of an automatic launcher for rocket-boosted ammunition in accordance with the grandparent patent application.

This rocket launcher comprises the usual fore and aft extending barrel 20 and a receiver frame 21, rigidly secured thereto. The receiver frame constitutes the rear portion of the gun assembly. The bolt 22 slides along the receiver axis. The ammunication receiving opening 30, extends laterally and to the right, out of the receiver. The receiver frame houses those elements of the gun which are relatively stationary with respect to the bolt 22, the operating rod group 23, and ammunition feed slide 24.

The ammunition feeder mechanism includes a feed slide 24, a rack 25, and springs 26 and 27. The ammunition feeder is fully described in the aforementioned parent patent application.

In this weapon a bolt 22 closes the firing chamber when the gun is in battery. The bolt is generally cylindrical in form and is provided with two L-shaped Wings 40 and 41 which are apertured to provide bearings 42 and 43, so that the bolt is slidably reciprocally mounted on a symmeitical pair of rods 44 and 45. It will be understood that the bolt carries an appropriate firing pin (not shown).

The bolt wings 4t and 41 are secured to the rear ends of compression springs 34- and 35, which are coiled around rod 44 and 45, and, upon retraction of the operating rod group 23, are compressed to supply energ for retraction of the bolt. Accordingly, the front ends of these springs 34- and 35 are secured effectively to caps 36 and 58 on the front ends of the rods 44 and 45. It should be noted that the bolt 22 is at all times positioned in front of the H-shaped ganging member 36 of the operating rod group.

The bolt chambers the ammunition. When locked, it provide a closure for the rear end of the firing chamber. Additionally, in response to gas pressures, the bolt moves slidably rearwardly, providing the impulse which drives the operating group 23 to the rear. Then the bolt is arrested as the retracting motion of the operating rod group continues, as will be later described.

The bolt 22 and the operating rod group 23 advance together as a round is chambered preparatory to firing. After firing of a round and a small initial displacement of the bolt and operating rod, the bolt 22 stops while the operating rod group 23 fully retracts, causing the bolt to be unlocked by means not herein shown, whereupon the bolt is fully retracted. The bolt is held in retracted position while the cross-feed slide 24 feeds a new round into the bore line of the launcher.

The operating rod group 23 comprise the H-shaped ganging member 36 and four rods 45, 48, 44, and 56, all slidable together in trombone fashion relative to the frame, because of the mounting provided by two bearings such as 49, mounted on the receiver frame, and the cylinders 54, 55, etc., in which the rods slide.

A frontal plate 53 is secured on the barrel front, and this plate provides a mounting for the front end of cylinders 54, 55, etc., in which the rods 48, 44, t and 45 and this frontal caps such as 57, 46, 47, and 58 reciprocate. Spring is secured to a cap 58 and spring 32 is secured to a cap 57.

Shown in FIG. 2 is a dual purpose latching means 28. The latching means 28 normally restrains the feed slide 24 in outboard position, but it responds to retraction to the bolt 22 to latch the bolt rearwardly and simultaneously to free the feed slide 24 to permit the feed slide to move inboard. The latch 28 is so proportioned and arranged that, when the feed slide reaches a predetermined inboard displacement and completes the feeding of a round, the latch 28 is actuated to release the bolt 22 to permit the bolt to advance to drive a new around into battery position.

In FIG. 2 there is also shown a latching means 29 for restraining the operating rod group in retracted position. This latching means 29 is released by retraction of bolt 22 to free the opearting means 23 from rearward restraint.

On its right side the receiver is formed with a generally rectangular shaped, laterally extending ammunition receiving opening or mouth 39 to which the small magazine of FIG. 5, for example, or the ammunition delivery slide of FIG. 9, is suitably attached. The operating rod latch 29 and the dual purpose latching means 23 are pivotally secured to a shaft 31 which is located near the rear of the receiver and extends in a direction transverse to the axis of the receiver.

Also shown in FIG. 2 are one of the bolt retracting springs 35 and rod 45 of the operating rod group.

Referring to FIG. 1 the discussion assumes that a round has just been fired. Under these circumstances the bolt 22 is driven rearwardly and the bolt in turn imparts momentum to the operating rod group. At a suitable point in the cycle the bolt is arrested (by means not herein shown) but the rearward momentum of the operating rod group 23 continues. As the operating rod group goes to the rear it causes the rack 25 of the feeder mechanism to be moved inwardly (by means disclosed in the grandparent application), thereby stretching the springs 26 and 27. Simultaneously the operating rod group causes the bolt retraction springs 34 and 35 to be compressed. The operating rod advance springs 32 and 33 are likewise compressed. Finally the operating rod motion is terminated and the operating rod group is latched to the rear by latch 29. Immediately before the operating rod group becomes latched in retract position it causes the bolt to be released by means not herein shown, whereupon the bolt retraction springs 34 and 35 push the bolt rearwardly. When the bolt is fully retracted, it impacts and turns the latch 29 on shaft 31, thus unlatching the operating rod group and then both the operating rod group 23 and the bolt 22 move slightly forward until the latching means 23 arrests the bolt 22. At this phase of the cycle, control is transferred to the cross-feed slide 24, the bolt being latched by latch 23 and the operating rod group 23 being held to the rear by the bolt 22 and the conditions being appropriate for the placement of a new round in the bore line of the weapon.

Accordingly, the latch 28 releases the feed slide 24 so that it may be pulled inboard by springs 26 and 27 to perform the function of cross-feeding a new round into the bore line. At the termination of the cross-feeding operation the bolt 22 is released by the latch 28, whereupon the bolt and operating rod group move forwardly, the bolt chambering the newly fed round. The splined shaft 37 is turned clockwise by the operating rod group as it advances, thus to move the rack 25 and the cross-feed slide 24 into the outboard position so that the cross-feed slide may pick up a third round to be later fed at the termination of the next firing operation.

Detailed description of the invention The magazine provided in accordance with the invention is particularly adapted for use with the rocket launcher and feed mechanisms of the grandparent and parent patent applications, but it will be understood that it may be employed with other types of weapons.

In FIGS. 35 there is illustrated a preferred form of magazine in accordance with the invention. The magazine there shown is proportioned for twenty rounds, but this figure is furnished by way of representation and not limitation.

The main body of the magazine is formed as a spiral or helically wound guide 92 having an outer end 61 from which ammunition is delivered into mouth 30 and on to the cross-feed slide 24. In the detailed description of the cross-feed slide in the parent patent application, reference is made to magazine spring forces or the like, tending to urge the successive rounds of ammunition inboard. This spring force is exerted by a torsion drive spring 93 mounted on a spool 62 which spool is biased clockwise by the spring in such manner that it tends to pull the rounds toward and out of the delivery end of the magazine guide. A steel ribbon or belt 94 is wound first around the drive spool, then counterclockwise around an idler 64 and then the inner surface of the outer wall of the guide, following the convolutions of said surface and terminating at an inner end secured to a follower type device 63. The drive spool tenses the ribbon 94, and this tension is communi cated all along the ribbon to the follower 63, which urges the last or trailing round, such as 65, and the preceding train of rounds toward the output end of the guide. In this manner the round at the delivery end 61 is urged outboard at all times.

Provision is made for releasing the rounds one at a time by a round stop pawl 67 pivotally secured to the guide member. A ratchet and pawl mechanism generally indicated by the reference numeral 68, including a ratchet releaselever 69, is provided so that the spring 93 may be rewound and a replenished supply of ammunition fed to an empty magazine by pushing said rounds of ammunition into the guide through the output end of the guide.

The guide is closed by a suitable cover member 70 and provided with retaining catches 71, 72 so that it may be secured to the exterior of the cross-feed mouth of the receiver in the manner indicated in FIG. 4, output end 61 being adjacent receiver mouth 30.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 showing an alternative form of magazine, again comprising a guide 100 having an output end 73. However, in this alternate version the belt-tensioning spring 101 is located near the center of the guide rather than at the exterior, and the ammunition train extends spirally inwardly. The rounds which are fed out of this magazine (of FIGS. 6-8) are not fed in a direction transverse to the axis, but are fed in a direction parallel to the central axis of guide 100, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. '1.

Power is provided by a main spring 101 which actuates a belt take-up reel or spool 74. The belt is wound around this spool 74, and it can be traced around the outer surface of the inner wall of the guide spirally outwardly all the way around the last available round 75 of the magazine, thence spirally inwardly on the inner surface of the outer side of the guide until it terminates in a fixed anchor at 76.

At this part of the description of FIG. 8 it should be noted that round 78 is in position to be fed in a direction transverse to the plane of the paper, or forwardly. That is to say, this round is moved into a delivery slide or the like (as more fully explained in the following discussion of FIGS. 9-14) by linear movement of a round-advacing pawl 79. Pivotally mounted on the magazine and adjacent this slide is a magazine round pawl 80, which is so proportioned and arranged that if there is a round in the delivery slide, at the magazine output, the succeeding rounds in that magazine will be held arrested. On the other hand, if there is no round in the delivery slide at the magazine, then the magazine round pawl 80 will permit one round to drop into the delivery slide. In other words, the magazine round pawl 80 senses the presence of a round in the delivery slide in the output of the magazine (i.e., the position of round 78, FIG. 8). If a round is there present, or if a round is coming into that position through the side of the magazine, then all the other rounds in the magazine are held stationary. If a round is absent, then the action of the magazine round pawl 80 is such that it is supplied. a

The round 78 is moved out of the output of the magazine and along the delivery slide by reason of the action of the round-advancing pawl 79.

The cycle of operation of the FIGS. 6-8 magazine is as follows (and this will be amplified in the description of the complete ammunition delivery slide later to come):

First, the magazine round pawl 80 is held in its position as shown in FIG. 8i.e., in a static condition, because round 78 tends to turn it clockwise and the succeeding round 81 tends to turn it counterclockwise;

Second, the round-advance pawl 79 is actuated to push round 78 outwardly toward the delivery point--i.e., forwardly in the delivery slide;

Third, as the round-advance pawl 79 is retracted, round 81 pushes magazine round pawl 80 counterclockwise and drops onto the slide, then round 81 is advanced in the delivery slide, and this cycle of operation continues until the last round 75 is delivered.

It should be noted that, in the event that the round 78 when delivered is replaced by a round from another source and located behind and in alignment with round 78, then the action of pawl 79, on advancing, will be to deliver that round and not round 81, which, in such event, will be held arrested. This point will be discussed further below.

The alternate form of magazine as shown in FIGS. 6-8 is particularly adapted to be used in a plurality to form a complete ammunition supply containing a very large number of rounds. That is, a plurality of magazines 99, like the FIGS. 6-8 magazine, are placed side by side, and these are provided with one common delivery slide (FIG. 9), which delivery slide is in communication with the cross-feed slide 24 of the gun so that, one at a time, as desired, the ammunition supply places ammunition in line for acceptance by.the cross-feed mechanism. For example, round A of FIGS. 9 and 12 corresponds to and is in the same position as round of FIGS. 29-33 of the grandparent and parent patent applications. The troughlike delivery slide 103 is so shaped and proportioned as to position round A to press the outboard bifurcations of the holding pawls (such as 159, FIG. 33 of the grandparent and parent patent applications) inboard.

The operation of the FIG. 9 ammunition supply is such that each magazine first places one round in slide 103, and then the magazine 95 to the rear is first exhausted and the other magazines 96-99 are progressively exhausted, one by one, until the front magazine 99 is empty. FIG. 12 shows that the round designated A from the magazine 99 is first in line to be processed by the cross-feed mechanism. Rounds designated B, C, D, E and F, originating from magazines 98-95, 95, respectively, are next in line. A total of one hundred rounds in the entire supply is assumed, twenty rounds per magazine. The rounds are numbered in five series, of which the first is A-T, the second is A(2)-T(2), etc., through A(5)T(5). Rounds E-T and A(2)D(2), as delivered to the delivery slide 103, originate from the rearmost magazine 95, and that magazine 95 will continue to supply ammunition to slide 103 until it is exhausted. While ammunition is being supplied to the slide 103 by the last magazine 95, the lower portions of the round pawls 105, 106, 107, and 108, 'being T-shaped in "configuration, Will sense the presence of closely underlying rounds in, or sliding on slide 103 into, their respective magazines 96-99 and will therefore hold arrested all rounds, in their respective magazines behind the leading position. For example, round pawl 106 will hold arrested rounds D(3), E(3), etc., in magazine 97 (FIG. 13).

In describing the repetitive cycle of operation of the FIGS. 9-14 quintuple-rnagazine ammunition supply, the following conditions are assumed:

Rounds A and B(5)-T(5) are in magazine 99;

Rounds B and C(4)T(4) and A(5) are in magazine 98;

Rounds C and D(3)T(3) and A(4)-B(4) are in magazine 97;

Rounds D and E(2)-T(2) and A(3)-C(3) are in magazine 96;

Rounds E-T and A(2)-D(2) are in magazine 95;

Each magazine supplies twenty rounds;

The reciprocating slide, carrying advance pawls 109- 113, makes one hundred advance strokes;

FIGS. 10-12 show the conditions before, during, and after, respectively, the first stroke;

The rounds as delivered are designated by five sequences, A-T, A(2)-T(2) through A(5)T(5);

Rounds A-E are on the slide;

FIG. 13 illustrates the position of magazine pawl 106 during strokes Nos. 1-40;

FIG. 14 illustrates the position of magazine pawl 106 at the end of stroke 41.

The delivery slide 103 is a linearly reciprocating oscillating trough underlying the output or leading round of each magazine and projecting substantially centrally (but offset) through each, in order to pick up and advance the output rounds. On the slide 103 are pivotally mounted suitable spring-biased advance pawls 109-113, one for each magazine. FIG. 9 shows a stack of five magazines 9599. Reciprocating motion of the delivery slide 103 is provided by a suitable drive. To give a preferred example, the delivery slide may be mechanically ganged to the operating rod group for that purpose. Backstroke or retraction of the delivery slide 103 causes an advance pawl to slip behind each round in the tube. Forward motion of the delivery slide 103 then advances one round forward to suitable chuting (not shown) or directly to the cross-feed slide 14 (see round A, FIGS. 9-12).

FIG. 13 shows a magazine sensing pawl 106 in operation. A sensing pawl is a working part of each magazine and is located at the magazine output. The sensing pawl has two functions: to allow only one round at a time to be released into the delivery slide; and to sense an empty space in the delivery slide, thereby insuring consecutive feeding from the magazine when the next adjacent magazine to the rear is exhausted.

The magazine sensing pawl accomplishes both functions with a single pivoting action in the manner of a verge. Assuming that the delivery slide 103 returns empty beneath a magazine in the stack (such as 97, FIG. 14), the next round (such as D(3), FIG. 14) in that magazine, under force of the magazine drive spring, earns the lower end of the sensing pawl 106 toward the delivery slide as it passes over the pivot 83. As soon as the round (such as D(3), FIG. 14) passes over the pivot point 83, it forces the lower end of the sensing pawl out of the delivery slide 103. At the same time, the upper end of the sensing pawl rotates toward the magazine to block the following rounds (such as E(3), FIG. 14). Thus, only one round per cycle will feed into the delivery slide. For example, round D(3) is not fed until after the stroke No. 41 f the advance pawls is completed.

The magazine sensing pawl action of elements 104408 insures that the magazines 95-99 will feed consecutively from rear to front, depending upon the arrangement of magazines. Assuming that the magazine 95 has emptied, the delivery slide 103 will move forward with an empty section under pawl 105. For example, after the stroke No. 21 is complete and the slide has moved around E forward one step and the slide 103 retracts, pawl 105 will sense no ammunition in its section of the slide and will let round E(2) fall into the slide 103. Similarly, after stroke No. 41, pawl 106 will let round D(3) fall.

The rounds are delivered by the FIGS. 9l4 ammunition supply to the cross-feed mechanism in the sequence indicated by this table:

Stroke of the Round Deliv- Magazine Notes on Magazine Be Delivery ered to Crossof Origin coming Empty Slide 103 Slide 24 01 Round No. 4 96 None.

No. '1 95 95 emptied at stroke No.

No.21 A (2) through 95 20; E[ and A (2)D(2) through through D positioned on cross-feed No. 24. (2). slide 24 successively,

ending with stroke N o. 24.

No. 25 E (2) through 06 96 emptied at stroke No.

through '1 (2). 40; D and E (2)'1 (2) No. 40. and A (3)-C (3) posi- No. 41 A (3) through tioned on cross-feed slide through 0 (3). 24 successively, ending No. 43 with stroke No. 43.

No. 44 D (3) through 97 97 emptied at stroke No. through '1. (3). 1 (it); C and D (3)'I (3) No. (it). and A (4)B i) posi- No. 01 A l) through tioned on cross-feed slide through 13 (4). 24 successively, ending No. 02. with stroke N0. 02.

Stroke of the Round Deliv- Magazine Notes on Magazine Be- Delivery ered to Crossof Origin coming Empty Slide 103 Slide 24 of Round N o. 63 0 1) through 98 98 emptied at stroke No. through '1 (4). B and C (4)T (4) No. 80. and A (5) positioned on No. 81 A (5) 98 cross-teed slide 24 sucocssively, ending with stroke No. 81.

N o. 82 B (5) through 99 99 emptied at stroke No. through .1 (5). 100; A and B (5)[ (5) .No. 100. positioned on cross-iced slide 24 successively, ending with stroke N o. 100.

It should be noted that whereas the (FIG. 3 magazine works directly into the mouth 30 of the gun and is p0- sitioned relative to the gun in the manner indicated in FIG. 3, the magazine embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 do not feed the output ammunition in a direction transverse to the gun but they feed the output ammunition onto the cross-feed slide 24 in a direction transverse to that slide and parallel to the axis of the gun, as indicated in FIG. 12. In such case, the mouth 30 of the receiver is so short that the slide 24, when outboard, projects outwardly from it.

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

I claim:

1. A magazine for supplying ammunition, comprising:

a housing having a central axis;

a helically wound guide disposed within said housing and having an output end;

means for urging ammunition contained in said guide radially inwardly toward said output end;

pawl means for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition is present at said output end and, in h event that the answer is negative, for permitting a round to be supplied at said output end;

and means for driving, transversely from said magazine and in the direction of said axis, a round present at said output end, the last-mentioned means including a round advance pawl movably mounted on said housing.

2. In a multi-magazine ammunition supply for delivering ammunition in tandem, the combination of:

a delivery slide, said slide being mounted for linear reciprocating sliding movement, to advance to discharge ammunition in a cadence of one discharged round per advance, and to retract to pick up ammunition;

a plurality of spaced-'r-ound-advancing pawls mounted on said delivery slide, said pawls being so constructed and arranged as to advance rounds one step at a time during each advancement of the slide but to slip under the rounds without moving the rounds during each retraction of the slide;

and a plurality of drum-like magazines positioned faceto-face, each magazine comprising a housing;

a helically wound guide disposed within said housing and having an output end;

means for urging ammunition contained in the guide radially inwardly toward its output end; and

means for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition is present at the output end and, in the event that the answer is negative, for permitting a round to be supplied at the output end, but, in the event that the answer is aflirma- 9 tive, for inhibiting the supply of ammunition to 2,114,821 the output end; 2,596,293 said slide passing transversely through all of the maga- 3,343,456

zine housings at the output ends.

References Cited 5 79,716 463,601

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,263 11/1918 Lo'hne.

10 4/ 1938- Thomas. 5/1952 Sch alkli 8933 9/ 1967 Christiansson 89-33 FOREIGN PATENTS 1/ 1920- Austria. 12/1913 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primal Examiner.

6/1925 Haubroe 89-33 10 S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner.

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