Improvements in Small Arms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Small Arms.
I, KABEL KRNKA, of Vinohrady, Prague, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria,
Ordnance Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 relates to improvements in small arms so constructed that they
may be charged with a movable multiple chambered breech, or with single cartridges.
The ignition of the cartridge takes place in the barrel, and not in the revolving
cylinder, as usual. The empty cartridges are ejected automatically.
The objects of my invention are: first, to provide a small arm which can be quickly
and continuously fired, and in which the whole force of the gas is utilised in the
propulsion of the projectile, some of which gas, in ordinary revolvers, escapes between
the barrel and the revolving chamber. Secondly, the shells of the cartridges to be
thrown out after each firing. Thirdly, the shooting to be performed from a rotary
magazine containing a number of cartridges (for instance six or more) to be introduced
into the chamber ready for firing, the magazine being easily removed and replaced by
a fresh one, when empty; and Fourthly, the possibility of charging single cartridges
directly into the barrel.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the arm, the breech bolt being shown in its
extreme outward position.
Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the effect of the bolt being pushed forward from
the position shown in Fig. 1, and charging the upper cartridge from the magazine
into the barrel.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the arm, the breech bolt being shown in its
extreme forward position, having just charged the upper cartridge into the barrel, but
the piston rod retained by the sear.
Fig. 3 shows a variation in the construction of the two main springs a¹ y¹, by
uniting them at their butt ends.

page_text: Fig. is a top view of the breech bolt, the piston rod being inside.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the breech bolt through 3-4 in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a similar section from the position 3-4 shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a back view of the breech bolt.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the arm, showing the right hand side of the body open.
Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the body, through 1, II in Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a side view of the arm, showing the right hand side of the body
closed.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the breech bolt at the moment before firing.
Fig. 11 is a transverse section through III, IV. in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the breech bolt at the moment of firing.
Figs. 13 and 14 are top views illustrating the extraction of the shell after firing.
Figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18 show details of the rotating magazine, Fig. 18 being a
transverse section of Fig. 16 through VII, VIII.
A is the barrel, B is the solid frame or body of the pistol, and C is the handle.
The barrel may be screwed into the solid frame, or made in one therewith, as shown in
the drawings. The body contains two chambers, which are divided by a transverse
wall p. The sides of the chambers in the body are enclosed by two doors P and P..
P1 is herein referred to as the right cheek door, and Ps the left cheek door. The fore
chamber is made to receive the revolving magazine D. The rear chamber is fitted
with the ring-ended lever di, pivotted at x, the lever being fitted with a pawl w, and
the trigger g with its finger or scar g³. The springs x and y₁ are fitted inside the
handle C.
The body B is bored out in prolongation of the barrel, to accommodate the
breech bolt. a. b is a hole through which the empty cartridges are ejected. This
hole also serves for the introduction of single cartridges, when used instead of
the magazine.
The cartridges do not ignite in the revolving cylinder, as in ordinary revolvers, but
in the barrel itself, and the whole strength of the gas is utilised in propelling the
projectile. The upper cartridge of the revolving magazine lies vertically under the
axis of the barrel, just behind the same, and in front of the bolt a, when the ring d
has been pushed forward, as shown in Fig. 1. The position of the upper cartridge is
such that its rim stands a little in the way of the bolt a. The cartridges S S are
kept on the cylinder D of the magazine by springs 'S' (see Fig. 17) which are
fastened to the cylinder D and open outwardly, each spring being cut away in the
middle and rounded at the fore end, (as shown in Fig. 2) so as to form two elastic
wings which keep the cartridges in their places in the magazine, the cartridges having
their rims towards the rear plate or ratchet m¹, and their heads towards the front of
the magazine as shown in Fig. 1, and further shown in Figs. 15 to 18. By pulling
back the ring d the bolt a is moved forward, thereby pressing the upper cartridge into
the barrel, as shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 shows the extreme rear position of the ring d of the lever di; the upper
cartridge is shown driven into the barrel, and the bolt a is locked shutting in the
cartridge. The extractor a¹ (Fig. 13) is sprung over the rim of the cartridge ready
to draw the empty case backward. The pin h of the bolt a slides in the slot / of the
lever i, this slot forming an inclined contact, which facilitates the turning of the
bolt a, when its tooth or projection is pulled toward the transverse wall p, arriving
from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3. The pin h, which in
Figs. 1 and 2 is horizontal, will turn downward at an angle of about 45°, and the tooth!
falls into a groove as shown in Fig. 3, whereby, in shooting, the pressure of the gas is
transmitted to the body by the tooth l.
The breech bolt a is constructed in a manner well known. It is bored out as shown
in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, and is fitted with the piston t carrying the pin or needle t¹, and
the piston rod t. The piston t has a tooth f which is guided in the slot r. A spiral
spring keeps the needle t in the position indicated in Fig 12. The sear g³ being
constantly pressed upward by the spring y', through the trigger g, catches and retains
the tooth, when the lever di has been moved from the position indicated in Fig. 1

page_text: into the position indicated in Fig. 3, by pulling the ring d backward, without touching
the trigger g. This is done by placing the finger in front of d outside and not inside
the ring. This position (Fig. 3) can be used for aiming. As soon as the trigger g is
moved by putting the finger into the ring d, the sear g³ is withdrawn, and sets free
the tooth. The piston is thereby released, and is forced forward by the spiral
spring, delivering a sharp blow on the centre of the cartridge, and the charge
is fired.
In order to carry the arm with safety when loaded, a screw cap is provided at
the rear end of the bolt a, with a projection v2. This projection exactly fits into a
recess when the bolt a is in its extreme forward position, and the screw is turned
downward, say to about 60°. A small screw v¹ is fitted, which projects into the slot ??
of the piston rod t³.
Another slot is provided in the bolt a for the ejector pin 61, the action of which
is well known. This slot has a short transverse slot extending to 90° at its rear end,
being the angle to which the bolt a turns in its extreme forward position, for the
purpose of locking into the recess, as before described. The two other slots rand **
for the same reason have similar transverse slots extending to 90° at each end, to
accommodate the sear g³ and the small screw v¹, and the extreme positions shown in
Figs. 1, 3 and 12,
For the purpose of introducing the revolving magazine into its chamber, the sliding
door P is made to draw back into the position indicated in Fig. 7 by dotted lines;
Fig. 9 showing its position when shut and secured in its place by a side spring u. The
revolving magazine has two central pins o o¹ which slide in two transverse horizontal
slots reaching to the centre of the body. The size of the magazine chamber just
corresponds with that of the magazine, so that the magazine can enter it easily.
When the magazine is put in, and the sliding door P¹ shut, the projection q
(see Fig. 8) of tho spring qq takes its place before the rear pin o¹ of the magazine,
and thereby secures it in its place, so that the magazine can be turned on its pins o
and o'. The spring q q² is fastened on the top and inside the rear chamber to the
body, by the screw . The right hand sliding door P has a projection u³, which
prevents it being moved too far in either direction. If this. door is drawn completely
back, the projection u³ acts as a wedge between the spring q and the body, and pushes
the spring shoulder q down upon the partition wall at q³, (Fig. 7). This prevents
the sliding door being drawn out completely. By this action the projection q* is
pressed down, and the centre pin o¹ of the revolving magazine can slide in and out, so
that the magazine may be introduced or removed with ease. As soon as the sliding
door P is shut (Fig. 9) the magazine is secured, but is capable of rotating in its place.
The inside wing P3 (of the left door) keeps the cartridges in their respective places
upon the body of the magazine. The rear plate m¹ of the same forms a ratchet, having
the same number of ratchet teeth as there are cartridges in the magazine. The
magazine in the drawings is shown with six cartridges, and the ratchet plate m¹ with
six teeth, to correspond therewith. The pawl w swivels upon its pin z, which is
mounted upon the lever di, and the lever di at the same time swivels upon its pivot z.
A spring z is fitted to the side of the lever i, which presses with its free end upon the
pawl w, guided in an inclined slot in the partition wall p. The pawl w acts upon the
ratchet plate m' when the ring d is pushed forward, after the empty cartridge case has
been extracted, at the last moment, before the ring reaches its extreme forward position.
By this action of the pawl w the ratchet is turned, so that the next cartridge of the
magazine is moved to the top. The lifting pawle is held by a side pin or screw, so as not
to fall out, and is guided in a vertical slot in the body. The ring d at the same time
pushes the pawle upwards, as shown in Fig. 1; and the periphery of the ratchet m¹
is so shaped that at the same moment a groove presents itself to the stopper, as
shown in Fig. 8 by dotted lines, the stopper being kept in by the ring d, as shown in
Fig. 1. The ring d is firmly kept in this extreme position by the spring a¹. By this
device each forward movement of the ring, to the position indicated by Fig. 1, carries
a fresh cartridge before the breech bolt. The next movement of the ring d backward,
charges the cartridge into the barrel, as shown in Fig. 2. By putting the finger

page_text: inside the ring, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, the charge is fired. If the
finger is placed in front of the ring, without touching the trigger, the position shown
in Fig. 3 is the result. This position may be used for aiming. Or aiming may be
provided for by turning the knob screw to the left, into the position indicated in
Fig. 5. Until this screw is turned back again into the position shown in Fig. 5,
the gun cannot be opened. When the ring d is pushed forward, the extraction of
the shell is effected.
If the magazine is empty, the right hand door is drawn back (as shown in Fig. 7)
and the magazine is removed by a slight movement of the arm.
It requires very
little practice to extract the empty magazine and to introduce a new one into the
fore chamber in a very short space of time. Then the door P is shut and quick
firing may be effected. There is no delay in charging the revolving cylinder anew
and throwing out the empty shells in the manner required with ordinary revolvers.
But if time permits, the empty magazine can be filled with cartridges and used again.
Should the several movements not be carried out properly, or in case of inexactness
in the shape of the cartridges, it may happen, that a cartridge does not enter the
barrel without difficulty. A similar quick movement of the whole arm, holding the
opening in front, will expel the wrong shell at once, and then regular shooting can
again proceed.
It is unnecessary to describe the object of the two springs x and y¹, such springs
being well known. For the purpose of reducing the number of pieces, I sometimes
unite these springs, as shown in Fig. 3ª where the butt ends of the springs are shown
in one piece and are kept in place by a single screw.
I am aware that prior to my invention breech loading arms have been made with
breech bolts and ring levers, combined with triggers, and I therefore do not claim
such a combination broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination in a small breech loading arm of a revolving cartridge magazine,
which can be rapidly put into or removed from the fore-chamber of the body of the
arm, the central pins o and o' of the magazine sliding in two horizontal slots, and the
rear pin being kept in its place. by the projection 9, so that the cartridges are
successively brought up to the breech bolt, which charges the cartridge into the barrel,
whereby the whole pressure of the gas is utilised, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In a small breech loading arm the combination of a revolving cartridge
magazine, carrying its cartridges S, S in elastic supports S¹, S³, fitted to a metallic
cylinder D opening outwardly, so that the cartridges can be easily placed in and taken
out, for the purpose of being charged by the breech bolt into the barrel, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination in a small breech loading arm of the ratchet m¹ forming the
rear plate of the revolving magazine, with the pawls w and e; the former being
mounted and swivelling upon the ring-lever di, and being pressed by the spring 21,
while the pawl e is held by the ring d in the extreme forward position of the same
ring, both for the purpose of revolving and holding fast the cartridge magazine,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
4. The combination of an elastic pin holder 997 with its sliding door P¹ and
projection ³ for the purpose of clearing the horizontal rear slot for the pin o,
when the door P₁ is open, and keeping the pin o¹ in its place when the magazine is
introduced and the door P¹ shut, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by the drawings.
5. The inside wing P³ of the cheek door P to assure the correct position of the
cartridge in its supports (Fig. 8) substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
6. The combination in a small breech loading arm of a ring lever di and a trigger g

page_text: a,
for
with the springs and y¹, pawl w, spring z pawl e, sear g³, and breech bolt
the purpose of securing the charge while taking aim, as shown in Fig. 3, the firing
being effected by a slight touch of the trigger 9 on putting the finger into the ring d,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
7. The united springs shown in Fig. 3ª, instead of two soparate springs x and y¹,
for the purpose of diminishing the number of pieces, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
8. The combination in a small breech loading arm of the knob-screw with its
projection, which can be turned into the groove for the purpose of providing
against accidental discharge, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
9. The combination in small breech loading arms of a revolving cartridge magazine
with the ring lever di, the trigger, the knob screw v, the doors P₁ and P², the
pawis w and e, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
10. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together forming my improvements in small arms, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 1st October 1888.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.