Patent ID: 7246549

Claim:
A method of operating a primer feed mechanism mounted on an artillery piece, the primer feed mechanism including a tray assembly, a safety latch assembly, an injector arm assembly and a body assembly, the method comprising: a. locking the tray assembly in an extract position using the safety latch assembly and then opening a breech of the artillery piece; b. loading the artillery piece in preparation for firing; c. closing the breech fully, which releases the safety latch assembly; d. actuating the injector arm assembly to cause the tray assembly to translate from the extract position to a primer loading position; e. dwelling the tray assembly's linear motion as the injector arm assembly rotates to inject a fresh primer; f. resuming linear motion of the tray assembly with the injector arm assembly in a down position, the tray assembly moving to a fire position; and g. locking the tray assembly in the fire position by a locking plunger moving into a locking plunger pocket in the body assembly.