Improvements in Combination Lances and Fire Arms.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
COMPLT TH SPINATION
COMPLETE SPECIFI TION
Improvements in Combination Lances and Fire Arms.
I, Count BÉLA KREITH, of Theresiengasse, No. 2, Währing, near Vienna, in the
Austrian Empire, 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 relates to military lances, and has for its object the accomplishment
of the following improvements:-
1. Moving the centre of gravity from the middle of the lance towards the butt for
the purpose of adapting the lance to be carried by being slung over the shoulder, or
in a shoe fixed to the saddle.
2. The combination with the lance of any suitable type of detachable rifle or fire-
arm so that the lancer shall be able to fire at long range.
3. The combination with the lance of any suitable type of detachable pistol or
revolver adapted to be used during the charge.
4. The construction of the back-sight in such a way that when it is down, it shall
lie within suitable cavities formed upon the rifle, in order that it may not present any
projections when the lance is being used as such.
5. Providing a suitable device on the lance to servo as a shoulder plate when the
combined rifle is fired.
6. Substituting a combination of metal tube and paper lining for wood for lance
shafts.
7. A special construction of cartridge casing for magazine rifles.
In order that my invention and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe them in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as
part of this specification and read therewith. Like parts are marked throughout
the figures with the same reference letter.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the combined lance, revolver, and rifle.
Fig. 2 is an elevation on a larger scale of the lance butt, the sling, shoulder-plate,
and part of the rifle.
Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation of the shoulder-plate and the adjoining portion
of the lance, shewing the shoulder-plate closed.
Fig. 4 is a detail elevation shewing the shoulder-plate open.
Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation corresponding therewith.
Fig. 6 is a detail elevation shewing the back-sight folded down into the recesses
provided to receive it.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation illustrating the combination of detachable revolver
and lance.
Fig. 8 is a detail plan of part of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is an elevation shewing the rifle detached from the lance and held by
its side.
Fig. 10 is a detail elevation to a larger scale illustrating the flexible connection
between the rifle and lance-butt.
Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation corresponding therewith.
Fig. 12 is an end elevation of either of the foregoing.
Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation shewing the barrel and butt screwed together.
Fig. 14 is an elevation of the device for keeping the rifle-muzzle off the ground.
Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation corresponding therewith.
Fig. 16 is an elevation shewing the said device protruded.
Fig. 17 is a sectional elevation corresponding therewith.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 9, a-y is the lance and g-i a rifle. The stock is

page_text: considerably reduced in size, and the rifle and lance are detachably connected in the
manner described further on with reference to Figs. 9 to 13.
The reduction in the size of the stock of the rifle, involving as it does the abolition
of the butt-end, necessitates the provision of a suitable shoulder-plate. The details of
this part of my invention are illustrated in Figs-2, 3, 4 and 5. is a bar of suitable
size and section pivotted to a plate d at the point so as to open outwards towards the
rifle. The plate is mortised into the lance-shaft, flush with the surface thereof, and
is fixed by means of screws n, n' which enter suitable extensions on the inside face
of a corresponding plate on the opposite side. I form a cavity in the lance in
which a
bar-spring m is held by screws n². The nose m¹ of this spring is always
pressing upon the heel of the bar / so as to keep it either closed or open. The heel of
the bar is shaped accordingly, having two flat surfaces at right angles with each other
for that purpose.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, b-e is the sling by which the lance and rifle can be
conveniently carried from the shoulder. is a spring hook upon the sling, and h is
an eye projecting from the lance-shaft at a point close to the place of the pivot l.
By hooking the hook f into the eye h, the shing is shortened sufficiently to act in
the place of the shoulder-plate 1, when the arm is pushed through the shortened
sling. I do not confine myself to either device for taking the recoil, but may use
either the pivotted bar or the shortened sling.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, the slide bars o o of the back-sight will lie, when the
sight is down, within cavities o' propared to receive them in the stock, and the sight
bars p pl, the former in front of the swell p², and the latter between it and a second
swell p³. It follows therefore that the folded sight will form a practically continuous
surface with the barrel and stock, so that no projection will be offered to interfere
with the proper grip of the lance, whether it is grasped in the hand only, or held
under the shoulder also.
Referring to Figs. 1, 7, and 8, 9 is a revolver to be fixed upon the lance for use
during the charge. It has a hook v projecting from the butt, and a suitable cavity
is formed in the lance shaft to receive this hook. A second hook v depends from
the trigger-guard, and this likewise engages in a cavity in the lance-shaft in which it
is held securely by a bolt t protruded by a spiral spring t¹. A projecting knob u is
provided for the purpose of withdrawing the bolt and freeing the hook when it is
desired to detach the revolver from the lance.
บ
Referring to Figs. 7, 11 and 12, they illustrate my improved metallic lance shaft.
w is a metal tube and w¹ a hollow or tubular paper lining.
For the purpose of enabling the lancer to shorten my improved lance so as to
facilitate its being carried on the march, I adapt a metallic lance shaft made as last
described to take apart in the manner illustrated in Figs. 9 to 13.
The adjacent ends of rifle-stock, and shaft are fitted with a male and female screw
respectively, a¹. The end of the stock is bored out and a ball x², small enough to
turn freely in the bore, introduced therein. The diameter of the bore is diminished
at the end so that the ball x cannot be withrawn. The bore of the shaft is diminished
at the end in the same way, and is likewise fitted with a second ball. The two are
linked together by a flexible band ³. A loop or strap 2 is provided for holding the
semi-detached rifle and lance side by side.
Referring to Figs. 14 to 17, y is a concave bar adapted to slide in a loop y¹ upon
the underside of the muzzle. It is provided with an enlarged end y² to serve as a
thumb piece. z is a spring-detent adapted to engage in either of two holes ³ ³ in
the bar, so as to hold it in either its open or closed position, according to which hole is
brought opposite the spring-detent.
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 of rifle and lance-shaft for the purpose of moving the centre

page_text: of gravity nearer to the heel of the weapon and adapting the same for use as a fire
arm at long range, as set forth.
2. The combination of lance-shaft and pistol or revolver, as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. The combination of back-sight and recesses to receive the several members
thereof when the sight is down, as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with a lance-shaft, of a shoulder plate adapted to bear against
the shoulder, as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with a lance-shaft of a leather sling adapted to be shortened,
as and for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination of lance-shaft and fire-arm having ends adapted to engage
firmly with each other, and a ball-and-band-device, as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination of metallic tube and paper lining, the said combination forming
a lance-shaft, as set forth.
8. The combination of a muzzle-guard with the muzzle of a fire arm, as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated thi 11th Jan of A 1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.