US 4,724,739 AGranted

Arrangement for the infeed and withdrawal of caseless ammunition

AssigneeDiehl GmbH & Co.

InventorWerner Heberlein

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Abstract

An arrangement for the infeed and withdrawal of caseless ammunition from automatic firearms, consisting essentially of a belt feed mechanism and a cartridge belt conveyed thereby, which includes cartridge pockets at regular intervals interconnected with each other. The pockets formed of two arms which are bent about the cartridges transversely of the longitudinal axis of the belt. The opposite free ends of the arcuately-shaped metal arms which are arranged at a spacing from each other include means which are in operative association with spreader elements of the feed mechanism for the spreading apart of the arcuately-shaped metal arms so as to allow for cartridge withdrawal. Through intermediary of the means which are arranged on the arms, and which are in operative association with the respective spreader elements of the star wheel or feed mechanism, there is additionally possible a simple withdrawal of the cartridges within the weapon and completely without any damaging of the ammunition. The spreading apart of the arms affords that the inserted cartridges can be easily slid out of the belt and into the weapon.

Claims8

Dependent claims

In an arrangement for the infeed and withdrawal of caseless ammunition for automatic firearms, including a belt feed mechanism, and a cartridge belt conveyed by said feed mechanism, said cartridge belt having a plurality of interconnected substantially rigid cartridge pockets spaced at regular intervals, each of said pockets being formed of two arms which are bent about the cartridges transversely of the longitudinal axis of said cartridge belt, the improvement comprising said arms being arcuately-shaped metal arms;

said arms forming a generally cylindrical structure which extends almost completely around the caseless ammunition to provide protection from damage to the caseless ammunition with a relatively small spacing being provided between the free ends of said arcuately-shaped metal arms, and further having circumferential inwardly extending indentations on said arms for engaging the surface of said caseless ammunition;
spreader jaws which extend substantially radially outwardly with respect to the generally cylindrically structure provided near the free ends of each of the metal arms, with the radially outwardly extending spreader jaws being spaced relative to each other near the free ends of said metal arms;
and spreader elements on the belt feed mechanism operatively engageable with said radially extending spreader jaws for spreading apart the arcuately-shaped metal arms to disengage said indentations from said caseless ammunition and facilitate withdrawal of the cartridges.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.