AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF CARTRIDGES IN ARM MAGAZINES

Abstract: An automatic device with interchangeable interface for the introduction of cartridges in the bifilar or monofilar magazines of automatic and semi-automatic arms, comprising a plate with a cartridge-guide ledge (1), placed above a vertical track (2) for transferring said cartridges into a suitable housing (10) from which a piston (6) introduces the same one by one into an arm magazine.

Description: "AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF CARTRIDGES IN ARM MAGAZINES" The present invention concerns an automatic device with an interchangeable interface for the introduction of cartrid¬ ges into bifilar and monofilar magazines of automatic and semi-automatic arms. It is well known that the use of drill or professional arms continuously shows the need of refilling the magazines. This need, up to now, was solved by the completely manual car¬ tridge introduction, or by small apparatuses being manually operated, or also by machines being limited to the filling of bifilar magazines. It is the aim of the present invention to make above opera¬ tion completely automatic, so as to obtain the refilling in a very quick time, and in an easy and not expensive manner. The aim set forth is achieved by means of the device accord¬ ing to the present invention, comprising a plate with a car¬ tridge-guide ledge placed above a vertical track, for trans¬ ferring said cartridges into a suitable housing, from which a piston introduces the same one by one in the arm magazine being contained in the interchangeable interfaces. The ' present invention will be described more in detail here- inbelow according to the attached drawings, showing one pre¬ ferred embodiment thereof. Figure 1, shows an axono etric view of the whole device. Figure 2, shows an axonometric view of an interface for bifilar magazines. Relating now to the details of the figures, the device con- sists in: - a plate 1 with a cartridge-guide ledge; - a vertical track 2, from which the cartridges come down; - a vertical rod 3 with alternate movement, provided with tabs so as to facilitate the sliding of the cartridges in track 2; - an interface 4, interchangeable according to the kind of arm magazine to be filled; - a pin 5 pushing downwards the cartridges already contain¬ ed in.the magazine, exploiting the alternate movement of a press; - a piston 6 having the task of inserting the cartridge into the arm magazine; - two arms 7 fir lifting the press and the pin; - a housing 8 for the arm magazine; - an electric motor 9 having the task of transmitting the movement to the piston with a connecting rod-handle system; - an electronic system for the control of the cartridges in¬ troduced in the arm magazine and for the automatic switch off of motor 9 once the cartridges' number, determined by the operator by means of a keyboard provided with a memory, has been reached; - a sensor for the control of the emptying of the track and for switching off the motor once the cartridges are ended, advising the operator by means of a light; - a safety system operated each time an interface that coπ- 5 trols the automatic switching off of motor 9 is introduc¬ ed, when the arm magazine is filled, so as not to exceed the maximum capacity. The plate provided with cartridge-guide ledge 1 is placed 10 above vertical track 2, and allows the introduction of car¬ tridges making directly use of boxes containing each 50 cartridges. From the plate, tha cartridges directly slip down into vertical track 2, which will transfer each single ■ cartridge into the suitable housing 10, from which piston 6 15 introduces the same into the arm magazine provided in hous¬ ing 8. The cartridges slip down the track with the help og tabs that skim the noses, and are placed on the vertical rod 3 203. provided with an alternate movement. In the filling movement of the monofilar magazine the car¬ tridge, passing through housing 10 under the push of piston 6, before completely entering the magazine meets a pin 5 25 that keeps the cartridges already inserted in the magazine in a pushed position, and it makes said pin perform a 90° revolution and thus gets the space to get totally introduc¬ ed. In the return movement, said piston 6 steps back, making a new cartridge fall in housing 10 while, at the same time, it makes arms:7 open backwards, while said arms being hing¬ ed in the centre of their length, get closed at the opposi- te ends thus forcing the press to lift. Pin 5, out of one piece with the press, is lifted and finds an obstacle in a tooth that forces the same to return in its initial right position, perpendicular to the cartridge just introduced in the arm magazine, so as to be able to repeat the operation. The arm magazine is inserted in the apposite housing 8 and kept in position due to a release lever closing. The whole system is placed in to movement by electric motor 9, which automatically switches off being controlled by an electronic system for the control of the number of the car¬ tridges inserted in the arm magazine, as soon as said number reaches the quantity determined by the operator and memoriz¬ ed by a keyboard. In the refilling motion of the bifilar arm magazine, the cartridge passes through housing 10 being pushed by piston 6, meets movable pin 5 and makes the same perform a revolu¬ tion of 90°, but does not directly enter the arm magazine, but rests on two movable inclined planes that, at the fol¬ lowing tour, are made open due to the pression performed by the pin onto the cartridge, thus facilitating the introduc- tion of the same into the arm magazine. In the return motion, the working of the variant of the bifilar arm magazine is identical to the one one already described for the monofilar arm magazine. The same automatic device with interchangeable interface for the introduction of the cartridges in the bifilar and monofilar arm magazines of automatic or semi-autimatic arms may be used also in places where no electric energy is available, as it is possible-to assure the functioning by means of a manually operated handle. In this case, the electronic system for the control of the number of the cartridges inserted in the arm magazine will be replaced, in a variant, by a mechanical system consisting in a toothed wheel with torsional spring, said spring beeing ingaged by one tooth moving the same at each turn of the handle. Each release corresponds to the introduction of one cartridge in the arm magazine. When the number of cartridges corresponds to the one de¬ termined by the operator, the wheel is blocked by a fix device and by a rotating one, which meet. For refilling again the magazine, the operator shall release the wheel turning the handle of some degrees in the contrary sense. Said operation will release the blocking of the toothed wheel consisting in a system of levers connected to the connection rod that operates the piston. With the help of the torsional spring, the toothed wheel will get back to the initial position.

Claims: CLAIMS . 1. An automatic device for the introduction of the cartridges in bifilar and monofilar magazines, for automatic arms, cha- racterized in the following elements: - a plate (1) with a cartridge-guide ledge; - a vertical track (2), from which the cartridges come down; - a vertical rod (3) with alternate movement, provided with tabs so as to facilitate the sliding of the cartridges in track (2); - an interface (4), interchangeable according to the kind of arm magazine to be filled; - a pin (5) pushing downwards the cartridges already contain¬ ed in the magazine, exploiting the alternate movement of a press; - a piston (6) having the task of insertinf the cartridge into the arm magazine; - two arms (7) for lifting the press and the pin; - a housing (8) for the arm magazine; - an electric motor (9) having the task of transmitting the movement to the piston with a connecting rod - handle sy¬ stem; - an electronic system for the control of the cartridges in¬ troduced in the arm magazine and for the automatic switch off of motor (9) once the cartridges' number, determined by the operator by means of a keyboard provided with a me¬ mory, has been reached; - a sensor for the control of the emptying of the track and for switching off the motor once the cartridges are ended, advising the operator by means of a light; - a safety system operated each time an interface controls the automatic switching off of motor (9) is introduced, when the arm magazine is filled, so as not to exceed the maximum capacity. 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridges coming from the plate with the cartridge-guide ledge (1) enter the vertical track (2) that will transfer the same into a housing (10), form which a piston (6) will introduce them, one by one, in the magazine, said magazine in turn being inserted in said housing (8). 3. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in the vertical rod (3) provided with tabs which, with an alternate movement, will facilitate the slipping down of the cartridges along the track (2). 4. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that each cartridge meets movable pin (5) which keeps the cartridges already inserted in the magazine in a push¬ ed position, and makes the same perform a revolution of 90° so as to get space for its complete introduction, said pin (5), being out of one piece with the press, raising and finding an obstacle in a little tooth forcing it to return in Its right initial position and perpendicular to the cartridge just inserted in the magazine. 5. A device according ot the precedent claims, characterized in that said piston (6), in the return motion thereof, steps back making a new cartridge fall into the housing (10) while, at the same time, it makes arms (7) open back- ward, while said arms, being hinged in the centre of their length, get closed at the opposite ends thus forcing the press to lift. 6. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that the magazine is inserted and kept into position in said housing {&) by meaπs-of a release-iever closing. 7. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that the piston (6) having the task of inserting the carrtidges into the arm magazine, may be electriclaly ope¬ rated by a motor or manually by means of a handle. 8. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that interface (4) is interchangeable according to the kind of arm magazine to be refilled. 9. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that the same automatically controls the number of the cartridges inserted in the arm magazine; automatically switches off the motor (9), once that number of cartridges determined by the operator by means of a keyboard provid¬ ed with a memory has been reached; controls the emptying of the track; stops the motor when the cartridges are finish¬ ed, advising the operator by means of a light, and operates the automatic switch off of the motor (9) in any case when the arm magazine is filled, so as not to exceed the maximum capacity. 10. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that in the variant with manual operation by means of a handle, the electronic control will be replaced by a mecha¬ nical system mainly consisting in a toothed wheel.

Inventors: MARI MARCO, MARI, MARCO
Applicants: MARI MARCO, MARI, MARCO
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F42B39
IPC codes: F41A9