AMBIDEXTROUS BOTTOM BELT FEED AND BOX FEED FIREARM

Abstract

A belt feed mechanism for a firearm can be oriented with a feed side (or ejection side) of the mechanism on either the left or right side of the firearm when mounted to the firearm. The belt feed mechanism is configured to slide out to the feed side of the mechanism for loading and push back in toward the ejection side of the mechanism to feed ammunition from a disintegrating ammunition belt into the firearm. The belt feed mechanism includes a male ammunition box dovetail extending downward from a cradle of the mechanism configured to insert into a female recess in an ammunition box to hang the ammunition box from the belt feed mechanism.

Description

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to firearms. More particularly, this invention pertains to firearms capable of feeding ammunition from a disintegrating belt (i.e., linked ammunition).

Belt fed light machine guns may be carried by soldiers or mounted to stationary mounts or vehicles. Using ammunition belts instead of box magazines allows the gun to fire many more rounds before needing to be reloaded. Current light machine guns such as the M249 and M240B are open bolt, top loading machine guns configured to receive a disintegrating belt (i.e., linked ammunition) from the left side of the gun. These guns can be problematic for left handed shooters to operate, particularly to open and close the top cover and charge the gun after reloading. The links from the last rounds must be manually cleared from the action at the end of a belt of ammunition. Additionally, it is difficult to check the loading of the machine gun because the top cover must be opened. M249 and M240B are also subject to inaccuracy because any optics must be mounted on the hinged top cover which is routinely opened and closed causing slight movement of the top cover and optic relative to the action and barrel of the gun.

Additionally, ammo cans, pouches, or drums mount to the bottom of the M249 via a male protrusion. The male protrusion can cause issues with stacking or swapping M249 ammo cans or pouches because the male protrusions make stacks unstable, and the male protrusions get snagged on each other and bags containing the additional ammo cans or pouches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present invention provide a belt feed mechanism for a firearm that can be oriented with a feed side (or ejection side) of the mechanism on either the left or right side of the firearm when mounted to the firearm. The belt feed mechanism is configured to slide out to the feed side of the mechanism for loading and push back in toward the ejection side of the mechanism to feed ammunition from a disintegrating ammunition belt into the firearm. The belt feed mechanism includes a male ammunition box dovetail extending downward from a cradle of the mechanism configured to insert into a female recess in an ammunition box to hang the ammunition box from the belt feed mechanism. The belt feed mechanism can be swapped out with a box magazine feed housing to feed the firearm from a box magazine instead of from a disintegrating ammunition belt from the belt feed mechanism.

In one aspect, a belt feed mechanism for a firearm is configured to receive a disintegrating ammunition belt including links and rounds of ammunition at a feed side of the belt feed mechanism and ejects the links at an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism. The belt feed mechanism includes a feed paddle, a paddle spring, and a drive pawl wheel. The feed paddle is configured to advance the ammunition belt into the belt feed mechanism from the feed side of the belt feed mechanism as the feed paddle rotates about a longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism. The paddle spring is configured to store energy, bias the feed paddle to rotate, and rotate the feed paddle when the feed paddle is able to rotate. The drive pawl wheel is configured to provide energy to the paddle spring for storage by the paddle spring.

In another aspect, a firearm includes a barrel, a bolt carrier group, a receiver, and a belt feed mechanism. The bolt carrier group is configured to load a round of ammunition from the belt feed mechanism into the barrel and fire the round of ammunition from the barrel. The receiver is configured to support the barrel and the bolt carrier group. The belt feed mechanism is configured to mount to the receiver. The belt feed mechanism is configured to receive a disintegrating ammunition belt including links and rounds of ammunition at a feed side of the belt feed mechanism and ejects the links at an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism. The belt feed mechanism includes a feed paddle, a paddle spring, and a drive pawl wheel. The feed paddle is configured to advance the ammunition belt into the belt feed mechanism from the feed side of the belt feed mechanism as the feed paddle rotates about a longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism. The paddle spring is configured to store energy, bias the feed paddle to rotate, and rotate the feed paddle when the feed paddle is able to rotate. The drive pawl wheel is configured to provide energy to the paddle spring for storage by the paddle spring. The belt feed mechanism is further configured to provide the rounds of ammunition from the disintegrating ammunition belt to the bolt carrier group and barrel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a firearm according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a firearm with an ammunition can mounted to a belt feed mechanism of the firearm according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear isometric view of the firearm of FIG. 2 with a belt feed mechanism in a loading position according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3 from an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism with the belt feed mechanism in a feeding position according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an exploded side perspective view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cutaway side view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3 showing a bump pawl of the belt feed mechanism interacting with a bolt carrier group of the firearm of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a bottom isometric view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a bottom isometric view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3 from an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3.

FIG. 11 is a front isometric view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3 with the housing removed from the cradle.

FIG. 12 is a front isometric view of the belt feed mechanism of FIG. 3 showing a round stop of the belt feed mechanism.

Reference will now be made in detail to optional embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawing and in the description referring to the same or like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

As described herein, an upright position is considered to be the position of apparatus components while in proper operation or in a natural resting position as described herein. As used herein, the upright or vertical position of a gun or firearm is when assembled and held by a shooter, ready to shoot (i.e., fire or discharge), with the bore of the barrel of the gun extending generally horizontally or level along a longitudinal axis of the barrel and the trigger extending generally downward. Vertical, horizontal, above, below, side, top, bottom and other orientation terms are described with respect to this upright position during operation unless otherwise specified. The term “when” is used to specify orientation for relative positions of components, not as a temporal limitation of the claims or apparatus described and claimed herein unless otherwise specified. The terms “above”, “below”, “over”, and “under” mean “having an elevation or vertical height greater or lesser than” and are not intended to imply that one object or component is directly over or under another object or component.

The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without operator input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

The terms “coupled” and “connected” mean at least either a direct electrical or mechanical connection between the connected items or an indirect connection through one or more passive or active intermediary devices.

Referring to FIGS. 1-12, especially FIG. 1, a firearm 100 includes a barrel 103, a bolt carrier group 105, a receiver 107, and a fire control group 109 according to one embodiment of the invention. The bolt carrier group 105 is configured to load a round of ammunition 111 from a belt feed mechanism 300 into the barrel 103 and fire the round 111 of ammunition from the barrel 103. The barrel 105 may be a single unitary piece, or the barrel 105 may include an extension or trunnion. The fire control group 109 is configured to selectively actuate the bolt carrier group 105. The receiver 107 is configured to support the barrel 103, the bolt carrier group 105, and the fire control group 109. As shown in FIG. 1, the firearm 100 may be optionally configured to fire from a box fed magazine 110 using an adapter 112 that replaces the belt feed mechanism 300.

Referring especially to FIGS. 2-12, the firearm 100 includes belt feed mechanism 300 and is configured to receive rounds of ammunition 111 from the belt feed mechanism 300. The belt feed mechanism 300 is configured to receive a disintegrating ammunition belt including links 301 and rounds of ammunition 111 at a feed side of the belt feed mechanism 300 and eject the links 301 at an injection side 305 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The feed side 303 is laterally opposite the ejection side 305. The belt feed mechanism 300 includes a feed paddle (e.g., first feed paddle 307), a paddle spring (e.g., first paddle spring 309), and a drive pawl wheel (e.g., first drive pawl wheel 311).

The feed paddle 307 is configured to advance the disintegrating ammunition belt into the belt feed mechanism 300 from the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism 300 as the feed paddle 307 rotates about a longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The paddle spring 309 is configured to store energy, bias the feed paddle 307 to rotate, and rotate the feed paddle 307 when the feed paddle 307 is able to rotate. The drive pawl wheel 311 is configured to provide energy to the paddle spring 309 from the bolt carrier group 105 for storage by the paddle spring 309 as the firearm 100 is cycled. In one embodiment, the paddle spring 309 is pretension such that the paddle spring 309 provides a predetermined minimum amount of bias pressure to the feed paddle 307 relative to the drive pawl wheel 311. In one embodiment, the paddle spring 309 is a torsion spring configured to engage the drive pawl wheel 311 at a first end 405 of the paddle spring 309 and engage the feed paddle 307 at a second end 407 of the torsion spring 309 opposite the first end 405 of the torsion spring 309. In one embodiment, the feed paddle 307 is prevented from rotating by contact of an ammunition round 111 with a top cover 321 of the belt feed mechanism 300 or the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 (e.g., when the bolt carrier group 105 is in the forward position locked up with the barrel 103). In one embodiment, the feed paddle 307 includes a plurality of teeth 323 extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300. Each tooth 323 includes an ammunition round portion 325 and a link portion 327. The teeth 323 of the of the feed paddle 307 sequentially engage sequential rounds of ammunition 111 in the disintegrating ammunition belt as the firearm 100 cycles to pull the disintegrating ammunition belt into the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism 300. In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 further includes a feed port 750 at the feed side 303 that is configured to guide the rounds 111 and links 301 into the firearm in cooperation with the top cover 321 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The feed paddle 307 advance is rotationally about the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300 as the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm moves from the front position to the rear position of the bolt carrier group 105. As the feed paddle 307 advances, a tooth 323 of the plurality of teeth of the feed paddle 307 engages a link 301 of the disintegrating ammunition belt separated from the disintegrating ammunition belt by the bolt carrier group 105 removing the round of ammunition 111 from the disintegrating ammunition belt and ejects the separated link 301 at the ejection side 305 of the belt feed mechanism 300 as the bolt carrier group 105 moves to the rear position of the bolt carrier group 105.

The drive pawl wheel 311 is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300 by the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 when the firearm cycles. The drive pawl wheel 311 interlocks with the feed paddle 307 such that the drive pawl wheel 311 and feed paddle 307 are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another. That is, in one embodiment, the drive pawl wheel 311 and feed paddle 307 interlocks such that they cannot be out of alignment by more than 60° (the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another). In practice, the drive pawl wheel 311 is held at 0° rotation relative to the feed paddle 307 prior to being advanced to the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to the feed paddle 307 by the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 when the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 moves from a rear position of the bolt carrier group 105 to a forward position of the bolt carrier group. Alternatively, it could be viewed as the drive pawl wheel 311 is held at the predetermined angular limit of travel relative to the feed paddle 307 prior to the drive pawl wheel 311 being advanced to 0° relative to the feed paddle 307 by the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 when the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 moves from the rear position of the bolt carrier group 105 to the forward position of the bolt carrier group 105. In one embodiment, the forward position of the bolt carrier group 105 is with the bolt of the bolt carrier group 105 locked up to the barrel 103, and the rear position of the bolt carrier group 105 is with the bolt carrier group 105 at its maximum rearward travel during cycling of the firearm 100. The drive pawl wheel 311 and the feed paddle 307 are configured to rotate in the same direction about the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300 as the firearm 100 is cycled (i.e., fired and reloaded). The drive pawl wheel includes a plurality of teeth 315 extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300.

The belt feed mechanism 300 includes an anti-reversing latch 317 configured to sequentially engage each tooth of the plurality of teeth 315 of the drive pawl wheel 311 and limit rotation of the drive pawl wheel 311 opposite the feed paddle 307 direction of rotation as the firearm 100 is cycled. In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 further includes a bump Pawl 319 configured to contact the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 as the bolt carrier group 105 of the firearm 100 moves forward. The bump pawl 319 translates forward movement of the bolt carrier group 105 into rotational movement of the drive pawl wheel 311 by contacting a tooth 315 of the drive wall wheel as the bump pawl 319 is moved out of the path of the bolt carrier group 105 by the bolt carrier group 105 by pivoting downward.

In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 further includes a main axle 350 configured to extend along the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The drive pawl wheel 311 is connected to and supports the main axle 350 when the belt feed mechanism 300 is assembled. The belt feed mechanism 300 further includes a needle bearing 351 between the feed paddle 307 and the main axle 350 when the belt feed mechanism 300 is assembled such that the feed paddle 307 is supported by the needle bearing 351 and the main axle 350 and feed paddle 307 rotate about the longitudinal axis 313 of the belt feed mechanism 300 independently of one another.

In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 further includes a cradle 353, a housing 355, housing spring 357 feed mechanism plunger 359, and a release button 361. The cradle 353 is configured to mount the firearm 100 (e.g., to the receiver 107) via a front captured pin 371, and a rear captured pin 373. The housing 355 is configured to slidingly engage the cradle 353. The housing 355 has a loading position (see for example FIG. 3) and a feed position (see for example FIGS. 4 and 5) relative to the cradle 353. The loading position is when slid partially out of the cradle 353 away from the firearm 100 toward the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The feed position is when the housing 355 is slid into the cradle 353 toward the ejection side 305 of the belt feed mechanism 300. The housing spring 357 is configured to bias the housing 355 out from the cradle 353 toward the loading position. The feed mechanism plunger 359 is configured to extend from the housing 355 into a corresponding feed mechanism plunger hole 381 in the cradle 353 when the housing 355 is in the feed position, locking the housing 355 into the feed position. The feed mechanism plunger 359 extends from the housing 355 into a corresponding groove 383 in the cradle 353 when the housing 355 is in the loading position. The groove 383 and feed mechanism plunger 359 cooperate to limit lateral travel of the housing 355. The groove 383 intersects the feed mechanism plunger hole 381 such that the housing 355 slides smoothly to the feed position and the feed mechanism plunger 359 seats into the feed mechanism plunger hole 381 to lock the housing 355 into the feed position. The release button 361 is a level in one embodiment, protected from inadvertent actuation by ears extending laterally from the cradle 353 to limit access to the release button 361. When the release button 361 or level is actuated, the release button pushes the feed mechanism plunger 359 up through the feed mechanism plunger hole 381 to unlock the housing 355 from the cradle such that the housing spring 357 pushes (or pulls) the housing 355 to the loading position.

In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 is ambidextrous such that the belt feed mechanism 300 can receive the disintegrating ammunition belt from either the left side of the firearm or the right side of the firearm 100. The feed paddle 307 is a first feed paddle, the paddle spring 309 is a first paddle spring, the paddle spring 309 is a first paddle spring, the needle bearing 351 is a first needle bearing, and the drive pawl wheel 311 is a first drive pawl wheel. The belt drive feed mechanism 300 further includes a second drive pawl wheel 501, a second feed paddle 503, a second paddle spring 505, and a second needle bearing 507. The second drive pawl wheel 501 is connected to the main axle 350 longitudinal he opposite the first drive pawl wheel 311 when the belt feed mechanism 300 is assembled. The second paddle spring 505 is connected between the second drive pawl 501 and the second feed paddle 503 to rotationally bias the second feed paddle 503 relative to the second drive pawl 501. The second needle bearing 507 is between the second feed paddle 503 and the main axle 350 when the belt feed mechanism 300 is assembled. The cradle 353 is configured to mount to the receiver 107 of the firearm 100 via a front captured pin 371 and a rear captured pin 373. When the front captured pin 371 is mounted to the receiver 107 closer to the muzzle of the firearm 100 than the rear captured pin 373, the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism is on the left side of the firearm 100 such that the captured pins push into the receiver 107 from the left side of the firearm 100. When the rear captured pin 373 is mounted to the receiver 107 closer to the muzzle of the firearm 100 than the front captured pin 371, the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism 300 is on the right side of the firearm 100 such that the captured pins push into the receiver 107 from the right side of the firearm 100. A feed port and an ejection port of the firearm 100 may be swapped from side to side to correspond to the mounting orientation of the belt feed mechanism. In one embodiment, the connection between the first and second drive pawl wheels via the main axle 350 locks the drive pawl wheels in rotation with one another about the longitudinal axis 313, and a direct connection between the first and second feed paddles lock the first and second feed paddles in rotation with one another about the longitudinal axis 313.

In one embodiment, the belt feed mechanism 300 further includes an ammunition box dovetail 601. The ammunition box dovetail 601 extends downwardly from the cradle 353 when the belt feed mechanism 300 is assembled on the firearm 100 and the firearm 100 is in the upright position. The ammunition box dovetail 601 is wider at bottom of the ammunition box dovetail 601 than at a top (i.e., closer to the housing 355) of the ammunition box dovetail 601. An end 605 of the ammunition box dovetail at the feed side 303 of the belt feed mechanism 300 extends further laterally at the bottom of the ammunition box dovetail 601 than at the top of the ammunition box dovetail 601. The ammunition box dovetail 601 includes at least one recess 607 configured to receive a detent ball or pin of an ammunition box or can 603 slid onto the ammunition box dovetail 601 to retain the ammunition box 603 onto the ammunition box dovetail 601.

In one embodiment, the cradle 353 and housing 355 are integral with one another such that the housing 355 does not slide relative to the cradle 353. In this embodiment, loading may be accomplished by lowering a rear end of the cradle 353 (i.e pulling whichever captured pin is rearward from the receiver 107) and placing the disintegrating belt on the feed mechanism 300 before raising the rear end and replacing the captured pin in the receiver 107. The loading method that most operators may tend toward is pulling a lead pull tab attached to the disintegrating ammunition belt through the feed mechanism from the feed side 303 to the ejection side 305 until the round of ammunition 111 leading the belt contacts the bolt carrier group 105 or the top cover 321 and round stop 731 such that the disintegrating ammunition belt is ratcheted onto the feed paddles and fully loaded into the belt feed mechanism and firearm. This tab side load method is significantly faster than prior art top cover loading methods. In one embodiment, the round stop 731 is integral with a dust cover 735 of the firearm 100 at the ejection side 305 of the firearm 100 and belt feed mechanism 300.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A belt feed mechanism for a firearm configured to receive a disintegrating ammunition belt comprising links and rounds of ammunition at a feed side of the belt feed mechanism and eject the links at an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism, said belt feed mechanism comprising: a feed paddle configured to advance the disintegrating ammunition belt into the belt feed mechanism from the feed side of the belt feed mechanism as the feed paddle rotates about a longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism;a paddle spring configured to store energy, bias the feed paddle to rotate, and rotate the feed paddle when the feed paddle is able to rotate; anda drive pawl wheel configured to provide energy to the paddle spring for storage by the paddle spring.

2. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another; andthe paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of bias pressure to the feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel and the drive pawl wheel is either:held at o degrees of rotation relative to the feed paddle prior to being advanced to the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to the feed paddle by the bolt carrier group of the firearm when the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from a rear position of the bolt carrier group to a forward position of the bolt carrier group; orheld at the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to the feed paddle prior to being advanced to o degrees relative to the feed paddle by the bolt carrier group of the firearm when the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from the rear position of the bolt carrier group to the forward position of the bolt carrier group.

3. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the drive pawl wheel and the feed paddle are configured to rotate in the same direction about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism as the firearm is cycled;the drive pawl wheel comprises a plurality of teeth extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises an anti reversing latch configured to sequentially engage each tooth of the teeth the drive pawl wheel and limit rotation of the drive pawl wheel opposite the feed paddle as the firearm is cycled.

4. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the belt feed mechanism further comprises a bump pawl configured to contact the bolt carrier group of the firearm as the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves forward and translate forward movement of the bolt carrier group into rotational movement of the drive pawl wheel by contacting a tooth of the drive pawl wheel as the bump pawl is moved out of the path of the bolt carrier group by the bolt carrier group.

5. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the paddle spring is a torsion spring configured to engage the drive pawl wheel at a first end of the torsion spring and the feed paddle at a second end of the torsion spring opposite the first end of the torsion spring;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a round stop at the ejection side of the belt feed mechanism;the feed paddle is prevented from rotating by contact of an ammunition round of the disintegrating ammunition belt with a round stop of the belt feed mechanism or a bolt carrier group of the firearm;the round stop is integral with a dust cover of the belt feed mechanism; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises a feed port at the feed side of the belt feed mechanism.

6. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the feed paddle comprises a plurality of teeth extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, each tooth comprising an ammunition round portion and a link portion;the teeth of the feed paddle sequentially engage sequential rounds of ammunition in the disintegrating ammunition belt as the firearm cycles to pull the disintegrating ammunition belt into the feed side of the belt feed mechanism;the feed paddle advances rotationally about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism as a bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from a front position to a rear position of the bolt carrier group; andas the feed paddle advances, a tooth of the plurality of teeth of the feed paddle engaging a link of the disintegrating ammunition belt separated from the disintegrating ammunition belt by the bolt carrier group removing a round of ammunition from the disintegrating ammunition belt ejects the separated link at the ejection side of the of the belt feed mechanism as the bolt carrier group moves to the rear position of the bolt carrier group.

7. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another;the paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of rotational bias pressure to the feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a main axle configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, wherein the drive pawl wheel is connected to and supports the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a needle bearing between the feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled such that the feed paddle is supported by the needle bearing and the main axle and feed paddle rotate about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism independently of one another.

8. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: a cradle configured to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a front captured pin and a rear captured pin;a housing configured to slidingly engage the cradle, wherein the housing has a loading position and a feed position relative to the cradle, said loading position being slid partially out of the cradle away from the firearm toward the feed side of the belt feed mechanism and said feed position being slid into the cradle toward the ejection side of the belt feed mechanism;a housing spring configured to bias the housing toward the loading position; anda feed mechanism plunger configured to extend from the housing into a corresponding feed mechanism plunger hole in the cradle when the housing is in the feed position, locking the housing into the feed position, and to extend from the housing into a corresponding groove in the cradle when the housing is in the loading position; anda release button mounted on the cradle, said release button configured to remove the feed mechanism plunger from the feed mechanism plunger hole in the cradle when actuated such that the housing is released and the housing spring moves the housing from the feed position to the loading position.

9. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the feed paddle is a first feed paddle;the paddle spring is a first paddle spring;the drive pawl wheel is a first drive pawl wheel;the first drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the first drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the first drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another;the first paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the first paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of rotational bias pressure to the first feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a main axle configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, wherein the first drive pawl wheel is connected to the main axle and supports the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a first needle bearing between the first feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled such that the first feed paddle is supported by the first needle bearing and the main axle and first feed paddle rotate about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism independently of one another;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second drive pawl wheel connected to the main axle longitudinally opposite the first drive pawl wheel when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second feed paddle;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second paddle spring connected between the second drive pawl and the second feed paddle to rotationally bias the second feed paddle relative to the second drive pawl;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second needle bearing between the second feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a cradle configured to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a forward captured pin and a rear captured pin; andthe cradle is configured to mount to the receiver with the front captured pin closer to a muzzle of the firearm than the rear captured pin such that the feed side of the belt feed mechanism is on a left side of the firearm or with the rear captured pin closer to the muzzle of the firearm that the front captured pin such that the feed side of the belt feed mechanism is on right side of the firearm.

10. The belt feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein: the belt feed mechanism further comprises a cradle configured to support the feed paddle, paddle spring, and drive pawl wheel and to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a front captured pin and a rear captured pin; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises an ammunition box dovetail, said ammunition box dovetail extending downwardly from the cradle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled on the firearm and the firearm is in an upright position;the ammunition box dovetail is wider at a bottom of the ammunition box dovetail than at a top of the ammunition box dovetail;an end of the ammunition box dovetail at the feed side of the belt feed mechanism extends further laterally at the bottom of the ammunition box dovetail than at the top of the ammunition box dovetail; andthe ammunition box dovetail comprises at least one recess configured to receive a detent ball of an ammunition box slid onto the ammunition box dovetail to retain the ammunition box onto the ammunition box dovetail.

11. A firearm comprising: a barrel;a bolt carrier group configured to load a round of ammunition from a belt feed mechanism into the barrel and fire the round of ammunition from the barrel when actuated;a fire control group configured to selectively actuate the bolt carrier group;a receiver configured to support the barrel, the fire control group, and the bolt carrier group; anda belt feed mechanism configured to receive a disintegrating ammunition belt comprising links and rounds of ammunition at a feed side of the belt feed mechanism and eject the links at an ejection side of the belt feed mechanism, said belt feed mechanism comprising:a feed paddle configured to advance the disintegrating ammunition belt into the belt feed mechanism from the feed side of the belt feed mechanism as the feed paddle rotates about a longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism;a paddle spring configured to store energy, bias the feed paddle to rotate, and rotate the feed paddle when the feed paddle is able to rotate; anda drive pawl wheel configured to provide energy to the paddle spring for storage by the paddle spring.

12. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another; andthe paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of bias pressure to the feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel and the drive pawl wheel is either: held at o degrees of rotation relative to the feed paddle prior to being advanced to the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to the feed paddle by the bolt carrier group of the firearm when the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from a rear position of the bolt carrier group to a forward position of the bolt carrier group; orheld at the predetermined limit of angular travel relative to the feed paddle prior to being advanced to o degrees relative to the feed paddle by the bolt carrier group of the firearm when the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from the rear position of the bolt carrier group to the forward position of the bolt carrier group.

13. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the drive pawl wheel and the feed paddle are configured to rotate in the same direction about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism as the firearm is cycled;the drive pawl wheel comprises a plurality of teeth extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises an anti reversing latch configured to sequentially engage each tooth of the teeth the drive pawl wheel and limit rotation of the drive pawl wheel opposite the feed paddle as the firearm is cycled.

14. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the belt feed mechanism further comprises a bump pawl configured to contact the bolt carrier group of the firearm as the bolt carrier group of the firearm moves forward and translate forward movement of the bolt carrier group into rotational movement of the drive pawl wheel by contacting a tooth of the drive pawl wheel as the bump pawl is moved out of the path of the bolt carrier group by the bolt carrier group.

15. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the paddle spring is a torsion spring configured to engage the drive pawl wheel at a first end of the torsion spring and the feed paddle at a second end of the torsion spring opposite the first end of the torsion spring;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a round stop at the ejection side of the belt feed mechanism;the feed paddle is prevented from rotating by contact of an ammunition round of the disintegrating ammunition belt with a round stop of the belt feed mechanism or a bolt carrier group of the firearm;the round stop is integral with a dust cover of the belt feed mechanism; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises a feed port at the feed side of the belt feed mechanism.

16. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the feed paddle comprises a plurality of teeth extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, each tooth comprising an ammunition round portion and a link portion;the teeth of the feed paddle sequentially engage sequential rounds of ammunition in the disintegrating ammunition belt as the firearm cycles to pull the disintegrating ammunition belt into the feed side of the belt feed mechanism;the feed paddle advances rotationally about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism as a bolt carrier group of the firearm moves from a front position to a rear position of the bolt carrier group; andas the feed paddle advances, a tooth of the plurality of teeth of the feed paddle engaging a link of the disintegrating ammunition belt separated from the disintegrating ammunition belt by the bolt carrier group removing a round of ammunition from the disintegrating ammunition belt ejects the separated link at the ejection side of the of the belt feed mechanism as the bolt carrier group moves to the rear position of the bolt carrier group.

17. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another;the paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of rotational bias pressure to the feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a main axle configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, wherein the drive pawl wheel is connected to and supports the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a needle bearing between the feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled such that the feed paddle is supported by the needle bearing and the main axle and feed paddle rotate about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism independently of one another.

18. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: a cradle configured to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a front captured pin and a rear captured pin;a housing configured to slidingly engage the cradle, wherein the housing has a loading position and a feed position relative to the cradle, said loading position being slid partially out of the cradle away from the firearm toward the feed side of the belt feed mechanism and said feed position being slid into the cradle toward the ejection side of the belt feed mechanism;a housing spring configured to bias the housing toward the loading position; anda feed mechanism plunger configured to extend from the housing into a corresponding feed mechanism plunger hole in the cradle when the housing is in the feed position, locking the housing into the feed position, and to extend from the housing into a corresponding groove in the cradle when the housing is in the loading position; anda release button mounted on the cradle, said release button configured to remove the feed mechanism plunger from the feed mechanism plunger hole in the cradle when actuated such that the housing is released and the housing spring moves the housing from the feed position to the loading position.

19. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the feed paddle is a first feed paddle;the paddle spring is a first paddle spring;the drive pawl wheel is a first drive pawl wheel;the first drive pawl wheel is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism by a bolt carrier group of the firearm when the firearm cycles;the first drive pawl wheel interlocks with the feed paddle such that the first drive pawl wheel and feed paddle are limited to a predetermined limit of angular travel relative to one another;the first paddle spring is pre-tensioned such that the first paddle spring provides a predetermined minimum amount of rotational bias pressure to the first feed paddle relative to the drive pawl wheel;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a main axle configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism, wherein the first drive pawl wheel is connected to the main axle and supports the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a first needle bearing between the first feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled such that the first feed paddle is supported by the first needle bearing and the main axle and first feed paddle rotate about the longitudinal axis of the belt feed mechanism independently of one another;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second drive pawl wheel connected to the main axle longitudinally opposite the first drive pawl wheel when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second feed paddle;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second paddle spring connected between the second drive pawl and the second feed paddle to rotationally bias the second feed paddle relative to the second drive pawl;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a second needle bearing between the second feed paddle and the main axle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled;the belt feed mechanism further comprises a cradle configured to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a forward captured pin and a rear captured pin; andthe cradle is configured to mount to the receiver with the front captured pin closer to a muzzle of the firearm than the rear captured pin such that the feed side of the belt feed mechanism is on a left side of the firearm or with the rear captured pin closer to the muzzle of the firearm that the front captured pin such that the feed side of the belt feed mechanism is on right side of the firearm.

20. The firearm of claim 11, wherein: the belt feed mechanism further comprises a cradle configured to support the feed paddle, paddle spring, and drive pawl wheel and to mount to a receiver of the firearm via a front captured pin and a rear captured pin; andthe belt feed mechanism further comprises an ammunition box dovetail, said ammunition box dovetail extending downwardly from the cradle when the belt feed mechanism is assembled on the firearm and the firearm is in an upright position;the ammunition box dovetail is wider at a bottom of the ammunition box dovetail than at a top of the ammunition box dovetail;an end of the ammunition box dovetail at the feed side of the belt feed mechanism extends further laterally at the bottom of the ammunition box dovetail than at the top of the ammunition box dovetail;the ammunition box dovetail comprises at least one recess configured to receive a detent ball of an ammunition box slid onto the ammunition box dovetail to retain the ammunition box onto the ammunition box dovetail; andthe firearm further comprises the ammunition box.