IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIREARMS
Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLIAM REYNOLDS MILLER, of the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland,
one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIREARMS," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention consists, primarily, in perforating the head of the magazine, and
inserting through the hole thus formed, a stem the inner end of which is brought in
contact with the magazine spring or its head, and moves longitudinally as the
cartridges or shells are discharged, and by the length of the exposed part thereof,
indicates the number of cartridges or shells contained in the magazine.
In the further description of the said invention, which follows, reference is made to
the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, and in which,-
Figure 1 is an exterior side view of a magazine shot gun provided with my
improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a part of the barrel and
magazine showing the latter as fully charged with shells. Fig. 3 is a similar view to
Fig. 2, except that two shells have been discharged from the magazine. Fig. 4
illustrates a modification of the invention, as will hereinafter fully appear.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of the drawing, A, B, and C, are respectively, the
stock, barrel, and magazine of the improved firearm. D is the magazine spring which
feeds the cartridges or shells, a.
The head of the magazine spring is denoted by b. The head of the magazine, c,
is perforated, and through the hole, which is represented by, d, is inserted a stein, e.
If the head, c, of the magazine is not sufficiently thick to form a proper and effective
guide for the stem, e, a bushing, f, is used as shown.
To the inner end of the steni, e, attach a plate, g, against which the magazine
spring presses; and between this plate and the head, c, of the magazine, is situated a
coiled spring, h. This spring much shorter than the magazine spring, consequently,
its extension and compression is less than the latter with a given pressure, and the
movement of the stem, when, say, one cartridge is discharged, is about in proportion
to the difference between the lengths of the two springs.

page_text: In other words, if the length of the short spring, h, is say, one tenth that of the
one, D, and the cartridge is two and a half inches long, at each discharge, the stem, e,
will move in, two tenths of an inch. The distance moved by the stem at each
discharge, may however, be further reduced by making the spring, h, slightly
stronger than the one, D. The stem may, if desired, be marked or graduated, but to
a person accustomed to the use of the firearm, the number of cartridges contained
It will be understood
in the magazine, can be approximated without such marks.
that the result above described could be produced by attaching the stem to the magazine
spring at a short distance from its end, but the two springs with the interposed plate
is preferred.
In Fig. 4, the simplest form of the invention is illustrated, and the stem at each
With this
discharge of a shell has a movement equal to the length of a shell.
construction, which is not the preferred one, a suitable guide independent of the
head, c, of the magazine, will be required for the stem. The additional guide
herein shown, consists of a casing, E, which is slotted longitudinally to admit of
With
the free movement of the indicating pin. k, which projects from the stem.
the arrangement, shown in Fig. 4 the guiding casing would be graduated or marked
instead of the stem.
Having now 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. In a repeating firearm, the head or end of the magazine perforated and combined
with an indicating stem which enters the said magazine through the said perforation,
is parallel to the magazine, and within it is in contact with the contained magazine
spring or an attachment operated thereby, whereby the length of the exposed portion
of the stem indicates the number of cartridges contained in the magazine,
substantially as specified.
2. In a repeating firearm, the magazine thereof provided with a projecting stem
which has a plate at its inner end, combined with a spring situated between the
said plate and the head of the magazine, substantially as, and for the purpose
specified.