Patent classifications
F42B33/002
Ammunition press and components thereof
An ammunition press for manufacturing or reloading ammunition cartridges. The ammunition press includes an adjustable shell holder for holding ammunition shells (sometimes called cases) of various sizes. A catch tray is provided for collecting spent primers or other debris. According to a user's preference, the ammunition press can be customized to provide an over-center actuated configuration or a non-over-center actuated configuration. A light is integrated with the press for illuminating the shell holder. Components of the press and associated methods are also disclosed.
Bullet Loader
An improved bullet loader system applies bullets to a feed tube from a source of bullets. The bullets each have a tip-end and a base-end. The bullet-orienting system includes a bullet conveyance that conveys bullets, in tip-end-down and tip-end-up orientations, from a source of bullets to a feed tube along a bullet conveyance path. A bullet-orienting structure comprising a block, a nose guide forming a ledge, a groove, and a tapered opening, and a ramp is disposed at a fixed location proximate the bullet conveyance path. For each tip-end-down oriented bullet, the bullet-orienting structure interacts with the tip-end-down bullet, and flips the tip-end down bullet relative to the bullet conveyance from tip-end-down orientation to the tip-end-up orientation prior to application to the feed tube.
METHODS AND DEVICES METERING AND COMPACTING EXPLOSIVE POWDERS
The present invention includes a powder compaction device comprising a loading platform positioned above a lower platform; a compaction rod aperture positioned in the loading platform; a vertical tube positioned in communication with the compaction rod aperture; a compaction rod positioned in the compaction rod aperture and extending through the compaction rod aperture, wherein the compaction rod comprises one or more reliefs having a powder volume; a drive motor in communication with the vertical tube and connected to the compaction rod to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture; a first funnel-shaped device positioned below the loading platform, wherein the first funnel-shaped device comprises a first funnel aperture, wherein the first funnel aperture aligns with the compaction rod aperture to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture; an adaptor platform secured to the lower platform and aligned with the compaction rod aperture; an ammunition cartridge fixture slidably secured in the adaptor platform, wherein the ammunition cartridge fixture comprises a funnel-shaped opening, an interior cartridge shaped void, and a funnel aperture connecting the funnel-shaped opening to the interior cartridge shaped void, wherein the funnel aperture is aligned with the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture to accommodate the compaction movement of the compaction rod; an ammunition cartridge positioned in the ammunition cartridge fixture; a powder reservoir positioned in communication with the first funnel-shaped device to transport powder to the first funnel-shaped device; a compaction controller in communication with the drive motor and one or more sensors to control the direction of the motor to control the direction of movement of the compaction rod and the force applied to the compaction rod to control the compaction of the powder; and a powder metering controller in communication with the gate and one or more second sensors to control the amount of powder delivered and he powder is despised.
Ammunition case roll sizer apparatus
Provided is an ammunition case roll sizing apparatus 10 which comprises a base 12 which typically defines a surface 14 along with a case receptacle 16 proximate the surface 14. The base 12 also includes a former 18 protruding from a boundary of the surface 14. The apparatus 10 further comprises a circular disk 20 which is rotatably flat mounted onto the surface 14 of the base 12 so that a case channel 22 is complementarily defined between the disk 20 and the former 18. The disk 20 is operatively rotatable via a rotational actuator 24. Also included is a case feeder 26 configured for operatively receiving a plurality of cases 28 and for feeding a case lengthwise into the case receptacle 16 of the base. Further included is a case pusher 30 which is configured to be operatively actuatable by the rotating disk 20 in order to push a case 28 from the case receptacle 16 into the channel 22 to roll-size the case.
AMMUNITION CASE ROLL SIZER APPARATUS
Provided is an ammunition case roll sizing apparatus 10 which comprises a base 12 which typically defines a surface 14 along with a case receptacle 16 proximate the surface 14. The base 12 also includes a former 18 protruding from a boundary of the surface 14. The apparatus 10 further comprises a circular disk 20 which is rotatably flat mounted onto the surface 14 of the base 12 so that a case channel 22 is complementarily defined between the disk 20 and the former 18. The disk 20 is operatively rotatable via a rotational actuator 24. Also included is a case feeder 26 configured for operatively receiving a plurality of cases 28 and for feeding a case lengthwise into the case receptacle 16 of the base. Further included is a case pusher 30 which is configured to be operatively actuatable by the rotating disk 20 in order to push a case 28 from the case receptacle 16 into the channel 22 to roll-size the case.
METHODS AND DEVICES METERING AND COMPACTING EXPLOSIVE POWDERS
The present invention includes a powder compaction device comprising a loading platform positioned above a lower platform; a compaction rod aperture positioned in the loading platform; a vertical tube positioned in communication with the compaction rod aperture; a compaction rod positioned in the compaction rod aperture and extending through the compaction rod aperture, wherein the compaction rod comprises one or more reliefs having a powder volume; a drive motor in communication with the vertical tube and connected to the compaction rod to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture; a first funnel-shaped device positioned below the loading platform, wherein the first funnel-shaped device comprises a first funnel aperture, wherein the first funnel aperture aligns with the compaction rod aperture to move the compaction rod through the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture; an adaptor platform secured to the lower platform and aligned with the compaction rod aperture; an ammunition cartridge fixture slidably secured in the adaptor platform, wherein the ammunition cartridge fixture comprises a funnel-shaped opening, an interior cartridge shaped void, and a funnel aperture connecting the funnel-shaped opening to the interior cartridge shaped void, wherein the funnel aperture is aligned with the compaction rod aperture and the first funnel aperture to accommodate the compaction movement of the compaction rod; an ammunition cartridge positioned in the ammunition cartridge fixture; a powder reservoir positioned in communication with the first funnel-shaped device to transport powder to the first funnel-shaped device; a compaction controller in communication with the drive motor and one or more sensors to control the direction of the motor to control the direction of movement of the compaction rod and the force applied to the compaction rod to control the compaction of the powder; and a powder metering controller in communication with the gate and one or more second sensors to control the amount of powder delivered and he powder is despised.
AMMUNITION PRESS AND COMPONENTS THEREOF
An ammunition press for manufacturing or reloading ammunition cartridges. The ammunition press includes an adjustable shell holder for holding ammunition shells (sometimes called cases) of various sizes. A catch tray is provided for collecting spent primers or other debris. According to a user's preference, the ammunition press can be customized to provide an over-center actuated configuration or a non-over-center actuated configuration. A light is integrated with the press for illuminating the shell holder. Components of the press and associated methods are also disclosed.
Automatic primer collator
A primer collator useful with primer tubes includes a funnel, sorting assembly, output ramp assembly, and counting assembly. The funnel rotates and directs primers to a sorting assembly, which defines slots formed by a priming disc and timing disc that cooperate and rotate within a disc housing. In each slot, a lower ramp and ridge section and upper tooth section are configured to interact with primers to stop improperly oriented primers. Properly oriented primers travel through the slots to an outer groove formed by the disc housing to be transported to the output ramp. The counting assembly counts primers as they travel on the output ramp and powers off the collator after a preset number of primers are counted. Additional features include a magnetic tube attachment assembly and a timing assembly that meters the dispensing of primers into the tube while also stabilizing them to prevent errors.
Apparatus for removing spent primers from ammunition shell casings
An apparatus for removing spent primers from spent ammunition shell casings includes a body defining a feed channel, a pin plunger channel intersecting the feed channel at a punch zone configured to receive a shell casing therein, and a guide channel intersecting the pin plunger channel, a pin plunger movable along the pin plunger channel and defining a punch end, a guide member movable along the guide channel, and a handle assembly coupled to the pin plunger and the guide member such that rotary motion of the handle assembly drives the pin plunger along the pin plunger channel toward and into the punch zone so that, with a spent shell casing positioned in the punch zone, the punch end of the pin plunger extends into and drives the spent primer from the spent shell casing.
Device for organizing, conveying and placing ammunition cases
A device for organizing, conveying and placing ammunition cases consists of a module with an array of funnels on the top face. When cases are poured onto the top face the funnels direct the cases into bores below, generally with the heavy end (rim and extractor groove end) down. Edges of apertures in a plate which slides in a slot in the bottom of the module engage the extractor groove in each case and secure the cases between the plate and module with spring pressure. After securing the cases they may be conveyed to another location at which point the spring may be compressed to release the cases leaving them arranged neatly. A tray is used to contain and interface with a plurality of modules. By adjusting wedges in the tray, the plates in the module assemblies engaged by the wedges are caused to operate as described previously.