IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES AND CARRIERS, APPLI- CABLE ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH MAGAZINE GUNS AND MITRAILLEURS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Pitt of Sutton in the County of Surrey for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES AND CARRIERS, APPLI-
CABLE ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH MAGAZINE GUNS AND MITRAILLEURS" com-
municated to me from abroad by Lieut Colonel George Vincent Fosbery V.C.
at present residing at Liege in Belgium
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1883.
נ1
GEORGE PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARTRIDGE BOXES AND CARRIERS, APPLICABLE ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH
MAGAZINE GUNS AND MITRAILLEURS [communicated to me from abroad by
Lieut Colonel George Vincent Fosbery V.C. at present residing at Liege in
Belgium]
This Invention has for its object improvements in cartridge boxes and carriers,
applicable especially for use with magazine guns and mitrailleurs.
For this purpose boxes for holding cartridges are constructed in such a manner
that when taken to pieces they form handy cartridge carriers which if used with
magazine guns form for the time parts of the magazine or for machine guns parts of
the feeding apparatus. Preferably each carrier is formed of a strip of metal or other
suitable material bent at right angles twice on itself so as to form a rectangular groove
or trough-this groove is not formed in the centre of the strip but near one of its ends
so that one side of the trough is left longer than the other. The longer side. is of
slightly greater length than the length of a cartridge. Any desired number of
cartridges say 5 or 6 are laid upon it side by side with their head ends against
the bottom of the groove..
•
The edge of the shorter side is bent inwards and holds the cartridges against
the longer side-sufficient play being however left to allow of the cartridges being
slid end wise along the groove.

page_text: Two indentations of a depth nearly equal to the rim of the cartridge are stamped
or formed along each side of the groove near to the bottom so as to retain the
heads of the cartridges between them and the bottom of the groove-The two ends
of the longer side of the metal groove are cut to the profile of the row of cartridges
as it is wished that they should be arranged-As for instance one end cartridge
may be at right angles to the groove and the rest inclined towards it or the central
cartridge may stand at right angles in which case the others incline towards it
from both sides. A part of the metal forming a continuation of the bottom of the
groove may be bent down so as to close it at one end-The other end of the groove
may be closed by a second portion of metal being turned down or by a wire
crossing the groove or by other easily removable stop.
.
The lower or opposite end of the groove in which the heads are held may also
be closed if desired by a, removable stop instead of by the bent metal above
mentioned. When cartridges thus packed are to be used in magazine or machine
guns the carriers are slipped into spaces made to receive them or into grooves and
the stops being withdrawn the cartridges are free to move laterally to feed the
weapon.
When the carriers are to be used as cartridge.boxes two of them are placed face
to face one over the other and either packed in an ordinary paper package or
surrounded at their edges with a strip of metal or cardboard which is attached to
them by cement and paper strips or cloth or by other convenient means.
When metal and cloth are so used with india rubber cement or varnish a water-
proof package is formed. The carriers when made of very thin metal may be
corrugated or buckled to strengthen them-in such case they are buckled at the
edges for the double purpose of strengthening them and of keeping the edges clear
of any device used for giving motion to the cartridges in a magazine gun.
The edges of the carriers for a short distance from their edge might be inclined
backwards or bent backwards and then again bent in the opposite direction so as
to form a flanged recess along the edge. When two such carriers have been placed
together face to face a strip of metal may be bent around their edges so as to
close the ends of the box thereby formed and may be made to fit into the grooved
or flanged recess formed around the box in the manner above mentioned.
The strip of metal may also be formed with small teeth to clamp over and hold
the box together. The grooves or recesses (may be filled with cement or varnish
or rubber solution so as to make a waterproof joint and paper or cloth may be
pasted over.it or on the inside
The boxes may if desired be linked, or hinged, together at one edge in which
case the carriers would be placed back to back that is their longer sides linked
together or they may be furnished with links or catches enabling them to be so
joined when necessary as for magazine guns with large magazines or for guns
generally called machine guns-thus enabling these latter to be fed direct with a
continuous supply of cartridges.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd September
1883.
GEORGE PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARTRIDGE BOXES AND CARRIERS APPLICABLE ESPECIALLY FOR USE WITH
"
MAGAZINE GUNS AND MITRAILLEURS A communication to me from abroad by
Lieut. Colonel George Vincent .Fosbery V.C. at present residing at Liège in
Belgium
This Invention has for its object improvements in cartridge boxes and carriers
applicable especially for use with magazine guns and mitrailleurs.
For this purpose boxes for holding cartridges are constructed in such a manner
that when taken to pieces they form handy cartridge carriers which if used with
magazine guns form for the time parts of the magazine or for machine guns parts
of the feeding apparatus. Preferably each carrier is formed of a strip of metal or
other suitable material bent at right angles twice on itself so as to form a
rectangular groove or trough this groove is not formed in the centre of the strip
but near one of its ends so that one side of the trough is left longer than the other.
The longer side is of slightly greater length than the length of a cartridge. Any
desired number of cartridges say 5 or 6 are laid upon it side by side with their
head ends against the bottom of the groove. The edge of the shorter side is bent
inwards and holds the cartridges against the longer side-sufficient play being
however left to allow of the cartridges being slid endwise along the groove. Two
indentations of a depth nearly equal to the rim of the cartridge are stamped or
formed along each side of the groove near to the bottom so as to retain the heads
of the cartridges between them and the bottom of the groove. The two ends of
the longer side of the metal groove are cut to the profile of the row of cartridges
as it is wished that they should be arranged as for instance one end cartridge may
be at right angles to the groove and the rest inclined towards it or the central
cartridge may stand at right angles in which case the others incline towards it
from both sides. A part of the metal forming a continuation of the bottom of the
groove may be bent down so as to close it at one end. The other end of the
groove may be closed by a second portion of metal being turned down or by a wire
crossing the groove or by other easily removable stop. The lower or opposite end
of the groove in which the heads are held may also be closed if desired by a
removable stop instead of by the bent metal above mentioned. When cartridges
thus packed are to be used in magazine or machine guns the carriers are slipped
into spaces made to receive them or into grooves and the stops being withdrawn
the cartridges are free to move laterally to feed the weapon. When the carriers
are to be used as cartridge boxes two of them are placed face to face one over the
other and either packed in an ordinary paper package or surrounded at their edges
with a strip of metal or cardboard which is attached to them by cement and paper
strips or cloth or by other convenient means. When metal and cloth are so used
with india rubber cement or varnish a waterproof package is formed. The carriers
when made of very thin metal may be corrugated or buckled to strengthen them-
in such case they are buckled at the edges for the double purpose of strengthening
them and of keeping the edges clear of any device used for giving motion to the
cartridges in a magazine gun. The edges of the carriers for a short distance from
their edge might be inclined backwards or bent backwards and then again bent in
the opposite direction so as to form a flanged recess along the edge. When two
such carriers have been placed together face to face a strip of metal may be bent

page_text: around their edges so as to close the ends of the box thereby formed and may be
made to fit into the grooved or flanged recess formed around the box in the
manner above mentioned. The strip of metal may also be formed with small teeth
to clamp over and hold the box together. The grooves or recesses may be filled
with cement or varnish or rubber solution so as to make a waterproof joint and
paper or cloth may be pasted over it or on the inside. The boxes may if desired
be linked or hinged together at one edge in which case the carriers would be
placed back to back that is their longer sides linked together or they may be
furnished with links or catches enabling them to be so joined when necessary as
for magazine guns with large magazines or for guns generally called machine
guns thus enabling these latter to be fed direct with a continuous supply of
cartridges.
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings hereunto annexed shew edge views and Figure 3
a plan of a cartridge carrier formed as above described.
Two such carriers may as above stated be placed together face to face and a flat
band of metal be placed around the sides of the box so formed.
A tongue
projecting from one end of the band may be made to pass through a slot in the
other end of the band and the tongue and end be then bent over as represented
at Figure 4. The top and bottom edges of the band or short tongues projecting
from them may also be doubled over to overlap the top and bottom of the box as
shown more clearly as Figure 5. A bent wire a forms a moveable stop to retain
the cartridges.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same I would have it understood that I claim :-
The construction of cartridge boxes and carriers substantially in the manner
herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said George Pitt have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty first day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
GEO: PITT (L.S.)