Improvements in Repeating or Magazine Fire-arms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating or Magazine Fire-arms.
I, ULDARIQUE MARGA, of 15 Rue Royale, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Lieutenant of Infantry, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to repeating or magazine fire-arms.
The fire-arm which forms the subject of my said invention belongs to that class
in which the charge, ordinarily consisting of five cartridges, is rapidly renewed by
introducing into the breech a loader containing five cartridges which, as they
descend in the magazine provided on the under side of the breech, depress an
elevator which automatically moves a cartridge into the breech in each operation of
the breech bolt.
My improvements relate more especially to the loader, the breech bolt and means
for dismounting the same, and to devices for ensuring and stopping the repetition.
In the improved fire-arm the breech and magazine are made of a single piece in
the sense that the four vertical walls or sides of the magazine extend downwards
directly from the breech so as to surround the aperture necessary for the upward
movement of the cartridges, and to reinforce the breech weakened by this aperture,
the bottom of the magazine being subsequently fastened to the four walls or sides.
In front of the magazine the breech ends in the ordinary tapped socket into which
the barrel is screwed, and immediately at the rear of the magazine the breech
terminates in a closed socket or cylinder in which the breech bolt is locked so that
the breech is very short and compact for this kind of fire-arm.
The cylindrical rear part of the breech extends obliquely downwards and
terminates below in a tail piece which is sunk into the stock of the fire-arm and is
traversed by a screw the extremity of which is screwed into the prolongation of the
trigger guard also embedded in the stock and having on the front part a lug or
tappet engaging with a notch or hole in the rear side of the magazine. As in front
of the magazine, which extends through an aperture in the stock, the latter is
connected with the barrel by ordinary rings, it will be sufficient to loosen the
aforesaid screw and rings for dismounting the metallic part, although this
connection is very firm.
As in all fire-arms of the kind the magazine is of sufficient capacity for receiving
five cartridges which are pushed upwards towards the breech by an elevator
consisting of a lever to the upper extremity of which is articulated a plate which
under the action of a spring fixed upon the said lever will always occupy a
horizontal position so that it cannot pass beyond this position in the upward
direction, because the extremities of the plate and lever meet while the plate on
which the cartridges are put can yield under the pressure of the same in the down-
ward direction and thus follow all the inclinations due to the lower cartridge which
is in direct contact with it. The lower extremity of the said lever terminates in a
cam pivoted in the magazine upon a bolt in such a manner that the lever can
be oscillated at will in the magazine. Upon the cam bears the lower rounded
extremity of a piston under the action of a spiral spring which constantly tends to
press it downwards, the said piston being placed in a hole in the rear part of the
magazine and guided by means of a groove and bolt which also prevent it from
leaving the hole when the elevator is withdrawn from the magazine. This arrange-
ment has for its object to obtain a strong elevator no part of which shall make
constrained movements or be liable to get out of order.
I make the loader of a metallic sheet folded in the middle so as to form a case the
rear extremities of which, when it contains the cartridges, are held together by a

page_text: sliding-piece, the inwardly bent edges of the latter being adapted to engage with
and slide upon the outwardly bent edges of the case.. Symmetrically with respect to
the axis of the loader the slide is provided with two studs or tappets projecting to
the rear.
When thus the loader is introduced from one or the other side into the
magazine one of the studs or tappets will engage with the edge of the rear side,
and while the case descends in the magazine to the two sides of the elevator the
slide is liberated, remains above and then falls to one side, the case moving to the
bottom and spreading in the lateral direction, because the sides have more or less
spring and liberate the cartridges in order to deliver them to the elevator. From
this arrangement of the loader results that the magazine becomes so to speak
superfluous, because the cartridges are sufficiently held by the sides of the loader
which may bear in front against a small vertical guide extending from the breech
into the stock. In any case the magazine is always open below so that the loader
case falls of itself when all the cartridges have been fired. If it is desired to with-
draw all the cartridges from the fire-arm without causing them one by one to pass
the breech it will be enough to turn the elevator outwards by pulling it from
below. As in this manner the cartridges are not retained they slide into the hand
of the shooter.
When everything is in its place for the firing the elevator pushes the cartridge
upwards so that the first is put against two strips which are arranged at different
heights in the breech and thus enable the cartridge to be moved a sufficient
distance for being taken along by the bolt when the latter is pushed forwards and
being introduced into the chamber of the barrel.
For stopping the repetition it is sufficient to lower a strip, which prevents the
passage of the cartridge. In order to enable the said strip to be raised and lowered
at will it extends at a right angle from a vertical slide arranged in a slot in the side
of the magazine wherein it is displaced by means of an eccentric turned in one or
the other direction by the aid of a small crank.
The construction of the bolt adapted to be locked at its rear by means of inter-
rupted screw threads formed on the cylinder which terminates the breech having been
described in its essential parts in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 18363 A.D.
1889 I will hereinafter set forth only an improvement in the construction of the ejector.
Instead of presenting the form of a small round rod the ejector is made of a small
dove-tail slide which is a little longer than the front part of the breech bolt and
extends to the front of the mortice. The metallic part is recessed longitudinally
parallel with the axis of the breech bolt and ends in the mortice. In the opening
formed in this manner the ejector is adapted to slide freely and it has in the middle
a groove provided above a screw threaded pivot designed to prevent the ejector
from leaving the space assigned to it and limiting its movement to the front and
The ejector operates similarly to that described in the Specification of the
above-mentioned Letters Patent, in which the arrangement of the safety device
behind the handle of the breech bolt is set forth.
rear.
Dated this 31st day of December 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating or Magazine Fire-arms.
I, ULDARIQUE MARGA, of 15 Rue Royale, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Lieutenant of Infantry, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and 50
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to repeating or magazine fire-arms.
The repeating or magazine fire-arm which forms the subject of my said invention

page_text: My improvements relate more especially to the loader, the breech bolt, the means
for dismounting it, the safety device and the device for stopping the repeating
action.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the whole mechanism through the axis of the
fire-arm.
Figure 2 a transverse section through the magazine.
Figure 3 a transverse section showing the device for locking the breech bolt.
Figure 4 a side view of the breech bolt and its locking device.
Figure 5 a plan of the detent and device for stopping the breech bolt.
Figure 6 an elevation of the loader and
Figure 7 an horizontal section of the latter.
In the improved fire-arm the breech and magazine are made of a single piece in
the sense that the four vertical walls of the magazine extend downwards directly
from the breech so as to surround the aperture necessary for the upward movement
of the cartridges, thus strengthening the breech weakened by this aperture, the
bottom of the magazine being subsequently fastened to the four walls. In front of
the magazine the breech ends in the ordinary tapped socket into which the barrel is
screwed, and immediately at the rear of the magazine the breech terminates in a
closed socket or cylinder in which the breech bolt is locked, so that the breech is
very short and compact for this kind of fire-arm.
The cylindrical rear part of the breech extends obliquely downwards and
terminates below in a tail-piece Q which is sunk into the stock of the fire-arm and
is traversed by a screw V the extremity of which engages with the prolongation of
the trigger guard S also embedded in the stock and having on the front part a lug
or tapper d engaging with a notch or hole in the rear side of the magazine. In
front of the magazine which extends through an aperture in the stock, the latter is
connected with the barrel by ordinary rings, so that it will be sufficient to loosen
the screw Vand the said rings for dismounting the metallic part, although this
connection is very firm.
As in all fire arms of the kind the magazine is of sufficient capacity for receiving
five cartridges which are pushed upwards toward the breech by the elevator
consisting of a lever L to the upper extremity of which is articulated a plate L'
which under the action of a spring v fixed upon the said lever L will always occupy
a horizontal or substantially horizontal position so that it cannot pass beyond this
position in the upward direction, because the extremities of the plate L' and lever L
come in contact while the plate on which the cartridges are put can yield under
the pressure of the same in the downward direction and thus follow all the
inclinations imparted to it by the lower cartridge which is in direct contact with it.
The lower extremity of the said lever L terminates in a cam c pivoted in the
magazine upon a bolt in such a manner that the lever can be oscillated at will in
the magazine. Upon the cam bears the lower rounded extremity of a piston P
under the action of a spiral spring which constantly tends to press it downwards
upon the cam c the said piston being arranged in a hole in the rear part of the
magazine and guided by means of a groove and pin v which also prevent it from
leaving the hole when the elevator is withdrawn from the magazine. This arrange-
ment has for its object to obtain a strong elevator no part of which shall make
constrained movements or be liable to get out of order.
I make the loader or cartridge holder Figures 6 and 7 of a sheet of metal folded
in the middle so as to form a case the rear extremities of which, when, it contains
the cartridges, are held together by a sliding-piece G', the inwardly bent edges 61

page_text: of the latter being adapted to engage with and slide upon the outwardly bent edges
the case E³.
Symmetrically with respect to the axis of the loader the slide G' is provided with
two studs or tappets n projecting to the rear. When thus the loader is introduced
from one or the other side into the magazine one of the studs or tappets n will
engage with the edge of the rear side, and while the case descends in the magazine
to the two sides of the elevator the slide is liberated remains above and then falls
to one side, the case moving to the bottom and expanding in the lateral direction,
because the sides have more or less spring and liberate the cartridges in order to
deliver them to the elevator. From this arrangement of the loader it follows that
the magazine becomes so to speak superfluous, because the cartridges are sufficiently
held by the sides of the loader which may bear in front against a small vertical
guide extending from the breech into the stock.
In any case the magazine is always open below so that the loader case falls of
itself when all the cartridges have been fired. If it is desired to withdraw all the
cartridges from the fire-arm without causing them one by one to pass the breech it
will be enough to turn the elevator outwards by pulling it from below. As in this
manner the cartridges are not retained they will slide into the hand.
When everything is in its place for the firing the elevator L L pushes the
cartridges upwards so that the first is put against two strips which may be
arranged at different heights in the breech and thus enable the cartridge to be
moved a sufficient distance for being taken along by the bolt when the latter is
pushed forward so as to be introduced into the chamber of the barrel. The position
of these strips is shown in Figure 2, the position of the strip / shown in dotted lines,
that is to say the upper position being that for the firing.
For stopping the repeating action it is sufficient to lower the strip, as shown in
full lines, which prevents the passage of the cartridge.
In order to enable the said strip to be raised and lowered at will it extends at a
right angle from a vertical slide arranged in a slot in the side of the magazine
wherein it is displaced by means of an eccentric turned in one or the other direction
by the aid of a small crank m.
The construction of the bolt adapted to be locked at its rear by means of inter-
rupted screw threads formed on the cylinder which terminates the breech having
been described in its essential parts in the Specification of former Letters Patent
No. 18363 A.D. 1889 I will hereinafter set forth only an improvement in the
construction of the ejector.
Instead of presenting the form of a small round rod the ejector is made of a small
dove-tail slide E¹ which extends to the front of the groove formed in the underside
of the bolt. The breech bolt is recessed longitudinally and parallel with the axis
thereof, to receive the said dove-tail slide, the said recess terminating in the aforesaid
groove. In this recess the ejector E' is adapted to slide freely and the said
ejector is provided in the middle with a groove and a screw designed to prevent
the ejector from leaving the space assigned to it and limiting its movement to
the front and rear. The ejector operates to eject the empty cartridge cases
by striking the part G substantially in the manner described in the Specification
of the above mentioned Letters Patent. The safety device behind the handle of the
breech bolt is also set forth in the said former Patent and need not therefore be
described herein.
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 in a repeating or magazine fire-arm having a loader and a breech bolt adapted
to be locked at the rear by interrupted screw threads is :-
:-
First: The loader case composed of the sheet E' bent in the middle, and the
rear edges of which are retained and connected by the sliding piece G₁ having studē
or tappets n, n, which maintain the cartridges and which, when the loader is intro-

page_text: duced into the magazine engages with the latter and separates the slide G' from
the said loader and thus liberates the cartridges so that they are subjected to the
action of the elevator.
Second-The device for stopping the repeating action comprising the plate
actuated by an eccentric which may be turned in the slide in one or the other
direction by means of the crank or knob m, substantially as described.
Third: The construction of the ejector E¹ in the form of a dove-tail adapted to
slide longitudinally at the extremity of the breech bolt on a screw ³ substantially
as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.