Aug 5, 2025

US12379172 - Ammunition feed

The invention relates to an ammunition feed ( 1 ) for a gun barrel, in particular of an armoured vehicle, having at least one magazine and a rammer ( 2 ), the gun barrel having a loading space, it being possible for an ammunition ( 3 ) to be introduced from the magazine into the loading space by means of the rammer ( 2 ), and it being possible for an ammunition ( 3 ) to be led out of the loading space into the magazine by means of the rammer ( 2 ). An ammunition ( 3 ) can be guided out of a loading space particularly quickly and reliably by means of the ammunition feed ( 1 ), in that a pawl ( 4 ) is arranged movably on an end of the rammer ( 2 ) facing the cartridge, the pawl ( 4 ) being positionable in an engagement position ( 5 ) in order to guide the ammunition ( 3 ) out of the loading space into the magazine, the pawl ( 4 ) being arranged in a recess ( 6 ) of the ammunition ( 3 ) in the engagement position ( 5 ), the ammunition feed ( 1 ) being designed as an automatic ammunition feed ( 1 ), a control device being provided, the control device being connected in terms of control technology to at least one actuator of the rammer ( 2 ) and at least one actuator of the pawl ( 4 ), a type of ammunition being automatically selected on the basis of data of automatic target detection and/or automatic target recognition, by means of which a high probability of hitting and destruction of a target to be combated can be achieved.

Assignee: RHEINMETALL AIR DEFENCE AG
Inventors: Christian Dombeck
Filing date: 2022-07-06

ammunitionfirearmautomatic

The patent describes an automatic ammunition feed system for armored vehicle gun barrels, featuring a rammer and a movable pawl that facilitates the introduction and extraction of ammunition. The system includes a control device that selects suitable ammunition based on automatic target detection data, enhancing targeting efficiency.

Claim 1

Ammunition feed ( 1 ) for a gun barrel having at least one magazine and a rammer ( 2 ), wherein the gun barrel is for an armoured vehicle, the gun barrel having a loading space, wherein a piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is introducible from the magazine into the loading space by the rammer ( 2 ), and wherein the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is reversible out of the loading space into the magazine by the rammer ( 2 ), characterized in that: a pawl ( 4 ) is arranged movably on an end of the rammer ( 2 ) facing the piece of ammunition, the pawl ( 4 ) having a tip ( 14 ) formed at a meeting point of a holding edge ( 10 ) and a sliding edge ( 7 ) of the pawl, wherein the tip ( 14 ) of the pawl faces towards the rammer ( 2 ), the pawl ( 4 ) can be positioned in an engagement position ( 5 ) to reverse out the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) from the loading space into the magazine, wherein the pawl ( 4 ) in the engagement position ( 5 ) prevents the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) from slipping further away from the rammer ( 2 ), wherein the pawl ( 4 ) is arranged in a recess ( 6 ) of the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) in the engagement position ( 5 ), wherein a retaining edge is preferably aligned essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition wherein the ammunition feed ( 1 ) is designed as an automatic ammunition feed ( 1 ), wherein a control device ( 15 ) is provided, wherein the control device ( 15 ) is connected to at least one actuator ( 16 ) of the rammer ( 2 ) and at least one actuator ( 17 ) of the pawl ( 4 ), wherein the control device ( 15 ) is designed to automatically select a suitable piece of ammunition ( 3 ) on basis of data from an automatic target detection device ( 18 ); wherein the suitable piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is automatically introducible into the loading space with the aid of actuating commands generated in the control device ( 15 ). the gun barrel having a loading space, wherein a piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is introducible from the magazine into the loading space by the rammer ( 2 ), and wherein the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is reversible out of the loading space into the magazine by the rammer ( 2 ), characterized in that: a pawl ( 4 ) is arranged movably on an end of the rammer ( 2 ) facing the piece of ammunition, the pawl ( 4 ) having a tip ( 14 ) formed at a meeting point of a holding edge ( 10 ) and a sliding edge ( 7 ) of the pawl, wherein the tip ( 14 ) of the pawl faces towards the rammer ( 2 ), the pawl ( 4 ) can be positioned in an engagement position ( 5 ) to reverse out the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) from the loading space into the magazine, wherein the pawl ( 4 ) in the engagement position ( 5 ) prevents the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) from slipping further away from the rammer ( 2 ), wherein the pawl ( 4 ) is arranged in a recess ( 6 ) of the piece of ammunition ( 3 ) in the engagement position ( 5 ), wherein a retaining edge is preferably aligned essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ammunition wherein the ammunition feed ( 1 ) is designed as an automatic ammunition feed ( 1 ), wherein a control device ( 15 ) is provided, wherein the control device ( 15 ) is connected to at least one actuator ( 16 ) of the rammer ( 2 ) and at least one actuator ( 17 ) of the pawl ( 4 ), wherein the control device ( 15 ) is designed to automatically select a suitable piece of ammunition ( 3 ) on basis of data from an automatic target detection device ( 18 ); wherein the suitable piece of ammunition ( 3 ) is automatically introducible into the loading space with the aid of actuating commands generated in the control device ( 15 ).

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12379172

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12379172