IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES AND IN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING OR DELIVERING THE SAME TO BREECH LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the firm of Haseltine,. Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES
AND IN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING OR DELIVERING THE SAME TO BREECH
LOADING FIRE-ARMS communicated to him from abroad by Nicolai de.
Loutkowsky of St Petersburg in the Empire of Russia.
"
i
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1883.
-
HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES.
FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES AND IN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING OR DELIVERING THE
SAME TO BREECH LOADING FIRE-ARMS "[A communication to him from abroad.
by Nicolai de Loutkowsky of St Petersburg in the Empire of Russia.]
This invention relates to magazines for breech loading fire-arms and comprises a>>
magazine for holding cartridges and mechanism for feeding the same to a gun.
The said magazine may be applied to all kind of breech-loaders and particularly
to those provided with a sliding bolt.
According to the said invention I provide a metal casing, which forms the
magazine proper, of suitable shape to allow a number of cartridges to be laid upon
one another in the same. The said magazine is attached at the breech end of the
barrel, and is adapted to be filled with cartridges. Within the magazine is a
zigzag spring acted upon by means of a claw.
The said claw is formed integral with a plate attached at the side of the magazine
by means of a screw and serves as means for closing the movable wall or cover of
the magazine.
The said wall or cover moves upon a hinge and has a projection against which
abuts the said claw. As the said projection is higher than the hinge, when the
rifle is opened, that is to say when the breech-bolt is drawn back, the spring is
}

page_text: pressed down and the claw pressing upon the said projection against the lower
edge of the movable wall or cover causes the same to open. After the said wall
or cover has been opened it presses the spring downwards by means of tho said
plate and is at the same time fastened by the said spring pressing against the
lower edge of the movable wall or cover, when the cartridges may be introduced.
The wall or cover is subsequently closed by giving it a gentle knock whereby the
spring is released, and consequently expands, and, acting upon the claw causes
the same to firmly close the said wall or cover. The wall or cover being once
secured, the cartridges are subsequently pushed by the spring towards the upper
part of the magazine which is hollowed out to fit a cartridge This upper part
moves upon pins.
Upon the edge of the breech-bolt is fixed a holder, which when the said bolt is
drawn backward, raises the shortest arm of a lover which moves upon a pin. The
longer arm of the said lever embraces a pin fixed upon the holder and by this
means moves the said holder in such a manner as to cause the top cartridge to fall
into the breech chamber, the remaining cartridges being subsequently pushed
forward in the magazine.
As soon as the breech-bolt has pushed the cartridge just discharged from the
magazine, into the barrel and as it is being subsequently locked in order to close
the breech, the same pushes the said holder, by means of a lug, back into its
original position. After the cartridge has been fired and its shell subsequently
extracted from the rifle, the said holder again operates in the manner aforesaid
whereby a second cartridge is caused to fall into the breech-chamber. The height
of the said lug is such that it raises the said lever after each extraction of an
empty cartridge shell.
In order to be able to use the rifle in the same manner as an ordinary breech
loader when the magazine is loaded a disconnector is employed which, when in
one position, holds the breech bolt in its place before the lug has moved the holder,
and in another position prevents the breech bolt from completely unlocking.in such
a manner that the magazine cannot be used. The said lever may be used as a
disconnector by altering the position of the saine.
The above described magazine may be modified in the following manner, that is
to say, instead of the zig zag spring hereinbefore described, a spiral spring may be
employed, and in order to regulate the action of the said spiral spring the walls of
the magazine are provided with longitudinal grooves.
According to another modification I use a chain for opening the magazine
instead of forcing the spring back and opening the said magazine by means of a
claw; this chain passes through the bottom of the said magazine and carries a ring
at its lower end. When this ring is pulled with one finger the magazine opens
and is ready to be loaded. The said chain can be bent in all directions and may be
rolled up. The lower part of the magazine is sometimes slightly curved so as to
fit closely in the stock of a gun. A spiral spring is used in this case and pressed
down by means of the claw.
Each of the above described magazines is fixed to the stock of the rifle by means
of screws which pass through screw holes.
The magazine is sometimes fixed only at the time when the weapon is intended
to be fired. For this purpose, a spring is fixed and a hole is formed, in the stock
of the gun.
A hook is arranged on the magazine wall and when the said
magazine is intended to be placed on the weapon the said hook is pressed upon the
spring and as the upper and outer part of this spring projects the same yields and
permits the hook to enter and be secured in the hole. After the upper part of the
hook has passed over the spring the latter expands and presses with its flat side
upon the hook in such a manner as to firmly secure the same. The magazine is
thus fastened to the weapon by a single movement and remains in position as long
as required. When it is desired to remove the said magazine it is sufficient to
press the upper extremity of the spring with a finger and pull the magazino out
When the magazine is provided. with a chain the former is curved in such a

page_text: manner that the whole magazine fits against the stock of the gun, and its wall or
cover which opens out is provided with a groove in order to allow the expansion
of the spring and an aperture for the claw which opens the said wall or cover
The above described magazine is attached to the weapon by means of a metal
pin which fits into a hole formed in the weapon, and a metal piece provided with
a screw which cannot be removed from the same and which is screwed by hand by
means of a ring fastened to its head When it is required to attach the magazine
to the weapon the pin is pushed into the said hole and the screw is screwed into a
hole formed in the breech chamber
In order to fix the magazine the gun carries a ring; the magazine has a
projection and the said ring is provided with a spring having a head.. The
projection is placed in the ring whilst the magazine is pressed upon the weapon,
the head of the spring consequently enters the upper extremity of the magazine
firmly securing the same. This operation is effected by a single movement of the
hand from the front to the rear. In order to remove the said magazine it is
sufficient to press the upper head of the spring downwards and to draw the
projection out of the ring whilst the magazine is knocked out in front.
I sometimes construct a magazine, the walls of which are not. perforated. The
spiral spring used in the same expands in a groove and has a plate having a
projection which fits in an inner groove of the wall-When the chain is pulled
the plate is raised up to the hinge and seizes the spring by means of the projection,
the former closing the wall or cover. When the spring is released by the said
projection and pressed backwards the said wall or cover opens. In order to be
able to open the said wall or cover automatically another spring is provided
A magazine similar to the above has the shape of a truncated cone, its upper
part being placed deeply into the stock of the gun.
A magazine is sometimes provided with two journals which are placed in
bearings in the weapon and the rear part of the said bearing is provided with a
spring
This invention may be applied to ordinary breech loaders the firing speed of
which may be as great as desired as the magazine is filled with cartridges and only
one is used at a time

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Patent Office on the 29th February
•
1884.
"
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and C° Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES
FOR HOLDING CARTRIDGES, AND IN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING OR DELIVERING THE
SAME TO BREECH-LOADING FIRE ARMS" A communication to me from Abroad by
Nicolai de Loutkowsky of St Petersburg in the Empire of Russia
This invention relates to magazines for breech loading fire-arms and comprises
a magazine for holding cartridges and mechanism for feeding the same to a gun
The said magazine is applicable to all kinds of breech loaders and particularly
to those provided with a sliding bolt.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the views of
which are hereinafter referred to.
The said magazine consists of a metal casing of suitable shape to allow a
number of cartridges, preferably six, to lie one upon another in the same. The
said magazine is attached at the breech end of the barrel
Within the magazine is a spring B which is pressed down by the claw A when
the cartridges are introduced.
The said claw A is formed integral with the plato pattached to the magazine
by means of the screw f. The said screw serves to close the movable wall C of
the magazine. This external wall or cover O moves upon the hinge Q, and has a
projections against which the claw A abuta. As the said projection is higher
than the hinge, the operator, by pulling the claw A upon the said projection,
causes the cover O to open and assume the position shown in Figure 2. As the
wall or cover C is opened the spring is compressed by means of the plate p, which
is then held by the said spring pressing against the lower edge of the movable wall
or cover; when in this position the cartridges may be introduced into the magazine.
The wall or cover is subsequently closed by giving it a gentle knock, whereby the
spring B is released and consequently expands, and, acting upon the claw A, causes
the same to firmly close the said wall or cover. The wall or cover C being onco
secured, the cartridges are subsequently pushed by the spring towards the upper
part of the magazine which is hollowed out to fit a cartridge, see Figure 3.
The upper part D is movable upon the pins a a' Figure 1.
Upon the breech-bolt is fixed a projection M (Figure 4) which, when the said
bolt is drawn backward, raises the shorter arm of a lever N Figure 2, oscillating
upon a pin The longer arm of the said lever embraces a pink Figure 2, fixed
upon the holder, D, and by this means moves the said holder D in such a manner
as to cause the top cartridge to fall into the breech chamber, the remaining
cartridges being subsequently pushed upwards in the magazine.
As soon as the breech bolt has pushed the cartridge just discharged from the
magazine into the barrel, and as. it is being subsequently locked in order to close
the breech, the said bolt pushes the holder D by means of the projection A back
into its original position at g (Figure 5.). After the cartridge has been fired.and.
its shell subsequently extracted from the rifle, the said holder D again operates
in the manner aforesaid whereby a second cartridge is caused to fall into the breech
chamber.
The height of the projection M is such that it raises the lever N after each
extraction of an empty cartridge shell.
In order to be able to use the rifle in the same manner as an ordinary breech loader
when the magazine is loaded, a disconnector k is employed (Figure 6) which when
in one position holds the breech bolt in its place before the projection M has
moved the holder D, and in the other position prevents the breech bolt from
completely unlocking in such a manner that the magazine cannot be used. The
lever N may be used as a disconnector by altering the position of the same.

page_text: The above described magazine may be modified in the following manner, that is
to say, instead of the zigzag spring: B Figure 1 herein before described a spiral
spring B Figure 7 may be employed, and, in order to regulate the action of the
said spring, the walls C and C of the magazine are provided with longitudinal
grooves, as shewn in cross section in Figure 8
According to another modification I use a chain E for opening the magazine,
instead of forcing the spring back and opening the said magazine by means of a
claw;
this chain passes through the bottom of the said magazine and carries a
ring i at its lower end. When this ring is pulled with one finger the magazine
opens and is ready to be loaded. The chain E (Figure 9) can be bent in any
direction, and may be rolled up or made into knots
Figure 12 shews a magazine, similar to that above described, the lower part of
which is curved so as to fit closely the stock of a gun. A spiral spring is used in
this case and pressed down by means of the claw A.
Each of the above described magazines is fixed to the stock of the rifle by means
of screws, which pass through the screw holes o o¹ Figure 1, and thus becomes a
fixture to the rifle.
Figure 10 represents a similar magazine to that shewn in Figure 2 with this.
difference, that the former is only fixed at the time when the weapon is intended.
to be fired. For this purpose a spring a is arranged, and a hole b is formed, in the
stock of the gun (Figure 11). A hook fis fixed on the magazine wall, and when
the said magazine is to be placed on the weapon the said hook is pressed upon the
spring a; as the upper and outer part of this spring projects the same yields and.
permits the hook to enter and be secured in the hole b. After the upper part of
the hook has passed over the spring, the latter expands and presses with its flat
side upon the hook in such a manner as to firmly secure the same. The magazine
is thus fastened to the weapon by a single movement and remains in position as
long as required. When it is desired to remove the said magazine it is sufficient
to press the upper extremity a' of the spring with a finger and pull the
magazine out.
Figure 12 shews a magazine provided with a chain, the former being curved in
such a manner that the whole magazine fits against the stock. of the gun, and its
wall or cover C which opens out is provided with a groove in order to allow the
expansion of the spring, and an aperture for the claw A which opens the said wall
or cover C.
Figure 13 shews the above described magazine attached to the weapon by means
of a metal pin, which fits into a hole K formed in the weapon Figure 14, and a
metallic piece P Figure 15 provided with a screw which cannot be removed froin
the same and which is screwed by hand by means of a ring fastened to its head.
When it is required to attach the magazine to the weapon the pin L is pushed
into the hole K and the screw P is screwed into a hole formed in the breech
chamber.
Figure 16 shews the manner in which the magazine is fixed to the rifle. The:
gun carries an eye S and the magazine has a projection u, a spring is also provided
having a head In order to attach the magazine the projection u is placed in the:
eye S whilst the magazine is pressed upon the weapon, the head of the spring.
consequently enters the upper extremity of the magazine and firmly secures the
same. This operation is effected by a single movement of the hand from the front
to the rear. In order to remove the said magazine it is sufficient to press the bead
of the spring downwards and to draw the projection u out of the eye S whilst the'
magazine is knocked out in front
Figure 19 shews a magazine (similar to that represented in Figure 1) the walls
of which are not perforated and the spiral spring used in the same expands in a
groove and has a plate A having a projection a, which fits in an internal groove in
the wall C. When the chain is pulled, the plate is moved to the hinge and engages
with the spring by means of the projection a, the former closing the wall or cover C.
When the spring is released by the projection a and pressed backwards the said

page_text: wall or cover Copens. In order to be able to open the said wall or cover
automatically a spring m is provided, the action of the same is fully illustrated on
the drawing
Figure 20 shews another magazine similar to the above its upper part being
placed deeply into the stock of the gun
Figures 17 and 18 shew another modification of a magazine the construction of
which is clearly illustrated. This magazine is provided with two lugs P, L which
are placed in sockets P1 and L' in the weapon; the rear part of the socket P
consists of a spring K.
This invention is applicable for converting ordinary breech loaders into magazine
guns.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I Claim;—
First. The arrangement of a cartridge magazine with a movable side wall in order
to be able to fill the said magazine with a number of cartridges which are successively
pushed into the breech chamber by means of a spring fixed in the magazine, and a
cover operated by means of a projection on the breech bolt which causes the said
cover to open automatically, at the extraction of an empty cartridge, to allow the
introduction of a fresh cartridge into the breech chamber, the said breech bolt when
closed preventing the next cartridge from being moved forward
Second. The combination of the opening magazine wall C with the claw A
provided with the plate p, the hinge Q and the projections of the wall C,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing.
Third. The combination of the projection M. of the breech bolt, with the lover N,
the pin K on the cover D, and the said cover, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4, of the drawing
Fourth. The combination of a breech bolt with the projection M and a
disconnector K, substantially as described with reference to Figures 4 and 6 of the
drawing.
Fifth. The combination of the spring B' with the chain E which passes through
the bottom of the magazine and carries a ring i, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing.
Sixth. The combination of the hook with the spring a and the aperturo b,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 10 and 11, of the drawing.
Seventh. The combination of the pin L with the hole K and the screw P,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 13, 14 and 15, of the drawing.
Eighth. The combination of the eye S with the projection on the magazine and
with the spring provided with a head, substantially as described with reference to
Figure 16 of the drawing.
Ninth. The combination of the wall C with the plate A having the projection a,
the hinge upon which the said wall C moves, and the springs and m, substantially
as described with reference to Figures 19 and 20 of the drawing
Tenth. The combination of the spring K of the socket P1 and the socket L³ fixed
upon the weapon, of the projections L and P of the magazine, substantially as
described with reference to Figures 17 and 18 of the drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty ninth day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four