Help ID - Lewis Drum Loader

[CincyKen]

Gentlemen - I have a very unusual Lewis Drum loader - it will load 47 or 97 round drums.

The only mark on it I can see is  DO-D1 or DC-D1.

It is caliber 30-06 - so most likely it was made for Savage Arms?

Appears that the center loading station would need an ammunition hopper - unfortunately, that appears to be missing.

Can anyone assist with information about this piece?  It will load a Lewis drum extremely fast.

Thanks for any assistance!

Ken

[1gewehr]

From the pictures, it appears that the operator had to keep the three chutes filled.  They look a lot like Browning belt loader chutes.  It's a very interesting machine!

[mike todd]

MINN GOTT! where is this hole you crawl into and come out with this stuff?  WHAT A FIND! this would have an obvious home with the 97 rnd 06 drums if you were trying to feed some aircraft. I don't see where a chute would have fit in the chest nor can I imagine how it would connect to 3 chutes.  KEN please don't hide this thing and let us know what you learn in the future.  THANX FOR SHARING !!!

[BRMCII]

Sure looks like a production example due to the fine castings, or a pre-production prototype. Like so so many oddball firearms, accessories and devices that were privately produced with the intent of selling the product to the military that were never adopted, my guess is that this is also an example. Seems way too big and unwieldily for an MG squad loader but possibly a field armorer's loader for aircraft or possibly for shipboard use for the 97 round drums. I would assume WWI. Beautiful machine.