Year: 1885

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication from
Charles Henry Palmer of New York United States of America and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Cartridges of copper or brass are employed and a great number are strung
together by a Bexible connection, to facilitate the feeding of the cartridges to the
firing place by mechanical means.
The cartridges are held at the moment of firing, between two stout wheels, each
of which is recessed to a depth to receive half the cartridge. These wheels strongly
support the cartridge laterally while the breech is covered with a strongly backed
disc. The firing hammers are mounted in this disc.
In what is esteemed the most complete form of the invention there are a number
of barrels mounted on a wheel or revolving frame coinciding in size and form and
in rapidity of revolution with one of the wheels which carry the cartridges and
which support the force of the discharge. The cartridges are fired in succession as
rapidly as may be desired, the firing being effected each through a different barrel
until the set of barrels has made a complete revolution when the round of discharge
through the same barrels is again repeated, and so on until all the cartridges
belonging to that string are used.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what
is considered the best means of carrying out the invention.
Fig. 1, is a general side elevation.
Fig. 2, is a transverse section on the line xx Fig. 1, showing the novel parts
with so much of the other parts as is necessary to indicate their relation thereto.
Fig. 3, is a section through the principal parts in the plane of the axes of the two
principal wheels.
Fig. 4, is a section through a portion on a larger scale, in the plane of the axis of
one of the cartridges.
Fig. 5, is a corresponding section showing the front end of the cartridges on a
still larger scale, illustrating the relations of the thin front edges of the cartridge
case to the adjacent surfaces of the barrel.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures where they
occur.
A, is the frame work, certain portions being designated when necessary by
additional marks as A¹, A" It may be mounted on a carriage of any suitable
construction only a small portion of which is shown. ·

page_text: In the framing A, is mounted a stout shaft B, on which is fixed a wheel B¹, and
two larger wheels B, B, between which latter are mounted rifled barrels b.
Immediately in the rear of the wheel B₁, is a spherical bearing B1, in the rear of
that is a sleeve Bч, on the rear end of which is a wheel Bun. The wheels B'
&B, the spherical bearing B, and the sleeve B₁, are forged or cast in a single
piece.
The exterior of the wheel B¹, has semi-cylindrical cavities extending longi-
tudinally in line with the barrels b.
C, is a short shaft mounted in the fixed frame work A. On this wheel C¹, having
semi-cylindrical cavities matching those in the wheel B'.
The cartridges are marked m. They are of a length a little greater than the
thickness of the wheels B¹ C. These are inserted in pockets formed in knitted or
woven fabric m¹, thus forming a long flexible series equally spaced. They are
stored in a reservoir A1, mounted conveniently along side and are successively
brought into position and discharged through the several barrels, as each passes its
lowest point in its circuit.
Each cartridge is at the moment of firing closely confined and efficiently struck
by a suitable firing pin at the proper moment, the means for effecting all which
will now be described.
D, is a large ring, mounted on the spherical bearing B, with freedom to oscillate
slightly thereon. Its upper edge stands at a little distance in rear of the adjacent
face of the wheel B', while its lower edge presses firmly against the latter and
forms a firm abutment for pressing against the rear end of each cartridge when the
latter is fired. The ring D is chambered to contain hammers G, one for each barrel,
with liberty for them to move.
Each hammer is actuated by a spring H, to effect the blow. It is drawn back
by the engagement of a short arm G₁, with a fixed track A, bolted on the rigid
ring D, which loosely encircles the wheel B, and having the proper form to with-
draw the hammer and compress the spring and then liberate it suddenly as the
hammer reaches the firing point. Each hammer acts on the cartridge by a relatively
small surface which is protruded through a corresponding small hole. The adjacent
surface of the ring D, and the small point of the hammer protruding through it
form a tight abutment at the rear of the cartridge at the moment of firing.
The ring D, turns at the same rate as the ring B, and its series of barrels. Each
cartridge as it approaches the point where it is gripped tightly between the wheels
B¹, C¹, by the abutment ring D, thrust, end wise into the slightly counterbored
end of the barrel b, through which it is to be fired. The front end of the cartridge
is thin and being of copper or analogous soft material is easily contracted by being
pressed into the barrel. It assumes the condition shown in Fig. 5, the contracted
front end serving as a complete guide for the smooth passage of the projectile and
the volume of gas at high tension which follows it to be transferred across the joint
from the cartridge case into the barrel.
There are two wheels I and J, between the wheel B, and the ring D.. The
lower part of each wheel I and J, is a roller adapted to receive and transmit a great
force without yielding. These rollers exactly fill the space and by pressing against
each other and the wheel B, and ring D, hold the latter against yielding to the
force of the explosion. The mid-height of each wheel I, and J, is formed with spur.
gear or with equivalent projections and recesses which engage the rollers and wheels
reliably together. The upper portion is bevel gear which engages with corre-
sponding bevel-gears on the adjacent faces of the wheel B, and of the ring D.
Rotary motion is communicated to the wheel I, by means of the beveled wheel I',
fixed on the lower end of its shaft i, and which is engaged by a beveled gear.
wheel K, turned by the operator through the aid of a crank handle K¹.
The operator by turning this handle rotates the series of barrels and also the
ring D, revolving the latter in the same time as the former.
Two deep grooves are turned in the peripheries of the wheels B¹ C. In these
are mounted a pair of plows L, which are fixed on a branched bracket A11111. These

page_text: plows disengage the string of cartridges if they should stick in their respective
semi-circular cavities in either the wheel B' or C¹ after the firing.
A is a curved piece lying concentric to the wheel B¹ and at a proper distance
therefrom to hold the cartridges properly in their semi-circular cavities on their
passage downward to the point of firing. This is mainly important when the last
one of a string of cartridges is being carried down.
N, is a light smooth wheel mounted in a fixed position but with liberty to
yield a little by the turning of its supporting link O, on the pivot by which it is
suspended on the bracket A The link is subject to the force of a spring 01,
arranged as shown. It urges the wheel N, and the string of cartridges which are
led over it, into the proper relations to the wheel B, but with liberty to yield to
accommodate any slight inequalities.
Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions within wide limits.
The numbers of the barrels may be varied. The size of the gear wheels may be
varied so as to give a greater or less number of discharges with each turn of the
crank,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what claim is
1st. In a repeating gun the two wheels B¹ C¹ recessed on their peripheries as
described to receive and hold the cartridges in combination with each other, and
with a revolving abutment ring carrying exploding hammers and with a barrel,
as b, as set forth.
2nd. The wheels B¹ C¹, recessed as described to receive and hold the cartridges
and having annular grooves about their peripheries combined with the plows L,
bearing in such grooves and means for revolving said wheels, substantially as set
forth.
3rd. In combination with the series of barrels supported on a revolving axis B,
the wheels B¹ C', recessed to receive and hold the cartridges the abutting ring D,
and means substantially as described for moving the said parts at the same rate of
speed, whereby the hammers which are supported in the ring, the barrels and the
cartridge-holding recesses will register correctly, as set forth.
4th. In combination with the wheels B¹ C¹, as described, the ring D, mounted on
the axis B, by a universal joint, the series of hammers G, having arms G¹, the
springs H, the fixed track A, and means for revolving the said ring and wheels
at a uniform speed as set forth.
5th. The combination with the wheels B¹ C¹, having semi-cylindrical recesses for
holding the cartridges and barrels b, counter-bored at their rear ends, the ring D,
supported on the axis B, and adapted to force the cartridge shell into close contact
with the barrel as the abutting portion approaches the part where the semi-
cylindrical recesses form a complete chamber, as set forth.
6th. In a repeating gun the abutment wheels I, J, adapted to serve the double
function of transmitting a strong compressive force of the conveying motion in
combination with the rear wheel Band with the abutment D, mounted on a
universal joint and with means for holding and firing cartridges all arranged for
joint operation substantially as herein specified.
בד
1
103
1 D
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