Improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
I, THEODOR BERGMANN, of Gaggenau (Baden), Germany, Gun Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in automatic_breech loading fire arms of
the kind described in a previous application for Letters Patent dated the
5th day of July 1894 No. 13070 in which the self loading and cocking are effected
by the recoil of the breech bolt. The function of the weapon is the same as
already described, the object of the present improvements being to simplify the
construction, improve the operation, and reduce the cost of manufacture of the
weapon.
The improvement consists mainly in so constructing the breech bolt and the
casing in which it slides as to enable the cross-pin heretofore used to limit the
recoil of the bolt to be dispensed with, and the breech bolt to be introduced into
the casing from the front end instead of from the rear, as heretofore, the barrel
also being made easily detachable to enable the breech bolt to be inserted or
withdrawn.
The breech bolt is made tubular to contain within it the spring by which the
bolt is returned to the closed position, and recoil of the bolt is limited by making
the bolt and the casing in which it slides of two diameters so as to present shoulders
or abutments limiting such motion of the bolt, the front part of the bolt of larger
diameter sliding in the breech casing and the rear part of smaller diameter sliding
through the contracted bore at, or in a bush fixed in, the rear end of the casing so
that on the recoil of the bolt the shoulder on the latter will meet the shoulder or
abutment thus formed within the casing. This construction facilitates manufacture
by enabling the casing to be bored and widened from the front end and enables the
weapon to be more perfectly cleaned. The internal shoulder or bush of the casing
also carries or supports the abutment for the spiral spring contained in the bolt
for the purpose of returning it to the closed position, the said abutment being
formed in one with a ring butting against the shoulder or bush of the casing and
the abutment projecting into the interior of the bolt through a longitudinal slot
in the latter which allows of the sliding motion of the bolt. By screwing a bush
into the rear end of the casing to form the shoulder, greater strength is obtained
without the necessity of hardening the whole casing whilst the abutment carrying
ring against which the breech bolt strikes and the bolt itself are made of tempered
steel so as to withstand the blow due to the recoil.
The firing pin passes through a céntral guide hole in the spring abutment
through the spiral spring and the front end of the bolt, its range of movement
within the bolt being limited by a cross-pin screwed into the bolt at the rear end
passing through or projecting into an oblong slot in the head at the rear end of
the firing pin, which slides in the bore of the bolt. This cross pin, in the case of
a pistol, may terminate at both ends in projecting knobs by gripping which the
breech bolt may be drawn back for single loading, whilst in the case of a shoulder
fired weapon the cross pin is connected, to a cover plate that extends alongside
the breech casing and serves to cover the aperture at which the spent cartridge
cases are ejected, the breech bolt being, in this case, provided with a knob handle
for drawing back the bolt for single loading, the bolt passing through said aperture
and projecting from the sliding cover plate near the front end.

page_text: To permit the ready removal of the breech bolt for cleaning, the barrel is
secured in the front end of the casing, the head of a tenon or lug engaging in an
undercut groove in the fore end of the casing and by a rotatable cross key
provided with a thumb lever and engaging in a notch in the underside of the
barrel, the key being so notched that when turned to a certain position its notch
coincides with the bore of the casing so as to permit the withdrawal of the
barrel.
In order to enable the breech bolt to be held retracted whilst withdrawing a
cartridge for instance, it has a notch at its underside in which the head of the
hammer engages just before the bolt reaches ita rearmost position, so that after
the bolt has been drawn back it is retained by the hammer instead of requiring to
be held back by hand, as hitherto. In order to release the bolt and let it go
forward, it is only necessary to first draw it completely back so as to disengage
the hammer from the notch in the bolt and at same time bring it to full cock.
Dated this 24th day of May 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
I, THEODOR BERGMANN, of Gaggenau (Baden) Germany, Gun Maker, 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 improvements in automatic breech loading fire arms of
the kind described in previous Letters Patent dated the 6th day of December 1893
but numbered 13070 A.D. 1894 in which the self-loading is permitted and the
cocking effected by the recoil of the breech bolt under the force of the explosion.
The function of the weapon is the same as already described, the object of the
present improvements being to simplify the construction, improve the operation, and
reduce the cost of manufacture, of the weapon.
The improvement consists mainly in so constructing the breech bolt and the shoe
or casing in which it slides that the recoil of the breech bolt is limited without the
use of the cross-pin heretofore provided for that purpose, the breech bolt being
introduced into the casing from the front end instead of from the rear, and the
barrel being made easily detachable to enable the breech bolt to be inserted or
withdrawn.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the breech mechanism of a pistol,
the breech bolt being shewn as held in the retracted position.
Figures 2, 3, 4, are cross sections on lines 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, respectively, and
Figure 5 is a muzzle end view.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of a shoulder fired weapon, the mechanism being
in the closed position, and
Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 Figure 6.
The breech bolt A is made tubular to contain within it the spring B by which
the bolt is returned to the closed position and the recoil of the bolt A is limited by
making the bolt and the shoe or casing C in which it fits and slides, of two
diameters so as to respectively present a shoulder a and an abutment whereby the
recoil motion of the bolt will be limited. This construction also facilitates
manufacture by enabling the casing to be, bored and widened from the front end and
enables the weapon to be more perfectly cleaned. The abutment c may either be
integral with the casing, as in Figure 1, o be a bush or reducing piece screwed or

page_text: otherwise fixed therein, as in Figure 6, and it also serves to support a ring D
carrying the guided for the firing pin E, this guide d being situated within the bolt
and attached to the ring D by a neck portion passing through a longitudinal slot in
the bolt which extends from the shoulder a to the rear end of the bolt to allow of
the sliding motion of the latter and permit of its insertion and withdrawal at the
front end of the casing. By forming the abutment, as in Figure 6, of a bush
screwed into the casing, greater strength is obtained without the necessity of
hardening the whole casing, the ring D against which the breech bolt A actually
strikes and the bolt itself being made of tempered steel to withstand the blow.
The firing pin E passes through the guide d (which also forms the abutinent for the
spring B) and through the front end of the bolt, its range of movement within the
bolt being limited by a cross-pin G screwed into the bolt A at the rear end, said
pin entering or passing through, a slot g in the head of the firing pin. This cross-
pin G, in the case of a pistol, may terminate at both ends in projecting knobs, as
shewn in Figure 2, by gripping which the breech bolt A may be drawn back for
single loading, whilst in the case of a shoulder-fired weapon (Figure 6) the
cross-pin is connected to a forwardly extending cover plate H that fits alongside
the breech casing C and serves (when the breech bolt is closed) to cover the
aperture I at which the spent cartridge cases are ejected, the breech bolt being, in
this case, provided with a knob handle J by which to draw it back for single
loading, the handle passing through the aperture I and projecting from the sliding
cover plate H near the front end, as shewn.
To enable the breech bolt to be readily removed for cleaning, the barrel K fits
in a plain socket k formed on the breech shoe or casing C and is secured by
a cylindrical_cross key L mounted to turn in the fore end M and to engage,
as shewn, in Figures 1 and 4, in a recess formed in the underside of the barrel, the
key having a recess I formed in it, as shewn in Figure 4, so that when the key is
turned by a lever handle , to bring this recess uppermost, the barrel may be
withdrawn from the socket k. The barrel is further secured in position by the
head of a screw tenon or lug m engaging in an undercut slot in the front part of the
fore end M.
In order to hold the breech bolt retracted whilst withdrawing a cartridge for
instance, it has a notch n at its under side in which the head of the hammer N may
engage when the bolt is drawn back, so that the bolt is retained by the hammer, as
in Figure 1, instead of requiring to be held back by hand, as hitherto. In order to
release the bolt it is only necessary to first draw the bolt completely back so as to
fully cock the hammer, as shewn in dotted lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. Constructing the breech bolt and the shoe in which it slides with shoulders or
abutments whereby to limit the recoil motion of the bolt, as described.
2. The combination, with the hollow longitudinally slotted and externally
shouldered breech bolt and with the spring contained therein, of the combined
abutments for said spring and for limiting the recoil of the bolt, substantially as
specified.
3. The means, substantially as described, of locking the barrel in the breech
casing so as to enable its easy removal for withdrawing the breech bolt from the
front end of the shoe, as specified.
4. The combination, with the breech bolt, of the external cover plate for the
breech shoe attached to and moving with said bolt, as described.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.