Feeder

Claim 2

An ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly for an at least partly self acting gun having a reciprocable bolt and firing linked rounds of ammunition, comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and second laterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures; first transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a first train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said first tray aperture; second transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a second train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said second tray aperture; and means for shifting said tray laterally to and between a first and a second disposition for aligning either said first or said second tray aperture respectively with said bolt.

Claim 3

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein: said first transfer means includes first rounds delinking means, a first shaft journalled to said housing and having a first plurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round past said first delinking means, and a first drive means longitudinally movable to and between a drive disposition and a non drive disposition and angularly fixed to said first shaft for rotating said shaft; said second transfer means includes second rounds delinking means, a second shaft journalled to said housing and having a second plurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a roUnd past said second delinking means, and a second drive means longitudinally movable to and between a drive disposition and a non drive disposition and angularly fixed to said second shaft for rotating said shaft; and said shifting means being coupled to said tray and said first and second transfer means for concurrently shifting said tray to said first disposition, said first drive means to said drive disposition on said first shaft, and said second drive means to said non drive disposition on said second shaft, and for concurrently shifting said tray to said second disposition, said first drive means to said non drive disposition on said first shaft, and said second drive means to said drive disposition on said second shaft.

Claim 4

An assembly according to claim 2 wherein: said shifting means includes guide means for supporting and guiding said tray to and between said first and second dispositions; and operating means for shifting said tray along said guide means, including a crank shaft journalled fore and aft to said housing, a fore arm and an aft arm each respectively fixed at one end to said crank shaft and coupled at the other end to said tray, and means for rocking said shaft.

Claim 5

An assembly according to claim 3 wherein: said rocking means includes: a switch handle pivotally mounted to said housing; and a crank arm fixed to said crank shaft and coupled to said switch handle.

Claim 6

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein: said first transfer means includes: a first shaft journaled in said housing having a plurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round, and a first drive ratchet splined thereon for rotating said shaft incrementally; said second transfer means includes: a second shaft journaled in said housing having a plurality of sprockets fixed thereon for positively displacing a round, and a second drive ratchet splined thereon for rotating said shaft incrementally; and a switch plate coupled to said switch handle and said first and second ratchet whereby when said switch handle is moved to a first disposition it rocks said crank shaft to a first disposition to shift said tray to said first disposition and to shift said first ratchet on said first shaft to an operative disposition and said second ratchet on said second shaft to an inoperative disposition, and when said switch handle is moved to a second disposition it rocks said crank shaft to a second disposition to shift said tray to said second disposition and to shift said second ratchet on said second shaft to an operative disposition and said first ratchet on said first shaft to an inoperative disposition.

Claim 7

An assembly according to claim 2 further including: depressor means mounted to said housing in alignment with the bolt for resiliently passing a round from a respective plurality of sprockets to the respective tray aperture and for resiliently retaining the round on said respective tray aperture.

Claim 8

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein: said depressor means includes a plurality of depressor feet which are resiliently mounted for rectilinear reciprocation and for concomitant pivotal movement.

Claim 9

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein: said depressor means includes a rail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality of depressor plates, each having two parallel slots perpendicular to said rail, two projections fixed to said rail and extending respectively into and substantially clearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plate away from said rail, whereby said plate is free to reciprocate between said rail and said tray upon both projections, and to pivot about one projection and swing on the other projection.

Claim 10

An at least partly self acting gun, comprising: a receiver having a first longitudinal axis; a barrel disposed for recoil and counter-recoil movement in said receiver along said first longitudinal axis; a bolt disposed fOr recoil and counter-recoil movement in said receiver along said first longitudinal axis; an ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly mounted to said receiver and coupled to and between said barrel extension and said ammunition feed assembly, for coupling movement of said barrel extension into movement of said stripper and feeder assembly, including a housing; an ammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and second laterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures; first transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a first train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said first tray aperture; second transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a second train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said second tray aperture; and means for shifting said tray laterally to and between a first and a second disposition for aligning either said first or said second tray aperture respectively with said bolt.

Claim 11

An at least partly self acting gun, comprising: a receiver having a first longitudinal axis; a barrel disposed for recoil and counter-recoil movement in said receiver along said first longitudinal axis; a bolt disposed fOr recoil and counter-recoil movement in said receiver along said first longitudinal axis; an ammunition side stripper and feeder assembly mounted to said receiver and coupled to and between said barrel extension and said ammunition feed assembly, for coupling movement of said barrel extension into movement of said stripper and feeder assembly, including a housing; an ammunition tray disposed in said housing and having first and second laterally spaced apart, longitudinally elongated apertures; first transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a first train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said first tray aperture; second transfer means in said housing for initially receiving a second train of linked rounds, for subsequently side stripping a round from its link in said train, and for finally disposing such round on said second tray aperture; and means for shifting said tray laterally to and between a first and a second disposition for aligning either said first or said second tray aperture respectively with said bolt.

Claim 12

An ammunition feed assembly comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray, disposed in said housing, having first and second, laterally spaced apart longitudinally elongated apertures, ammunition depressor means, including: a rail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality of depressor plates; a like plurality of means, each for mounting and capturing a respective depressor plate to said rail for reciprocatory movement and for rotary movement with respect to said rail, each said means including: two parallel slots in the respective depressor plate, two projections fixed to said rail and extending respectively into and substantially clearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plate away from said rail, whereby said respective plate is free to reciprocate between said rail and said tray upon both projections, and to pivot about one projection and to swing on the other projection.

Claim 13

An ammunition feed assembly comprising: a housing; an ammunition tray, disposed in said housing, having first and second, laterally spaced apart longitudinally elongated apertures, ammunition depressor means, including: a rail fixed to said housing over said tray; a plurality of depressor plates; a like plurality of means, each for mounting and capturing a respective depressor plate to said rail for reciprocatory movement and for rotary movement with respect to said rail, each said means including: two parallel slots in the respective depressor plate, two projections fixed to said rail and extending respectively into and substantially clearing said slots, and spring means biasing said plate away from said rail, whereby said respective plate is free to reciprocate between said rail and said tray upon both projections, and to pivot about one projection and to swing on the other projection.