Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Cartridge or other Cases.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Cartridge or other Cases.
I, WILLIAM JAMES ORSMAN, of Gathurst near Wigan in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
This invention has for its object an apparatus applicable for automatically filling
or charging cartridge cases with gunpowder, roburite or other suitable explosive;
and for various other purposes where it is required to fill small cases or packages
with a given quantity of the material only and to compress such material into a
limited space or compass.
In carrying out my invention, as applied to cartridge cases, my improved machine
comprises means for filling or loading a cartridge case with a prescribed or definite
charge and for compressing the charge in the case.
The
To this end I employ six or any other suitable number of stationary filling or
compressing tubes, which are mounted in a suitable frame and are in communication
at their top ends with a hopper or receptacle in which the powder is placed. These
tubes are placed approximately vertical and under them is a movable table, which
can be raised or lowered by means of a treadle or in other suitable manner.
outside diameter of the filling tubes is made approximately the same as the inside
diameter of the cases to be filled, and the said tubes have preferably a compara-
tively small bore, which enables them to be used for compressing the charge in the
cartridge case, while at the same time being large enough to permit the passage of
the prescribed charge of powder. The term "powder" is of course employed in
this Specification to indicate broadly any suitable explosive compound whatever,
and not gunpowder alone.
The mode of action is as follows:-
:-
The cases to be filled are slipped onto the ends of the filling or compressing tubes
aforesaid and are held from falling off by means of a spring catch device. A frame
or holder with holes or cavities for receiving the cartridge cases is then placed on
the table underneath the filling tubes, with the holes coinciding therewith and with
the open ends of the holes upwards. By depressing the treadle, the table with the
holder placed upon it is raised, whereby the holes of the latter receive the respective
cartridge cases on the tubes; almost simultaneously the raising of the table causes
the spring catch to release the cases which then fall into the holder. The table is
now lowered with the holder and the cartridge cases therein, a given quantity of
powder is discharged from the hopper into all the cartridge cases simultaneously,
through the filling or compressing tubes, and the table is again raised whereby the
said tubes compress the charge in the cases. Again the table is lowered; a second
charge of powder is discharged into the cases; the table again raised to compress
the same, and so on until all the cases are filled to the required extent.
The device for discharging a given charge through the filling tubes from the
hopper may consist of a cylinder having cavities of such a capacity as to hold a
given weight of powder. There are as many of these cavities in each set as there
are filling tubes, and, by turning the cylinder by means of a handle with a ratchet
wheel and pawl device, a regulated quantity of powder is discharged into the
cartridge cases.
In another arrangement I employ a slide having cavities of given capacities into
which the powder is discharged from the hopper. By moving this slide each cavity
can be brought into communication with the respective filling tubes and the powder
discharged through them into the cartridge cases. Set pins or their equivalent can

page_text: be provided in each cavity whereby the cubical capacity thereof can be regulated
to a nicety.
Any reasonable size or length of cartridge case can be filled by my invention, and
means are provided for adjusting the height of the table, whereby it can be raised
for a short cartridge or lowered for a long one.
The invention, when applied for filling other pulverized or granular substances
into packages, is substantially similar to the foregoing and does not therefore need
any special description.
Dated this 5th day of July 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Cartridge or other Cases.
I, WILLIAM JAMES ORSMAN of Gathurst near Wigan in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This invention has for its object an apparatus applicable for automatically filling
or charging cartridge cases with gunpowder, roburite or other suitable explosive;
filling baking powder cases with baking powder; and for various other purposes
where it is required to fill small cases or packages with a given quantity of the
material only and to compress such material into a limited space or compass.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which :--
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section :
Figure 2, front elevation, also partly in section: and
Figure 3, a sectional detail of the apparatus showing regulating screw on an
enlarged scale.
In carrying out my invention, as applied to cartridge cases, my improved machine
comprises means for filling or loading a cartridge case with a prescribed or definite
charge and for compressing the charge in the case.
To this end, I employ six or any other suitable number of stationary filling or
compressing tubes A, which are mounted in a suitable frame B and are in com-
munication at their top ends with a hopper C or receptacle in which the powder is
placed between the hopper C and compressing tubes B are preferably placed
measuring vessels T formed of vertical tubes or holes open at both ends in a frame
having a to and fro movement given to it by handle G and link K, so as to come
alternately under the hopper shutes and then over the compressing tubes. The
area of passage of the tubes in D is regulated by screws J, by this means, a
measured amount of material is allowed to fall into and fill these holes, and is then
placed over and allowed to fall into the compressing tubes. These latter tubes are
placed approximately vertically, and under them is a movable table E, which can be
raised or lowered by means of a treadle F and links L and M, or in other suitable
manner. The outside diameter of the filling tubes is made approximately the
same as the inside diameter of the cases to be filled, and the said tubes have
preferably a comparatively small bore which enables them to be used for com-
pressing the charge in the cartridge case, while, at the same time, being large
enough to permit the passage of the prescribed charge of powder. The term
"powder" is, of course, employed in this Specification to indicate broadly any
suitable explosive compound whatever, and not gunpowder alone.
The mode of action is as follows:
The cases to be filled are slipped on to the ends of the filling or compressing
tubes B aforesaid, and are held from falling off by means of a spring catch device N.

page_text: A frame or holder H with holes I or cavities for receiving the cartridge cases is
then placed on the table underneath the filling tubes with the holes coinciding
therewith and with the open ends of the holes upwards. By depressing the
treadle F, the table, with the holder placed upon it, is raised, whereby the holes
of the latter receive the respective cartridge cases on the tubes, and, almost
simultaneously, the raising of the table causes the spring catches pressed back by
projecting pieces in the rising table to release the cases, which then fall into the
holder. The table is now lowered with the holder and the cartridge cases
therein, a given quantity of powder is discharged from the hopper into all the
cartridge cases simultaneously, through the filling or compressing tubes A; and
the table is again raised, whereby the said tubes compress the charge in the cases.
Again the table is lowered, a second charge of powder is discharged into the cases,
the table again raised to compress the same, and so on until all the cases are filled
to the required extent. The table can be held, when required, at any convenient
height by hand screw P screwed into the framework and pressing against a
central or other leg Q; block H is guided in its vertical movement by slide bars S
and lugs T, which also can act as stops.
The device for discharging a given charge through the filling tubes from the
hopper may consist of a cylinder having cavities of such a capacity as to hold a
given weight of powder. There are as many of these cavities in each set as there
are filling tubes, and, by turning the cylinder by means of a handle with a ratchet
wheel and pawl device, a regulated quantity of powder is discharged into the
cartridge cases.
In another arrangement, I employ a slide having cavities of given capacities
into which the powder is discharged from the hopper. By moving this slide, each
cavity can be brought into communication with the respective filling tubes and the
powder discharged through them into the cartridge cases. Set pins or their
equivalent can be provided in each cavity whereby the cubical capacity thereof can
be regulated to a nicety.
Any reasonable size or length of cartridge case can be filled by my invention,
and means are provided for adjusting the height of the table, whereby it can be
raised for a short cartridge or lowered for a long one.
The invention, when applied for filling other pulverised or granular substances
into packages, is substantially similar to the foregoing, and does not therefore
need any special description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement in filling cartridge or other cases which consists in making
the filling tubes the compressing device also, substantially as described.
2. The method of filling cartridges and other cases, which consists in adding
the contents by separate small and even increments and pressing between each.
3. The mechanism for filling cartridges and other cases substantially as described
and illustrated.
Dated this 5th dor of April 1902
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.