Abstract:
An apparatus (i.e., a combat ammunition pack) for holding ammunition for a machine gun includes a bracket assembly that removably attaches to the machine gun; a belt guide attached to the bracket assembly for guiding a belt of ammunition into the machine gun; a front collar assembly removably attached to the bracket assembly; and a bag assembly attached to the bracket assembly and the front collar assembly wherein the bag assembly can be opened and closed while the machine gun is firing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The invention relates in general to small caliber ammunition containers and magazines, and in particular to belted ammunition containers attachable to machineguns. 
     Machineguns, such as the M240 machinegun, are belt fed weapons. When employed in dismounted operations, the machinegun is often transported with a “starter belt” of ammunition, usually about 30 rounds, loaded into the weapon. The starter belt is used at the beginning of an engagement, with a longer belt of ammunition attached to its loose end, or loaded into the weapon for continued operation. The starter belt is normally hung over the feed tray cover of the weapon, or draped over the left forearm of the machine gunner. Starter belts transported in the preceding manner are subject to becoming caught in foliage and are unprotected from adverse environmental conditions. 
     Ammunition containers presently employed with machineguns such as the M240 machinegun do not provide convenient access to the loose end of the belt for attachment of additional ammunition. Further, if the weapon&#39;s feed tray cover is opened, the weight of the hanging belt of ammunition may pull the belt out of the feed mechanism. Prior ammunition packs are able to contain ammunition, however, the prior packs cannot be opened to allow additional ammunition to be connected to the starter belt in the pack. 
     The present invention, a combat ammunition pack (CAP), provides a means for securely attaching, containing and protecting an ammunition starter belt, comprising up to 100 rounds of belted ammunition. The CAP is attached to a machinegun such as the M240 machinegun. The CAP also provides a means for connecting another belt of ammunition to the loose end of the starter belt while the weapon is being fired. Further, the CAP provides a means for preventing the weight of the ammunition belt from pulling the belt out of the weapon&#39;s feed mechanism when the feed tray cover is opened. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     One feature of the present invention is a means for quickly and securely attaching an ammunition starter belt container to a machinegun such as the M240 machinegun. The CAP achieves this through the use of a bracket, which fits over a headed pin extending from the left side of the weapon and the bottom edge of the bracket resting on a flat surface on the weapon. 
     Another feature of the present invention is a means for containing and protecting a starting belt comprising up to 100 rounds of belted ammunition. This is accomplished using a fabric bag, which holds the ammunition belt and protects it from the outside environment. 
     Still another feature of the present invention is a means for conveniently attaching another belt of ammunition to the end of the starter belt while the weapon is being fired. The CAP accomplishes this by allowing the fabric bag to be opened from the top along both sides for access to the free end of the ammunition belt while ammunition is being fed into the weapon. 
     One more feature of the present invention is a means for preventing the ammunition belt from pulling out of the weapon&#39;s feed mechanism when the feed tray cover is opened. A belt guide within the CAP prevents the weight of the ammunition belt from pulling the belt out of the feed mechanism. 
    
    
     The invention will be better understood, and further objects, features, and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The various features of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will be described in greater detail with reference to the following description, claims, and drawings, wherein reference numerals are reused, where appropriate, to indicate a correspondence between the referenced items, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a left rear view of one embodiment of a CAP according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2A is a front view of the bracket. 
     FIG. 2B is a side view of the bracket and back collar shown disconnected. 
     FIG. 2C is a top view of the bracket and back collar shown disconnected. 
     FIG. 2D is a rear view of the bracket assembly. 
     FIG. 3 left rear view of the CAP of FIG. 1 with the front collar disconnected from bracket assembly. 
     FIG. 4A is a front view of the front collar assembly. 
     FIG. 4B is a top view of the front collar assembly. 
     FIG. 4C is a side view of the front collar assembly. 
     FIG. 4D is a front view of the spring tabs and push buttons. 
     FIG. 5 is a left side view of the CAP with the bag assembly opened. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the belt guide. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bag assembly. 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of a rectangular plate. 
     The sizes of the different components in the figures may not be in exact proportion, and are shown only for visual clarity and for the purpose of explanation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A CAP  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1 through 7. 
     FIG. 1 is a left rear view of one embodiment of a CAP according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows the four main components that make up the CAP  100 : bracket assembly  200 , belt guide  300 , front collar assembly  400 , and bag assembly  500 . Bracket assembly  200  provides interfaces for mounting the CAP on a machinegun, such as an M240, attachment means for front collar assembly  400 , and assembly interfaces for one end of bag assembly  500 , and belt guide  300 . 
     FIG. 2A is a front view of the bracket. FIG. 2B is a side view of the bracket and back collar shown disconnected. FIG. 2C is a top view of the bracket and back collar shown disconnected. 
     FIG. 2D is a rear view of the bracket assembly. Referring to FIGS. 2A-D, bracket assembly  200  comprises a bracket  210  and a back collar  220 . Bracket  210  and back collar  220  may be made of, for example, sheet metal welded together. Bracket  210  has a “J” shaped vertical face  211  with tabs  212  extending perpendicular from the sides opposite the face  211 . A generally keyhole shaped slot  213 , centered toward the top of the face  211 , fits over a headed pin (not shown) on the machine gun feed tray to hold the CAP in place on the machinegun. Tabs  212  form a standoff from back collar  220  allowing space for bag assembly  500  to hang freely from the side of the machinegun. Back collar  220  is channel shaped with slots  221 , partially open to the outside, on both sides, and holes  222  and  223  through the face. The slotted sides are attachment points for push buttons  430  on the front collar assembly  400 . 
     Openings, facing outward from the slots  221 , permit removal of front collar assembly  400  from bracket assembly  200  (FIG. 3) when the push buttons  430  are depressed. Hole  222 , centered horizontally in the face, is for assembly of belt guide  300  to back collar  220 . Holes  223  are attachment interfaces for bag assembly  500 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the belt guide  300 . Belt guide  300  (FIGS. 1,  3  and  6 ) is riveted to back collar  220 . Belt guide  300  is made of, for example, spring steel. Belt guide  300  is configured to function as a guide for belted ammunition feeding out of the CAP  100 . Also, with front collar  400  attached to bracket assembly  200 , belt guide  300  prevents the weight of the ammunition belt from pulling the belt out of the machinegun&#39;s feed mechanism. 
     FIG. 4A is a front view of the front collar assembly. FIG. 4B is a top view of the front collar assembly. FIG. 4C is a side view of the front collar assembly. FIG. 4D is a front view of the spring tabs and push buttons. Front collar assembly  400  (FIGS. 1,  3  and  4 A-D) is comprised of front collar  410 , spring tabs  420  and push buttons  430 . Channel shaped sheet metal front collar  410 , with slots  411  in both sides, is sized to fit inside back collar  220 . Holes  412  through the face at the top and bottom toward the sides are for attachment of spring tabs  420 . Holes  413  through the face are attachment interfaces for bag assembly  500 . 
     Spring tabs  420  are mirror images of each other and are made of, for example, “L” shaped spring steel. Spring tabs  420  include holes spaced for rivet attachment to the inside of front collar  410  and attachment of push buttons  430 . Push buttons  430  are similar in shape to slots  411  in front collar  410  with their outside profile and thickness sized to fit easily within, and protrude through, slots in front collar  410  and back collar  220 . Push buttons  430  are riveted to the outside of spring tabs  420 . Pushing in on the buttons  430  allows front collar assembly  400  to be inserted into back collar  220 . When released, spring tabs  420  force buttons  430  into slots  221  thereby holding bracket assembly  200  and front collar assembly  400  together (FIG.  1 ). 
     Bag assembly  500  (FIGS. 1,  3 ,  5  and  7 ) is sized to hold a specified length of belted ammunition. Bag  510  is of sewn fabric construction with half sides  511  on both sides of the midsection along the length (FIGS.  5  and  7 ). Bag  510  is preferably made of a waterproof material, for example, nylon. Grommet backed up hole  512  allows water to drain from the closed bag assembly. Sewn loops  513  (FIGS. 3,  5  and  7 ) across the width at both ends are used to hold rectangular sheet metal plates  532  (FIG. 8) that back up riveted attachment of bag assembly  500  to front collar assembly  400  and bracket assembly  200 . One or both of hook and loop fasteners  520  and button snaps  530  are attached to outward facing tabs on each half side  511  and securely hold the half sides  511  closed when folded together at the midsection along the length (FIGS.  1  and  7 ). 
     Operation of the CAP is as follows. 1) Load CAP with belt of ammunition. 2) Attach CAP to weapon. 3) Allow ammo to feed into weapon when firing. 4) (If need be) Open collar and pull bag open. 5) Attach additional ammo to end of belt in bag. 6) Continue to fire. 7) Close bag and move with weapon, or open feed tray cover of gun and remove bag. 
     The described embodiments are included for the purposes of illustration, and are not intended to be the exclusive; rather, they can be modified within the scope of the invention. Other modifications may be made when implementing the invention for a particular application.