Patent Application
20190063890
The invention relates to ammunition assembly apparatus and in particular to an apparatus for the automated and progressive assembly of cartridges for firearms such as rifles, guns, revolvers and pistols.
For the automated assembly of ammunition, rotatory progressive apparatus are widespread. A rotary progressive apparatus comprises several drums which rotate about their vertical axis. Each drum performs a different assembly step for the ammunition while continuously transporting the ammunition from the previous drum and the previous assembly step to the next drum and the next assembly step. Each drum comprises several almost identical working stations which, during the rotation of the drum, each perform in parallel the same assembly step on the various cartridges currently on the drum. EP 112 193 B1 discloses an example of such an apparatus.
Although these rotatory apparatus are able to produce ammunition at a very high output rate due to their continuous assembly motion, they are cumbersome to adapt to different variants of a cartridge, e.g. to variants which use a different propellant or shell, and even more cumbersome to be adapted to the production of different calibers. In particular, the calibration of the various working stations with their many identical substations is very time-consuming.
A different design for an ammunition loading machine has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,683,906B2. Here, the working stations are arranged along a line and the shells are indexed from station to station by means of a rake assembly. While the apparatus exhibits a more simple construction design the output rate of the single assembly line is limited.
Moreover ammunition assembly apparatus known in the state of the art suffer from a risk of ammunition powder entering sensitive machinery. While filling the shells with ammunition powder a portion of the ammunition powder may fall accidentally into the lower machine parts, in which for instance cam drives operate at high speeds. Due to the explosiveness of ammunition powder this poses a severe security risk. It may not only lead to a damage of the ammunition assembly apparatus, but may also harm the working personal.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an ammunition assembly apparatus that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular it is an objective of the invention to enhance the security of the ammunition assembly apparatus and allow for a flexible adaptation of the apparatus for the manufacture of different variants of ammunition.
The objective is achieved by an ammunition assembly apparatus according to the independent claim. The dependent claims present preferred embodiments of an ammunition assembly apparatus according to the invention.
In a preferred embodiment the invention relates to an ammunition, in particular cartridge, assembly apparatus comprising a conveyor subsystem and working stations, the conveyor subsystem being adapted to transport ammunition past the working stations in an assembly direction, wherein the assembly apparatus comprises a mounting plane onto which the working stations and the conveyor subsystem are mounted such that the conveyor subsystem extends linearly at least sectionwise through the ammunition assembly apparatus and the working stations are arranged rectilinearly along the assembly direction.
The ammunition assembly apparatus is thus characterized by a progressive, linear arrangement of the working stations. During operation the apparatus uses shells, such as brass metal shells, in order to produce ammunition in particular cartridges. To this end different assembly steps such as the filling of ammunition powder into the shells and a subsequent insertion of a projectile, in case of the manufacturing of live ammunition, are carried out. Preferably during an assembly step a single working station works upon a particular cartridge. For instance a powder filling station may fill in one assembly step the shells with powder. In order to move the shells or cartridges from one working station to the next working station the apparatus comprises a conveyor subsystem.
For example, the conveyor subsystem may comprise a linear section, along which the working stations are arranged one behind the other in the assembly direction, preferably in a straight line. Such a linearly arranged assembly line is more easily maintained and adapted than a tightly packed rotary system. Further, the conveyor subsystem may comprise a conveyor belt and a drive, the drive being adapted to intermittently move the conveyor past a series of working stations.
Preferably, the conveyor subsystem transports the shells intermittently by alternating between a working cycle, where the shells are not moved and being worked upon, and a transport cycle, in which the shells are transported. The length of the working cycle and the transport cycle remains preferably constant at least for the same type of cartridges.
In contrast to a rotatory ammunition assembly apparatus, the working stations of the ammunition assembly apparatus according to the invention are preferably stationary and do not move with the ammunition which is transported through the apparatus. Each working station completes preferably one working step in the assembly of the ammunition. For instance the working stations may perform a particular assembly step e.g. by adding a component, such as a propellant or powder or a projectile, to a shell. A working station may preferably also refer to a functional unit that carries out a measurement step and/or a sorting step of the cartridges. Therefore a sorting station or a measurement apparatus are also preferably referred to as working stations.
According to the invention the working stations as well as the conveyor system are mounted to a mounting plane of the apparatus. The mounting plane preferably refers to a vertically upward standing wall. The mounting plane may be single standing wall or part of a support frame for the assembly apparatus. For instance the mounting plane may form together with a bulkhead an L-shaped support frame for the conveyor subsystem and the working stations. The mounting plane may be manufactured of metal and adapted to receive the weight of the working stations and the conveyor subsystem.
By mounting the conveyor subsystem and the working stations to the mounting plane the manufacturing components of the apparatus are thus hanging off said mounting plane. In comparison to the prior art the ammunition assembly apparatus according to the invention represents therefore an upside down design. Whereas in the prior art part of the working stations are situated in a lower installation space, in the apparatus of the present invention the working stations as well as the conveyor subsystem are hanging in an upper manufacturing space above the ground or a horizontal bulkhead.
Advantageously due to the mounting of the working stations and the conveyor subsystem to a mounting plane it can be avoided that sensitive machinery of an installation space is situated below the manufacturing space. In the prior art the working stations have been typically standing on the ground with the installation machinery separated from the manufacturing space by means of partial plates. However in such a configuration breaches from the lower installation space through the plates are necessary and pose an intrinsic security risk as ammunition powder may fall from the manufacturing space into a lower installation space. By mounting the working stations and the conveyor subsystem onto the mounting plane this can be efficiently avoided. In the design of the apparatus according to the invention ammunition powder may simply fall down onto the ground or a horizontal bulkhead without imposing a thread.
Moreover the attachment of the working stations to the mounting plane allows for a particular modular design of the ammunition assembly apparatus. In particular the working stations may be easily added, removed or exchanged. For instance an ammunition assembly apparatus may comprise two working stations, which are a powder filling station and a projectile injection station. This may constitute a minimal ammunition assembly apparatus station. If for instance for certain applications a crimp station is necessary, the crimp station may be readily mounted onto the mounting plane behind the projectile injection station in a direction along the assembly line. Likewise certain elements of working stations may be easily exchanged. For instance the powder filling station may be upgraded by equipping the powder filling station with a weighing apparatus for the shells prior to and after the dosing of the powder. Also a projectile insertion station may be removed in case blank cartridges are to be removed. It was surprising that such a flexibility can be gained by attaching the working stations together with the conveyor system to the mounting plane of the apparatus.
Furthermore the mounting plane allows for rectilinear setup with all working stations being arranged serially in the assembly direction, preferably without any overlap. Preferably, there is only a single instance of each particular working station comprised in the apparatus. This single instance performs its assembly step on each shell in the apparatus. Not using a plurality of parallel working stations for each particular assembly step, such as in rotatory assembly apparatuses, reduces the costs both for retooling and for maintenance of the apparatus.
Moreover the arrangement of the working stations in a linear line allows for an increased scalability of the apparatus. For example, two assembly lines can be placed side-by-side on a common machine to double the production rate.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus comprises a horizontal bulkhead and the working stations and the conveyor subsystem are mounted to the mounting plane such that an empty space remains between the surface of the horizontal bulkhead with respect to the working stations and the conveyor subsystem.
Together with the mounting plane the horizontal bulkhead serves preferably as the base frame for the apparatus, wherein both parts of the base frame form preferably an L-shape. Such a base frame allows for a particular stable support for operating an assembly line.
Furthermore the horizontal bulkhead serves preferably as a dust-tight barrier to prevent the propellant or powder from falling into lower parts of the apparatus. The horizontal bulkhead thus divides the apparatus into a, preferably upper, manufacturing space in which the conveyor subsystem and the working stations as well as reservoirs for the components are located, and a, preferably lower, bottom space.
The bottom space may be adapted to receive supply equipment, such as electric supply units, or left empty. The horizontal bulkhead forms preferably a massive seal between the manufacturing space and the bottom space beneath the horizontal bulkhead. The bulkhead is preferably located below the transport plane. By mounting the working stations and the conveyor subsystem to the mounting plane preferably all machinery is located in a distance above the bulkhead. Any propellant falling down from the subsystem falls onto the bulkhead, where it is clearly visible. The horizontal bulkhead may be made from metal to avoid static discharges. Preferably, there are no unsealed openings in the horizontal bulkhead which connect the manufacturing volume to the at least one bottom space. It is however particularly preferred to leave the bottom space empty in order to avoid the risk of electromagnetic fields interfering with ammunition powder situated on top of the bulkhead surface.
The conveyor subsystem and each working station are preferably located above the horizontal bulkhead such that an empty space remains between them and the bulkhead. The empty space allows for a good accessibility and in particular for a fast and efficient cleaning of the bulkhead surface, enabling an easy removal of misplaced ammunition powder from the apparatus. Moreover the formed empty space minimizes vibrations between the conveyor belt and the working stations, thereby augmenting the stability of the apparatus while operating.
The empty space preferably refers to a gap between at least the conveyor belt and one more of the working stations. However the empty space may be discontinuous. For instance a weighing apparatus, may be installed to weigh the shells and be provided with a base separate from the base of the remaining apparatus and the bulkhead to decouple any vibrations from the conveyor subsystem. In this case the bulkhead may be discontinuous along the assembly direction and the weighing apparatus is standing on the ground in such a gap. Between the weighing cells and the transport plane for the shells no substantial empty space is kept. However the weighing cells are preferably sealed to avoid the falling of ammunition into the weighing apparatus.
The apparatus according to the invention is especially suited to process shells which may have already been provided with a primer, and need to be provided with a propellant, such as powder, and/or a projectile.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention one of the working stations is a powder filling station.
The powder filling station preferably comprises an actuator subsystem adapted to fill the powder provided for instance from a powder reservoir into the shell. To this end, an actuator subsystem may comprise a dosing mechanism which is adapted to separate a portioned dose of propellant from a propellant reservoir and to move the apportioned amount into the shell. In particular, the dosing may comprise a threaded arbor. The number of revolutions of the arbor determines the amount of powder moved into the shell. The dosing mechanism is preferably operated intermittently in synchronization with the transport and/or working cycle of the conveyor subsystem.
The working station, in this case the powder filling station, may also be provided with a control subsystem which is adapted to control the actuator subsystem. For example, the control subsystem of the powder filling station may control the operation of the dosing mechanism. This can be done by controlling the number of revolutions of the arbor. If the amount of powder in a shell needs to be changed, the amount of revolutions of the arbor is changed accordingly.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the operation of the dosing mechanism can be controlled in dependence of the actual powder weight in the shell, or a signal representative of the actual powder weight, as determined by the joint operation of the net and the gross weighing apparatus, which may weigh the shell prior and after the filling.
The loose reception of the shell within a compartment and the upright transport of the shell may require a special configuration of the powder filling station to avoid the spilling of powder. For example, the projectile filling station may comprise two hollow concentric tubes, which are brought into abutment with the shell currently underneath the projectile filling station in the working cycle. An outer hollow tube may be a centering tube with an inner bevel. The centering tube, respectively its inner bevel, is preferably brought into mechanical contact with the shell, either a shoulder at the outer periphery of the shell or, preferably, with the upper rim of the shell. The bevel is dimensioned so that its peripheral surface comes to rest against the shell and thereby automatically centers the shell. An inner tube may be a feeder tube through which the propellant is guided into the shell. The feeder tube may be rigidly connected to the centering tube or may be driven independently of the feeder tube along the common axis.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention one of the working stations is a projectile insertion station.
Preferably the projectile insertion station is located along the assembly direction behind a powder filling station. At the projectile insertion station, the projectile may be pressed into the shell using a press-in tool that may be moved from above onto the projectile of the standing shell. The length of the cartridge is determined by the end position of the press-in tool, preferably after applying a determined press-in force acting in the longitudinal direction of the shell against the projectile.
In addition the apparatus may comprise a cartridge length measurement apparatus as a working station in order to measure the length of the cartridge with the inserted projectile. For instance the length measurement apparatus may comprise a guiding tube with a measurement pin and a pneumatic cylinder to lower the guiding tube. To measure the length of the cartridge the cartridge positioned underneath the guiding tube, which is lowered until the tip of the cartridge contacts the measurement pin. The length of the cartridge may be determined by measuring the translation of the guiding tube e.g. by measuring the distance of a measurement plate attached to the measurement pin with respect to a stationary inductive sensor. However other detection means such as optical detectors are possible. The length measurement apparatus is preferably mounted to the mounting plane behind the projectile insertion station along the assembly direction.
A control subsystem may be adapted to compare the actual length of the cartridge thus determined to a target length stored within the control subsystem. Depending on a deviation of the actual length from the target length, a maximum stroke and/or a maximum insertion force of the actuator subsystem, which is adapted to press the projectile into the shell, may be adjusted automatically during operation of the apparatus.
In a further preferred embodiment one of the working stations is a crimp station. By means of the crimp station the shell is preferably crimped onto the projectile. The crimp station is preferably mounted to the mounting plane behind the projectile insertion station.
In a further preferred embodiment the apparatus may comprise a sorting station. Preferably the sorting station is mounted to the mounting plane at the end of the assembly line. The sorting station is preferably used to select the manufactured cartridges based upon previous measurements of physical parameters such as the propellant weight or length of the cartridges. As described above the weight of the ammunition powder in the shells can be preferably measured by a weighing apparatus, while the length of the cartridge by a cartridge length measurement apparatus. The measured parameters are preferably stored and tolerances ranges are set for each of the physical parameters. Suited cartridges, i.e. cartridges for which the physical parameter are within the preset tolerance range are preferably placed by the sorting station into a collector container, while unsuited cartridges are preferably sorted towards a waste container.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the conveyor subsystem comprises a conveyor belt, comprising compartments, which are separated by vertical ribs and the conveyor belt is assembled as a loop around two pulleys, which lie on an axis and are rotated by means of a driver.
In order to keep the conveyor subsystem cost-efficient and simple to maintain, the conveyor belt may be an endless belt which comprises niche-like compartments for receiving the shells. Preferably, each compartment receives a single round of ammunition. The conveyor belt may have the shape of a toothed belt, the space between two adjacent teeth being used as a compartment. The conveyor belt may be preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber and/or resin. However it may also be preferred to use other materials or elements to transport the ammunition as for instance a transport chain made of metal.
The conveyor belt may transport each round of ammunition in a standing position. In particular, each cartridge or shell may slide on a stationary transport plane of the apparatus. The transport plane may be made of polished and, in particular, hardened steel. The transport plane may be formed by a metal strip which is adapted to be removed if worn out. The metal strip may have a L- or U-shaped cross-section to provide lateral support with its legs for the belt and/or the shells within the compartments, while the shells may rest on its bottom. Thus a transport guide may be formed through which the shells are moved by the belt.
The inner width of each compartment may be larger than the outer width, in particular the maximum outer width, of the shells which are currently manufactured. Thus, the shells is not clamped or in any other way restricted or fixed by the compartment, but simply received in the compartment and being pushed for transportation by the compartment. In this configuration, the shells are received loosely within their respective compartment. In particular, the shells may be fed into a compartment and removed from a compartment simply by gravitation, e.g. by falling into and/or out of a compartment. However it may also be preferred to use let a shell fall into a supply device situated next to the conveyor belt and subsequently push the shell into a compartment.
According to another embodiment, the compartments of the conveyor belt may surround the respective shell on only three sides and may be open laterally, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction and parallel to the transport plane.
The open side of the compartments may be covered by a stationary retainer bar which runs parallel to the conveyor belt at least in that section of the conveyor belt, where the rounds of ammunition are being worked on. The retainer bar keeps the shells in the compartments.
Preferably, there is no physical contact between the conveyor belt and the retainer bar to keep the friction low. The retainer bar should not exert any pressure on the shells in the compartments to keep the friction during transport low. The retainer bar may be combined with the slider bar to a U- or L-shaped bar. The retainer bar, slider bar and transport plane preferably form a stationary transport guide through which the shells can be pushed by means of the conveyor belt. In a return section of the conveyor belt, neither a strip for the transport plane nor a retainer bar is needed.
The conveyor belt is preferably endless and wound about at least two pulleys, the axes of which are preferably perpendicular to the transport plane, i.e. the axes of the pulleys may be aligned with the axis of the rounds of the standing up shells. Said pulleys are preferably rotated by the driver in order to operate the conveyor subsystem.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus comprises a stationary transport guide through which the shells are moved by means of the conveyor belt and wherein preferably the transport guide comprises powder releases slots. While the shells are worked upon by the working stations the shells are preferably transported by means of the conveyor belt within a transport guide. Said transport guide comprises preferably a bottom transport plane upon which the shells are sliding. A retainer bar may be used to keep the shells laterally within in the compartments. As described above preferably the transport guide has a L-order U-shaped cross-section. In case of spilling of ammunition powder ammunition powder may accumulate within the transport guide. In particular during operation the ammunition can be pushed by the moving belt along the assembly direction. To avoid the risk of an accumulation of ammunition powder within the transport guide, powder release slots may be provided. The powder release slots are preferably located in the bottom of the transport guide thus within the transport plane. Furthermore the powder release slots have a preferred width such that the shells may traverse the powder release slots, while ammunition powder within the transport guide can fall through. To this end it is preferred that the powder release slots have a width between 1 to 3 mm. Moreover it may be further preferred to arrange the powder release slots within the transport plane with an angle that is not perpendicular to the transport direction of the shells, but for instance with an angle between 30° and 60°, most preferably about 45°. This allows for a particular smooth running of the shells within the conveyor subsystem.
Due to the mounting of the working stations to a mounting plane advantageously the controlled release of ammunition powder within the transport guide does not impose any security thread. For instance in case the apparatus comprises a horizontal bulkhead the powder typically falls onto said bulkhead and can be easily removed.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the working stations and the conveyor subsystem are mounted to a mounting plane by means of mounting frames. The mounting frames are preferably a mounting aid for the attachment of the working stations and the conveyor subsystem to the mounting plane. In the cross section along the assembly direction the mounting frames exhibit preferably an outer rectangular shape. Thereby one side of the mounting frame is suited for a simple attachment to the mounting plane.
Moreover the mounting frames are preferably characterized by a closed configuration, i.e. the circumference of the cross-section of the mounting frames is not disrupted. Thereby reciprocal forces exerted by the working stations or subunits thereof, while working upon the shells, may be advantageously contained within the mounting frames. For instance the projectile insertion station preferably comprise a press-in subsystem for the assembly of the projectiles onto the shells. After presetting the projectiles on top of the shells the press-in subsystem exerts two reciprocal forces to press the projectiles into the shells. A vertical upward force is established onto the bottom of the shells, while a vertical downward force presses onto the tip of the projectiles. In this case it may be preferred to install the press-in subsystem of the projectile insertion station such that the counter forces during the processing are balanced by the top and bottom support plane of the mounting frame, respectively. Due to the closed circumference forces are balanced with the mounting frames and transmitted to the mounting plane. In comparison to an embodiment in which the actuators for pressing the projectile are installed directed onto the mounting plane, the mounting frames allow to diminishes strains and stresses within the mounting plane.
Furthermore the mounting frames facilitate the mounting and demounting of the working stations considerably. To this end the mounting frames are preferably used to mount functional subunits of the assembly line to the mounting plane. For instance a press-in subsystem of a projectile insertion station may be mounted by a first mounting frame to the mounting plane, while a measurement apparatus for the measuring the length of the cartridges may be mounted by a second mounting frame. Depending on the preferred use the length measurement apparatus can be removed in a simple manner, without interfering with the installation of the projectile press-in subsystem. By mounting subunits of the working stations or entire working stations using mounting frames to the mounting plane, a particular effective modular design of the apparatus is achieved. Each module of the assembly line, i.e. a functional unit such as a crimp station, a sorting station, a powder filling station or a measurement apparatus are mounted within a separate mounting frame. Thereby a particular working station or subunit thereof can be simply attached or detached using the mounting frames. The mounting frame may contain an entire working station or functional subunit of a working station depending on the desired functional units that are preferably exchangeable in the modular design of the apparatus.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a mounting frame comprises a bottom support plane, a top support plane and a middle support plane, wherein the conveyor subsystem is supported by the middle support plane. Such a three-layered support frame has proven particular advantageous in terms of a functional and compact design. Since the shells are transported on top of the middle support planes, parts of the working stations (e.g. actuators, pneumatic cylinders, etc.) that are to work upon the shells can be attached to the mounting frame above and below the shells. For instance in the projectile insertion station an actuator for pressing the projectiles into to the shells may be attached on the top support plane, while on the bottom support plane a counter holding or lifting device for the shells is installed.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the mounting plane comprises a horizontal support edge onto which the mounting frames are mounted. The support edge extends preferably horizontally along the assembly direction and is adapted to receive a bottom edge of the mounting frames. The horizontal support edge allows for a precise vertical alignment of all mounting frames and thus of the working stations and the conveyor subsystem. This results in a reduced effort for mounting and demounting of the support frames, since a vertical calibration of the mounting frames and thus the working stations with respect to each other is not necessary. The horizontal support edge may be generated by shaping the mounting plane accordingly or by installing a separate strip that serves as the horizontal support edge.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the mounting plane comprises fixing aids that can be fixable translated along the assembly direction and the mounting frames comprise corresponding grooves. The combination of this embodiment in addition to installing a horizontal support edge is particularly preferred. Due to the horizontal support edge the mounting frames are fixed in a vertical position, but can be translated along the assembly direction horizontally. In order to facilitate the mounting procedure between different configurations the fixing aids allow for a precise memory of the horizontal position of the mounting frames. When the assembly apparatus is first installed all mounting frames, and thus the functional units of the working stations have to be precisely positioned with respect to each other. For instance the powder filling station has to be position within a mounting frame such that a powder release tube is exactly above the center of a compartment of the conveyor belt. Likewise other components of the working stations need to be precisely calibrated along the assembly direction to be able to work upon the shells. Since the position of the mounting frames correspond to the position of the working stations or functional subunits thereof, said position may be stored using fixing aids which are attached to the mounting plane. A practical solution to this end represent positioning pins that communicate with grooves within the mounting frames and that can be fixably translated along the assembly direction. During the operation of the assembly apparatus it may become necessary to repair or control some of the working stations and thus the corresponding mounting frames need to be detached. In this case the corresponding fixing aid stay in place, such that when the mounting frame is reinstalled no further horizontal calibration is necessary.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises at least two assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem and wherein the assembly lines are attached to the same side of the mounting plane on the same side and arranged parallel and side-by-side. An assembly line preferably refers to an arrangement of working stations as well as the conveyor subsystem that allows for all assembly steps to produce the cartridges. Two assembly lines thus allow to double the production of cartridges. Due to the rectilinear design of the apparatus such a doubling may be easily achieved by installing two assembly lines side-by-side on one side of the mounting plane. To this end it may be preferred that two parallel working stations or subunits of the working stations are mounted to the mounting plane by means of the same mounting frame.
The arrangement of the apparatus is particular space efficient and allows for an optimization of the productivity of the system with respect to its size. Moreover the attachment of the apparatus to the same mounting plane augments the stability of the two assembly lines and ensures that a high precision for the manufacturing of the ammunition is maintained. Furthermore it may be preferred that the assembly lines share at least one reservoir, for instance for the ammunition powder or the shells, thereby allowing for a cost efficient use of the construction elements.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the assembly apparatus comprises at least two assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem, wherein a first of the two of the assembly lines is attached on one side of the mounting plane, while a second of the two assembly lines is attached on the opposite side of the mounting plane. To this end it is preferred that the mounting plane and the horizontal bulkhead form a T-shaped support for the assembly system.
Due to the modular design that arises from the attachment of the working stations to the mounting plane, the preferred embodiment allows for a particular high flexibility. For instance different working stations may be mounted on each side of the mounting plane for the manufacturing of different ammunitions. Advantageously it is thus possible to manufacture different types of ammunition and/or caliber using the same apparatus. In the preferred embodiment each assembly line can be preferably controlled and adapted independently. Moreover since the mounting plane serves as a security barrier, it is possible to repair, clean and/or reassemble one assembly line, which is on one side of the mounting plane, while another assembly line, which is on the other side of the mounting plane, is continuing to produce ammunition. Production downtimes are therefore reduced.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus comprises at least four assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem, wherein a first pair of the assembly lines is attached on one side of the mounting plane, while a second pair of the assembly lines is attached on the opposite side of the mounting plane. In this embodiment on each side of the mounting plane productions can be doubled leading to a four-fold increase of the production rate in comparison to a single assembly line. The preferred embodiment is characterized by a particular compact design that allows for very high production rates while ensuring an easy accessibility of all components and a high modular flexibility. In particular the design allows the production of different calibers on each side of the mounting plane with a production rate that is double to in comparison to that of a single assembly line. Moreover it may also be preferred to produce different calibers on each of the single assembly lines allowing for a particular high production flexibility.
The linear design plan of the ammunition assembly apparatus allows for a particular easy scale up and adaptation according to the desired production specifications. By attaching multiple assembly lines on one and/or both sides of the mounting plane productions rate can be increased integer-wise. Moreover since the assembly lines can also be controlled independently a number of different specifications for the produced ammunition may be assigned to each of the assembly lines.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus therefore comprises at least six assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem, wherein at least three of the assembly lines are attached on one side of the mounting plane, while another at least three of the assembly lines are attached on the opposite side of the mounting plane.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus comprises at least six assembly lines comprises at least eight assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem, wherein at least four of the assembly lines are attached on one side of the mounting plane, while another at least four of the assembly lines are attached on the opposite side of the mounting plane.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the ammunition assembly apparatus comprises at least four assembly lines comprising working stations and a conveyor subsystem, wherein a first pair of the assembly lines is attached on one side of the mounting plane, while a second pair of the assembly lines is attached on the opposite side of the mounting plane.
It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the claims of the invention define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
In the following, the invention is exemplarily described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numeral is used for elements which correspond to each other in their design and/or their function.
Moreover, it is clear from the above description of the various advantageous embodiments, that the combination of features shown in the drawings and explained below may be changed depending on the specific application at hand. For example, a feature not shown in the drawings but mentioned above may be added if the technical effect of this feature is required for the specific application. Conversely, a feature shown in the drawings may be omitted, if its technical effect is not needed for the specific application.
In the drawings:
The general principal of working function of the apparatus shall be illustrated with respect to the
The conveyor subsystem 4 is adapted to move linearly, i.e. in a straight line from one working station 5 to the next. Thus, the working stations 5 are lined up linearly in an assembly direction 6, in which the shells 2 are transported. The conveyor subsystem 4 is adapted to move intermittently between the stations by switching between a transport cycle, in which the shells 2 are moved, and a working cycle, in which the shells 2 rest and are being worked upon. The transport and the working cycle are constant throughout the manufacturing process of at least one variant or type of cartridge 3. Each working station 5 completes one step during the assembly. For instance a component, such as a propellant or powder or a projectile 11, may be added to a shell 2 or a particular measurement or control step may be performed.
Between the assembly steps the shells 2 are transported by means of a conveyor subsystem 4. The conveyor subsystem 4 comprises a conveyor belt 41 which extends at least sectionwise rectilinearly in the assembly direction 6 through the apparatus 1. Each compartment 42 is adapted to receive loosely a single shell 2 in a standing position. The bottom of the shell 2 slides on a transport plane of the transport guide 48. Thus, the shells 2 are simply pushed by the conveyor belt 41 in the assembly direction 6. Each compartment 42 is separated from the neighboring compartments 42 in the assembly direction 6 by a vertical rib 45. The conveyor belt 41 and the ribs 45 are preferably made from rubber and/or resin material. Vertically, the compartments 42 are open, preferably such that a shell 2 may fall through a compartment 42. Each compartment 42 defines a niche-shaped receptacle for a shell 2. In the conveyor subsystem 4, the conveyor belt 41 is looped around two pulleys (not shown in
As shown in
The shells 2 are then transported in the assembly direction 6 along a straight path to the powder filling station 18. In the powder filling station 18 the ammunition powder is filled from a powder reservoir 40 into the shells 2. The amount of powder may be controlled by means of a feedback control mechanism that is based on the weight measurements of the shell 2 prior to (net weight WN) and after the powder dosing (gross weight WG) using the weighing apparatus 20a and 20b. Unlike the other units of the working stations 5 the weighing apparatus 20a, 20b are preferably not attached to the mounting plane 62 in order to decouple the weighing process from vibrations. In the example the weighing apparatus 20a, 20b are situated on the bulkhead 66. However it may also be preferred to position the weighing apparatus on to the ground in a gap of the horizontal bulkhead 66 to decouple the weighing apparatus completely from the base frame.
Subsequently the shells 2 are moved along the sectionwise linear conveyor belt 41 and are worked upon by additional working stations 5 that are arranged in a rectilinear manner along the assembly direction 6. The projectile insertion station 27 serves to press the projectiles 11 into the shells 2. To this end the projectiles 11 are provided by a projectile reservoir 60 and preset into the shell 2. Subsequently the projectiles 11 are pressed-in using a press-in subsystem. By means of a cartridge length measurement apparatus 28 the projectile insertion may be monitored and adapted by a feedback control.
A crimp station 65 may be provided, where the shell 2 is crimped onto the projectile 11. The crimp station 65 may be located as shown between the projectile insertion station 27 and the length measurement apparatus 28. In case a crimp station 65 is present it is thus preferred to measure the length of the cartridges 3 after said crimp station 65.
As shown in
As shown in the particular embodiment of
Due to the mounting of the working stations 5 and the ammunition powder will remain on the upper surface of the bulkhead 66 and can be easily removed due to the empty space 63. In the prior art the machinery for the assembly is located in a bottom space underneath the working stations and connected by breaches through a cover. By mounting the working stations 5 to the mounting plane 62 advantageously, no such breaches occur. Due to the mounting of the working stations 5 onto the mounting plane 62 a particular safe assembly apparatus 1 can be provided in which the manufacturing space 67 is separated from a bottom space 68 in a dust tight manner. In this embodiment the risk of ammunition powder entering sensitive machinery is minimized. Furthermore the attachment of the working stations 5 to the mounting plane 62 allows for a fast mounting and demounting of the working stations 5. The embodiment is therefore also characterized by a modular design allowing for a high degree of functional flexibility.
Briefly, the apparatus 1 uses shells 2 to produce cartridges 3 by means of different assembly steps accomplished by the working stations 5. Between the assembly steps the shells 2 are transported by means of a conveyor system 4. The conveyor subsystem 4 comprises a conveyor belt 41, which extends rectilinearly in the assembly direction 6 through the apparatus 1. Each compartment 42 is adapted to receive loosely a single shell 2 in a standing position. The bottom of the shell 2 slides on a transport plane of the transport guide 48. Thus, the shells 2 are simply pushed by the conveyor belt 41 in the assembly direction 6. Each compartment 42 is separated from the neighboring compartments 42 in the assembly direction 6 by a vertical rib 45. In the conveyor subsystem 4, the conveyor belt 41 is looped around two pulleys 50. The loop of the conveyor belt 41 defines a plane which extends parallel to the transport plane 44 respectively. A drive 57 of the conveyor subsystem 4 is located above the transport plane 44.
Preferably in a first step shells 2, are fed and placed into the compartments 42 of the conveyor belt 41. To this end a feeder tuber 59 extends from a shell reservoir 40 to the compartments 42. The shells 2 are then transported in the assembly direction 6 along a straight path to the powder filling station 18. In the powder filling station 18 the ammunition powder is filled from a powder reservoir 40 into the shells 2. The amount of powder may be controlled by means of a feedback control mechanism that is based on the weight measurements of the shell 2 prior to (net weight WN) and after the powder dosing (gross weight WG) using weighing apparatus (not shown in
Subsequently the shells 2 are moved along the sectionwise linear conveyor belt 41 and are worked upon by additional working stations 5 that are arranged in a rectilinear manner along the assembly direction 6. The projectile insertion station 27 serves to press the projectiles 11 into the shells 2. Furthermore a crimp station 65 may be provided, where the shell 2 is crimped onto the projectile 11. By means of a cartridge length measurement apparatus 28, which is preferably installed after the crimp station 65, the correct projectile insertion may be monitored and adapted by a feedback control.
In addition as shown in
Similar to the embodiment shown in
In comparison to a configuration in which the reciprocal actuators for the projectile insertion station 27 are mounted directly to a mounting plane 62, the mounting of the projectile insertion station 27 by means of a mounting frame 94, considerably diminishes possible strains onto the mounting plane 62. This allows for a particular stable operating conditions and a reduction of wear.
Moreover using mounting frames 94 the mounting and demounting of the working stations 5 is facilitated. The mounting frame 94 may be mounted to the mounting plane 62 by different fixation means. It is however particularly preferred that to this end the mounting plane 62 exhibits a horizontal support edge 102. The support edge 102 extend horizontally along the length of the mounting plane 62 and is adapted to receive a bottom edge of the mounting frame 94 such that the vertical position of all mounting frame 94 are aligned with respect to each other. After setting the mounting frames 94 onto the horizontal support edge 102 the mounting frames 94 are preferably attached to the mounting plane 62 for instance by means of screws. Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that all mounting frames 94 exhibit an identical system dimension for the distance between the bottom edge of the mounting frames 94 and the middle support planes 96 on which the transport guide 48 is installed.
Along the assembly direction 6 the mounting frames 94 can be mounted at different locations on to the horizontal support edge 102. In order to facilitate the mounting procedure between different configurations of the assembly apparatus 1 fixing aids 103 are installed at the mounting plane 62 and are configured to communicate with corresponding grooves of the mounting frames 94. It is preferred that the fixing aids 103 can be fixable translated along the assembly direction 6. Thereby after demounting a mounting frame 94, i.e. in case the particular working station 5 is not necessary, the fixing aid 103 may remain and allow for a fast and precise remounting of the mounting frame 94 and the working station 5 at the previous position.
Similar to the embodiment shown in
Since ammunition powder is allowed to fall downwards onto the upper surface of the horizontal bulkhead 66 the transport guide 48 may comprise powder release slots 98. The powder release slots 98 are preferably located in the bottom of the transport guide 48 thus within the transport plane. Furthermore the powder slots 98 have a width, such that the shells 2 may traverse the powder release slots 98, while ammunition powder within the transport guide 48 can fall onto the bulkhead 68. Thereby an accumulation of ammunition powder within the transport guide 48 can be impeded. It is preferred that the powder release slots 98 have to this end a width between 1 to 3 mm. Moreover it is particularly preferred that the powder release slots 98 are oriented within the transport plane 44 with an angle that is not perpendicular to the transport direction of the shells 2. Instead an angle of the powder release slots 98 between 30° and 60°, most preferably about 45° is preferred to yield a smooth transport of the shells 2 within the conveyor subsystem 4.
By scaling up the apparatus 1 depicted in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2016 103 869.5 | Mar 2016 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/055000 | 3/3/2017 | WO | 00 |
