Automatic primer feed mechanism

In a primer feed mechanism mounted on a carrier of an artillery piece, the primer feed mechanism having a body assembly having guide rails and a follower plate, a tray assembly moveable on the guide rails of the body assembly, the tray assembly including a housing and an injector arm assembly, an actuator drive link connected to the carrier, a quick release link connected to the actuator drive link, a drive link assembly connected to the quick release link and to the injector arm assembly, one end of the injector arm assembly includes a push pin assembly including a push pin that reciprocates in the housing to inject a primer and having a follower at the other end of the injector arm assembly, the follower traveling in a follower plate of the body assembly wherein the tray assembly further comprises a magazine assembly, the magazine assembly;

• comprising:
• top and bottom plates assemblies;
• a primer insertion opening formed in the top and bottom plates assemblies;
• the plates assemblies having associated with the primer insertion opening internally facing linear grooves for restricting primer movement in line one after another in single file instead of side by side or nested stacking while maintaining primer cartridge orientation laterally to the orientation of the plates assemblies throughout primer movement;
• a pusher assembly disposed between the top and bottom plate assemblies for biasing and indexing primers and in coordination with the injector arm assembly;
• and
• a primer extraction opening formed in the top and bottom plate assemblies.