DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION
Year: 1876

page_text: DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be filed
by the said Pendleton Gaines Watmough.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Royal Letters
Patent bearing date the 1* day of March in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy six in the thirty-ninth year of Her Reign did for Herself
Her Heirs and Successors give and grant unto the said William Robert Lake his
executors administrators and Assigns the sole privilege of making using exercising
and vending within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland the Channel
Islands and Isle of Man the said invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE
GUNS."
That in pursuance of a proviso in the said Letters. Patent the said William
Robert Lake duly filed in the Great Seal Patent Office a specification of the said
invention.
That the said Letters Patent. and all right title and interest therein have been
assigned to and are now vested in me the said Pendleton Gaines Watmough.
That since the said Assignment was made I have ascertained that at the date of
the said Letters Patent certain portions of the invention claimed in the said
specification were not new. in respect of the public knowledge thereof, and that
portions of the description are misleading.
NOW KNOW YE therefore that. I the said Pendleton Gaines Watmough by and
with the consent of Her Majesty's Attorney General do alter and amend the said

page_text: COCHES Invention.
"
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Figure 2 is a plan of the underside of the cap showing the feeding plate
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the latter.
"Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the said operative mechanism
" and also the feed mechanism for supplying cartridges to the said gun.
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Figure 5 shews an end and a side elevation of one of the breech stocks and
operating cams of the said gun.
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Figure 6 is a plan of the cartridge feeding device of the same.
"Similar letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing
"The frame is made of plates of metal; the side pieces A, A, extend forward
" to support the front ends of the barrels and the sights which are not shown;
they are connected by the end plate A², and support the square breech block A²,
"the trunnions A³ passing through the side plates. The trunnions are hung in
boxes on an auxiliary frame not shown which may be placed on a tripod or
carriage in such manner as to allow the elevation of the gun to be controlled
in the ordinary manner by a screw and also turning on a pivot to permit the
gun to be turned to either side to sweep the ground in front. The bottom of
the case is closed by a plate A4, and the top by a cover B attached to the
plate Ha, hinged to the side plates A, A, of the frame as shewn in Figure 4.
"The cover when closed down on the frame is fastened by a set screw C passing
"into the rear plate A¹. By detaching the set screw the cover may be swung
" forward over the barrels and thus give access to the mechanism in the frame.
The barrels D are rifled steel barrels screwed into the breech block A², and
extending through it and flush with its rear face. In front they pass through
" holes in a cross piece extending between the side plates A, A. They are cut
away on top at the rear end to receive the point of the cartridge extractor as
shown in Figure 4. The cartridges may be fed into the gun by means of a hopper
"but are preferably supplied by means of the feed piece E which is hinged to the
cover, at E. It is formed with T-formed grooves running lengthwise of the
piece E. The cartridges are placed in a wooden block F, bored with holes to
"receive the bullet end of the cartridge and are secured for transportation by. &
"section F¹, which slides on and is held, by, a dove-tailed flange and groove
"formed on the respective parts... When the cap F¹, is moved the heads of the
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page_text: cartridges projecting in a row may be slid into the upper end of the feed piece E
"the heads of the cartridges being received into the T-formed groove. The
block F, is then drawn away leaving the cartridges hanging by their heads in
"the feed piece. As indicated in Figure 4 the blocks may be made with two
caps F¹, the holes being bored so as to permit two or more rows of cartridges to
"be received on each side of the block. The cartridges will slide down in the
"T-groove until the lower one rests on the partition wall G placed between the
"barrels and in the slot in the oscillating plate H, which is carried laterally by the
"motion of the arm H', pivoted to the slotted plate H2, and having stud pins with
"friction collars passing through the slot as shewn in Figure 3.
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Immediately behind the rear end of the said barrels is a groove in a plate
having a slot at I immediately under the plate H. When a cartridge falls onto
"the grooved plate its head will hold on each side of the slot I, which is not as
"wide as the head but wider than the rest of the shell. The rear part of the slot
" is however wider as shown at I¹ Figure 1 so that when the shell is extracted
" after firing, its head will fall through the wider part of the slot at I' and the
body pass through the part I the case dropping out or to the ground. When
"the cartridge is fed in however it will rest with its head on the side of the slot I
" and its bullet supported on the solid part of the plate at 12. From this position
"it is forced into the barrel by the forward movement of the breech pin K.
"form of this part of the mechanism is clearly shewn in Figure 5.
"
"
The
It has in its
rear end a recess formed by the U-formed extensions K¹ to receive a wrist pin L
" attached to the opposed faces of the cams M hung on the shaft of the crank M³.
"As the crank is turned the breech pins K, will be moved towards and from the
" barrels carrying the cartridge forward into the barrel sustaining the recoil when
"it is fired and then drawing the empty shell back and allowing it to drop out
" of the case.
"
"The firing is effected by the following means, that is to say, a rectangular
"notch M, is cut on the edge of the cam discs M to receive the long arm of a
"bell-crank-lever N the short arm of which extends up into a recess immediately
at the rear of a hole bored through the middle of that part of the breech pin
"which bears against the cartridge. The arm of lever N, also enters a slot in
"the rear end of the firing pin P which is projected and retracted by the movement
of the lever and is so placed that its point when projected will strike against the
part of the head of the cartridge which encloses the fulminate. In the case
"illustrated the firing pin is adapted for a centre-fire metallic cartridge. The
position of the notch M¹, is such that the rim of the cam M will hold down the
long arm of the lever N (cocking the gun) until the cartridge has been pushed
"forward into its chamber in the barrel and then the notch will receive the arm
" of the lever and the spring O will drive the short arm and firing pin sharply
forward to explode the cartridge.
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"As the cartridge is pushed forward the head of the spring extractor will
"ride over the head of the cartridge and hook over the flange so that when the
"breech pin K is withdrawn it will draw the shell back until it falls through the
"slot I, I', and the length of the slot will permit this result even if the cartridge
has missed fire.
"
"
"On a shoulder of the breech pin K, is a friction wheel R projecting on each
side, the purpose of which is to strike against the shoulder on the arm H',
"which carries the oscillating plate H, and shift it so as to sweep the cartridge
"from the partition G and drop it behind the base of the barrel.
tr
"6
As I have
"illustrated ny invention I have shewn the plate H, as swinging to both sides, to
supply a cartridge to the two barrels alternately, but it may be easily modified
so as to feed only one barrel and in that case a plate H, must be provided for
" each barrel and a corresponding modification be made by duplicating the wall G,
" and also the grooves in the feed piece E. It will be observed that the arm H¹,
" has two shoulders one near the pivot and the other at the outer end next the
plate the portion between the shoulders being straight. The first shoulder when
"

page_text: striking the friction wheel R draws the slot in the plate H over the partition G
"the plate remains stationary until the wheel R, strikes the outer shoulder when
"the plate is moved out, to one side to deliver the cartridge.
44
"To prevent premature firing I place a stop S in front of the hammer N. It is
a cylinder cut away: on-one side so that when the flat side is turned up or down
"by the crank S¹ the solid part of the stop will catch the hammer before it has
"projected the firing pin far enough to strike the cartridge but when the flat side
is turned towards the hammer, the latter can make its full blow.
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"Having thus, fully described the said invention as communicated to me by
my Foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it
understood that I Claim.
"First. In combination with the partition G, the oscillating plate H, which
"transfers the cartridge as above set forth.
"Second, In combination with the oscillating plate H and arm H¹ the
" reciprocating breech pin K and wheel R, for actuating the plate as above set
forth.
"Third, The, cam M, M³, wrist L, and breech pin K, K³, in combination with
"the hammer or firing lever N. and pin P, as above set forth.
"Fourth. In combination with the case, or frame and operative mechanism the
hinged cover B for giving ready access to the latter as above set forth.
"Fifth. In combination with the reciprocating breech pin K, hammer N, and
"firing pin P; the stop. S. and crank S¹ for controlling the action of the hammer
"and firing pin in relation to the cartridge as above set forth."
In Witness whereof I the said Pendleton Gaines Watmough have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fifteenth day of November in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
To The Commissioners of Patents for Inventions
I hereby grant my Fiat giving leave to the above named Pendleton Gaines
Watmough, as Assignee of the said Letters Patent, to file in the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents for Inventions, with the Specification to which the same
relates, the above written Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration.
Dated this 4th day of January 1884.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE GUNS." A communication from abroad by
William Gardner, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE GUNS." A com-
munication.
This Invention relates to that class of guns in which the cartridges are received
from a feeding device and automatically brought into proper position, fired, and the
empty shells discharged by power applied to a crank or equivalent device.
The said Invention is herein more particularly described as applied to a gun
having two barrels, but it will readily be seen that the barrels may be indefinitely
multiplied by simply duplicating the parts, and correspondingly increasing the
force applied. It is believed that two barrels will be found sufficient in practice to
fire with all the requisite rapidity, as in experimental tests with such a gun a
discharge at the rate of over four hundred shots per minute has been attained, and
with regard to economy of cost and convenience of transportation such a gun is
thought to be preferable.
The said gun has a frame made of metal plates, the side plates extend forward
to support the front ends of the barrels and sights; they are connected by the end
plate, and support the square breech block, the trunnions passing through the side
plates. The trunnions are hung in boxes on an auxiliary frame, which may be
placed on a tripod or carriage in such a position as to allow the elevation of the
gun to be controlled in the ordinary manner by a screw, and also turn on a pivot
to permit the gun to be turned to either side to sweep the ground in front.
The said Invention consists in the following parts or combinations of parts,
namely A cartridge feeder having a T formed groove to hold the cartridges by
the head and drop them in succession into the gun. A cartridge casc, having
the holes so spaced that rows of cartridges may be simultaneously delivered
into the said T formed grooves in the feeders. The barrels are placed side by

page_text: side in the frame, and have partitions to support the cartridges as delivered until
they are swept into the space behind the barrels. In combination with the said
partitions there is an oscillating plate which transfers the cartridge. The cartridges
are fed into the gun by means of a hopper or feed piece formed with a T shaped
groove extending lengthwise in the said piece. The cartridges will slide down in
the said T groove until the lower one rests on the said partition, which is placed
between the barrels and in the slot of the oscillating plate.
I also provide the gun with a slotted plate, which supports the cartridge as fed
into the gun, but permits it to be dropped when extracted.
For exploding the cartridge I employ a cam and wrist, arranged in combination
with the breech pin, and with the firing lever, and firing pin.
In combination with the aforesaid case or frame, and operative mechanism, I
arrange a hinged cam for permitting ready access to the latter. And in combination
with the reciprocating breech pin, hammer, and firing pin I provide a stop and
crank for controlling the action of the hammer and firing pin in relation to the
cartridge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th August
1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE GUNS." A com-
munication from abroad by William Gardner, of Hartford, Connecticut, United
States of America.
My Invention relates to that class of guns in which the cartridges are received
from a feeding device, and automatically brought into proper position, fired, and the
empty shells discharged by power applied to a crank or its equivalent.
The Invention is illustrated as applied to a gun having two barrels, but it will
readily be seen that the barrels may be indefinitely multiplied by simply duplicating
the parts, and correspondingly increasing the force applied. It is believed that two
barrels will be found sufficient in practise to fire with all the requisite rapidity, as
in my experimental tests I have been able with such a gun to attain a discharge at
the rate of over four hundred shots per minute, and in view of economy of cost and
convenience of transportation such a gun is thought to be preferable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan of the operative mechanism of a gun constructed according to
this Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the under side of the cap showing the feeding plate.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the latter.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the said operative mechanism,
and also the feed mechanism for supplying cartridges to the said gun.
Figure 5 shews an end and a side elevation of one of the breech stocks, and
operating cams of the said gun.
Figure 6 is a plan of the cartridge feeding device of the same.
Similar letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The frame is made of plates of metal, the side pieces A, A, extend forward to
support the front ends of the barrels and the sights, which are not shown; they
are connected by the end plate A¹, and support the square breech block A, the
trunnions A3 passing through the side plate. The trunnions are hung in boxes on
an auxiliary frame, not shown, which may be placed on a tripod or carriage in such
manner as to allow the clevation of the gun to be controlled in the ordinary manner
by a screw, and also turning on a pivot to permit the gun to be turned to either
side to sweep the ground in front. The bottom of the case is closed by a plate A4,

page_text: and the top by a cover B, attached to the plate H2, hinged to the side plates A, A,
of the frame, as shewn in Figure 4. The cover when closed down on the frame is
fastened by a set screw C passing into the rear plate A. By detaching the set
screw the cover may be swung forward over the barrels, and thus give access to the
mechanism in the frame.
The barrels D are rifled steel barrels screwed into the breech block A2 and ex-
tending through it, and flush with its rear face. In front they pass through holes
in a cross piece extending between the side plates A, A. They are cut away on
top at the rear end to receive the point of the cartridge extractor, as shown in
Figure 4. The cartridges may be fed into the gun by means of a hopper, but are
preferably supplied by means of the feed piece E, which is hinged to the cover at
E¹. It is formed with T formed grooves running lengthwise of the piece E. The
cartridges are placed in a wooden block F, bored with holes to receive the bullet
end of the cartridge, and are secured for transportation by a section F', which
slides on and is held by a dovetailed flange and groove formed on the respective
parts. When the cap F¹ is moved the heads of the cartridges projecting in a row
may be slid into the upper end of the feed piece E, the heads of the cartridges
being received into the formed groove. The block F is then drawn away leaving
the cartridges hanging by their heads horizontally in the feed piece. As indicated
in Figure 4 the blocks may be made with two caps F1, the holes being bored so as
to permit two or more rows of cartridges to be received on each side of the block.
The cartridges will slide down in the T groove until the lower one rests on the
partition wall G placed between the barrels, and in the slot in the oscillating plate
H, which is carried laterally by the motion of the arm H¹, pivoted to the slotted
plate H, and having stud pins with friction collars passing through the slot, as
shown in Figure 3.
Immediately behind the rear end of the said barrels is a groove in a plate having
a slot at I, immediately under the plate H. When a cartridge falls on to the
grooved plate its head will hold on each side of the slot I, which is not as wide as
the head but wider than the rest of the shell. The rear part of the slot is how-
ever wider, as shown at I, Figure 1, so that when the shell is extracted after firing
its head will fall through the wider part of the slot at I, and the body pass through
the part I, the case dropping out or to the ground. When the cartridge is fed in how-
ever it will rest with its head on the side of the slot I, and its bullet supported on
the solid part of the plate at 12. From this position it is forced into the barrel by
the forward movement of the breech pin K. The form of this part of the
mechanism is clearly shewn in Figure 5. It has in its rear end a recess formed by
the U formed extensions K' to receive a wrist pin L, attached to the opposed faces
of the cams M, hung on the shaft of the crank M³. As the crank is turned the
breech pins K will be moved towards and from the barrels, carrying the cartridge
forward into the barrel, sustaining the recoil when it is fired, and then drawing
the empty shell back and allowing it to drop out of the casc.
The firing is effected by the following means, that is to say: A rectangular
notch M is cut on the edge of the cam discs M, to receive the long arm of a bell-
crank lever N, the short arm of which extends up into a recess immediately at the rear
of a hole bored through the middle of that part of the breech pin which bears
against the cartridge. The arm of lever N, also enters a slot in the rear end of
the firing pin P, which is projected and retracted by the movement of the lever,
and is so placed that its point when projected will strike against the part of the
head of the cartridge which encloses the fulminate. In the case illustrated the
firing pin is adapted for a centre-fire metallic cartridge. The position of the notch
M is such that the rim of the cam M will hold down the long arm of the lever N
(cocking the gun) until the cartridge has been pushed forward into its chamber in
the barrel, and then the notch will receive the arm of the lever, and the spring O
will drive the short arm and firing pin sharply forward to explode the cartridge.
As the cartridge is pushed forward the head of the spring extractor Q will ride
over the head of the cartridge, and hook over the flange, so that when the breech

page_text: pin K is withdrawn it will draw the shell back until it falls through the slot I, I¹,
and the length of the slot will permit this result even if the cartridge has missed
fire.
On a shoulder of the breech pin K is a friction wheel R projecting on each side,
the purpose of which is to strike against the shoulder on the arm H¹, which carries
the oscillating plate H and shift it so as to sweep the cartridge from the partition
G, and drop it behind the base of the barrel. As I have illustrated my Invention
I have shewn the plate H as swinging to both sides to supply a cartridge to the
two barrels alternately, but it may be easily modified so as to feed only one barrel,
and in that case a plate H must be provided for each barrel, and a corresponding
modification be made by duplicating the wall G, and also the grooves in the feed
piece E. It will be observed that the armn H' has two shoulders, one near the pivot
and the other at the outer end next the plate, the portion between the shoulders
being straight. The first shoulder when striking the friction wheel R draws the
slot in the plate H over the partition G, the plate remains stationary until the wheel
R strikes the outer shoulder, when the plate is moved out to one side to deliver the
cartridge.
To prevent premature firing I place a stop S in front of the hammer N. It is a
cylinder cut away on one side so that when the flat side is turned up or down by
the crank S¹ the solid part of the stop will catch the hammer before it has pro-
jected the 'firing pin far enough to strike the cartridge, but when the flat side is
turned towards the hammer the latter can make its full blow.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The cartridge feeder E, having a T formed groove to hold the cartridges
by the head, and drop them in succession into the gun, as above set forth.
Second. The cartridge cases F, having the holes so spaced that rows of cartridges
may be simultaneously delivered into the T formed grooves in the feeder E, as
above set forth.
Third. The barrels D, D, placed side by side in the frame, and having a partition
G for supporting the cartridges as delivered until they are swept into the space
behind the barrels, as above set forth.
Fourth. In combination with the partition G the oscillating plate H which
transfers the cartridge, as above set forth.
Fifth. In combination with the oscillating plate H and arm. H₁ the reciprocating
breech pin K and wheel R for actuating the plate, as above set forth
Sixth. The plate with the slot I, I', which supports the cartridge as fed into the
gun, but permits it to be dropped when extracted, as above set forth.
Seventh. The cam M, M', wrist L, and breech pin K, K¹, in combination with
the hammer or firing lever N, and pin P, as above set forth.
Eighth. In combination with the case or frame and operative mechanism the
hinged cover B for giving ready access to the latter, as above set forth.
Ninth. In combination with the reciprocating breech pin K, hammer N, and
firing pin P, the stop S and crank S' for controlling the action of the hammer and
firing pin in relation to the cartridge, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WM ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)