of IMPROVEMENTS IN AMMUNITION BOXES OR CASES FOR MACHINE GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. for an Invention
"
of IMPROVEMENTS IN AMMUNITION BOXES OR CASES FOR 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 William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AMMUNITION BOXES OR
CASES FOR 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 improvements in boxes or cases in which fixed
ammunition is packed for transportation to be used with fire-arms and more
particularly with machine guns.
The object of the said Invention is to provide a box or case which is simple in
construction, light, and inexpensive, and which will be perfectly tight and water-
proof, and at the same time may be readily and easily opened to enable the
contents thereof to be reached. My Invention also provides means whereby the
contents of the box may be placed in the receiver of a machine gun in any position,
quickly and without danger of dropping the cartridges.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 shews a perspective view of my improved case, packed and ready for
transportation and,
Figure 2 is a similar view of the strip which is removed to get at the contents
of the case.
Figure 3 is an end view of the box containing the cartridges, after the strip
shown in Figure 2 has been removed.
Figure 4 is a side view of the same with the inner box slightly drawn out,
Like letters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.

page_text: A is an inside box similar to the lower part of an ordinary pasteboard box and
fitted with partitions in any ordinary manner for containing the cartridges. B is
a rectangular piece of pasteboard bent to form the top and the two larger sides of
the exterior case. C is a rectangular piece of pasteboard so bent as to form the
bottom and the two ends of the exterior case. When these two parts are placed
together they form a complete casing enclosing the cartridges and the box A. D is
a strip of cloth, pasted or glued upon the interior of the piece C. There may be a
thin paper pasted over the inside of the cloth, if desired, for the sake of appearance,
or to protect the primers from dampness. The ends of the cloth are left loose as
shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The parts B and C are placed together over the box A and the cartridges, and
the edges of the box are then secured with a paper binding or covering E, as
shown in Figure 1. This paper binding or covering passes over the part C and
folds down on the part B. It closes all the corners and laps down over a part of
the cloth detaching strip D as shown in Figure 1. It is made so much larger than
the part C so as to lap onto the part B. The box is then entirely covered with a
water-proof varnish to exclude all moisture and form an air-tight case.
When it is desired to use the cartridges, one end of the cloth strip is taken in
one hand and the box is held by the other. The hand grasping the strip is then
passed rapidly around the bottom of the box thereby removing the strip and the
part C at a single movement.
If the cartridges are to be used singly, the part B is allowed to fall off and
expose the shells. If however the cartridges are to be charged into the receiver of
a machine gun, the box is still held in the hand and the end inserted into the
receiver, the part B retaining the shells in the case in whatever position it is
required to hold the box in charging. As the cartridges slip into the receiver, the
part B is allowed to slide off as will be understood by reference to Figure 4.
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. In combination with the box A and the cartridges contained therein, the
exterior case composed of the two rectangular pasteboard parts B and C constructed
as shewn, and the binding E covering the corners, substantially as, and for the
purposes specified.
Second. The detaching strip D in combination with the exterior case formed of
the two rectangular pasteboard parts B and C and the binding E, substantially as
described.
Third. The exterior case formed of the parts B and C, the binding E, and the
detaching strip D, the whole being covered with water proof varnish substantially
as, and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this First day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.