Patent Grant
8763511
The disclosed technique relates to the field of belt-fed ammunition, in general, and to an ammunition magazine and an ammunition loading system and method, in particular.
Remotely controlled weapon systems may be mounted on armored vehicles. A remotely-controlled weapon system is typically mounted on a rotatable turret that is positioned on the roof of a carrier vehicle. The system is typically controlled from within the vehicle or from a remote location. The remote control of the weapon system may include remotely controlling the rotation of the turret, raising or lowering the weapon on the turret, and activating the weapon. An optical system may be provided to facilitate viewing targets. In many cases the optical system is aligned with the weapon, such that it is directed in the same direction as that in which the weapon is aimed.
For quick reloading, small and medium caliber ammunition is usually provided in the form of an ammunition belt of linked cartridges that is fed into the barrel of the gun. Commonly, ammunition belts are stored in a container adjacent to the gun for convenient loading. Additional ammunition may be stored inside the carrier vehicle. Ammunition belts are sometimes provided in magazines.
When a belt of ammunition has been fully used up, it is necessary to feed the gun with a new belt of ammunition, sometimes under battlefield conditions. It is desirable to carry out this operation as quickly as possible in order to maximize the time that the gun is available for use and to minimize the exposure of personnel to enemy fire. Personnel manning the vehicle should preferably not have to leave the interior of the armored vehicle or expose themselves to the exterior of the vehicle.
Under battlefield conditions, the turret may be rotated at frequent intervals in order to aim the gun at various targets on the battlefield. Attempting to load an ammunition belt or a magazine into the turret while the turret is rotating may lead to damage incurred to the turret or to the ammunition, or may lead to injuring personnel manning the turret.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,507, entitled “Armored vehicles including a turret fitted with an automatic gun fed from cartridge belt sections packed in boxes”, discloses an armored vehicle having a rotatable turret and an automatic gun fed from cartridge belts which are packed in ammunition boxes. The armored vehicle includes an armored body, a rotatable turret, which is mounted on a roller track and is fitted with an automatic gun, and a feed mechanism for feeding the automatic gun with cartridge belt sections packed in ammunition boxes. The armored vehicle further includes an ammunition box guide, means for storing the ammunition boxes in the vehicle, means for maintaining the ammunition boxes in a position, and means to enable the removal of empty ammunition boxes. The ammunition box guide includes inclined rails and is adapted to slidably transfer at least two ammunition boxes, positioned behind one another, one in a waiting position and the other in a firing position, to the automatic gun for firing. The ammunition boxes are stored in a storing position and are engaged against the ammunition box guide by an operator of the vehicle. The operator further engages the cartridge belt section which is in the firing position into the feed mechanism, and secures the front end of the cartridge belt section in the waiting position to the preceding belt section which is already engaged in the feeding mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,333, entitled “Armored vehicle”, discloses an armored vehicle having a rotatable turret and a gun carrier mounted thereon. The vehicle further includes an armored body in which an opening is defined and a conveyor. A container reloading station is positioned at a horizontal slideway within the armored body. A container receiving position is positioned on the gun carrier, and is aligned with the container reloading station through the opening. The conveyor conveys magazine containers loaded with belted or unbelted cartridges, for firing, or empty containers for replacement. The magazine containers are conveyed between the reloading station and the receiving position through the opening when the turret and the gun carrier are set on an indexed position.
In accordance with an aspect of the disclosed technique, there is thus provided an ammunition magazine containing an ammunition belt of a plurality of linked ammunition cartridges to be fed into a machine gun. The ammunition magazine includes a front opening and a rear opening respective of the machine gun. The front opening enables a leading end of the ammunition belt to be accessible for continuous feeding of the machine gun and for linking with a trailing end of another ammunition belt. The rear opening enables a trailing end of the ammunition belt to be accessible for linking with a leading end of another ammunition belt. The ammunition magazine may include two ledges. Each of the ledges projects internally from a respective side of the ammunition magazine, for supporting selected cartridges of the ammunition cartridges. The ammunition belt is folded vertically inside the ammunition magazine, and the folded portions of the ammunition belt are hanging from and supported by the selected cartridges.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosed technique, there is further provided an arrangement of at least two of the ammunition magazines disposed in a magazine platform. The ammunition magazines are consecutively and adjacently arranged with respect to the machine gun to allow consecutive feeding of the contained ammunition belts into the machine gun. The front side of a distal ammunition magazine of the at least two ammunition magazines, which is positioned distally with respect to the machine gun, is placed next to the rear side of a proximal ammunition magazine of the at least two ammunition magazines, which is positioned proximally with respect to the machine gun, such that the leading end of the ammunition belt contained in the distal ammunition magazine is linked with the trailing end of the ammunition magazine contained in the proximal ammunition magazine. Each of the ammunition magazines in the arrangement may include two ledges. Each of the ledges project internally from a respective side of each ammunition magazine, for supporting selected cartridges of each respective ammunition cartridges. Each respective ammunition belt is folded vertically inside each ammunition magazine. The folded portions of each respective belt are hanging from and supported by each respective selected cartridges. The ammunition magazines are further arranged such that the ledges of the proximal magazine and of the distal magazine are aligned to form continuous rails allowing a substantially smooth movement of the ammunition belt, contained in the distal magazine, into the proximal magazine.
In accordance with a further aspect of the disclosed technique, there is thus provided an ammunition loading system for conveying ammunition between a magazine platform and a hull region. The hull region is located beneath the magazine platform, to be used with at least one ammunition magazine. The ammunition loading system includes a lifting mechanism, operable for lifting the at least one ammunition magazine into the magazine platform from the hull region for loading the at least one ammunition belt into the machine gun. The lifting mechanism of the ammunition loading system may include an elevator. The elevator includes a lifting platform operable to be raised and lowered along a vertical track. The at least one ammunition magazine is being placed onto the lifting platform. The elevator may be operable for lowering the at least one ammunition magazine into the hull region from the magazine platform, to allow replacement of the at least one ammunition magazine after it is used.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the disclosed technique, there is further provided a method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun. Each of the ammunition belts includes a plurality of linked ammunition cartridges. The method includes the procedure of providing a plurality of ammunition magazines. Each ammunition magazine is operative for containing a respective one of the ammunition belts. Each of the ammunition magazines includes a front opening and a rear opening respective to the machine gun. The front opening enables a leading end of the contained ammunition belt to be accessible for continuous feeding of the machine gun and for linking with a trailing end of another of the ammunition belts. The rear opening enables a trailing end of the contained ammunition belt to be accessible for linking with a leading end of another of the ammunition belts. The method further includes the procedures of loading the leading end of a first of the ammunition belts contained in a first respective one of the ammunition magazines into the machine gun and of linking the trailing end of the first ammunition belt contained in the first ammunition magazine with the leading end of a second of the ammunition belts contained in a second respective one of the ammunition magazines. The procedure of providing may include providing at least one of the plurality of ammunition magazines with two ledges internally projecting from each respective side of the at least one ammunition magazine, for supporting selected cartridges of the respective ammunition cartridges. The respective contained ammunition belt is folded vertically inside the ammunition magazine. The folded portions of the respective belt are hanging from and supported by the selected cartridges. The method may further include the procedure of placing at least one of the plurality of ammunition magazines containing one of the ammunition belts in a magazine platform. The method may further include the procedure of arranging at least two ammunition magazines of the plurality of ammunition magazines, which are disposed in a magazine platform, in a consecutive and adjacent manner with respect to the machine gun, such that the front side of the distal magazine is positioned next to the rear side of the proximal magazine. The procedure of arranging may include aligning the at least two ammunition magazines. Each of the at least two ammunition magazines further includes two ledges internally projecting from each respective side of each of the ammunition magazines, for supporting selected cartridges of each of the respective ammunition cartridges. Each respective ammunition belt is folded vertically inside each respective ammunition magazine. The folded portions of each respective ammunition belt are hanging from and supported by the respective selected cartridges, such that the ledges of the at least two ammunition magazines are aligned to effectively form two continuous rails allowing a substantially smooth movement of the ammunition belt, contained in the distal magazine, into the proximal magazine. The method may further include the procedure of removing at least one of the plurality of ammunition magazines disposed in a magazine platform after the ammunition magazine is emptied from the contained ammunition belt by the operation of the machine gun. The method may further include the procedure of replacing at least one of the plurality of ammunition magazines, disposed in a magazine platform, after the ammunition magazine is emptied from the contained ammunition belt, with one of the plurality of ammunition magazines, which contains an unused one of the ammunition belts. The method may further include the procedure of linking a leading end of a distal ammunition belt of the plurality of ammunition belts, contained in a respective distal ammunition magazine of the ammunition magazines, which is positioned distally with respect to the machine gun, with a trailing end of a proximal ammunition belt of the ammunition belts, contained in a respective proximal ammunition magazine of the ammunition magazines, which is positioned proximally with respect to the machine gun. The method may further include the procedure of hanging each of the ammunition belts over two ledges internally projecting from each respective side of the plurality of ammunition magazine. The procedure of hanging includes supporting selected cartridges of the ammunition belt over the ledges and folding the ammunition belt vertically inside its respective ammunition magazine, such that the folded portions of the respective belt are hanging from and supported by the selected cartridges.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosed technique, there is further provided a method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun. Each of the ammunition belts includes a plurality of linked ammunition cartridges. Each of the ammunition belts is contained in a respective ammunition magazine of a plurality of ammunition magazines. The method includes the procedures of loading into the machine gun a leading end of a first ammunition belt of the ammunition belts through a front opening disposed in a respective first ammunition magazine of the plurality of ammunition magazines and linking the trailing end of the first ammunition belt through a rear opening disposed in the respective first ammunition magazine with the leading end of a second ammunition belt of the ammunition belts through a front opening disposed in a respective second ammunition magazine of the plurality of ammunition magazines. The method may further include the procedure of linking the trailing end of a proximal ammunition belt of the ammunition belts through a rear opening disposed in a respective proximal ammunition magazine, with the leading end of a distal ammunition belt of the ammunition belts through a front opening disposed in a respective distal ammunition magazine of the plurality of ammunition magazines.
The disclosed technique will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. It should be noted that the figures are provided as examples only and in no way limit the scope of the disclosed technique. Like components are denoted by like reference numerals.
The disclosed technique overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an ammunition loading system and a method for feeding of ammunition belts into a machine gun for a combat vehicle or a stationary post, designed to limit the exposure of personnel to the outside of the vehicle or the stationary post and associated combat risks. The ammunition loading system and the method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun enable quick, modular and safe loading and reloading of ammunition magazines to a remotely controlled gun mounted on a turret on the roof of the combat vehicle or of the stationary post. The ammunition loading system is automated or semi-automated, in order to reduce human involvement in the loading process. The disclosed technique further overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an ammunition magazine which is designed to allow convenient linking of a contained ammunition belt with other ammunition belts and facilitates the continuous feeding and firing and the quick and safe reloading of a machine gun. The design of the ammunition magazine further allows forming various modular arrangements of such ammunition magazines, which facilitate various configurations of the continuous feeding and reloading of the machine gun.
The ammunition magazine is designed to contain ammunition chained in a belt and is formed to allow easy and continuous dispensing of the belt and any ammunition belt linked therewith. The ammunition magazine is designed to facilitate dispensing of the ammunition belt it contains and any ammunition belt linked therewith to an adjacent firearm, and to allow linking of a trailing end of the ammunition belt to a leading end of a matching ammunition belt contained, for example, in an identical or similar ammunition magazine. Thus a continuous ammunition belt may be formed, which may be conveniently delivered to an adjacent firearm, facilitating continuous firing.
The term “ammunition belt” as used herein encompasses an ammunition belt which includes a plurality of segments of ammunition belts linked with one another to form a single continuous ammunition belt. The term “linked” as used herein with regard to ammunition belts encompasses ammunition belts which are linked directly or indirectly, e.g., by using linking fixtures or by using at least another ammunition belt linked therebetween.
The term “machine gun” as used herein encompasses all types of firearms or projectile weaponry operative with belt-fed ammunition, generally via an ammunition belt housed in an ammunition magazine. The terms “machine gun” and “gun” are used interchangeably herein.
The term “combat vehicle” as used herein encompasses all types of vehicles which are armed with a firearm, including land vehicles, aerial vehicles or marine vehicles, generally relating to armoured personnel carriers, such as tanks, or mechanized infantry fighting vehicles, but also including helicopters, battleships, and other vehicles that are typically utilized in a military context. The terms “combat vehicle” and “vehicle” are used interchangeably herein.
The term “hull” or “hull region” as used herein encompasses any region of a combat vehicle, which provides protection for personnel manning the vehicle from combat dangers external to the combat vehicle, including secured premises of the combat vehicle.
The term “automatically”, as used herein with regard to the manner of execution of operations or procedures in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technique, encompasses a semi-automated execution and an execution which is controlled by the operator or which is operator-independent (i.e., without the intervention of the operator).
The term “operator”, as used herein, encompasses an operator of a machine gun or an operator of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosed technique or any personnel manning such vehicle. Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
Magazine compartment 16 may hold one or more ammunition magazines 20 at a given time. Ammunition magazine 20 may include extendible support pins 25. When ammunition magazine 20 is placed in magazine compartment 16, support pins 25 may be extended to engage a support structure (not shown) in magazine compartment 16. The support structure may enable more than one ammunition magazines 20 to be stored in magazine compartment 16. When more than one ammunition magazine 20 is loaded into magazine compartment 16, the ends of the ammunition belts in adjacent ammunition magazines 20 may be linked with one another. During operation of gun 12, ammunition belt segment 34a is pulled completely out of one ammunition magazine 20a, emptying ammunition magazine 20a from ammunition belt segment 34a. At that point, gun 12 continues to pull ammunition belt segment 34b, linked with belt segment 34a, from an adjacent ammunition magazine 20b. In this manner, gun 12 continues to operate and utilize all ammunition belt segments 34 from all ammunition magazines 20 that are loaded into magazine compartment 16.
When an ammunition magazine 20a or 20b is emptied, or when the amount of ammunition available to gun 12 is to be increased, another ammunition magazine 20c may be loaded into magazine compartment 16. Typically, a full magazine (i.e., containing an ammunition belt segment) is stored within hull 18 of the vehicle (e.g., combat land vehicle 10 of
Reference is now made to
Lifting platform 22 can be lowered to a lowered position within a hull region of a vehicle (e.g., hull 18 of combat land vehicle 10), in order to allow the placing of an ammunition magazine 20 onto lifting platform 22. A loaded ammunition magazine 20, containing an ammunition belt 34 (or a segment thereof) with ammunition cartridges 36, is placed onto the lowered lifting platform 22 by an individual located inside the hull region. Elevator 24 can then be operated by raising lifting platform 22, thereby moving ammunition magazine 20 upwards from the hull region , e.g., toward hatch 30 in roof 32 of a combat vehicle .
Elevator 24 can cooperate with one or more sensors (not shown) that verify that conditions are suitable for the operation of elevator 24. For example, it may not be advisable to lift ammunition magazine 20 if hatch 30 in roof 32 (
Similarly, a sensor may be provided to indicate that a space above hatch, 30 is not currently occupied by an ammunition magazine 20. An appropriate mechanical, optical, electromagnetic, acoustic, or other appropriate sensor as known in the art may be provided. The sensor may provide a signal that indicates whether a space in magazine compartment 16 above hatch 30 is currently occupied by another ammunition magazine 20. In addition, a sensor may be provided to indicate whether lifting platform 22 is currently holding an ammunition magazine 20 such that ammunition magazine 20 extends upward through hatch 30. For example, hatch 30 may be provided with an appropriate optical sensor, or an encoder associated with elevator 24, that may indicate the position of lifting platform 22.
If elevator 24 were to lift ammunition magazine 20 when conditions were not suitable, damage or injury to equipment or personnel could result. For example, components of elevator 24, of ammunition magazine 20, of combat land vehicle 10, or of turret 17, could be subject to damage. Similarly, an operator or other personnel occupying combat land vehicle 10 could be injured. Therefore, elevator 24 may be provided with a control system that cooperates with appropriate sensors to disable operation when conditions are not suitable.
Reference is now made to
Controller 50 also receives signals from sensors 54. Sensors 54 may include sensors that indicate whether conditions are appropriate for operation of elevator 24. For example, sensors 54 provide signals that indicate the status of a hatch door in hatch 30, the orientation of magazine compartment 16 relative to the hatch door, the presence of another ammunition magazine in magazine compartment 16, and/or the presence of another ammunition magazine in elevator 24. The operation of elevator 24 may be actively restricted based on the indications of sensors 54. For example, when sensors 54 indicate that conditions are suitable for lifting ammunition magazine 20 up to magazine compartment 16, the lifting action is enabled, and the operation of operator controls 56 to lift lifting platform 22 results in elevator motor 52 raising lifting platform 22. On the other hand, should sensors 54 indicate that conditions are not suitable for lifting ammunition magazine 20 up to magazine compartment 16, the lifting action is disabled, and the operation of operator controls 56 to raise lifting platform 22 does not result in elevator motor 52 raising lifting platform 22. Optionally, controller 50 generates an audible, visible, or other indication that notifies that raising lifting platform 22 has been disabled. Controller 50 may generate an audible, visible, or other indication that indicates which condition or conditions caused raising lifting platform 22 to be disabled.
Controller 50 transmits signals to control elevator 24. Controller 50 may control the operation of elevator motor 52 directly or indirectly. For example, controller 50 may cause elevator motor 52 to raise lifting platform 22, to lower lifting platform 22, to stop the motion of lifting platform 22, or to change the speed at which lifting platform 22 is moving. Controller 50 controls the operation of elevator motor 52 by providing appropriate electric currents to elevator motor 52. Alternatively, controller 50 may generate an appropriate visible, audible, or tactile indicatation to an operator that indicates to the operator how to operate elevator 50.
Optionally, controller 50 controls the operation of turret rotation mechanism 58. Controller 50 directs turret rotation mechanism 58 to rotate turret 17 in either rotation direction, to stop rotation of turret 17, or to change the speed of rotation of turret 17. Controller 50 may control the rotation of turret 17 by providing appropriate electric currents to turret rotation mechanism 58. Alternatively, controller 50 may generate an appropriate visible, audible, or tactile indication to an operator that indicates to the operator how to operate turret 17. The operation of turret rotation mechanism 58 may be actively restricted based on the indications of sensors 54. For example, rotation of turret 17 may be limited when sensors 54 indicate that a raised ammunition magazine 20 extends above hatch 30. Rotation of turret 17 may be limited in such a scenario in order to prevent a collision between the raised ammunition magazine 20 and an opening in turret 17 or another ammunition magazine 20 already in magazine compartment 16. Controller 50 may generate an audible, visible, or other indication that indicates that rotation of turret 17 has been limited.
Ammunition magazine 20 is designed to enable proper and continuous operation of gun 12. Reference is now made to
Ammunition belt 34 includes a chain of connected ammunition cartridges 36. When held by ammunition magazine 20, ammunition cartridges 36 are arranged such that the long axis of each ammunition cartridge 36 extends from magazine side-wall 28′ to the opposite side-wall 28″. Side-wall 28′ and side-wall 28″ are each formed with a perpendicular ledge 21 projecting from an interior surface of the respective side-wall. Ammunition belt 34 is folded vertically into ammunition magazine 20, such that the top cartridges 36′ are supported by ledges 21 (each ledge 21 supporting a respective end of top cartridges 36′), while the portions of ammunition belt 34 between top cartridges 36′ are supported by top cartridges 36′ and hang downward below ledges 21 in between magazine side-walls 28′ and 28″. Ledges 21 are formed in a manner that allows a substantially smooth movement of cartridges 36′ along ledges 21 while the contained ammunition belt 34 is pulled towards gun 12 during its operation.
An indentation 23 is formed on the bottom corners of each of magazine side-walls 28′ and 28″. Indentations 23 in magazine side-walls 28′ and 28″ enable access, from each side of or from below magazine 20, to a leading end and a trailing end of ammunition belt 34 contained in ammunition magazine 20. Indentations 23 may alternatively be formed on horizontal base 27, i.e., magazine side-walls 28′ and 28″ are formed without an indentation, allowing access only from below magazine 20. Such a configuration may be suitable when magazines 20 may be positioned above hatch 30 or when magazines 20 may be positioned in a raised manner with respect to magazine compartment 16.
Side-walls 28′ and 28″ may alternatively be coupled by other configurations that rigidly couple side-walls 28′ and 28″, e.g., via a coupling element at the bottom or at the top of magazine 20. For example, side-walls 28′ and 28″ may be connected by a plurality of supporting boards disposed therein between at the bottom or top of magazine 20, where the supporting boards extend in a perpendicular or slanted manner with respect to side-walls 28′ and 28″. Side-walls 28′ and 28″ may be of different shapes other then rectangular as shown in
With reference to
The leading end of ammunition belt segment 34a contained in ammunition magazine 20a is initially loaded into a chamber of gun 12. When gun 12 is fired, a cartridge 36 that is loaded into the chamber is fired, and the ammunition belt 34 is pulled and advanced so as to load a next cartridge 36a of the ammunition belt segment 34a into the chamber.
Ammunition magazine 20b containing ammunition belt segment 34b may be loaded into magazine compartment 16 at a later time. When ammunition magazine 20b is raised to a magazine compartment 16 (
Ammunition magazines 20a and 20b may be further arranged in magazine compartment 16 such that ledges 21a of magazine 20a, positioned proximally with respect to gun 12, and ledges 21b of magazine 20b, positioned distally with respect to gun 12, are aligned to effectively form continuous rails as shown in
Thus, a series of magazines 20 may be arranged in the aforementioned manner to allow continuous and modular feeding and continuous and modular operation of gun 12. The arrangement and alignment of the ledges of ammunition magazines according to the disclosed technique further allows feeding of the machine gun without the need to remove an ammunition magazine, and therefore interrupt the operation of the machine gun, once the ammunition magazine is emptied. In addition, such an arrangement allows empting the most distal magazines in the arrangement before the contained ammunition belts or segments thereof are fed into the machine gun (i.e., the contained ammunition belt is pulled into the adjacent ammunition magazines), therefore allowing replacement of these ammunition magazines with minimal interruption to the operation of the machine gun, or in some embodiments, without any interruption at all.
Magazines 20 may be arranged in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technique, manually by an operator, or automatically, by utilizing a magazine positioning mechanism. Such a magazine positioning mechanism may include a rail structure, rigidly affixed to the floor of magazine compartment 16, allowing at least one ammunition magazine 20 to slide along the rail structure, once the magazine 20 is placed in magazine compartment 16 and engaged to the rail structure. The magazine positioning mechanism may include or utilize a magazine retaining means, installed in the vehicle, to allow locking, and therefore retaining, engaged ammunition magazine 20 in a plurality of positions. Magazine 20 may include an engagement fixture, such as extending pins 25, allowing the engagement of ammunition magazine 20 to a magazine positioning mechanism.
Generally, magazine compartment 16 may contain a specific or maximum number of ammunition magazines 20. A combat vehicle in accordance with the disclosed technique may generally allow a specific or maximum number of ammunition magazines to be arranged in such a consecutive and adjacent manner to allow the continuous feeding of a roof mounted machine gun. In particular, once ammunition magazine 20 is empty (i.e., emptied from the ammunition belt segment it contained), the empty ammunition magazine 20 may be removed from magazine compartment 16. Thus, by removing an empty magazine, a replacing ammunition magazine 20, containing another ammunition belt segment, may be placed and arranged in magazine compartment 16, in order to supply further ammunition to be fed into gun 12. Each empty ammunition magazine 20 may be removed immediately, i.e., once emptied, or at some time after it is emptied. Empty ammunition magazines 20 may be removed individually (i.e., one at a time), or multiple empty ammunition magazines may be removed together. For example, combat vehicle 10 may allow an arrangement of three ammunition magazines 20a, 20b and 20c in magazine compartment 16, as shown in
It should be noted that removing or replacing emptied ammunition magazines and loading filled ammunition magazines with new (unused) ammunition belts, and linking therewith, may be performed during the operation of the machine gun. In an embodiment of a vehicle, including a rotatable turret, such as combat vehicle 10, at least one ammunition magazine 20 disposed in magazine compartment 16 (e.g.,
Empty ammunition magazines 20 may be removed manually by an operator in accordance with the disclosed technique through e.g. a hatch (hatch 30 or another hatch designated for removal of magazines 20), or automatically, by a magazine removal mechanism installed in the vehicle. For example, the removal mechanism may include or utilize a lifting mechanism as installed in combat land vehicle 10, such as elevator 24 of
According to an embodiment of the disclosed technique, the retaining means of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosed technique may be further operable to retain the arrangement of ammunition magazines 20 intact in magazine compartment 16, particularly during the operation of gun 12. Optionally, at least one empty ammunition magazine 20 may be retained in a fixed manner in magazine compartment 16 of combat land vehicle 10, to be used as a fixed buffering storage for temporally holding ammunition belt 34 or a segment thereof while it is pulled towards gun 12 during its operation.
According to an embodiment of the disclosed technique, an ammunition magazine may be reused by placing a new ammunition belt 34, or a new segment thereof, within the empty used ammunition magazine, and then placing the used magazine back in ammunition compartment 16 in order to feed gun 12 with the new, unused, ammunition belt 34, or a segment thereof, contained within the reused ammunition magazine.
Reference is now made to
In procedure 60, a plurality of ammunition magazines is provided to a combat vehicle including a machine gun. Each ammunition magazine contains an ammunition belt, which includes a plurality of linked ammunition cartridges to be fed into the machine gun. Each ammunition magazine includes a front opening enabling a leading end of the contained ammunition belt to be accessible for continuous feeding of the machine gun and for linking with a trailing end of another ammunition belt, and a rear opening enabling a trailing end of the contained ammunition belt to be accessible for linking with a leading end of another ammunition belt. With reference to
In procedure 62, at least one ammunition magazine is placed in a magazine compartment of the combat vehicle. The placing of the ammunition magazine may be performed manually by an operator, e.g., by lifting the ammunition magazine through a hatch of the combat vehicle and placing it onto the magazine compartment while the operator is located within a hull region of the vehicle. Alternatively, the placing of the ammunition magazine may be performed automatically by a lifting mechanism of the vehicle. The lifting mechanism may include an elevator, such as elevator 24 as illustrated in
When ammunition magazine 20 is lifted to a desired position within magazine compartment 16, ammunition magazine 20 may be retained within magazine compartment 16 using retaining means, in a further procedure. The retaining means may be embodied by pins 25 affixed to a bottom edge of ammunition magazine 20, as shown in
In procedure 64, a leading end (i.e., the proximal end with respect to the machine gun) of the ammunition belt contained by the ammunition magazine placed in the magazine compartment is loaded into the machine gun. The operator may reach upward or climb upward through a hatch of the vehicle in order to load the leading end of the ammunition belt into the machine gun, while still remaining safely inside a hull region of the vehicle or within secure premises thereof and avoiding exposure to the outside of the hull or secure premises and the associated combat risks.
In procedure 66, at least two ammunition magazines disposed in the magazine compartment are arranged in a consecutive and adjacent manner with respect to the machine gun such that the front side of the distal magazine (i.e., distally positioned with respect to gun 12) is positioned next to the rear side of the proximal magazine (i.e., proximally positioned with respect to gun 12). With reference to
The at least two ammunition magazines may be further arranged such that ledges projecting internally from a respective side of each ammunition magazine, for supporting selected cartridges of the contained ammunition cartridges, are aligned. With reference to
The arrangement of at least two ammunition magazines 20 in magazine compartment 16 may be performed manually by an operator or automatically by a magazine positioning mechanism of the vehicle. Such mechanisms are known in the art and may be, for example, a track rigidly fixed to magazine compartment 16 along which magazines 20 slide and therefore can be positioned in a plurality of positions according to the desired arrangement. With reference to
When at least two ammunition magazines 20 are positioned in a desired arrangement within magazine compartment 16 in accordance with the disclosed technique, the arrangement of ammunition magazines 20 may be retained within magazine compartment 16 using retaining means, in a further procedure, in order to keep the arrangement intact in magazine compartment 16, especially during the operation of gun 12. The retaining means may be incorporated in the magazine positioning mechanism and may be embodied by pins 25 affixed to a bottom edge of ammunition magazine 20 (
In procedure 68, the trailing end of an ammunition belt, or a segment thereof, contained in a distal ammunition magazine is linked with the leading end of another ammunition belt, or a segment thereof, contained in a proximal ammunition magazine with respect to the machine gun in order to form a single continuous ammunition belt. With reference to
In procedure 70, an ammunition magazine emptied from the ammunition belt it contained is removed from the magazine compartment. Once an ammunition magazine disposed in the magazine compartment is used by the machine gun (i.e., the ammunition magazine is emptied from the ammunition belt it contained), the used and empty magazine may be removed from the magazine compartment. With reference to
In procedure 72, emptied (i.e., used) ammunition magazine disposed in the magazine compartment of the combat vehicle is replaced with one of a plurality of ammunition magazines containing a new unused ammunition belt, to be fed into the machine gun. Generally, the procedure includes the previous procedures of removing a used emptied ammunition magazine and placing an ammunition magazine containing an ammunition belt (i.e., unused) in the magazine compartment. The replacement of an empty ammunition magazine may be performed manually or automatically or by a combination thereof. The manual replacement may be performed by manually removing the emptied magazine and manually placing an ammunition magazine containing an unused ammunition belt instead of the removed magazine as described in previous procedures. The replacement may be performed automatically by utilizing a lifting mechanism of the combat vehicle. The lifting mechanism may include an elevator such as elevator 24, as shown in
The procedure may further include the previous procedure of linking the unused ammunition belt with an ammunition belt contained within an ammunition magazine previously placed in the magazine compartment to allow the continuous feeding of the machine gun. The procedure may additionally include the previous procedure of arranging the replacement magazine in the magazine compartment to form an arrangement of magazines according to the disclosed technique.
The replacement of an ammunition magazine 20 disposed in magazine compartment 16 may be generally performed during the operation of gun 12. In particular, a consecutive and adjacent arrangement of three magazines 20a, 20b and 20c is disposed in magazine compartment 16 (as shown in
The method may include an additional procedure, in which the operator provides instruction signals for operating the lifting mechanism, e.g., elevator 24 as shown in
The method may include another procedure, in which the operation of a lifting mechanism according to the disclosed technique, for example, elevator 24 as shown in
The method may further include a procedure in which a leading end of at least one distal ammunition belt, contained in a respective distal ammunition magazine, is linked with a trailing end of a proximal ammunition belt contained in a respective proximal ammunition magazine. The distal ammunition magazine is positioned distally with respect to the machine gun, and the proximal ammunition magazine is positioned proximally with respect to the machine gun. The proximal and distal ammunition magazines are positioned in the proximity of the machine gun and may be placed or arranged in a magazine compartment in accordance with the disclosed technique (as shown in
It is appreciated that procedures 60, 64 and 68 may be incorporated into two procedures. In a first procedure, a leading end of a first ammunition belt of a plurality of ammunition belts, each having a plurality of ammunition cartridges and contained in a respective ammunition magazine, is loaded into the machine gun through a front opening disposed in the respective first ammunition magazine. In a second procedure, the trailing end of at least the first ammunition belt is linked through a rear opening disposed in the respective first ammunition magazine with the leading end of another of the plurality of ammunition belts through a front opening disposed in the respective ammunition magazine. All of the aforementioned magazine auxiliary mechanisms and means that may be included or incorporated in a combat vehicle in accordance with the disclosed technique, including the lifting mechanism, the retaining means, the magazine positioning mechanism and the magazine removal mechanism, may be embodied by different types of mechanisms, means and various configurations as known in the art, e.g., by adapting the guide or maintaining means of U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,507 mentioned hereinabove or by adapting the conveyor of U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,333 also mentioned hereinabove.
An ammunition magazine in accordance with the disclosed technique may be a disposable or a reusable magazine. In addition, the ammunition magazine may be already provided with an ammunition belt disposed within, or alternatively, the ammunition belts may be provided separately, to be loaded into the ammunition magazines on site (e.g., during the preparations of a combat vehicle for an operation or during the operation thereof). Ammunition magazines in accordance with the disclosed technique may include ammunition belts, or segments thereof, of different types of ammunition (e.g., ammunition of different calibers) linked therewith.
The ammunition magazine, the ammunition loading system, and the method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun of the disclosed technique are described hereinabove as used in conjunction with a combat vehicle. According to alternative embodiments, the ammunition magazine, the ammunition loading system and the method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun of the disclosed technique may each be used in conjunction with a stationary post (e.g., buildings, posts established in trenches or bunkers, and the like). Accordingly, all relevant components or elements or operations or procedures of the disclosed technique described hereinbelow are equally applicable to an ammunition magazine, ammunition loading system or a method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun used on a stationary post, with any suitable modifications where necessary.
An ammunition magazine, an ammunition loading system or a method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique may be operative to load or feed a machine gun mounted on a fixed turret (i.e., not necessarily a rotatable turret) or any other suitable mounting structure, or a machine gun which is simply disposed on the ground. The ammunition magazine, the ammunition loading system and the method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun may be furthermore operative to load or feed a machine gun disposed in other configurations, i.e., rather than top-mounted, with respect to the vehicle or stationary post.
An ammunition magazine, an ammunition loading system, and a method for feeding ammunition belts into a machine gun, according to embodiments of the disclosed technique may be used with a combat vehicle or a stationary post which includes any type of a platform operative to hold or retain magazines (i.e., a magazine platform) in proximity of a machine gun, rather than a magazine compartment. Such a magazine platform may include the ground (e.g., in the case of a machine gun placed in the proximity of a trench), raised, lowered or leveled surfaces or structures with respect to the machine gun and open (i.e., exposed to the exterior of the vehicle or stationary post or unsecured premises thereof) or closed (e.g., magazine compartment 16 of
Thus the disclosed technique enables the quick and continuous feeding of a machine gun of a combat vehicle or stationary post, with minimal intervention of an operator and minimal disruption to the operation of the machine gun. Furthermore, the disclosed technique enables a modular feeding, loading and reloading, thus facilitating different configurations of feeding the machine gun and loading and reloading of the ammunition magazines to suit the specific desires, or needs and requirements as dictated by, e.g., a specific machine gun, ammunition, combat vehicle or stationary post, fighting or manning personnel or combat operation. In addition, the disclosed technique enables an operator to load or reload a heavy ammunition magazine into a magazine platform in a top-mounted turret of a combat vehicle or stationary post. A single operator may perform most tasks related to the loading or reloading unassisted and in a minimal period of time, freeing the operator and other occupants of the combat vehicle or stationary post to perform other tasks. An operator need not leave the interior of the hull (secured premises) of the combat vehicle or stationary post during reloading of the magazine platform, avoiding exposure to dangers (e.g., combat risks) outside the combat vehicle or secured premises thereof.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the disclosed technique is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 204088 | Feb 2010 | IL | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2011/000174 | 2/21/2011 | WO | 00 | 9/12/2012 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2011/101853 | 8/25/2011 | WO | A |
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| 20130000473 A1 | Jan 2013 | US |
