An Improved Bandolier or Cartridge Belt for use with Magazine Rifles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bandolier or Cartridge Belt for use with Magazine
Rifles.
I, THOMAS ROBERT RANEY ASHTON, of No. 134, Davics Street, Brunswick, in the
Colony of Victoria, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of magazine rifles by
providing means for expediting the filling of the magazine. This is accomplished
by the employment of the hereinafter described bandolier, or cartridge belt, for
containing the necessary ammunition.
This improved bandolier, or cartridge belt, consists of a leathern or other band
or strap which may be worn in any preferred manner but by preference across the
left shoulder and secured by a suitable fastening to which is rivetted, sewn, or other-
wise attached a number of pockets arranged at such an angle and in such a manner
that when worn over the shoulder they are vertical at the back of the wearer, and
become horizontal, as the bandolier, or cartridge belt, is drawn round to the front.
These pockets are for containing the requisite number of cartridges for the
magazine generally five or thereabouts,--and are provided with a top flap or cover
adapted to be buttoned down, or otherwise fastened, so as to prevent the possibility
of any cartridges dropping out.
In order to facilitate the withdrawal of the cartridges after unfastening the
flap, a small projecting piece is fitted on the back of the inside of the pocket, which
tends to force the cartridges out forwardly away from the band or strap, and body
of the wearer, so that they may be readily laid hold of with the hand, and trans-
ferred to the magazine.
This invention is applicable for use with all kinds of magazine rifles, whether
carried by infantry or cavalry, and is particularly intended for use with the Ashton
magazine rifle patented in Great Britain No. 8408 dated 21st April 1896 and No.
26872 dated 26th November 1896.
Dated this Fifth day of October One thousand night hundred and ninety.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bandolier or Cartridge Belt for use with Magazine
Rifles.
I, THOMAS ROBERT RANEY ASHTON, of No. 134, Davies Street, Brunswick, in the
Colony of Victoria, 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;
-
The object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of magazine rifles by
providing means for expediting the filling of the magazine. This is accomplished
by the employment of the bandolier, or cartridge belt, for containing the necessary
ammunition, hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved bandolier as ordinarily worn and
Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof, whilst
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through one of the pockets of the
bandolier.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
This improved bandolier, or cartridge belt, consists of a leathern or other band
or strap A which may be worn in any preferred manner but by preference across
the left shoulder, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and secured by a suitable fastening.
To this belt is rivetted, sewn, or otherwise attached a number of small shallow
pockets B arranged at such an angle and in such a manner that when worn over
the shoulder they are vertical at the back of the wearer, as shown in Figure 2,
and become horizontal or approximately so as shown in Figure 1, as they are
drawn round to the front of the wearer.
These pockets B are for containing the small ends of the cartridges for the
magazine generally five or thereabouts, and are provided with a top flap or
cover C adapted to be buttoned down, or otherwise fastened, so as to prevent the
possibility of any cartridges dropping out. In order to completely enclose the
cartridges the flaps C may be provided with projecting side pieces D so that when
the flaps are fastened they will fill the space which otherwise would be left open at
each side, and so effectually protect the cartridges from dust and rain.
In order to facilitate the withdrawal of the cartridges after unfastening the flap,
a small projecting piece E is fitted on the back of the inside of the pocket, which
tends to force the cartridges out forwardly away from the band or strap, and body
of the wearer, so that they may be readily laid hold of with the hand, as shown
in Figure 1, and transferred to the magazine.
This invention is applicable for use with all kinds of magazine rifles, whether
carried by infantry or cavalry, and is particularly intended for use with the Ashton
magazine rifle.
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 bandolier or cartridge belt for use with magazine rifles, having small
shallow pockets to receive the ends of the cartridges for the magazine and flaps
(as C) adapted to be buttoned or otherwise fastened over said cartridges substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In a bandolier or cartridge belt for use with magazine rifles pockets arranged
at such an angle that when the belt is worn over the shoulder they will be vertical

page_text: or approximately vertical at the back of the wearer and horizontal or approximately
horizontal at the front substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a bandolier or cartridge belt for use with magazine rifles small shallow
pockets (as B) attached to a belt and having projecting pieces (as E) across the
back to force the cartridges forwardly substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of July One thousand eight hundred and
ninety-eight
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant..