Claims
- 1. Apparatus for storing rounds of ammunition and loading the rounds in a gun having a breech and a barrel wherein the gun is mounted on and above an armored turret for rotation about a horizontal axis with respect thereto to elevate the barrel and wherein the turret is mounted on an armored enclosure for rotation about a vertical axis with respect thereto to swivel the barrel with respect to the armored enclosure, the apparatus comprising:
- a main magazine located within the armored enclosure for storing the rounds of ammunition in parallel vertical columns within the armored enclosure;
- a standby magazine positioned in the turret behind and beneath the breech of the gun, the standby magazine being operatively independent of the elevation of the gun and being rotatable in and out of alignment with the main magazine; the standby magazine having first and second sections extending parallel to said horizontal axis, the first and second sections being covered with armor and being separated by a space aligned with a gap in the armor plate through which gap the rounds are delivered to the breech of the gun, and means included in the first and second sections for moving the rounds horizontally to the space so that the rounds may be lifted through the gap in the armor plate to the breech of the gun;
- lifting means mounted on said turret and movable operatively independent of the elevation of said gun, means for moving the lifting means vertically between a first position within the space for receiving rounds from the standby magazine and a second position behind the breech of the gun for charging the gun with the round, and
- means for transferring rounds from the main magazine to the standby magazine when the turret is rotated to position the standby magazine in alignment with the main magazine.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lifting means includes an ammunition round holder for aligning individual rounds with the axis of the gun breech; an arm connected to the ammunition round holder for lifting the holder, and means for pivoting the arm about an axis which is horizontal with respect to the turret and independent of the elevation of the gun.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lifting means includes two ammunition round holders mounted on separate arms, means for pivoting the arms with respect to the turret but independently of the gun to lift the ammunition round holders to the second position, wherein one arm and one ammunition round holder lifts rounds from the first section of the magazine and the other arm and ammunition round holder lifts rounds from the second section of the magazine as the arms are operated alternatively.
- 4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the means for pivoting the arms with respect to the magazine include a separate axis for each arm extending parallel to the plane of elevation of the gun and positioned on opposite sides of the gun.
- 5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lifting means includes an ammunition round holder for aligning the individual rounds with the axis of the gun breech and an arm pivoted about a horizontal axis, said horizontal axis extending normal to the plane of elevation of the gun.
- 6. The apparatus, in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lifting means includes an ammunition round holder for aligning individual rounds with the breech of the gun and parallel arm means pivoted to the ammunition round holder at axially spaced locations thereon and to the armored turret at spaced locations in the space between the sections, the parallel arm means having pairs of arms pivoted to one another for collapsing to pick up rounds and for extending to lift rounds to the breech.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lifting means is movable in the vertical plane of the axis of bore of said gun.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said gun includes a pair of mounting trunnions, and wherein said lifting means includes a bent swing arm having a first end for operatively securing thereto a cartridge holder and having a bifurcated second end adapted to be mounted on said pair of trunnions.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lifting means is movable in a plane parallel to the vertical plane of the axis of bore of said gun.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said lifting means includes two straight swing arms arranged in a common plane along one longitudinal side of a cartridge holder, each one of said swing arms being pivotally secured to said cartridge holder and in said space.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each one of said two swing arms is pivotably secured to pivot shafts extending transverse to said axis of bore of said gun, said pivot shafts including two upper pivot shafts operatively connectible to said cartridge holder and two lower pivot shafts operatively mounted in said space.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2837303 |
Aug 1978 |
DEX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 068,868-Grosser filed Aug. 22, 1979, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
1464171 |
Dawson et al. |
Aug 1923 |
|
2785607 |
Henstrom et al. |
Mar 1957 |
|
4092901 |
Gustavsson et al. |
Jun 1978 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1428746 |
Oct 1973 |
DEX |
2501426 |
Jul 1975 |
DEX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
68868 |
Aug 1979 |
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