- Ripley Machine Gun
The Ripley Machine Gun was an early design of
machine gun , invented by Ezra Ripley, and patented in 1861 [http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT33544&id=r7ttAAAAEBAJ&dq=Ezra+Ripley Google patent entry for the Ripley machine gun] ] . Although it was never actually produced, it demonstrated a number of basic concepts that were employed in the design of theGatling Gun that was patented the next year. The design as patented consisted of nine fixed barrels attached to a two wheeled artillery carridge. The weapon was loaded with a cylinder containing nine rounds of ammunition, which was arranged so that the rounds lined up with the barrels of the weapon. A firing handle was then attached, locking the cylinder into place. The weapon was fired by rotating the handle, the barrels firing in sequence. By rotating the handle quickly a high rate of fire could be achieved, or slowly, single shots. Once the nine rounds of ammunition in the chamber were expended, the cylinder could be removed for reloading and a fresh cylinder could be inserted into the breech.The weapon was most probably never built George M. Chinn, "The Machine Gun", Volume I, 1951] , and was passed over in favor of "organ guns" like the
Billinghurst Requa Battery .References
* George M. Chinn, "The Machine Gun", Volume I, 1951
Notes
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