Improvements relating to Machine-guns and to Cartridge Feed Mechanism therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1893-Accepted. 30th Sept.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Machine-guns and to Cartridge Feed
Mechanism therefor.
I, OWEN JONES, of 68 Great Russell Street, in the County of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machine-guns and to cartridge feed mechanism therefor,
and its chief object is to provide more efficiently than heretofore for the feeding of
cartridges to machine-guns of that kind or class of which the well-known "Gardner"
gun is a type.
My improved feed-mechanism comprises suitable means for intermittently moving,
through a transverse aperture or slot in the gun-frame or in the cover thereof, a
belt or band containing the cartridges; the said mechanism also comprises suitable
means whereby, as this belt or band is thus moved through the said aperture or
slot, the cartridges contained in the said belt or band will be successively drawn
out of the same and conveyed into such a position in front of the plunger or
alternately in front of either of the plungers of the gun, that they may be thrust
into the barrel or barrels by the said plunger or plungers.
In guns wherein the cartridges are fed into a transversely moving slide whereby
they are carried into the space in front of the plunger or alternately into either of
the spaces in front of the plungers as the case may be, I provide suitable means
whereby, in the operation of the gun, the cartridges will be successively withdrawn
from the belt or band and thrust into the said slide. In applying my invention to
guns of this kind or class, as hitherto constructed, it is necessary that the aforesaid
aperture or slot for the feed belt or band shall be above the level of the plungers
and barrels; therefore provide suitable means whereby, in the operation of the
gun, the cartridges withdrawn from the said belt or band will have a positive
downward movement imparted to them before they are moved forward to insert
them into the slide.
I find it advantageous to provide for the intermittent-movement of the feed belt
or band through the aforesaid, aperture or slot by the usual crank-shaft or cam-
shaft of the gun through the medium of the plunger or plungers or of cams or other
suitable devices; and to combine, with the plunger or plungers, suitable hooks or
claws whereby a cartridge will be drawn from the belt or band in the rearward
movement of the plunger or either of the plungers; and, in the case of a gun with
two plungers working alternately, to provide the plungers with suitable pivoted.
or spring projections whereby, in the forward movement of either of the said
plungers, a cartridge previously drawn from the belt or band and moved downward,
will be thrust into the said slide, and, in the rearward movement of a cartridge
relatively to either. plunger, the pivoted or spring projection of the said plunger
will be pushed aside by the said cartridge to permit the withdrawal of the same
from the said belt or band. The cartridges fed as above mentioned into the
transversely moving slide, will be carried by the said slide into the required position
in front of the plunger or alternately in front of either of the plungers..
In some instances, instead of utilizing the ordinary plunger or plungers of the
gun for withdrawing the cartridges from the belt or band and thrusting them into
the slide, I provide separate or independent devices for this purpose worked by the
operating shaft, lever or handle of the gun through the medium of suitable
mechanism..
In cases where the belt or band is arranged to be movel through a transverse
aperture or slot above the barrel or barrels, I provide the plunger or each of the
plungers with a fixed or pivoted arm having a hook or claw to engage with a
cartridge in the said belt or band, and means whereby, in. the latter part of the

page_text: rearward movement of the plunger, the said cartridge, or the arm together with
the cartridge, will be moved downward so as to place the said cartridge in front of
the plunger. Or I provide, in combination with each plunger, a separate device
worked by the shaft, lever or handle of the gun through the medium of suitable
mechanism, and whereby a cartridge will be withdrawn as required from the belt
or band and forced down in front of the plunger. This part of my invention is
advantageously applicable to guns in which two or more plungers are arranged to
move to and fro simultaneously. In the case of a gun with two or more plungers
so arranged, I provide suitable means whereby, after the withdrawal of a set of
cartridges from the belt or band, the said belt or band will be moved through a
distance sufficient to bring another cartridge therein above each of the barrels.
Dated the 26th November 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Machine-guns and to Cartridge Feed
Mechanism therefor.
I, OWEN JONES, of 68 Great Russell Street, in the County of London, Engineer,
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 :-
My invention relates to machine-guns and to cartridge feed-mechanism therefor,
and its chief object is to provide simple and efficient means for feeding cartridges
to machine-guns of that kind or class of which the well-known "Gardner" gun is
a type.
In the Specification of former Letters Patent No. 12,206 dated 1st July 1892, I
have described and claimed a gun of this kind or class in which provision is made
for feeding a cartridge belt or holder intermittently through the gun and trans-
ferring the cartridges successively from such belt or holder into a transversely
moving feed-slide or feed-piece whereby the said cartridges are moved into the
space in front of the breech-bolt or plunger, or alternately into the spaces in front
of the breech-bolts or plungers as the case may be. In the forms of construction
which I have particularly described by way of example in my said former Specifi-
cation, the belt or holder is made with clips, into which the cartridges are inserted
and from which the said cartridges are successively pushed down directly into the
aforesaid feed-slide or feed-piece.
Now, according to my present invention, I so construct the gun that, in the
operation thereof, the cartridges are successively drawn or pushed backward out of
the belt or holder, and are then moved either into the space behind the feed-slide
or feed-piece, into which they are thrust by the plunger or plungers or by a separate
device, or into the space or spaces in front of the plunger or plungers, whereby they
are thrust directly into the barrel or barrels. I prefer to provide suitable means
whereby, in the operation of the gun, the cartridges withdrawn from the belt or
holder will have a positive movement imparted to them to force them into the
space in rear of the feed-slide or feed-piece or into the space or spaces in front of
the plunger or plungers.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter set
forth.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of one form of my improved gun.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal central section thereof, some of the parts being
shown in side elevation.

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan, illustrating details of construction some of the parts being.
removed.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 5, is a plan, partly in horizontal section, illustrating another form or
modification of my improved gun.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the same, some of the parts
being shown in side elevation.
Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6, the parts being shown in a different
position.
Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 9 a plan, partly in horizontal section, illustrating details of construction.
Figure 10 is a plau, partly in horizontal section, and
Figure 11 a vertical longitudinal section, illustrating a further modification of
my improved gun.
Figure 12 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, some of the parts being removed
and other parts being shown in a different position.
Figure 13 is a transverse section on the line y, y, Figure 11.
Figure 14 is a transverse section on the line y',', Figure 11, and
Figure 15 is a vertical longitudinal section showing a still further modification
of my improved gun.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the gun-frame which is provided with a hinged lid or cover A'; B, B are
the cartridges; C is the cartridge belt or holder; D, D' are the breech-bolts or
plungers of the gun; E is the transversely moving feed-slide.
In the gun shown in Figures 1 to 4, the plungers D, D' move forward alternately
as in the well-known two-barrelled "Gardner" gun.
The feeding of the cartridge-belt C intermittently through the gun may be
effected by any suitable means. In the gun shown in Figures 1 to 4, feed-
mechanism substantially such as is described in my said former Specification is
provided for this purpose. The cartridge-belt C may consist of two strips of
canvas or other suitable material riveted together, the cartridges being inserted in
openings in the belt between the rivets in a well-known manner; or the said belt
may consist of a strip of canvas, metal or other suitable material having clips
attached to it to hold the cartridges.
A grooved support or trough R is arranged behind the feed-slide E and between
the plungers D, D', and the said plungers are provided with suitable hooks or
claws t whereby the cartridges will be drawn successively from the belt or holder C
into the space above the said trough R, as hereinafter described.
A plate A is arranged in the gun-frame beneath the slot through which the
belt C travels: This plate is made with a rearward extension A in which is formed
a taper slot A¹º, so that a cartridge drawn out of the belt C by either plunger,
will be supported upon the edges of the said slotted extension A' until the said
plunger terminates its backward movement, when the said cartridge can fall or be
pushed down through the slot A into the trough R. To facilitate the withdrawal
of the plungers, the plate A8 is arranged to turn about the hinge-pin of the cover A',
so that, when the gun-frame is opened, the said plate can be turned back without
detaching it from the gun.
For pushing down the cartridges into the trough R, after they are withdrawn
from the belt C, I provide a lever q which is pivoted to a bracket 7' attached to
the cover A' of the gun-frame, and is operated by projections or cams K³ on the
central disc K of the crank-shaft, each projection or cam K² acting successively on
two short arms q³, 7 of the said lever in such a manner as to rapidly depress and
raise the said lever. A spring may, if desired, be used in conjunction with the
said lever to raise or assist in raising the same.. Each plunger D or D' is provided
with a suitable projection u whereby, in the forward movement of the said plunger,
a cartridge previously drawn from the belt or holder C and moved downward into.

page_text: the trough R by, the lever q, will be thrust into the feed-slide E. In the longitudina
movement of the said cartridge and of the other plunger relatively to each other
the projection of the said plunger will push aside the said cartridge. Or a
pivoted or spring projection may be provided on each plunger, which projection
will yield to permit it to pass the cartridge in the trough in its backward movemen
relatively thereto..
The operation of the gun above described is as follows, that is to say :-'
are shown, in Figures 1 and 2, in the position which they occupy when a cartridge
The parts
has been drawn out of the belt C by the hook or clawt of the plunger D' and has been
pushed down into the trough R by the lever q, and the said belt has been fed
forward and a fresh cartridge therein seized by the hook or claw t of the plunger D
On the rotation of the crank-shaft of the gun in the direction indicated by the
arrow in Figure 2, the feed-slide E containing the cartridge previously pushed into
its left-hand compartment by the projection u on the plunger D, is moved across
the gun so as to convey the said cartridge into the space in front of the plunger D';
this plunger D' then commences its forward movement, at the same time pushing
into the right-hand compartment of the slide, by means of its projection u, the
cartridge in the trough R. When the plunger D' has moved a short distance
forward, the plunger D commences its backward movement, bringing with it the
empty cartridge-shell from the barrel, and drawing a fresh cartridge from the belt C
by means of its hook or claw t, which cartridge is supported upon the extension A
until the plunger D has terminated or nearly terminated its backward movement.
At the termination of the forward movement of the plunger D', the cartridge-
belt C is fed forward by the wheel G so as to bring another cartridge in the
said belt into engagement with the claw t of the said plunger D'. At the
termination of the backward movement of the plunger D, the lever q'is operated
by one of the cams K2 and pushes the cartridge drawn out of the belt by the said
plunger D, into the trough R in front of the projection u on this plunger. The
feed-slide containing the cartridge pushed into its right-hand compartment by the
plunger D is now moved across the gun in the reverse direction so as to bring
the said cartridge in front of the plunger D, which then commences its forward
movement. The cartridges are thus drawn from the belt C by the plungers D, D¹
alternately, pushed down into the trough R by the lever and thrust into the feed-
slide E by the said plungers, the said slide conveying them in the well-known
manner alternately into the spaces in front of the plungers, whence they are thrust
into the barrels by the said plungers.
Ju some instances, instead of utilizing the ordinary plunger or plungers of the
gun for withdrawing the cartridges from the belt or holder and thrusting them
into the slide, I provide separate or independent devices for this purpose worked
by the operating shaft lever or handle of the gun through the medium of suitable
mechanism.
In the modification of my invention shown in Figures 5 to 9, a carrier R¹ is fitted
to slide to and fro upon the trough R, which, in this case, is formed as a rearward
extension of the plate A, this plate being pivoted on the hinge-pin of the cover A¹
as above described. The said carrier R is provided with spring hooks or claws p
adapted to spring over and seize the flange of a cartridge in the belt C when the
said carrier is moved forward. The forward motion of the said carrier R' is
effected by means of projections or cams K' on the central disc K of the crank-
shaft, which projections or cams engage at the proper times with an arm or tappet n¹
on a sliding barn and thus actuate a lever o pivoted at o', the shorter arm of the
said lever working in a slot n² in the said bar n, and the longer arm of the said
lever extending through an aperture in the bottom of the carrier R' and through a
longitudinal slot R2 in the box or trough R, so that the said lever can move the
carrier forward as hereinafter described.
A projection A is formed on the plate As to guide the cartridge-belt as it
is fed through the gun, and to ensure the engagement of the carrier Rwith the
*

page_text: cartridges in the said belt, by preventing forward movement of the cartridges
while the hooks or claws p are being forced into engagement with the flanges
of the said cartridges.
;
The backward movement of the carrier R' is effected by the plungers D, D'
alternately for this purpose, each plunger has a hooked arm T pivoted in a groove
or recess T¹ in the inner side thereof, as more clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9,
the hook of the said arm T being adapted to enter a recess R³ in the corresponding
side of the carrier R' and to engage with the shoulder at the end of the said recess R³
In order that the hooked arms T may engage with the carrier R' during the backward
travel of the plungers, and be released from the same at the termination of their rear-
ward movement, I provide a plate U which is fitted to slide in the recess T', and is
formed with slots U¹ through which extends the pivot of the hooked arm T, and with
projections U, U3 so arranged that the projection U2 will strike the central disc K
at the end of the backward stroke of the plunger, and the projection U³ will strike
the portion A2 of the gun-frame at the end of the forward stroke of the plunger,
and the sliding plate U will thus be moved to and fro. The said sliding plate is.
further provided with inclined shoulders U, U³, which, in the to-and-fro movement
of the plate U, turn the hooked arm T so that it is moved alternately into and out.
of the recess T¹.
The long arm of the lever q rests upon a roller R in the upper part of the
carrier R¹, when the latter is at the forward end of its travel; the short arm of
the said lever is arranged to be struck by the said roller R in the latter portion.
of the backward motion of the said carrier, for the purpose of imparting a positive-
downward movement to the cartridge drawn thereby into the space above the box
or trough R.
The operation of the improved mechanism above described with reference to
Figures 5 to 9 is as follows:-The parts are shown, in Figures 5 and 6, in the
position which they occupy when a cartridge has been pushed from the trough R
into the feed-slide E and a fresh cartridge B in the holder C has been seized by
the carrier R. On rotating the crank-shaft of the gun in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Figure 6, the feed-slide E containing the said cartridge is moved
across the gun so as to bring the said cartridge in front of the plunger D, which
then commences its forward movement. When this plunger has moved forward a
short distance, the plunger D commences its backward movement drawing with it,.
by means of its hook T, the carrier R' and thereby pulling a cartridge out of the.
feed-belt C, which cartridge is supported upon the trough R until the said
plunger D has terminated, or nearly terminated its backward movement; the
roller R then engages with the short arm q2 of. the lever 9 and turns the said lever-
so that its long arm pushes the cartridge down into the box or trough R as shown
in Figure 7, and the hooked arm T of the said plunger is, at the same time,.
disengaged from the carrier R' by means of the sliding-plate U, the projection U
of which strikes the disc K of the crank-shaft. In the continued rotation of the.
crank-shaft, one of the projections K' strikes the tappet n' on the sliding barn and
thus actuates the lever o so as to move forward the carrier R¹ and push the said
cartridge from the trough R into the feed-slide E, whereby it is conveyed into the
space in front of the plunger D. At the end of this forward movement, the
claws p of the carrier R' engage with the next succeeding cartridge in the feed-...
belt C, which belt has meanwhile been fed through the gun by the feed-wheel G.
The carrier R' is then drawn back by the plunger D' and the above described cycle-
of operations repeated, and so on alternately.
Instead of the pivoted hooked arms T, I sometimes use, spring hooks secured in
recesses in the plungers and adapted to be disengaged from the carrier R₁ at the
termination of the rearward movement thereof, by the disc K acting upon. a.
projection on either hook and thus pressing the said hook into its recess.
I sometimes substitute for the carrier R' means, whereby the cartridges will be
successively pushed instead of pulled out of the feed-belt into the space above the.
aforesaid boy or trough. For instance I make the said carrier with a forward.

page_text: extension which is provided with a rod or plunger to act upon the bullet-end of a
cartridge when the said carrier is drawn back, and with a slot through which the
said cartridge can be pushed down into the trough R by the lever .
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use my improved devices for drawing the
cartridges out of the belt and thrusting them into the feed-slide or feed-piece,
without the devices for pushing the cartridges into the space between the plungers,
the cartridges being allowed to fall into this space by gravity; but I do not
consider this arrangement so advantageous as those above described.
According to another modification of my invention I dispense with the feed-slide
and combine with the plunger, or with each of the plungers, a pivoted hooked arm.
whereby in the rearward movement of the plunger, a cartridge will be drawn out of
the belt or holder and pushed directly into the space in front of the plunger, so
that, in the forward movement of the plunger, the said cartridge will be thrust into
the barrel. Or I provide separate devices, worked by the operating crank-handle
or lever of the gun, whereby the cartridges will be successively drawn out of the
belt or holder and pushed directly into the space in front of the plunger.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 10 to 14, the slot a through which
the cartridge-belt is to be moved, is formed in the frame A above the barrels. The
feeding of the said belt through the slot a may be effected by any suitable means..
In the arrangement shown, it is effected by means of a sliding pawl-carrier H
having two pawls L pivoted thereto and adapted to engage with the clips that hold the
cartridges. The said pawl-carrier is arranged to be moved to and fro at right angles
to the axes of the barrels between guides on the plate A³, by means of a lever J
pivoted at J to the cover A' and connected with another lever J which is pivoted
at J³ to the said cover and is worked by a cam-groove K in the central disc K of
the crank-shaft. In the case of a gun with two or more barrels, this feed-mechanism
is so arranged that, in each operation of the levers J, J2, the belt C will be moved
through such a distance as to bring a fresh cartridge in line with each barrel, the
cartridges being properly spaced in the said belt for this purpose.
To each of the plungers D, D' is pivoted at V' an arm V provided at the free
end of its long arm with a hook or claw to engage with the flange of a cartridge in
the belt C. The short arm of the lever V is provided with a roller V2 which, in
the to-and-fro movement of the plunger, works in a groove W₁ formed in a block W
attached to the cover A¹ of the gun-frame. By these means, in the rearward
movement of either plunger, a cartridge is drawn, by the corresponding hooked
lever V, out of the feed-belt C into the space between the walls v, v', where it is
supported until, in the latter part of such rearward movement, the roller V2 of the
said lever V rides up the incline W2 at the rear end of the groove W', the said
lever being thereby turned about its pivot so that its long arm pushes the cartridge
down into the space in front of the plunger. The feed-belt C is now moved across
the gun to bring other cartridges into position to be seized by the hooked
arms V. Each plunger, in its forward movement, thrusts the cartridge in front of
it into the barrel, and in its next rearward movement, after the firing of the said
cartridge, extracts the empty shell from the barrel and at the same time draws a
fresh cartridge from the belt C. The empty cartridge-shell, when thus extracted,
falls through an aperture A4 in the gun-frame in a well-known manner.
To facilitate the removal of the plungers, I sometimes form the upper portion of
the guides for the plungers in one piece with the walls v, vas shown and connect
this piece by a hinge-joint, as at v² to the gun-frame, the said piece being held
down in its place by means of screws or by one or more projections extending
downward from the interior of the cover A' or by other convenient means.
I sometimes provide, in combination with each plunger, a hooked arm for drawing
the cartridges out of the belt or holder C, and a separate device for forcing the
cartridges thus withdrawn, into the space in front of the plunger.
In Figure 15 I have shown an arrangement of this kind in which a forked arm V
having hooks or claws to engage with the flange of a cartridge in the belt C, is
firmly attached to the plunger for the purpose of withdrawing the cartridges from
1

page_text: the said belt and a lever q is provided for pushing the said cartridges down into
the space in front of the plunger. This lever q is pivoted to a bracket q' attached
to the cover A' of the gun-frame and is arranged to be actuated by projections or
cams K2 on a disc K of the crank-shaft acting on short arms ³, q of the said
lever, substantially as above specified.
The improvements hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 10 to 15 are
applicable either to single-barrelled guns, or to double-barrelled guns in which the
plungers move forward alternately, or to guns having two or more barrels and in
which the plungers move forward simultaneously.
It is evident that the construction of the gun and of my improved mechanism
may if desired, be somewhat further modified, without departing from the nature of
my invention.
For instance I can employ, in place of the feed-slide E, an oscillating feed-piece
having a downward extension and pivoted at its lower end to the gun-frame, the
said oscillating piece being constructed with one or more movable partitions like
those in the feed-slide usually employed in "
Gardner" guns.
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:-
First. A machine-gun which is so constructed that, in the operation thereof, the
cartridges contained in a belt or holder moved intermittently through the gun, are
successively pulled or pushed backward out of the said belt or holder and are then
moved into the space in rear of a transversely moving feed-slide or feed-piece and
thrust into the said feed-slide or feed-piece, for the purpose above specified.
Second. A machine-gun in which the plungers are provided with hooks or claws
for withdrawing the cartridges from a belt or holder fed intermittently through the
gun, and with projections whereby the said cartridges, after being thus withdrawn,
are thrust into a transversely moving feed-slide or feed-piece, substantially as, and
for the purpose, above specified.
Third. The combination, with a transversely moving feed-slide or feed-piece, of
plungers provided with spring or other projections for thrusting the cartridges into
the said feed-slide or feed-piece, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The combination, with a transversely moving feed-slide or feed-piece, of
mechanism for moving a cartridge belt or holder intermittently through the gun,
plungers provided with devices for pulling or pushing the cartridges backward out
of the said belt or holder and with projections for thrusting the cartridges into the
said feed-slide or feed-piece, and a lever for pushing the cartridges into the space
between the plungers, subst intially as, and for the purposes, above specified
Fifth. The combination, with the plungers and with the transversely moving
feed-slide or feed-piece, of a box or trough or equivalent device arranged behind
the said feed-slide or feed-piece, for supporting a cartridge between the plungers,
substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Sixth. The combination, with the plungers and with the transversely moving
feed-slide or feed-piece, of a separate device worked by the operating crank-handle
or lever of the gun, for thrusting the cartridges into the said feed-slide or feed-
piece, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Seventh. The combination, with the box or trough arranged behind the feed-
slide or feed-piece, of a carrier movable to and fro on the said box or trough and
adapted to withdraw the cartridges successively from the belt or holder, means for
pushing the cartridges down into the said box or trough, and means for pushing
forward the said carrier and simultaneously thrusting the cartridges into the said
feed-slide or feed-piece, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Eighth. The combination, with the carrier arranged to be moved to and fro on
the box or trough, of a hooked arm pivoted or otherwise suitably attached to the
plunger, and means whereby, in the to-and-fro motion of the plunger, the said

page_text: hooked arm will be automatically moved into and out of position to engage with
the said carrier, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Ninth. A machine-gun wherein the plunger or each of the plungers is provided
with a pivoted hooked arm so arranged that, in the rearward movement of the
plunger, it will withdraw a cartridge from a belt or holder and push the said
cartridge directly into the space in front of the said plunger, substantially as
herein before described and for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The combination, with the plunger provided with a hooked arm for
withdrawing the cartridges from the belt or holder, of a separate device for pushing
the cartridges directly into the space in front of the plunger, substantially as, and
for the purpose, above specified.
Eleventh. A machine-gun provided with my improved mechanism constructed
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, or to Figures 5,
6, 7, 8 and 9, or to Figures 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, or to Figure 15 of the drawings
and operating as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated the 26th day of Auơnst 1892
OWEN JONES.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.