Rotary differential ammunition reservoir

Claim 2

In an ammunition transfer system for transferring ammunition from a magazine to a firing weapon, the improvement which comprises intermediate storage means for storing a number of rounds of ammunition, said number being substantially less than the number of rounds storable in said magazine, said storing means including a housing having a first upper stationary part and a second part rotatable with respect to said upper stationary part, said intermediate storage means including means for feeding the rounds into said intermediate storage means from said magazine at a first rate, means for feeding rounds to said firing weapon from said intermediate storage means at a second rate, and means for correlating said input and said output rates, said firing weapon feeding means being mounted to the second rotatable part of said housing, at upper transfer wheel having means for receiving a plurality of rounds formed in it, said upper transfer wheel receiving means being rotatably mounted to said housing, a lower transfer wheel having means for receiving a plurality of rounds formed in it, said lower transfer wheel receiving means being rotatably mounted to said housing, and differential means mounted for rotation to said housing, said differential means being positioned intermediate said upper and said lower transfer wheels and being operatively connected thereto, said differential means including means for transferring rounds from said upper transfer wheel to said lower transfer wheel, and means for allowing said differential means to seek an azimuthal position proportional to the speed of rotation of said upper transfer wheel and said lower transfer wheel.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 further characterized by carrier means for transporting individual ones of said ammunition rounds, said carrier means being interconnected between said intermediate storage means and said magazine, said carrier means including an ammunition chute, said chute having a substantially constant length during operation of said ammunition transfer system.

Claim 4

In a weapon system including a magazine for storing a quantity of ammunition rounds and dispensing said rounds at a first rate, carrier means for transferring said ammunition rounds from said magazine to a weapon for firing said rounds, and a weapon capable of firing said ammunition rounds at a second rate, the improvement which comprises means for correlating said first and second rates, said correlating means including a housing having a first fixed part for interconnecting said carrier means to said correlating means and a rotating part rotatable with respect to said first part, said rotating part being movable with said weapon in an azimuth plane, said correlating means including means for feeding rounds into said intermediate storage means from said carrier means, said feeding means being mounted to said first housing part and operating at a first rate, means for feeding said rounds from said intermediate storage means to said weapon at a second rate, said second rate feeding means being mounted to said rotating housing part, a first transfer wheel rotatably mounted to said housing and drivable at said first rate, a second transfer wheel rotatably mounted to said housing and drivable at said second rate, each of said first and said second transfer wheels comprising an annular structure including a hub having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds, and means for summing said first and said second feeding rates, said summing means being annular in plan and having an upper surface and a lower surface, each of said upper and lower surfaces having a pair of rims extending outwardly therefrom, and sprocket means for transferring ammunition rounds between said upper and lower transfer wheels, said rims being arranged in supportive relation to the ammunition rounds carried by said upper and lower transfer wheels and being adapted to cant said rounds as said rounds approach said sprocket means, said summing means being rotatably mounted to said housing between said first and said second transfer wheels and being drivable thereby.

Claim 5

In a weapon system including a magazine for storing a quantity of ammunition rounds and dispensing said rounds at a first rate, carrier means for transferring said ammunition rounds from said magazine to a weapon for firing said rounds, and a weapon capable of firing said ammunition rounds at a second rate, the improvement which comprises means for correlating said first and second rates, said correlating means including a housing having a first fixed part for interconnecting said carrier means to said correlating means and a rotating part rotatable with respect to said first part, said rotating part being movable with said weapon in an azimuth plane, said correlating means including means for feeding rounds into said intermediate storage means from said carrier means, said feeding means being mounted to said first housing part and operating at a first rate, means for feeding said rounds from said intermediate storage means to said weapon at a second rate, said second rate feeding means being mounted to said rotating housing part, a first transfer wheel rotatably mounted to said housing and drivable at said first rate, a second transfer wheel rotatably mounted to said housing and drivable at said second rate, each of said first and said second transfer wheels comprising an annular structure including a hub having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds, and means for summing said first and said second feeding rates, said summing means being annular in plan and having an upper surface and a lower surface, each of said upper and lower surfaces having a pair of rims extending outwardly therefrom, and sprocket means for transferring ammunition rounds between said upper and lower transfer wheels, said rims being arranged in supportive relation to the ammunition rounds carried by said upper and lower transfer wheels and being adapted to cant said rounds as said rounds approach said sprocket means, said summing means being rotatably mounted to said housing between said first and said second transfer wheels and being drivable thereby.

Claim 6

A weapons system comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds, said magazine including means for feeding said ammunition rounds from said magazine at a first rate; first means for carrying the ammunition rounds from said magazine operatively connected to said magazine at a first end of said carrying means, said first carrying means comprising an ammunition conveyor, and a chute, said chute enclosing said conveyor; said chute and said conveyor being substantially fixed in length; a weapon capable of firing the ammunition rounds at a second rate, said weapon being movable in an azimuth plane and in an elevation plane; means for correlating said first rate and said second rate, said correlating means including a housing having a movable part and a stationary part, said stationary part being operatively connected to a first end of said first carrying means and including means for receiving the ammunition rounds from said magazine, said movable part being operatively connected to and movable with said weapon in said azimuth plane, said movable part including means for feeding the ammunition rounds from said correlating means, said correlating means including a first transfer wheel for storing a predetermined number of ammunition rounds rotatably mounted to said housing, said first transfer wheel being drivable at said first rate, a second transfer wheel for storing a predetermined number of ammunition rounds mounted to said housing, said second transfer wheel being drivable at said second rate, and differential means operatively connected between said first and said second transfer wheels and drivable thereby, said differential means including means for transferring ammunition rounds from said first transfer wheel to said second transfer wheel, said first and said second transfer wheels comprising annular structures including a hub portion having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds, said differential means comprising an annular structure having an upper surface and a lower surface, each of said upper and said lower surfaces having a pair of rims extending outwardly therefrom; and second means for carrying the ammunition rounds from said correlating means to said weapon operatively connected between said movable part of said correlating means and an input side of said weapon, said second carrying means comprising a conveyor and a chute, said chute enclosing said conveyor, said chute and said conveyor being movable in the elevation plane with said weapon.

Claim 7

A weapons system comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds, said magazine including means for feeding said ammunition rounds from said magazine at a first rate; first means for carrying the ammunition rounds from said magazine operatively connected to said magazine at a first end of said carrying means, said first carrying means comprising an ammunition conveyor, and a chute, said chute enclosing said conveyor; said chute and said conveyor being substantially fixed in length; a weapon capable of firing the ammunition rounds at a second rate, said weapon being movable in an azimuth plane and in an elevation plane; means for correlating said first rate and said second rate, said correlating means including a housing having a movable part and a stationary part, said stationary part being operatively connected to a first end of said first carrying means and including means for receiving the ammunition rounds from said magazine, said movable part being operatively connected to and movable with said weapon in said azimuth plane, said movable part including means for feeding the ammunition rounds from said correlating means, said correlating means including a first transfer wheel for storing a predetermined number of ammunition rounds rotatably mounted to said housing, said first transfer wheel being drivable at said first rate, a second transfer wheel for storing a predetermined number of ammunition rounds mounted to said housing, said second transfer wheel being drivable at said second rate, and differential means operatively connected between said first and said second transfer wheels and drivable thereby, said differential means including means for transferring ammunition rounds from said first transfer wheel to said second transfer wheel, said first and said second transfer wheels comprising annular structures including a hub portion having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds, said differential means comprising an annular structure having an upper surface and a lower surface, each of said upper and said lower surfaces having a pair of rims extending outwardly therefrom; and second means for carrying the ammunition rounds from said correlating means to said weapon operatively connected between said movable part of said correlating means and an input side of said weapon, said second carrying means comprising a conveyor and a chute, said chute enclosing said conveyor, said chute and said conveyor being movable in the elevation plane with said weapon.

Claim 8

The weapon system of claim 4 wherein said differential means includes a transfer sprocket for transferring said ammunition rounds from said first transfer wheel to said second transfer wheel, said rims being positioned with respect to said transfer sprocket so as to cant said ammunition rounds as individual ones of said ammunition rounds approach said transfer wheel.

Claim 11

The device of claim 6 wherein said first and said second storing means comprises an annular member including a hub having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7 wherein said stationary housing part includes a top wall, said top wall being defined by a lattice structure having a plurality of openings through it, said openings permitting observation of the chamber defined by said housing.

Claim 13

The device of claim 8 further characterized by means for canting individual rounds as said rounds approach the transferring means of said differential means.

Claim 14

A weapon system comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds, said magazine having an output side for dispensing said rounds at a first rate; first means for carrying the ammunition round output of said magazine, said first carrying means having a first end and a second end, said first end being operatively connected to said magazine output side; a weapon capable of firing said ammunition rounds at a second rate, said weapon including a round input portion, said weapon being movable in an azimuth plane and in an elevation plane; means for providing ammunition output drive from said magazine at said first rate operatively connected to said magazine; means for providing an ammunition input drive to said weapon at said second rate operatively connected to said weapon; means for correlating said first and said second rates, said correlating means including a housing having a movable part and a stationary part interconnected so as to define a chamber, said stationary part being operatively connected to the second end of said first conveying means, said movable part being adapted to move with said weapon in said azimuth plane, first means for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds movably mounted in said chamber, said first storing means being rotatably driven at said first rate, second means for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds movably mounted in said chamber, said second storage means being rotatably driven at said second rate, and differential means interposed between said first and said second storing means, said differential means including means for transferring rounds between said first and said second storage means, said transferring means being operatively connected between and driven by said first and said second storage means; and second means for carrying the ammunition round output of said magazine, said second carrying means being operatively connected between a movable part of said correlating means and the round input portion of said weapon.

Claim 15

A weapon system comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds, said magazine having an output side for dispensing said rounds at a first rate; first means for carrying the ammunition round output of said magazine, said first carrying means having a first end and a second end, said first end being operatively connected to said magazine output side; a weapon capable of firing said ammunition rounds at a second rate, said weapon including a round input portion, said weapon being movable in an azimuth plane and in an elevation plane; means for providing ammunition output drive from said magazine at said first rate operatively connected to said magazine; means for providing an ammunition input drive to said weapon at said second rate operatively connected to said weapon; means for correlating said first and said second rates, said correlating means including a housing having a movable part and a stationary part interconnected so as to define a chamber, said stationary part being operatively connected to the second end of said first conveying means, said movable part being adapted to move with said weapon in said azimuth plane, first means for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds movably mounted in said chamber, said first storing means being rotatably driven at said first rate, second means for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds movably mounted in said chamber, said second storage means being rotatably driven at said second rate, and differential means interposed between said first and said second storing means, said differential means including means for transferring rounds between said first and said second storage means, said transferring means being operatively connected between and driven by said first and said second storage means; and second means for carrying the ammunition round output of said magazine, said second carrying means being operatively connected between a movable part of said correlating means and the round input portion of said weapon.

Claim 16

In a weapons system including a magazine for storing a quantity of ammunition rounds, said magazine having an ammunition output rate, a firing weapon, said weapon being an ammunition firing rate, and an ammunition carrying system for transferring ammunition from said magazine to said firing weapon, the improvement which comprises intermediate means for correlating said output rate with said firing rate interposed in said carrier system between said weapon and said magazine, said correlating means including an enclosure defining a chamber, first storage means for storing a number of ammunition rounds mounted in said enclosure, second storage means for storing a number of ammunition rounds mounted in said enclosure, means for rotatably driving said first storage means at the output rate of said magazine, means for rotatably driving said second storage means at the firing rate of said weapon, and means for transferring rounds between said first and said second storage means at a point proportional to said magazine output rate and said weapon firing rate, said transferring means being operatively connected between and driven by said first and said second storage means.

Claim 17

In a weapons system including a magazine for storing a quantity of ammunition rounds, said magazine having an ammunition output rate, a firing weapon, said weapon being an ammunition firing rate, and an ammunition carrying system for transferring ammunition from said magazine to said firing weapon, the improvement which comprises intermediate means for correlating said output rate with said firing rate interposed in said carrier system between said weapon and said magazine, said correlating means including an enclosure defining a chamber, first storage means for storing a number of ammunition rounds mounted in said enclosure, second storage means for storing a number of ammunition rounds mounted in said enclosure, means for rotatably driving said first storage means at the output rate of said magazine, means for rotatably driving said second storage means at the firing rate of said weapon, and means for transferring rounds between said first and said second storage means at a point proportional to said magazine output rate and said weapon firing rate, said transferring means being operatively connected between and driven by said first and said second storage means.

Claim 18

The improvement of claim 11 wherein said correlating means includes a housing having a first stationary part, a second rotatable part intermountable with said stationary part to define said chamber, input means for feeding rounds into said intermediate storage means from said magazine at said magazine output rate mounted to said stationary part, and means for feeding rounds to said weapon from said intermediate storage means at said weapon firing rate mounted to said rotatable part.

Claim 19

The improvement of claim 12 wherein said first and said second storage means are annular in plan and are rotatably mounted in the chamber defined by said housing, individual ones of said storage means including a hub portion having a plurality of fingers extending radially outwardly from it, said fingers including means for engaging individual ones of said ammunition rounds.

Claim 20

The improvement of claim 13 wherein said transferring means comprises a differential operatively connected between said first and said second storage means, said differential including means for transferring rounds between said first and said second storage means.

Claim 21

The improvement of claim 14 wherein said carrier system is characterized by a substantially fixed length conveyor connected between said stationary housing part and said magazine.

Claim 22

The improvement of claim 15 wherein said firing weapon is mounted in a gun turret, said correlating means being mounted adjacent said turret.

Claim 23

The improvement of claim 16 wherein said rotatably mounted part comprises a portion of said gun turret.

Claim 24

In an ammunition transfer system for transferring ammunition from a storage area to a firing weapon, the improvement comprising intermediate storage means for storing a number of rounds of ammunition, said storing means including a housing defining a chamber, said housing having ingress and egress openings in it communicating with said chamber, means for feeding ammunition rounds into said chamber at said ingress opening, said ingress feeding means operating at a first rate, means for feeding rounds to said firing weapon at said egress opening, said egress feeding means operating at a second rate, and means for summing said input and said output rates, said summing means comprising a first transfer wheel rotatably mounted in said chamber and adapted to receive and store a predetermined number of ammunition rounds, said first transfer wheel being rotatably driven at said first rate, a second transfer wheel rotatably mounted in said chamber and adapted to receive and store a predetermined number of ammunition rounds, said second transfer wheel being rotatably driven at said second rate, and differential means mounted for rotation in said chamber, said differential means being positioned intermediate said first and said second transfer wheels and being operatively connected thereto, said differential means including means for transferring rounds between said first and said second transfer wheel, and means for allowing said differential means to seek an azimuthal position proportional to the speed of rotation of said first and said second transfer wheels during ammunition round transfer therebetween.

Claim 25

In an ammunition transfer system for transferring ammunition from a storage area to a firing weapon, the improvement comprising intermediate storage means for storing a number of rounds of ammunition, said storing means including a housing defining a chamber, said housing having ingress and egress openings in it communicating with said chamber, means for feeding ammunition rounds into said chamber at said ingress opening, said ingress feeding means operating at a first rate, means for feeding rounds to said firing weapon at said egress opening, said egress feeding means operating at a second rate, and means for summing said input and said output rates, said summing means comprising a first transfer wheel rotatably mounted in said chamber and adapted to receive and store a predetermined number of ammunition rounds, said first transfer wheel being rotatably driven at said first rate, a second transfer wheel rotatably mounted in said chamber and adapted to receive and store a predetermined number of ammunition rounds, said second transfer wheel being rotatably driven at said second rate, and differential means mounted for rotation in said chamber, said differential means being positioned intermediate said first and said second transfer wheels and being operatively connected thereto, said differential means including means for transferring rounds between said first and said second transfer wheel, and means for allowing said differential means to seek an azimuthal position proportional to the speed of rotation of said first and said second transfer wheels during ammunition round transfer therebetween.