Year: 1887

page_text: I CHARLES FREDERICK WOOD of 35 Hanby Terrace Enfield Lock in the County of
Middlesex Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the conversion or adaptation of ordinary breech
loading fire arms to operate as machine guns of very simple construction by the
addition thereto of Mechanism for operating the various parts through the agency
of a hand lever or its equivalent which may be a crank or cam motion as hereafter
described.
Each part of the gun answering the same purpose as before, I provide a hopper to
feed the cartridges, a hand lever in connection with a slide and a trigger lever and a
base plate; these various parts being contained upon said base plate as a foundation,
by which means I provide arms easily transported cheap and efficient giving the
transcendent advantage of being able to convert a rifle into a machine gun and vice
known
versa. I will proceed to describe the invention in reference to that class of guns
as bolt guns having a sliding bolt to close the breech--according to this invention I
employ a base plate upon which is pivoted a hand lever-I also arrange a slide upon
the base plate working in suitable guides, this slide is connected to the hand lever
by means of a pin and roller passing through a cam slot cut into said slide or vice
versa or in other suitable way-in another part of said slide is cut a diagonal slot this
part of the slide is bent to a curve equal to the radius from centre of bolt or plunger
of the gun to the said slide between the sides of this diagonal slot the handle of the
bolt is embraced as hereafter described-there is also arranged upon said base plate a
trigger lever working upon a fulcrum pin projecting from base plate one end of this
lever projects in front of the trigger of the gun, but quite clear of the same the finger
thus projecting may be covered with any soft material such as leather or india rubber-
I may dispense with the trigger lever and substitute a sliding rod upon the end of this
rod is the trigger finger projecting from the side in front of trigger said rod is carried
upon base plate and is actuated by the hand lever at the right moment for firing the
gun the base plate is secured to the gun by screws or other suitable means—the
cartridges may be fed from the magazine through an opening in the bed plate (upon
which the magazine is supported) in communication with a similar opening in the side
of shoe or body, when the cartridges are fed from the top and not through the side [
prefer to use the following construction of feed that is to say at the bottom of the
magazine I form a small box or drawer open top and bottom capable of holding one

page_text: cartridge the bottom cartridge in magazine rests within this box and upon the bed
plate, the box is capable of a lateral movement so as to bring the cartridge over the
shoe or the body of the gun into which the cartridge falls in front of action bolt.
Said box is so formed that its rear part supports the Cartridge immediately above it
until the return of said box when the cartridge falls therein-Said box may swing upon
an axis pin let into bed plate or may slide within suitable guides thereon, being
actuated to and fro by suitable inclines upon the slide engaging with corresponding
inclines upon said cartridge box.
The action of the gun is as follows the backward stroke of hand lever first unlocks
the bolt by means of cam slot it then draws back the bolt and cartridge case ejecting
the case, during which time the inclines upon slide have engaged with those upon
cartridge feed moving it over the shoe into which the cartridge falls-motion of hand
lever is now reversed first pushes the cartridge into chamber and returns cartridge feed
second locks the bolt third brings the square shoulder at the end of diagonal slot over
the top of bolt handle locking it down at the same time firing the gun.
In applying this invention to block guns such for instance as the Martini Henry
various alterations and additions have to be made-Block guns are generally worked
by lever and it depends upon the quick action of lever to lower the Block and extract
the Cartridge case effectually. I retain the base plate the trigger motion the cartridge
feed and in some cases the hand lever but by preference I use a revolving crank with
a crank handle secured thereto said crank is carried in suitable bearings upon the
base plate the shaft of crank stands at right angles with the gun in an horizontal
position, upon the base plate is an arm pivoted thereto at one end near axis pin of
action lever the other end is attached to bow of action lever said arm has a projecting
part or groove into which the crank pin enters at its lowest position, in connection
with the arm is a strong spring and as the crank is revolved it raises the arm com-
pressing the spring at the same time closing the block and fires the gun, the crank
pin then passes from beneath the projection or out of the slot and the arm is driven
down by the power of the spring carrying the action lever with it and depressing
the block and throwing out the cartridge case. Should the cartridge case stick in the
chamber so that the power of said spring cannot start it, then the crank pin may be
caused to act upon a cam or inclined surface formed upon said arm which power added
to that of the spring starts the cartridge when the spring completes the extraction.
Or I may exert a power upon the top surface of the block by either a cam or lever
motion so as to start the cartridge in the chamber leaving the rest to the spring.
When the said arm is at its lowest position it rests upon a buffer provided upon the
base plate thus preventing any undue wear upon the action of the gun. In all cases
the extracted shell may not be driven by the extractor clear of the block thus
obstructing the next cartridge. I therefore provide an ejector upon or within the
base plate which may be a rod surrounded by a spiral spring in such a manner that
the rod being pressed forward and held there by a catch until the cartridge has been
extracted then the catch is moved releasing the ejector which shoots backwards to the
other end of the shoe the cartridge is now dropped in from the magazine in front of
the ejector which now becomes the injector which is pushed to its front position by
means of a cam upon the crank disc, and there held as before it will be understood
that the ejector by reason of a projection entering the shoe or body above the block
sweeps out the empty case by its outer end and pushes the cartridge into the chamber
by the inner surface of the same end.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement
herein described as I may vary the arrangement without departing from the spirit of
this invention.
The Gun may be fired from the shoulder supported upon a firm rest or upon a
swivel which takes the recoil.

page_text: I CHARLES FREDERICK WOOD of 35 Hanby Terrace, Ordnance Road Enfield Lock
in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention has for its object the conversion or adaptation of ordinary breech-
loading firearms to operate as machine guns or repeating rifles of very simple con-
struction by the addition thereto of various novel devices and mechanism for operating
the various parts through the agency of a hand lover or its equivalent or a handle
attached directly to the slide as hereafter explained. Each part of the small-arm
answers the same purpose in the machine gun. I provide a hopper to feed the
cartridges, a rod to operate said feed, a handle; or grip attached to or in connection
with a slide, a trigger lever and a trigger rod and a base plate as a foundation by
which means I provide arms easily transported cheap and efficient giving the trans-
cendent advantage of being able to convert a rifle or breechloading gun into a
machine gun or repeating rifle and vice versa by detaching the before mentioned
slide the trigger lever and trigger rod retaining only the cartridge feed mechanism
before mentioned the gun now becomes a repeating rifle by simply causing the sliding
breech bolt to engage with and operate the cartridge feed instead of the before
mentioned slide. This invention may be used for military or sporting purposes.
1 will proceed to describe the Invention in reference to that class of guns known as
bolt guns having a sliding bolt to close the breech. According to this Invention I
employ a base plate, upon said base plate I arrange a slide working in or upon suitable
guides, in another part of the said slide is cut a diagonal slot. This part of the slide
is bent to a curve equal to the radius from centre of bolt or plunger of the gun to the
said slide plate between the sides of this diagonal slot the handle of the bolt is
embraced as hereinafter described-there is also arranged upon said base plate a
trigger lever working upon a fulcrum pin projecting from base plate the lower end of
said lever projects in front of the trigger. Said projecting part may be covered with
any soft material such as leather or indiarubber this projecting part or finger, works
the trigger and fires the gun when very quick firing is required, but may be detached
and the gun fired in the ordinary way when slow firing is required.
The upper end of said lever is connected by an axis pin with the trigger rod, said
trigger rod is by preference arranged upon the outside of base plate whilst the
trigger lever is arranged upon the inside of said plate the axis pin connecting the two
pieces through a radial slot cut into or through the base plate, the trigger lever is
caused to lie at an angle when the slide is drawn backwards, the forward end of
trigger rod is carried by a screw passing through a diagonal slot cut into said rod
and secured thereby to the base plate the object of the diagonal slot and the placing
of the trigger lever upon an angle is that at the forward movement of the trigger
lever said rod shall have an upward movement as well as a forward motion-trigger

page_text: rod is actuated by means of a lug at the front end and at the underside of before
mentioned slide the lug projecting downwards immediately above and in connection
with the upper surface of trigger rod lower end of said lug is caused to slide thereon
and thus prevent said rod from rising or moving forward until the lug arrives at the
finish of forward stroke of breech bolt and slide, said lug comes over a cavity cut into
the trigger rod front end of said lug now engages with projecting end of trigger rod
pushing it forward, said rod being allowed to rise by reason of the cavity before
mentioned and thus the gun is fired. At the commencement of the backward stroke
of slide the backside of trigger lug engages with a shoulder at rear end of cavity
driving the rod to its original position the end of lug now engages with top surface of
trigger rod as before mentioned thus preventing same from moving The projecting.
end of the trigger rod may be made moveable so that the lug does not move the same
to fire the gun, in that case the gun would be fired by the pressure of the finger upon
the trigger in the ordinary manner.
The base plate may be secured to the gun by screws or other suitable means.
When the cartridges are fed from the top of the shoe or body and not through the
side I prefer to use the following construction of feed that is to say At the bottom of
the magazine I form a small box or drawer opened top and bottom capable of holding
one cartridge the bottom_cartridge in magazine rests within this box and upon the bed
plate said box or magazine is capable of a lateral movement so as to bring the car-
tridge over the body or shoe of the gun into which it falls in front of bolt or plunger,
.said box or magazine swings upon an axis pin projecting from back of magazine, said
axis pin is supported by a standard fixed into or supported by the bed plate or its
equivalent The cartridge holder is widened out at the rear end with recesses on both
sides to receive and guide the cartridge rims. Upon the standard supporting the
magazine a stationary cut off is fixed, which enters a slit or slot cut into the magazine
immediately above the rim of the lower cartridge (within the box above described)
and immediately below the rim of second cartridge from the bottom when the
magazine is moved laterally upon the axis to deliver the cartridge to the gun, the
bottom cartridge passes beneath the cut off whilst the second cartridge rests upon and
is supported by the said cut off and the column of cartridges are thereby supported
until the return of magazine to its original position, when the column of cartridges is
released by the cut off and drop lower into the magazine until the lower one rests
upon the bed plate and within the cartridge box, this being below the cut off and
ready for the next delivery. The bed plate upon which the cartridge rests is inclined
towards the shoe or body in such a manner as to cause the cartridge to roll with ease
from the magazine into the groove in front of breech bolt. The magazine is actuated
to and fro by an incline slot formed upon a sliding rod a pin formed upon lower end
of magazine projects into this slot below the cartridge box, the magazine rod is
actuated by means of a lug upon the slide as hereafter described said rod is arranged
by preference upon the inside of bed plate next the stock of the gun and is carried
upon two screws in the bed plate passing through two incline slots cut into said sliding
rod, the lug to actuate this rod is formed upon under side of slide and at its near
end. The end of said lug works in close contact with upper surface of magazine rod
thus securing it in its forward position at the finishing part of rearward stroke of slide
and plunger, the outer surface of projecting lug engages with projecting end of
magazine rod drawing it backwards and moving the magazine over body or shoe as
before described.
The rod in its backward movement also travels upwards by reason of incline slots
attaching it to bed plate this being allowed for by a cavity cut into the rod
immediately below the end of said lug. Upon the commencement of return stroke of
slide and plunger front end of said lug engages with shoulder at the end of cavity
pushing the rod back and returning the magazine, end of lug now engages with upper
surface of the said rod securing it in its lower position.
The action of gun is as follows:-The backward stroke of hand lever or grip first
unlocks the bolt by means of the cam slot it then draws back the bolt and cartridge
case ejecting the case by means of kicker spring placed in bottom of shoe during

page_text: which time the lug upon the slide has engaged with projecting end of magazine rod
moving over the magazine and dropping cartridge into shoe in front of plunger
motion of slide is now reversed first moves back the cartridge feed, second pushes
cartridge into chamber, third turns the bolt to the right, fourth locks the bolt downwards
by bringing square shoulder at the end of diagonal slot over the top of bolt handle at
the same time fires the gun.
I
may
if found desirable dispense with the before mentioned bed plate and attach
the various parts or any of the said parts direct to the gun.
That part of my invention which applies to block guns such as the Martini-Henry con-
sists in arranging a strong spring in connection with the hand lever in such a manner
that when the hand lever is raised to close the breech said spring is compressed, but in
such a manner that said spring cannot start the lever from its locked position, but
upon the downward movement of hand lever the spring acts thereon driving the lever
downwards depressing the block and throwing out the cartridge case.
The spring may be used in connection with ordinary block actions independent of
cartridge feed magazine &c. as time is saved thereby in not having to carry the hand
lever to bottom of stroke by hand.
This Invention has for its object the conversion or adaptation of breech loading
guns to operate as machine guns parts of said Invention are also applicable to repeating
rifles and other guns.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an
elevation of right hand side of a breech loading bolt gun with my Improvements
attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line A. B Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation on left hand side of the gun.
Figure 4 is an elevation and plan of cartridge feed rod.
Figure 5 is an elevation on left hand side of gun for the conversion into a repeating
gun by the addition of the cartridge feed mechanism described in connection with
machine gun the same magazine is made to interchange on all the examples given the
bolt B is operated by handle Z.
Figure 6 is a plan of the gun shewn in Figure 5.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawings. Referring to
Figures 1 to 4.
.
A represents the stock of the gun, B the bolt of the gun Z the handle of the bolt
passing through and embraced by the diagonal slot H in hand slide F, G is the
hand grip or handle to actuate the slide to and fro-handle in this instance is shown
upon the right of the gun but if desirable I fix the said handle upon left hand
side thereof.
Hand slide F travels upon the bevelled rib E¹ attached to or forming part of base
plate E Figure 20' is cartridge feed rod Fig. 1 shown detached at Figure 4. S is
the slot into which the pin Y at the bottom of magazine T¹ projects, by the to and fro
motion of the rod, the transverse motion is given to the magazine to deliver the
cartridge in front of Bolt B as represented by broken lines Figure the magazine
being there shown swung upon the axis U from the upright position into the position
of delivering a cartridge into the recess in which the bolt travels and in front of
said bolt B. When the magazine T¹ assumes this position the hand slide F is at the
finish of the outward stroke as represented by broken lines indicating the hand grip G
and part of slide F, just before the finish of outward stroke the lug O Figure 2 on
hand slide F comes over cavity Q cut into cartridge feed rod 01. Said lug then
engages with projecting end R¹ of said rod pushing it backwards bringing the
magazine to the position shown in dotted lines at Figure 2 feeding a cartridge to
the gun, at the backward stroke of cartridge feed rod it is raised by the inclined
slots P travelling upon screws C¹ thereby raising the bottom of cavity nearer to the
end of lug O therefore at the return or forward stroke of slide F the back side of
lug engages with shoulder R upon the cartridge feed rod O¹ driving it forwards
and thereby returning the magazine T¹ to its original position, end of lug O now

page_text: bears upon top surface N³ of cartridge feed rod Figure 1 holding it downwards during
the whole of the forward stroke and also the backward stroke until the lug O again
arrives over the cavity Q as before stated, when the breech bolt B arrives at its forward
position against the end of the barrel (the slide F continues its forward movement
the incline H acts upon holt handle Z turning it in its locked position behind the
shoulder F in the body D the slide still further continues its forward movement
bringing parallel part H' at the end of diagonal slot H over the top of bolt handle Z
thereby locking it downwards thus preventing the breech bolt B from jarring
backwards during the discharge of the gun.
During the last part of forward movement of slide F and whilst locking the handle
downwards as before stated the lug I Figure 3 on underside of hand slide F and at
the front end thereof is brought over the cavity N cut into trigger rod J front end
of lug I engaging with projecting end N¹ of trigger rod moving it forward, said rod
communicates its motion to the trigger lever K' said lever is connected with trigger
rod J by the axis pin M passing through radial slot cut through bed plate E, upon
lower end K" of trigger lever K¹ there is a projecting finger which engages with the
trigger A' pushing it backwards and firing the gun.
Trigger lever K¹ swings upon axis pin Land is shown at Figure 3 with slide
forward and gun fired whilst the broken lines show the slide F drawn back, the lower
end of trigger lever returned to its forward position, trigger rod drawn back showing
the lug I bearing on top surface N³ of trigger rod thus securing it in lower position
and preventing it leaving that position until the lug I arrives again over the cavity N
in said rod, when the rod is pushed forward it rises upwards by reason of inclined
slot K at one end and the inclined trigger lever K₁ at the other end, upon the
backward stroke of band slide the back side of lug I engages with shoulder N" upon
trigger rod J driving it backwards thus returning trigger lever, the end of lug I
now engage with top surface of trigger rod securing it downwards. T is the standard
for supporting magazine T-E3 is the holder for magazine forming part of base
plate E said magazine being secured therein by means of milled headed screw T-
X forms one side of lower cartridge box at bottom of magazine Figure 3 whilst the
plate X Figure 2 forms the other side of said box circles are shown within the
magazine Figure 2 representing the cartridge heads the lowest one is shown resting
upon the inclined bed plate E within the box to contain only one cartridge, the
second cartridge from the bottom is shown resting upon and being supported by
the cut off W which enters through the side of magazine into the slot V said cut off
is in the form of a knife edge with edge turned downwards shown by dotted lines
at W for the purpose of insuring the said cut off shall enter freely between the heads
of the cartridges.
Figure 3 also represents cartridges with the Magazine.
T is a lip or projection rising upwards from hack of magazine and engaging with
back of Standard T supporting magazine T¹ the back of magazine T bears upon
inner, surface of Standard T whilst lug or projection T bears upon the outer surface
of said standard thus allowing the magazine T to swing transversely thereon but
preventing all backward or forward longitudinal movement.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, Figure 6 shows bolt B in position for extracting
cartridge case from barrel, with lug B₁ forming part of bolt B resting upon cartridge
feed rod O holding it downwards (in the same manner as lug figure 1 and
answering the same purposes throughout as lug O Figure 1-outer end of lug B
passes beneath right angle plate E for the purpose of holding down said and relieving
all strain of bolt B upon the body or shoe D when the bolt is locked behind the
shoulder F the lug is clear of rod O' I therefore provide the projection B' upon end
of bolt B for the purpose of engaging with the projection O" formed upon cartridge
feed rod O¹ thereby holding it forward during the time bolt B is locked, cartridge
feed standard T enters cavity E³ and is secured therein by screw T. In Figure 6
are shown by broken lines the lug B" acting upon the end of cartridge feed rod O' to
move said rod backwards.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said invention and the manner of performing the
same I wish it understood that I claim:
:-
First. In a machine gun or repeating rifle the cartridge feeder T¹ substantially as
described and arranged comprising the cut off, the swinging magazine, and magazine
support or standard, the magazine rod and inclined slots therein with cavity to receive
lug upon hand slide.
Second. In a machine gun the combination of parts comprising a breech loading
gun or rifle the bed plate E the hand slide F the grip or handle 9 the guide
piece E¹.
Third. Diagonal slot H within the hand slide to operate bolt handle Z and the
part H¹ to lock bolt handle.
Fourth. The trigger arrangement comprising trigger rod J the cavity N inclined
slot K trigger lever K' with projecting finger K₁ operated by lug i upon hand
slide F.
Fifth. The inclined. slots in rods J and O' also inclined slot S in rod 01.
Sixth. The cut off W the pivot U and the projecting lug T.
Seventh. In breech loading block guns the addition a strong spring to assist in
actuating hand lever downwards to open the breech and eject the cartridge case.
Dated the 20th Aurut 1000