US2437425A - Ammunition container - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1948. w. V.'-GOO'DHUE ET AL 2,437,425.

AMMUNITION CONTAINER Filed Dec. 19, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnvemars William YGood/vue JamesP/Vorzon B zfhz'r/lzzorney March 9, 1948.

w. v. GQODHUE ETAL v AMMUNITION CONTAINER Filed Dec. 19, 1945 6 sheets sheet 2 Inventors William V Good/1116 James P/Vorzorz Attorney Bh ezr March 9, 1948. w. v. GOODHUE ET AL AMMUNITION CONTAINER Filed Dec. 19, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 1 I I I I I I l l J I I I I I II Match 1948' w. v. GOODHUEET AL 2,437,425

AMMUN ITION CONTAINER Filed Dec. 19, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I l I l I fizveniors 29- mzzzam-yaoodhue JamesP/Vorzon B thezrAtzorrzey Patented Mar. 9, 1948 2,437,425 I AMIVIUNITION CONTAINER William V; Goodhue, Ipswich, and James P. Norton, Beverly, Mass., asslgnors to United Shoe Machinery i Corporation,

Fleming-ton,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 19, 1945, Serial No. 635,867

This invention relates to an ammunition container for a number of rounds of ammunition and more particularly to a container transportable as a unit and suitable for storing readily accessible ammunition near the gunsto be supplied.

The invention is herein illustrated as embodied 3 Claims. (01. 31296) in a container suitablefor mounting on the platform of a large caliber gun and arranged to store eleven rounds of ammunition, the container having an opening through which manual loading may be accomplished and a second opening from which successive rounds may be delivered with the aid of a power driven endless conveyor to a delivery apron or tray easily accessible to a gunner.

One object of the invention is to provide a transportable and unitary ammunition container including power means for successively delivering one at a time, rounds stored and protected within the container to an open and exposed position within the reach of a gunner, with means for automatically initiating the delivery of each round after the preceding round has been manually removed from the exposed position by the gunner. Another object of the invention is to provide an ammunition container which may be manually loaded with the aid of a motor driven conveyor and which will automatically and successlvely deliver rounds therefrom with the use of the same motor, the arrangement being such that the manual loading operation cannot interiere with the automatic delivery operation.

A feature of the invention is a novel ammunition container which is a complete unitary device for storing rounds of ammunition, the container holding a motor driven endless conveyor j the power operation of which is initiated manually for the loading of eachround as it is received from'an inclined apron upon which it is introduced, and is controlled automaticall for the delivery of each round .as a preceding round is removed by the gunner for use. Another feature is an ammunition container having an endless conveyor arranged to be driven by an electric motor'for the purpose of either loading the container or delivering rounds from the container with a lock or stop mechanism for preventing interference with an automatic delivery operation by untimely or inadvertent attempts simultaneouslyand independently to operate the conveyor for loading.

The above and other features of the inventio including novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described in'connection withthe accom- In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in which the present invention is embodied, the container being shown opened to receive rounds to be loaded therein and with a portion of the casing broken away more clearly to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view 01' the delivery side of the container with the parts in positions for delivering rounds and with parts broken away for ease of illustration:

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation oi. the end of the container at which power is applied;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3 with rounds of ammunition in place on the conveyor;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V of Fig.4 with nine rounds in position on the conveyor and one round delivered to a position which may be convenient for a gunner;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken alon the line VI-VI of Fig. 4 and showing two rounds positioned on the conveyor: and

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuits controlling the conveyor.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the container is shown as embodying a base plate I0 and two vertical end plates l2 and I4, these plates being joined by a top curved casing plate l6 and bottom s de plates I8 and 20. The base plate 10 is extended to one side at 22 forming a support for a motor 24 the shaft of which is provided with a conventio al spring operated friction brake of the block type generally indicated at 26 (Fig. 2). A solenoid 2'! is operatively connected to the brake in such a manner that energization thereof will compress the brake spring and release the brake as will beunderstood. End brackets 30, 32 (Fig. 1) and 34 (Fig. 2) are bolted to the end plate l4. Guide brackets 3l,'33 and 35 (Fig. 3) are bolted to the end plate l2 and the plates l2 and M are spaced by eight stiffening bars 36 (Fig. 5) which serve to lend rigidity to the entire container. A thin plate 40 extends the length of the container interior and is vertically positioned and bolted to the end plates I 2 and I4. At a position somewhat removed from one end of the container, a guide flange 42 is provided extending over the top and down both sides oi. the plate 40. The

' central flange of a, T bar 44 (Fig. 1) supported by two stiflening'rods 36, on the loading side of the container, is placed in the same vertical plane as is the flange 42 to serve as a guide for the rounds, as will bee subsequently described. The

four uppermost horizontal stiffening bars 36 are joined by an arcuate strip 46 which is located in the same vertical plane as the flange 42 and serves also as a guiding means with the flanges 42, 44.

The bottom portions of -the end 'plates I2 and I4 are provide'dwithmoller bearings'fiii and 52 (Fig. 4) supporting a shaft 54 to which a driving sprocket 58 is keyed, which sprocket carries 8/? chain 58 leading to a sprocket 60 on -.-the=:shait-.- of the motor 24. Also keyed to the shaft 54 but within the rack casing are the two sprockets' iill and 62 (Fig. 4) meshing withtendlessmchains-M and 66 respectively. The straight runs 'oftthez ttai-nen. The. exterior sprocket 56 driven by the motor isprovided with a circular plate I50 which issadinstaiblyfaffixe'dfthereto by means of three chains 64 and 65 are vertical and engage sprockets 15' bearings I2 and I4 are similarly mountedfthat is, each is carried on a stub shaft I6 mounted within' a bracket i8 firmly sheld thereto by means: of a nut Bil. The tension of the ohains fi i and-66 is' suitably regulate'd -byi adiusting the: vertical positions of the two brackets 183 Each-' bracket 8 i -Drovided-with s1ots' 8'I and boIt's BZ- bymeanS of which the adjustment :m'ay be' inaintained.

The upper portion of' the plate: 4ii is -proi' id edwith a cup 84 (Fig. 6) containing one 'end of acoil spring'BB; the other endof the spring-85 being retained Within a cupi- 88 iaste'ned toa defle'ctor" plate 90 which, in turn, ispivoted at flz 'on brackets 94 and 96 (Fig. 4) bolted to theplat flfithrebj forming a buffer the operati ofwhich will be subsequentl described The" suspensionof tlie plate'tfi is by means of pivoting bosses== 98 and I 60 which bosses are providedtvitiishouldrs for-com tacting the upper end of tli late ifl and for limitingthe outward swing =movement of the deflector plateor bufi''r 'flfl z' Near one-'end-of the casing i the bottom-*of the container is' provided with an arcuate' plate IGF (Fi'g s'4) to'i'which'ds bolted an arcuateguiding-track 5 I i122? At the back or "loading side'- the container (Figs 1) is provided with a door- 1iifi -which may be lowered to uncover aloadi'fig-apron I ilti pivoted for downward-swinging movement upon -short"shafts= extending 'from" and 'held"-in'--'-the two en-d p1at'es I2 and-'"I4. Slotted 1inks= I I? and I2 -limit' tlie extent of downwardmovement of theapron and; hold it when in'its lo'wered positionat' aninclina tion such-as to cause a round place'd on the apron to roll gently into pla'ce--ton"the conveyorv The: loading apron 'I H8 is provided with shell guiding flanges I I4 and I I6. As each round introdueed' should 'roll properly, flange 1 I his of a-height-"ton allow for the smaller diameter of 'the shell its'elf as compared with 1 the cartridge: casing: Flange I IBhasa paralllsmaller flan-ge I IT-and these two' flanges cooperate in guidingthe-rim of "the care tridge casin'g." Atthe front' or delivery side=of the container a door- I I8' (Fig ZJ 'iS hin'ged tG the top edgeof the-casing plate '2IJ-and in Figi 2 is'-"shown' in its lowered position; disclosing a": delivery apron I which"is pivot ed at 22 and'i I 24" upon the casing end pl-a't'es'I 4 and' l 2 to' -swi-r'ig; outwardly. The delivery? apron- I 2 bears shellguiding :fl'a'nges I 257i and. :I 28?;simiiar2tdrthe :fl'ang'es" I I4 andI-iI I5 oftiithewloading. apron: Beneath'i'the deliveryaproniissacchannelzbar I 3i ?(Figsct2 and ifl extending from one endpfithemon-tainento:the? other and :bearing swinging bracketsA Stand ;.I 34. The-bracket .I 34 has alocking-.-pi-n-.-l seflalthough not'ess'ential). for holding it-.with.relation lto:the-- apron-in its outermostaposition aeshown irr- Fig. ;.2- and thewbracketul 32: may-gbenprovidedlyvith a' sim-a ilar pin (not shown) for locking it in its outerboltszextendingethrough three arcuate slots in thesprockettfi as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The

-plate'"*l5U is-provided with three pins I52 (Fig. 3)

extendingrtowardtheend plate I2. Fig. 2 shows one of the pins I52 more clearly. A manual control l'ever I60 is pivoted to the casing at I62 and one end of a spring I64 extending from a pin I65 omthe bontainen-pla-te I 2 is attachedthereto for swinging: the-lever. I 601 either-111p. or down beyou'd a ;dea;d;center1position. I The lever I 6I3 isbent to formaaflange 66- and is;also formed: to provide: a toe section. .I68.e The-operation ofindexinggthe conveyor control switch I 4t is primarily performed bygan armsl m :piyotedtoxa -.rod.-: I 88 which, at its lower; end,.-..passes slooselye through an? enlargedopeningeinrthesflan'ge 466 .1 Rod-4 3D-carries=a knob I 84 zadapted z-tobenengaged' by; the 1 yfiange- 156-. Theetrigger mechanism rorsfingerr: I 42 extending; oventha-delivery;apron: I 20 has.- arearwardly ex tending forksl43 .'(Fig 5) adaptedrto .engageethe under side -ota headeor collar I41 formedatrthe: upper end of a vertically actuable rod 203.

'Iheadelivery ;.tray 501" apron-i I 20w is pivoted: on the-same-centeni B5. :-(F!1g.- .5)i-as theitrigger finger:

' I 4 2;randetheeaisrangementiis such: that; a: swinging:

of :tthe eaprond 2-P0tfb$zfi leverwj 90 on: thez-zexe' teriorsof thercasing lto-zwhich zleverzisf pivoted tthe'? uppenend'ofia ilOdnl 927- Clampedutoqthe rod 1 92" isan arm I 94ewl nchservesi'toi'hold a switchiopercoating lever .I 96 outmf engagement withia' roller..- onethearmaflll. of:theiindexing control switch I45 when theapron l2flziszriniits closedforzinnerposis tionwandi-thewoperation; ofrythe -conveyor 1S" to-be': controlledz-for the purpose .ofx-lo'adingz the; cons:- taineras wi-l1-;be-:-further. described. Therver tical .rod 2 U0 4Figg5 is: springsloadedeinside :ther casingin relation to a supportingbracket 2 i! I and" tends to -.holdthe-rlever: I95*(Fig.i 3) against the roller of-the-:switch control lever I 10 through an eccentric! arrangement; For this purpose, the lower -endrof.the-*rod-ZIN) isprovidedwith ahori: zontal slotengagin'gga pin'203 (Fig.5) eccentrical'ly mounted on a disk 205'WhiCh"SIVES as a' crank-toturnzashaft EDT-(Fig 3). This latter shaft passes through and outsidethe end plate I 2 of vthe rackrcasing; Theelevert I96is suitably afiiXed-totheishaft-ilfl'l so that they rotate together when actuated by a 1vertica1': movement 3 of the rod 20111-1 The lower'end of.'the rod ,I92-ex'-.- tends.loosely,-through :an;enlarged opening 'in' the flange'al 6620f. :jthe;-.-controlv lever. ISO-and the: rod; I92-.=has aknob? I 93* on .itsr-lowerr end which." is" adaptedto :engage: theutoe :I 68-iof-the lever. I60 during-delivery oft-rounds to-tthe. tray; I281;

Thenconveyor chains-e64 and: 66 support-eleven parallelarods,*202z'suitably' spacedzto: hold? the rounds -R .(Figs'.:.4,r,5 and 6)-in their5proper posi-v tions for storage and handling. Eachrod-zillis- .provided: with a groove 204 (Fig. 4).- forreceiving the'ridge or'nimat the-.end-of a cartridge casing. Theroperationwofsthe container may be 'de-' scribedias-sfollows". When :thelmain powerswitch; I44 is on, the starting and stopping of the conveyor is controlled b ltheindexing control switch I46. This switch is operated manually during the loading of the container andautomatically during round delivery. With both switches I44 and I46 on, the electric motor 24 will rotate the sprockets through thechain drive-and cause operation of the conveyor. With both aprons I08 and H8 closed, the guiding flanges on those aprons retain the rounds in place on the conveyor and the rounds aremoved around,- srncothly, their guidance being aided icy-guide disks 208 mounted on the bars 202. As the shell of each round is smaller in diameter than the cartridge casing the disks 208 serve to keep the shells properly spaced and each round in a horizontal position.

When loading the conveyor,- the loading door 106 is first opened andthen the loading apron I99 is lowered into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The main power switch I44 is closed and the first round is then placed on the apron I08, the end or rim of the" cartridge casing being guided by thefial'l ges I I6 and H1. Theround is then rolled onto a rod 202 of the shell carrier with a slot 204 of the rod receiving the flange on the cartridge casing and holding the round against endwise movement. The lever I60 is then tripped upwardly (in acounterclockwise direction) beyond dead center, thereb closing the contacts of the control switch I46 by pulling down on rod I80 and. lever I10. This energizes the motor brake solenoid 21 and driving motor 24, as can be seen in the diagram of Fig. '1, causing the brake 26 to be released and the motor shaft to rotate, with the consequent rotation of the conveyor in the direction of the arrows as shown in Fig. 3. The

conveyor continues to move until one of the sprocket ring pins I52 contacts the under side or cam surface of the toe I68 oi lever I60. This cam surface was moved into the path of the pins I52 when the opposite end of lever I60 was tripped.

upwardly. Contact of a pin I52 with the cam surface with the aid of the spring I64 causes the control lever I80 to return to its original position opening the apron I20 serves to lift the rod I92 (as in Fig. 3) and the switch operating rod I80 to open the contacts of the indexing control switch I 46 deenergizing the driving motor and brake solenoid. The switch I46 is so constructed that lever I10, when released, is biased by a spring (not shown) into the open position. The motor and conveyor will therefore-come to rest with the next round carrier. rod 202 at the loading station to receive the next round from the loading apron I08. The pins I52 are held in angular adjustment about the shaft 54 by means of the bolts attaching the plate I50 to the sprocket 56. This adjustment is provided so that the pins I52 may be set to stop the conveyor in the proper position relative to the loading station. After eleven rounds have been placed on the conveyor the apron I08 should be closed. If the ammunition container is not to be used immediately the cover I06 should also be closed.

The round delivery station is located in the upper front section of the container and is shown in the open or deliver position in Figs. 2 and 5. When not in use the delivery station is closed, as shown in Fig. 3. If rounds are to be delivered to the delivery apron I20, door H8 is lowered, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. After making sure that the main switch I44 is open (as it should be when the container is not being used except for storage), brackets I32 and I34 are first swung,

by means of the lever I90. This brings the collar or knob I93 on the lower end of the rod I92 up against the fiange I66, thereby preventing the manual control lever I60 from being tripped accidentally. It is clear that the automatic delivery operation should not be interfered with by a simultaneous actuation of the switch I46 through the lever I60. The lifting of the rod I92 also lifts the arm I94, permitting the lever I96 to close the switch I46, when required to do so, by the finger I42 acting through the fork I43, rod 200, pin 203, disk 205 and pin 201. The deflector or buffer is adapted to yield as the rounds pass down over it during the loading operation withthe apron I26 in the closed position, but when the delivery apron is open, the rounds are successively deflected out onto thedelivery apron guides I26 and I20 as needed and as the conveyor is operated. The presence of a round at the delivery station and on the delivery apron I20 causes a depression of the finger I42, thereby raising the spring-loaded rod 200 by means of the fork I43 on the rear end of the finger I42 engaging the collar or head I41 on the rod 200. The pin 203 extending horizontally from the slot in the bottom end of the rod 200 is thereby lifted, and the lever I96 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. It. can be seen, therefore, that, as each round of ammunition rolls onto the delivery apron I20, the finger I42 is depressed, this action permitting the lever I10 to swing upwardly and thereby open the contacts of the switch I46 and stopping the conveyor. When a round is removed from the apron I20, the finger I42 will rise because of the spring on the rod 200, and the rod 200 will lower slightly and, by means of the pin 209, will rotate lever I96 to close the switch I46, thereby starting the conveyor and causing another round to be deflected out upon apron I20.

When the delivery apron I 20 is in its closed position (as it is in Fig. 3), the lever I90 holds the rod I92 in its lowest position. At the same time, the arm I94 (which is attached to the rod I92) holds the lever I96 from rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 and prevents the finger I42 and the spring-loaded rod 200 from closing the switch I46.

The entire device is compact and so constructed that it may be provided with porter bars (not shown) or other means facilitating its being transported as a complete unit.

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

1. An ammunition container comprising a casing having adelivery opening, means for supporting a round outside said opening and accessible to a gunner, power means for conveying successive rounds within said casing and through said opening, and a trigger mechanism operated by the weight of a round on said supporting means for terminating the. operation of said power means, the said container forming a transportable and protective ammunition storage unit.

2. An ammunition container for mounting upon a gun platform, said container comprising a vertical casing with sprockets at each end supporting an endless chain conveyor for moving rounds in a circuit within said casing and extending vertically by a loading opening and a delivery opening,;;? n PQ1k igv tedata extend; mtowancli pme. a h; flsaida penin g gqwer mi: 11 .5...1 .1:opera ninev aid-:conyem bu ie zo-meansnlocated ,adiapent to, d iltvery o en n ;fa dnarra edlto yie d. upon assaeenfi the ounds -sa cld rcu W enpa a e .of'. thev ou ds. t rough t etsieliyemopen ne s sed z y one at said: ap ne'and-ytd ha e he ounds when yth fl eliv x .T penin i r open, m ansfor manual ywc nztm lin said p w rm ansn nin iiheloadin @9 rounds n .the. otheloifiaid p zo si diihrq l} s id oadin eopeni .autw

eanetexdel fver .oneround at. a time or de ve y y' i bufie :meanstsaidauiz maticlm a s p m-i. pmsin a tri er..m qhanisml cated n p si on t be; operated byeontant with successively delivered rounds, and acove shf nsaid openings.

3.! Amammunitiqr ;icontainencqmpx s ua casin dhal-vin aioad n mn nin gand a, de1ivery, p 11 powendriyen panallelfipa edmeanskaltmneed to sup punt. and convey, success iyevrounds efrom ax sit on adiaeentm nei pe in Ft QaKP BiB n dy.

J centn hd th r, means fonomanually, t in saiaipgw ro dri enemeans,dmlned e lqad nept, und .mh nu xis id'l ad n v'p gnin t,au m tic; mane for ntxoll pa dim r iv n ean to deliver one round at i a time. rthrougl l -eejd de liv ry. o eni e'sa d autom t c mean bmprisin a i rwme anis lo ated, in o i io be operated by. \co ntagig with sucees sively delivered ds, and mean ior. ck n aid manua i n:

. rolvmea sewhen.o dza o at c; o me s is in .operatiom ,GQQDHUEZ AMESJ-P B Q REFERENCES 011 121) The following refenencesmare of reqo,rd.m the. file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Nam-me D 418

Images