Improvements in Magazine and other Breech-loading Small-arms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1895
•
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1996-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
Improvements in Magazine and other Breech-loading Small-arms.
I, JOHN RICHARD HUTCHINSON, of The Hirsel, Leamington, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in magazine
and other breech loading small-arms in which the breech is opened and closed by a
sliding bolt.
The first part of my invention has for its object to prevent the accidental lifting
of the locking handle of the sliding bolt after the said bolt has been pushed home
and locked.
When the gun or small-arm is carried on the shoulder or when it is
shaken at drill or when in carrying it the handle is caught by the cuff of a coat,
the accidental lifting of the handle may take place. The result of such accidental
displacement of the handle of the bolt may result in a dangerous accident and
where accident does not occur the firing of the gun or small-arm when the bolt is
not in its proper position damages the studs on the cocking piece and in rear of the
bolt and prevents the free action of the bolt.
In order to prevent the accidental displacement of the handle of the sliding bolt,
I attach to the side of the breech shoe of the gun a short tubular projection in
the axis of which, and parallel to the axis of the small-arm, a spring sliding
snapping pin works, the projecting rounded end of which pin, when the sliding bolt
is locked by the turning down of its handle, snaps into a recess made in the said
handle for its reception. The said handle is thereby locked in position with
sufficient force to prevent its accidental displacement by any of the causes herein-
before referred to.
The same object may be effected by forming on the bolt cover, a projection
which on the turning of the bolt handle into its locking position snaps over a
retaining spring on the breech shoe.
Both the devices described may be attached to the same gun or small arm.
The second part of my invention has for its object to effect the secure fastening
of the bolt cover to the bolt and thereby prevent the accidental detachment to
which it is liable when secured in the ordinary way.
When
This I effect by making the centre stud on the bolt capable of turning. The
head of this stud is oblong and overhangs one side of the body of the stud.
the said stud is in one position the slot in the cover will pass over the head of the
stud and the cover may be placed in position on or lifted from the bolt. After the
cover has been put in position the turning of the stud through a semi-circle causes
its overhanging head to bear upon that part of the cover at the end of the slot and
the cover can no longer be lifted. The centre stud is fixed in position by means
of a keeper screw the head of which screw is in part cut away. When the cut
away portion of the head of the screw is opposite the centre stud the said stud can
be turned but when the keeper screw is moved so as to bring an uncut away portion
of its head to the centre stud, the said portion of the screw head engages in a
cut away portion of the centre stud and prevents the turning motion of the
said stud.
Dated this Tenth day of June 1895.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant..

page_text: Improvements in Magazine and other Breech-loading swan-arms..
1, JOHN RICHARD HUTCHINSON of The Hirsel, Leamington, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman, 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 :—
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in magazine
and other breech-loading small-arms in which the breech is opened and closed
by a sliding bolt.
The first part of my invention has for its object to prevent the accidental lifting
of the locking handle of the sliding bolt after the said bolt has been pushed home
and locked. When the gun or small arm is carried on the shoulder or when it is
shaken at drill or when in carrying it the handle is caught by the coat cuff, an
accidental lifting of the handle may take place. The result of such accidental
displacement of the handle of the bolt may cause a dangerous accident and where
accident does not occur the firing of the gun or small arm when the bolt is not in
its proper position damages the studs on the cocking piece and in rear of the bolt
and prevents the free action of the bolt.
In order to prevent the accidental displacement of the handle of the sliding bolt
1 attach to the side of the breech shoe of the gun a short tubular projection in the
axis of which and parallel to the axis of the small-arm a spring sliding snapping
pin works the projecting rounded end of which pin when the sliding bolt is locked
by the turning down of its handle snaps into a recess made in the said handle for
its reception. The said handle is thereby locked in position with sufficient
force to prevent its accidental displacement by any of the causes hereinbefore
referred to.
The same object may be effected by forming on the bolt cover, a projection
which on the turning of the bolt handle into its locking position snaps over a
retaining spring on the breech shoe.
Both the devices described may be attached to the same gun or small-arm.
The second part of my invention has for its object to effect the secure fastening
of the bolt cover to the bolt and thereby prevent the accidental detachment to
which it is liable when secured in the ordinary way.
When
This effect by making the centre stud on the bolt capable of turning. The
head of this stud is oblong and overhangs one side of the body of the stud.
the said stud is in one position the slot in the cover will pass over the head of the
stud and the cover may be placed in position on or lifted from the bolt. After the
cover has been put in position the turning of the stud through a semi-circle causes
its overhanging head to bear upon that part of the cover at the end of the slot and
the cover can no longer be lifted. The centre stud is fixed in position by
means of a keeper screw the head of which screw is in part cut away. When the
cut away portion of the head of the screw is opposite the centre stud the said stud
can be turned but when the keeper screw is moved so as to bring an uncutaway
portion of its head to the centre stud, the said portion of the screw head engages
in a cut away portion of the centre stud and prevents the turning motion of the
said stud.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in side elevation a magazine
breech loading sliding bolt small arm containing my improvements;
Figures 2 and 3 represent respectively in side elevation and plan (both partly in
section) the breech end, shoe and magazine of the same, the handle of the
sliding bolt being in its locked or fastened position and Figures 4 and 5 represent

page_text: the same parts as Figures 2 and 3 the handle of the sliding bolt being in its raised
or unlocking position;
Figure 6 represents an inner elevation of the handle of the sliding bolt the bolt
being represented in cross section ;
Figure 7 represents a vertical section through the breech shoe of the small arm
showing the spring snapping or sliding bolt handle locking pin in end elevation ;
Figures 8 and 9 represent the sliding bolt cover fastening mechanism detached;
Figures 2 to 7 both inclusive are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1 and
Figures 8 and 9 are drawn to a further enlarged scale.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
I will first describe the sliding bolt handle fastening mechanism.
On one side of the breech shoe a I form a tubular projection a² (see Figure 7)
closed at its rear end and in the said tubular projection a² I place a horizontal
piu c urged outwards by a coiled spring d the front end of the said pin c projecting
through the hollow screw cap or ring a nearly closing the front end of the tubular
projection a². In the inner face of the handle e, which inner face works against
the front end of the breech shoe a on the turning down of the said handle for
locking the sliding bolt b, is a recess or depression e² (see Figure 6) and a curved
shallow groove or channel e leading to the said recess e². On the turning down of
the handle e after the cocking of the gun the spring snapping or fastening pin c is
pressed slightly inwards until the recess e² comes opposite the said pin when it is
forced outwards by its spring d and engaging in the said recess e² as seen in
Figures 2 and 3, securely fastens the handle e of the sliding bolt b in its locking
position and prevents the accidental displacement of the said handle for the
purpose herein before explained.
Although I have described and represented and prefer to make a tubular pro-
jection on the side of the breech shoe for receiving the spring fastening pin yet I
do not limit myself to this arrangement as the positions of the parts may be
reversed; that is, the spring pin may be arranged in a tubular recess in the handle e,
the projecting end of the pin c engaging in a recess or pin seat in the front face of
the breech shoe or in a recess in a projection on the breech shoe. Or instead of
forming a tubular projection on the breech shoe as described and represented, a
tubular recess for the spring pin may be made in the front face of the breech shoe
as indicated in dotted lines at a* in Figure 7 the recess or pin seat e² in the handle e
being situated nearer the axis of the sliding bolt as indicated at e¹ in Figure 6.
Or the spring pin may be arranged in a tubular recess in the rear end A of the
breech shoe and the recess or pin seat be formed in the shoulder 62 of the rib of
the sliding bolt 6 engaging behind the said rear end A of the breech shoe.
Or the last described arrangement may be reversed; that is to say, the spring
pin c may be carried by the shoulder 62 of the rib of the sliding bolt and the
recess or pin seat be formed in the rear end A of the breech shoe.
Or the same object may be effected by forming a projection on the sliding bolt
cover B for engaging with a retaining spring on the breech shoe a.
In order to effect the secure fastening of the cover B to the sliding bolt b
I make the middle stud f on the sliding bolt 6 capable of turning so that when the
head of the said stud is in the position represented in Figure 9, and indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 4, it coincides with the sloth in the cover B and the said
cover may be removed or replaced; and by turning the head of the stud f into the
position represented in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 the head is made to overhang the
edge of the slot h and thereby securely fix the cover in position. The stud fis
locked in its fastening position by a keeper screw g the head of which has a con-
cave recess or cut away part g³ which when presented to the part of the body of
the stud fpermits the stud to be turned. It will be seen by reference to Figures 8
and 9 that the distance between the axis of the stud f and the axis of the keeper
screw g is less than the radius of the body part of the stud f, plus the radius of
the head of the keeper screw g. By providing the body part f of the studƒ with

page_text: a flát at one side and the head of the keeper screw g with a concave or cut away
part g, the stud and keeper screw 9 are at different times permitted to turn;
that is to say, when the flat on the body part f' of the stud fis presented to the
keeper screw g, as represented in Figure 8, the said keeper screw is capable of
being turned in one or other direction, and when the said keeper screw 9 is in the
position Figure 8, that is, with its concave side presented to the stud f the stud
may be turned from the position represented in Figure 8 to the position represented
in Figure 9 for unfastening and permitting of the removal of the cover B. On
the replacement of the cover B the stud fis turned to the position represented in
Figure 8 to effect the secure fastening of the cover and the keeper screw 9 is
turned into the position best seen in Figures 2 and 5 for the purpose of preventing
the accidental turning of the stud f.
Although I have described and represented my improvements only in connection
with magazine breech-loading sliding bolt small-arms yet I wish it to be under-
stood that the said improvements are applicable to sliding bolt breech-loading
small-arms generally.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention.:-
First. In magazine and breech-loading small-arms in which the breech'is opened
and closed by a sliding bolt, providing the breech shoe with a tubular projection
containing a spring snapping pin for engaging in a recess in the handle of the
sliding bolt substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawing also the modified arrangements hereinbefore
described for effecting the same object.
Secondly. In magazine and breech loading small arms in which the breech is
opened and closed by a sliding bolt,-securely fixing the cover of the sliding bolt by
providing the said sliding bolt with a fastening stud capable of turning, the said
stud having an overhanging head for engaging when in one position with the edge
of a slot in the cover and being used in combination with a keeper screw for
locking and unlocking the said fastening stud substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Eighteenth day of February 1896.
JOHN RICHARD HUTCHINSON.