IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE OR REPEATING RIFLES AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS and in what
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE OR REPEATING RIFLES AND
OTHER FIRE-ARMS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
"
This invention relates to that class of breech-loading fire-arms in which the
breech-piece is arranged to move back and forward in an axial line with the barrel,
and operated by a lever in connection therewith, the said lever extending below
the receiver to form the trigger-guard, adapted specially to magazine fire-arms, but
parts of the invention applicable to single-breech-loaders, the object of the inven-
tion being principally to make a dead lock for the breech-piece when in its closed
position, and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described,
and more particularly recited in the claim.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a top view of that portion of the arm which embodies the invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the same, shewing the parts in
their closed or normal position.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line xx of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional side view, showing the parts as in the position of the
open breech.
Figure 5 is a sectional side view illustrating the closing movement of the
breech-piece.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the breech-piece showing the lever,
and its action upon the firing-pin and the ejector.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section shewing the carrier down and looking toward
the opposite side from that seen in Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a transverse section at the rear portion of the carrier through the
overhanging sides 8, 8.
Figure 9 is a vertical central section on line 3, 3, of Figure 2,
,

page_text: Figure 10 is a sectional top view, showing the top of the carrier and the guards
in the sides of the receiver.
Figure 11 is a transverse section on line z, z, of Figure 4.
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section through the charging opening.
Figure 13 is a transverse section through the charging opening.
Figures 14 and 15 show modifications of the construction and operation of the
locking bolt.
A is the frame or receiver, of common construction, B the barrel; C the magazine,
all in their usual relation to each other, and to the receiver. D the breech-piece,
arranged to be moved longitudinally from the rear end of the barrel, to open, and
toward it to close the breech; E'the hammer, hung upon a pivot a at the rear of
the breech-piece, and so as to strike the firing-pin F, which is arranged longitu-
dinally through the breech-piece in substantially the usual manner; G the trigger-
guard-lever, which forms the trigger-guard, and also serves as a means for operating
the mechanism of the arm. It is hung to the breech-piece upon a pivot b near
the forward end. From that point the lever extends downward and rearward
through an opening in the bottom of the receiver. H H are two bolts, arranged
in vertical guides in the receiver, near its rear end, and so as to be moved up and
down in said guides. Near the rear end of the breech-piece, and upon opposite
sides, are recesses d which when the breech-piece is in its closed position, corre-
spond respectively to the position of the vertical bolts H, H, as seen in Figure 1,
so that while the bolts are guided in vertical movement by the receiver, they
interlock with the breech-piece when in its closed position. These bolts extend
downward, and to their lower end the lever G is hung, by a pivot e, see Figure 3;
this pivot extends through a slot f in the lever G, the slot, as seen in Figure 2,
extending from the pivot rearward and downward, when the parts are in the
closed position; to open the breech-piece it is therefore necessary to first with-
draw the bolts E. To do this the lever G is turned downward, swinging upon its
pivot b, in the breech-piece, as indicated in broken lines Figure 2. In this move-
ment the bolts H are drawn downward the slot f in the lever working over the
pivot e, until the rear end of that slot is reached, as also seen in broken lines
figure 2. At this time the upper ends of the bolts have been drawn downward
from their supporting position in the breech-piece, as seen in Figure 2, but have
not as yet passed entirely from or below the breech-piece. The forward side of
the recesses in the breech-piece, from the point where the end of the bolt now
stands, is inclined forward, as seen at g Figure 2 Continuing the downward
movement of the lever G from the position seen in broken lines, Figure 2, the bolts
will continue that downward vertical movement; but at the same time the breech-
piece, because of the inclines g, will pass over the ends of the bolts H, to the
extreme rear position, as seen in Figure 4, which is the extreme open position of
the breech-piece In this open position it will be observed that the slot f in the
lever stands nearly in a vertical position.
To return or close the breech piece, the lever G is returned, swinging upon the
pivot e. The breech-piece will move forward without movement of the bolts,
until it arrives at the position seen in Figure 5, when the rear end of the slot f
comes against the pivot e. At this time the breech-piece is near, but has not quite
reached its closed position. From this point the bolts must begin their ascent, and
in such ascent they ride upon the inclines g, from the position seen in Figure 5,
until the breech-piece is completely closed; then the slot facts like a cam upon the
pivot e, to raise the bolts into their extreme locked position, as seen in Figure 2,
at which time the lever G has arrived at its place of rest.
To withdraw the firing-pin and hold it so as to prevent possible accident, the
upper end of the lever G in rear of its pivot, is constructed with a cam h which
stands in a recess in the firing-pin, and overhangs a corresponding inclined shoulder
on the firing-pin, as seen in Figure 6, but when the breech-piece is in its closed
and locked position, permits the firing pin to be moved into its extreme forward
or firing position, under the blow of the hammer, but as the lever G is turned in

page_text: its first movement to draw down the bolts E, and before the breech-piece com-
mences its rear movement, the cam acts upon the shoulder i on the firing-pin,
and throws it rearward, as indicated in broken lines Figure 2. Because of
arranging the cam on the lever in rear of its pivot, it will be observed that the
movement of the firing-pin is produced by the downward movement of the cam,
and through a very small space, and because of this cam action of the lever, the
movement of the firing-pin is produced during the short portion of the movement
of the lever in which the bolts are withdrawn. The rear end of the firing-pin
bearing against the hammer, imparts to the hammer a rear movement, (also
indicated in broken lines Figure 2,) in advance of the breech-piece, and so that
the firing-pin becomes directly the instrument by which the hammer is thrown
backward to its cocked position, and after it arrives at that cocked position, as
seen in Figure 4, then the breech-piece passes freely over it, the under side of the
breech-piece being recessed for this purpose, and as seen in Figures 2 and 4. The
head of the lever retains a constant bearing against the firing-pin from the time it
is thrown rearward until the breech-piece is returned to its closed position, and
does not permit the forward movement of the firing-pin until all the bolts have
been raised into their locked position, as seen in Figure 2; hence it is impossible
for the firing-pin to strike the primer under the blow of the hammer or otherwise,
until the breech-piece is completely locked and all the parts in proper condition for
firing.
The breech-piece is provided with the usual spring extractor-hook L above the
firing-pin, and upon the lower side of the firing-pin is the usual shoulder l, upon
which the flange of the cartridge will rest, as seen in Figure 6. m is the ejector
which is arranged at the forward end of the firing-pin, and is in the form of a
spindle parallel with the firing-pin. Around the spindle is a helical or other
suitable spring n. This spring extends from a shoulder near the forward end of
the ejector rearward toward the head of the lever G, and so that when the parts
are in their closed position the spring is relaxed. The head of the lever G forward
of the pivot forms a cam o, which bears against the spring n, and so that if the
forward movement of the ejector be resisted, as the lever G is turned, the spring
will be compressed, as seen in broken lines Figure 6. The ejector stands flush
with the front face of the breech-piece when in its closed position, and against the
head of the cartridge P, the cartridge being held by the spring extractor-hook L
upon the shoulder below. Now if in this condition the breech-piece be drawn
rearward, the shell retains its position with its head against the front face of the
breech-piece during such rear movement by the action of the hook L, and because
of the shell standing within the cartridge chamber in the barrel. During the rear
movement of the breech-piece and the cartridge or shell thereto attached, the
spring is compressed under the action of the cam o on the lever G, thereby
constantly increasing the bearing of the ejector against the head of the cartridge,
until in the rear movement of the breech-piece the forward end of the cartridge
escapes from the cartridge chamber. Then the action of the spring n forces the
ejector forward, throwing the lower side of the head from the shoulder, the
forward end of the shell upward, and so as to eject the shell or cartridge, as the
case may be, from the arm. As the movement of the ejector is only produced by
the compression of the spring, and not a positive movement from the cam o, the
ejector m returns as the breech-piece is closed against the head of the cartridge,
and whether or not the cam o has relieved the spring from its pressure.
R is the carrier, hung at the rear, and as here represented upon the hammer
pivot a. The carrier extends forward, and so that when down, as seen in Figure 2,
its forward end lies in line with the magazine, and so that the rearmost cartridge
in the column may pass onto the carrier. The upper surface of the carrier inclines
downward and backward slightly, to a point near its rear end, as at p Figure 7 ;
from that point to the rear abutment r the surface inclines upward.
At the rear portion, or from the abutment forward, the sides of the carrier extend
up, and are turned inward to form overhanging sides a 8, the space between these

page_text: sides in transverse section, corresponding substantially to the size and shape of the
head of the cartridge. The inner curve of these overhanging sides is inclined
upward, parallel with the incline from the point p, and as seen in Figure 8.
As the cartridge passes from the magazine onto the carrier, the flange or head
rides upon the upper surface toward the rear, until it arrives at the point p, the
body of the cartridge resting near the forward end of the carrier, and as seen in
broken lines Figure 4, the head readily passes beneath the forward end of the
overhanging sides 8 8, and from the time the head arrives at the bend or turn p on
the upper surface of the carrier, its continued rear movement causes the head to
ride up the incline until it reaches the abutment r, and such movement has carried
the flange or head backward and upward beneath those overhanging sides until at
the time the head reaches the abutment r the body of the cartridge forward of the
head has come into substantial contact with the forward ends of the overhanging
sides ss, and as seen in Figure 4.
In this condition the flange of the cartridge rests upon the upward incline near
the abutment; the body of the cartridge rests upon the carrier forward and the
body of the cartridge has taken a bearing above, upon the overhanging sides 8 8,
and between the rear and forward bearings of the cartridge below, and so that the
cartridge is substantially held upon the carrier. In this position, and when so held,
if the carrier be raised, as seen in Figure 4, the overhanging sides ss, holding the
cartridge in substantially a firm grasp prevent any possibility of the cartridge being
thrown from the carrier. When the carrier and cartridge are raised, as seen in
Figure 4, the forward movement of the breech-piece, passing through a slot provided
for it in the abutment on the carrier, as seen in Figure 8, strikes the head of the
cartridge, and, as it forces the cartridge forward toward the barrel, the head rides
down the incline at the rear, and so as to permit it to pass from under the over-
hanging sides & s, and as indicated in broken lines Figure 4, and thus free from the
device which held it upon the carrier, the cartridge passes on with the breech-piece,
and into its place in the barrel.
As the rearmost cartridge in the magazine must follow the retreating breech-
piece onto the carrier, it is liable to displacement, unless some provision be made
to prevent.
To this end two guards are provided, one t upon one side, and one u upon the
opposite side, see Figures 9 and 10. The two guards tu extend into the receiver,
as seen in Figure 9, but so that the distance between the two is somewhat greater
than the diameter of the body of the cartridge, but less than the diameter of the
head of the cartridge. The one t is arranged in the side of the receiver opposite the
charging opening T, and as seen in Figure 7, it is secured by a screw w, or other-
wise, at some distance from its forward end, and from the screw or secured point w
forward, this guard is elastic, and so as to form a latch at the mouth of the magazine,
the office of which will be presently described. The under side of this guard is in
a line substantially parallel with the upper side of the carrier from its forward end
to the forward end of the overhanging sides ss, and as seen in Figure 7, and so
that the flange of the cartridge upon that side will ride along the under side of the
guard until it reaches the overhanging sides. Upon the opposite side the guard u
is applied, but instead of being in a fixed or rigid position, as is the guard t, it is
made a part of a lever 3 hung upon a pivot 4 near the magazine, the lever portion
working in a recess in the inner surface of the receiver, as seen in Figure 9 so as to
leave only the guard portion u projecting into the receiver, as is the guard portion t
upon the opposite side. The lever 3 extends to the rear, its nose 5 entering a notch
in the vertical locking bolt H, and so that it may partake, to a certain extent, of the
movement of the bolt H.
The guard u is shaped as shown, so that when the bolt is drawn down, as seen
in Figure 4, the underside of the guard will correspond to the underside of the
guard t, and like the guard t, terminates at the overhanging side s upon that side
of the carrier, so that its under side forms a guide for the cartridge into the carrier.
The lever 3 is brought into this position in the first movement of the lever G, and

page_text: by the first part of the descent of the bolt H on that side. Its rear end comes to
a bearing in its recess, as seen in broken lines Figure 2, and when it has reached
its proper position with relation to the carrier, and at that point the nose escapes
from the notch 6 in the bolt, permitting the bolt to descend independently of the
lever. The rear end of both guards upon their upper sides is inclined forward and
upward, as at 7 see Figure 7, which inclines stand in the path of the cartridge
head, as seen in Figure 11, and so that as the cartridge is moved forward, and after
it passes from beneath the overhanging downwardly-inclined sides of the carrier,
it rides up the inclines 7 to raise its head end from the carrier, and bring it into
line with the barrel. The forward end 8 of the spring-guard t, when free, projects
inward, and so as to stand within the line of the magazine, and as seen in
Figure 10. On the under side of the breech-piece, at its forward end, is a
downward projection 9, which, as the breech-piece is closed, rides upon an incline
on the inner side of the spring guard t, and forces it into a recess in the side of the
receiver, as seen in broken lines Figure 10, but when the breech piece is withdrawn,
the rearmost cartridge follows the breech piece onto the carrier, the nose 8 of the
spring moving inward so as to serve as a stop for the next cartridge, and as seen
in Figure 10. The guard on the charging opening side is made movable, first that
it may
not interfere with the introduction of cartridges through the opening in the
receiver into the magazine, and second, that it may prevent that opening interfering
with the rear movement of the cartridge from the magazine onto the carrier. The
charging opening T is provided with a cover 10.
The receiver is cut away upon the under side to extend the opening forward for
the insertion of the cartridge, and as seen in Figure 12. The cover necessarily
projects into the opening, and so that its forward end will form a shoulder in the
opening. The cover is thrown outward,-that is, closed by a spring,-as shown.
When a cartridge is inserted, the cover is depressed by the nose of the cartridge,
as seen in broken lines Figure 2, but so soon as the head of the cartridge has
passed beyond the cover, the cover flies outward. The cartridges are introduced
against a pressure of the spring in the magazine, hence the last cartridge introduced
does not reach entirely into the magazine, but must pass back onto the carrier. As
the cover returns, the head of the cartridge is liable to be caught against the
forward end of the cover, as seen in broken lines Figure 2, and which will prevent
the cartridge from passing rearward behind the cover onto the carrier as it should
do, and would there stand and clog the operation of the arm were not some device
introduced to prevent it.
To prevent such clogging a downward projection 11 is made on the under side
of the guard lever 3, and which, when the lever is up, does not interfere with the
opening, but as the lever descends, this projection 11 drops into the opening T
forward of the cover, and it being inclined upon its inside, acts as a wedge to
strike the cartridge resting against the end of the cover, and throw it from
engagement with the cover, so that it may properly pass onto the carrier. The
downward movement of the guard lever 3, occurring as it does before the breech-
piece or the carrier commences its movement, releases the cartridge before it can
interfere with the working of any part of the arm. The guard lever 3 in its
down position, stands behind the cover, as seen in figure 13, and so as to prevent
the cover from being turned inward, except when the mechanism of the arm is in
the proper condition for the introduction of the cartridge to the magazine.
In that class of arms in which the charging opening is forward of the rear end
of the magazine, or is below, or in such position that the cartridges are introduced
when the carrier is raised, the two guards t u may be both in a fixed position, the
movement of the one guard u only being necessary when the opening is made
upon the side of the receiver.
The downward projection 11 on the movable guard may be omitted, but its use
is preferred for the reasons specified.
3

page_text: The upwardly inclined rear portion, and correspondingly inclined overhanging
sides of the carrier may be employed without the guards, this part of the invention
is therefore not to be understood as limited to the combination of the guards
therewith, neither is the peculiar construction of the carrier, or arrangement of the
guards to be understood as limited to any particular arrangement of breech-piece.
While it is preferred to make the slot f in the trigger-guard lever at the pivot
which connects the bolts to the lever the slot may be at the pivot in the breech-
piece, as seen in Figure 14, in this case the downward or opening movement of the
lever performs its office upon the bolts, to give them a downward movement in
advance of the breech-piece, the slot at the forward end of the lever riding back
upon the pivot b in the breech-piece, until the forward end of the slot comes in
contact with that pivot, which is at the time the bolts have arrived to such a
position that the incline on the forward edge of the recess in the breech-piece may
pass over their upper ends, and as seen in broken lines Figure 14. From that time
the breech-piece moves rearward with the lever. In the returning or closing
movement, the breech-piece is moved forward under the influence of the lever,
until the breech-piece nearly reaches its closed position. At that time it is beyond
the influence of the lever, because of the position of the slot with relation to the
pivot. At this time the lever turns upon the pivot b, and throws the bolts upward,
their noses striking upon the inclines at the forward side of the recess in the
breech-piece, act to force the breech-piece from that point forward into its closed
position, and until the bolts can rise into the recesses to their extreme locked
position, the essential feature of this part of the invention being a direct connection
of the bolts to the lever, and the lever to the breech-piece, such connections being
made by means of a slot at one pivot or the other, whereby the bolts are thrown
into their extreme locked position, after the breech piece is closed.
Two bolts are preferred, one upon each side, as described, but it will be readily
seen that one bolt will accomplish the object of the invention.
Instead of making the incline g on the breech-piece, it may be made on the
front face of the bolt, as seen in Figure 15, and accomplish the same object, it
only being essential to this part of the invention that there shall be an incline in
front of the nose of the bolts, whereby they may impart the closing movement to
the breech-piece.
While this invention is illustrated as applied to a magazine fire-arm, it is to be
understood that it is not to be so limited, as parts are applicable to single breech-
loaders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In a fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of the
longitudinally movable breech-piece, the trigger-guard lever extending up into the
receiver, and forward, hung to the breech-piece, a vertically movable bolt or bolts
arranged in guides in the receiver, the breech-piece constructed with a recess
corresponding to said bolt or bolts and with which said bolt or bolts will engage,
the said bolts hung by a pivot directly to said lever in rear of and below the
connection of the lever with the breech-piece, one of said connections slotted,
whereby the descent of the bolts is made during the first part of the movement of
said lever, and before the breech-piece commences its opening movement, and said
bolts raised into their locking position, after the breech-piece is closed, substantially
as described.
Second. In a fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of a longi-
tudinally movable breech-piece, the trigger guard lever extending upward into the
receiver and forward, hung to the breech-piece, a bolt or bolts arranged in, vertical
guides in the receiver and in rear of the point of connection between said lever
and the breech-piece, the said bolts hung by a pivot to said lever, the connection
at one of the pivots slotted to permit the movement of the bolts, with the lever

page_text: before the breech-piece commences its opening movement, and to return said bolts
in advance of the complete closing of the breech-piece, an incline in front of the
nose of the bolts, whereby the last part of the closing movement of the breech-piece
is made by the ascent of the bolts, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of a
longitudinally movable breech-piece, the trigger-guard lever extending up into the
receiver and forward, hinged directly to the breech-piece, the hinged end of the
lever constructed with a cam h, projecting rearward therefrom, the firing-pin F,
constructed with a shoulder i inclining downward and forward, corresponding to
the cam on the lever, said cam overhanging the said shoulder, substantially as
described.
Fourth. In a fire-arm substantially such as described the combination of the
longitudinally movable bolt D, the trigger guard lever G extending up into the
receiver and forward, hung to the breech-piece by a pivot b, the vertical bolt
or bolts H hung directly to said lever below, and in rear of the pivot b, the said
lever constructed with a cam h, and the firing-pin constructed with a shoulder i
corresponding to said cam h, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fifth. In a fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of the
longitudinally movable breech-piece D, the trigger-guard lever G, extending up
into the receiver, hung to the breech-piece, and constructed with a cam o forward
of and below the pivot by which it is hung to the breech-piece, an ejector m
arranged below the firing-pin and parallel therewith, and a spring n, one end
resting against said cam o, the other end against the ejector, and whereby the
movement of said ejector is produced through said spring, substantially as.
described.
Sixth. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the carrier hung
at the rear and so as to swing up and down in a vertical plane, constructed with
the rear portion of its upper surface inclined upward toward the abutment, and
also constructed with correspondingly inclined overhanging sides, substantially as
described.
Seventh. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination
of a carrier hung at the rear and so as to swing up and down in a vertical plane,
with guards t u on the inner sides of the receiver, distant from each other greater
than the diameter of the body of the cartridge, but less than the diameter of the
head, the under surface substantially parallel with the upper surface of the carrier,
the rear end of the upper surface inclined upward and forward, substantially as
described.
Eighth. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination
of a carrier hung at the rear and so as to swing up and down in a vertical plane,
the receiver constructed with a charging opening at one side, a spring latch guard t
upon the side opposite the opening, its underside in line substantially parallel with
the upper surface of the carrier, its forward end or nose, when free projecting over
the rear open end of the magazine, its upper surface inclined upward and forward,
the lever 3 hung upon the opposite side of the receiver and near its forward end,
constructed with the guard u corresponding to the latch guard t upon the opposite
side, the said two guards distant from each other greater than the diameter of the
body of the cartridge, but less than the diameter of the head, the free end of
said lever in connection with the operative mechanism of the breech-piece, and
substantially as described.
Ninth. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the receiver
constructed with a magazine charging opening through its side, a cover for said
opening hinged to swing inward, the lever 3 constructed with a guard u and hung
upon the side of the receiver in which is the charging opening, the said lever
constructed with a downward projection 11 to enter said opening forward of the
cover, substantially as, and for the purpose described.

page_text: Tenth. In a magazine fire arm substantially such as described, the carrier R
hung at the rear, and so as to swing up and down in a vertical plane, said carrier
constructed with its upper surface inclined upward at its rear end toward the
abutment, and said carrier also constructed with overhanging sides s s, and with
the guards tu substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 26th day of November 1884
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.