Improvements in and relating to Holders or Receptacles for Cartridges.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1890-Accepted. 28th June 1890
RO | DIVAAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GASPARE MINISINI, of 25, Via S. Quintino, Turin, in
the Kingdom of Italy, Mechanic.]
Improvements in and relating to Holders or Receptacles for
Cartridges.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:--
The cartridge holder or receptacle constructed according to this invention has for
its object to automatically supply the soldier with one cartridge after another without
opening the said holder, in such a manner that by the simple action of drawing a
cartridge which is already half way from the holder another cartridge is caused to
appear immediately in its place, without the least risk of losing a cartridge.
This object is realized in the safest and simplest manner by the arrangement hereiu-
after described.
The improved cartridge holder comprises an extracting mechanism which is
designed to supply the soldier automatically with one cartridge after another in
proportion as he withdraws them; and a holder or magazine whereby the extracting
mechanism is continually and automatically supplied as cartridges are taken from the
said mechanism.
This cartridge-holder differs very little from those heretofore' employed as regards
size and weight. It has also an elongated form and is slightly curved so as to adapt
it exactly to the soldiers belt, and its two ends are rounded to the form of a semi-
circle. This particular form, by reason of the absence of sharp edges, presents the
advantage of ensuring the durability of the cartridge-holder, and has for its object to
permit the movement of an endless chain in the holder around an interior box. The
above-mentioned endless chain may consist of sixteen or any other desired number of
links, each of the latter being designed to carry a cartridge, whilst seven more or
less reserve cartridges are placed in cells formed in the interior of the above-
mentioned box, and one cartridge is at the bottom of the extracting mechanism. The
box has a double bottom upon which the endless chain, as it travels bears, by means
of heads provided on the pivots of its links. This arrangement has been devised with
the object of diminishing the frictional resistance, and providing a suitable space for
the operation of a hook which affects the forward movement of the said endless chain
by acting upon its pivots.
The mechanism designed for the forward movement of the endless chain is arranged
between the two bottoms. Its construction will hereinafter be explained.
These parts constitute the cartridge-holder proper.
The extracting mechanism comprises a tube adapted to move in another tube con-
entric therewith, the latter being fixed to the right hand side of the cartridge-holder
and provided with two longitudinal channels, in one of which can move a small chain
whereby the said movable tube is connected with the mechanism for effecting the
forward movement of the endless chain and in the other operates the mechanism for
extracting the cartridges, which will hereinafter be described together with its
operation.
A hinged cover closes the cartridge-holder, whilst a plug retained by a small chain
erves to close the upper orifice of the aforesaid movable tube.
After the cartridge-holder has been provided with cartridges and closed, its operation
s-effected in the following manner.
The plug having been removed from the movable tube, the latter is drawn outwards
s far as it will permit by acting upon its upper flange. A small chain visos with the

page_text: tube, to which one of its extremities is attached, and as its other extremity is fixed to
a draw-rod connected with a lever, it causes this lever to turn upon its pivot, and at the
same time puts a spring under tension, which spring, by reason of its elasticity,
compels the said leyer and all the other parts that have been displaced with it to
return to their original position of rest as soon as the above-mentioned tube is
released. The movement of the said lever is transmitted by a draw-rod to a bell
crank-lever and spring hook designed for the forward movement of the endless
chain. The spring hook is of such a form that it will impart its forward move-
ments to the endless chain by acting upon the pivots of the links thereof, and that
in its return movements it will pass below the links succeeding the one already pushed
forward so as not to incur the risk to conveying the endless chain backwards, as this
would prevent it from occupying its proper position before the tube of the extracting
mechanism. The above stated object may be better realized by the employment of a
spring which is adapted to act at the same time.
The hook for effecting the forward movement of the endless chain is arranged to
extend through a suitable opening in the double bottom so that its upper stop or
projection operating above the double bottom will act in each of its movements upon
one of the pivots of the links forming the endless chain. It will thus be understood
that by once raising the movable tube a link of the said chain is conveyed exactly in
front of the fixed tube which surrounds the above-mentioned movable tube. As this
fixed or outer tube is open towards the holder a length which is at least equal to the
length of the cartridge, and as the movable tube is now at the upper end of its move-
ment, a spring which is suitably arranged before the fixed tube and has been
displaced so as to allow the passage of the cartridge will act in order to convey the
latter into the fixed tube below the movable tube. As soon as the outward movement
of the movable tube has been completed this tube is released, and in descending
surrounds the cartridge the flange of which will bear upon a cam actuated by the
interior branch of a spring fork which constitutes the principal part of the extracting
mechanism.
The flange of the movable pipe can now be seized again and lifted a second time,
the first cartridge being raised with it by means of the aforesaid cam, and in the above
described manner a second cartridge is introduced into the fixed tube below the
movable tube, that is to say below the first cartridge. When the movable tube
descends again the first cartridge will rest upon the second which is in its turn
supported by the said cam. According to the length of the movable tube the first
cartridge will pass out say one half or two thirds of its length. This cartridge
ready to be extracted, but cannot leave the tube of itself, or be lost, because its
lower flange is retained by a tooth or nose at the upper extremity of the said spring
fork.
now
In order to extract the cartridge it is sufficient to seize it (not now the flange of the
movable tube) and pull it upwards through a distance equal to the entire length of
the movement of the said tube which latter by the action of the said tooth or nose
will follow the movement of the same. At the end of this movement the exterior
branch of the spring-fork will be closed again by the extremity of a stop provided
at a suitable height in the fixed tube, consequently the said tooth or nose will recede
and leave the first cartridge free in the hand of the soldier. The movable tube is
caused by the action of the aforesaid spring to immediately descend again around a
third cartridge which has been moved into the fixed tube, the second cartridge being
now in the position for being extracted.
To prevent the movable tube being drawn too forcibly from the fixed tube, one
branch of the spring fork is provided at it's lower extremity with a tooth which is
designed to limit the movement by striking against the above-mentioned stop in the
fixed tube.
Accordingly the cartridges can be drawn out without troubling about anything else,
because one cartridge will always be ready until the holder or magazine is quite
empty.
For the purpose of better ensuring the exact position of the endless chain at the

page_text: moment when a cartridge is introduced into the fixed tube, the above mentioned spring
is lowered in the passage of each link and raised again afterwards so as to prevent
any backward movement which might otherwise be accidentally caused by the
friction of the hook in its return movement in contact with the links, or from any
other cause.
A guide is secured to the double bottom for the purpose of keeping the chain in its
normal position in the concave part of the cartridge-holder just at the point where
the drain might be moved away from the above-mentioned box by the drawing action,
and where the links might become entangled, the length of the chain being made
rather long so that the polygon formed by its links may assume any position around
the curved wall of the said box.
Each link of the endless chain and each cell for a reserve cartridge is provided
with a projecting part designed to retain the cartridge by means of the lower flange
on the latter for the two-fold purpose of obviating the loss of cartridges if by chance
the holder has been left open and the soldier has at once to take his position on the
ground or make some sudden movement, and enabling the holder to be employed for
cartridges without projectiles or balls, without which these cartridges can toss about
and become entanged in case they leave their position.
If desired the cartridge holder can be used as an ordinary holder, because, a slight
pull in the direction of their length is sufficient to liberate the cartridges from the
said protecting parts.
Although a somewhat accurate adjustment may be sufficient to keep the double
bottom in its place; this bottom for the purpose of better ensuring its position, has
been provided with a spring having a tooth which tooth is secured with its
rear end to the bottom, and is adapted to engage with a small opening in the double
bottom.
By prolonging the lateral curved wall in the downward direction to form the lower
edge the box is strengthened and the bottom is protected against blows from the
exterior, which might stop the operation of the mechanism for the forward movement
of the endless chain.
lining of
To obviate noise the interior of the cartridge holder is provided with
leather which prevents the cartridges striking against the metallic wall. For the
same purpose the flange of the movable tube is covered on its under side with india-
rubber so as to obviate blows upon the upper end of the fixed pipe. For protecting
the mechanism of the holder against moisture the plug for closing the movable tube
is also lined with india-rubber or the like.
Dated this 28th day of November 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Holders or Receptacles for
Cartridges
T. HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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:--
The cartridge holder or receptacle constructed according to this invention has for
its object to automatically supply the soldier with one cartridge.after another without
opening the said holder, in such a manner that by the simple action of drawing a
cartridge which is already half way from the holder another cartridge is caused to
appear immediately in its place, without the least risk of losing any of the said
cartridges.
This object is realized in the safest and simplest manner by the arrangement
hereinafter described.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings which represent the cartridge holder by way of
example only.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the holder.
Figure 2 is a plan of the mechanism for effecting the forward movement of the
cartridges the said mechanism being situated between the bottom and inner plate or
false bottom.
Figure 3 is a half elevation and half vertical longitudinal section of the chain or
carrier and of the interior box with the false bottom on the line X X Figure 4.
Figure is a plan of the same.
Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section of the extracting tube.
Figure 6 is an elevation and plan of the spring for introducing the cartridges into
the extracting apparatus.
In all the Figures similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.
The improved cartridge holder comprises a case proper A an extracting mechanism
indicated at B which is designed to supply the soldier automatically with one
cartridge after another in proportion as he withdraws them; and an endless baud or
magazine C whereby the extracting mechanism is continually and automatically
supplied as cartridges are taken from the said mechanism.
This cartridge holder differs very little from those heretofore employed as regards
size and weight. It has also an elongated form and is slightly curved so as to adapt,
it exactly to the soldiers belt, and its two ends are rounded to the form of a semi-
circle. This particular form, by reason of the absence of sharp edges, presents the
advantage of ensuring the durability of the cartridge holder and has for its object
to permit the movement of the endless chain or magazine Cin the holder around an
interior box S. The above mentioned endless chain or magazine may consist of
sixteen or any other desired number of links, each of these latter being designed to
carry a cartridge, whilst seven or more or less reserve cartridges are placed in cells S'
formed in the interior of the above-mentioned box, S, and one cartridge is at the
bottom of the extracting mechanism. The box S is provided with a double or false
bottom F upon which the endless chain C, as it travels bears, by means of heads a
provided on the pivots of its links. This arrangement has been devised with the
object of diminishing the frictional resistance, and providing a suitable space for the
operation of a hook which effects the forward movement of the said endless chain C
by acting upon the heads or projections a.
The mechanism designed for the forward movement of the endless chain is
arranged between the two bottoms. Its construction will hereinafter be explained.
These parts constitute the cartridge holder proper.
The extracting mechanism comprises a tube A" adapted to move in another tube A¹
concentric therewith, the latter being fixed to the right hand side of the cartridge-
holder, and provided with two longitudinal channels, in one of which can move a
small chain whereby the said movable tube A" is connected with the mechanism
for effecting the forward movement of the endless chain and in the other channel
operates the mechanism for extracting the cartridges, which will hereinafter be
described together with its operation.
A hinged cover closes the cartridge holder, whilst a plug retained by a small chain
serves to close the upper orifice of the aforesaid movable tube A".
After the cartridge-holder has been provided with cartridges andelosed, its operation
is effected in the following manner.
The plug having been removed from the movable tube A" the latter is drawn
outwards as far as it will permit by acting upon its upper flange. A small chain
(Figures 1 and 2) rises with the tube A" to which one of its extremities is attached
at and as its other extremity is fixed to a draw-rod T connected with a lever, it
causes this lever L to turn upon its pivot 0; and at the same time puts a spring M
under tension, which spring, by reason of its elasticity compels the lever L and all
the other parts that have been displaced with it to return to their origmal position of
rest as soon as the above-mentioned tube A" is released. The movement of the said
lever L is transmitted by a draw-rod " to a bell-crank lever 1, and spring hook g

page_text: adapted to turn upon the pivot o" and designed for the forward movement of the
endless chain C. In Figure 2 the full lines indicate the initial position and the
dotted lines the final position of the mechanism for the forward movement. As shown
in Figs. 1, 2 the spring hook is of such a form that it will impart its forward move-
ments to the endless chain C by acting upon the projections a of the links thereof,
and that in its return movements it will pass below the links succeeding the one
already pushed forward so as not to incur the risk to conveying the endless chain
backwarils as this would prevent it from occupying its proper position before the
tube of the extracting mechanism. The above stated object may be better realized
by the employment of a spring m¹ Figures 3, 4 which is adapted to act at the same
time.
'
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the hook g for effecting the forward movement of the
endless chain is arranged to extend through a suitable opening in the false bottom
so that its upper stop or projection operating above the said false bottom F will act in
each of its movements upon one of the projections a of the links forming the endless
chain C. It will thus be understood that by once raising the movable tube All a
link of the said chain C is conveyed exactly in front of the fixed tube A' which
surrounds the above-mentioned movable tube. As this fixed or outer tube is open
towards the holder a length which is at least equal to the length of the cartridge, and
as the movable tube A is now at the upper end of its movement, a spring m
Figures 6 which is suitably arranged before the fixed tube A' and has been displaced
so as to allow the passage of the cartridge will act in order to convey the latter into
the fixed tube A' below the movable tube A". As soon as the outward movement of
the movable tube has been completed this tube is released, and in descending
surrounds the cartridge the flange of which will bear upon a cam n Figure 5 actuated
by the interior branch of a spring fork which constitutes the principal part of
the extracting mechanism.
The flange of the movable pipe A" can now be seized again and lifted a second time,
the first cartridge being raised with it by means of the aforesaid cam n, and in the
above-described manner a second cartridge is introduced into the fixed tube A' below
the movable tube, A", that is to say, below the first cartridge. When the movable
tube A descends again the first cartridge will rest upon the second which is in its
turn supported by the said cam n. According to the length of the movable tube the
first cartridge will pass out say one half or two-thirds of its length. This cartridge
is now ready to be extracted, but cannot leave the tube of itself, or be lost because
its lower flange is retained by a tooth or nose, at the upper extremity of the said
spring fork.
In order to extract the cartridge it is sufficient to seize it (and not the flange of the
movable tube as before) and pull it upwards through a distance equal to the entire
length of the movement of the said tube A" which latter by the action of the said tooth
or nosed will follow the movement of the same. At the end of this movement the
exterior branch of the spring-fork will be closed again by the extremity of a
stop a provided at a suitable height in the fixed tube (Figure 5), consequently the
said tooth or nose will recede and leave the first cartridge free in the land of the
soldier. The movable tube A" is caused by the action of the aforesaid spring M to
immediately descend again around a third cartridge which has been moved into the
fixed tube A', the second cartridge being now in the position for being extracted.
To prevent the movable tube A" being drawn too forcibly from the fixed tube A',
the branch of the spring fork is provided at its lower extremity with a tooth
which is designed to limit the movement by striking against the above-mentioned
stop a' in the fixed tube.
Accordingly the cartridges can be drawn out without troubling about anything
else, because one cartridge will always be ready until the holder or magazine is quite
empty.
For the purpose of better ensuring the exact position of the endless chain Cat the
moment when a cartridge is introduced into the fixed tube A', the above mentioned

page_text: spring m, Figures 3 and 4 is lowered in the passage of each link and raised again
afterwards so as to prevent any backward movement which might otherwise be
accidentally caused by the friction of the hook g herein before referred to in its return
movement in contact with the links, or from any other cause.
A guide .r, a is secured to the double bottom F for the purpose of keeping the chain
in its normal position in the concave part of the cartridge-holder just at the point
where the chain might be moved away from the above mentioned box S by the
drawing action, and where the links might become entangled, the length of the chain
being made rather long so that the polygon formed by its links may asume any
position around the curved wall of the said box S.
Each link of the endless chain and each cell for a reserve cartridge S is provided
with a projecting part in Figures 3 and 4 designed to retain the cartridge by means of
the lowerflange on the latter for the two-fold purpose of obviating the loss of cartridges
if by chance the holder has been left open and the soldier has at once to take his
position on the ground or make some sudden movement, and enabling the holder to
be employed for cartridges without projectiles or balls, without which these cartridges
can toss about and become entangled in case they leave their position.
If desired the cartridge holder can be used as an ordinary holder, because a slight
pull in the direction of their length is sufficient to liberate the cartridges from the
said projecting parts m.
Although a somewhat accurate adjustment may be sufficient to keep the double
bottom in its place, this bottom, for the purpose of better ensuring its position, has
been provided with a spring having a tooth Figures 1 and 2 which tooth is secured
with its rear end to the bottom, and is adapted to engage with a small opening in the
double bottom.
By prolonging the lateral curved wall in the downward direction to form the lower
edge, Figure 1 the box is strengthened and the bottom is protected against blows from
the exterior, which might stop the operation of the mechanism for the forward move-
ment of the endless chain.
To obviate noise the interior of the cartridge holder is provided with a lining of
leather which prevents the cartridges striking against the metallic wall. For the same
purpose the flange of the movable tube A" is covered on its under side with india
rubber so as to obviate blows upon the upper end of the fixed pipe A'. For protecting
the mechanism of the holder against moisture the plug for closing the movabletube AÙ
is also lined with india-rubber or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is:-
First. The construction of a cartridge holder a receptacle consisting of a supply
magazine and an extracting mechanism for automatically and continuously presenting
to the soldier the cartridges ready to be extracted one by one, the holder or receptacle
being closed; as described and shown.
Second. The device by which the cartridge is caused to present itself vertically
with the ball above, that is to say in the most convenient position for employment.
Third. The special feed mechanism formed of a suitable combination of levers and
springs acting upon a continuous chain having links which is provided with cartridges
and automatically operated by the extracting mechanismas above described and shown
in the drawings.
Fourth. The special spring for introducing each cartridge into the extracting
mechanism, as above described and shown in the drawings.
Fifth. The extracting mechanism whereby each cartridge pushes the preceding
cartridge in such a manner that it suffices to seize the said cartridge and pull them
up in order to remove them from the holder without any danger of losing those which
are half way out, as described and shown in the drawings.
Sixth. The special arrangements which ensures the cartridge holder or receptacle

page_text: acting as an ordinary cartridge holder or receptacle, the advantage of avoiding the
loss of cartridges when the holder or receptacle is open, as described and shown in the
drawings.
Seventh. The cartridge holders or receptacles constructed and arranged as described
and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 7th day of March 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45. Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.