Year: 1886

page_text: I THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates especially to improvements on guns such as are described
in the specification of a former patent granted to me No 3164 in the year 1881 but
is in part applicable also to other machine guns.
I will more particularly describe a single barrel gun leaving it to be understood
that when more than one barrel is used, certain of the parts will be in duplicate
and minor alterations will become necessary.
The barrel is screwed into the fore end of a frame or body. A plunger moves
forward and backwards within the body thrusting the cartridge into the barrel,
closing the breech and withdrawing the cartridge case after firing. The plunger
has wings upon it to lock it in the firing position and there are corresponding
grooves and recesses in the frame or body. The plunger is partially rotated to
cause the wings to pass into the recesses.
The plunger receives its movements from an action slide on the underside of the
frame or body.
The action slide by means of a handle upon it is thrust forward for the purpose
of loading and firing and drawn back to open the breech.
There is a lug upon the action slide which projects up into a groove in the
plunger; a portion of this groove is inclined and in this portion the lug is
contained whilst the breech is open. When the action slide is thrust forward, it
at first carries the plunger with it, the lugs on the plunger being then in longi-
tudinal grooves in the frame or body so that it cannot turn, but when the breech
is closed behind the cartridge the wings on the plunger arrive opposite the recesses
and then the further advance of the action slide turns and locks the plunger.
The plunger contains a firing pin, and this in rear of the plunger has a head
upon it. A projection from the head enters a groove in the upper part or cover of
the frame or body. The body also contains a coiled spring which being behind the
head of the firing pin is compressed when the plunger with the firing pin moves
rearwards. The groove for the projection on the head of the firing pin has an
incline and also a shoulder within it. As the firing pin retires the incline causes
the projection on its head to pass behind the shoulder and when the plunger with
the firing pin advances the projection of the latter is caught by the shoulder and

page_text: retained and the spring behind the firing pin remains compressed whilst the
plunger continues its forward movement and until the moment for firing arrives.
There is a groove in the firing pin and the lug on the action slide is provided
with an inclined projection which penetrates through the slot in the plunger into
this groove: At the fore end of the groove is an incline and when all is ready for
firing the projection of the action slide operates against the incline. The firing
pin is thus turned partly round within the plunger, the projection on its head
escapes from the retaining shoulder, the firing pin flies forward and the shot
is fired.
A longitudinal groove within the frame or body contains the extractor, it has
a lug at its rear end which engages with an annular groove in the plunger so that
the extractor moves along with the plunger but without turning. There are two
guiding projections on the back of the extractor which bear on the bottom of the
guide groove until the cartridge is home when the front projection passes on to a
spring piece which allows the head of the extractor to pass over and engage with
the flange of the cartridge, or may split the extractor horizontally, the upper part
of it forming a spring; or I may fasten a spring on to the top of the extractor, to
dispense with the loose spring.
Or the plunger may be made in two parts the front then not turning and
carrying a spring extractor.
The extractor on retiring draws out the cartridge case and when the plunger is
fully back the case falls away through an opening in the bottom of the frame or
body and a fresh cartridge descends from above to take its place; this cartridge
remains then supported by its flange and fore end. in a position to be thrust into
the barrel. A finger or small lever is provided to ensure the disengagement of the
cartridge case from the extractor and also to work a feeding slide by which the
descent of cartridges from the magazine or cartridge hopper is controlled.
This finger or lever is jointed at its lower end to the upper part or cover of the
body or frame.
A part of the finger near to the joint projects downwards into a groove in the
plunger and when the plunger comes to the rear end of its course it strikes this
portion of the finger thereby causing its fore end to descend on to the top of
the cartridge case so as to push it downwards. The plunger in advancing again
raises the finger. A branch of the same finger or lever projects upwards and
actuates a feeding slide, imparting to it movement in a direction parallel to the
axis of the barrel. The feeding slide is a rectangular frame open at top and
bottom the cartridges successively fall from the cartridge hopper into the feeding
slide and out through the bottom of this slide into position in front of the plunger.
When the plunger is forward the feeding slide is in its rearward position-it then
supports the lowest cartridge in the hopper the flange of this cartridge resting on
the two sides of the slide whilst the bullet end of the cartridge is still supported
by the front of the cartridge hopper. The cartridge is at this time upwardly
inclined. When the cartridge slide is moved forward by the operation of the
plunger upon the finger as already described the parts of it which support the
flange of the cartridge pass from beneath it and the cartridge falls the bullet end
also escaping from the supporting surface at the fore part of the hopper. The
cartridge then lies within the feeding slide on a stationary bottom beneath
supported at the flange and bullet ends. Next time that the plunger advances
and the feeding slide recedes the cartridge in the slide is drawn back to a position
in which it is able to fall through a hole in the stationary bottom and it descends
until it is supported by the plunger. At the next movement the cartridge falls
down into position in the frame or body in front of the plunger and is then in due
course thrust into the barrel.
The cartridge hopper is wide enough to accommodate two vertical rows of
cartridges but not with the flanges side by side; they are arranged in zig zag
so that the cartridge in one row rests on the cartridge in the next row. The
bullet ends however are in two vertical rows kept apart by a partition. Quite

page_text: at the bottom the hopper is contracted and of a width only to contain a single
cartridge which it holds in position to fall into the feeding slide.
The cover carries the hopper and feeding slide and also the tangent sight, it is
pushed from the rear into its place in grooves cut in the body. There is also a
bottom cover arranged in the same manner and a screw cap put round them in rear
secures the whole.
The tangent sight can be of any usual military rifle type but I place it in a box
which is hinged to the cover so that when it is folded down the sight is enclosed.
When in a position for use the sight box lies horizontally at the side of the gun.
The sight is raised for firing. To the rear of the gun I fasten a shoulder piece for
laying the gun by a bayonet lock or otherwise.
Below the fore part of the body a sphere is fastened by a neck. Around the
Deck there is a loose collar of cup like form fitting to the sphere. The sphere is
also received into a cup or spherical cavity at the top of a tripod or other support.
This cup is divided vertically into two parts which admits of some relative
movement. One part of the cup is rigidly fastened to the support.
The cup is
open at the top and the collar mentioned above forms a cover to it, or the inner
sphere may be fastened to support and the outer to the gun. The parts of the cup
and the collar enclose the sphere attached to the body and they are also enclosed
themselves in an outer case made in two parts hinged together on one side and on
the other side drawn together by a clamping screw or eccentric. When this screw
is tightened the sphere is held so that the gun is immoveable but when it is
slackened the gun can move around about a vertical axis the collar or cover and
the outer case then moving with it. This is the only movement which is
permitted to the collar or cover for its edges rest on those of the cup. The gun
however can also move in the vertical plane in which its axis is contained to give
the requisite elevation.
To admit of this the hole in the collar through which the neck of the sphere
passes is elongated to a sufficient extent so that the neck can move in the collar
but in one direction only. When the gun is laid a part of a turn of the clamping
screw locks it fast.
Or I might make the halves of the cup to form the clamping case.
I then hinge
them on one side and on the other I draw them together by a clamping screw or
eccentric.
By this arrangement the gun can be moved in the same manner and held fast,
but the handle of the clamping screw remains stationary which for some purposes
may not be inconvenient. Or I may in this case as in the previous fasten the
sphere to the support and the clamping cup to the gun when the handle follows
the movement of the gun.
In this arrangement I employ a saddle for the collar to move in to secure
steadiness sideways to the gun.
Dated thin 10th J
...

page_text: I THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer 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 especially to improvements on guns such as are described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me N° 3164 in the year 1881
but is in part applicable also to other machine guns.
I will more particularly describe a single barrel gun leaving it to be understood
that when more than one barrel is used certain of the parts will be in duplicate
and minor alterations will become necessary.
The barrel is screwed into the fore end of a frame or body. A plunger moves
forward and backwards within the body thrusting the cartridge into the barrel
closing the breech and withdrawing the cartridge case after firing. The plunger
has wings upon it to lock it in the firing position and there are corresponding
grooves and recesses in the frame or body. The plunger is partially rotated to
cause the wings to pass into the recesses.
The plunger receives its movements from an action slide on the underside of the
frame or body.
The action slide by means of a handle upon it is thrust forward for the purpose
of loading and firing and drawn back to open the breech.
There is a lug upon the action slide which projects up into a groove in the
plunger a portion of this groove is inclined and in this portion the lug is contained
whilst the breech is open. When the action slide is thrust forward it at first
carries the plunger with it the lugs on the plunger being then in longitudinal
grooves in the frame or body so that it cannot turn, but when the breech is closed
behind the cartridge the wings on the plunger arrive opposite the recesses and then
the further advance of the action slide turns and locks the plunger.
The plunger contains a firing pin and this in the rear of the plunger has a head
upon it.
A projection from the head enters a groove in the upper part or cover of
the frame or body. The body also contains a coiled spring which being behind
the head of the firing pin is compressed when the plunger with the firing pin moves
rearwards. The groove for the projection on the bead of the firing pin has an
incline and also a shoulder within it. As the firing pin retires the incline causes
the projection on its head to pass behind the shoulder and when the plunger with
the firing pin advances the projection of the latter is caught by the shoulder and
retained and the spring behind the firing pin remains compressed whilst the
plunger continues its forward movement and until the moment for firing arrives.
There is a groove in the firing pin and the lug on the action slide is provided
with an inclined projection which penetrates through the slot in the plunger into
this groove. At the fore end of the groove is an incline and when all is ready for
firing the projection of the action slide operates against the incline.. The firing
pin is thus turned partly round within the plunger, the projection on its head

page_text: escapes from the retaining shoulder the firing pin flies forward and the shot
is fired.
A longitudinal groove within the frame or body contains the extractor it has a
lug at its rear end which engages with a groove in the plunger so that the extractor
moves along with the plunger but without turning. There are two guiding pro-
jections on the back of the extractor which bear on the bottom of the guide groove
until the cartridge is home when the front projection passes on to a spring piece
which allows the head of the extractor to pass over and engage with the flange of
the cartridge, or I may split the extractor horizontally, the upper part of it forming
a spring; or I may fasten a spring on to the top of the extractor to dispense with
the loose spring.
Or the plunger may be made in two parts the point then not turning and
carrying a spring extractor.
The extractor on retiring draws out the cartridge case and when the plunger is
fully back the case falls away through an opening in the bottom of the frame or
body and a fresh cartridge descends from above to take its place this cartridge
remains then supported by its flange and fore end in a position to be thrust into
the barrel. A finger or small lever is provided to ensure the disengagement of the
cartridge case from the extractor and also to work a feeding slide by which the
descent of cartridges from the magazine or cartridge hopper is controlled.
This finger or lever is jointed at its lower end to the upper part or cover of the
body or frame.
A part of the finger near to the joint projects downwards into a groove in the.
plunger and when the plunger comes to the rear end of its course it strikes this
portion of the finger thereby causing its fore end to descend on to the top of the
cartridge case so as to push it downwards. The plunger.in advancing again raises
the finger. A branch of the same finger or lever projects upwards and actuates a
feeding slide imparting to it movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the
barrel. The feeding slide is a rectangular frame open at top and bottom the
cartridges successively fall from the cartridge hopper into the feeding slide and out
through the bottom of this slide into position in front of the plunger. When the
plunger is forward the feeding slide is in its rearward position-it then supports
the lowest cartridge in the hopper, the flange of this cartridge resting on the two
sides of the slide whilst the bullet end of the cartridge is still supported by the
front of the cartridge hopper. The cartridge is at this time upwardly inclined.
When the cartridge slide is moved forward by the operation of the plunger upon
the finger as already described the parts of it which support the flange of the
cartridge pass from beneath it and the cartridge falls, the bullet end also escaping
from the supporting surface at the fore part of the hopper. The cartridge then
lies within the feeding slide on a stationary bottom beneath supported at the flange
and bullet ends. Next time that the plunger advances and the feeding slide
recedes the cartridge in the slide is drawn back to a position in which it is able to
fall through a hole in the stationary bottom and it descends until it is supported
by the plunger. At the next movement the cartridge falls down into position in
the frame or body in front of the plunger and is then in due course thrust into the
barrel.
The cartridge hopper is wide enough to accomodate two vertical rows of
cartridges but not with the flanges side by side, they are arranged in zig-zag so
that the cartridge in one row rests on the cartridge in the next row. The bullet
ends however are in two vertical rows kept apart by a partition. Quite at the
bottom the hopper is contracted and of a width only to contain a single cartridge
which it holds in position to fall into the feeding slide.
The cover carries the hopper and feeding slide it is pushed from the rear into its
place in grooves cut in the body. There is also a bottom cover arranged in the
same manner and a screw cap put round them in rear secures the whole.
To the rear of the gun I fasten a shoulder piece for laying the gun by a bayonet
lock or otherwise.

page_text: Below the fore part of the body a sphere is fastened by a neck. Around the
neck there is a loose collar of a cup like form fitting to the sphere. The sphere is
also received into a cup or spherical cavity at the top of a tripod or other support.
This cup is divided vertically into two parts which admits of some relative move-
ment. One part of the cup is rigidly fastened to the support. The cup is open at
the top and the collar mentioned above forms a cover to it. The parts of the cup
and the collar enclose the sphere attached to the body and they are also enclosed
themselves in an outer case made in two parts hinged together on one side and on
the other side drawn together by a clamping screw or eccentric. When this screw
is tightened the sphere is held so that the gun is immoveable but when it is
slackened the gun can move around about a vertical axis the collar or cover and
the outer case then moving with it. This is the only movement which is
permitted to the collar or cover for its edges rest on those of the cup.
The gun
however can also move in the vertical plane in which its axis is contained to give
the requisite elevation.
To admit of this the hole in the collar through which the neck of the sphere
passes is elongated to a sufficient extent so that the neck can move in the collar
but in one direction only. When the gun is laid a part of a turn of the clamping
screw locks it fast.
Or the inner sphere may be fastened to support and the outer to the gun.
Or I might make the halves of the cup to form the clamping case I then hinge
then on one side and on the other I draw them together by a clamping screw or
eccentric.
By this arrangement the gun can be moved in the same manner and held fast
but the handle of the clamping screw remains stationary which for some purposes
may not be inconvenient. Or I may in this case as in the previous fasten the
sphere to the support and the clamping cup to the gun when the handle follows
the movement of the gun.
In this arrangement I employ a saddle for the collar to move in to secure
steadiness sideways to the gun.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine gun constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the body into which the barrel is screwed.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal and vertical section of the same.
Figure 5 is an end view of the body.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of the body on the line A Bin Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a plan, and
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the top of the cover of the body.
Figure 9 is a rear elevation of the cover.
Figure 10 is a transverse section on the line A, B, in Figure 8.
Figures 11 show the short cover which is applied at the rear end of the body on
the under side.
Figures 12 show a lid for the opening to which the cartridge hopper is applied.
Figures 13 show a screw cap which closes the body at the rear end.
Figure 14 is a side elevation of the action slide.
Figure 15 is a plan of the same, and
Figure 16 a rear elevation.
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the plunger.
Figure 18 is an end elevation of the same, and
Figure 19 a transverse section.
Figure 20 is a plan of the plunger.

page_text: Figure 25 is a transverse section on the line C, D, in Figure 22.
Figure 26 is a plan of the extractor.
Figure 27 is a longitudinal section of the same, and
Figure 28 is a rear elevation.
Figure 29 is a longitudinal section of an extractor of another pattern.
Figures 30 show the extractor spring and its screw. This spring is employed in.
connection with the extractor represented by Figures 26, 27, 28.
.
Figure 31 is a plan and
Figure 32 is a side elevation of the shoulder piece for laying the gun; a portion
of the gun is also indicated.
Figure 33 is a longitudinal and vertical section of the cartridge hopper.
Figure 34 is a transverse vertical section of the same taken on the line A, B, in
Figure 31.
Figure 35 is a horizontal section of the cartridge hopper.
Figure 36 is a longitudinal and vertical section of a feeder to be applied at the
top of the cartridge hopper.
.
Figure 37 is a rear elevation of the same, and
Figure 38 is a horizontal section.
Figure 39 is a rear elevation of the support on which the gun is carried.
Figure 40 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 41 is a plan partly in section, and
Figure 42 is a longitudinal and vertical section.
Figure 43 is a side elevation partly in section showing a modification of the gun
support.
Figure 44 is a plan of a portion of the same.
Figures 45 show in side elevation, other portions.
a is the barrel it is screwed into the fore part of the frame or body b, and within
this body the plunger c can slide to and fro; it has this movement imparted to it.
by the action slide d which is moved by hand along the guide grooves b' in the
body. The action slide has upon it the lump d' and this enters the groove c' in
the plunger, and so the two parts are constantly engaged. The fore part of the
groove c¹ is straight and the after part inclined and the lump d' is so formed that
it can pass from one part of the groove to the other. The body is closed in at the
top over the plunger by the top cover e which slides into the guide grooves b' in
the body. The short bottom cover f enters the guide grooves b¹ in the body
behind the action slide, and these parts are all secured by screwing on the cap g.
c3 c are wings upon the plunger, when the breech is closed these are engaged in.
the recesses 63 in the body or frame.
The lump d' on the action slide in the first portion of the rearward motion of
the slide travels in the straight part of the groove c¹ gathering momentum until it
enters the inclined portion and in so doing it turns the plunger round.
The
plunger is thus rotated sufficiently far to disengage its wings c² from the recesses b³
and then the plunger accompanies the action slide in its further rearward move-
ment. The. wings c then traverse the open slots 64 in the body. Similarly in the
forward movement of the action slide to close the breech the plunger accompanies
it in the first part of its movement and until the wings c² reach the recesses 6³, and
at this point, its forward movement being checked the plunger commences to
rotate as the lump d' passes out of the inclined groove c¹-so the wings c³ are again.
made to engage in the recesses b³. The action slide then completes its forward
movement and causes the shot to be fired as is herein after further explained.
The firing pin h within the plunger accompanies it in its rearward movement
and the projection-hon-the head of the firing pin then traverses the groove e³ in.
j

page_text: the under side of the top cover. The firing pin is in this way forced back against
the resistance of the coiled spring i. The groove e' it will be seen is of such a
form as to compel the firing pin to turn partly round as it approaches the end of
its backward movement, and when it advances again with the plunger the pro-
jection catches upon the shoulder e¹× in the groove e¹ and thereby the firing pin
is prevented from following the plunger in its return. The action slide also carries
upon it at the top of the projection d' a smaller projection d' which penetrates
into a groove h³ in the firing pin, and this groove near the nose of the firing pin
terminates in an inclined surface **. The forward movement of the action slide
after the breech is closed presses the projection d' against the incline at the fore
end of the groove h², the firing pin is thus compelled to turn within the plunger,
and as it does so the projection h¹ upon its head escapes from the shoulder el*.
The spring behind the firing pin then drives it forward and its nose strikes
against the priming of the cartridge in the breech of the gun and the shot is fired.,
The plunger has an incline upon it in rear at c³ and there is a corresponding
incline upon the head of the firing pin at h³. In opening the breech, as already
explained, the plunger turns, whilst the firing pin is prevented from revolving by
the groove b; hence the inclined surfaces c* and h³ being in contact the movement
of the plunger causes the withdrawal of the nose of the firing pin behind the face
upon which the base of the cartridge abuts. This precaution is taken in order
that the firing pin may not resist the disengagement of the cartridge case at the
proper time. An air hole h is provided at the fore end of the firing pin, in order that
the forward movement of the pin under the action of the spring may not be
opposed by air confined in front of it. There is a notch in the plunger at c* and
with this a projection at the rear end of the extractor k engages, but in such a
manner as to allow the plunger to turn partly round without carrying the
extractor round with it. 6 is a longitudinal groove in the body into which the
extractor is received and along which it moves in company with the plunger. As
the breech closes the hooked end of the extractor engages in the usual way with
the flange of the cartridge lying in the barrel.
is the extractor spring its head at this time bears upon the head of the
extractor. The groove 65 is sufficiently deep at this part to allow the head of the
extractor to recede the spring yielding to admit of the claw of the extractor
passing over the flange of the cartridge. It is only in the first part of the
rearward movement of the extractor that it is dependent upon the spring 7 to
keep it engaged with the flange of the cartridge case, for immediately, the head of
the extractor passes into a shallower portion of the groove b³.
In place of employing a supporting spring I in some cases employ an extractor
having a spring formed or fixed upon it, as is shown by the Figure 27.
6 is an opening in the bottom of the body by which the cartridge case falls
away when it has been removed by the extractor from the barrel. 6' is the
opening by which the cartridges enter the body as they descend from the cartridge
hoppers. It will be seen that the opening 67 is a short distance in advance of the
opening 66. The case of the fired cartridge is drawn back by the extractor until
the flange at its base reaches a part of the opening 66 wide enough to permit it to
pass through. The cartridge case then falls away or is pushed down through this
opening as hereinafter explained.
At the time that the breech closes the opening b' receives a cartridge into it and
the cartridge is there retained whilst a shot is fired and the breech again opened.
The cartridge then falls down in front of the plunger and it lies with the projectile
resting in advance of the fore end of the opening 66 and the flange at its base on
the sides of the opening.
m is a small lever or finger which serves a double purpose; it ensures that the
cartridge case extracted from the barrel shall fall away from the claw of the
extractor and it gives motion to the cartridge slide by which the descent of
the cartridge from the cartridge hopper is controlled. The lower end of this

page_text: lever m penetrates into a groove cº in the plunger. When the plunger is fully
drawn back the fore end of the groove strikes against the lever and causes it to
turn about the pin or axis m which connects it with the cover e. The point m³
is in this way brought down and caused to strike upon the cartridge case if it has
not already fallen away. At the same time the arm m³ of this lever carries
forward the cartridge slide n and a cartridge then descends from the magazine
into the slide. When the breech is next closed by the forward movement of the
action slide & the hinder end of the groove e in the plunger strikes against the
lever m and raises it to the position in which it is shown in Figure 8. A cartridge
then falls from the slide into the opening b' in the top of the body and here it rests
upon the top of the plunger c until the plunger again retires. The cartridge
slide n meanwhile serves as a stop to prevent the descent of other cartridges from
the cartridge hopper. o is a mouth upon the top cover e adapted to receive the
cartridge hopper p upon it. pl is a spring on the cartridge hopper which serves to.
lock it in its place over the said mouth.
The cartridges are arranged in a double row which are just sufficiently distant to
allow the head of one, cartridge to rest upon the head of the next cartridge
immediately beneath. The cartridges are inclined upwards and the bullets at
their fore ends rest against the front wall of the cartridge hopper. Here the:
cartridges in one row are separated from those in the other row by a partition p³. :
Or sometimes I make the cartridge hopper narrower at the fore part so as to
bring the bullet ends of all the cartridges into one vertical row whilst the zig-zag
arrangement of the bases of the cartridges is preserved. In either case the
cartridges in the body of the hopper are inclined with the bullet end upwards and
resting against the front wall p³ whilst in rear the flanges of the cartridges are
retained in one or other of the guide grooves p'. As each cartridge reaches the.
lower part of the magazine it is guided inwards by inclines p* p* which bring it to
a central position.
In this position the cartridge slide n, supports the lowest cartridge, the flange of
the cartridge bearing upon the sides of the slide. The cartridge rests in this
position when the breech is open and the cartridge slide is forward, but when the
breech is closed and the slide moved to the rear the cartridge falls down from the
cartridge hopper into the slide. The projectile at the fore end of the cartridge falls
when it passes the shoulder po near the bottom of the cartridge hopper and the
cartridge then assumes an horizontal position.
The feeder is simply a detachable upward extension of the cartridge hopper;
it is brought to the gun full of cartridges and put into its place on the top of the
cartridge hopper. The stud q' at the front of the feeder engages with a hole pat
the top of the cartridge hopper, whilst the spring catch q³, upon the feeder engages
with the rim at the upper end of the hopper. When the spring catch q² is thus.
pressed back the cartridges in the feeder which previously were retained by it are
able to descend and they drop down into the cartridge hopper until they rest upon
the cartridges which the hopper may already contain. When the feeder is empty
it is removed, taken away and recharged. In the mean time other feeders are.
employed to supply cartridges to the gun if required.
In Figures 39. 40. 41 and 42 r is a stem terminating at its upper end in a ball r;
this stem is firmly fixed in a socket in the stationary gun support a. t is a saddle.
surrounding the stem and resting upon the support 8.
+
'The saddle t is hollowed out to receive the cup piece or collar u in which the
lower part of the ball lies. The cup piece or collar u has also an elongated_
hole through its 'bottom through which the stem 7 passes. The cup piece or
collar is moveable about the ball in the direction of the length of the hole or slot
in it but not otherwise. The cup piece or collar also is moveable in the saddle t.
only in the same direction.
.
...
-
་
v and w are the two parts of a case which encloses the upper part of the ball >1.
they are connected by a joint pin w¹and can also be drawn together and tightened

page_text: upon the ball by the hand screw z. v is a socket on the part of the case into
which the gun barrel is fixed.
The part of the case has a recess in it at w³ receiving a corresponding
projection on the cup or collar u so that the barrel when trained carries with it
the case and the cup and also the saddle t. The external form of the case v. w. is
such that when the gun barrel is elevated or depressed its edges can pass down
into the cavity of the saddle t.
The gun is thus capable of being elevated and depressed and also trained and it
can be locked fast in any position by drawing together the parts of case so as to
make them clip the ball.
The shoulder piece by the aid of which the gun is aimed is shown to a smaller
scale in Figures 31 and 32 and is marked y. It is locked by the aid of a bayonet
joint and locking ring on to a pin g' which projects from the cap g at the rear end
of the gun.
This pin is formed of a piece with the cap.
The Figures 43. 44. 45 show a modification of the gun support.
In this arrangement a is a ball or globe having a neck al projecting from it and
connecting it with a holder in which the gun barrel is fixed. The neck a¹ is
surrounded by a collar b which fits to the ball a. There is a slot in the collar and
it fits to the neck a¹ so that the collar cannot turn around the neck but the neck
can move in the slot in the plane of the axis of the barrel. The ball a also rests in
a divided socket piece c. d. The part c is formed at the upper end of a stem c¹
which is fixed upon any convenient base; the part d fits to the part c. and together
with the collar b completes the cup or socket around the ball. The socket also is
globular externally and so also the collar b and these parts are received into the
case e. This case is in two parts hinged together at e¹ and also connected by the
screw f. The screw has a handle upon it and a partial turn of the handle tightens
the case when required upon the parts within it and then upon the ball a.
The case it will be seen embraces the neck a¹ so that the case and collar must
move together. When the screw f is slackened the parts allow the movements
requisite to elevate and depress the gun and to bring it to bear on an object but
restrains other movements which if permitted would interfere with the working of
the gun.
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:-
1. The combination consisting of the plunger c which traverses to and fro in the
body, the firing pin h within the said plunger, the projection h¹ on the firing pin,
the guide groove e¹ with its inclines and shoulder e¹x retaining the firing pin when
the plunger advances and liberating it when the plunger is rotated substantially as
described.
2. The mechanism for rotating the firing pin to free it from the shoulder e¹*
consisting in the projection d' upon the action slide and the incline /** upon the
firing pin operating substantially as described.
3. The combination consisting of the plunger c and groove c¹ partly straight and
partly inclined and the action slide d and lump d' constituting a breech mechanism
such that when the action slide is drawn back it first moves independently of the
plunger gathering momentum, then rotates and unlocks the plunger and finally
carries the plunger rearward with it substantially as described.
4. The breech action or mechanism of the gun substantially as described.
5. The mechanism for regulating the supply of cartridges from the cartridge
hopper consisting in the lever m cartridge slide n and plunger c operating
substantially as described.
6. The cartridge hopper substantially as described.

page_text: 7. A support for a machine gun consisting of a ball and socket the one part
attached to the gun and moveable and the other part fixed; the said socket being
in parts which can be made to nip the ball and having one part surrounding the
stem of the ball constrained to move with the gun when it is trained and such part
having a hole in it for the stem to pass so formed as to allow relative movement of
the collar and stem to take place as the gun is elevated or depressed.
8. A support for a machine gun substantially as described.

page_text: I THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates especially to improvements on guns such as are described
in the specification of a former patent granted to me, No 3164 in the year 1881 but
is in part applicable also to other machine guns.
I will more particularly describe a single barrel gun leaving it to be understood
that when more than one barrel is used, certain of the parts will be in duplicate
and minor alterations will become necessary.
The barrel is screwed into the fore end of a frame or body. A plunger moves
forward and backwards within the body thrusting the cartridge into the barrel,
closing the breech and withdrawing the cartridge case after firing. The. plunger
has wings upon it to lock it in the firing position and there are corresponding
grooves and recesses in the frame or body. The plunger is partially rotated to
cause the wings to pass into the recesses.
The plunger receives its movements from an action slide on the underside of the
frame or body.
The action slide by means of a handle upon it is thrust forward for the purpose
of loading and firing and drawn back to open the breech.
There is a lug upon the action slide which projects up into a groove in the
plunger; a portion of this groove is inclined and in this portion the lug is
contained whilst the breech is open. When the action slide is thrust forward, it
at first carries the plunger with it, the lugs on the plunger being then in longi-
tudinal grooves in the frame or body so that it cannot turn, but when the breech
is closed behind the cartridge the wings on the plunger arrive opposite the recesses
and then the further advance of the action slide turns and locks the plunger.
The plunger contains a firing pin, and this in rear of the plunger has a head
upon it.
A projection from the head enters a groove in the upper part or cover of
the frame or body. The body also contains a coiled spring which being behind the
head of the firing pin is compressed when the plunger with the firing pin moves
rearwards. The groove for the projection on the head of the firing pin has au
incline and also a shoulder within it. As the firing pin retires the incline causes
the projection on its head to pass behind the shoulder and when the plunger with
the firing pin advances the projection of the latter is caught by the shoulder and

page_text: retained and the spring behind the firing pin remains compressed whilst the
plunger continues its forward movement and until the moment for firing arrives.
There is a groove in the firing pin and the lug on the action slide is provided
with an inclined projection which penetrates through the slot in the plunger into
this groove.
At the fore end of the groove is an incline and when all is ready for
firing the projection of the action slide operates against the incline. The firing
pin is thus turned partly round within the plunger, the projection on its head
escapes from the retaining shoulder, the firing pin flies forward and the shot
is fired.
A longitudinal groove within the frame or body contains the extractor, it has
a lug at its rear end which engages with an annular groove in the plunger so that
the extractor moves along with the plunger but without turning. There are two
guiding projections on the back of the extractor which bear on the bottom of the
guide groove until the cartridge is home when the front projection passes on to a
spring piece which allows the head of the extractor to pass over and engage with
the flange of the cartridge, or I may split the extractor horizontally, the upper part
of it forming a spring; or I may fasten a spring on to' the top of the extractor, to
dispense with the loose spring.
Or the plunger may be made in two parts the front then not turning and
carrying a spring extractor.
The extractor on retiring draws out the cartridge case and when the plunger is
fully back the case falls away through an opening in the bottom of the frame or
body and a fresh cartridge descends from above to take its place; this cartridge
remains then supported by its flange and fore ends in a position to be thrust into
the barrel. A finger or small lever is provided to ensure the disengagement of the
cartridge case from the extractor and also to work a feeding slide by which the
descent of cartridges from the magazine or cartridge hopper is controlled.
This finger or lever is jointed at its lower end to the upper part or cover of the
body or frame.
A part of the finger near to the joint projects downwards into a groove in the
plunger and when the plunger comes to the rear end of its course it strikes this
portion of the finger thereby causing its fore end to descend on to the top of
the cartridge case so as to push it downwards. The plunger in advancing again
raises the finger. A branch of the same finger or lever projects upwards and
actuates & feeding slide, imparting to it movement in a direction parallel to the
axis of the barrel. The feeding slide is a rectangular frame open at top and
bottom-the cartridges successively fall from the cartridge hopper into the feeding
slide and out through the bottom of this slide into position in front of the plunger.
When the plunger is forward the feeding slide is in its rearward position--it then
supports the lowest cartridge in the hopper the flange of this cartridge resting on
the two sides of the slide whilst the bullet end of the cartridge is still supported
by the front of the cartridge hopper. The cartridge is at this time upwardly
inclined. When the cartridge slide is moved forward by the operation of the
plunger upon the finger as already described the parts of it which support the
flange of the cartridge pass from beneath it and the cartridge falls the bullet end
also escaping from the supporting surface at the fore part of the hopper. The
cartridge then lies within the feeding slide on a stationary bottom beneath
supported at the flange and bullet ends. Next time that the plunger advances
and the feeding slide recedes the cartridge in the slide is drawn back to a position
in which it is able to fall through a hole in the stationary bottom and it descends
until it is supported by the plunger. At the next movement the cartridge falls
down into position in the frame or body in front of the plunger and is then in due
course thrust into the barrel.
The cartridge hopper is wide enough to accommodate two vertical rows of
cartridges but not with the flanges side by side; they are arranged in zig zag
so that the cartridge in one row rests on the cartridge in the next row. The
bullet ends however are in two vertical rows kept apart by a partition. Quite

page_text: at the bottom the hopper is contracted and of a width only to contain a single
cartridge which it holds in position to fall into the feeding slide.
The cover carries the hopper and feeding slide and also the tangent sight, it is
pushed from the rear into its place in grooves cut in the body. There is also a
bottom cover arranged in the same manner and a screw cap put round them in rear
secures the whole.
The tangent sight can be of any usual military rifle type but I place it in a box
which is hinged to the cover so that when it is folded down the sight is enclosed.
When in a position for use the sight box lies horizontally at the side of the gun.
The sight is raised for firing. To the rear of the gun I fasten a shoulder piece for
laying the gun by a bayonet lock or otherwise.
Below the fore part of the body a sphere is fastened by a neck. Around the
neck there is a loose collar of cup like form fitting to the sphere. The sphere is
also received into a cup or spherical cavity at the top of a tripod or other support.
This cup is divided vertically into two parts which admits of some relative
movement. One part of the cup is rigidly fastened to the support. The cup is
open at the top and the collar mentioned above forms a cover to it, or the inner
sphere may be fastened to support and the outer to the gun. The parts of the cup
and the collar enclose the sphere attached to the body and they are also enclosed
themselves in an outer case made in two parts hinged together on one side and on
the other side drawn together by a clamping screw or eccentric. When this screw
is tightened the sphere is held so that the gun is immoveable but when it is
slackened the gun can move around about a vertical axis the collar or cover and
the outer case then moving with it. This is the only movement which is
permitted to the collar or cover for its edges rest on those of the cup. The gun
however can also move in the vertical plane in which its axis is contained to give
the requisite elevation.
To admit of 'this the hole in the collar through which the neck of the sphere
passes is elongated to a sufficient extent so that the neck can move in the collar
but in one direction only. When the gun is laid a part of a turn of the clamping
screw locks it fast.
Or I might make the halves of the cup to form the clamping case.
I then hinge
them on one side and on the other I draw them together by a clamping screw or
eccentric.
By this arrangement the gun can be moved in the same manner and held fast,
but the handle of the clamping screw remains stationary which for some purposes
may not be inconvenient. Or I may in this case as in the previous fasten the
sphere to the support and the clamping cup to the gun when the handle follows
the movement of the gun.
In this arrangement I employ a saddle for the collar to move in to secure
steadiness sideways to the gun.

page_text: I THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer 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 especially to improvements on guns such as are described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me N° 3164 in the year 1881
but is in part applicable also to other machine guns.
I will more particularly describe a single barrel gun leaving it to be understood
that when more than one barrel is used certain of the parts will be in duplicato
and minor alterations will become necessary.
The barrel is screwed into the fore end of a frame or body. A plunger moves
forward and backwards within the body thrusting the cartridge into the barrel
closing the breech and withdrawing the cartridge case after firing. The plunger
has wings upon it to lock it in the firing position and there are corresponding
grooves and recesses in the frame or body. The plunger is partially rotated to
cause the wings to pass into the recesses.
The plunger receives its movements from an action slide on the underside of the
frame or body.
The action slide by means of a handle upon it is thrust forward for the purpose
of loading and firing and drawn back to open the breech.
There is a lug upon the action slide which projects up into a groove in the
plunger a portion of this groove is inclined and in this portion the lug is contained
whilst the breech is open. When the action slide is thrust forward it at first
carries the plunger with it the lugs on the plunger being then in longitudinal
grooves in the frame or body so that it cannot turn, but when the breech is closed
behind the cartridge the wings on the plunger arrive opposite the recesses and then
the further advance of the action slide turns and locks the plunger.
The plunger contains a firing pin and this in the rear of the plunger has a head
upon it. A projection from the head enters a groove in the upper part or cover of
the frame or body. The body also contains a coiled spring which being behind
the head of the firing pin is compressed when the plunger with the firing pin moves
rearwards. The groove for the projection on the head of the firing pin has an
incline and also a shoulder within it. As the firing pin retires the incline causes
the projection on its head to pass behind the shoulder and when the plunger with
the firing pin advances the projection of the latter is caught by the shoulder and
retained and the spring behind the firing pin remains compressed whilst the
plunger continues its forward movement and until the moment for firing arrives.
There is a groove in the firing pin and the lug on the action slide is provided
with an inclined projection which penetrates through the slot in the plunger into
this groove. At the fore end of the groove is an incline and when all is ready for
firing the projection of the action slide operates against the incline. The firing
pin is thus turned partly round within the plunger, the projection on its head

page_text: escapes from the retaining shoulder the firing pin flies forward and the shot
is fired.
A longitudinal groove within the frame or body contains the extractor it has a
lug at its rear end which engages with a groove in the plunger so that the extractor
moves along with the plunger but without turning. There are two guiding pro-
jections on the back of the extractor which bear on the bottom of the guide groove
until the cartridge is home when the front projection passes on to a spring piece
which allows the head of the extractor to pass over and engage with the flange of
the cartridge, or I may split the extractor horizontally, the upper part of it forming
a spring; or I may fasten a spring on to the top of the extractor to dispense with
the loose spring.
Or the plunger may be made in two parts the point then not turning and
carrying a spring extractor.
The extractor on retiring draws out the cartridge case and when the plunger is
fully back the case falls away through an opening in the bottom of the frame or
body and a fresh cartridge descends from above to take its place this cartridge
remains then supported by its flange and fore end in a position to be thrust into
the barrel. A finger or small lever is provided to ensure the disengagement of the
cartridge case from the extractor and also to work a feeding slide by which the
descent of cartridges from the magazine or cartridge hopper is controlled.
This finger or lever is jointed at its lower end to the upper part or cover of the
body or frame.
A part of the finger near to the joint projects downwards into a groove in the
plunger and when the plunger comes to the rear end of its course it strikes this
portion of the finger thereby causing its fore end to descend on to the top of the.
cartridge case so as to push it downwards. The plunger in advancing again raises
the finger. A branch of the same finger or lever projects upwards and actuates a
feeding slide imparting to it movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the
barrel. The feeding slide is a rectangular frame open at top and bottom the
cartridges successively fall from the cartridge hopper into the feeding slide and out
through the bottom of this slide into position in front of the plunger. When the
plunger is forward the feeding slide is in its rearward position-it then supports
the lowest cartridge in the hopper, the flange of this cartridge resting on the two
sides of the slide whilst the bullet end of the cartridge is still supported by the
front of the cartridge hopper. The cartridge is at this time upwardly inclined.
When the cartridge slide is moved forward by the operation of the plunger upon
the finger as already described the parts of it which support the flange of the
cartridge pass from beneath it and the cartridge falls, the bullet end also escaping
from the supporting surface at the fore part of the hopper. The cartridge then
lies within the feeding slide on a stationary bottom beneath supported at the flange
and bullet ends. Next time that the plunger advances and the feeding slide
recedes the cartridge in the slide is drawn back to a position in which it is able to
fall through a hole in the stationary bottom and it descends until it is supported
by the plunger. At the next movement the cartridge falls down into position in
the frame or body in front of the plunger and is then in due course thrust into the
barrel.
The cartridge hopper is wide enough to accomodate two vertical rows of
cartridges but not with the flanges side by side, they are arranged in zig-zag so
that the cartridge in one row rests on the cartridge in the next row. The bullet
ends however are in two vertical rows kept apart by a partition. Quite at the
bottom the hopper is contracted and of a width only to contain a single cartridge
which it holds in position to fall into the feeding slide.
The cover carries the hopper and feeding slide it is pushed from the rear into its
place in grooves cut in the body. There is also a bottom cover arranged in the
same manner and a screw cap put round them in rear secures the whole.
To the rear of the gun I fasten a shoulder piece for laying the gun by a bayonet
lock or otherwise,

page_text: Below the fore part of the body a sphere is fastened by a neck. Around the
neck there is a loose collar of a cup like form fitting to the sphere. The sphere is
also received into a cup or spherical cavity at the top of a tripod or other support.
This cup is divided vertically into two parts which admits of some relative move-
ment. One part of the cup is rigidly fastened to the support. The cup is open at
the top and the collar mentioned above forms a cover to it. The parts of the cup
and the collar enclose the sphere attached to the body and they are also enclosed
themselves in an outer case made in two parts hinged together on one side and on
the other side drawn together by a clamping screw or eccentric. When this screw
is tightened the sphere is held so that the gun is immoveable but when it is
slackened the gun can move around about a vertical axis the collar or cover and
the outer case then moving with it. This is the only movement which is
permitted to the collar or cover for its edges rest on those of the cup. The gun
however can also move in the vertical plane in which its axis is contained to give
the requisite elevation.
To admit of this the hole in the collar through which the neck of the sphere
passes is elongated to a sufficient extent so that the neck can move in the collar
but in one direction only. When the gun is laid a part of a turn of the clamping
screw locks it fast.
Or the inner sphere may be fastened to support and the outer to the gun.
Or I might make the halves of the cup to form the clamping case I then hinge
then on one side and on the other I draw them together by a clamping screw or
eccentric.
By this arrangement the gun can be moved in the same manner and held fast
but the handle of the clamping screw remains stationary which for some purposes
may not be inconvenient. Or I may in this case as in the previous fasten the
sphere to the support and the clamping cup to the gun when the handle follows
the movement of the gun.
In this arrangement I employ a saddle for the collar to move in to secure
steadiness sideways to the gun.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine gun constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the body into which the barrel is screwed.
Figure is a longitudinal and vertical section of the same.
Figure is an end view of the body.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of the body on the line A B in Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a plan, and
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the top of the cover of the body.
Figure 9 is a rear elevation of the cover.
Figure 10 is a transverse section on the line A, B, in Figure 8.
Figures 11 show the short cover which is applied at the rear end of the body on
the under side.
Figures 12 show a lid for the opening to which the cartridge hopper is applied.
Figures 13 show a screw cap which closes the body at the rear end.
Figure 14 is a side elevation of the action slide.
Figure 15 is a plan of the same, and
Figure 16 a rear elevation.
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the plunger.
Figure 18 is an end elevation of the same, and
Figure 19 a transverse section.
Figure 20 is a plan of the plunger.

page_text: Figure 26 is a plan of the extractor.
Figure 27 is a longitudinal section of the same, and
Figure 28 is a rear elevation.
Figure 29 is a longitudinal section of an extractor of another pattern.
Figures 30 show the extractor spring and its screw. This spring is employed in
connection with the extractor represented by Figures 26, 27, 28.
Figure 31 is a plan and
Figure 32 is a side elevation of the shoulder piece for laying the gun; a portion
of the gun is also indicated.
Figure 33. is a longitudinal and vertical section of the cartridge hopper.
Figure 34 is a transverse vertical section of the same taken on the line A, B, in
Figure 31.
Figure 35 is a horizontal section of the cartridge hopper.
Figure 36 is a longitudinal and vertical section of a feeder to be applied at the
top of the cartridge hopper.
Figure 37 is a rear elevation of the same, and
Figure 38 is a horizontal section.
Figure 39 is a rear elevation of the support on which the gun is carried.
Figure 40 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 41 is a plan partly in section, and
Figure 42 is a longitudinal and vertical section.
Figure 43 is a side elevation partly in section showing a modification of the gun
support.
Figure 44 is a plan of a portion of the same.
Figures 45 show in side elevation, other portions.
a is the barrel it is screwed into the fore part of the frame or body b, and within
this body the plunger c can slide to and fro; it has this movement imparted to it
by the action slide d which is moved by hand along the guide grooves b¹ in the
body. The action slide has upon it the lump d' and this enters the groove c' in
the plunger, and so the two parts are constantly engaged. The fore part of the
groove c¹ is straight and the after part inclined and the lump d' is so formed that
it can pass from one part of the groove to the other. The body is closed in at the
top over the plunger by the top cover e which slides into the guide grooves 62 in
the body. The short bottom cover f enters the guide grooves b₁ in the body
behind the action slide, and these parts are all secured by screwing on the cap g.
ccare wings upon the plunger, when the breech is closed these are engaged in
the recesses b³ in the body or frame.
The lump d on the action slide in the first portion of the rearward motion of
the slide travels in the straight part of the groove c¹ gathering momentum until it
enters the inclined portion and in so doing it turns the plunger round. The
plunger is thus rotated sufficiently far to disengage its wings c³ froin the recesses b³
and then the plunger accompanies the action slide in its further rearward move-
ment. The wings c then traverse the open slots b' in the body. Similarly in the
forward movement of the action slide to close the breech the plunger accompanies
it in the first part of its movement and until the wings c' reach the recesses b³, and
at this point, its forward movement being checked the plunger commences to
rotate as the lump d' passes out of the inclined groove c¹-so the wings c are again
made to engage in the recesses 63. The action slide then completes its forward
movement and causes the shot to be fired as is herein after further explained.
The firing pin h within the plunger accompanies it in its rearward movement
and the projection ¹ on the head of the firing pin then traversés the groove e¹ in

page_text: the under side of the top cover. The firing pin is in this way forced back against
the resistance of the coiled spring i. The groove e' it will be seen is of such a
form as to compel the firing pin to turn partly round as it approaches the end of
its backward movement, and when it advances again with the plunger the pro-
jection catches upon the shoulder e¹× in the groove e¹ and thereby the firing pin
is prevented from following the plunger in its return. The action slide also carries
upon it at the top of the projection a smaller projection d' which penetrates
into a groove h² in the firing pin; and this groove near the nose of the firing pin
terminates in an inclined surface **. The forward movement of the action slide
after the breech is closed presses the projection d' against the incline at the fore
end of the groove ³, the firing pin is thus compelled to turn within the plunger,
and as it does so the projection h¹ upon its head escapes from the shoulder e¹*.
The spring behind the firing pin then drives it forward and its nose strikes
against the priming of the cartridge in the breech of the gun and the shot is fired.
The plunger has an incline upon it in rear at c³ and there is a corresponding
incline upon the head of the firing pin at h³. In opening the breech, as already
explained, the plunger turns, whilst the firing pin is prevented from revolving by
the groove b; hence the inclined surfaces c* and h³ being in contact the movement
of the plunger causes the withdrawal of the nose of the firing pin behind the face
upon which the base of the cartridge abuts. This precaution is taken in order
that the firing pin may not resist the disengagement of the cartridge case at the
proper time. An air hole h' is provided at the fore end of the firing pin, in order that
the forward movement of the pin under the action of the spring may not be
opposed by air confined in front of it. There is a notch in the plunger at c* and
with this a projection ¹ at the rear end of the extractor k engages, but in such a
manner as to allow the plunger to turn partly round without carrying the
extractor round with it. 6 is a longitudinal groove in the body into which the
extractor is received and along which it moves in company with the plunger. As
the breech closes the hooked end of the extractor engages in the usual way with
the flange of the cartridge lying in the barrel.
is the extractor spring its head at this time bears upon the head of the
extractor. The groove b³ is sufficiently deep at this part to allow the head of the
extractor to recede the spring yielding to admit of the claw of the extractor
passing over the flange of the cartridge. It is only in the first part of the
rearward movement of the extractor that it is dependent upon the spring 7 to
keep it engaged with the flange of the cartridge case, for immediately, the head of
the extractor passes into a shallower portion of the groove b³.
In place of employing a supporting spring I in some cases employ an extractor
having a spring formed or fixed upon it, as is shown by the Figure 27.
be is an opening in the bottom of the body by which the cartridge case falls
away when it has been removed by the extractor from the barrel. 67 is the
opening by which the cartridges enter the body as they descend from the cartridge
hoppers. It will be seen that the opening 67 is a short distance in advance of the
opening be. The case of the fired cartridge is drawn back by the extractor until
the flange at its base reaches a part of the opening 66 wide enough to permit it to
pass through. The cartridge case then falls away or is pushed down through this
opening as hereinafter explained.
At the time that the breech closes the opening 6' receives a cartridge into it and
the cartridge is there retained whilst a shot is fired and the breech again opened.
The cartridge then falls down in front of the plunger and it lies with the projectile
resting in advance of the fore end of the opening 6° and the flange at its base on
the sides of the opening.
m is a small lever or finger which serves a double purpose; it ensures that the
cartridge case extracted from the barrel shall fall away from the claw of the
extractor and it gives motion to the cartridge slide by which the descent of
the cartridge from the cartridge hopper is controlled. The lower end of this

page_text: lever m penetrates into a groove c in the plunger. When the plunger is fully
drawn back the fore end of the groove strikes against the lever and causes it to
turn about the pin or axis m¹ which connects it with the cover e. The point m³
is in this way brought down and caused to strike upon the cartridge case if it has
not already fallen away. At the same time the arm m³ of this lever carries
forward the cartridge slide n and a cartridge then descends from the magazine
into the slide. When the breech is next closed by the forward movement of the
action slide d the hinder end of the groove c in the plunger strikes against the
lever m and raises it to the position in which it is shown in Figure 8. A cartridge
then falls from the slide into the opening b' in the top of the body and here it rests
upon the top of the plunger c until the plunger again retires. The cartridge
slide n meanwhile serves as a stop to prevent the descent of other cartridges from
the cartridge hopper. o is a mouth upon the top cover e adapted to receive the
cartridge hopper p upon it. pl is a spring on the cartridge hopper which serves to
lock it in its place over the said mouth.
The cartridges are arranged in a double row which are just sufficiently distant to
allow the head of one cartridge to rest upon the head of the next cartridge
immediately beneath. The cartridges are inclined upwards and the bullets at
their fore ends rest against the front wall of the cartridge hopper. Here the
cartridges in one row are separated from those in the other row by a partition p³:
Or sometimes I make the cartridge hopper narrower at the fore part so as to
bring the bullet ends of all the cartridges into one vertical row whilst the zig-zag
arrangement of the bases of the cartridges is preserved. In either case the
cartridges in the body of the hopper are inclined with the bullet end upwards and
resting against the front wall p³ whilst in rear the flanges of the cartridges are
retained in one or other of the guide grooves p*. As each cartridge reaches the
lower part of the magazine it is guided inwards by inclines p³ p³ which bring it to
a central position.
In this position the cartridge slide n, supports the lowest cartridge, the flange of
the cartridge bearing upon the sides of the slide. The cartridge rests in this
position when the breech is open and the cartridge slide is forward, but when the
breech is closed and the slide moved to the rear the cartridge falls down from the
cartridge hopper into the slide. The projectile at the fore end of the cartridge falls
when it passes the shoulder p³ near the bottom of the cartridge hopper and the
cartridge then assumes an horizontal position.
The feeder q is simply a detachable upward extension of the cartridge hopper;
it is brought to the gun full of cartridges and put into its place on the top of the
cartridge hopper. The stud q at the front of the feeder engages with a hole p' at
the top of the cartridge hopper, whilst the spring catch q, upon the feeder engages
with the rim at the upper end of the hopper. When the spring catch q' is thus
pressed back the cartridges in the feeder which previously were retained by it are
able to descend and they drop down into the cartridge hopper until they rest upon
the cartridges which the hopper may already contain. When the feeder is empty
it is removed, taken away and recharged. In the mean time other feeders are
employed to supply cartridges to the gun if required.
In Figures 39. 40. 41 and 42 r is a stem terminating at its upper end in a ballr;
this stem is firmly fixed in a socket in the stationary gun support s. t is a saddle
surrounding the stem and resting upon the support 8.
The saddle t is hollowed out to receive the cup piece or collar u in which the
lower part of the ball 71 lies. The cup piece or collar u has also an elongated
hole through its bottom through which the stein ? passes. The cup piece or
collar is moveable about the ball in the direction of the length of the hole or slot
in it but not otherwise. The cup piece or collar also is moveable in the saddle t
only in the same direction.
and ware the two parts of a case which encloses the upper part of the ball r¹
they are connected by a joint pin w¹ and can also be drawn together and tightened

page_text: upon the ball by the hand screw x. vis & socket on the part v of the case into
which the gun barrel is fixed.
The part w of the case has a recess in it at w² receiving a corresponding
projection on the cup or collar u so that the barrel when trained carries with it
the case and the cup and also the saddle t. The external form of the case v. w. is
such that when the gun barrel is elevated or depressed its edges can pass down
into the cavity of the saddle t.
The gun is thus capable of being elevated and depressed and also trained and it
can be locked fast in any position by drawing together the parts of case so as to
make them clip the ball.
The shoulder piece by the aid of which the gun is aimed is shown to a smaller
scale in Figures 31 and 32 and is marked y. It is locked by the aid of a bayonet
joint and locking ring on to a pin g' which projects from the cap g at the rear end
of the gun.
This pin is formed of a piece with the cap.
The Figures 43. 44. 45 show a modification of the gun support.
In this arrangement a is a ball or globe having a neck a¹ projecting from it and
connecting it with a holder in which the gun barrel is fixed. The neck a¹ is
surrounded by a collar b which fits to the ball a. There is a slot in the collar and
it fits to the neck a¹ so that the collar cannot turn around the neck but the neck
can move in the slot in the plane of the axis of the barrel. The ball a also rests in
a divided socket piece c. d. The part c is formed at the upper end of a stem c¹
which is fixed upon any convenient base; the part d fits to the part c. and together
with the collar b completes the cup or socket around the ball. The socket also is
globular externally and so also the collar b and these parts are received into the
This case is in two parts hinged together at e¹ and also connected by the
screw f. The screw has a handle upon it and a partial turn of the bandle tightens
the case when required upon the parts within it and then upon the ball a.
case 6.
The case e it will be seen embraces the neck a¹ so that the case and collar must
move together. When the screw f is slackened the parts allow the movements
requisite to elevate and depress the gun and to bring it to bear on an object but
restrains other movements which if permitted would interfere with the working of
the gun.
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:-
1. The combination consisting of the plunger c which traverses to and fro in the
body, the firing pin h within the said plunger, the projection h¹ on the firing pin,
the guide groove e¹ with its inclines and shoulder ex retaining the firing pin when
the plunger advances and liberating it when the plunger is rotated substantially as
described.
2. The mechanism for rotating the firing pin to free it from the shoulder e¹*
consisting in the projection d' upon the action slide and the incline h** upon the
firing pin operating substantially as described.
3. The combination consisting of the plunger c and groove c¹ partly straight and
partly inclined and the action slide d and lump d' constituting a breech mechanism
such that when the action slide is drawn back it first moves independently of the
plunger gathering momentum, then rotates and unlocks the plunger and finally
carries the plunger rearward with it substantially as described.
4. The breech action or mechanism of the gun substantially as described.
5. The mechanism for regulating the supply of cartridges from the cartridge
hopper consisting in the lever m cartridge slide n and plunger c operating
substantially as described.
6. The cartridge hopper substantially as described.

page_text: 7. A support for a machine gun consisting of a ball and socket the one part
attached to the gun and moveable and the other part fixed; the said socket being
in parts which can be made to nip the ball and having one part surrounding the
stem of the ball constrained to move with the gun when it is trained and such part
having a hole in it for the stem to pass so formed as to allow relative movement of
the collar and stem to take place as the gun is elevated or depressed.
8. A support for a machine gun substantially as described.