Automatic Case Sorter

A case sorter for use with a feed tube and a plurality of ammunition cases, the case sorter comprising:

• a) a housing defining a sort chamber and comprising:
• i) a wall;
• ii) a floor attached to and oriented perpendicularly to the wall;
• and
• iii) a support shelf extending from the wall into the sort chamber, wherein the support shelf defines a support channel;
• b) a case inlet attached to the housing and in fluid communication with the sort chamber of the housing, the case inlet being configured to receive the feed tube;
• c) a first exit positioned adjacent to the floor of the housing and in fluid communication with the sort chamber of the housing;
• d) a second exit positioned adjacent to the floor of the housing and in fluid communication with the sort chamber of the housing;
• e) a slider assembly at least partly positioned in the sort chamber of the housing and configured to carry an ammunition case from the case inlet to a drop position located in the sort chamber of the housing, from the drop position to a measurement position located in the sort chamber of the housing, and from the measurement position to either an accept position in the sort chamber of the housing or a reject position in the sort chamber of the housing, the slider assembly comprising:
• i) an upper slider positioned between the support shelf of the housing and the case inlet, the upper slider comprising a first toothed bar and defining an upper slider drop channel that is in fluid communication with the support channel of the support shelf of the housing when the slider assembly is at the drop position in the sort chamber of the housing;
• and
• ii) a lower slider positioned between the support shelf of the housing and the floor of the housing, the lower slider comprising a second toothed bar and defining a lower slider drop channel that is in fluid communication with the support channel of the support shelf of the housing when the slider assembly is at the drop position in the sort chamber of the housing;
• f) a stepper assembly supported by the housing and positioned to cooperate with the slider assembly, the stepper assembly comprising a stepper motor connected to a rotatable output shaft, a first gear attached to the rotatable shaft and positioned to cooperate with the first toothed bar of the upper slider, and a second gear attached to the rotatable shaft and positioned to cooperate with the second toothed bar of the lower slider, wherein the upper and lower sliders of the slider assembly translate relative to the housing when the stepper motor turns the output shaft and first and second gears;
• g) a height measurement assembly supported by the housing near the measurement position in the sort chamber of the housing, wherein the stepper assembly comprises:
• i) a height measurement arm pivotally attached to the wall of the housing, the height measurement arm comprising a contact edge configured to rest upon the ammunition case being carried by the slider assembly when the ammunition case is at the measurement position in the sort chamber of the housing;
• ii) a height measurement magnet attached to the height measurement arm such that when the height measurement arm pivots relative to the wall of the housing, the height measurement magnet also pivots relative to the wall of the housing;
• and
• iii) a height measurement sensor positioned near the height measurement magnet such that it can measure changes in the magnetic field of the height measurement magnet;
• h) a diameter measurement assembly supported by the housing near the measurement position in the sort chamber of the housing, the diameter measurement assembly comprising:
• i) a diameter measurement arm pivotally attached to the floor of housing;
• ii) an arm blade attached to a tip of the diameter measurement arm, the arm blade configured to cooperate with an extractor groove of the ammunition case being carried by the slider assembly when the ammunition case is at the measurement position in the sort chamber of the housing;
• iii) a diameter measurement magnet attached to the diameter measurement arm such that when the diameter measurement arm pivots relative to the floor of the housing, the diameter measurement magnet also pivots relative to the floor of the housing;
• and
• iv) a diameter measurement sensor positioned near the diameter measurement magnet such that it can measure changes in the magnetic field of the diameter measurement magnet;
• and
• i) a controller operationally connected to the stepper assembly and in electrical communication with the height measurement assembly and the diameter measurement assembly.

A method of sorting ammunition cases into acceptable cases or rejected cases based on their size and orientation, the method comprising:

• a) accessing a case sorter, the case sorter comprising:
• i) a housing defining a sort chamber;
• ii) a first exit in fluid communication with the sort chamber of the housing;
• iii) a second exit in fluid communication with the sort chamber of the housing;
• iv) a translatable slider assembly at least partly positioned in the sort chamber of the housing, the slider assembly being capable of carrying an ammunition case as it translates;
• v) a height measurement assembly supported by the housing and configured to determine a height measurement for the ammunition case being carried by the slider assembly;
• vi) a diameter measurement assembly supported by the housing and configured to determine a diameter measurement for the ammunition case being carried by the slider assembly;
• and
• vii) a controller operationally connected to a driver for the slider assembly and in communication with the height measurement assembly and diameter measurement assembly, the controller comprising a memory device and a processing device;
• b) at a feed position, feeding an ammunition case into the slider assembly;
• c) with the slider assembly, moving the ammunition case from the feed position to a measurement position;
• d) at the measurement position and with the diameter measurement assembly, determining a diameter measurement for the ammunition case;
• e) at the measurement position and with the height measurement assembly, determining a height measurement for the ammunition case;
• f) with the controller, accessing the height and diameter measurements for the ammunition case, comparing the height and diameter measurements to standard acceptable height and diameter measurements, and determining if the ammunition case is acceptable;
• g) if the ammunition case is acceptable, moving the ammunition case with the slider assembly to an accept position, wherein the accept position aligns with first exit of the case sorter;
• and
• h) if the ammunition case is not acceptable, moving the ammunition case with the slider assembly to a reject position, wherein the reject position aligns with the second exit of the case sorter.