Structure for article handling systems

Claim 2

An article handling system for rounds of ammunition each having a necked case and a projectile comprising: an outer drum having a plurality of mutually spaced apart, centripetally directed, longitudinally extending guides, mutually adjacent guides defining respective channels for receiving longitudinally extending rows of rounds; an inner shaft means having a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns; channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin; a frist additional pair of respectively integrally continuous guide rings, one on each side of said fin, each respectively spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a radial distance whereat each said first guide ring bears against the neck of the case of each round.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1 further including: a second additional pair of respectively integrally continuous guide rings, one on each side of said fin, each respectively spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a radial distance whereat each said second guide ring bears against the ogive of the projectile of each round.

Claim 4

A helical assembly comprising: a cylinder; a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder; a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abuting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate.

Claim 5

A helical assembly comprising: a cylinder; a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder; a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abuting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate.

Claim 6

An assembly according to claim 3 further comprising: a second continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abuting the second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate.

Claim 7

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein: said first and second strips are fixed to said first and second plates respectively.

Claim 8

A helix assembly comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges.

Claim 9

A helix assembly comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges.

Claim 10

A helix assembly according to claim 6 further comprising: a second continuous guide ring, on the other side of said fin from said first ring, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a second radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges.

Claim 11

A helix assembly according to claim 7 wherein: said first and second radial distances are substantially equal.

Claim 12

A helix assembly according to claim 8 further including: an additional pair of respectively continuous guide rings, one on each side of said fin, each respectively spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a third radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges.

Claim 13

A helix assembly for rounds of ammunition each having a necked case and a projectile comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; a second continuous guide ring, on the other side of said fin from said first ring, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a second radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; said first and second radial distances being substantially equal; said first and second guide rings for bearing against the neck of the case of each round.

Claim 14

A helix assembly for rounds of ammunition each having a necked case and a projectile comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; a second continuous guide ring, on the other side of said fin from said first ring, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a second radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; said first and second radial distances being substantially equal; said first and second guide rings for bearing against the neck of the case of each round.

Claim 15

A helix assembly for rounds of ammunition each having a necked case and a projectile comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; a second continuous guide ring, on the other side of said fin from said first ring, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a second radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; said first and second radial distances being substantially equal; an additional pair of respectively continuous guide rings, one on each side of said fin, each respectively spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a third radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; each of said additional guide rings for bearing against the ogive of the projectile of each round.

Claim 16

A helix assembly for rounds of ammunition each having a necked case and a projectile comprising: an inner shaft means, a helical fin comprising a continuous folded plate structure spiraling around said shaft means in a plurality of turns, channel means spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensively with said fin and fastened to and between said shaft means and said fin, said fin having a shaft means-distal helical edge and a shaft means-proximal helical edge; a first continuous guide ring, on one side of said fin, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a first radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; a second continuous guide ring, on the other side of said fin from said first ring, spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a second radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; said first and second radial distances being substantially equal; an additional pair of respectively continuous guide rings, one on each side of said fin, each respectively spiraling around said shaft means in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said fin and fastened thereto at a third radial distance between said shaft means distal and proximal fin edges; each of said additional guide rings for bearing against the ogive of the projectile of each round.

Claim 17

An article handling system comprising: an outer drum having a plurality of mutually spaced apart, centripetally directed, longitudinally extending guides, mutually adjacent guides defining respective channels for receiving longitudinally extending rows of articles; and an inner shaft means having a cylinder, a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder, a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate.

Claim 18

An article handling system comprising: an outer drum having a plurality of mutually spaced apart, centripetally directed, longitudinally extending guides, mutually adjacent guides defining respective channels for receiving longitudinally extending rows of articles; and an inner shaft means having a cylinder, a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder, a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 12 further comprising: a second continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting the second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 13 further comprising: a third continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said first strip, and abutting said first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 14 further comprising: a fourth continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said second strip, and abutting said second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate.

Claim 22

An article handling system for articles having an upper portion of a first diameter and a lower portion of a second diameter comprising: an outer drum having a plurality of mutually spaced apart, centripetally directed, longitudinally extending guides, mutually adjacent guides defining respective channels for receiving longitudinally extending rows of articles; and an inner shaft means having a cylinder; a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder; a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate; a second continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting the second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate; a third continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said first strip, and abutting said first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate; a fourth continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said second strip, and abutting said second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate; said first and second strips for bearing against the upper portion of each article, and said second and fourth strips for bearing against the lower portion of each article.

Claim 23

An article handling system for articles having an upper portion of a first diameter and a lower portion of a second diameter comprising: an outer drum having a plurality of mutually spaced apart, centripetally directed, longitudinally extending guides, mutually adjacent guides defining respective channels for receiving longitudinally extending rows of articles; and an inner shaft means having a cylinder; a helical fin comprising an integrally continuous folded plate structure having a repeated cycle of four flat, substantially triangular plates, two extending substantially transversely and two extending substantially longitudinally, each plate bent with a substantially sharp fold from the next adjacent plate, spiraling around said cylinder in a plurality of turns and fastened to said cylinder; a first continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting a first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate; a second continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure and abutting the second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate; a third continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said first strip, and abutting said first of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said first plate; a fourth continuous strip spiraling around said cylinder in a like plurality of turns coextensive with said folded plate structure, at a uniform spacing from said second strip, and abutting said second of said transversely extending plates in each cycle along an area intermediate the cylinder-distal and cylinder-proximal ends of said second plate; said first and second strips for bearing against the upper portion of each article, and said second and fourth strips for bearing against the lower portion of each article.