Cartridge box for ammunition belt

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cartridge box comprising: a box (1) comprising an intake (5) and an outlet (6), the outlet (6) being placed under the intake (5) and separated from same by a guide roller (3); a plurality of compartments (9) separated by partitions (2); a belt (7) of cartridges (8), said cartridge belt crossing the intake (5), then folding into the compartments (9), from the compartment (9) closest to the intake (5) to the compartment that is furthest away, and then crossing the outlet (6), above the guide roller (3).

Claims

1. An assembly of at least two cartridge boxes, each of the at least two cartridge boxes comprising: a box comprising an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being positioned under the inlet and being separated therefrom by a turn roller; and a plurality of compartments separated by partitions; and the assembly further comprising: a belt of cartridges, said belt of cartridges passing through the inlet, then being folded up in the plurality of compartments, from a compartment closest to the inlet to a farthest away compartment, the belt of cartridges then passing through the outlet, over the top of the turn roller; wherein the belt of cartridges passing through the outlet of a first cartridge box enters the inlet of a second cartridge box.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two cartridge boxes comprises a removable cover for easy loading of the belt of cartridges.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a permanent magnet is disposed at a bottom of each compartment of the plurality of compartments of each of the at least two cartridge boxes, each permanent magnet enabling the belt of cartridges to be secured in the compartment regardless of the position of the box.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each cartridge box of the at least two cartridge boxes comprises a second inlet and a second outlet separated by a second turn roller on an opposite face of the box.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein in each cartridge box of the at least two cartridge boxes the partitions of the plurality of compartments comprise, on an opposite side of the cartridge box from the inlet and the outlet, cells for keeping a belt strand static during an unloading of the compartment.

6. A cartridge box comprising: a box comprising an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being positioned under the inlet and being separated therefrom by a turn roller; a plurality of compartments separated by partitions; and a belt of cartridges, said belt of cartridges passing through the inlet, then being folded up in the plurality of compartments, from a compartment closest to the inlet to a farthest away compartment, the belt of cartridges then passing through the outlet, over the top of the turn roller; wherein a permanent magnet is disposed at a bottom of each compartment of the plurality of compartments, each permanent magnet enabling the belt of cartridges to be secured in the compartment regardless of the position of the box.

7. A cartridge box comprising: a box comprising an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being positioned under the inlet and being separated therefrom by a turn roller; a plurality of compartments separated by partitions; a belt of cartridges, said belt of cartridges passing through the inlet, then being folded up in the plurality of compartments, from a compartment closest to the inlet to a farthest away compartment, the belt of cartridges then passing through the outlet, over the top of the turn roller; and a second inlet and a second outlet separated by a second turn roller on an opposite face of the box.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a filled cartridge box according to the invention.

(2) FIGS. 2 to 5 show the successive steps of emptying the cartridge box in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 6 show a cartridge box according to the invention, with the cover open in order to change the inlet/outlet side.

(4) FIG. 7 shows the process of changing the inlet/outlet side.

(5) FIG. 8 shows two cartridge boxes according to the invention disposed in series.

(6) FIG. 9 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising magnets at the bottom of the compartments, the cartridge box being disposed upside down.

(7) FIG. 10 shows another cartridge box according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention relates to a cartridge box for ammunition in the form of a belt having links for connecting several boxes in series, such that it is possible to have as much space available as possible for feeding a machine gun or cannon, mainly for on-board applications.

(9) To this end, the cartridge box of the invention comprises an inlet 5 and an outlet 6 separated by a turn roller 3, the inlet 5 being positioned above the outlet, on the same side of the box. The term above means here the top of the cartridge box positioned in the position intended for loading the box. In fact, it will be seen below that, according to preferred embodiments of the invention, the box can be positioned, in use, in virtually any position.

(10) In order to make it easier to position the belt and easily unload the latter, the ammunition box of the invention comprises a plurality of compartments 9 separated by vertical partitions 2.

(11) The belt 7 is initially positioned in a zigzag in the compartments 9, from the compartment close to the inlet 5 to the opposite side. The belt 7 is then folded up towards the outlet. This arrangement allows the belt 7 to slide over the top of the filled compartments 9, sliding over the cartridges, this avoiding a situation in which the links catch on the tops of the walls 2 of the empty compartments 9.

(12) Advantageously, the bottom of the compartments 9 comprises a permanent magnet 12 for keeping the belt in position regardless of the position of the box 1. This makes it possible in particular to use the ammunition box in an inverted manner, the top of the box 1 as defined above being positioned underneath during use.

(13) Still in the case of use upside down (i.e. with the inlet/outlet at the bottom of the device), it may be advantageous to position cells 23 on the side walls, on the face on the opposite side from the inlet/outlet. In this case, in the strand of the belt on the outlet side of the compartment that is being emptied can move freely towards the outlet (vertical movement in translation), the bottommost cartridge in the compartment carries out a rotational movement that is not impeded, while the strand on the cell side is retained by said cells. Such a configuration is shown in FIG. 10.

(14) Advantageously, either the walls 22 having cells can easily be inverted or the cells 23 are disposed on removable plates that can easily be disposed on the right-hand side or left-hand side of the walls separating the compartments 9.

(15) Preferably, the box 1 can also be inverted laterally (to the right/left with respect to the figures), the box 1 comprising an inlet and an outlet on each side face and a second turn roller 4 on the second side face.

(16) In order to make it easy to load the cartridge box, the upper face is removable or can be fixed by means of a hinge, this not only making it easier to load the belt but also allowing it to be easier to change the inlet/outlet face.

(17) Since the box comprises an inlet and an outlet on each face, two (or more) boxes can easily be connected in series, making it possible to optimize the space taken up by the ammunition, without there being a need for an additional feed device.