Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
I, JOSEPH HAWES WESSON, of No. 13, Federal Street, in the City of Spring-
field, County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, 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: -
This invention relates to magazine fire-arms and particularly to that class thereof
in which the magazine is located at the rear of the barrel, and in which the latter
acts as a hammer and has a sliding or longitudinally reciprocating movement
in the barrel-supporting part of the arm, induced by the movement of the trigger,
the object being to provide an arm of this class of improved construction in respect
to the barrel-supporting and operating devices of the arm; an improved magazine
and means for supporting the same relative to the barrel; and other details of im-
proved construction as hereinafter set forth.
And the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the
operative parts of the arm, all as hereinafter fully described and more particularly
pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings forming part of this specification-
Figure 1 is a complete side elevation with wooden side removed. Position after
firing once.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of said wooden cover.
Figure 3 is a plan view, looking at the lower end of the stock of the arm, with
magazine removed.
Figure 4 is a section on line 44, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the frame, and the magazine partly in section.
Figures 6 and 7 are vertical sections on line æ―x, Figure 5, looking back and
forward respectively.
Figure 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the rear end of the barrel.
Figure 9 is a top plan view of the magazine, showing a cartridge therein.
Figure 10 is a section of the magazine on line 10-10, Figure 5.
Figure 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the arm with magazine and
cartridges therein ready for firing.
Figure 12 is a side elevation, partly in section, with barrel and operating devices,
(the barrel having been drawn forward), and cartridges, just before the release
of the barrel to let it move back for firing.
Figure 13 is a side elevation showing the trigger and parts in position at the
instant of firing the arm.
Referring to the drawings, the handle of the fire-arm is indicated by 2; the frame
portion at the upper end of the handle by 4; the tubular barrel-support by 5, and
the open bracket by 6, under said support, all preferably integrally constructed,
and constituting, practically, the frame of the fire-arm, but for clearness of
description said portions thereof will generally be hereafter designated as above
when separately referred to.
Said tubular barrel-support 5, is shown in side elevation in Figure 1, and in

page_text: longitudinal section in Figure 5, and in Figures 11 to 13, inclusive; these five
figures illustrating clearly the said integral construction.
The barrel S is of the complete form, externally, which is shown in Figures 8,
11, and 12, which is as follows: It is externally of uniform diameter from the
muzzle rearward, nearly to its rear end, and near the latter a cylindrical
enlargement is applied to, or formed thereon, having the diameter of the interior
of said barrel-support 5, thereby constituting the rear-end bearing of the barrel
in said support. The muzzle-end of the barrel is supported in line with its rear end
by the bearing 9, of bushing-form, which is screwed into the end of said barrel-
support and has a central opening therethrough of a diameter corresponding to
that of said barrel.
By the above described construction, a chamber is provided in said barrel-
support 5, between said enlargement a, on the barrel S, and said front barrel-
support 9, in which to place a coil-spring 25, around that part of the barrel therein.
Said spring is normally under such degree of elongated force acting between
said support 9, and enlargement a, as serves to retain the barrel about in the
position shown in Figures 1 and 11, when the parts of the fire-arm are at rest;
but when the fire-arm is about to be fired, the said spring is compressed, as shown
in Figure 12.
Any other arrangement of a barrel-actuating spring, near the same and suitably
connected thereto, may be substituted for said coil-spring 25, if such spring shall
insure the requisite cartridge-firing action of the barrel, as below set forth.
A longitudinal slot d, is formed in the underside of said tubular barrel-support 5,
as shown in the drawing, through which certain operative parts of the fire-arm
project, as below described. A cam o, is provided on the border of said slot d,
for a purpose below described. The said barrel-enlargement a, has formed in the
underside thereof a draw-bar notch e, and a brace-bar abutment c, which serve
the purposes below described.
Upon the outermost curved part of said open bracket 6, is pivotally hung the
trigger 7, having a suitably formed finger-piece, and a lever extending from the
latter toward the barrel-support and barrel, as shown.
To the said trigger lever is pivotally connected the barrel draw-bar 20, having
a hook-shaped end for intermittent engagement with said notch e, in the said
barrel-enlargement a. The barrel is prevented from moving, other than endwise,
by a screw 10, whose point enters a groove f, in the barrel.
A
A trigger and draw-bar spring, combined, 21, has one end connected to said bar,
and its opposite end secured to a fixed part of the arm, as shown. A barrel-
brace 23, is pivoted by one end to said bracket, and its free end swings upward
through said slot d, in the barrel-support, for engagement with said abutment c,
on the barrel-enlargement a, when the barrel is in the position shown in Figures 1
and 13, whereby the barrel is firmly held at the moment the arm is fired. A
spring 24, swings said brace upward into engagement with said abutment.
pin 22, on the side of said draw-bar 20, extends over the upper edge of said
brace 23, one purpose of which is to effect the tripping or disengagement of said
brace from the said barrel-enlargement, when the trigger swings forward to the
position shown in Figure 1, after firing, thereby leaving the barrel again free to
receive another forward movement preparatory to moving backward again upon
another cartridge. The second purpose of said pin 22, is to constitute means for
causing the hook of said draw-bar 20, to be disengaged from the said barrel
enlargement when the barrel is drawn forward for firing the arm, as shown in
Figure 12, whereby the barrel is permitted to be thrown backward to take and
fire another cartridge, and said bar is disengaged, as stated, by reason of the
engagement of said pin 22, in said bar 20, with said cam o, at the border of said
slot d, at the end of the rearward trigger movement, illustrated in Figure 12
The normal position of said barrel, while at rest, is that shown in Figure 11,
whereby it constitutes a stop for the cartridges.
It will be seen, by reference to Figure 5, and others, that at the rear end of the

page_text: said barrel-support, directly over the interior of the handle 2, of the fire-arm, there
is a cartridge chamber 15, open on its upper and lower sides, and having a firing
pin 12, through its rear end, against the point of which a cartridge may be driven,
as illustrated in Figure 13, to cause the explosion thereof. Said chamber 15, (as
more clearly shown in Figure 5) is clear to permit cartridges to pass thereinto
from below to the position (of the upper one) shown in Figure 12, to receive, the
rear end of the barrel thereupon, as in Figure 13, preliminary to the firing thereof.
For retaining the cartridge in said position in line with the barrel, as in said
Figure 12, until the barrel shall take it, and then allow the cartridge to slide with
the barrel, and against said firing-pin, the inwardly projecting lips 17, on the
opposite upper borders of said chamber, are provided, but extending only about
one-half of the length of the latter from the front end rearwardly. Thus, when
the cartridge has been carried backward free of said lips and fired, as aforesaid,
it is free to escape upwardly out from said chamber, the front end thereof passing
between said lips and its rear portion moving in the rear larger portion of said
chamber.
A spring-pin 13, having an inwardly extending free end, as shown, for engage-
ment with a groove in the cartridge-shell, and to hold the latter for an instant
when the barrel shall move forward after firing, is secured on the outer side of
said cartridge-chamber 15, (see Figures 1, 3, 6, and 7).
The cartridge herein shown has a shell of peculiar construction whereby it is
especially adapted to be used in the within described fire-arm. The point, or ball-
carrying portion, of said shell is of a diameter suitable for entering the rear-end
of the barrel and is expansible under the force of the firing charge, as in ordinary
cartridges. But the rear portion of the cartridge consists of a rigid metallic jacket
or enlargement, substantially of the outside diameter of the rear end of the
barrel 8, as clearly shown in Figure 13, which encloses the rear end of the shell
of which said ball-carrying portion is the front, open end; said rear end carrying
the usual center-fire primer.
Thus it will be understood how said cartridge is adapted to act, as described
herein, whereby it offers a required expansible portion to enter the barrel and form
a gas-tight joint, when fired, and a rigid rear portion of substantially the diameten*.
of the rear end of the barrel, and adapted to engage and move rearwardly there-
with, when the arm is fired.
Figure 2 illustrates the form of a stock-section, or side 3, of wood, hard rubber,
or other suitable material, which is secured against the opposite sides of the handle
and of said open bracket part 6, whereby the operative devices within the handle
and frame are protected.
The magazine of the arm comprises the tubular case 26, having a lower closed end
and the lips 27, on the opposite borders of a longitudinal slot 36, in one side
thereof; a cartridge-plunger 32, within said case; a plunger-moving spring 33;
and stop and guide-pins 34, on opposite sides of the plunger-head engaging.
grooves 35, in the inner opposite walls of said case;
A spring-hook 28, applied to the rear wall of the case, enters and moves in a
slot 18, in the inner rear wall of the handle 2, the hook proper of this spring pro-
jecting inwardly at the open end of the magazine-case, as shown in Figure 5 and 9,
and, as shown in this last-named figure, engaging the rear end of the top-cartridge
in the case, whereby a group of the latter is temporarily retained therein after
loading the magazine, which loading is effected (when out of the arm) by pushing
the cartridges one by one into said case past said spring-hook 28, the latter engaging
each one, as shown, as it passes by the hook.
At, or about the junction of said slot in the rear wall of the handle 2, with the -
rear end of said cartridge-chamber 15, (see Figures 5 and 6, and others) is a
bridge 19, back of which is a recess into which the upper extremity of said spring-
hook 28, is forced when the magazine is placed in said handle, as shown in Figure 1,
thereby springing backwardly the hook on said spring, as shown in Figures 12
and 13, and disengaging the same from the upper cartridge, thereby permitting

page_text: the latter and all below it to be moved upward by said magazine spring and plunger,
and such action carries the cartridges one after another successively to the position
behind the barrel 8, shown in Figure 12, ready for firing, but the cartridges are
first arrested by the barrel while in its said normal position, as in Figure 11.
By drawing the barrel forward slightly, as in Figure 12, the upper cartridge in
the magazine is permitted to take the position shown in the last-named figure.
Said magazine-case 26, (see Figure 4) is provided with a hook-carrying spring 29,
having a press-batton 30, thereon, the hooked end of which spring engages with
a part of the lower end of said handle 2, (as illustrated in said last-named figure),
thereby retaining the magazine in the position in the fire-arm shown in Figure 1,
and until said button 30 is pressed upon to move said spring 29 inwardly.
A button 31 is placed on said magazine, opposite said button 30, to provide a
counter-rest for the fingers while operating said spring 29.
The operation of the within described fire-arm in firing the same after inserting
the charged magazine into the handle thereof, as described, is as follows, the barrel
and the devices actuating the latter, all occupying, when said magazine is inserted,
the positions shown in Figures 1 and 11.
The handle 2, being grasped, the trigger is pulled backwardly, as in Figure 12,
thus letting the cartridges rise in the magazine, the upper one of the group being
arrested by the lips 17, in the position shown in said last-named figure, behind
and in line with the bore of the barrel. The continued movement of the trigger
backwardly serves to carry the draw-bar 20, so far forward that the trip-pins
thereon are brought against the cam o, on the underside of the barrel-support 5,
thereby disengaging said bar from the barrel and permitting the latter to be driven
by the spring 25, backward, taking the top cartridge of the group with it, and
carrying the head thereof forcibly against the firing-pin 12, thereby causing the
explosion of the cartridge, and effecting said firing.
The arm-parts, at the instant of said firing, occupy the positions shown in
Figure 13, wherein it is seen that the barrel-brace 23, rigidly holds the barrel in
engagement with the cartridge when the firing takes place. The trigger is now
in the forward position shown in Figure 11, again engaging the draw-bar 20, with
the barrel, as in Figure 11, and the firing is repeated as frequently as the trigger
may be so operated.
At each forward movement of the barrel, after firing, the empty cartridge shell,
see Figure 13, (being now engaged by its head, by said spring-pin 13, whereby it
is held while the barrel is moved forward) is, at the instant that the barrel is clear
from it, quickly thrown upward out of said chamber 15, by the action of said
magazine-spring and plunger upon the cartridges beneath the upper one, and the
following uppermost cartridge of the group then takes the position in chamber 15,
shown in Figure 12, ready to receive the barrel as did the first one of the cartridge-
group.
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. In a fire-arm, a frame, a barrel supported for longitudinal reciprocating move-
ment in said frame, a spring acting to move said barrel in one direction, a trigger,
means controlled by said trigger for moving said barrel in an opposite direction,
and means for automatically locking said barrel in a firing position, combined and
operating substantially as set forth.
2. In a fire-arm, a frame, a barrel supported for longitudinal reciprocating
movement in said frame, a spring acting to move said barrel in one direction, a
trigger, means controlled by said trigger for moving said barrel in an opposite
direction, means for automatically locking said barrel in a firing position, and
means controlled by said trigger whereby said barrel-locking devices are disengaged
therefrom, combined and operating substantially as set forth.
3. In a fire-arm, a frame, a barrel supported for longitudinal reciprocating

page_text: movement in said frame, a spring actuating said barrel for a rearward movement,
a trigger, a trigger-spring, a barrel draw-bar connected to said trigger having an
intermittent engagement with said barrel whereby the latter is moved forwardly.
against said spring, means for automatically locking the barrel at the termination
of said rearward movement, and mechanism actuated by the spring-induced trigger-
swinging movement for disengaging the said barrel-locking devices therefrom,
combined and operating substantially as set forth.
4. In a fire-arm, a frame, a barrel-supported for longitudinal reciprocating move-
ment in said frame, a spring actuating said barrel for a rearward movement, a
trigger, a trigger-spring, a barrel draw-bar connected to said trigger for engage-
ment with said barrel, means for automatically disengaging said draw-bar from
the barrel at the termination of the forward movement thereof, means for auto-
matically locking the barrel at the termination of said rearward movement, and
mechanism actuated by the spring-induced trigger-swinging movement for dis-
engaging said barrel-locking devices therefrom, combined and operating substan-
tially as set forth.
5. In a fire-arm, a frame comprising a hollow handle, a barrel-support and frame-
part extending from said handle, a barrel held in said support, a cartridge-chamber.
open at its upper and lower sides, at the junction of said handle and frame part,
having cartridge-retaining lips on its opposite side-walls, and a firing-pin in its
rear wall, combined with a cartridge magazine carried in said handle, and
mechanism in said magazine moving cartridges therefrom in succession into said
chamber and between said firing-pin and the rear end of the barrel, and for auto-
matically effecting the discharge of an empty cartridge-shell from said chamber,
combined and operating substantially as set forth.
6. In a fire-arm, a frame comprising a hollow handle, a barrel-support and frame-
part extending from said handle, a barrel held in said support, a cartridge-chamber
open at its upper and lower sides at the junction of said handle and barrel-support
having cartridge-retaining lips on its opposite side-walls, and a firing-pin in its
rear wall, combined with a cartridge-magazine carried in said handle, and
mechanism in said magazine moving cartridges therefrom in succession into said
chamber against said lips and between said firing-pin and the rear end of the
barrel, a spring driving said barrel rearward, the trigger, and mechanism inter-
mediate of said trigger and barrel whereby, upon operating said trigger to fire the
arm, the barrel is moved forward, mechanism for raising the cartridge to loading
position in the rear of the barrel, and for driving the barrel rearward upon said
cartridge and forcing the latter against said firing-pin, combined and operating
substantially as set forth.
7. In a magazine fire-arm of the class described, a frame and handle, a barrel-
support on said frame, a cartridge-magazine in said handle, a cartridge-chamber at
the junction of said support and handle, a sliding barrel in said support whose
rear end extends into said chamber and above the upper cartridge in the magazine
and constitutes, temporarily, a stop for arresting the movement of cartridges from
said magazine into said chamber, substantially as set forth.
8. In a magazine fire-arm of the class described, a frame and handle, a barrel-
support on said frame, a cartridge-magazine in said handle, a cartridge-chamber
at the junction of said support and handle, a sliding barrel in said support whose
rear end extends into said chamber and opposite the end of said magazine, and con-
stitutes, temporarily, a stop for arresting the movement of cartridges from said
magazine into said chamber, and a spring-actuated pin extending through a wall
of said chamber for engagement with a cartridge while said barrel moves away
therefrom leaving the shell of said cartridges subject to the action of the magazine
for ejectment, substantially as set forth.
9. In a fire-arm of the class described, a removable cartridge-magazine receiving
several cartridges therein side by side, and retaining the same until the magazine
is placed in the arm, comprising a tubular case having one end open and a longi-
tudinal slot therein through which the bullet-ends of the cartridges protrude, com-

page_text: bined with means in said tube for forcibly moving the cartridges therefrom, and
a spring-hook on said case engaging and holding said cartridges in said tube, com-
bined with means within the arm engaging said hook and disconnecting the same
from said cartridges, substantially as set forth.
10. In a fire-arm of the class described, a frame having a tubular barrel-support
thereon, a barrel for sliding movements in said support, and a spring forcing said
barrel rearwardly, combined with a trigger 7, a barrel draw-bar 20, pivotally con-
nected to said trigger and having an intermittent engagement with said barrel
whereby a forward movement is imparted thereto against the action of said spring,
a trigger-spring 21, and a barrel-brace 23, holding said barrel in a firing position,
and means actuated by the swinging movement of the trigger for disconnecting
said brace from the barrel, substantially as set forth.
11. The magazine-case 26, having a longitudinal slot in one side and cartridge-
engaging borders 27, on opposite edges thereof, a spring-actuated plunger 32,
within said case, a spring-hook 28 retaining cartridges in the case until the latter
is placed in the arm, stop-pins 34, on said plunger controlling its outward move-
ment, and a spring-hook 29, retaining said case in the arm, combined with the
bridge 19, in the frame of the arm to which the magazine is applied with which
the free end of said hook 28 engages, whereby the cartridges are disengaged there-
from, substantially as set forth.
T
1
1000
JOSEPH HAWES WESSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.