Device for identifying and checking the ammunition of an automatic-loading firearm and process for its implementation

Method for automatic loading of ammunition for a firearm capable of firing different types of ammunition, said method including the steps of:

• (a) providing an automatic loading device for identifying and checking ammunition, said device including:
• a rotating magazine formed in an endless loop having adjacent chambers, each said chamber capable of accommodating one ammunition round, said chambers capable of moving stepwise about said loop so that each of said chambers can be brought into a loading position, one movement step corresponding to a distance between two neighboring chambers of said adjacent chambers,
• two fixed code readers disposed on either side of said loading position, each said fixed code readers including first optical detectors aligned in parallel with a longitudinal axis of said ammunition round, said code reader including a second optical detector for detecting a surface background of said coding zone,
• a cylindrical coding zone disposed on an outer surface of a cartridge of each said ammunition round, said coding zone including at least one circular coding track contrasting with said surface background of said coding zone, each said coding track being associated with one optical detector of said first optical detectors and being disposed opposite said one detector, each said coding track having an identification code different from other said coding tracks for identifying said ammunition round, and
• means for processing data supplied by said code readers including a processor having a RAM, said RAM for storing data relating to a location of said ammunition round, each said chamber of said rotating magazine having least one test label, said test label having additional coding tracks disposed perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, said test label disposed opposite said one detector after advancement of said rotating magazine of less than one said movement step,
• (b) reading the contents of said magazine into RAM by said processor when a round of said ammunition is requested,
• (c) determining the number of steps and direction of movement to be effected by said rotating magazine,
• (d) transferring said requested ammunition chamber nearest one of a non-malfunctioning code readers to said loading position so said ammunition is disposed in front of one of said fixed code readers,
• (e) verifying the presence of ammunition with said fixed code reader, and
• (f) verifying the presence of ammunition at the loading position with an ammunition presence detector.