IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE GUNS, AND A SPECIAL CARTRIDGE FOR THE SAME."
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Titus Robottom at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November 1879.
TITUS ROBOTTOM, of Nuneaton, in the County of Warwick, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE GUNS, AND A SPECIAL CARTRIDGE FOR THE SAME."
Consists of a number of ordinary or other rifle barrels being arrainged in a plane
which is variable and parallel to each other, the backends of each one having two
studs opposite to each other and bell mouthed to receive the conical end of cartridge
chamber or breech piece. The said chamber or breech piece moves on a centre, at
back end of which a number corresponding to the number of barrels are fitted into
a grooved receptable, of which several will be required; when one is discharged to
be taken out and a loaded one put in. By means of a series of wedges forced up
between the barrels by means of an excentric shaft, the middle barrel being fixed,
each outside barrel being pressed with a spring the barrels will either diverge or
concentrate their fire.
The number of barrels are arrainged in a suitable frame which is supported on a
stalk which slides in or out of a socket or sleeve, and fixed with a set pin in order
to raise it high enough to sweep over the carriage wheels and to lower for facility
in travelling. The said socket or sleeve is part of a T, whose base the carriage axle
passes through and fixed in position with set pins, enabling the barrels to be used
for vertical fire. There is interposed between the barrel frame and axle a ball and
socket joint, or a gymbal, to enable aim to be taken at any moving object, such as
deer or cavalry.
The loading to be effected by means of frame or base into which is fitted a
traversing bar with a number of studs or projections corresponding to the number
and pitch of the barrels, and when used a slide is withdrawn from the bottom of
the two opposite sides of the cartridge box, which is then put into the frame, the
breech piece then put in, and by means of the said traversing bar with projections
being forced through the base of the cartridge box forces the cartridges into the
breech chambers; the traversing bar being then withdrawn more cartridges slide down
the partitions ready for next loading; thus the cartridges never require handling
after leaving the factory, the empty cartridge box being thrown away and another
full box inserted. One cartridge I make use of is a cylindrical pellet of solid
powder, or made up of solid discs, with a central hole right through from end to
end, into which is inserted a glass tube charged with fulminate, the said tube

page_text: projecting out of the back end of the cartridge to enter the back end of breech
piece, and when struck by the needle or striker fires the powder simultaneously at
each end, thus completing combustion.
Another cartridge I use is of fine grain powder, and I effect the firing by
means of a running priming fired by a friction tube or percussion cap.
The mechanical firing by means of a traversing hammer on a shaft with a spiral
groove of the same pitch as the breech pieces, the said hammer being actuated by
a cam on a shaft parallel to the hammer shaft, which is driven by means of
reversible tooth gearing to enable the hammer to traverse back, the hand wheel for
firing being always moved in one direction. The carriage consists of one pair of
wheels with round axle, the shafts continue to the backside of axle to support the
weight of the barrels when in vertical position for travelling or vertical fire, and
the ammunition boxes, the seat for two men being in front of the axle.