Extensible ammunition conveyor

An extensible ammunition conveyor includes telescoping conveyor sections mounting pairs of laterally spaced sprockets adjacent the conveyor section ends. A pair of endless chains are trained about these sprockets in coextensive, transversely spaced relation with each chain having transversely lapping run portions extending along the telescoped end portions of the conveyor sections. The sprockets of each pair are mounted in angularly relation to provide an effectively V-shaped open trough for transversely confining cylindrical ammunition rounds during conveyance motivated by driving the chains in unison. Jointly braking and driving the chains in an appropriate direction produces powered extension and contraction of the conveyor.

The present invention relates to article conveyors and particularly to a 
linear conveyor of adjustable length for conveying rounds of large caliber 
ammunition. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Heretofore, the task of handling ammunition for large caliber artillery 
pieces has been highly labor intensive and time consuming. To reduce the 
number of military personnel required and to save time, both in terms of 
resupplying and loading artillery pieces, automated ammunition handling 
equipment has been proposed. One automation approach is equip the 
artillery piece, such as a self-propelled howitzer, with a magazine having 
a mechanized internal conveyor to convey resupplied ammunition into 
magazine storage and then to convey the ammunition from their magazine 
storage locations successively to the howitzer for loading by mechanized 
equipment. 
To provide expeditious logistical support for the howitzer, a resupply 
vehicle is similarly equipped with a magazine having a mechanized internal 
conveyor for conveying ammunition into and out of magazine storage. The 
resupply vehicle and the self-propelled howitzer rendezvous in the field 
where the ammunition is transferred from the resupply magazine to the gun 
magazine. Since howitzer ammunition consists of projectiles weighing as 
much as one hundred pounds or more and propellant canisters in the range 
of twenty five to fifty pounds, mechanized equipment to handle the 
ammunition transfer from magazine to magazine is a vital need. Since it 
would be extremely difficult to arrange the resupply vehicle and the 
self-propelled howitzer in any pre-defined physical relation, the transfer 
equipment must be readily adjustable to accommodate variations in vehicle 
separation and angular orientation. Also, the transfer equipment must be 
capable of handling the ammunition in a safe and expeditious manner under 
adverse conditions, e.g., in the heat of battle. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide mechanized 
equipment for conveying articles, such as large caliber ammunition. 
A further object is to provide conveying equipment of the above-character, 
which is readily adaptable to varying article transfer situations. 
Another object is to provide a linear article conveyor of the 
above-character, which is readily adjustable in length. 
An additional object is to provide an extensible article conveyor of the 
above-character, wherein conveyor extension and retraction is mechanized. 
A still further object is to provide an extensible conveyor of the 
above-character, which is particularly structured to convey cylindrical 
objects such as ammunition rounds. 
Yet another object is to provide an extensible ammunition conveyor of the 
above-character, wherein ammunition conveyance is effected in a safe and 
smooth manner. 
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear 
hereinafter. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an extensible 
conveyor having at least two conveyor sections arranged in end-to-end 
telescopic relation. Each conveyor section is equipped with a pair of 
laterally spaced sprockets adjacent each end. A pair of endless, 
article-conveying chains are trained about the conveyor section sprockets 
in coextensive, laterally spaced relation with each chain having 
transversely lapping run portions extending along the telescoped end 
portions of the conveyor sections. The chains are driven in unison from a 
common source to linearly convey articles resting on the conveyor chains. 
The transversely lapping run portions of the conveyor chains provide a 
smooth transition for the articles between conveyor sections. 
For articles of cylindrical configuration, such as large caliber ammunition 
rounds, the sprockets of each pair are mounted in tilted relation, such 
that the article conveying runs of the chains provide an effectively 
V-shaped, open trough, moving support for the articles. Power extension 
and retraction of the conveyor is achieved by braking one pair of 
sprockets and driving another pair in the appropriate direction. 
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, 
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, all as detailed below, 
and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The extensible conveyor of the present invention, generally indicated at 10 
in FIG. 1, is illustrated in its application to conveying ammunition 
rounds, such as projectiles 12, from the magazine of a resupply vehicle 14 
to the magazine of a self-propelled howitzer 16. To accommodate variations 
in vehicle separation, conveyor 10 is provided with at least two conveyor 
sections 16 and 18 mounted in telescopic relation. When not in use, the 
conveyor may be stowed in the resupply vehicle. 
As seen in FIG. 2, conveyor section 16 includes a longitudinally elongated 
U-shaped channel 20 which is dimensioned to be telescopically received 
within a longitudinally elongated, U-shaped channel 22 of conveyor section 
18. Channels 20 and 22 are equipped with opposed pairs of slidingly 
interengaging, longitudinally elongated tracks 24 to mount the conveyor 
sections to each other for telescopic relative movement. 
Referring jointly to FIGS. 2 and 4, mounted to channel 20 adjacent the free 
left end of conveyor section 16 is a pair of laterally spaced sprockets 28 
and 30. A pair of laterally spaced sprockets 32 and 34 are mounted to 
channel 20 adjacent the right end of conveyor section 16, which is 
telescopically nested within the left end of channel 22 of conveyor 
section 18. As best seen in FIG. 4, sprockets 28 and 32 are in relative 
longitudinal alignment, as are sprockets 30 and 34. A pair of laterally 
spaced sprockets 36 and 38 are mounted to channel 22 of conveyor section 
18 adjacent its left end, and a pair of laterally spaced sprockets 40 and 
42 are mounted to channel 22 adjacent its free right end. Sprockets 36 and 
40 are longitudinally aligned, as are sprockets 38 and 42. It is noted 
that the lateral or transverse spacing between paired sprockets 28, 30 and 
32, 34 of conveyor section 16 is slightly greater than the transverse 
spacing between paired sprockets 36, 38 and 40, 42 of conveyor section 18 
to accommodate relative telescopic movement of the conveyor sections. 
Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a first endless article conveying chain 
44 is trained about sprocket 28 for an upper longitudinal run 44a to 
sprocket 32. The chain is trained about sprocket 32 for a angular lower 
run 44b back to and about sprocket 36 where it continues on to sprocket 40 
along an upper longitudinal run 44c. From sprocket 40, chain 44 returns 
back to sprocket 28 along a lower angular run 44d . A second endless 
article conveying chain 46 is likewise trained about sprocket 30 forwardly 
to sprocket 34 along an upper longitudinal run 46a, back to sprocket 38 
along a lower angular run 46b, forwardly along an upper longitudinal run 
46c to sprocket 42 and back to sprocket 30 along a lower angular run 46d. 
The sprockets 32, 34, 36 and 38 at the telescoped ends of the conveyor 
sections are of a slightly smaller diameter than sprockets 28, 30, 40 and 
42 so as to avoid interference between the crossing, lower chain runs 44b 
and 44d in the case of chain 44 and crossing lower chain runs 46b and 46d 
in the case of chain 46. Alternatively and as seen in FIG. 2, idler 
sprockets 47 may be utilized to provide the requisite clearance between 
these crossing lower chain runs. 
It is thus seen that sprockets 28, 32, 36 and 40 comprise a first set of 
longitudinally distributed sprockets about which chain 44 is trained, 
while sprockets 30, 34, 38 and 42 comprise a second set of longitudinally 
distributed sprockets about which chain 46 is trained in transversely 
spaced, coextensive relation with chain 44. 
The upper runs 44a and 44c of chain 44 are transversely offset as seen in 
exaggeration in FIG. 4, but, as seen in FIG. 3, lie in a common plane. The 
same is true of upper runs 46a and 46c of chain 46. Consequently, these 
upper chain runs provide even running surfaces on which articles are 
supported during conveyance from end to end of conveyor 10. The 
transversely lapping portions of runs 44a and 44c and runs 46a and 46c, 
indicated at 48 in FIG. 3, provide a smooth article conveyance transition 
between conveyor sections 16 and 18. It will be appreciated that, as the 
relative positions of the conveyor sections are telescopically adjusted to 
vary the conveyor length, the longitudinal length of the lapping portions 
48 of runs 44a, 44c and 46a, 46c changes accordingly to maintain chains 44 
and 46 in taut conditions. As seen in FIG. 2, tracks 50 are mounted by 
channels 20 and 22 to provide coextensive, underlying support for the 
upper chain runs 44a, 44c , 46a and 46c and the articles resting thereon. 
To drive the conveyor chains in synchronism, a motor 52 is mounted to one 
of the conveyor sections, e.g. section 18, to commonly drive the sprockets 
of one pair, such as sprockets 40 and 42 seen in FIG. 4. Thus, the motor 
drives a worm 54 journalled in a bearing mount 56 affixed to channel 22, 
as seen in FIG. 5. A first worm gear 58, driven off of worm 54 is keyed to 
one end of a shaft 60 journalled in mount 56 by bearings 62. Sprocket 40 
is affixed to the other end of this shaft. The worm also drives a second 
worm gear 64 which is drivingly connected to sprocket 42 via a shaft 66 
journalled in the mount by bearings 62. Thus, with both chains 44 and 46 
be driven off a common drive element, worm 54, smooth, straightline 
conveyance of articles along the adjustable length of conveyor 10 is 
achieved. 
FIG. 5 also illustrates an appropriate sprocket mounting arrangement for 
conveying cylindrical articles such as projectiles 12. That is, the 
sprockets of each pair are mounted by bearing blocks in non-parallel, 
angular relation, such that the chains 44 and 46 provide an effectively 
V-shaped open trough or channel, indicated by phantom lines 70, for both 
supporting and transversely confining the projectiles while being 
longitudinally conveyed along the length of conveyor 10. In the 
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 5, the sprockets of each pair are tilted 
45.degree. off vertical such that they are relatively oriented to an 
included angle, indicated at 72, of 90.degree.. It will be appreciated 
that this sprocket angular orientation may be varied to a range of 
included angles, e.g. 45.degree. to 90.degree., depending on the physical 
characteristics of the articles to be conveyed. In the case of certain 
projectiles, an included angle of approximately 60.degree. may be 
preferred. If the articles are flat sided, the sprocket orientations would 
be vertical, i.e., in parallel relation, and thus the included angle of 
each sprocket pair would be essentially zero degrees. In this case, the 
sprockets of the driven pair could be carried on a common shaft driven off 
the worm via a single worm gear. 
As seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, individual blocks 74 of a suitable hard rubber or 
elastomeric composition are affixed to the links of chains 44 and 46. 
These blocks provide cushioned, high friction surfaces engaging the 
articles to ensure non-slip article conveyance when the inclination of the 
conveyor is particularly steep. 
In accordance with an additional features of the present invention, 
conveyor 10 is equipped with a brake 76, as seen in FIG. 4, to accommodate 
powered extension and contraction of the conveyor. When this brake is 
actuated to halt rotation of sprockets 28 and 30 and sprockets 40 and 42 
are driven in the clockwise direction seen in FIG. 3, the portions of 
chains 44 and 46 in lower runs 44b and 46b are tensioned, causing the 
conveyor sections to telescope outwardly and extend the conveyor. 
Conversely, when sprockets 28 and 30 are braked and sprockets 40 and 42 
are driven in the counterclockwise direction, the lower runs 44d and 46d 
of the chains are put in tension, and the conveyor sections must telescope 
inwardly to retract the conveyor. 
While the present invention has been disclosed using link chains as the 
endless, article conveying chains, it will be appreciated that the 
conveyor chains may be in the form narrow belts trained about wheeled 
elements, such as pulleys or cog wheels. 
It is seen from the foregoing that the objects set forth above, including 
those made apparent from the preceding Detailed Description, are 
efficiently attained, and, since certain changes may be made in the 
construction set forth without departing from the scope of the invention 
it is intended that matters of detail be taken as illustrative and not in 
a limiting sense.