US487238A - The norhis peters co - Google Patents

Description

.5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Deo. 6, 1892.

J. e. Ace-LES..

(No Model.)

FEED MEOHANISM FOR MAGHINE GUNS. No. 487,238.

5- Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J-G. AGGLES. FEED MEGHANISM PoR MACHINE GUNS.

No. 487,238. Patented Deo. 6, 1892.

m: nonms upm-uma. wnsumcrou, n. c.

(No Model.) 5 shens-sheet V8.

` J. G. ACLES. FEED MEGHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS.

No. 487,288. 'Patented Deo. 6, 1882.

TN: Nukms Prins co., wom-urna, WASHINGTON. D. c.

(No Model.) 5 vSheets-Sheet 4.

J. G. AGOLES.. FEED MEUHANISM PoR MACHINE GUNS.

No. 487,238. Patented Deo. 6, 1892.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. G. Accus. FEED MEGHANISM POR MACHINE GUNS.

No. 487,238. Patented Deo. 6, 1892.

` l NFQ "E s lIILIl-llkllllllulllllll lllllll n UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

JAMES GEORGE COLES, OF BIRMINGHAMENGLAND.

FEED MECHNISM FOR M`CHlNE -GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming partl of Letters1Patent No. 48?",238, dated December 6, 1892. Application filed January 26,1892. Serial No. 419,324. (Nb model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GEORGE AccLEs, engineer, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Feed Mechanism of Machine-Guns, of which the following is a speciflcation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the feed mechanism of machine-guns, and' is chiefly designed for that type or class wherein the barrels rotate around a central axis during the working of the gun.

It is well known that the efficiency of machine-guns generally has been greatly impaired by the liability of the cartridges to jam in entering the gun. One object of my said invention is to obvia-te this liability. Another object is to provide for supplying the cartridges to the gun direct from holders or cases, such as are hereinafter described, in which holders or cases they may be packed and brought into the eld.

Heretofore in guns of the Gatling and Accle's type the feeding of the cartridges 'to the barrels has been effected by means of a cylinder or drum containing a great number of cartridges. The said cylinder or drum had to be lled with great care and when empty had to be removed from the gun and replaced by another cylinder or drum full of cartridges. It is obvious that with such apparatus considerable space that should be available for the cartridges is taken up by the feed mechanism, and, moreover, the cylindrical or circular shape thereof is not advantageous in respectof the packing of a number or series of such cylinders or drums for storage or transport. These disadvantages are obviated by the improvements hereinafter described. Now my present improvements afford the means whereby the cartridges packed and brought into the eld in holders or packages (substantially such as those described in the specification of my patent, No. 396,523, dated January 22, 1889) can be pre sented therein directly to the feed mechanism on the gun. Therefore the fire of the gun can be maintained as long as there are any cases or packages of cartridges available without any change or adjustment of any part of the feed mechanism or its adjuncts, such as is necessary when the cartridges have to be placed in a cylinder or other receptacle which has to be attached to the gun when full and removed when empty of cartridges. The aforesaid holders or packages consist of a case or box and an inner corrugated slide or guide-strip. The cartridges are placed with their axes parallel to each other in the corrugations or grooves of the said slide or guidestri p. The said invention comprises a method of feeding which permits the aforesaid holders or packages containing ten, twenty, or other convenient number of cartridges to be presented one after the other to the feed mechanism, which removes the guide-strip full of cartridges from the case or box and takes the cartridges therefrom and supplies them successively to the rotating barrels and ejects the empty cases and guide-strips from the drum. 4'

One very important feature of my invention is the use of the aforesaid guide-strip, in combination with the feed-wheels and the clutch-lever hereinafter described, in such a manner that the feed mechanism is started by the insertion of every fresh oase of cartridges and stops when the last cartridge from each case passes therefrom into the receiver. 'lhis feature of starting and stopping the feed mechanism with every separate case or box of cartridges supplied thereto entirely obviates the danger of the jamming of the cartridges in the gun. The first cartridge of each case or series finds the feed-wheels stationary in the proper position fto receive it, and the last cartridge of each case or series must leave the wheels in the proper position to receive the first cartridge of the next case or series. Therefore there is no possibility of the entering cartridge being gripped by any part. of the mechanism by reason of any failure of synchronism between the mechanism and the cartridge-that is to say, at the moment when the cartridge is transferred from the guide-strip to the feed-wheel both parts are at rest, so there is no possibility of injury to the cartridge by reason of any slight retardation of its movement at this critical moment, and when once the cartridge has IOO tis

been transferred to the feed-wheel it isv im- `pelled forward under positive control to the receiver.

In order that the nature of my said invention may/'be clearly understood, I will now' proceed to describe the same with referenceA to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of a portiop of an Accles gun with improved feed mechanism according to this invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of Fig. 1 with the eoverplate removed in order that certain p0rtions of the mechanisn1.1nay not be obscu red thereby. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the lineof Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an under side view, partly in section, ot t he parts shown in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is atransverse section on the line y y of Fig. 4, showing a number Qfcartridges in position. Fig. 6. is a transverse section on the line ,e ,e of Fig. 2, certain o f `the parts being omitted for thesale of' clearness. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central section'r on the line as' of Fig. (i of a portiofnlof' a clutch shown in that jgure Fig. 48, i s' a's i d e elevation of the clutchjshaft and mechanism which operates in combination therewith, Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing theclut-eh and gearing for operating the feed-wheels. Fig. l0 is an end view of `Fig. 9.

Like lettersi dicate the same parts throughout, the drawings.

Ais the case of the gun. Bis the main spindle, Ithatca rriesthe handle whereby the gun mechanism is,r otat `ed l C is a hopper, which is hinged at Cf to the case A, and is retained in place bysuitable clamping devices, which permit itto be readily released when necessary. n AD is a rotating receiver with teeth 1 and recesses D?, into which cartridges arefedrem `thehopper C and from which they are pushed `into thebarrels by theplungers. w

E E are feed-wheels or the twopart'sof a double feedwheel mounted uponthesha'ft which turns ,in bearings in A.the hopperf. The said feedwheels are formed with teeth E', which have recesses or spaces E2 between them of the proper shape to hold the cartridges. 4

G is a cartridge-guide grooveor channel 1n the hopper G, the upper end G' vof the said channel beingopen, so that the caseonboxa.` of the holder, containing the corrugated guide strip b, full of cartridges, may be inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 5. G2 is a smaller channel in line with the channel G for the exit of the emptycorrugated guide-strip b after the cartridges have been removed therefrom in a manner which will be hereinafter explained. The passage G2 is too. small for any cartridge to pass through it. Moreover, this passage G2 may not allow the case or box a of the holder 1o pass through it.

I provide for ejecting the cases or boxes upwardly through the passage G. For this purpose I provide a spring-pusher, arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. This pusher consists of a piston c, having a lateral projection e', arranged in combination with a spring d in a tubular guide 0*, formed on the side of the hopper C. The projection c extends through a slot in the inner side of the tubular guide into the path of the cartridges in the channel G, as and for the purpose hereinafter described.

G3 is a curved continuation of the straight channel G, extending t0 the receiver D, and provided immediatelybeiow the end of this curved part of the channel is the plow or ejector C3, by the aid of which the empty cartridge-cases arecased to pass through the channel I out of the'gu'm J is a l'efer piveted i the hopper C and hav'in'g three arms'J', .12, andJ. T liearuJ projects into the cartridge-channel G. The arm' Jha's 01111; beveled projection K,`. (site Fi g. 7 which operatesclutch niechanismhereinafter fully explained. The' upper extremity of this arm serves for putting the feed nicchanism in gear by hand.' y

L is an auxiliaryarm p'voted in thehopper O upon the shaft F, with its edge L( projecting into the curved cartridge-channel@ and its edge L2 engaging with the end of the arm Jsof the leverJ. With reference now to `the means employed f or gearing the feed-wheels E wth Athe mjafin spindle B, it is obvious that in -guns with moving barrels there must be a determined and invariable rate of speed of the feed- Wheels E relativelyto' that of the barrels', and this could not be conveniently insured by the use of ordinary toothed gearingi connecting the main spindle B ofthegun vsrlththe first 01. .clutch .Shaft N bf thedwheel drivin ggean I therefore employ a peculiar form' of gearing somewhat siirllaito that employed in' some kinds of watehwork and other m'e'elanismwherein an' intferrnittent movement of one part is derived from a. continuous movement .Qf another rait'.- thatis to say,I mo'un't upon the said nain spindle a wheel B', the peripheral rsurface of which consists `ot' alternate convex plain spaces Biand concavitie's B3, `(see Fig. 19,) eh 0f Which ,concavities has extending across it a pinB". This .wheel B gears with a wheel M on the clutch-shaft N, wliiel1- rotates in bearings in the frame of the hopper C. The teethM of the wheel M have conc ave peripheral surfaces, which by engaging with' the convex surfaces of the wheel B retain thewheels in the proper relative position during the intervals o f rest which occur between the successive movements of the wheel M by the action of the pins Bion the teeth M.

0, Figs. 8 to 10, is a spur-pinion mounted in bearings in a part C2 of the frame of the hopper C, so as to be capable of turning freely on the shaft N, and isformed in one piece or otherwise firmly secured to one part P of a ICO clutch. P is another part of the said clutch which rotates with the said shaft, but which is free to slide endwise thereon to engage with the part P. The said part P of the clutch is normally maintained out of engagement with the part P by means of the spring Q, which is retained between the collar P2 and the part Czof the hopper-frame. ThecollarP2iscountersunk, as shown, so as to form a beveled recess PB, into which enters the aforesaid beveled projection K, Fig. 7, upon the arm J2 of the three-armed lever J. rlhe spur-pinion O gears with an intermediate spur-pinion R, which rotates upon a stud R', secured to the portion C2 of the hopper-frame, and the said intermediate pinion R gears with the spurwheel S, which is secured upon the shaft F, which carries the feed-wheels E.

I will now describe the operation of my improved feed mechanism. A cartridge-holder (of the kind illustrated at a, b, Fig. 5, for example) containing a convenient number of cartridges is passed into the channel G through the opening at G', the lowermost cartridge of the series descending in the said channel until itis received by the feed-wheels E, whose teeth E project into the said channel, as shown. As the said lowermost cartridge is received by the feed -wheels the said cartridge moves the arm J of the lever J out of the groove G, and consequently moves the arm J2, so that the beveled projection K, carried thereby,'is pressed toward the outer circumference of the collar P2, formed upon the part P of the clutch, and, acting upon the inclined sides of the recess P3, moves the said part P of the clutch against the resistance of the spring Q into engagement with the part P. If the main shaft B be rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 10, to operate the gun mechanism, the wheel B will rotate therewith, and each pin B4 upon the said wheel as it enters a recess M2 of the wheel M moves the latter a certain invariable distance, and then the said wheel M pauses while one of the plain portions B2 of the wheel B will move over a concave portion of the wheel M, another pin B4 then entering another recess of the wheel M and again moving it through the same distance, and so on during the revolution of the spindle B. Thus continuous rotation of the shaft B causes the regular intermittent rotation of the shaft N, to which the wheel M is fixed, and also of the portion P of the clutch. The two. parts of the clutch having been put into gear with each other in the manner hereinbefore described, such intermittent rotation above referred to is transmitted through the wheel O, spur-pinion R, and spur-wheel S to the shaft F andthe feedwheels E, which are fixed thereto. The slide or guide-strip b is drawn out of the case a of the holder, and the cartridges are taken from the guide-strip by the feed-wheels in their rotation and are pushed along the curved channel G3 toward the receiver D, which rotates with the main shaft B. The said receiver takes the cartridges successively from the end of the channel Gs and places 'them in line with the barrels as the latter come to the ring position. The said cartridges are pushed into thebarrels by theplungers, and the empty cases are extracte therefrom and ejected through the chann I. While the cartridges are being removed from the corrugated guidestrp bythe feed-wheels the said guide-stripv or holder travels downward and finally leaves the hopper C by the passage G2, the empty case or box being also ejected by the springpusher c, as follows-that is to say, while the cartridges are passing along the channel to the receiver the projection c of the piston c is by the passing cartridges drawn down to its lowest position, as shownin Fig. 5, the case or box a resting on or just above the said projection; but when the last cartridge has traveled past the said projection the piston c, be-

ing no longer restrained, is thrust upward by the spring and ejects the empty case from the upper end G' of the aforesaid channel G. During the passage of the cartridges along the channel G3 they continue to act upon the lever J, as above described, to keep the two parts of the clutch together; but when the last cartridge delivered to the feed-wheels E passes below the arm J the lever no longer acts on the part P of the clutch to keep it in engagement with the part P thereof. Were the parts of the clutch then permitted to' separate, the movement of the feed-wheels would cease and one or more cartridges would remain in the curved channel G3. This would be very objectionable for Wellknown reasons, and therefore I provide for preventing the disengagementof the parts of the clutch, as folloWs-that is to say, the auxiliary arm L is so arranged that each cartridge in the curved channel G3 as it passes to the receiver comes in contact with the front edge L of the said arm and causes the same to IOO act upon the arm J 3 of the lever J and keep the said lever in a position wherein it holds the parts of the clutch in engagement till the last cartridge has passed from the passage G3 into the receiver D, whereupon, the lever J being no longer restrained, the parts of the clutch will be separated by theaction of the spring Q. The movement of the feed mechanism will then cease and the beveled recess Ps in the collar P2 will act upon the projection K of the lever J, so as to cause the said lever to turn upon its pivot and protrude its end J into thev channel G. By the means above described the feed mechanism is caused to gear with the main spindle B when a holder containing cartridges is properly inserted in the feed-channel, and the said mechanism is automatically put out of gear when, but not until, the last cartridge of a series has passed from the channel G3 to the rotary receiver D. Moreover, by reason of the fact that the feed mechanism is restarted by the insertion of every fresh case of cartridges and requires no adjustment of its iIO parts for permitting such insertion or removing the empty cases or guide-strips it is obvious that fresh cases or series of cartridges may be supplied one after the other withgreat rapidity, and thus a practically-continuous fire may be maintained from the gun.

Although I have hereinabove particularly described my invention with reference to the Gatling and Accles guns, I wish-it understood that the said invention may be with slight modifications readily adapted to other machine-guns.

What I claim is- 1 l. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper, a rotatable receiver, a feed mechanism between said hopper and receiver, means projecting into the hopper and actuated by the cartridges therein for shifting said feed mechanism into operative connection with the receiver, whereby the former is actuated by the shaft upon which the latter is mounted, and means for automatically disengaging said shifting` mechanism when the last cartridge is passed into the receiver.

2. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hoppen provided with a `feed-channel or guide, a corrugated or fluted slide or guide-strip moving in said channel, n a feed-wheel, means for actuating said feedwheel, a lever having its end projecting into said feed-channel or guide, so that the cartridge in passing through the channel will move said lever, and mechanism operated by said lever for shifting the feed-wheel into operative connection with its actuating mechanism.

3. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper provided with a feed-channel orguide, a corrugated or fiuted slide or guide-strip moving in said channel, `a feed-wheel, a lever having its end projecting into said channel or guide, soy that the cartridge in passing through the channel will move said lever, a clutch mechanism for rotating said clutch, a projection on said lever .adapted to shift the members of the clutch `into operative connection, and mechanism operated by said clutch for moving the feedwheel.

4. In a feedmechanism for machine-guns, the combination of the hopper provided with a feed-channel or guide, a feed-strip moving in said channel, a guide on said hopper, a piston in said guide provided with a projection extending through a slot in the hopper and into contact with said feed-strip, and a spring on said piston for ejecting the empty feed-case, as set forth.

5. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper provided with `a feed-channel or guide, a feed-Wheel, mechanism for rotating said feed-wheel, a lever having one end projecting into said channel, an auxiliary arm proj ectin ginto said channel, one end engaging the lever, and mechanism operated by said lever for shifting the feedwheel into engagement with its operating mechanism when said lever or auxiliary arm is moved by a cartridge.

.6. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper provided with a feed-channel or guide, a feed-wheel, mechanism for operating said feed-wheel, a threearmed lever, one arm of said lever projecting into the feed channel or guide, an auxiliary pivoted arm also projecting into the said channel or guide and engaging one arm of said lever, and a clutch engaged by a projection on one arm of said lever for bringing the feedwheel into operative connect-ion with its operating mechanism.

7. In a mechanism for a machine-gun, the combination of a. hopper provided with a feedchannel or guide, a lever having a projection in said channel, a clutch the members of which are engaged by the action of said lever, means for rotating said clutch, a gear-wheel operated by said clutch, a pinion meshing with said gear-wheel, a shaft, a spur-wheel on said shaft meshing with said pinion, and a toothed feed-wheel on the-spnr-wheel shaft, the teeth of said wheel projecting into the channel of the hopper.

8. In a mechanism for machine-guns, the

combination of a hopper provided with a feedchannel or guide, a feed-wheel in said hopper, 'a main spindle for operati-n g the gun mechanism, a receiver on said spindle, a wheel mounted on said spindle provided with studs, a clutch-shaft in said hopper, a wheel on said shaft provided with teeth meshing with said wheel on the spindle, a lever in said hopper, one end'projecting into said channel, a clutch on said shaft adapted to be operated by said lever, and mechanism operated by said clutch for bringing the feed-wheel inte-operative connecti'ony with its operating mechanism.

9. In a mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper provided with afeedchan-nel or guide, a feed-wheel in said hopper, a mainspindle foi-'operating the gun mechanism, a receiver on said spindle provided with recesses in thecircumference, a clu-tchin said hopper, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, mechanism operated by said spindle for rotating said clutch, and mechanism connecting the other member of said clutch with the feed-wheel.

10. In a feed mechanism for machine-guns, the combination of a hopper provided with a channel or guide for feeding the cartridges to the gun, a spindle for operating the gun mechanism, a receiver on said spindle into which said channel opens, another channel I in said hopper for the empty cartridges, an ejector for ejecting said cartridges, formed between the channel I and said feed-channel, a feed-wheel in said hopper having one end projecting into said feed-channel, alever also in said hopper, and mechanism for operating said wheel when said lever is moved by a cartridfe.

1f In a gun mechanism, the combination IOO IIO

of a hopper provided with a feed-channel or In testimony whereof I have hereunto :o guide, afeed-wheelin said hopper, acartridgesigned my name in the presence of two subreoeiver, a holder provided with a corrugated scribing witnesses. strip containing cartridges adapted to be 5 plaoedin said channel, so that thefeed-wheels JAMES GEORGE ACCLES.

can remove the cartridges directly from the fluted strip and deliver them to the receiver, Witnesses: and mechanism for operating saidfeed-Whecl ERNEST HARKER, and receiver. SAMUEL SNELL.

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