Year: 1889

page_text: 1 ADOLF FREIHERR VON ODKOLEK of Vienna, Austria, Captain of Horse, 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 relates to that class of repeating fire-arms known as bolt-guns, and
more especially to those having their cartridge magazine laterally attached to the
receiver or breech case.
The invention has for its object to so construct the arm that the firer shall not be
obliged to release the breech handle for operating the trigger.
According to this invention, the arm is provided with a straight pull breech
cylinder, which is caused to open and close the breech by pushing the trigger guard
forward and pulling it backward respectively. By the forward movement of the
trigger guard the percussion hammer lock is cocked and it cannot be operated by
the trigger unless the breech cylinder has been locked in its position by a block
automatically entering a recess of the breech cylinder.
The backward and forward movements of the breech bolt under the action of the
reverse movements of the trigger guard, are obtained by means of two parallel racks
and a pinion, one rack being connected to the breech bolt and the other to the trigger
guard.
The locking block, by which the breech bolt is fixed in its advanced position, is
withdrawn from the recess of the said bolt when the trigger guard begins its forward
movement, and it is introduced again in the said recess when the trigger-guard is
about to terminate its backward stroke.
While the locking block is being engaged with and disengaged from the recess of
the breech bolt, this latter is not acted upon by the displacement of the trigger-guard.
As for the cocking of the percussion hammer lock during the forward stroke of the
trigger-guard (opening of the breech) it is effected by a projection, connected to the
trigger-guard and carrying along an arm of the hammer.
The magazine fulfils the office of a cartridge packing box and is detachably
suspended from either lateral side of the receiver or breech-case.
'

page_text: This magazine consists of a box, quadrangular in cross section and having its top
portion curved sideways and downward, in consequence whereof the cartridges, which
are continually forced upwards by a spring, advance from above into the path of the
breech bolt, as soon as the stop at the mouth of the magazine is suitably placed. The
breech bolt then pushes the cartridge from the magazine into the chamber of.
the barrel.
The firer may at the moment when he closes the breech, operate the trigger. On
the other hand, a stop is provided, by which the breech mechanism and the lock may
be prevented at will from being operated.
The annexed illustrative drawings represent a repeating rifle embodying this
invention. In these drawings
Fig. 1. is a sectional side elevation of the arm, having its breech closed.
Fig. 2. is a similar view of the arm with open breech.
Fig. 3. is a plan view of the parts actuating the breech bolt and of the lock, all
these parts being arranged in the lower portion of the receiver or breech case.
Fig. 4. is a cross section on line xx fig. 1, showing the magazine attached to
the arm.
Fig. 5. is a cross section on line ¹¹ fig. 1, and
Fig. 6. a cross section on line ²x², fig. 1.
Fig. 7 shows the stop lever, by which the trigger-guard is locked in its backward
position.
Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the receiver with the breech-bolt, but without
the actuating mechanism and lock.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the breech actuating parts and the percussion lock, these
parts being shewn as withdrawn from the receiver.
Fig. 10 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 11 a plan of the rifle having the magazine attached to it.
Fig. 12, is an elevation of the side of the magazine facing the receiver.
Fig. 13 shows a magazine of slightly modified construction.
Fig. 14 represents the breech cylinder in side elevation, top side view and cross
section.
Figs. 15 and 16 shows modified means for lifting the breech bolt locking block.
When the breech is to be opened, the trigger-guard A, which is movable in a
slot 6 of the trigger-plate B and connected with a bar B¹, is pushed forward. In
consequence thereof, the arm c of the locking block lever C which rested on an inclined
surface b¹ of the bar B', is turned through a certain angle round its pivot c¹, and thus
the locking block C¹ is withdrawn from the recess d of the breech bolt D and lowered
into the receiver. The locking block C¹is connected to the lever C by means of a
stud c² fixed to the lever and projecting into a slot c³ of the block C¹.
The rate of advance of the trigger-guard A necessary for disengaging the locking
block C is as may be inferred from fig. 1-the same, which is required for putting
the first tooth of the rack 62 into gear with the pinion 63, and so the further advance
of the trigger-guard to its extreme position shown in fig. 2 (and by dotted lines in
fig. 1.) will cause the pinion 63 to rotate. As the said pinion is in gear with a rack d¹
fixed to the breech bolt D this latter will be moved backward, while the cartridge
extractor d² extracts the empty cartridge case in the manner usual with bolt-guns.
The cartridge is fired in this repeating rifle by means of a hammer percussion lock,
which is cocked while the breech is being opened, this automatic cocking being.
effected when the trigger guard begins to move forward, and this by a projection b
of the bar B¹, which projection carries along an arm e of the hammer E which is thus
turned round its pivot. When the locking block C¹ is wholly disengaged from the
breech bolt, the point of the hammer is likewise sufficiently withdrawn from the head
of, the breech bolt, as to admit of the hammer being fully cocked while the breech.
cylinder is moving backward.
Afterwards the point e¹ of the sear takes into the bent of the tumbler thereby
keeping the lock in the cocked condition, while the breech bolt is moving further
backward, and the projection 6 passes beneath the arm e of the hammer E. The

page_text: point of the sear is kept in contact with the tumbler by means of a spring e³
exerting its pressure upon the other arm e³ of the sear.
The bar B¹ also carries the intermediate lever a which, on firing, serves to disengage
the point e¹ of the sear, to this end the upper arm of the trigger a¹ rests upon the
rear end of the lever a; while the bar B' is reciprocating all these parts pass beneath
the hammer E.
When the trigger-guard A is pulled backward, the breech bolt D-as will be
readily understood with reference to fig. 2-moves forward and forces the cartridge
in front of it into the chamber of the barrel, as will be hereinafter fully described.
When the breech bolt abuts against the rear end of the barrel, the rack 62 goes out
of gear with the pinion 63, and the projection 6 of the bar B₁ moving further backward
strikes against the arm c of the locking block lever C which is thereby caused to
swing upward and to push the locking block C¹ into the recess d of the breech bolt D,
for locking this latter in its position. In order to prevent the trigger guard A from
sliding forward by accident after the breech has been closed, a lever fig. 7 is mounted
on the pivot of the trigger a¹ the said lever being provided with a projection a², which,
under the action of a spring a³ pressing upon the lever takes into a recess a*, figs. 2
and 9, of the trigger-plate B.
To fire the arm, the front end of the intermediate lever a is caused, by pressure
exerted upon the trigger a¹ to bear against the arm e³ of the sear, whereby the
point e¹ of the sear is disengaged from the bent of the tumbler, and thus the freed
main spring e is permitted to throw the hammer E forward, through the corre
sponding recesses of the receiver and the breech bolt.
Beyond the front end surface of the breech bolt, the firing point of the hammer
projects to such an extent only as is required for detonating the primer of the
cartridge.
That it may be possible when the rifle is loaded and the lock cocked, to prevent at
will the trigger from being operated and the breech from being opened, a sliding
block a is arranged upon the trigger-guard. When this sliding block is pushed
forward, it gets beneath the lever carrying the projection a² and abuts against the.
rear side of the trigger a¹ thus preventing the projection a² from being disengaged
from the recess at and the trigger from being operated.
The magazine (see figs. 4, 10, and 12), which fulfils at the same time the office of a
cartridge box, is made of stiff sheet metal or of millboard, and consists in a case F.
of quadrangular cross section, the top portion of which is bent sidewise and downward.
Inside the magazine the superposed cartridges are supported by a spring f, which
forces them toward the open end of the magazine, where they are prevented from
coming out by a small slide-block f¹, movable in a slot of the side of the
magazine and bearing against the rear portion of the larger diameter of the first
cartridge.
That lateral side of the magazine above which the exit mouth is located, is provided
with two upright slots f³f having inwardly curved ends, and the portion of the
side, comprised between these slots is so pressed out (see figs. 4 and 12) as to enable
its edges to be introduced into the grooves g g formed on the right hand side of the
receiver or breech case (see fig. 11). A spring catch g' fixed to the receiver takes
into a perforation f₁ of the said portion of the side of the magazine, thereby
keeping this latter in its position and providing at the same time for the easy removal.
of exhausted magazines.
When the magazine is attached to the right hand side of the rifle, its mouth
applies itself immediately to the right hand half of the top surface of the breech'
bolt D, as clearly shewn in fig. 4, and the empty cartridge cases can be ejected
without bindrance to the left hand side.
When rapid fire is to be delivered, the magazine stop f1 is pushed forward in its
slot, whereupon the first cartridge will, as soon as the breech bolt is moved back-
ward, drop so far down into the path of the breech cylinder that it comes to rest
upon the head of the cartridge extractor. From this position, the breech bolt after-
wards pushes the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel, and in doing so the said

page_text: bolt passes immediately beneath the following cartridge yet inclosed in the magazine.
In this manner the breech-bolt keeps the magazine practically closed and prevents
the following cartridge from dropping down till after the ejection of the empty cart-
ridge case.
At any given moment the feeding of cartridges from the magazine into the path
of the breech bolt may be stopped by pulling the sliding-block or magazine stop fl
backward in its slot, and single cartridges may be loaded by the hand while the
magazine is attached to the rifle.
As clearly visible in Fig. 10, the outer lateral side of the magazine is provided
with several large openings, enabling the firer to inform himself of the number of
cartridges yet contained in the magazine.
The magazine shown by fig. 13, is of the same construction as that already
described, with the difference however that its front part is cut off, so as to let the
bullets project to the outside.
While delivering rapid fire the riflemen may combine the closing of the breech
and the firing in one movement, by continuously keeping applied to the trigger one
finger of the hand, which operates the trigger guard and by pressing with the said
finger upon the trigger while pulling the trigger guard backward.
In order to afford facility for taking the arm to pieces, the pinion 63, the locking
block C¹ with its lever and the percussion lock E el e² are mounted upon the
trigger-plate B, and all these parts including the trigger-guard A and trigger a a
(see fig. 8) can be withdrawn from the stock, after the breech screw h has been
unscrewed; after this the breech bolt too can be slid out of the receiver.
When the trigger-plate B with the parts mounted thereon is inserted into the stock,
the projections 6 formed on the front portion of the trigger-plate are supported by
the shoulders h¹ formed within the receiver, and consequently the breech screw
suffices for rigidly connecting the trigger-plate to the stock.
The screw h² in the forepart of the stock has for its object to press the front end of
the trigger-plate against the stock. The head of the said screw merely overlaps the
front edge of the trigger-plate and when this latter is to be removed, all that is
required is to partly loosen the screw.
Instead of a locking block arranged to enter a recess of the breech-bolt, a locking
block may be used, which places itself behind the breech-bolt, and the locking block
lever may be pivoted to the receiver or breech case instead of being pivoted to the
trigger plate as described.
For the purpose of lifting the locking block on the breech being closed, a
projection having an inclined top surface may be formed on the slide bar B¹, as
shewn in Figs. 15 and 16, the said incline penetrating, while the bar B¹ is terminating
its backward stroke, beneath the locking block C. (fig. 15) or beneath a lateral
projection fig. 16, of the locking block lever C.
block is effected by the action of the incline 61 upon the lever C, as already
The lowering of the locking
described.
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,―
1st. A straight-pull cylinder breech action, in which the forward and backward
movement of the trigger-guard causes the breech-bolt to move backward and forward,
this result being effected by means of a rack 62 connected to the trigger guard A and
meshing with a pinion 63 in gear with a rack d¹ fixed to the breech bolt D, which is
locked in its forward position by a locking block Centering a recess d of the breech-
bolt or placing itself behind the same, and operated by a lever C under the action of
a projection of the slide bar B¹.
2nd. In a fire-arm provided with the breech action referred to in claim 1, a
hammer percussion lock mounted upon the trigger plate B, in combination with a
projection of the bar B¹, which is reciprocated by the trigger-guard A, the said
projection carrying along an arme of the hammer E and thereby sufficiently turning

page_text: this latter as to allow the point e¹ of the sear to take into the bent of the tumbler
for keeping the main spring e* bent.
3rd. In a fire-arm of the construction referred to in claims 1 and 2, a trigger a¹
acting upon an intermediate lever a, by which, when the trigger-guard A is in its
rear position and the breech closed, the point e¹ of the sear can be disengaged from
the bent of the tumbler.
4th. In a fire-arm of the construction referred to in claims 1 and 2, a device
for fixing the trigger-guard A in its rear position, consisting of a lever pivoted to
the pivot of the trigger and carrying a projection a², which, under the action of a
spring pressing upon the lever, takes into a recess at of the trigger-plate B.
5th. In a fire arm of the construction referred to in claims 1, 2 and 4 a stop for
preventing the breech action and cocked lock from being operated, this stop consisting
in a small slide block a movable on the trigger-guard A, and placing itself, when
pushed forward, beneath the catch lever carrying the projection a² and immediately
behind the trigger a¹.
6th. In a fire arm of the construction referred to in claims 1, 2, and 3, a trigger-
plate B upon which are mounted the mechanism for operating the breech-bolt, the
locking block C¹ with its lever C, and the percussion lock E e e¹ e with its trigger,
in combination with projections be on the front part of the trigger-plate, which rest
on shoulders h¹ of the receiver, for the purpose of enabling all these parts to be
connected to the stock solely by the breech screw.
7th. In a fire-arm of the construction referred to in claim 1, a magazine laterally
attached to the receiver and consisting in a box F, of quadrangular cross section and
having its top portion curved sidewise and downward in consequence whereof the
mouth of the magazine is closely applied to one lateral half of the top surface of the
breech bolt D, and the top-most of the cartridges, which are supported by a spring f
is caused to drop upon the cartridge extractor and into the path of the breech bolt,
when the same is moved backward, while the advancing breech-bolt forces the cart-
ridge into the chamber of the barrel and closes the mouth of the magazine.
1
8th. In a repeating rifle of the construction referred to in claims 1 and 7, &
magazine stop, consisting in a sliding piece f¹ movable in a slot of the upper side of
the magazine next its mouth.
9th. In a repeating fire arm of the construction referred to in claims 1 and 7, a
magazine having wo upright slots f2f2 formed in its side facing the receiver and
the portion f Fetween the said slots pressed outward so as to enable this portion to
be pushed into grooves g g formed on the lateral side of the receiver, which carries a
spring catch taking into a perforation of the said portion f³.
10th. Ir a breech loading fire arm of the construction referred to in claim 1, a
device fc. lifting the locking block C, this device consisting in an incline formed
on the iding bar B¹ and penetrating, while the trigger-guard A is terminating its
back stroke, beneath the locking block C₁ or beneath a lateral projection of the
locking block lever C.
Qu
1
1000