Automated powder filling for an automated production line for ammunition

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for the automated filling of at least two ammunition cases with propellant powder for an automated production line for ammunition, comprising a dosing housing to which the at least two ammunition cases can be docked in such a way that the at least two ammunition cases are arranged along a path, and a dispensing device which can be moved along an image of the path of ammunition cases for dispensing propellant powder into the dosing housing, further comprising a guide for guiding the dispensing device along the image of the path of ammunition cases.

1 . Device ( 1 ) for the automated filling of at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) with propellant powder ( 11 ) for an automated production line for ammunition, comprising
 a dosing housing ( 5 ) to which the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) can be docked in such a way that the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) are arranged along a path, and   a dispensing device ( 3 ) which can be moved along an image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) for dispensing propellant powder ( 11 ) into the dosing housing ( 5 ),   characterized by a guide for guiding the dispensing device ( 3 ) along the image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ).   
     
     
         2 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the guide is shaped in accordance with the image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) and/or is designed to limit, in particular to prevent, a deviation of the movement of the dispensing device ( 3 ) from the image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ). 
     
     
         3 . Device ( 1 ) according to  one of the preceding claims , characterized in that the guide is designed in the manner of a slotted link control, wherein in particular the dispensing device ( 3 ) has a dispensing tube ( 41 ) which is guided in a slot ( 29 ) in the dosing housing ( 5 ), wherein in particular the dispensing tube ( 41 ) and the slot ( 29 ) are matched to one another in terms of shape in such a way that the dispensing tube ( 41 ) is guided on two sides by slot walls ( 31 ,  33 ) of the dosing housing ( 5 ), and/or wherein the guide has an end stop ( 35 ,  37 ) for limiting the movement of the dispensing device ( 3 ) along the image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ). 
     
     
         4 . Device ( 1 ), in particular according to  one of the preceding claims , for the automated filling of at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) with propellant powder ( 11 ) for an automated production line for ammunition, comprising
 a dispensing device ( 3 ) with a dispensing opening ( 45 ), via which propellant powder ( 11 ) can be dispensed, and   a doser ( 7 ) for intermediate storage of the propellant powder ( 11 ) dispensed by the dispensing device ( 3 ) and for passing on to the ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ),   characterized in that, during the dispensing of the propellant powder ( 11 ), the dispensing opening ( 45 ) and the doser ( 7 ) can be arranged at a distance (a) from one another in such a way that, utilizing the self-locking between the particles of the propellant powder ( 11 ), a predetermined dispensing quantity of propellant powder ( 11 ) can be set.   
     
     
         5 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the distance between dispensing opening and doser ( 7 ) is less than 15 mm and at least 0.1 mm and/or in the range of 0.05 to 7.5 times a grain size of the propellant powder. 
     
     
         6 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 or 5 , further characterized by a dosing housing ( 5 ) to which the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) can be docked in such a way that the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) are arranged along a path, wherein the dispensing device ( 3 ) can be moved along an image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) and, in a rest position before and/or after a movement operation along the image of the path, engages the, in particular vertical, distance from the doser ( 7 ), wherein, in particular in the rest position, the particles of the propellant powder ( 11 ) block one another, with the result that flowing out of the dispensing device ( 3 ) is prevented. 
     
     
         7 . Device ( 1 ), in particular according to  one of the preceding claims , for the automated filling of at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) with propellant powder ( 11 ) for an automated production line for ammunition, comprising
 a movably mounted dosing buffer store ( 9 ) with dosing depressions ( 15 ), in which the propellant powder ( 11 ) can be temporarily stored,   a stripper wall ( 17 ) which is arranged in relation to the dosing buffer store ( 9 ) in such a way that, during the movement of the dosing buffer store ( 9 ) relative to the stripper wall ( 17 ), excess propellant powder ( 11 ) can be stripped off,   characterized in that a cross-sectional dimension (e) of the stripper wall ( 17 ) in the movement direction of the dosing buffer store ( 9 ) is dimensioned to be smaller than the diameter (d) of the dosing depressions ( 15 ).   
     
     
         8 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the cross-sectional dimension (e) of the stripper wall ( 17 ) in the movement direction of the dosing buffer store ( 9 ) is dimensioned to be smaller by at least 20% than the diameter (d) of the dosing depressions ( 15 ). 
     
     
         9 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 or 8 , further characterized by a dosing housing ( 5 ) comprising the stripper wall ( 17 ) and to which the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) can be docked in such a way that the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) are arranged along a path, wherein the dispensing device ( 3 ) can be moved along an image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) and the movement direction of the dosing buffer store ( 9 ) is oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the movement path of the dispensing device ( 3 ). 
     
     
         10 . Device ( 1 ), in particular according to  one of the preceding claims , for the automated filling of at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) with propellant powder ( 11 ) for an automated production line for ammunition, comprising
 a dosing housing ( 5 ) to which the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) can be docked in such a way that the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) are arranged along a path, and   a dispensing device ( 3 ) which can be moved along an image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) for dispensing propellant powder ( 11 ) into the dosing housing ( 5 ),   characterized in that the dispensing device ( 3 ) is pivotably mounted for carrying out a pendulum movement.   
     
     
         11 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 , characterized in that a pendulum angle of the dispensing device ( 3 ) is less than 90° and in particular at least 45°. 
     
     
         12 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 or 11 , characterized in that a speed profile of the pendulum movement is regulated as a function of the pendulum angle, the filling level of propellant powder ( 11 ), the ammunition case volume and/or a parameter, such as density, flowability, particle diameter and/or surface quality, of the propellant powder ( 11 ). 
     
     
         13 . Device ( 1 ) according to  one of the preceding claims , further characterized by a sensor system for detecting the filling level of propellant powder ( 11 ) and/or the ammunition case volume and/or a drive being assigned to the dispensing device ( 3 ) and preferably being able to be regulated. 
     
     
         14 . Device ( 1 ) according to  one of the preceding claims , characterized in that the dispensing device ( 3 ) is designed for carrying out a continuous back and forth movement, in particular along the image of the path of ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ), wherein in particular a movement cycle of the dispensing device ( 3 ) is coordinated with a cycling of the automated production line. 
     
     
         15 . Device ( 1 ) according to  one of the preceding claims , further characterized by a dosing buffer ( 9 ), mounted in particular movably relative to the dosing housing ( 5 ), with dosing depressions ( 15 ), in which the propellant powder ( 11 ) can be temporarily stored and the receiving volume of which can be set. 
     
     
         16 . Device ( 1 ) according to one of  claim 7 to 9 or 15 , characterized in that the dosing depressions ( 15 ) have an internal cross section tapering at least in sections, in particular in the manner of a funnel. 
     
     
         17 . Device ( 1 ) according to  one of the preceding claims , characterized in that the device ( 1 ) is designed to fill the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) substantially simultaneously and/or in one working step, wherein in particular the device ( 1 ) is further designed to fill the at least two ammunition cases ( 13 ,  119 ) in less than 5 s, in particular less than 4 s or less than 3 s. 
     
     
         18 . System for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case ( 13 ,  119 ), an ignition element ( 127 ), a projectile ( 121 ) and a propellant, comprising a device ( 1 ) designed according to one  of the preceding claims .