Improvements in Cartridge-loading Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Cartridge-loading Machines.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus or machines for loading cartridge cases with
smokeless explosive in the form of cords, such as "cordite"; the said machine
being also if desired so constructed that it will likewise insert the projectiles into
the cartridge cases, so that the entire operation of loading the cartridge cases with
the explosive and the projectiles can be effected in a rapid manner, by merely
supplying the cartridge cases to a feeding device that carries them into and through
the machine, and after being loaded, conveys them to an appropriate receptacle.
According to my invention the apparatus or machine is provided with a cylin-
drical or tubular guide into which the cordite is intermittently fed by a sliding
carrier which may be constructed with jaws that nip and carry forward the cordite
as the carrier advances, the said jaws releasing said cordite as the carrier retires.
The tubular guide is provided with a clip or similar device which comes into opera-
tion and holds the cordite that has been fed forward so that it will not be shifted
backward again during the return movement of the carrier.
...
Situated in proximity to the aforesaid tubular guide and advantageously parallel
therewith, is a plunger whose end is preferably adapted to work in conjunction
with a die and is so formed as to cut a circular disc or wad from a strip of cardboard
or other suitable material which is conducted past the die from a roll of the
material.
In front of the exit ends of the aforesaid tubular guide and plunger I arrange
a laterally reciprocating tube or casing which is of such dimensions as to contain
the exact quantity of cordite necessary for a charge and which is alternately brought
in alignment with the tubular guide and the plunger. When the said reciprocating
or charge measuring tube lies opposite the tubular guide its outer or exit end
may be kept closed by a plate or shutter so that as the carrier advances with
the cordite to feed the latter into the reciprocating tube, the plate or shutter will
prevent any of the cordite from projecting beyond said outer or exit end of the tube.
A length of the cordite, sufficient for a charge, having thus been fed forward and
inserted into the reciprocating or charge measuring tube, a knife is caused to sever
such length from the main body of the cordite. The said tube is then brought
opposite the aforesaid plunger which is then operated, whereby a wad is cut from
the cardboard strip before mentioned, and is forced, together with the charge of
cordite contained in the tube, into an empty cartridge case which has been meanwhile
brought into proper position relatively to the plunger, to receive the charge of
cordite. The said charge measuring tube then resumes its former position ready
to receive a fresh charge of cordite and the parts then perform another cycle of
operations. The aforesaid tube may be made somewhat conical so that the diameter
of its exit end is slightly less than that of the mouth of the cartridge case, whereby
the easy entrance of the cordite into the cartridge case will be ensured.

page_text: Instead of constructing the aforesaid plunger to cut or stamp out the wads from
a strip of cardboard as above stated, I may supply them to the machine from a
magazine provided with means for mechanically discharging the wads one by one
into proper position to be carried forward by the said plunger. Or I may supply
the said wads to the machine by hand.
In order to bring the cartridge cases into proper position to receive the cordite
charges, I may employ an endless feed chain or other suitable form of conveyor, the
said chain being provided with recesses to receive the bases of the cartridges and
retain them in position while carrying them through the machine; the said
cartridges after having been loaded finally escaping from the feed chain by the
action of gravity as they arrive over a receptacle.
When the said machine is to effect the insertion of the projectiles into the
cartridge cases as well as the insertion of the cordite, I may arrange contiguous
to the aforesaid plunger, a column or container of projectiles down which the said
projectiles descend by gravity and enter the mouth of the cartridge cases as the
latter are intermittently carried, one by one, opposite the said column or container
by the aforesaid feed chain or conveyor. If necessary the said column or container
is provided with means for regulating the escape of the projectiles therefrom.
When the projectile has entered the mouth of the cartridge case a nipping device
is caused to operate upon the neck of the cartridge case, and by forming indentations
therein, firmly secures the projectile in place.
The various moving parts of the machine are connected by means of rods, levers,
cams and other appropriate mechanism to a driving shaft or to driving shafts
which are revolved either by power or by hand.
For the purpose of conveniently and quickly leading the cordite threads into the
machine, when commencing on a fresh roll of the cordite, I may employ a contri-
vance consisting of a tube having a conical or tapering prolongation. The mouth
of this tube is slit longitudinally and surrounded by a collar which can be slidden
along the said tube to cause the mouth thereof to contract and grip the ends of
the cordite threads. By passing this contrivance through the tubular guide of the
machine, the cordite threads can be very readily brought into a position to be acted
on by the feed mechanism of the machine. The contrivance is then detached from
the cordite threads by shifting the aforesaid collar thereon.
T
1007
-
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
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 an apparatus or machine for loading or filling cartridge
cases with smokeless explosives in the form of threads or cords, such as cordite";
the said machine being also usually constructed to insert the projectiles into the
cartridge cases, so that the entire operation of loading the cartridge cases with the
explosive and the projectiles can be effected automatically in a rapid manner, as
the cartridge cases are carried through the machine by a suitable feeding device.
According to my invention the machine is provided with a tubular guide into

page_text: which the cordite is intermittently fed by a reciprocating carrier constructed with
a gripping contrivance or spring-jaw that nips and carries forward the cordite as
the carrier advances. Another gripping contrivance or clip is also provided to
prevent the cordite from shifting backward during the return movement of the
carrier.
I provide a laterally reciprocating tube or receiver which is of such dimensions
as to contain the exact quantity of cordite necessary for a charge and which during
the working of the machine is alternately brought in alignment with the tubular
guide and with a plunger located in proximity to the said tubular guide. Each
time a length of the cordite sufficient for a charge, has been fed forward and inserted
into the reciprocating or charge measuring tube, a knife is caused to sever such
length from the main body of the cordite.
The said plunger is employed to force the cordite from the charge measuring
tube into the cartridge cases; the end of such plunger is preferably adapted to work
in conjunction with a die and is so formed as to cut a disc or wad from a strip of
cardboard or other suitable material which is fed to the die.
In order to bring the cartridge cases into proper position to receive the cordite
charges as they are forced from the measuring tube by the aforesaid plunger, I
employ an endless feed chain or other suitable form of conveyor, having recesses
to receive the bases of the cartridges and retain the latter in proper position while
carrying them through the machine.
When the said machine is to effect the insertion into the cartridge cases of the
projectiles as well as the cordite, I arrange contiguous to the aforesaid plunger,
a container for the projectiles; into this container they enter by gravity and come
in alignment with the mouth of the cartridge cases as the latter are intermittently
carried, one by one, opposite the container by the aforesaid feed chain. The
projectiles are forced into the mouths of the cartridge cases by a plunger or other
suitable means.
The various moving parts of the machine are connected by means of rods, levers,
cams and other appropriate mechanism to a driving shaft or to driving shafts which
are revolved either mechanically or by hand.
An important feature of my invention is that I am able to charge cartridge-cases
whose mouths have previously been contracted, and I thereby avoid the necessity
which has hitherto existed of subjecting the cartridges to heavy pressure after
they are charged, to form the aforesaid contracted mouths.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
.
Figure 2 a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my
invention and adapted to be worked mechanically.
Figure 3 is a local transverse section taken on the line 1, 1, of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan of the knife for severing the cordite.
A is the tubular guide which is located immediately below, and in alignment
with a guide-tube B that serves to collect together the various threads of the
cordite into the form of a cylindrical bundle of the requisite diameter to enter the
cartridge cases. The said threads of cordite are led from a series of independent
drums or reels which are loosely mounted on a shaft situated above the machine.
C is the carrier by which the cordite is drawn through the guide tube B and
pushed through the tubular guide A into the charge measuring tube 1).
E is the plunger which performs the double action of stamping the wads from
the strip of material F coming from a roll F1 and of forcing the cordite from the
charge measuring tube D into the cartridge cases.
G is the knife for severing the charge of cordite from the main body thereof.
H is the feed chain. I, I are the cartridge cases. J, J, are the projectiles. K is
the container for the projectiles and L is the plunger by which such projectiles
are forced into the cartridge cases.

page_text: The aforesaid carrier C is connected with a slide c working in guides c¹ c¹ on the
framing of the machine. The upper end of the said slide is connected by a rod ca
to an eccentric on the main shaft M of the machine, so that as the said shaft
revolves a rectilinear reciprocating motion is imparted to the carrier C. The
upper part of the carrier is cut away on one side to permit of the cordite being
nipped by a spring jaw or gripper c¹. Situated near the sliding carrier is a pivoted
arm having a fine which is acted upon by a stud c7 on the spring jaw as the
slide c reciprocates. The free end of the pivoted arm 5 is bent to form a clip or
gripper which is adapted to enter a slot a in the tubular guide A and nip the
cordite therein. The position and shape of the said fine is such that as the
carrier C descends, the stud c on the spring jaw e' comes below the said fin whereby
the arm is displaced, against the resistance of a spring to an extent sufficient
to remove the gripper from contact with the cordite and permit of the free
passage of the latter through the tubular guide A. At the same time the strength
of the spring is sufficient to cause the pivoted arm to press the spring jaw or
gripper tightly upon the cordite in the carrier C, so that during the advance
of the latter the cordite is drawn through the tubular guide B to a corresponding
extent. As the carrier C completes its downward movement the stud escapes
from the fin and allows the gripper c by its resiliency to release the cordite in
the carrier C. Simultaneously with this release of the gripper the spring
pulls the arm into its original position and causes the gripper to come into
action and tightly nip the cordite in the guide A. When the slide e performs its
return stroke the stud c will pass above the fin c6 and keep the gripper + open.
and therefore out of contact with the cordite until said stud escapes from the
other end of the fin; by these means the cordite that has already been fed onwa
will not be withdrawn by the carrier as it retires.
The plunger E works in guides E¹ E¹ the lower one of which is provided with
a die ². Between the lower guide and a shoulder e on the plunger is a spiral
spring e¹ surrounding the said plunger. This spring normally tends to keep the
plunger pressed in an upward direction and a roller e³ at the upper extremity of the
plunger in contact with a came on the shaft M, so that as this cam revolves
the plunger is caused to reciprocate. The shape of the cam is preferably such that
it imparts a slow forward stroke to the plunger and permits a quick return stroke
thereof by the action of the said spring c. The lower end of the plunger works
through the die E2 and in its descent cuts a disc or wad from the strip of material I
as the latter is fed from the roll 1 through a lateral slot E³ in the die plate. The
feeding of the material is effected by means of a spring controlled serrated pawl f
pivoted to an oscillating arm fl which is actuated by the cam e³.
The charge measuring tube D is mounted on a transverse slide d which works
in guides di d². The outer end of the said slide is connected by a pin d³ to an
arm d, which is pivoted at d5 to another arm de having its fulcrum at on the
framing of the machine. This arm do is oscillated by a cam on the main shaft M
and it has at its lower end a slot through which the aforesaid pin d³ passes.
The arm is normally pressed outwardly by a spring plunger 10 acting on a
projection carried by the said arm d. By these means the cam 8 moves the
lower end of the lever de inwardly about its fulcrum d for a distance equal to the
length of the slot do without actuating the arm which remains inoperative by
reason of the spring pusher do resisting its movement. When however the arm
has moved inwardly far enough to bring the outer end of the slot do against the
pin both of the arms move inwardly together. The slot is of such a length
that as the said arm do moves inwardly it actuates the knife G without shifting
the slide and measuring tube D, and thereby ensures the complete severing of
the cordite while the measuring tube is stationary. The stroke of the said slide 1
is such that in reciprocating it brings the charge measuring tube D alternately in
alignment with the tubular guide A and the plunger E.
The knife G is situated horizontally above the slide d and is pivoted at g to the
framing of the machine. Its cutting edge g¹ is adapted to oscillate in a narrow

page_text: space existing between the adjacent ends of the measuring tube D and the tubular
guide A, such oscillation being effected by the aforesaid arm de acting on the
outer end g of the knife and by a spring , as is best seen in Figure 4.
The
The feed chain or conveyor H is composed of a number of links each provided
with a recess or cavity H for the reception of the base of a cartridge case.
said chain passes around polygonally shaped drums H¹ H² the latter of which
is furnished with a ratchet wheel H³. This ratchet wheel is actuated by means of
a pawl H pivoted to the end of an arm H³ which is oscillated by a cam H6 on the
main shaft M. The upper end of this arm is kept constantly pressed against the
cam H by the spring plunger H7. By the oscillation of such arm and the pawl H
an intermittent movement is imparted to the feed chain. He is a platform over
which the upper part of the said feed-chain passes and by which it is firmly
supported during the operation of the machine in loading the cartridge cases.
His
a guard plate which projects slightly over the flanges of the cartridge cases in the
feed belt, as they pass over the aforesaid platform, such guard plate preventing the
cartridge cases from becoming displaced from their recessos in the said feed belt.
Situated immediately below the lower end of the measuring tube D, when the.
latter is below. the tubular guide A, is a plate or shutter h which acts to keep
this end of the tube closed during the filling thereof with the cordite. This plate h
has a resilient arm h¹ extending therefrom to a point beneath the plunger E, where
it is formed of increased thickness and provided with a hole h2 having a curved
marginal. portion h. The underside of the said resilient arm h¹ is likewise formed
with curved portions h h adjacent to the said hole, such curved portions serving
as cam surfaces for enabling the mouth of the cartridge cases as the latter are
successively fed forward by the feed chain, to raise the resilient, arm as they enter
and leave the said hole 3. This hole in the resilient arm serves to bring the mouths
of the cartridge cases truly in alignment with the plunger E and the measuring
tube D when the latter shifts into position below the said plunger. The curved
marginal portion h³ of the hole h² causes the lower end of the charge of cordite to
be contracted as the latter is being forced from the measuring tube, and thus.
ensures its ready entry into the mouth of the cartridge case.
k
The container K for the projectiles is in the form of a hopper having a curved
guide leading to the lower end of a vertical chamber j. The projectiles are placed
in the said hopper horizontally and by passing along the said curved guide k by
gravity, they reach the said chamber in a vertical position ready to be thrust
therefrom by the plunger L. If desired I provide the chamber with a spring
catch or other convenient device which acts to support the projectile therein until
sufficient downward pressure is exerted on the projectile by the plunger L to
cause it to escape from said spring catch. The said plunger is actuated by an
eccentric mounted on the main shaft M and connected to the plunger by a rod 1.
1 is a slotted bracket for guiding the cartridge cases as they are carried along by
the feed chain H, from the resilient arm h¹ to a position in alignment with the
open end of the chamber ready to receive the projectile as it is forced from said
chamber by the descent of the plunger L.
The working of the machine is as follows:-
The cordite is fed onward from the guide B through the tubular guide A. into
the measuring tube D by the carrier C and its gripping contrivance c' as already
explained.
The cam then actuates the arm do whereby the knife G is caused to sever the
cordite that has been fed into the measuring tube D from the main portion of the
cordite and by a continued movement of said arm the slide d is set in motion by
the outer end of the slot bearing against the pin . The measuring tube D,
together with its charge, is thus brought into alignment with the plunger E.
This plunger then comes into action and after cutting a wad from the strip of
material F, descends therewith into the measuring tube 1), thus forcing the charge
of cordite from such tube into the cartridge case which has been previously brought
into position to receive the said charge by the movement of the feed chain H. The,

page_text: plunger E then promptly returns to its original position by means of the spring e¹
and the cartridge case is carried along by the feed chain into a position below the
plunger L. This plunger then descends and forces a projectile from the chamber j
into the mouth of the said cartridge case. As the cartridge cases are one by one
fed forward by the chain and charged by the machine, they drop by gravity from
the cavities H* in the feed chain, as the latter passes around the drum H², and
fall into a suitable receptacle. During the application of a projectile to the
cartridge case, the measuring tube D, the carrier C and the knife G regain their
original position, by the action of the cam d8, the eccentric and the spring d*,
ready to perform a fresh cycle of operations. As the carrier C retires, its gripping
contrivance is thrown out of action by the stud c7 passing along the upper face
of the cam shaped fin e, and the gripping contrivance on the arm comes into
operation to hold the cordite that has already been fed forward and thereby prevents
it from being withdrawn from the tubular guide A as already explained.
Instead of making the circumference of the hole h² in the resilient arm h¹ curved
to permit of the easy entrance of the cordite into the cartridge cases as above stated,
I may make the aforesaid measuring tube D somewhat taper or conical, so that
the diameter of its exit end is slightly less than that of the mouth of the cartridge
case.
Instead of constructing the aforesaid plunger E to cut or stamp out the wads
from the strip of material F as hereinbefore stated, I may supply them to the
machine from a magazine provided with means for mechanically discharging the
wads one by one into proper position to be carried forward by the said plunger.
'Or I may supply the said wads to the machine by hand.
.
If found necessary the cartridge cases may, after being provided with the
projectiles, be subjected to the action of a nipping device for forming nicks or
indentations in the necks of the cartridge cases so as to more effectually retain the
projectiles in place. Such nipping device is preferably arranged to form part of
the above described machine and to be operated automatically by a cam or other
means receiving motion from the main shaft M. When the machine is furnished
with this nipping device, the entire operation of charging the cartridge cases with
cordite and projectiles can be effected without the necessity of any further manual
treatment.
For the purpose of conveniently and quickly leading the threads of cordite into
the machine, when commencing on a fresh quantity thereof, I may employ a con-
trivance consisting of a tube having a conical or tapering prolongation. The
mouth of this tube is slit longitudinally and surrounded by a collar which can be
slidden along the said tube to cause the mouth thereof to contract and grip the ends
of the cordite threads. By passing this contrivance through the tubular guide of
the machine, the cordite threads can be very readily brought into position to be
acted on by the feed mechanism of the machine. The contrivance is then detached
from the cordite threads by shifting the aforesaid collar with which the device is
provided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A cartridge loading or filling machine in which the explosive, in the form
of cords or threads, is fed into a tube or receiver in measured or uniform quantities
and after being severed from the main portion of the explosive, is discharged from
the said tube or receiver into a cartridge case substantially as described.
a
2. In a cartridge loading or filling machine a feeding device comprising
reciprocating carrier acting in conjunction with two gripping contrivances, one of
which is caused to operate during the forward stroke of the carrier and the other
during its rearward stroke substantially as described and for the purpose specified..
3. The combination with the feeding device and the charge-measuring tube,
of a plunger which operates to force the explosive charges from the measuring

page_text: tube into the cartridge-cases as the latter are successively brought into proper
position substantially as described.
4. The combination with the aforesaid plunger, of a die and means for passing
through said die a strip of material from which to stamp the wads to be inserted
into the cartridge cases by the said plunger substantially as described.
5. A contrivance for conveniently and quickly leading the threads of the
explosive into the machine when commencing to work with a fresh quantity
thereof substantially as described.
6. A cartridge loading or charging machine constructed and adapted to operate
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of Januam: 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.