IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING OR MAGAZINE RIFLES
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I, GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of N° 57, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING OR MAGAZINE RIFLES," being a communication to
me from abroad by The Austrian Small Arms Manufacturing Company, of Steyr,
in the Empire of Austria, and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-.
This Invention consists of improvements in repeating rifles having box magazines
below the breech, and the said improvements relate to the following points.
(1). The magazine, which is a deep narrow box, is arranged below the breech in
such a manner, that it may be slightly raised or lowered by being turned on a pivot
and is secured in the desired position by a catch bolt.
(2). The rifle may be employed as a repeating rifle or as a single loader. The
magazine is filled from above.
(3). The repeating mechanism may be employed, or put out of action, at any,
time, and at any position of the breech bolt.
I will now proceed to describe the nature of the said Invention with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters of reference indicate like
parts in all the Figures.
In the mechanism hereinafter described, which may be applied to any rifle having
a breech bolt or piston breech closing action, and any form of cartridge, the magazine
consists of a deep narrow box K. (Figures 1, 3. and 6.) which fits into an aperture
in the bottom of the breech H. Figures 1. to 5. At the upper front corner of the
magazine is a projection a. through which there is a square hole, the said projection a.
is secured within a corresponding recess by a pin b. (Figures 1, 5. and 8.) this pin
bas its central portion of a square section which fits into the hole in the projection a.
but its ends are of a circular section thereby allowing a slight pivoting motion to
the magazine. On the right and left of the said aperture in the breech are the
spring clips C. (Figures 1., 2., 3. and 7.) each of which has a boss v. in front, these
I Prine fd1

page_text: bosses turn in two corresponding recesses countersunk in the interior of the
breech H. Figure 5. The last mentioned ends of the spring clips fit on the square
portion of the pin b. and participate in the pivoting movement of the magazine.
Studs w. on the clips C. fit into corresponding holes d. in the sides of the magazine
The clips C., which are provided at their upper sides with catches h., have a tendency
to spring inwards and retain the cartridge. The elevation of the cartridges is
effected by a spring of any suitable form (a fish belly spring M. is shown in the
drawings) in conjunction with a pressure plate D. (Figures 1. and 13.) fitted with
a semi-circular guide piece 8. on each side sliding in a corresponding groove ?.
(Figures 2. and 6.) in the sides of the magazine, and thus guiding the plate and
cartridges.
When the rifle is in the repeating position (Figures 1., 2. and 3.) the breech bolt
may be drawn back far enough to let its head V. pass behind the rim of the top
cartridge whereupon the latter will be driven upwards by the action of the
spring M until it is in contact with the catches of the spring clips as shown in
Figure 3. In this position the cartridge lies high enough to be carried forward
by the head of the breech bolt and is pushed into the barrel.
Meanwhile the next cartridge has taken the place of the former one and lies
under the breech bolt. If, after firing, the breech is pulled completely back, the
next cartridge is pressed into the breech and in turn pushed into the barrel; this
proceeding is continued until the supply of cartridges in the magazine is exhausted.
In order to maintain the cartridge in the desired position when being pushed
forward by the head of the breech bolt the catches of the clips are pared off at
two opposite places y and the cartridge rises through the passage thus formed.
If the rifle is to be used as a single loader, the lever R (Figures 1. and 10.) is
pressed down by which action the catch bolt S., which has been held by a spiral
spring between the teeth z. z¹. on the magazine, is pushed back, so that its nose m.
is withdrawn from the notch Z., the magazine is then lowered... As soon as the
lever R. is again released the nose m. engages in the notch . the magazine and
spring clips being thereby retained in such a manner that the breech bolt moves
free of the top cartridge. Firing in the usual manner by inserting one cartridge
at the time into the barrel may then be proceeded with.
If the rifle is to be again used as a repeater, the lever R. is pressed down and the
magazine raised until the nose m. of the catch bolt engages in the notch l. when
the repeating position is again attained. The raising and lowering and fixing of
the magazine may also be effected by a tailpipe spring, an excentric or other
mechanical equivalent, as will be well understood.
The teeth z. z. are formed in such a manner that they cannot become disengaged
by a blow or push upon the magazine and the lever R is protected by the trigger
guard B.
The extraction and ejection of the empty cartridge cases is effected by the
cartridge extractor Z. and ejector A. (Figures 1. and 2.)
To fill the magazine the breech bolt having been pulled completely back a
cartridge is placed into the breech and pressed down into the magazine. As the
spring clips are tapered off at the top; they give way laterally and close again
over the cartridge. Other cartridges are successively inserted in the same manner,
until the magazine is full. The guide pieces 8. on the pressure plate D. (Figures 1.
and 13.) prevent the jamming of the said plate and consequent derangement of the
cartridges.
In Figure 11. a modified form of spring clips is shown connected below by a
⚫cross piece to be fixed to the magazine at o. by a screw.
Another kind of spring clip is shown, at Figures 4, 9, and 12. The catches h¹. h¹.
are similar to those already described and shown at h, Figures 1., 2. 3, 7, and 11,
with the exception that they are larger so that their edges k. kl. project into the
bore of the breech H. Below the said catches h¹. h¹. the spring clips C. C¹. have
projections z. z. which are sufficiently high to prevent the next cartridge P¹. from

page_text: rising so long as the spring clips are at rest. The head V. of the breech bolt and
the breech bolt K¹. have grooves n. n¹. (Figures 1. and 14.), for the reception of the
projecting edges k. . which grooves taper off, the posterior portion of the breech
bolt K. assuming its cylindrical form, with the exception of the groove N.
(Figure 14) for the trigger head G. (Figure 1).
Figure 4. is a cross section of the breech of the gun through the line 1. 1.
Figure 1. and illustrates the clips C¹. C¹. constructed and arranged as lastly
described. In this Figure the breech is shown completely open. The cartridge P.
lies high enough to be moved by the head of the breech bolt on its being pushed
forward whilst the cartridge P¹. is held back by the projections x. x. If, now, the
breech bolt is pushed forward, it presses the cartridge P. forward, and the rim of
the latter rises through the clearings y, y. (Figures 1., 2., 7., 9., 11. and 12.), without
disturbing the spring clips. The breech bolt leaves the spring clips in this position
of rest so long as the projecting edges k. k¹. move in the grooves n. n. By pushing
the breech bolt still farther forward the said edges k. 1. glide out of the
grooves n. n'. on to the posterior cylindrical part of the breech bolt, in consequence
of which the spring clips C¹. C¹. are pushed asunder laterally. The space between
the two projections x. x. being thereby enlarged the cartridge P1. slips through and
is pressed by the action of the magazine spring M against the breech bolt. Wlien
the breech is again drawn back the edges k. k. enter the grooves n. n. and the
clips resume their normal position.
Instead of employing a clip at each side of the breech, as hereinbefore described
a single clip is, in some cases, fixed to the right or left of the breech. When the
said single clip is in the form shown at Figure 9. or 12. and is placed at the left
side of the breech, in turning the breech bolt the left edge of the groove n.
(Figure 14.) comes into contact with the catch . of the spring clip C. and
pressing it aside allows the fish belly spring M, to push up another cartridge.
When a single clip is placed at the right side of the breech, in turning the breech
bolt, the inclined plane e. (Figure 14.) of the breech bolt presses upon the upper
tapering catch h¹. of the clip C. and pushing the latter aside allows the spring M.
to push up another cartridge. As the cartridges are, in both cases, only allowed
to rise after the breech bolt is turned the premature ascent of the second cartridge
is prevented.
This premature rising of the second cartridge may occur when the spring clip C.
is in the form shown in Figures 7. and 11. if, in repeating a cartridge is not
pushed home into the barrel and is then brought back by the breech bolt, as, on the
breech bolt being returned, the next cartridge is forced forward by the breech bolt
head and is jammed below the first cartridge and a derangement is caused.
When it is desired to clean the magazine the screw u (Figures 1. and 6.) is
loosened and the bottom D'. of the magazine is unhinged, the spring M. may then
be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
In the construction of repeating or magazine rifles with breech bolt, or piston
breech closing action
First. The arrangement of a magazine K. which turns with a pin b. and may
thus be employed or put into reserve at any time and at any position of the breech
bolt; the said magazine retained in its raised or lowered position by a tail-pipe
spring, an eccentric, or the lever R, substantially as, and for the purposes, herein-
before described.
Secondly. The construction and arrangement of one or two spring clips C. shown
at Figure 7. and the modification thereof shown at Figure 11., substantially as, and
for the purposes, hereinbefore described.

page_text: Thirdly. The construction and arrangement of one or two spring clips C₁. shown
at Figure 9. and the modification thereof shown at Figure 12., substantially as, and
for the purposes, hereinbefore described.
And Fourthly. The employment of lateral guide pieces 8. on the pressure plate D.
arranged to slide in corresponding grooves r. in the magazine K., substantially as,
and for the purposes, herein before described.
Dated this 21st day of April One thousand eight hundred and eighty five.