US1790867A

US1790867A - jervey

Info

Publication number: US1790867A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1931-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1948-02-03

Description

Feb. 3, 1931. 'r` M. JERVEY 1,790,867

MAGAZINE FOR RAPID FIRE GUNS 28 30 34 l ag @a q a v INVENTOR MJerV'e A TTORNE Y Feb. 3, 1931. T, M. JERVEY 1,790,867

MAGAZINE FOR RAPID'FIRE GUNS Filed July 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet Y 2 IN VEN TOR .MJerv'e fw@ ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1931 Tnoivms M, Janina-Y, oF WASHINGTQN', DISTRICT on COLUMBIA MAGAzNE Fon RAPID-Finn GUNs Application filed July 21, 1824. Serial No. 727,308'.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT on :Manon s, 1883, As AMENDED APRIL' 3o, 192s; 37o o. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a magazine for rapid fire guns.

in mounting machine guns on aircraft either separately or in pairs it has been found impracticable by reason of limited spa-ce to provide a magazine of any appreciable size. Consequently, the magazine must be replaced at intervals and it is desirable that the cha-nge be effectedin the shortest possible time in order that the gunner may immediately resume firing. Furthermore, it is essential that the change be accomplished and the gun reloaded With the use of only one hand so that the gunner may use his other hand to keep the gun tra-ined on the target and in position to commence firing.

Considerable difculty has heretofore been encountered Withy certain types of guns in inserting the initial round into the feed box as the passage Way in the feed box requires that the ammunition belt be inserted at right angles. in additional factor tending to delay the replenishment of vthe ammunition supply has been the escape of the initial rounds from Vthe magazine as it is moved from its rack into position on the gun.

The present invention aims to provide a magazine, of convenient size for all types of mounting, Which may be readily grasped in one hand by the gunner, the mechanism for locking the magazine to the gun being placed in' such a position that it is included in the graspof the' gunner and held inoperative as the magazine is attached to or detached from the gun'.

The magazineV is equipped with a feed mechanism which is provided With a holding mechanism for preventing escape of the ammunition until the magazine is in locked position on the The holding mechanism is automatically moved to inoperative position when the magazine is moved into place and the feeding mechanism may then be manually operated to advance the cartridge belt to the feed box of the gun: in Such: e manner to avoid-jamming.,

Provision is also made Within the magazine' to prevent double feeding of the cartridges as they pass from the storage compartment to the entry of the chute.

- To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l'is a rear View of gun equipped with a magazine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the magazine;

Fig. 3 is a plan View partly in section to show the arrangement of the feed lock;

` Fig, e is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Y i

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken through the feed mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed View of thefeed lock.

Referring .to the drawings by numerals of reference: t l l y In carrying out my invention I provide a magazine embodying a rectangular box 10, provided with apartition 11 for dividing the box into a storage compartment 12 and the exit chute 13, Which is so disposed that its mouthv will bear against the feed box of a gun. v A

The magazine is provided With a hinged cover 14, Which may be locked in any suitable manner, specifically by a rotatable bolt 15, engaging in an apertured catch 16 secured to one end of the magazine. y

The magazine is designed to hold approximately one hundred rounds of ammunition, the' cartridges being carried in a belt which may be of fabric or metallic disintegrating link construction. Y

Trunnioned in the magazine above the partition 11 is a roller 17, spaced from the top of the magazine,` for guiding the loaded cartridge belt into the chute. The top Wall of the magazine is inclined at a point opposite the roller to prevent double feeding as the belt enters the chute. y The inclination of the Wall is ordinarily sucent to effect its purpose although a flat spring 18 may be provided to assist in performing this function and also t hold a cartridge against the roller When the magazine is attached to the under side of the gun. Y

The enit portion of the chute as shown in Figure 2, is positioned to underlie the magazine so that the loaded belt rmay be advanced into the gun at right angles to the path of its descent, this construction being intended for the attachment of the magazine to either the top or bottom of the gun.

Disposed in the exit portion of the chute is a feed mechanism comprising a Wheel 19, having teeth 20 for engaging a cartridge, 'the Wheel being formed on one end of a shaft 21 Which is keyed to a stub shaft 22 suitably journaled in a side plate of the magazine. rl`he shaft 21 extends through the opposite side plate and is embraced by a sleeve 23 abutting the side plate for holding the shaft in keyed position. The Vprojecting portion of the shaft carries a collar 2li formed at its outermost end With a hand grip 25 and having a ratchetwheel 26 disposed adjacent the side plate. The bottom plate of the magazine is formed With a raised portion to provide clearance for the Wheel 19 and also for a purpose which Will hereinafter appear.

The feed mechanism is so positioned in the chute that the Wheel 19, in addition to advancing the cartridge belt, may also serve in the capacity of akroller to guide the belt as it turns into the exit portion of the chute. lf desired, the Wheel 19 may be positioned nearer the mouth of the chute so that only one cartridge Will be engaged and Yan additional roller may then be provided. j

The Wheel 19 is also shown as being positioned to engage the bullet end of the cartridge, although it may be placed to engage Ythe cartridge case or an additional Wheel may be provided.7 The method shovvn insures proper entry of the belt into the feed box because the force for advancing the belt is applied some distance from the mouth of the chute allowingV the belt Which is more or less rigid to be directed against a side of the chute and then redirected into the feed boX at the proper angle to prevent jamming. When the force is to be appliednearer the mouth of the chute the alternate method of positioning the Wheel to engage the cartridge case has been found to be preferable.

'A guide plate 27 is provided at 'the exit portion'of the chute to restrict the mouth to the size of the entry of the feed box of the gun. A ratchet dog 28 supported by a bracket 29 ysecured to the inner side of the exit portion ofthe chute passes through an aperture 3Q lto engage the ratchet Wheel 26. The dog is normallv held in engagement With the ratchet Wheel by spring 31 confined between a projection on the dog and the bracket 29 and embracing a pilot pin 32. The function of the against rotation to prevent the escape of the loaded belt until the magazine is attached to` the gun at which time the movement of the dog has been stopped by a side plate of the receiver of the gun and automatically disengaged from the ratchet Wheel as shown in Figure 1. c

rlihe magazine is 'adapted to be mounted on the upper or under side of the receiver of a machine gun and for this purpose there is secured to the bottom of the magazine an attaching plate 38, preferably, positioned at one side thereof as best seen in Figure t. @ne edge of the plate '33 is extended beyond the side of the magazine While the opposite end is spaced from the raised portion of the bottoniplate so thatthe attaching plate may be slidably moved into a receiver plate Se carried by the gun and may engage the saine in any form of tongue and groove arrangement. The attaching plate is formed with bevel faces 35 to facilitate insertion in the receiver plate.

slightly altering the attaching mechanisin the magazine Ymay also be mounted at either side of the gun.

The magazine is locked into position on the-gun through a spring pressed latch 36. pivotally carried by a bracket 37 secured to a le plate of the magazine and the latch adapted to engage in a slot 3S of the receiver plate S-iwhen fully in position. The latch is so positionedthat it may readily be included in the grasp ofthe gunner and heldY inoperative as the magazine is attached to or detached from the'gun.

For the purpose of preventing the gunner from accidentally dropping the magazine.y there is provided a flexible handle 89 secured to asta-ple l0 and a handle bar il supported by the trunnions of the roller 17.

ln Figure 5 is shown a modified form of the roller 17, Which is designed to provide for the smaller diameter of the bullet end of the cartridge and also serves to space the belt from the roller. v

ln operation, the loadedbelt is placed in the box and a free end thereof is manipulated to descend the chute When the feed mechanism being manually released from the ratchet may advance the belt to the position shown in Y Figure 2 Where it is held against forward movement by the ratchet, When attaching vthe magazine to the gun, the'ratchet is automatically freed as described in Ythepremises and the gunner by rotating the hand grip may advance a belt into the feed box. With the same hand he may operate the usual loading handle to complete the loadingoperation.

While in the foregoing Vthere has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to yemphasize the fact meosev 2, tatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normally holding the feed wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automatically held inoperative 'on attachment of the magazine to a gun, a plate for restricting the mouth of the chute, an attaching plate secured to the bottom of the magazine, and a latch for locking the magazine on a gun, said latch being so placed as to be included in the grasp of the operator to be held in released position during the attaching and detaching operation.

2. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment for ammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normally holding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automatically held inoperative on attachment of the magazine to a gun, a plate for restricting the mouth of the chute, an attaching plate secured to the bottom of the magazine, and a latch for locking the magazine on a gun, said latch being so placed as to be included in the grasp of the operator to be held in released position during the attaching and detaching position.

3. A magazine for rapid lire guns ineluding a storage compartment for ammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normally holding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automatically held inoperative on attachment of the magazine to a gun, an attaching plate secured to the bottom of the magazine, and a latch for locking the magazine on a gun, said latch being so placed as to be included in the grasp of the operator to be held in released position during the attaching and detaching operation.

l. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment for ammunition, chute, a. roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normally holding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automatically moved to and held in inoperative position on attachment of the magazine to a gun, and means for locking the magazine on a gun, said means adapted to be included in the grasp of the operator during the attaching and detaching operation.

5. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment for ammunition,

a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, a feed Wheel rotatably mounted 1n the chute, a ratchet for normally holding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automatically movedV to and held in inoperative position on attachment of the magazine to a gun, and means for locking the magazine on a gun.

6. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment for ammunition, a chute, means for guiding the ammunition into the chute, means for advancing the am- Vmunition through the chute, and means for normally holding the advancing means inoperative, said means adapted to release the advancing means upon attachment of the magazine to a gun.

7. A magazine for rapid lire guns including an exit, and means carried by the magazine and disposed in the exit for advancing ammunition at right angles into the feed boi: of a gun.

8. A magazine for rapid lire guns ineluding a storage compartment for ammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, and the top Wall of the magazine at the entry of the chute being inclined to prevent double feeding.

9. A magazine for rapid lire guns including a storage compartment for ammunition, a chute, and rigidly supported ammunition engaging means carried by the magazine at the entry of the chute for preventing double feeding from the storage compartment.

l0. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment for aI belt of ammunition, a chute, a roller mounted at the entry to the chute, said roller being formed to space the belt therefrom.

ll. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a rotatable feed mechanism and means normally holding the feed against rotation, but adapted to release the Vfeed mechanism upon attachment of the magazine to a gun.

l2. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a rotatable feed mechanism, and means carrie-d by the magazine for normally holding the feed mechanism against rotation.

13. A magazine for rapid fire guns including an exit, and manually operable means carried by the magazine and disposed in the exit for initially advancing ammunition at right angles into the feed box of a gun.

14. For an automatic machine gun having a transverse feed channel therethrough for a cartridge belt, a cartridge magazine adapted to engage the gun at the top thereof and comprising in combination a box adapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and provided with an exit opening therefor positioned to register with the said feed channel of the gun when the magazine is in operative position, means carried by the box and movable relatively thereto for advancing the end of a mechanismcartridge feed belt through the said exit opening and into the said feed channel, and a latch device serving to hold the last said means against movement when the magazine is not in operative position, the said 'latch device being constructed to be automatically released by engagement Withthe gun when the magazine is moved into operative position thereon.

15. |lhe combination With an Yai-itomat-ic machine gun having a transverse feed channel therethrough for acartridge belt, of a cartridge magazine normally detacha ly mounted on the gun. at the top thereof and comprising a box adapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and provided With an exit opening therefor positioned in register with the said feed channel of the gun, means `carried by the box and movable relatively thereto for advancing the end of a cartridge feed be t thro-ugh the said exit opening and into the said feed channel, and a latch device serving to hold the Alast said means against movement When the magazine is not operative position, the said latch device being constructed to be automatically released by en agement With the run When the magazine b b D is moved into o erative position thereon.

16. rl`he combination With an automatic machine gun having a transverse feed channel therethrough for a cartridge belt, of a cartridge magazine box normally detachably mounted on the gun at the top thereof With a portion projecting laterallyv beyond the gun at the side thereof corresponding to the entrance end of the feed channel, means forming a guide channel adjacent the said laterally projecting portion of the box and communicating therewith and extending laterally approximately to the entrance end of the feedchannel in the gun, and a device manually movable With respect to both the box and thev gun and transversely of the latter for engaging the cartridge belt and moving it longitudinally of the guide channel into the feed channel of the gun.

1?. For an automatic machine gun having a transverse feed channel therethrough for a cartridge belt, a cartridge magazine adapted to be attached to the gun, the said magazine comprising in combination a box adapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and 1provided With a substantially horizontal belt guide channel positioned to register with the said feed channel of the gun when the magazine is in operative position, and means carried by the box and movable relatively thereto for advancing the end of the cartridge feedbelt through the said guide channel into the said feed channel, the said means being located above the feed channel and engaging the belt at the topV thereof. v Y

18.V The combination With 'a firearm having the transverse channel for a flexible cartridge belt and means forvfeeding a belt through the said channel, of a detachable magazine for the said belt adapted to be supported on the firearm and having-a passage communicating With the entrance to the feed vchannel when the magazine is in operative position, means carried by the magazine for VYtion separated from the forward endrof theV said belt, the said means being manually movable independently of the feed means of the firearm and relatively to the firearm and relatively to the supporting and guiding means for the purpose of moving the forward end portion of the belt into the feed channel.

19. rlhe combination with a firearm having a transverse feed channel for a flexible cartridge belt and means for feeding a belt through the said channel, of a detachable magazine for the said belt adapted to be supported on the firearm and movable transversely relatively to the firearm While being assembled thereon or removed therefrom, the said magazine having a belt passage communicating with the entrance to the feed channel of the firearm When the magazine is in operative position thereon and the said magazine being provided With tvvo belt engaging means associated With the said belt passage adjacent the exit end thereof, one of the said means serving to support the extreme forward end of the cartridge belt prior to and during at least a part of the transverse assembly movement of the magazine with Yrespect to thev firearm andthe other'of the said means projecting into the belt passage for engaging the belt therein and being manually movable independently of the feed. means of the firearm and relatively tol the first means to cause the forward end of the said belt to be moved beyond the magazine into the feed channel of the firearm.

THOMAS M. JERVEY.