Patents by Inventor Michael J. Dillon

Michael J. Dillon 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: 7930964
    Abstract: A Gatling-type minigun eliminates the hazards to the operator of the minigun associated with hang fire and overpressure situations by providing a vented rotor assembly to redirect high-pressure gases and associated debris forward of the rotor assembly and away from the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Publication number: 20100116124
    Abstract: A top cover and safing blade assembly replaces the prior art top cover and safing sector in 7.62 miniguns. The top cover and aft camming portion of a longitudinal helical track are combined in a single unit, thus permitting the forward camming portion of the helical track, incorporated in the safing blade, to be removed separately. Safing the gun by opening the safing blade and rearming it by closing the safing blade can be accomplished in far less time than is required in prior art safing systems. Live cartridges can be quickly cleared from the minigun by electrically rotating the barrels after the safing blade has been locked in its open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 7703374
    Abstract: A top cover and safing blade assembly replaces the prior art top cover and safing sector in 7.62 miniguns. The top cover and aft camming portion of a longitudinal helical track are combined in a single unit, thus permitting the forward camming portion of the helical track, incorporated in the safing blade, to be removed separately. Safing the gun by opening the safing blade and rearming it by closing the safing blade can be accomplished in far less time than is required in prior art safing systems. Live cartridges can be quickly cleared from the minigun by electrically rotating the barrels after the safing blade has been locked in its open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 7441490
    Abstract: A Gatling-type minigun eliminates the hazards to the operator of the minigun associated with hang fire and overpressure situations by providing a vented rotor assembly to redirect high-pressure gases and associated debris forward of the rotor assembly and away from the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Publication number: 20080092726
    Abstract: A Gatling-type minigun eliminates the hazards to the operator of the minigun associated with hang fire and overpressure situations by providing a vented rotor assembly to redirect high-pressure gases and associated debris forward of the rotor assembly and away from the operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 7013789
    Abstract: A top cover and safing sector assembly of a 7.62 mm Gatling machine gun, commonly known as a minigun, incorporates integral latch assemblies that cooperate with top cover and safing sector latch keepers conventionally provided on such machine guns to facilitate opening of the top cover independent of the safing sector or, alternatively, opening of the entire top cover and safing sector assembly, both of which are accomplished without the use of prior art ball locking pins and the need for removal and attendant risk of loss thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 6742434
    Abstract: A machine gun incorporates an additional helical cam assembly to reduce asymmetrical loads imposed on the bolt head and bolt body. Bearing pads positioned on the bolt head serve to support the bolt head within the chamber area of the forward portion of the rotor to thereby improve the accuracy and consistency of firing pin strikes against the primer, resulting in improved cartridge detonation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 6443044
    Abstract: A feeder/delinker for a gatling gun is disclosed. The feeder/delinker comprises a housing having a drive gear rotationally coupled to a ring of gatling gun barrels extending therethrough, A push rod guide with a plurality of push rods slidably received therein is mounted within the housing. The push rods correspond to and are oriented parallel to the gatling gun barrels. The push rod guide is rotationally coupled to the drive gear and a shaft which extends through the push rod guide. The plurality of push rods slide forwardly and backwardly within the push rod guide. A drive subassembly is mounted forwardly of the push rod guide and defines a plurality of cartridge receiving channels corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of push rods. A stripper subassembly is mounted forwardly of the drive subassembly on the shaft and defines a plurality of stripper channels corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of push rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 6439098
    Abstract: An ammunition box is disclosed. The ammunition box is an open top, narrow width, box-like structure having a bottom, two opposing side walls, a front wall and a rear wall opposing the front wall. The ammunition box further has a vertical divider extending the length and height thereof and bisecting the width of the box thereby dividing the interior thereof into two equal width cavities. Each cavity is adapted to receive the width of an ammunition belt. The box further has a baffle extending the width of each cavity approximately bisecting the length thereof, thereby defining two interior cavities having about half the total length of the cavity. The height of the baffle being less than or equal to the height of the box less the length of the interior cavity. The front wall has an angled divider extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom. The angled divider is divided at the divider wall into two portions of differing lengths with each portion having an upper divider extending upwardly from the top thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 5221032
    Abstract: A holder tray assembly for mounting on a torso of a wearer includes a tray capable of supporting objects and a pair of laterally-spaced apart support rods. Each rod has a pair of vertical and horizontal leg portions, the vertical leg portions for resting against the front torso area of a wearer, the horizontal leg portions projecting outwardly from the vertical leg portions and supporting the tray in a substantially horizontal plane and forwardly of a front side of the wearer's torso. The holder tray assembly also has a transverse support member extending between and attached to the vertical leg portions of the rods and a flexible member for encircling a back side of the wearer's torso and being attached at one end to the transverse support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventors: Glenn R. Bott, Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 4397448
    Abstract: A connector for affixing the top rail of a wire fabric fence to the fence posts thereof is described. The connector consists of a resilient metallic strip fabricated into a loop portion from which depend leg portions which extend inward, substantially parallel, then outward. When inserted into a fence post the connector legs enter into yielding frictional engagement with the inner walls thereof, said engagement being enhanced by the engagement of said parallel portions with one another thereby increasing the resiliency of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: U.S. Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 4343222
    Abstract: An improved shell reloading machine employing a movable four-position shell plate carried by a single shaft and actuated by a swinging toggle linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: 4163410
    Abstract: An improved shell reloading machine in which a swinging toggle linkage positioned below the tool head and shell carriage permits the incorporation of a swaging operation for the preparation of the primer cavity and the addition of an indexing mechanism for the automatic advance of the shell plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1979
    Inventor: Michael J. Dillon
  • Patent number: D413413
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Inventors: Stephen M. Dillon, Michael J. Dillon