AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING EXCESSIVE OR INJURIOUS Heating of thE BARRELS OF MACHINE GUNS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING EXCESSIVE OR
INJURIOUS Heating of thE BARRELS OF MACHINE GUNS." A communication
from abroad by Edward Granville Parkhurst, of Hartford, Connecticut, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1880.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR
PREVENTING EXCESSIVE OR INJURIOUS HEATING OF THE BARRELS OF MACHINE
GUNS." A communication from abroad by Edward Granville Parkhurst, of
Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
This Invention relates to an improved method of and means for keeping the
barrels of machine guns cool when firing. Heretofore the heating of the barrels
in such guns has limited the number of charges that could be rapidly fired before
they became too hot for use, so that after a period of rapid firing the gun would
become dangerous if not allowed to cool.
The object of this Invention is to provide means for keeping the barrels cool
so that any number of charges can be fired through them, and for any length of
time without heating the barrels to any injurious extent, or rendering any stoppage
for cooling necessary.
In carrying this Invention into practice I avail myself of the principle of nature
that water exposed to the pressure of the atmosphere cannot be heated to a greater
extent than about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is found that the barrels of a gun
wben immersed in boiling water will not become sufficiently hot to impair their
nction. In fact they remain at about the temperature of the boiling water however
rapid the firing may be. The heat developed simply causes the surrounding water
to be carried off in the state of steam more or less rapidly.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a machine gun having two stationary
barrels provided with my improvement, and
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

page_text: The barrel portion only of the gun is represented in these Figures. At the rear
of the barrels any suitable mechanism may be arranged for rapidly loading and
firing the charges.
A, A, represent the barrels, which aro attached to the breech block B in the
ordinary manner; C is a block into which the forward ends of tho barrels aro set
or fitted with a water tight joint, and through which they preferably project
slightly, as shown in the Drawing; D is a metallic casing surrounding the said
barrels, and fitting upon the end blocks B and C with water tight joint so as to
form a water space or chamber in the interior of the casing around the barrels.
This casing D is preferably round, as shewn in the Drawing, but it may have any
other desired form in cross-section; E and G are openings in the casing D fitted
with suitable covers for closing them water tight when desired. These covers
aro shewn as being similar to those used for hand holes in boilers and the
like.
His a funnel for filling the enclosed water chamber with water; it is made of
the form shewn, so that the water will not-spatter-over the edge when poured into
it. This funnel may be dispensed with, as the chamber can be filled by means of
the opening E; in this case the cover of the said opening is provided with a vent
for the escape of the steam. It is more convenient however to have the two
openings upon the top, one to be used when the gun is elevated, and the other
when depressed, so that the chamber can be kept full of water. The filling is
ordinarily effected when the gun is about to be fired.
The rapid firing of the gun soon heats the water to the boiling point, after which
it remains at the same temperature, the steam escaping through the funnel H, or
through the vent in the cover of the opening E, according to whether the gun is
depressed or elevated. The said cover may sometimes be conveniently left off,
especially if the gun is much elevated. If the water boils away before the firing
is finishel more water should be poured into-the-chamber, as the barrels_should be
kept as nearly as possible immersed.
When the firing is finished the covers of the openings E and Ɑ are removed and
the remaining water discharged. The heat of the metal then dries up any remaining
moisture from the interior of the chamber, and dry air circulates through it by
means of the two openings.
When water is not used in firing the covers of the openings E and G are taken
off, so that there may be a circulation of air through the chamber to keep the
barrels as cool as possible while the gun is in ose.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In a machine gun a water chamber composed of a casing and end blocks
surrounding the barrels, and adapted to hold water in direct contact with them,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. The water tight casing B, C, D, provided with openings in combination
with the barrels of a machino gun, substantially as above set forth and for the
purpose specified.
Third. The use of water at a boiling temperature to prevent the injurious
heating of the barrels of a machine gun while firing, substantially as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
HENRY H. LAKE. (L.S.)