Belt feeder for automatic firearms

Claim 2

A belt feeder arrangement for automatic firearms of the type which use an ammunition cartridge belt formed by a plurality of belt members interconnected to one another which carry the cartridges into communication with a breech section engaging in an ejector slot for separating the cartridges from the belt and introducing the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm, and wherein the belt members are of the type comprising a first clamp portion accommodating one cartridge and a second clamp portion joined to the first clamp portion and loosely encompassing the subsequent cartridge; said arrangement comprising: feed means for feeding the belt along a belt feed path through the firearm structure, said belt feed path running adjacent an ejector slot at which position the cartridges are removed from the belt and then out a belt ejector duct where the empty belt members are removed from the firearm, and belt member supporting means arranged in the belt feed path ahead of the ejector slot for supporting an empty belt member such that the empty first clamp portion of said empty belt member will not engage edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion is passing adjacent said edges toWard the ejector duct, said belt member supporting means being spaced from said feed means and including means movable with respect to said feed means.

Claim 3

A belt feeder arrangement for automatic firearms of the type which use an ammunition cartridge belt formed by a plurality of belt members interconnected to one another which carry the cartridges into communication with a breech section engaging in an ejector slot for separating the cartridges from the belt and introducing the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm, and wherein the belt members are of the type comprising a first clamp portion accommodating one cartridge and a second clamp portion joined to the first clamp portion and loosely encompassing the subsequent cartridge; said arrangement comprising: feed means for feeding the belt along a belt feed path through the firearm structure, said belt feed path running adjacent an ejector slot at which position the cartridges are removed from the belt and then out a belt ejector duct where the empty belt members are removed from the firearm, and belt member supporting means arranged in the belt feed path ahead of the ejector slot for supporting an empty belt member such that the empty first clamp portion of said empty belt member will not engage edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion is passing adjacent said edges toward the ejector duct, wherein said belt member supporting means includes resilient means.

Claim 4

A belt feeder arrangement for automatic firearms of the type which use an ammunition cartridge belt formed by a plurality of belt members interconnected to one another which carry the cartridges into communication with a breech section engaging in an ejector slot for separating the cartridges from the belt and introducing the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm, and wherein the belt members are of the type comprising a first clamp portion accommodating one cartridge and a second clamp portion joined to the first clamp portion and loosely encompassing the subsequent cartridge; said arrangement comprising: feed means for feeding the belt along a belt feed path through the firearm structure, said belt feed path running adjacent an ejector slot at which position the cartridges are removed from the belt and then out a belt ejector duct where the empty belt members are removed from the firearm, and belt member supporting means arranged in the belt feed path ahead of the ejector slot for supporting an empty belt member such that the empty first clamp portion of said empty belt member will not engage edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion is passing adjacent said edges toward the ejector duct, wherein said belt member supporting means includes resilient means.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said belt member supporting means includes means engagable with a cartridge in a clamp portion immediately preceeding the ejector slot for preventing engaging of the belt member with edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion immediately preceeding the ejector slot contains a cartridge.

Claim 6

A belt feeder arrangement for automatic firearms of the type which use an ammunition cartridge belt formed by a plurality of belt members interconnected to one another which carry the cartridges into communication with a breech section engaging in an ejector slot for separating the cartridges from the belt and introducing the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm, and wherein the belt members are of the type comprising a first clamp portion accommodating one cartridge and a second clamp portion joined to the first clamp portion and loosely encompassing the subsequent cartridge; said arrangement comprising: feed means for feeding the belt along a belt feed path through the firearm structure, said belt feed path running adjacent an ejector slot at which position the cartridges are removed from the belt and then out a belt ejector duct where the empty belt members are removed from the firearm, and belt member supporting means arranged in the belt feed path ahead of the ejector slot for supporting an empty belt member such that the empty first clamp portion of said empty belt member will not engage edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion is passing adjacent said edges toward the ejector duct, wherein said belt member supporting means comprises: resiliently mounted lever means arranged in the belt feed path in front of the jeector slot, lug means on said lever means for engaging with portions of an empty front belt member approaching the ejector slot, and cam means on said lever means for engaging with a cartridge disposed in the belt member immediately preceding the first empty portion of said front belt member in such a manner that the lug means supports said first empty portion of the front belt member out of engagement with the edges of the ejector slot, whereby the cartridge belts can be changed without jamming the forward most empty portion of the front belt member against the ejector slot edges.

Claim 7

A belt feeder arrangement for automatic firearms of the type which use an ammunition cartridge belt formed by a plurality of belt members interconnected to one another which carry the cartridges into communication with a breech section engaging in an ejector slot for separating the cartridges from the belt and introducing the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm, and wherein the belt members are of the type comprising a first clamp portion accommodating one cartridge and a second clamp portion joined to the first clamp portion and loosely encompassing the subsequent cartridge; said arrangement comprising: feed means for feeding the belt along a belt feed path through the firearm structure, said belt feed path running adjacent an ejector slot at which position the cartridges are removed from the belt and then out a belt ejector duct where the empty belt members are removed from the firearm, and belt member supporting means arranged in the belt feed path ahead of the ejector slot for supporting an empty belt member such that the empty first clamp portion of said empty belt member will not engage edges of said ejector slot when the clamp portion is passing adjacent said edges toward the ejector duct, wherein said belt member supporting means comprises: resiliently mounted lever means arranged in the belt feed path in front of the jeector slot, lug means on said lever means for engaging with portions of an empty front belt member approaching the ejector slot, and cam means on said lever means for engaging with a cartridge disposed in the belt member immediately preceding the first empty portion of said front belt member in such a manner that the lug means supports said first empty portion of the front belt member out of engagement with the edges of the ejector slot, whereby the cartridge belts can be changed without jamming the forward most empty portion of the front belt member against the ejector slot edges.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said lever means includes two separate levers, each lever having a lug portion forming part of the lug means.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the respective lug means are positioned so as to successively engage the front belt member, whereby The front belt member can be supported for movement by a relatively wide ejector slot.

Claim 10

An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the levers are mounted independently of each other on a common axle arranged outside of the belt feed path, and wherein said lug portions are positioned adjacent the end of the levers opposite the common axle mounting.

Claim 11

An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the cam means include separate cam surfaces on each of the levers, said cam surfaces being formed differently for giving different pivotal motion to the respective levers.

Claim 12

An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the cam means include separate cam surfaces on each of the levers, said cam surfaces being formed differently for giving different pivotal motion to the respective levers.

Claim 13

An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said levers exhibit different length from one another.

Claim 14

An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the shorter lever is disposed in a recess of the longer lever.

Claim 15

An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the lever means comprise leaf springs fixed at one end with respect to the belt feed path.

Claim 16

An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the lever means comprise leaf springs fixed at one end with respect to the belt feed path.

Claim 17

An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the lever means comprise leaf springs fixed at one end with respect to the belt feed path.

Claim 18

An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the common axle is dimensioned to be longer than the width of the belt members, and wherein spacers are provided for selectively varying the position of said levers on the axle.

Claim 19

An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said belt members are of the type with the first clamp portion formed as a double clamp with two spaced curved clamp members for engaging the cartridge and with the second clamp portion formed as a single clamp with one curved clamp member for loosely encompassing the adjacent cartridge, and wherein the lug means are arranged to contact a curved connecting part between said first and second change portions.

Claim 20

An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said belt members are of the type with the first clamp portion formed as a double clamp with two spaced curved clamp members for engaging the cartridge and with the second clamp portion formed as a single clamp with one curved clamp member for loosely encompassing the adjacent cartridge, and wherein the lug means are arranged to contact a curved connection part between said first and second change portions whereby the spacers can be adjusted to accommodate movement of the cartridge belt with the first clamp portion in the most forward position as well as movement of the cartridge belt with the second clamp portion in the most forward position.

Claim 21

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said feed means include a star feed wheel for engaging the surface of said cartridges when the cartridges are in the vicinity of the ejector slot.

Claim 22

An arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said feed means include a star feed wheel for engaging the surface of said cartridges when the cartridges are in the vicinity of the ejector slot.

Claim 23

An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said belt member supporting means includes a resiliently biased lever means engagable with said empty belt member.

Claim 24

An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said belt member supporting means includes two resiliently biased lever means engagable with said empty belt member.

Claim 25

An arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the respective lever means are positioned so as to successively engage said empty belt member whereby the empty belt member can be supported for movement by a relatively wide ejector slot.

Claim 26

An arrangement according to claim 22, wherein said lever means are mounted on a common pivot axle.