Extraction assembly

Abstract

An assembly adapted to perform sequentially the following: to extract horizontally rounds of ammunition from containers that are being indexed downwardly by a vertical conveyor; to position the extracted rounds of ammunition over a horizontal conveyor; and, to insert these rounds vertically downward into individual round-carrier elements of the horizontal conveyor. The preferred embodiment of the extraction assembly includes nine identical ammunition round extractor-release mechanisms (i.e., extractors), an extractor bar in which the nine extractors are mounted side-by-side, an extractor bar drive mechanism operatively connected to the extractor bar, an extractor roller element, and a horizontal extractor table with a drop-off section. The extractor bar operates in a horizontal back-and-forth motion to thrust the extractors forwardly into the ammunition container, and then pull the extractors backwardly together with the rounds of ammunition respectively gripped, held, and extracted by the individual extractors. Each extractor has: two spring-load finger elements that grasp the particular round by the extractor grooves on the round, and pull the round out of the ammunition container; and, two sliding finger elements that hold the round of ammunition from the bottom and then slide out of the way to release control of the round and drop it into moving round-carrier elements of the horizontal conveyor. The extraction assembly, and more particularly the extractors, may be adapted and utilized to handle items other than rounds of ammunition such as, for example, bottles or cans.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.