Improvements in Quick-firing Guns.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Quick-firing Guns.
We, CARL HOLMSTROM, and PER NORDENFELT, both of 53 Parliament Street,
Westminster, Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a quick firing gun suitable for semi-automatic
working.
The breech of the gun is closed by a breach-block which slides in transverse recess
along suitable slightly inclined guides. The breech-block receives its movement from
a transverse axis upon the gun; and, in somi-automatic working the axis receives
motion from apparatus connecting it with tho cradle or frame, along which the gun
recoils. This apparatus forms no part of the present invention. For hand working,
the axis may be turned by means of a hand lever at its ond. The axis has two arins
projecting up into the breech recess, one on either side of the breech-block, and these
arms are connected by a pin passing through the breech-block from side to side. The
bole in the breech-block by which the pin passes, is elongated, and so formed that the
first movement of the arms in opening the breech takes place without moving
the breech-block, but in their further movement the armis carry the breech-block
with them.
•
The breech-block is provided with a firing pin and in this pin there is a transverse
elongated hole. A screw passing through the hole and fixed in the breech-block,
limits the movement of the firing pin. A coiled spring presses the firing pin rear-
wards and at the time of firing the pin is thrown forward in opposition to this spring
by the blow of a hammer. This hammer is contained in the breech-block; it is
mounted on a transverse axis near the lower part of the block and towards the
front thereof. In the breech-block in front of the hammer axis and below it there
is a trigger axis and on this axis two sears are mounted, one, the trigger soar, is fixed
upon the axis and the other or safety sear is movable around it. The trigger axis also
carries a trigger arm projecting rearwards, and this arm at the time of firing is
operated upon by trigger mechanism carried by the cradle or frame in which the gun
is held. Within the breech-block also and at the lower part there is a main spring;
the upper limb of this spring presses upon the foot of the hammer and throws the
hammer forward when it is released. The lower arm of the main spring is forked and
one of its ends presses upwards upon the trigger sear and causes it to engage with a
dent upon the foot of the hammer. The other extremity of the main spring pressos
downwards upon an arm of the safety sear and thereby gives to the sear nose a rear-
ward tendency and causes it to engage when free to do so with a dent upon the
hammer in front of its axis.
The gun is provided with a two armed extractor mounted upon a transverse axis
upon the gun. The extractor arms are so formed that they project in rear of the axis,
and these projections are struck by studs formed upon the breech-block as the breech-
block comes to the end of its course in opening. There are also studs upon the arms
of the extractor which enter recesses in the upper part of the breech-block and serves
to retain the breech-block and prevent the breech closing until the cartridge is
inserted.
The action then of the apparatus is as follows:-
In semi-automatic working the mechanism connecting the gun with the cradle turns
the principal axis and so opens the breech at the time when the gun moves forward
after recoil. At this time a spring also is constrained which, at the end of the forward
movement, tends to rotate the axis in the contrary direction. Before the breech opens
the transverse pin, by which the block is moved, presses against the foot of the

page_text: hammer, compressing the main spring and carrying the head of the hammer back
away from the firing pin. When the hammer is thus cocked the sears fall in and
prevent its return. During the opening of the breech the studs upon the breech-
block strike upon the extractor and canse it to withdraw the case of the cartridge last
fired from the chamber of the gun and this case is projected rearwards out of the gun.
As soon as the breech is fully open the breech-block in semi-automatic working
immediately commences to return but it is caught and prevented from doing so by
the studs upon. the extractor which engage with it. The breech-block is thus held
until another cartridge as it enters the gun displaces the extractor and then
immediately the breech-block returns and closes the breech behind the cartridge.
At the moment of closing, the trigger-sear releases the hammer by means of the
trigger arm between the cradle and the gun. and the hammer is thus only retained by
the safety-sear. By further movement of the transverse-pin, this comes against a
prolongation of the safety-sear and throws it out of its dent and then the gun fires.
When firing with trigger the transverse-pin, after the breech is fully closed, releases
the hammer from the safety sear, and the haminer remains retained by the trigger-sear
which has to be displaced before firing.
Dated this 10th da…. £ M 1980
CARL HOLMSTRÖM.
PER NORDENFELT.
2
•
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Quick-firing Guns.
We, CARL HOLMSTRÖM, and PER NORDENFELT, both of 53 Parliament Street,
Westminster, Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a quick firing gun suitable for semi-automatic
'working.
The breech part of a gun constructed in accordance with the invention is repre-
sented by the annexed drawings. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with the breech
closed. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section with the breech open and Figure 3 is a
plan with the breech closed. The portions marked a are the barrel and parts formed
therewith.
The breech of the gun is closed by a breech block b which slides in a transverse
opening or recess a¹ along suitable slightly inclined guides. The breech-block receives
its movement from a transverse axis c upon the gun; and, in semi-automatic working
the axis receives motion from apparatus connecting it with the cradle or frame, along
which the gun recoils. This apparatus forms no part of the present invention.
Any convenient gear may be employed which rotates the axis against the resist-
ance of a spring whilst the gun moves forward upon the cradle and sets the axis free
at the end of the forward movement. For hand working, the axis c may be turned
by means of a hand lever at its end. The axis has two arms el c¹ projecting up into
the breech recess, one on either side of the breech-block, and these arins are connected
by a pin d passing through the breech block from side to side. The hole in the breech
block by which the pin passes, is elongated and so formed that the first movement of
the arins in opening the breech takes place without moving the breech-block, but in
their further movement the arms carry the breech-block with them.
The breech-block is provided with a firing pin e and in this pin there is a transverse
elongated hole. A screw passing through the hole and fixed in the breech-block,
limits the movement of the firing pin. A coiled spring 9 presses the firing pin rear-
wards. The spring g is kept in place by a steel bushing 6 let into the front of the
breech block. is a locking pin. The nose of the firing pin projects as shown
through a central hole in the bushing and so reaches the priming of the cartridge,
which is shown at h. At the time of firing the pin is thrown forward in opposition

page_text: to this spring by the blow of a hammer i. This hammer is contained in the breech-
block; it is mounted on a transverse axis ¹ near the lower part of the block and
towards the front thereof. In the breech block in front of the hammer axis and
below it there is a trigger axis k and on this axis two sears and mare mounted, one,
the trigger scar is fixed upon the axis and the other or safety sear m is movable
around it. The trigger axis also carries a trigger arm n projecting rearwards, and
this arm at the time of firing is operated upon by trigger mechanism carried by the
cradle, or frame in which the gun is held. Within the breech-block also and at
the lower part there is a main spring the upper limbo of this spring presses upon the
foot of the hammer and throws the hammer forward when it is released. The lower
arm of the main spring is forked and one of its ends o' presses upwards upon. the
trigger sear and causes it to engage, with a bent upon the foot of the hammer.
The other extremity o' of the main spring presses downwards upon an arm of the
safety sear m and thereby gives to the scar nose a rearward tendency and causes it
to engage when free to do so with a bent upon the hammer in front of its axis.
The gun is provided with a two armed extractor p mounted upon a transverse
axis p upon the gun. The extractor arins have at their upper ends lips which engage
with the flange of the cartridge. The arms are so formed that they project in rear
of the axis, and these projections p' are struck by studs & formed upon the breech-
block as the breech-block comes to the end of its course in opening. There are also
studs p upon the arms of the oxtractor which enter recesses 6 in the upper part of
the breech-block and serve to retain the breech-block and prevent the breech closing
until the cartridge is inserted.
The action then of the apparatus is as follows :-
In semi-automatic working the mechanism connecting the gun with the cradle
turns the principal axis c and so opens the breech at the time when the gun moves
forward after recoil. At this time a spring also is constrained which at the end of the
forward movement, tends to rotate the axis in the contrary direction. Before the
breech opens the transverse pin d by which the block is moved, presses against the foot
of the hammer i compressing the main spring and carrying the head of the hammer
back away from the firing pin. When the hammer is thus cocked the sears and m
fall in and prevent its return. During the opening of the breech the studs b³ upon
the breech-block strike upon the extractor p and cause it to withdraw the case of the
cartridge last fired from the chamber of the gun and this case is projected rearwards
out of the gun. As soon as the breech is fully open the breech-block 6 in semi-
automatic working immediately commences to return but it is caught and prevented
from doing so by the studs p³ upon the extractor which engage with it. The breech-
block is thus held until another cartridge as it enters the gun displaces the extractor
and then immediately the breech-block returns and closes the breech behind the
cartridge.
At the moment of closing, the trigger sear / releases the hammer being moved away
by means of the trigger mechanism operating on the arm n and the hammer is then
only retained by the safety-sear. By further movement of the transverse pin d, this
comes against a prolongation of the safety-sear m and throws it out of its bent and
then the gun fires.
When firing with trigger the trigger mechanism is set so as not to cause the arm n
to be moved automatically in closing; the transverse-pin, after the breech is fully
closed, releases the hammer from the safety sear and the hammer remains retained
by the trigger-sear which has to be displaced before firing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:—
1. The mechanism consisting of the barrel part a; the breech block b; the trans-
verse horizontal axis c beneath the barrel part; the arms c¹ on the axis c; the pin d
carried by the arms c¹ and passing through the breech block; the firing pin e and the
hammer i on the axis i contained in the breech block; the sear m engaging with the

page_text: hammer; and the whole so arranged that the pin d operates upon the hammer in
opening the breech to bring it to the cocked position and upon the sear m in closing
the breech to release the hammer.
2. In combination with the aforesaid mechanism, the trigger sear I and its lever n.
3. In combination with the aforesaid mechanism the extracting and retaining
mechanism consisting of the extractor p with lips engaging with the flange of the
cartridge the parts on the breech block which strike the extractor and so cause it
to operate and the parts p³ on the extractor which engage with the breech block and
prevent the breech closing until a cartridge is inserted.
;
4. The firing mechanism consisting of the breech block b; the firing pin e having
an elongated hole through it; the pin f passing through the said hole and fixed in
the breech block; the spring g and the hammer i.
5. A semi automatic quick firing gun substantially as described.
CARL HOLMSTRÖM.
PER NORDENFELT.