IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING REVOLVING GUNS WITH CARTRIDGES
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1871.-A communication from abroad by Joseph
Trawniczek, of Vienna, Austria, Captain of Artillery.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING REVOLVING GUNS WITH CARTRIDGES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to feeding revolving guns with cartridges by
means of a composite prismatic apparatus consisting of several cartridge
cases joined together parallel with one another, and capable of being
pushed sidewise diagonally across the direction of the gun. It is
especially suitable for replacing the feed drum now used for the so-called
'Gatling gun," and composed of several cartridge boxes arranged in a
circle and rotated around a central pin. This apparatus is preferably
composed of ten or more V shaped cartridge boxes arranged parallel to
one another, so that the back and front parts of each two adjoining boxes
meet together. They are alternately opened or closed above and below.
"

page_text: In an apparatus consisting of ten boxes five will always while in use
have their feeding ends downward and the other five their permanently
closed ends downward. In the permanently closed end of each box
a spring may be placed to press against the top cartridge. There is a
slit running down each box to allow of arranging the cartridges if
necessary. On the upper and lower lateral edges of the apparatus
projecting ledges are formed serving as guides for sliding plates which
close the open ends of the boxes when not in use. Each sliding plate is
provided with five apertures corresponding in size and form with the
open ends of the boxes. On cach sliding plate is fixed a flat spring
provided with a catch or pin on its free end. This pin falls when the
open ends of the boxes are closed by the plate into a hole in the pro-
jecting ledge of the apparatus, and so fixes the plate. Shoulders on the
ends of these ledges prevent the sliding of the plates further than
the breadth of one box. Two projecting finger pieces are fixed to
the apparatus and serve as holds for pushing the same; these pieces
may be hinged for being turned down out of the way when not in use.
An upright pin or stud is fixed to each plate and serves as a means
for opening the ends of the boxes by being held back against the pro-
jecting finger piece above mentioned whilst the apparatus is being
pushed along by the finger and thumb. The gun table or cover to the
breech end of the gun is made to form a plane surface, and there are two
ledges screwed on this cover to form guiding grooves in which the
apparatus can move. On one of these ledges an inclined plane is formed,
which serves to raise the above-mentioned pin or catch from its hold
when the apparatus is pushed along these guides. There are projecting
thumb pieces fixed to the gun table corresponding in number with the
cartridge boxes, therefore in this case five, against which the thumb
is pressed whilst pushing the apparatus further sidewise with the fore-
finger as the boxes successively become empty.
The operation of the whole when in use is as follows:-The apparatus
is placed on the part of the gun table or cover having no guiding
grooves in such a way that one of the finger pieces is below and directed
backwards. This apparatus can be adapted to the so-called " Gatling,"
Albertini," and "Veltl" guns, whilst the drum can only be employed
for the Gatling gun.
T
Although I prefer to make my cartridge feeding apparatus reversible
1

page_text: from the spirit of my Invention arrange the V shaped cartridge boxes
side by side, all of them having their open ends downwards, and therefore
without having to arrange another set of opening and closing devices at
the upper or rather other end of the apparatus. But it is obvious that
although by this construction I obviate the necessity of turning the
apparatus over to empty the rest of the boxes, I do not effect that saving
of room which I obtain by arranging the boxes as first above described,
and therefore cannot stow away as many cartridges in the same length
of apparatus.