Abstract: An ammunition management device and method are disclosed herein. The ammunition management device, in an embodiment, includes an ammunition receiver, a first structure configured to receive ammunition units from the ammunition receiver, a guide configured to reposition the ammunition units, and a second structure configured to be coupled to an end of a gun magazine. The ammunition management device also includes a drive member configured to force each one of the ammunition units into the end of the gun magazine.

Abstract: A method, device and system for metering powder material from a powder material source by a metering device connected to the source. The device is charged from the source with a batch of powder material in a charging configuration. The batch is discharged from the device in a discharging configuration. The source is connected with a metering piston space in the charging configuration via a first channel of a fixed metering channel hub. The volume of the space is controlled between a metering piston and a hub peripheral surface by controlling the piston position in the space, to charge the volume with material by gravity. The metering space is turned around the hub, to the charging configuration. The volume filled with material is enclosed until reaching the discharging configuration. The metering piston space is connected with a discharge opening via a second channel of the hub for discharging the material.

Abstract: An arrangement for retrieving large-caliber ammunition from an ammunition magazine and transferring these to a loading and ramming position, in which the respective ammunition unit is located directly behind and coaxially aligned with a barrel of a large-caliber weapon mounted in such a way that it can pivot around a horizontal axis to assume different elevation positions. The transferring arrangement comprises a swing arm pivotably mounted around the horizontal axis between a retrieving position and a delivery position for each ammunition unit, and an ammunition pickup unit which is mounted on the swing arm in such a way that it can pivot. The ammunition pickup unit is arranged to assume a first angular position relative to the swing arm when this assumes its retrieving position, and to assume a second angular position relative to the swing arm when this assumes its delivery position.

Abstract: Ballistically resistant and fire resistant composite articles for aircraft interiors and other applications. Composite articles are provided having a flexural modulus of at least about 80,000 lbs/sq in (552 MPa), a flexural strength at yield of at least about 800 lbs/sq. in. (5.52 MPa), an areal density of about 0.9 lb/ft2 (4.40 kg/m2) to about 1.5 lb/ft2 (5.86 kg/m2), a fire resistance meeting the requirements of §25.853 Title 14 of the United States Code, Jan. 1, 2002, and a V0 velocity of at least about 1430 ft/sec (427 m/s) when tested by United States Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 25.795.2, Jan. 10, 2002, using .44 Magnum Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) bullets of 240 grains (15.6 g) mass and using 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed, Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets of 124 grains (8.0 g) mass.

Abstract: An improved spent shell carriage container, storage and dispensing hopper system provides two structures which can be added to a standard sized bucket, one structure through direct mounting and the other through drop insertion, to produce a spent shell carriage container and dispensing hopper. The direct mounting structure is simply a latch to hold a lower portion of the drop in structure in the closed position. The drop in structure includes a first member which can be shaped to gather support from the inside of the bucket to provide an angled approach to a second member acting as a door. The second member is sized as a partial cup to prevent, limit and stabilize the spent shells appearing and passing through the opening so that a hand sized accumulation will be available for quick manual engagement and loading on the reloading equipment.

Abstract: An improved spent shell carriage container, storage and dispensing hopper system provides two structures which can be added to a standard sized bucket, one structure through direct mounting and the other through drop insertion, to produce a spent shell carriage container and dispensing hopper. The direct mounting structure is simply a latch to hold a lower portion of the drop in structure in the closed position. The drop in structure includes a first member which can be shaped to gather support from the inside of the bucket to provide an angled approach to a second member acting as a door. The second member is sized as a partial cup to prevent, limit and stabilize the spent shells appearing and passing through the opening so that a hand sized accumulation will be available for quick manual engagement and loading on the reloading equipment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for re-sizing spent ammunition cartridges, such as spent brass cartridges for hand guns. A pair of forming rails which move with respect to one another to roll the cartridge between the rails in order to restore the cartridge to the original cylindrical specifications. The forming surface of one of the forming rails includes an inclined step which lengthens the cartridge as the bulge is rolled out of the cartridge neck.

Abstract: The present invention provides a retrofitting shell feeding attachment for shotgun shell reloading machines. The invention includes a declined tray held by a forked tray support, a funnel tube member leading from a discharge port located in the tray, and a feed tube leading from the funnel tube member and into a plunger block device. The plunger block device uses a linkage mechanism joined to a shell sliding member to automatically translate the vertical reciprocating motion of a plate member on the machine into sequential horizontal motions for sliding the shells discharging from the feed tube into proper loading position underneath the plate member.

Abstract: A shell plate for being indexed in angular steps is on a carrier which is, in turn, mounted to the upper end of the reloader ram. Indexer rod engageable elements such as cylindrical equiangularly spaced apart pins project downwardly from the bottom of the shell plate. An indexer rod is carried in the shell plate carrier. When the ram is driven to nearly its lowermost position, the manual operating lever is near the end of its swing at which time it abuts the indexer rod for the latter to engage one of the pins to rotate the shell plate. The indexer rod is retracted and reset by having it slide down a guide track from the uppermost position of the ram and the guide track is angulated in part to be engaged by the rod and retracted. The reloader is distinguished by indexing the shell plate only when the ram is within a few millimeters of its lowermost limit.

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: A speed-loading device comprising a container having an interior chamber and a discharge opening leading from the chamber to the exterior of the container. The container has a storage section in the chamber for storing cartridges in side-by-side relationship and an orienting section in the chamber between the opening and the storage section. The container can be oriented so that the cartridges in the chamber can fall by gravity from the storage section through the orienting section and out through the discharge opening. A removable blocking member blocks the flow of cartridges out through the discharge opening. The orienting section rotates the cartridges as they fall through the orienting section toward the discharge opening so that the cartridges fall end first through the discharge opening.

Abstract: The casings are guided through a supply duct to a sorting roller which possesses an arresting duct with a pin extending axially and, in the same cross-sectional plane, a transit duct. Those casings which arrive with the casing base directed upwardly penetrate into the arresting duct, with the case base resting on the free end of the pin. On subsequent rotation of the sorting roller through 180.degree., the casing falls into the outlet duct with base directed downwardly. Casings, which arrive with base pointing downwardly, run up against the pin and rest on the periphery of the roller until, after 180.degree. rotation of the transit duct, they align with the supply duct and can fall unhindered into the outlet duct. All casings fall into the outlet duct with their base directed downwardly.

Abstract: A shotgun shell dispenser for efficient hand loading, the dispenser having a hopper into which a plurality of empty cases or hulls are oriented and stacked, a carousel reel for serial transport of casings from the hopper to a dispenser opening and a trip mechanism for releasing a single shell to a dispenser trough for convenient manual removal of the casing from the dispenser.

Abstract: A semi-automatic cartridge reloading machine of the type including a lower travelling platen with a rotatable support for sequentially positioning a plurality of cartridges in each of a series of operating stations and including an upper stationary platen with a plurality of tools or dies depending or extending downwardly and spaced circumferentially about the upper stationary platen and centered over the rotatable support defining a plurality of operating stations is provided with mechanisms for automatically rotating the support to reposition the cartridges in subsequent operating stations at the completion of each reloading step or operation, automatically centering cartridges and removing spent primers from cartridges, automatically belling and admitting powder into cartridges, automatically introducing and inserting new primers into cartridges, automatically introducing and inserting bullets into cartridges, and automatically crimping and seating bullets into cartridges simultaneously and in conjunction

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: 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: This invention, relating to the art of resizing and decapping fired cartridge cases, comprises a novel method of and apparatus for automatically and safely resizing spent cartridge cases having primer caps, including means for automatically resizing the cases and clearing the case of the spent primer therein, in a highly efficient, automatic procedure, uniformly restoring cartridge cases for reuse. Pursuant to the invention means are provided which automatically orient the fired cases and feed them to a case receiving station from which they are sequentially advanced to a registration station, where swaging or sizing of the outside dimensions of the case to their original dimensions is effectuated and the case is decapped and reclaimed for reuse; the so resized and decapped case is displaced from the apparatus simultaneously automatically on positioning the next case at the registration station for repetition of the procedure.