Progressive Loading Press for Ammunition

Abstract

A progressive press for loading or reloading ammunition casings has a base containing a reversible press motor with speed control, and vertically-oriented nuts mechanically connected to the motor and having vertically-oriented power screws extending from the nuts. The screws are affixed to a tool head which can receive dies and other tools for loading and/or reloading ammunition casings. A rotatable shell plate receives ammunition casings and advances the casings through a series of operations performed by different dies and other tools. Using a control system, the press motor can be operated to extend the screws and lift the tool head when the shell plate is advanced, and to retract the screws and tool head to perform operations on the casings when the shell plate is stationary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A progressive press, comprising:
 a tool head adapted to receive dies for loading or reloading ammunition casings;   means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head;   a rotatable shell plate having a plurality of recesses around a peripheral edge thereof adapted to receive ammunition casings;   a shell plate motor for providing periodic rotational movement of the shell plate, wherein periodic rotational movement of the shell plate is indexed to upward and downward travel of the tool head;   a control system controlling the shell plate motor whereby the shell plate motor is activated to provide rotational movement of the shell plate after upward travel of the tool head has been initiated; and the shell plate motor is halted such that the shell plate is stationary when the downward travel of the tool head is at a lowest point of its downward travel.   
     
     
         2 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the control system controls the shell plate motor speed to provide a variable speed of rotational movement of the rotatable shell plate during a periodic rotational movement of the shell plate. 
     
     
         3 . The progressive press of  claim 2 , wherein the control system controls the shell plate motor speed to provide a gradual acceleration of rotational movement of the shell plate and a gradual deceleration of rotational movement of the shell plate during the periodic rotational movement. 
     
     
         4 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the control system controls operation of the means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head to control a stroke length of the reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head. 
     
     
         5 . The progressive press of  claim 4  wherein an upward travel of the tool head is controlled to a selected maximum height by the control system. 
     
     
         6 . The progressive press of  claim 5 , wherein the selected maximum height can be set at different heights for pistol ammunition casings and for rifle ammunition casings. 
     
     
         7 . The progressive press of  claim 4 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines an amount of upward movement of the tool head required before rotational movement of the shell plate is activated. 
     
     
         8 . The progressive press of  claim 4 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines a selected maximum height of upward travel of the tool head. 
     
     
         9 . The progressive press of  claim 2 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines a speed of rotational movement of the rotatable shell plate during the periodic rotational movement of the shell plate. 
     
     
         10 . The progressive press of  claim 5 , whereby a downward travel of the tool head is controlled to a selected minimum height. 
     
     
         11 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the shell plate includes a ring gear and the shell plate motor has a gear mounted thereto, the shell plate motor gear driving the shell plate ring gear. 
     
     
         12 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the shell plate motor is a servo motor. 
     
     
         13 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a rotatable primer plate having a plurality of notches around a perimeter thereof; a primer motor to rotate the primer plate; and   wherein rotations of the primer plate are indexed to movement of the shell plate whereby a primer plate notch is periodically aligned with a shell plate recess.   
     
     
         14 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein positions of tool head dies for loading or reloading ammunition casings are aligned with positions of shell plate recesses when the shell plate is stationary. 
     
     
         15 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head comprises a manually activated lever system. 
     
     
         16 . The progressive press of  claim 1 , wherein the means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head comprises a press motor and a mechanical linkage. 
     
     
         17 . The progressive press of  claim 16 , wherein the press motor is a reversible servo motor, and wherein operation of the press motor in one direction causes upward travel of the tool head, and operation of the press motor in another direction causes downward travel of the tool head. 
     
     
         18 . A progressive press, comprising:
 a base;   a tool head adapted to receive dies for loading or reloading ammunition casings;   means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head;   a rotatable shell plate having a plurality of recesses around a peripheral edge thereof adapted to receive ammunition casings;   a shell plate servo motor provided in the base which is mechanically coupled to the rotatable shell plate to provide periodic rotational movement of the shell plate, wherein rotational movement of the shell plate is indexed to upward and downward travel of the tool head;   a control system controlling the shell plate motor whereby the shell plate motor is activated such that the shell plate is rotated after upward travel of the tool head has been initiated; and the shell plate motor is halted such that the shell plate is stationary when the downward travel of the tool head is at a lowest point of its downward travel, and whereby positions of tool head dies for loading or reloading ammunition casings are aligned with positions of shell plate recesses when the shell plate is stationary.   
     
     
         19 . The progressive press of  claim 18 , wherein the control system controls the shell plate motor speed to provide a variable speed of rotational movement of the rotatable shell plate during a periodic rotational movement of the shell plate. 
     
     
         20 . The progressive press of  claim 19 , wherein the control system controls the shell plate motor speed to provide a gradual acceleration of rotational movement of the shell plate and a gradual deceleration of rotational movement of the shell plate during the periodic rotational movement. 
     
     
         21 . The progressive press of  claim 18 , wherein the control system controls operation of the means for providing reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head to control a stroke length of the reciprocating upward and downward movement of the tool head. 
     
     
         22 . The progressive press of  claim 21  wherein an upward travel of the tool head is controlled to a selected maximum height by the control system. 
     
     
         23 . The progressive press of  claim 22 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines an amount of upward movement of the tool head required before rotational movement of the shell plate is activated. 
     
     
         24 . The progressive press of  claim 22 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines a selected maximum height of upward travel of the tool head. 
     
     
         25 . The progressive press of  claim 19 , wherein the control system has an input of a casing height and, based on the input casing height, determines a speed of rotational movement of the rotatable shell plate during the periodic rotational movement of the shell plate. 
     
     
         26 . A progressive press, comprising:
 a tool head adapted to receive dies for loading or reloading ammunition casings;   a rotatable shell plate having a plurality of recesses around a peripheral edge thereof adapted to receive ammunition casings;   a control system controlling rotation of the shell plate whereby the shell plate is rotated after upward travel of the tool head has been initiated; and the shell plate is stationary when the downward travel of the tool head is at a lowest point of its downward travel;   a rotatable primer plate having a plurality of notches around a perimeter thereof; a primer motor to rotate the primer plate; and   wherein rotations of the primer plate are indexed to movement of the shell plate whereby a primer plate notch is periodically aligned with a shell plate recess.   
     
     
         27 . The progressive press of  claim 26 , wherein the rotatable primer plate is located below the shell plate whereby the primer plate notch is below the shell plate recess when the primer plate notch and shell plate recess are periodically aligned. 
     
     
         28 . The progressive press of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a vibrating primer bowl;   a feed ramp connecting the primer bowl to the primer plate.