Abstract: A machine for attaching ammunitions intended to form a chain or strip with links of ammunitions or cartridges, including an ogive, a cartridge casing, and a cup that are essentially cylindrical, attached by links articulated to one another, each link having a first part attached to a second part, the first and second parts being offset relative to one another, the second part including a central loop or handle relative to a height of the link, defining an approximately semi-cylindrical opening, sized to be adjusted on the cartridge casing of a cartridge of given caliber, the first part including two central loops or handles but located, heightwise, respectively on either side of the central loop, the machine including: a first guideway for successively introducing the links detached from one another and guiding the links under an effect of gravity; a second guideway for successively introducing and guiding the cartridges.

Abstract: A system for attaching and/or detaching ammunition having the form of a linked chain or strip includes a chain of ammunition having a head, a case, and a base that are essentially cylindrical, successively attached to one another by links, each link including a first part and a second part, articulated and offset relative to one another, the second part including a loop or ansa that is central relative to a height of the link, defining an approximately semi-cylindrical opening, dimensioned to be adjusted on the case of a cartridge of a given caliber, the first part including two loops of this type but situated, in terms of height, respectively on either side of the central loop, at least the central loop including, at its free ends, a small loop oriented in a direction opposite that of a main loop, so as to define a flare.

Abstract: A device for extracting ammunition casings from linked tubes of a flexible ammunition carrier is described which in a preferred representative embodiment comprises a generally tubular chute having an upper wall and a lower wall and first and second side walls which are divergent from each other along the length of the chute thereby defining a passageway through the chute extending from an entrance end to an exit end thereof which substantially uniformly increases in width along the length thereof; first and second channels defined along respective first and second side walls of the chute and configured to diverge one from the other in correspondence with the divergence of the first and second side walls and sized to receive respective annular flanges on the casings and the tubes of the ammunition carrier; and a rotatable paddle wheel disposed near the entrance end of the chute and including a plurality of paddles sized and spaced to engage spaces between adjacent tubes of the ammunition carrier which provides

Abstract: A replenisher for an ammunition storage drum has a housing with a main sprocket assembly rotatably disposed therein, with receptacles around a periphery for individual rounds of ammunition. At least one inlet accepts separate (linkless) rounds and places them in the receptacles. The inlet includes a hopper for loose rounds oriented in either of two opposite directions, which rounds are separated by orientation using wire guides engaging extractor flanges of the rounds and feeding the rounds. Converging helices re-entrain the rounds in single file, leading to a feed gear and sprocket assembly engaging the main sprocket assembly. At least one outlet from the main sprocket assembly has an external configuration dimensioned to receive an interface adapter which also mates with a gun magazine. The ammunition storage drum interchangeably connects by means of a power-transmitting conveyor to the replenisher or to the gun magazine.

Abstract: A declipper/feeder that removes the clip holding several cartridges and fs the cartridges into a linking machine to provide belted ammunition. A reciprocating push plate pushes the cartridges from the clip into a feed tray, permitting the clip to fall into a disposal container. From the feed tray the cartridges are gravity fed to a linking machine for the next operation in providing belted ammunition. The push plate reciprocating mechanism has a "breakover" arm that will pivot over upon itself to prevent damaging a jammed cartridge or stalling the motor and allowing automatic reset on the next rotation of the motor drive.

Abstract: An ammunition sorting system where rounds are fed randomly in either a first or a second orientation includes a process for orientating all of the rounds into the second orientation.

Abstract: A manually portable ammunition handling and loading system for delivering live rounds of large caliber ammunition from an ammunition supply belt to an automatic weapons system such as those carried by military aircraft, and which simultaneously collects expended shell casings and unfired rounds from the weapons system. The portable loading system is selectively mounted on an ammunition supply container and a spent round collection container and serves to feed belt carried ammunition from the supply container to the weapons system and to discharge the same belt carrying shell casings and unfired rounds received from the weapons system into the collection container.

Abstract: Ammunition sorting system including a plurality of storage hoppers each adapted to releasably store a different type of ammunition, and a conveyor system including in sequence a plurality of rungs, each rung having two alternative dispositions, one wherein the rung provides a pocket in the conveyor adapted to receive therein a round of ammunition from a hopper, the other wherein said rung precludes entry of a round into such pocket, and cams and followers for controlling the disposition of each rung as it passes each of the storage hoppers.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is a system including a buffer storage means for receiving rounds of ammunition, means for receiving therefrom the rounds in either of two orientations and for aligning them into a common orientation, and means for receiving therefrom the rounds with or without cardboard tubes and for removing any such tubes.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting randomly arranged articles having an enlarged end, such as large caliber ammunition or the like, so that all of the articles are facing in the same direction. The apparatus senses the direction in which the articles are facing and passes all of the articles facing one direction, while inverting the articles facing in the opposite direction so that all of the articles discharged from the apparatus are facing in the same direction.

Abstract: An assembly adapted to perform sequentially the following: to extract horizontally rounds of ammunition from containers that are being indexed downwardly by a vertical conveyor; to position the extracted rounds of ammunition over a horizontal conveyor; and, to insert these rounds vertically downward into individual round-carrier elements of the horizontal conveyor. The preferred embodiment of the extraction assembly includes nine identical ammunition round extractor-release mechanisms (i.e., extractors), an extractor bar in which the nine extractors are mounted side-by-side, an extractor bar drive mechanism operatively connected to the extractor bar, an extractor roller element, and a horizontal extractor table with a drop-off section.

Abstract: An ammunition loading system includes one or more clips, each holding a plurality of rounds, and a clip stripper/loader unit for progressively and at a uniform rate removing rounds from the clips and inserting each round at a uniform pitch into a conveyor.