Portable part or consumable item carrier with anti-jam feed system with exemplary consuming item systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101106-B2
Application number	US-201715710542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Nov 22, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Various systems and related methods are provided including various carrier and feed systems that feed belts of consumable items to consuming systems. Exemplary systems relate to on-demand high capacity and speed portable part or consumable item carrier and belt feed system that reduces or eliminates jams or mis-feeds to include jams or mis-feeds due to tilting of belt linked consumable items. Some embodiments also permit consumable items to be carried in an exemplary carrier with removable dividers that create cavities to dispose a series of columns of sequentially folded belt sections extended to a top of the removable dividers that further enable a second belt fold configuration of the belt of consumable items to be folded across the columns of folded belt sections and then oriented to be pulled out of the carrier for use with a consuming system coupled with the carrier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A consuming system including a consumable item portable feed system comprising:
an enclosure having a floor section, four side sections comprising a first, second, third and fourth sides, wherein the four side sections are formed to define an opening in an upper section of the four sides opposing the floor section, the floor section further include one or more first divider structures that extend perpendicularly away from and are affixed to the enclosure's floor having a first length from a proximal end coupled to the floor section to a respective opposing distal end;
a lid section coupled with at least one of said enclosure sides so as to cover the enclosure opening;
one or more second divider structures extending away from one or more base portions each formed with a first width and first height, wherein said one or more base portions and a section of at least one of said one or more second divider structures are each formed with a receiving cavity or gap shaped to slideably receive said one or more first divider structures when said one or more second divider structures are removeably lowered or disposed into the enclosure, wherein each of the base portions are formed to respectively fit between the enclosure side sections and first divider structures, at least one of the one or more second divider structures are formed with a first exemplary width defined by a non-interference fit width between at least two opposing sides of said enclosure side sections, the one or more second divider structures are further formed having their first height such that each respective distal end leaves a gap between the lid in an installed position, the distal ends of the one or more second divider structures are further defined at least a multiple of a width of a belt of linked consumable items folded upon itself lying laterally across the distal ends of the one or more second divider structures;
the belt of the linked consumable items folded into a plurality of first and second fold configurations, wherein said first plurality of fold configurations comprise a plurality of columns of folds of the belt of linked consumable items sequentially disposed into respective cavities formed between the enclosure sides and respective second divider structures progressing from one lateral side of the enclosure to an opposing side of the enclosure with sections of the belt passing over each of the distal ends, wherein the second plurality of fold configurations comprises folds of the belt of the linked consumables passing over a first plurality of linked consumables in the first fold configuration from one end of the enclosure to an opposing end of the enclosure until the belt of the linked consumable items is flush or in a first proximity to the opening of the enclosure;
a latch coupler that couples the lid to the enclosure so as to fix the lid on and over the opening;
an equipment item configured to receive the belt of the linked consumables and sequentially pass consumables in the belt through the equipment item; and
a feed structure coupling the equipment item with the carrier enclosure adapted to pass the belt through the feed system and into the consuming system equipment item.

2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the equipment item is a machine gun and the belt of linked consumables comprises cartridge items.

3. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the cartridge items comprise bullets.

4. A system as in claim 3 , wherein each bullet has a first and second end with a first and second diameter, respectively, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter.

5. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the first and second fold configurations comprise sequential serpentine folded portions disposed in the enclosure.

6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the first height of the one or more second divider structures to an approximate maximum diameter of the consumable items is approximately 40.

7. A system as in claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the first exemplary width to an approximate maximum diameter of the consumable items is approximately 34.

8. A system as in claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the first height of the one or more second divider structures to first exemplary width is approximately 1.17.

9. A method of operating a consumable item portable feed system comprising:
providing a portable feed system comprising:
an enclosure having a floor section, four side sections comprising a first, second, third and fourth sides, wherein the four side sections are formed to define an opening in an upper section of the four sides opposing the floor section, the floor section further include one or more first divider structures that extend perpendicularly away from and are affixed to the enclosure's floor having a first length from a proximal end coupled to the floor section to a respective opposing distal end;
a lid section coupled with at least one of said enclosure sides so as to cover the enclosure opening;
one or more second divider structures extending away from one or more base portions each formed with a first width and first height, wherein said one or more base portions and a section of at least one of said one or more second divider structures are each formed with a receiving cavity or gap shaped to slideably receive said one or more first divider structures when said one or more second divider structures are removeably lowered or disposed into the enclosure, wherein each of the base portions are formed to respectively fit between the enclosure side sections and first divider structures, at least one of the one or more second divider structures are formed with a first exemplary width defined by a non-interference fit width between at least two opposing sides of said enclosure side sections, the one or more second divider structures are further formed having their first height such that each respective distal end leaves a gap between the lid in an installed position, the distal ends of the one or more second divider structures are further defined at least a multiple of a width of a belt of linked consumable items folded upon itself lying laterally across the distal ends of the one or more second divider structures;
the belt of the linked consumable items folded into a plurality of first and second fold configurations, wherein said first plurality of fold configurations comprise a plurality of columns of folds of the belt of linked consumable items sequentially disposed into respective cavities formed between the enclosure sides and respective second divider structures progressing from one lateral side of the enclosure to an opposing side of the enclosure with sections of the belt passing over each of the distal ends, wherein the second plurality of fold configurations comprises folds of the belt of the linked consumables passing over a first plurality of linked consumables in the first fold configuration from one end of the enclosure to an opposing end of the enclosure until the belt of the linked consumable items is flush or in a first proximity to the opening of the enclosure, wherein the linked consumable items are bullets;
a latch coupler that couples the lid to the enclosure so as to fix the lid on and over the opening;
a consuming system configured to receive the belt of the linked consumables and sequentially pass consumables in the belt through the consuming system; and
a feed structure coupling the consuming system with the enclosure adapted to pass the belt through the feed system and into the consuming system
loading the container comprising sequentially disposing a first plurality of portions of the belt of linked consumable items formed from spaced apart and serpentine folded portions into a respecti

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Walton Cody L
• Heuer Todd H

Classifications

• F41A9/79 Primary

  for belted ammunition · CPC title