Mechanism in Connection therewith.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 15th Jan., 1889
Mechanism in Connection therewith.
1, CHARLES GREVILLE HARSTON of No. 219 Beverley Street Toronto, Ontario,
Canada and United Service Institution, Whitehall, Captain Royal Grenadiers of
Canada do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
My invention relates to "hopper" magazines for repeating fire arms, that are
situated at the side of the breech action and are actuated by the rising and falling
lever or other mechanism for opening and closing the breech so as to deliver a
cartridge on to the breech block at the right moment for feeding into the cartridge
chamber.
According to my present invention I provide such hopper magazines with
mechanism so arranged that when the hopper is opened for the delivery of the
cartridge, this is propelled directly into the cartridge chamber of the gun, instead of
merely falling on to the breech block as heretofore, so as to require only to be finally
pushed home by the breech action on closing.
The said mechanism may be variously arranged for carrying out my said
invention.
Thus referring to the construction of hopper magazine described in my application
for a Patent dated 27th October 1887 No. 1465 in which a hinged flap or door at the
upper part of the inner face of the hopper was connected to a lever on the end face of
the hopper, the lower end of which was actuated by the rising and falling lever of the
gun that works the breech block, so that when this lever was lowered the lever of the
hopper was moved so as to open the flap or door and allow the uppermost cartridge
to pass down on to the breech block, whence it was pushed forward into the cartridge
chamber of the gun by "carriers" or levers pivotted to the breech block and actuated
by the rising and falling lever. A plate pivotted to the side of the hopper and also
actuated by the hopper lever, carried a pin projecting into the hopper, so that when
the door was opened by the movement of the lever the pin was brought over the
second cartridge in the hopper and thus prevented this from rising while the first
was passing out.

page_text: In adapting my present invention to this arrangement I provide in the hopper at
the back thereof a lever pivotted to the hopper and having its end formed with a
bend or hook so that when the door of the hopper is closed, the hook of the lever is
situated behind the base of the cartridge.
This lever is so connected to the before mentioned pivotted plate, or to the lever
that actuates it and the door, that on this lever being moved so as to open the door,
the hooked lever is rapidly turned on its pivot so as, by means of its hook, to throw
the top cartridge forward in the direction of the gun chamber, the correct direction
being given firstly by sloping the top of the hopper and its door downwards in front
and secondly by forming an incline on the inside of the front end face of the hopper
so that the bullet end of the cartridge in bearing against such incline when being
propelled forward will move outwards so as to assume the required direction, being at
the same time guided by the sloping underface of the open door.
The manner of actuating the said propelling lever may be variously modified. Thus
the before mentioned side lever or the pivotted plate may be made to actuate a second
pivotted plate also having a pin projecting therefrom which is made to bear against
the propelling lever close to the fulcrum thereof, for imparting to it the quick forward
motion, while on receding the pin bears against a tail on the lever so as to bring
this back to the original position, or the second pivotted plate may be connected to
one end of a double ended lever pivotted to the casing and having its other end
connected to a slot in the propelling levor.
Or again, the first mentioned pivotted plate may be dispensed with, the main side
lever being made to actuate the second pivotted plate directly and being also so
formed as to carry the projecting pin that stops the rising of the second cartridge,
and to effect directly the opening and closing of the door of the hopper without
the intervention of the connecting link previously employed.
The requisite motion is imparted to the main side lever for effecting these opera-
tions through a sliding piece at the bottom of the hopper, which is moved backward
by the rising and falling lever of the breech action, either on its return motion only,
after having reached its lowest position, for which purpose the lever is provided
with a spring-hinged latch, that passes the said sliding piece without moving it on
the downward motion of the lever, and acts upon it as it rises; or the sliding piece
may have a cam groove or incline with hinged spring flap so arranged that a stud on
the rising and falling lever moves the sliding piece partly as it is completing its
downward motion and partly as it rises again.
According to another arrangement, provide in the rear end of the cartridge
hopper "a lazy tongs" device, the front end of which bears against the base of
the cartridge, and which is moved forward or extended by a suitable connection
with the main side lever of the magazine, so as to push the cartridge forward in
the direction towards the cartridge chamber of the gun, and is then made to
fold together again. Or any other device may be employed whereby a rapid forward
motion is imparted to the cartridge.
Although I prefer to actuate the propelling lever or other device in the cartridge
hopper in the above described manner by the rising and falling breech action lever,
yet it will be evident that this method of propelling the cartridge from the hopper
into the gun chamber by means of a lever, may be adapted to work with breech
actions of different constructions.

page_text: Mechanism in Connection therewith.
I, CHARLES GREVILLE HARSTON, of 219 Beverley Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
and United Service Institution, Whitehall, Captain Royal Grenadiers of Canada, 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 :—
My Invention relates to "hopper" magazines for repeating fire arms, that are
situated at the side of the breech action and are actuated by the rising and falling
lever or other mechanism for opening and closing the breech so as to deliver a
cartridge on to the breech block at the right moment for feeding into the cartridge
chamber.
According to my present invention I provide such hopper magazines with
mechanism so arranged that when the hopper is opened for the delivery of the
cartridge this is propelled directly into the cartridge chamber of the gun instead of
merely falling on to the breech block as heretofore, so as to require only to be finally
pushed bome by the breech action on closing.
The said mechanism may be variously arranged for carrying out my said invention;
Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings show one arrangement for this
purpose. Figure 1 shews a view of the side of the magazine facing the breech shoe.
Figure 2 shews the outer face. Figures 3 and 4 shew respectively an end view and
plan with the hopper door closed, and Figures 5 and 6 shew the same views with the
hopper door open. Figures 7 and 8 shew a side view and plan of the gun with the
hopper attached. The cartridge magazine or hopper A is generally of a similar
construction as described in my Specification No. 14650" with reference to Figures 1
to 3 of the drawings that is to say, the hopper has a door B facing the breech shoe
which is actuated by the breech action lever C through the end lever D so as to allow
the top cartridge to be pushed off the hopper by the spring X when the breech block
is in the lowered position the top of the hopper being sloped down in the direction
of the cartridge chamber of the gun in order to place the issuing cartridge in proper
position for entering the latter. As described in my said former patent the lever D
is so arranged that the breech action lever C actuates it so as to open the door
on the commencement of the upward movement of the lever C but in the present
arrangement a different provision is made for allowing the lever C to perform the
first part of its upward motion for opening the hopper door without raising the
breech block at all out of its lowered position. In the present instance this is
effected by forming a hinge joint on the lever at C' so as to allow of an up and down
motion of the free end of the lever to the extent indicated by dotted lines before
it is caused by the butt of the hinge to carry the other part of the lever with it.
The hinged piece of the lever has a finger C² which as the lever is drawn down for
lowering the breech block comes in contact with the sloping surface D' on the end
of the separate part D' of the lever D.

page_text: This part D' is pivotted to D at D³ and the upper end thereof is pressed upon by
a spring E fixed to the hopper so as to keep it in the position relatively to D
shewn at Figures 3 and 5 in which a side projection on D¹ bears against the outer
edge of D so that D¹ can move forward in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3,
relatively to D but cannot move backward relatively thereto. Thus the lever D
being in the position shown at Figure 3 when the lever C is moved downward the
finger in coming in contact with the surface D2 will draw the lower end of the
part D forward causing it to turn on its centre D' in opposition to the spring E
without effecting any movement of the other part of the lever D which is pivotted
to the hopper at D³. When C has passed beyond D² the spring E will bring D'
back into the position as shewn.
On raising the lever C again the finger C bears against the inner inclined
surface D of D' and in thus exercising an outward thrust upon D' forces this and
with it the lower end of D outward in opposition to the spring E.
The upper end of D is by this means made to move inward and effects the opening
of the door B and the propelling of the top cartridge into the cartridge chamber of
the gun by the following devices.
The upper end of lever D is formed with two slots, one D into which takes a
pin B₁ projecting from the door B and another D' into which takes the end of a
lever F pivoted at F in a laterally projecting part A¹ of the hopper A.
The door B is held by the lever D in the closed position by means of the spring E
when not acted upon by the lever C but when the upper end of D is moved
inward by C as described it pushes the door open by the shoulder of the slot D
and owing to the form of this slot the lever D is capable of moving still further
inwards after the door is full open for the following purpose.
The lever F is connected by a slot in its inner end to a pin G¹ on a carrier lever G
pivotted at G to the part A.
When the door of the hopper is closed, the levers F and G are in the positions
shewn at Figure 4 in which the crosshead G³ of G is situated immediately behind
the base of the top cartridge and the levers are held in this position by the
spring pressing against the part of lever F beyond the pivot F. The slot D'
of the lever D is so formed that when it is moved inward so as to push the door
open as described it does not at first act upon the levers F G but as soon as the
door is open and is holding the partly issued cartridge in the proper position the
above mentioned continued movement of D will push the lever F from the position
at Figure 4 into the position at Figure 6 whereby owing to the proportions of the
leverage it will cause the carrier lever G to move with great rapidity from the
position Figure 4 to that at Figure 6 thereby propelling the top cartridge right
into the cartridge chamber of the gun and hold it there until the breech block
rises and catches it. In order to give the bullet end of the cartridge the proper
direction for this purpose a projecting incline or lip is formed at A2 on the hopper so
that the cartridge in being pressed forward by the lever G slides against this surface
and thus has its bullet end directed to the required angle.
It will be seen that by the above described combined action of the door, the
carrier lever and the incline or lip, the cartridge will be held as it were by the fingers
of the hand, preventing it from falling out of the correct position for boing propelled
into the cartridge chamber of the gun, no matter what position the latter may be
held in.
When the breech action lever in moving upward has passed away from the incline D
of lever D the latter is pushed back into its original position by the spring E; during
the first part of such motion the upper end of the lever will not act upon the door
but in liberating the lever F will allow the spring F³ to commence to move the
levers F and G back towards their original position at Figure 4 which movement is
completed by the lever D, after which, or as soon as lever G has moved back suffi-
ciently, the lever D will draw the door B back into the closed position.
The lever D carries a pin D³ projecting through a slot into the hopper in such a
position that when the lever advances towards the position at Figure 5 the pin passes

page_text: over the top of the second cartridge and thereby prevents this from rising while the
top cartridge is being ejected but when the lever has receded again and the door is
closed the pin moves away from the cartridge and allows it to be pushed up by the
spring X.
By the above described action of the carrier lever G the cartridge is propelled
right home into the cartridge chamber only requiring the final end pressure exerted
by the rounded upper edge of the breech block as this rises as described in my above
mentioned previous Patent.
The top K of the hopper can open on hinges at K' for the introduction of the
cartridges and it is held in the closed position by a projection K² catching into a
notch in the lug A³ of the casing the cover being capable of being slid upward against
the action of a spring B³ so as to release the projection from the notch when the
cover can be turned up by means of the handle K³. On pressing down the cover, the
projection K' will spring into the notch of A³ again.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 shew respectively two end views and an outer side view of a
modified form of the above described construction. In this arrangement the hopper A
is made of smaller capacity so as to offer no obstruction to the finger in drawing the
trigger. The levers C and D are modified as follows :-
The lower end of lover D being necessarily situated at a higher level than in the
previous arrangement the finger on lever C has to be extended upward to a corres-
ponding height as shewn for acting upon lever D. Lever C is hinge jointed at C¹ as
before.
The part D' of lever D is in this case mounted on a pivot at D³ as before and in
place of the inclined surfaces described in the first arrangement D' has pivoted to it
at la separate cam piece I which acts upon the lever D and is acted upon by the
finger of the lever C in the following manner :-
The lever D and part D₁ are acted upon by spring E tending to keep them in
the position shown at Figure 9 with the lower end of D bearing against the curved
surface of the cam piece I, which is consequently also held thereby in the position
shewn in that figure a small stud I preventing it from descending below that position.
When the breech action lever C is drawn down the finger Cin bearing against the
sloping projecting end of the cam piece I, pushes this together with the lever D'
backward against the action of the spring E leaving the lever D stationary the
service of I being curved to the centre at D for this purpose. When the finger has
passed the piece I, D¹ is pushed back by the spring E into the original position
Figure 9. On the lever ( being now raised the finger C in bearing against the
underside of the cam piece I pushes this up on its pivot I' into the position shewn at
Figure 10 thereby causing it to thrust the lower end of lever D outward against the
spring E as shewn, whereby its upper end is made to actuate the door B and carrier
lever G in the same manner as above described; these parts of the mechanism being
of the same construction as described with reference to the first arrangement.
Figures 12 to 17 shew another construction of the above described propelling
mechanism.
Figures 12 and 13 shew two opposite side views of the hopper.
shew two end views with the door respectively in the closed and
Figures 16 and 17 shew two corresponding plans.
Figures 14 and 15
the open position.
The lever D is connected by its upper slotted end to the plate L which is pivotted to
the casing A at L and is connected to the door B by a link M so that when in the
position at Figure 14 the lever D holds the door closed and when in the position
Figure 15 it pushes the door open. The plate L has a pin L' which projects through a
curved slot in the end of the casing which when the door is being opened passes over the
second cartridge as before described so as to prevent it from rising while the top cartridge
is being ejected. The pin L' also passes through a slot in a second plate N pivotted to
the casing at N' and having a hole in its upper end through which passes the end of
the lever F connected to the carrier lever G in a similar manner to the first described
arrangement so that on the door being opened by the lever D the carrier lever G is
brought from the position at Figure 16 to that at Figure 17 for propelling the cartridge

page_text: into the cartridge chamber of the gun the relative connection of F and G being such
that this is effected by a backward motion of the outer end of F, instead of by a forward
movement as before.
The lever D may be actuated by the breech action lever in either of the ways
before described. The lid K of the hopper in this case only extends half way over the
top, it is held closed by a catch K' opened by hand.
Figure 18 shews a modification of the foregoing arrangement in which the plate L
is dispensed with and the end of lever D is made to actuate the door B directly the
lever having a stud D which acts against a lug B¹ on the door so as to push this open
against the action of its spring which in this case tends to keep the door closed. The
pin D carried by the lever Dactuates the slotted plate N that works the carrier lever
as before. This Figure also shews a different mode of actuating the lower end of the
lever D by the breech action lever Figure 19.
The lever D has a fixed incline D upon it and a second incline D³ pivotted
thereto with spring action so arranged that when the Finger C of the lever moves
downwards it comes in contact with the incline D' thereby pushing the lever D
slightly outwards, and at the same time turning the incline D³ on its pivot so
that C can pass out between them, D³ being then brought back against D* by its
spring.
On the upward motion of lever (, the finger C bears against the incline D³ and
thereby pushes the lever D backwards still further so as to complete its motion for
opening the door.
Figures 20 and 21 show another mode of actuating the carrier lever G, the lever F,
being dispensed with and the plate N being provided with a pin N³ which by the
forward movement of the plate is made to bear against the lever G so as to push
this into the position at Figure 21 while on the backward movement it prosses
against a tail G¹ of lever G so as to bring it back to its original position as at
Figure 20.
Figures 22 to 26 show an arrangement in which the carrier lever is situated on the
inner side face of the hopper instead of in the upper part.
Figures 22, 23 and 24 shew respectively an outside elevation, an inside elevation,
and an end_view with the hopper door closed, and the carrier lever in the backward
position. Figures 25 and 26 slew respectively an outside elevation, and an end view
with the door open and the carrier lever in the forward position. In this arrangement
the carrier lever G is pivotted at G¹ to the inner face of the hopper, which is secured
to the breech shoe in such a manner as to leave sufficient space between them to allow
the carrier to work freely therein. The lever G is connected by a slot G to the pin
of a carrier cross-head G³ which pin also passes through a slot A' in the side of hopper A
so that as the lever G moves from the position at Figure 22, into that at Figure 25, the
carrier cross bead G³ travels along the slot A'.
The breech action lever C is hinge-jointed at C as before described and a
finger having a head Centering a curved slot G in lever G this slot being so
formed that as the lever C is moved up with its finger C³, the head C³ causes lever G
to move rapidly from the backward to the forward position. The inner end of the
lever C carries a detent P which when the lever is in the lowered position at Figure 25
catches on a notch in the breech shoe at Q and thus holds the inner part of the lever
while the outer part is moving independently through part of its stroke as permitted
by the hinge joint C¹ by this motion the carrier lever is made to perform part of its
forward stroke while the breech block is still in its lowest position. At the rear end
of the hopper is pivotted at D' a lever D connected at its upper end to the hopper
door B which is urged by its spring B³ so as to tend to fly open. At D' the lever D
has an arm which when the lever is in the position at Figure 24 butts against the
carrier lever G when this in its backward position, so that the lever G thus prevents
lever D from moving forward and consequently keeps the door B closed. When the
outer part of lever in rising has moved lever G through the first part of its stroke as
above described the latter will have moved away from the arm D³ and consequently
the door B will be free to spring open to allow a cartridge to pass out. The carrier

page_text: cross-head G³ will then be situated immediately behind the base of the issuing cartridge
so that by its rapid forward motion on the continued rising of the lever 'C, the
carrier will push the cartridge home into the cartridge chamber of the gun.
As the outer end of the lever ( performs the first part of its upward motion turning
on the hinge joint C¹ the upper end of the finger will have a downward motion
relatively to the inner stationary end of lever C. whereby a hollow at C' on the under
edge of the finger will be made to press upon a short arm P' of the detent P. The
latter will thereby be forced away from its abutment and will now allow the inner end
of C to move upward on its fulcrum at C³ together with the outer end. During the
before mentioned motion of the outer part of C while the inner end is held by the
detent, the head C³ in moving in a downward direction will act on the slot C of G so
as to move this rapidly over from the backward position shewn in Figer 22 into the
forward position shown at Figure 25. thereby propelling the cartridge into the chamber
of the gun, on the further upward motion of the lever after the release of detent P. as
described the head ( will move upward turning on the upper centre of lever C, and
in pressing upon the upper edge of the slot G' will bring lever G back into the position
at Figuro 22.
Before this motion is completed the upper edge of the finger C will have come in
contact with the projecting arm D' of lever D and in pushing it upward will cause
lever D to move backward so as to close the hopper door again the lever D being held
by the finger in this position until the carrier lever G.has completed its backward
motion when it will again pass in front of D' and thus hold the lever and door as
above described.
The pin R for retaining the second cartridge is in this case carried by a plate R¹
which is pivotted at R2 to the hopper and is connected at R³ to the lever D.
Or instead of this arrangement the door B may he provided with a tail arranged
in the manner shewn at Figures 5 and 6 of my Patent 146507 so that as
the door opens the tail passes over the second cartridge and prevents this from
rising.
The cover K is in this arrangement held closed by a spring catch S the lever of
which is pivotted at S₁ and has a spring S³ tending to "keep the catch in the position
shown at Figure 22. When after the charge of the magazine has been expended the
spring is drawn down by the outside button X' the slide of the latter when arrived
at the dotted position presses against a nose on the lever, and in forcing back the
catch S releases the cover so that it will be thrown open by the spring B and allows
the introduction of a fresh charge. At the same time the spring is held down by
the tail of the catch springing over the slide thereof. Upon the cover K being closed
again the catch in being forced back causes the tail to release the slide of the spring X
so that this is again free to act on the cartridges.
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 in reference
to cartridge magazine for breech loading fire arms worked by a breech action lever or
equivalent appliance is :-
1 In combination with a side cartridge magazine having a door that is opened for
the issue of a cartridge by the movement of the breech action lever or equivalent
appliance the use of a carrier or propelling lever pivotted to the magazine and so
arranged and actuated by the breech action lever as to propel the issuing cartridge
into the cartridge chamber of the gun substantially as herein described.
2 In combination with a side cartridge magazine with carrier or propelling lever
such as is referred to in the preceding claim the use of a breech action lever having
its outer end hinge jointed and so arranged that it can be moved to a certain extent
independently of the inner end in order to open the magazine for the issue of a
cartridge before the inner end is moved for closing the breech block substantially as
herein described.
3 In a side cartridge magazine with carrier or propelling lever such as is referred to
in the first claim arranging the carrier lever in the upper part of the magazine and

page_text: actuating it by the same side lever that works the door substantially as herein described
with reference to Figures 1 to 21 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a side cartridge magazine with carrier or propelling lever such as is referred
to in the first claim arranging the carrier lever on the inner side face of the magazine
and actuating the same from the breech action lever independently of the side lever
that actuates the door substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 22
to 26 of the drawings.
5. The construction of cartridge magazine with carrier lever combined and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings.
6. The construction of cartridge magazine with carrier lever combined and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 9. 10 and 11 of the
drawings.
7. The construction of cartridge magazine with carrier lever combined and
operating substantially as described with reference to Figures 12 to 18 of the
drawings.
8. The construction of cartridge magazine with carrier lever combined and
operating substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 20 and 21 of
the drawings.
9. The construction of cartridge magazine with carrier lever combined and
operating substantially as herein, described with reference to Figures 22 to 26 of the
drawings.
10. In combination with a carrier lover such as is referred to in the preceding
claims forming on the front end of the magazine A. a lip or incline A² for imparting
the requisite oblique direction to the cartridge as it is propelled by the carrier lever
substantially as described.
11. In a cartridge magazine the combination of a side door, a cross head carrier
lever and an end lip so arranged and operated as to hold the cartridge between them
and prevent it from falling out of the correct position for being propelled into the
cartridge chamber of the gun no matter what position the gun may be held in
substantially as described.
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Dated this 10th day of December 1900