Improvements in Repeating Fire Arms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating Fire Arms.
We EMILE FABRE and AUGUSTE TRONCHE both of 1 Beaumont Crescent West
Kensington in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineers do hereby declare the nature
of our said Invention to be as follows:-
Our Invention of improvements in repeating fire arms consists essentially in the
employment of an endless chain carrying any suitable number of cartridges which are
successively presented at the breech end of the barrel by the movement of the chain
which is carried over suitable rollers or pulleys and operated by means of the trigger
mechanism as hereinafter described or otherwise.
These improvements are applicable to firearms of any size or length of barrel by
suitably modifying the details of construction of the mechanism and by means of
our Invention the fire arms are enabled to be discharged with great rapidity and
facility without the employment of costly and complicated mechanism. Fire-arms of
small size which can be conveniently carried in the pocket or concealed about the
person may be constructed according to this invention so as to be capable of firing a
considerably larger number of shots without reloading than is possible with revolvers
or fire arins on the ordinary revolver principle. A small or pocket fire arin or
66 pocket mitrailleuse" constructed as hereinafter described is of neat and elegant
appearance and well adapted for the use of the Police and military and other purposes.
A weapon may thus be constructed admitting of being carried in the waistcoat
pocket and capable of discharging from 16 to 20 shots in succession.
The action of a repeating firearm constructed according to this invention comprises
a trigger lever connected by a link or swivel to a pawl or equivalent arrangement
operating one of the tumblers or pulleys working an endless chain carrying the
cartridges in chambers attached to or formed on the links the said trigger lever
being also connected to a lever operating a sliding tube or closing ring sliding in
or on the breech end of the barrel and serving to make a gas tight joint with the
cartridge chambers carried by the endless chain. The trigger lever is also provided
with a pin which engages with a hook or catch connected with the hammer or tumbler.
By means of this arrangement the same trigger lever is enabled to move the endless
chain carrying the cartridges forward to a sufficient extent to bring a fresh cartridge
opposite the breech end of the short barrel projecting at one end of the case and then
by continuing the same movement the sliding tube or closing ring hereinbefore
referred to moved by a pin and slot or other equivalent connection into the proper
position to close the interval between the cartridge chamber and the barrel. The
same movements of the trigger lever also cock the hammer or tumbler and immediately
when the closing ring has been operated the hook connecting the trigger lever to the
hammer comes into contact with a pin which releases the hook and enables the hammer
or firing pin or its equivalent to explode the cartridge. The trigger lever is returned
to its original position after firing by the action of a spring which may be made in
one with a spring acting on a ratchet wheel connected to the pulley of the endless
chain and preventing backward movement of the latter. The striker or firing pin is
operated by a helical or other spring preferably arranged between the pulleys carrying
the cartridge chain.
In the pocket firearm or "pocket mitraelleuse " the action is attached to and enclosed
between two plates one or both of which are arranged to be readily removed from the
case for the purpose of recharging the chambers and cleaning the action. The barrel
may be very small and the trigger hinged to fold up against the case when not in
use the grip or stock being also binged to the case and made of metal and hollow
so as to fold up the case of the action being arranged to fit the hollow in the grip.
When in use the grip may be retained in the required position by a spring.

page_text: According to another arrangement of the "pocket mitraelleuse" the short barrel
is arranged at the side of the case in place of at the end as in the first arrangement.
In this case the hollow folding grip is dispensed with the case of the action being
grasped in the hand when using the "mitraelleuse." The shape and arrangement
of the trigger and other lovers is also somewhat modified a notched arm with a jointed
swivel and catch being employed to operate the cartridge chain and a bent lever
connected to the trigger lever being employed to cock and release the striker.
Dated this 1st day of November 1888
.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating Fire Arms.
We, EMILE FABRE and AUGUSTE TRONCHE both of 1 Beaumont Crescent West
Kensington in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineers do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our Invention of improvements in repeating fire arms consists essentially in the
employment of an endless chain carrying any suitable number of cartridges which are
successively presented at the breech end of the barrel by the movement of the chain
which is carried over suitable rollers or pulleys and operated by means of the
trigger mechanism as hereinafter described or otherwise.
These improvements are applicable to fire arms of any size or length of barro by
suitably modifying the details of construction of the mechanism and by means of our
Invention the fire arms are enabled to be discharged with great rapidity and facility
without the employment of costly and complicated mechanism. We will describe
our Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which is
a side sectional elevation of a small size fire arm constructed according to our
Invention and which can be conveniently carried in the pocket or concealed about the
person. Figure 2 is a plan of the fire arm partly in section and Figure 3 is a side
elevation of the cartridge carrier one of the chambers being shewn in section and in
plan Figure 4 illustrates a modification hereinafter described.
A repeating fire arm constructed according to this Invention comprises a trigger
lever 1. connected by a link 2 and lever 3 to a pawl 4 or equivalent arrangement for
operating one of the pulleys 5-6 carrying and working an endless chain 7 provided
with cartridge chambers 8 which may be attached to or formed on the links of the
chain. The trigger lever 1 is also connected by the links 2, 3 and 4 to a lever 9
operating a sliding tube or closing ring 10 (constituting the barrel of the fire arm)
sliding in the frame 11 and serving to make a gas tight joint with the cartridge
chambers 8 carried by the endless chain by being drawn into contact with their
chamfered ends. The lever 3 is provided with a pin 12 which engages a hook or
catch 13 connected with the hammer or tumbler 14. By means of this arrangement
the trigger lever 1 is enabled to move the endless chain so as to carry the cartridges
forward to a sufficient extent to bring a fresh cartridge opposite the breech end of the
barrel or tube 10 and then by continuing the same movement of the lever the said
barrel or tube or closing ring is moved by a pin 15 on the arm 9 working in a slot 16
in the arm 17 which is connected to the tube 10, or any other equivalent connection
may be provided to bring the tube 10 into the proper position to close the interval
between the cartridge chamber and the said tube. The same movement of the trigger
lever to effect the movement of the tube 10 also effects the cocking of the hammer or
tumbler 14 and immediately when the barrel or closing ring has been brought into
contact with the cartridge chamber the hook 13 connecting the trigger lever to the
hammer or tumbler 14 comes into contact with a pin (not shewn in the drawing)
which releases the hook 13 and enables the firing pin 19 on the hammer 14 to be
impelled by the action of the springs 20 (which had been previously compressed by
the movement of the lever 1) so as to explode the cartridge. The trigger lever 1 is

page_text: returned to its original normal position, after firing, by the action of a spring 21 which
may be made in one with a spring 22 acting on the flattened edges of a square 23
formed on or connected to the pulley 5 on which the endless chain 7 is carried. This
arrangement prevents backward movement of the cartridge chambers carried by the
chain. The striker or firing pin 19 is operated by the helical spring or springs 20
which are preferably arranged between the pulleys 5 and 6.
In a pocket firearm constructed as shown in the drawings the mechanism is
attached to and enclosed between two plates 24 and 25 one or both of which are or
may be arranged so as to be readily removed from the case for the purpose of
recharging the chambers 8 with cartridges and to facilitate the cleaning of the
mechanism. The barrel or tube 10 may be very small and the trigger 26 may be
hinged as shown so as to fold up against the case A when not in use the grip or
stock 27 being also hinged or pivotted to the case and made of metal so formed as
to fold up closely to the case.
When the fire arm is in use the grip or stock 27 may be retained in the required
position by the spring 28 or its equivalent.
According to another arrangement illustrated by Figure 4 the barrel 10 of the
pocket fire arm is arranged at the side of the case A in place of at the end as in the
first described arrangement and the folding grip or stock is dispensed with, when
the weapon is in use the case A is grasped in the hand the shape and arrangement
of the trigger and other levers being suitably arranged so as to be conveniently
operated. A notched arm 29 with a connecting link 30 and catch 31 is employed to
operate the cartridge chain and a bent lever 32 connected to the trigger lever 1 is
employed to cock and release the striker 14. The pins 33 on the pulley 5 serve to
retain the cartridges in position when being fired.
Fire arms constructed according to our invention are capable of firing a considerably
larger number of shots without reloading than is conveniently possible with revolvers
or fire arms on the ordinary revolver principle. A small or pocket fire arm,
constructed as herein before described is of neat and elegant appearance and well
adapted for the use of the police and for military and other purposes. A weapon may
thus be constructed admitting of being carried in the waistcoat pocket and capable of
discharging from 16 to 20 shots in succession.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In repeating fire arms an endless chain carrying chambers for the reception of
cartridges which are successively brought into position for being discharged, by the
movement of the chain operated by the trigger substantially as herein before
described.
2. In a repeating fire arm an endless chain of cartridge chambers brought con-
secutively into position opposite the breech end of the barrel the said barrel being
capable of sliding longitudinally so as to be drawn into close contact with the
cartridge chambers substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
3. A repeating fire arm having a stock or grip capable of being folded up against
the frame containing the mechanism of the fire arm substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
4. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting a
repeating fire arm substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting
a repeating fire arm substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figure 4
of the accompanying drawings.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.