Improvements in and relating to Cartridge Loading Mechanism, and more Particularly to the Mechanism for Feeding the Shells or Casings and Shot or Bullets to the Loading Mechanism.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Cartridge Loading Mechanism,
and more Particularly to the Mechanism for Feeding the Shells
or Casings and Shot or Bullets to the Loading Mechanism.
I, GERSHOM MOORE PETERS, residing at 8 and 10 West Third Street in the City
of Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton, in the State of Ohio, one of the United
States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :—
My invention relates to mechanism for feeding the empty shells and the shot to
the loading mechanism in Cartridge Loading Machines, and is an improvement on
the mechanism for which I obtained Letters Patent Number 4668 dated March 29th,
1887, and 8204 dated June 5th, 1888.
The carrying belts do not differ materially in operation in either case. The
tilting bridge and shell arresting hook shown in patent 8204 are now dispensed
with.
The improved mechanism is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1, is a vertical section of the shell feeding machanism.
Figure 2, is a top plan view of same.
Figure 3, a detail section through the line 3-3 Fig. 1 of the brush or device for
preventing riders.
•
Figure 4, a detail section of the top of the cage and trough for the ball or bullet
feeding.
Figure 5, a plan view of the belt therefor.
Referring more particularly to the drawings, A, is a circular stationary table
having a portion, B, cut away to afford an opening for the passage of the shells to a
hopper, Q. Passing upward centrally through this table, is a shaft, F, to which is
secured a horizontally revolving wheel, C, divided into compartments by blades, D,
and the outer and inner rims, E, E. The wheel, C, rests on the stationary table, A,
and is moved by the shaft, F, which is actuated by a gearing, meshing with the
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page_text: pinion, G, which in turn is connected by means of a screw gearing to shaft, H,
operating by pulley, I, the movements of all being so, graduated, as to give the
wheel, C, a slow movement. Into the compartments of wheel, C, formed as above
described, the shells or balls are thrown promiscuously and each compartment is
moved slowly around to the opening, B, discharging its shells into the hopper, Q².
This insures a steady feed and at the same time prevents too many shells being in
the hopper at one time. The hopper, Q², terminates in a long narrow, shallow
trough, T2, set at an angle of about 45 degrees, the belt, S2, provided with cleats, J¹,
passes along the bottom of the trough and catches and moves forward or upward,
the shells from the hopper, the cleats are regularly distributed along the belt and a
little more than the length of a shell apart. The bottom of the hopper and trough
being narrow, (scarcely more than the width of a shell) the shells are obliged to
travel lengthwise. Sometimes, however, there will be one shell upon another and in
order to prevent these riders, I have placed a brush wheel, K, about midway the
trough and cause it to revolve at right angles to the trough by means of gear and
pulley attachment to the driving pulley, I.
-
This brush wheel will permit one layer of shells to pass beneath it; any more (or riders)
will be brushed off into the side trough, T3, which is set at such angle as to cause
the surplus shells or bullets to slide back into the hopper, Q². The upward stream of
shells is now one layer in depth, but they are moving sometimes with their butts to
the front, and sometimes to the rear. As finally placed in these shell holders, it is
necessary that they enter but foremost. To accomplish this, there is an opening, V2,
in the bottom of the upper end of the trough, T2; in this opening, the shells coming
butts forward, will immediately tip and proceed through the cage. Those coming
with the butts to the rear will be held back by the extra weight of the butt, until
the open and lighter end passes the opening, V2, and is shoved up along the incline, L,
until the butt end by the action of the belt is brought over the opening when it also
drops down right end foremost and all are connected by the cage, M2, to the shell
placer on the Cartridge Machine. To avoid possible clogging in the cage, it is dis-
connected at, M, the ends being slightly spread, and any surplus shells are allowed to
drop out into a receptacle when they can be again returned to the hopper. This may
be done by hand but a return belt for this purpose may be operated by the driving
pulley, 1.
"In loading Rifle Cartridges the bullets are distributed by means of the wheel, C,
and hopper, Q, already described, but the manner of conveying from whe hopper to
the cage, M2, is slightly different. It is necessary that the square or concave end of
the bullet first enter the cage and descend in this manner to the placer on the loading
machine. To accomplish this a belt with openings, or a chain having alternately
solid and open links as, s s¹, and moved by the sprocket wheels, O, takes the place of
the cleated belt. The openings in the belt or chain are a little wider than the
diameter and a little shorter than the length of the bullet so that one end of the
bullet will drop down into the opening while the other end rides on the edge. The
end that drops into the opening should always be the square or concave end. To
insure this it is necessary that the depth of the opening should be less than one-half
of the diameter of the bullet. This will permit the edge always to slide under the
pointed or rounded end of the bullet, so holding up the end and permitting the
square or concave end to drop first into the opening, v, which conducts to the
cage, M³, the opening, v, in this case being placed not at the end of the belt
but some distance back. When the square end of the bullet is in the rear
it is necessary to relieve its weight from the back end of the opening so that
it will readily turn into the discharge opening, v. To accomplish this the
bottom of the trough and belt are turned downward shortly before reaching
said opening as, J. Should the square end of the bullet come foremost
as may sometimes be the case, then the incline, J¹ will throw its weight on
to the front edge of the opening, s, and so permit it to ride over the opening, v,
without falling. To prevent this an obstacle as, L', is presented to stop its progress
and throw it off its bearing."

page_text: By my device shells and bullets need not require skilled labor and constant
attention in distribution; and but one person is needed to feed the shells or bullets to
three or more machines. Moreover the distribution is regular, constant, automatic
and free from the danger of clogging, and consequent breakage and stoppage of the
loading machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a bullet and cartridge distributing device, the combination with the actuating
mechanism therefore, of a movable receptacle provided with a series of chambers;
and a stationary plate or table having one or more openings leading to the hopper,
the contents of the chambers being alternately emptied in said hopper, as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. In a device of the nature described, the combination with a hopper of an
inclined trough, a belt passing along the bottom of the same and its actuating
mechanism and a revolving brush placed above the trough and in the path of the belt,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with the hopper of an incline trough, tapering to about the
width of a shell, a belt suitably actuated and moving along the bottom of said
trough, a brush in the path of the belt and revolving at right angles thereto, and a
side trough set at an angle to the hopper, to receive shells or bullets thrown off by
said brush, as set forth.
4. The combination with the hopper, and a belt to draw forward the cartridges, of
a generally narrowing trough having an inclined piece, L, at its upper end to receive
the open end of the shells as they are brought to the opening in the trough,
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the trough having an opening near its upper end, and
carrying belt running along said trough, of a divided cage, M2, as and for the
purpose set forth.
6. The combination of a trough having a rounded upper end, a belt or chain
having at regular intervals openings greater than the width, and less than the length
of a bullet, and having means in the path of the bullet for arresting and tilting
same, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of February 1889