Patent ID: 6481328
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: F41A

Abstract:
A device for assembling complete propellant charges from a plurality of modular propellant charges, comprising:a plurality of magazine tubes each for receiving a plurality of modular charges, each magazine tube having an outfeed aperture; a plurality of ejectors for ejecting the modular charges from the magazine tubes; at least one retrieval tube for receiving the modular charges from the magazine tubes; and a manipulator for altering a position of said at least one retrieval tube adjacent any of the magazine tubes for retrieving the modular charges from among the magazine tubes, the manipulator also altering the position of the at least one retrieval tube to be adjacent a loading mechanism of an artillery gun, wherein said manipulator comprises: a first motor for altering a position of the retrieval tube in at least one first direction; and a second motor for altering a position of the retrieval tube in at least one second direction different that the at least one first direction; first and second rails arranged perpendicular to said magazine tubes; a guide rail slide attached to said second rail, said guide rail slide riding on said first rail, thereby permitting said second rail to move along said first rail, said first motor driving movement of said guide rail slide; and a retrieval tube slide that the retrieval tube is attached to, said retrieval tube slide riding on said second rail, thereby permitting said retrieval tube to move along said second rail, said second motor driving movement of said retrieval tube slide rail slide.