US2970521A - Combined firearm and cartridge structure providing for discharge of the cartridges while linked - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 7, 1961 c. R. BELL ETAL 2,970,521

COMBINED FIREARM AND CARTRIDGE STRUCTURE PROVIDING FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CARTRIDGES WHILE LINKED Filed Aug. 26, 1957 E :EiEli- INVENTORJI v 24 1211111125. 11-15am Egg'ana EJ071155 a1 United States Patent Ofifice 2,970,521 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 COMBINED FIREARM AND CARTRIDGE STRUC- TURE PROVIDING FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CARTRIDGES WHILE LINKED Charles R. Bell, Canoga Park, Calif., and Eugene S.

Wassel, La Grange, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Aug. 26,1957, Ser. No. 680,371

2 Claims. (CI. 89-33) Our invention relates to ammunition belts for guns and more particularly to such a belt having cartridges pivotally connected to form the belt.

This application includes structure shown but not claimed in the application of Samuel Altschuler entitled SingleShuttle T win-Barrel Gun, Serial Number 639,142, filed February 8, 1957.

A rapid fire gun is provided with a pair of barrels and a pair of sprocket-wheels disposed for rotation to convey cartridges alternately to the firing stations of the barrels for alternate discharge of the cartridge projectiles therethrough. A bolt is disposed for slidable reciprocation for alternate engagement with the sprocket-wheels to cooperate therewith in indexing the cartridges in the firing stations, and the bolt and the sprockets are actuated responsive to the discharge.

It is the object of this invention to adapt such a gun for the discharge of cartridges of quadrangular crosssection designed to be pivotally linkedat the bases thereof to form a pair of belts and to be discharged in the gun without being disconnected.

Other aims and objects of our invention will appear from the following explanation thereof.

In carrying out our invention, an ammunition belt includes cartridges having cases each provided with symmetrically disposed sides including a base conforming to the curvature of the sprocket-wheels between the sprockets thereof, and an opposing arched side which is joined by a pair of connecting sides diverging therefrom to conform with the configuration of the chamber recesses in the bolt.

The case includes a sleeve with a cylindrical aperture for inclosing the projectile and is thickened at the junctions of the connecting sides with the base to reinforce the case where adjacent the division between the sprocketwheels and the bolt.

The members of a hinged connector are secured to the contiguous junctures of adjacent cases and the members are pin connected to join the cartridges and form the ammunition belt.

For a more complete understanding, reference is directed to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic gun with an ammunition belt therefor incorporating our inven tion;

Fig. 2 is a view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a cartridge, partly in section; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged exploded view of a connector.

Shown in the figures is a gun 14 of shuttle-bolt type wherein a pair of sprocket-wheels 15 respectively engage a pair of ammuntion belts 12 to sequentially move the cartridges 16 retained therein to firing stations in re spective alignment with the bores of a pair of barrels 19. The cartridges 16 are substantially quadrangular in crosssection and of truncated roof configuration, as hereinafter described, and each of the sprocket-wheels 15 is provided with a cylindrical portion 24 from the circular periphery of which there radially extends a plurality of sprockets 32. The sprockets 32 are relatively short in length and project only as far as is necessary to grip the bases of the cartridges for transferring rotation of the sprocket-wheels 15 to ammunition belt 12. Formed between pairs of the sprockets 32 are arcuate root portions 17 which are portions of the periphery of cylindrical portion 24.

A bolt 34 is disposed for reciprocation into alternate engagement at the opposite ends thereof with a pair of the sprockets on each of the sprocket-wheels. Provided in each of such opposite ends of bolt 34 is a recess 36 which cooperates with the inner walls of the engaged pair of sprockets 32 and the root portion 17 therebetween to form a firing chamber 35 for inclosing a cartridge 16 when in one of the firing stations for discharge therein.

Each of the cartridges 16 is provided with a case 18 having a base portion 37 provided with a planar inner surface and an outer surface 20 which is concavely curved so as to full engage one of the root portions 17 when engaged therewith during rotation of the corresponding sprocket-wheel 15 to the respective one of the firing stations. Base portion 37 is joined at opposite sides to a pair of side portions 30 which are joined at the opposite ends to anarched portion 28. An end portion 33 incloses the rear end of case 18 and is provided with a primer 41. The side portions 30 are provided with planar inner surfaces which are disposed at right angles to the planar inner surface of base portion 37, however, the outside surfaces of side portions taper outwardly from arched portion 28 to the base portion. Thereby, an extra thickness of material is provided at the junction of the side portions 30 with base portion 37 for reinforcing the portions of case 18 which are adjacent the divisions of firing chamber 35, Where bolt 34 engages the cooperating pair of sprockets 32, to withstand the forces of the explosion when propellant 42 is ignited by primer 41. The outside portion of the junction of the sides 30 with base 37 is shaped, as noted at 47, to coincide with the corresponding surfaces of the sprockets 32. The inner surfaces of base portion 37, side portion 30, arched portion 28 and end portion 33 form an opening 45 in the forward end of which there is slidably retained a sleeve 43 which is provided with a cylindrical aperture 38 for receiving a projectile 40. When propellant 42 is ignited, the force of the explosion causes sleeve 43 to be moved forwardly into engagement with the base of the respective one of the barrels 19 to seal the space between such barrel and the discharged cartridge 16.

Extending outwardly from opposite sides of base portion 37 along the length thereof, are connecting portions 48 and 50 which are provided respectively with hinge loops 52 and 53 arranged so that hinge loop 52 on one case 18 is alignable with hinge loop 53 on another case to jointly receive a pin 54, as shown by Fig. 5. Thus, a plurality of cartridges 16 may be hingedly joined to form the ammunition belts 12. Suitable clearance cuts (not shown) are provided in the sprockets 32 to receive the loops 52 and 53 so that the outer surface 20 of base portion 37 may fully engage root portion 17.

Thus, it is readily apparent that there is herein provided a cartridge which is readily interconnectable to others to form an ammunition belt. Also, by cartridge 16 being hinged where engaged with the sprocket-wheels 15, it is obvious that the diameter thereof may be reduced considerably, permitting a reduction in the silhouette of gun 14. Further, because of the truncated roof configuration of the cartridges 16 and, because the cartridges are joined at the bases thereof, the length of the sprockets 32 may be much shorter than those required for cylindrical cartridges which must be engaged above the dead centers thereof.

Moreover, it is evident that cartridges 16 and the ammunition belt 12 formed thereby are especially well adapted for use in a twin-barrel gun of shuttle-bolt type wherein a reciprocating bolt engageably cooperates with a pair of sprocket-wheels in forming split-type firing chambers. This is because the engagement between the bolt and sprocket-wheels, which forms divisions of the firing chambers, may be made adjacent base portion 37, where extra material may be readily provided to reinforce case 18 at such division because of the very short length required of the sprockets 32.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

We claim:

1. In combination, a cartridge of quadrangular crosssection including a longitudinally disposed base portion, connector portions extending laterally from said base portion to provide means for hingedly connecting a plurality of cartridges at said base portions to form a belt jointed for pivotal displacement thereof, and a firearm comprising a bolt mounted for lateral reciprocation therein and including a recess in one of the opposite ends for laterally receiving that portion of said cartridge extending from said base portion, a sprocket-wheel rotatably disposed in the firearm in alignment with the path of travel of said bolt, a cylindrical portion of said sprocket-wheel rotatably disposed adjacent the recess carrying end of said bolt, a plurality of sprockets symmetrically disposed around said cylindrical portion for engaging said base portions of said cartridges in said belt between successive pairs of said sprockets to rotatably carry said cartridges into position to be received by said recess, the pairs of said sprockets being disposed for engagement by the recess carrying end of said bolt to form therewith a firing chamber for the discharge of the inclosed one of said cartridges, said sprockets being extensively terminated at said base portion for engagement by said bolt adjacent thereto, an outside surface of said base portion curved to mate with said cylindrical portion for positioning said connector portions adjacent said cylindrical portion when said cartridges are in engagement with said sprocket-wheel, and a clearance cut in each of said sprockets for receiving said connector portions.

2. In combination, a cartridge of quadrangular crosssection including a longitudinally disposed base portion, connector portions extending laterally from the sides of said base portion to provide means for hingedly connecting a plurality of said cartridges to form a belt jointed for pivotal displacement about said base portions, and a firearm comprising a pair of sprocket-wheels rotatably mounted therein for successively carrying said cartridges in a pair of said belts into longitudinal alignment with a pair of barrels, a bolt mounted for lateral reciprocation in the firearm to alternately engage the opposite ends thereof with said sprocket-wheels, a recess in each of the opposite ends of said bolt for laterally receiving one of said cartridges when positioned by one of said sprocket-wheels in alignment with the respective one of the barrels, each of said sprocket-wheels being provided with a plurality of sprockets disposed symmetrically therearound for engaging said base portions of said cartridges in said belts between successive pairs of said sprockets to transfer rotation of said sprocket-wheels to said belts and to rotatably carry said cartridges into position to be received by said recesses during reciprocation of said bolt and for engagement of successive pairs of said sprockets by said bolt to form a firing chamber for the discharge of the inclosed cartridge, said sprockets being extensively terminated at said base portion of the engaged one of said cartridges for engagement of said bolt with said sprockets adjacent said base portion, and a clearance cut through each of said sprockets to receive said connector portions when said belts are rotated by said sprocketwheels to permit uninterrupted engagement of said bolt with said sprockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 476,591 Archbold June 7, 1892 683,384 Cole Sept. 24, 1901 2,847,784 Dardick Aug. 19, 1958

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