Ammunition belt link

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided an ammunition belt link comprising, a sprung wire, said sprung wire arranged to form a first receiving portion suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge, a second receiving portion suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge, a spacer between said first receiving and second receiving portions, an ammunition cartridge locator aide, said locator aid locates in an ejector groove of a received cartridge and, the wire ammunition belt link further comprising a support surface suitable for retaining the first and/or second ammunition cartridge.

Claims

1. A wire ammunition belt link comprising: a unitary continuous piece of sprung wire, said unitary continuous piece of sprung wire arranged to form a first receiving portion suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge, a second receiving portion suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge, a spacer between said first receiving and second receiving portions, and an ammunition cartridge locator aide, said locator aid locates in an ejector groove of a received cartridge; and a support surface arranged within the first receiving portion or the second receiving portion, wherein the first receiving portion or the second receiving portion comprises a first arm and a second arm spaced from the first arm along a first direction, and wherein the support surface extends an entire distance between the first arm and the second arm along the first direction, wherein the sprung wire forms a frame abutting outer edges of the support surface.

2. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the support surface is made from a polymer, metal or fabric.

3. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the sprung wire is embedded within the support surface.

4. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the sprung wire and support surface are reversibly joined.

5. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the support surface comprises ridges or splines.

6. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the wire ammunition belt link contains only the support surface and the unitary continuous piece of sprung wire formed into said belt link.

7. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the support surface has a cross section of a circular re-entrant shape.

8. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the link is a push through cartridge feed design.

9. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein: each of the first arm and the second arm comprises a first partial receiving portion for the first ammunition cartridge and a second partial receiving portion for the second ammunition cartridge; the first arm and second arm are joined by a linkage and the respective first and second partial receiving portions are joined by the spacers; the support surface is a first support surface extending between the first partial receiving surface of the first arm and the first partial receiving surface of the second arm; and the wire ammunition belt link further comprises a second support surface coupled to the second partial receiving surface of the first arm, and a third support surface coupled to the second partial receiving surface of the second arm.

10. The wire ammunition belt link of claim 1, wherein the ammunition cartridge locator aide is provided at the end of a first flange positioned at an end of the first arm of the second receiving portion, the first flange arranged lengthwise along an axis of the retained second ammunition cartridge, and wherein the unitary continuous piece of sprung wire is further arranged to form a second flange at an end of the second arm of the second receiving portion, the second flange arranged lengthwise along the axis of the retained second ammunition cartridge.

11. A wire ammunition belt suitable for a belt fed ammunition system, the wire ammunition belt comprising: a first wire ammunition belt link and a second wire ammunition belt link according to claim 1; wherein the first ammunition cartridge is located in the first receiving portion of the first wire ammunition belt link and the second ammunition cartridge is located in the second receiving portion of the first wire ammunition belt link; and wherein the second ammunition cartridge is further located in the first receiving portion of the second wire ammunition belt link.

12. The wire ammunition belt of claim 11, wherein for each of the first and second wire ammunition belt links, the respective support surface extends from the respective first and/or second receiving portion.

13. The wire ammunition belt of claim 11, wherein for each of the first and second wire ammunition belt links, the respective support surface is made from a polymer, metal or fabric.

14. The wire ammunition belt of claim 11, wherein for each of the first and second wire ammunition belt links, the respective sprung wire is embedded within the respective support surface.

15. The wire ammunition belt of claim 11, wherein for each of the first and second wire ammunition belt links, the respective sprung wire and respective support surface are reversibly joined.

16. The wire ammunition belt of claim 11, wherein for each of the first and second wire ammunition belt links, the respective support surface comprises ridges or splines.

17. A method of manufacturing a wire ammunition belt link, the method comprising: bending a unitary continuous length of sprung wire by a wire forming machine to create first and second receiving portions, a spacer, and an ammunition cartridge locator aide, the first receiving portion having first and second arms spaced in a first direction and suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge, the second receiving portion having first and second arms spaced in the first direction and suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge, the spacer between said first and second receiving portions, and the ammunition cartridge locator aide configured to locate in an ejector groove of a received cartridge; and forming a support surface that extends an entire distance between the first arm and the second arm along the first direction of said first receiving portion, wherein the sprung wire forms a frame abutting outer edges of the support surface.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said wire ammunition belt link is located within an injection mould and the support surface is injection moulded around the sprung wire.

Description

(1) Several arrangements of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which;

(2) FIG. 1 show a wire ammunition belt link.

(3) FIG. 2 shows an alternative wire ammunition belt link.

(4) FIG. 3a shows an alternative wire ammunition belt link.

(5) FIG. 3b shows the wire ammunition belt link of FIG. 3a with ammunition cartridges loaded therein.

(6) FIG. 4a & 4b show a wire ammunition belt with wire ammunition belt links of FIG. 1 loaded with ammunition cartridges.

(7) Turning to FIG. 1, there is provided a wire ammunition belt link 100 comprising, a sprung wire 101, said sprung wire arranged to form, a first receiving portion 102 suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge (not shown), a second receiving portion 103 suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge (not shown) and, a spacer 104 between said first receiving and second receiving portions and the wire ammunition belt link further comprising a support surface 114, extending across the second receiving portion 103, for retaining the second ammunition cartridge.

(8) In the present arrangement, the support surface 114 is made from glass filled nylon and is located within the second receiving portion to retain the second ammunition cartridge, wherein the sprung wire acts as a frame around the edge of the support surface such that the sprung wire is partially visible around the outer edges of the support surface.

(9) In the present arrangement, the cross sectional shape of the support surface is circular in nature to provide the greatest contact area with the ammunition cartridge case.

(10) In the present arrangement, the sprung wire 101 is made from a unitary i.e. continuous piece, of sprung wire formed into said belt link. The sprung wire is made from 1 mm diameter mild steel.

(11) The first and second receiving portions (102, 103) retain the first and second ammunition cartridge by way of a push fit engagement such that there is interference between the ammunition cartridge and the belt link. In the present arrangement, the first and second receiving portions (102, 103) are circular in nature with a re-entrant curvature around the ammunition cartridge.

(12) In the present arrangement, the first receiving portion 102 comprises, a first arm 105, said first arm comprising a first partial receiving portion 106 for the first ammunition cartridge and a second arm 107 comprising a first partial receiving portion 108 for the first ammunition cartridge.

(13) The second receiving 103 portion comprises, the first arm 105, said first arm comprising a second partial receiving portion 109 for the second ammunition cartridge and a second arm 107 comprising a second partial receiving portion 110 for the second ammunition cartridge.

(14) The first arm and second arm of the first and second receiving portions are joined by a linkage 111 at the ends of the first and second arms such that it is a continuous unitary sprung wire, said linkage made of the same material of the first and second arm.

(15) The provision of a spacer 104 allows separation between the centre points of the first ammunition cartridge and second ammunition cartridge, when fitted within the ammunition belt link, to allow engagement with a belt fed ammunition system. In the present arrangement, the spacer 104 is formed from the same unitary piece of wire as that of the first retaining portion 102, second retaining portion 103 and the link 111. The spacer 104 may be any shape, in this arrangement a single re-entrant bend/loop which provides spacing between the centre points of the neighbouring ammunition cartridge when loaded into the wire ammunition belt link.

(16) In the present arrangement, there is provided two flanges 113. Said flanges are positioned length ways along the axial length of the ammunition cartridge located at the distil ends of the first and second arms. In the present embodiment, one of the flanges is an ammunition cartridge locator aide 112, said aid locates in the ejector groove of a received ammunition cartridge to enable the wire ammunition belt link to be accurately located axially along the ammunition cartridge such that when joined in a belt i.e. when joined as a plurality of belt links, the cartridges align at their headstamps.

(17) Two ammunition cartridges may be linked by just one arm 105, with first receiving portions and second receiving portions containing only the first partial receiving portion 106 for the first ammunition cartridge and the second receiving portion containing only the second partial receiving portion 109 for the second ammunition cartridge. However the use of two or more arms provides rigidity and improves retention of the ammunition cartridge in the receiving portion.

(18) FIG. 2 shows an alternative arrangement of a wire ammunition belt link wherein there is provided a wire ammunition belt link 200 comprising, a sprung wire 201, said sprung wire arranged to form, a first receiving portion 202 suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge (not shown), a second receiving portion 203 suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge (not shown) and, a spacer 204 between said first receiving and second receiving portions and the wire ammunition belt link further comprising a support surface 214 suitable for retaining the second ammunition cartridge.

(19) In the present arrangement, the sprung wire 201 is made from a unitary i.e. continuous piece, of sprung wire formed into said belt link. The sprung wire is made from 1 mm diameter mild steel.

(20) The first and second receiving portions (202, 203) retain the first and second ammunition cartridge by way of a push fit engagement such that there is interference between the ammunition cartridge and the belt link. In the present arrangement, the first and second receiving portions (202, 203) are circular in nature with a re-entrant curvature around the ammunition cartridge.

(21) In the present arrangement, the first receiving portion 202 comprises, a first arm 205, said first arm comprising a first partial receiving portion 206 for the first ammunition cartridge and a second arm 207 comprising a first partial receiving portion 208 for the first ammunition cartridge.

(22) The second receiving 203 portion comprises, the first arm 205, said first arm comprising a second partial receiving portion 209 for the second ammunition cartridge and a second arm 207, comprising a second partial receiving portion 210 for the second ammunition cartridge.

(23) The first arm and second arm of the first and second receiving portions are joined by a linkage 211 at the ends of the first and second arms such that it is a continuous unitary sprung wire, said linkage made of the same material of the first and second arm.

(24) The provision of a spacer 204 allows separation between the centre points of the first ammunition cartridge and second ammunition cartridge, when fitted within the ammunition belt link, to allow engagement with a belt fed ammunition system. In the present arrangement, the spacer 204 is formed from the same unitary piece of wire as that of the first retaining portion 202, second retaining portion 203 and the link 211. The spacer 204 may be any shape, in this arrangement a single re-entrant bend/loop which provides spacing between the centre points of the neighbouring ammunition cartridge when loaded into the wire ammunition belt link.

(25) In the present arrangement, there is provided two flanges 213. Said flanges are positioned length ways along the axial length of the ammunition cartridge located at the distil ends of the first and second arms. In the present embodiment, one of the flanges is an ammunition cartridge locator aide 212, said aid locates in the ejector groove of a received ammunition cartridge to enable the wire ammunition belt link to be accurately located axially along the ammunition cartridge such that when joined in a belt i.e. when joined as a plurality of belt links, the cartridges align at their headstamps.

(26) Two ammunition cartridges may be linked by just one arm 205, with first receiving portions and second receiving portions containing only the first partial receiving portion 206 for the first ammunition cartridge and the second receiving portion containing only the second partial receiving portion 209 for the second ammunition cartridge. However the use of two or more arms provides rigidity and improves retention of the ammunition cartridge in the receiving portion.

(27) In the present arrangement, there is further provided a first partial support surface 215 located at the first partial receiving portion of the first arm for retaining a first ammunition cartridge and a second partial support surface 216 located at the first partial receiving portion of the second arm for retaining the same first ammunition cartridge and a further, separate, support surface 217 located at the second receiving portion for retaining a second ammunition cartridge disposed between the first and second arms.

(28) The first and second partial support surface at the first receiving portion and the support surface at the second receiving portion is a unitary piece of plastic wherein the sprung wire is integrally embedded within the support surface such that the sprung wire is wholly enveloped within the support surface material.

(29) In a present arrangement, the cross sectional shape of the support surface is circular in nature to provide the greatest contact area with the ammunition cartridge case.

(30) Turning to FIG. 3a there is provided an alternative arrangement of a wire ammunition belt link 300 comprising, a sprung wire 301, said sprung wire arranged to form, a first receiving portion 302 suitable for retaining a first ammunition cartridge (not shown), a second receiving portion 303 suitable for retaining a second ammunition cartridge (not shown) and, a spacer 304 between said first receiving and second receiving portions and the wire ammunition belt link further comprising a support surface 311 suitable for retaining the second ammunition cartridge.

(31) In the present arrangement, the sprung wire 301 is made from a unitary i.e. continuous piece, of sprung wire formed into said belt link. The sprung wire is made from 1 mm diameter mild steel.

(32) The first and second receiving portions (302, 303) retain the first and second ammunition cartridge by way of a push fit engagement such that there is interference between the ammunition cartridge and the belt link. In the present arrangement, the first and second receiving portions (302, 303) are circular in nature with a re-entrant curvature around the ammunition cartridge.

(33) In the present arrangement, there is provided two flanges 310. Said flanges are positioned length ways along the axial length of the ammunition cartridge. In the present embodiment, one of the flanges is an ammunition cartridge locator aide 306, said aid locates in the ejector groove 307 (See FIG. 3b) of a received first ammunition cartridge 308 to enable the wire ammunition belt link to be accurately located axially along the ammunition cartridge such that when joined in a link, the cartridges align.

(34) In the present arrangement, the support surface (311) is made from plastic wherein the sprung wire is integrally embedded within the support surface in the first receiving portion such that it acts as a skeleton structure to give rigidity to the wire ammunition belt link.

(35) In the present arrangement, the cross sectional distance X of the second receiving portion is greater than cross sectional distance Y of the first receiving portion in order to allow the second receiving portion to hook on the outer surface of the first receiving portion support surface.

(36) Turning to FIG. 3b, there is provided the wire ammunition belt link as shown in FIG. 3a with a first ammunition cartridge (308) and second ammunition cartridge (309) loaded therein.

(37) Turning to FIGS. 4a & 4b, there is provided a wire ammunition belt 400 suitable for a belt fed ammunition system, the wire ammunition belt comprising, a first wire ammunition belt link 401 and a second wire ammunition belt link 402 as shown in FIG. 1, wherein a first ammunition cartridge 403 is located in a first receiving portion 404 and a second ammunition cartridge 405 is located in a second receiving portion 406 of the first wire ammunition belt link, the first or second ammunition cartridge further retained by the support surface 408 of the first wire ammunition belt link, and the second ammunition cartridge is further located in a first receiving portion 407 of the second wire ammunition belt link to create the continuous wire ammunition belt.

(38) Although a few preferred arrangements have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

(39) Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

(40) All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

(41) Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

(42) The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing arrangement(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.