IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE FIRE ARMS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1836.
Complete Left, 1st Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
I JOSEF SCHULHOF of No. 8 Habsburggasse in the City of Vienna, Austria, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE FIRE
ARMS" to be as follows:
The principal novel features of this new magazine gun are the breech bolt and the
peculiar construction of the magazine.
The breech bolt in outward appearance resembles the "Mauser" bolt and like the
latter locks by means of a locking rib turning into a recess in the breech ease.
This
breech bolt however consists besides firing pin and spiral spring, of essentially two
pieces, the bolt or cylinder proper and the hand piece, by means of which it is moved
back and forward. The hand piece, which fits upon the rear end of the bolt is provided
with one or more internal spiral grooves fitting upon one or more internal spiral
grooves fitting upon one or more corresponding spiral ribs or projections upon the end
of the breech bolt. Said hand piece is also provided with a horizontal guide bar
rigidly attached to it, which fits and slides in a corresponding groove or recess in the
side of the breech case, thereby permitting to the hand piece only a horizontal recipro-
cating motion; an up and down movement as in the "Mauser" hand piece being
prevented by said guide bar.
Now when the hand piece is drawn back in order to open the breech, the bolt will,
in consequence of being spirally guided in said hand piece, receive about a quarter
turn to one side whereby the locking: rib is turned out of its recess and the bolt becomes
free to be pulled back-In pushing in the hand-piece the reverse takes place and the
bolt is locked. The rear end of the bolt is closed by a screw plug or locking nut which
may be so arranged as to be used as a safety guard for the firing pin.
The magazine, which has the form of a drum or cylinder is attached to the stock
and breech case underneath the latter, which is in this place provided with a corre-
sponding opening in the bottom permit the raising of the cartridges from the
magazine into the breech case.
This magazine drum is made to contain from 8 to 14 cartridges and is parallel with its
axis provided with an interior central arbor or small drum around and parallel to which the

page_text: cartridges are arranged. This interior arbor turns in bearings and is rotated in one
direction by the unwinding from its end of a small chain, the other end of which is
attached to the door or lid of the magazine. Thus when said door is opened the
central arbor of the magazine receives one turn in one direction, when as the door is
fully opened said arbor is stopped by a spring pawl catching into a corresponding
notch in its end.
The other end of this arbor is provided with a spiral spring which is tightened or
wound when the magazine door is opened and the arbor rotated in one direction."
By the action of the before mentioned pawl preventing the turning back of the
arbor, the spiral spring is also kept wound until the magazine door is closed when a
pin attached to the latter strikes the pawl, thereby releasing the arbor, which is now
turned back into its original position. This turning back causes the feeding of the
cartridges into the breech case in the following manner:-
On its surface, parallel to its axis the arbor carries a slightly oscillating lever which
when the magazine door is opened stands in its highest position to the right against
the lower side of the case.
The cartridges having been thrown into the magazine and the door closed, the spiral
spring acting upon the arbor forces it to turn whereby said oscillating lever presses
laterally against the last cartridge pushing them all before it so that one after the
other is passed up an incline, with which the magazine is provided, into the breech
case where they are struck by the breech bolt, pushed home and subsequently fired.
When the gun is to be used as a single loader while the magazine is filled a slide
is pushed into the magazine, which passes over the cartridges and prevents them from
passing out.

page_text: I, JOSEF SCHULHOF of No. 3 Habsburg-gasse, Vienna, Austria, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 improvements in magazine fire arms, the principal novel
features of which are the sliding breech piece or bolt and the peculiar construction of
the magazine. This new invention belongs to that class of guns in which a sliding
breech piece or bolt is employed and wherein the magazine is arranged between two
parts of the stock in immediate connection with the cartridge chamber in the breech
receiver.
The construction is simple and the number of movements usually required in fire
arms of similar construction is reduced.
The sliding breech piece or bolt in outward appearance resembles the "Mauser"
bolt and, like the latter, locks by means of a locking rib turning into a recess in the
breech receiver or case. This breech piece or bolt however, consists, besides firing pin
and special spiral spring, of essentially two pieces, the bolt or cylinder proper and the
hand piece, by means of which it is moved back and forward. The hand piece which
fits upon the rear end of the sliding breech piece or bolt is provided with one or more
internal spiral grooves fitting upon one or more corresponding spiral ribs or projections
upon the end of the breech piece or bolt. Said piece is also provided with a horizontal
guide bar rigidly attached to it, which fits and slides in a corresponding groove or
recess in the side of the breech receiver or case, thereby permitting the hand piece to
make only a horizontal reciprocating motion, an up and down movement as in the
"Mauser" hand piece being prevented by said guide bar.
Now when the hand piece is drawn back in order to open the breech, the bolt will
in consequence of being spirally guided in said hand piece, receive about a quarter
turn to one side whereby the locking rib is turned out of its recess and the bolt or
breech piece becomes free to be pulled back. In pushing in the hand piece the reverse
takes place and the bolt is locked. The rear end of the bolt or breech piece is closed
by a screw plug or locking nut which may be so arranged as to be used as a safety
guard for the firing pin.
The magazine, which has the form of a drum is attached to the stock and breech
receiver or case underneath the latter, which is in this case provided with a corre-
sponding opening in the bottom to permit the raising of the cartridges from the
magazine into the breech receiver or case. This magazine drum is made to contain
from 8 to 14 cartridges and is parallel with its axis provided with an interior central

page_text: arbor or small drum around and parallel to which the cartridges are arranged. This
interior arbor turns in bearings and is rotated in one direction by the unwinding of a
small chain, arranged at the one end, the other end of which said chain is attached to
the lid of the magazine.
Thus when said lid is opened the central arbor of the magazine receives one turn in
one direction, when, as the door or lid is fully opened, said arbor is stopped by a spring
pawl catching into a corresponding notch in its end. The other end of this arbor is
provided with a spiral spring which is tightened or wound when the magazine door or
lid is opened and the arbor rotated in one direction.
By the action of the before mentioned pawl preventing the turning back of the
arbor the spiral spring is also kept wound until the magazine door is closed when a
pin attached to the latter strikes the pawl, thereby releasing the arbor, which is now
turned back into its original position. This turning back causes the feeding of the
cartridges into the chamber in the breech case or receiver in the following manner.
On its surface, parallel to its axis the arbor carries a slightly oscillating lever which,
when the magazine door is open, stands in its highest position to the right against the
lower side of the case.
The cartridges having been thrown into the magazine and the door closed, the spiral
spring acting upon the arbor forces it to turn whereby said oscillating lever presses
laterally against the last cartridge pushing them all before it so that one cartridge after
the other is passed up an incline, with which the magazine is provided, into the breech
receiver case where they are struck by the sliding breech piece or bolt, pushed home
into the cartridge chamber and subsequently fixed.
When the gun is to be used as a single loader while the magazine is filled a slide
is pushed into the magazine, which passes over the cartridges and prevents them from
passing out.
Figure 1 is a part elevation of the right hand side of my improved fire arm and
figure 2 a part elevation of the left hand side of the same.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the magazine with the stock removed and the magazine
flap opened.
Figure 4 is a rear view of the magazine with closed flap.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the magazine through the line X Y Fig. 8.
Figure 6 is a top view of the same.
Figure 6 is a view of the cartridge transport lever.
Figure 7 is a front view of the closed magazine.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of the same through the line X Y Fig. 6.
Figure 9 is a top view of the breech receiver.
Figure 10 a side view of the same.
Figure 11 is a side view, Figure 12 a top view of the rear end of the breech receiver
with safety slide.
Figure 13 to 13 represent the details of the handle or hand piece to the sliding
breech piece.
Figure 14 to 14 represent the end piece of the sliding breech piece with spiral spring
and curved ledge or rib.
Figures 15 to 15d represent the sliding breech piece or bolt with extractor and
curved locking ledge or rib.
Figures 16 to 16° represent the striking or firing pin.
Like letters denote like parts in all the figures.
The sliding breech piece a, Figure 15, is provided at its rear end with a curved
rib a¹ onto which the handle or hand piece b, Figure 13, which is provided with a
corresponding groove b¹ fits.
A guide bar 62 fixed to the handle b glides in a corresponding groove d² of the
breech receiver d so as to prevent all turning of the said handle or hand piece and
permit only a backwards and forwards or reciprocating movement of the same.
A screw 63 in the handle or hand piece b, Figure 13, gears into a curved groove a²
in the sliding breech piece or bolt a so as to prevent the handle 6 from leaving the

page_text: cylindrical breech piece or bolt a. The sliding breech piece a is provided with a stop
rib a³ which fits into a recess d in the breech receiver in front of the shoulder d³. If
the sliding breech piece a which is guided in a straight line by means of the guide
rod 62 gliding in the groove d¹ in the breech receiver is drawn back from the position
shown in Fig. 1, by means of the handle 6 the groove b₁ of the same will glide on the
curved rib a of the breech piece a so as to impart about a quarter turn to the latter
and so that the rib a³ is freed from contact with the shoulder d³ and the breech piece
or bolt can be drawn back.
When the handle bis pushed forwards a contrary action takes place, the breech
piece a makes a quarter turn to the right and downwards; the rib a³ lays itself in the
recess behind the shoulder d³ and locks the breech. The firing pin f, Figure 16,
lays in the sliding breech piece which is correspondingly bored out and the tip of the
same will, in fired position, protrude somewhat beyond the head of the sliding breech
piece.
The firing pin f is guided by means of a peculiarly formed groove f¹, Fig. 16, on a
pin a arranged in the interior of the breech piece cylinder or bolt. At almost the
opposite side of the firing pin is a slot which permits the free movement of the
sliding breech piece or bolt on the nose t' of the trigger up to the stop 4, Fig. 16,
by means of which latter the bolt is arrested and the spring put under
tension. When the trigger t is pulled the nose t' is so far depressed that the
stop can glide over the same so that the firing pin can be propelled forwards by
the spring The firing pin in the interior of which the spiral spring is arranged
is enclosed in the sliding breech piece or bolt a by means of the part . This end
piece can be attached to the sliding breech piece a by means of a screw or suitable
threads but I prefer to attach the same by means of a bayonet catch as represented in
the accompanying drawings.
The forward piece of the end piece is provided with studs 13 fitting into corre-
sponding recesses a of the sliding breech piece or bolt so that by inserting the said
studs in the recesses a³ and giving the end piece a turn to the one side the same
will be firmly attached to the sliding breech piece.
firing pin f.
In order to prevent the said piece 13 from leaving the said breech piece the former
is provided with a curved rib 12 which fits into a corresponding recess 64 in the hand
piece b.
The spring fits over the pin and is guided by the same in the
The safety slide is shown in Figure 10, 11, 12 and consists of the slides which can
be moved backwards and forwards in a guide s¹ in the tail piece by means of a suitable
knob s². The trigger t which ends in the nose t¹ projecting through the breech
receiver d is held constantly down by a spring v. A stud 2 Fig. 9, 11, 12, presses
the spring onto a stud or nose u of the trigger t. If the safety slide s is drawn back
a rectangular downwardly bent lug or stops of the said safety slide will be pushed
between the stop and the nose u Fig. 11, so that the spring is pressed upwards
and the trigger t held in its lowest position thus rendering it impossible to pull the
trigger and fire off the gun. If the slide is pushed forwards into the position shown
in Fig. 11, the spring and trigger t will be freed.
The magazine is as aforementioned arranged between the two halves of the shaft
and consist of a drum or casing g preferably of thin sheet metal which is attached to the
forward and rear halves of the shaft by means of the lugs p2 Fig. 3, 4, 5, and p¹
Fig. 6, 7 and appropriate screws. A stud or projection 9 of the magazine fits into a
recess 7 Fig. 10, of the breech receiver so as to fix the magazine to the breech
receiver d. The upper part of the drum g is cut away corresponding with the recess d²
in order to allow a cartridge to pass through the same the drum being provided with an
incline to enable the ready entrance of the cartridge into the breech receiver,
Fig. 6, 8.
The inner walls of the drum are provided with spiral surfaces m the object of which
will be described later on. A second drum or shaft h is arranged within and concentric
to the walls of the drum g and has its bearings in the end walls of the same. The

page_text: shaft his at its rear end provided with a journal 2, Fig. 3, 4, to which the chain ho is
attached. The other end of this chain ho is attached to the flap g of the magazine as
shown in Figure 3 and 4. The forward end of the shaft or axis h is provided with a
journal i around which an appropriate spring is coiled. This spring is attached
to the journal i of the shaft by pins or screws and to the flap g of the drum g
by means of the pin, peg or screw in such manner that when the shaft his rotated
the spring will be put under tension. This movement of the shaft h is caused by the
opening of the flap 9 as follows:-
The chain which connects the flap g₁ of the drum g with the shaft / runs over a
guide pin or roller h¹, Fig. 3 and 4, and is coiled on the journal of the shaft when the
drum is closed. This end of the shaft is provided with an excentrical disc or
offset wheel in which a pawl h³ gears when the flap g is opened which said pawl is
held in gear with the said disc by means of the spring when the flap is opened.
When the flap is closed the disc or wheel takes up the position shown in Figure 4
so that when the flap is opened the chain * will cause the shaft h to make almost one
revolution before the pawl comes in gear with the tooth or offset of the disc or wheel
so that the shaft h is held in the position shown in Fig. 3, until the flap g* is again
closed. In closing the said flap the pin g comes in contact with the lever pawl h³
so that the same is brought out of gear with the offset or tooth of the disc or wheel 4;
the chain lays itself loosely against the wheel until the disc or wheel is freed and is
wound on the shaft by the force of the spring which was put under tension when
the shaft h was rotated in opening the flap g
The socalled cartridge transporter on the shaft h Fig. 5, 6, 6a, and 8, consists of an
oscillating lover q on the pivot or screw q² q³ the movement of which is limited by
the length of a slot i in which a stud q moves. A spring g arranged laterally on
the transport lever q bears against the shaft h and retains the lever parallel to the
said shaft. The operation of the magazine is as follows:-
In order to fill the magazine the flap g is opened and puts the spring ² under
tension as aforementioned."
The pawl ³ falls at it onto the disc and keeps the shaft h in the position shown in
Fig. 3. In opening the door or flap g the wheel h is given one turn and the trans-
port lover stands in the position shown in Fig. 8 near the opening. The cartridges
are now loosely inserted in the magazine and roll around the shaft h when the
weapon is held to the one side until the first comes in contact with the incline q
at the opening in the breech receiver d2 Fig. 8 and 9.
The magazine is now filled and the door g closed, the pin g releases the pawl /³
and gives the shaft h free. The spring 2 having been put under tension by the rotary
movement of the shaft h has the tendency to return to its original position. The
transport lever g presses hereby against the last cartridge so that the cartridges are
pressed forwards until the foremost cartridge is pressed up onto the incline q and,
when the sliding breech piece is drawn back through the opening in the breech
receiver, into the cartridge chamber in the same. In closing the breech the sliding
breech piece a comes against the flange of the cartridge and pushes the said cartridge
up the incline o, Fig. 5 and 7, into the cartridge chamber in the barrel. When the
last cartridge has reached the incline the transport lever q is in the position shown
by the dotted lines in Fig. 8 and the spring 2 is freed from tension. It will be evident
that the operation of the parts will remain the same whether one or more cartridges
are laid in the magazine, if one cartridge is laid in the magazine the shaft h and
consequently the transport lever 9 will be moved in proportion so that this cartridge
is also brought under the opening d², Fig. 9. When the magazine is full the closed
breech piece will prevent a cartridge from rising through the opening d² Fig. 9,
whereas each time the breech piece is drawn back a cartridge will rise sufficiently so
as to be able to force the same into the cartridge chamber in the barrel. The flap g¹
which is hinged at g' to the magazine is held in closed position by means of a suitable
spring catch or its equivalent.
The extractor e arranged in a bearing c of the locking ledge, a³ of the breech piece,

page_text: is attached to the latter by means of the screw c² so that the same will snap over the
head of the cartridge when the breech piece is pushed forward. Figure 15ª represents
a modification of the extractor arrangement.
When the sliding breech piece is drawn back the flange of the cartridge shell will
strike against a pin r fixed to the drum g and extending through a cavity in the
breech receiver & so that the same is ejected. In order to be able to employ my
improved weapon as single loader with filled magazine I employ a slide j which when
not in use occupies the position represented in Figures 3, 4, 7 and 8. If the said
slide is pushed forwards by means of the knob j¹ the same will occupy the position
as shown by the dotted lines Fig. 6 over the cavity or opening d² of the breech receiver,
Figure 9, and consequently over the opening in the drum and above the cartridges in
the same thus preventing the said cartridges from leaving the magazine. The sliding
breech piece will now glide freely over the cartridges in the magazine so that the
weapon can be used as single loader until the slide is withdrawn when the magazine
again comes into action. As the magazine is not located immediately beneath the
cavity or opening d² in the breech receiver but a trifle to the rear of the same the
inner walls of the drum g are provided with spiral guides so that the cartridges which
originally lay somewhat to the rear of the said opening will on their way upwards
be gradually pushed forward until the uppermost cartridge comes in line with the
said opening. A rib n applied to the inner wall of the magazine serves to hold the
cartridge in horizontal position. The magazine can be readily emptied by simply
opening the flap 9 and allowing the cartridges to roll out. If desired the walls of the
magazine can be perforated at gå in order to be able to ascertain whether the magazine
is filled or not without having to open the flap.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is :-
1. In fire arms the arrangement of a magazine beneath the breech receiver said
magazine consisting of a hollow drum g with flap ga rotary safety shaft h arranged
within the drum and connected with the flap g of the drum g by means of a chain
running over a suitable pin or roller h so that the action of opening the flap g will
cause the shaft h to rotate and also put the spring 2 under tension, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a magazine fire arm of the kind as claimed in claim 1, the device for retaining
the shaft h under tension, consisting of the pawl lever h³ with spring * which said
pawl gears with the disc of the shaft and is put out of gear with the same on closing
the flap g by means of a pin or pivot go, substantially as described in the foregoing
specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. The arrangement application and employment of the incline 95 in the direction
of the longitudinal axis of a magazine of the kind claimed in claim 1, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangement application and employment of spirally formed end surfaces m m
and a rib n in the interior of the magazine of the kind as claimed in claim 1, substan-
tially as described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
5. In magazines for fire arms of the abovementioned kind, the arrangement of an
oscillating cartridge transport lever q with spring q¹ on the shaft h and parallel to
the axis of the same, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and
shown in accompanying drawings.
6. In magazines located beneath the breech receiver of the fire arm, a slide j which
when pushed forwards will prevent the cartridges in the magazine from leaving the
same and passing into the breech receiver, substantially as described in the foregoing
specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
7. In fire arms a sliding breech piece with straight movement consisting of the
cylindrical breech piece a with locking rib a³ hand piece b with guide rod 62 the breech

page_text: b
piece a turning in the hand piece 6 by means of the curved rib a¹ the two parts being
attached to each other by the pin or screw 63 and slot a² and the firing pin f and
spring being arranged in the breech piece and retained in the same by end pieces
or stopper, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
8. In fire arms with sliding breech piece the arrangement application and employ-
ment of a safety device consisting of the slides and nose or projection sa which latter
lays itself between the trigger nose u and the stud v² on the spring when the slide s
is drawn to the rear so as to prevent the trigger from being operated, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this First day of April 1887.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant