IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE OR REPEATING FIRE ARMS to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY WILLIAM HOLLAND of 98 New Bond Street in the County of
Middlesex Gun Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE OR REPEATING FIRE ARMS to be as follows:-
"
According to this Invention I construct magazine or repeating fire arms in such
a manner that each time the breech end of the barrel is opened to eject a spent
cartridge from it another unfired cartridge is brought into a line with the end of
the barrel by a revolving carrier and is then pushed forward from such carrier into
the barrel and prevented from moving back therefrom by a breech block or bolt
moved forward by the action of a lever either at one side of the breech or in other
convenient position. The carrier is a revolving cylinder mounted within a sur-
rounding casing just in rear of the breech end of the barrel. On its circumference
it has a number of longitudinal grooves formed along it, any one or other of which
can be brought into a line with the bore of the barrel, whilst at the same time one
or more of the grooves is brought into a line with a tubular receptacle or receptacles
below the barrel each containing a row of cartridges which are pressed towards the
revolving carrier by a spring, so that each time an empty groove comes opposite
the end of one of the cartridge receptacles a cartridge is pushed from the receptacle
into the groove of the revolving carrier.
When the lever above mentioned is turned in one direction it draws back the
breech block and withdraws the empty cartridge case from the barrel and the
cartridge is ejected through a slot in the top of the casing which surrounds the
revolving carrier. As soon as this has taken place the further movement of
the lever turns the revolving carrier one step so as to bring another cartridge in
line with the barrel. This may be effected by causing the lever to then act upon a
second lever carrying a pawl which acts upon a ratchet wheel on the axis of the
revolving carrier. Afterwards the breech block or bolt is again moved forwards by
turning the lever in the opposite direction-this pushes the new cartridge which has
been brought in front of the breech block or bolt into the barrel. The last part of
the forward movement of the breech block or bolt gives motion to a locking bolt,
and moves it into a position to prevent the breech block or bolt from moving back.

page_text: The hammer tumbler or striker is contained within the breech block or bolt and is
capable of sliding endwise therein. When the breech block or bolt is drawn back
the striker is drawn back with it until it is caught by a sear which forms or may
form part of the trigger when the breech block or bolt is again moved forwards to
close the breech it compresses a coiled main spring against the back end of the
hammer tumbler or striker. On the trigger being pulled the sear releases the
striker and allows it to be thrown forwards to fire the arm.
Provision is also made for ensuring that the sear shall not be released until the
breech block or bolt is securely locked and prevented from moving back. This
may be accomplished by the locking bolt being itself carried by the trigger.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1884.

page_text: I HENRY WILLIAM HOLLAND of 98 New Bond Street in the County of
Middlesex Gun Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE OR REPEATING FIRE ARMS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
According to this invention I construct magazine or repeating fire arms in such
a manner that each time the breech end of the barrel is opened to eject a spent
cartridge from it another unfired cartridge is brought into a line with the end of
the barrel by a revolving carrier and is then pushed forward from such carrier into
the barrel and prevented from moving back therefrom by a breech block or bolt
moved forward by the action of a lever either at one side of the breech or in other
convenient position. The carrier is a revolving cylinder mounted within a sur-
rounding casing just in rear of the breech end of the barrel. On its circumference
it has a number of longitudinal grooves formed along it-any one or other of
which can be brought into a line with the bore of the barrel whilst at the same
time one or more of the grooves is brought into a line with a tubular receptacle or
receptacles below the barrel each containing a row of cartridges which are pressed
towards the revolving carrier by a spring so that each time an empty groove comes
opposite the end of one of the cartridge receptacles a cartridge is pushed from the
receptacle into the groove of the revolving carrier.
When the lever above mentioned is turned in one direction it draws back
the breech block and withdraws the empty cartridge case from the barrel and the
cartridge is ejected through a slot in the top of the casing which surrounds the
revolving carrier. As soon as this has taken place the further movement of
the lever turns the revolving carrier one step so as to bring another cartridge in
line with the barrel. This may be effected by causing the lever to then act upon a
second lever carrying a pawl which acts upon a ratchet wheel on the axis of the
revolving carrier. Afterwards the breech block or bolt is again moved forwards
by turning the lever in the opposite direction-this pushes the new cartridge
which has been brought in front of the breech block or bolt into the barrel.
The last part of the forward movement of the breech block or bolt gives motion
to a locking bolt and moves it into a position to prevent the breech block or bolt
from moving back. The hammer tumbler or striker is contained within the breech
block or bolt and is capable of sliding endwise therein.
When the breech block or bolt is drawn back the striker is drawn back with it
until it is caught by a sear.
When the breech block or bolt is again moved forwards to close the breech it
compresses a coiled main spring against the back end of the hammer tumbler or
striker. On the trigger being pulled the sear releases the striker and allows it to
be thrown forwards to fire the arm.
Provision is also made for ensuring that the sear shall not be released until the
breech block or bolt is securely locked and prevented from moving back.
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,

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rifle constructed in accordance with my
invention. Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
In these figures the gun is shown complete with the exception of a portion of
the butt and of the fore end of the barrel.
Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the mechanism at the rear end of the barrel
as it appears when unstocked.
Figure 4 is also a side elevation the opposite side is here seen and the parts are
in a somewhat different position.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the same parts.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines 1. 1.
2. 2. and 3. 3. in Figure 4. In Figure 7 however a part of the casing is shown
which in Figure 4 is omitted.
Figure 9 is a side elevation and Figure 10 is an end elevation of the revolving
carrier.
a is a barrel and b is a body or frame adapted to it at its breech_end c is a
tubular bolt or block capable of sliding longitudinally in the body b. d. is the
hammer or striker together with its spring e it is contained within the sliding
breech bolt c. The breech bolt c has a lump c¹ on its side this is received into a
guide slot in the body b and is connected by a screw with the link f the link fis
also jointed to a lever arm g which is jointed at g¹ to the side of the body b. An
axis h passes through the side cheeks of the body b and carries an arm h¹ which at
its end is provided with a small roller in a slot g' in the lever arm g.
The parts are shown in Figure 4 of the drawing with the breech closed and with
the sliding breech bolt c in its forward position but the rearward movement of the
handle by which the breech is opened has already commenced. The handle i is
fixed upon the axis h its first movement does not operate the breech bolt but is
utilized to withdraw a locking bolt as is hereinafter described. When the roller
on the arm approaches the end of the guide slot g² the further movement of the
axis carries the link g with it and then the sliding breech bolt is drawn back.
When this rearward motion of the breech bolt takes place the spring extractor
hook c² which is fixed to the breech bolt is engaged with the flange of the cartridge
case which has last been fired and draws this out of the barrel. The case is thus
drawn back into the trough like cavity of the revolving carrier from which it was
previously taken to supply the barrel. As soon as the fore end of the cartridge
case escapes from the barrel it flies upwards in consequence of the pressure of the
spring extractor upon the upper edge of its flange and the case is then projected
out by the opening b¹ in the body which is provided for the purpose.
During the rearward motion of the sliding breech bolt the tooth d upon the
hammer or striker which projects out through a slot in the side of the breech bolt
passes behind the nose of the sear k-this sear is a piece capable of sliding vertically
in a passage formed to receive it in the body. The sear is pressed up continually
by a sear spring k¹ and a projection from the trigger also engages with it as is
clearly seen in Figure 5.
The axis h also has fixed upon it a plate m in which two cam slots are formed
one of these namely that marked m¹ before the rearward movement of the breech
block operates against a pin n¹ which projects into it through a guide slot in the
body b. This pin n¹ is fixed into the vertical sliding bolt n.
This bolt receives and supports the rearward pressure of the charge when the
gun is fired and it is drawn down by the action of the cam slot m¹ on the pin n¹
before the breech is opened. The bolt n also carries a stop piece n² which when
the bolt is in its lowest position abuts upon the trigger / so that the trigger cannot
be drawn back or the striker d released from the sear k until the bolt n has been

page_text: again raised, sufficient freedom however is allowed to admit of the tooth
back behind the sear nose at the moment required.
passing
The second cam slide m² of the disc m operates just as the breech block o
completes its rearward movement the pin o¹ upon the lever o is then moved by it
outwards from the centre into the recess m²* in the cam slot-the lever o is thus
caused to rotate partially about its fulcrum o² and thus it imparts movement to a
second lever p to which it is jointed. This lever turns about a pin p' and when
actuated by the cam in the manner described its forward end receives an upward
movement. At this end of the lever there is a tooth p² which enters a recess in a
sliding pawl or piece q the piece q is thus moved upwards from the lower position
in which it is seen in Figure 3 to the upper position in which it is seen in Figure 7.
The pawl piece q engages as will be seen with a ratchet which is formed upon
the rotating carrier and in its upward movement the pawl piece q turns the
ratchet and the carrier; it thus brings a fresh cartridge in front of the breech
bolt.
During the movement of the lever handle in the opposite direction and during
the movement of the sliding breech bolt cup to the breech end of the barrel the
following operations are performed. The breech bolt finds in front of it lying in
one of the trough like cavities of the revolving carrier a fresh cartridge to be
supplied to the barrel and this as the breech bolt advances it thrusts forward into
place ready for firing the nose of the sear k prevents the advance of the hammer or
striker d with the breech bolt and the spring e is consequently compressed. When
the cartridge is nearly home in the barrel the downward motion of the pawl piece q
is produced by the action of the cam slot m² and the projection q¹ upon it then
passes below the lower tooth of the ratchet. This is caused by a spring piston q²
which presses against the wall of the cavity in which the piece q moves as soon as
the projection q¹ descends below the tooth of the ratchet the spring plunger q
causes it to pass beneath it and to engage with the tooth ready to act and rotate
the ratchet and carrier when the breech is again opened.
8 is a screw stop which is employed when it is desired to load the gun by hand
through the aperture when it is screwed in this stop so limits the movement of
the pawl piece q that the spring plunger q² does not press it forward when in its
lower position so as to enable it to engage with the teeth of the ratchet ³ con-
sequently the opening and closing of the breech then takes place without movement
being imparted to the revolving carrier is a second ratchet on the revolving
carrier and t is a vertical sliding stop pawl provided to engage with it.
It has a
spring which presses on an arm and so the piece t is held up to the ratchet ².
The pawl yields to admit of the carrier turning by the operation of the pawl q
but it serves to hold the carrier in its place when the pawl q retires.
uu is the fore part of the stock it has two cylindrical magazine cavities u¹ u¹
bored in it and a coiled spring u* is lodged in each of the cavities. These springs
serve to press forward cartridges v v which the cavities also contain. When an
empty compartment in the carrier comes opposite the end of either of the
cavities the spring u* presses forward a cartridge into the cavity of the
revolving carrier. The cartridges thus supplied to the carrier are brought to
the barrel in the manner already described. Obviously one magazine cavity only
may be provided.
For the purpose of charging the cavities u¹ a portion of the casing w which
serves as a door is opened back so as to expose the cartridge carrier r. The door
turns upon a hinged joint at w₁ and when shut is held in position by a sliding
spring bolt w³.
When the door is open the cartridges can be thrust forward one
at a time into the cavities u¹ u. The cavity on the right of Figure 8 is first
charged and when it is full the small turn button x is moved inwards so as partially
to cover the end of the cavity and prevent the cartridges escaping from it the
other cavity is then similarly filled. When the door w is closed it acts against the
turn button x and moves it out of the way so that the cartridges may pass into
the cavities of the carrier as they are required for use,

page_text: 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 of the sliding breech bolt and the rotating carrier the said
carrier receiving cartridges from a magazine cavity or cavities in the fore end of
the stock and carrying them in front of the breech bolt so that when the said bolt
advances to close the breech it thrusts the cartridge before it into the barrel.
2. The combination of the sliding breech bolt and the locking bolt moving at
right angles to the breech bolt and the parts operating these bolts causing the
locking bolt to pass behind the breech bolt after the breech has been closed and to
be withdrawn before the breech is opened.
3. The pawl piece actuating the revolving cartridge carrier and the stop which
arrests the operation of the pawl piece to admit of loading by hand.
4. The combination of the two magazines or cartridge chambers the turn button
or stop for retaining the cartridges in one of them and the door which in closing
automatically removes the stop.
5. The combination of the lever handle and the parts in connection therewith
imparting motion to the breech bolt the locking bolt and the cartridge carrier.
6. The improved fire arm substantially as described and represented by the
annexed drawings.
00
1
1007