Machine for Forcing Cartridges into Flexible Pocketted Belts or Bands.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct.,
1896
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Forcing Cartridges into Flexible Pocketted Belts
or Bands.
I JAMES RAMSAY Glendower Erith Road Erith Kent Mechanical Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient means of placing
the cartridges firmly, and at the same time evenly in the pocketted belts, in
such a manner, and against sufficient resistance in the pockets, that the band or
belts will retain the cartridges in the correct relative position, that will ensure
an easy and smooth run of the ammunition through the feed box of the gun.
For this purpose I provide a machine of cross section somewhat like an
inverted T, having an ordinary flanged base, or equivalent, with an entablature
on which each cartridge can in turn rest while being operated on. The entabla-
ture is suitably recessed so that on it, the belt containing the cartridges rest,
each in turn; securely and evenly. On each side of said recess, I provide a suitable
stop, which resists the forward movement of the belt, while each cartridge is being
pushed in place. At the rear of base or entablature, I provide a lug or lugs, or
any other simple equivalent on which a lever can be pivotted, and this lever is
provided with a pivotted button & spring, which is made suitable for cartridge
bases. The lever can now be given a reciprocating movement by the hand, and
the range of movement, is limited in each direction by an adjustable or fixed
stop.
The operation of charging the belt or band is now as follows.
The cartridges are placed, each in its respective pocket by hand, and partially
pushed in place, preparatory to their final adjustment by the machine. The
partially charged belt is now placed on the entablature of machine, the front
edge of belt or dividing metal strips of the same, abutting the side stops already
mentioned. The lever is brought forward and the button on the lever, presses
against the base of the cartridge case, and a continued movement of the lever
until it meets the forward lever stop; presses the cartridge firmly into its pocket,
and at the same time in its correct relative position.
28th day of October 1896.
TION.
A Machine for Forcing Cartridges into Flexible Pocketted Belts
or Bands.
I JAMES RAMSAY, of Glendower, Erith Road, Erith, in the County of Kent,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.1

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be 'particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
Heretofore considerable difficulty has been experienced in properly inserting
cartridges by hand into the pockets of flexible feed belts for automatic guns.
The necessity for the cartridges to fit the pockets tightly, so that they will not
be liable to become displaced during the carriage and manipulation of the belt,
requires considerable force to be exerted by the operator in fully inserting the
cartridges into the pockets and renders the filling operation by hand laborious,
more especially when dealing with cartridges of comparatively large dimensions
such as those used with automatic quick firing guns. Moreover in filling the
belt by hand the cartridges cannot, except with considerable difficulty, and much
expenditure of time be caused to all lie evenly, that is to say with their bases all
at one uniform level in the said pockets.
Now I propose first to insert the cartridges partially into the feed
belt pockets by hand and then to complete their insertion by a machine which
forms the subject of my present invention. This machine is so constructed that
the cartridges can be inserted into the pockets in such a manner that they will
all be firmly retained in the pockets with the required evenness or uniformity
of their bases throughout the entire series in the belt, I thus ensure an easy and
a smooth passage of the belt and cartridges into the feed box of the gun.
For this purpose the machine comprises a body portion having at its upper part
a semi-circular recess to receive each pocket and cartridge contained therein as
the feed belt is caused to pass through the machine. The said body portion is
furnished with a lever carrying a pivoted button or push piece for acting
on the base of all the cartridges in succession and forcing them com-
pletely into the belt. A suitable stop or suitable stops are provided for
resisting lateral movement of the belt during this operation and the movement
of the said lever is limited by a stop so that the amplitude of its forward stroke
or movement in acting on the cartridges is the same for all of the cartridges.
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 vertical section of the machine.
Figure 2 is a plan and
Figure is an end view thereof.
A is the body portion of the machine and B the semi-circular recess therein.
C is the lever and D the pivoted button or push piece carried thereby. EE are
the stops for preventing lateral movement of the belt and F is the stop for limiting
the forward or operative stroke of the lever.
The said body portion A is in cross-section somewhat like an inverted T, the
flanged base A of which serves to receive bolts for rigidly connecting the machine
to a suitable stationary support. At the upper part of the said body is the semi-
circular recess B which is arranged horizontally to receive each belt-pocket and
the cartridge it contains as shown in Figure 1.
The said semi-circular recess is made of increased depth at B' to receive the
belt-pocket and the end stops E E lie in such a position as to resist the lateral
movement of the belt in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. At the opposite
end of the said recess B is a flange Be to support the cartridge. The lever C in
the example illustrated is adapted to be operated by a handle C and is pivoted
by a transverse pin C between lugs A2 A2 projecting from the lower part of the
body A. The forward movement of the lever is limited by an inclined stop F
situated between the said lugs so that the distance that the said lever can be
shifted in the direction of the curved arrow in Figure 1 is limited and the
amplitude of its stroke be thereby regulated. FI is a second stop or incline for
limiting the stroke of the lever in the opposite direction. The button D has lugs a
о

page_text: by which it is pivotally connected by a pin d to the said lever. It is also pro-
vided with inclines dd which permit it to have a certain amount of vertical
movement about its pivot so that its face will always lie truly against the base
of the cartridge while the latter is being forced to the required extent into the
belt-pocket. The face of the said button is also formed with a cavity to ensure
that the cap or detonator of the cartridge does not come into actual contact with
the button.
The partially charged feed belt is adapted to pass transversely through the
machine by hand, each pocket and the cartridge it contains entering successively
into the semi-circular recess B, while the edge of the belt or the dividing strips
thereof lie against the stops E E.
The lever is then actuated to cause the pivoted button to forcibly bear against
the base of the cartridge whereby the latter is pressed into the pocket until the
lever comes against the stop F, by which operation the cartridge is driven into the
pocket to the full predetermined extent. During this operation the belt is pre-
vented from shifting laterally by the aforesaid stops E, E. The lever is then
released and allowed to fall into a position with its lower end lying against the
stop F, and then the belt is drawn through the machine until the next pocket
and cartridge lie in the semi-circular recess B. The lever is then again actuated
to force this cartridge into the belt pocket to the same extent as the previous
cartridge. By a repetition of the above operations all the cartridges in the feed
belt are acted upon in succession and are all caused to enter the belt pockets to
precisely the same extent.
If desired the stop F may be adjustably arranged so that the operative stroke
of the lever can be varied and cartridges of different lengths be acted upon.
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 :-
A machine, substantially as described, for completing the insertion of cartridges
into the pockets of feed belts in such a manner that their bases will all lie in one
even or uniform plane along the belt.
D
ليمة
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.