Powder level sensing device

An apparatus, for use with a device which deposits powder in a cartridge shell to produce ammunition, wherein the device has been set so that normally a predetermined quantity of powder is deposited, comprising:

• a detector for measuring the quantity of powder deposited in a cartridge shell, said detector having a plunger and a probe mounted on the lower end of said plunger wherein said probe can be slidably inserted into the cartridge shell so that the height of said plunger and probe will be proportional to the quantity of the powder deposited;
• means for comparing the measured quantity with the predetermined quantity said comparing means having a sleeve which contacts the cartridge shell and has a radial hole extending therethrough, and a groove in said plunger which is adjacent to said radial hole upon the presence of a quantity of powder substantially equal to the predetermined amount;
• and
• means for prohibiting the production of the ammunition when the detector has measured a quantity of powder not substantially equal to the predetermined amount, whether the amount deposited is insufficient or excessive, including a housing surrounding said sleeve with two cross-sectional areas and a ramp at the change of the two areas, wherein the ramp is at a position substantially above said radial hole when the sleeve is in its initial position, and a ball residing in the radial hole of said sleeve which protrudes beyond the outer surface of said sleeve as urged by said plunger and contacts the ramp of said housing, thus keeping the sleeve stationary in its initial position and the cartridge shell out of said housing upon the pressure of an improper amount of powder deposited in the cartridge shell.

An apparatus for detecting the presence of an insufficient or excessive amount powder deposited in a cartridge shell and for preventing that improperly loaded cartridge shell from completing the loading the process so that any defective condition can be corrected before a safety hazard result from that defectively loaded cartridge shell, comprising;

• a housing having threads on its exterior surface so that it may be mounted on a reloading press frame and having upper and lower sections wherein said upper section has an interior diameter less than the interior diameter at said lower section and having a downwardly facing sloping ramp on the interior surface of said housing at the change of the two diameters;
• a locking nut which mates with the exterior threads of said housing and holds the housing stationary relative to the press frame;
• a sleeve slidably inserted within said housing having a plurality of holes positioned at least partially below the ramp when said sleeve is in its lowermost position;
• a snap ring inserted near the lowermost end of said housing which maintains the locking sleeve within said housing;
• a plunger slidably inserted within said sleeve having a groove thereabout and extending upwardly beyond the uppermost portion of said housing and having a threaded portion near its lower end;
• a probe having a flat lower end and a threaded upper end threaded into said plunger threads;
• a spring clip about said plunger and positioned above said sleeve so that said plunger remains in said housing;
• a coil spring about said plunger and positioned above and adjacent to said sleeve so that said sleeve will be forced slightly downwardly notwithstanding the presence of friction between said sleeve and said housing;
• and
• a plurality of balls within said radial holes having a diameter so that said balls protrude beyond the exterior surface of said sleeve when against said plunger and when said sleeve is in its initial position, and when said probe and sleeve are in proper relative positions with respect to each other upon the presence of a properly powder-filled cartridge shell, the ramp will force said ball toward the groove of said plunger so that said sleeve can move upwardly with said probe and plunger as the cartridge shell contacts and forces upwardly said sleeve, and when said probe and sleeve are not in proper relative positions, said ball cannot move toward the groove and thus is positioned again said ramp so that the sleeve remains in its initial position, thus preventing the entrance of the cartridge shell into said housing.

A powder level sensing device to assist in the loading of ammunition, comprising:

• a housing;
• a sleeve slidably mounted in said housing;
• a plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve and having one end extending out of said sleeve and adapted to sense a quantity of powder in a cartridge;
• and
• means for locking said plunger to said sleeve when said plunger has sensed a desired amount of powder in said cartridge so that the sleeve and plunger can move as a unit and permit the sleeve to enter and exit said housing.

An improved apparatus for reloading a cartridge shell in which said apparatus drops a predetermined quantity of powder into the cartridge shell and seats a bullet onto the cartridge shell, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a detector measuring the quantity of powder which has been deposited into the cartridge shell, said detector having a plunger which can be slidably inserted into the cartridge shell so that the height of said plunger will be proportional to the quantity of the powder deposited;
• means for obstructing the seating of the bullet onto the cartridge when the quantity of powder deposited in said cartridge is either in excess or less than the predetermined quantity, said obstructing means including a housing and a sleeve with a radial hole, said housing having two cross-sectional areas and a ramp at the change of the two are as, wherein the ramp is at a position substantially above said radial hole when the sleeve is in its initial position;
• and
• a ball residing in said radial hole of said sleeve which protrudes beyond the outer surface of said sleeve as urged by said plunger and contacts the ramp of said housing, thus keeping the sleeve stationary in its initial position and the cartridge shell out of said housing upon the presence of an excessive or insufficient amount of powder deposited in the cartridge shell.

An improved method for reloading a cartridge shell, in which said method deposits a predetermined quantity of powder into the cartridge shell and seats a bullet onto the cartridge shell, wherein said improvement comprises:

• sensing the quantity of powder in said cartridge by allowing a plunger to slide within a sleeve to contact said powder;
• measuring the quantity of powder which has been deposited into said cartridge shell;
• determining whether the quantity of powder deposited is substantially equal to the predetermined quantity;
• locking said plunger to said sleeve when said plunger has sensed an amount of powder substantially equal to the predetermined amount so that the sleeve and plunger can move as a unit;
• and
• permitting said bullet to seat on said cartridge shell.

An improved method for reloading a cartridge shell, in which said method deposits a predetermined quantity of powder into the cartridge shell and seats a bullet onto the cartridge shell, wherein said improvement comprises:

• sensing the quantity of powder in said cartridge by allowing a plunger to slide within a sleeve to contact said powder;
• measuring the quantity of powder which has been deposited into said cartridge shell;
• determining whether the quantity of powder deposited is substantially equal to the predetermined quantity;
• and
• locking said sleeve in position when said plunger has sensed an amount of powder not substantially equal to the predetermined amount so that the seating of the bullet onto said cartridge shell is obstructed, whether the quantity of powder is excessive or insufficient.