AN IMPROVED MAGAZINE FIRE ARM
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MAGAZINE FIRE ARM" and,
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
4
The improved magazine fire-arm, which forms the subject of this Invention, has
a vertically swinging breech-block, an automatic cartridge conveyer and a laterally
attached or loosely bung or stuck on magazine.
The main characteristic feature of the Invention lies in the devised system of
automatic conveying. the cartridges into the chamber and the whole construction
of the arm tends to the easy and rapid service of the saine while being continuously
held in firing position. As peculiarities of this construction are to be regarded:
a., The vertically swinging breech block adapted to automatically extract the
exploded cartridge cases.
b., The firing of the cartridges by means of a hammer, a mainspring and a firing
pin or needle.
c.
c., The automatic introduction of the cartridges into the chamber of the arm.
d., The successive operation of all parts of the arm by merely moving forward
and backward the guard lever, through an angle of 30°.
e., The adaption for the arm of Mannlicher's magazine to be attached to
the same.
f., The adaption of the magazine for the insertion of paper cartridge-boxes.
g., The arrangement of a lateral magazine having a fixed or removeable
cartridge-box.
h., The loading by means of a loading hopper, the arm being fixed in a special
frame.
Generally speaking, the breech block and lock mechanism of this magazine rifle -

page_text: .
acts in such a manner, that when the guard lever is moved downward, the hammer
is cocked, and a projection of the hammer disc (doing the office of the tumbler) is
drawn away under the breech block, whereby a bent blade spring, connected with
said breech block is freed so as to suddenly draw down this latter, thus both the
opening of the breech and (by the stroke of the breech block block upon the
extractor) the withdrawal of the empty case being performed automatically, without
further action of the guard lever.
When the guard lever is moved backward, the cartridge is brought forward from
the magazine and put into the chamber by a special cartridge conveyer, the breechi
is closed and the rifle is fired.
The rifle particularly excels in the ease of handling it in the firing position and
in the great rapidity of firing afforded thereby.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the whole
breech and lock mechanism, the breech block being closed. Fig. 2 is a side
elevation of the breech part of the rifle with a magazine hung on the same.
All the other Figures, from 3 to 30, shew the separate functions of the breech
loading contrivance and the lock mechanism in the successive stages of the
opening and closing of the breech, and the positions which occupy the working
parts after performing certain functions, as well as details of the several parts, to
be all fully described in the following Specification.
The Figures from 31 to 43 shew 'several modifications of magazines to be stuck
on the rifle from above and the paper cartridge box which belongs to one of these
magazines.
The whole breech and lock mechanism is contained in a chamber -A Fig. 3, and
after all parts having been inserted into this chamber it is closed by a lid or
cover B, Figs. 4 and 5 placed upon its left side. The breech block being lowered,
as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5. The said chamber A Fig. 3, containing the breech and
lock mechanism is pushed from below into the receiver C, Figs. 6, 7 and 8, which
forms a part of the gun stock. The hook shaped catch a Figs. 3 and 4, projecting
from the backside of the box A takes into a slot a Fig. 6, formed in the lower
extension of the receiver C, and by screwing the thumb screw a² Fig. 1, through
á flap of box A into the receiver C, the breech and lock chamber A is rigidly
connected with the gun stock. By closing the breech, the position shown in Fig. 1
is then given to the mechanism.
When the breech is opened, that is to say, when the guard lever D is moved
forward, functions are accomplished simultaneously, which cause the hammer to be
cocked and the breech block to be lowered. In order to make these simultaneous
functions better understood, the parts of the breech mechanism are represented
separately by Figs. 9 and 12, while those of the lock mechanism are likewise
shewn apart by Figs. 10 and 11. Each of these two latter Figures shew's the
lock mechanism in the position it occupies, when the parts of the breech loading
contrivance have reached the positions shewn in one of the 'two other Figures; thus,
the Figures 9 and 10, and 11 and 12 complété each other.
The closed breech block E, Fig. 1; is securely maintained in its position by the
arm of the guard lever D, which supports the breech block by bearing against
the shoulder b¹ of this latter; moreover the hammer disc F advances its projection
or beak c¹ under another shoulder c, Fig. 13, of the breech block E. The breech
block spring d, Figs. 1 and 9, is connected with the breech block E by means of
a link d', and when the breech is closed, the said spring is always cocked. The
transmitting lever G moveable in the chamber A round a pivot f, is connected with
the upper arm 6 of the guard lever D, by means of a link e, and its arm grests in
a notch of the breech block E. The lower arm of the transmitting lever or
transmitter G, whose office is to raise the breech block E, carries a pawl g², Fig. 14,
maintained by spring g¹ in the position shewn in Fig. 1.
L
The laterally projecting arm 62 of the guard lever D moveable in the chamber A
round the pivot f¹, rests upon the projection / of the shaft of the cartridge
conveyer H, Fig. 15.

page_text: To open the breech, the guard lever D is rapidly pushed forward. Thereby the
arm b of the guard lever is drawn away from under the shoulder 61 of the breech
block E, and the transmitter G is turned back by means of the link e, thus freeing
the breech block E from its supports.
At the same time the arm b carries along the tappet c² of the hammer disc F and
turns backwards this disc which is also moveable round the pivot f¹. The beak c¹
of the hammer disc F on to which the shoulder c of the breech block E is now
forced by the power of the cocked breech block spring d, slides back under said
shoulder and when its point has reached this shoulder's edge, spring d is freed so
as to draw suddenly down the breech block E, moveable round pivot f Then,
the breech block strikes upon the arm i of the cartridge extractor I, Figs. 8, 9 and
16, whose arms ¹, embracing the flange of the shell, are moved backward and
throw out from the chamber the empty case.
The loading groove j in the breech block E being curved to the right (see Fig. 17),
and a horn j projecting on the left edge of said groove, the empty case is deflected
to the right and does not inconvenience the shooter, when firing rapidly, without
lowering his rifle from the aiming position.
As may be seen from what has been stated above, the withdrawal of the fired
cartridge case requires no effort of the shooter, but is effected by the power of the
breech block spring d, and the whole working is quite independent of the movement
of the guard lever.
Fig. 9 shews the breech mechanism in the position it occupies immediately after
the ejection of the empty case. In this position the nose c³ of the hammer disc F
stands closely beneath the breech block adjuster J, Fig. 10, and the breech block
rests upon the breech block adjuster J which is moveable round the pivot ƒ of the
transmitter G.
When the guard lever D is moved farther forward, the hammer F is cocked, that
is to say, the sear k takes into the notch of the hammer disc which does the office
of a tumbler as already stated. In order that the subsequent cartridge may be
correctly pushed into the chamber of the barrel, although the breech block E, when
moving the extractor I, had been swung down with its loading groove; beyond
the lowermost part of the mouth of the chamber (see Fig. 9) the said breech block
is raised again by the nose c³ of the hammer disc F and the breech block adjuster J.
These two parts raise the breech block E just high enough that its loading
groove corresponds again with the under edge of the mouth of the chamber
(see Fig. 11).
At the same time the transmitter G is drawn farther backward by the link c,
which connects it to the upper arm b of the guard lever D, and in consequence
thereof the pawl g² slides over the arm ', which projects radially from the
shaft of the cartridge conveyer H; then said pawl takes into the notch cut in
the arm h¹ (see Fig. 12), being guided and supported by the horn h³.
As the magazine and the repeating mechanism are to be described farther below,
it may be assumed here, that a cartridge P, Fig. 11 has been already placed into
the loading groove j.
Now when the guard lever D, is moved backward, the transmitter G is moved
forward and its pawl g² carries along the arm h¹ thereby moving forward the
cartridge conveyer H Fig. 15, whose head h² extends down into the loading groovej
(see the positions indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 12) and pushes the
cartridge into the chamber. When the pawl g² moves away from the arm h¹ of the
cartridge conveyer's shaft, the arm 62 of the guard lever D begins to bear upon
the projection h of the said shaft and thus moves back the cartridge conveyer H.
Immediately afterwards the transmitter G begins to lift the breech block E and
closes the breech, thereby again cocking the spring d; the upper arm b of the guard
lever D places itself under the shoulder b' of the breech block E thereby giving the
same a fixed and unmoveable position.
In order that the guard lever may also be surely maintained in its raised position,
that end of the same which takes into the lower extension of the receiver C, is

page_text: provided with a lock spring 7 Figs. 1 and 9. To fire the shoot, the sear k is with-
drawn from the notch of the hammer disc F by pressure exerted upon the
trigger K, pivotted in a slot of the guard lever D, in this way the hammer disc is
freed and the hammer strikes in the well known manner upon the firing pin m
which lies in a bore of the breech block E Fig. 13.. By means of a small slider m¹
moveable upon the guard lever D, the trigger K may be always held in its lifted
position which corresponds to, firing (see Figs. 9 and 11) and then each cartridge
will be discharged immediately on closing the breech. Two motions viz. opening
and closing the breech, thus suffice to accomplish all functions of the mechanism
(opening the breech, withdrawing the empty case cocking the hammer, putting in a
new cartridge, closing the breech and discharging).
II
If a cartridge already put into the chamber of the rifle is to be withdrawn, the
guard lever D is rapidly moved forward. The breech block E can only be drawn
down as far as is permitted by the breech block adjuster J, held in its upper
position by the cocked hammer; nevertheless the breech block strikes with
sufficient power upon the extractor I to throw out the cartridge.
In order to prevent at will the firing of the rifle, a stop, Figs. 18 and 19, is
arranged on the right hand side of the chamber or casing A. A semicylindrical
notch, Figs. 1, 10, 11, 18 and 19, is cut into the end of the sear 1, and when this
latter is taken into the bent of the hammer disc F, the axis of the said notch lies
just in the axis of a small shaft 3 carrying a lever "arm k² on its end. One side of
this small shaft 3 is cut out at k, and when this cut out part faces the end ³ of
the sear this end is free to move in the recess. When, the hammer being cocked,
lever ² is turned back 180° into the position shewn by Fig. 19 the full part of the
small shaft k³ comes to stand in the cylindrical notch k of the, sear k and prevents
this latter from being withdrawn by the trigger K out of the bent in the hammer
disc or tumbler F. By turning forward again the lever k², the recess is caused
to face the arm of the sear k, which may then be withdrawn by the trigger from
the bent of the hammer disc F.
Fig. 20 shews a modified arrangement of the pivot f' of the guard lever D. In
this case, there is no pivot f' rigidly connected with the side of the casing A, round
which the hammer F and guard lever D are moveable, but the lever D is provided
with two journals f¹ which rest in ring shaped projections of the casing A and
cover B and one of these projections serves as a pivot to the hammer F.
The magazine, Figs. 2, 21 and 22, consists of a box L and of a cap M fixed to
the receiver C and containing the repeating mechanism. The box L holds
5 cartridges, P¹ to P³, and is screwed to the left side of the receiver C or loosely
hung into the magazine cap M, as shewn in Fig. 2; for this latter purpose, box L
is provided with a flap projecting from the top of its fore part and with another
similar flap at the bottom of its rear side. By forcing away the spring lever n
which takes into a recess of the rear flap, the box L can be unhooked when emptied
and replaced by a full one. When the box L is taken off the hooked shaped end of
a spring n¹, screwed to the outer side of said box prevents the cartridges from
falling out, these being forced upwards by a zig-zag spring n² placed upon the
bottom of box L and carrying a gutter shaped plate. When the magazine is hung
into the cap M, the spring n bears upon the lower edge of the said cap and allows
the cartridges to pass freely (see Fig. 21).
:
The cap M may receive a "sixth" cartridge P°; this cartridge is introduced
through an opening n³ Fig. 23; formed in the top of the cap and closed by a spring
cover n. If the box L is not to be removed, the magazine can be replenished
through cover n One can thus, at will, load the rifle by putting into the
magazine single cartridges or by replacing the exhausted box L by a full one.
Each cartridge is brought from the magazine into the chamber of the rifle by the
cartridge conveyer H as it moves forward, as follows.
Lever H is caught between two tappets o o' projecting into its path from the
end of arm p of a rather high angular lever p p², horizontally moveable in the
magazine cap M (see Figs. 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28). On the moving forward of

page_text: the cartridge conveyer H, the same carries along the tappeto and thereby turns
the angular lever p p². In consequence of this movement, lever p p² next lifts the
spring controlled vertically moveable catch lever p¹ Figs. 12 and 22, which rests
with its bevilled nose upon an inclined face of the tappet o and which closes the
magazine cap M by its inner side. Thus the exit for the cartridge from the cap M
is rendered free and at the same time the other arm p² of the angular lever p p²
forces backward the arm p³ of another horizontally moveable angular lever på p
(the conveying lever) whose longer longitudinally extending arm p' then moves
inward and pushes the cartridge toward the breech block (see Fig. 25).
The horn gives the cartridge such a position that the point of the projectile is
directed exactly toward the mouth of the chamber. The cartridge conveyer H,
which slides past the tappet o, pushes the cartridge forward until the same has got
beyond the horn and enters the loading groove j of the breech block E, when the
head h² of the cartridge conveyer H seizes the same and wholly pushes it into the
chamber. The described automatic conveying of the cartridge from the magazine
into the chamber of the rifle is always accomplished with the utmost security in
whatsoever a position the rifle may be held. The forms and mutual positions of
the lever arms p, p, p³, p' are combined in such a manner, that arm p³ can never
be pressed back while a cartridge is being put in. This is effected by the fact that.
lever pp locks and fixes in place the lever p³ p*, when it has reached its outermost
position, shewn in Fig. 25. When moving back, the cartridge conveyer H strikes
against the other tappet o³ of the lever arm p and thus brings the lever ? p³ and
the conveying lever p³ p again into the position shewn by Fig. 24.
At the same
time the catch lever p¹ is forced down by its spring, and prevents the next
cartridge from coming forth.
To provide means for converting at pleasure the arm into a hand breech loader,
that is to say, for putting out of action the repeating mechanism, the angular
lever p p² is pivotted in the fork shaped arm of an angular lever q¹ horizontally
moveable round a pivot q fixed to the rear end of cap M (see Figs. 2, 26 and 27).
A spring pawl q2, Figs. 2 26, 27 and 30, pivotted in a slot of the lower arm of the
disengaging angular lever q', which extends under the bottom of cap M, takes into
one or the other of two notches, and thus holds in place the disengaging lever in
its two positions corresponding to the repeating mechanisms being put in gear or
out of gear. When the disengaging lever q' is turned to the left, by means of its
pawl 2 (see Fig. 2) the angular lever p p² is withdrawn from out of the path of
the cartridge conveyer H into the cap M (see Fig. 26) and then the cartridge
conveyer H slides past the two tappets o o¹ without operating the repeating
mechanism, when the disengaging lever q¹ is turned back, the repeating mechanism.
is thrown into gear again.
Instead of the fixed magazine or the magazine to be hung on to the magazine
cap, a magazine to be stuck on to the rifle from above, as shewn by Figs. 31, 32, 33
and 34 may be used. The same is composed of a frame N inside which the
cartridges are guided by their flanges in two shallow grooves facing each other
(Maunlicher's system). At bottom the said frame carries a casing M₁ containing
the same repeating contrivance which has been described as contained in the
magazine cap Figs. 24 and 25 (angular levers p p² and p³ p, catch lever pl
tappets o o¹). For guiding each cartridge in the casing M¹, this latter is provided.
with two internal projections p³ p; projection p³ guides the cartridge by its flange
and projection 26 by the projectile. As this magazine can easily be replenished
from above, the disengaging contrivance of the repeating mechanism may here be
dispensed with. By its bottom extension s¹ the magazine is stuck into a loop s
screwed to the left side of the receiver C, Figs. 6, 7 and 8; the spring hook 82
connected with the extension 8¹ snaps in at the lower edge of the loop 8 and
thereby holds fast the magazine. By the simple pressure with the finger, hook 8²
can be forced back, when the magazine is to be taken off. The cartridges are
retained in the frame N by a spring hook screwed to the top part of said

page_text: frame; as this hook yields under pressure it does not prevent the replenishing of
the, magazine.
For using of the paper cartridge boxes Q Figs. 37, 38 and 39 (resembling the
frame N, and provided with metal strips which guide the cartridges by their
flanges), the rifle must be provided with the short magazine socket O, Figs. 35
and 36, which also contains the casing M¹ with the repeating contrivance, and is
stuck into the loop. 8 of the receiver C, like the magazine represented by Figs. 31
to 34. In the said magazine socket O the paper boxes Q Fig. 36 which form in
this case the ordinary packing of the whole ammunition, are successively inserted
with their open ends; the snap t¹ Fig. 35 of the socket O then takes into the
recess & Fig. 37, of the paper box Q and holds it in its place. When snap t' is
withdrawn, the empty paper box can easily be removed and replaced by a full one.
The paper cartridge boxes Q, Fig. 37, are closed by the top. At their open end,
a cord u, provided with a loop, is run through one side of the box and its end is
passed round the lowermost cartridge, thereby holding the whole column of
cartridges (see Fig. 37). The paper box being inserted into the magazine socket O,
the cord u is withdrawn and the cartridges sink successively into the casing M.
The magazine frame N'as well as the paper magazine boxes Q; can be constructed to
receive any desired number of cartridges.
To produce a continuous rapid fire of greater duration, such as that of a
mittrailleuse, a long loading hopper R, Figs. 40, 41 and 42, being bent at an obtuse
angle is used with the described rife; this loading hopper is provided with the
aforesaid guiding grooves and holds about 30 cartridges. When the loading
hopper R is to be employed, the rifle is screwed into a particular rack, and then the
loading hopper R is inserted with its curved end, into the magazine socket O or
the magazine frame N, which are attached to the rifle, and after this, the loading
hopper is filled with cartridges; however the said loading may also be directly
_connected to a casing M'. In order to render the loading of the hopper R as easy
as possible, an opening is formed in the upper end of the same, this opening having
on side a hinge jointed flap v always kept open by a spring v¹ and provided with
an inward bent edge. To charge this hopper through its opening, an ordinary paper
box S, as in use for packing the ammunition, and having both sides w bent back is
held into the said opening in such a manner that the flap v, when pressed down,
seizes the flanges of all cartridges (see Fig. 43). By withdrawing the paper box,
all cartridges are laid at once in the funnel R. In this case, the service of the
arın is performed by two men; one of them loads continuously, while the
other fires.
As for opening the breech, the guard lever needs only. to be moved forward 30°
the opening of the breech and the extracting of the empty shell not being
performed directly by the guard lever D, but by the breech block spring d-as
therefore the shooter handles this rifle without any noteworthy effort, and as the
extracted shells are declined aside, it is made possible to fire a series of shots with
the utmost rapidity without lowering the arm from the position of aiming; the shots
being fired, as stated, by simply moving forward and backward the guard lever.
The rapidity of firing of the rifle so used. is 10 shots in from 5 to 6 seconds.
If the rifle is screwed into the rack 10 shots can be fired in 2-5 seconds, and if the
paper boxes are renewed twice, 30 shots are discharged in 15 seconds. When
using the repeating mechanism, but carefully aiming every shot, the rapidity of
firing is 10 shots in 20 seconds, and if the rifle is used as a hand breech loader, but
with the cartridges conveniently placed before the shooter, 25 shots can be made
in a minute. The loading hopper R affords a rapidity of firing of 100 shots in a
minute.
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. A magazine rifle having a vertically swinging breech block and a laterally
attached magazine, the cartridges superposed in the said magazine being successively

page_text: by the pressure of a feed spring or by their own weight caused to enter a
chamber M or M¹, arranged near the left side of the breech block receiver and
haying full sides at the left and in face of the cartridge entrance, while its side
facing the loading groove of the breech block is formed by a vertically moveable
spring lever p¹; two horizontally moveable angular levers p p² and psp being
pivotted to the rear of the bottom of the said chamber and the arm p of the first
of these levers having two tappets o o¹ projecting into the path of a lever H
(cartridge conveyer), which on the guard lever's D moving backward moves
forward between the breech block receiver and the chamber M or M³, thereby
actuating the levers p p², p¹, and p³ p¹ so as to push the cartridge toward the
loading groovej of the breech block E substantially as herein described.
2. In combination with mechanism referred to in the preceding claim, the use of
a horn projecting from the left edge of groove ; for directing the cartridge
toward the chamber of the rifle, into which it is then pushed first by lever H and
finally by the head h³ of the said lever, bent downwards to the loading groove j
substantially as shown and described.
3. In a inagazine rifle of the kind herein referred to, the use of a guard lever D
so constructed and arranged that by the simple forward and backward motion
thereof, the breech is opened, the empty case extracted, the hammer cocked, a new
cartridge put in, the breech closed and the shot fired, these several actions being
effected by means of the arms b 62 tappets c on the hammer disc F, hammer
beak c¹, breech block E, spring d cartridge extractor I link e transmitting lever G
spring pawl 92, cartridge conveyer H with arms h h¹, trigger K slider m¹ and
scar / all arranged and operating substantially as herein described.
4. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the use of a cartridge
conveyer H which operates whether the rifle be used as a repeater or as a hand
breech loader the said cartridge conveyer consisting of a cross shaft journaled in
the breech block casing A having within this casing two radially projecting arms /¹
and h acted upon by the spring pawl g² of the transmitter G and the laterally
projecting arm 62 of the guard lever D respectively, while the right end of this
shaft carries an upright lever arm H reaching up to the breech block E where it is
provided with a head 2 bent aside and downward to the loading groove j
substantially as shown and described.
5. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the use of a breech block E
to which a blade spring d is connected by means of a link d' the said spring
exerting its power when the beak c' of the hammer F is withdrawn from under the
shoulder e of the breech block E in combination with a breech block adjuster J,
upon which the breech block E comes to rest when, for extracting the empty case it
has swung down beyond the chamber, and by which it is afterwards lifted in such a
way, that the nose c³ of the hammer disc F lifts the breech block adjuster J,
substantially as shown and described.
6. In a magazine rifle of the kind hercin referred to the use of a stop for
preventing at will the discharging of the arm, the said stop consisting of a small
shaft 3, moveable in a cylindrical notch of the lowered sear k and recessed by one
side, substantially as shown and described.
7. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to mounting all working parts
of the breech-block and lock mechanisms in a special chamber or casing A closed on
one side by a cover B and inserted into the receiver C which forms a part of the gun
stock, such arrangement affording facility for dismounting the mechanism for
the sake of cleaning or repairing its parts, substantially as shown and described.
8. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the use of a contrivance for
converting the arm at pleasure into a hand breech loader the said contrivance
consisting of a horizontally moveable angular lever q¹ whose arms embrace both
sides of the bottom of the magazine cap M, and the upper fork shaped arın
carrying the pivot of lever p p², whose tappets o o' project into the path of the
cartridge conveyer H, while the lower arm is provided with a spring pawl q²

page_text: adapted to take into one or the 'other of two notches, substantially as shown and
described; *..*
9. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the use of a cartridge
magazine to be hung into the magazine cap M and consisting of a flat box L which
contains a feed spring n and has a blade spring n with an inward bent end screwed
to its outside, while a flap projecting from the top of its front side is hung into the
cap M and another flap projecting from the bottom of its rear side is held by a
catch of the receiver C, substantially as shown and described.
10. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the combination with the
magazine cap M' of the frame N of the "Mannlicher" magazine to be stuck on the
rifle from above, substantially as shown and described.
11. In a magazine rifle of the kind herein referred to the combination with the
magazine cap M' of a short magazine socket O for receiving lozenge shaped paper
cartridge boxes Q having inner guiding strips r¹ and an outer recess t into which
takes a catch t¹ of the socket O the said paper boxes Q forming in this case the
ordinary packing of the ammunition, substantially as shown and described.
12. In a magazine rifle of the kind above referred to, the combination with the
magazine cap M¹, of a loading hopper R, the top of which has an opening, provided
with a small spring flap whose edge is bent inward, and seizes when forced down,
the flanges of the cartridges which are thus retained in the funnel, while the paper
box is withdrawn substantially as shown and described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.