IMPROVE- MENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE AND OTHER GUNS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57" Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE AND OTHER GUNS" to be as follows :—
My invention relates to machine and other guns and is chiefly designed to
diminish the noise produced by the discharge or explosion, to collect the smoke
and purify the same before permitting it to escape into the atmosphere, and to
lubricate the interior of the barrel or barrels and thus facilitate the passage of
bullets or projectiles through the same.
By my invention a very large number of shots can be fired in a short time by
one man with very little noise or smoke, while the gun will have sufficient range
to be effective at a distance of say 2000 yards, with cartridges of the ordinary
sizo.
The gun is made somewhat similar to the machine guns described in the
specifications of former Letters Patent granted to me, but the breech-mechanism is
operated by the explosive force of the powder acting upon the breech-block through
the medium of a piston or plunger and a chamber containing glycerine or other
liquid, as hereinafter set forth.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide immediately beneath the barrel
a strong chamber communicating with the said barrel a short distance in front of
tho projectile when the cartridge is in position for firing; in combination with this
chamber I employ a piston or plunger designed to serve both as a pump and as the
means for operating the breech-mechanism, and one end of which is fitted to slide
to and fro in an aperture or passage communicating with the said chamber and in
some cases provided with a suitable stuffing box, so that any pressure exerted upon
the liquid will be imparted to the said piston or plunger. This chamber is
connected by a pipe or passage with a cylinder or cylindrical chamber in which the
said piston or plunger is also fitted to slide to and fro, and which constitutes the
pump-barrel, the said piston or plunger being enlarged at the part that fits into
the said cylinder. The said chamber is, moreover, filled with glycerine or other
suitable liquid and the said pipe or passage communicates with a reservoir
containing such liquid; suitable valves are provided to enable the said piston or
plunger to draw the liquid from the reservoir and force it into the said chamber. .

page_text: "
The breech-block is connected in any suitable manner to the said piston or
plunger so that it will participate in the to-and-fro motion of the latter.
In the aforesaid pipo or passage, I sometimes provide a cock or valve which can.
be adjusted to control the flow of the liquid from the said cylinder to the chamber
beneath the barrel, and thus regulate the speed of firing.
At each discharge of the gun, the pressuro of the gases acting through the
medium of the liquid in the said chamber will drive the said piston or plunger
back, and with it the breech-block and.thus open the breech of the gun; and, at
the same time, a small quantity of liquid will be drawn by the said piston or
plunger from the reservoir; then the return motion of the piston and breech-block
being caused by a spring or springs, a fresh supply of liquid will bo forced into the
said chamber and a portion of the liquid contained in the said chamber will be
forced into the barrel in front of the projectile. A mixture of water and glycerino
will answer my purpose well; the volume of the liquid forced into the barrel may
be about equal to the volume of the projectile. This liquid prevents the over-
heating of the barrel and, at the same time, lubricates the interior thereof in a very
effective manner.
For suppressing the smoke, a chamber is attached to the muzzle of the gun and.
communicates with one compartment of a box forming part of the gun-carriage.
The said box is made with another compartment or magazine for containing
cartridges which are drawn or fed into the gun by means of a belt or chain, as
described in some of my former specifications. The compartment of the said box
communicating with 'the' chamber on the muzzle of the gun is filled with some
fibrous material saturated with glycerine or other substance which will take-up
and retain the solid matter contained in the smoke, when the latter is passed
through the compartment containing the said fibrous material. The chamber on
the muzzle of the gun is provided with two or more deflecting rings or annular
pieces made in tho form of the frustum of a cono and perforated to permit the
passage of the projectilo through them. Behind the rearmost deflecting ring the
said chamber is provided with a nozzle or projecting tube. A larger nozzle or
tube is attached to the said chamber so that it will surround the smaller nozzle,
and an aperture is formed in the said chamber between the first and second
deflecting rings so that the said chamber at this part communicates with the larger
nozzle. This larger nozzle also communicates with the compartment containing
the fibrous material. When the gun is fired, the smoke and gases coming against
the first deflecting ring are forced through the smaller nozzle, which is thus caused
to act like an injector and form a vacuum or partial vacuum in the larger nozzle
and between the first and second deflecting plates, so as to draw the smoke from
the latter part of the said chamber and force it into and through the compartment
containing the fibrous material.
When tho smoke is driven through the said compartment, all its visible particles
are removed and it passes out in an invisible condition. The chamber on the
muzzle of the gun, moreover, prevents or diminishes the noise which would otherwise
be caused by the explosion.
As the lubrication is effected by the piston or plunger acting as a pump, no wax
or grease is required in the cartridge for this purpose, and the powder may,
therefore, fill tho space in the cartridge usually occupied by the wax; moreover,
the glycerine is a much better lubricator between lead and steel than any
preparation of grease, and is especially advantageous as it is applied in front of the
projectile, the friction between the projectile and the interior of the barrel will,
therefore, be greatly reduced and the range of the gun considerably increased, as
compared with guns in which wax or grease is employed in the cartridge.
In this manner a long range is provided for, the smoke and .noise produced by
the firing of the gun are suppressed or diminished, the inconvenience arising from
overheating is avoided, and great rapidity of firing is obtained; and all leading of
the barrel is effectively prevented by the improved lubrication, the range, therefore,

page_text: remains constant or uniform, that is to say, each projectile will leave the barrel
with the same velocity or nearly so.
I do not confine myself to the use of glycerine for taking up and retaining the
visible portions of the smoke, as I may employ any suitable moist or sticky
substance, or some chemical preparation which, by reason of its affinity for the
solid particles of the smoke, will take up and retain the same. Neither do I
confine myself to any special construction of the breech-mechanism.
Moreover my improvements are of value for guns operated by hand as well as
automatically.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57° Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE AND OTHER GUNS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
•
My invention relates to machine and other guns, and is chiefly designed to
provide for lubricating the interior of the barrel or barrels in order to facilitate
the passage of bullets or projectiles through the same; for arresting and con-
ducting away the smoke which issues from the muzzle, and purifying the same
before it is permitted to escape into the atmosphere; and for deadening or
diminishing the noise produced by the explosion.
My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of a machine-gun provided with
means for lubricating the barrel.
Figure 2 is a plan of the said gun, partly in horizontal section on the lino x, x,
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, of a machine gun
mounted upon a carriage and provided with means for arresting, conducting away,
and purifying the smoke, and diminishing the noise of the explosion.
A is the frame of the gun; B is the barrel, which is fixed in the said frame;
C is the breech-block, which is arranged to slide to and fro between suitable

page_text: In the gun shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the breech-mechanism is constructed in
the same manner as that of the machine-gun described in the specification of
former Letters Patent dated 3rd January 1884, No 606, the crank-shaft D being
connected, by the arms E and links F, to the rear ends of two rods G, which aro
fitted to slide in suitable guides in the frame A. Instead, however, of the breech-
mechanism being operated by the gases escaping from the muzzle as described in
the said former specification, the said mechanism is operated by the gases liberated
by the explosion in the barrel, which gases act as hereinafter described upon a
piston or plunger a connected with the rods G by means of a cross-bar G³.
"
The part a of this piston or plunger is reduced in diameter and works in a
strong cylinder or chamber b. This cylinder or chamber communicates, by means
of the passage c and pipe d, with the barrel B at the point a, a short distance in
front of the space occupied by the projectile, when the cartridge is in position for
firing. The larger part of the piston or plunger a works in a cylinder or chamber e.
The part a¹ of the said plunger extends through a stuffing box fat one end of this
chamber, and the larger part of the said plunger extends through a stuffing box f¹
at the other end of the said chamber. The chamber e is connected with tho
chamber b by a pipe or passage g. A valve h is provided at one end of the said
pipe or passage, and a cock i is also provided whereby communication between tho
two chambers b, e can be cut off when desired.
I is a reservoir designed to contain a mixture of water and glycerine, or other
suitable lubricant. This reservoir communicates with the chamber e by means of
a passage closed by a valve 7. When the gun is in operation, the chambers b, e
are filled with water and glycerine or other liquid from the said reservoir.
The plug of the cock i is extended as at so that it projects through the frame A
into a convenient position for its manipulation. The reservoir is provided with
a screw-cap which can be removed when it is desired to fill the said reservoir.
To permit access to this screw-cap, the frame A is provided with a lid or cover A¹
hinged at A.
At each discharge of the gun, the gases liberated by the explosion in the barrel
act, through the medium of the liquid in the pipe d, passage c, and chamber b, upon
the piston or plunger a, and drive the same backward, thereby withdrawing the
breech-block, extracting the empty cartridge-case, cocking the gun, and winding
up the spring H, and, at the same time, drawing a small quantity of liquid from
the reservoir k into the chamber e through the valve . The loading of the gun,
and the return of the parts of the mechanism to the firing position are effected by
the reaction of the spring H in the manner described in the said former specification.
The plunger a, in its forward movement, forces a small quantity of the liquid from
the chamber e into the chamber b and into the barrel in front of the projectile.
The above described device thus serves as a pump for injecting a lubricant into
the barrel after each discharge. The volume of tho liquid thus forced into the
barrel at each forward stroke of the plunger a is preferably about equal to the
volume of the projectile. This liquid lubricates the barrel in a very effective
manner, and, at the same time, prevents the over-heating thereof.
If desired the cock i may be dispensed with, but, by employing either a cock
or an adjustable valve in the passage g, I am enabled to control the flow of the
liquid from the chamber e to the chamber b and thus regulate the speed of
firing, by increasing or diminishing the resistance to the forward movement of
the plunger a.
By the above described improvements, I provide for effecting the lubrication of
the barrel after each discharge of the gun; therefore no wax or grease is required
in the cartridge for this purpose, and either the powder-chamber of the cartridge
can be made slightly larger than in the cartridges heretofore employed, or the
cartridges can be slightly reduced in size. Moreover the glycerine is a much better
lubricant between lead and steel than any preparation of grease such as is
ordinarily used; and the lubricant is especially advantageous when it is injected
into the barrel in front of the projectile as above described, as the friction between

page_text: the projectile and the barrel or bore is thereby greatly diminished and the range
of the gun considerably increased as compared with guns in which cartridges
containing wax or grease are employed.
In Figure 3, m is chamber which is firmly secured to the muzzle of the gun and
is perforated and provided with deflecting plates m', substantially as described in
the specification of. former Letters Patent dated 23rd May 1884, No 8153. This
chamber is enclosed by another chamber or casing n, which is perforated at its rear
end and surrounded by a casing o, so that there is an annular space between the
said chamber n and the casing o. This space is in communication, by means of
the pipe p, with one compartment g¹ of a box g forming part of, or attached to,
the gun-carriage. The said box is made with another compartment or magazine q²
for containing a belt of cartridges as shewn. The compartment q¹ of the said box
is made with a series of partitions q³ arranged alternately on either side of the said
compartment and overlapping each other, as shewn, so that the smoke, which passes
through the said compartment as hereinafter specified, will be caused to move in
a zigzag path. The said compartment is filled with some fibrous material, such as
wood shavings or curled hair, which will permit the passage of the smoke through
the said compartment. This fibrous material is saturated with glycerine or other
substance which will take up and retain the solid particles of the smoke. The
pipe p is connected with this compartment through the hollow part r of. the gun-
carriage, which is provided with bearings for the trunnions of the gun and is
mounted upon a pivot-pin 8, which is rigidly attached to the top of the box q.
When the gun is fired, the greater portion of the smoke escaping from the muzzle
is arrested by the first deflecting plate, and, by reason of its expansion, passes
through the apertures in the chamber m into the chamber n and through tho
apertures in this chamber into the annular space around the same, whence it passes
with considerable velocity through the pipe p into the compartment q¹ and through
the same into the atmosphere. This passage of the smoke through the pipe p
produces a result somewhat similar to that obtained in the well known Giffard's
injector, that is to say, a vacuum or partial vacuum is formed in the chamber n
and pipe p, so that any smoke, which passes through the first deflecting plate in
the chamber m and is arrested by the second deflecting plate, will be drawn
through the apertures in the chamber m and into and through the pipe p and the
compartment q containing the fibrous material.
The chamber n is, in some cases, made to extend a considerable distance in front
of the muzzle, so that it will deaden or diminish the noise of the explosion. And,
to more effectually accomplish this result, the said chamber and the casing o are
preferably covered with felt or similar material, as at o'.
The smoke issues from the compartment g' at the lower end thereof freed from
all its visible particles and escapes into the atmosphere in an invisible condition.
From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I obtain the following
advantages, viz:-the gun is rendered effective at very long ranges, in some cases
as long as 2000 yards; the smoke is conducted away from the muzzle and purified,
thus leaving the atmosphere around the gun clear or unobscured; the noise pro-
duced by the firing of the gun is considerably diminished; the inconveniences
arising from over-heating are avoided, and great rapidity of firing is obtained;
moreover all "leading" of the barrel is effectively prevented by the improved
lubrication, therefore the range remains constant or uniform, that is to say, each
projectile will leave the barrel with the same velocity, or nearly so.
I do not confine myself to the use of glycerine for taking up and retaining the
visible portions of the smoke, as I may employ for this purpose any suitable moist
or sticky substance, or any chemical preparation which, by reason of its affinity
for the solid particles of the smoke, will take up and retain the same, Neither do
I confine myself to any special construction of the breech-mechanism.
Moreover my improvements are of value for guns operated by hand as well as
for those working automatically, the piston or plunger a being worked by the samo
movement which operates the breech-mechanism, or otherwise,

page_text: ⚫ If desired, the gun is so constructed that the gases in the barrel will act directly
upon a piston or plunger connected with the breech-mechanism for the purpose of
operating the said mechanism; but I prefer that the said gases should act upon the
.piston or plunger through the medium of a liquid, as above specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. A gun constructed or provided with means whereby, after each discharge,
glycerine and water, or other lubricant, will be injected into the barrel or bore, for
the purposes above specified.
Second. A gun wherein the gases liberated by the explosion in the barrel act,
either directly or through the medium of a liquid, upon a piston or plunger
connected by suitable devices with the breech-mechanism, and thereby operate the
said mechanism, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination, with a gun, of a piston or plunger which serves for
pumping or injecting a lubricant into the barrel or bore, and also as the means
whereby the pressure of the gases in the barrel is utilized for operating the breech-
mechanism, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The employment of a cock or an adjustable valve in the passage
connecting the chambers b, e, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with a gun (provided with an apparatus or device for
arresting and conducting away the smoke which issues from the muzzle), of moans
substantially as above described for purifying the smoke before permitting. it to
escape into the atmosphere.
Sixth. The combination, with a gun, of a chamber secured to, and extending in
front of, the muzzle, and covered with felt or other suitable material to deaden or
diminish the noise of the explosion, as above set forth.
· Seventh. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed_and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings, and operating as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings,
and operating as, and for the purposes, set forth.