Shell magazine for tanks

Shell magazine apparatus for tanks having a gun crew basket rotably mounted within a vehicle and having a cannon mounted to the basket comprises a primary shell magazine mounted in the gun crew basket and a secondary shell magazine mounted in the vehicle. The primary magazine includes a number of shell holding canisters pivotally mounted to a canister carrier rotatably mounted on a core. A Geneva drive incrementally rotating the carrier and canisters to sequentially position the canisters in a particular elevating position. A pressurized fluid cylinder is provided for pivoting a canister in the elevating position into a position from which a shell can be extracted by an associated shell loading apparatus. The secondary magazine comprises first and second drums rotatably mounted, side-by-side, in the vehicle rearwardly of the primary magazine when the gun crew basket is azimuthally zeroed. The first and second drums are orientated relative to the primary magazine so that shells can be then transferred forwardly, at particular rotational transport positions, into the primary magazine. A sensor and control system is provided for operating the magazine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to the field of shell feeding and 
loading apparatus for guns, particularly, of automated shell feeding and 
magazine apparatus for cannon. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
Armored vehicles, in particular military tanks and mobile gun platforms, 
are widely considered, even in the nuclear age, to be the backbone of 
land-based military forces. As a result, there is a continual escalation 
in the development of improved and more survivable tanks and gun platforms 
on the one hand and in the development of improved and more potent 
anti-armor weapons on the other hand. In general, because of continual 
improvement in anti-armor weapons, modern tanks are constructed with more, 
and usually heavier, armor, which is turn usually results in the tanks 
being larger and more massive. This, in turn, generally requires larger 
and more powerful engines, transmissions and so forth, which require the 
tank to be still larger and more masssive. In addition, because of tanks 
being more heavily armored, the tanks are required to mount larger, and 
more powerful cannon to combat heavily armed enemy tanks. 
As tanks become heavier and larger they tend to become more mechanically 
complicated and very greatly more costly to purchase, operate and 
maintain. Moreover, weight and size limits are reached which make the 
tanks difficult or impossible to air transport, and existing roads, 
bridges and other structures may not be sufficiently strong to support the 
tank's weight. 
Still further, the increased size of heavily armored tanks of current 
design results in a relatively large target profile which tends, in and of 
itself to result in increased tank vulnerability to anti-armor weapons, 
thereby necessitating still more armor and still larger size. An 
additional consideration is that large tanks require relatively large tank 
crews and thus military manpower limitations alone may limit the number of 
large tanks that can be fielded. 
As a result of such factors, it is widely considered by many that present 
main battle tanks are about as large and massive as is practical and may, 
nevertheless, be vulnerable to enemy anti-armor weapons. Thus, there is a 
current emphasis in many countries of the world to produce smaller tanks 
which, while still being heavily armored to protect the crew, have smaller 
target profiles and which preferably have reduced crew requirements. 
A factor which has contributed to the large size and comparatively high 
profile of modern tanks is that the tanks' cannon have typically been 
mounted within large, heavily armored turrets which also at least 
partially house a typical three man gun crew of gun commander, gun 
operator and gun loader. Height is ordinarily provided in the tank for the 
gun loader to stand upright to enable loading shells from a shell magazine 
into the gun. 
In order to reduce tank size and profile height, numerous new tank designs 
eliminate the conventional massive gun turret, and instead, mount the 
cannon exteriorally on top of a relatively small armored vehicle. Since, 
in such designs, the cannon is outside the crew compartment, automated 
loading of the cannon is needed for transferring shells from a magazine 
located inside the armored vehicle upwardly into the cannon for firing. An 
important advantage associated with the provision of autoloading apparatus 
is that the previously-required gun loader is no longer required, thus 
reducing crew size. Furthermore, overall height of the tank can be 
reduced, in some instances by a significant amount, since head clearance 
for a standing shell loader crewman is no longer required and all crewmen 
in the tank can operate the vehicle and gun from a seated position. 
The required autoloading apparatus for such externally mounted cannon are 
generally required to operate in a relatively restricted space and are 
typically required to move shells along a relatively complicated path from 
a magazine extraction position within the vehicle into the breech of the 
cannon. In addition, it is generally required that the autoloading 
apparatus operate in a reliable manner enabling comparatively rapid firing 
of the cannon. Furthermore, it is ordinarily required that the autoloading 
system have capablity for selectively feeding more than one type of shell 
to the cannon according to the type of target under firing attack. 
Such autoloading apparatus are typically required to operate in conjunction 
with shell magazine apparatus which provides shells to the autoloader. 
Typically, in order to minimize complexity, autoloaders are configured for 
picking up shells from a fixed shell magazine position. As a result, 
magazine automation is required to transport shells held in the magazine 
into the autoloader pickup position. 
The magazines associated with autoloading apparatus are required to supply 
a relatively large number of shells which, for tank calibre cannon of at 
least about 105 mm size, requires a substantial amount of space in the 
vehicle. Therefore, complex magazine apparatus may be required. For this 
and other reasons, improvements in shell magazine apparatus, especially 
for weapons systems in which a cannon is exteriorally mounted to a 
relatively small armored vehicle in which space is necessarily quite 
limited. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, shell magzine apparatus for guns 
comprises a plurality of shell holding canisters, preferably at least six 
and more preferably about nine, each of the canisters having a shell base 
end and a shell projectile end and a canister carrier and means for 
pivotally mounting the canisters to the carrier on a common circle and in 
a mutually spaced apart, side-by-side relationship. Preferably, projectile 
ends of the canisters are pivotally mounted to the carrier. 
Means are included for mounting the canister carrier for rotation about a 
central rotational axis, as are means for causing incremental rotation of 
the canister carrier about the rotational axis so as to enable each of the 
canisters to be indexed, in turn, into a preselected canister pivoting 
position. Further included are means for causing pivoting of whichever 
canister is indexed into the pivoting position between a normal, retracted 
position and a elevated, shell extraction position. The canister pivoting 
means are configured for causing the canisters to pivot between the 
retracted and the elevated positions through a preferred angle of at least 
about 20 degrees. More preferably, the angle is between about 30 and about 
60 degrees and most preferably the angle is about 36 degrees. Control 
means are provided for controlling the carrier rotating means and the 
canister elevating means. 
According to an embodiment, means are provided for releasably locking each 
of the canisters in the retracted position and the means for causing 
canister pivoting include means for first unlocking the canister to be 
pivoted from the retracted position. Also, means are provided for 
releasably retaining shells received into the canisters, the shell 
retaining means being configured for releasing a shell held in a canister 
pivoted to the elevated position in response to engagement therewith by an 
associated shell loading apparatus which extracts shells from the 
canisters. 
Further included in the shell magazine apparatus is at least one magazine 
drum configured for holding a plurality of shells and means for enabling 
the transfer of shells forwardly into rearward ends of the canisters from 
the drum when the canisters are axially aligned with shell holding 
recesses in the drum. 
The canister pivoting means preferably include a plurality of pivot arms, 
one of the pivot arms being fixed to the shell projectile end of each of 
the canisters so that the pivot arms rotate with the canisters as the 
canister carrier rotates. Further included in the canister pivoting means 
are a fluid pressure cylinder and a piston moved by fluid pressure in the 
cylinder, between an extended position and a retracted position. Included 
is a slide connected to the piston, the slide having means for engaging 
the pivot arm of whichever one of the canisters is rotatably indexed into 
the canister pivoting position. 
In conjunction with a vehicle having rotatably mounted therein a gun crew 
basket to which a cannon is externally mounted for azimuthal rotation 
therewith, the cannon being mounted to the basket so as to permit cannon 
barrel elevational movement, the canister carrier is rotatably mounted in 
the gun crew basket. A secondary shell magazine is disposed in the vehicle 
outside of the gun crew basket and means are provided for automatically 
transferring shells from the secondary magazine into the primary shell 
magazine canisters when the gun crew basket is rotated to a preselected 
azimuthal position in which a shell transfer position of the secondary 
magazine is aligned with one of the canisters of the primary shell 
magazine. Preferably, the means for rotatably mounting the canister 
carrier in the gun crew basket mounts the carrier for rotation about an 
axis which is in the elevational plane defined by the bore axis of the 
barrel of the cannon as the barrel is elevated relative to the gun crew 
basket and the longitudinal axis of a canister in the canister carrier 
specific rotational elevating position is in such elevational plane. 
The secondary shell magazine preferably comprises a shell-holding cylinder 
having a plurality of shell holding ports located on a common circle, 
means being provided for mounting the cylinder for rotation about a 
longitudinal axis at the center of the common circle and for causing 
rotation of the cylinder about the longitudinal rotational axis on which 
the cylinder is mounted. In an embodiment of the invention, the secondary 
shell magazine includes first and second, similar shell-holding cylinders, 
each of the cylinders having a plurality of shell-holding ports located on 
a common circle and including means for mounting each of the cylinders in 
a side-by-side relationship on laterally separated longitudinal axes, the 
longitudinal mounting axis of the first cylinder being at the center of 
the circle on which the first cylinder ports are located and the 
longitudinal axis of the second cylinder being at the center of the circle 
on which the second cylinder ports are located. Each of the first and 
second cylinders has a separate, specific shell transferring rotational 
position from which shells from cylinder ports rotated into said shell 
transferring position can be transferred into canisters of the primary 
magazine when the canisters are rotated into the transferring positions. 
Preferably at least one of the first and second cylinders is formed having 
a second circle of shell-holding ports located inwardly from the first 
mentioned shell holding ports and therefore inwardly of the cylinder shell 
transfer position. 
To enable manual loading of shells into the canisters of the primary 
magazine, at least one, and preferably all, of the canisters are 
longitudinally split into upper and lower clamshell segments, means being 
included for enabling manual opening of the upper segment relative to the 
corresponding lower segment so as to enable the manual loading of shells 
into the canisters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A better understanding of the present invention may be had from the 
examination of FIG. 1 which depicts an exemplary military tank, mobile 
armored gun platform or the like 20 for which the present magazine 
invention is especially adapted. Comprising tank 20 is an external gun pod 
22 and an armored vehicle 24, the vehicle having almost fully recessed 
therein a gun crew basket 26 which is mounted in the vehicle for azimuthal 
rotational movement, preferably through a full 360 degrees. Gun pod 22 is 
mounted to basket 26 for aximuthal rotation therewith and is mounted so as 
to enable limited elevational pivoting, for example, from about -10 
degrees to about +20 degrees of elevation. 
Disposed in vehicle 24 for protection by the vehicles armor, are shell 
magazine apparatus 38, according to the present invention. The function of 
magazine apparatus 28 is, of course, to store a quantity of shells 30 for 
firing by a cannon 32 mounted in gun pod 22. For an exemplary cannon 32 of 
105 mm size, shell magazine apparatus may be configured, as described 
below, to contain 39 shells. However, it is to be understood that the 
present invention is not to be considered as limited to any particular 
shell size or number of shells, a shell size of 105 mm and a shell 
capacity of 39 shells being shown and described merely to illustrate the 
invention, and no limitations are thereby intended or implied. 
Shown operatively associated with shell magazine apparatus 28 are automated 
shell loading apparatus 34. Such automated loading apparatus 34 is 
configured for picking up or extracting shells 30 from a shell magazine 
pickup or extraction position 36 and for then moving the extracted shell 
into a breech of cannon 32 for firing. Loading apparatus 34, however, 
forms no part of the present invention, it being a function of the present 
invention to move shells 30, in a serial manner, to pickup position 36 for 
extraction by some type of associated loading apparatus. 
By way of specific example, again with no limitations intended or implied, 
automated shell loading apparatus 34 may be of the cam controlled type 
shown and diclosed in our copending patent application Ser. No. 774,160, 
filed on Sept. 9, 1985. It may be noted that such exemplary shell loading 
apparatus requires that cannon 32 be in a particular elevational position, 
for example, at zero degrees of elevation, in order for the loading 
apparatus to be properly oriented for extracting shells from magazine 
pickup position 36. However, such elevational zeroing of cannon 32 may not 
be necessary, or the cannon elevational position for loading may vary, for 
other types of shell loading apparatus. In any event, operation of shell 
magazine apparatus 28 is independent of cannon elevational position; some 
operational aspects of the magazine apparatus, as described below, are, 
however, dependent upon the azimuthal rotational position of basket 26 
relative to vehicle 24. 
Comprising generally shell magazine apparatus 28, more particularly 
described below, are a first, primary magazine portion or carousel 40 and 
a second, secondary magazine portion 42. As shown in FIG. 1, primary 
magazine portion 40 is mounted by brackets 44 within gun crew basket 26 
and so moves in azimuthal rotation with the basket. As a result, primary 
magazine portion 40 always remains in a fixed azimuth rotational position 
relative to cannon 32. Moreover, shell magazine portion 40 is mountedly 
oriented in basket 26 so that a longitudinal axis 45 of a shell 30 in 
pickup position 36 is always in the vertical (when vehicle 24 is level) 
plane defined by a barrel bore axis 46 of cannon 32 as the cannon is 
pivoted in elevation. Consequently, shells 30 in shell magazine portion 40 
are readily available to cannon 32, via automated shell loading means 34. 
Secondary magazine portion 42 is, in contrast, mounted in vehicle 24 
outside of basket 26. Primary magazine portion 40 threfore rotates 
azimuthally relative to secondary magazine portion 42 whenever, gun crew 
basket 26 is azimuthally rotated for aiming of cannon 32. As a result, 
shells 30 held in secondary magazine portion 42 are not readily available 
to cannon 32 and it is, therefore, the function of the secondary magazine 
position to hold a reserve supply of shells 30, which may, from 
time-to-time, be transferred into primary magazine portion 40 as the 
latter becomes depleted of shells. As described below, to enable the 
transfer of shells 30 from secondary magazine portion 42 into primary 
magazine portion 40 requires that basket 26 be azimuthally rotated 
relative to vehicle 24 to a specific rotational position in which transfer 
points of the two magazine portions are in alignment. 
Because of limited space in basket 26 and the greater space available in 
vehicle 24 outside the basket, primary magazine portion 42 is configured 
to hold fewer shells 30 than are held by secondary magazine portion 42. In 
general, capacity of primary magazine 40 is intended to be sufficient for 
most combat firefights between which gun crew basket 26 could safely be 
rotated to the secondary magazine portion alignment position to enable 
replenishing of primary magazine portion 40 from the larger capacity. 
secondary magazine portion 42. By way of example, primary magazine portion 
40 is shown and described below as holding nine shells 30 whereas 
secondary magazine portion 42 is shown and described as holding 30 shells. 
Also as more particularly described, shell magazine apparatus 34 is 
controlled and operated by sensor and control means 48 (FIG. 2) which are 
conveniently located in vehicle 24 (FIG. 1). Described generally, sensor 
and control means 48 include a number of sensors which provide input 
information as to position of various moving parts of the overall weapons 
system. As example, the sensors may provide information as to whether a 
shell 30 in primary magazine portion 40 is in pickup position 36 and as to 
whether basket 26 is in the proper rotational position for shell 
transferring from secondary magazine portion 42 into primary magazine 
portion 40. In response to preprogrammed operational instructions and 
based on information from the sensors, sensor and control means 48 are 
responsible for executing commands relating to loading and firing of 
cannon 32. It is to be appreciated that sensor and control means 48 may be 
shared by shell magazine apparatus 28 with other portions of the weapons 
system, including automated shell loading apparatus 34, only portions of 
the sensor and control means directly related to the magazine apparatus 
being shown, however. 
Primary shell magazine portion 40 is in the form of a rotary magazine or 
shell carousel which is mounted on a longitudinal rotational axis 54 
(FIGS. 1 and 3) which is coplaner with pickup axis 45 and barrel bore axis 
46. Comprising primary shell magazine portion 40 are a plurality of 
elongate, tubular shell holding canisters 56, forward ends of which are 
pivotally mounted to a cylindrical canister carrier 58 (FIGS. 3 and 4) 
which is, in turn, rotatably mounted, by bearing 59, on a non-rotating 
core 60. Canisters 56 are mounted in a close, side-by-side relationship on 
a common circle around canister carrier 58. The number of canisters 56 
depends upon the diameter of the canisters (as determined by shell size) 
and the diameter of canister carrier 58 and for 105 mm shells the number 
of canisters may, for example, be nine, it, of course, being desirable 
that primary magazine portion 40 hold as many shells 30 as space 
considerations permit, with minimum capacity being about six. 
As can be seen from FIG. 4, a longitudinal centerline or axis 61 of each 
canister 56 is, due to the tapered shape of the canisters to conform to 
the tapered shape of shells 30, not quite parallel to rotational axis 54, 
rearward ends of the canisters axes being slightly more distant from the 
rotational axes than are forward ends of the canister axes. It is, 
however, preferable, for ease of construction, that canister carrier 58 be 
of substantially uniform outside diameter and that carrier-facing regions 
of canister outer surface 62 abut an outer surface 64 of the carrier. 
Each canister 56 comprises an elongate tapered, tubular sleeve 66 which is 
substantially closed at the forward end by a forward end member 68 into 
which the sleeve forward end is fixed. Length and inside diameters of 
canister sleeve 66 and end member 68 are sized to receive a shell 30, 
preferably in its entirety. Mounted to rearward portions of each canister 
56 is a spring loaded shell retaining clip 70. A wedge shaped shell 
retaining end 72 on clip 70 enables a shell 30 being loaded into the 
rearward end of the canister 56 to push rearward portions of the clip 
outwardly (direction of Arrow "A", FIG. 4) to admit the shell into the 
canister. A clip end forward surface 74 abuts a shell base surface 76 when 
a shell 30 is fully inserted into canister 56 to retain the shell in the 
canister. To extract a shell 30 from canister 56, a nose portion of a 
shell rammer 78 forming part of shell loading apparatus 34 engages clip 
end 72 and thereby pushes the rearward end of clip 70 out of the shell 
removal path. Fixed to each canister forward end member 68, in radially 
outward regions thereof, is the outer end of elongate pivot arm 86. Inner 
end regions 88 of each pivot arm 86 extend through a aperture 90 formed 
through an outer wall 92 of canister carrier 58 adjacent each canister 
forward end member 68. Pivot arms 86 are used, as described below, for 
elevating whichever one of canisters is in a preestablished canister 
elevating position from a normal, retracted position into shell pickup 
position 36. 
Fixed to inward facing regions of each canister sleeve 66, relatively 
adjacent to a rearward canister end 94, are canister latching means 96. 
Comprising canister latching means 96 is a latch bracket 98 which is 
mounted to canister surface 66 and a spring-loaded latching member 100, 
which is slidingly disposed in the bracket. An aperture 102 is formed 
through canister carrier wall 94 adjacent each canister latching means 96 
for receiving therethrough latch bracket 98. When canister 56 is lying 
along carrier wall 94 and latch bracket 98 is received through carrier 
wall aperture 102, rearwardly projecting latch 100 bears against an inner 
surface 104 of carrier wall 94 to thereby lock the canister in the 
retracted position to canister carrier 58. In such manner all canisters 56 
are normally locked in the normal, retracted position to canister carrier 
58 and remain so locked in the retracted position, whether or not the 
carrier remains stationary or is being rotated about axis 54 until 
unlatched. 
Canister unlatching and elevating means 112 (FIG. 4) are mounted to an 
outer surface 114 of core 60 at the preestablished canister elevating 
position. Comprising unlatching and elevating means 112 are a pressurized 
fluid cylinder 116, having axially extending from a forward end thereof a 
piston 118; an elongate cylinder mounting rail 120 which is fixed to core 
surface 114 parallel to core axis 54, a pivot arm engaging block 122 and a 
canister latch engaging arm 124. A forward clevis end 126 of piston 118 is 
pivotally connected by a pin 128 to rearward regions of block 122. A 
forward clevis end 130 of latch engaging arm 124 is pivotally connected, 
by a pin 132, to upper, rearward regions of cylinder 116. 
As shown in FIG. 4, cylinder 116 and block 122 are slidably mounted on rail 
120 for forward and rearward sliding movement (direction of arrows B--B') 
relative to the rail and also relative to canister carrier 58 which is, as 
above mentioned, rotatably mounted around core 60 to which the rail is 
fixed. To retain cylinder 116 and block 122 on rail 120, the rail may be 
T-shaped and T-shaped slots may be provided on the cylinder and block in a 
known manner (not shown). Fixed to, or forming a part of, rail 120 
forwardly of block 122 is a first stop 140, a second stop 142 is fixed to 
rail 120 forwardly of a forward end of cylinder 116. Rearward movement of 
cylinder 116 along rail 120 is limited by an outwardly projecting core 
portion 144 having a forward facing surface 146. 
Stops 140 and 142 and core surface 146 are relatively positioned so that 
when a forward surface 148 of block 22 is at forward stop 140, a 
"U"-shaped recess 150 formed downwardly into the block is longitudinally 
positioned for receiving thereinto an arcuate lower end 152 of pivot arm 
inner end portion 88 of whichever canister 56 is indexed into the 
preestablished canister elevating position defined by location of canister 
unlatching and elevating means 112. In a similar manner, when cylinder 116 
is fully rearwardly on rail 120 so as to abut surface 146, a latch 
releasing element 154, which is pivotally mounted, by a pin 156, to a 
rearward clevis end 158 of arm 124 is received into a recess 160 formed 
upwardly in latch bracket 98 of whichever canister 56 is in the canister 
elevating positin (a guide 162 mounted to core 60 is provided for 
supporting arm 124). Stated otherwise, when cylinder 116 is fully rearward 
and block 122 is fully forward on rail 120 and canister carrier 58 is 
rotated so as to index one of canisters 56 into the canister elevating 
position shown in FIG. 4, lower end 152 of the canister mounted pivot arm 
86 moves into block recess 150 and recess 160 in latch bracket 98 moves 
into registration with latch release element 154. 
It is to be observed from FIG. 4 that for cylinder 116 to be fully rearward 
and for block 122 to be fully forward on rail 120, pressurized fluid is 
applied to cylinder 116 so as to cause piston 118 to move forwardly, 
relatively to the cylinder, the maximum amount permitted by stop 140 and 
surface 146. Application of pressurized fluid to cylinder 116 so as to 
cause rearward retraction of piston 118 into the cylinder first (due to 
the different loads provided) causes cylinder 116 to be pulled forwardly 
(direction of arrow B), thereby causing latch 100 to be released by 
release element 154. Cylinder 116 is pulled forward in this manner to 
second stop 142. Thereafter, continued retraction of piston 118 into 
cylinder 116 pulls block 122 rearwardly (direction of Arrow B') thereby 
pulling inner end regions 90 of pivot arm 86 rearwardly. In response to 
such rearward movement of pivot arm inner end region, pivot arm 86 causes 
upward pivoting (direction of Arrow C) of the unlatched canister about 
mounting rim 57 from the normal, retracted position into the elevated, 
shell pickup position 36 (FIG. 1). To retract the elevated canister 56 to 
the normal position, fluid pressure is applied to cylinder 116 to cause 
piston 118 to be extended therefrom, pushing block 122 back forwardly to 
cause reverse pivoting of the canister about pin 57 to the retracted 
position. Arm 124 is moved rearwardly to permit canister 56 to 
automatically relatch (by latch 100 being ramp shaped) to canister carrier 
58. Canisters 56 are preferably elevated at least about 20.degree. and 
more preferably between about 30.degree. and about 60.degree. with an 
elevational angle of about 36.degree. being typical. It is, however, to be 
appreciated that the particular elevating angle required depends upon many 
factors, such as configuration of shell loading means 34. 
Rotational indexing of canister carrier 58 relative to core 60 is provided, 
as shown in FIG. 5, is by conventional Geneva drive means 170. Included in 
Geneva drive means 170 is a circular Geneva drive plate 172 fixed to the 
inside of canister carrier 58 and having a central aperture 174 which 
provides clearance around core 60 to enable rotation of the plate. Also 
included in drive means 170 is a Geneva driver 176 which is fixed to a 
forwardly projecting drive shaft 178 of a drive motor 180, the drive motor 
being fixed to core 60 rearwardly of plate 172. Drive motor 180 is 
preferably of a pressurized fluid type. 
Geneva plate 172 and driver 176 are configured in a well known manner to 
prove incrementary rotary indexing of canister carrier 58 about axis 60 so 
as to rotatably advance the carrier one shell canister position with each 
360.degree. rotation of drive motor shaft 178. Accordingly for the 
above-described, exemplary primary magazine portion 40 having nine 
canisters 56 mounted to canister carrier 58, each 360.degree. revolution 
of drive motor shaft 178 causes a 40.degree. rotation of Geneva plate 172 
and hence of the canister carrier. Drive motor 180 and Geneva plate 172 
are oriented so that at each such 40.degree. rotational step of the Geneva 
plate, one of the canisters 56 is aligned with unlatching and elevating 
means 112. As previously mentioned, the longitudinal axis of whichever 
canister 56 is aligned with unlatching and elevating means 112 is in the 
elevational plane of barrel bore axis 46; as a result, axis 45 through 
shell pickup position 36 is also in the bore axis elevational plane. 
As shown by FIGS. 6 and 7, secondary magazine portion 42 comprises first 
and second ammunition drums 186 and 188, respectively, which are mounted, 
by brackets 190 and 192 to structure of vehicle 24 rearwardly adjacent gun 
crew basket 26. Drums 186 and 188 are mounted in a side-by-side 
relationship, first drum 186 being rotatably mounted by brackets 190 for 
rotation about a longitudinal first drum axis 194 and second drum 188 
being rotatably mounted by brackets 192 for rotation about a longitudinal 
second drum axis 196. A plurality (ten being shown in FIG. 7) of 
longitudinally-oriented shell holding apertures 198 are provided in first 
drum 186 on a common circle around rotational axis 194. A similar member 
of longitudinally-oriented shell holding apertures 200 are provided in 
second drum 188 on a common circle around second drum axis 196. 
First and second drums 186 and 188 are oriented relative to one another and 
to first magazine portion 40 so that when gun crew basket 26 is 
azimuthally rotated to a preestablished shell-transferring azimuth 
position and canister carrier 58 is included in Geneva drive means 170 in 
the above-described manner, one of the first drum shell holding apertures 
198 can be axially aligned with one of the canisters 56 and one of the 
second drum shell-holding apertures 200 can be axially aligned with 
another one of the canisters. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, a first shell 
transfer position 206 is associated with first drum 186 and an opposing, 
second shell transfer position 208 is associated with second drum 188. 
Accordingly, to load shells 30 from first drum 186 into primary magazine 
portion 40, canister carrier 58 is rotated, by drive means 170, until an 
empty canister 56 is aligned with first transfer position 206. First drum 
186 is then rotated, for example, by a Geneva drive means (not shown) 
similar to Geneva drive means 170 until a loaded aperture 198 is at the 
first transfer position. A shell 30 in the aligned aperture 198 is then 
moved forwardly, for example, by a first pressurized fluid operated rammer 
means 210 associated with first drum 186. In an analogous manner, shells 
30 are transferred, by a second rammer means 212 associated with second 
drum 188, when a shell containing aperture 200 of second drum is rotated 
into second transfer position 208 and canister carrier 58 is rotated until 
an empty canister 56 is aligned with such transfer position. 
From the above description of primary magazine portion 40 it is seen that 
longitudinal axes of canisters 56 are not parallel with canister carrier 
rotational axis 54. Assuming, as is preferred, that longitudinal axes of 
shell holding apertures 198 and 200, respectively, of first and second 
drums 186 and 188 are parallel to respective rotational axes 194 and 196. 
it can be appreciated that to orient the two drums so that first and 
second transfer positions are aligned with canisters 56 drum rotational 
axis 54 will not be parallel with one another or with canister carrier 
axis 54. Nor will it normally be the case that the three axes 54, 194 and 
196 will be coplanar; although axes 194 and 196 may be in a common plane. 
Shells 30 may be retained in first drum apertures 198 and in second drum 
apertures 200 by spring-loaded detents (not shown) which prevent 
accidental movement of the shells from the apertures but which permit 
shells to be forwardly loaded into rearward ends of the apertures and to 
be forwardly transferred into canisters 56 from forward ends of the 
apertures. 
Rearward access to first and second drums 186 and 188, for the loading of 
shells thereinto from outside vehicle 24 is provided by a vehicle access 
door 214 (FIG. 1). 
Additional shell storage capacity may be provided in drum 186 by providing 
a second circle of shell holding apertures 216 inwardly of the circle of 
apertures 198 (FIG. 7), five such inner apertures 216 being shown. 
Similarly, an inner circle of five shell holding apertures 218 may be 
provided in second drum 188. Shells 30 stored in apertures 216 and 218 are 
manually removed, by access through door 214, and are manually loaded into 
outer apertures 198 and/or 200 from which shells have been transferred, in 
the above described manner, into canisters 56 of primary magazine portion 
40. 
Provision may alternatively or additionally be made for the manual loading 
of shells 30 into primary magazine canisters 56. If, as will ordinarily 
not be the case, sufficient space is provided in gun crew basket 
rearwardly of primary magazine portion 40, shells 30 can be manually 
inserted directly into rearward ends of canisters with no additional 
provisions being necessary. In the likely event that such rearward space 
does not exist, each canister 56 may be longitudinally slit, for a 
substantial distance, into upper and lower canister "clamshell" segments 
220 and 222 (FIG. 3). Preferably segments 220 and 222 are hinged along one 
edge and are formed having a manually releasable latch or lock 224 on the 
other side edge. Orientation of segments 220 and 222 of each canister 56 
is such that in at least one rotational position of canister carrier 58, 
upper segment 220 of at least one canister 56 can be opened sufficiently 
to permit insertion of a shell 30 into the canister. Thus by repeated 
indexing of canister carrier 58 (by Geneva drive means 170) all canisters 
56 can be manually reloaded with shells 30 stored in gun crew basket 26 or 
elsewhere in vehicle 24. 
Sensor and control means 48, as depicted in FIG. 2, comprise generally an 
electronic control unit (ECU) 230 which is operatively connected to a 
plurality of electrically operated, pressurized fluid control valves and 
to which is operatively connected a number of weapon system sensors. As 
such, ECU 230 may be responsible for controlling operation of the entire 
weapons system of which magazine apparatus 28 of the present invention is 
only a portion. Other portions of the overall weapons system which may 
also be operated by ECU 230 include automated shell loading means 34 and 
aiming of cannon 32 (FIG. 1). Shown electrically connected to ECU 230 are 
a control console box 232 by means of which a gun operator can input 
commands to the ECU, and status display box 234 by means of which status 
of the weapons system may be displayed to a gun operator. In response to 
such commands as "LOAD" received from control console box 232, ECU 230 
checks system status as provided by various of the sensors and, in 
accordance with internal programming associated with the command received, 
the ECU causes operation of the electrically controlled valves in a 
predetermined sequence required for executing the command. 
General configuration and operation of sensor and control means 48 is 
similar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 608,768 
filed on May 10, 1984 and titled "Electronically Controlled, Externally 
Powered Automatic Gun", which is hereby incorporated herein in its 
entirety. 
More specifically, sensor and control means 48 may comprise the following 
sensors which relate, directly or indirectly, to operation of magazine 
apparatus 28 of the present invention: "canister in pickup position" 
sensor 236, "retracted canister in elevating position" sensor 238, 
"canister in elevating positon latched" sensor 240, "shell in canister in 
elevating position" sensor 242, "canister in elevating position unlatched" 
sensor 244, "shell in canister in pickup position" sensor 246, "shell 
pickup rammer is clear" sensor 248, "canister to be loaded is empty" 
sensor 252, "basket in shell transfering position" sensor 256 and "fluid 
pressure" sensor 258. The function of each such above-mentioned sensor is 
generally evident from its title. However, by way of specific example, 
canister in pickup position sensor 236 provides an electric signal to ECU 
230 when one of the canisters 56 is elevated into pickup position 36, and 
shell in canister in pickup position sensor provides an electric signal to 
the ECU when a canister in the pickup position has a shell in it, both 
such signals providing a "go ahead" to operation of shell loading means 
34. 
Based on the appropriate weapon system components being in the current 
position at the correct time, ECU 230 proceeds with causing execution, on 
a step-by-step, go-no go basis, of the specific command received from 
control console 232, in the manner described in detail in the above 
referenced patent application Ser. No. 608,768. 
ECU 230 is, therefore, electrically connected to such solenoid fluid 
control valves as: canister carrier Geneva drive valve 268, first drum 
Geneva drive valve 270, second drum Geneva drive valve 272, canister 
elevating valve 274, canister retracting valve 276, first drum rammer 
advance valve 278, first drum rammer retract valve 280, second drum rammer 
advance valve 282 and second drum rammer retract valve 284. Valve 268 is 
connected for providing operating pressure to drive Geneva drive motor 
180; valve 270 is connected for providing operating pressure to drive a 
Geneva drive motor 290 and valve 272 is connected for providing operating 
pressure to drive a Geneva drive motor 292. Valves 274 and 276 are 
connected to supply operating pressure to canister unlatching and 
elevating cylinder 116. Valves 278 and 280 are connected to supply 
operating pressure to a first rammer cylinder 294 and valves 282 and 284 
are connected to supply operating pressure to a second rammer cylinder 
296. 
Presurized fluid, preferably hydraulic fluid, is provided to solenoid 
valves 268-284 by a pump 300 which is connected to a fluid reservoir 302. 
Connected downstream of pump 302 may be a pressure accumulator 364 and a 
pressure relief valve or diaphragm 306. ECU 230 may also control other 
operations such as elevational movement of cannon 32, opening and closing 
of breech 38 and shell loading by means 34 according to particular gun, 
breech and loader configuration. As such ECU 230 may, in fact, comprise 
portions of an on-board fire control computer (not shown). 
Status display 234 may be provided to visually display weapon system 
status, such as "gun loaded" to gun crew members, and may, as well, be 
used to display weapon system diagnostic malfunction information. 
Although operation of magazine aperture 28 is generally discussed above in 
conjuntion with the description of primary and secondary magazine portions 
40 and 42, the following example of one phase of operation is provided. 
When a LOAD command is provided from control console box 232 to ECU 230, 
the ECU may first check the input from sensors 236 and 246 to determine 
whether a canister 56 is in pickup position 36 and, if so, whether a shell 
30 is in such canister. If a shell 30 is present in pickup position 36, 
ECU checks inputs from sensors (not shown) associated with shell loading 
means 34 and if necessary conditions are satisfied, the ECU causes 
operation of the loading means. Assuming, however, sensor 236 indicates 
that no canister 56 is in pickup position 236 and sensor 242 indicates 
that no shell is present in the canister in the elevating position, it is 
then required, to enable loading of cannon 32, that canister carrier 58 to 
rotatably indexed, by Geneva drive means 170, one or more times to bring a 
loaded canister 56 to the canister elevating position. Such indexing is 
provided by operation of valve 268, which supplies pressurized fluid to 
drive motor 180 of Geneva drive means 170, by ECU 230 after the ECU checks 
sensor 248 to make certain rammer portions of shell loading apparatus 34 
are clear. 
After sensor 242 indicates that a loaded canister 56 is in the elevating 
position, ECU 230 operates valve 274 so as to supply pressurized fluid to 
elevating cylinder 116, thereby causing unlatching of the canister from 
carrier 58 and then elevating the canister into pickup position 36. At 
this point, ECU initiates operation of shell loading apparatus 34. If, 
however, at any time fluid pressure sensor 258 indicates a lack of 
sufficient operating presure, ECU 230 interrupts execution of the command 
and preferably causes a predetermined failure signal, such as "LOW 
OPERATING PRESSURE" to be displayed in status display box 234. 
Other operations of magazine apparatus 28 are executed in a similar manner. 
It is to be appreciated that sensor and control means 48 can, additionally, 
be configured for providing, upon demand from control console box 232, 
different types of shells 30 to pickup position 36. In such case, each 
canister 56 would be provided with a "shell-type" sensor (not shown) that 
would provide information to ECU 230 as to the type of shell in each 
canister (by canister number). When a particular type of shell 30 is 
demanded, for loading, ECU 230 would scan the shell-type sensors and 
determine which canister or canisters 56 contain the required shell type 
and would then cause incremental rotation of carrier 58 until a canister 
containing the required type of shell is indexed into the elevating 
position. 
Although there has been described above a particular embodiment of shell 
magazine apparatus according to the present invention to illustrate the 
manner in which the invention may be used to advantage, it is to be 
appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. Thus any and all 
variations, modifications and alternative arrangements as may occur to 
those skilled in the art are to be considered to be within the scope of 
the invention as defined in the appended claims.