초록 ▼

An ammunition container is in the form of an enclosure for holding a supply of ammunition, preferably in belt form. A partition member is positioned in the enclosure. The container includes three separate holding features positioned in a spaced-apart relation relative to the enclosure which are adap

An ammunition container is in the form of an enclosure for holding a supply of ammunition, preferably in belt form. A partition member is positioned in the enclosure. The container includes three separate holding features positioned in a spaced-apart relation relative to the enclosure which are adapted to engage the partition. The holding features and partition thereby provide a capability of holding ammunition of at least three different calibers.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An ammunition container, comprising: an elongate rectangular enclosure for stowing a supply of ammunition having parallel opposed side walls defining a longitudinal direction of the enclosure and parallel opposed end walls; a single partition member positioned in the enclosure in a man

We claim: 1. An ammunition container, comprising: an elongate rectangular enclosure for stowing a supply of ammunition having parallel opposed side walls defining a longitudinal direction of the enclosure and parallel opposed end walls; a single partition member positioned in the enclosure in a manner parallel to the side walls and oriented in the longitudinal direction and extending substantially the entire length of the enclosure between the parallel opposed end walls; first, second and third holding features in the enclosure positioned in a spaced apart relation adapted to engage the partition and to vary the width of the enclosure to first, second and third widths, respectively, the holding features and partition arranged to provide for stowing ammunition of at least three different calibers, a first caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the first holding feature, a second caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the second feature, and a third caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the third holding feature. 2. The ammunition container of claim 1, wherein when the partition is engaged with the first holding feature the container provides a feature for stowing ammunition of a fourth caliber, the fourth caliber and the first caliber both being sized such that a belt of ammunition of either the first or fourth caliber is stowed in the container between the partition and one of the side walls of the enclosure. 3. The ammunition container of claim 1, wherein the partition and the first holding feature are constructed and arranged such that when the partition is in the first holding feature the container is divided into two compartments, each capable of stowing a belt containing ammunition of the first caliber. 4. The ammunition container of claim 1, further comprising a transverse partition extending in a substantially transverse direction to the longitudinal orientation of the partition for supporting multiple layers of ammunition belts of ammunition of the first caliber. 5. The ammunition container of claim 4, wherein the container further comprises a region adapted for storing the transverse partition when the partition is engaged with the second or third pair of holding features. 6. The ammunition container of claim 4, further comprising a removable pin for securing the transverse partition to the ammunition container. 7. The ammunition container of claim 1, further comprising a single cover for the ammunition container, the cover comprising: 1) an integrated feed mechanism facilitating feeding of ammunition of the first caliber from the container; 2) an aperture formed in the cover providing an opening for feeding ammunition of the second or third caliber from the container to a weapon, and 3) a lid for the aperture. 8. The ammunition container of claim 1, further comprising attachment means for attaching the ammunition container to a weapon mount. 9. The ammunition container of claim 1, wherein the ammunition container comprises an ammunition container adapted with features to attaching the container to a remotely operated weapon mount. 10. The ammunition container of claim 9, wherein the remotely operated weapon mount further comprises a stabilized mount. 11. The ammunition container of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third holding features comprise first, second and third pairs of slots. 12. The ammunition container of claim 1, further comprising a region within the container adapted for storing a removable transverse partition, the removable transverse partition for supporting multiple layers of belts of ammunition of the first caliber. 13. Gunnery apparatus, comprising, in combination: a remotely operated weapon mount, and an ammunition container adapted for supplying ammunition to guns mounted to the remotely operated weapon mount, comprising: an elongate rectangular enclosure for stowing a supply of ammunition having parallel opposed side walls defining a longitudinal direction of the enclosure and parallel opposed end walls; a single partition member positioned in the enclosure in a manner parallel to the side walls and oriented in the longitudinal direction and extending substantially the entire length of the enclosure between the parallel opposed end walls; first, second and third holding features positioned in a spaced apart relation relative to the enclosure adapted to engage the partition and to vary the width of the enclosure to first, second and third widths, respectively, the holding features and partition thereby providing a capability of stowing ammunition of at least three different calibers, a first caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the first holding feature, a second caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the second feature, and a third caliber stowed in the container when the partition is engaged in the third holding feature. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a single cover for the ammunition container, the cover comprising: 1) an integrated feed mechanism facilitating feeding of ammunition of the first caliber from the container; 2) an aperture formed in the cover providing an opening for feeding ammunition of the second or third caliber from the container, and 3) a lid for the aperture. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the partition comprises a flat plate and wherein the holding features comprises pairs of slots. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a transverse partition extending in a transverse direction to the orientation of the partition. 17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first caliber comprises either 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm rounds, the second caliber comprises 40 mm rounds, and wherein the third caliber comprises .50 caliber rounds. 18. A method of reconfiguring an ammunition container having a region for stowing ammunition of a first caliber, a second caliber and a third caliber, parallel opposed first and second side walls defining a longitudinal direction of the container and parallel opposed end walls, comprising the steps of: positioning a single partition longitudinally within the region of the ammunition container for receiving ammunition, the partition placed in a first position wherein the ammunition of the first caliber is stowed between the partition and the first side wall of the container; positioning the partition within the region in a second position relative to the container when ammunition of the second caliber is to be stowed in the region, the ammunition of the second caliber stowed between the partition and the first side wall of the container; and positioning the partition within the region in a third position when ammunition of the third caliber is to be stowed in the region, the ammunition of the third caliber stowed between the partition and the first side wall of the container; and wherein in the first, second and third positions the partition extends substantially the entire length of the container between the opposed end walls and varies the width of the container to first, second and third widths. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the ammunition includes ammunition of a fourth caliber, and when the partition is positioned in the first position the method further includes the step of stowing ammunition of either the first or the fourth caliber between the partition and the first side wall of the container. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein when the partition is positioned in the first position the method further comprises the step of placing the ammunition of the first caliber within the container on both sides of the partition, namely between the partition and the first side wall and between the partition and the second side wall of the container opposite of the first side wall. 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of placing a transverse partition in the container such that the transverse partition supports multiple layers of a belt containing the ammunition of the first caliber when the belt containing ammunition of the first caliber is stowed between the partition and the first side wall; and removing the transverse partition when ammunition of the second caliber or the third caliber is stowed in the container. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of stowing the transverse partition within the container after the step of removing is performed. 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of attaching a cover to the container and maintaining the cover in place while ammunition is fed from the container to an associated gun, the cover having an opening allowing ammunition to be withdrawn from the container and supplied to the gun. 24. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of attaching a cover to the ammunition container, the cover having an aperture and a removable lid covering the aperture, and removing the removable lid when the ammunition of the second caliber or the third caliber is stowed in the container.