An Improvement in Ammunition Holders for Machine Gun Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Ammunition Holders for Machine Gun Carriages.
I, The Right Honourable DoUGLAS MACKINNON BAILLIE HAMILTON COCHRANE,
Earl of Dundonald, of No. 34, Portiman Square, in the County of London, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an arrangement for readily supplying ammunition to
machine guns which I effect as follows. On the vertical spindle which carries the
gun I fit a sleeve which can revolve around the spindle, this sleeve carrying a
number of ammunition boxes arranged around it. For a time the gun is supplied
from one of these boxes, and when it is emptied, the sleeve is turned partly round
so as to bring another box into position to supply the gun, and so on with_box
after box in succession. The sleeve is held in position relatively to the gun by a
suitable catch so as to turn with the gun, while one box is supplying the gun, and
when the box has to be changed the catch is released. The boxes may be made
detachable so that empty boxes can be removed and fresh charged boxes put in
their place.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improvement in Ammunition Holders for Machine Gun Carriages.
I, The Right Honourable DOUGLAS MACKINNON BAILLIE HAMILTON COCHRANE,
Earl of Dundonald, of No. 34, Portman Square, in the County of London, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
1
My invention relates to an arrangement for readily supplying ammunition to
machine guns, this ammunition consisting of cartridges secured on a belt which by
the action of the gun is caused to travel over part of the gun presenting, successive
cartridges to the loading mechanism.
For this purpose I mount the gun and ammunition boxes as I shall describe
referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section with the gun shewn in elevation, Fig. 2 is a sectional
plan.
The vertical axis a around which the gun can be turned in any direction is
fixed in a pedestal b which in order to give stiffness combined with lightness is
Price 81.1

page_text: preferably made hollow as shewn. Round this pedestal, as an axis, a polygonal
or star shaped sleeve c is fitted to revolve, its base preferably running on balls
arranged in a race at the angle of the flange of the pedestal b. Each of the oblique
sides of the sleeve c has in its upper part a dovetail notch into which fits a dovetail
projection from the back of an ammunition box d. Each of these boxes has
a lid hinged to its outer side.
The lower part of the gun mounting is provided with a bolt g and the top of the
sleeve has as many holes to receive the bolt as there are sides to receive the
ammunition boxes d.
When one of these boxes is supplying the gun the bolt g is inserted into the
.corresponding hole then on turning the gun in any direction the sleeve and
ammunition box turn with it.
When the box is emptied the bolt g is withdrawn, the sleeve c is turned partly
round so as to bring another box containing ammunition into position and the
bolt is inserted into the corresponding hole. This operation is repeated until
all the boxes are emptied. An empty box can at any time be removed by lifting
it sufficiently to clear its dovetail projection e out of the notch of c and a fresh box
containing ammunition can be put in its place.
Although I have shewn the sleeve a star shaped and arranged to carry six
ammunition boxes obviously it might be made of other suitable form adapted to
carry a smaller or greater number of boxes which might be made of various
dimensions to suit the ammunition used for the gun.
Instead of a dovetail projection and notch other means of attaching the box
to the sleeve may be adopted such however as will allow of the box being readily
attached and detached.
Thus for instance a hook or headed stud may project from the sleeve to engage
in an eye or suitable recess provided in the side of the box.
The base of the pedestal may be so shaped as to provide for its being fixed
on a platform on board ship or on shore or on a gun carriage.
Although I have shewn several detachable boxes d, obviously there might be a
single receptacle extending all round the axis b, with or without partitions, this
receptacle being turned round to bring the ammunition contained in it to a con-
venient position for charging the gun.
The sleeve carrying the ammunition box or boxes may obviously be mounted
on the vertical axis around which a quick firing or other gun revolves, and this
axis instead of projecting up from a carriage may be that projecting up from a
pedestal or other mounting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
In combination with the vertical axis around which a gun turns, a sleeve adapted
to turn round that axis, and carrying a receptacle or several boxes containing
ammunition means being provided for bolting the sleeve in positions to present
the ammunition conveniently for charging the gun.
Dated this 21st day of July 1898.