US3855686A

US3855686A - Cartridge link guide assembly

Info

Publication number: US3855686A
Application number: US00419306A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Snyder
Original assignee: US Air Force
Current assignee: US Air Force
Priority date: 1973-11-27
Filing date: 1973-11-27
Publication date: 1974-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-24

Abstract

A guide assembly for moving cartridge links, which are ejected by an automatic type gun, from the gun to a preselected point, with the ejected cartridge links following a desired path. The guide assembly is adapted for use with cartridge links that are of the type having a single upper loop portion and a lower double loop portion with a center section between the lower two loops. The links are detachably connected in a link-to-adjacent link fashion to form an endless disintegrating cartridge belt. The basic and preferred embodiment includes three bar members which are shaped to form the desired path for the links to follow. The center bar acts as the main guide and supports each detached link in the center section of the double loop portion. The outer bars, which are essentially parallel to each other and are uniformly spaced from the center bar, act as restraining guides for the detached links and control the radial turning of the links. This novel guide assembly permits more positive control of the ejected cartridge links, and allows the links to be turned in a much shorter radius, than prior art devices; and, the guide assembly is especially advantageous for use where tortuous paths are involved.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,855,686

Snyder Dec. 24, 1974 CARTRIDGE LINK GUIDE ASSEMBLY are ejected by an automatic type gun, from the gun to 75 I t I R M S d G Vt a preselected point, with the e ected cartridge links 1 nve n or on ny eorgla. following a desired path. The guide assembly is Asslgneei The Ulllted States Of America 85 adapted for use with cartridge links that are of the represented by the S cretary o the type having a single upper loop portion and a lower Force, W g 110 double loop portion with a center section between the lower two loops. The links are detachably connected [22] Flled 1973 in a link-to-adjacent link fashion to form an endless pp 419,306 disintegrating cartridge belt. The basic and preferred embodiment includes three bar members which are 52] US. Cl 29/208 E Shaped the desired h" h hhhs fellow- [51 Int. Cl B23p 19/04 The center aets as the ghde and supports 58 Field of Search 29/208 R, 200 o, 200 P, eaeh deteehed hhk eeme e of the deehle loop portion. The outer bars, WhlCh are essentially 29/200 200 208 E parallel to each other and are uniformly spaced from he center bar act as restrainin uides for the de- [56] References Cited t g g tached llnks and control the radial turning of the links. UNITED STATES PATENTS This novel guide assembly permits more positive cong n trol of the ejected cartridge links, and allows the links uyvaert Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harry A. Herbert, Jr.; Arsen Tashjian [57] ABSTRACT A guide assembly for moving cartridge links, which to be turned in a much shorter radius, than prior art devices; and, the guide assembly is especially advantageous for use where tortuous paths are involved.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 0F A/JVEME VT CARTRIDGE LINK GUIDE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the endless conveyor art and, more particularly, to a novel cartridge link guide assembly for moving cartridge links which are ejected by an automatic type gun from the gun to a preselected point, with the ejected cartridge links following a desired path.

Devices for moving or conveying and guiding ejected cartridges are not per se new. However, it is fair and accurate to say that what is still presently needed in the art, and is not available, is a cartridge ejectment guide device which provides more positive control of the ejected links, and which allows the links to be turned or fanned in a much shorter radius than the three inches which constitute the minimum fan radius necessary with prior art devices.

I have invented such a much-needed device; and, thereby, I have significantly advanced the state-of-theart. In fact, my inventive device, a cartridge link guide assembly, not only attains the above-mentioned goals and objectives, but also is simple in structure, is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and is fail safe in reliability, and indirectly increases the reliability of the gun with which it is used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My inventive device pertains to a cartridge link guide assembly, as adapted for use with an automatic gun which ejects cartridge links that are of the type having a single upper loop portion and a lower double loop portion, with a center section between the double loops of the lower portion, wherein the cartridge links are detachably connected in a link-to-adjacent link fashion to form an endless disintegrating type cartridge belt. It is to be noted that this particular adaptation of my inventive device is solely by way of illustration, and not because of any limitation whatsoever of my inventive device.

An object of this invention is to provide a cartridge link guide assembly which insures more positive control of the links than is attainable by prior art devices, and which allows the links to be turned or fanned in a much shorter radius than the three inch radius which is minimally required by prior art devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel cartridge link guide assembly which is very simple in structure, as compared with prior art devices.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel cartridge link guide assembly which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel cartridge link guide assembly which has fail safe reliability, and which thereby increases the reliability of the gun with which the inventive device is used.

These objects, and still other related and equally important objects, will become readily apparent after a consideration of the description of the invention, coupled with reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, in simplified form, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention in operation, including the support and guidance of a plurality of typical detached cartridge links;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view, partially in cross section and partially in pictorial form, of a typical detached cartridge link accepted, supported, and guided by the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, in pictorial form, of a plurality of typical cartridge links detachably connected to form a part of an endless disintegrating cartridge belt, with the cartridge links positioned in a fan arrangement to show the minimum radius required for use in prior art cartridge link guidance devices; and,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, of a plurality of typical cartridge links detachably connected to form a part of an endless disintegrating cartridge belt, with the cartridge links also positioned in a fan arrangement to show, by comparison, the much smaller radius required for use in my invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, the same components and the like are designated by the same reference numeral.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, therein is shown a preferred embodiment 10 of my inventive cartridge link guide assembly which includes a lower guide portion 11 and an upper guide portion 12. The lower guide portion 11 further includes a first bar member 11A having a top surface 118; and, the upper guide portion 12 further includes a second bar member 12A and a third bar member 128.

It is here to be noted that the preferred embodiment 10 of my inventive cartridge link guide assembly is adapted for use in moving cartridge links ejected from an automatic type gun (not shown, since it does not comprise any part of this invention) which said gun uses cartridges previously held by the cartridge links, wherein the cartridge links, such as 101104, FIG. 1, are the type having a single upper loop portion, such as l01A-104A, and a lower double loop portion with a center section, such as 10lD-104D, between the lower double loops, such as 1013-1048 and 10lC-104C, and wherein the cartridge links, such as 101-104, were detachably connected in a link-to-adjacent link fashion, such as link 105 detachably connected to adjacent link 106, FIG. 1, to form an endless disintegrating type cartridge belt, such as The term disintegrate is used herein, as it is used in the cartridge belt art, to mean to separate into constituent parts (i.e., to separate and detach the cartridge links, thereby disintegrating" the endless belt).

Top surface 118 of first bar member 11A is configurated to accept and to support the upper single loop portion, such as 101A, of each cartridge link; and, the top surface 118 of the first bar member 11A is also configurated to accept, to support, and to guide the lower double loop portion of each cartridge link, with the configurated top surface 118 abutting with the center section, such as 101D, of the double loop portion of the particular link, such as 101.

The second bar member 12A and the third bar member 1213 of the upper guide portion 12 of my assembly are essentially parallel to each other, as is more distinctly shown in FIG. 2; and, said

bar members

12A and 12B are also uniformly spaced from the first bar member 11A of the lower guide portion 11 of my inventive assembly. Second bar member 12A and third bar member 12B are configurated and positioned to guide the upper link portion, such as 101A, of each cartridge link, such as 101. It is to be noted that the second and

third bar members

12A and 12B may be, but need not be, axially curved or bent, in complementary mode, to act in a cam or cam-like manner with reference to individual detached links.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in FIG. 3 are shown a plurality of typical cartridge links which are the single loop-double loop type, such as 101-104, that are detachably connected to the next adjacent cartridge link, such as 101 detachably connected to 102, to form part of an endless disintegrating cartridge belt 100 positioned in a fan (i.e., a turn) arrangement to show the minimum radius R, for use in prior art cartridge link guidance devices. Said turning radius R, is a minimum of three inches with the prior art devices. On the other hand, and with reference to FIG. 4, the turning radius R of the cartridge links, such as 101-104, can be as short as one inch for use with my inventive cartridge link guide assembly 10, thereby permitting the use of a much smaller guide assembly, with the attendant advantages inherent to such a smaller sized unit.

MANNER OF OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The manner of operation of the preferred embodiment 10 of my inventive cartridge link guide assembly is very easily understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description, coupled with reference to the Figures of the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof.

In essence, my inventive assembly 10 forms the desired path for the ejected cartridge links, such as 101104, to follow. The first bar member or center bar 11A accepts, supports, and guides each link, such as 101, by abutting with the center section, such as 101D, of the double loop portion, such as 1018 and 101C, of the particular link, such as 101. The second bar member 12A and the third bar member 128 (i.e., the two outer bars) collectively act as restraints and guides for the links and, in addition, provide positive control for the turning of the cartridge links.

More specifically, as the particular link, such as 101, is ejected from the gun (not shown), the link is turned on its end because of the cam surfaces on the second 12A and third 12B bars, with the cartridge being positioned with the double loop portion, such as 101B and 101C, down over the first bar member 1 1A. The turned links, such as 101404, are pushed along the first bar member 11A by subsequent links in the turning action. The turning of the links is accomplished simply by lifting the single upper loop, such as 101A, of the particular link, such as 101, on to the center bar 11A, and by using the outer bars 12B and 12C to cam the double loop portion down over the center bar 11A. With the turning action accomplished, the link is completely under control and can be moved with ease toward the guide assembly ejection point.

CONCLUSION It is abundantly clear from all of the foregoing, and from the drawings, herein, that the desired objects (and other related objects) of my inventive guide assembly have been attained.

It is emphasized that, although there have been described and shown the fundamental unique features of my invention, as applied to a preferred embodiment 10 adapted for a particular use, it is to be understood that various other embodiments, substitutions, additions, omissions, adaptations, and the like can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, my inventive guide assembly can be adapted advantageously for use in those special applications where tortuous paths I are involved and controlled link ejection is necessary.

What I claim is:

1. A cartridge link guide assembly for moving cartridge links ejected from an automatic type gun which uses cartridges previously held by the cartridge links, wherein said cartridge links are of the type having a single upper loop portion and a lower double loop portion with a center section between the lower double loops, and wherein said cartridge links were previously detachably connected in a link-to adjacent link fashion to form an endless disintegrating type cartridge belt, comprising:

a. a lower guide portion which includes a first bar member having a top surface, with said top surface configurated to accept and to support said upper single loop portion of each cartridge link, and with said top surface also configurated to accept, to support, and to guide said lower double loop portion of each cartridge link, and with said configurated top surface abutting with said center section of said double loop portion;

b. and, an upper guide portion which includes a second bar member and a third bar member that are essentially parallel to each other, and that are uniformly spaced from said first bar member to said lower guide portion, with said second and said third bar members configurated and positioned to guide said upper single loop portion of each cartridge link.

Claims

1. A cartridge link guide assembly for moving cartridge links ejected from an automatic type gun which uses cartridges previously held by the cartridge links, wherein said cartridge links are of the type having a single upper loop portion and a lower double loop portion with a center section between the lower double loops, and wherein said cartridge links were previously detachably connected in a link-to-adjacent link fashion to form an endless disintegrating type cartridge belt, comprising: a. a lower guide portion which includes a first bar member having a top surface, with said top surface configurated to accept and to support said upper single loop portion of each cartridge link, and with said top surface also configurated to accept, to support, and to guide said lower double loop portion of each cartridge link, and with said configurated top surface abutting with said center section of said double loop portion; b. and, an upper guide portion which includes a second bar member and a third bar member that are essentially parallel to each other, and that are uniformly spaced from said first bar member to said lower guide portion, with said second and said third bar members configurated and positioned to guide said upper single loop portion of each cartridge link.