Patent GB-229986-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to ammunition hoisting or conveying apparatus for ordnance
IPC: F41A9/04
Filed: 1923-09-03
Abstract: 229,986. Vickers, Ltd., Watt, G. E., and Ritchie, J. Sept. 3, 1923. Loading - appliances.- Relates to endless - chain hoists for shells or charges, of the kind comprising a conveyer tube C extending from a receiving room A to a delivery room B and a number of conveyer heads F connected to one or more endless chains which move the ammunition units in the tube. According to the invention, means operated by the endless chains are provided at the room A for automatically loading the units in front of conveyer heads which fit the tube in a flashtight manner. The delivery end of the tube may also have similar automatic means for discharging the units into the room B. Further, in a hoist in which the conveyer tube comprises a supply part C for conveying charged cordite cases A<1> from the room A to the room B and a return part D for conveying the empty cases A<1x> back to the room A, automatic means are provided for loading and discharging full cases and loading and discharging empty cases. Figs. 1 and 2 show the invention applied to the endlesschain hoist described in Specification 227,148, in which the conveyer heads on the chains E are in the form of pistons F, the pistons and chains fitting the supply tube C and the return tube D in flashtight manner. Fig. 11 shows in detail the loading means H for charged cases A<1> and the unloading means L<3> for empty cases A<1x> provided at the room A, similar means being provided at the room B for unloading the full cases at J<4> and loading the empty cases at K. The rotary flashtight bucket H<1> for loading the case A<1> on to the trough H<2>, which forms a continuation of the supply tube C, is driven from the guide sprocket E' of the endless chain through elliptical gearing (not shown) so arranged that the bucket rotates slowly when receiving and discharging and faster at other times. The empty cases are discharged by a similar rotary flashtight bucket L' which acts in conjunction with pivoted flaps L, L<3> operated at proper times by a cam on the shaft of the bucket. Similar buckets and flaps are at the upper end of the conveyer tube for delivering the charged cases and loading the empty cases. In a modified construction, the conveyer tubes are horizontally disposed. In a further modification, automatically rotatable two-part scuttles are provided at the top and bottom of the conveyer tube. Fig. 22 shows in plan the two-part scuttle M<1>, M<2> in the room A. In the position shown, a charged case is pushed by a lever M<4> into the compartment M<2>, and at the same time an empty case is ejected by a lever M<3> from the compartment M<1>. The scuttle is then automatically rotated in clockwise direction to bring the charged compartment into line with the supply tube and the empty compartment into line with the return tube. The scuttles are rotated and the arms M<3>, M<4> operated at times determined by a cam M<5> rotated from the guide sprocket of the endless chain. An electric safety-switch stops the driving motor if a jamb occurs owing to faulty insertion of a case bv the arm M<4>. Auxiliary endless chains M<8> may be provided to convey the charged case from the compartment M<2> into position for engagement by the conveyer pistons. In a further modification, the supply and return tubes are arranged side by side and full and empty cases are loaded and unloaded by automatically-acting injecting and ejecting arms at the top and bottom of the hoist. In a still further modification, having two-part flashtight scuttles for loading the cases, and ejector arms rocked about horizontal axes for discharging the cases laterally, the cam mechanism for rocking a scuttle is under the control of a hand-lever which obstructs the insertion of a unit into the receiving compartment of the scuttle. In this construction, the receiving-room end of the return tube D, Fig. 39, has an ejector arm S which is rocked by a cam S' driven from the endless chain to direct the empty case A<1x> into an ejector tube S<3> provided with upper and lower doors operated from the cam S<5>, so that when one 'door S<2> is closed the other door S<4> is open.