Don Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 Greetings all. A part for a machine gun was invented in July 1915 and helped to saves lives. I would like to know more about it,if anybody has info I would be grateful Regards Gerry Machine Gun part invention.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 I think more than a newspaper report is needed to confirm this. The only innovation at the time seems to have been the introduction of steel belts to replace the fabric ones and this was abandoned in 1916. In June 1915 supplies of Vickers guns were still inadequate as efforts were made to increase production. Introducing a new part would not have been welcome unless it was so spectacular that the delay in the production lines that a change inevitably would bring was more than compensated for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 I have had a quick look at the Minutes of the Munitions Design Committee but found nothing under the names of Stevenson or Arbuthnot. I wonder if it was anything to do with the hyposcope which enabled gunners to shoot from below the parapet (although the normal Vickers/Maxim hyposcope was the Youden) Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 At some point in 1915 a light weight gun shield was produced for fitting to Maxim guns used by the British Army. Most of the original Maxim gun shields had been abandoned by the gunners as providing little protection and adding unwonted weight to the gun. I believe that the light weight shield suffered the same fate although it appears that it was tried out in Africa for a very short time. No examples or even photographs survive. Possibly it was something like this (or possibly merely journalistic hype) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 I think the clue is in 'helped to save lives', I would go along with Tony's idea, some sort of remote/concealed firing apparatus. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 I think the clue is in 'helped to save lives', I would go along with Tony's idea, some sort of remote/concealed firing apparatus. khaki But it doesn't say that in the report it says "ought, however. to be the means of saving ..." the thing had never been used at the time of the report and so hadn't helped anything. It could be all sorts of things including a new gun shield (or a journalist needing to get some copy in for a deadline) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 28 November , 2013 Share Posted 28 November , 2013 The purpose of a military weapon is not primarily to save lives, although it may do so indirectly. I believe the meaning to be something to protect the operator or crew. Cover or concealment seems to me to be the only likely method to save lives. khaki ps., just managed to open and read the relevant article, I note that it uses the word intricate in describing the device, that certainly leaves out a shield. (k) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 ... I note that it uses the word intricate in describing the device, that certainly leaves out a shield. (k) Shields having been in use for several millennia, they probably don't count as 'ingenious' either . I think that a below-cover aiming device is by far the most likely candidate, and the most likely reasons for its failure to become a standard accessory would be complexity of fitting and use, and restricted field of view. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 29 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2013 I enclose a cutting dated August 1915 re the wounding of Captain Stevenson 5th Batt RIF. It mentions at the bottom, that it favourably commented on his invention . I would agree with Robert that it is possibly merely journalistic hype. Surely an important invention relating to a wounded officer would come first,rather than playing Rugby for Ireland Although it would probably be of interest to research this Captain Stevenson. MGC.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 And the phrase "the better protection of the men engaged with the machine guns" does have a shield ring to it. A double shield was tried out for British Maxims in 1914 but it weighed over 70 pounds. Some one developed a single shield and an angled shape in 1915 which weighed about 32 pounds and could withstand a point blank rifle shot but neither was used to any extent if at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 I wonder if the story could possibly be deliberate misinformation for the consumption of German agents in Ireland? khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 I wonder if the story could possibly be deliberate misinformation for the consumption of German agents in Ireland? khaki But to what end? What could it lead to the Germans doing in error - very little if anything - there simply isn't enough information mis or otherwise. All it says is that Stevenson has invented something for machine guns that should protect their crews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 Maybe doing nothing in error, but possibly diverting the attention of some of their 'developmental' people into exploring 'a garden path'. Every little bit helps. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 Maybe doing nothing in error, but possibly diverting the attention of some of their 'developmental' people into exploring 'a garden path'. Every little bit helps. khaki Clutching at straws methinks. Genuine mis information would mislead more otherwise little point in doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western SMT Posted 29 November , 2013 Share Posted 29 November , 2013 Had a trawl through this link and nothing concerning any of the names or companies mentioned. http://worldwide.espacenet.com/?locale=en_EP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 12 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 12 December , 2013 Maybe his invention is listed in this document War inventions.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARAU Posted 8 February , 2014 Share Posted 8 February , 2014 Hello, maybe something like this Hyposcop and overbank mounting for the Vickers machine gun. GARAU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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