River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-17


4 London correspondent of the New
York Times describes a new weapon to
be seen at the Inventors Exhibition, re-
Gently opened in that city. which in its
capacity for the destruction oflife bids
fair to excel anything now used in war
fare 1t is the invention of Mr. Maxim
an American. Conceive a weapon,
says the correspondent, weighing
only o. pounds, mounted upon light
tripod. which can be lowered. raised,
moved literally with one hand as easily
as a garden hose, and which pours out
automatically 600 shots a minutes
The basis of it all is the utilization
Of the rccoil force to fire the next shot.
Each time the recoil energy, instead of
being wasted in kicking the gun over.
is usc-l to eject the empty cartridge.
cock the gun. place the next cartridge,
and fire it. The cartridges are taken
in from the bottom in a chain, just as
the pcrfecting press takes paper from
the roll Each of these chains has 333
cartridges packed in a box which Is set
in groove under the gun. The oper-
atOr has simply to start the gun-a
matter of seven turns of the hammer
crank and then. when the chain of
cartridges is nearly exhausted, fasten
new chain to the hook at the end and
push out the old box with a new, full
one. For the rest he can devote his
attention solely to training the Wea-
pom.
Difficult as it is 10 portray mechan-
ism with words, some idea of the
Maxim guns peculiarities may be
gained by imagining a low-set photo
graphic camera. with a long tube in
front. and, instead of the bellows-like
arrangement, black coiliu-shaped box
stretching out behind. The tube is of
bras. and contains not only the -
inch barrel, but casing for water,
which prevents heating The box is
made Of hardened steel, and its lids
lift up from the two ends, disclosing
the machinery. On the right side of
the box. wen in front, is an Indicator
running on a half-circle gauge. which
has q number Of figures on it. from 10
at The right and TO 600 on the left.
You push This indicator to 10 if you
want that number Of shots a minute, or
to 300 or 500. Its position regulates
the speed precisely. Then, on the
same side. but at the back, there is
little crank with half motion. To
start the GUN the tape of cartridges is
attached underneath, and with the
hand the crank is pushed backward and
forward in seven motions. That takes
up -iN cartridges into the magazine and
puts one in position to be fired. Then
NplJ uut the indicator where YOU want
II. aud .Hr firing begins If it be at a
>loB rate. the crank at the side slams
back aud forth with each revolution of
the machinery. and Il report follows
each Sam. If it be up to 400 or more,
the crank works so fast that the eve
can with difficulty follow it. and the
rattle of the firing is like a thousand
packs Of iirerrackerS being set off at
once On the left side of this coffin
shaped box is an aperture through
which the empty cartridge shells are
tossed.
AT its fastest there are always six
If these shells in the air ut once. A
the end Of the box is a brass handle
with which the operator can move the
gun about. Underneath are two
simple systems of screws by which the
Levels of the gun may be accurately
fixed and fine sighting done. When
this j. not needed. as in charge or
similar movement, a turn of these
screws releases the gun so that it may
be trained instantaneously to any
point Another feature is an arrange
mant by which limited range be
tween two given points can be fixed,
so a 70 sweep a bridge or ford or sec
ton Of road. and then the operator
could push the gun sidewise between
these stops. in utter darkness. if neceS-
sary. and still be sure of his range.
This remarkable gun is said to be
the greatest wonder Of the exhibition,
and has elected enthusiastic praise
from the Prince of Wales and from the
leading military and naval authorities
of England, who declare that it will
rcyolutionize the science Of war.