Abstract: A fully automated, integrated, end-to-end synchronized and compact manufacturing system produces polymer or metal case ammunition. Manufacturing stations support case assembly, sealing (gluing/welding), final product inspection, cartridge packaging or binning, and loading. Station modularity facilitates rapid changeover to accommodate ammunition of differing calibers. Sensors and apparatus may be provided to place a manufacturing cell in a wait state until all components or materials are received in a preferred orientation for proper assembly. The system may join and use multipart cases, each including a lower portion with a head end attached thereto and at least one upper portion having a necked-down transition to the open top end. Elevator feeders, vibratory bowl feeders, and robotic pick-and-place feeders may be used to deliver components for assembly.

Abstract: An ammunition case reloading die assembly, and method of use, that provides calibrated adjustment of taper imposed on the mouth of an ammunition case. A calibrating ring or cap bears indicia in the form of polygonal faces, splines or radially-directed markings. The ring or cap rotates with an upper portion of the die for threaded adjustment of the position of the die within the frame of a reloading press. The die has a longitudinal bore, a lower portion whereof is tapered for imposing a tapered crimp upon the mouth of the case. The taper of the longitudinal bore is preferably chosen to make each partial rotation of the calibrating ring or cap through one indicium correspond to increasing the taper imposed on the case mouth by one thousandth of an inch per case longitudinal inch.

Abstract: Device for filling a shell body with a plurality of sub-projectiles including a U-shaped assembly centering device coupled with a cover. A reservoir, formed between the assembly centering device and the cover, includes a slit-like shaped rectangle in cross-section. A flange is fastened in a lower area of the reservoir on the assembly centering device, and a slider for moving with respect to the reservoir includes a width corresponding to a length of the slit-like rectangle. A top portion includes a V-shaped notch extending along a longitudinal direction, and a bottom portion includes a V-shape extending along the longitudinal direction. A perforation, extending coaxially with the slider and provided in the assembly centering device, includes a first part approximately corresponding to an outline of the slider and a second part approximately corresponding to an outer periphery of a layer.

Abstract: A bullet feed assembly for a shell casing reloader, the assembly including a housing having a passage, a gravity feed bullet reservoir connected to the upper end of the passage, a first pair of catch members pivotally mounted in the housing for movement into the passage, to catch the bullets, the catch members including cam surfaces engageable by movement of a shell casing into the passage to release the bullet, and a pair of latch members mounted for pivotal movement into and out of the passage to prevent upward movement of the bullet in the passage.

Abstract: A feed hopper for shell casings for use with a cartridge loading machine. The hopper is in the form of a container having curving interior surfaces, the surfaces extending to a feed aperture at the bottom of the hopper connected to a feed tube. Preferably the hopper is of hemispherical shape. The hopper has a transverse member positioned diametrically across it over the aperture to prevent a casing from being dropped into it so that it could fall into the feed tube with its open end down. The configuration of the hopper causes the casings to feed steadily with the rim down into the aperture and the feed tube.

Abstract: An automatic shell reloader of the type having a fixed platen and a die platen, the die platen having a plurality of dies for performing the reload function and being moveable toward and away from the fixed platen to reload a shell case, the improvements comprising a guard carried by a primer cap slide assembly mounted on the fixed platen to block the force of a detonated primer cap from reaching the die platen, and a primer cap storage assembly mounted on the die platen, the storage assembly including a storage tube having a number of spring biased fingers at the lower end for retaining primer caps in the tube and a cam mounted on the fixed platen in a position to engage the fingers to release one primer cap at a time from the tube.

Abstract: Apparatus for holding a cartridge case during a reloading operation that includes a jaw holder having a first groove extending linearly thereacross, second and third grooves intersecting the first groove at right angles and extending away therefrom in opposite directions and a bore opening to the first groove and centered relative the grooves for having a primer moved therethrough, three elongated jaws having elongated slots, each jaw having a lip at each of its longitudinally opposite ends, and screws extended through the jaw slots and threaded into the jaw holder to permit adjusting the jaws in the grooves relative the bore and retain the jaws in the adjusted positions. Two jaws are mounted in the first groove on diametrically opposite sides of the bore, the third jaw is mounted in the third groove and the second groove is provided for translating a cartridge case to have the lips of the three jaws extend into the case cannelure.

Abstract: An apparatus for reloading spent ammunition shells includes a plurality of tools supported on a shaft above an elevatable carriage which define a plurality of reloading stations spaced circumferentially about the shaft, one of the stations having a priming tool and a power recharging tool, and a shell holder plate supported on the carriage for coincident vertical movement therewith and adapted for rotation about the shaft and to receive a plurality of separate spent ammunition shells and to position these shells simultaneously and sequentially in different reloading stations.

Abstract: This invention relates to some unique mechanical devices, which, when attached in natural sequence to a shotshell reloading press, allows faster, smoother and more compatable performance of said press.Specific devices which are included are, (1) a device designed for more positive reciprocation of a carrying ram, which, when actuated, meters and carries, "either wads of primers to their destination for instillation in a spent shotshell casing". (2) Another unique mechanical device is a miniature leverage system which feeds empty shell casings into the holding slots of the index carrier plate by means of a coordinated swivel mounted lever which forces said casings into holding slots of said carrier index plate upon the acuation of said press. (3) To conclude the unique devices of this application is a holding tray for new primers.

Abstract: A press type ammunition loader in which the casings are sequentially advanced through a series of work stations by means of a shuttle bar which is reciprocated along the line of the work stations and also moved laterally into and out of engagement with the casing series. A simplified shuttle bar operating arrangement is disclosed including a cam actuated hitch-index shuttle cooperating with other shuttle bar operating components operated by reciprocal movement of lower and upper platen plates which also operate the respective loader components at each work station. The shuttle bar advance and return movement is executed while engaged with C-form springs, maintaining an inward bias force. The upper and lower platens are reciprocated by rotation of a crank-link assembly, which also operates a primer feed slide mechanism, by means of a cable and pulley drive moving a primer slide bar between primer pick up and seating positions.

Abstract: A manual cartridge loading machine. The machine has six stations at which cartridges are operated on. Cooperable with the stations is a manually actuatable head carrying dies which execute the operations on the cartridge cases. The operations which are executed at the stations include: feeding the cartridge case; sizing the case and removing the old primer; belling the mouth of the case and seating the new primer; feeding the powder; feeding the bullet in the case; and taper crimping the case. Cartridges are shifted from station to station by a manually actuatable shifting plate which is constrained for quadrilateral movement, that is, in and out with respect to the stations, and right and left in a direction parallel thereto. A safety latch is provided so that the head cannot be manually pulled down unless the cartridges have been shifted by the shift plate.