Alternatable dual cartridge supply system for an externally driven automatic weapon

US5159147A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Rheinmetall GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Horst Menges · Ratingen, DE
• Lothar Post · Düsseldorf, DE
• Bernhard Schneider · Speyer, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 17, 1987
• Grant date: Oct 27, 1992
• Expiry date: Aug 17, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F41A9/37
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

For installation in confined areas, an externally driven automatic weapon includes an alternatable dual cartridge supply system having two supply chutes are disposed parallel to an axis of symmetry traversing a cartridge supply rotor and a control roller for the breech block drive. The internal guide surfaces of both chutes are formed by a central guide disposed on the axis of symmetry, with the maximum width of this central guide corresponding to the chord length of a segment of the rotor which is provided with three, symmetrically disposed recesses, so that the introduction of cartridges into the rotor from the linear cartridge chute can take place, for example, directly from the top. The supply of cartridges to the rotor is always effected during any given period of time from only one chute. If cartridges are supplied from the other chute, the direction of rotation of rotor changes so that the cartridges are transported directly from the waiting position of a respective supply star wheel associated with each chute and fixed to the weapon housing, into a recess of the rotor and are transferred by stepwise movement of the rotor to a breech block for further transport into a cartri…