Patents by Inventor Hugh B. Thompson

Hugh B. Thompson 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: 4373422
    Abstract: A two-barreled machine gun has two fixed firing chambers, a conveyor, and a feed system mounted within a housing. The feed system transfers ammunition from the conveyor to the firing chamber. The feed system includes a sprocket barrel pivotably mounted about its central longitudinal axis. The sprocket barrel has two receptacle slots and two discharge slots circumferentially spaced thereabout. The sprocket barrel is rotatable between a first and second position. The receptacle slots each have a first position aligned with the conveyor to receive a round of ammunition and a second position aligned with a respective firing chamber. One receptacle slot is in its first position when the other is in its second position. The discharge slots also have a first position aligned with the firing chambers and a second position aligned with an outlet in the housing. One discharge slot is in its first position when the other is in its second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: William J. Washburn, Hugh B. Thompson, Clifford E. La Fever
  • Patent number: 4253376
    Abstract: A termination accumulator for a machine gun has a handling conveyor passing through a supply channel, a bypass channel, and a return channel. The supply channel leads to a feed system of a machine gun. The bypass channel has its other end connected to a return conveyor leading from the feed system. A gate is mounted at the junction of the bypass channel and supply channel operably between two positions, one position directs ammunition on the handling conveyor onto a supply conveyor leading to the feed system and a second position directs ammunition on the handling conveyor through the bypass channel. Upon release of a trigger mechanism operably connected to the gun, the gate moves from its first position to a second position such that the feed system continues its forward operation to clear itself of any live ammunition therein. The handling conveyor maintains a forward mode directing ammunition in to the bypass channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: William J. Washburn, Clifford E. LaFever, Hugh B. Thompson