IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by
Ferdinand Mannlicher, of Vienna, in the Austrian Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1881.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
[A communication from abroad by Ferdinand Manulicher, of Vienna, in the Austrian
Empire.]
One part of the present Invention relates to that construction of breech loading
fire arms in which the breech is closed by a sliding breech bolt or piston containing
the spring striker.
According to one arrangement the breech bolt consists of a hollow locking bolt
sliding in the slotted extension of the breech, and containing in its front end the
breech plug, into a central hole of which enters the pin of the striker, which is
situated in the locking bolt at the rear of the breech plug, where it is urged
forward by a helical spring. The striker bolt passes through the rear end of the
locking bolt, and is connected to a cocking trigger by means of two side lugs that
pass through corresponding slots in the trigger block, so that if the latter is then
turned partly round on the striker bolt it is held on the latter between the said
lugs and a shoulder formed thereon at a short distance from the lugs. The breech
plug has a longitudinal groove at top, into which is fitted a spring extractor,
consisting of a two armed spring, one arm of which projects with a sloping catch
beyond the breech plug, so as to catch over the rim of the cartridge when the
breech bolt is closed, and to draw the case out when the breech bolt is slid back.
The spring extractor is held in position in the breech plug without fixing, firstly,
by a head at its rear end fitting in a notch in the breech plug; and secondly, by an
overhanging part of the locking bolt, which covers and presses upon the second
Posi 77

page_text: arm of the spring when in the open position, while when in the closed position the
said arm is covered by the breech chamber. At the lower side of the breech plug
is an ejector for throwing the cartridge case out of the slotted breech extension
when extracted; it consists of a pin capable of sliding to and fro to a limited
extent. On the sliding back of the breech bolt a head at one end of this pin buts
against a stop on the firing trigger, and is thereby pushed forward so as to
strike the end surface of the cartridge case, and in canting it up cause it to be
thrown out.
The firing trigger has formed in one piece therewith an arm, on the front face of
which is formed the before mentioned stop for the breech bolt, while its inner
face, being curved to an are struck from the centre on which the trigger turns,
constitutes the catch for holding the cocking trigger in the cocked position. A
double armed spring inserted loose into a cavity in the stock acts on a tail of the
trigger, so as to keep its catch engaged.
According to another construction the locking breech bolt has two opposite lugs,
which, when the breech is closed, enter corresponding grooves in the breech
extension of the barrel, and on turning the bolt they are locked in a similar
manner to a bayonet catch. The breech plug has two opposite lugs fitting into
notches in the before mentioned lugs of the locking bolt which embrace it, so that
while the locking bolt can turn relatively to the breech plug it carries the plug
with it when slid to and fro. The breech plug has at the underside of its rear end
. an inclined groove, against which bears a stud on the striker bolt, which is situated
partly within a hollow of the breech plug and partly within the locking bolt. The
said stud slides in a groove in the locking bolt, so that when the latter is slid
forward and turned, as before described, into the locking position, the striking
bolt in being turned with it by means of its stud is caused by the action of the
said stud against the incline of the breech plug, to be drawn back against the
action of the striker spring, so that by this motion the cocking of the striker is
effected.
The extractor is fitted with a dovetail in a groove on one side of the breech plug,
and in extracting the cartridge case presses its base rim against the opposite
side of the breech extension of the barrel, so that by the frictional drag thus
produced, as also by means of a notch in the breech extension against which the
cartridge rim catches, the case gets thrown out.
Another part of this Invention relates to the construction of cartridge magazines
in the stock of the rifle for repeating breech loaders.
According to the present Invention there is fitted into a cylindrical cavity in the
stock a number of tubes, by preference four, which are secured together and to a
central axis, the rear end of which fits in a bearing in the butt of the stock, while
the front end fits in a bearing immediately beneath the breech chamber of the
barrel, so that the bundle of tubes can be rotated on such pivots within the chamber
of the stock. Each tube is of such an internal diameter that the cartridges will
fit easily into it, and it contains a piston or head, which is urged forward from the
rear end by a helical spring, so that the cartridges that have been filled into the
tube are gradually pushed forward by the action of the spring. The set of tubes is
rotated automatically, by an arrangement to be presently described, at each
backward and forward motion of the breech bolt, so as to bring each tube of the
set in succession into position for delivering a cartridge into the breech chamber
when the breech bolt is open. The turning of the tubes for this purpose is effected
by a zig-zag cam groove formed on a circular head near the front end of the tubes,
into which groove fits a spring stud on a sliding piece that is moved backwards
and forwards by the opening and closing motion of the breech bolt, and to insure
the correct action of the slide, so as to effect the turning of the tubes always in the
same direction; the bottom of the cam groove is formed with a series of inclines
and drops, so that when the stud has arrived at the end of one groove of the
zig zag it is caused by its spring to drop into the next. In addition to the zig-zag
groove there is provided at the rear side thereof a shallow circular groove, so that

page_text: by moving the slide as far back as it will go in sliding open the breech bolt, the
spring stud passes into the said circular groove, and the bundle of tubes (the front
ends of which are exposed when the breech bolt is slid back) can then be rotated
in the contrary direction by hand for charging then successively with cartridges.
The tubes are at such exposed part provided with lateral openings, through which
the cartridges are inserted and from which they are afterwards protruded into the
breech chamber when firing. The central axis is provided near the front end with
a slight shoulder acting as a stop to prevent the advance of the spring pistons
beyond that point, but which is not sufficient to prevent the protrusion of the
cartridges. As the cartridge magazine is situated with its axis of rotation at an
angle to the motion of the slide, which moves in line with the breech block, the
circular head with its zig-zag groove is made conical, so as to enable the slide to
work correctly in the grooves:
To assist the cam groove and slide in bringing the tubes successively in the
exact position for delivering their cartridges into the breech chamber, the front
end of the axis of the tubes has a projection with as many flat faces as there are
tubes, and a spring is made to act upon these flat faces so as to hold the tubes
with a certain force in the exact positions required. For regulating the protrusion
of the front cartridges from each tube in succession, and for holding back the
cartridges in the rear thereof, a helical groove is formed in the cylindrical
chamber surrounding the tubes, into which groove the rim of the cartridge base
projects, so that the cartridges can only advance in obedience to the action of their
spring pistons, according as they are permitted to do so by the said groove as the
tubes are rotated. Also when filling in the cartridges and rotating the tubes in
the contrary direction the said helical groove causes the cartridges to be drawn into
the tubes automatically.
For putting the above described repeating mechanism out of action, a locking
piece on the breech bolt, which in one position causes the slide that works the cam
groove to be carried backwards and forwards, can be turned so as to prevent the
forward motion of the slide.
The firing trigger has a looped bolt which embraces the magazine tubes, and has
above these the catch for holding the cocking trigger in the cocked position. This
catch has an incline, and when the firing trigger is considerably depressed and the
breech bolt is drawn back, a projection on the before described slide rides over
this incline, so that on releasing the trigger, this in being forced upwards by its
spring cants upwards the rear end of the slide, whereby its front end, which carries
a stud that limits the motion of the breech bolt, is canted down so as to leave the
breech bolt free to be withdrawn altogether.
Although I have described the repeating mechanism in connection with a sliding
breech bolt it may also be employed in combination with a vertically sliding
breech block. In this case the rotation of the tubes may be either effected by a
zig-zag groove and sliding piece actuated by the opening and closing movement of
the trigger guard at the same time that this raises and lowers the breech block;
or it may be effected by a star wheel mechanism actuated from the motion of the
breech block itself. The rotation in the contrary direction by hand is in this case
effected through a slotted hole in the chamber containing the tubes. These are
enclosed at the front end by a cylindrical cover slotted at intervals to allow of the
insertion of the cartridges, the enclosing chamber being also correspondingly slotted
for this purpose.
When the tubes have been turned on the closing up of the breech block for
firing, the slot in the magazine chamber is closed by the metal of the cylindrical
cover.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,"
A communication from abroad by Ferdinand Mannlicher, of Vienna, in the Austrian
Empire.
One part of the present Invention relates to that construction of breech-loading
firearms in which the breech is closed by a sliding breech bolt or piston containing
the spring striker.
One arrangement is shewn in Figs. 1 to 9 of the accompanying Drawings, of
which Fig. 1 is a section through part of the fire arm, while Figs. 2 to 9 are views
of separate parts of the mechanism.
According to this arrangement the breech bolt consists of a hollow locking bolt a
sliding in the slotted extension of the breech and containing in its front end the
breech plug b, into a central hole c of which enters the pin of the striker & which
is situated in the locking bolt at the rear of the breech plug, where it is urged
forward by a helical spring e. The striker bolt d passes through the rear end of
the locking bolt a, and is connected to a cocking trigger f by means of two side
Jugs g that pass through corresponding slots h in the trigger block f, so that if the
latter is then turned partly round on the striker bolt it is held on the latter
between the said lugs and a shoulder formed thereon at a short distance from the
lugs. The breech plug has a longitudinal groove i at top into which is fitted a
spring extractor consisting of a two armed spring j, one arm of which projects with
a sloping catch beyond the breech plug 6, so as to catch over the rim of the
cartridge when the breech bolt is closed, and to draw the case out when the breech
bolt is slid back. The spring extractor j is held in position in the breech plug
without fixing, firstly, by a head at its rear end fitting in a notch in the breech
plug, and, secondly, by an overhanging part of the locking bolt which covers and
presses upon the second arm of the spring when in the open position, while when
in the closed position the said arm is covered by the breech chamber. At the lower
side of the breech plug is an ejector for throwing the cartridge case out of the
slotted breech extension when extracted; it consists of a pink capable of sliding to
and fro to a limited extent. On the sliding back of the breech bolt a head at one
end of this pink butts against a stop on the firing trigger l, and is thereby pushed
forward so as to strike the end surface of the cartridge case, and in canting it up
cause it to be thrown out. The firing trigger 7 has formed in one piece therewith
an arm , on the front face of which is formed the beforementioned stop for the
breech bolt, while its inner face 13 being curved to an arc struck from the centre on
which the trigger turns constitutes the catch for holding the cocking trigger in the
cocked position. A double armed spring m inserted loosely into a cavity in the
stock acts on a tail of the trigger so as to keep its catch engaged.
Another construction is shewn in Fig. 10 to 17 of the accompanying Drawings.
According to this construction the locking breech bolt n has two opposite lugs o, 0.
The breech plug has two opposite lugs q, q, fitting into notches in the before
mentioned lugs o, o, of the locking bolt n which embraces it, so that while the
locking bolt can turn relatively to the breech plug it carries the plug with it when
slid to and fro. The breech plug p has at the underside of its rear end an inclined
groove against which bears a stud 8 on the striker bolt t, which is situated partly
within a hollow of the breech plug and partly within the locking bolt. The said
stud s slides in the groove u in the locking bolt n, so that when the latter is slid

page_text: forward and turned, as before described, into the locking position the striking
bolt tin being turned with it by means of. its studs is caused by the action of the
said stud s against the incline of the breech plug p to be drawn back against the
action of the striker spring v, so that by this motion the cocking of the striker t is
effected. The extractor w is fitted with a dovetail in a groove on one side of the
breech plug, and in extracting the cartridge case presses its base rim against the
opposite side of the breech extension of the barrel, so that by the frictional drag
thus produced, as also by means of a notch Z in the breech extension against which
the cartridge rim catches, the case gets thrown out.
Another part of this Invention relates to the construction of cartridge magazines
in the stock of the rifle for repeating breechloaders. Figs. 18, 19, 20, and 21 shew
the application to a fire arm with a horizontally sliding breech bolt, and Figs. 22
and 23 shew the application to a fire arm with a vertically sliding breech
block.
According to the present Invention there is fitted into a cylindrical cavity in the
stock a number of tubes A, by preference, four, which are secured together and to a
central axis B, the rear end B' of which fits in a bearing in the butt of the stock,
while the front end B fits in a bearing immediately beneath the breech chamber
of the barrel, so that the bundle of tubes can be rotated on such pivots within
the chamber of the stock. Each tube A is of such an internal diameter that the
cartridges will fit easily into it, and contains a piston or head C which is urged
forward from the rear end by a helical spring D, so that the cartridges that
have been filled into the tube are gradually pushed forward by the action of
the spring. The set of tubes A is rotated automatically, by an arrangement to
be presently described, at each backward and forward notion of the breech
bolt, so as to bring each tube of the set in succession into position for
delivering a cartridge into the breech chamber when the breech bolt is open.
The turning of the tubes A for this purpose is effected by a zig-zag cam groove E
formed on a circular head F near the front end of the tubes, into which grooves E
fits a spring stud G¹ on a sliding piece G that is moved backwards and forwards
by the opening and closing motion of the breech bolt; and to insure the correct
action of the slide, so as to effect the turning of the tubes always in the same
direction, the bottom of the cam groove is formed with a series of inclines and
drops, so that when the stud has arrived at the end of one groove of the zig-zag it
is caused by its spring to drop into the next. In addition to the zig-zag groove
there is provided at the rear side thereof a shallow circular groove H, so that by
moving the slide as far back as it will go in sliding open the breech bolt, the spring
stud G passes into the said circular groove H, and the bundle of tubes A (the front
ends of which are exposed when the breech bolt is slid back) can then be rotated
in the contrary direction by hand for charging them successively with cartridges.
The tubes are at such exposed part provided with lateral openings indicated by dotted
lines in Fig. 18, through which openings the cartridges are inserted and from
which they are afterwards protruded into the breech chamber when firing. The
central axis B is provided near the front end with a slight shoulder x acting as a
stop to prevent the advance of the spring pistons beyond that point, but which is
not sufficient to prevent the protrusion of the cartridges. As the cartridge magazine
is situated with its axis of rotation at an angle to the motion of the slide which
moves in line with the breech block, the circular head F with its zig-zag groove E
is made conical so as to enable the slide to work correctly in the grooves. To assist
the cam groove E and slide G in bringing the tubes successively in the exact
position for delivering their cartridges into the breech chamber, the front end B2 of
the axis of the tubes has a projection with as many flat faces as there are tubes,
and a spring I is made to act upon these flat faces so as to hold the tubes with a
certain force in the exact positions required. For regulating the protrusion of the
front cartridges from each tube A in succession and for holding back the cartridges
in the rear thereof, a helical groove is formed in the cylindrical chamber L

page_text: surrounding the tubes by means of the helical projection K, K, into which groove
the rim of the cartridge base projects, so that the cartridges can only advance in
obedience to the action of their spring pistons, according as they are permitted to
do so by the said groove as the tubes are rotated. Also when filling in the
cartridges and rotating the tubes in the contrary direction the said helical groove
causes the cartridges to be drawn into the tubes automatically. For putting the
above described repeating mechanism out of action, a locking piece M on the breech
bolt, which in one position causes the slide that works the cam groove to be carried
backwards and forwards, can be turned so as to prevent the forward motion of the
slide. The firing trigger N has a looped bolt which embraces the magazine tubes,
and has above these the catch N¹ for holding the cocking trigger in the cocked
position.
Although I have described the repeating mechanism in connection with a sliding
breech bolt, it may also be employed in combination with a vertically sliding breech
block O, as shewn in Figs. 22 and 23. In this case the rotation of the tubes may
be either effected by a zig-zag groove and sliding piece actuated by the opening
and closing movement of the trigger guard R at the same time that this raises and
lowers the breech block, or it may be effected by a star wheel mechanism actuated
from the motion of the breech block itself. The rotation in the contrary direction
by hand is in this case effected through a slotted hole P in the chamber containing
the tubes. These are enclosed at the front end by a cylindrical cover slotted at
intervals to allow of the insertion of the cartridges, the enclosing chamber being
also correspondingly slotted for this purpose. When the tubes have been turned
on the closing up of the breech block for firing, the slot S in the magazine chamber
is closed by the metal of the cylindrical cover, as shewn in Fig. 23.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I claim,―
First. The general construction and arrangement of the breechloading fire-arm,
as described and shewn in Figs. 1 to 9 of the Drawings.
Second. The general construction and arrangement of the connection between
the striker bolt d and trigger block f by means of the lugs and slots h,
substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings.
Third. The general construction and arrangement of the spring extractor j,
substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 1, 8, and 9 of the Drawings.
Fourth. The general construction and arrangement of the trigger 7 which also
serves as a stop for the breech bolt, and is formed of one single piece with the
arm and inner face 12.
Fifth. The general construction and arrangement of the breechloading fire arm,
as described with reference to Figs. 10 to 17 of the Drawings.
Sixth. The general construction and arrangement of the connection between the
locking breech bolt n and the breech plug p by means of the lugs q, q, fitting into
the lugs o, o, substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 10, 13, 14, 15, 16,
and 17 of the Drawings.
Seventh. The mode of throwing out the cartridge by its rim striking against
the notch Z in the breech extension, substantially as described with reference to
the fire arm shewn in Fig. 10 of the Drawings.
Eighth. The general construction and arrangement of a repeating fire arm, as
described and shewn in Figs. 18 to 23 of the Drawings.
Ninth. The construction of cartridge magazine consisting of a rotary bundle of
tubes resting in bearings and having each tube fitted internally. with a spiral
spring for enabling a continuous repeating action.
Tenth. The mode of producing the rotation of the bundle of tubes by means of
the reciprocating action of a sliding piece G, the bundle of tubes being at an angle
to the direction of the movement of the sliding piece, and being capable of being
turned with the hand in the opposite direction as described.

page_text: Eleventh. The mode of limiting the forward motion of the spring pistons C by
means of the shoulder on the axis B without interfering with the loading or
discharging of the cartridges.
Twelfth. The conical form of the head F provided with grooves E and H and
fitted on the bundle of tubes, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Thirteenth. The zig-zag grooves E in the head F constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourteenth. The belical groove formed in the chamber L by means of the
helical projection K, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fifteenth. The mode of putting the repeating mechanism out of action by
means of a locking piece M on the breech bolt, substantially as described.
Sixteenth. The general construction aud arrangement of the repeating mechanism
with a vertically sliding breech block, as described with reference to Fig. 22 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CHA. D. ABEL. (L.S.)