North American Dynamics

Western Design Corporation

William W Thompson

Richard L Hagen

William C Baldwin

Lawrence D Bacon

Kent G Curry

Steve Morihiro

An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of alternatingly opposing rounds of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by a single closed loop conveyor disposed along a serpentine path. The opposing rounds are fed into a twister conveyor apparatus which aligns the rounds and conveys the aligned rounds onto a pair of parallel paths. The aligned rounds on the parallel paths are received by a pair of feed rotors for alternate insertion into a single gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which return the spent rounds to a second twister conveyor. The second twister conveyor reorients the rounds into an alternating opposed configuration and returns the rounds to the serpentine path. Each twister conveyor includes two pairs of sprockets oriented in a perpendicular configuration. Each pair of sprockets carries one closed loop of conveyor elements for conveying rounds. The perpendicular orientation of the sprockets produces a 90-degree rotation of rounds conveyed on the respective conveyor assembly.

Opposed round parallel path single bay ammunition feed system

An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by two independent closed loop conveyors disposed side by side in parallel, serpentine paths. Live rounds are fed on parallel output paths into first and second expansion rotor systems which, in turn, supply the rounds to a pair of feed rotors which insert the rounds alternately into a gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which, in turn, supply third and fourth expansion rotors, which return the spent rounds to the first and second parallel serpentine paths. The feed and return rotors contain pockets for receiving rounds alternating with surfaces for guiding rounds and cooperate with the expansion rotors to double the rate at which ammunition exits the system over that at which it is transferred out of the magazine. Rounds are further positively guided by rotor guide surfaces and auxiliary guiding surfaces during handling by the rotor systems between the magazine and gun feeding conveyor.

Parallel path single bay ammunition feed system

An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by two independent closed loop conveyors disposed side by side in parallel, serpentine paths. Live rounds are fed on parallel output paths into first and second expansion rotor systems which, in turn, supply the rounds to a pair of feed rotors which insert the rounds alternately into a gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which, in turn, supply third and fourth expansion rotors, which return the spend rounds to the first and second parallel serpentine paths. The feed and return rotors contain pockets for receiving rounds alternating with surfaces for guiding rounds and cooperate with the expansion rotors to double the rate at which ammunition exits the system over that at which it is transferred out of the magazine. Rounds are further positively guided by rotor guide surfaces and auxiliary guiding surfaces during handling by the rotor systems between the magazine and gun feeding conveyor.

An ammunition magazine for small arm weapons having a reciprocating bolt and an ammunition feedwell therein includes a housing for storing a plurality of ammunition rounds and a drive spring for urging the ammunition rounds out of the housing. In addition, a feeder is provided for passing the ammunition rounds from the housing into the ammunition feedwell of the small arm weapon. The feeder is configured for being removably inserted into the small arm weapon ammunition feedwell and includes a feeder spring for urging ammunition rounds along the feeder from the ammunition housing and within the ammunition feedwell. An impact system is provided for engaging the reciprocating bolt of the small arm weapon and causing movement of the reciprocating bolt to compress both the drive spring and the feeder spring.

Growing community of inventors

Fountain Valley, CA, United States of America

William W Thompson