In a semi-automatic cartridge reloading machine, in combination:
- a base structure,
- a lower travelling platen supported on the base structure,
- a positioning mechanism for raising and lowering the lower travelling platen relative to the base structure,
- a indexing table and shell holder plate supported by the lower elevating platen and defining a plurality of operating stations spaced circumferentially about an imaginary circle having a vertical axis,
- a plurality of shell rim slots equally, circumferentially spaced about each shell holder plate, each of such shell rim slots being adapted to receive a separate shell casing, and to position such received shell casings simultaneously in different ones of the operating stations,
- a stationary upper platen containing a plurality of tools or dies depending or extending vertically through the stationary upper platen and defining a plurality of operating stations spaced circumferentially about an imaginary circle having a vertical axis,
- the improvement of a primer seating mechanism and tool which operates simultaneously with and in conjunction with the indexing drive mechanism and the raising and lowering of the lower travelling platen and engages and inserts a new primer into the shell casings received in the indexing and shell holder plate comprising in combination:
- a. a clevis secured to the base structure;
- b. a bar pivotedly secured to and extending upwardly, vertically from the clevis;
- c. a bar slot formed in the upper end portion of the bar to accept a crank pin;
- d. a crank pin which travels upwardly and downwardly in the bar slot simultaneously and in conjunction with raising and lowering the lower travelling platen by the positioning mechanism;
- e. a curvilinear shaped crank extending axially from and secured to the crank pin at one end which rotates in one direction as the crank pin contacts the top or bottom of the bar slot and having a pinion pin secured and extending axially at the other end;
- f. a housing extending radially from the circumference of the lower travelling platen which journals and supports the pinion pin and pinion;
- g. a pinion comprised of a plurality of gear teeth positioned within the housing and journalling and secured to the pinion pin which rotates correspondingly with the rotation of the crank and engages a rack;
- h. a rack comprised of a plurality of corresponding gear teeth formed in the underside of one end of an indexing ram which travels in a horizontal plane across the pinion as the pinion is rotated and correspondingly slides the indexing ram into and out of the lower travelling platen;
- i. an indexing ram with a rack formed in the underside of one end of a pawl pivotedly secured at the other end which slides into and out of the lower travelling platen on rotation of the pinion;
- j. a ram slot formed in the top surface of the lower travelling platen to accept the indexing ram and extending from the circumference to the center portion of the top surface of the lower travelling platen;
- k. a primer ram slot formed in the top surface of the lower travelling platen to accept a reversible primer positioner and extending from the circumference of the lower travelling platen parallel with and directly aside the ram slot to a position above and aligned with and in the same vertical axis as the primer seating tool positioned at one station of the operation;
- l. a reversible primer positioner secured directly aside the indexing ram by slot and key to slide coextensively with the indexing ram into and out of the primer ram slot as the indexing ram slides into and out of the ram slot and disposed with different sized openings at each end to accept various sizes of shell casing primers and further disposed to be removed and turned end over end, thus reversed, and repositioned in the primer ram slot for operation of the machine with different sized primers;
- m. a slot and key disposed between the indexing ram and reversible primer positioner to secure the reversible primer positioner to the indexing ram;
- n. a primer dispenser base secured to the top surface of the housing and disposed with a dispenser hole formed vertically through the primer dispenser base centered above and vertically aligned with the primer ram slot to allow shell casing primers to drop one at a time by gravitation from the primer dispenser positioned above the primer dispenser base into the primer ram slot and to position the primers in one end opening of the reversible primer positioner so that the primers are delivered to the primer seating tool as the reversible primer positioner slides the primers along the primer ram slot;
- o. a dispenser hole formed vertically through the primer dispenser base to accept and position shell casing primers from the primer dispenser positioned vertically above the primer dispenser into the primer ram slot;
- p. a primer dispenser positioned vertically, upwardly above and recessed into the primer dispenser base and disposed with a plurality of tubes formed vertically through the primer dispenser to accept various sizes of shell casing primers vertically stacked within the tubes and further disposed so that the primer dispenser may be repositioned in the primer dispenser base to vertically align one tube at a time with the dispenser hole to drop one primer at a time through the dispenser hole into the primer ram slot at each cycle of the operation and further to allow the primer dispenser to be repositioned with another tube vertically aligned with the dispenser hole as the preceding tube is emptied;
- q. a guide hole formed vertically into the lower travelling platen at the inner portion of the primer ram slot positioned in vertical alignment with a shell rim slot formed in the shell holder plate at one station of the operation to accept a primer delivered by the reversible primer positioner for insertion and seating in a shell casing;
- r. a cup formed into the lower travelling platen vertically aligned with and below the guide hole to accept and center an anvil which moves vertically upwardly and downwardly within the cup and centers and engages the spherical face of a new shell casing primer positioned in the guide hole and forces the primer into a shell casing positioned in a shell rim slot formed in the shell holder plate at one station of the operation;
- s. a plunger extending axially vertically downwardly from the anvil and below the lower travelling platen and retained within the lower travelling platen by a housing secured to the underside of the lower travelling platen disposed to engage with a second anvil extending vertically from the base of the machine;
- t. a housing extending vertically downwardly from the lower travelling platen to retain the plunger within the lower travelling platen to allow the plunger to move upwardly and downwardly within the lower travelling platen to engage both anvils;
- u. a spring journalling the anvil within the housing biased against the plunger to force the plunger downwardly to a ready position at the end of each cycle of operation;
- v. a second anvil secured and extending vertically, upwardly from an anvil block secured to the base of the machine and vertically aligned below the plunger to engage the plunger simultaneously and in conjunction with the lowering of the lower travelling platen by the positioning mechanism and forcing the plunger upwardly to seat a new shell casing primer;
- and
- w. an anvil block secured to the base of the machine and disposed with a second anvil extending vertically, upwardly to engage the plunger.