An Improvement in Magazine Fire Arms.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 6th Dec.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Magazine Fire Arms.
We, MYRON CLARK LISLE, Machinist, and WILLIAM AUGUSTUS BERKEY,
Manufacturer, both of the City of Grand Rapids in the County of Kent and State
of Michigan, one of the United States of America 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 :--
Our invention relates to improvements in magazine fire arms, and is fully
illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the stock with the transfer mechanism in its
normal position; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same;
Fig. 3 is an end, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the magazine ;
Fig. 5 is a right and left side and a back elevation of the hammer;
Fig. 6 is the main spring;
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the stock with the transfer slides thrown back
to receive the cartridges;
Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the same arranged to work the transfer mechanism
without transferring the cartridges from the magazine;
Fig. 9 is a side, a top, and an end view of the forward end of the transfer
tube;
Fig. 10 is a side and a top view of the auxiliary transfer slide and shell
ejector;
Fig. 11 is a sectional side view of the stock with the transfer mechanism in
position to cock the lock, and showing the interchangeable cartridge thimble
in place;
Fig. 12 is a sectional view showing the manner of applying a safety lever and
manipulating the trigger so as not to cock the lock when the fore-arm is
thrown back;
Fig. 13 is an end view of the barrel and fore-arm in section to show the button
and catch that stops the back throw of the fore-arm;
Fig. 14 is an elevation and a plan of the coupling link between the actuating
slide and the transfer slides ;
Fig. 15 is a side and a back clevation of the sliding breech-block;
Fig. 16 is an elevation and a plan of the transfer slides; and
Fig. 17 is a longitudinal section of two forms of interchangeable thimbles.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
A, is the gun stock.
B, is the breech shoe.
C, is the gun barrel
C', is an interchangeable thimble arranged to slide easily into the breech of the
barrel (see Fig. 11) so that we may readily change a long cartridge breech,
as indicated at No. 1 in Fig. 17, to a short one, as indicated at No. 2, which latter
shows the rifling extending half the length of the thimble for a short cartridge,
while No. 1 has no rifling and is intended for long cartridges.
We fasten these thimbles into the barrel by a screw, as in Fig. 11.
C², is the main spring which we attach to the gun barrel, as indicated in Fig. 1,
in position so that the projection 2, at the back end, will press against the face of
the hammer H, above the point where it is pivoted to the stock, with sufficient
force to hold the hammer away from the firing pin D' so as to allow the pin

page_text: to draw out clear of the primer in the cartridge to allow the breech block D to drop
down freely.
D, is the sliding breech block, which is constructed substantially as shown
in Fig. 15, having a narrow slot d² for the passage of the actuating slide E, and a
broader slot for the reception of the hammer H, the lower end of which passes
through this slot and is there acted upon by the main spring, as indicated in Fig. 1.
The firing pin D passes through this breech block in position to pierce the
primer in the cartridge when the block is thrown up to the position shown in
Fig. 1; the back end being provided with a downwardly projecting wing in position
to receive the stroke of the hammer.
E is the actuating slide or connection that connects the fore-arm G with the
transfer slides. The front end of this slide is pivoted to the fore-arm, as at 9,
either with or without the link E, shown in Figs. 11 and 16, and the slide is provided
with a slot e the back end of which inclines upward, as at e¹, for raising and
lowering the breech block D through the medium of the trunnion d which is
secured in the slot d in the breech-block, in position to work freely in said slot e.
The back end of the slide is pivoted to the front end of the link F; the back end
of which is provided with a slot f for the reception of the stud n' upon the
connecting arm N³, which, in turn, is securely attached to the main slide N. The
slot is so arranged that the fore-arm may be thrown back far enough to throw
the breech-block down and cock the lock, before it acts upon the transfer slides to
throw them back, and, in returning, will carry the slides to place over the breech
block, before the breech block is raised up into the stock, when the front end of
the latch F comes in contact with the trip F2 and throws the back end down from
the position shown in Fig. 7, where the notch engages the stud a¹, to that shown
in Fig. 1, when the fore-arm may be carried ahead the length of the slot f and the
breech-block up to position without moving the transfer slides.
The latch Fis thrown over the slot by a coiled spring F³, as shown in Fig. 14.
in the usual manner.
N, is the main slide which is connected with the link F by means of the arm N³,
as hereinbefore described, and is designed to cover the opening a, in the stock, when
thrown to the position shown in Fig. 1. To the back end of this slide we pivot the
main transfer slide K, which is provided with notches and 2 in position so that
when the slides are thrown back to the position shown in Fig. 7 they will drop
behind the cartridges M so that the throwing of the slides ahead will carry the
cartridges ahead to second and third position, as in Fig. 1. This slide works in the
slot m, Fig. 9, which extends through the transfer tube its entire length, on
the upper side. Directly opposite the second and third positions of the cartridges
we secure a spring catch Khaving notches k³ and in position to engage the
flanges at the butts of the cartridges, and hold them from passing either way
without the action of the transfer slides. To the front end of the transfer slide we
attach a spring extractor N¹ which has a small notch n in its free end in position
to be thrown over and engage with the flange of the cartridge shell, as in Fig. 1,
so that when the slides are thrown back, as in Fig. 7, it will draw the shell out of
the gun barrel against the ejecting spring O. Near the back end of this slide we
pivot a latch N2 in position to engage the standard o' on the auxiliary slide O.
O, is the auxiliary slide arranged to work in the slot m in the tube L, ahead of
the slide K. This slide is carried back to position to engage the butts of the
cartridges, by the latch N2 on the main slide, engaging with the standard o' that
projects up from the auxiliary slide. At the back end of this slide is a hook o that
engages with the spring P2, see Fig. 2. This spring is supported by the tube P.
which has a slot P for the reception of the hook o. The tube P is secured to the
side of the transfer tube L. The latch N2 is arranged to be thrown out of contact
with the standard ol by the trip N' as indicated in Fig. 2.
L' is the magazine which is in the butt of the gun-stock and is disconnected
from the transfer tube L at 12 so that it may be detached from the gun at
pleasure.

page_text: The transfer tube L extends from the magazine to the sliding breech-block and
is left open at the upper side of the front end, as at m² in Fig. 9.
The butt plate R is pivoted to the butt of the stock and is provided with a
spring L³ that presses against the end of the magazine to hold it to place, and
at the same time it acts to throw the butt plate open when it is released by
pressing upon the button S and disengaging the spring catch S¹ from the
catch S².
The cartridges M lie in the magazine side by side, and are forced toward the
line of the magazine tube by the spring L2, which is attached to the end of
the magazine, as at l, and is folded to give it the greatest possible expansive
power.
The fore-arm G is arranged to slide easily under the barrel, and is held in
position, and guided by the guide E2 which is secured to the barrel at one end, and
to the stock at the other end.
To transfer cartridges from the magazine to the gun barrel, draw the fore arm
back to the front end of the breech-shoe, when the slide K will engage at one end
with the butt of the shell in the magazine tube, and at the other end with the first
shell in the transfer tube, and the auxiliary slide will engage with the second
cartridge in the transfer tube and will be released from the latch N and thrown
ahead by the spring P2 with sufficient force to carry the cartridge to position
ahead of the extractor, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, when the
throwing of the fore-arm ahead to the position indicated in Fig. I will force the
end of the extractor against the cartridge, and the cartridge into the gun barrel,
and when the sliding breech-block is thrown up to place it will carry the extractor
up over the end of the cartridge, and a slight forward movement will then throw
the notch n aliead of, and over the flange of the cartridge, and the slide K
will draw the first and second cartridges to second and third places.
The ejector O¹ is a thin spring projecting forward from the slide O and, passing
through the guideway m² in the transfer tube, (see Fig. 9) serves the double
purpose, first, of holding the slide O down to place and guiding it; and, second,
of engaging with the back end of the shell M and jecting it from the tube,
as indicated in Fig. 7. It is also useful to hold the cartridges to place so that
they cannot fall out of the stock when passing the opening a on their way to the
barrel.
L is a spring that ejects the magazine whent he butt plate R is opened, and L³
is an opening in the magazine to facilitate filling it with cartridges.
The dividing of the ejector O', as at o³ in Fig. 10, is to allow the extractor Nt
to drop through, as in Fig. 16, for the purpose of carrying the cartridges from the
4th position to the gun barrel.
We provide for working the transfer slides without transferring cartridges from
the magazine and transfer tube toward the barrel by throwing the button T back
of the fore-arm, as in Fig. 8, so that the slides will not be carried back far enough
to engage the cartridges. This is done for the purpose of holding the magazine
charges in reserve and using the gun as a single shot, when desired, by inserting
the cartridges through the opening a, in the top of the stock.
We also provide for throwing the sliding breech-block down, or cocking the gun
without working the transfer slides by means of a spring U₁ attached to the
fore-arm with a button U extending therefrom to the outer surface of the fore arm
to press the spring to position to engage with the shoulder u on the guide E³,
which is so arranged that it will stop the forearm and transfer slides in the
position shown in Fig. 11, corresponding with the length of the slot f in the
link F.
The hammer His pivoted to the stock in position to allow the lower end to
enter the slot d' in the breech-block and the upper end, or face, to engage the
firing pin when the sliding breech block is up to position in the stock; and provide
a notch h¹ in position to engage the pawl J. The pawl is connected with

page_text: the trigger by the connecting rod 1'; the trigger being held to place by the
spring J.
We provide for working the transfer slides without cocking the gun by placing
a button H2 on one side of the hammer and connecting it, by means of a pivotal
shaft through the hammer, to a second button on the opposite side, as HI, which is
held to a neutral position by a spring arranged to allow the buttons to turn up
or down from their normal position.
To cock the gun, the button H2 is left in its normal position and the stud b on
the actuating slide engages it and carries the hammer back until it is engaged and
held by the pawl J, when the button, turning upward, allows the stud to pass
over and the actuating slide to operate the transfer slides. If the button H2 is
thrown down to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, the stud b
will pass over without engaging it, and the transfer slides may be operated without
cocking the lock.
Our device for working the transfer slides without cocking the gun consists of a
pawl Q pivoted to the connecting rod 1. On the lower edge of this pawl we form
an incliue in position to rest on the support q in such a manner that when the
trigger is in its normal position, (see dotted lines in Fig. 12) the point of the pawl
will be above the back of the button Hand will allow it to pass; but if the
trigger is drawn back (see full lines in Fig. 12) the point of the pawl will engage
the notch on the button and throw it over, and with it the button EI², so that the
stud b, Fig. 16, travelling on the line & (Fig. 12) will pass over it without cocking
the lock.
We provide a safety device consisting of a lever pivoted to the stock with one
arm Q outside, and one arm, Q, inside, as in Fig. 12. At the inner end of this
arm is a hook q in position to engage the pin 2 on the lever Q, when the trigger I
is in its normal position, and hold it so firmly that the trigger cannot be moved
until the hook has been removed by throwing the outer end of the lever down to
the position shown in Fig. 12.
By the peculiar construction of our transfer slides and magazine, we can use
long and short cartridges either alternately in one magazine, or separately in
separate magazines.
Our magazines are interchangable and detachable, and so arranged that an
empty one may be removed and a full one inserted at pleasure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a magazine gun, a sliding fore-arm, a sliding breech-block, an actuating
slide pivoted to the fore-arm and having a longitudinal slot the back end of which
inclines upward, a trunnion in the breech-block to work in said slot, a stud on the
actuating slide to cock the lock, a link pivoted to the actuating slide and connecting
it with the transfer slides, a slot in said link and a latch to cover it, a spring and a
trip to actuate the latch, a main slide, a notched slide pivoted to its back end and
a shell extractor at its front end, an auxiliary slide and shell ejector actuated in
one direction by the main slide and in the other by a spring, a latch on the main
slide and a trip for actuating the same to engage and disengage the auxiliary slide, a
transfer tube slotted its entire length and the front end open at the top, and catches
for holding the cartridges to place, and a magazine, substantially as set forth.
2. In a magazine gun, a magazine, transfer tubes, and transfer slides actuated
by a sliding fore-arm, with a button on the front end of the stock to be thrown in
position to stop the fore-arm before the transfer slides engage with the cartridges
in the magazine and transfer tube, substantially as specified.
3. In a magazine gun, a sliding fore arm, transfer slides and tube, a slotted rod
connecting the fore-arm with the transfer slides, a stud on the side of the back end
of this rod, a hammer pivoted in the stock, a button on the side of the hammer to

page_text: engage with the stud on the rod, said button connected by a shaft with a button on
the opposite side of the hammer, a spring to actuate said buttons to a neutral
position, a notch in the second button, a pawl, a trigger and connecting rod, a pawl
or lever pivoted to the connecting rod in position to be made to engage with the
second button and throw the point of the first button below the line of travel of
the stud on the actuating rod, substantially as specified.
4. In a magazine gun, a rod connecting the pawl and trigger, and having a
stud on one side, and a lever pivoted with one arm outside, and one arm inside
of the stock, the inner arm having a hook to engage with the stud, as shown and
described.
5. In a magazine gun, a permanent transfer tube, a detached magazine engaging
the back end of said tube, the butt-plate of the stock pivoted to open and close, a
spring to hold the magazine to place when the butt-plate is closed, and a spring to
eject the magazine when the butt-plate is open, substantially as, and for the purpose
set forth.
6. In a magazine gun having transfer tube and slides, a detached magazine in
the butt of the stock having a body projecting from one side of the tube, a spring
for forcing the cartridge sidewise to the tube, a butt-plate pivoted to the stock, a
spring on the butt-plate to hold the magazine tube in contact with the transfer
tube, and interchangeable thimbles in the barrel, substantially as specified.
Dated this 27th day of August 1894.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.