Year: 1896

page_text: I, WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON, of Albert Works, Mansfield, in the County
of Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machine guns of the "Gatling" or
revolving barrel type, that is to say, guns in which a series of barrels and their
locks or breech-blocks are arranged to rotate around a central axis when a crank-
handle is revolved, the said locks, during their rotation travelling along a stationary
cam path, whereby they are actuated to effect the loading firing and extracting
operations.
The object of my invention is to enable a portion of the gas pressure generated
within the barrels by the explosion of the cartridges, to be utilized for revolving
the barrels, so that after the first shot has been fired, the gun will continue working
automatically as long as it is supplied with ammunition.
According to one method of carrying my invention into effect, I employ a disc
or wheel which is mounted on the central axis or spindle of the gun, preferably at
a short distance from the muzzle, the said disc or wheel being formed with holes
through which the barrels project. Extending outwardly from each of these holes
in the disc is an aperture or passage, the inner end of which coincides with a radial
opening with which each barrel is provided. The outer end of each of the said
apertures or passages may terminate at the periphery of the disc and in this case
the periphery of the disc is arranged to revolve in contact with a fixed ring or
cylindrical surface which may form part of the casing of the gun. This ring is
provided at suitable points with ports or passages leading to the atmosphere, and
the said ports are so formed and arranged that as the gases of discharge escape
from the barrels through the before mentioned radial openings therein, the disc is
caused to revolve about its axis or spindle in the manner of a turbine, and by
revolving the barrels and their locks, automatically works the breech mechanism
of the gun.
The speed at which the disc revolves may be regulated in any suitable manner,
such as by more or less throttling the gases passing through the aforesaid ports or
passages in the fixed ring, or by allowing more or less of the gases to pass through
an adjustable bye-pass, or by applying a friction brake to some revolving part of
the gun.

page_text: Improvements in Machine Guns.
I, WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON, of Albert Works, Mansfield, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in machine guns of the "Gatling" or
revolving barrel type, that is to say, guns in which a series of barrels and their
locks or breech-blocks are arranged to rotate around a central axis when a crank-
handle is revolved, the said locks, during their rotation travelling along a stationary
cam path, whereby they are actuated to effect the loading firing and extracting
operations.
Now the object of my invention is to enable a portion of the gas pressure
generated within the barrels by the explosion of the cartridges, to be utilized for
revolving the barrels, so that after the first shot has been fired, the gun will
continue working automatically as long as it is supplied with ammunition.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will proceed to describe
the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a portion of a gun, shewing one arrangement
for carrying the said invention into effect, and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal part section corresponding to Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse and longitudinal sections respectively, showing
a modified arrangement, and
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the parts employed in this latter
arrangement.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts in all the drawings.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, A is a disc or wheel mounted
upon the central axis or spindle B of the gun, preferably at a short distance from
the muzzle; the said disc or wheel A having holes A' through which the barrels C
pass and in which they fit tightly. Around its periphery the disc or wheel A is
provided with notches or recesses A' one surface of each of which may, as shewn,
be shorter and less inclined to the circumference of the disc than the other.
In each barrel C at the portion which fits into the disc or wheel A is formed a
transverse opening C¹ extending from the bottom of a groove of the rifling to the
outside of the barrel, aud in the disc or wheel A is provided, opposite each barrel,
an aperture or passage A³ coinciding with and forming a continuation of this
opening in the barrel and terminating in the shorter side of the recess A³.
A continuous port or passage inclined to the outer surface of the disc, is thus
formed from the interior of each barrel to the outer periphery of the disc or
wheel A.
Around the aforesaid disc or wheel A is arranged a stationary ring D' attached
to the casing D of the gun, the said ring D' having an enlargement D* provided
internally with one or more cavities or buckets D2; so that when a cartridge has
been exploded in a barrel and the projectile has passed the opening C¹, a portion
of the gases escapes through the said opening and the passage A³, and impinges
against the cavities or buckets D' and expanding therein causes the disc A to
rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow (Figure 1) the disc carrying with it
the barrels C and thus operating the gun automatically.
In the modified arrangement shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the gases instead of
acting against buckets or cavities, are caused to act against a sliding abutment D³
extending the whole width of the disc or wheel A and adapted to work in a

page_text: projection Dx provided with a cavity D. The disc is provided around its.
periphery with projections A and the abutment, the shape of which is seen more
clearly in Figure 5, is kept in contact with the disc, by means of a spring D³ which
presses upon the shoulders d thereof and surrounds the cylindrical portion or
stem d', being retained in the cavity D₁ by a plug D, which serves also to guide
the said stem d'. Thus the gases escaping through the apertures C and A expand
between the projections A' and the abutment D', and rotate the disc A with the
barrels C, in the direction indicated by the arrow (Figure 3) afterwards escaping
through an outlet D'.
Suitable means may be provided for retarding the speed of rotation of the
barrels. For example, in the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, a friction
brake may be employed, adapted to be applied to some rotating portion of the gun.
In the modification the retardation may be effected by drawing back the abut-
ment D³, whereby a bye-pass is provided for the gases and the power of the
impulses is proportionately reduced.
Obviously I may, in some cases, employ a suitable rotary motor adapted to be
operated by the discharge gases and connect the same by gearing or otherwise
with the rotating barrels in the case of a "Gatling" gun, or with the crank or
handle of a "Gardner" or other like gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I am aware that the energy of the gases of discharge have before
been utilized for imparting a rectilinear movement to the breech block of an
automatic gun, and to such I make no claim, but what I do claim is :-
1. A machine gun of the type referred to, provided with means for utilizing a
portion of the energy of the discharge gases to cause the rotation of the barrels,
for the purpose of operating the gun automatically.
2. A machine gun of the type referred to, having its barrels formed with
transverse openings near the muzzle, through which portions of the discharge gases
escape and impart rotation to the barrels, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a machine gun of the type referred to, the combination with the aforesaid
means for utilising the energy of the discharge gases to cause rotation of the
barrels, of means for retarding or controlling the speed of such rotation, substan-
tially as described.
4. My improved automatic machine gun constructed and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or with reference to
Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.