Ammunition Collator Plate with Tilted Vanes for Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collator devices for firearm ammunition cause cosmetic and potential functional defects due to rough handling, which results in inaccurate orientation and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
A collator device with a rotating collator plate tilted at 30°, featuring discharge apertures and diverter vanes that orient and guide ammunition cartridges efficiently, minimizing collisions and damage, while allowing for high throughput and accurate arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional collator devices are used to arrange ammunition cartridges, then the cartridges can be oriented and directed downstream, but the cartridges suffer cosmetic and functional defects due to rough handling and collisions
Solution Approach 1:
A cushioning material is introduced as an intermediary between the ammunition cartridges and the collator plate. This cushioning layer absorbs impact forces during the collating process, preventing direct contact between cartridges and the hard plate surface, thereby eliminating cosmetic and functional defects while maintaining effective cartridge orientation and downstream directing capability
2Productivity
If existing collator devices handle bulk cartridges, then some level of collating occurs, but the throughput rate is reduced and accuracy is compromised due to damage and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The cushioning material is pre-installed on the collator plate before cartridges are fed into the device. This prior cushioning protects cartridges throughout the entire collating process, maintaining their integrity and orientation accuracy, which in turn sustains high throughput rates without compromising reliability or producing defects that would require rework or rejection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device efficiently collates ammunition cartridges with minimized damage, enhancing accuracy and throughput while preventing cosmetic and functional defects, ensuring cartridges are properly oriented for downstream processing.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating collator plate (16) tilted at an angle of approximately 30 degrees
Data Source
AI summary
A collator device for receiving finished ammunition cartridges in a non-oriented condition and orienting them into a stream of aligned ammunition cartridges for downstream manufacturing or packaging processes. The device incorporates a flat, circular collator plate which rotates inside a collator can with an upstanding circular sidewall. The collator plate upper surface forms a series of radially orienting vanes. Ammunition apertures are formed around the perimeter of the collator plate interleaved between the vanes. As the collator plate is rotated, the apertures receive ammunition cartridges aligned in either a radially inward or radially outward position. Features of the apertures cause the cartridges to drop in an aligned condition as the apertures pass over a slot in the collator can backing plate. Numerous features are provided to enhance throughput and reduce damage to the components as they are handled and processed in the device.