Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890

page_text: hammer, and a forward look 18, loosely engaging the arm 19 of the lever 20, that
serves to reciprocate the breech-block 21, and to lock it against recoil when the gun is
fired. The locking lever 20 is pivotted at 20ª and is provided with a lug 22, to abut
against the bottom wall of the breech-frame and limit the forward swinging movement
of the lever. The lug 22 is acted on by the end of an arm 23 which is pivotted at its
front end and is acted on by a spring 24, carried by a stud 25. This spring rises from
the arm 23 causing the locking lever 20 to advance the breech-block.
The upper end of the locking lever 20, enters a notch 26, of the breech-block to
move it to and fro; the front 27 of the notch is inclined and abuts on the lever 20
when the breech-block is in position for firing being thus prevented from recoiling.
The locking lever 20 is held against any backward movement by its arm 19 resting
against the breast of the trigger as shown in Figure 4.
50
The breech block moves lengthwise in guides on the breech-frame parallel with the
axis of the barrel, and a spring firing pin 25, is carried by and moves on the breech
block its position being such that it is driven forward by the hammer when the latter
is released, thus firing the cartridge. The front end of the breech block is provided
with an upper and a lower hooked catch 29 for engaging on opposite sides the flange
of a cartridge shell. These hooked catches may be rigid, but I prefer to make one or
both elastic for the better engagement of the cartridge. These catches are
arranged that a cartridge moved sidewise into the breech frame, when the breech block
is retracted as in Figure 5, has its flange engaged between the catches and thus by
the forward movement of the breech block the cartridge is pushed into the barrel, and
after firing the shell is extracted and moved back into position to be ejected sidewise
when a fresh cartridge is inserted in the breech block. It is of advantage to employ
a pair of hooked catches, engaging opposite sides of the cartridge flange as described,
for they move the shell straight without danger of angling and binding such as might
occur with a single catch engaging only one side of the flange.
The one side wall of the breech frame has a cartridge receiving orifice 30 and the
other wail has in line with it a shell discharging or ejecting orifice 31, so that a fresh
cartridge inserted laterally through 30 by an inserter-ejector instrument herein-
after described, disengages the empty shell, held by the booked catches of the breech
block and ejects it sidewise through 31. The inserter ejector (Figure 8) consists of a
rectangular flat head 32, on one arm of a bell crank lever 35 pivotted at 34, and
having its other arm 35, extending through a slot 36 in the breech frame into the
path of the hooked or shouldered end of a slide arm 37, which is pivotted at 38 with
the hammer 8, in such manner that when the hammer is cocked, the slide arm 37 is
moved back and its shoulder acting on the arm 35 causes the inserter ejector 32 to be
thrown inward so that a cartridge pressed from the magazine into a position facing
the orifice 30 is inserted into the breech frame and engaged with the hooked catches
of the breech block forcing the empty shell through the orifice 31. The normal
position of the inserter-ejector 32 is such that its front inner edge projects into the line
of the cartridges in the magazine acting as a stop preventing the rear cartridge from
issuing from the magazine until the moment when the gun is to be loaded. The bell
crank lever 33 is acted on by a spring 39 which tends to throw the inserter-ejector
outward from the position in which it stops the cartridges in the magazine, but is
prevented from so doing until a certain time by the arm 3 abutting a lug 40, on an
oscillatory plate 41, eccentrically pivotted to the breech frame at 42. While the
cocking trigger is at rest its cam lug 15, presses on the lower edge of the oscillatory
plate 41 in front of the pivot 42, and moves the lug 40 rearward, thus causing the
arm 35 to be held slightly back, and the inserter ejector to be held in its stopping
position, against the tension of the spring 39 of the bell crank 33. To release the
inserter-ejector from its stopping position by the initial rearward movement of the
cocking trigger 13, the cam lug 15 is moved away from contact with the plate 41,
the instant the cocking trigger commences such rearward movement, thereby freeing
the arın 35 from the restraint of the plate 41, and permitting the spring 39 to
throw the inserter-ejector outward, leaving the rear cartridge free to be pressed back
into the position facing the receiving orifice 30. The cocking trigger continuing its

page_text: rearward movement, causes the locking lever 20 to swing back and retract the breech-
block simultaneously with which the hammer is cocked and its slide-arm 37 drawn
back so that its hook or shoulder 43, strikes the arm 35, of the bell-crank 33, and
throws the inserter-ejector 32, suddenly inward thereby inserting the fresh cartridge.
The main or cocking trigger being released from the pressure of the finger, the
spring 24, acting on the arm 23, restores the locking arm, breech-block and main, or
cocking trigger to their normal position of rest with the locking-arm operating to
lock the breech-block against recoil when the cartridge is fired. At the same time
the cam-lug 15 acting on the plate 41 moves the lug 40 rearward into correct position
to again bold the inserter-ejector in its stopping position but this cannot occur until
the hammer is lowered for when the hammer is cocked the slide arm 37 so holds the
bell-crank 33 that the inserter ejector is retained at the limit of its inward movement
in which position it fills or nearly fills the orifice 30, and by its inner face acts as a
guide for the correct sliding movement of the cartridge into the bore of the gun
barrel. The breech frame is cast with the pivots or studbearings 9. 11. 14 and 20"
on its interior these pivots project so that their ends enter socket bearings 44. 45. 46
and 47 formed on the inside of the detachable side-wall or face plate of the breech
frame. The casting of the pivots with the breech frame materially reduce the cost of
manufacture and ensures the correct position of the working parts without danger of
mislaying or losing pivots. The hammer releasing trigger is operated when desired
to cause the hammer to strike the firing pin and thereby fire the cartridge. The
mechanism described, which, is comparatively speaking quite simple and comprises
few parts or pieces, provides for rapid loading and firing and moreover the entire
operation of inserting a cartridge ejecting the empty shell, cocking the hammer and
introducing the fresh cartridge into the gun barrel is effected by a single trigger and
hy a single movement thereof under the action of the finger.
The magazine 3, may be arranged to swing on a pivot 49 as in Fig. 1., or it may
be arranged to axially rotate as in Fig. 15. I will now describe the first mentioned
construction and also the locking device 5 by referring to Figures 1. 2. 3. 12. 13
and 14.
The magazine 3 can be swung on its pivot 49 out of parallelism with the barrel as
shewn in Fig. 2 to expose its longitudinal slot 6 so that the operator can see what
cartridges it contains and when the magazine is moved back to its normal position
the side of the barrel closes this sight slot. To lock the magazine in its normal
position the barrel is provided with a catch-stud 50 (Fig. 12) and the magazine near
its rear end carries a plate 51 dovetailed to and sliding on the barrel to which plate
is pivoted at 52 a locking catch 51 having a finger piece 54. A loop 5 encircling
the magazine is attached to the plate 51 and a spring 55a, between the loop
and the finger-piece 54, operates to throw the catch into engagement with the stud 50
when the magazine is moved into its normal position. Upward pressure on the
finger piece 54 releases the catch 53 and raises the magazine for inspecting its
contents or for charging it.
For transporting repairing cleaning and other purposes the barrel can be quickly
detached with the magazine on it by means of a locking device 5, as I shall now
describe referring to Figures 13 and 14. The breech frame 1 is provided with a
cylindrical socket 56 (Figure 2) to which is fitted a cylindrical tenon extending from
the barrel to behind a shoulder 57. The tenon is provided with a transverse half
round cavity 58 and the locking device 5 consists of a pin 59 having a hollow 60
which permits the removal or insertion of the tenon when the hollow is co-incident
with the curve of the tenon. On turning the pin 59 partly round by the handle 5 the
tenon of the barrel is locked in position and the shoulder 57 is strained gas tight
against the breech frame, the rear end of the magazine being also brought into
close proximity to the chamber 4 which receives each cartridge from the magazine.
Instead of pivoting the magazine as above described, it may be arranged to rotate
and slide lengthwise as I shall now describe; with reference to Figures 15, 16, 17, 18
and 19. Near the front and the rear of the barrel there is a circular loop or guide
bearing 61 in which the Magazine 3, can be turned by a milled finger piece 62. The
.

page_text: Magazine can also be formed to slide lengthwise as indicated by the dotted lines,
Figure 15, to provide a space at the rear open end of the magazine for charging it.
The rear end of the magazine is provided with a longitudinal blade spring 63 fixed
in front end to the magazine and free at its rear end which has a dog or hook 64 for
engaging and releasing the rear cartridge. When the barrel is detached from the
breech frame the cartridges are retained in the Magazine by the spring 63 and the
rear loop 61. When the spring is not under restraint its hooked end 64 springs
away from the axis of the Magazine as in Figure 16 permitting free passage of the
cartridges, but when the magazine is slid forward the rear loop 61 presses the hooked
end 64 towards the axis of the magazine forming a stop to the cartridges. The
barrel can then be detached and afterwards by sliding the magazine backward the
spring 63 is released and the cartridges are pushed out of the magazine. When the
barrel is in its normal position on the breech frame the spring 63 is free and
the cartridges are free to be automatically pushed into position for loading, but, if the
magazine be slid forward the rear loop 1 will press the spring inwards causing
the cartridges to be retained in the magazine. In this position the magazine can be
charged with cartridges. The breech frame is preferably provided with a cover 65,
Fig. 15, to conceal the spring when the magazine is slid back. The magazine may be
prevented from rotating when it is slid back, preferably by the spring 63 bearing
against the side of the breech frame when the spring is free from the rear loop 61.
The side of the barrel serves to cover the side slot in the magazine when it is in its
normal position as in Figure 18; but by turning the magazine partly round its
slotted side is exposed for inspecting the interior, as in Fig. 19.
In the fire-arm above described the entire operation of inserting a cartridge,
ejecting the empty shell, cocking the hammer and introducing the fresh cartridge
into the gun barrel, is effected by a single trigger and by a single movement thereof
effected by one finger, which may be done while the gun is at the shoulder in position
for firing without materially interfering with the aim or sight.
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 is
1. A repeating fire-arm having a tubular magazine and means whereby a cartridge
is inserted, an empty shell ejected and the hammer cocked by the movement of a single
trigger substantially as described.
2. The means described whereby the barrel and magazine can be connected to or
disconnected from the breech frame.
3. The combination of the insertor-ejector and the sliding breech block with trigger
mechanism arranged and operating substantially as described.
4. In combination with the breech chamber with its inserter-ejector and its lateral
orifices for admitting cartridges and ejecting shells a reciprocating breech block
having hooked catches and a firing pin movable between the two catches substantially
as described.
5. Casting on the breech frame and its cover plate the studs and sockets for
pivotting the oscillating parts of the breech mechanism substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
6. Forming the magazine with an inspection slot and mounting it so that the
slot is closed by the barrel when the magazine is in its normal position, and the
slot is exposed by oscillating or partly turning the magazine substantially as
described.
Dated this 17th day of December 1880
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.