Abstract: To permit automatic ejection of shells in a progressive shell loader, a cam is mounted near the turret holding the shells. As the carriage is raised and lowered, two pawls and an index wheel turn it so that the shells advance toward a final station. Immediately prior to the final station, the cam engages a spring-biased lever to cause it to eject the reloaded shell. The pawls engage camming surfaces formed on the bottom of a single-piece index wheel to turn it.

Abstract: To enable a shell to be automatically primed during operation of a loader, the primers are mounted within a chute to fall by gravity to an opening where a lever is pivoted by a cam as the shell carriage of the loader moves in a vertical direction within the frame of the loader. The motion of the lever moves one of the primers from the chute into position underneath the shell carriage for insertion into the shell casing as the carriage moves downward against the base of the loader frame. The lever arm is spring-biased into position underneath the rim of the holder and contacts a cam mounted to move up and down with the carriage upon the actuating of the loader handle by an operator. The shell is deprived during the upward movement of the carriage and the downward movement.