IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR REPEATING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAI, SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES
FOR REPEATING FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
My invention is designed to provide the means whereby a breech-loading fire-
arm may be conveniently fitted with a magazine for containing a store of cartridges,
and with simple and reliable mechanism for moving the said cartridges con-
secutively therefrom into a position whence they can be pushed into the barrel.
My said invention is applicable generally to bolt-guns, that is to say, to those
fire-arms wherein the part which closes the breech is a bolt or block arranged to
slide longitudinally toward and away from the end of the barrel, and is applicable
to specially constructed or to existing fire-arms of this.class.
My said invention comprises a novel construction and arrangement of a magazine
based upon and adapted to the employment of a cartridge box or holder containing
two vertical rows or columns of cartridges lying borizontally in a convenient
position to be transferred from the magazine to the barrel. For the reception of
this box or holder I provide an aperture in the part of the gun below the breech,
and I place over this aperture a peculiarly formed chamber which has two sloping
sides inclined upward toward the centro; these inclined sides, acting in combina-
tion with an adjustable pivotted plate, serve to guide the cartridges as they rise
from the two sides of the box into a central position from which they are easily
transferred to the barrel.
The aforesaid chamber is suitably shaped to allow two cartridges to lio side by
side between the sides of its lower portion and to rise therefrom into the central
position between its sloping portious or sides. The pivotted plate is so arranged

page_text: that it will lie parellel to either of the sloping sides of the said chamber, when
turned with its upper edge in contact with the other sloping side thereof. The
said chamber is open at the top, but the upper edges of the sloping sides are
provided at the rear with extensions which will prevent the rising of the cartridge-
head out of the chamber. Moreover springs are arranged to bear on the neck of
the cartridge for a like purpose.
The cartridge box or holder is divided into two compartments each of which is
suitably formed to contain a vertical row or column of cartridges placed one above
the other in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position. The said box is open at
the top, but has at the bottom suitable stops to prevent the falling of the cartridges
therefrom. At the rear end or that end occupied by the heads of the cartridges it
has slots to admit, and allow the free movement of, the lifting levers hereafter
described.
To the underside of the stock or shoe of the gun is hinged a box or case which
contains the mechanism for raising the cartridges one by one from a cartridge box
or holder (containing two rows or columns of cartridges as above described) into
the central position between the sloping sides of the aforesaid chamber. This
hinged box is made of thin sheet metal or other suitable material. The raising
mechanism consists of the following parts, viz:-two springs, preferably flat or
nearly so, which act by chains or otherwise on two small drums placed side by side
on a con:mon axis in the said box.
Each of these drums forms the boss of a curved lever which extends down to, or
nearly to, the box-bottom and is bent to project over the same and through the
slots in the aforesaid cartridge-holder; the said levers are provided with rounded
ends and when, by the said springs, the drums are turned on their axes, these ends
of the levers raise the cartridges.
Each lever is designed to raise only one row or column of cartridges, and in
order that the said levers may act independently of each other I adopt the following
arrangement. I fix one of these druins on the common axlo while the other is
loose or free to rotate about or upon the same. The loose drum projects through
one side of the box and the axle passes through the loose drum and projects
beyond it outside of the box. To this projecting end of the axle I attach an arm,
and to the loose drum I also attach an arm which lies between the first arm and
the side of the box. This second or inner arm bas on it a stud so arranged that,
when the first arm is moved downward, it engages with the said stud and both
arms move together to depress the aforesaid levers.
I provide on the exterior of the box a catch or hook which when the arms are
thus adjusted will retain them in this position until they are released. I term one
of the aforesaid drums with its bent lever the first lever and the other the second
lever: When the arın, which holds down the first lever, is released the said lever
rises and forces up the cartridges resting thereon, but, during this movement of the
said first lever, the second lever is held down by a spring-catch which engages with
the drum or boss of the said lever. On the other drum or boss is fixed a stud,
which, when the first lever has completed its upward movement and fed up one
row or column of cartridges, will come in contact with the said catch and cause it
to release the second lever, allowing the same to rise in its turn to force upwards
the second row or column of cartridges into the position from which they are
forced into the barrel or chamber of the gun by the breecli-block or bolt of the
same in the well known manner.
"
The aforesaid hinged box at its forward end is provided with a spring catch
which allows it to be conveniently opened or turned down on its hinge and to be
raised and closed. When properly closed it is firmly secured to the gun stock or
shoe at both ends.
In order that the number of cartridges in the magazine may be readily ascer-
tained at any time, I make the two levers, which are fixed to the drums as above

page_text: described and lie one under the other, to serve as indices and I mark two series of
graduations on the side of the aforesaid hinged box, one series for each lever.
The said box is preferably hinged to the underside of the gun stock or shoc in
such a manner that it can be readily removed therefrom and replaced when
desired. For this purpose I make the said box with two lugs or projections
formed with apertures to receive two pins or rods; these pins or rods are so
arranged that they can be moved by a lever or other suitable means toward and
away froin each other, so as to insert them in the holes in the said lugs or with-
draw them therefrom.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR REPEATING
FIRE-ARMS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention is designed to provide the means whereby a breech-loading fire-
arm may be conveniently fitted with a magazine for containing a storo of cartridges,
and with simple and reliable mechanism for moving the said cartridges consecutively
from the magazine into a position whence they can be pushed into the barrel.
My said invention is applicable generally to bolt-guns, that is to say, to those
fire-arins wherein the part which closes the breech is a bolt or block arranged to
slide longitudinally toward, and away from, the end of the barrel, and is applicable
either to specially constructed, or to existing, fire-arms of this class.
My said invention comprises various improvements as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shewn how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of part of a fire-arm with iny
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation, partly in transverse section on the line x, x,
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4a side elevation of a magazine provided with improved automatic
cartridge-elevating mechanism as hereinafter described.
Figure 5 is a side elevation.
Figure 6 a plan, and
Figure 7 a rear elevation of a cartridge box or holder hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal central section illustrating modifications of my
said invention.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the shoe or body of the gun, in which is fitted a peculiarly shaped chamber b,
the sides of which are parallel for a short distance from the bottom and are then
inclined upward towards the centre, as shewn at b. This chamber is open at the
bottom to receive a cartridge box or holder c. d is a plate pivotted at d and
capable of turning on its pivots so that it will rest against one or the other of the
inclined or sloping sides b', as shewn in Figure 2. The plate d is provided with a
pin or projection which projects into a slot bª in the rear end of the chamber b,
and is free to slide in the said slot when the plate d is turned from one side to the
other of the said chamber.
The chamber b is of such dimensions that two cartridges can lio side by side
between the said parallel portions of the said chamber, and either of the said
cartridges can be raised, as hereinafler described, into the central position between

page_text: the inclined or sloping portions b'. The pivotted plate d is so arranged that it. will
lie parallel, or nearly parallel, to either of the sloping sides of the said chamber,
when turned with its upper edgo in contact with the other sloping sido thereof.
The said chamber is open at the top, but the upper edges of its sloping sides are
provided, near the rear end of the chamber, with extensions b³,; and springs b' aro
arranged on each side of tho chamber at, or near, the centre thereof. These
extensions and springs prevent the rising of the cartridges out of the said
chamber.
'
The cartridge box or holder c is divided into two compartments c¹, c³, each of
which is suitably formed to contain a vertical row or column of cartridges placed
one above another in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position. The said box is
open at the top, but is partially closed at the bottom by the platos c³, c', which
servo to rotain the cartridges in the box. It has slots c to admit, and allow the
free movement of, the lifting or elevating levers heroinafter described.
The box c is formed of thin sheet metal or other suitable material and is
designed to be temporarily closed by a covering of paper or the like; the object of
this arrangement being to permit the distribution of cartridges, in boxes of this
description, to the soldiers or other persons by whom they are to be used, so that,
when a box of cartridges is required for use, the paper or other material can be
removed and the box inserted in the chamber b, as shown in Figure 1, and, when
all the cartridges in the said box have been used, the box can be removed from the
said chamber and another box containing a fresh supply of cartridges be inserted
in place thereof.
To the underside of the shoe or body a of the gun, a case or magazine e is
connected by a hinge-joint at e'. This magazine contains the mochanism heroin-
after described for elevating the cartridges so that they will be successively raised
or fed from the box or holder c into the central position between the sloping sides
of the chamber b. The said magazine is made of thin sheet metal or other suitable
material.
>
The cartridge-elevating mechanisin is constructed in the following manner, that
is to say, are curved or bent levers fixed or formed on sinall drums g, g¹
placed side by side on a common axis or shaft h in the magazine e. Each of theso
drums forms the boss of one of tho said levers. i, i are springs which are firmly
secured to the bottom of the magazine e, and which act upon the levers f, f'
through chains passing partially around the drums g, g' and secured thereto by
pins or studs. Each of the levers f, f1 extends downward to, or nearly to, the
bottom of the magazine, and is bent to project over the same and through the slots
or spaces c³ in the cartridge box or holder c. Each lever is designed to raise only
one row or column of cartridges, and is provided at its extremity with a rounded
portion which, when the corresponding drum is turned on its axis by the
spring presses upon the lowermost cartridge of the said row or column of
cartridges, and raises the sine so that the uppermost cartridge is moved into the
loading position. In order that the said levers may act independently of each
other, I adopt the following arrangement, viz:—I fix the drum y on the shaft h,
and mount the drum y¹ loosely on the said shaft so that it is free to rotate thereon.
The drum g¹ projects through one side of the magazine e, and the shaft h extends
through the drum g₁ and projects beyond it outside of the magazine. To this
projecting end of the shaft h I attach an arın m, and to the drum g¹ I attach an
arm, which lies between the arm m and the side of the magazine. This second
or inner arm n is formed, or provided, with a stud or projection n' so arranged
that, when both the said arms are at the top of their stroke, and the arm m is
moved downward, this arm engages with the stud n' and both arms move together
to depress or cock the levers f, I provide, on the exterior of the box, a catch or
hook o, which, when the arms are thus adjusted or cocked, will engage with the
arm m and retain the lover fin its cocked position until it is released as herein-
after described. The lever f¹ is held in its cocked position by a spring catch p
which enters a notch g' in the drum g. When the arm m is released from the

page_text: catch or hook o, the lever f is raised by its spring and forces up the cartridges
resting upon it. The drum g is provided with a stud or projection g³ which, when
the lover has completed its upward movement and fed up one row or column of
cartridges, will come in contact with an extension p¹ of the catch p and move the
said catch out of the notch g², thereby releasing the second lever, which is then
raised by its spring, to force upward the second row or column of cartridges. g' is
a projection or stud fixed or formed on the drum g to rest upon the extension 2¹
when the lever f has reached the top of its stroke. The inclined or sloping sides b',
acting in combination with the adjustable pivotted plate d, serve to guide the
cartridges, as they rise from either of the compartments of the box c, into a central
position from which they are casily transferred to the barrel. The cartridges are
successively forced from the central position between the sloping sides of the
chamber b into the barrel or chamber of the gun by the breech block or bolt, in the
well known manner.
The hinged magazine e is provided, at its forward end, with a spring catch
which locks or holds it in its closed position, so that, when properly closed, the said
- magazine is firmly secured to the shoe or body a at both ends.
The catch q is provided with a knob q' whereby it can be pressed in by hand to
unlock the magazine e, which can then be opened or turned down on its hinge to
permit the introduction or removal of the box c.
To provide for readily ascertaining, at any time, the number of cartridges
contained in the magazine, I make the levers m, n with pointed ends as shewn, so
that they will serve as indices or pointers, and I mark two series of graduations
on the side of the magazine e, as shewn at e³, one series for each lever, the
graduations for the lever n being marked from 1 to 5, and those for the lever m
being marked from 6 to 10, for example. The magazine e is preferably hinged to
the underside of the breech-shoe in such a manner that it can be readily removed
therefrom and replaced when desired.
The operation of the above described mechanism is as follows, viz:-Assuming
the levers, to have been cocked, and a box c filled with cartridges inserted in
the chamber b as shewn; when the gun is required for firing, the catch or hook o
is pulled outward by hand by means of the knob o¹, thereby releasing the arm m
and leverf. This lever is immmediately caused by its spring to act upon the
lowermost cartridge of the corresponding row or column of cartridges, and thus
push the said cartridges upwards until the uppermost one is in position (as shewn 3
in dotted lines in Figure 1) to be thrust into the barrel-chamber.
The breech block or bolt is then moved forward to insert the said cartridge in
the barrel-chamber and close the breech. The said block or bolt, in its forward
movement, strikes the head of the cartridge and pushes the said cartridge forward.
It will be seen that the forward end of the chamber bis inclined or bevelled at 6 4
so that the point of the projectile will ride up the same, when the cartridge is
pushed forward, and will thus be guided into the barrel-chambor. To facilitate
the insertion of the cartridges into the barrel-chamber, I form an inclined rib or
projection d' on the plate d, so that the head or flange of a cartridge will ride up
the same when the said cartridge is moved forward by the breech block or bolt as
above described.
When the breech block or bolt is moved back clear of the chamber b, the
lever fagain acts to push the row or column of cartridges upwards until another
cartridge arrives at the loading position; and so on until one row or column of
cartridges has been used. The projection g³ then disengages the catch p from the 5
notch g, thereby releasing the lever f', which is immediately caused by its spring
to act upon the lowermost cartridge of the remaining row or column and push the
cartridges upwards until the upperinost ono arrives at the loading position, the
plate & being automatically moved on its pivots from one side to the other of
the chamber by the said cartridges in their upward movement. When the 5
cartridges in the second row or column have been used, the levers ff are to be
pressed down by hand, by means of the projection m¹ on the arm m, into the

page_text: position shewn in the drawings. The empty box or holder c can then be removed
and a similar box containing a fresh supply of cartridges substituted for it.
In Figure 8, I have shewn a modified form of my apparatus, wherein the
levers f,fare arranged to be set or cocked by the act of opening the magazino e.
In this case I mount both the drums g, g¹ loosely upon the shaft h and dispense
with the outer levers or arms m, n. Each of the said drums is formed with a
series of teeth g* and gears with a toothed segment ? mounted loosely upon a
shaft & and having a projecting arm or lever which, when the corresponding
lever for flis in its highest position bears against the under side of the shoe or
body of the gun and occupies the position shewn in dotted lines. When the
lovers ff are in their highest position, and the magazine e is opened to its full
extent, the springs (which are not shewn in Figure 8) are compressed and the
levers ff, are cocked or moved towards the bottom of the magazine by the
action of the segments upon the drums g, g' during the opening of the said
magazine. In this case I provide a suitable catch t for holding down the lever f
until released by hand by pressing the knob . The lever f is held down as in
the arrangement above described until it is, in its turn, released by the arrival of
the lever at the top of its stroke.
In the subsequent closing of the magazine c, the arms 7 and segments ? are
free to be turned on the shafts by the action of the drums g, g' upon them.
Therefore, when the said magazine is closed, the parts occupy the positions shewn
in full lines in Figure 8.
In this case, there is no indicator to shew the number of cartridges contained in
the magazine, though such an indicator may, if desired, be added on the same
principle as that above described, but it would merely act as an indicator
and would not serve the purpose of controlling the interior mechanism of the
magazine.
In the apparatus shewn in Figure 8, instead of providing the levers f,f¹ with
the rounded ends or portions f" as above described, I employ, in combination with
each lever, a plate u pivotted thereto at ul; on which plate the cartridges will
rest. In this case the pivotted plates u will, in every position of the levers f,f',
be maintained parallel to the axis of the lowermost cartridges in the magazine for
the time being, by means of a guide bar or lever working on a pivot v¹ and
coupled to the said plate at v³.
I sometimes dispenso with the springs b' on the chamber band, instead thereof,
provide an opening in the said chamber, of such shape that, on the cartridges
being forced upwards, the sides of the said opening will bear upon tho uppermost
cartridge as far as the neck or shoulder thereof, but, when the cartridge is pushed
forward into the barrel a distance equal to that from the base to the shoulder of
the said cartridge, it will be free to rise and enter the barrel. Moreover, in place
of the springs i, I sometimes uso spiral springs connected by short pieces of chain
or by links to the drums g, g.
'
If desired, the magazine e is connected to the shoe or body a by a hinge-joint
at its front or forward end, instead of at its rear end, as shewn in the drawings,
the position of the levers f, f¹ and parts connected therewith being reversed.
In some cases I so construct the magazine e that a store of cartridges can be
placed therein, and the box or holder c be dispensed with.
It is sometimes necessary or desirable to make the pivotted plate & in two parts
for convenience in the manufacture of the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination, with a fire-arm wherein a bolt or block is arranged to
slide longitudinally to and from the breech-end of the barrel as above described,
of a magazine provided with automatic cartridge-elevating mechanism and so
constructed and arranged that a box or holder containing cartridges may be placed

page_text: therein and the cartridges successively fed from the said box or holder into the
loading position, as above specified.
Second. The automatic cartridge-elevating mechanism comprising the levers f,.f¹
so arranged in combination with the springs and other parts of the said mechanism
that, when the levers have been set or cocked, one of the said levers will be held
down until the other lever reaches the top of its stroke, and will then be
automatically released, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. The improvements relating to the arms m, n and the magazine e, whereby
I provide for.ascertaining, at any time, the number of cartridges contained in the
said magazine, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination, with a fire-arm provided with the hinged magazine
and the cartridge-clevating mechanism as above described, of a box or holder
constructed as shown to contain two rows or columns of cartridges and suitably
formed to permit tho operation of the said elevating mechanism, substantially as
set forth.
Fifth. The employment of the chamber b having the inclined or sloping sides &²
as above described and provided with the pivotted plate arranged to lie paralle!
with one or the other of the said inclined or sloping sides and to be moved
automatically by the cartridges as they are elevated in the box or magazine, as,
and for the purpose, specified.
"
Sixth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings and
operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Seventh. The modifications of my invention substantially as described with
"reference to Figure 8 of the drawings for the purposes specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.