Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
I, FERDINAND RITTER VON MANNLICHER of I Getreidemarkt No. 10 in the
City of Vienna, Austria, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to automatic fire-arms of the kind described in my British
Patent No. 16548 of Sept. 2nd 1893. The fire-arms described in this Patent are
provided with a so-called double or combined motion breech bolt, whereas the fire-
arm herein to be described has a so-called single motion or straight pull breech bolt.
In both arms the breech bolt is operated by the recoil of the shot in its opening or
rearward direction, and by a spring in its closing or forward direction, the barrel,
contrary to most automatic fire-arms known, being stationary.
of the head.
The single motion breech bolt of the fire-arm to be described essentially consists
of the breech bolt proper carrying the hand piece, and of the breech bolt head,
provided at its forward end with the locking studs or lugs. The breech bolt head
is connected with the breech bolt proper by means of a short coupling piece, which
holds the two parts together, but permits a turning and back and forward movement.
The head is with its reduced rear end or shank inserted into the breech
bolt proper, where it is guided by a suitable screw thread of such pitch as to cause
said head to perform part of a revolution at the proper moment. The breech bolt
proper is guided in longitudinal grooves and is thus prevented from turning. The
locking lugs or studs on the forward end of the breech bolt head are also guided in
longitudinal grooves, which terminate in the forward part of the breech receiver in
transverse, or locking grooves. Thus, when being pushed forward, both parts of the
breech bolt must perform a rectilinear movement until the locking studs of the head
arrive opposite the entrance to the transverse grooves in the forward part of the
breech receiver. Now the breech bolt head may follow the impulse of its helicoidal
connection with the bolt proper, and perform the locking movement by turning with
its locking studs into the said transverse locking grooves. The reverse will take
place in the opening of the bolt. Inside the hollow breech bolt is placed the firing
pin and spring; the firing pin is provided with a longitudinal slit for the passage of
a transverse guiding key, which is passed through the breech bolt. The firing pin
is also provided with a notch, into which engages the sear, which latter consists of a
lever pivoted to the coupling piece of the breech bolt. This sear engages into the
said notch of the firing pin, when the latter is in its cocked position, and when the
breech bolt is in its forward locked position, a beak or hook, with which the sear is
provided on its under side, engages into a corresponding beak or hook of an arm.
connected with the trigger so that when the trigger is pulled, the sear will be swung
downward and thereby disengage the firing pin, which may now strike forward
and fire the shot. The locking studs or lugs of the breech bolt head now situated
into the transverse locking grooves or recesses in the forward part of the receiver,
at the moment of the firing of the shot will have to stand the rearward pressure,
and would keep the breech bolt closed, but for the said studs and recesses being
rounded off or inclined in such manner as to cause the turning open of the breech
bolt head carrying said studs. These latter being thus brought into the longitudinal
grooves in the receiver the entire breech bolt is thrown back (opened) by the force
of the shot. In a rearward extension of the receiver, into which fits the breech bolt
1

page_text: is housed a coiled spring against which the receding breech bolt is driven, whereby
said spring is compressed. This spring at once forces the breech bolt forward again
and causes it to perform its closing movement as before described. At the
termination of the rearward movement of the breech bolt, the empty cartridge shell!
is ejected, and in its forward movement. the breech bolt takes a fresh cartridge from
the magazine into the chamber in the barrel. The arm may he provided with a
suitable safety by preference I employ a shaft or pin journalled transversely
underneath the breech bolt in the receiver. This shaft is cut out or recessed opposite
the breech bolt and may be turned by means of a lever at the side of the receiver.
When the recessed part of said shaft is opposite the breech bolt, the latter will pass
freely, but when the breech bolt is closed and said shaft turned so that its round
part enters a recess in the breech bolt and underneath the sear, which is attached to.
the breech bolt, the latter as well as the sear are prevented from moving and the
arm is safe.
Dated this 7th day of February 1894.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55, Chancery Lane, Associate Agent.
Improvements in Automatic Fire-arms.
I, FERDINAND RITTER VON MANNLICHER, of I Getreidemarkt, No. 10 in the
City of Vienna, Austria, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to automatic repeating rifles with a rigid or stationary barrel,
and has for its object the construction of a rifle of this kind with an automatic,
straight (or single) motion breech holt.
In the annexed drawings a rifle constructed according to my invention is shown,
in which
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the rifle with the breech bolt
open.
Fig. 1 shows two cross sections through the lines A-B and C-D Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 is a similar section to that in Fig. 1, but with the breech bolt closed and
the firing pin in cocked position.
Fig. 2 shows two cross sections through the lines a-b and c―d Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the breech bolt with two partial sections through the
line a- of the bottom view.
Fig. 3 shows two views of the key to be inserted in the breech bolt.
Fig. 4 shows a right-side and an end view of the breech bolt.
Fig. 4 is a top view of the forward part of the breech bolt.
Figure 5 is a forward end view of the breech bolt.
Fig. 6 shows the breech bolt head in side and end elevation.
Fig. 7 shows in elevation and in sectional elevation the coupling piece of the
breech bolt, with the sear.
Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 1. 1. Fig. 7 with the sear and spring removed.
Fig. 8 shows the firing pin and spring in elevation and in cross section on line 22
of the elevation.
Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a longitudinal or guide groove and a transverse or
locking groove in the receiver, with a locking stud in its locked position.
In all figures similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
The rifle consists essentially of the barrel L, the breech receiver G, the breech
bolt V, the closing spring S, the tube R, the firing pin B with spring i, the trigger
mechanism, and the magazine. The breech receiver G to which the barrel L is

page_text: attached, is provided with lateral guide grooves for the breech bolt, and with
transverse grooves or recesses 9 into which the corresponding studs of the breech
bolt may lock. The breech bolt consists of the bolt proper V with hand piece h, of
the bolt head K and of the coupling piece K¹. The cylindrical bolt head K carries
at or near its forward end the locking studs w, and is with its reduced rear end
inserted into the forward part of the bolt proper V, in such manner, that the screw
threads s and e, with which the bolt V and head K are respectively provided, will
engage into each other. Bolt V is provided with lateral ribs a, by means of which
it is guided in the grooves of the receiver and in grooves a of the extension tube R.
In this manner bolt V is prevented from turning and can only perform a rectilinear
movement in the receiver. Bolt head K, which is hollow, contains the firing pin B
with its spring i and is closed at its rear end by the coupling piece K both parts K
and K¹ being connected by a bayonet-clutch or mutilated screw connection as shown.
When the bolt head K and the bolt V are in position in the receiver, where they
cannot turn beyond 90° with reference to each other, the said bayonet or screw
connection prevents them from separating. Only when the bolt head is turned
beyond 90° with reference to the bolt V the clutch or screw becomes disconnected,
and the head may be separated from the bolt or the coupling piece respectively.
As, on account of the screw threads-s in the interior of the holt V, the coupling
piece K¹ cannot be introduced into the bolt through its forward end like the bolt
head, bolt V must be provided with a suitable opening at its under side, for
permitting the introduction of the coupling device. After coupling piece K¹ has
thus been placed into the bolt V, head K is introduced through the forward end of
the latter, and is connected with the coupling piece by means of the bayonet clutch,
whereby a proper casing is formed for the firing spring i. The firing pin is provided
with a slot through which passes a key f, which is driven horizontally through
the bolt V, and which is provided with a head f¹ for keeping it in position. The
firing pin is furthermore provided with a notch d, with which may engage the spring
actuated sear A, which is pivoted in the coupling piece K!. As seen from the
diagram Fig. 9, the locking grooves or recesses q are not at right angles to the
longitudinal or guide grooves in the receiver, but rise in a certain measure in a
forward direction, in the manner of a screw thread. The locking studs ware
correspondingly placed upon the bolt head, also resembling part of a screw thread.
The pitch of this thread must here be somewhat steeper than the angle of resistance
so that, at the moment of firing, the locking studs will find sufficient resistance in
their locking grooves during the explosion, at the same time, however, permitting
the bolt head to turn open through the force of the recoil. Supposing the bolt
head, at the moment of firing, to perform this rotary, opening motion, bolt V will
at first, in consequence of its screw connection with head K be driven back a
distance, corresponding to the pitch of these connecting screw threads s and e, for
instance th of an inch to 90°. Then the locking studs w having entered the
longitudinal guide grooves 7, both parts, head K and bolt V continue this rearward,
rectilinear movement until bolt. V strikes against the end of the extension tube R
and is stopped. As soon as head K begins to turn open and the bolt recedes, key f,
which is attached to the latter operates against the rear end of slot f" in the firing
pin, whereby this latter is carried back and the firing spring is tightened: At the
end of this movement the sear A springs into notch d of the firing pin and retains it
in its cocked position until it is released by the trigger.
The bolt having completed its rearward movement, by which it has compressed
spring S, this latter drives it forward again. The locking studs to being guided in
grooves, head K is prevented from turning, and both it and the bolt V move
forward in a straight line until the locking studs w have arrived at the end of the
grooves, opposite their locking recesses q. Here the straightforward movement of
head K must cease but the bolt V continuing this movement, causes (by the aforesaid
screw connection of the two parts), head K to turn, whereby studs ware made to enter
theirrecesses q and the bolt is again locked. The breech holt having in its forward
movement taken a fresh cartridge from the magazine and introduced the same into

page_text: the chamber in the barrel, the rifle is ready for the next shot as soon as the trigger
is released and pulled again. Trigger Z is by an arm z connected with a piece b,
pivoted underneath the receiver and pressed forward by a spring c. To the forward
end of this piece b is jointed a spring operated arm y, which points upward and is
adapted to engage with its hooked end into a corresponding hook of the sear A,
pivoted in the coupling piece K'. When trigger Z is pulled back, the hook of army
cannot engage with the corresponding hook of sear A, the movements of the breech
bolt after a shot, taking place so rapidly that the breech bolt has arrived in its closed
position before the finger has had time to release the pull upon the trigger which
fired the previous shot. Thus it becomes necessary to first release the trigger,
whereby swivel 6 is allowed to swing forward and arm y to move upward so that its
hooked end may engage into the hooked part of sear A, as shown in Figure 2. Now
a fresh pull upon the trigger will operate the sear A and fire the next shot. Arm y
also serves to retain the breech bolt in open position when the same has been opened
by hand. As in this case there is no pull upon the trigger, the upper part of arm y
rises in front of the breech bolt and prevents its forward movement. A forward
blow with the hand against the hand piece of the breech bolt, will however suffice,
to overcome the resistance of army and to allow the breech bolt to close. When
the breech bolt is opened by hand, the movement of the parts is reversed, as in this
case the oening impulse is not imparted to the bolt head, but (by hand) to the
breech bolt V. Thus, when hand piece is pulled back, the rearward movement of
the breech bolt V, in consequence of their screw connection imparts the rotary
unlocking movement to the head K, whereupon both parts may be pulled back in a
straight line.
The extractor, which is of the known kind, is at its rear part formed into a spring
and is inserted into a slit in the rib upon the right side of the bolt V, wherein it may
slide, while its head is bent over the right locking stud so that the same may freely
perform its rotary movement in locking and unlocking. The ejector E is a pin
inserted into a hole in the bolt head K. It has a slight back and forward movement,
and is at its rear part provided with a nose u, which, when the bolt is opened, strikes
against a projection in the receiver and imparts a sudden forward movement to the
ejector, whereby the empty cartridge is ejected. The construction and arrangement
of this ejector is also known.
The magazine which I have shown in the annexed drawings, by way of example
is one of my own construction for packet charges, but any other system of magazine
may be employed with the mechanism described.
In the annexed drawings I have also shown by way of example a safety device for
preventing the accidental release of the firing pin. This safety device consists of a
shaft o, passing transversely through the receiver and provided with a handle or
thumb piece o for giving it half a turn. When handle o' is turned down, shaft o
rests against the rear slanting surface k of sear A and thus prevents this latter from
being pulled down out of engagement with the cocked firing pin. In this position
shaft o also rests in a depression or recess o¹ of the bolt V, whereby the bolt is also
prevented from being opened. When handle o' is turned up, a flat or recessed part
of shaft o faces sear A of the breech bolt, so that these parts are not prevented from
operating.
I
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In fire-arms the combination with a rigid or stationary barrel of an automatic
straight (or single) motion breech bolt, essentially consisting of the bolt proper V
and of the bolt head K provided with locking lugs w placed at a certain pitch,
bolt V and head K engaging with each other by means of a screw thread and bolt V
provided with lateral guide ribs r, of a receiver provided with guide grooves and
locking grooves or recesses 9 of a pitch corresponding to that of the locking lugs w
and of a spring S, substantially as described and shown in the drawing.

page_text: 2. In fire-arms, the combination with a rigid or stationary barrel of an automatic
straight (or single) motion breech bolt, essentially consisting of the bolt proper V
a coupling piece K¹ and of the bolt head K provided with locking lugs, w placed at
a certain pitch, bolt V and head K engaging with each other by means of a screw
thread and bolt V provided with lateral guide ribs a, of a receiver provided with
guide grooves and locking grooves and recesses q of a pitch corresponding to that
of the locking lugs w and of a spring S, substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
3. In fire-arms, the combination with a rigid or stationary barrel of an automatic.
straight (or single) motion breech bolt, essentially consisting of the bolt proper V,
coupling piece K¹ with the sear A pivoted thereto and of the bolt head K provided
with locking lugs we placed at a certain pitch, bolt V and head K engaging with each
other by means of a screw thread and bolt V provided with lateral guide ribs of
a receiver provided with guide grooves and locking grooves or recesses 7 of a pitch
corresponding to that of the locking lugs w and of a spring S, substantially as
described and shown in the drawing.
وثان
4. In fire-arms with a rigid or stationary barrel and an automatic straight (or
single) motion breech bolt of the kind described herein, a device for cocking
the firing pin, consisting of a key finserted into the breech bolt and engaging
into a slit in the firing pin, substantially as described and shown in the
drawing.
5. In fire-arms with a rigid or stationary barrel and an automatic straight (or
single) motion breech bolt of the kind herein described, a safety device, consisting
of a rotatable shaft o, placed transversely in the receiver and adapted to engage in
one position against the sear A and in a recess o¹ of the breech bolt, so as to
prevent these parts from moving and of such form, that when brought into another
position it will liberate the parts indicated and permit their free movement,
substantially as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated the 7th day of December 1894.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent.