Improvements in Breech Loading Small Arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Breech Loading Small Arms.
I, ARTHUR WILLIAM SAVAGE, of No. 81, Howard Avenue, in the City of Utica,
Oneida County, and State of New York, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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: ---
.
My present invention relates to automatic mechanism in a hammerless rifle
for indicating the position of the firing mechanism and mechanism for retracting
the firing pin or hammer so as to render it safe against premature explosions,
and so as not to interfere with the movements of the cartridges.
In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of the mechanical parts
of a magazine fire arm, embodying the present improvements, with the parts
shown in the open position.
Fig. 2 shows a partial longitudinal section showing the breech bolt closed
and the firing pin or hammer in cocked or firing position; the dotted lines show
the position of parts removed, which parts lie on the near side of the vertical
plane on which the action is taken.
Fig. 3 shows a top or plan view of the bolt, particularly showing the position
of the indicator.
Fig. 4 shows a partial or broken out section in connection with a portion of
the frame showing the hammer of firing pin retracted by the retractor. The
dotted lines indicate the same as the dotted lines of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 shows the same as Fig. 2, after the trigger has been pulled and the
firing pin or hammer operated. The dotted lines show the same as in Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the front end or tip of the hammer or
firing pin.
Fig. 7 shows the retractor removed from the other parts, in side elevation.
Fig. 8 shows a plan view of the retractor in connection with sections of the
bolt taken on a horizontal plane passing through the pivotal screw of the
retractor, which screw is also shown in full lines in this figure.
Referring to the reference letters and figures in a more particular description
of the device, a indicates the barrel; b, the forestock; c, the butt stock, and
d the frame. The butt stock is secured to the frame by the screw e entering the
rear end of the lower tang of the frame. The breech bolt f is provided with a
wing-like projection f having a cam groove, the position and form of which
is shown in dotted lines at g in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and is operated by a finger
lever pivoted to the frame at i, and having a curved arm h¹ which engages
with the wing projection f¹ of the breech bolt by a stud on the end of the arm h¹,
which is received in the cam groove g. The breech bolt f receives in a cylindrical
opening in its body, the hammer or firing pin consisting of a spindle j and a
head having a point or tip adapted to be projected through an aperture in the
front end of the breech bolt and strike the cartridge primer. The rear end of
the hammer is provided with a hook or extension which is adapted to engage
with the sear 7. The firing pin or hammer is secured in the breech bolt by a

page_text: The head of the
bushing m at the rear end of the breech bolt and on the spindle of the firing
pin or hammer there is provided a coil spring n and a washer o.
firing pin is provided with a shoulder p adapted to engage with the downwardly-
extending projection of the indicator 9 when the hammer or firing pin is cocked
and in the position shown in Fig. 2. The indicator is received in a recess in
the top of the breech bolt and is secured by a cross pin r on which it is pivoted
so as to have a limited swinging movement. The washer o is also adapted to
engage with the downwardly-extending projection of the indicator q.
The sear
is pivoted on a cross pin s extending transversely across the frame of the fire
arm, and is operated by a trigger t pivoted in the frame at u and acted upon by
a trigger spring v secured to the lower tang of the frame.
On the wing portion f¹ of the breech bolt is pivoted by the screw pin we, the
retractor which is forked at its front end to adapt it to engage on the cross
pin in the frame and is extended at its rear end to adapt it to engage in the
hooked portion j¹ of the hammer of firing pin, or more particularly the rear end
of the retractor engages on the cam z formed in the front side of the hooked
portion of the firing pin at certain times, and at other times in the rounded
notch y formed in the lower end of the hooked portion of the firing pin. The
retractor is provided with a spring portion 1 which, when the retractor is in
position between the portion of the breech bolt and another portion 2 thereof
it binds tightly so as to work with considerable friction and prevent its move-
ment except when force is applied to cause the retractor to move.
The operation of the device as to the firing pin indicator and the firing pin
retractor, which are particular subjects of this patent, is substantially as follows:
When the breech bolt is closed by the operation of the finger lever from the
position shown in Fig. 1, where the body of the breech bolt lies immediately
under the upper tang 3 of the frame, towards the position shown in Fig. 2, the
hooked portion of the firing pin or hammer is caught by the shoulder: of the
sear, the sear being held in position to engage it by reason of the spring.
operating on the trigger t. The firing pin is thus held back while the forward
and locking movement of the breech bolt is completed and the spring is com-
pressed between the washer o on the front end of the firing pin and the bush-
ing m at the rear end of the breech bolt. When this movement is completed
the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2. When the hammer is drawn back
with reference to the breech bolt in the movement which is described, the
shoulder p on the front end of the hammer engages with the projection on the
indicator q, and causes it to swing on its pivot into the position shown in Fig. 2,
where its rear end projects above the general surface of the top of the breech
bolt where it can be readily observed or felt. When the trigger is pulled and the
sear releases the firing pin or hammer, it is projected forward by the operation
of the spring n and the point or tip strikes the primer and explodes the cartridge.
At the same time the washer o engages with the projection of the indicator
and forces the indicator into the closed position shown in Fig. 5. The washer
is fitted loosely on the spindle of the hammer or firing pin, and in case the firing
pin is not held back either by the primer or something else so as not to take its
complete forward position, as the same is shown in Fig. 5, the washer will be
held back slightly at its upper side by the projection on the indicator, while the
lower side of the washer may follow the head of the firing pin. In case the
firing pin is held back, or after its movement is forced back in a slight degree
by the primer, or for any other cause, the washer will still engage with the
projection of the indicator and hold it in closed position.
In order to enable the firing pin to be removed without removing the indi-
cator g, the front end of the head is cut away, as indicated at 4, so that when
the bushing m is unfastened, and the firing pin with its head and spring is drawn
back until the shoulder p strikes on the indicator projection, it may then be 5
given a partial rotation to bring the flat portion 4 on the upper side when the
firing pin may be completely with-drawn, the flat portion 4 affording no point

page_text: of engagement with the projection on the indicator. The firing pin may be
replaced by performing the operations in the reversed order.
The object of the retractor x is to, in the first opening movement, with-draw
the point of the firing pin from projecting at the front end of the breech bolt
after the firing pin has been operated, and so as not to interfere with the move-
ment of the cartridges from the magazine, or the loading of the fire arm, and
so as to avoid any danger of premature explosion by reason of the firing pin
engaging with the primer of a loaded cartridge. Starting with the parts in the
position in which they are shown in Fig. 5, immediately after the shot has been
discharged, the first movement of the breech bolt is downward to disengage the
shoulder 5 on the rear of the breech bolt from the shoulder 6 on the frame. In
making this movement the retractor is rocked from the position shown in
Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 by reason of the forked end of the retractor
engaging with the cross pin s, which is stationary. As the retractor makes this
movement the rear end operates on the cam face z, retracting the firing pin
slightly from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 4, and the
retractor finally comes to rest with the end engaging in the notch y, also as
shown in Fig. 4. The breech bolt then completes its movement, sliding under
the upper tang 3 of the frame, as illustrated in Fig. 1. As the breech bolt is
advanced and just before the completion of its movement, the forked end of the
retractor then being in the position shown in Fig. 4, engages with the cross
pin s, and as the rear end of the breech bolt finally rises in completing its move-
ment, the retractor is rocked from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in
Fig. 2, where it is out of way of the firing pin when the trigger is pulled. It
will be noted that in the closing movement of the breech bolt, there is an in-
terval of time when the rear end of the retractor is not engaged with the notch y
in the end of the hammer, and when the forked end is not engaged with the
cross pin s. The main office of the spring portion 1 of the retractor, is to pro-
duce sufficient friction to prevent at such time, the front or forked end of the
retractor (which is heavier than the rear end) from dropping down into position
so as not to engage with the cross pin s. At other times than during such in-
terval, the retractor is held either by the cross pins or the notch y.
If there are any defect of parts, of rusting, or binding or otherwise, and the
indicator fails to operate and close when the arm is fired, the same will be
rubbed or forced down into the closed position as it passes under the shoulder 6
of the tang 3.
The mechanism for controlling the movement of the cartridges from the
magazine, including the magazine, constitute no part of this invention and de-
scription of these parts is omitted.
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: The combination with a breech bolt of a firing pin or hammer mounted
therein and having a fixed shoulder and a yielding shoulder or washer, of a
pivoted indicator q in a recess in the side of the bolt, and having a portion in
the path of movement of the shoulders on the firing pin, and a portion arranged
to be projected beyond the side of the bolt.
2: The combination of a reciprocating breech bolt, a firing pin received in a
recess therein and having a fixed shoulder p, a ring o mounted on the firing
pin, a spring n and an indicator q received in a recess in the side of the bolt,
and having a portion engaging with the shoulder p and the ring o and a portion
adapted to be projected beyond the side of the bolt.
3: The combination in a fire arm of the breech bolt constructed and arranged
to drop at its rear end and retire, a hammer or firing pin carried by the breech
bolt, a hammer retractor pivoted on the breech bolt at its rear end and
arranged to operate on the hammer and a fixed portion of the fire arm with

page_text: which the retractor engages whereby the retractor is operated, substantially
as set forth.
4: The combination in a fire arm of a breech bolt, a firing pin and retractor
pivoted on the breech bolt and operating on the firing pin and having a forked
end and a fixed portion of the fire arm with which said forked end engages.
5: The combination with a fire arm having a fixed part of a breech bolt
arranged to drop at its rear end and retire, a firing pin or hammer mounted in
the breech bolt and having a cam surface thereon, a retractor pivoted in the
breech bolt and having a portion engaging with the cam surface on the hammer,
said retractor detachably engaging with the fixed part of the fire arm, substan-
tially as set forth.
6: The combination with a fire arm having a fixed part, of a breech bolt
arranged to drop at its rear end and retire, a firing pin or hammer mounted in
the bolt, a hammer retractor mounted in the bolt and engaging with the hammer
and detachably engaging with the fixed portion of the fire arm whereby the
retractor is operated by the dropping of the rear end of the bolt, substantially
as set forth.
7: The combination of a breech bolt having a firing pin recess, an indicator
projecting into said recess, and a firing pin having shoulders arranged to engage
the indicator and move it both ways, substantially as set forth.
8: The combination of a breech bolt having a firing pin recess, an indicator
recess communicating with the firing pin recess, an indicator projecting into the
firing pin recess and a reciprocating firing pin or hammer arranged at said inter-
communicating opening, of a length so as not to leave it in the reciprocating
movement, and engaging with the indicator, substantially as set forth.
Dated October 3rd 1899.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London.