Ammunition reloader

Claim 2

In an apparatus for metering powder from a supply to a cartridge: support means, a displaceable member having a metering aperture therein, control means for relatively slowly and cyclically displacing the member between a first position wherein powder is conveyed to the aperture from a supply and a second position wherein powder is conveyed from the aperture to a cartridge disposed on the support means, and means on the control means for relatively abruptly and cyclically displacing the member relative to the control means while the member is approximately in each of the first and second positions.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the control means includes a cam mounted on the support means and having first and second portions defining the first and second positions of the member.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the cam is substantially vertical, the first and second portions being substantially continuous but horizontally offset from one another, the member having a follower portion engaging the cam, the apparatus including drive means for vertically displacing the member relative to the cam.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means on the control means includes first and second notches in the first and second portions of the cam, respectively, and bias means for urging the follower portion into the notches as the member is displaced relative to the cam.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the bias means includes first and second spring plungers disposed in the cam opposite the first and second notches, respectively.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the follower portion of the member includes first and second opposite and vertically offset lobes for engaging the cam, the notches and spring plungers of the cam being vertically offset such that the first lobe encounters a spring plunger as the second lobe encounters a notch.

Claim 8

In an apparatus for metering powder from a supply to a cartridge, support means, a first member movable relative to the support means and having a first substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, a second member movable with the first member and having a second substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, the first and second apertures being horizontally offset from one another, a slide member disposed between the first and second members and horizontally displaceable relative thereto, the slide member having a third substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, control means on the support means for relatively slowly and cyclically displacing the slide member relative to the first and second members between a first position wherein the first and third apertures are aligned and a second position wherein the second and third apertures are aligned, and means on the control means for relatively abruptly and cyclically displacing the slide member relative to the control means while the slide member is in each of the first and second positions.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for metering powder from a supply to a cartridge, support means, a first member movable relative to the support means and having a first substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, a second member movable with the first member and having a second substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, the first and second apertures being horizontally offset from one another, a slide member disposed between the first and second members and horizontally displaceable relative thereto, the slide member having a third substantially vertically extending aperture for conveying powder, control means on the support means for relatively slowly and cyclically displacing the slide member relative to the first and second members between a first position wherein the first and third apertures are aligned and a second position wherein the second and third apertures are aligned, and means on the control means for relatively abruptly and cyclically displacing the slide member relative to the control means while the slide member is in each of the first and second positions.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the control means includes a cam vertically disposed on the support means and having first and second horizontally offset portions defining the first and second positions of the slide member, respectively, said slide member having a follower portion engaging the cam.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined iN claim 8 including drive means for vertically displacing the slide member and the first and second members relative to the cam.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means on the control means includes first and second notches in the first and second portions of the cam, respectively, and bias means for urging the follower portion into the notches as the member is displaced relative to the cam.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the bias means includes first and second spring plungers disposed in the cam opposite the first and second notches, respectively.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the follower portion of the member includes first and second opposite and vertically offset lobes for engaging the cam, the notches and spring plungers of the cam being vertically offset such that the first lobe engages a spring plunger as the second lobe encounters a notch.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including at least one vertical guide pin mounted on the support means and engaging the first and second members during the vertical displacement thereof.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including a powder supply tube mounted on the first member and communicating with the first aperture.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including a cartridge receiving spool mounted on the second member and communicating with the second aperture.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the drive means includes a motor, a crank connected to the motor and rotated thereby and a connecting rod connected between the crank and the second member to impart a cyclic vertical displacement thereto.

Claim 19

In an apparatus for the loading of ammunition; a first assembly, a second assembly, means for imparting a cyclical and vertical relative displacement between the assemblies, a slide member disposed in a horizontally displaceable relation on the first assembly, at least one substantially vertical cam on the second assembly, the cam having first and second horizontal offset, vertical legs connected by an obliquely oriented inclined section, the slide member having a follower portion engaging the cam to be positively driven by the cam such that said slide member follows the cam along the first and second legs and the inclined section thereby reciprocally placing the member in first and second operating positions during each vertical displacement cycle of the first assembly.

Claim 20

In an apparatus for the loading of ammunition; a first assembly, a second assembly, means for imparting a cyclical and vertical relative displacement between the assemblies, a slide member disposed in a horizontally displaceable relation on the first assembly, at least one substantially vertical cam on the second assembly, the cam having first and second horizontal offset, vertical legs connected by an obliquely oriented inclined section, the slide member having a follower portion engaging the cam to be positively driven by the cam such that said slide member follows the cam along the first and second legs and the inclined section thereby reciprocally placing the member in first and second operating positions during each vertical displacement cycle of the first assembly.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the slide member includes two vertically offset cam-following lobes which are spaced apart horizontally to correspond to the cam thickness and at opposite ends of obliquely oriented cam following surfaces, said surfaces being parallel and corresponding to the oblique angle of the inclined cam section, such that one of the following surfaces engages the inclined cam section on the upstroke of the vertical displacement cycle thereby forcing the slide member into its first position while the other following surface engages the inclined cam section on the downstroke of the vertical displacement similarly forcing the slide member into its second position.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first assembly is a platen assembly comprising first and second plate members and a spacer between said first and second members to define a passageway, said passageway permitting horizontal displacement of the slide member during the cyclical vertical displacement of the platen assembly, and the second assembly is a base.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said means for imparting includes a motor-driven crank in said base and rotating a connecting rod connected between the crank and the second plate member.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the slide member includes a material metering aperture and two vertically offset cam-following lobes which are spaced apart horizontally to correspond to the cam thickness and at opposite ends of obliquely oriented cam following surfaces, said surfaces being parallel and Corresponding to the oblique angle of the inclined cam section, such that one of the following surfaces engages the inclined cam section on the upstroke of the vertical platen assembly displacement thereby forcing the material metering slide member into its first position while the other following surface engages the inclined cam section on the downstroke of the vertical displacement similarly forcing the material metering slide member into its second position.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first and second vertical legs are horizontally offset by the obliquely oriented inclined section, by the distance desired for the horizontal displacement of the material-metering slide member.