 This was designed so that the M1919 machine gun's extractor claw would take hold of the rim of the cartridge and pull it out of the linked belt from the rear, where it would then be fed into the chamber and would rest there until fired.The feeding pawl in the gun would pull the belt to the right as the gun was fired or cocked, sending the loose link out to the right side of the receiver, where the expended case was dropped vertically below the gun.This disintegrating system is a contrast to older canvas belts and other non-disintegrating metal link belts, although disintegrating-link types are almost universal in the present day, as the lower cost and lack of a loose, empty belt end to deal with are very attractive to the military.