Improved Machine for Making Cartridges of High Explosives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Making Cartridges of High Explosives.
I, WILLIAM DALRYMPLE BORLAND, of 85 Petherton Road, Highbury, London, N.,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
:-
My invention consists essentially of a contrivance causing an intermittent feed of
the explosive material into the cartridge case, or tube, or other suitable mould in
which the explosive has to be formed, and also causing the plunger which presses the
material to work on and not in the material and to act with a certain maximum force
which can be determined beforehand.
The explosive is fed from a receptacle at the bottom of which is a series of revolving
vanes of size sufficient to hold between every two vanos as much material as will be
required for one cartridge. The vanes are turned by an external handle and the
arrangement is such that a single movement of the handle discharges the explosive
contained in one of the spaces between two vanes. The vanes are then automatically
locked till the next movement of the handle. Or I provide other suitable means of
delivering the right quantity of material.
The explosive is discharged from the receptacle on to a band which moves
intermittently and is carried by the said band so as to fall into a tube or other mould
over the bottom of which the wrapper may be placed. The plunger is so placed and
guided as to fall into this tube or mould when released. A wheel turned by hand
or other motive power is attached to the plunger by a cord and suitable gearing. By
restraining the wheel the force of the fall of the plunger can be reduced at pleasure.
The wheel also carries a pin which during a part of its revolution acts on another
wheel or roller carrying the above mentioned band. Thus the band is moved only
during a certain part of the revolution of the pin, and the whole arrangement is so
adjusted that the band is moved and a part of the explosive material tipped into the
tube or mould just before the plunger is allowed to descend. The band is then
stationary till the revolution of the first wheel lifts the plunger out of the tube or
mould.
This alternating arrangement of feed and plunge can be effected by the wheel
lifting the plunger by means of a cam or pin placed eccentrically and allowing it to
drop at the desired time.
I provide suitable means for preventing the explosive material clogging, and for
keeping the band at proper tension, and, if necessary, I can bring greater pressure to
bear on the plunger by means of a band attached to a treadle or foot lever. This
contrivance will sometimes be found useful in expelling the cartridge from the tube or
mould.
The whole machine can be tilted and worked at any desired angle.
1000
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for the Applicant.
•
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Making Cartridges of High Explosives.
1, WILLIAM DALRYMPLE BORLAND, of 35 Petherton Road, Highbury, London, N.,
Chemist 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 :-
Fig. 1 is front elevation showing arrangement of the whole machine with the lower
art of the hopper broken away to show internal vanes.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing channel in which feed ban works and adjacent
parts.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the plunger U and adjacent parts.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the handle turning the vanes and adjacent parts.
The explosive material is placed in the vessel D¹ at the bottom of which are
vanes E' attached to an axis carrying a toothed wheel F¹ ontside the vessel. This is
turned by the handle G¹, which carries a paul H' which moves freely over the toothed
wheel upwards but locks with and turns it when the handle G' is pressed down. A
spring A keeps the paul H to its work. A spring J' attached to vessel D' causes
the handle G to return to its normal position. The handlo, paul, toothed wheel, and
spring are so arranged that every complete movement downwards of the handle turns
the vanes the distance between two vanes. Circular wheels B2, B2, are fixed on to
the axis of the vanes at the ends of the vanes just within the vessel D', and narrow
curved plates C are fixed in the vessel ¹ just above these wheels.
The space between two vanes holds as much material as will be required for one
cartridge. The material is delivered through the scoop K' as shown in Fig. 7 on to
a travelling band A of leather or other suitable material, and which works in a brass
channel B fitted at the sides with vulcanite linings C, C, which allow the band A to
move under them. The band A is carried round a tension pulley D to which is
attached one arm E of a lever fulcrumed at F. The other arm G of the lever is
attached to the spring H which is secured to the frame A'. The band A also passes
over the axle K which is furnished with a toothed wheel L. M is a wheel turned by
hand or other power and carries a pin P which acts on the toothed wheel L during
some part of its revolution only, & thus causes an intermittent movement of the
band A. The pin P acts on the paul W₁ which is furnished with a pin D³ moving
hetween fixed guides H', H'. The paul W₁ thus moves forward the wheel Land
when the pin Phas moved beyond the paul W, the spring E2 draws back the said
paul. Stops J, J' prevent the paul W¹ being drawn too far back.
As the band A moves forward it deposits a portion of the explosive material into
the tube or mould X. The handle N of wheel M is adjustable in slot and carries
a movable collar Q to which is attached a cord R moving over guide pulleys S, S, S,
& carrying at its other end a plunger U. T is a spiral or other spring for taking up
the slack of the cord R, or the cord R may move in blocks, or have a weight attached
to it between the two top guide pulleys for the same purpose. The handle N &
pin P are so placed that the band A moves and deposits material in the tube x just
before the plunger U is allowed to fall, and the plunger is raised before the band
moves again. is a receptacle attached to plunger U to hold weights to increase
the momentum of U. As the plunger is not forced down by the action of the
machine it is evident that the maximum force exerted on the explosive in the tube ✗
is the momentum acquired by the plunger in falling. By checking the movement of
handle N this can be reduced at pleasure. In order to prevent the channel B being
clogged I allow the excess of material to pass beside the orifice of the tube X through
the open end Y into receptacle Z. B' is a scraper acting on band A and removing
the material which clings to A into the container C. The plunger U works through
guides W, W, and a movable collar T which is fixed by screw U¹ to allow any
desired fall and rise for the plunger. F2, F2, are elastic buffers as shown in Fig. 6.
The case or wrapper of the cartridge can be placed over the bottom of the tube X.
The vessel D' is removable and attached to the backing A' in any suitable way;
As the machine is fixed to the backing A', this and consequently the whole machine
can be fixed and worked at any desired angle.
Fig. 3 shows plan of another contrivance for depositing the material on the band A.
Fig. 4 a front view of sane.
L' is a scoop the contents of which are regulated by the movable piece M', which
works in grooves N', N', and is attached to a screw bar O'. P' is a nut for fixing M¹,
in any desired position. The workman with this contrivance merely dips the
scoop L into a receptacle of the material and deposits it on the band A.
Fig. 5 is a modification of the method of causing an alternate feed and plunge.
"

page_text: Qis a wheel to which the motive power is applied carrying a pin or cam R¹
which raises the plunger U. By means of the hand V' motion is communicated to
the wheel M and the intermittent motion of the band A is produced in the way
already described in Fig. 1.
In this modification the cord R is not needed. The grooves in which the cord V₁
works in the wheels Q' and M must be of the same diameter.
Fig. 8 shows an alternative method of feeding the tube or mould X. The vessel D'
is in this case made funnel shaped and the feed from D' into X is regulated by
vanes G which are moved intermittently in the way already described of moving
the band A.
The materials of which the machine is composed will depend on the nature of the
explosive to be operated on.
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:
A machine for making cartridges of high explosives by the use of which is produced
an intermittent feed of the explosive material into the tube or other suitable mould
in which the explosive has to be formed and also an intermittent rise and fall of the
plunger which presses the material which said plunger works on and not in the
material and acts with a certain maximum force which can be predetermined
substantially as described.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for the Applicant.