Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
JUMI UPIN
[Communicated from abroad by THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY,
a company incorporated and located and doing business in New Haven,
County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America.]
Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention relates to repeating fire-arms and is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1, represents a sectional side view showing the mechanism in the normal
position.
Figure 2, a side view of a pack of cartridges adapted to be employed in the arm.
Figure 3, top view of the pack.
Figure 4, rear view of the pack.
Figure 5, the same view as Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the position of the
breech-piece open, the hammer cocked, and the pack introduced.
Figure 6, under side view of the arm.
Figure 7, the same as Figure 5, with the parts returned to the position of the
breech-piece closed, hammer cocked and the first cartridge of the pack transferred
from the pack into the barrel.
Figure 8, top view, the breech-piece closed.
Figure 9, top view of the breech-piece open.
Figure 94, top view of the follower, its finger and operating lever removed.
Figure 10, section on line x-x of Figure 1, looking rearward.
Fi
Figure 11, transverse section on line y-y of Figure 1.
Figure 12, transverse section on line -z of Figure 1, looking forward.
Figure 13, sectional side view of the lower tang piece of the receiver which
carries the lock mechanism and the guide for the hammer.
Figure 14, longitudinal section of the lower tang-piece with the lock mechanism
detached.
Figure 15, top view of the same.
Figure 16, side view of the operating lever, parts broken away to show the
opening through the lever for the discharge of the cartridge holder.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of repeating-arms which
are adapted for the employment of what are commonly called "cartridge-packs,"
that is to say, in which the cartridges to be used in the arm are arranged in a
holder detachable from the arm, but so that the holder with the cartridges it
carries, may be introduced into the arm, and then the cartridges automatically
transferred directly from the pack into the arm, the holder part of the pack
forming practically the magazine for the time being, one pack being discharged,
the holder is withdrawn, and a new pack is introduced.
The object of the invention is a simple, practical construction of arm, which will
permit the use of removable holders containing several cartridges, and whereby a
person supplied with several such packs of cartridges, in using the arm, may readily
remove the holder after one pack is exhausted, and introduce a new pack, and the
invention consists in the construction and combination of mechanisms as hereinafter
described and particularly recited in the claims.
In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a pack of peculiar construction and specially adapted for the
arm of this invention is illustrated. The holder for this pack is made from a blank

page_text: of sheet-metal, bent to form a back A, and two sides B B, the space between the
two sides corresponding substantially to the shape of the rear portion of a
cartridge, and the holder is of a length corresponding to the number of cartridges
which the pack is to contain, here represented as for five cartridges. The two
sides are connected across the bottom by a bar C, and at the top the holder is open,
so that the uppermost cartridge is exposed, leaving a portion of its head above the
upper end at the back. At the top the two sides are inclined downward and rear-
ward, as seen in Fig. 2, and are bent inward so as to overhang the cartridges in the
pack, as seen in Fig. 3. The two sides are constructed with vertical internal ribs
near the back, and substantially parallel therewith, the ribs terminating in a point
near the top of the holder. The several cartridges are successively introduced
through the upper part of the holder, and so as to bring the head of the cartridges
between the rib and the back of the holder, the bottom of the holder brings the
cartridges into an inclined position, and the last cartridge introduced is embraced
by the turned in upper ends of the holder, all the heads except that of the upper
cartridge being supported between the rib and the back, the upper cartridge
operates as a wedge or key to confine all the cartridges in place.
The pack is placed in the arm, and as the breech-piece moves forward, to close
the barrel, it strikes the rear end of the uppermost cartridge, and forces it forward
from the holder, and in such forward movement of the cartridge, the flange of the
head strikes the inclined upper edges of the two sides, and causes that end to rise,
as seen in broken lines Fig. 2, and so as to take the cartridge upward and forward
of the advancing breech-piece.
D, represents the receiver, to the forward end of which the barrel E, is secured,
and opening at the rear into the receiver in the usual manner; at the rear end the
receiver is provided with the usual upper tang F, by which the receiver is secured
to the stock, the lower tang G, being detachable from the receiver, and as herein-
after described. The breech-piece H, is arranged to move longitudinally backward
and forward in the receiver, and is constructed with guides I, upon its sides, which'
run in longitudinal grooves J, in the sides of the receiver; the breech-piece carries
a longitudinal firing-pin K, extending through to the rear, to adapt it to be struck
by the hammer, in the usual manner, and as seen in Fig. 7. In the receiver below
the breech-piece is a space, corresponding in shape and extent to the pack of
cartridges to be introduced.
In the lower part of the receiver a lever L, is hung upon a pivot M, the said
lever forming the trigger-guard, and terminating in a handle by which the lever
may be turned backward and forward as usual in that class of fire-arms in which
the mechanism is operated by a lever below the receiver. The lever extends
forward from the pivot at one side of the receiver, and terminates in a finger N,
see Fig. 1, which normally stands below, but near the forward end of the breech-
piece. The breech-piece near its forward end, and on the same side as the finger N,
is constructed with a vertical recess O, into which the finger N, will pass when the
lever is turned downward, and so that the finger N, will engage the recess O, in
the breech-piece, and by continued movement of the lever will throw the breech-
piece into its rear position, as seen in Fig. 5, and the return of the lever will
correspondingly return the breech-piece to its closed position.
In the receiver at the rear of the breech-piece, a dog P-is hung, upon a
pivot Q, and so as to swing in a vertical plane, the dog being provided with a firm
seat at the rear, it extends forward from the pivot, and terminates in a nose R, at
the rear of the breech-piece, the end S of the breech-piece being adapted to bear
against the nose R, of the dog when the dog is raised, as seen in Fig. 1, but
when the dog is turned down, its nose is taken out of the path of the breech-piece,
and so that the breech-piece may move rearward over the dog, as represented in
Fig. 5, then when the breech-piece is returned, as in Fig. 1, the dog is raised to
bring its nose against the rear end S, of the breech-piece, and so as to lock the
breech-piece in its closed position, and support the breech-piece against the
recoil of explosion.

page_text: To operate the dog for the opening and closing movement of the breech-piece,
the lever is constructed with a second finger T, and the dog is constructed with
a corresponding notch U, with which the said finger T, engages, like a tooth of
one gear with the teeth of another gear. When the parts are in the closed
position, the finger T, stands engaged with the notch U, in the dog and holds the.
dog in the closed or locking position, but when the lever is turned down for the
opening movement, its first operation is to turn the dog downward and out of
the path of the breech-piece, and this operation occurs before the finger N, shall
have come to a bearing in the recess O upon the breech-piece, and so that the
dog being out of the way of the breech-piece, the breech-piece may be thrown to
its wide open position, as seen in Fig. 5, then as the lever is returned, the finger T,
in due time engages with the notch U, of the dog, so that after the breech-piece
shall have been fully closed by the operation of the finger N, the dog will be
brought to its home position to lock the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 1.
In
The lock mechanism of the arm is hung in that part V of the receiver which
carries the lower tang G, and as seen in Figs. 13 and 14. This part V, sets
between the two sides of the receiver, as seen in Fig. 10, where it is removably
secured. The dog P, is recessed or bifurcated in its lower part, as also seen in
Fig. 10, and so as to span the upper portion of this part V, of the receiver.
the part V, of the receiver, the hammer W, is hung upon a pivot X, the hammer
being provided with the usual main-spring Y, and with a sear and trigger by
which the hammer may be held at full cock. The dog is recessed to receive the
hammer, and so as to permit the movement of the hammer independent of the dog.
The rear movement of the breech-piece throws the hammer into the full cock
position, as seen in Fig. 5, where it is caught and remains until the breech-piece is
closed and the trigger pulled.
As a protection against accidental discharge of the hammer, the sear a, is hung
upon the same pivot b, as the trigger c, the tail d, of the sear extends to the rear
of the pivot b, and through the tail d, over the trigger, is a pin e, which projects
at each side below and into the path of the dog P. The face P' of the dog
below the lever-engaging notch, is substantially concentric with its pivot, and
distant from its pivot corresponding to the distance between the pivot of the dog
and the pin or projection e, from the sear, and so that the face P¹, when the
hammer is in the cocked position and the dog in the unlocked or down position,
will bear upon the pin e, after the hammer is brought to the cocked position, and as
seen in Fig. 5, the dog thus operates as a bearing to prevent the tail of the sear from
rising under a pull of the trigger, but after the breech-piece has been brought to
the closed position, and the dog to the locked position, the dog has escaped from
over the projecting ends of the pin, as seen in Fig. 1, and so as to leave the sear
free to be operated by the trigger to disengage the hammer; this arrangement
insures the locking of the hammer in the cocked position until after the dog has
practically locked the breech-piece in the closed position.
The part V of the receiver extends forward on one side, as at f, Fig. 13, and on
that side of the receiver opposite the forward projection of the lever which
carries the finger N, and as seen in Figs. 15 and 16, f, representing the forward
projection of the part V. Upon the inside of this projection f, is a vertical
recess g, which corresponds in shape to one side of the holder of the cartridge-
pack; the recess is nearly vertical, as seen in broken lines Fig. 1, preferably
inclining slightly forward, as represented in broken lines Fig. 1, so that when the
breech-piece is open, as seen in Fig. 5, the recess will be exposed through the top
of the receiver, and so that a pack of cartridges introduced, and the holder entering
the recess g, will be guided and supported in its proper relative position to the
mechanism of the arm, and as represented in Fig. 5. The pack standing in the
arm, as seen in Fig. 5, brings the head of the upper cartridge forward of the front
face of the breech-piece, and so that as the breech-piece moves forward, it will
strike the head of that uppermost cartridge, and cause that cartridge to advance
from the holder and into the barrel, the continued forward movement of the

page_text: breech-piece forces the cartridge to its home position in the barrel, and as repre-
sented in Fig. 7, then as the breech-piece is withdrawn, the extractor-hook h with
which it is provided, will withdraw the exploded shell, or cartridge if it be not
exploded, and so as to permit the ejection of the shell or cartridge if it be not
exploded, in the usual manner, and so that the breech-piece may return free for
the introduction of the next cartridge.
To raise the cartridges of the pack as one cartridge is removed so as to bring
the next cartridge into its place forward of the breech-piece, a follower i, is hung
upon a pivot k, near the forward end of the receiver, and so as to swing in a
vertical plane within the cartridge space in the receiver, as from the position in
Fig. 1, downward to the position seen in Fig. 5 and return. At its pivot end the
follower is forked, as seen in Fig. 9A, and between its two branches a lever is hung,
upon the same pivot k, as the follower, this lever extends forward between the two
branches of the follower. On the hub of the lever, and forward of the pivot, a
shoulder m is formed, against which a spring n bears, as seen in Fig. 2, the
tendency of which is to hold the lever in the up position, but to yield for the
depression of the lever, as seen in Fig. 7. Near the rear end of the follower, and
upon a pivot o, in rear of the rear end of the lever 1, the finger p is hung, so as to
swing in a vertical plane; this finger extends forward over the lever l, and so that
that lever under the action of its spring, may bear upward upon the said finger.
with a tendency to turn the forward end of the finger upward, as seen in Fig. 1,
but so as to permit the finger p to be turned down onto the follower, as seen in
Fig. 7. The finger p, is preferably made of concavo-convex shape in transverse
section, as seen in Fig. 12. Normally the follower and its parts stand in the up
position, as seen in Fig. 1, the parts being held in this up position by the action of
the spring n, through the lever 1, the forward pressure of the lever being
transmitted to the follower i, through the finger p. As the pack is introduced, it
strikes the finger p, at its forward end, and the rear end of the follower, and
presses the parts downward, until the follower and its parts are in the extreme
down position, as seen in Fig. 5, where the lowermost cartridge rests upon the rear
end of the follower and upon the finger.
The tendency of the spring of the lever bearing against the under side of the
finger p, is now to force the parts upward and against the cartridges in the pack
with a power sufficient to raise the several cartridges. As the uppermost cartridge
of the pack is transferred to the barrel, the rear end of the follower raises the rear
end of the cartridges, while the finger raises the forward end, and serves to hold
them in position so that the next lower cartridge guides the forward niovement of
the upper cartridge until finally the last cartridge will be guided by the finger in
its movement into the barrel.
To secure the holder when in its proper place in the arm, a spring r, see Fig. 11,
is arranged in the recess g, in which the holder is set, the nose s of the spring being
adapted to engage a corresponding notch t in the holder. As the holder is pressed
down into its place, the spring makes the engagement, then after the cartridges
have been removed from the holder, a downward pressure upon the upper end of
the holder will force it out through the bottom of the receiver (the spring r
yielding for that purpose) back of the pivot on which the lever is hung, this
discharge of the holder being made when the parts are in the open position, as seen
in Fig. 5.
While preferring the mechanism illustrated and described for operating the
breech-piece, it will be evident that other known mechanisms or constructions of
longitudinal reciprocating breech-piece may be substituted therefor, such being too
apparent to require illustration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a fire-arm, the combination of a receiver carrying the barrel at its

page_text: forward end, a longitudinal reciprocating breech-piece, the receiver constructed
with a recess below the breech-piece adapted to receive a pack of cartridges,
mechanism substantially such as described to impart reciprocating movement to
said breech-piece, the breech-piece being adapted to engage the uppermost cartridge
of the pack, and in its forward movement to transfer that cartridge from the holder
to the barrel, a follower i, hung in the receiver forward of the recess, and extending
rearward below the cartridges of the pack, a lever 1, hung upon the same pivot as
the follower and extending forward through the follower, a finger p, hung at the
rear end of the follower and at the rear of the rear end of said lever, so that the
rear end of said lever is adapted to bear upon the under side of said finger, with a
spring operating upon said lever, having a tendency to raise the said lever, finger,
and follower, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second. In a fire-arm adapted to be loaded at the breech and provided with a
longitudinally reciprocating breech-piece, with mechanism for imparting recipro-
cating movement thereto, the combination therewith of a dog hung in the receiver
at the rear of the breech-piece, and so as to swing downward and backward in
opening; the said dog in its upward position being adapted to bear against the end
of the closed breech-piece; the said dog constructed with a recess from its forward
side rearward; a hammer hung in the receiver upon a pivot, forward of the said
dog, the hammer being adapted to work through the said recess in the dog and
turn upon its own pivot independent of the dog, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-arm, the combination of a receiver carrying a barrel at its
forward end opening at its rear into the receiver, a longitudinally reciprocating
breech-piece, a lever hung in the receiver below the breech-piece, the said lever
constructed with a finger forward of its pivot, the breech-piece constructed with a
recess with which the said finger is adapted to engage, and a dog hung in the
receiver at the rear of the breech-piece and so as to swing in a vertical plane, the
nose of the dog adapted to engage the rear end of the breech-piece when in its
closed position, the said lever constructed with a second finger adapted to engage
said dog to impart to it said swinging movement, substantially as described, and
whereby the first part of the opening movement of the said lever will disengage the
dog from the breech-piece and before the first finger of the lever engages the
breech-piece, and in the closing movement of the breech-piece the said lever
engages the dog after its finger has ceased to act upon the breech-piece and so as
to turn the said dog into engagement with the breech-piece after it is closed,
substantially as described.
>>
Fourth. In a fire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally reciprocating breech-
piece, a dog hung in the receiver at the rear of the breech-piece, and so as to swing
in a vertical plane, the nose of the dog adapted to engage the breech-piece when in the
closed position, mechanism substantially such as described to impart the locking and
unlocking movement to said dog, a hammer hung in the receiver and so as to swing
in a plane parallel with the plane of the dog, a sear hung in the receiver below the
dog, and adapted to engage the hammer in the cocked position, the sear constructed
with a projection e, and the dog constructed with a bearing surface P¹, adapted to
bear upon the said projection e of the sear when the dog is in the unlocked position,
but to escape therefrom as the dog is brought into its locking position, substantially
as described.
301
1
P 71 1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.