Dispenser for firearm ammunition powder
A dispenser for dispensing powder for firearm ammunition and associated methods. The dispenser can include a hopper, a conveyor, a scale sensor, a dispensing head, a dispenser controller, and a tangible storage medium storing instructions executable by the dispenser controller. The dispensing head is movable to a plurality of dispensing positions to dispense ammunition powder to a plurality of cases from the plurality of dispensing positions. In some embodiments, the dispensing head moves between a home position, where the dispensing head receives powder from the conveyor, and the plurality of dispensing positions, where the dispensing head delivers loads of powder from the conveyor to individual ammunition cases.
1. A firearm ammunition powder dispenser for dispensing ammunition powder to a plurality of ammunition cases, the firearm ammunition powder dispenser comprising:
a frame;
a dispensing head support supported by the frame;
a dispensing head supported by the dispensing head support and movable by the dispensing head support to a plurality of dispensing locations with respect to the frame for dispensing ammunition powder to the plurality of ammunition cases from the plurality of dispensing locations, the dispensing head including a powder receptacle configured to hold ammunition powder, the dispensing head including a dispensing outlet downstream from the powder receptacle configured to deliver ammunition powder to the plurality of ammunition cases from the plurality of dispensing locations, the dispensing head being configured to selectively retain powder in the powder receptacle and dispense powder from the powder receptacle via the dispensing outlet to an ammunition case of the plurality of ammunition cases, the dispensing head includes a powder flow blocker selectively configurable in a first configuration in which the blocker permits flow of powder toward the dispensing outlet and a second configuration in which the powder flow blocker blocks flow of powder toward the dispensing outlet to selectively dispense powder from the dispensing outlet;
a scale sensor configured to sense an amount of powder held upstream of the dispensing outlet to be delivered to the dispensing outlet; and
a driver arranged to configure the powder flow blocker in the first configuration and the second configuration, the driver including an arm pivotable to move the powder flow blocker toward the first configuration.
2. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing head support comprises a gantry, the dispensing head being supported by the gantry and movable by the gantry to the plurality of dispensing locations.
3. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the dispensing head is movable via the gantry to a home position for receiving powder, and wherein the dispensing head is movable via the gantry away from the home position to the plurality of dispensing locations.
4. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the scale sensor is supported by the dispensing head.
5. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the scale sensor is configured to sense an amount of powder held in the powder receptacle.
6. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing head includes a load cell comprising the scale sensor, the dispensing head including a beam connected to the load cell, the beam supporting the powder receptacle and connecting the powder receptacle to the load cell.
7. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the load cell comprises a cantilever, the beam being connected to a cantilevered end of the cantilever.
8. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the powder flow blocker comprises a plunger.
9. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the plunger is arranged relative to the powder receptacle such that ammunition powder is held by the powder receptacle when the powder flow blocker is in the second configuration.
10. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the powder receptacle comprises a funnel.
11. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the plunger engages the funnel to block flow of powder toward the dispensing outlet when the powder flow blocker is in the second configuration.
12. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a stepper motor.
13. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the scale sensor is configured to sense an amount of powder held in the powder receptacle.
14. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 13 , further comprising:
a hopper configured to hold a supply of ammunition powder; and
a conveyor configured to dispense ammunition powder from the hopper toward the powder receptacle, the conveyor including a moveable powder conveying surface configured to move ammunition powder toward the powder receptacle;
wherein the dispensing head support comprises a gantry, the dispensing head being supported by the gantry and movable by the gantry to the plurality of dispensing locations, the dispensing head being movable via the gantry to a home position for receiving powder from the conveyor, the dispensing head being movable via the gantry away from the home position to the plurality of dispensing locations.
15. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 14 , further comprising an ammunition case support supported by the frame and arranged to support the plurality of ammunition cases for receiving ammunition powder from the dispensing head, wherein at least one of the dispensing head or the ammunition case support is movable upward and downward with respect to the frame to selectively increase and decrease, respectively, a distance between the dispensing head and the ammunition case support.
16. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the scale sensor is configured to sense an amount of powder held in the powder receptacle.
17. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing head includes an ammunition case proximity sensor arranged to detect an ammunition case in close proximity to the dispensing outlet.
18. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing head includes a mouth arranged to receive ammunition powder, the mouth being larger than the dispensing outlet.
19. A firearm ammunition powder dispenser for dispensing ammunition powder to a plurality of ammunition cases, the firearm ammunition powder dispenser comprising:
a frame;
a dispensing head support supported by the frame, the dispensing head support comprising a gantry;
a dispensing head supported by the gantry and movable by the gantry to a plurality of dispensing locations with respect to the frame for dispensing ammunition powder to the plurality of ammunition cases from the plurality of dispensing locations, the dispensing head including a powder receptacle configured to hold ammunition powder, the dispensing head including a dispensing outlet downstream from the powder receptacle configured to deliver ammunition powder to the plurality of ammunition cases from the plurality of dispensing locations, the dispensing head being configured to selectively retain powder in the powder receptacle and dispense powder from the powder receptacle via the dispensing outlet to an ammunition case of the plurality of ammunition cases;
a scale sensor configured to sense an amount of powder held upstream of the dispensing outlet to be delivered to the dispensing outlet;
a hopper configured to hold a supply of ammunition powder; and
a conveyor configured to dispense ammunition powder from the hopper toward the powder receptacle, the conveyor including a moveable powder conveying surface configured to move ammunition powder toward the powder receptacle;
the dispensing head being movable via the gantry to a home position for receiving powder from the conveyor, the dispensing head being movable via the gantry away from the home position to the plurality of dispensing locations.
20. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 19 , wherein the dispensing head includes a powder flow blocker selectively configurable in a first configuration in which the blocker permits flow of powder toward the dispensing outlet and a second configuration in which the powder flow blocker blocks flow of powder toward the dispensing outlet to selectively dispense powder from the dispensing outlet.
21. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 20 , wherein the scale sensor is configured to sense an amount of powder held in the powder receptacle.
22. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 21 , further comprising an ammunition case support supported by the frame and arranged to support the plurality of ammunition cases for receiving ammunition powder from the dispensing head, wherein at least one of the dispensing head or the ammunition case support is movable upward and downward with respect to the frame to selectively increase and decrease, respectively, a distance between the dispensing head and the ammunition case support.
23. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 19 , wherein the scale sensor is configured to sense an amount of powder held in the powder receptacle.
24. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 19 , wherein the dispensing head includes an ammunition case proximity sensor arranged to detect an ammunition case in close proximity to the dispensing outlet.
25. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 19 , wherein the dispensing head includes a mouth arranged to receive ammunition powder, the mouth being larger than the dispensing outlet.
26. The firearm ammunition powder dispenser of claim 19 , further comprising an ammunition case support supported by the frame and arranged to support the plurality of ammunition cases for receiving ammunition powder from the dispensing head, wherein at least one of the dispensing head or the ammunition case support is movable upward and downward with respect to the frame to selectively increase and decrease, respectively, a distance between the dispensing head and the ammunition case support.