Improvements in Machine Guns.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by MORRIS FORD SMITH, of 3129 Montgomery
Avenue, Mechanical Engineer, CHARLES DADEHER CRAMP, of 1910 Park
Avenue, Engineer, and HORACE PETTIT, S.E. Corner of Chestnut and
Fifth Streets, Attorney-at-Law, all in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.]
Improvements in Machine Guns.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in machine guns, and has for its
object to provide a machine gun of simple and economical construction, in which
the working parts are reduced to the smallest possible number and the weight of
the machine be so reduced that it may be readily manipulated and sighted even
when the largest calibre projectiles are employed.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure is a perspective view, on a small scale, illustrating a gun made in
accordance with my invention, and mounted upon a suitable carriage.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a similar elevation of the breech portion of the gun, on a somewhat
larger seale.
Figure is a plan view of the breech portion shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a transverse sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale on the line a-a
Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line b-b, Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line c-e Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line d-d Figure 9, showing
the revolving shell feeder on a larger scale.
Figure 9 is an end elevation of the shell feeder.
Figure 10 is a sectional perspective view of one of the actuating catches for the
revolving shell feeder.
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation on the line - Figure 12 illustrating on an
enlarged scale, the breech block, the firing pin and its operating mechanism.
Figure 12 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 1 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow, Figure 11.
Figure 14 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line - Figure 11 ; and
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the recoil locking blocks.
The gun in the present instance is provided with two barrels, which act
preferably alternately, that is, while a cartridge is being fed to the firing positio..
in one barrel the cartridge in the other barrel is being extracted after having bee..
fired, or while one is firing the other is in position ready to be advanced into the
breech of the gun. In the construction described the operating parts for effectin.
the ferding and firing of the cartridges are duplicated on the opposite sides of th...
machine. that but one side will be specifically described.
The
neral frame-work comprises the main forging, 1, provided with trunnions 2.
so that it may be mounted upon a suitable carriage, and projecting centrally from

page_text: the forward face of the steel forging 1, is a hrace piece 3, forming a support for the
rear end of the barrels 4 and 5, there being at the forward end of this brace
a cross bar 6. which embraces the rear portion of the barrels, the thicker
reinforcing ends of which are screwed into the face of the forging 1. To the rear
end of the forging 1, is bolted a supplemental frame 7, upon which sume of the
operating parts are supported and guided.
The frame 1, immediately to the rear of each barrel is cut away to form
chamber for the reception of a revolving feed cylinder 8, mounted at its centre upon
a bolt 9, screwed into the frame for a -ufficient distance to firmly support it. The
periphery of this feed cylinder is provided with a series of longitudinal chambers 10,
for the art in the form of semi-circular grooves, one side wall however being
continued in the are of a circle, as at 11, to the periphery of the same, while the
other side wall 12, extends on a radial line to the periphery, so as to facilitate the
discharge of the shells after they have been fired and extractel.
"
and
Secured to the rear face of the feel cylinder is a ratchet wheel 13, the teeth of
which are of the peculiar shape shown more clearly in Figure 3 and Figure
with these teeth a turning pawl or catch 14, is adapted to engage to turn the
cylinder step les step, and to present to a point in line with the barrel successive
cartridge which are fed to the chambers of the cylinder by an inclined chute 15.
This catch 14, is in the form of a bar and is hung on a pivot 16, in a slotted bar 17,
the lower end of which is guided in an opening forme I in a plate 18, secured to th
lower portion of the frame, while its upper end is pivoted to an operating lever 19.
to which a ciprocating motion is given by a mechanism more fully described
hereinafter. At a point directly to the rear of the toothed portion of the turning
Catch 14, is an inclined projection 20, which when the bar 17, is at its highest point
is forced into engagement with a block 21, secured to the frame, aml has an
inclined face with which the inclined face of the projection 20, comes into contact
and forces the catch 14, toward the ratchet wheel 13, causing the same to bind upon
the teeth of the wheel and preventing any further movement of the ratchet wheel
until the next operation of the lever 19. This binding action of the catch and the
tooth of the ratchet wheel with which it is in contact, is for the purpose of preventing
the movement of the ratchet wheel and the feed cylinder to which it is attached for
any greater distance than will be necessary to present a cartridge in line with the
firing point of the barrel, that is to say, to the extent of one tooth, and it is
necessary to avoid any jumping action in case the turning catch comes into contact
with a tooth of the ratchet wheel when the machine is being rapidly operated.
The mechanism for operating the lever 19, to effect the raising and lowering of
the turning eatch 14, comprises a toothed wheel 23, in one face of which is formed
a groved cam 24, the greater portion of which is concentric with the periphery of
the wheel, the am being so timed as to effect through the medium of the lever 19,
a raising and lowering of the turning catch once during each revolution. The
lever 19, is fulcrumed at 25, to a bracket on the frame, and has two arms ene
of which arms 19, engages with the upper end of the bar, 17, and the other arm 19",
is provided with an anti-friction roller 26, which engages in the cam groove 24.
The gear wheel 23, and its fellow on the opposite side of the machine, are
mounted on a common shaft 27, adapted to bearings in brackets 28, secured to the
frame, and at one end of said shaft is mounted a gear wheel 29, with which a
pinion 30, mounted on a stud shaft, intermeshes. This pinion 30, or its carrying
shaft, if the latter be so mounted as to rotate, is provided with a handled
crank 30, by which the various working parts of the gun are operated.
The mechanism for feeding the cartridges from the revolving feed chamber to
the breech opening of the barrel, for firing them and for extracting the shells, is
shown more clearly in Figures 11 to 15 inclusive. This mechanism comprises a
breechblock having a squared shank 31, and a cylindrical body 32, the extreme
end of which is adapted to come into contact with the rear face of the cartridge,
while it is supported in one of the chambers of the revolving feed cylinder 8, and
to force the shine into the breech of the gun barrel holding it there during the

page_text: firing operation, and receiving and taking up all of the recoil, and then by the aid
of an extractor withdrawing the shell, bringing it once more to the position in
the chamber of the feed cylinder 8, from which it was fed and remaining inactive
until the feed cylinder has been turned for a sufficient distance to bring forward a
fresh cartridge to be operated upon. At the forward end of the cylindrical
portion 32, is screwed a cap or face plate 33, having a central opening of sufficient
size to permit the passage of the firing pin point and extending over the cap is an
extractor 34, the forward edge of which is curved, as shown in Figure 11, so as to
engage with a considerable portion of the flange on the rear face of the shell to
extract the same. The shank 35, of the extractor or catch 34, is cylindrical in
form, nud is adapted to a cylindrical opening in an upper rib 36, forming
part of the plunger, while scated in this opening between its rear wall and
the rear face of the shank of the extractor is a coiled spring 37, normally tending
to force the extractor out to the position shown in Figure 11, any excessive
movement, however, being prevented by a pin 38, extending through the cylin
drical rib 36, nud passing through a slotted opening 39, in the shank 35, so that
there will be sufficient space between the face of the cap 33, and the extractor 34,
for the entrance of the flange on the rear face of the cartridge as the latter is
carried round in the feed cylinder 8.
After a cartridge has been caught and fed forward by the breechblock until
it has entered the barrel, the forward curved end of the extractor enters an
opening, 40, formed in the breech of the barrel, but not extending into the barrel
bore, the recess 40, being of such depth that when the extractor enters it will
slightly compress the spring 37, and force the extractor back until it firmly
engages with the front of the flange of the cartridge, and the cartridges will then
be entirely immediately surrounded and reinforced at sides and flanges and at the
back by a practically solid case of metal, and there will be little or no danger of
rupturing the shell of the cartridge when firing. The rear portion 31, of the
broches guided in quared opening formed in the steel forging 1,
(Figure 6) and on its under side are formed a number of transverse grooves +2,
the rear walls of which are in a vertical line, while the front walls incline to a
slight extent, as showu more clearly in Figure 11.
When the breechblock is in a position for firing, the grooved portions 42, of its
shank are directly above a block 43, which block 43, is adapted to an opening in
the frame, and is vertically guided by ribs 44, which enter the vertical grooves
provided in the forging, so that the block may travel in a perfectly vertical
line.
This block 43, as shown more clearly in Figure 15, is provided on its upper
face with a series of ribs 45, the forward face of which are inclined and are
adapted to come into contact with the inclined walls of the grooves +2, so that
after the breechblock has been moved up to the firing position the block 43, may
be raised, and on being so raised the ribs 45, enter the grooves 42, and the inclined
faces of each coming into contact with the other insure the tightening of the
breechblock in its position, and the holding of the same during the firing for the
purpose of taking up the recoil. The walls of the grooves 42, and of the ribs 45,
are preferably bevelled as described, in order to allow of the block 43, being more
easily dropped and released from its engaged position with the forging 1, after the
firing has taken place.
At the rear end of the breechblock is secured a yoke 46, which enters a slotted
opening in the breechblock directly in the line of the recoil, and engaging in this
yoke is an anti-friction roller 47, (as shown in Figure 4) projecting outwardly
from a disk 48, which is mounted on a shaft 49, adapted to a bearing 50, in a
central bracket of the frame 7; the bearing is at the centre of the machine, and
the disks 48, of the opposite sides are screwed, or otherwise secured, on the
opposite ends of the shaft. Mounted on the inner face of the disk 48, and
indirectly carried by the shaft 49, is a gear wheel 31, which intermeshes with the
gear wheel, 23, and is of the same size and diameter as the latter, so that each

page_text: will rotate at the same speed, and the disk 48, will therefore rotate once for
each revolution of the gear wheel 23, and its cam groove 24, so that the pin 47,
will effect one complete reciprocation of the yoke 46, and the breeclibork during
cach movement of the eam 24. The enm 24, acts through the lever 19, on tho
pawl bar 17, and turns the fred cylinder 8, so after each partial movement of the
feed cylinder to present a cartridge in a line coincident with the centre of
the bariel, there will be, after the cylinder is locked in place, a forward movement
of the breechblock to force the cartridge from its position in the cylinder to its
Gring position in the breech of the barrel, and then after a short rest, during which
the firing takes place, and which continues for a very short time afterwards, in
order to give time for the cartridge to explade, in case it hangs fire, the roller 47,
will strike the opposite side of the yoke 46, and will move the same to the furthest
rearward position and out of the way of the feed eylinder, so that the latter may
rotate to discharge the empty shell of the exploded cartridge and to present a fresh
cartridge in line with the plunger. At the opposite end of the movement of the
yake, that is when the breechblock is in its rearward position, there is also a slight
dwell to permit the locking of the feed cylinder in position and these dw.P's at the
opposite extremes of movement of the breechblock are provided for by arranging
the groove or opening of the yoke 46, in the manner more clearly shown in
Figure 11. It will be noted that on a line extending in a horizontal direction from
the centre of the shaft 49, that the opposite sides of the yoke are in the are of a
circle in which the periphery of the pin 47, travels so that when the pin strikes
these points during its movement it will have no effect on the movement of the
yoke, and the yeke will re:asin in its then position until the pin has travelled to an
extent sufficient to cause it to impinge upon the opposite wall of the groove.
Further than this, the central lines of the upper and lower portions of the grooves
are not in the same vertical plane, as clearly shown in said Figure 11, that the
curved portions of the walls of the groove will be longer on that wah where the
roller is leaving than on that wall where the roller impinges after travelling across
the gicove, so that the roller on striking on such opposite wall will strike a flat
surface on which it is fice to roll instead of striking at the junction of the curved
and straight portion of the groove, as would occur if the walls of the upper and
lower portions of the yoke were in the same vertical plane.
In the disk 48, iš a fixed cam groove 33, in which travels an anti-triction
roller, carried on one arm, 55, of a lever 36, fulcrumed at 57 to a bracket 38,
depending from the frame, the opposite arm 59, of the lever being connected by a
vertical link to the locking block 43, the operating portion of the cam groove
heing so arranged that immediately after the breechblock assumes the firing
position the roller 54, will be positively moved to raise the locking block 43, into
engagement with the grooves, 42, provided in the lower portion of the breech block
also lock the breechblock in its firing position.
The central portion of the breechblock is recessed for almost its entire length, and
is adapted to retain the firing pin 61, the rear portion of which is somewhat
enlarged and fitted in an enlarged chamber 62, in which is a coiled compression
spring 63, normally tending to force the firing pin against the cartridge at the end
of the breechblock, this firing pin terminating in a rather sharp pointed pin 64,
adapted to come into contact with the primer of the cartridge. The rod which
forms the firing pin 61, is preferably provided near its end with a series of
longitudinal grooves 60, and the rearward portion of its length is of smaller
diameter, so that there will be little or no frictional contact between the periphery
of the pin and the walls of the opening, or recess, in which it is guided. This
portion of the firing pin may also be provided with transverse or annular grooves,
if desired. Projecting in a vertical direction from the portion 61, is a lug 66, the
rear face of which is inclined at 67. This lug projects in a slotted opening 68, in
the breechblock and extends up to, or nearly to, the upper surface of the breechi-
block where it is adapted to be engaged by a rear 60, Tuleromed at 70 to the fixed
frame of the machine, and normally depressed, so as to engage the lug, 66, by a

page_text: plate spring 71, one end of which is fastened in a block 72, in the sear, and the
other end passing under the pivot point of the pawl is secured to the frame.
Projecting beyond the fulcrum point of the sear is a stop 73, which when the sear
is in its highest position, comes into contact with the framework and prevents any
excessive upward movement of the scar. At the end of the recess 68, is a pin 74,
normally held in the position, shown in Figure 11, by a spring 75, resting against
a screw, 76, the adjustment of the screw regulating the tension of the spring and
the force with which it moves the pin 74.
The operation of this portion of the device is as follows:-
The framework and the sear which it supports being stationary, and the
breechblock movable, the forward motion of the plunger from its rearward position
will cause, at a given point, the engagement of the sear 69, with the lug 66, on the
firing pin 61, and as the forward movement of the breechblock continues the firing
pin is held at a stationary position and the spring 63, in the chamber 62, is
compressed during all the rest of the travel of the breechblock; when the breech-
block finally reaches the firing position with the cartridge forced up into the
breech of the gun the cain 53, on the disk 48, will operate through the lever 56, tu
raise the block, 43, and to lock the breechblock in position, at which time the
vertical pin 78, on the locking block 43, will engage with a lug 77, projecting from
the side of the sear raising the latter and releasing the lug 66, so that the firing
pin 61, is then free to move forward by the force of the compressed spring 63, and to
explode the cartridge.
This movement of the firing pin, however, does not take place until the
breech block is firmly locked against the rear of the cartridge by the engagement of
the ribs of the locking block with the inclined faces of the grooves 42, in the
bottom of the breechblock and the cartridge is, therefore, firmly held in position
before the firing pin can move.
The spring 63, acts with sufficient force to throw the firing pin the required
distance, and the pin 64, will penetrate to some little distance into the primer, and
in order to withdraw the pin 64, entirely within the reces in the cap piece so, and
to take up the shock, the lug 66, at the end of its travel, strikes the piu 74,
and forces it in the direction of the cartridge causing the compression of the
spring 75, and the gradual checking of the movement of the firing pin, the latter,
however, being thrown to a sufficient distance to effect the explosion of the
cartridge, and by the time it reaches the full limit of its stroke the force of the
spring 63, has been exerted to its fullest extent and the lighter spring 75, can then
act to advantage to slightly push back the lug 66, and to withdraw the pin 64, from
the primer, so that the face of the cap 33, will be perfectly plain, and a fresh
cartridge may roll from the chamber of the feed cylinder 8, to a point between the
face of the cap and the rear of the extractor catch 34.
As the breechblock retreats it carries with it the firing pin 61, and the inclined
face 67, of the lug 66, will engage with the inclined forward face of the sear, 69,
and raising the latter above the level of the lug, 66, the hammer then dropping
down in front of the lug in readiness for the next shot, while the pin 76, has
retreated as the locking block 43, was withdrawn to unlock the breecholock before
the starting of its rearward movement. The various parts of the machine are
duplicated on opposite sides in such manner that when one of the barrels is in
operation, or a shell being extracted from it, the other barrel is receiving a fresh
cartridge, and the expl sion of one of the cartridges in one of the barrels takes
place just at the time that the breechblock, on the opposite sides of the machine
reaches the limit of rearward movement, so that the sides operate alternately and
without interfering with each other in any manner.
In order that the operator may fire one shot, or more, at will, or operate one
or both barrels the wheels 23, are mounted loosely on the shaft 27, and the faces
of their bubs are provided each with a single clutch tooth 80, with which is
adapted to engage a single clutch tooth on a grooved clutch sleeve 81, under the
control of a bifurcated lever 82, fulcrumed at 83, to the framework, and having

page_text: operating handles 84, provided with a locking pin 85, adapted to engage with one
or other of two recesses 86 and 87, provided in the framework, and so arranged
that when the pin is in one opening the clutch will be in engagement with the
clutching face of one of the hubs, and when in engagement with the opposite
opening the clutch faces will be out of engagement, and one or other side of the
machine will be inoperative. Single clutching teeth are employed for the reason
that it is desirable to have the parts acting alternately, and where a single tooth
is employed the parts will always come together at the same place, and both parts
of the machine when thrown into or out of operation will when thrown into
operation set alternately.
The working parts of the apparatus may for the greater part be protected by a
casing 90, which may extend over the greater portion of the operating parts, or
it may, it necessary, extend entirely to the muzzle of the barrels.
The upper portions of the feeding cylinders 8, are preferably provided with a
guard or shield 91, which operates to assist in retaining the cartridges in position
in the cylinder until discharged from the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrels, cylinders 8, situated at
the rear of said barrels, said cylinders having a series of longitudinally disposed
cartridge receiving chambers 10, cartridge guides, 15, carried by the frame, a
ratchet wheel 13, carried by each cylinder. pawl 14, adapte 1 to engage with said
ratchet wheel, a stop 20, on the rear of said pawl, a vertically reciprocating bar 17,
to which said pawl is pivoted, an inclined stop 21, carried by the frame and adapted
to engage with the stop 20, a breechblock 32, a firing pin 61, longitudinally guided
in said breechblock, a coiled compression spring 63, situated in a chamber 62, at
the rear of the firing pin, a lug G6, projecting from said firing pin, a star 69, pivoted
to the frame and adapted to engage with said lug 66, an extractor 34, carried by
the forward end of the breechblock, grooved locking block 43, adapted to engage
with the rear portion of the breechblock, mechanism for raising and lowering said
locking block, a vertical pin 76, carried by said locking black and mechanism for
actuating said breechblock and locking block, substantially as specified,
"1
2. In a machine gun, the combination of the two barrels, a feed cylinder 8,
situated at the rear of each barrel, said cylinder having a series of longitudinally
disposed cartridge receiving chambers 10, provided in the circumference, a guate 15,
for feeding the cartridges laterally into the said chambers, a ratchet wheel 13,
carried by the feed cylinder, a pawl 14, adapted to engage with said ratchet
heel, a stop 20, on said pawl, a vertically reciprocating bar 17, to which sail
pawl is pivoted, an inclined stop 21, carried by the frame and adapted to engage
with the stop 20, a breechblock 32, a firing pin 61, longitudinally guided therein,
an extractor provided upon the end of the breech block, a compression spring
for actuating the firing pin, a locking block adapted to lock the breech block in
its forward position and assist in receiving the recoil, means for releasing and
actuating the firing pin when the breech block is in its forward position and subse-
quently automatically cocking said firing pin, and mechanism for operating the
breech block and the locking block, substantially as specified.
3. The combination of the barrel, a revoluble teed cylinder nonoted on an axis
parallel with said barrel, there being in the periphery of the teel cylinder a series
of cartridge receiving chambers each having one wall extending on a radial line
from the centre of the cylinder and the opposite wall being curved on a line con-
centric, or nearly so, to the periphery of the cartridge casing, substantially as
specified.
4. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrel, a revolvuble feed cylinder, a
ratchet wheel secured thereto, a fixed stop carried by the frame of the gun and a
pawl engaging the teeth of said ratchet wheel and adapted to be brought into

page_text: contact with said fixed stop when at the limit of its movement and so lock the
pawl and tooth and prevent further rotation of the cylinder, substantially as
specified.
5. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrel, a revolvable feed cylinder
for conveying the cartridges from a point of supply to a point coincident with the
centre of the barrel. a ratchet wheel secured to or formed integral with said
cylinder, a reciprocating pawl adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel,
an inclined spur or projection on the rear face of said pawl and a fixed stud or
stop also having an inclined face with which the spur is adapted to come into
contact and effect the locking or jamming of the pawl and the tooth with which it
is in contact and thus retain the cylinder in a given position, substantially as
specified.
6. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrel, a revoluble feed cylinder, 8,
for conveying the cartridges from a point of supply to a point coincident with the
centre of the barrel. a ratchet wheel 13, secured to or formed integral with said
cylinder a vertically reciprocating bar 17. guides therefor, a pawl 14, pivoted to
said bar 17, and adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet wheel, an inclined
spur or projection 20, on the rear face of said pawl, and a fixed stud 21, carried
by the frame and having its outer face inclined and adapted to be engaged by sand
inclined spur or projection 20, and effect the locking or jamming of the pawl at
the limit of its movement, substantially as specified.
7. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrel, a revolvuble feed cylinder 8,
situnted at the rear of said barrel, a ratchet wheel 13, on said cylinder, a pawl 14,
adapted to engage with said ratchet wheel, a vertically reciprocating bar 17, to
which said pawl is pivoted, a locking stop 20, carried by said pawl, an inclinal
stop 21, provided on the frame and adapted to be engaged by said stop 20, the
breech block 32, a firing pin 61, guided therein, means for actuating said firing pin,
an extractor carried by said bitch block, and means for reciprocating said breech
block, substantially as specified.
n
8. In a machine gun, the combination of the barrel, a revoluvble feed cylinder 8,
situated at the rear of said barrel, a ratchet wheel 13, on said cylinder, a pawl 14,
adapted to engage with said ratchet wheel, a grooved bar 17, in which said pawl
is pivoted, a rotated shaft 27, a gear wheel 23, thereon having a face cam 24. a
pivoted lever 19, 19. having on one end a pin or roller engaging in said cam groove
and its opposite arin being connected to the bar 17. for effecting the vertical
reciprocation of said bar, a locking stop 20, carried by the pawl an inclined stop 21,
provided on the frame and adapted to be engaged by said stop 20, the breech
block 32, a firing pin 61, guided therein, means for actuating said firing pin, an
extractor carried by aid breech block, and means for reciprocating said breech
block, substantially as specified.
9. In a machine gun, the combination of the reciprocating breech block having
in its lower face a series of transverse grooves, a vertically movable clutch block
provided on its upper face with a series of transverse ribs having inclined or
tapering forward faces and mechanism for raising the block until its ribs are
engaged in the grooves of the breech block, substantially as specified.
10. In a machine gun, the combination with a reciprocating breech block for
transferring the cartridges into position in the breech of the gun, said breech block
having on its under face a series of transversely disposed parallel grooves 42, a
clutch block 43, having on its upper face a series of ribs equal in number to the
number of grooves in the breech block, vertically disposed guiding ribs 44, on the
opposite sides of said clutch block, guideways in the frame of the gun adapted to
receive said vertical guiding ribs, an operating lever pivoted to the frame and
having one arm connected to the clutch block and its opposite arm in the path of
a cam, and a cam for operating upon said arm for effecting the vertical movement
of the clutch block, substantially as specified.
11. In a machine gun, the combination with a reciprocating breech block having
on its under tuce a scries of grooves 42, a vertically guided locking block 43, having

page_text: ribs 45, adapted to engage in the grooves 42, of the breech block, an operating
lever having one arm 59, connected to raid clutch block and its opposite arm 55,
being provided with a pin or roller 54, and a rotated disk 48, having a grooved
cam 53, in which snid pin or roller travels, for effecting the vertical movement of
the clutch block 43, substantially as specified.
12. In a machine gun, the combination of a barrel, a breech block 32, a firing
pin 61. therein, a coiled compression spring 63, situated in a recess 62, at the rear
of the firing pin, a lug 66, provided on the firing pin and having an inclined rear
face at 67. a sear. 69, pivoted to the frame and adapted to engage and hold the lug 66.
during the latter portion of the travel of the breech block toward the barrel, the
lower forward face of the sear being inclined and adapted to ride over the incline
portion 67, of the lug 66, a spring 71, normally tending to hold the sear in
engagement with the lug and menns for effecting the disengagement of the sear
from the lug when the breech block has assumed the firing position, substantially
as specified.
13. In a machine gun, in combination with the barrels, cartridge feeding cylinders,
a breech block 32, a firing pin 61, longitudinally disposed in said breech block, a
spiral spring 3, provided in a chamber 62, at the rear of the firing pin, a lug 66.
on said firing pin, a sear 68, adapted to engage said lug, a ribbed clutching block 43,
adapted to engage in grooves provided in the lower face of the bruch hk an
lock the latter in firing position, a pin 78. carried by the clutching block an
adapted to effect the disengagement of the sear 69, and lng 66, and mechamem
provided upon the rear portion of the gun for actuating the breech block and
clutching block and for rotating the cylinders at given intervals, substantially as
specified.
14. In a machine gun, in combination with the barrels, cylinders 8, having
cartridge receiving chambers 10, longitudinally disposed in the periphery thereo!.
cartridge guides 15, on the frame, a ratchet wheel 13, secured to or formed integral
with each cylinder, a pawl, 14, adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, an actuating
bar 17, to which said pawl is pivoted, a stop 20, on the pawl, a fixed stop 21, on
the frame with which the stop 20, is adapted to engage, a breech block 32, a firing
pin 61, longitudinally disposed in said breech block, a spiral spring 63, provided in
a chamber 62, at the rear of the firing pin, a lug 66, on said firing pin, a sear 69.
adapted to engage said lug, an extractor 34, at the end of the breech block, a
grooved clutching block, 43. adapted to engage with and lock the breech bloce.
ain 78, carried by the clutch block and adapted to elect the disengagement of
the sear 69, and lug 66, and mechanism provided upon the rear of the frame of the
gun for actuating the breech block and clutch block and for rotating the cylinders
at given intervals and means for throwing the operating mechanism connected with
one or other or both barrels either into or out of gear, substantially as specified.
15. In a machine gun, the combination of reciprocating breech block for trans-
ferring the cartridges into the breech of the gun, an elongated yoke provided upon
the rear end of the breech block adapted for the reception of a pin provided
upon a revolving disk as a means for reciprocating the breech oboch, the lines of
the inner walls of the upper and lower portions of the yoke being in different
vertical planes and the lines of the inner walls of the yoke at or near the centre
being curved slightly outwardly, substantially as specified.
16. The combination in a machine gun having revolvable cartridge feeding
cylinders, of reciprocating breech blocks for transferring the individual cartridges
from the respective cylinders into the breech of the barrel and retaining them in
position during the firing, an extractor 34, provided at the end of the breech block
for engaging the rim of the cartridge, a firing pin 61, longitudinally guided within
said brecchi block, a coiled spring 63, provided at the rear of the firing pin for
actuating the same, a lng 66, on suid firing pin, a sear 69, adapted to engage with
said lug, means for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said lug and
sear, a pin 74, guided longitudinally in a recess in said breech block and slightly
protruding toward the lug 66, a coiled spring acting upon said pin 74, for slightly

page_text: protruding the same and allowing it to recede under pressure, said pin 74, being
adapted to receive the impact of the lug 66, near the furthest extent of its forward
travel and upon the recoil of the spring of said pin to force the lug 66, and the
firing pin to which it is attached slightly back and thus withdraw the end or point
of the firing pin entirely within the end of the breech block after it has first
protruded beyond it through the impulse of the spring 63, substantially as
specified.
17. In a machine gun, in combination with the barrels, cylinders 8, having
cartridge receiving chambers 10, longitudinally disposed in the periphery thereof.
inclined cartridge guide 15, a ratchet wheel 13, secured to or formed integral with
each cylinder 8, a pawl 14, adapted to engage the teeth of sail ratchet wheel, an
actuating bar 17, to which said pawl is pivoted, an inclined stop 20, on the rear
face of the pawl, a fixed stop 21, with which the stop 20, is adapted to engage, a
breech block 32, a firing pin 61, longitudinally guided therein, a spiral spring 63,
provided in a chamber 62, at the rear of the firing pin, a lug 66, on said firing pin,
a sear 69, adapted to engage with said lug, 66, an extractor 34, providel at the
end of said breech block, a grooved locking block 43, adapted to engage with and
lock the breech block a pin 78, carried by said locking block and adapted to effect
the disengagement of the sear and lug upon the engagement of the clutch block
with the breech block. a yoke 46, at the rear end of the breech block, a disk 48, a
pin 47, provided on said disk and operating in the yoke 46, and a rotated shaft
carrying said disk 48, substantially as specified.
18. In a machine gun, in combination with the barrels, cylinders S, having
cartridge receiving chambers 10, longitudinally disposed in the periphery thereof,
inclined cartridge guides 15, a ratchet wheel 13, secured to or formed integral with
cach cylinder 8, a pawl 14, adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel, an
actuating Lar 17, to which said powl is pivoted, an inclined stop 20, on the rear
face of the pawl, a fixed stop 21, with which the stop 20, is adapted to engage,
a breech block, 32, a firing pin 61, longitudinally guided therein, a spiral spring 63,
provided in a chamber 62, at the rear of the firing pin, a lug 66, ou said firing pin,
a sear 69, adapted to engage with said lug 66, an extractor 34, provided at the end
of said breech block, a grooved locking block 43, adapted to engage with and lock
the breech block, a pin 78, carried by said locking block and adapted to effect the
disengagement of the scar and lug upon the engagement of the clutch block with
the breech block, a yoke 46, at the rear end of the breech block, a disk 48, a
pin 47, provided on said disk and operating in the yoke, 46, a rotated shaft 49,
carrying said disk, there being in said disk a cam groove J3, a pin 54, travelling in
said cam groove, a pivoted lever having arms 55 and 59, the arm 35 carrying the
pin 54, and the arm 59, being connected with the clutch block. 43, for effecting
the vertical movement of said clutch block, substantially as specified.
19. In a machine gun, the combination of the frame, the barrels, cartridge
feeding cylinders 8, a ratchet wheel 13, secured to or forming part of said cylinder,
a pawl 14, engaging said ratchet wheel, a grooved bar 17, in which said pawl
is pivoted, a lever, having two arms 19, 19 and pivoted at 25 to the frame,
the arm 19, being connected to the bar 17, and the arm 193, carrying a pin or
roller 26, a shaft 27, gear wheels 23, loosely mounted thereon and having cam
grooves 24, for the reception of the pins or rollers 26, clutch blocks 81, feathered
to such shaft, clutch levers adapted to move such clutch blocks into engagement
with the hubs of the wheels 23, a gear wheel 29, on the end of baft 27, a breech
block for each barrel a yoke 46, at the rear end of each breech block a shalt 49,
gear wheels 51, mounted thereon and intermeshing with the gear wheels 23,
disks 48, also inounted on shafts 49, and having cam grooves 53, pins 47, on
said disks adapted to travel in the yoke 46, a clutch block adapted to engage
each breech block, a lever fulcrumed at 56 and having two armis 55 and 59, the
arm 59, being connected to the clutch block and the arm 55, carrying a pin or
roller 34, adapted to travel in the groove, 53, of the disk 48, a crank shaft,
B

page_text: a crank 30, thereon and a pinion 30, also mounted on said crank shaft and inter-
meshing with the gear wheel 29, of the shaft 27, substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of October 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.