Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-06
THE MAXIM MACHINE GUN.
Shots at the Rate Of Ten Per Second
Utilizing tho Recoil.

Shots at the Rate Of Ten Per Second,
Utilizing the Recon.
But great as is our admiration for the
Gardner and Calling guns, it must give way
before the astonishment and wonder excited
by another American invention but very re-
Gently perfected II is the Maxim automatic
machine gun, invented in 1885, but only
within year past brought to a state Of won
derful and ingenious perfection 1t Is with a
feeling almost akin to shame that we state
that this gun Is made in England, although
the inventor Is American. 1t is, as its name
indicates, automatic machine gun, and
only requires the pressure Of the finger on the
trigger to explode the first cartridge and the
gun, then left alone, will load and fire itself
as long as cartridges are fed 70 IL. The gun
proper consists Of an ordinary gun barrel,
two-thirds Of which are surrounded by a chs
ing of metal in which water is automatically
injected by each discharge of the barrel BY
means Of this casing, or wster Jacket, Il Is
impossible to overhead the gun by firing.
The remaining third Is surrounded by steel
case OF rectangular shape, inside of which IS
the mechanism for operating the gun This
mechanism consists Of main spring, tunn-
bier, sears, and firing pin, similar TO those
used In ths old fashioned pistol In addition
Is the lever, which, when the gun is fired, Is
thrown into action by the recoil Tho az
rangement Is at once set in not1on--the
empty shell Withdrawn, a new cartridge in
serted, tho breech closed cartridge fred
and certain quantity Of water admitted
into the water jacket The cartridges are
placed In pockets on q belt Each belt con
tains XS3 Of these pockets, and two or more
belts may be joined together. The end Of tire
belt Is introduced in the tgeech casing, ard
the finger pressed on the trigger 70 fire the
FIRST cartridge, after which the gun may BE-
left alone. and the automatic ectioa set 10
motion by the roccil fires the rest A. the
recoil Is but thrce-quarters Of az inch, some
idea may De had Of the wonderful ingenuity
Of the gun By considering ti.ai IL will fire tie
6o6 cartridges. % the double bel: in a Ifttio
over minute, or ct tbs rate q ten second,
n other words, IL requires bu: osstensa of
second to load tho gun, Ere a cartridge,
throw out the empty shell and pit Il f1u
one-
Again, the rscoa ot The gun does another
work Over tas casing ID a small teak Ct
wsssr, and .: each G.Srhsrge Of tie qua d
szsaQ quautsry Of cool water Il IL ssc.ed f-crn
tho c1s.egn into tSa water 5acke:, aat after
ths hea. Of the gun has risen SUFFICIENTLY, tie
~ater escapes IN tbs form Of steam frora tso
ht.ls spertures rs tie fr2a. end q tlas .acxa.
Ths Cartridges contains from 20 To % grains
o. powder. and tie bea. cvoiyed In It's 6as-
charge Of oze ca-tr1d-s Ia ssfEiciezs; 70 raise
,he temperature q tbs waser a. lbs r..s &C
IL dAgx FshrsnAs., Per pound And ,as
;sGch csa. Is recs.rsd - roe,: foI pounds q
iron a. b nensszry 70 svspcrs:e tive sosncs
u water. !. c2o os $50. f-ca lis VIA; a.
e.-ecccas ahsox ben. - best b .ko water s-cxxs,
and n facs I: rsszirs Us d.sczs-gs & 100
cartridges before tins -xser IL kes.ad szss.-
zeoz-y 20 caGts s.zz-. 20 Ezaks "a ssJy<z--
@7ae- The rae Ct fsrs u regulated ty rzssazs
q = quadrant graduated troE1 90 % 20 TO
-Lsez. WiIisxz 2 Eazsllso2 u Tia Ca
ty.