US2337657A - Cartridge feed-belt for machine guns - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1943. J, A HENDLEY 2,337,657 CARTRIDGE FEED-BLT FOR MACHINE GUNS` Filed Nov. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. A. HENDLEY CARTRIDGE FEED-BELT FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Nov. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 28, 1943 CARTREDGE FEED-BELT FOR MACE vGUN S James A. Hendley, Middletown, Conn., assigner to The Russell Manufacturing Company, Middletown, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 23, 1940, Serial No. 366,837

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in woven cartridge feed-belts for machine guns.

The Woven cartridge feed-belts heretofore in use have been so rigid and non-yielding as to fail to satisfactorily meet certain lrequirements in modern aerial warfare. Thus, in using machine guns in rotatable turrets, as is now done on airplanes, machine-gun belts must be capable of readily twisting without interfering with the feed of the cartridges and the belt to the gun. Also, in certain other uses Where machine guns are mounted in the Wings of airplanes, the cartridge feed-belt is caused to travel in guides which have a winding-back-and-forth snake-like form in order to avoid braces of the wing of the airplane, which necessitates that the feed-belt shall have flexibility in both edgewise directions of the belt. The Woven belts heretofore in use are too stiff and rigid to satisfactorily meet these requirements.

One object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, which has all the iieXibility necessary to meetall of the foregoing conditions, and yet serves to hold the cartridges in proper aligned condition in the belt for proper feeding to the machine gun.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features of the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings Vforming part of the present disclosure, in which certain Ways of carrying out the invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a cartridge feed-belt made in accordance With the present invention, with cartridges therein, illustrating the same in a twisted formation such as occurs while the feed-belt is being fed to a machine gun mounted in an airplane turret;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a cartridge feed-belt made in accordance with the present invention, with cartridges therein, the feed-belt being distorted back and forth edgewise in a snake-like manner as occurs when a feed-belt is being fed along a guide or trackway in a wing of an airplane;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a fragment of a cartridge feed-belt made in accordance With the present invention; v

Fig. 4 is a face vieW of a fragment of a cartridge feed-belt made in accordance with lthe present invention, with cartridges therein;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a schematic sectional View on line 1--1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a schematic sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a schematic sectional View on line 9-9 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a schematic sectional View similar to Fig, 7 of'a modified form of cross-over Weave; and I Fig. ll is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but without the cartridge, of a modified' form of fabric construction.

In the description and claims, the various parts and steps are identied by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the prior art will permit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 of the drawings which illustrate one form of the invention, the cartridge feed-belt 20 comprises two layers or strips of fabric 2i and 22.

In the particular construction illustrated, each of the strips of fabric'2l and 22 is formed of interwoven warp strands and weft strands, the two strips being Woven concurrently, and certain of the Warp strands of each strip periodically being crossed over into the other strip to become Warp strands of such other strip and then again periodically being returned to the rst strip where they again become Warp strands of the first strip, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

In woven cartridge feed-belts for machine guns heretofore employed, the cartridge-receiving pockets of such belts have gripped the cartridges substantially throughout their length of contact with the cartridges, in a substantially equal degree, particularly the major portion of the pocket which engages the large-diametered portion of thev cartridge. This long length of substantially equal gripping engagement with the cartridge, with the frequent additional fact of substantially equal or greater rigidity or the edge portions of the machine-gun belts have resulted in a feed-.belt of such great rigidity and non-IieXibility as to render theY same not satisfactory for modern airplane use.

In Fig. 1 is shown a portion of a machine-gun belt made in accordance with this invention, lled with cartridges, and illustrating the 4great rotational flexibility of this feed-belt which especially adapts it for feeding to a machine gun in a rotatable turret, from a location on the oor in .the turret.- An in Fig. 2 is a portion of such,

a belt containing cartridges shown as arranged in an oppositely-edgewise-distorted r snake-likedistorted condition, as is necessary when a belt with cartridges passes through a snake-like guide of an airplane wing in being fed to a machine gun located in such airplane Wing, the guide being of snake-like form in order to clear the braces of the airplane wing.

I have discovered that the requisite flexibility for accomplishing the results illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 can be accomplished by providing an intermediate cartridge-gripping region 23 which extends longitudinally of the feed-belt, and cartridge-guiding regions 22 and 25 on opposite sides transversely of the belt, of said cartridge-gripping region, to produce a machine-gun feed-belt which, while having the requisite cartridge-gripping and aligning characteristics, at the same time possesses ample flexibility of the nature hereinbefore set forth.

The cartridge-gripping region 23 includesA a cartridge-gripping pocket-region 23a of each cartridge-receiving pocket 26, each of which cartridge-gripping pocket-regions 23a. is formed of opposed cartridge-gripping portions 23h and 23o of the strips 2l and 22 respectively, which grip opposite sides of the approximately-cylindrical or slightly-conical surface-portions 21 of the cartridges 28. Similarly, the cartridge-guiding region 2d is formed of cartridge-guiding pocketregions 22d of the cartridge-receiving pockets 26, each of which cartridge-guiding pocket-region 24a is formed` of opposed cartridge-guiding portions 2l5b and 24e of the strips 2l and 22, and the cartridge-guiding region 25 is similarly formed of cartridge-guiding pocket-regions 25a of the cartridge-receiving pockets 2G, each of which cartridge-guiding pocket-regions 25a is formed of opposed cartridge-guiding portions2b and 25o of the strips 2! and 22.

It is important to have the cartridge-gripping region at an intermediate location between, and well spaced from, the edges of the belt, and to have this cartridge-gripping region. perform the maingripping and holding action. upon the cartridges, and to form the strongest portion of the belt, the cartridge-guiding regions performing comparatively little, if any,.gripping action upon the cartridges, they mainly acting as cartridgeguiding and aligning portions which aid in inserting thecartridges into the belt and in retaining them, in suitably aligned relation to properly feed the cartridges into the machine-gun mechanism.

The requisite gripping characteristics may be imparted to the cartridge-gripping region. 23 of woven cartridge feed-belts, in various Ways. While the gripping action of each cartridge-gripping pocket-region of each cartridge-receiving pocket could be accomplished by having one of the two opposed cartridge-gripping portions 23h or 23o provided with cartridge-gripping characteristics, I prefer, and have so illustrated, giving cartrdige-gripping characteristics to both these opposed portions 231) and 23e.

In the form of the invention illustrated` in Figs. 1 t9 9, each, of the stripsZi and 22 'is formed of relatively-small weft strands or filling strands or picks 29 interwoven with relatively-large warp strands 30 alternated with relatively-small. warp strands 3l, in the cartridge-gripping region 23, and in the cartridge-guiding regions 24 and 25 is formed of small weft strands 2,9 interwoven with small warp strands'3l. From Fig. 5 it will be seen thaty in.i the cartridge-grippingY region,

each large warp strand 30 and its adjacent contacting small warp strand 3! forms what may be referred to as a group of warp strands, and in the cartridge-guiding regions, each two adjacent contacting small warp strands 3| forms wnat may be referred to as a group of warp strands.

Each of the large warp strands 3i) in each strip of fabric crosses from one strip of fabric into the other strip of fabric, along the lines or regions 32 between successive cartridge-receiving pockets 26, the regions 32 being indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 by the dotted lines 32, while the alternate or small strands 3l of the cartridge-gripping region 23 do not cross over from one strip to another (Fig. 7). Each alternate small warp strand 3l ofthe cartridge-guiding regions 24 and 25 within the locations between the ends of each dotted line 32 in Fig. 4 pass from one strip of fabric into the other along the regions 32 (Fig. 8), while the other alternate small strands 3l do not pass from one strip to the other. The portion of the cartridge-guiding region 22 which in Fig. 4 is above or beyond the end of the dotted line 32,y does ynot have the two strips of fabric connected together at all, the warp strands all being small strands and none of them crossing over, as is shown in Fig. 9, and thus providing edge portions 33 and 34 along the cartridge-nlling edge or side of the belt, which are entirely unco-nnected with one another throughout their length, beyond the ends of the dotted line 32, thus providing a construction which gives greater flexibility to this edge of the belt and also facilitates finding the cartridge-pocket for inserting cartridges therein, and also gives a certain addition to the cartridge-guiding and aligning characteristics of the belt. Similarly, the edge- portions 35 and 36 along the other edge of the belt beyond the ends of the dotted forked ends of the dotted line 32 are unconnected with one another.

In the form of cross-over weave-construction shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, the warp strands cross over from one strip to the other along what may be said to be a single line, thus resulting in the cartridge-pockets being very close together, as is desirable for certain purposes. But where it is desired to have the cartridge-pockets spaced farther apart, this can be accomplished by employing another form of cross-over construction, such for example as is illustratedY in Fig. l0, in Which certain of the warp strands cross over at a location 38 spaced a greater or less distance from certain of the warp strands which cross over at 39.

The large warp strands 3i! produce large humps 3l which extend inward in each cartridge-receiving pocket 25 along the cartridge-gripping region 23, thus providing a smaller diameter at this portion of the pocket 26 than the` remaining or cartridge-guiding portions of the pocket, and thus serving to more tightly grip the cartridge, in fact the essentialv cartridge-gripping action being substantially entirely accomplished by these large warp strands 33 in the cartridge-gripping;pocketregion. Although each of the particular strands 3!) shown in the drawings isv shown as a single strand, it will be appreciated that each could be composed of a plurality of strands, either twisted together, or untwisted and extending along parallel with one another. Also, instead of depending entirely upon the-large size of the strands 30 to bring about the gripping action as heretofore explained, theA gripping action can also be further increased by holdingY the, warp strands 30 undergreater tension while weaving is taking place. Also, a greater gripping action can be accomplished by crowding the large strands 3!) and small strands 3l of the cartridge-gripping region tighter together transversely of themselves to still further increase the cartridge-gripping action.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 11 in which a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but without the cartridge, of a modified structure is shown, all or" the warp strands 3l are shown of small size and interwoven with small weit strands 29, the Warp strands 3l in the cartridge-gripping region 23 being packed closer together transversely of themselves than is the case with the warp strands 3l in the cartridge-guiding regions 2&3 and 25, thus bringing about a tighter, tougher, stronger cartridge-gripping action in the cartridge-gripping region 23 than is true of the cartridge-gripping action of the cartridge-guiding regions 213 and 25. The cartridge-gripping action can be still further increased by holding the Warp strands in the cartridge-gripping region under greater tension than the Warp strands in the cartridge-guiding regions, While Weaving is taking place.

The invention may be carried out in other specific Ways than those herein set forth Without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

claim:

l. A iiexible woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, comprising: cartridge-receiving pockets extending transversely of the belt; an intermediate cartridge-gripping region extending longitudinally of the belt; cartridge-guiding regions extending longitudinally o the belt, one on each of opposite sides of said cartridge-gripping region; each pocket having a cartridge-gripping pocket-region forming part of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-gripping region, and cartridge-guiding pocket-regions forming parts of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-guiding regions; each cartridge-gripping pocket-region having opposed cartridge-gripping portions, and each cartridge-guiding pocket-region having opposed cartridge-guiding portions; each of said portions being formed of substantially uniformly interwoven warp-strands and Weit-strands; the Warp-strands of one or the opposed cartridgegripping portions oi each cartridge-gripping pocket-region being of more than thirty per cent greater total cross-section area per unit of width oi a cartridge-gripping pocket-region than the same width of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion.

2. A flexible woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, comprising: cartridge-receiving pockets extending transversely of the belt; an intermediate cartridge-gripping region extending longitudinally of the belt; cartridge-guiding regions extending longitudinally of the belt, one on each of opposite sides of said cartridge-gripping region; each pocket having a cartridge-gripping pocket-region forming part of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-gripping region, and cartridge-guiding pocket-regions forming parts of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-guiding regions; each cartridge-gripping pocket-region having opposed cartridge-gripping portions, and each cartridge-guiding pocket-region having opposed cartridge-guiding portions; each ofvsaid portions being formed of substantially uniformly interwoven warp-strands and weft-strands; the warp-strands of one of the opposed cartridgegripping portions of each cartridge-gripping pocket-region being of more than thirty per cent greater total cross-sectional area per unit of width of a cartridge-gripping pocket-region than the same width of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion, the warp-strands of said greater total cross-sectional area of alternate pockets being located on one face of the belt and of the other pockets being located on the other face of the belt.

3. A flexible woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, comprising: cartridge-receiving pockets extending transversely of the belt; an intermediate cartridge-gripping region extending iongitudinally of the belt; cartridge-guiding regions.

extending longitudinally of the belt, one on each of opposite sides of said cartridge-gripping region; eacn pocket having a cartridge-gripping pocket-region forming part of said longitudinallyextending cartridge-gripping region, and cartridge-guiding pocket-regions forming parts of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-guiding regions; each cartridge-gripping pocket-region having opposed cartridge-gnpping portions, and each cartridge-guiding pocket-region having opposed cartridge-guiding portions; each of said portions being formed of substantially uniformly interwoven Warp-strands and weft-strands; the warp-strands or one of the opposed cartridgegripping portions of each cartridge-gripping pocket-region including warp-strands each of which is of considerably greater cross-sectional area than any warp strand of any cartridge-guiding pocket-region.

4. A flexible woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, comprising: cartridge-receiving pockets extending transversely of the belt; an intermediate cartridge-gripping region extending longitudinally of the belt; cartridge-guiding regions extending longitudinally of the belt, one on each of opposite sides of said cartridge-gripping region; each pocket having a cartridge-gripping pocket-region forming part of said longitudinallyextending cartridge-gripping region, and cartridge-guiding pocket-regions forming parts of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-guiding regions; each cartridge-gripping pocket-region having opposed cartridge-gripping portions, and each cartridge-guiding pocket-region having opposed cartridge-guiding portions; each o said portions being formed of substantially uniformly interwoven Warp-strands and weft-strands; the Warp-strands of one of the opposed cartridgegripping portions of each cartridge-gripping pocket-region being of more than thirty per cent greater total cross-sectional area per unit of Width of a cartridge-gripping pocket-region than the same width of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion, and including groups of Warp-strands, one warp-strand of each said group being of considerably greater cross-sectional area than any Warp-strand of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion.

5. A exible Woven cartridge feed-belt for machine guns, comprising: cartridge-receiving pockets extending transversely of the belt; an intermediate cartridge-gripping region extending longitudinally of the belt; cartridge-guiding regions extending longitudinally of the belt, one on each of opposite sides' of said cartridge-gripping region; each pocket having a cartridge-gripping pocket-region forming part of said longitudinallyextending cartridge-gripping, region, and cartridge-guiding pocket-regions forming parts of said longitudinally-extending cartridge-guiding regions; each cartridge-gripping pocket-region having opposed cartridge-gripping portions, and each cartridge-guiding pocketregion having opposed cartridge-guiding portions; each of said. portions being formed of substantially uniformly interwoven Warp-strands and weft-strands; the Warp-strands of one of the opposed cartridgegripping portions of each cartridge-gripping pocket-region being of more than thirty per cent greater total cross-sectional area per unit of CII Width of a cartridge-gripping pocket-region than the same Width of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion, and including groups of Warp-strands, one Warp-strand of each said group being of considerably greater cross-sectional area than any Warp-strand of any cartridge-guiding pocketregion, and substantially al1 of said. Warp strands of considerably greater cross-sectional area of alternate pockets being located on one face Yof the belt and of the other pockets being located on the other face of the belt.

JAMES A. HENDLEY.

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