GB624355A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for supplying ammunition to automatic firearms - Google Patents

Abstract

624,355. Automatic firearms. BRISTOL AEROPLANE CO., Ltd., FONSECA, E. C. M. D., and GREEN, S. March 6, 1945, No. 5617. [Class 92(ii)] An ammunition supply system of the kind in which the ammunition is disposed remotely of the firearm is characterised in that the rounds of ammunition travel over at least a part of their path in a separated condition and in that each round is automatically engaged by a spacing member which is carried along therewith, when moving along this path, to maintain the long axes of the rounds parallel to one another, the spacing member being automatically disengaged from the round prior to the latter entering the gun. In the construction shown, the rounds.are fed in belt form from a supply source beneath a turret through a shoot 11 as described in Specification 624,354, and are stripped from the belt by mechanism 12 as in Specification 598,658, the stripped rounds being fed to a pair of guns 10 as described in Specification 624,357 under the control of a deflector plate located adjacent a fork 14 and constructed as in Specification 624,356. Thus, the rounds after being stripped at 12 are delivered to a passageway 13 and pass thence to the telescopic arms 17 of accumulator shoots 15 and thence via adits 18 to the guns. To maintain the stripped rounds parallel to one another, each is automatically fitted on its nose with a ring 19 having a diameter substantially equal to the base of the round. These rings follow a closed circuit including accumulator shoots 24, similar to the shoots 15, and a further shoot 31. The rings are urged in a downward direction by sprockets 29 which are driven by sprockets 28, the latter engaging the rounds of ammunition and being driven thereby when the corresponding gun is firing. As shown in Fig. 3, the shoot 31 merges into the turret shoot 11 so that the rings 19 are gradually moved towards the rounds to fit over their noses, being prevented from falling into shoot 11 by a guide strip 32. The rings are applied to the rounds before stripping and as the rounds are then more widely spaced than the rings in shoot 31, a spacing device 36, Fig. 6, is provided. This device comprises discs 33 of polygonal outline, around which passes a belt 34 having fingers 35 adapted to engage the rings 19 and to space them apart. The discs are rotated by the belt through the agency of the rings located at 19a, 19b. The rings are removed from the rounds at points near the guns 10 by guide strips which engage the rings, the separated rings being delivered to the shoots 24.