System and method for the reversible transfer of ammunition between a primary magazine and a secondary magazine in an automatic cannon

An ammunition transfer system for reversibly transferring ammunition in an automatic cannon, comprising:

• a primary magazine, at least one secondary magazine, a hoisting device comprising a chain drive arrangement for transporting the at least one secondary magazine to the primary magazine,
• a docking and transferring arrangement for docking the at least one secondary magazine with the primary magazine and for transferring the ammunition between the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine, wherein the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine each comprise a respective chain conveyor for feeding the ammunition to ammunition outlets of the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine, wherein the respective chain conveyors are driven synchronously with one another via at least one drive arrangement for driving the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine when the ammunition is transferred between the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine,
• wherein the hoisting device comprises a self-supporting framework comprising two parallel side-mounted vertical pairs of members between an ammunition store and the primary magazine, wherein the two pairs of members are each linked together via a lower pair of transverse members, two intermediate pairs of transverse members and an upper pair of transverse members, wherein, arranged on an inside of the two vertical pairs of members, are four vertical parallel support rails, two of the four vertical support rails being front support rails and two of the four vertical support rails being rear support rails, between the front support rails and the rear support rails the at least one secondary magazine is transported upwards and downwards to the primary magazine via the chain drive arrangement of the hoisting device, wherein the chain drive arrangement is arranged in the framework as a loop on the inside of the two vertical pairs of members of the framework via chain wheels and drive wheels mounted on the lower pair of transverse members, the two intermediate pairs of transverse members and the upper pair of transverse members of the framework.

An ammunition transfer system for reversibly transferring ammunition in an automatic cannon, comprising:

• a primary magazine, at least one secondary magazine, a hoisting device comprising a chain drive arrangement for transporting the at least one secondary magazine to the primary magazine,
• a docking and transferring arrangement for docking the at least one secondary magazine with the primary magazine and for transferring the ammunition between the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine, wherein the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine each comprise a respective chain conveyor for feeding the ammunition to ammunition outlets of the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine, wherein the respective chain conveyors are driven synchronously with one another via at least one drive arrangement for driving the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine when the ammunition is transferred between the at least one secondary magazine and the primary magazine,
• wherein the docking and transferring arrangement comprises four locking bolts arranged in a corner of an ammunition inlet of the primary magazine, four preloaded, V-shaped projecting articulations, movably connected to the four locking bolts, so that the locking bolts, during activation of the articulations, are displaced radially from a closed blocking position into an open position in the ammunition inlet of the primary magazine, wherein the at least one secondary magazine comprises four gate devices arranged in the corners of the ammunition outlets of the at least one secondary magazine, each said gate device being enclosed by a casing comprising a contact surface, a toothed wheel, a chain wheel and a chain link arranged in conjunction with the chain wheel which is driven by the toothed wheel, so that, when the at least one secondary magazine is transported towards the primary magazine and the articulations meet the at least one secondary magazine, the articulations are thereby forced sideways so that the ammunition outlet is opened at the same time as the primary magazine pushes the contact surface down onto the at least one secondary magazine which drives the toothed wheel and the chain wheel in order to draw back the chain link, wherein the ammunition outlet in the at least one secondary magazine is opened so that the ammunition can be transferred between the primary magazine and the at least one secondary magazine.