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

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Machine-guns and to Feed-mechanism
therefor.
I, OWEN JONES, of 17 Keppel Street, Russell Square, 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 mechanism for feeding cartridges
thereto, and has for its chief object to provide more efficient and reliable mechanism
than has heretofore been used for this purpose.
By my present improvements, I diminish the liability to jamming through bad
or imperfect feeding of the cartridges, and facilitate the action of the feed-
mechanism when the gun is elevated or depressed.
My said invention is chiefly designed to provide a positive feed in machine-guns
such as that now known as the "Gardner "gun, in which, as hitherto constructed,
the feeding of the cartridges is effected by gravity, that is to say, by the weight
of a row or column of cartridges in a vertical hopper or feeder. It has been
found that, when such guns are used at a great angle of elevation or depression,
the cartridges do not slide freely down the hopper or feeder, and the feeding of
the cartridges is frequently arrested by reason of the inclination of the said hopper
or feeder. Moreover the cartridges do not always fall into the proper position in
front of the plunger or plungers for thrusting them into the barrel or barrels,
consequently there is liability to jamming of the cartridges in the gun.
I obviate these defects as follows, viz. :-According to one form of my
invention, I provide mechanism whereby, in the working of the gun, a positive
intermittent downward movement will be imparted to the cartridges in the hopper
or feeder so as to bring the said cartridges successively into such a position that
they may be thrust into the barrel or barrels by the plunger or plungers in the
forward movement of the latter. And I accomplish this result in such a manner
that the insertion into the hopper or feeder at any time, of a fresh supply of
cartridges from a package thereof such as those usually employed for this
purpose, will not interfere with the proper working of the feed-mechanism. In
some instances, I use for this purpose two bars made in the form of racks or
having inclined or curved projections to engage with the cartridges in the hopper
or feeder, and acted upon by springs whereby they are pressed inward or towards
each other. These bars and springs are so arranged that, when either bar is
pushed outward, the corresponding spring or springs will yield and thus permit a
slight outward movement of the said bar. One of the said bars is restrained from
longitudinal or endwise motion, whilst the other bar is combined with suitable
means for imparting to it a reciprocating endwise movement in such a manner that,
in the to-and-fro movement of the plunger or plungers, this bar will be moved up
and down through a distance equal to the pitch of its projections. In the upward
movement of this bar it will move outward so as to permit its projections to pass
the cartridges; it will then be pushed inward by its spring or springs and thus
caused to again engage with the cartridges. In the downward movement of the
said bar it is restrained from outward movement; it will therefore move the row
or column of cartridges downward and thus feed the lowermost cartridge into the
gun, the other bar being moved outward and its spring or springs compressed by
the action of the cartridges upon its projections. When a fresh supply of cartridges
is introduced into the hopper or feeder, one or both of the said bars will be pushed
outward by the cartridges as they pass between the projections or ridges of the
said bars.
In other instances. I use in place of the said bars, endless chains adapted to

page_text: engage with the cartridges in the hopper or feeder, and combined with suitable
means whereby the said chains will be operated at the proper time to move the
said cartridges downward and thus feed the lowermost cartridge into the gun.
These endless-chains are so arranged that they may either be moved outward or
caused to travel around their pulleys to permit the introduction of a fresh supply
of cartridges into the hopper or feeder. Or I use a single endless-chain provided
at suitable intervals with pivoted arms adapted to bear upon the cartridges for the
purpose of feeding the same downward in the hopper or feeder. The said arms are
so arranged that they will yield and fold down when a fresh supply of cartridges
is introduced into the hopper or feeder, and the arms above the cartridges will
then resume their normal position and the arm next above the topmost cartridge
will press upon the same and will, in the subsequent movement of the chain, move
downward the row or column of cartridges.
In other instances, I provide a block arranged to slide in a slot in the hopper
or magazine and provided with a pivoted arm adapted to engage with the topmost
cartridge in the said hopper or feeder. This block is so arranged that, in the
working of the gun, an intermittent downward motion will be imparted to it for
the purpose of feeding the cartridges into the gun; the said block is, however,
free to be moved upward, so that, after the introduction of a fresh supply of
cartridges into the hopper or feeder, the said block may be raised until its arm
engages with the uppermost cartridge, the said arm, when under a column of
cartridges, folding down to permit it to pass the cartridges above it and then
resuming its normal position. The said block is arranged to have a positive
motion imparted to it by the mechanism of the gun; or it is provided or con-
nected with a suitable weight or spring for operating it as required; or the block
itself is made of sufficient weight to ensure the proper feeding of the cartridges
thereby. The said block is furnished with antifriction rollers to facilitate its action
when the hopper or feeder is inclined.
According to a further modification of my said invention, I employ an endless-
band of leather, cotton or other suitable material provided with suitable projections
to engage with the sides or the back of the cartridges in the hopper. Motion is
imparted to this band by a spring attached to it by a hook or other suitable device
so that, when the cartridges in the hopper or feeder are all or nearly all used, a
fresh supply can be introduced at the top and the hook can then be raised by hand
and again attached at the upper part of the band, so that the spring will again
operate on the row or column of cartridges.
Dated this 10th day of February 1809
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Machine-guns and to Feed-mechanism
therefor.
I, OWEN JONES, of 17 Keppel Street, Russell Square, 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 mechanism for feeding cartridges
thereto, and has for its main object to provide more efficient and reliable mechanism
than has heretofore been used for this purpose in guns provided with hoppers or
feeders for containing one or more columns of cartridges.
By my present improvements I diminish the liability to jamming through bad or
imperfect feeding of the cartridges, and I facilitate the feeding of the cartridges
when the gun is elevated or depressed.

page_text: My said invention is chiefly designed to provide a positive feed in machine-guns
such as those now known as the "Gardner" and "Nordenfelt" guns in which, as
hitherto constructed, the feeding of the cartridges is effected by gravity, that is to
say, by the weight of a row or column of cartridges in a vertical hopper or feeder.
It has been found that, when such guns are used at a great angle of elevation or
depression, the cartridges do not slide freely down the hopper or feeder and the
feeding of the cartridges is frequently arrested by reason of the increased friction
due to the inclination of the said hopper or feeder. Moreover the cartridges do
not always fall into the proper position in front of the plunger or plungers for
thrusting them into the barrel or barrels, consequently there is liability to jamming
of the cartridges in the gun.
I obviate these defects as follows, riz. ;-In some instances I provide mechanism
whereby, in the working of the gun, a positive intermittent downward movement
will be imparted to the cartridges in the hopper or feeder so as to bring the said
cartridges successively into such a position that they may be thrust into the barrel
or barrels by the plunger or plungers in the forward movement of the latter. And
I accomplish this result in such a manner that the insertion into the hopper or
feeder at any time of a fresh supply of cartridges, from a package thereof such as
those usually employed for this purpose, will not interfere with the proper working
of the feed-mechanism. In other instances, I construct the mechanism in such a
manner that a continuous pressure is exerted upon the column of cartridges in the
hopper or feeder by means of a weight or a spring or springs.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and
Figure 2 a plan, partly in horizontal section on the line, a, Figure 1, showing
part of a
"Gardner" gun with one form or arrangement of my improved feed-
mechanism applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section, and
Figure 4 a horizontal section of the hopper or feeder showing parts of the said
mechanism.
Figures 5, 7 and 9 are vertical sections, and
Figures 6 and 8 horizontal sections, showing other modifications of the feed
mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 10 is a vertical section showing feed-mechanism hereinafter described,
comprising an endless chain adapted to engage with the cartridges in the hopper or
feeder.
Figure 11 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 12 a front elevation, also partly in vertical section, showing feed-mechanism
operated by a spring as hereinafter described.
A is the gun-frame which is closed at the top by a lid or cover A'; B, B are
the barrels; C is the cartridge hopper or feeder; D, D¹ are the plungers of
the gun.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a, a¹ are two channel-shaped bars which are
arranged to slide up and down in grooves or channels in the sides of the cartridge-
hopper or feeder C, and to which are pivoted at suitable distances apart, pawls 6
adapted to engage with the cartridges in the hopper or feeder C. These
pawls bare formed with tail-pieces which extend into holes or slots in bars c,
fitted to slide in the bars a, a respectively and free to move endwise through a
short distance relatively to the corresponding sliding bar a or a¹; each of the said
bars c is acted upon by a spring d which tends to hold it in the position shown, so
that it will keep the pawls b pressed inward or towards the centre of the hopper
or feeder C, so that they will engage with the cartridges therein. The bars a, a¹
are provided with pins or studs e which extend through and work in slots in the
sides of the hopper or feeder C.
.
For imparting reciprocating motion to the bars a, a' in the working of the gun,
I provide levers, which are pivoted at f' to a lug or projection A³, on the

page_text: underside of the lid or cover A'. These levers engage with the pins or studs e on
the bars a, a' respectively. Each of the plungers D, D₁ of the gun is provided
with a projection D' which, in the to-and-fro movement of the said plunger, acts
alternately upon the arms f³, f of the corresponding lever for f' and thus turns
the said lever about its pivot through a small angle first in one direction and then
in the reverse direction. When either of the bars a, a¹ is thus moved upward, the
pawls 6 carried by the said bar are pressed outward by the cartridges and the bar c
is thus raised relatively to the bar a or a', and the spring d is compressed. When,
in the upward movement of the bar a or a', the pawls carried thereby have been
raised above the adjacent cartridges, the spring reacts and moves the bar e
downward relatively to the bar a or a', thereby pressing the pawls b inward
so that they will engage with the cartridges and feed the same downward when the
bar a or a¹ is depressed by the corresponding lever for f'. In the working of the
gun, the bars a, a¹ are alternately operated in the manner above described, and a
positive intermittent downward movement is thus imparted to the column of
cartridges in the hopper or feeder.
When a fresh supply of cartridges is introduced into the hopper or feeder, the
pawls bare pressed outward by the said cartridges as they descend in the hopper
or feeder, and are then moved inward by the reaction of the springs d so that they
engage with the said cartridges.
To facilitate the insertion of the cartridge-hopper or feeder C into its place in
the gun and its removal therefrom, I find it advantageous to construct and arrange
the parts as follows, that is to say ;-I make the forward arms of the levers f, f' of
thin steel so that their forward ends can be sprung outward, and I bevel the upper
inner edges of their forward ends so that, when the hopper or feeder C is pressed
down into the hole or slot formed for its reception in the lid or cover A', the pins
or studs e acting upon the bevelled surfaces of the levers ff will force the forward
ends of these levers away from each other sufficiently to allow the hopper or feeder
to be moved downward until the said pins or studs enter the holes or slots in the
said levers. On each side of the hopper or feeder C, I arrange in a suitable guide,
a sliding wedge-piece C', which wedge-pieces may be pushed downward and thus
caused to act upon the bevelled surfaces of the levers f, f' so as to force the
forward ends of the same off the pins or studs e in order to permit the withdrawal
of the hopper or feeder C from the gun.
The arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 is very advantageons for two-barrelled
"Gardner" guns. It is obvious, however, that can, if desired, provide other
suitable means whereby, in the working of the gun, the required reciprocating
movement will be imparted alternately to the bars a, a'.
In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the
projections which engage with the cartridges are formed on bars g which are coupled
by means of links h to the bars a, a', and are acted upon by springs which tend to
press them inward and keep their projections in engagement with the cartridges.
When either of the bars a, a¹ is moved upward, the springs ; yield to permit the
corresponding bar g
to move outward and thus allow the projections to pass the
cartridges; the springs; then react and move the said bar g inward, thus bringing
its projections into engagement with the cartridges.
When a fresh supply of cartridges is introduced into the hopper or feeder C, the
bars 9 will be pushed outward by the cartridges as they pass between the projections
g
or ridges of the said bars.
This form or modification of my improved feed-mechanisın may be arranged to
be operated by means of levers as above described or in any other convenient
manner.
The arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8, is advantageous for use with a single-
barrelled machine-gun, but can also be used with a two-barrelled "Gardner" gun.
In this arrangement, the pawls b are acted upon by separate springs / whereby they
are pressed inward or towards the centre of the cartridge-hopper or feeder. The
bar a' is restrained from longitudinal or end wise motion, whilst the bar a is combined

page_text: with suitable means for imparting to it a reciprocating endwise movement in such a
manner that, in the to-and-fro movement of the plunger or plungers of the gun,
this bar will be moved up and down through a distance equal to the pitch of its
pawls or projections. In the upward movement of this bar, its pawls are moved
outward by the cartridges so as to permit them to pass the said cartridges, upward
movement of the cartridges being prevented by the pawls on the bar a¹; the pawls
on the bar a are then pushed inward by their springs k and thus caused to again
engage with the cartridges. In the downward movement of the said bar. a, it moves
the row or column of cartridges downward and thus feeds the lowermost cartridge
into the gun, the pawls on the bar a' being pressed outward by the cartridges in
the downward movement thereof and then resuming their original position under
the action of their springs.
This arrangement of the pawls and springs may, if desired, be used in cases
where both of the bars a, a are movable up and down, as above described with
reference to Figures 1 to 6. Moreover the arrangement of pawls and springs
above described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 may, if desired, be used in cases
where only one of the bars a, a¹ is movable up and down for the purpose above
specified.
In Figure 9 I have shown an arrangement in which the bar a is movable up and
down and has coupled to it by links h, a bar 9 provided with projections to engage
with the cartridges, and acted upon by springs ; as above described with reference
to Figures 5 and 6; whilst the bar a' is fixed and is provided with projections to
engage with the cartridges and prevent upward movement of the same when the
bar a is raised. If desired, the bar a¹ may be coupled to the side of the hopper or
feeder C by means of links and be pressed inward by means of a spring or springs
to keep its projections in engagement with the cartridges.
I sometimes use, in place of the aforesaid bars, one or more endless-chains adapted
to engage with the cartridges in the hopper or feeder and combined with suitable
means whereby the said chains will be operated at the proper times to impart the
required intermittent downward movement to the cartridges and thus feed the same
into the gun. These endless-chains are so arranged that they may be moved out-
ward to permit the introduction of a fresh supply of cartridges into the hopper
or feeder. Or they are provided at suitable intervals with pivoted arms or pawls
adapted to bear upon the cartridges for the purpose of feeding the same downward
in the hopper or feeder.
I have shown an arrangement of this kind in Figure 10, in which is an endless
chain and b, b are arms or pawls pivoted thereto and acted upon by spfings k. The
said arms or pawls 6 are so arranged that they will yield and fold down when a
fresh supply of cartridges is introduced into the hopper or feeder, and will then
resume their normal position and engage with the said cartridges, and, in the
subsequent movement of the chain, will move downward the row or column of
cartridges. The chain passes around pulleys or chain-wheels m to which
.intermittent rotary motion is imparted, in the working of the gun, by means of a
ratchet-wheel and pawl or other suitable devices.
In other instances, I provide a block arranged to slide in a slot in the hopper or
magazine and provided with a pivoted arm or pawl adapted to engage with the
topmost cartridge in the said hopper or feeder. This sliding piece or block is so
arranged that, in the working of the gun, an intermittent downward motion will be
imparted to it for the purpose of feeding the cartridges into the gun; the said
block is, however, free to be moved upward, so that, after the introduction of a
fresh supply of cartridges into the hopper or feeder, the said block may be raised
until its arm engages with the uppermost cartridge, the said arm, when raised from
under a column of cartridges, yielding or folding down to permit it to pass the
cartridges above it and then resuming its normal position. The said block is
arranged to have a positive motion imparted to it by the mechanism of the gun
through the medium of suitable devices, such as a cord or chain passed around
pulleys and operated by a ratchet-wheel and pawl. Or the said block is connected

page_text: by a cord or chain with a suitable weight or spring for operating it as required.
The said block is, moreover, furnished with antifriction rollers to facilitate its
action when the hopper or feeder is inclined.
9
In Figures 11 and 12 I have shown an arrangement of this kind, in which the
sliding piece or block n is provided with a pivoted arm or pawl which extends
through and works in a slot in the side of the hopper or feeder C so that it will
engage with the uppermost cartridge therein. The said block n is, moreover,
provided with anti-friction rollers which work in grooves or channels formed in
the side of the hopper or feeder C. A cord or chain q is attached at one end to
the arm or pawl 6 and is wound around a drum r, its other end being attached
to the said drum; around the axle of this drum is wound another cords one end of
which is attached to the said axle and the other end to a sliding rod t acted upon
by a long spiral spring u enclosed in a box or cylinder u'. This spring tends to
pull down the block n so that the latter continually exerts a downward pressure
upon the column of cartridges in the hopper or feeder. The said spring also serves
to retain the pawl in position to engage with the uppermost cartridge and to return
it to this position after a fresh supply of cartridges has been inserted and the block
has been raised. A separate spring may be used for this purpose if deemed
necessary.
The block n is preferably made with a hook as shown, to facilitate the raising of
the same by hand.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use a coiled spring in the drum r in place of
the spring u and cord s.
When I use a weight for operating the sliding-piece or block n, I pass the cord
or chain q between two pulleys carried by the gun-frame and attach the weight to
the said cord or chain either within or below the gun-frame in such a manner that
the said weight can swing freely and its action will not be materially affected
by the elevation or depression of the gun.
According to a further modification of my said invention, I employ an endless
band of leather, cotton or other suitable material provided with suitable pawls or
projections to engage with the sides or the heads or flanges of the cartridges in the
hopper. Motion is imparted to this band by a weight or spring arranged as above
described and attached to it by a cord or chain and a hook or other suitable device,
so that, when the cartridges in the hopper or fecder are all or nearly all used, a
fresh supply can be introduced at the top and the hook can then be detached from
the band, raised by hand and again attached to the band at the upper part thereof
so that the weight or spring will again operate on the row or column of cartridges.
The improved feeding devices may, if desired, be arranged at the back instead
of at the side of the cartridge-hopper or feeder, in which case they will be adapted
to engage with the heads or flanges of the cartridges for the purpose of feeding the
said cartridges downward as required.
Moreover my improvements are also applicable to machine-guns in which the
cartridge-hopper or feeder is arranged to contain two or more columns of cartridges.
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. The combination, with a machine-gun provided with a cartridge-hopper or
feeder for containing one or more columns of cartridges, of suitable mechanism
whereby, in the working of the gun, a positive intermittent downward movement
will be imparted to the cartridges in the said hopper or feeder, substantially as
herein before described and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination, with a cartridge-hopper or feeder for a machine-gun,
of reciprocating bars provided with pawls or other projections to engage with the
cartridges, and arranged to be operated alternately in the working of the gun,
substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Third. The combination, with a cartridge-hopper. or feeder for a machine-gun, of

page_text: a reciprocating bar provided with pawls or other projections to engage with the
cartridges in the said hopper or feeder, and arranged to be operated in the working
of the gun, and a stationary bar also provided with pawls or other projections,
substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The combination, with a cartridge-hopper or feeder for a machine-gun,
of one or more endless chains or bands provided with pawls or other projections to
engage with the cartridges in the said hopper or feeder, and so arranged that, in
the working of the gun, a positive intermittent movement will be imparted to the
same, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fifth. The combination, with a cartridge-hopper or feeder for a machine-gun,
of a sliding piece or block to which is pivoted an arm or pawl to engage with the
uppermost cartridge in the said hopper or feeder, and which is connected with a
cord or chain acted upon by a weight or spring, substantially as, and for the purposes,
above specified.
Sixth. The improved feed-mechanism constructed substantially as described with
reference to either of the forms or modifications shown in the accompanying
drawings and operating as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Seventh. The modification of my invention wherein I provide for the feeding of
the cartridges by means of an endless band provided with pawls or other projections
and operated by means of a cord or chain and a weight or spring attached thereto,
substantially as above described.
1000
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.