Ammunition press and components thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024369334-A1
Application number	US-202418772781-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2024
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Nov 7, 2024
Grant date	—

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 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.

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 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.

6 . A case holder as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the handle is offset along the axis of rotation from the first jaw.

7 . A case holder as set forth in claim 1 , 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.

8 . A case holder as set forth in claim 7 , further comprising a spring biasing the first jaw toward the operational position.

9 . A case holder as set forth in claim 7 , 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.

10 . 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 an 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.

11 . A case holder as set forth in claim 10 , wherein:
the first jaw is movable between an operational position to engage the 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 the second jaw is movable between an operational position to engage the case and a retracted position, the second jaw being locked against rotation when second jaw is in the operational position, and the second jaw being unlocked to permit rotation of the second jaw when the jaw is in the retracted position.

12 . A case holder as set forth in claim 11 , 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.

13 . 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.

14 . 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.

15 . 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 ejecting a spent primer from an ammunition case; a ram supported by the base and movable toward the die holder to move an ammunition case toward the die holder; a spent primer catch tray having an upper opening, the spent primer catch tray being supported by and movable with the ram, the spent primer catch tray located in an operational position with respect to the ram in which the ram covers the upper opening of the spent primer catch tray; and the ram including a spent primer opening arranged to permit a spent primer to fall into the spent primer catch tray from the ammunition case when the spent primer catch tray is in the operational position.

16 . An ammunition press as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the ram includes a first slide rail and a second slide rail, the spent primer catch tray being supported by the first and second slide rails on opposite sides of the spent primer catch tray when the spent primer catch tray is in the operational position, the spent primer catch tray being slidable on the first and second slide rails out of the operational position to remove the spent primer catch tray from the ram for emptying the spent primer catch tray.

17 . An ammunition press comprising:
a frame having a base, the base configured to engage a support surface to support the ammunition press on the support surface; a die holder supported by the frame and configured to hold a die for performing an operation on an ammunition case; a driver supported by the frame and movable with respect to the frame to engage an ammunition case with the die holder, the driver including a ram, a linkage, and a lever, the ram being movable between a home position and a pressing position for engaging the ammunition case with a die on the die holder, the lever being pivotable with respect to the frame in an actuating direction from a non-actuated position to an actuated position in which the lever is prevented from further pivoting in the actuating direction, the linkage being connected to the lever such that pivoting of the lever in the actuating direction toward the actuated position moves the ram toward the pressing position, the driver being adjustable to c

Assignees

• 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

• F42B33/10

  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

• 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