Patent GB-190104877-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Machine Guns, and Cartidge Carriers therefor
Inventor: GARLAND FRANK MILTON
Filed: 1901-03-07
Granted: 1901-07-27
Abstract: 4877. Garland, F. M. March 7. Machine guns ; mountings.- Fig. 1 shows the gun and the upper part of the mounting in sectional elevation, Fig. 4 to a larger scale, a sectional elevation of the breech mechanism and recoil apparatus, and Fig. 5 to a still larger scale, the device for regulating the speed of discharge. Fig. 11 shows the operating linkwork as it appears when the breech is open, and Fig. 23 the gun and its breechframe in sectional elevation. The gun 2 recoils in a cradle 1, Fig. 1, carried by trunnions 138 in the forked support 139, and is provided with a training- wheel 153 having an operating- handle 145, the shaft of which is supported in a tube 146 passing through a nut 148, pivoted to the cradle and provided with an elevating-wheel 155. The cradle is further fitted with a shoulder-piece 104. When the gun is discharged, it recoils in the cradle 1, compressing the return spring 11, while the speed of recoil is regulated by the piston 6, Fig. 4, moving in the hydraulic cylinder 5. The gun is operated automatically from the shaft 65, which is, however, provided with a lever 71 for opening the breech by hand. The breech-block 20, Fig. 23, is provided with an interrupted screw 40, which is rotated by drawing a quickthreaded screw 38 through it. The screw 38 has a hollow cylindrical head 33, which is reciprocated without rotation by the lever 37, Fig. 4. The hammer 22 is provided with a head 46 sliding in guides on the breech-frame and engaging with the double sear 47, the forward part of which has extensions 50 to prevent the discharge of the gun when the breech is not closed. The extractors 25 are provided with springs to make them grip the cartridge case, but, when the breech-block is thrown back, the extractors are pressed forward by the pins 60, thereby releasing the empty cartridge case and holding the extractors ready to receive a fresh cartridge. The lever 37, Figs. 4 and 11, is jointed to a lever 80 which is pivoted to the strap 3 on the gun, and is connected by a link 159 to an arm 83 on the operating-sleeve 63. When the gun recoils, it rotates the sleeve 63 against the action of the spring 70, Fig. 5, the sleeve being held by a pawl at the end of its rotation. The return of the gun to its forward position by the recoil spring 11 causes the levers 37, 80 to take up the position shown in Fig. 11, thus opening the breech. The cartridges descend by gravity in a hopper, and are taken one at a time, by a transverse sliding carrier, which, during the backward movement of the head 33, is pushed outwards to receive a cartridge, and is pushed inwards, to deposit the cartridge in line with the breech, by a pivoted transverse lever operated by a spring. The breech-block is advanced and locked by the spring 70 as soon as the sleeve 63 is released. The speed-regulating device is as follows :-The sleeve 63 of the shaft 65 carries a crank 93, Fig. 5, engaging with a crosshead 165 on the shaft 167. The shaft 167 is provided with a piston 164, which travels in the hydraulic cylinder 160. When the sleeve 63 is moved back to open the breech, the piston 164 is drawn back, the liquid behind it passing to the front by way of the non-return valve 95. The liquid returns to the back of the piston 164 through the opening 97 in the hollow shaft 96, and this shaft is connected by rods to an operating-handle on the shoulder-piece 104, so that the gunner is able to move the shaft 96 and regulate the speed of return of the operating-shaft, and thus the speed of discharge of the gun.