IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE-GUNS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gardner, of Hartford, Connecticut, United
States of America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE-GUNS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gardner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd December 1880.
WILLIAM GARDNER, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, now
of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE-GUNS."
This Invention relates to improvements in machine guns of the class described
in the Specifications of former Letters Patent, dated March 1, A.D. 1876, No. 881,
and July 8th, A.D. 1878, No. 2735, and is more especially designed to adapt the
mechanism therein described to guns which have a series of barrels by the incor-
poration therewith of various novel devices, as hereinafter described, whereby I
provide arms of this class which will be highly efficient and convenient under all
circumstances.
According to this Invention I employ a series of breech pins or plungers, each of
which is provided with U-shaped extensions to receive the wrist or crank pin,
whereby it receives motion from the crank, as described in the Specifications of the
said former Letters Patent, and I also retain the firing pin, the main spring, and
some of the other parts used in the guns as therein described; but in order to
adapt the said parts to guns having a series of barrels which may be fired either
in a volley or alternately, I modify certain parts of the said guns, as will appear
from the following description :-One important feature of this Invention consists
in the mechanism for receiving the cartridges from the vertical cartridge feeder
and causing them to pass or drop simultaneously in front of the plungers to be
forced forward by the same into the barrels. For this purpose I employ a sliding
plate or slide which is free to move transversely across the space immediately at
the rear of the barrels, and which is supported in suitable bearings or guides upon
the under surface of the hinged cover of the gun. Through this cover suitable
apertures are formed to permit the cartridges to fall from the vertical cartridge
feeder (provided with as many channels as there are barrels) upon the said slide.
Duins 71

page_text: To impart the requisite transverse movement to this slide I combine with the same
a pivotted T-shaped lever, one arm of which engages with the said slide; the other
arms of the said lever are provided with adjustable studs or bolts upon which two
levers pivotted to the breech frame or case impinge. These levers are acted upon
alternately, and are caused to rock upon their fulcrums by two independent cams,
one at each end of the crank shaft, and through the aforesaid T-shaped levers
impart the requisite movement to the slide, as above stated, to effect the supply of
cartridges to the barrels in a uniform and expeditious manner.
Below the said slide, and attached to or forming part of the breech case or frame,
I provide a bed plate having as many grooves as there are barrels. Within these
grooves the plungers work to and fro, the said grooves having apertures through
their bottom to permit the passage or ejection of the exploded cartridge shells.
The aforesaid slide, the bed plate, and the apertures in the cover are suitably
inclined or bevelled to facilitate the feeding of the full cartridges and the ejection of
the exploded cartridge shells.
One very important feature of this Invention is the positive character of the
action of the extractors. Each extractor is attached to its plunger by a pin passing
through a lug or projection on the said extractor, and is prevented from any
endwise movement by the said pin, but is free to move slightly outward to allow
its hook or claw to pass over the flange or rim of the cartridge when necessary.
In combination with each of these extractors I provide in the aforesaid sliding
plate or slide a groove or recess, which as the plunger moves forward to insert a
cartridge in the barrel permits the said extractor to move outward and over the
rim or flange of the said cartridge, providing such rim should not have passed
behind the hook or claw of the extractor prior to the forward movement of the
plunger. When however the cartridge is fired, and prior to the commenced
backward stroke of the plunger, the sliding plate is caused to move laterally
to a slight extent by the action of one of the cams upon the T-shaped lever
through one of the aforesaid pivotted levers, and prevents any outward movement
of the free end of the extractor in such rearward movement of the plunger, thereby
ensuring the proper and certain extraction of the exploded cartridge shell.
The aforesaid cams and the parts operated thereby are relatively so arranged
that the movements of the sliding plate and plunger are as follow, that is to
Bay When the plungers are in their rearmost position and the handle is turned,
the slide first moves transversely below the feed apertures in the cover, and carries
the lowermost cartridges (which then rest upon the upper surface of the bed plate
and at one side of the grooves within the same) over the said grooves, into which
such cartridges fall. On a further movement of the crank or handle the slide is
drawn back, and permits the next cartridges to assume the position previously
occupied by those now in front of the plungers. The plungers then move forward,
and as soon as the cartridges are fully inserted within the barrels the slide receives
a further backward movement and prevents any outward movement of the
extractors, as above explained. The plungers then move back and the cartridges
fall through the apertures in the bottom of the grooves in the bed plate, or are
forced therethrough in the next movement of the slide by the inclined surfaces
upon the same.
In order to facilitate the working of the gun and obviate any excessive strain
upon the crank which might arise, providing the commencement of the extraction
of all of the cartridge shells took place at one and the same time, I cut away to a
slight extent each succeeding cam which acts upon the U-shaped portion of each
of the plungers, so that in the working of the gun the cartridge shell in one barrel
is started in a rearward direction in its chamber before the cam in connection with
the plunger of the next barrel comes in contact with the U-shaped portion of the
said plunger. In this manner I ensure the successive extraction of the empty
cartridge shells, and thereby prevent the necessity for excessive exertion by the
operator consequent upon the accidental sticking or binding of one or more of the
shells in either of the cartridge chambers.

page_text: To provide for firing the gun I employ a series of bell crank levers. Each lever
is held down by the periphery of a disc, as described in the Specifications of the
said former Letters Patent, until the plunger has carried the cartridge forward
into the barrel ready to be fired; then by the further rotation of the disc a notch
in the same is brought into such a position as to allow the main spring to act and
cause one arm of the said lever to drive forward the firing pin and explode the
cartridge. In order however to provide for either simultaneous or alternate firing
of all of the barrels, as desired, I prefer to form the long arms of the bell-crank
levers of different lengths, and to arrange the releasing points on the periphery of
the discs (that is to say, the points at which the main springs are free to act) in
different positions. When it is desired to adapt the gun for simultaneous or volley
firing the said levers and cams must be all so relatively arranged that each lever
will be acted upon by the cam, whose releasing point is so arranged in relation to
the length of the said lever as to effect the release of the main spring operated
thereby simultaneously with the release of all of the other main springs; in other
words, the longer the arm of the lever the more forward must be the releasing
point; whereas, if it is desired to adapt the gun to alternate or successive firing
of the barrels, the said levers are so arranged that the longer levers will be acted
upon by the more backward cams. By this contrivance I am enabled to adapt
the gun to either volley or alternate firing with one set of levers.
If it is desired to fire the barrels in pairs two or more bell crank levers of
different lengths from those ordinarily used in the said gun must be substituted
therefor.
I also improve the sighting devices or sights to be employed in the said guns.
For this purpose I arrange upon each side of the gun, and at the rear end thereof,
a sight which may be adjusted vertically within a suitable aperture. These sights
are provided with grooves on one side into which flat springs pass. These springs
under ordinary circumstances permit the said sights to be freely adjusted vertically,
whilst at the same time they exert sufficient force upon the sights to retain them
in any desired position. In order however to clamp the said sights in the desired
position I combine with each of the said springs an excentric lever, which on being
turned upon its fulcrum exerts sufficient force upon the spring to retain the sight
in position until such lever again turned to permit the re-adjustment of the
sight. These sights are combined with others near the muzzle end of the gun, and
both the front and rear sights are preferably provided with apertures through
which the operator may observe the object or objects to be aimed at, the apertures
in the front sights being provided with a pin or projection to facilitate such
aiming. The said sights are also provided with the usual upward extensions, to
permit the aiming to be approximately effected prior to minutely setting the gun
by the use of the aforesaid apertures.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd June
1881.
WILLIAM GARDNER, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, now
of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE-GUNS."
This Invention relates to improvements in machine guns of the class described
in the Specifications of my former Letters Patent, dated March 1st, A.D. 1876,
No. 881, and July 8th, A.D. 1878, No. 2735, and is more especially designed to
adapt the mechanism therein described to guns which have a series of barrels by
the incorporation therewith of various novel devices, as hereinafter described,
whereby I provide arms of this class which will be highly efficient and very
conveniently operated under all circumstances.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a gun having five barrels with my present
improvements applied to the same, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the said gun.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of my improved gun with the cover and the parts
supported thereby removed, and
Figure 4 is an underside view of the said cover and parts.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the said gun on the line x, x, Figure 1, and
Figure 6 is a similar section with the parts in a different position.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the cams and pivotted levers for imparting
the requisite movement to the sliding plate or slide, hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a vertical section, drawn to an e .larged scale, of my improved
sighting device.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 are transverse sections, drawn to an enlarged scale, on the
line y, y, Figure 1, shewing the sliding plate or slide in the various positions it
occupies during the manipulation of the gun.
Figure 12 is an end view, and
Figure 13 a side view of the said sliding plate or slide.
Figure 14 is a side view and Figure 14 a front end view, drawn to an enlarged
scale of a portion of one of the plungers, hereinafter described, with the extractor
mounted thereon.
Figure 15 is a diagram, hereinafter described.
Figure 16 is a side clevation, drawn to a reduced scale, of the said gun mounted
upon its carriage.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a represents the breech frame or case constructed of gun metal, brass, iron, or
other suitable metal, and provided with a hinged cover a¹; b, b, represent the
barrels, which may be of any suitable bore and length, and which are screwed in
or otherwise securely attached to the front of the breech frame or case a.
According to this Invention I employ a series of breech pins or plungers c, each
of which has at its rear end a peculiarly shaped extension c³ to receive the wrist or
crank pin d, whereby the plunger receives motion from the crank d³, as described
in the Specifications of the said foriner Letters Patent, and I retain the firing pin,
the main spring e, and some of the other parts used in the guns as therein described,
but in order to adapt the said parts to guns having a series of barrels which may
be fired either in a volley, or alternately, or in pairs, I modify certain parts of the
said guns, as will appear from the following description. One important feature of
this Invention consists in the mechanism for receiving the cartridges from the
vertical cartridge feeder or reservoir f, Figure 16, and causing them to pass or drop

page_text: simultaneously in front of the plungers c to be forced forward by the same into
the barrels. For this purpose I employ a sliding plate or slide g, which is free to
move transversely across the space immediately at the rear of the barrels b, and
which is supported in suitable bearings or guides a² upon the under surface of the
hinged cover a¹ of the gun; through this cover suitable apertures a³ are formed to
permit the cartridges to fall from the vertical cartridge feeder upon the said slide,
the said cartridge feeder being provided with as many channels as there are barrels
in the gun. To impart the requisite transverse movement to this slide I combine
with the same a pivotted T-shaped lever h, one arm ' of which enters a recess or
notch gl in the said slide; the other arms h² of the said lever are provided with
adjustable studs or bolts h³, upon which two levers i, i, pivoted to the breech
frame or case a impinge. These levers are acted upon alternately and caused to
rock upon their fulcrums * by two independent cams d', d², (one at each end of
the crank shaft d*), and through the aforesaid T-shaped lever h impart the
requisite movement to the slide g, as above specified, to effect the supply of
cartridges to all of the barrels in a uniform and expeditious manner. In some
cases I dispense with the levers i, i, and arrange the cams to act directly upon the
lever h.
Below the slide g, and attached to or forming part of the breech case or frame,
I provide a bed-plate ; having as many grooves as there are barrels. Within
these grooves the plungers c work to and fro, the said grooves having apertures j²
through their bottom to permit the passage or ejection of the exploded cartridge
shells. The aforesaid slide g, the bed-plate j, and the apertures a³ in the cover are
suitably inclined or bevelled, as shewn at g², j, j, and at, to facilitate the feeding
of the full cartridges and the ejection of the exploded cartridge shells.
One very important feature of this Invention is the positive character of the
action of the extractors. Each extractor is attached to its plunger by a pin kl
passing through a lug or projection k² on the said extractors; it is incapable of any
endwise movement, but is free to move slightly outward laterally on the plunger to
allow its hook or claw ³ to pass over the flange or rim of the cartridge when
necessary. In combination with each of these extractors I provide on the aforesaid
sliding plate or slide a bevelled or inclined surface g³, which as the plunger moves
forward to insert a cartridge in the barrel occupies the position shewn in Figure 10,
and permits the said extractor to move outward and over the rim or flange of the
said cartridge, provided such rim should not have passed behind the hook or claw
of the extractor prior to the forward movement of the plunger. When however
the cartridge is fired, and prior to the commencement of the backward stroke of the
plunger, the sliding plate g is caused to move laterally to the position shewn in
Figure 11 by the action of the portion dº of the cam upon the T-shaped lever h
through the pivotted lever ; the bevelled surface of the said plate then
prevents any outward movement of the free end of the extractor in such rearward
movement of the plunger, thereby preventing the disengagement of the extractor
claw from the rim or flange of the cartridge shell, and ensuring the proper and
positive extraction of the said cartridge shell.
The aforesaid cams d1, d2, and the parts i, i', and h operated thereby are relatively
so arranged that the movements of the sliding plate g and plungers c are as follow,
that is to say: When the plungers are in their rearmost position, as shewn in
Figures 3 and 5, and the crank handle d is turned in the direction indicated by
the arrows, the slide.first moves transversely below the feed apertures a³ in the
cover a' into the position shewn in Figure 9, and carries the lowermost cartridges
(which then rest upon the upper surface of the bed plate j and at one side of the
grooves within the same) over these grooves 11 so that such cartridges fall into
the said grooves; by the further movement of the crank or handle the slide is
moved into the position shewn in Figure 10, and permits the next row of cartridges
to assume the position previously occupied by those now in front of the plungers;
the plungers then move forward with the cartridges in front of them, and as soon
as these cartridges are fully inserted within the barrels the slide receives a further

page_text: movement into the position shewn in Figure 11, the bevelled surfaces g³ preventing
the disengagement of the extractors from the cartridge rims as above explained.
The plungers then move back and the cartridges fall through the apertures 12 in the
bed plate, or are forced therethrough in the next movement of the slide by the
inclined surfaces 92 upon the same.
To facilitate the working of my improved gun when the same is so constructed
that the feeding of the cartridges to all of the barrels thereof takes place
simultaneously, as above described, and to prevent any excessive strain upon the
crank which might arise from "starting" or commencing the extraction of all of the
cartridge shells at one and the same time, I provide means for the consecutive
extraction of the cartridges by cutting away to a slight extent, as shewn at 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, Figure 15, each succeeding crank pin d which acts upon the surface of
the plunger, so that in the working of the gun the cartridge shell in one barrel is
"started" in a rearward direction in its chamber before the cam in connection
with the plunger of the next barrel comes in contact with the surface c* of the said
plunger. In this manner I ensure the successive extraction of the empty cartridge
shells, and thereby obviate the necessity for the exertion of great force by the
gunner or operator in case of the accidental sticking or binding of one or more of
the shells in the cartridge chambers.
To provide for firing the gun, a cavity or notch d' is formed in each of the
discs d³ to permit the necessary upward movement of the long arm of each one of a
series of bell-crank levers when the parts of the gun are in the proper position
for firing, as described in the Specifications of the said former Letters Patent.
The short arm of each of these levers projects up through a slot or opening in the
plunger, and enters a slot in the firing pin c². Each lever is held down by the
periphery of its disc d³ until the plunger c has carried the cartridge forward into
the barrel ready to be fired; then by the further rotation of the disc the notch d¹
in the same is brought into such a position as to allow the main spring e to act and
cause the arm 2 of the said lever to drive forward the firing pin and explode the
cartridge. In order however to provide for either the simultaneous or the alternate
firing of all of the barrels as desired, I prefer to form the long arms l' of the said
bell-crank levers of different lengths, as shewn at 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, in Figure 15, and
to arrange the releasing points do on the periphery of the discs do, that is to say,
the points at which the main springs are free to act in different positions, as shewn
at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. When it is desired to adapt these levers and cams for
simultaneous or volley firing, the said levers must be readjusted, so that each lever
will be acted upon by the cam whose releasing point has such relation to the
length of the lever operated thereby as to effect the release of its main spring
simultaneously with the release of all of the other main springs; in other words,
the longer the arm of the lever the more forward must be the releasing point.
Whereas if it is desired to adapt the gun to alternate or successive firing of the
barrels the said levers must be so arranged relatively to the cams that the longer
levers will be acted upon by the more backward cams. By this contrivance I am
enabled to adapt the gun to either volley or alternate firing with one set of levers.
Moreover by a suitable combination of the said levers with the cams I can adapt
the gun, when desired, to fire four of the barrels in pairs, that is to say, the centre
barrel may be fired first, then the two barrels nearest the said centre barrel, and
finally the two outer barrels.
I also improve the sighting devices or sights to be employed in the said guns.
For this purpose I arrange upon each side of the gun, and at the rear end thereof,
a sight m, which may be adjusted vertically within a suitable aperture in its box
or case n. Each of these sights is provided with a groove m¹ on one side in which
a flat spring o is inserted. This spring under ordinary circumstances permits the
said sights to be freely adjusted vertically, whilst at the same time it exerts
sufficient force upon the sight to retain it in any desired position. In order
however to clamp the said sight in the desired position I combine with the spring o
an excentric lever o', which being turned upon its fulcrum o² exerts sufficient force

page_text: by its shoulder o* upon the said spring to retain the sight in position until such
lever is again turned to permit the re-adjustment of the sight. These sights m are
combined with other sights p near the muzzle end of the gun, and both the front
and rear sights are preferably provided with apertures through which the operator
may observe the object or objects to be aimed at, the apertures in the front sights
being furnished with a pin or point to facilitate the aiming. The said sights are
also provided with the usual upward extensions to permit the aiming to be
approximately effected prior to minutely setting the gun by the use of the aforesaid
apertures.
Although I have herein described my improvements as applied to a gun having
five barrels, I wish it understood that the said improvements may be applied to
guns having a greater or lesser number of barrels as desired without departing from
the spirit of iny Invention.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,--
First. In a machine gun the slide for transferring the cartridges simultaneously
from the cartridge feeder to the spaces in front of the plungers, constructed and
operating substantially as above set forth, and for the purposes specified.
Second. In a machine gun the aforesaid slide provided with the inclines g², and
operating in combination with the inclined surfaces a*, j³, and j*, substantially as
above set forth, and for the purposes specified.
Third. In a machine gun tho cains d¹, d², in combination with the lever h and
slide 9, and with or without the levers i, i, substantially as above set forth, and for
the purposes specified.
Fourth. In a machine gun the slide provided with the bevelled or inclined
surfaces g³ in combination with the extractors, substantially as above set forth, and
for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In a machine gun the means whereby the cartridges are simultaneously
fed to the barrels, and the empty cartridge shells are consecutively started in
commencing their extraction therefrom, substantially as above described with
reference to the Drawings, and for the purposes specified.
Sixth. In a machine gun the means whereby I provide for either the simultaneous
or the alternate firing of the barrels, or for firing the barrels in pairs, substantially
as above set forth.
Seventh. The devices for clamping the sights in position, as above described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Eighth. A machine gun in which the above described improvements or any of
them are combined with the other parts of the gun, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gardner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
HENRY H. LAKE,
8. Southampton Buildings,
London.
WM GARDNER. (L.S.)