US754345A - Feed device for cartridge-belt-filling machines. - Google Patents

Description

'NO. 754,345. PATENTED MAR. a, 1904.

J. RAMSAY & T. E. RIDDLE.

FEED DEVICE PORCARTRIDGE BELT FILLING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1903. 110 MODEL. 2 sums-sum 1.

No. 754345. PATENTEDMAR. 8 1904.

J. RTAMSAY & T. E. RIDDLE. FEED DEVICE FOR CARTRIDGE BELT FILLING MAQHI'NES.

APPLICATION nun AUG. 3, 1903. no MODEL. 2 sums-alumna.

Uivirae Srarns Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT @FFTCE.

ASSTGXORS TO VICKERS SON S ENGLAND.

8: MAXIM, LIMITED, OF \VESTMINSTER,

FEED DEVICE FOR CARTRlDGE-BELT-FILLING MACHINES- SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 754,345, dated March 8, 1904:.

Application filed August 3,1908.

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES RAMSAY and THOMAS EDWARD RIDDLE, engineers, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Park Crescent House, Erith, in the county of Kent, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Feed Device for CartridgeBelt-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a feed device for machines for filling with cartridges the belts employed in machine-guns, said device comprising a hopper so constructed that the cartridges can be transferred thereto directly from the box, clip, or the like in which they are packed instead of, as at present, first removing them from the package andthen placing them into the hopper.

According to our invention we provide above the hopper of the belt-filling machine a more or less vertical chute to receive the rows or columns of cartridges from the package, the said chute being formed with grooves to engage with the heads of the cartridges in the case of rim-cartridges or with projections to engage the cannelures of rimless cartridges. The chute is provided with means whereby only one column of cartridges therein is in communication with the hopper at a time. The cartridges descend into said hopper by the action of gravity and are taken one by one therefrom by the action of the pusher of the belt-filling machine, and are thereb placed in the belt, as is well understood in connection with cartridge-belt-filling machines.

In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our feed device for use with rimless cartridges.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the beltfilling machine with our improved feed device applied thereto. This view also shows the hopper-chute being tilled with cartridges from the package containing them. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a vertical section, of the Serial No. 168,120. (No model.)

hopper and chute shown separately. Fig. 4 1s a transverse section on the line 1 1 of Fig.

2. Fig. 5 isv a front elevation, and Fig. 6 a' vertical section, of the aforesaid hopper and chute in which three rows or columns of cartridges are providedfor.

' A is the body of the belt-filling machine, which is capable of being clamped by suitable means to the rim B of one of the gun-carriage wheels or to some other support. This machine is of the well-known kind made by Vickers Sons & Maxim, Limited, and for :ns no part of our claims in the present application for patent. It will therefore suffice to state that it comprises a reciprocating bar or cam-shaft 0, having at one end the cartridge-pusher D 'and at the other end the belt-pocket opener .E, movement being imparted to said'bar or shaft C by suitable mechanism and a crankhandle Q. As the said bar or. shaft C reciprocates it transmits a step-by-step motion to a feed-pawl F through the cam C crank 0 connecting-rod C2 and crank C thereby feeding the belt G through the machine and bringing the belt-pockets in succession opposite the pusher D and pocket-opener E. As the said bar or shaft C moves in one direction the pusher D permits the lowermost cartridge to fall in front of it and at the same time the opener E enters an empty pocket of the belt and by an angular movement opens the latter. Then as as the bar or shaft 0 moves in the opposite direction the said opener E retires and the pusher D thrusts the cartridge in front of it into the open pocket. A full description of this machine and its operation will be found in the specifications of British patents N 0. 4,349 of the year 1896 and No. 1,246 of the year 1899.

H is the hopper of our improved feed de- I vice, and H is a lug or projection formed on a bracket thereof for fitting into a corresponding recess in the body A of the belt-filling machine.

I is the chute, which is movable about a hinge or pivot. The chute comprises an open-sided receptacle divided into columns or channels by a partition or partitions for the reception of the bases of the cartridges, the mouth of said chute being trumpet-shaped in order to facilitate the introduction of the cartridges into the columns or channels from the aforesaid boxes, clips, or other packages. Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to a, the said chute I has a transverse pivot-pin d, which is carried by an extension h of the hopper, this pin permitting the chute I to oscillate about said pins axis in order to bring one or other of its columns or channels 2" 91" opposite the mouth h of the said hopper H. Connected with the outer end of the pivot-pin i is an arm 2' having a stop 2', which works in a segmental slot if in the extension h of the hopper in order to limit the extent of the oscillatory movements of the chute and insure that the channels shall truly lic opposite the mouth of the hopper when said chute completes a rocking movement in either direction. For retaining the said chute in its extreme positions the aforesaid arm i has a spring catch or bolt 7?, and the said extension of the hopper has a stud or roller h projecting into the path of said bolt 71 and occupying a median position relative to the amplitude of rocking movement of the chute. The nose of the said bolt 11 is' made conical, so that when pressure is exerted on the chute to rock it about its pivot the said bolt will be pressed against the roller 1 2/ with sufiicient force to cause its displacementagainst the pressure of its spring and permit it to pass over the roller and reach the opposite side thereof. It will then by its spring be projected onto the opposite side of the stop and again perform its stoppingfunction until liberated by pressure on the chute in the opposite direction. The mouth of the hopper has wings or lateral curved flanges h if, each of which acts as a shelf to support the cartridges in the channel of the chute that may for the time being be above it. The said channels are provided with ridges or projections 2' d", which engage with the cannelures that are formed near the base of rimless cartridges, and thereby prevent the cartridges from falling forwardly from the chute during their descent and supply to the hopper. As the aforesaid pusher D of the belt-filli g machine passes outwardly through the hopp r H it permits a cartridge to descend into the bottom of the hopper by gravity, whence said cartridge (on the return movement of the pusher) is pushed longitudinally through the opening h" into the adjacent pocket of the cartridgebelt, which pocket has been previously opened-for its reception by the pocketopener, as aforesaid. W hen all the cartridges have been exhausted from one of the channels in the chute, it is swung about its pivot-pin by the hand of the operator into a position to bring the next channel opposite the mouth of the hopper, this operation being performed chute located above said hopper and provided without the necessity of stopping the working of the belt-filling machine. When it is desired to replenish the chute with fresh car tridges, the package containing them is denuded of its lid, so as to expose the bases of the cartridges, and said cartridges are introduced directly from the package into the chute, as represented in Fig. 1, this operation being also, if desired, performed without stopping the working ofthe machine.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a similar feed device to that above described, except that in this case three channels are provided for the eartridges instead of two. This arrangement necessitates the employment of two of the studs or rollers if, so that the catch or bolt 2' is able to assume a middle position when the middle column of cartridges is being supplied to the hopper, as shown in Fig. 5. In other respects this feed device is like that shown in the preceding figures, and therefore requires no further description.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination with a cartridge-beltfilling machine of a feed-hopper, a swinging with a plurality of substantially vertical cartridge-channels, a pivot-pin on said chute supported by an extension of the hopper, an arm on said pivot-pin, means for limiting the ex tent of swinging of the said arm and chute, and means for retaining the chute in the position in which it is swung about its pivot to bring the ca rtridge-channels opposite the hopper, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 1 I00 2. The combination with a cartridge-beltfilling machine, of-a feed-hopper, a swinging chute located above said hopper and provided with a plurality of vertical or approximately vertical cartridge-channels, a pivot-pin on said 10 5 chute supported by an extension of the hopper, an arm on said pivot-pin, a projection on said arm working in a segmental slot in said extension for limiting the extent of swinging of the chute, a spring-controlled bolt carried 1 by said arm and having an inclined head, and a projection on said extension lying in the path of the spring-controlled bolt and cooperating with the latter for retaining the chute in the positions to which it is swung about its pivot to bring the cartridge-channels opposite the hopper, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, in presence of two subscribing wit- I21 nesses, this 21st day of July, 1903.

J AMES' RAMSAY. THOMAS EDWARD RIDDLE. =Witnesses:

\NALTER E. Boone, ARTHUR NIBLoox.

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