Patent GB-190423368-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in "Automatic Guns"
Inventor: JUSTICE PHILIP MIDDLETON
Filed: 1904-10-29
Granted: 1905-01-12
Abstract: 23,368. Justice, P. M., [Driggs-Seabury Ordnance Corporation]. Oct. 29. Machine guns.-Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the action of a recoil-operated machine gun with the breech open, Fig. 3 a sectional elevation on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a central vertical section taken at the instant of discharge, Fig. 7 a transverse section on the line 7-7, Fig. 2, and Fig. 8 a plan of the cartridgehopper and external casing. The waterjacketed barrel A, and the breech-block D recoil together, the breech-block being normally locked between the walls of the forked breech-shoe A' by the engagement of ribs d on the breech-block with grooves a‹ forme in the sides of the breech-shoe. the latter being bridged in rear by a piece A'. The barrel during recoil is guided by lugs a<1> on the breech-shoe, sliding in grooves b<1> in the walls of the casing, and its motion is limited by the contact of a spring buffer a<3>, mounted on the barrel with the face of the stuffing - box b. The return of the barrel is effected by a spring C enclosed by a tube C<1>, and adjustably connected at its forward end to the front of the water jacket B'. The breech-block is supported by two eccentrics E, E', on a spindle E<2>, resting on the bottom of the casing g B ; the eccentric E is connected by a pin.f and link F to a spring F<1> similar to the spring C, and carries a wrist pin e<3>, which, as it recoils, strikes a shoulder b<3> formed on the side casing and rocks the eccentric, thereby depressing the breech-block so that the ribs are disengaged and register with the longitudinal grooves in the sides of the breechshoe, the barrel being then free to counter-recoil independently of the breech-block. The eccentric E<1> is provided with a stud E', which, when the eccentrics are rockei by the pin e<3>, takes up a position in contact with the edge g<4>, Fig. 18, of a spring catch G pivoted in a boss B<5> in the casing B, the breech-block being thus detained, until a stud a<9> on the side of the breech-shoe A, as the barrel reaches its normal position, strikes the trip g and by rocking the catch releases the stud E<4>; the breechblock is then drawn forward by the spring F, and, when the forward motion is checked, is raised into engagement with the locking-grooves a<0> of the breech-shoe. The flanged bead h<3> of the firing-pin H is engaged on recoiling, with a nose k on the spring catch K, and during the return motion of the breech-block is held until the catch is depressed by the lug d<3> of the breech-block, to which the sear J is pivoted, striking the shoulder k<2> ; simultaneously, the edge of the sear J passes the head h<3> of the firing. pin, and retains the latter in its retracted or cocked position. Discharge is effected by the trigger U<3>, the action being entirely automatic when the trigger is held back. The empty cartridge-case is extracted, on the counter-recoil of the barrel, by claws R on the breech-block, which engage the rim of the case when the breech-block is depressed. A spring ejector t, retained in a groove formed in the top of the breech-block, and projecting between the claws R, is actuated by a lump a<00> on the bridge-piece A<4>. The cartridges are contained in a cylindrical hopper M divided into a number of radial compartments M<2> by ribs M<1> cut away at their lower edges m to pass over the tongue m<2> by which successive cartridges are guided to the breech. A step-by-step rotation is imparted to the hopper at each recoil by a spring pawl N, pivoted to a lug A<3> on the breech-shoe and engaging the teeth m<3> of a rack M<3> on the hopper. The cartridges are fed one by one on to plates Q, Q<1> by means of a rocking-piece P, pivoted in a rectss in the casing and actuated by a stud a<8> on the lug A<3>, working in the cam-groove p<1>. The plates Q, Q<1>, pivoted to the walls of the breech-shoe at q<1> and pressed inwards by a n -shaped spring Q<3>, are forced open by the forward motion of the breech-block, the cartridge at the same time being fed into the breech of the gun. When the barrel counterrecoils, the plates are held open by contact with the walls of the casing, the empty case being meanwhile ejected ; on passing the shoulders B<9>, the plates spring to and receive the succeeding cartridge from the hopper. The barrel is actuated for the first two or three shots by means of a segmental pinion X<3>, Fig. 21, carried by a spindle X<2> passing through one of the trunnions, and gearing with a rack Y<1> formed on a sleeve Y, the return of the barrel being always effected by the recoil spring C. The side B<10> and end B" of the casing are hinged, to afford ready access to the parts ; the trigger-guard U<4> forms also the catch for the flap B".