Ammunition press and components thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900762-B2
Application number	US-201916281224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A case holder for holding an ammunition case, the case holder comprising:
a frame including a bed having an upper surface configured to support an end of the ammunition case;
a first jaw supported by the frame and configured to engage the ammunition case to hold the ammunition case, the first jaw having a first jaw member on a first side of the first jaw and having a second jaw member on a second side of the first jaw, the first jaw being mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation with respect to the bed to selectively present one of the first and second jaw members in a case engagement position to engage the ammunition case for holding the ammunition case;
wherein the first jaw is movable between an operational position to engage the ammunition case and a retracted position, the first jaw being limited from rotating about said axis of rotation when the first jaw is in the operational position, and the first jaw being permitted to rotate about said axis of rotation when the first jaw is in the retracted position;
wherein the jaw is received in a recess in the operational position, the jaw having an interference fit with the recess in the operational position for limiting rotation of the jaw about said axis of rotation, the jaw being movable laterally with respect to the bed from the interference fit toward the retracted position.

2. A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is configured to hold an ammunition case having a first diameter and the second jaw member is configured hold an ammunition case having a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

3. A case holder as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first jaw member includes an arcuate edge sized and shaped for reception in a circumferential groove of the ammunition case having the first diameter, and the second jaw member includes an arcuate edge sized and shaped for reception in a circumferential groove of the ammunition case having the second diameter.

4. A case holder as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first jaw comprises a third jaw member on a third side of the first jaw, the third jaw member being configured to hold an ammunition case having a third diameter greater than the second diameter, the first jaw being mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation to selectively present one of the first, second, and third jaw members in the case engagement position to engage the side of the ammunition case.

5. A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a spring biasing the first jaw toward the operational position.

6. A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a handle connected to the first jaw, the handle being located for engagement by a hand of a user to move the jaw to the retracted position.

7. A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a second jaw supported by the frame and configured to engage the case to hold the ammunition case, the second jaw having a third jaw member on a first side of the second jaw and having a fourth jaw member on a second side of the second jaw, the second jaw being mounted for rotation about a second axis of rotation with respect to the bed to selectively present one of the third and fourth jaw members in a case engagement position to engage the ammunition case to hold the ammunition case.

8. A case holder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein:
the second jaw is movable between an operational position to engage the case and a retracted position, the second jaw being limited from rotating about said second axis of rotation when second jaw is in the operational position, and the second jaw being permitted to rotate about said second axis of rotation when the jaw is in the retracted position, the second jaw being movable laterally with respect to the bed from said operational position toward said retracted position.

9. A case holder as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the frame includes a cover extending over the first and second jaws, and further comprising a first handle extending above the cover and connected to the first jaw for rotating the first jaw, and a second handle extending above the cover and connected to the second jaw for rotating the second jaw.

10. A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a spent primer opening in the bed for receiving a spent primer from the ammunition case, and wherein the bed further includes at least one debris opening spaced from the spent primer opening, the debris opening arranged to receive debris pushed by the jaw from the bed.

11. An ammunition press comprising:
a base configured to engage a support surface to support the ammunition press on the support surface;
a die holder supported by the base and configured to hold a die for performing an operation on an ammunition case;
a ram supported by the base and movable toward the die holder to move an ammunition case toward the die; and
a case holder as set forth in claim 1 supported by the ram for holding the ammunition case.

12. A case holder for holding an ammunition case, the case holder comprising:
a frame including a bed configured to support an end of the ammunition case;
a first jaw supported by the frame and configured to engage the ammunition case to hold the ammunition case, the first jaw having a first jaw member on a first side of the first jaw and having a second jaw member on a second side of the first jaw, the first jaw being mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation with respect to the bed to selectively present one of the first and second jaw members in a case engagement position to engage the ammunition case for holding the ammunition case;
further comprising a handle connected to the first jaw, the handle being located for engagement by a hand of a user to rotate the first jaw by rotating the handle.

13. A case holder as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the handle is offset along the axis of rotation from the first jaw.

14. A case holder as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first jaw is movable between an operational position to engage the ammunition case and a retracted position, the first jaw being locked against rotation when the first jaw is in the operational position, and the first jaw being unlocked to permit rotation about said axis of rotation when the first jaw is in the retracted position, and wherein the handle is located for engagement by a hand of a user to move the jaw from the operation position to the retracted position.

15. A case holder for holding an ammunition case, the case holder comprising:
a frame including a bed configured to support an end of the ammunition case;
a first jaw supported by the frame and configured to engage the ammunition case to hold the ammunition case, the first jaw having a first jaw member on a first side of the first jaw and having a second jaw member on a second side of the first jaw, the first jaw being connected to a shaft segment for rotation about an axis of rotation defined by the shaft segment to selectively present one of the first and second jaw members in a case engagement position to engage the ammunition case for holding the ammunition case, the first jaw being movable between an operational position to engage the ammunition case and a retracted position, the shaft segment being movable with the first jaw between the operational position and the retracted position.

16. A case holder as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the shaft segment is received in a slot extending laterally with respect to the bed, the shaft segment being movable in the slot to permit movement of the first jaw between the operational and retrac

Assignees

• Battenfeld Tech Inc
• Aob Products Company

Inventors

• Kinney Timothy S
• Tayon James
• Cottrell Michael
• Cauley Jr Dennis W
• Burke Justin
• Steere Brian
• Martin Kyle
• Vesich Anthony
• Kinamore Matthew
• Yuodsnukis Joel
• Smith Curtis
• Dalton Mark

Classifications

• F42B33/001 Primary

  Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts · CPC title

• F42B33/04

  Fitting or extracting primers in or from fuzes or charges {(F42B33/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F42B33/002 Primary

  Orienting or guiding means for cartridges or cartridge parts during the manufacturing or packaging process; Feeding cartridge elements to automatic machines · CPC title

• F42B33/10

  Reconditioning used cartridge cases {(F42B33/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F42B33/06

  Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs ({F42B33/004 and} F42B33/04 take precedence; {elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091}) · CPC title