CA-3134217-C - PORTABLE MACHINE FOR COUPLING LINKS AND AMMUNITIONS

CA3134217CCA 3134217 CCA3134217 CCA 3134217CCA-3134217-C

Abstract

Machine (30) for fastening ammunition, the machine being designed to form a link chain or belt for ammunition or cartridges (20), comprising: - a first guide (31) for inserting chain links (10) in series separately from each other and for guiding same under the effect of gravity, and a second guide (32) for inserting cartridges (20) in series and for guiding same under the effect of gravity; - a mobile mechanism (34) having a first shaft (36), a second shaft (37) and a third shaft (38), the shafts (36, 37, 38) being mounted parallel to each other and connected by gears (40), the mobile mechanism (34) being set in motion by the rotation of the third shaft (38) which rotates, in continuous motion, the first shaft (36) in an anti-clockwise direction and rotates the second shaft (37) in a clockwise direction, or vice versa, the first shaft (36) comprising at least two catch wheels (35) each having grooves (41), which are evenly spaced and circular in shape, for driving the cases (21) of the cartridges (20), the second shaft (37) comprising at least two catch wheels (42) having grooves (43), which are evenly spaced, for driving the base or the rear portion of the chain links (10), such that when the mobile mechanism (34) is set in motion, each cartridge (20) is presented by the rotation of the first shaft (36) synchronously with the chain link (10) presented by the rotation of the second shaft (37) and is clipped transversely into said chain link (10); - an electric motor or hand crank (33) for rotating the third shaft (38)..

Inventors

Innokenty GRITSKEVITCH
Anthony COLOMINE
Nicolas Leonnard

Assignees

John Cockerill Defense SA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20200323
Priority Date: 20190328

Claims (1)

11 CLAIMS 1. A machine (30) for attaching ammunitions intended to form a chain or strip with links of ammunitions or cartridges (20), including an ogive, a cartridge casing and a cup that are essentially cylindrical, attached from 5 one to the next by links (10) articulated to one another, each link (10) being made up of a first part (11) attached to a second part (12), both parts (11, 12) being offset relative to one another, the second part (12) including a central loop or handle (13) relative to the height of the link (10), defining an approximately semicylindrical opening, sized to be adjusted on the cartridge casing (21) of a cartridge 1 0 (20) of given caliber, the first part (11) including two loops (14, 15) also of this type but located, heightwise, respectively on either side of the central loop (13), said machine including: - a first guideway (31 }, intended for the successive introduction of the links (10) detached from one another and their guiding under the effect of 15 gravity and a second guideway (32), intended for the successive introduction of the cartridges (20) and their guiding under the effect of gravity; - a moving mechanism (34) provided with a first shaft (36), a second shaft (37) and a third shaft (38), said shafts (36, 37, 38) being mounted parallel 20 to one another and coupled by gears (40), the moving mechanism (34) being set in motion by the rotation of the third shaft (38), which drives, in a continuous movement, the rotation of the first shaft (36) in the counterclockwise direction and the rotation of the second shaft (37) in the clockwise direction, or vice versa, the first shaft (36) including at least two 25 gripping wheels (35) each having slots (41) regularly spaced apart and with a circular shape making it possible to drive the casings (21) of the cartridges (20), the second shaft (37) including at least two gripping wheels (42) having slots (43) regularly spaced apart making it possible to drive the cup or the rear part of the links (10), such that, when the moving 30 mechanism (34) is set in motion, each cartridge (20) is presented by the rotation of the first shaft (36) synchronously with the link (10) presented by Date Reyue/Date Received 2021-09-20 12 the rotation of the second shaft (37) and is clipped transversely in said link (1 O); - an electric motor or a manual crank (33) for setting the third shaft (38) in rotation. 5 2. The machine (30) for attaching ammunitions according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping wheels (35, 42) of the respective cartridges (20) and links (10) are removable and adapted in terms of the shape of the slots (41, 43) to the caliber or the size of the cartridges (20) and the respective links (10), the assembly being easily adaptable to other calibers or 10 sizes by the replacement of the gripping wheels (35, 42). 3. The machine (30) for attaching ammunitions according to claim 2, characterized in that, to allow the transition from the 40 mm caliber to the 30 mm caliber, the first shaft (36) includes a gripping wheel (35) distal from the position by using the ogive of the cartridges (20) and two twinned gripping 15 wheels (35) proximal from the position by using the ogive of the cartridges (20), the two twinned wheels (35) having slots (41) respectively adapted to the 30 mm caliber and the 40 mm caliber, the return to the 40 mm caliber being ensured by the removal of the wheel (35) provided for the 30 mm caliber. 4. The machine (30) for attaching ammunitions according 20 to claim 3, characterized in that the two aforementioned twinned wheels are secured by at least one jack using a ball-lock (44 ). 5. The machine (30) for attaching ammunitions according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a to-and-fro mechanism with a finger (45) that serves as a stop blocking the first link (10) of the column located in the 25 bottom of the first guideway (31 }, the finger (45) unlocking and retracting sequentially during the rotation of the moving mechanism (34 }, so as to ensure the passage and the gripping of the links (10) one after the other. 6. The machine (30) for attaching ammunitions according to claim 1, characterized in that the first guideway (31) is profiled such that the 30 links (10) present themselves with the openings of their loops (13, 14, 15) toward the front of the machine. Date Reyue/Date Received 2021-09-20 13 ABSTRACT PORTABLE MACHINE FOR COUPLING LINKS AND AMMUNITIONS A machine (30) for attaching ammunitions intended to form a chain or strip of links of ammunitions or cartridges (20), including: 5 - a first guideway (31 }, intended for the successive introduction of the links (10) detached from one another and their guiding under the effect of gravity and a second guideway (32), intended for the successive introduction of the cartridges (20) and their guiding under the effect of gravity; 10 - a moving mechanism (34) provided with a first shaft (36), a second shaft (37) and a third shaft (38), said shafts (36, 37, 38) being mounted parallel to one another and coupled by gears (40), the moving mechanism (34) being set in motion by the rotation of the third shaft (38), which drives, in a continuous movement, the rotation of the first shaft (36) in the 15 counterclockwise direction and the rotation of the second shaft (37) in the clockwise direction, or vice versa, the first shaft (36) including at least two gripping wheels (35) each having slots (41) regularly spaced apart and with a circular shape making it possible to drive the casings (21) of the cartridges (20), the second shaft (37) including at least two gripping wheels 20 (42) having slots (43) regularly spaced apart making it possible to drive the cup or the rear part of the links (10), such that, when the moving mechanism (34) is set in motion, each cartridge (20) is presented by the rotation of the first shaft (36) synchronously with the link (10) presented by the rotation of the second shaft (37) and is clipped transversely in said link 25 (10); - an electric motor or a manual crank (33) for setting the third shaft (38) in rotation. (Figure 5) Date Reyue/Date Received 2021-09-20

Description

1 PORTABLE MACHINE FOR COUPLING LINKS AND AMMUNITIONS Subject matter of the invention The present invention relates to the field of portable machines 5 or tools, which may or may not be automatic, making it possible to attach ammunitions to one another quickly and easily using links to produce a flexible band or chain of ammunitions coupled to one another, so as to allow the automatic firing of a weapon such as a cannon. The invention can apply to all types of linked ammunitions, preferably but not exclusively medium-caliber 10 ammunitions, that is to say, typically between 15 and 50 mm. Background of the invention At this time, the use of dummy ammunitions, for example in the case of tests on automatic firing devices such as armored vehicle cannon loading robots, requires the assembly of a certain number of ammunitions quickly 15 and manually in the form of strips. The strips of ammunitions considered in the context of the present invention are typically made up of cartridges inserted or clipped in a flexible strip or chain using metal connections or links. Figures 1 and 2 show detailed views of standard links, respectively alone and in combination with a cartridge. The link 20 strictly speaking 1 0 is made up of a first part 11 attached to a second part 12, both parts 11, 12 being generally articulated to one another, but not necessarily. The second part 12 includes a central loop or handle 13 relative to the height of the link 10, defining an approximately semi-cylindrical opening, sized to be fitted on the cartridge case 21 of a cartridge 20 of given caliber. The first part 11 25 includes two loops 14, 15 of this type, but located, heightwise, respectively on either side of the central loop 13. Each of these loops 13, 14, 15 generally includes, at its free ends, a small loop 16 oriented in the opposite direction, so as to define a flare allowing an easier insertion or removal of the cartridge (this small loop in fact ensures a certain elasticity in the corresponding handle). The upper 30 loop 14 of the first part 11 can be extended by an essentially flat and rectangular part 17 extending upward and the lower loop 15 of the first part 11 can also be Date Reyue/Date Received 2021-09-20 2 extended downward by an essentially flat part 18, ending with a finger 19 that is advantageously inserted into the extraction slot 22 of the cartridge 20 so as to guarantee the correct alignment of the cartridge in the chain. Typically, the ammunition is inserted into an individual link, either 5 by sliding, or by clipping, in the loops 14, 15 of the first part 11 (figure 3) and next, the created link-cartridge assembly 10, 20 is attached to the chain 23 already made by attaching the free central loop 13 at the end of the chain 23 to the new cartridge 20 between the loops 14, 15 of its link (figure 4). However, it is known that the (re)loading of a linked chain of 10 medium- or large-caliber ammunitions is often impossible to do with bare hands due to the excessive force required or the specific bulk of an armored vehicle turret, for example. Currently, this need to attach ammunitions is often satisfied in a somewhat unorthodox manner by using an additional tool, such as a hammer or 15 a mallet. In this case, the penetration of the cartridge in the handle (or handles) of a free link can be obtained by a hammer strike, or even using a foot. It will easily be understood that this manual method is very approximate and that the relative final position of the ammunition with respect to the link can prove random and variable from one ammunition to another, which 20 risks blocking the apparatus for which the ammunition chain is intended. In the field of automatic linking, machines are currently known that are large, complex and nonportable, or for smaller calibers such as 7.62 or 9 mm, portable machines pushing or clipping the ammunitions in the links. Document US 2,460,096 discloses a motorized machine for 25 producing chains of 20 mm ammunitions, having a wheel for loading cartridges, a means for supplying cartridges in the loading wheel, an assembly wheel for links formed with pockets for holding links around its periphery and having a stepwise rotational movement, a means for supplying links to orient them toward the assembly wheel, a carriage with alternating pistons having a fixed travel, a 30 pair of pistons mounted on said carriage in spaced-apart circumferential positions relative to the axis of the assembly wheel of the links, one of the pistons being Date Reyue/Date Received 2021-09-20 3 longer than the other and both pistons having their alternating paths respectively aligned with successive pockets on the periphery of the link assembly wheel. The pistons of the piston carriage push the cartridges in the links in the assembly wheel in order to create an ammunition chain, in two successive steps during the 5 stepwise rotation of the assembly wheel. Document US 2,480,834 discloses a motorized mechanism in which a pushi