Machine gun ammunition holder incorporating center of gravity downward ejection-deflector

• US 8,091,463 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Moody
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Moody
• Inventors: Moody, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US12/362,695
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 89/331, 89/330.2, 89/34
• US Class Current: 89/33.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/81 having provision for collecting belt links or empty cartridge cases
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/22 Balancing or stabilising arrangements on the gun itself, e.g. balancing weights

Abstract

Devices, apparatus, systems and methods of mounting ammunition holders for side loading machine guns and weapons that downwardly eject spent cartridges. The ammunition holders include adjustable hinges attached side plates that both moves the center of gravity of the left side supported ammunition holder to move in a right direction underneath the machine gun until the ammunition holder is balanced relative to the machine gun. The side plate further deflects the spent cartridges from being directly ejected downward from the machine gun and instead deflect the spent cartridges to one side of the machine gun away from both the machine gun and an operator of the gun. The ammunition containers can be ammunition belt boxes. The ammunition containers can be ammunition pouch bags. Frames can allow for bags to be inserted therein and be pre-shaped to form a deflection surface by a built on side wall which functions as a deflection plate to deflect spent cartridges and shells sideways away from the gun.

Claims

1. An ammunition holder for machine guns that downwardly eject spent cartridge cases, comprising:

an ammunition container for holding plural linked rounds of belted ammunition, wherein the container has an overall weight and mass with a center of gravity;

a mount mechanism for attaching the container to a side belt feeder on one side of the machine gun, the container having an outer side facing away from the machine gun and an inner side facing underneath the machine gun; and

a rigid plate attached to the inner side of the ammunition container; and

a hinge attached to the plate and a side portion of the firearm for moving the ammunition container to one side, so that the center of gravity of the mass and weight of the plural linked rounds of the belted ammunition held in the ammunition container is moved from the one side of the machine gun underneath the gun in the direction of an opposite side of the machine gun until the mass and weight of the container balances the machine gun, and wherein the plate deflects spent cartridges ejected downwardly from the machine gun to a side of the machine gun.

2. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the ammunition container includes:

a pouch bag having a fabric surface.

3. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the hinge includes:

a lock for locking the plate to a different angled position.

4. The ammunition holder of claim 3, wherein the hinge includes:

a switch for releasing the lock.

5. The ammunition holder of claim 4, wherein the switch includes a push button.

6. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the plate is formed from a group selected from one of:

steel, galvanized metal and aluminum.

7. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the plate includes:

an angled plate.

8. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the plate includes:

a planar-plate with a bent portion.

9. The ammunition holder of claim 1, wherein the plate includes:

a concave curved surface.

10. The ammunition holder of claim 1, further comprising:

a frame, wherein the plate and the hinge are attached to the frame, and the bag is inserted into the frame.

11. An improved automatic machine gun comprising:

a machine gun having a side belt ammunition loader on a left side, with a bottom ejector for downwardly ejecting spent cartridge cases beneath the machine gun;

an ammunition container for holding plural rounds of belt linked ammunition, with a mount mechanism for attaching the container to the side belt feeder on the left side of the machine gun, the container having an outer side facing away from the machine gun and an inner side facing underneath the machine gun, the container with the belt linked ammunition having a mass and a weight with a center of gravity;

a plate attached to the inner side of the ammunition container; and

a hinge attached to the plate for bending the container so that the center of gravity of the mass and weight of the ammunition container is moved from the left side to a right side underneath the machine gun in order to balance the mass and the weight of the ammunition container relative to the machine gun and, and wherein the plate deflects spent cartridges ejected downwardly from the machine gun to one side of the machine gun away from both the machine gun and an operator.

12. The improved automatic machine gun of claim 11, wherein the ammunition container includes:

a pouch bag having a fabric surface.

13. The improved automatic machine gun of claim 11, wherein the plate includes:

a plate formed from at least one of a polymer and a plastic.

14. The improved automatic machine gun of claim 11, wherein the plate includes:

a plate formed from metal.

15. An ammunition holder for firearms that downwardly eject spent cartridges, comprising:

an ammunition container for holding rounds of ammunition, wherein the container has an overall weight and mass with a center of gravity;

a mount mechanism for attaching the container to a side feeder on one side of the firearm, the container having an outer side facing away from the firearm and an inner side facing underneath the firearm; and

a plate attached to the inner side of the ammunition container; and

a pivoting member attached to the plate and a side portion of the ammunition container for moving the ammunition container to one side, so that the center of gravity of the mass and weight of the ammunition held in the ammunition container is moved from the one side of the firearm underneath the firearm in the direction of an opposite side of the firearm until the mass and weight of the container balances the firearm, and wherein the plate deflects spent cartridges ejected downwardly from the firearm to a side of the firearm.

16. The ammunition holder of claim 15, wherein the ammunition container includes:

a pouch bag having a fabric surface.

17. The ammunition holder of claim 15, wherein the pivoting member includes:

a hinge.

18. The ammunition holder of claim 15, wherein the pivoting member includes:

a lock for locking the plate to a different angled position.

19. The ammunition holder of claim 18, wherein the pivoting member includes:

a switch for releasing the lock.

20. The ammunition holder of claim 19, wherein the switch includes a push button.

21. The ammunition holder of claim 15, wherein the plate is formed from a group selected from one of:

steel, galvanized metal and aluminum.