Improvements in Mechanical Feeding Devices for Machines used in the Manufacture of Cartridge Cases, also other Metal Cases and Tubes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
..1
Improvements in Mechanical Feeding Devices for Machines used in
the Manufacture of Cartridge Cases, also other Metal Cases and
Tubes.
We, CHARLES BROWN, Mechanical Engineer, of Florence Villa, Havelock Road,
Saltley, Birmingham, and LEONARD AUGUSTE PEULEVÉ, Mechanical Engineer, of
The Hollies, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to an automatic feed whereby-one-attendant can work a
number of machines instead-of-one-attendant at each machine as heretofore.
It-is-applicable to all cartridge machines used in making metal cases and in
any stage and process of manufacture viz.-Drawing, indenting, heading, tapering,
necking, piercing etc. etc.
It is also applicable to machines, making covers or metal envelopes for bullets,
foresight protectors for rifles, oil bottle bodies for rifles, lubricating tubes for bicycles,
umbrella fittings, primer and friction tubes and such like cases.
It consists of one or two hoppers where the tubes, cases etc. are placed in
indiscriminately. (We prefer two hoppers as being more reliable than one in
securing a continuous supply.)
Each hopper has a slide passing through the bottom of the hopper in a vertical
position, the bottom end of the slide is jointed to a lever imparting the necessary
vertical motion.
The top end of slide has a groove or recess to pick up the cases or tubes in its
ascending motion, when the slide reaches its highest point, a lever contained in the
slide is released and a spring pushes the lever forward onto the cases or tubes
(contained in the groove in the slide) and forces the cases or tubes into a rail or
gutter which is set at right angles to the slides and between the hoppers in a slant-
ing direction, to enable the cases or tubes contained in the rail or gutter to roll or
slide down into a balancing box horizontally.
The object of the balancing box being to receive one case or tube and hold it in
a horizontal position until a vertical slide fitted between the balancing box and
the rail or gutter and having a projection inside the balancing box, in its upward
motion lifts the case or tube centrally, causing the heaviest end of case or tube to
fall first to the bottom of balancing box & insuring every case or tube being mouth
upwards. After which operation the case or tube is pushed forward' into a feed
rail or gutter, by a slide fitted horizontally to the balancing box, thence into the
die of the machine. The feed rail is provided with divisions equal to the number
of cases or tubes it may contain, a bolt with chamfered head is fitted to each
division, the head being to keep the cases or tubes in a vertical position each bolt
is kept in position by a spring spiral or otherwise and as each case or tube is
pushed forward by the slide, the bolts are pushed back and recover their position,
when the cases or tubes have reached their proper position in the feed rail.
The vertical slide placed between the balancing box and rail or gutter, has an

page_text: aperture of a size sufficient to give free passage to the cases or tubes from the rail
or gutter into the balancing box whilst in its lowest position, as it rises, it closes
the passage thereby preventing more than one case or tube feeding into the balance
box, consequently no jambing or miss feed can take place.
The balance box is made sufficiently wide to allow a free passage to the cases or
tubes on either side of a hollow ledge, provided to hold the cases or tubes in a
horizontal position.
As the lifting operation takes place the case or tube falls on either side, the
passage narrowing gradually, to admit of only one case or tube at the bottom of
balancing box.
In applying this invention to machines already having a circular feed disk, the
cases or tubes can drop direct from the balancing box into the division holes
contained in the said disk, or a circular feed disk may be applied having semi
circular divisions around the outside diameter of said disk, a guide plate being
placed around the disk; its object being to hold the cases or tubes vertically whilst
the disk carries the cases or tubes over the die in the machine.
The horizontal slide at bottom of the balance box being then required to push
the cases or tubes into the divisions of said disk and hold them there until the said
disk moves forward and carries the cases or tubes inside the guide plate, thence
over the die of the machine.
Having explained the method of application of our invention to machines having
a circular feed disc; we prefer feeding any machine without a circular disc and
direct from a feed rail or gutter as already described in a previous paragraph in
connection with the balancing box.
In adapting this invention to machines where the cases or tubes are fed hori-
zontally, the horizontal slide at the bottom of balancing box is removed and a
curved channel groove or rail is substituted to lead or feed the cases or tubes
horizontally into the horizontal fee rail as fitted to the machines.
The application of this invention in feeding the cases after they are headed is
done as follows. The cases are placed in the hopper then the vertical slide having
the groove enlarged to allow the body of case to enter and to be hung up by the
head, the lever in the slide pushes the cases direct into the feed rail or gutter, the
cases still hanging by the head gradually slide downwards & drop into a box
head upwards in front of circular feed table or disc with semi circular divisions as
before mentioned, then the horizontal slide pushes the cases into the divisions in
the disc as before described in a previous paragraph. The motions required to
actuate the different parts of this invention are imparted by means of levers and
any other known mechanical appliances the nature of which can only be decided
by the pattern of the machine to which this invention is to be applied.
This 29th day of November 1897.
Improvements in Mechanical Feeding Devices for Machines used in
the Manufacture of Cartridge Cases, also other Metal Cases and
Tubes,
We, CHARLES BROWN, Mechanical Engineer, of Florence Villa, Havelock Road,
Saltley, Birmingham, and LEONARD AUGUSTE PEULEVÉ, Mechanical Engineer, of
4

page_text: The Hollies, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, 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: -
Our invention is applicable to all machines used in making metal cartridge cases
and in any stage and process of manufacture, viz.-Drawing, indenting, heading,
tapering and necking.
It is also applicable to all machinery used in making metal cases for bullets,
foresight protectors for guns, lubricating tubes for bicycles, oil bottle bodies for
guns, umbrella fittings, and drawing primers and friction tubes and the like.
It consists of one or two hoppers where the tubes, cases and such like are put in
indiscriminately. We prefer two hoppers as being more reliable than one in
securing a continuous supply.
Each hopper has a slide passing through the bottom of hopper in a vertical
position, the bottom end of the slide is jointed to a lever imparting the necessary verti-
cal motion, the top end of slide has a groove or recess to pick the cases or tubes in its
ascending motion, when the slide reaches its highest point, a lever contained in
the slide is released and a spring pushes the lever forward onto the cases or tubes
contained in the groove in the slide and forces them into a rail or gutter, which is
set at right angles to the slides and between the hoppers in a slanting direction to
enable the cases or tubes contained in the rail or gutter to roll or slide down into a
balancing box horizontally.
The object of the balancing box being to receive one case or tube and hold it
in a horizontal position until a vertical slide fitted between-the-balancing box
and the rail or gutter and having-a-projection inside the balancing box in its
upward-motion lifts the case or tube centrally causing the heaviest end of case or
tube to fall first to the bottom of balancing box and insuring every case or tube
being mouth upwards, after which operation the case or tube is pushed forward into
a feed rail or gutter, by a slide fitted horizontally to the balancing box, thence
into the die of machine.
The feed rail is provided with divisions equal to the number of cases or tubes
it may contain, a bolt with chamfered or concave head is fitted to each division,
the head being to keep the cases or tubes in a vertical position, each bolt is kept
in position by a spring spiral or otherwise, and as each case or tube is pushed
forward by the slide the bolts are pushed back and recover their position when
the cases or tubes have reached their proper position in the feed rail.
The vertical slide placed between the balancing box and rail or gutter has an
aperture of a size sufficient to give free passage to the cases or tubes from the rail
or gutter into the balancing box whilst in its lowest position, as the slide rises,
it closes the passage, thereby preventing more than one case or tube feeding into
the balancing box, consequently no jambing or miss feed can take place.
The balancing box is made sufficiently wide to allow a free passage to the case or
tube on either side of a hollow ledge provided to hold the case or tube in a horizontal
position, as the lifting operation takes place the case or tube falls on either side, the
passage narrowing gradually to admit of only one case or tube at the bottom of
balancing box.
In applying this invention to machines having already a circular feed disk,
the cases or tubes can drop direct from the balancing box into the division holes
contained in the said disk, or a circular feed disk may be applied, having semi
circular divisions around the outside periphery of said disk, a guide plate being
placed around the disk, its object being to hold the cases or tubes vertically whilst
the disk carries the cases or tubes over the die in the machine.
The horizontal slide at the bottom of balancing box being then required to push
the cases or tubes into the divisions of the said disk and hold them there until the
said disk moves forward and carries the cases or tubes inside the guide plate thence
thence over the die of machine.
Having explained the method of application of our invention to machines having

page_text: a circular plate feed, we prefer feeding any machine direct from a feed rail or gutter
as already described in a previous paragraph in connection with the balancing box
and without a circular disk.
In adapting this invention to machines where the cases or tubes are fed horizontally,
the horizontal slide at the bottom of balancing box is removed and a curved
channel, groove or rail is substituted, to lead or feed the cases or tubes horizontally
into the horizontal feed rail as fitted to the machines.
The application of our invention in feeding the cases after they are headed is
done as follows,
The cases are put in the hopper pell mell, then the vertical slide having the
groove enlarged to allow the body of the cases to enter and be hung up by the head,
the lever in the slide pushes the cases direct into a feed rail or gutter, the cases
still hanging by the head gradually slide downwards and drop into a box head
upwards in front of a circular feed table or disk with semi circular divisions as
before mentioned; then the horizontal slide pushes the cases into the divisions in
the disk as before described in a previous paragraph.
The motions required to actuate the various parts of this invention are to be
imparted by means of levers and other known mechanical appliances, the nature of
which can only be decided by the pattern of the machines to which this invention
is to be applied.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings-
Figure is a side view of a drawing machine with a section of feed in position
according to our invention, in which the picking up, the balancing and the feeding
in devices are shown, together with with the links and levers required to impart the
necessary motion to the various parts of our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of horizontal slide on a larger scale.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section corresponding to Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a partial plan of guide rail on a larger scale.
Figure 5 is a front view of vertical slide and picking up device on a larger
scale.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 5.
Figure 7 is the plan corresponding to Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 8 is a plan of balancing device on a larger scale levers being omitted.
Figure 9 is a section corresponding to Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a front elevation corresponding to Figures 8 and 9.
Figure 11 is a plan of slide and lifting device on a larger scale in connection
with Figure 8.
Figure 12 is a side view corresponding to Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a front elevation corresponding to Figure 11.
Figure 14 is a plan of slide for picking up cups and other short cases on a larger
scale.
Figure 15 is a partial section corresponding to Figure 14.
The frame of feed B is bolted onto the bed of machine A, the hopper C is bolted
onto the frame B a slot being cut in the bottom of hopper C' for the passage of
slide D, the slide 1) ascends through the body of cases or tubes N contained pell
mell in hopper C and retains only the case N lying horizontally in the recess at
the end of slide D, until it reaches the down rail M when the lever D₁ pushes the
case N into the rail M, there being two hoppers C and two slides D provided,
one on each side of down rail M, sometimes more cases N would be picked up than
necessary by the slides D; the slides D working alternately up and down, there is
always room for the surplus being pushed over into the other hopper by the
lever D¹
The down rail M is fixed in a slanting position from the top of hopper C to the
balancing box F so that the cases N may roll freely into the balance box
required.
as
The balance box F has two ledges F¹ on which the cases N roll from the down
rail M and remain there horizontally until the slide G rises, the projection G¹

page_text: lifting the case N centrally from the ledges F¹ thereby causing the heaviest end
of case N to fall down first; when the case N assumes a vertical position at the
bottom of box F and ready for the slide E to push it forward into-the guide
rail H.
The slide has an aperture G2 to admit of only one case N into the box F at
a time, the case N can only enter the box F when the slide G is in its lowest
position, as the slide G ascends it closes the passage between the rail M and the
box F.
The end of the lever 1310 actuating the slide G is fitted in the slot G³.
The guide rail H contains bolts O, the object of said bolts being to hold the
cases N in proper position, the head of each bolt being made concave effectually
prevents the cases N falling, the same result can be obtained by the bolt heads Ŏ
being chamfered, the bolts O being placed between the cases N instead of against
the cases as per Figure 4, the bolts are provided with light springs to press onto
the cases N and hold them firmly in position. As the slide E pushes the cases N
the bolts recede sufficiently to allow the cases N to pass forward, the bolts
returning as the cases N reach the concave part of the head of bolts O. A light
plate should be fastened over the bolts O to keep them down, but it was omitted
from drawing for convenience of illustration.
Figure 14 is a plan Figure 15 is a part longitudinal section of a picking up
device for cups N and other short cases N in which the shape of one end differs
from the other, the apertures 16 are made the exact shape of cups Na, as the
slide D" ascends through the body of cups N" in the hopper C, only those cases-
or cups N coming-in-the-aperture-D6-the right way can pass into the slide D
when they are disposed of into the down rail M, the number of apertures in the
picking up device D" must be regulated so as to ensure a constant feed of cups N°,
therefore we do not confine ourselves to any one number.
A crank plate L is fixed on the cartridge machine crankshaft A¹ the object of
plate L being to impart the necessary motion by means of connecting rod K to the
links and levers B31, 132, 133, B4, B5, B6, B7, 138, 139, and B10 shown on frame B Figure 1
and which in their turn actuate the various slides and component devices herein
fully described.
The letters I and J refer to the punch and die in the cartridge machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In feeding mechanism for machines used in cartridge case and like manu-
factures. The combination of a stationary hopper and a picking up device lifting
up the cases and feeding the said cases into a down rail or groove as herein before
described.
2. In feeding mechanism for machines used in cartridge case and like manu-
factures. The combination of a down rail in which, the cases roll down with their
mouths either to the right or left as placed by by the lifting up device, with a
balance device causing the cases to assume one position, that is mouth upwards
5 and bottom downwards, as herein before described.
3. In feeding mechanism for machines used in cartridge case and like manu-
factures. The combination of a balance device with a slide to push the cases as they
drop down from the balancing device mouth upwards substantially as herein set
forth.
0 4. In feeding mechanism for machines used in cartridge case and like manu-
factures. The combination of a slide to push the cases into a guide rail device, the
cases following each other vertically, bolts with springs being provided on one
side of guide rail, to prevent the cases falling whilst being fed into the cartridge
machine as herein before described.
5
5. In feeding mechanism for machines used in cartridge case and like manu-

page_text: factures. A picking up device to arrange the cups or short cases with their mouth
in one direction, prior to entering the down rail as herein before described.
6. A cartridge case feeding machine having in combination a hopper, a down
rail, a balancing device, a pushing slide and a guide rail substantially as herein
before described with Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 of
the drawings.