IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE OR BATTERY GUNS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ROBERT HENRY ARMIT, of 9 Catherine Street, Strand, in the County_of
Middlesex, retired Lieutenant of Her Majesty's Navy, and Captain in Her
Majesty's Auxiliary Forces, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE OR BATTERY GUNS" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machine or battery guns.
In the use of such guns as heretofore constructed, it sometimes happens that, in
the operation of extracting an empty cartridge-case, the head thereof becomes
detached from the cylindrical or tubular part, leaving the latter in the chamber of
the barrel. The gun is, thus rendered useless by reason of the fact that a fresh
cartridge cannot be inserted in the said chamber until it is cleared. One or more
barrels may thus be rendered inoperative at the same time. The method heretofore
adopted of clearing a barrel thus obstructed requires so much time that, in warfare,
opportunity may be given to the enemy to charge and take the gun.
The object of my invention is to remedy this great drawback or hindrance to the
general adoption of machine guns for use in warfare, and to this end it comprises
improvements as hereinafter described.
In carrying my said .invention into practice I increase the thickness of the metal
at that portion of the breech end of each barrel in which the chamber is formed.
This enlarged portion is divided longitudinally and is provided with a hinge or the
like, whereby one part of the enlargement, which forms a lid or cover, may be
thrown back in order to afford access to the said chamber.
The said lid or cover which closes the chamber should be so constructed that
when it is thrown back the case of the cartridge remaining in the chamber can be
easily extracted or removed without loss of time.
In some instances I employ a cylinder of steel or iron made to fit a chamber in
the barrel of the gun and itself bored to receive the cartridge. This chamber may
be closed by a lid or cover substantially in the manner hereinbefore described; and
the cylinder is readily removed and replaced by another cylinder if a cartridge
should become jammed therein.
Any number of spare cylinders may be carried by each gun.
Instead of inserting the loose cartridge cylinder into the gun in the manner
above described I, in some instances, form the exterior of the cartridge cylinder
and the interior of the chamber for receiving the same with segmental screw

page_text: threads, that is to say with screw-threads having corresponding portions thereof
cut away longitudinally, so that the said cylinder may be inserted into the chamber
and then turned to cause its screw threaded portions to engage with the internal
screw threads of the chamber.
This removable cylinder can be easily taken out when a cartridge is jammed or 5
fixed therein and replaced by another cylinder.
I, ROBERT HENRY ARMIT, of 9 Catherine Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, retired Lieutenant of Her Majesty's Navy and Captain in Her Majesty's
Auxiliary Forces do hereby declare the nature of my 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 relates to machine or battery guns.
In the use of such guns, it sometimes happens that, during the operation of
extracting an empty cartridge-shell, the head or base of the said shell becomes
detached from the cylindrical or tubular part thereof, leaving the latter in the
chamber of the gun; or the cylindrical or tubular part of the said shell is broken or
torn asunder, and a portion thereof left in the said chamber. When an accident
of this kind occurs to a machine-gun as heretofore constructed, the gun is rendered
inoperative for the reason that a fresh cartridge cannot be inserted into the chamber
until the remaining portion of the empty cartridge-shell is extracted and the
chamber thus cleared. Guns having two or more barrels are sometimes rendered
inoperative by the obstruction of one of the said barrels in this manner.
Moreover, in practice, the fact that part of an empty cartridge-shell has been
thus left in the chamber is usually not observed until an attempt is made to force
another cartridge therein, thus crushing the remaining portion of the empty shell
and jamming the same tightly in the chamber.
The method heretofore adopted for clearing a barrel thus obstructed requires so
much time that, in warfare, opportunity may be given to the enemy, during this
operation, to charge and take the gun.
The object of my invention is to remedy this great drawback or hindrance to
the general adoption of machine-guns for use in warfare,

page_text: For this purpose, I combine, with a gun-barrel, a removable chamber or bushing
which I term a "false-chamber," and which is of such internal form and dimensions
that the shell or case of a cartridge will fit therein. This chamber or bushing is
either screwed into the rear end of the barrel, or is otherwise so fitted therein that
it can be readily removed therefrom. I provide each gun with any desired number
of spare interchangeable chambers or bushings, so that, if a cartridge-shell should
become jammed, as above described, in the chamber or bushing which is fixed in
the barrel, this chamber or bushing (with the cartridge-shell therein) can be
removed from the barrel, and a similar chamber or bushing substituted therefor.
By these means, I provide for very greatly diminishing the delays occasioned by
the jamming of cartridge-shells in machine-guns.
According to a modification of my invention, instead of employing false-chambers
or bushings as above described, I increase the thickness of the barrel at that portion
of the breech-end thereof in which the chamber is formed, and I divide this enlarged
portion longitudinally through its axis and connect the upper part to the lower
part by a hinge-joint, or in any other convenient manner, so that the upper part
will form a lid or cover which may be thrown back or opened to afford access to
the said chamber for the extraction of a cartridge-shell therefrom.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of part of a gun-barrel with
my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a rear end elevation of the said barrel.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the false-chamber or bushing detached.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a key for inserting the said chamber or bushing
into the barrel and withdrawing it therefrom.
Figure 5 is a plan of part of a gun-barrel the breech-end whereof is con-
structed to open and close, showing the same open, the chamber or bushing being
removed.
Figure 6 is a plan of the said barrel, showing the breech-end thereof closed.
Figure 7 is a rear end elevation of the said barrel, and,
Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the chamber or bushing
detached.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the barrel, B is a chamber or bushing of steel or iron, which is preferably
made more or less taper externally towards its front or inner end as shown in
Figures 1 and 3, to facilitate its withdrawal from the barrel.
The chamber or bushing B shown in Figures 1 to 3 is provided with an inter-
mittent screw b, and corresponding segmental screw-threads are formed at a in the
barrel A. The said chamber or bushing can, therefore, be readily inserted into
the barrel and can be firmly secured in position therein by turning it through a
small angle and thereby causing its screw-threads to engage with the internal
screw-threads of the barrel. The said chamber or bushing B is, as above stated,
made of such internal form and dimensions that a cartridge-shell will fit therein.
To facilitate the insertion and withdrawal of the said chamber or bushing, I form
the same with slots or notches 6¹ into which the key C, Figure 4, can be introduced
for the purpose of unscrewing or screwing up the said chamber or bushing: I prefer,
moreover, to form recesses or cavities 62 at the inner ends of the said slots or
notches 61, and to make the said key with spring arms C¹ provided with pro-
jections C², corresponding in shape and size with the recesses or cavities 62. When
the key is inserted in the notches b¹, its arms C' will be forced inward and its
projections C will then enter the recesses or cavities 62, so that I am enabled,
after unscrewing the chamber or bushing B, to withdraw the same from the barrel
by means of the said key. One of the said notches 6¹ permits the extractor to
engage with the flange of a cartridge-case in the barrel.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, the rear
part A¹ of the barrel is made of larger diameter than the main portion thereof
and the part A is made separately from the barrel and is connected therewith by

page_text: a hinge-joint c, so that it forms a lid or cover, which may be turned into the
position shown in Figure 5 to permit the ready insertion or removal of the chamber
or bushing B.
In this case, the chamber or bushing is of cylindrical form and is provided with
annular projections or collars &, which fit into-corresponding annular grooves or
recesses e in the barrel and prevent longitudinal displacement of the chamber or
bushing therein. A spring catch D is provided for retaining the lid or cover A³
in its closed position.
I sometimes dispense with the false-chamber or bushing B and make the rear
part of the barrel to open, and close as above described. An ordinary chamber is,
in this case, formed within the enlarged part of the barrel and adequate provision
must be made for preventing the opening of the rear part of the barrel by 'the
explosion of a cartridge therein.
10'
It is obvious that the construction of the false-chamber or bushing and the
means for securing it in the barrel may be modified without departing from the
nature of my invention.
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 :-
First A false-chamber or bushing for use in the barrel of a machine or battery
gun, as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Second-The combination, with the gun-barrel, of the false-chamber .or bushing
provided with the intermittent screw and with the notches and recesses for the
reception of the key, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3
of the drawing for the purpose specified.
Third The modification of my invention wherein the rear part of the barrel is
enlarged and made to open and close and either has a chamber formed therein or
is provided with a false-chamber or bushing, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawing for the purpose specified.
Dated this 25th day of August 1886.