MANUALLY ASSISTED BELT FED MACHINE GUN DRUM ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A cylindrical machine gun ammunition carrier drum device with hand crank and spindle, which allows operator to regulate belt-fed ammunition at a proper cyclic rate of fire and reload linked ammunition in an efficient, accelerated manner. This retract and release belt-fed ammunition method would provide proper tension and uniformity to the linked rounds, preventing the weapon from malfunctioning and improve cyclic dispersion of ammunition. This method applies to all calibers of belt-fed personal and crew-served automatic weapons. The external hand crank and internal spindle would work in unison to recover the belt if it is yanked from the cylindrical drum container prematurely. A flexible warning device ribbon connected by ammunition links would ensure all rounds are expended from within the drum when abridged from spindle to belt. Additionally, this internal warning device can be linked between belts at operator's preference.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current design of most modern ammunition drums, ammunition boxes and containers are squared off and commonly rectangular in shape, requiring a zig-zag style of belted loading. This includes belt fed ammunition pouches, which are configured the same way. Due to the design flaws in modern light and crew served automatic weapon ammunition containers, rounds and links can become misaligned or tangled as they are fed into the weapon's feed tray. This wastes critical moments when a machine gun operator engages with the enemy. There are also risks of a double feed, in which two bullets get lodged in the weapon's chamber, possibly exploding within the barrel and putting the user at great risk of injury. As a result, operators are inclined to pull the belt of linked rounds from the box and drape it across their forearm, allowing a somewhat proper feed into the weapon system. The other option is to break the belt to a smaller size and dangle it from the gun's feed tray system when mounted, to help guide the belt into said fully automatic weapon. These practices ensure the links do not get stuck within the carrier. However, pulling the belt from the ammunition container can result in the linkage becoming misaligned with the ammunition itself. Bullets might become tangled in external equipment if the operator allows them to dangle freely. This problem can also distract an assistant gunner from spotting targets of interest and covering his own sector of fire. Since machine gunner teams are roughly eighty percent of an element's firepower, it is vital to have these weapons running at an optimal cyclic rate while on the battlefield. Reloading the standard flawed drum is also time consuming, as the operator usually would prefer loading a fresh box to their weapon while on patrol, convoy operations and the like. The machine gunner might also waste valuable space in doing this with drums of ammunition less than full, only to deal with combining the links and reloading the boxes in a zig-zag pattern when there is more time. This new spindle design with a hand crank feature will alleviate the challenges of the previously mentioned design flaws. The machine gun drum assembly device is cheap to mass produce, costing about the same amount as current belt fed ammunition drums. It is effective in saving time in combat, will discourage the wasting and misplacement of ammunition and has minimal moving parts, avoiding breakage and loss.

BRIEF SUMMARY

This invention relates to all automatic belt-fed ammunition containers, carriers, drums, and the like. Consisting of a manually cranked rotary drum assembly from an internal spindle attached to/part of an external crank that creates a smoother transition between the belt fed carrier and the machine gun feed tray. The hand crank and spindle design also ensure that if the belt of ammunition were to be pulled from the drum, the rounds are retracted with minimal effort. What sets this device apart is the cylindrical shape combined with a center core and manual crank, which allows the user to wind the seated belt of ammunition in a rotary fashion, rather than getting links stuck together or misaligned. The crank assembly allows for reeling in the linked rounds and provides the gunner with proper tension within the spiraled belt. A warning ribbon feature with attachment links on either end will ensure every round is used and warn the operator that it is time to reload and conserve rounds as necessary, depending on placement of internal warning device. A slotted feature within the warning device ribbon accommodates single rounds of ammunition, provided for dire circumstances of survival when belt is expended.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Back view facing gunner, fully assembled. Ejection port (1) a means to connect drum to weapon (2), hand crank with contoured grips (3) and lid (4), as shown.

FIG. 2: Front view facing target, which includes container (5) and means to connect spindle to container (6).

FIG. 3: Assembled side view of drum assembly.

FIG. 4: Internal view of container (5), with cover removed to illustrate the cyclic flow of belt-fed ammunition. The port is not shown, for clarity of illustration. The spindle (7) assembly is tethered to warning ribbon (8) by way of link. The ribbon is then attached to the last bullet of ammunition belt by way of link on the ribbon's opposite side. Slots (9) within the warning ribbon accommodate single rounds of extra ammunition. The warning ribbon may be used independently of the spindle, with each end attached by way of link from one belt to another, according to preference of operator.

FIG. 5: Inside view of lid (4) and parts (3, 6, 7). A cotter pin or similar method may be used to keep the threaded coupling extra secure to tip of spindle. Please note there is a hole through middle of the container (5) and one through lid (4) to allow the spindle assembly to pass through and be fastened.

FIG. 6: The spindle designed with a spiraled, interlocking core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

• • 1. A cylindrical machine gun drum with a contoured ammunition port. The way of attachment and caliber of rounds depends on the specifics of how each automatic weapon is configured and is irrelevant to claims contained herein 2. The removable drum lid provides internal access. 3. Removable spindle is contoured in the size of specific caliber of round, to allow the last link of the belt or warning ribbon attachment to clip on, securing the tail end of the ammunition belt. 4. External portion of spindle includes a manual hand crank wheel that winds the belt of ammunition to expedite reloading and to provide proper tension and alignment. 5. The other end of the spindle is threaded to accommodate locking coupling. A small hole through the tip of spindle may accommodate means of additional securement of core. 6. The warning device is affixed to spindle and can be placed between ammunition belt sections by way of links on either end of ribbon, within the carrier as desired. 7. Slots within warning ribbon can accommodate spare rounds of ammunition, depending on preference of operator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The method and placement of attachment from drum to the belt fed automatic weapon is not included in the embodiment of the claims, nor is the port configuration and caliber of ammunition relevant to the claim, as the claims herein are relative to any caliber of belt-fed automatic weapon.

Claims

1) As set forth in claim 1, an ammunition carrier drum assembly that manually releases and retracts a linked ammunition belt by way of hand crank and spindle assembly.

2) As set forth in claim 2, a cylindrical machine gun drum with removable lid, housing a centered internal link spindle and external hand crank. This method can be used with any automatic light and crew served weapons which use belt-fed ammunition.

3) As set forth in claim 2, the ejection port of every belt fed weapon varies greatly between calibers and configurations of the manufacturer's specifications. The ejection port is placed to provide maximum rate of fire in the cyclical position to which it is assigned, whether clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on placement of weapon's means to attach to carrier.

4) As set forth in claim 3, an internal machine gun drum device consisting of at least one but no more than two male-end and female-end links, separated by way of a flexible material, to alert the operator of ammunition level status within the carrier.

5) As set forth in claim 3, the methods of attachment can be of a wide variety to include attachment links on each side, as well as a means of permanent attachment of warning device to the spindle as applicable.

6) As set forth in claim 3, the warning device contains slots throughout ribbon to accommodate extra rounds that are not part of the linked ammunition belt to which it is attached.

7) As set in claim 3, the warning device length can be adjusted by hook to loop, button to eyelet, clip over ribbon assembly and the like.

8) As set forth in claim 3, the flexible, durable material of ribbon device used is subjective and forms no part of the functionality of this design. Canvas, rubber, plastic, flexible aluminum and the like are all to the preference of manufacturing process and desired safety specifications.

9) As set forth in claim 3, the warning component contains slots within the ribbon to add emergency rounds as desired.

10) As set forth in claim 3, the length of the warning component is subjective depending on the weapon system drum configuration and preference of manufacturer.

11) As set forth in claim 3, The drum is capable of operation with the warning ribbon removed, whereas the ammunition belt would be directly attached to the internal spindle.

12) As set in claim 2, the warning ribbon may be used in between sections of ammunition belt.

13) As set forth in claims 1-3, the warning device prevents all rounds of ammunition belt from being expended, due to tension from the other end affixed to the spindle by way of attachment.

14) As set in claim 3, the warning component is not limited to attaching directly to spindle. The ribbon is capable of separating segments of ammunition belt according to operator preference.