Improvements in Automatic Feeding Cases or Detachable Magazines for Fire Arms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Feeding Cases or Detachable Magazines
for Fire Arms.
We, LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL and MURRAY HAINES DURST, both of
29 Montague Place, Russell Square, London, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
For the purposes of this invention we form from metal plate two or more
truncated hollow cones the inner one having a diameter just as much less than that
of the outer one as is the diameter of the cartridge to be employed. This inner
cone is mounted upon an axis carrying a spiral or coiled spring in such a way as to
force the inner cone or cones to revolve when desired, within the outer one which
is fixed. The inner cones may be provided or not with curved projections or
carriers on their periphery to separate the cartridges from each other and force
them out into the gun.
To one side of the mouth or opening in the side of each hollow truncated cone,
is attached, either on a pivot or fixed, a thin metallic lip or inclined plane
reaching inward in such a way as to guide the cartridges to the delivery orifice.
To charge this revolving magazine one first gives to the spiral spring the
necessary preliminary tension and then feeds the cartridges in through the openings
made for the purpose until the case is quite full which act still more compresses the
spiral spring.
A suitable catch is provided to prevent the escape of the cartridges from the
magazine until required and then they feed themselves to the gun automatically.
When two or more cones are employed suitable stops are arranged to arrest the
movement of the inner cones when exhausted.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said L. W. Broadwell and M. H. Durst.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said L. W. Broadwell and M. H. Durst.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Feeding Cases or Detachable Magazines
for Fire Arms.
We, LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL, and MURRAY HAINES DURST, both of
29 Montague Place, Russell Square, London, Gentlemen, 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 :-
For the purposes of this invention, we form two or more truncated hollow cones,
the inner one having radii just as much less than that of the outer one as is the
diameter of the cartridges to be employed. This inner cone is mounted upon an
axis carrying a spiral or coiled spring in such a way as to force the inner cone or
cones to revolve when desired within the outer one which is fixed. The inner
cones are provided with curved projections or carriers on their periphery to
separate the cartridges from each other and force them out into the gun.
To one side of the mouth or opening in the side of each hollow truncated cone is
attached, either on a pivot or fixed, a thin metallic lip or inclined plane reaching
inward in such a way as to guide the cartridges to the delivery orifices.
To charge this revolving magazine, one first gives to the spiral spring the
necessary preliminary tension and then feeds the cartridges in through the

page_text: When two or more cones are employed, suitable stops are arranged to arrest the
movement of the inner cones when exhausted.
The annexed drawings show our invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the breech portion of a small arm of the draw bolt
construction.
Figure 2, part sectional elevation of same and cartridge container.
Figure 3, under plan.
Figure 4, end view of cartridge container.
Figure 5, perspective elevation of back plate of cartridge container with fixed
axle and inclined plane for causing the upper cartridge to be pushed forward.
Figure 6 detached elevation of the inner cone.
These views show a container for holding eight cartridges affixable in and
removable from the breech box of a rifle in an easy and reliable manner to enable
a freshly charged container to be substituted if desired; each container being
complete in itself and when in the breech box, it occupies a position within, or
nearly within the usual width and depth of the arm at that part, so that there is
little or no protuberance or any obstacle tending to interfere with the usual
manual exercises or platoon drill of a soldier, if the arm be employed for military
. purposes.
The method of making the cartridge magazine complete in itself and separable
from the breech of the gun is a speciality of our invention; but it does not prevent
the permanent location of this magazine in an arm to be charged or filled with
cartridges from above, and through the breech of the arm, when the bolt is drawn
back; nor does it prevent the arm from being used as a single loader at any time,
whether the container be filled with cartridges, or be empty.
We are aware that circular cone shaped cartridge containers with self feeding
mechanism have been proposed as magazines in breech loading rifles; but such
containers have been so constructed that the body of the case should form a fixed
and integral part of the shoe or box of the gun and, either so fitted as to project or
protrude from below the forestock of the arm, or from one side thereof; or, as in
one instance, in which the container was within the width and depth of the breech
box, it was caused to rotate step by step under the control of a ratchet wheel
operated by the bolt at each draw back action thereof.
The disadvantages arising from the before mentioned arrangements of magazines
were many. The magazines had to be kept separate from the arm during the usual
military drills and exercises, or the magazines were permanently fixed, or had both
end plates with openings to allow of the bolt passing within them to push the
uppermost cartridge out and into the barrel during the forward motion of the bolt
and then to turn the magazine during its backward travel to bring a fresh
cartridge up into position for removal by the bolt at its next forward motion.
Whereas by our invention, each cartridge container or magazine is a distinct
article to be charged when in or when out of the gun, and is easily affixable in and
removable from a breech box to be replaced by others of similar dimensions as
described. Each magazine is so constructed that it has only to be pushed into the
breech from below, when it is ready to feed its cartridges to the loading mechanism
of the gun.
The breech portion of the gun shown in the foregoing figures, is of the ordinary
draw bolt kind, except that the box or recess for containing the magazine is
provided with dove-tailed shaped grooves in the back and front faces thereof for
the reception of correspondingly shaped wings on the end plates of our magazines
which when pushed home become fastened by a spring paul, the nose of which
passes through a slot in the groove of the back face of the box to fix the
magazine. By dovetailing the magazine into the shoe of the gun, it adds strength
and rigidity to the arm. The magazine is readily removable by a pressure on the
tail end of the paul.

page_text: A is a cone shaped casing with a longitudinal slit at one part sufficiently wide
for the passage of a cartridge, and near to each end is a spring lip B and a check
lip B¹ fitted to retain the upper cartridge within range of the bolt's travel, and to
prevent the escape of the upper cartridge except by an end-on push.
The spring lip B is affixed to a depending screen C of the casing A'; this and
the check lip B effectually retain the upper cartridge at that part of the casing A,
until removed by the forward action of the bolt when the others follow in rapid
succession being moved around by the action of a helical spring D encircling an
axle E fixed to and projecting from the end plate F of the casing A. The axle E
has a square D' at one part of its length to receive a square washer or collar Gas
a means of engaging with one end of the spring D, the other end being fastened to
a screw head H of the inner cone I. The forward end of the axle E is screw
threaded for a nut J, the loosening of which allows the plate F and axle E to be
rotated to put the required tension in the spring D for moving the cartridges round
within the casing A, the end plate F and axle E being then fixed by the screwing
up of the nut J, which passes through the rigid plate K of the casing A.
F' is an incline or projection on the inner face of plate to push each cartridge
forward as it arrives at the longitudinal slit to free it ready for the bolt to convey
the cartridge into the barrel.
The inner cone I is provided with rack points L, L, for regulating the position of
the cartridges in the casing A.
It has also a blade L' upon which the last cartridge of the series becomes lifted
up between the lips B, B', ready for the forward push of the breech bolt.
The depending screen C is notched at the parts which coincide with the points L, L,
so that they pass through but the lifter L' abuts against it when the last
cartridge is lifted, as above described. The lifter L' is then in such position that
in reloading the magazine, the first cartridge causes the lifter L' to recede con-
tinually until the last cartridge is inserted and this recharging may be done whether
the magazine be attached to or detached from the breech of a gun.
The casing A, with or without its supply of cartridges, can be placed in position
in the breech box by a simple pushing operation, it being guided by the grooves
and projections, and when pushed in a sufficient distance, the spring paul M
clicks into a notch in the end plate F and fixes the magazine.
An upward pressure on the tail end N of the paul releases the magazine. This
tail N is within the trigger guard P and protected from accidental manipulation
during the drill of a soldier.
In the foregoing we have described an eight cartridge magazine; but by making
the magazine of larger sizes the number of cartridges can be increased in proportion,
but when necessary to have a large number of cartridges in one casing we purpose
arranging them in circles, employing two or more inside movable cones, controlling
the intermediate cones by the inner one; this will be understood by referring to
Figures 7 to 11 of the drawings.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the inner cone with points L, as previously
described.
Figure 8 end view of intermediate or middle cone.
Figure 9, end elevation of double magazine with inner cone, middle cone, and
outer casing which is also conical, the dotted lines showing the position of cartridges
between the two inner cones.
Figure 10 end elevation of a double magazine for holding 22 cartridges (shown
by dotted lines).
Figure 11 sectional elevation of a magazine composed of three cones.
According to this arrangement, the end of the inner cone I has a pin or stud Q
projecting to engage in a segmental groove R in the end of the middle cone S, so
that supposing the magazine to be full as per dotted lines, Figure 10, the action of
the spring D will turn both cones 1, S, as one, and so soon as the last cartridge of
the outer series has been forced out the middle cone S comes into the position

page_text: shown at Figure 9 and rests against the head of the spring T, and the inner cone
commences to force its cartridges out.
The arm with our magazine affixed can be used as a single loader without the
employment of a "cut-off."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The construction of conical magazines for containing and feeding cartridges
to a gun and provided with projecting ribs F, K, or their equivalents on the end
plates for temporarily yet firmly locating such magazines within the breech of a
small arm, and thereby imparting additional strength thereto.
2. The construction of conical magazines for holding and feeding cartridges
having spring lips B, B', at the mouth for arresting the upper cartridge of the
series.
3. Providing the inner face of the rear end plate of a conical shaped cartridge
magazine with an inclined plane or projection F¹.
4. Providing the cartridge feeder of a conical shaped magazine with a blade L¹
for lifting the last cartridge of the series to the spring lips B, B¹.
5. Arranging the cartridge feeder of a conical shaped magazine with a helical
spring encircling a fixed axis in combination with arresting lips B, B¹.
6. A cylindrical or conical shaped cartridge case containing a series of two or
more revolving carriers actuated by a single spring controlled by stop pins and
segmental grooves, and provided with the inclined planes C, C, lips B, B³,
lifters L', L', and controlling spring T, substantially as and for the purpose
indicated.
7. The novel assemblage and employment of the parts, appliances, or devices
shown which constitute an automatic cartridge magazine complete within itself,
applicable to the breech of the gun and susceptible of being used as a detachable
magazine, substantially as and for the purposes above described and illustrated by
accompanying drawings.
TIL
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Lewis Wells Broadwell and Murray Haines Durst.