Patent ID: 7802510

Claim:
An ammunition loading assembly for loading a projectile into a barrel of a gun, the loading assembly comprising: an urging member for urging the projectile into the barrel of the gun, drive means for driving the urging member between a projectile receiving position outside the barrel and a projectile delivery position inside a chamber of the gun, towards the proximate end of the barrel, the drive means including a drive chain assembly connected to the urging member for driving the urging member between the projectile receiving and delivery positions, a magazine for storing the drive chain assembly when the urging member is in the projectile receiving position, a first chain-retaining device for limiting curving of the chain assembly out of its linear orientation, when moving the urging member towards the projectile delivery position, the first chain-retaining device being movable with the urging member from the projectile receiving position towards a position intermediate the projectile receiving and delivery positions, where the first chain-retaining device is retained from further movement, and the magazine including a polymeric body of polypropylene defining a curvilinear track along which the drive chain assembly moves when moving the urging member between the projectile delivery position and the projectile receiving position, the magazine being covered by metal cover plates defining an outlet for the chain assembly and being provided with metal reinforcing members having curved chain guiding faces located at corners of the track, for guiding the inner end of the drive chain assembly around such corners.