This disclosure relates generally to firearms and, more particularly to chain removers that remove cartridge feed chains from gear wheels and firearms including the same.
The operation of traditional chain conveyor systems, in which large masses are accelerated, depends on conventional measures such as chain tension, acceleration and the loads carried by the pull and return chain strands. However, due to the relationship of these factors, conventional chain conveyors are inadequate for use in firearms. In particular, stable operating conditions, in which chain speed is constant or relatively constant, that occur in conventional conveyor systems do not occur in firearm cartridge feed chains that supply ammunition to automatic weapons. The cartridge feed chains used in automatic weapons experience extremely high acceleration and deceleration during weapon firing, such as burst firing. Conventional conveyor chain systems used in this environment could easily malfunction by, for example, the chain becoming kinked. Further, although high acceleration forces act on all the components in modern firearms because of the high firing rates and relatively large bullet masses, these high acceleration forces are particularly experienced by the cartridge feed chain system and its associated link chains during firing, i.e., during discontinuous operation of the weapon.
One effort to address this problem was disclosed in German patent DE 199 03 346, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. The cartridge feed chain system disclosed therein includes two highly tear proof, parallel guided transport chains (link chains), that are distanced, with respect to each other, a length that essentially corresponds to the length of the bullets or cartridges. The two parallel link chains are held at a constant separation distance and connected to each other via cross bridges. Further, the cartridge feed chain system is endless and is configured in several loops led over pulleys through an ammunition magazine. During operation, the cartridge feed chain system transfers the ammunition to an automatic firearm that collects and fires the bullets and that supplies the cartridge feed chain system with the detonated shells or spent shell casings to carry them back to the magazine. The speed of this procedure is determined by the firing process, particularly the rate of fire, which is dependent on the cartridge feed chain system and the associated gears.
Several aspects of the magazine and the cartridge feed chain system disclosed in DE 199 03 346 are, in general, designed to ensure that the cartridge feed chain system and the ammunition experience reduced acceleration and that chain tension is maintained, particularly with respect to the return portion of the chain carrying detonated cartridges. However, although the magazine and the various components included therein, incorporate various measures to ensure the integrity of the cartridge feed system, several problems occur, partly attributable to the drive wheels of the cartridge feed chain system. For example, this configuration does not sufficiently reduce the initial acceleration to constantly secure the chain links to the chain wheel, particularly with respect to the return strand of the cartridge feed chain. This increases slack in the corresponding chain link, which then loosely follows the circumference of the chain wheel and ultimately kinks. In addition this increases the already extreme loads experience by the link chain and the chain wheel. The result is increased wear and tear of the corresponding components or, in the extreme case, an interruption of the cartridge feed chain system that interrupts or completely blocks the operation of the weapon.
German Patent No. 199 03 347, which is also hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, discloses constructive measures developed to improve the behavior of a cartridge feed chain system 2 during operation of the firearm, as shown in
Throughout this patent, position designations such as “above,” “below,” “top” “forward,” “rear,” etc. are referenced to a firearm held in a normal firing position (i.e., pointed away from the shooter in a generally horizontal direction).
The example firearm disclosed herein includes a chain remover that removes a cartridge feed chain, such as a link chain, from a drive wheel at an appropriate location such that the chain does not kink, particularly on a return side of the chain.
In one example, the cross bridges 30 could each have a profile that is adapted to the shape of the bullets 24 or shells 36 such as, for example, a concave profile to complement the convex shape of a side of a bullet 24 or shell 36. Also, the shape of the cross bridges 30 may be adapted to help avoid tilting of the bullets 24 or shells 36. Furthermore, the cross bridges 30 may be axially rotatable between the two link chains 26 to facilitate the rolling of the bullets 24 and the shells 36, inside the guide region 40, as well as rolling of the cross bridges 30 themselves. Each cross bridge 30 may include guide heads 44 that are extensions of the cross bridges 30, which extend through the chains 26. The guide heads 44 may ride along an interior surface of the ammunition magazine 20 to guide the cartridge feed chain system 22 in guide regions 40 through the ammunition magazine 20.
As shown in
In the illustrated example, two chain wheels 50 are arranged on a shared drive source 56. Each of the chain wheels 50 includes a central opening 58 having a tooth-shaped profile. The outer surface 60 of the drive source 56 also has a corresponding tooth-shaped profile such that the central opening 58 and the outer surface 60 mate when the chain wheels 50 are coupled to the drive source 56. This configuration arranges the chain wheels 50 in a substantially torque-proof manner. One chain wheel 50 is coupled at or near either end of the drive source 56. The axis 62 of the drive source 56 is substantially linear so the teeth 52 of the two chain wheels 50 are aligned. Alignment of the teeth 52 of the chain wheels 50 aligns the chains 26 to ensure that the cross bridges 30 of the cartridge feed chain system 22 run parallel to the axis 62 of the drive source 56 (
In the illustrated example (
In an example, the chain remover 76 is constructed in one piece from a plate of a material that can be used in the temperature range of −80 to 200° C., particularly between −40° C. and 110° C. The chain remover 76 may be made from a metal such as a metal with a steel quality of, for example, 42CrMo4. Other, non-metallic materials with similar properties can be used such as, for example, fiber-reinforced composites. The example chain remover 76 includes four guide regions or plates 78a, 78b, 78c, two on either side of the chain wheel 50.
The chain remover 76 may be constructed as a split disk manufactured from a single initial piece by a mechanical process such as, casting or a forged molding. The chain remover 76 may also be a fiber-reinforced composite piece as stated above. The scope of the mechanical post-processing depends on the manufacturing tolerances with which the semi-finished blank product can be manufactured. The chain remover 76 may also be manufactured without any post-processing such as, for example, in a precision casting.
The chain remover 76 may be formed as a bifurcated piece with a U-shaped slit 80 between the guide regions 78a, 78b. The slit 80 runs perpendicular to the rotation axis 62 of the drive source 56 and is at least as wide as the teeth 52 of the chain wheel 50. The chain remover 76 has an inner radial surface 82 between the guide plates 78a, 78c. The distance between two, opposing guide plates 78a, 78c, i.e., the diameter of the inner radial surface 82 is substantially equivalent to the diameter of a shoulder 84 that projects from a root circle 86 of the chain wheel 50. The root circle 86 is the base of the chain wheel 50 exclusive of the teeth 52. The shoulder 84 has cylindrical or conical shoulder surface 88 that supports the chain remover 76 by the inner radial surface 82 of the chain remover 76 along the axis of rotation 62. The guide plates 78a, 78b, 78c also have outer surfaces 90a, 90b, 90c that run tangential to the diameter of the root circle 86 so that the chain remover 76 surrounds a portion of the toothed rim 54 of the chain wheel 50.
The chain remover 76 is operatively coupled to the chain wheel 50 at the radial surface 88 of the shoulder 84 so that the toothed rim 54 rotates about the axis of rotation 62 through the guide plates 78a, 78b, 78c. The chain remover 76 is fixed between the pull and the return strands of the chain 26. To secure the chain remover 76 in operable position with the chain wheel 50, a indentation or notch 92 included at the end of the chain remover 76 that is located at a distance from the chain wheel 50. Through the notch 92 a support 94 clamps into and fixes the chain remover 76. The support 94 may be, for example, a rod running between the casing parts 42 parallel to the rotation axis 62 of the drive source 56. However, the support 94 may also be any mechanical fastener, such as a bolt, rivet, screw, etc. The example chain remover 76 is thus mounted between the support 94 and the chain wheel 50. Also, the chain remover 76 may be mounted in a floating manner such that it is self-centering. Furthermore, all active surfaces are processed and toleranced in such a way to provide a low-tear utilization of the corresponding components. In the illustrated example, the thickness of the chain remover 76 is reduced at the end near the notch 92. In alternative examples, the thickness of the chain remover 76 may remain constant over its total length.
In an alternative example, the casing 42 may be provided with guide regions that operate in substantially the same manner as the guide plates 78a, 78b, 78c of the chain remover 76 to enable low friction removing of the link chain 26. This example eliminates the need for a separate chain remover and fastener. In this alternative example, there may be a projection from the casing 42 that would be tangential to the inner circle 86 of the chain wheel 50 to ensure that the chain 26 is removed from the teeth 52 of the chain wheel 50 of the appropriate point. Further, the projection from the casing 42 may be a substantially U-shaped projection through which the chain wheel 50 runs and which operates in a substantially similar manner to the chain remover 76 described herein with respect to
In other examples, in place of the tribological pairing between the radial surfaces 82, 88, a tribological pairing between the radial head regions 96 of the teeth 52 and the inner back wall surface 98 of the slit 80, which faces the radial head regions 96 of the teeth 52 as the teeth 52 rotate through the slit 80. To create the tribological pairing between the radial heads 96 and the inner back surface 98, the inner back surface 98 must be constructed as a surface radial with respect to the rotation axis 62, which has about the same radius as the base circle 86 plus the length of a tooth 52.
As stated above, the example firearm 38 disclosed herein includes a chain remover 76 that guarantees that an endless cartridge feed chain system 22, which is a link chain 26, is properly and timely released from a drive wheel 50 such that the chain 26 and does not kink, particularly on the return side. The example disclosed herein enables the chain 26 to be freely and unproblematically removed from the chain wheel 50 even during high accelerations. As shown in
In the illustrated example, the width of the two guide plates 78a, 78b and the slit 80 corresponds at least to the thickness of the side flank 46 of a chain 26. Further, the length of a guide plate 78a, 78b, or 78c corresponds at least to the length of a chain link 46, 48. Further, the guide plates 78a, 78b are substantially parallel to each other and are connected, or formed from the same piece of material, such that the slit 80 is bifurcated and substantially U-shaped, as described above.
Also, as shown in
Further, as stated above, the chain remover 76 may be produced in a few simple mechanical production steps from a plate-shaped blank or as complete molding piece. The chain remover 76 may be produced as a single piece, and may have a width that corresponds to the width of the chain 26. Further, the height of the chain remover 76 at the end near the chain wheel 50 substantially corresponds to the diameter of the root circle 86. The chain remover 76 may also be constructed to accommodate an angle of contact with the chain 26 that is less than or equal to 180°. Thus, the pull and return strands of the chain 26 may separate from each other or approach each other as the distance from the chain wheel increases.
The illustrated example chain remover 76 may be easily and economically coupled to the chain wheel 50 for operation without costly fixings and adjustments. The chain remover 76 is positioned in the radial direction of the chain wheel 50 and coupled thereto at corresponding radial guide surfaces—namely, the shoulder surface 88 and the inner radial surface 82, which is a clearance shaped as a circle segment to complement the circular shape of the shoulder surface 88 and with a radius similar to that of the shoulder surface 88, as described above. The opposite end of the chain remover 76 has a notch 92 into which a mechanical fastener 94 secures the chain remover 76 in place. There is a second axis of rotation 100 that that runs through the center of the mechanical fastener 94. The chain remover 76 is arranged such that it can rotate around this second axis of rotation 100. Essentially the chain remover 76 is coupled to the chain wheel 50 and the attachment element 94 in such a way that the chain remover floats in the axial direction from the toothed rim 54 of the chain wheel 50 to the mechanical fastener 94 in the plane that runs transversely to the rotation axis 62. The floating embedment of the chain remover 76 prevents the chain remover 76 from freeing itself from the chain wheel 50. Thus, in practice, the chain remover 76 acts as a self-adjusting element that, according to the operation conditions, takes in an optimal working position, and has low-tear characteristics.
Further, in the illustrated example, the chain remover 76 in configured such that the chain remover 76 has no affect on the chain 26 when the chain is in proper operation. That is, the chain remover 76 serves to facilitate proper operation of the chain 26 in the event of a malfunction such as, for example, to avoid the formation of kinks.
Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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DE 103 18 829.0 | Apr 2003 | DE | national |
This patent is a continuation of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/EP2004/003991, filed Apr. 15, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP04/03991 | Apr 2004 | US |
Child | 11257558 | Oct 2005 | US |