摘要 |
A linkless ammunition magazine for guns includes an endless, shell-holding conveyor having two, spaced apart bicycle-type chains which are entrained over several pairs of guides that confine the conveyor to a convoluted path within a housing. During firing of an associated gun, an externally driven sprocket drives the conveyor in a direction advancing conveyor-held shells towards a shell transfer position located just downstream of the drive sprocket. A pair of guides located just upstream of the shell transfer position, is compliantly mounted to deflect in response to fast start up of the drive sprocket upon initiating of firing, in a direction enabling only a short segment of the conveyor upstream of the transfer position to move before further upstream portions of the conveyor start moving, fast shell feeding from the onset of firing being thereby enabled. A second pair of guides located downstream of the transfer position is also compliantly mounted, and is interconnected by a transfer arm with the first pair of compliantly mounted guides so as to deflect in unison therewith in a direction preventing any slack in the conveyor.
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