US56804A - Improvement in revolving cartridge-boxes - Google Patents

Description

P. F. SCHNEIDER. Cartridg-Boxi Patented July 31 1866,

- jnvehlar. Q

wi l as es.

N. PETERS, FHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE,

P. F. SCHNEIDER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPRO.VEMENT IN REVOLVING CARTRIDGE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,804., dated July 31, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, P. F. SCHNEIDER, of Hartford, Hartford county, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improve mentin CartridgeBoxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The cartridge-boxes now in use for carrying fixed metallic cartridges, so called, consist of the ordinary square-shaped cartridge-box suitably constructed upon its interior to receive them, to wear which box with comfort it is necessary that it should be upon the back or rear portion of the body, thereby occasioning great inconvenience in the removal of the cartridges from their box when desired to use them.

By the present invention, however, a cartridge-box, if it may be so termed, although possessing'more the features of a pouch, is provided for the reception of fixed metallic cartridges of such a construction and form that it can be conveniently carried upon the body of the person who is to wearit, and from which the cartridges can, in turn, and one after another, but only one at a time, as it is desired to use them, be readily discharged through a suitably-shaped nozzle or opening therefor, as will be apparent from the detail description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying plate of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central section through the cartridge-box, taken in the direction of its length; Fig. 2, a transverse section taken in the plane of the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section taken in the plane of the line 3 Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a View of the lower end of the cartridge-box or that through which the cartridges are discharged from it.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. a

The cartridge-box A, embraced by the present improvements, is made of a cylindrical form and provided with a series of tubes, B, arranged upon its interior and extending entirely around the same at equal distances from each other and from the center of the cylindrical casing C, in which they are placed, the

internal diameter of each of these tubes corresponding to or a little greater than the diameter of the flanged ends of the cartridges which they are to receive, so that the cartridges can move freely in them. It is intended that the diameter of the cylindrical casin g C, as well as its length, shall be sufficient to allow such number of cartridges which, under the military rules, is considered a complement to be carried within its several tubes, the series of cartridges in each tube resting upon each other, with the lower one of each series upon the bottom plate of acasing, D, surrounding the lower portion, E, of the tube cylinder.

The-tube cylinder C is divided into two portions or sections F and E, with a space, Gr, between the contiguous ends of each, the lower portion, E, being 'a little less in length than the length of two metallic cartridges, for which the cartridgebox is intended, when placed end to end or ina line with or on top of each other, as plainly shown in Fig. l, the flanged end of the upper one of every two cartridges in such portion of the case-tubes B consequently projecting abovethe upper end, H, of the same.

Through the center of the tube-casing C, and in the direction of its length, extends a shaft, 1, secured at one end to the lower or bottom plate, J, of the exterior casin g, D, for the tubecylinder and having at the other or upper end of said tube-cylinder a fiat-headed screw, K, inserted in it and brought to a hearing by its head against such end, this tube cylinder loosely turning upon such center shaft as a center when operated, as will be presently explained, with its two sections F and E held at the proper distance apart or with a space, G, between their contiguous ends, as described, by a collar, L, secured to the shaft at the proper point therefor. The two sections of thetube-cylinder are interlocked by two fixed upright pins, 0 e, of the lower section, as seen in Fig. 2.

To the lower end of the lower section, E, of the tube-cylinder, and concentric therewith, turning loosely upon the center shaft, L, is secured a ratchet-wheel, M, having teeth corresponding in number to that of the series of tubes B, and in a radial line with the centers thereof and the center of the cylinder. With the teeth of this ratchet-wheel M two springpawls, N and O, are engaged, one upon each side of the same, but at points diametrically opposite to each other, the pawl N upon one side being hung upon a fulcrum-pin, h, of the casing D, and the other upon a fulcrum-pin, c, of the inner end, P, of a spring 1ever-arm,Q, hung upon a fulcrum, at R, of the outside of the said casing D, and moving in and under a clasp, S, thereof, by swinging which lever Q in the proper direction the pawl O, hung to its inner end, as explained, is made to turn the ratchet-wheel, and consequently the tube-cylinder, to which it is secured, around in the opposite direction, a stop, T, limiting the swing of the said lever Q in one direction, and the end of the clasp S, under which it moves, in the other. It is intended that sufficient length of play shall be allowed to the said lever to enable the ratchet to be revolved thereby only through a space equal to one of its teeth at one time, when, releasing the lever, it will immediately return to its place through the force of the spring 6 e, secured at one end to the outside of the casing D, and at its other bearing upon it, as plainly seen in Fig. 4, so that by alternately moving the lever forward to the stop '1, and then allowing it to fly-or swing back, the tube-cylinder can entirely revolve around its central axis or shaft, the pawl N preventing it, by acting upon-the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, from moving in an opposite direction, and also holding it in place after each successive action of the lever-pawl 0 upon it.

From the above description it is plain to be seen that through the arrangement of the several parts and their connection with the operating-lever Q, by properly moving such lever, the tube-cylinder can be revolved around its center axis or shaft, so that if an aperture, V, be made in the bottom plate of the casing D, surrounding'the lower portion of such tubecylinder, of corresponding diameter to the interior of the said tubes, and at such point of the said bottom plate as will be in exact line with any one of the series of tubes B composing the said tube-cylinder when it is stationary or at rest, by then intermittingly revolving the said tube-cylinder as explained, its several tubes will thus, in regular order and succession, be brought in line with said aperture V, thereby forming an outlet for the cartridges contained in them to escape, or, in other words, be discharged from the said cylinder, the whole number in each tube falling out at one and the same time, the objections to which in case each tube contains more than one are self-evident without any particular mention herein.

To avoid this and only allow one cartridge in each tube of the cylinder to pass out through the opening V of the casing D, I have placed between the two sections F and E of the tubecylinder, and in the same vertical plane or line with the said opening V, a stationary bridge, W, one portion, X, of which forms a radial arm to the shaft-collar, and the other, Y, is secured to the interior of the casing D at or near its upper end, but the two detached and separate from each other, leaving an opening, L, between them corresponding to the diameter of the main or barrel part of the cartridges. On the edges of this bridge the upper cartridge in the lower section of the tube-cylinder, by its flanged 'end, comes to a rest and stop as the one below it falls through the opening V, thus holding it within its tube, as well as all the remaining ones of the series in such tube above it, when again revolving the tubecylinder, by properly moving the lever-arm Q therefor, such cartridge slides over the said bridge, and its place is then taken by the upper cartridge in.the lower section of the next tube, and so on through the whole series, the

cartridges in each tube, after having passed over the said bridge, as above stated, falling to the bottom plate of the casing D, on which the lower one of each series moves.

By means of this bridge W, arranged with regard to the discharge-opening V of the casing D, together with the division of the tubecylinder into two such parts that the flanged ends of the upper one of the two cartridges in the lower section will project sufficiently beyond its upper edge to bring them above the plane or level of the said bridge W, interposed between the two sections, as above explained, it is readily apparent that only one .cartrid ge can be discharged at a time from the tube-cylinder, the importance and advantages of which are obvious.

In lieu of so dividing the tube-cylinder into two parts or sections that only two cartridges, one upon another, can be contained in the several tubes of its lower part, in which case only one cartridge can be discharged at a time, such section of the tube-cylinder can be made of such a length as to admit of three cartridges in each of its tubes, or even four or five or six, or a greater number, if so desired, it being obvious that as the number of cartridges is increased to which the length of the tubes of such section is adapted the number of cartridges discharged from each of the said tubes at one and the same time will be correspondingly increased; or, in other words, the number of cartridges discharged in each case will be only one less than the number to which the tubes were adapted, thereby rendering the cartridge-box readily applicable, and with no material change in its construction or in the arrangement of its parts, to the discharge of one or more cartridges from it at one and the same time, whether the several tubes of which it is composed contain a greater or less number of cartridges.

, The cartridge-box made as hereinabove explained may be covered by or inclosed within a leather or other suitable casing or exterior, and may be made of various materials, such as wood or sheet metal, according as may be deemed most desirable; and I do not intend to limit myself to any one particular kind of material of which it may be made, or to any one particular covering or casing for it, as tional tube-cylinder G, the ratchet-wheel M, they both will admit of many variations. spring-pawls N O,and lever Qg, constructed I claim as new and desire to secure by Letand operating substantially as described, for

i ters Patent- 7 the purpose specified.

1. The stationary bridge W, in combination The above specification of my invention with the casing D and sections F E, arranged signed by me this 21st day of March, 1866. relatively with the discharge-opening V, ap- P. F. SCHNEIDER. plied and operating substantially as and for Witnesses: the purpose represented and described. M. M. LIVINGSTON,

2. In combination with the shaft I and sec- ALBERT W. BROWN.

Images