IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE-GUNS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE-GUNS." A communication
from abroad by Frederick E. Schultze, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
Sealed the 13th June 1879, and dated the 21st April 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE-
GUNS." A communication from abroad by Frederick E. Schultze, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America.
One object of this Invention is the construction of a new machine gun to deliver
its fire either in a right line or in horizontal radiating lines at the will of tho
artillerists.
Another object of the said Invention is the construction of a rifle battery or
machine gun battery, formed of several small guns, so that the barrels of the
different guns may be separated sufficiently to prevent the heating of the barrels
during the firing; for which purpose the individual barrels will be isolated from each
other, and from the retaining frame in which they are secured, by some suitable
packing, which will be practically a non-conductor of heat. The different barrels
will be fired successively instead of simultaneously, and the difficulty of keeping
them cool will be thereby diminished. A shield in front of the gunners will protect
them from the enemy's fire, and the men required to work the battery can, thus
protected, easily discharge twenty thousand shots per hour from a battery of
twenty-one guns, which is probably about the best number to place in one battery,
though I do not limit myself to. this number. These guns may be discharged con-
tinuously in one fixed direction, or they may be moved slowly and regularly or
irregularly from side to side by the manipulation of the gunners without moving
the carriage; or the machinery may be so coupled and arranged as to move the
guns laterally, from side to side with a vibrating movement automatically at the

page_text: discharge of each individual gun, thus sweeping by individual and raking shots the
whole range of the field in front of the said guns. The magazine which contains the
cartridges preparatory to their being placed in the said guns is arranged in
segmental chambers, so as to permit each individual cartridge to pass into the gun
at the proper moment without disarrangement; and a peculiar construction of the
cartridge rest below each gun breech will permit unspent cartridges to drop down
and out of the way of suceeding cartridges.
The manner in which the said Invention is carried into practice is fully explained
in the following description, and by the accompanying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the said machine gun batteries, with its
limber.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the said battery detached from its limber.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the breech of one gun, with the magazine and
loading and firing mechanism.
Figure 5 is a plan of a portion of the breach of three guns and the cartridge
holders.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the rear portion of the ammunition box or magazine,
showing the arrangement for sliding the same up and down.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the eccentric plate and eccentric used to produce a
continuous lateral movement of the guns during the firing of the same.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of the gun frame, showing in dotted lines the
magazine standard on the front side, tipped over to separate the gun frame for tho
purpose of removing the guns from the said frame when desired.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the gun frame, gun, magazine,
and cartridge-rest.
Figure 10 is a plan of the parts shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a transverse sectional elevation taken through the central transverse
beam of the gun-frame.
Figure 12 is a rear elevation of the breeches of the gun-barrels, showing the non-
heat-conducting packing between the guns, and between the guns and the fixing
frame.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The guns A are preferably rifles, of a calibre of, say, sixty to eighty hundredths
of an inch; and any desired number of them, say from twelve to twenty one of
them (more or less) may be secured in a frame B, B¹, so that their axial lines will
all be in the same plane.
The frame in which these guns are to be secured will consist of side beams B
and transverse beams B¹, all of which should be made of wrought iron and
thoroughly framed and fastened together. This frame B, B¹, has its transverse
beams B divided into two parts b and 62, the lower part b¹ being fixed to the side
beams B, and the top part b² hinged to the part 6 by the hinge b³, so that the
said top part may be turned up, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 11, for
the purpose of releasing the guns from the retaining frame B, B¹, in case either of
the said guns for any cause is required to be removed. This provision will permit
a disabled gun to be taken out and replaced by a new one in a very few seconds,
even in action. The free ends of the pieces bª must be suitably secured to the
lower or fixed part of the said frame by means of bolts, locks, or other appropriate
dovice, to hold all of the parts firmly together when in use. The standards B2,
which support the magazine, must be hinged to the side beams B, so that they may
be turned over, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 8, for the purpose of placing
them out of the way when the pieces 62 are to be raised to release the guns, as
above explained.
In order to keep the guns as cool as possible during action, and to prevent their
heating the retaining frame, the said guns are separated or placed a short distance
apart, and each barrel is isolated by means of a packing a³ placed around the same,

page_text: and between it and the holding beams B', and by packing pieces a placed between
the breeches of the guns. These packing pieces a³ and a are to be made of some
substance which will be a non-conductor of heat, such for instance as wood or
asbestos; but the last named material will probably be the best suited for the
purpose. The breech of each barrel terminates in a rectangular block a, as shown
in Figures 4 and 5; and when the barrels are assembled together in the frame
B, B, these blocks will rest behind and hold against the rearmost beam B¹.
Vertical rebates are made in the sides of cach of the blocks a to form vertical pro-
jections a' extending a short distance behind the rest of the block a, as shown in
Figure 5. The width of each of the projections a' should be about equal to the
bore of the barrel, so that when the metallic cartridges to be used in this battery
are inserted in the bore of the gun the flange of the cartridge at its base will
project outward on both sides of the part a. When the several barrels A are
assembled together in the batttery the rebates in the blocks a, as above described,
will form vertical grooves a³ between each two adjacent barrels, as shewn in
Figure 5. The outer side of each outside gun of the series will however have only
one half of the groove a². The depth of the grooves a³ will be equal to about twice
the thickness of the flange or fulminate base of the cartridge, so that were a
cartridge inserted in the bore of any one of the barrels its flange or base would pro-
ject into the open groove a² above describod. The rest of the base of the block a
is grooved or rebated, as shown in Figure 4, to allow the cartridge to set in the
bore with its base flush with the rear end of the block a.
The magazine C has on its ends trunnions c supported in seats prepared therefor
in the fixed standards B2, which are attached to the frame pieces B. The supports
or seats for these trunnious c must be so constructed that the magazine can be easily
seated in or removed therefrom by two men, one at either end of the case. The
magazine C is subdivided by the partitions c', fixed to its back, into as many com-
partments c² as there are guns in the battery, and these compartments stand
vertically over each of the guns to which they belong. These compartments c³ are
constructed with their front and back faces segmental and concentric, as shewn in
in Figure 9. This construction is adopted for the purpose of accomodating the
formation of the cartridges, and permitting them to slide down in the said com-
partment without jamming whenever a cartridge is drawn from the bottom of
the magazine to be placed in the gun. The front face c' will be convex and the
rear face c³ will be concave, and the curves which they respectively form would be
drawn from a centre which would be obtained by the intersection of two straight
lines touching the front end and base of the cartridge on its top and bottom sides.
The bottom or floor of the magazine chamber will be sloping at an angle which
would form a radial line to the curves c7 and c8, and this sloping bottom on which
the cartridges lies just before being drawn from the magazine will greatly facilitate
their withdrawal from the magazine. The rear side c³ of the magazine box is so
constructed as to slide vertically in grooves c at the ends of the box, and is pro-
vided with slots c³, as shown in Figure 6, through which slots studs c will project,
being fixed to one or more of the partitions c¹, as may be required, to hold the back
securely to the magazine box, while at the same time permitting a free vertical
play of one or two inches (more or less), as may be required, to facilitate the with-
drawal of the shot or cartridges from the bottom part of the magazine, as hereinafter
explained. The bottom edge of the side c³ is scolloped out in the rear of each com-
partment c², as shewn in Figure 6, to permit the withdrawal of the cartridges
without the necessity of raising the said side c³ up more than a very short distance.
The gun frame B, B', is mounted on a carriage D, D', by means of which the posi-
tion, range, elevation, and the like of the battery may be regulated and adjusted at
will. A turn-table d, d', is interposed between the part of the carriage D, which is
fixed to the gun frame, and the sub-frame or carriage D', to which carriage frames
the said turn-table plates are respectively secured. A central pivot X, attached to
one of the turn-table plates and having its bearing in the other, forms a pivot on

page_text: which the battery is turned around in any horizontal direction required. A toothed
wheel e, shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, is arranged to gear into a rack on the
turn-table plate d, and turn it round with its battery as desired to any point within
the field of its range; this movement laterally will be included within an angle of
ninety degrees, inore or less. The wheel e is placed upon and actuated by the
shaft E, which has its bearings in or secured to the carriage D'. The shaft E is to
be turned as desired by the crank el, which is placed just in the rear of and below
the breech of the guns, so as to be within easy reach of the gunners by whom it is
to be manipulated. The sub-frame or carriage D¹ rests upon a transverse sill pieco
D, whose ends form trunnions that rest in the sockets d³, and so form an
adjustable bearing for the gun carriage D, D', and the superimposed guns, by which
construction the range of the guns may be elevated or depressed at pleasure. The
sockets are fixed to a transverse sub-sill F, which forms in the case of a field
battery the axle, which has its bearings in the supporting wheels G. It is only in
naval use or in fixed positions that the piece F becomes a sub-sill. The trail-pieces
Hare also fixed to the sub-sill or axle F, as the case may be. The clevating
screw I has its nut fixed in a transverse piece of the frame work of the trail, and
the said elevating screw is operated by the hand wheel i, which is placed below the
breech of the guns and within easy reach of the gunners. The top end of the
elevating screw rests against the bottom part of the carriage D¹, by turning
the screw I the guns may be elevated or depressed in the usual manner, the carriage
during its vertical adjustment moving easily on its bearing trunnions d². The rear
ends of the trail pieces H have jointed attachment pieces H', by which the adjust-
ment of the trail may be more readily accomodated to circumstances of position.
When this battery is fitted up for field use it must be provided with a limber
constructed in much the same manner as the limber for ordinary field artillery, and
it will be supported on the wheels G' and will have a pole J for the attachment of
the horses, and an ammunition chest C¹ so constructed as to accomodate a number
of the magazine cases C, each of which is to be filled with cartridges before going
into action. When one magazine case has become exhausted it is to be removed
from its standards B2 and returned to the chest C¹, and a full case taken from the
limber and put in position ready for use in the standards B².
A coupling plate K fixed to the gun-carriage is to be coupled by means of the
pin to the coupling plate K¹ fixed to the limber, when the battery is to be
Timbered up and thereby moved.
The operating or loading and firing mechanism of this battery is mounted on or
attached to the rear ends of the gun frame B, B', and consists principally of a
follower frame L with its enclosed spring hammers M and the attached cartridge
fingers N. The follower frame L is arranged to slide forward and backward in
suitable ways or bearings formed in the side beams B or attached to them. This
follower frame is moved up to or away from the breeches of the guns by means of
the toothed wheels and the racks , there being three, four, or any other con-
venient number of the said wheels and racks, according to the width of the battery
which will coincide with the length of the said frame L. The wheels are fixed to
the shaft L' which has its bearings in the frame pieces B, and the said shaft is
rotated by means of the bevel gear wheels and o; the latter wheel is turned by
the hand crank O, so that by turning the said crank the said follower and its
attachments will be moved up to or away from the ends of the guns, as described.
The cartridge fingers N consist of L-shaped pieces of metal fastened to the front
edge of the follower frame L, with the attached sides of the said fingers fixed verti-
cally to the said follower frame, and the other arm of the piece N projecting
horizontally to the front. The horizontal part of the piece N is wedge shaped, both
horizontally and vertically, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. At the rear or sides of
the pieces N there are vertical rebates or notches n which extend the whole length
of the said pieces, and form in connection with the front edge of the follower frame
grooves sufficiently large to allow the base or flange of the cartridges to slide easily

page_text: down through them. The body of the vertical part of the piece N is of just suffi-
cient width to fill the space between two adjacent cartridges as they are drawn
from the magazine, and when the follower is pushed close to the breech of the guns,
as it must be at the time of firing, the vertical arm n¹ of the finger piece will enter
the vertical groove a immediately in front of it, as indicated by the position of the
parts in Figure 5. At the same time the part n is pressed into the groove a³, as
above described, and the horizontal part n² of the said cartridge finger will press
into the lower part of the magazine case, just between the bottoin of the said case
and the bottom side of the lowest cartridge in the magazine.
From the foregoing description it is apparent that the positions of the several
fingers N at the time they are in the bottom part of the magazine box will be, not
directly below the several tiers of cartridges but between them, and as the said finger
pieces N are pushed into the box under the side picce c, the pointed front end and top
slope of the arms n enabling the said finger pieces to be easily pushed forward by the
follower, so as to raise the side piece c³ and at the same time to slide casily in under
the cartridges until, at the limit of the stroke, the flanges at the base of the cartridges
will drop into the grooves n and thereby be held fast between the said fingers;
these fingers will then draw the engaged cartridges rearward out of the magazine
under its sliding rear side c³, the sliding side being meanwhile held up sufficiently
high by the arms n² (on which for the time being it rests) for the engaged car-
tridges, but none others, to pass out of the magazine. The two end fingers of the
series have heel pieces n³ extending far enough to the rear of the outside piece c³ to
hold the said piece c³ up in position at the time of the completed forward movement
of the follower, at which time all of the bodies of the pieces N will have passed
beyond the inside line of the sliding side e³, which would then be at liberty to drop
and stop the operation of the battery but for the heel pieces 3 which for the time
being hold up the said slide. The follower and its attachments having been
pushed forward far enough for a set of cartridges to be caught in between the
fingers N, as above described, will be then withdrawn by turning the crank O, the
pawl P meanwhile being held up off of the ratchet P' so as to allow the reverso
movement of the follower.
When the follower shall have been moved back to the limit of its stroke tho
cartridges which have been drawn by the movement out of the magazine will be
found to be directly below a set of rammers Q, one rammer to each cartridge.
These rammers are fixed to the bottom side of a transverse bar Q' which is fitted
and moves in vertical slots in the standard guides B³ attached to the side pieces B.
The rammer bar Q' extends far enough outside of the guide pieces B³ to be engaged
by the compression springs q, which habitually hold the rammer bar with its
rammers up to the upward limit of its stroke, so that the cartridges may be drawn
under them.
A lever R fulcrumed at r to a lug projecting from and attached to the cross-bar B*
carries on its under side a sheave or roller 7 which is arranged to travel on a hori-
zontally projecting bar Q2 fixed to the bar Q. When the lever Ris pressed down the
sheave or roller will act against the bar Q, and thereby the rammers will be
pressed down on the cartridges which are held between the fingers N, and the car-
tridges will be pressed down by the movement so that their front ends will rest on
the stop bar or block S directly in the lines of the prolongations of the bores of the
barrels A. The follower L will then be moved forward again by turning the crank O
as before, and the cartridges which have been placed behind the gun-barrels by the
previous movements, as above described, will then be forced home into the barrels
and held there by the pressure of the follower, which will act as a breech-block
during the firing of the charge, the pressure of the follower against the cartridges
being maintained during this part of the operation by the action of the pawl P
engaging in the ratchet P', the said ratchet being fixed upon the shaft Or which
carries the gear wheel o and the actuating crank O. After the cartridges have been
discharged, by the means hereinafter described, the follower L will be again with-
drawn by turning the crauk O, and in this retreat it will draw with it the shells of

page_text: the exploded cartridges, which have been held by their base-flanges n, and also at
the same time and by the same movement a new set of cartridges will be drawn out
of the magazine in the same manner as above described. When the rammers are
next used to press down a set of cartridges to the stop blocks S they will force the
old shells below them and out at the bottoms of the grooves n, and so discharge them
out of the way of future operations, and so on; the alternate forward and backward
movement of the follower I will draw the cartridges out of the magazine, push them
into the guns, and then draw the spent shells out of the guns, the rammers being
used as described to press the cartridges down to the stop S and then also the old
shells out of the way. When the new cartridges are pressed down to the stop S
only the leaden bullet at the front end of the cartridge will rest upon the seat or
stop, thus leaving sufficient clear space at the rear of the said stop for the case of the
spent cartridges to be moved down and out of the way. It occasionally happens
that one of the cartridges is not fired by reason of some imperfection, and whenever
this is the case the unexploded cartridge shell, with the ball still in it, would be
withdrawn from the gun at the same time time as the exploded shells, and the ball,
still fixed in the cartridge shell, would (unless provision were made to prevent it)
strike the stop block S and prevent the cartridge from being thrown down and out
of the way, consequently the unexploded cartridge would remain in the way of the
next one, and so would interrupt the working of the battery. To prevent this
difficulty the stop-blocks S are pivoted at s to the breech-bar S¹, and are habitually
held up by the springs S with sufficient force to hold and guide the cartridges to
their proper entrance to the bores of the guns, but still with such a yielding force
as to permit them to be pressed down by the action of the rammers in attempting
to force down an unexpended cartridge, and thus the unspent cartridges are thrown
down and out of the way along with the old cases.
In place of a single sheave or roller ¹ the lever R may be fixed to a rock-shaft
which may carry several rollers or sheaves acting against as many rails on the
rammer-bar to avoid the springing of the parts, and the consequent unequal
placing of the cartridges preparatory to sliding them into the gun-barrels. The
top plate of the follower is allowed a slight vertical motion at its front edge,
and has on its ends, near the said front edge, trunnions which move in the
sloping slots of the guides to raise the said front edge of the plate l² up to
near the centre of the bottom tier of cartridges in the magazine, so that the edge of
the plate may form an abutment against which the cartridges may rest at the
time they are drawn from the magazine. The top plate is L-shaped, as shown in
Figure 4, its back edge turning downward from its horizontal part and forming the
rear side of the follower-frame. A pin passes through the heel of each of the hammer-
pieces, behind the vertical part of the plate , and when the front edge of tho said
plate is raised, as above described, its rear end or vertical part will exert a leverage
against the said pin in the heels of the hammers, and thereby move it with the
hammers backward when the hammers are not cocked, and the follower is thrown
forward; the needle m will thus be moved back out of the way of the cartridges.
Small elliptical springs n are fixed to the front edge of the follower-frame
between each pair of the fingers N, and arranged to press lightly against the
cartridges while they are in the grooves n, so as to hold the cartridges against
accidentally slipping out at the bottoms of the grooves.
The sliding follower-frame will also carry a set of spring hammers M, as many
hammers as there are barrels, one of them being placed directly behind, and in the
prolongation of the bore of each of the gun-barrels. The front end or head of each
of these hammers will carry a small point m, which will pass through an aperture in
the front plate of the follower, beyond which it will extend a sufficient distance to
strike into the fulminate of the cartridge when the follower is pressed up tightly
to the cartridge in the gun-barrel. A spring m' coiled around the hammer-shaft
within its seat in the follower-frame L will throw the hammers forward.
The rear
end of the hammer-rod or shaft will extend a short distance behind the follower-
frame, and terminate in a projecting tail-piece m², the. top edge of which will extend

page_text: above the top edge or side of the follower-frame, so as to be engaged by the short
stud t, which projects from the bottom edge of the shooting bar T. As both ends
of the hammer piece are larger than the central shaft, around which the spiral
spring m is coiled, it will be necessary to drill some holes m³ through the part m²,
so that this spring may be turned through the said holes, and so screwed to its
position on the piece M. In lieu of this arrangement however one of the ends of
the hammer-piece may be screwed on the shaft part, and then so rivetted down as
to hold the parts firmly together.
The shooting bar T rests upon the top side of the transverse rest-plate U, the
ends of which are fixed to the side plates B. There are as many of the cocking
studs upon the bottom side of the said shooting bar as there are hammers M, one
stud to each hammer. The plate U is slotted below the bar T to permit the stud t
to extend through the said plate U, and far enough below it to engage the projec-
tions m² of the hammers. When the follower-frame is moved backward to the limit
of its motion the shooting bar T will be moved across its bed, so that each of the
hammers will be caught behind its respective stud t, and the whole of the guns of
the battery will thereby be cocked, and remain so when the follower-frame is moved
up to the breeches of the guns. Then when the shooting bar is moved sideways
across the machine the stud t will be disengaged from the hammer-heels m², and
the moment the hammer is thus released its spring will throw it violently forward,
and the needle m will strike into the cartridge, and the charge will thereby be fired
in the usual way of percussion cartridges. The hammer-heels m2, the cocking
studs t, and the bar T are so constructed and arranged that the pieces m² will all be
released, not simultaneously but successively from left to right, so that the guns A
will be fired in succession, and may thereby be kept cool during action. This result
is accomplished by making the parts m² and t of unequal widths, or the spaces
between one or the other of the parts m² or t of unequal widths, and arranging the
studs t upon the bar T in such positions as to produce the desired result. The bar T
is moved so as to cock the hammers by means of a knob, which may be seized by
the gunner, and then pushed to one side as required. The bar T will be moved so
as to disengage the hammers and fire the pieces by means of the graduated lever V,
the pawl u, bar V', and the crank W. The graduated lever V is fulcrumed to the
plate U by means of the pivot screw a', and passes thence through a slot in the
bar T, as shown in Figure 2. The lever V lies flat upon the plate U, and its free
end is considerably wider than its fulcrumed end, and is provided on its top face
with a graduated toothed rack v2, which rack is segmental in plan, the segment
being described from the pivot screw v. A pawl is pivoted to the end of the
sliding bar V, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, and when the slide bar is to be moved
back to cock the hammers this pawl will be raised up off of its rack, as shewn by the
dotted lines in Figure 3. The cogs or teeth on the rack v2 are as numerous as the
barrels to be discharged, and the arrangements of the parts are such that the pawl
will move the rack and the bar T just far enough at one motion to disengage one
of the hammers M, and then fall back into the next notch in the rack and move
it forward, and so on until all the hammers shall have been released and all the
pieces fired.
The rod or bar V₁ and its pawl v are to be operated by the turning of
the crank W (in the inauner presently explained), and the adjustment of the parts
each to the other is such that for every revolution of the crank W one gun will be
discharged.
The crank W is placed upon the shaft W, which has its bearings in the blocks w
attached to the side of the frame B. The shaft W' has an excentric W, as shown
in Figure 7, which excentric moves in and actuates the excentric bar Ws. The
excentric bar is fulcrumed by its side lug w' to the frame B, and the top end of the
said bar W³ is coupled by the pin w² with the outer end of the bar V₁, so that by
turning the crank W the excentric We will move the bar Ws, and with the top end
of it the attached bar V1 just sufficiently to move the pawl v and rack the required
distance to discharge one barrel in the manner clearly described.
The rod W is coupled by a pivot pin to the bottom end of the excentric plato W³,

page_text: and the other or free end of the said rod, passes through a slot in the top end of the
post W erected upon the trail H. A set screw w³ in said post may be screwed up
against the rod W, and the rod will thereby be held securely in place in the post W³,
or when the screw is left loose the rod W will be free to slide through its slotted
bearings in the post. When the said screw is tightened upon the rod to hold it fast
the said rod will hold the bottom end of the excentric plate W³, and the said
excentric plate will then be held fixed at two points, namely, by the lug w' and by
the rod W By turning the crank W (the shaft W being confined within its
bearings in the blocks w attached to the frame B) the said frame, and with it the
guns A, will receive a slight vibrating movement in a lateral direction, and this
movement will be continued at each revolution of the crank W; thus the guns will
be made to deliver a raking fire, changing from side to side at every discharge of
each gun.
When it is desired to shoot straight ahead without the spreading fire, the screw w³
will be left loose, the crank W will then only work the shooting bar T; otherwise,
by turning the crank W when the screw is tightened, the simple movement of
the said crank W will simultaneously and by the one movement discharge the guns
and also move them laterally to spread their fire.
The gunners can easily aim by means of the sights Y and Y' which are attached
to the sides of the frame B.
A shield Z of sheet metal is placed slopingly over the guns (lower in front and
higher at the rear, as shown in Figures 1 and 2) to shield the gunners from the
enemy's fire. This shield is supported by attachments resting on the frame B.
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. The follower with its attachments so constructed and arranged as to draw
the cartridges from the magazine, place them in position in the breech of the gun,
and after the discharge of the cartridges withdraw their spent cases from the guns
and throw them away, as above set forth.
Second. The spring-hammers scated in sliding ways within the follower-frame
and provided with heel-pieces in combination with the cocking studs of the shooting
bar so as to fire the guns successively one at a time, as above described, and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. The L-shaped fingers each having a vertical leg and a taper wedge-shaped
horizontal arm with a rebate in the back corners of the vertical leg arranged to
form, in connection with the follower-frame, vertical grooves for catching and
holding the cartridges while they are drawn out of the magazine and placed in the
gun barrels, and the spent cases are withdrawn therefrom as above set forth.
Fourth. The follower, the holding fingers, and the retaining springs combined and
arranged as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The guns and their carriages mounted on a central pivot, and the firing
mechanism connected with the crank by the lever and rod, the latter being rigidly
connected with the carriage so as to vibrate the guns laterally by the turning of the
said crank, as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The shooting bar provided with cocking studs of unequal widths or placed
at unequal distances apart to hold the hammers in such a manner as to disengage
them in succession, as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. The lever V with its graduated rack, the pawl, the connecting bar, the
excentric-plate, and the crank arranged in combination with each other and with
the shooting bar so as to move the said shooting bar the required distance to fire
one gun at a time and the whole battery in succession by the continued revolutions
of the crank, as and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. The excentric-plate W³ pivoted to the frame by the lug, and adjustably
attached to the relatively fixed post by the rod, the said excentric plate being actuated
by the excentric-shaft which is supported in bearings fixed to the said frame so as to
move only the bar attached to the plate Ws when the said rod is left loose in the

page_text: said post, or arranged to move both the bar and the frame B when the said rod is
fixed to the post, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The crank W, its excentric-shaft, the lever W³ with its fixing rod, and the
post, combined and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.
Tenth. The follower-frame L with its plate provided with trunnions arranged to
move in sloping slots in the guides, as and for the purpose set forth.
Eleventh. The magazine divided into vertical compartments by the partitions
and having its rear side arranged to slide vertically in its ways c' and on the guide c³,
as and for the purpose described.
Twelfth. The frame B, B', constructed with its transverse beams formed of two
parts hinged together and secured in place, as and for the purpose set forth.
Thirteenth. The packings a³ and a' in combination with the guns, as above set
forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourteenth. The magazine having its compartments constructed with their front
and rear faces in concentric curves, and with the floor or bottom radial to these
curves, as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifteenth. The stop-blocks pivoted or hinged to the breech-bar and supported
yieldingly on the springs, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. ROB. LAKE.
(L.S.)