IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emile Nagant, of 41, Quay de l'Ourthe, in the City of
Liège, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Fabricant d'Armes, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
A breech box containing an obturator pivoting upon a transverse axis. A lever
pivoting upon another axis takes under the obturator, which it maintains pressed
immovably against the faced end of the barrel.
In the obturator is placed a striker pivoting upon a transverse axis placed
towards the middle of its length. The head of the striker carries a rear shoulder..
In the obturator where the striker is placed is a stop against which the shoulder of
the striker abuts. This arrangement limits the stroke of the striker in the
obturator, and prevents it from leaving it, even in the case of a violent retrograde
effort.
In the body of the lever or at its side is placed a hammer intended to act on the
This hammer
striker. It may have the same axis as the lever or a special one.
being carried by the lever cannot reach the striker if the lever has not completely
effected the closing by taking entirely under the obturator.
A cartridge extractor is worked by the obturator; it may have the same axis as
the latter or a special one. The arms of the extractor may be furnished with wings
(ailettes) entering recesses formed in the faced end of the barrel. The arms of the
extractor are thus held very firmly, and cannot be displaced or deformed by the

page_text: .
effort of the explosion, even if the breech end of the barrel is isolated instead of
being held in a breech box.
In order to open the mechanism the tail of the lever is pushed forward. The
head of the latter retires from under the obturator which is thus disengaged. The
tail of the lever then meets the lower arm of the striker, the point of which it
causes to retire into the obturator. Immediately afterwards the tail of the lever
pushes forward the lower part of the obturator, the upper part of which then turns
over backwards. By this movement the faced end of the barrel is uncovered, and
the obturator transmitting to the extractor the impulse that it has itself received
from the lever, forces the extractor to throw the cartridge case out of the chamber,
at the same time the lever has fully cocked the hammer. The hammer may also
be cocked und uncocked by its crest independently of the lever.
In order to reclose the mechanism the foot of the obturator or the tail of the
lever is moved backwards, the head of the latter sliding against the upper and
hinder part of the obturator pushes the latter against the faced end of the barrel.
Arrived at this point the bead of the lever takes under the obturator, and prevents
it absolutely from being opened by the explosion of the cartridge, the hammer
remaining at full cock ready to act on the striker.
The trigger guard carries the trigger and the main spring, and may also receive
other pieces of the mechanism. It is fixed at one end to the lower tail of the box
by means of a screw upon which it pivots. The body of the trigger guard is held
in place by a screw in the inside of the box. This arrangement allows of with-
drawing the trigger guard, as well as the pieces of mechanism attached to it,
without dismounting the stock. This trigger guard constitutes also a lever serving
for dismounting and mounting the main spring without the help of a special
instrument.
The mechanism comprehends also a piece serving two purposes. It is constructed
as follows: A flat bar applied to the external side of the breech box, the end of
which being bent to a right angle is prolonged in a cylindrical stem traversing the
breech box. The external flat bar covers the pivots of the obturator and lever to
prevent them from coming out of the box; the cylindrical stem traverses the box
above the upper branch of the main spring. At the middle of this stem opposite
the main spring is formed a notch. When the external bar is placed so as to cover
the pivots of the obturator and lever the notch of the stem faces the main spring,
which it leaves free to act upon the hammer. If the external bar is turned, the
hammer being down, the cylindrical part of the stem replaces the notch, and
forming an eccentric, presses upon the main spring, taking the pressure of the saine
off the hammer and its axis for facilitating the operation of dismounting and
remounting.
UPPER RING.
This upper ring carries the tenon of the sword bayonet; it serves also to hold the
cleaning-rod. It surrounds or clasps the barrel, presses against the front of the
sight, and clasps it firmly on both sides; a transverse screw holds it in its place.
By this arrangement the sight only need be brazed to the barrel, and the upper
ring, as well as the tenon for the sword, are attached to the barrel with the greatest
firmness.
This upper ring holds the cleaning-rod by itself, without the aid of any other
piece or of its being screwed, and in such a way that the wood of the stock does
not feel any effort exerted by or upon the cleaning-rod.
The part of the upper ring holding the cleaning-rod being placed between the

page_text: A breech box containing an obturator pivoting upon a transverse axis. A lever
pivoting upon another axis takes under the obturator, which it maintains pressed
immoveably against the faced end of the barrel.
In the obturator is placed a striker pivoting upon a transverse axis placed
towards the middle of its length. The head of the striker carries a rear shoulder.
In the obturator where the striker is placed is a stop against which the shoulder of
the striker abuts. This arrangement limits the backward movement of the striker
in the obturator, and prevents it from leaving it, even in the case of a violent,
retrograde effort.
In the body of the lever or at its side is placed a hammer intended to act on the
striker. It may have the same axis as the lever or a special one. This hammer
being carried by the lever cannot reach the striker if the lever has not completely
effected the closing by taking entirely under the obturator.
A cartridge extractor is worked by the obturator; it may have the same axis as
the latter or a special one. The arms of the extractor may be furnished with
wings (aillettes) entering recesses formed in the faced end of the barrel. The arms
of the extractor are thus held very firmly, and cannot be displaced or deformed by
the effort of the explosion, even if the breech end of the barrel is isolated instead of
being held in a breech box.
The trigger guard carries the trigger and the main spring, and may also receivo
other pieces of the mechanism. It is fixed at one end to the lower tail of the box
by means of a screw upon which it pivots. The body of the trigger guard is held
in place by a screw in the inside of the box. This arrangement allows of with-
drawing the trigger guard, as well as the pieces of mechanism attached to it,
without dismounting the stock. This trigger guard constitutes also a lever serving
for dismounting and mounting the main spring without the help of a special
instrument.
Figure 1 of the Drawings shews the mechanism closed with the hammer down.
The head of the hammer rests against the striker, the point of which projects
from the obturator.
Figure
firing.
shews the mechanism closed, but with the hammer cocked ready for
Figure 3 shews the mechanism open, with the extractor throwing the cartridge
out of the chamber. The point of the striker has been withdrawn into the
obturator.
This Figure also shews the dismounting of the trigger guard and the pieces
connected with it.

page_text: Figures 1, 2, and 3. A, obturator; B, axis of obturator and of extractor;
C, lever; D, axis of lever and bammer; E, striker; F, axis of striker; E', rear
shoulder of striker; A', part of the obturator which forms a stop, against which
abuts the shoulder E' of the striker; E2, lower arm of the striker (in Figure 1 it
is shewn protruding from the obturator); G, hammer; H, extractor; H¹, projection
which is acted on by the shoulder A² of the obturator, causing the extractor to turn
over and expel the cartridge from the chamber; I, trigger guard; K, pivot screw
of the tail of the trigger guard; L, screw holding the trigger guard in the breech
box; C¹, tail of lever; C³, head of lever; A³, lower part (or foot) of obturator,
against which slides the lever to open the mechanism; A", upper and hinder part
of obturator, against which the head of the lever slides to close the mechanism.
Figure 4, front view of obturator; A2, lateral shoulders acting on extractor.
Figure 5, back view of obturator; C³, recess for the body of striker.
Figure 6, back view of lever; G¹, recess for the body of the hammer.
Figure 7, front view of extractor; H', lateral projections acted upon by the
obturator.
Figure 8, back view of extractor.
Figure 9, front view of extractor, the arms being furnished with wings_H*.
Figure 10, front view of the faced end of the barrel with extractor. The wings
H of the extractor are lodged in the recesses H³ of the barrel.
In order to open the mechanism the tail of the lever C¹ is pushed forward.
The head C of the latter retires from under the obturator which is thus disengaged.
The tail of the lever then meets the lower arm E³ of the striker, which retires into
the obturator. The object of this movement is to cause the point of the striker to
retire automatically into the obturator. Immediately after the tail of the lever
pushes forward the lower part A³ of the obturator, of which the upper portion A* is
then turned over backwards. By this movement the faced end of the barrel is
uncovered, and the obturator transmitting to the extractor the impulse that it has
itself received from the lever, forces the extractor to throw the cartridge case out of
the chamber, at the same time the lever has fully cocked the hammer. The
hammer can be also cocked and uncocked by its crest independently of the lever,
The hammer has also a notch for half cocking. In order to reclose the mechanism
the tail of the lever (or the foot of the obturator) is moved backwards. The bead
of the latter sliding against the upper and hinder part A* of the obturator pushes
the latter against the faced end of the barrel. Arrived at this point the head of
the lever takes under the obturator and prevents it absolutely from being opened
by the explosion of the cartridge, the hammer remaining at full cock ready to act
upon the striker.
The mechanism also comprises a piece serving two purposes; it is constructed as
follows (see Figures 11 and 12):-A bar M applied to the external side of the
breech box, tho end of which being bent to a right angle is prolonged into a
cylindrical stem N traversing the breech box above the upper branch of the main
spring. The outer bar covers the pivots of the obturator and lever to prevent
them from coming out of the box (see Figure 2).
At the middle of the stem N opposite the main spring is formed a notch O.
When the outer bar is placed so as to cover the pivots of the obturator and lever,
the notch O in the stem faces the main spring, which it leaves free to act upon the
hammer (see Figures 2 and 3). If the outer bar is turned, the hammer being down,
the cylindrical part of the stem replaces the notch, and forming an eccentric, presses
on the main spring, taking the pressure of this last off the hammer and its axis,
thereby facilitating the operation of dismounting and remounting the arm.

page_text: front of the sight, and clasps it firmly on both sides.
A transverse screw holds it
in its place. By this arrangement the sight only need be brazed to the barrel, and
the upper ring, as well as the tenon or stud for the sword bayonet, are secured to
the barrel with the greatest firmness.
The upper ring holds the cleaning rod by itself, without the aid of any other
picce or of its being screwed, and in such a way that the wood of the stock does
not feel any effort exerted by or upon the cleaning rod.
The part of the upper ring holding the cleaning rod being placed between the
latter and the barrel, all external pressure exerted upon the cleaning rod maintains
it in its place, instead of having a tendency to force it out of it.
This upper ring may also be made to preserve the sight of the barrel. By giving
it a suitable form it may also be made to serve as a ring sight.
Figure 13, under view of upper ring; P, hole through which passes the barrel;
R, hole through which passes the cleaning rod; S, recess for the wood of the stock.
The dotted line indicates the projection X (see Figure 14); T, tenon or stud of
sword bayonet.
Figure 14, view of right side of upper ring; U, sight on the barrel; V, shoulder
of the cleaning rod Y, stopped under the projection ✗ of the upper ring. The
lower end of the cleaning rod rests on the stopper of the breech box; Z, barrel;
Z, side towards the mouth of the barrel; Y¹, side towards the head of the cleaning
rod.
Figure 15, top view of the upper ring clasping the sight U on both sides, pressing
agoinst the sight above, and held in place below by a transverse screw.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to or may be performed I would have it understood that what I claim
as my Invention is,―
Firstly. The striker furnished with a shoulder which abuts against a stop formed
in the interior of the obturator, for the purpose of limiting the backward movement
of the striker, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of
the Drawings hereto annexed.
Secondly. The mode in which the lever is made to act on the obturator to open,
to close, and to keep the latter firmly pressed against the faced end of the barrel, as
hereinbefore described and shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Thirdly. The mode in which the lever is made to act on the striker, causing the
point thereof to retire automatically into the obturator, as herein before described
and shewn in Figures 1 and 3 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourthly. The mode of firmly holding the extractor by means of small wings
which enter into recesses formed in the breech end of the barrel, as hereinbefore
described and shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Fifthly. The arrangement by which pressure of the main spring can be removed
or be brought to bear on the hammer and its axis, as herein before described and
shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 11, and 12 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Sixthly. The use of the bow of the trigger guard as a spring vice, as herein-
before described and shewn in the Drawings hereto annexed, and for the purpose
specified.
Seventhly. The upper ring so constructed, arranged, and applied, that it is held
in place by the sight on the barrel, that it holds the cleaning rod without assistance
from any other piece, and without the rod being screwed, and so that the wooden
stock is not affected by any effort made by or on the rod, that the part of the upper
ring which holds the cleaning rod being between it and the barrel any external
pressure on the rod tends to keep it in its place, instead of imparting to it a
tendency to leave it, and that it can be made to serve as a ring sight or to protect
the barrel sight, the whole as herein before described and shewn in Figures 13, 14,
and 15 of the Drawings hereto annexed.

page_text: Eighthly. The fire arm taken as a whole in its combination and its essential parts,
as herein before described and shewn in the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emile Nagant, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.