Patents by Inventor Howard Atherton

Howard Atherton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5544563
    Abstract: A first member, such as a primer cartridge (33), is inserted in an aperture in a second member, such as a chamber (8) in a gun breech block (4,5), by means of an apparatus such as a primer loader (52), comprising a tubular member whose bore (16) serves as a guide for positioning the first member and which is aligned with the aperture in the second member. A fourth member, such as a ramming rod (19), may be provided to move the first member into the guide and thence into the aperture as the fourth member advances from a first to a second position. In the case where the primer cartridge passes across a gap (18) in order to enter the aperture, the fourth member may be arranged to advance an additional distance to a third position wherein the additional distance is not less than the width of the gap, the additional distance being the permitted movement of a fifth member, such as a slidable bush (38), between two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignees: Vickers Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd., Royal Ordinance PLC
    Inventors: Edwin A. Richards, David J. Balch, Howard Atherton