A New or Improved Rifle.
Year: 1893

page_text: A New or Improved Rifle.
I, LUDWIG HERRMANN ALBERT HAUFF, of No. 44 Neue Maasenstrasse
Berlin, W., Germany, Author, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 magazine rifles by which the opening & closing of the
breech by the rifleman is made unnecessary.
In carrying my invention into effect the breech block is caused to make a
backward movement by the kick or explosion by which means the cartridges are
conducted to the position for firing and the breech automatically closed again. It.
is therefore only necessary for the rifleman to insert a frame which is filled with
cartridges and to fire by which means 60 to 100 shots per minute can be discharged.
I will explain my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings upon.
which
Figure 1., is a sectional elevation of my rifle prior to firing with one cartridge in.
the barrel.
Figure 2., is a similar view but showing the rifle immediately after being fired,
the barrel, breech bolt and the parts relative thereto being shown in position.
Figure 3., is a view of the left side of the rifle with the left side of the gun box
removed.
Figure 4., is a similar view to Figure 3 but immediately after the gun has been.
fired.
Figure 5., is a section on the line x-x of Figure 1.
Figure 6., shows a separate view of the turn plate or table.
The barrel consists of a covering A and the barrel B which has a limited travel
in the cover A. To the barrel B and securely connected to the same is the breech
casing C. In this the breech bolt or block D operates being fitted in the usual
manner with striking rod a and spring b together with closing head c extractor, and.
ejector. The breech bolt D is tapered at its rear under side in order to better.
allow same to pass over the wedge d which normally lies at its rear end. The
wedge d locks the breech bolt in its closing position and takes up the recoil of the.
same when the gun is discharged. It is operated automatically and slides in.
the vertical groove f which is securely connected with the breech casing C. This
wedge d is connected with the turning plate or table E by means of the pin or
peg 9, arm h, and pin i. On the under or lower side of the breech casing C and
securely connected thereto are two parallel arms F which carry the pivot k upon.
which the turning plate or table E turns. The turning of the plate E is effected
by the pin n which. by means of the carrier O is mounted on the trigger guard p
and acts upon the sides of the slot m as the plate E travels. The turning plate or.
table E is also provided with the angular formed slot or cleft q, r, s, which upon :
the movement of the table operates the stud t and through it the breech bolt or
block D. The firing arrangement consists of two parts viz., the trigger G and.
spring sear N with projections u. The sear spring N is securely fastened to the
breech casing by means of the connecting piece v. The trigger G is provided with.
two arms and is pivoted upon the trigger guard p at n, the projection & being,
provided upon its upper or top side for the purpose of operating the lever H which'
is also provided with two arms and which is fitted with the two sharp projections
or catches y and Z of which y serves for securely holding the breech casing and
barrel in position before the discharge takes place while the other Z is for the

page_text: 4
purpose of retaining the breech chamber in the required position while inserting a
fresh cartridge frame as also for safety.
The working of the various parts is as follows:-
The rifle is according to the position represented in Figure 1 extended and ready
for firing, the barrel B being covered with the casing A and having a cartridge I
in position. The breech block D with its head C being closed the projection u
engages with the head of the striking bolt or piston a thus retaining it against the
compression of the spring b, the turning plate or table E being so arranged that at
this point the wedge d enters the recess in the breech casing C and thus locks the
breech block D in position while the nose or projection y on the lever H locks the
breech casing and retains it securely in position. Upon the trigger G being
operated for firing the nose presses against the end Z of the lever H thereby
causing the nose y to retreat and so release the breech casing. This action must
take place before the firing in order that after the discharge the barrel and breech
casing is carried back by the kick or push. Immediately after operating the
lever H the arm of the trigger G presses the point of the spring sear N and
thus depresses the stop u which releases the striking rod a which is then operated
by the spiral spring 6 being thereby driven forward against the cartridge. The
barrel B breech casing C breech block D with striking bolt spring etc. turning
plate E with wedge d and spring sear N cartridge holder L and conveyor M all
make a return movement without previously altering their position with regard to
one another. Assuming that by this action the relative position of the turning
plates with regard to the pin n occupy the position shown by dotted line n¹ Figure 1
the plate E is thus caused to turn which action withdraws the wedge d by means of
the arm which is pivotted at i and g, the wedge d thus descending sufficiently
into the slot to allow the breech block D with its slant to slide over the same.
The turning of the table E is effected by the recoil of the breech casing C the
breech block D being operated by means of the angular slot r to s formed in the
table E acting upon the stud t upon the breech block D, the return movement
being commenced when the various parts are in the position shown by Figure 4.
The discharged cartridge case is ejected by means of any suitable ejector the new
cartridge being inserted by means of the conveyor M Figure 4. In the action of
closing the breech the spring P which by the return of the upper parts had become
compressed now expands and by means of the arm Q drives the barrel and other
parts forwards and the plate or table E thereby commences to turn and takes the
breech block with it by means of the head or knob t which action pushes the new
cartridge home and the wedge d is again raised behind the breech block D, and
the striking spring 6 is compressed by the engagement of the projection u with the
head of the striker a. In consequence of the pressure of the expansion spring R
the nose y rises in rear of the breech casing and the rifle is again ready for firing.
Presuming the last cartridge to be in the barrel the lever y is pressed down, by
the thumb of the right hand pressing on the extension y¹ so that the nose Z rests:
securely on the under surface of the breech casing, so that upon the return move-
ment it engages with the opening d' until a fresh cartridge frame has been inserted,
which, having been done, the nose is released and the parts again occupy the
position as shown by Figure 1 and the rifle is ready for firing. It will thus be
seen that the turning plate must be safely drawn back by the handle K until the
nose Z enters the slot d.
A continuous firing so long as the cartridge supply lasts can thereby be effected
with great simplicity and despatch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The new or improved rifle for automatically discharging and loading so
constructed that the barrel is movable in the barrel casing and securely connected
to the breech casing; the means for opening the breech and the automatic closing

page_text: of the parts after inserting a fresh cartridge substantially as herein set forth and
as illustrated.
2nd. In guns as set forth under Claim 1, the arrangement for securing the
spring sear, so that after discharging the first shot, the rifle will automatically
continue to fire until the supply of cartridges becomes exhausted.
Dated this 19th day of December 1893.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent.