Year: 1886

page_text: I, JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 :-
:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine.
Figure 2 is a plan view.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line A
Figure 4 is a plan section on the line B-
---
A of Figure 2.
B of figure 1.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of one of the chargers, on the line C-C of figure 2.
Figure 6 is a plan section on the line D--D of figure 1.
Figure 7 is a plan view of a modification.
Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line E- - E of figure 7.
Like symbols of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.
1
A suitable flat bed-plate 1 is mounted on the top of a stand, frame, or block 2.
At the rear end of the bed-plate, is a bracket or standard 3 to which the lever 4
which operates the plunger is pivotted. The plunger 5 reciprocates vertically in a
tubular guide 6, and is connected to the lever by a loose connection, which enables
it to be moved in a right line by the lever. The wad holder 7 stands directly
under the lever 4, and is secured in a vertical position to the U-shaped strap or
plate a, which encircles the front side of the guide 6, so that its lower end
terminates the thickness of one wad above the surface of the bed-plate 1: It is
fastened at its sides only, so that there is a slot or opening at the front and back,
through which the wad-charging slide works. The adjacent side of the tubular
guide 6 is slotted in like manner, as at 9, figure 3, to permit the wad to be
transferred from the wad holder 7 to the guide tube 6, preparatory to being forced
down into the cartridge shell. On the surface of the plate 1, back of the wad
holder, is the wad slide 10, which reciprocates in guides 12 and 13 and has its
front end 11 ent out in semicircular form to fit the edges of the wads. Secured to
the top of the slide, 10, by means of a strap 14, or otherwise, is a vertical arm 15,,
the front edge of which is curved or inclined and engages a pin 16 on an arm 17,
•

page_text: which extends down from the lever 4; so that when the lever 4 is depressed, the
pin 16, moving over the inclined edge of the arm 15, forces the slide 10 back, and
when the lever 4 is raised and the pressure of the pin 16 removed from the arm 15,
the slide is shot forward by a spring 18, which encircles its rear end and bears
against the base of the standard 3 and a shoulder on the slide. The wad holder
has a presser foot 50, which is connected by a spiral spring with a removable
cap 51, having a stud or pin 8, which engages with a bayonet clutch slot 52 in the
edge of the holder. The tension of the spring holds the wads tightly down in the
holder, so that they may be driven out laterally through the slot 9 one by one by
the action of the slide 10 When the holder becomes empty, the cap 51 is
unfastened, the presser device taken out, and the holder refilled. The foot 50 is
thicker than the slot 9, and consequently cannot be forced through it, so that
when the holder becomes empty the slide strikes it and cannot go forward, which
will call attention to the fact that the wads are exhausted, and thereby guard
against the incomplete charging of the shells. Fastened to the guide 6, is a spring
catch b, which engages a notch c in the side of the plunger 5, to maintain it in a
raised position, in which its lower end is above the lower surface of the bed
plate. On the bed plate 1 and on opposite sides of the guide 6, are two measuring
chargers 20, one on each side, for measuring the charges of powder and shot.
These chargers are composed of two tubes, each of them having a telescoping
section 21, the upper end of which is attached to and opens into a hopper box 22.
The latter is supported by a bracket d, fastened to the bed-plate and provided with
a vertical slot e. A set-screw in the side of the box, extends through the slot,
and outside of it has a collar fi which when it is screwed up bears on the bracket
and fastens the box in the proper position to secure the required capacity in the
charger 20 Arranged in guides in the floor of the charger 20 is a slide 23 having
an opening 24 which when the slide is in one position registers with the upper end
of the charger 20 When the slide is in its other position it closes the end of the
charger so that the material in the box 22 cannot enter the charger-The rear end
of the slide projects beyond the back side of the box 22 where it is connected with
a suitable spring 25 which bearing against it holds it forward in its opened
position The front end of the slide projects beyond the front side of the box
where it is provided with a transverse plate or flange 26 having a curved or
inclined front edge, pivotted or journalled to the under side of the bed plate is a
flat plate g having a projecting arm or bandle h upon which is a vertical striking
arm or pin i which projects upward and when in a middle position stands between
the inner ends of the two flanges 26 of the charger slides. This pin oscillates in
the arc of a circle struck from the pivot of the plate g as a center and as it moves
from its middle or normal position to either side it encounters the inclined or
curved edge of one of the flange 26 and forces its slide 23 backwards against its
spring 25 and closes the opening between the box 22 and charger 20 When the
pin is returned to its middle position the slide is released and the spring 25
shoots it forward and opens communication between the box 22 and charger 20
again Attached to the under side of the plate g is a cartridge shell holder 38
having an open upper end which when in a middle position registers with the
lower end of the tubular guide 6 and when in one of the side positions registers.
with the lower end of one of the chargers 20. Except when the lower ends of the
guide 6 and chargers 20 register with the shell holder they are closed by the flat
plate g. The lower end of the shell holder 38 is closed by a movable bottom j
which permits the insertion and removal of the shell and when it is in place
supports it under the action of the plunger 5 when it rams the wad down into the
shell In the present instance the movable bottom consists of a slide held in
position by a spring k and it is provided with a concave dependent lip m working
in a recess n in the bottom of the frame which facilitates the moving of the sliding
bottom-I do not limit myself to a sliding bottom because I can also use a hinged
or pivotted one as will be understood: The bottom has a hole o in the centre so
that the cap in the head of the shell shall not encounter a hard surface and be

page_text: accidentally exploded in charging the shell-The boxes 22 are intended to hold
removable hoppers 33 containing any desired quantity of powder and shot:
-
Thus constructed the operation of my improved machine is as follows The
wad-holder 7 being filled with walls and the hoppers 33 with powder and shot, and.
the lever 4 being in the raised position shown in figures 1 and 3, a cartridge shell
is inserted in the holder 38, and the holder 38 is moved sideways under the
powder charger. This movement causes the pin i to encounter the inclined
flange 26 thereby forcing the slide 23 back and closing the communication between
the charger 20 and the box 22 so as to separate the charge in the charger 20 from
the supply and prevent any more powder from entering the charger until the
charge therein has been deposited in the shell and the charging opening is closed.
When the shell reaches its position under the charger 20 the charge of powder runs
down into it. Then the holder is moved back to position under the guide 6. This
movement causes the plate g to come under the lower end of the powder charger
and close it, and releases the slide '23, so that it is shot forward by the spring 25,
the hopper opened and the charger again filled with more powder therefrom. The
lever 4 is then raised, so that the lower end of the plunger 5 shall clear the slot 9
when the spring slide 10 will force the wad which rests on the bed plate through
the slot 9 into the tubular guide 6 over the upper end of the cartridge shell in the
holder 38 the wad being composed of elastic material, is in its free state larger than
the bore of the shell and so remains in a horizontal position on its upper end. The
plunger is then forced down and rams the wad into the shell and firmly down on
top of the powder compressing the latter into the lower end of the shell. The
lever is then raised until the plunger clears the plate g when the shell holder is
moved sideways under the shot charger and charged with shot in the same manner
as has been described with reference to the power. It is then moved back under
the guide 6 and the shot wad inserted in the same manner as has been described
with reference to the first wad. The cartridge is then removed by pressing back
the movable bottom j and perinitting it to drop into the hand or if it sticks in the
holder it can be forced out by the plunger. The wads cannot enter the guide tube 6
Bo long as the plunger stands in front of the slot 9 and as the spring catch b holds
the plunger in that position and above the plate g while the charging operations
are going on.
In figures 7 and 8 I show a modification which consists in the use of a revoluble
circular shell holder 38 having a large number of shell compartments 38' and
pivotted on the central pin p so as to be free in its turn.
Mounted in a pair of lugs or other supports on the under side of the arm h is a
sliding spring bolt 43 having a finger pull 47 for drawing it back. In the outer
surface of the shell holder opposite each shell cavity is a hole 40 for receiving the
point of the bolt 43 and centering the cavity with the arm h.. All other parts of
the machine remain unchanged. In using this modification shells may be placed in
each compartment and then by moving the holder by means of the handle h and
bolt 43 as will be understood, all the shells may be first charged with powder then
wadded, then charged with shot, and finally wadded or each shell may be completely
loaded before anything is done to the next.
.
It is apparent that the adjustment of the shell holder may be made automatic by
connecting it to the lever 4 by an intermediate device, actuated by said lever tho
bolt 43 if used, in such construction being also actuated from the lever as will be
understood. It is also apparent that instead of the shell holder moving in a circle,
or the arc of a circle it may move in a right line under the plunger in which
case the chargers 20. would be similarly arranged.
It is also apparent that the means of adjusting the size of the telescoping
chargers operating the hopper and charger slides, the wad slide and other devices
may be changed in form and arrangement by the skilled mechanic without
departing from my invention.
My improved machine is remarkably cheap and simple in construction easy and
efficient in operation, and not liable to get out of order.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination, in a cartridge loader, of a reciprocating plunger, with a
shell holder arranged below the plunger and provided with a movable spring
bottom, which supports the shell against the action of the plunger; substantially
as and for the purposes described.
2. The combination, in a cartridge charger, of a reciprocating plunger, with a
shell holder arranged below the plunger and provided with a sliding spring bottom,
which admits of the insertion and removal of the shell, and supports it against the
action of the plunger; substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The combination, in a cartridge loader, of a pivotted plate, carrying the shell
holder, and normally closing the lower end of the powder or shot charger, which
is arranged to register with the shell holder; a spring actuated slide for controlling
the passage between the charger and its hopper, said slide having an inclined flange
at its outer end; and a pin or striker on said plate which engages the incline
and closes the hopper when the shell holder registers with the lower end of the
charger; substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a cartridge loader, a charger composed of two telescoping tubes, one
fastened to the bed-plate over the receiving position of the shell holder, and the
other the supply hopper; in combination, with a bracket on the bed plate, and
adjustable fastening devices for supporting the hopper in any desired position over
the fixed tube of the charger; substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. The combination, in a cartridge charger; of a plunger; a plunger guide; a
waḍ holder communicating at the bottom with the plunger guide; a spring
actuated wad slide working through the base of the wad holder to push the
bottom wad forward into the plunger guide; a vertical inclined arm on the slide;
and a plunger lever provided with an arm which engages the arm on the slide and
retracts the slide as the plunger descends; substantially as and for the purposes
described.
6. The combination, in a cartridge loader, of a reciprocating plunger; a plunger
guide; a wad holder arranged at the side of the guide; a wad passage between
the wad holder and guide; a slide actuated by a spring to force a wad into the
guide when the plunger is raised, and retracted by the plunger lever when the
plunger descends; a charger arranged at each side of the guide, each having a
charging slide which admits the charge from a hopper into the charger; a radially
moving plate closing the lower ends of the guide and chargers; a shell holder
suspended on the moving plate, which is caused to register with the guide and
chargers by the movement of the plate; and movable bottom in the shell holder;
substantially as and for the purposes described.
7. A cartridge loader having a hopper for containing powder or shot; a slide
closing the bottom of the hopper; a charger arranged under the hopper, and a slide
or plate closing the bottom of the charger, so that the charger may first be filled
from the hopper, then cut off from the same and finally discharged, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
'