GB141533A - Improvements in or relating to cartridge magazines for guns - Google Patents

Abstract

141,533. Payne, O. V., and Auto-Ordnance Corporation. May 20, 1919. Machine guns. - Relates to drum-shaped cartridge magazines in which the cartridges are fed along a spiral pathway by a spring-actuated rotor having radial arms, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts described. In the form shown, the magazine comprises a drum C, in which is detachably journaled a hollow shaft 1, upon which is rotatably mounted a casing 3 enclosing a coiled spring 4 which is secured at one end to the casing and at the other to the shaft 1. Mounted on the easing 3 are fingers 16 adapted to feed the cartridges round an annular passage formed by ribs 24, 25 on the walls of the drum, and so shaped as to divide the train of cartridges into groups of equal size. A pair of stops 31, and springs 32, are secured to the drum just in advance of the delivery opening 28 whereby, while the cartridges are fed forwards collectively by the fingers 16, they are in turn arrested and moved individually into the delivery opening 28 ready for feeding into the chamber by the breech-holt. The drum may be filled after removing the cap C<1>, which is secured in position by a catch 35, and the spring 4 may be wound either when the drum is empty by removing this cap and rotating the casing 3, by hand, or when full by inserting a special tool in the hollow shaft 1 and rotating it. In the former case the shaft 1 is prevented from rotating during winding by the engagement of stops 13 on the drum with one-way spring catches 13 on the casing 3, and in the latter case, the casing 3 is prevented from rotating by the cartridge 46 in the delivery opening. Guides 39, 40 are provided for attaching the magazine to a gun, and a grooved stop is mounted on the rear wall of the casing C to engage a spring catch on the gun.