Improvements in Machines for Filling and Finishing Cartridges.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Filling and Finishing Cartridges.
I, THOMAS PAGE WOOD, of 26 High Street, in the City and County of
Bristol, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide a machine by means of which
cartridge cases are automatically charged with powder wads and shot or bullets in
sequential order and the ends of the cases turned in and finished and the finished
cartridges ejected from the machine in rapid succession.
A machine constructed according to my invention coutains a rotary die block
having a series of holes to receive the cartridge cases to be filled. This block is
mounted upon a pedestal or other suitable support and is caused to make an inter-
mittent partial rotation at intervals. This intermittent partial rotation may be
effected by means of a pawl and ratchet wheel having teeth corresponding in
number to the number of holes in the die or block each intermittent movement
imparted to this die block being equal to the distance between two adjacent
holes therein. A locking device may be provided to insure the cartridge cases
in the die block being moved into and held in correct position to be charged and
operated on. The ratchet wheel may be coupled to the die block by mitre wheels
or other suitable gear.
The pedestal or support upon which the die block is mounted carries plungers
one of which works in an opening or recess on one side of the pedestal or support
in which recess the empty cartridge cases or shells may be placed one by one either
by hand or fed automatically thereinto from a reservoir by a moveable part of the
machine, and forced by this plunger into the holes in the die block. Another
plunger carried by the pedestal is provided for the purpose of giving to the
cartridge an additional pressure to effect the turning in of the end of cartridge cases
as hereinafter described. These plungers may be connected by a plate or table to
which the required motions are given by a crank and connecting rod driven by
gearing from a first motion shaft. This plate to which the plungers are connected
is connected to another plate by bars or rods which take their bearing in the pedestal
or support serve to impart to the plungers which are above the die block their
reciprocating motions.
Over the die block is a cover plate having a number of passages through which
passages the cartridge cases in the die block are charged with powder shot and the
various wads in their proper sequence. Ordinary cartridges which have their ends
turned in after the shot wads have been inserted may if desired be charged and
finished in one die block but to make my improved cartridges such as are described
in my Specification of Letters Patent dated November 18th 1887 No. 15848, I
prefer to employ two die blocks in one of which I charge the cases with the powder
and wads which follow previous to the charge of shot and then place the cartridge
cases thus partially filled into the other die block in which the edge or end of the
case is turned in, charged with shot and the shot wad inserted. The two die blocks
may be actuated by separate gear worked from one and the same cranked shaft,
the crank being set so as to balance the machine. The powder reservoir from
which the cases are charged is provided with a measuring device secured to the
cover plate of the die block directly over the opening or recess in the pedestal or
support into which the empty cartridge cases are inserted. This measuring device
may consist of a rectangular tube having an opening therein communicating with the
discharge passage from the powder reservoir. This rectangular tube is arranged
in a horizontal position and contains a block or slide having a hole or passage
therein corresponding to the opening in the tube with which it is caused to
A

page_text: e when in one position and when in another position it communicates
with a hole in the die block containing an empty cartridge case. The cubic capacity
of the hole in the sliding block is equal to the charge of powder required and may
be varied by providing the hole in the sliding block with an adjustable side plate so
that the cubic capacity of the hole may be increased or decreased as desired. An
index may be provided to indicate the capacity of the hole. The sliding block may
be operated at the required periods by a lever or otherwise from any suitable moving
part of the machine and a vibratory or jarring motion may be given to the powder
reservoir and also to the sliding block so as to ensure the hole in the block being
fully charged with powder and discharged into the cartridge case. The wads are fed
into the cartridge case from tubes carried on the cover plate of the die block each
wad tube being provided with a sliding plate having a reciprocating motion
imparted to it which may be effected by means of a lever operated at the required
periods by a cam mounted upon the crank shaft herein before referred to. The
sliding plate is provided with a hole into which a wad from the tube falls when
the sliding plate is in one position and is then carried by the plate over a hole
in the die block containing the cartridge case previously charged with powder
a plunger being then caused to descend and force the wad through the hole in the
plate into the cartridge case in the die block. The die block by its further rotation
brings the cartridge containing the powder and one wad into position to receive
another wad or other wads which wads may be supplied from tubes in a similar.
manner to that described with reference to the first wad. If the machine be
constructed so as to complete the cartridges in one die plate the necessary wads
having been fed into the cartridge case the said case may be brought by the
further rotation of the die block into position over a plunger in the pedestal by
which the cartridge is raised in the hole in the die block and brought into contact
with another plunger which is timed to descend at this moment whereby the edge
of the cartridge case is turned inwards these plungers then recede and after a
further rotation of the die block a plunger is caused to enter the cartridge so as to
fold the partially turned in end against the inner surface of the cartridge case.
This plunger then recedes and the die block is further rotated so as to bring the
cartridge into position to receive a charge of shot from a shot reservoir provided
with a suitable measuring device after which the die block is further rotated so as
to bring the cartridge case into position to receive another wad which is supplied
from a tube in a similar manner to the wads previously inserted in the case after
which by a further rotation of the die block the cartridge is brought into position
to be ejected from the die block or the entire turning down of the edge of the
case may be effected after the end wad has been inserted. The ejector consists of
a plunger operated at the requisite periods by a moving part of the machine so as
to expel the cartridges from the holes in the die block and after each operation to
recede to admit of the die block rotating to bring the next cartridge into position
to be expelled. The cartridges as they are expelled from the die block may be
conducted by a guide into a receptacle placed in position to receive them.
of completing the charging and finishing of the cartridges in one die block as
described prefer as aforesaid to provide one die block and apparatus in con-
nection therewith for charging the cartridges with powder and with one or more
wads and also with an ejector the cartridges when thus partially charged being
then placed in another die block to be turned in and receive the charge of shot
and the final wad. The die blocks are each provided with the number of holes
or receptacles necessary for say six cartridge cases. The first die block may be
provided with a powder reservoir four wad supply tubes and an ejector.
Instead
The receptacles or holes in the second die block for receiving the cartridges from
the first die block may be each formed with an internal shoulder at or near the
height determined by the length of cartridge the hole above this shoulder being
smaller than the internal diameter of the cartridge case. A plunger is provided
as before described for thrusting the open end of the cartridge case into the
smaller part of the hole to cause the open end of the cartridge case to be partially

page_text: turned in the said end being fully turned in by a plunger as hereinbefore described.
After the turning in of the open end of the cartridge case takes place (when
making my improved cartridges) a charge of shot is fed into it by a measuring
device which may consist of a tube in connection with the shot reservoir and
having two slots arranged at the required distance apart in which slots work slides
or tongues connected to a lever fulcrummed between the slots so that when this
lever is oscillated the slides or tongues alternately close and open the tube so as to
admit of a measured quantity of shot sufficient to fill the space between the two
slots at each operation of the lever to pass into a cartridge case brought into
position by the die block.
Only one wad supply tube is required with this second die block from which the
end or shot wads are supplied to the cartridges and a plunger is also provided to
give to the cartridge a final thrust in the die block to slightly close in the end
after having received the last wad. A revolving tool may also be provided to
gloss the turned in ends of cartridges and any suitable pigment may be here
introduced to improve the finish.
The ejector may be the same as before described and may have in the face a die
having a name or device thereon for the purpose of imprinting or marking upon
the top wad or end of cartridge and an inking device may be provided to ink the
device on the end of the ejector.
The revolving tool above referred to for glossing the edge of the cartridges may
be employed when dealing with shot cartridges turned over in the ordinary manner
that is to say when the top wad is inserted before turning over the edge of the
cartridge. In this case the wad will be beneath the turned over edge in which case
the shoulder in the holes in die block may be used only as a guide for plungers or
they may be of uniform diameter throughout.
This machine with slight modification may be used for filling and finishing
military or bullet cartridges, viz.: by providing the machine with the powder
filling and rod inserting arrangements as before and with a bullet feeding device
which will insert a bullet into the end of the case a die being also provided which
compresses the edge of the case on to the bullet to hold it in position.
When a revolving turnover tool or a revolving glossing tool is employed it is
placed over the plunger hereinbefore referred to working in the pedestal which
plunger has a conical cupped end which receives and grins the bottom end of the
cartridge cases so as to prevent the cartridges from turning during the turning in
or glossing operations. This plunger may be actuated by a cam so as to make a
pause when in its gripping position whilst the end of a cartridge is being turned
over or glossed.
T
M1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Filling and Finishing Cartridges.
1, THOMAS PAGE WOOD, of 26 High Street, in the City and County of Bristol,
Gun Maker, 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 has for its object to provide a machine or machines by means of
which cartridge cases are automatically charged in sequential order with powder
and wad or wads and with shot and wad or wads or with bullets and in the case of
shot cartridges the ends of the cases are or may be turned in and finished the
cartridges being completed and ejected from the machine in rapid succession.
A machine constructed according to my invention contains a rotary die block
having a series of equidistant holes to receive the cartridge cases to be filled.

page_text: This block is mounted upon a pedestal or other suitable support and is caused to
make an intermittent partial rotation at intervals. This intermittent partial
rotation may be effected by means of any suitable device such as a pawl and ratchet
wheel so that each intermittent movement imparted to this die block is equal to the
distance between the centres of two adjacent holes therein. A locking device inay
be provided to ensure the cartridge cases in the die block being moved into and held
in correct position to be charged and operated upon. The motion of the ratchet
wheel may be transmitted to the die block by mitre wheels or other suitable gear.
The pedestal or support upon which the die block is mounted carries a frame
provided with plungers one of which works in an opening or recess on one side of
the pedestal or support in which recess the empty cartridge cases or shells may be
placed one by one either by hand or be fed automatically thereinto from a reservoir
by a moveable part of the machine and by this plunger the cartridge cases are
forced into the holes in the die block as they are successively brought into line with
the said recess, there are other plungers carried by the frame by which the wads are
forced into the cases and also an ejector for ejecting the cases from the machine as
hereinafter described. The said frame carrying the plungers may receive its
required motions by any suitable mechanism such as a crank and connecting rod
driven by gearing or from a shaft.
Over the die block is a cover plate having a number of passages through which
the cartridge cases in the die block are charged with powder, shot or bullets and the
wad or wads as required and for loading ordinary shot cartridges the cover plate
also carries a revolving turnover tool for turning in the end of cartridge case and
securing the last or shot wad, a plunger is mounted in the pedestal carrying the die
block directly underneath the "turnover" and is raised and held in position at the
proper moment by a cam worked from any convenient rotary portion of the machine
such as the crank shaft this plunger raises the cartridge case in the die block and
the end protrudes into the revolving turnover in cover plate a plunger for returning
the cartridge to its normal position in die block is provided as hereinafter
described.
Cartridges may if desired be charged and finished in one die block but to make
my improved cartridges such as are described in my Specification of Letters Patent
dated 18th November 1887, No. 15848, I prefer to employ two die blocks in one of
which I charge the cases with the powder and wad or wads which follow previous
to the charge of shot and then pass by hand or automatically the cartridge cases
thus partially filled into the other die block in which the edge or end of the case is
turned in, charged with shot and the shot wad inserted and therein secured by the
inturned edge of case being slightly closed upon it. The two die blocks may be
actuated by separate gear which may be worked independently but preferably from
the same cranked shaft the cranks being set so that the movements of the machines
are balanced. The powder reservoir from which the cases are charged is provided
with a measuring device secured to the cover plate of the die block directly over the
opening or recess in the pedestal or support into which the empty cartridge cases
are inserted. This measuring device may consist as hereinafter more particularly
described of a block or slide having a hole or passage therein which is alternately
made to coincide with a passage from. the powder reservoir and with a hole or
passage leading to the cartridge case. The cubic capacity of the hole in the sliding
block is equal to the charge of powder required. The sliding block may be
operated at the required periods by a lever or otherwise from any suitable moving
part of the machine and a vibratory or jarring motion may be given to the powder
reservoir and also to the sliding block so as to ensure the hole in the block being
fully charged with powder and discharged into the cartridge case.
The wads may
be cut or punched from a strip of material as required and be fed into the cartridge
case direct or they may be previously made and placed in tubes carried on the cover
plate of the die block each wad tube being provided with a sliding plate having a
reciprocating motion imparted to it which may be effected by means of a lever
operated at the required periods by a cam mounted upon the crank shaft herein-

page_text: before referred to. The sliding plate is provided with a hole into which a wad from
the tube passes when the sliding plate is in one position and is then carried by the
plate over the hole in the die block containing the cartridge case previously charged
with powder a plunger being then caused to descend and force the wad into the
cartridge case in the die block. The die block by its further rotation brings the
cartridge containing the powder and the wad into position to receive another wad or
other wads if required which wad or wads may be supplied from tubes in a manner
similar to that described with reference to the first wad. If the machine be
constructed so as to complete the loading of ordinary shot cartridges in one die
block the necessary wads having been fed into the cartridge case the said case
is brought by the further rotation of the die block into position to receive a charge
of shot from a shot reservoir provided with a suitable measuring device after which
the die block is further rotated so as to bring the cartridge case into position to
receive another wad or wads which is or are supplied from a tube or tubes in a
manner similar to that in which the wads were previously inserted in the case after
which by a further rotation of the die block the cartridge is brought into position
under the revolving turnover in cover plate, a plunger carried in the pedestal or
support of die block is at this moment raised by a cam on the crank shaft actuating
the said plunger so as to press the cartridge case in die block up, until its open end
be protruded from die sufficiently far into the revolving tool in cover plate and there
held until the open end of case is turned in over the last wad, an ejector is fitted to
the revolving tool and the cartridge now fully loaded is pressed downward into its
normal position as the plunger beneath it recedes and the die block making a
further rotation brings the cartridge into position to be ejected from die block.
The ejection may be effected by a plunger operated at the requisite periods by a
moving part of the machine so as to expel the cartridges from the holes in the die
block and after each operation to recede to admit of the die block receiving another
partial rotation.
Instead of completing the charging and finishing of the shot cartridges in one
die block as described I prefer, as aforesaid, to provide one die block and
apparatus in connection therewith for charging the cartridges with powder and with
a wad or wads and also with an ejector, the cartridges when thus partially charged
being then placed in or automatically passed into another die block to be turned in
and receive the charge of shot and the final wad or wads. The die blocks are
cach provided with a number of holes or receptacles necessary for the number of
successive operations to be performed in the machine. For instance the first die
block may be provided with a powder reservoir four wad supply tubes and an
ejector.
The receptacles or holes in the second die block for receiving the cartridges
from the first die block may be each formed with an internal curved shoulder at or
near the height determined by the length of cartridge the hole above this shoulder
being smaller than the diameter of the cartridge case, and a plunger being provided
by which the cartridges are forced against the curved shoulders so as to partially
turn in the open ends of the cartridge cases the said partially turned in ends being
fully turned in by another plunger. After the turning in of the open end of the
cartridge case (when making my aforesaid improved cartridges) a charge of shot is
fed into it by a measuring device which may be similar to that described for
supplying the powder.
Only one wad supply tube is generally required with this second die block from
which tube the end or shot wads are supplied to the cartridges and a plunger is
also provided to give to the cartridge a final thrust in the die block to slightly close
in the end after having received the last wad.
The ejector may be the same as that before described and may have in the face
a die having a name or device thereon for the purpose of imprinting or marking
upon the top wad or end of cartridge, and an inking device may be provided to ink
the device on the end of the ejector.
This machine may be used for filling and finishing military or bullet cartridges

page_text: by providing the machine with the powder filling and wad (or wads) inserting
arrangements as before and with a bullet feeding device which will insert a bullet
into the end of the case.
A revolving turnover tool for turning in the ends of ordinary shot cartridges
may be provided in combination with a plunger having a conical cupped end
preferably serrated which receives and grips the bottom end of the cartridge cases
so as to prevent the cartridges from revolving during the turning over operation.
This plunger may be actuated by a cam on the crank shaft so as to make a pause
when in its gripping position whilst the end of the cartridge is being turned over.
A bar or other suitable stop or projection is provided in the passage in the pedestal
in which the plunger slides to prevent the cartridges from descending below the
face of the pedestal on which the die block revolves the upper end of the plunger
being slotted to admit of it rising above the bar to force the edge of the cartridge
cases into the turnover tool.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will further describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same numerals
are employed to indicate like parts in all the figures.
Figure is a front elevation of the complete or duplex machine for filling and
finishing shot cartridges the powder measuring device being shown in section.
Figure 2 is a vertical section along the line a b Figure 1 looking towards the
left.
Figure 3 is a vertical section along the line c d Figure 1 also looking towards
the left.
Figure 4 is a detail in section of the shot measuring and feeding device.
Figure 5 is a vertical section along the line e f Figure 1 looking towards the
left.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line g h Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a similar section on the line ik Figure 1, showing the powder
charging device in plan.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section on line 7 m Figure 1 and
Figure 9 is a horizontal section on the line no Figure 1.
Figure 10 is an elevation partly in section of the shot charging portion of the
machine showing the mechanism for automatically feeding the partially charged
cartridges into the die block to receive the shot and final wad or wads.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are detached views of the feeding device drawn to a
larger scale. Figure 11 being a vertical section of the apparatus. Figure 12 a
vertical section of the hopper. Figure 13 a plan of the apparatus and Figure 14
a horizontal section through the slide or plunger which forces the cartridge cases
from the hopper into the charging machine.
Figure 15 is an elevation of a portion of the machine showing an arrangement
for conveying the partially charged cartridges as they are ejected from the powder
charging portion of the machine into the automatic feeding device of the shot
charging portion of the said machine and Figure 16 is a plan (partly in horizontal
section) corresponding to Figure 15.
Figure 17 represents in vertical section the revolving tool for turning over the
ends of ordinary cartridge cases and
Figures 174, 178 are elevations at right angles to each other showing the
mechanism for operating the said revolving tool.
Figures 18, 19 and 20 are views of an arrangement of apparatus for feeding a
strip of wad material beneath a punch or plunger which cuts the wads from the
strip as required another plunger forcing them into the cartridge cases. Figure 18
being an elevation, Figure 19 a plan and Figure 20 a vertical section of the said
apparatus.
Figures 21, 22 and 23 represent an arrangement for automatically feeding bullets
into the cartridge cases when loading military cartridges. Figure 21 being a
vertical section of the apparatus. Figure 22 a plan of the feeding hopper and
Figure 23 a vertical section of the feeding hopper at right angles to Figure 21.

page_text: 10 prevent complication the automatic cartridge feeding device is omitted from
the main Figures 1, 3 and 5 but will be fully described hereinafter with reference
to Figures 10 to 16.
Referring to Figures 1 to 9 two pedestals 1, 2 are arranged side by side on a
suitable base plate or firm foundation. The pedestal or standard 1 carries the
mechanism for charging the cartridges with powder and with a wad or with wads
and the pedestal or standard 2 carries the mechanism for charging the cases with
shot and the final wad or wads and for turning in the ends of the cartridges.
3 is the first motion shaft which is mounted in bearings 4 on the standard 2 and
may be driven from any suitable prime motor by a strap passing round the pulley 5.
On the shaft 3 is loosely mounted a pinion 6 which may be coupled to the shaft 3
when required by means of a sliding clutch 7 operated by a lever 8. The pinion 6
is in gear with a spur wheel 9 fast on a shaft 10 mounted in bearings 11 and
carrying cams 12, 13 and crank pins 14, 15 by which motion is imparted to the
various parts of the machine as hereinafter described. To the top of each of the
standards 1, 2 is bolted respectively a casting 16, 17 and in a recess on the top of
each of these castings is fitted a rotatable block or cartridge case receiver 18, 19
(which I will term "die blocks") each having a number of holes 18*, 19* therein
into which the cartridge cases to be charged are inserted.
In the drawing each die block is shown as having six holes for the cartridge
cases but any other desired number may be provided in accordance with the number
of operations to be performed. Each die block is fast on a spindle 20, 21 fitted to
turn in a bush 22, 23 in the castings 16, 17 respectively. Fast on each of the
spindles 20 and 21 is a mitre wheel 24, 25 gearing with corresponding wheels 26, 27
on horizontal shafts 28, 29 passing through openings in the castings 16, 17 and
mounted in bearings 30, 31 as shown in Figures 1 and 9.
.
On each of the shafts 28 and 29 is a ratchet wheel 32, 33 with which gear
pawls 34, 35 carried on arms 36, 37 mounted loosely on the shafts 28, 29. The
arms 36, 37 are connected respectively by rods 38 and 39 to bell crank levers 40
and 41 centred at 42, 43 to the lower part of the standards 1 and 2. These
levers are provided with friction bowls 44, 45 which are acted on respectively
by the cams 12 and 13 at each revolution of the shaft 10 so as to impart
through the rods 39, 40 pawls 34, 35 ratchet wheels 32, 33 and gearing 24, 26.
and 25, 27 intermittent motions of partial rotation in the same direction to the
die blocks 18, 19 to bring the holes in the die blocks in succession into position
to receive a cartridge case to be charged and in succession in line with the
devices by which the successive operations are performed. The holes in each of
the die blocks are arranged at equal distances apart in a circle struck from the
centre of the axis on which it turns and on the periphery of each die block
between each two adjacent holes are recesses 46, 47 as shown clearly in Figure 8,
with which recesses wheels or rollers 48, 49 are caused to engage under the
action of springs 50, 51 so as to ensure the die blocks being retained in the
position to which they are moved at each intermittent motion.
The die blocks 18, 19 are each fitted with a stationary cover plate 52, 53
having holes therethrough coinciding with the holes in the die blocks. Fitted
to slide in holes or guide passages 54, 55 formed respectively in the castings 16
and 17, are rods 56, 57, the rods 56 in the casting 16 being connected at their
upper and lower ends respectively to plates 58 and 59, and the rods 57 in the
casting 17 being similarly connected to plates 60 and 61, thereby constituting
two vertically sliding frames. The lower plates 59 and 61 of these frames are
connected by rods 69, 70 respectively to the crank pins 14 and 15, so that when
the shaft 10 is rotated the frames will have reciprocating motions given to them.
These reciprocating frames carry plungers by which the cartridge cases are
forced in the holes in the die blocks and also other plungers by which the wads
'are pressed into the cases as hereinafter described. The top plate 58 of the
frame 56, 58, 59 also carries the powder reservoir 62 from which the cases are
charged with powder and the top plate 60 of the frame 57, 60, 61 carries the

page_text: shot reservoir 63 from which the cases are supplied with shot. On the cover
plate 52 of the die block 18 is fitted a powder measuring device consisting of
a box 64 divided by a sliding partition or block 65 into two compartments 66, 67.
The sliding block is provided with a chamber or opening 65x of a capacity equal
to a charge of powder required for each cartridge. This sliding block is connected
by a link 90 to an arm 91 of a three armed lever mounted on a stud 92 on the
exterior of the box 64 the other arms 93 and 94 of this three armed lever being so
situated that when the frame consisting of the plates 58, 59 and rods 56 rises a
projection 95 strikes the arm 94 so as to slide the block 65 from the position shown
in Figure 1 (where the chamber 65* receives a charge of powder from the com-
partment 66) into position to bring the chamber 65% over the inlet to the lower
compartment 67 into which the charge of powder passes from the said chamber.
When the frame next descends the block 65 is returned to the position shown in
Figure 1 by the projection 95 striking the arm 93. Communicating with the
interior of the upper compartment 66 of the measuring device is a tube 68 which
extends into the interior of the powder reservoir 62, the top of the tube 68 being
level with or slightly above the bottom of the interior of the reservoir when the
reservoir is in its highest position so that even when the powder is very low in the
reservoir it will enter the tube and pass thence to the measuring device. Fixed to
the cover plate 52 of the die block 18 are tubes 71, 72, 73, 74 all or any desired
number of which may contain wads to be fed into the cartridge cases. Each tube
is provided with a wad feeding device consisting of a sliding plate 75, 76, 77, 78 of
a thickness about equal to the thickness of a wad and having a hole 77* therein
which is brought beneath the lower open end of the corresponding wad tube to
receive a wad therefrom and then moved into position over the hole in the die block
containing the cartridge case into which the wad is to be inserted. The several
wad feeding plates 75, 76, 77, 78 are connected together by rods 79 and bell crank
levers 80 and are operated simultaneously by the cam 12 which at each revolution
of the shaft 10 acts on a friction bowl 81 on the end of a lever 82 connected by a
rod 83 to another lever 84 fast on a short shaft 85 mounted in brackets on the
casting 16. On the shaft 85 is another arm or lever 86 which is connected to
the wad feeding plate 77 as shown in Figure 2 so that by the action of the
cam 12 on the lever 82 a reciprocating motion imparted through the rods 79
and bell crank levers 80 to all the wad feeding plates 75, 76, 77 and 78
simultaneously.
The cartridge cases to be charged with powder and wads are automatically
fed one at a time as hereinafter described into a recess 88 in the side of the
casting 16 when the frame 58, 59, 56 is in its lowest position as shown in
Figures 1 and 2 and at each rising motion of the frame a plunger 89 fixed on
the lower plate 59 of the frame forces a cartridge case from the recess 88 into
a hole in the die block 18 which at the time coincides therewith.
When the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the powder
reservoir 62 is charged with powder the tube 68 and also the chambers 66
and 65 will be full of powder. One or more of the wad tubes 71, 72, 73
and 74 are supplied with wads, according to the number of wads required to be
inserted in each cartridge case.
The empty cartridge cases are placed in the inclined shoot 1* of the automatic
feeding device shown in Figure 2 from which shoot, when the machine is started,
they pass one by one into the hopper 2x and thence into a chamber 3* from which
they are forced by a plunger 4× into the recess 88. The machine is started by
moving the lever 8 into the position shown in Figure 1 so as to slide the clutch 7
into engagement with the pinion 6 and thereby inpart motion through the wheel 9
to the shaft 10 carrying the cams 12, 13 and the crank 14, which crank is connected
to the frame 56, 58, 59 by the connecting rod 69. The frame now commences to
rise and assuming that a cartridge case has been inserted in the recess 88 the
plunger 89 coming into contact with the said case raises it into a hole 18* in
the die block 18 which at the time is situated over the recess.

page_text: During a portion of the time that the cartridge case is being raised into the die
block the projection 95 see Figure 1 on the frame comes into contact with the
arm 94 of the three armed lever connected to the block 65 of the measuring device
so as to move the said block from the position shown in Figure 1 into position to
bring the chamber 65* in the block into communication with the lower compart-
ment 67 of the powder measuring device so that the powder contained in the
chamber 65* will pass therefrom into the compartment 67 and thence through the
outlet from the said compartment into the cartridge case contained in the die block.
During that portion of the rotation of the shaft 10 which causes the vertical sliding
frame to rise, the cam 12 by acting on the lever 82 causes the wad feeding
plates 75, 76, 77 and 78 to move and bring the holes therein beneath their corre-
sponding wad tubes, so that a wad will pass from each of the tubes containing wads
into the holes in the feeding plates beneath the said tubes. So soon as the frame
commences to descend the cam 12 ceases to act on the lever 82 and before it
descends to any appreciable extent the wad feeding plates will be returned by the
weight of their operating levers (assisted if desired by a spring) into their normal
position the holes in the plates then coinciding with holes in the die block so that
the wad or wads in the holes in the feeding plates are in position to be forced into
the cartridge cases by the plungers 96, 97, 98, 99 (Figure 7) carried by the upper
plate 58 of the sliding frame. After operating the lever 82 the cam 12 comes into
contact with one arm of the bell crank Tever 40 and imparts through the said lever
and the rod 38 pawl and ratchet wheel 34 and 32 and the gearing 26 and 24 a
motion of partial rotation to the die block 18 thereby bringing the cartridge case
charged with powder into position to receive a wad from the first wad feeding
device 75 and also bringing another hole in the die block into position to receive an
empty cartridge case, after which the cam 12 leaves the arm 40 and the pawl 34
takes a position to effect the next operation of the die block. The vertically
sliding frame continuing to descend the plungers 96, 97, 98 and 99 enter the holes
in the die block, the plunger 96 forcing the wad from the hole in the feeding
plate 75 into the case containing the charge of powder.
When the frame has completed its downstroke the plunger 89 will be below the
recess 88 into which an empty cartridge case can now be inserted. The frame then
rises again and the operations last described are repeated and another wad inserted
in the case from the tube 72 on top of previous wad and then the operation being
repeated one or two more wads may be inserted from the tubes 73 and 74. So long
as the machine continues to work the operations herein before described will be
repeated with respect to each cartridge case inserted in the recess 88 and the cases
are brought in succession into position over a recess 100 (Figure 9) in the casting 16
so that at each descent of the frame a plunger 101 (Figure 2) carried by the upper
plate 58 ejects a cartridge case charged with powder and wads from the die block
into the recess 100. The plunger 101 is not rigidly connected to the plate 58 but
the upper end slides through a hole therein and is provided on top with a collar or
head 102 between which collar and the top surface of the plate 58 is interposed a
spring 103 which tends to maintain the plunger in its elevated position a collar 104
on the said plunger being then in contact with the underside of the plate 58.
Centred to a stud or projection 105 on the underside of the plate 58 is a lever 106
one end of which is attached to or engages with the collar 104 whilst the opposite
end thereof is free. On the cover plate 52 of the die block. 18 is a projection 107
situated directly beneath the free end of the lever 106 so that when the frame has
descended a short distance the free end of the said lever comes into contact
with the projection 107 which causes the lever to turn on its centre and impart to
the plunger 101 an additional and rapid descent so as to expel the cartridge from
the die block into the recess 100 and at the same time compress the spring 103.
When the frame ascends again the lever 106 and plunger 101 are returned to their
normal positions by the expansive action of the spring 103.
Each partly charged cartridge ejected from the die block 18 into the recess 100
is conducted by a shoot 101* into one of the buckets of an elevator 102* (Figure 15)
12

page_text: by which it is conveyed and deposited into a chamber 103* from whence it passes
onto the inclined shoot 140 of the automatic feeding device in connection with the
shot charging portion of the machine.
The elevator 102* consists of an endless chain of buckets carried on two six
sided drums 104× 105* the lower drum 105* being fast on a short shaft 106* carrying
a mitre wheel 107* in gear with a corresponding wheel 108* on a shaft 109* mounted
in suitable bearings 110x. The drum 105* is driven intermittently from the shaft 29
carrying the ratchet wheel 33 by a band or chain 111* passing round pulleys 112*
113 on the shaft 29 and 109* respectively.
As this intermittent motion of the drum 105* exactly coincides with those of die
block 18 it follows that as the die block makes a partial rotation to bring a
cartridge into position to be ejected the chain of buckets is similarly actuated so as
to bring an empty bucket into position to receive the cartridge as it passes from the
delivery shoot 101*.
The partly charged cartridges fed into the shoot 140 of the automatic feeding
device of the shot charging portion of the machine are fed by the said device one
by one into the recess 108 in the casting 17 carried on the standard 2 (this recess
being similar to the recess 88 in the casting 16) and are raised therefrom into the
holes in the die block 19 by a plunger 109 carried on the lower plate 61 of the
frame 57, 60, 61.
The holes or receptacles 19× for the cartridge cases in the die block 19 are
somewhat different in shape to those in the die block 18 a curved shoulder being
formed in the upper part of each hole 19* against which the upper edges of the
cartridge cases are forced by the plunger 109, whereby the top edge of each case
is turned inwards as shown in Figure 44. The up and down reciprocating motions
are given to the frame 57, 60, 61 by the crank 15 and the intermittent partial rotary
motions are given to the die block 19 by the cam 13 in the same manner as described
with reference to the die block 18 by the cam 12; it is preferred however that the
crank 15 and cam 13 by which the notions are given to the mechanism carried on
the standard 2, be set on the shaft 10 in the reverse position to the crank 14 and
cam 12 so that while the frame 56, 58, 59 is rising the frame 57, 60, 61 is descending
and vice versa and thus the machine is balanced.
After a cartridge case has been forced by the plunger 109 into a hole 19* in the
die block 19 the die block receives a partial rotation which brings the cartridge
case beneath a plunger 110 carried by the upper plate 60 of the frame another of
the holes in the die block being at the same time brought into position over the
recess 108 to receive another cartridge case. The frame 57, 60, 61 then descends
causing the plunger 110 to enter the cartridge case which has the edge partially
turned in, the said plunger as it enters forcing the partially turned in edge against
the internal surface of the case as shown in Figure 4³. Another cartridge case is
now inserted in the recess 108 and as the frame rises is forced by the plunger 109
into the hole in die block after which a further partial rotation is given to the die
block 19 which brings another opening 19* therein over the recess 108 whilst the
cartridge case with the turned in edge is brought beneath a shot measuring and
feeding device (Figures 4, 5 and 6) carried on the cover plate 53 of the die block.
The shot reservoir 63 is carried on plate 60 and communicates by a tube 112
with the shot measuring device which consists of a sliding block 113 having a
chamber 114 therein of a capacity sufficient to contain a charge of shot for each
cartridge.
When the block 113 is in its normal position the chamber 114 is in com-
munication with the tube 112 and is filled with shot; it is maintained in this
position so long as the frame 57, 60, 61 is in its highest position by a stud or
projection 115 on the frame bearing against an arm 116 of a three armed lever
carried on a stud 117 on the shot feeding device as shown in Figures 4 and 5,
another arm 118 of this lever being connected by a slot and pin connection to
the said block. When the frame descends the stud 115 leaves .the arm 116
' and comes into contact with the third arm 119 of the three armed lever causing

page_text: the said lever to turn on the stud 117 thereby sliding the block so as to bring
the chamber 114 filled with shot over the opening 120 in the cover plate 53
communicating with the cartridge contained in the hole in the die block 19
beneath. The cartridge is thus charged with shot after which the frame rises and
the die block makes another partial rotation. Another cartridge case having in
the meantime been inserted in the recess 108 is as the frame rises forced by the
plunger 109 into a hole in the die block whilst the case previously inserted is
having its edge fully turned in by the plunger 110 and that case which had just
received a charge of shot is receiving a wad from the wad feeding device 121.
This wad feeding device is similar in construction and operation to those herein-
before described with reference to the wad feeding mechanism carried on the
pedestal or standard 1-122 is the tube containing the wads, and 123 the feeding
plate. This plate has a reciprocating sliding motion imparted to it by the cam 13
acting on an arm 124, connected by a rod 125 to an arm 126 on a short shaft 127
which shaft is mounted in bearings on the casting 17, and carries another arm 128
connected to the plate 123. While the frame 57, 60, 61 is rising a hole in the
plate 123 is brought by the action of the cam 13 into position beneath the wad
tube 122 to receive a wad, after which the cam 13 ceases to act on the lever 124
and the plate is returned by the weight of the rods and levers connected therewith,
assisted if necessary by a spring 129, into its normal position, the hole containing
the wad being then over the hole in the die block containing the cartridge which is
charged with shot. When the frame descends a plunger 130 carried by the top
plate 60 forces the wad from the hole in the feeding plate 123 into the open end of
the cartridge but not below the turned in part. At the next partial rotation given
to the die block 19 another of the holes therein is brought over the recess 108 to
receive a cartridge case therefrom and at the same time the cartridge charged with
the final wad is brought over a plunger 131 carried by the lower plate 61 of the
frame which plunger when the frame rises forces the fully charged cartridge case
further into the hole in the die block containing it, so as to force the turned in
end of the cartridge against the curved collar in the hole and thereby contract
the end of the cartridge sufficiently to prevent the last wad inserted from falling
out as shewn in Figure 4°.
The die block then receives a further partial rotation bringing the finished
cartridge into position to be ejected from the die block at the next descent of the
frame. Each hole in the die block except that which is above the recess 108 now
contains a cartridge so that when the frame descends one of the cartridges is having
its edge folded in by the plunger 110, another is being charged with shot, and
another is receiving the final wad which is pressed thereinto by the plunger 130
whilst the finished cartridge is being ejected from the die block by a plunger 133
into a recess 132 in the casting 17.
The ejector plunger 133 like that hereinbefore described with reference to the
powder charging portion of the machine is not rigidly connected to the frame but
passes through a hole in the top plate 60 of the frame and has an enlarged head or
shoulder at its upper end between which head and the plate 60 is interposed a
spring 134 which tends to keep a collar 135 on the plunger in contact with the
underside of the plate 60. To the underside of the plate 60 is centred a lever 136
one end of which engages the collar 135 the opposite end of the said lever being
situated over a stop or projection 137 on the cover plate 53 of the die block 19
so that when the frame 57, 60, 61 is descending the free end of lever 136 comes
into contact with the projection 137 thereby rocking the lever on its centre and
causing the plunger 133 to descend rapidly and eject the finished cartridge from
the die block into the recess 132 from whence it passes into a suitable receiver.
When the frame rises again the spring 134 which had been compressed by the
action of the lever 136 expands and returns the plunger to its normal position with
the collar 135 against the plate 60.
It will be seen that while the machine is at work finished cartridges will be
ejected therefrom as fast as the partially charged cases are fed into the recess 132

page_text: the consecutive stages in the manufacture being effected simultaneously on different
cartridges in succession.
In Figure 10 is shewn an arrangement for operating the automatic feeding device
as applied to the shot charging portion of the machine a similar arrangement being
employed for feeding the empty cases into the powder charging portion of the
machine.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are views of the automatic feeding device drawn to a
larger scale in which figures, 132 represents the recess in the casting 17,-19* one of
the holes in the die block 19, and 57 one of the rods of the frame 57, 60, 61 herein-
before described. Fixed in any convenient manner opposite the recess 132 is
a bracket 138 to which is bolted a funnel shaped hopper 139 provided at its upper
end with an inclined shoot 140 which receives the cartridge cases to be fed into the
recess 132.
To the sides of the shoot 140 is fixed a blade spring or spring plate 141 having
a projection 142 which when the spring is in its normal position projects into the
shoot and prevents the cartridge cases from descending.
At a distance from this projection about equal to the diameter of a cartridge
case, and nearer to the hopper 139, is fitted to slide up and down through the
bottom of the shoot, in guides 142*, a plate 143 which is caused to rise at the
required intervals and press the spring 141 with its projection upwards so as to
allow the cartridge cases to descend in the shoot, the lower one then coming
against the plate 143 and so stopping their further descent after which the plate 143
is caused to descend to allow the lowermost case to enter the hopper 139.
The plate 143 is connected to a rod 144 on which are loosely mounted two
arms 145 connected at their free ends to other arms or levers 146 fast on a shaft or
spindle 147 which is fitted to turn in a socket 148 on the upper end of the hopper 139.
To the arms or levers 146, springs 149 are connected which tend to keep the
plate 143 in its lowest position. On the shaft or spindle 147 is also fixed an
arm 150 the outer end of which is acted on at each descent of the frame 57, 60, 61
by a projection 151 carried on the frame so as to depress the said arm in opposition
to the power of the springs 149 and thereby raise the plate 143 and spring plate 141
so as to allow the cartridge cases to pass down the shoot a distance equal to the
diameter of a case-their further descent being prevented by the lowermost case
coming against the plate 143.
When the frame (57, 60, 61) commences to rise the plate 143 under the contracting
power of the springs 149 will be caused to descend and allow the lowermost cartridge
case to pass by the plate into the hopper 139 the spring plate 141 at the same time
descending so that the projection 142 will prevent the other cases from descending in
the shoot. The hopper 139 is so shaped that the cartridges admitted thereto one by
one descend therein with their heads or capped ends downwards into a chamber 152
formed in the bracket 138.
In the chamber 152 is a piston or plunger 153 connected by a link 154 to one
arm of a bell-crank lever 154* the other arm of the said bell crank being connected
as shewn in Figure 10 by a rod 206* to one arm of a lever 207 fulcrummed at 208
to the frame or standard of the machine. The other, and shorter, arm of the
lever 207 carries a friction roller 209 which at each descent of the frame (57, 60, 61)
is acted on by a stud or projection 210 on the said frame so as to impart through
the lever 207 rod 206* and bell crank 154* a forward sliding movement to the
plunger 153 so as to force the cartridge case from the chamber 152 into the
recess 132. Immediately the frame (57, 60, 61) commences to rise the pressure of
the stud or projection 210 is removed from the lever 207 whereupon under the
action of the spring 211 the bell crank lever 154* is turned on its centre so as to
withdraw the plunger 153 back into the position shewn in Figure 10, the pressure
of the projection 151 being simultaneously removed from the arm 150 so that the
plate 143 is then caused by. the springs 149 to descend and allow another cartridge
case to pass from the shoot 140 into the chamber 152 in readiness to be forced into
the recess 132 at the next descent of the frame. As the frame rises the plunger 109

page_text: comes into action to force the case which had been placed in the recess 132 by the
plunger 153 upwards into the die block. On the two opposite sides of the
chamber 152 are blade springs 155 which bear on opposite sides of the cartridge
case and keep it steady and in a vertical position while being pushed forward by
the plunger 153 into the recess 132. The plunger 153 is provided in its two sides
with grooves 156 into which the springs 155 enter when the plunger moves forward.
When making ordinary cartridges which have the ends turned over after the
final wads are inserted the holes in the die block are formed parallel throughout
with the exception of an enlarged part at the lower end for the reception of the
flange or rim of the cartridge cases. A revolving tool 157 is employed as shewn in
Figures 17, 17 17 to turn over and finish the said edges and a plunger 131 to
force the cases up to the said tool. The plunger 131 is fitted. to slide in a
guide passage in the casting or pedestal 16** and is connected to an arm 17××
mounted on a rock shaft 18** which rock shaft carries another arm 19** con-
nected by a rod 20** to an arm 21** centred on the lower part of the frame or
standard 1**. On the arm 21** is a friction bowl 22** acted on by a cam 23** fast
on the crank shaft 10 so that at each revolution of the shaft a cartridge is forced
up to the revolving tool 157 and held there while the edge is being turned over.
The upper end of the plunger 131 is provided with a conical and preferably serrated
recess 109** into which the rim of the cartridge enters and is thereby prevented
from turning with the revolving tool. The stem or spindle 159 of the revolving
tool works in a bush. 158 screwed into the cover plate 53 of the die block and carries
a mitre wheel 160 in gear with a corresponding wheel 161 on a shaft 162 which may
be driven by gearing or otherwise from any suitable moving part of the machine or
from any other source of power. In Figures 17 17 I have shewn it as being driven
from the crank shaft 10 by a strap 24** carried on pulleys 25** 26** mounted on
the shafts 10 and 162 respectively. In the face or underside of the revolving tool 157
is an annular groove 163 into which the edge of the cartridge case is forced by the
plunger 131 so that by the rapid rotation of the tool 157 the edge of the cartridge
will be turned over and finished.
In the guide way in the pedestal 16** in which the plunger 131 slides there is a
bar 27** the top surface of which is level with the surface on which the die
block revolves the said bar being for the purpose of preventing the cartridges
from entering the guide way and to admit of the plunger rising to force the cases
up into the revolving tool 157 the upper end of the plunger is provided with a
slot 28**.
Instead of the tubes for containing the wads and the feeding device for feeding
the wads to the cartridges as herein before described a strip or strips of felt or other
wadding material may be fed forward intermittently into position for a plunger or
plungers to descend and cut or punch wads from the strip or strips and force them
into the cartridge cases as they are brought into position to receive them. An
arrangement for this purpose is shewn in Figures 18, 19, & 20 for wadding military
cartridges from which its application for wadding other bullet cartridges or shot
cartridges will be readily understood.
In these figures, 19 represents a portion of a die block, 19x the holes therein to
receive the cartridge cases being shaped to correspond to the form and size of the
cartridges, 53 is the cover plate of the die block. 60 is the top plate of the
vertically reciprocating frame (57, 60, 61) herein before described and 130 is a
punch or plunger carried by the plate 60 by which the wads are cut from the wad
material the said wads being afterwards forced into the cartridge cases by a
plunger 130**. On the cover plate 53 of the die block is formed or fitted a
socket 174 in which is mounted a shaft or spindle 175 having fast on one end
a bevel wheel 176 and on the opposite end a mitre wheel 177. The wheel 177
gears with a corresponding wheel 178 on a shaft 179 arranged at right angles to
the shaft 175 and mounted in bearings 180 on the edge or periphery of the cover
plate 53. On one end of the shaft 179 is fixed a spur pinion 181 in gear with a
similar pinion 182 on a shaft 183 arranged parallel to and below the shaft 179. On

page_text: the end of the shaft 179 opposite to that on which the pinion 181 is fixed is a
flanged roller 184 and on the corresponding end of the shaft 183 is also fixed a
roller 185 between which rollers 184 and 185 the strip 186 of felt or other material
from which the wads are cut is nipped and fed forward beneath the punch or
plunger 130. On the boss 187 of the die block 19 is fixed a bevel wheel 188 which.
gears with the wheel 176 on the shaft 175 so that at each intermittent partial
rotation given to the die block the shaft 175 is intermittently partially rotated and
imparts through the gearing 177, 178, 181, 182 rotation to the shafts 179 and 183
thereby causing the rollers 184, 185 to feed forward the strip 186 so that at each
descent of the punch or plunger 130 a wad will be cut or punched from the strip
and afterwards forced into a cartridge case in the die block beneath by the
plunger 130**. The lower shaft 183 is carried in bearings 189 attached to the
bearings 180 by slotted connections as shewn at 190 so as to be capable of
-adjustment to vary the distance between the rollers 184, 185 to suit different
thicknesses of wad material-the said bearings being fixed in their adjusted positions
by nuts 191. 191** is a shoot for conducting out of the machine the waste material
from which the wads have been cut.
For filling and finishing military and other bullet cartridges the machine is
provided with powder charging and wadding arrangements as before described and
with an arrangement as shewn in Figures 21, 22 and 23 for automatically feeding
the bullets into position to be forced into the cartridge cases. The bullets are
placed in an inclined trough or shoot 192 (Figures 22 & 23) mounted on the cover
plate 53 of the die block 19 at the lower end of which shoot is a funnel shaped
Beneath the
hopper 193 into which the bullets pass one by one from the shoot.
outlet or. nozzle of the funnel shaped hopper is a sliding block 194 having a
passage 195 therein which at each intermittent partial rotation of the die block 19
is brought into position to receive a bullet from the hopper 193 and carry the said
bullet into the position shewn in Figure 21, to be inserted by the plunger 130* into
the cartridge case contained in the hole beneath it in the die block 19. The
block: 194 is connected to the upper end of a lever 196 to which one end of a
spring 196* is attached to assist in bringing the block into its normal position with
the passage 195 beneath the plunger 130* as shewn in Figure 21 the opposite end
of the lever being acted on by a cam or equivalent device on any convenient moving
part of the machine so as to slide the block outward at the required periods to
bring the passage 195 beneath the outlet from the hopper 193 to receive a bullet.
Or the block 194 may be operated by any other suitable means so as to impart to
it the reciprocating motions at the required periods.
The mechanism for admitting the bullets one by one from the shoot 192 into the
hopper 193 is similar to that herein before described for automatically feeding the
cartridge cases.
The bullets are normally supported in the shoot 192 by the projection 199 on
the spring plate 198 and are admitted one by one from the shoot into the hopper 193
by the plate 197 arranged to slide up and down through a slot in the bottom of the
shoot. The upper end of this plate when in its elevated position presses upwards
the spring plate 198 so as to keep a projection 199 on the underside thereof out of
engagement with the bullets. The lower end of the plate 197 is connected to one
arm of a lever 200 mounted on an axis 201 the other arm of the said lever being
attached to a spring 202 which tends to lower the plate 197. When the sliding
block 194 is moving outwards to bring the passage 194 beneath the hopper 193 the
lever 2000 is released so that the plate will be lowered under the action of the
spring 202 and allow the lowermost bullet in the shoot to pass into the hopper 193
whilst at the same time the spring plate 198 is released so that the projection 199
thereon comes in front of the then lowermost bullet and prevents the bullets from
passing down the shoot. When the sliding block 194 makes its return motion the
projection 203 thereon engages the projection 204 on the lever 200 so as to turn
the said lever on its axis and thereby raise the plate 197 and also the spring
plate 198, and so remove the projection 199 from before the lowermost bullet and

page_text: allow the bullets in the trough to descend until the lowermost one comes against
the plate 197. On the lever 200 is another projection 205 which, when the pro-
jection 204 is disengaged from the projection 203, comes against a stop 206, and
so prevents the plate 197 from descending too far under the action of the
spring 202.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A machine for making cartridges in which cartridge cases are automatically
charged with powder, wad or wads and shot and wad or wads; or powder, wad or
wads and bullets in sequential order, and the finished cartridges are ejected from
the machine substantially as herein before described.
2. In a machine for making cartridges a die block or cartridge receiver (or a
duplex arrangement of die blocks or cartridge receivers) for containing several
cartridge cases and having intermittent motions given to it whereby the several
cartridge cases are brought in succession and simultaneously into positions to
receive in sequential order charges of powder wad or wads and shot and wad or
wads ; or powder, wad or wads and bullets substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In a machine for filling and finishing cartridges the combination with a
rotatable die block or cartridge receiver having holes or recesses therein for
several cartridge cases and means for imparting intermittent motions of partial
rotation to the said die block, of a reciprocating frame carrying a plunger for
forcing the cartridge cases into the holes in the die block, plungers for forcing
wads into the cases when in the die block and a rod for ejecting the cartridges
from the die block, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In a machine for filling cartridge cases the combination of a rotating die
block or cartridge receiver having holes for containing several cartridge cases, an
automatic powder measuring and feeding device, an automatic wad feeding and
inserting device or devices, a shot measuring and feeding device, and a final wad
feeding device or devices all arranged, and combined to operate substantially as
hereinbefore described.
5. In a machine for making cartridges the combination of two die blocks or
cartridge receivers and means for imparting intermittent partial rotation thereto
each die block having several holes for the reception of cartridge cases one of the
die blocks having an automatically operated device for charging the cases with
powder, and the other die block having an automatically operated device for
charging the cases with shot and each die block having devices for inserting a wad
or wads into each cartridge case and an automatically operated ejector for ejecting
the charged or partially charged cartridges from the die blocks or receivers sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In a machine for making cartridges a die block or cartridge receiver having
holes for containing several cartridge cases each hole having therein a collar or
shoulder against which the open end of the cartridge case inserted in the hole is
forced by a plunger so as to turn the edge of the cartridge case inwards substantially
as herein before described.
7. In a machine for making cartridges the combination of a die block or cartridge
receiver having holes or chambers into which the cartridge cases charged with
powder and one or more wads are inserted, each hole or chamber being provided
with a shoulder against which the open ends of the cartridge cases are forced so as
to partially turn in the edges of the cases, a plunger for forcing the cases into the
holes or chambers and a plunger for forcing the partially turned in edges against
the interior surfaces of the cases substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. In a machine for making cartridges the combination of a die block or cartridge
receiver having holes or chambers with shoulders therein and means for forcing
the ends of the cartridge cases against the shoulders and for turning in the edges
of the cases, an automatic shot measuring and feeding device a final wad feeding

page_text: and inserting device and an ejector for ejecting the finished cartridges from the die
block substantially as hereinbefore described.
9. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with an intermittently
partially rotated die block or cartridge receiver of an automatic powder measuring
and feeding device carried on the cover plate of the die block and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described.
10. In a machine for making cartridges such as herein before described an auto-
matic wad feeding device consisting of a plate (77) having a hole (77*) therein
and means for imparting to the plate a reciprocating motion beneath a reservoir or
tube (73) containing wads, so as to receive in the hole (77*) a wad from the said
reservoir or tube and then convey the said wad into position to be forced by a
plunger into a cartridge case in the die block substantially as hereinbefore
described.
11. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with the die block (18)
and means for imparting an intermittent partial rotation thereto, of a cover plate (52)
for the die block having holes therein corresponding in position to the holes in the
die block and carrying a powder measuring and feeding device and two or more
wad feeding devices connected together and operated simultaneously substantially
as hereinbefore described.
12. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with the die block 18,
cover plate 52 automatic powder measuring and feeding device 64, 65 and 66 of a
reciprocating frame 56, 58, 59, carrying a plunger 89 for forcing the cartridge cases
into the holes in the die block, plungers 96, 97, 98 and 99 for forcing wads into the
cartridge cases; and an ejector 101 for ejecting the cartridge cases charged with
powder and a wad or wads from the holes in the die block substantially as herein-
before described.
13. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with the mechanism for
charging cartridges with powder and wads as herein before described and claimed
in the last preceding claiming clause, of the die block 19 having a number of
holes 19 for the reception of the partially charged cartridges ejected from the die
block 18, the reciprocating frame 57, 60, 61, carrying plungers 109, 110, 130, 131,
& 133, the plunger 109 for forcing the edges of the open ends of the cartridge
cases against shoulders in the holes 19* of the die block for the purpose of partially
turning inwards the said open ends of the cartridge cases, the plunger 110 for
forcing the partially turned in edges or ends against the inner surfaces of the
cases, the plunger 130 for inserting the final wad into the cases; the plunger 131
for forcing the cartridges (after receiving the final wad) against the shoulders
in the holes of the die block for the purpose of contracting the ends of the
cartridge cases sufficiently to retain the final wads in position and the plunger 133
for ejecting the finished cartridges from the machine substantially as hereinbefore
described.
14. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with an intermittently
partially rotated die block or receptacle for the cartridge cases to be filled, of
means for automatically placing the cases in the holes or recesses in the die block
substantially as herein before described.
15. In a machine for making cartridges the combination of parts, constituting
mechanism for automatically feeding the cartridge cases into position to be filled
the said mechanism consisting of the trough or shoot 140 containing the cases to
be filled, spring plate 141 with projections 142 for stopping the descent of the cases
in the shoot, plate 143 operated by arms or levers 146, 150, acted on by a moving
part of the machine so as to cause the plate 143 to raise the projections on the
plate 141 out of contact with the cartridge cases and allow them to descend in the
shoot until the lowermost one comes against the plate 143, a spring 149 for with
drawing the plate 143 so as to allow the lowermost cartridge case to descend into
a hopper. 139 and at the same time causing the projections to descend and engage
the cases in the trough to prevent their descent, the hopper 139, of a shape to
ensure the cases admitted thereto passing with their rim ends downwards into a

page_text: chamber 152 below, the plunger 153 caused to reciprocate in the chamber 152 so
as to push the cases one by one from the chamber into position to be forced by a
plunger into the holes or recesses in a die block, or cartridge case receiver substan-
tially as herein before described.
16. In a machine for making cartridges a revolving tool (157) for turning
over the edges of the cartridge cases and means for driving the same, the said
tool having an annular recess in its face into which the ends of the cases are forced
by a plunger (109) having a tapered and preferably serrated recess in its end to
engage the rims of the cartridges so as to prevent them from turning with the tool
substantially as hereinbefore described.
17. In a machine for making military or bullet cartridges the combination with
an intermittently rotated die block or cartridge receiver of an automatically
operating device for feeding the bullets into the cartridges the said feeding device
consisting of the shoot or trough 192 plates 197 and 198 with the projections 199
for admitting the bullets one by one from the trough or shoot into the funnel shaped
hopper 193 the sliding block 194 with its hole or chamber 195 to receive the
bullets from the hopper and carry them into position to be forced by a plunger 130*
into the cartridge cases carried in the rotating cartridge receiver and means for
operating the moveable parts of the device substantially as hereinbefore described.
18. In a machine such as hereinbefore described and claimed for making
cartridges the combination with an intermittently partially rotated die block or
cartridge receiver of a device for intermittently feeding forward a strip of felt
or other wad making material beneath a punch or plunger by which the wads are
punched or cut from the strip and passed into the cartridge cases by the same or
another plunger the said feeding device being operated substantially as hereinbefore
described.
19. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with an intermittently
rotated die block or cartridge receiver of a device for feeding forward a strip of
felt or other wad material beneath a punch or plunger which is caused to descend
at the required periods to punch wads from the strip of felt or the like the feeding
device for the wad material consisting of the rollers 184 and 185 between which
the strip of material is nipped the rollers being mounted on shafts geared together
and capable of being adjusted nearer to or further from each other to suit different
thicknesses of material and driven intermittently by gearing 177, 178, 176 from a
toothed wheel 188 fast on the die block or cartridge receiver substantially as
hereinbefore described.
20. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
charging cartridge cases with powder and a wad or wads substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying
drawings.
21. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
turning in the ends of cartridge cases, charging them with shot and with a final
wad (or wads) substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1,
3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
22. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the machine for filling
and finishing cartridges substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 1 to 9 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
23. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the automatic feeding
device for feeding cartridge cases into position to be inserted in the die block of
the cartridge filling machine substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings.
24. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
turning over the ends of cartridge cases substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 17, 174, 17B of the accompanying drawings.
25. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the device for feeding
wad material into position to be operated on by a wad cutting punch or plunger
C

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 18, 19 and 20 of
the accompanying drawings.
26. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the device for
automatically feeding bullets into military or bullet cartridges substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 21, 22, and 23 of the accompanying
drawings.
27. In a machine for making cartridges the combination with two die blocks, in
one of which cartridge cases are charged with powder and wad or wads and in the
other with shot and the final wad or wads of mechanism whereby the partially
charged cartridges as they are ejected from the one die block charged with powder
and wad or wads are automatically conveyed and deposited into the device by which
they are fed into the other die block to receive the shot and final wad or wads sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described more particularly with reference to Figures 15
and 16 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of February 1802
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.