IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND MECHANISM FOR BREECHLOADING SMALL ARMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CARL WITTICH of Cassel, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND MECHANISM
FOR BREECHLOADING SMALL ARMS to be as follows:-
•
This lock differs from those already known, in as much as every operation from
loading to firing is accomplished by the trigger.
It also presents this advantage, that the weapon to which it is applied can be
used as a repeating, single shot, or compound firearm.
If the weapon is used as a repeater, it is provided with a suitable chamber
shown in the drawing under the barrel; if as a single shooter, the cartridge is
placed above, and, when as a compound firearm, both are employed, so that the
chamber can be shut off by a slide or some similar contrivance.
The invention chiefly comprises two triple-armed levers which act in such a
manner on the rest of the mechanism, that by simply drawing back the trigger, all
the operations, (such as casting out the spent cartridges, cocking, loading and firing)
are performed.
The firearm is shown in various positions in the accompanying drawing
Figs 1 to 3.
In Fig. 1 the firearm is shown loaded and cocked, and at the moment when the
lever A and with it the trigger e have snapped back, and the spring i is bent.
This position occurs, if in pulling back the trigger, e, the latter has not come in
contact with the catch p, but has been previously released, the loading and tho
firing being produced in two stages or motions.
The check is effected by the stud r.
In Fig. 2 the firearm is open, the spent cartridge thrown out, and the fresh one
brought before the opening, but the gun is not yet cocked.
In Fig. 3 the firearm is loaded, closed and cocked.
The check-action is produced by the arms as of the lever A.
Fig. 4 is a section through a-b of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is another through c―d;
Fig. 6 is one taken through the slides c of the breech-plug.
Fig. 7 represents the triple-armed forked lever A.-Fig. 8 shows the cartridge
carrier and its actuating spring.

page_text: On pulling back the trigger e, the pin of the lever arm a¹ presses the arm b¹ of
the lever B, and by this means the breech-plug d is drawn back by the pins t
and which act on the slides ac until the cock f comes behind the catch n.
.At the same time the arm b' of the lever B acts on the lover h, the cartridge-
carriage is raised, throws out the spent case, and brings the fresh cartridge before
the opening of the barrel.
On the trigger being pulled further back, the pin m of the lever-arm 6¹ 'is
released, and the forked arm a, can now come into play by pushing forward the
slide c and the breech plug d, and thus the cartridge is pushed into the barrel.
At the same time, by pushing forward the breech-plug, the spring g of the cock ƒ
is compressed.
The lever h which has raised the cartridge carriage is kept up by the spring b.
On going back, the slide c c presses against the lever, pushes out tho spring lying
with a small pin in a groove of the lever h, and now the lever and the cartridge-
carriage can descend.
•
When the breech-plug is almost entirely pushed forward, the lever a³ comes
under the slide c c and thus forms the check.
P!
If the trigger e comes in contact with the trigger p, the cock shoots forward, and
the firearm goes off.
When the trigger is released, it falls back into its original position by means of 2
the spring k; the pin m then raises the lever arm b' and presses the spring on the
lever-arm b against a projection 8 of the slide c, and, as soon as the pin m passes
the arm b¹, tho spring. holds the lever-arm b¹ under the pin m.
The spring i plays a very important part, for whenever the trigger e is drawn
back, it ensures the pin m of the lever arm a¹ catching the lever-arm b³, and 2
therofore the precise working of the firearm.

page_text: I, CARL WITTICH of Cassel, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND MECHANISM
FOR BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This lock differs from those already known, inasmuch as every operation from
loading to firing is accomplished by the trigger.
It also presents this advantage, that the weapon to which it is applied can be
used as a repeating, single shot, or compound firearm.
If the weapon is used as a repeater, it is provided with a suitable chamber,
shown in the drawing under the barrel; if as a single shooter, the cartridge is
placed above, and, when as a compound firearm both are employed, so that the
chamber can be shut off by a slide or some similar contrivance.
The invention chiefly comprises two triple-armed levers which act in such a
manner on the rest of the mechanism, that, by simply drawing back the trigger,
all the operations (such as casting out the spent cartridges, cocking, loading and
firing) are performed.
The fire-arm is shown in various positions in the drawing filed with the
provisional specification Figs. 1-3.
In Fig. 1 the firearm is shown loaded and cocked, and at the moment when the
lever A and with it the trigger & have snapped back and the spring i is bent.
This position occurs, if in pulling back the trigger, the latter has not come in
contact with the catch p but has been previously released, the loading and the
firing being produced in two stages or motions.
The check is effected by the stud r.
In Fig 2 the firearm is open, the spent cartridge thrown out and the fresh ones
brought before the opening, but the gun is not yet cocked.
In Fig 3 the firearm is loaded, closed and cocked..
The check-action is produced by the arms a² of the lever A.
•
Fig 4 is a section through a-b of Fig 1. Fig 5 is another through c-d. Fig 6 is
one taken through the slides c of the breech plug.
Fig 7 represents the triple armed forked lever A. Fig 8 shows the triple-armed
lever B, and Fig 9 the lever h.
On pulling back the trigger e, the pin of the lever-arm a¹ presses the arm 6' of
the lever B, and by this means, the breech-plug d is drawn back by the pins t
and which act on the slides cc until the cock or hammer f comes behind the
catch n
At the same time the arm b' of the lever B acts on the lever h, the cartridge-
carriage is raised, throws out the spent case, and brings the fresh cartridge before
the opening of the barrel.

page_text: On the trigger being pulled further back, the pin m of the lever-arm b¹ is
released, and the forked arm a, can now come into play by pushing forward the
slide c and the breech plug d, and thus the cartridge is pushed into the barrel.
At the same time, by pushing forward the breech-plug, the spring 9 of the cock f
is strained.
The lever h which has raised the cartridge-carriage is kept up by the spring 7.
On going back, the slide c c presses against the lever, pushes out the spring
lying with a small pin in a groove of the lever h, and now the lover and the
cartridge-carriage can descend.
When the breech-plug is almost entirely pushed forward, the lever a³ comes
under the slide c, c, and thus forms the check.
If the trigger e comes in contact with the trigger p, the cock shoots forward, and
the firearm goes off.
When the trigger is released, it falls back into its original position by means of
the spring k; tho pin m, then raises the lever arm b' and presses the spring on the
lever-arm b³ against a projection 8 of the slide 'c, c, and as soon as the pin m passes
the arm b¹, the spring i holds the lever arm b' under the pin m.
The springs i plays a very important part, for whenever the trigger e is drawn
back, it ensures the pin m of the lover arm a catching the lover arm b¹, and there-
fore the precise working of the firearm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what mannor the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A three armed lever A adapted to turn on a pin and having a trigger e, forked
arms a¹ and a³, a stud r and pin m, in combination with a spring k, lever B, breech-
plug & forming a slide c c, and a triggor p.
2. The pivoted lever B, having thrée arms b' b b³ the last named being provided
with pins t and t¹ and a spring i, in combination with the three armed løver A, the
lever h, and the breech plug d having a slide cc and a stay 8.