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US 12,007,214 B1Granted
Auto-gauge ammunition inspection system
OwnerJames Aubuchoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and apparatus that facilitate automating and increasing the efficiency of ammunition case gauge inspection and testing. A fully interchangeable and mated cartridge case guide chute and cartridge case gauge plate assembly are provided to easily and rapidly change between various ammunition calibers for the automated inspection of ammunition. Variable speed control provides for synchronization of the auto-gauge ammunition inspection system with the source of the manufactured ammunition for inspection.
Claims19
An auto-gauge ammunition inspection system comprising:
- a cartridge case gauge plate comprising a plurality of precision reamed cartridge chambers embedded and fabricated therein, each precision reamed cartridge chamber conforming with a specific ammunition caliber specification and accepting a particular one cartridge of a plurality of cartridges, and for confirming whether each respective cartridge of the plurality of cartridges conforms with the specific ammunition caliber specification;
- a cartridge guide chute, in a first position proximate to and above the cartridge case gauge plate, configured for use with the specific ammunition caliber specification and for receiving, orienting, and guiding each respective cartridge of the plurality of cartridges such that each respective cartridge travels along a path through the cartridge guide chute for dropping into a particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber of the plurality of precision reamed cartridge chambers in the cartridge case gauge plate;
- a motor assembly coupled with the cartridge case gauge plate and for driving the cartridge case gauge plate in a revolving motion such that the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges drops from the cartridge guide chute as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves thereunder into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber of the plurality of reamed cartridge chambers;
- a first testing station comprising a micro-limit switch, a push-pull solenoid, and a gate controllable by the micro-limit switch and the push-pull solenoid between an open gate position and a closed gate position, wherein the micro-limit switch is in a second position proximate to and above the cartridge case gauge plate and configured for detecting an improper cartridge case size condition, a high primer condition, or a cartridge excessive length condition for the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges dropped into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber from the cartridge guide chute as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves, and in the event of a detection of either of the improper cartridge case size condition, the high primer condition, or the excessive cartridge length condition for the particular one cartridge, activating the push-pull solenoid and placing the gate in the open gate position from the closed gate position for ejecting the particular one cartridge into a first bin;
- and
- a second testing station comprising a pair of pressure sensors for detecting a missing primer condition and a misoriented primer condition for the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges dropped into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber from the cartridge guide chute as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves but only if the particular one cartridge was not ejected first by the first testing station, wherein the pair of pressure sensors are configured for triggering a second solenoid in an event of a detection of the missing primer condition or the misoriented primer condition for a removal of the particular one cartridge into a second bin and resetting the cartridge case gauge plate, but if neither of the missing primer condition or the misoriented primer condition is detected then removing the particular one cartridge into a third bin.
3 more elements
A method for automating and increasing the efficiency of ammunition case gauge inspection and testing, the method comprising the steps:
- (i) receiving a plurality of cartridges from a cartridge loader;
- (ii) providing an auto-gauge ammunition inspection system comprising a cartridge case gauge plate comprising a plurality of precision reamed cartridge chambers embedded and fabricated therein, each precision reamed cartridge chamber conforming with a specific ammunition caliber specification and accepting a particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges, and for confirming whether each respective cartridge of the plurality of cartridges conforms with the specific ammunition caliber specification;
- a cartridge guide chute, in a first position proximate to and above the cartridge case gauge plate, configured for use with the specific ammunition caliber specification and for receiving, orienting, and guiding each respective cartridge of the plurality of cartridges such that each respective cartridge travels along a path through the cartridge guide chute for dropping into a particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber of the plurality of precision reamed cartridge chambers in the cartridge case gauge plate;
- a motor assembly coupled with the cartridge case gauge plate and for driving the cartridge case gauge plate in a revolving motion such that the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges drops from the cartridge guide chute, as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves thereunder, into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber of the plurality of reamed cartridge chambers;
- a first testing station comprising a micro-limit switch, a push-pull solenoid, and a gate controllable by the micro-limit switch and the push-pull solenoid between an open gate position and a closed gate position, wherein the micro-limit switch is in a second position proximate to and above the cartridge case gauge plate and configured for detecting an improper cartridge case size condition, a high primer condition, or a cartridge excessive length condition for the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges dropped into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber from the cartridge guide chute as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves, and in the event of the detection of the improper cartridge case size condition, the cartridge excessive length condition, or the high primer condition for the particular one cartridge activating the push-pull solenoid and placing the gate in the open gate position from the closed gate position for ejecting the particular one cartridge into a first bin;
- and a second testing station comprising a pair of pressure sensors for detecting a missing primer condition and a misoriented primer condition for the particular one cartridge of the plurality of cartridges dropped into the particular one precision reamed cartridge chamber from the cartridge guide chute as the cartridge case gauge plate revolves, but only if the particular one cartridge was not ejected first by the first testing station, wherein the pair of pressure sensors are configured for triggering a second push-pull solenoid, in the event of the detection of either of the missing primer condition or the misoriented primer condition for a removal of the particular one cartridge and resetting the cartridge case gauge plate, but if neither of the missing primer condition or the misoriented primer condition is detected then removing the particular one cartridge into a second bin;
- and
- (iii) distributing contents of the first bin and the second bin.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.