Patent ID: 7836812

Claim:
A method of operating a propellant charge feed means for automatic introduction of modular propellant charges into a weapon tube of a heavy weapon having a breech assembly and a propellant charge chamber, including the steps of: loading a projectile into said weapon tube; pivoting a propellant charge feed tray into a position behind the weapon tube in such a way that propellant charges disposed on said feed tray are disposed coaxial relative to the axis of the bore of the weapon tube; during a feed stroke, moving said feed tray, via a providing means, into the breech assembly until the propellant charge chamber is reached, wherein during said feed stroke, the propellant charges are disposed on said feed tray; and during an introduction stroke, moving the propellant charges, via an introduction means, from said feed tray into the propellant charge chamber, wherein a propellant charge advancing means, in an introduction position, is disposed behind the propellant charges in such a way that it can apply a force onto the propellant charges that acts in the axial direction of said feed tray and in a direction toward the propellant charge chamber, wherein said advancing means is adapted to change from a resting position to an introduction position, and wherein in the resting position, the propellant charge advancing means is not disposed behind the propellant charges.