Cartridge feeder

Claim 2

A mechanism for interchangeably feeding cartridges of different types to a firearm and comprising a frame, two cartridge feeders each having a rotary sprocket drive and associated ramming tray, the rotary sprocket drives being supported in parallel spaced relation on the frame, the ramming trays being pivotable about rotatioNal axes of their respective rotary sprocket drive for independent rocking movements toward and away from a common operative position intermediate said sprocket drive axes, and a selector control operably connected to the cartridge feeders for alternatively locating the ramming trays in said common operative position.

Claim 3

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said common operative position of the ramming trays is located midway between the rotational axes of their respective rotary sprocket drives but in a position located below a plane containing said sprocket drive axes and in operative alignment with a chamber of the firearm.

Claim 4

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the selector control is manually operable and drivingly interconnects the ramming trays for locating one of the ramming trays in operative position during withdrawal of the other ramming tray therefrom to effect immediate interchange in the ammunition selected.

Claim 5

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the selector control includes a feeder control link pivotally mounted on and drivingly interconnecting the ramming trays of the cartridge feeders, and a selectively operable changeover control shaft rotatably supported on the frame intermediate said sprocket drive axes and drivingly coupled to the feeder control link for alternatively moving the ramming trays toward and away from said common operative position.

Claim 6

The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the changeover control shaft has a manual operating handle extending radially outwardly thereof and disposed externally of the frame, the operating handle being rotatable in opposite angular directions between first and second limit positions for locating the ramming trays alternatively in said operative position, selective movement of the operating handle into said first and second limit positions alternatively locating one of the ramming trays in said operative position with the other tray being automatically moved by the changeover control shaft and the feeder control link into a remote inactive position.

Claim 7

The mechanism of claim 5 wherein the operating handle is movable into a ''''safe'''' position intermediate said first and second limit positions, and wherein movement of the operating handle into said ''''safe'''' position drives the changeover control shaft and feeder control link to pivot each of the ramming trays into an inoperative position intermediate their common operative position and their respective remote inactive positions.

Claim 8

The mechanism of claim 6 further including a releasable locking device carried on the operating handle, a plurality of detent means on the frame establishing said first and second limit positions and said ''''safe'''' position for the operating handle, the detent means providing locking engagement of the releasable locking device with the frame upon movement of the operating handle into positions corresponding to said first and second limit positions and said ''''safe'''' position, and spring means normally biasing the locking device into positive locking engagement with the detent means, whereby the locking device must be positively and intentionally released for precluding inadvertent changeover.

Claim 9

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the firearm has a recoiling member linearly reciprocable between a recoiled position and a runout position, a shuttle mounted for reciprocating motion transversely of the axis of movement of the recoiling member responsive to its linear reciprocating movements, and a one-way, two-step feeder drive coupling the shuttle to each cartridge feeder alternatively upon movement of its respective ramming tray into operative position.

Claim 10

The mechanism of claim 8 wherein cam path means are formed on one of the shuttle and firearm recoiling members, and wherein cam follower means are formed on the other of the shuttle and firearm recoiling members for following engagement with the cam path means to effect said transverse reciprocating motion of the shuttle responsive to linear reciprocating movemEnt of the recoiling member.

Claim 11

The mechanism of claim 8 wherein the feeder drive includes an escapement device for each cartridge feeder, the escapement devices each having feed pawl means and a ratchet wheel, the ratchet wheel being coaxially fixed to its respective rotary sprocket drive and rotatable by the feed pawl means in one angular direction, the feed pawl means being mounted for pivotal movement with its respective ramming tray into and out of driving connection with the shuttle responsive to movement of its ramming tray respectively into and away from said operative position, the feed pawl means effecting rotation of its ratchet wheel and rotary sprocket drive in said one angular feeding direction when its ramming tray is in said operative position with said feed pawl means drivingly connected with the shuttle, for effecting said two-step cartridge feed responsive to recoil and counterrecoil movements of the recoiling member between recoiled and runout positions.

Claim 12

The mechanism of claim 8 wherein a ratchet wheel is coaxially fixed on each rotary sprocket drive, wherein a rocket arm is supported for pivotal movement on the ramming tray of each cartridge feeder about an axis parallel to its sprocket drive axis, wherein a pivot pin is supported on a swinging end of each rocket arm, wherein a pair of pawls are mounted for pivotal movement on the pivot pin of each cartridge feeder and extend therefrom for engagement with its ratchet wheel in diametrically spaced relation thereon, and wherein the pivot pin of each cartridge feeder is drivingly engageable with the shuttle upon movement of its associated ramming tray into said operative position.

Claim 13

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein one of the pawls of each escapement device is engageable in driving relation to its ratchet wheel during movement of the shuttle in one linear direction for rotating its sprocket drive a predetermined angular increment in a feeding direction, and wherein the other of the pawls of each escapement device is engageable in driving relation to its ratchet wheel during movement of the shuttle in an opposite linear direction for rotating its sprocket drive an additional predetermined angular increment in the same feeding direction.

Claim 14

The mechanism of claim 12 wherein at least one of the pawls of each escapement device is engageable with its ratchet wheel regardless of the position of its associated ramming tray and serves as a no-back pawl to maintain its sprocket drive against undesired angular rotation in a direction opposite said feeding direction.

Claim 15

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the pawl pivot pin of each escapement device is disengaged from the shuttle upon movement of its ramming tray away from said operative position.

Claim 16

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the frame includes a wall member having a pair of pivot pin guide slots formed thereon, and wherein the pawl pivot pin of each cartridge feeder is movable along one of said guide slots during rocking movements of its ramming tray toward and away from said operative position.

Claim 17

The mechanism of claim 15 wherein the shuttle is movable into first and second limit positions when the recoiling member is in recoiled and runout positions respectively, wherein the shuttle is formed with a pair of drive slots for respectively receiving the pawl pivot pins of the cartridge feeders, and wherein the shuttle drive slots are registrable with the frame guide slots when the shuttle is in said first limit position.

Claim 18

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the ramming trays each include cartridge guide means pivotable between a normal position, disposed in interfering relation to withdrawal of a cartridge in its respective ramming tray along a cartridge feed path, and a second position in angularly displaced relation to its normal position for permitting passage of an incoming cartridge along the cartridge feed path into its ramming tray under the driving force of its rotary sprocket drive, and a spring mounted on each ramming tray Urging its cartridge guide means toward its normal position.

Claim 19

The mechanism of claim 17 wherein the cartridge guide means includes a rim guide having a projection insertable into a cannelure of a cartridge positioned within its ramming tray for positively maintaining that cartridge against unintended axial displacement.

Claim 20

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the cartridges fed to the cartridge feeders are connected by disintegrating link belts, wherein the frame has cartridge receiving openings on opposite longitudinal sides of the firearm in operative alignment with the rotary sprocket drives for receiving different types of disintegrating link belt fed cartridges respectively, and wherein the cartridge feeders each include a cartridge stripping chute adjacent its respective opening for receiving cartridge links in captured relation as the cartridges are fed into the cartridge feeders by their respective rotary sprocket drives.

Claim 21

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is of an integral modular construction releasably attachable as a unit on the firearm.

Claim 22

The mechanism of claim 20 wherein the firearm includes a receiver, wherein a releasable pivotal mounting connection is made between the firearm receiver and the frame of the feed mechanism on opposite sides of the firearm receiver, the mounting connection on both sides of the frame being independently releasable for rocking the modular feed mechanism selectively about its opposite sides to permit access to the interior of the firearm and the bottom of the feed mechanism without removing the feed mechanism in its entirety from the firearm.