IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES, AND FOR SUPPLYING THE SAME TO MACHINE-GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES, AND FOR
SUPPLYING THE SAME TO MACHINE-GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS." A
communication from abroad by Edward Granville Parkhurst, of Hartford,
Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th. October 1880.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent_Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING
CARTRIDGES, AND FOR SUPPLYING THE SAME TO MACHINE-GUNS AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by Edward Granville Parkhurst,
of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
This Invention relates to apparatus comprising cases or boxes in which cartridges
are packed, and from which they are fed into a gun, and more particularly to the
paste board boxes in which metallic cartridges are packed and carried to be used
in machine-guns. My Invention also relates to an improvement in the construction
of boxes in which the ammunition for machine guns is carried for use in the field.
According to the present practice, the ammunition, consisting of metallic shells
charged with powder and ball, is first packed in pasteboard or similar cases, which
contain about twenty cartridges, and these pasteboard or other cases are packed in
boxes fitting into the caisson of the gun, which boxes are designed to hold a certain
number of the pasteboard cases and to be filled thereby so as to prevent movement
during transportation. It frequently happens, however, that part of the pasteboard
cases are used out of one of the boxes, leaving the remainder loose in the box, and
the remaining cases become destroyed or damaged by shifting about.
One object of this Invention is to provide a device by which the cartridges can
be kept in their sockets in the case when held or turned in any direction, and in
such a manner that they will not be liable to fall out until they are securely placed
in the grooves or channels of the gun intended to receive them; they are drawn
out in the customary manner.

page_text: A further object of the said Invention is to provide means for retaining either
the whole or part of the pasteboard or other cartridge cases in place within the
packing box, so that they will be prevented from shifting their position while the
box is being transported or moved.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a top view or plan of a pasteboard box provided with my
improvements and having the cover removed so' as to show the interior, and the
sliding partition partly drawn out so as to show the parts underneath.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
Figure 3 is an end view of the case closed.
Figure 4 is an end view of the case with the cover off.
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line x, y, Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 shows a perspective view of one of the packing boxes withdrawn from
the caisson, or an independent box, with the cover removed.
Figure 7 is a detached view of the removable partition which is adapted to fit
into the grooves in the sides of the box.
In that part of my said Invention, illustrated by Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, A. is the
top or cover of a pasteboard cartridge-case; B is the bottom part, which contains the
cartridges, as shewn in the Drawing, the cover fits over it in the customary manner;
C is a longitudinal partition extending from end to end of the case; D represents
cross partitions connected with the longitudinal partitions, so as to form square cells
in which the cartridges E are placed; G is a central longitudinal sliding partition
lying above the partition C, and between the upper parts of the cartridges. This
partition G, and the partition Care grooved where they meet, on opposite sides, so
as to form a lock-joint by the lapping of the tongues G¹ and C, as shewn in 2
Figures 4 and 5. This joint may be made of any form that will hold the parts
together so that they shall only slide longitudinally. As shown in the Drawing,
the partition G is held in place or kept from moving laterally by resting against
the sides of the cartridges, so that the single groove is sufficient.
H is a plate of sheet metal tacked to the partition G, or forming part of the same, S
according as the latter is made of wood or metal and serving to hold the cartridges
in their cells, and to prevent them from slipping or falling out when the box is
reversed.
The operation of this part of my Invention is as follows:-The cells in the bottom
of the case are filled with cartridges in the usual manner. The part G, H, is then 3
slipped on endwise; this holds the cartridges in place. The cover is then put on,
and the case is packed, carried, and otherwise treated in the usual manner. When
it is desired to use the cartridges the cover of the case is removed, and the
cartridges are placed in the receiving guides of the gun, the partition between the
grooves or guides in the receiver pushing the partition G upward as the case is 4
passed downwards, until, when all the cartridges are inserted, the part G, H, falls
off and the case is withdrawn from the cartridges, leaving them in the gun. It will
be observed that the cartridges can be placed in the receiver of the gun at whatever
inclination it may be, as the gun is elevated or depressed, for the reason that the
plate H holds them from falling out of their sockets until they are within the 4
receiver.
In that part of my Invention, illustrated by Figures 6 and 7, J is the packing
box; K represents the interior cases containing the ammunition. The sides and
ends of these cases are shewn by dotted lines in Figure 6, and the box when full
is designed to hold three full lengths, or thirty six in all. In the Drawing, sixteen 5
are shewn; twelve in the position they ordinarily occupy when the box is filled,
and four standing on their ends; L is a removable partition which can be slipped
into any pair of a series of grooves M in the sides of the box J. When the box
is entirely full the partition is placed in the first grooves, that is to say, those close
to the end J. When part of the ammunition has been removed, as shewn in 5
the Drawing, and it is desired to confine the remainder, the remaining cases are
packed so as to occupy the box up to any pair of grooves, and the partition is

page_text: placed in those grooves so as to hold the cases in place. The distances between the
grooves are designed to be such as to include the full length of the cases, or one or
more thicknesses of the same, as shewn in the Drawing, so that the cases can be
packed flatwise or endwise to fill the space.
For the purpose of easily removing the partition L when the box is full, there is
a socket N forming a handle by which it is lifted. The end of the box has a
corresponding notch or opening Ŏ, so that the fingers can be readily placed in the
socket N.
The partition L is attached to the box by a cord of sufficient length to allow
of its being placed in any of the grooves, so that it shall not be dropped or lost.
This cord is shewn at P in the Drawing. When the partition is placed at the end
of the box this cord is coiled up and placed in the recess R.
In addition to holding the ammunition in place in the partially emptied box, the
partition L serves the purpose of facilitating the withdrawal of the cases from the
full box. The drawing out of the partition from its position at the end, when
the box is full of cases, leaves a space for the fingers to enter and lift them readily;
while without this space the removal of the first cases is a difficult operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The sliding grooved partition G, and its top plate in combination with the
grooved partition C of the case B, substantially as above described for the purpose
set forth.
Second. The combination of the central sliding partition G, and its top plate
moving on suitable guides, with a pasteboard box, substantially as herein described
for the purpose specified.
Third. The box J provided with grooves and the removable partition L, adapted
to hold and confine the ammunition cases when the box is either wholly or partially
filled, substantially as above described for the purpose indicated.
Fourth. The combination of the removable partition L having a handle-socket,
with the box J having its end provided with a notch, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
Fifth. The recess R in the partition L for holding the cord when said partition
is in contact with the end of the box, substantially as and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal. this Twenty sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord