Ammunition transfer system

An ammunition transfer system for a weapon having a carriage, the system comprising:

• an ammunition hoist presenting a charging axis;
• a cradle operably coupled to the carriage and positionable in a transfer position and a loading position, said cradle presenting a transfer axis when positioned in said transfer position;
• and
• a carrier operably coupled to the carriage and having at least one cell adapted to receive an ammunition round, said at least one cell controllably alternately positionable along the charging axis to receive the ammunition round and along the transfer axis to discharge the ammunition round to said cradle.

An ammunition transfer system for a weapon having a carriage, the system comprising:

• an ammunition hoist presenting a charging axis;
• a cradle operably coupled to the carriage and positionable in a transfer position and a loading position, said cradle presenting a transfer axis when positioned in said transfer position, said transfer axis being offset and oriented substantially parallel with the charging axis;
• and
• means for transferring an ammunition round from said ammunition hoist to said cradle.

A method for loading a weapon, the weapon being rotatable on a carriage, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an ammunition transfer system comprising an ammunition hoist presenting a charging axis, a cradle operably coupled to the carrier and presenting a transfer axis, and a carrier fixed to the carriage, said carrier having at least one cell adapted to receive an ammunition round, said at least one cell selectively alternately positionable along the charging axis to receive an ammunition round and the transfer axis to discharge the ammunition round to said cradle;
• positioning the carrier so that said at least one cell is aligned with the charging axis and loading an ammunition round in said at least one cell along the charging axis;
• positioning the carrier so that said at least one cell is aligned with the transfer axis;
• positioning said cradle along the transfer axis;
• and
• transferring said ammunition round from said at least one cell to said cradle along the transfer axis.

A weapon with ammunition handling system comprising:

• a carriage;
• a barrel mounted on the carriage and presenting a loading axis;
• an ammunition hoist presenting a charging axis;
• a cradle operably coupled to the carriage and capable of being positioned in a transfer position and a loading position, said cradle presenting a transfer axis when positioned in said transfer position;
• and
• a carrier attached to the carriage and having a plurality of ammunition cells adapted to receive an ammunition round, each of said plurality of ammunition cells being positionable along the charging axis to receive the ammunition round and along the transfer axis to discharge the ammunition round into said cradle.

A method for transferring ammunition to a weapon comprising the steps of:

• providing means for transferring an ammunition round from an ammunition hoist presenting a charging axis to a movable cradle presenting a transfer axis, said means having at least one ammunition cell presenting a longitudinal axis;
• aligning said longitudinal axis of said ammunition cell with said charging axis;
• lifting the round from said ammunition hoist into said ammunition cell;
• aligning said longitudinal axis of said ammunition cell with said transfer axis;
• and
• lifting the round into said pivotable cradle.