Improvements in Magazine or Repeating Fire-arms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine or Repeating Fire-arms.
I, JOHN HENRY TOPHAM of 46A Market street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
It consists firstly, in forming the stock hollow, in such a manner that the whole or
greater part of it may form a large magazine, holding a much greater quantity of
amninnition than as yet been possible; and secondly in the method of feeding the
cartridges from the stock into the breech of the piece.
I accomplish this in the following manner, I form the stock with a hollow of sucli
a size as to hold the number of cartridges desired. The hollow is of such a width
that it will hold one cartridge, or in some cases two or more cartridges side by side,
(in this latter case it may in some instances be advisable to separate them by a thin
plate or partition,) and of such a length that it will hold as many cartridges end to
end as the length of the stock will permit, (in this case it is also sometimes advisable
to separate the ends of the cartridges by a thin plate,) its depth is as great as the
width of the stock will permit, and it is closed at the top by a suitable lid or slide
which can be readily opened to admit of the filling of the magazine. The cartridges
are placed in the slot or slots and fall to the bottom in turn as the lower ones are
withdrawn. From the bottom of the slot or slots a channel or tube passes from the
magazine to the side or below the breech of the piece. The cartridges are fed along
this channel by means of a reciprocating lever furnished with catches, an endless
band, or in some other. suitable manner; which receives its motion from the breech
action. The form of breech action I prefer consists of a reciprocating block containing
a striker or hammer actuated by a spiral or coil spring similar to that used in the
Henri-Martini; and the rear end of which is formed into a suitable automatic catchi which
locks the breech block when in position for firing. The striker is also automatically
cocked, (or placed in position for firing) by means of a projection upon it, which
catches against a projection upon the trigger as the breechblock is pushed into firing
position. The breechblock is moved by means of a lever or handle attached to the
automatic catch upon the rear end of the breechblock, which releases the catch when
the breechblock is withdrawn. When the breechblock is drawn back it strikes a
lever which conveys a cartridge from the feeding tube of the magazine to the front
of the breechblock, and ejects the empty cartridge case of the last charge. When
the breechblock is pushed forward it pushes the cartridge into the bore of the piece
and at the same time by means of the reciprocating lever (or other feeding mechanism)
places another cartridge in position for the next charge, the pushing forward of the
breechblock also locking it when in firing position and cocking the striker. It will
however be perceived that my stock magazine is also readily adaptable to other breech
actions if necessary.
The empty cases are extracted by means of a suitable projection attached to the
front of the breechblock..

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine or Repeating Fire-arms.
I, JOHN HENRY TOPHAM, of 46A Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 :-
It consists firstly, in forming the stock of the piece hollow, in such a manner that
the whole or greater part of it, may form a large magazine, holding a much greater
quantity of ammunition than has yet been possible; and secondly in the method of
feeding the cartridges from the stock into the breech of the piece.
This accomplish in the following manner, I form the stock with a hollow, extending
from the top to the bottom, of such a size as to hold the number of cartridges
desired.
The hollow is of such a width that it will hold one cartridge (or in some cases two
or more cartridges side by side, in this case it is in some instances advisable to
separate them by a thin plate or partition), and of such a length that it will hold as
many cartridges end to end as the length of the stock will permit, (and in this case
it is also advisable to separate the ends of the cartridges by a thin plate) and is closed
at the top by a suitable lid or slide, which can be readily opened to admit of the filling
of the magazine.
The cartridges are placed in the slot or slots formed by the sides of the stock or
the thin plates, and fall to the bottom in turn as the lower ones are withdrawn.
From the bottom of the stock a channel or tube which forms the bottom of the
magazine extends from the magazine to the side or below the breech of the piece..
The cartridges are fed along this channel by means of a reciprocating rod or lover
furnished with spring catches, an endless band, or in some other suitable manner
which receives its motion from the breech action. The cartridges are prevented from
returning or touching each other by means of suitable spring catches upon the sides
of the tube or channel.
My breech action consists as follows:-
Within a suitably shaped case or shoe works a reciprocating block which is locked
when in position for firing by an automatic catch consisting of a piece hinged to its
rear end which drops into a suitable indentation in the shoe when the block is pushed
home; to this hinged piece is firmly attached a suitable handle at a point below the
pivot of the hinge. Owing to the position of the handle, when the block is pushed
home the hinged piece is forced into the indentation, and the pull to withdraw the
block raises it to a level with the block, allowing the block to readily return.
Within the block is contained a coil spring, and striker to fire the cartridges,
passing through the striker and extending upon each side of the block, through slots
left for this purpose is a short metal pin or rod, the ends of which, as the block is
pushed forward, engage or press upon two projections upon either side of the shoe,
which consist of the ends of a part of the trigger which are withdrawn by the
pressure of the trigger. The pushing of the block home, by this means compresses
the spring and puts the striker in position for firing.
When the block is withdrawn, it strikes a lever which raises or lifts a cartridge
from the channel or tube to the front of the block, and above two spring flaps or
shutters hinged or placed. below the block, (in such a manner that the cartridge when
resting upon them is directly in front of the block,) and ejects the empty case of the
last charge.
The handle of the reciprocating block, or any other suitable part of it, is connected
with the reciprocating feeding rod (or other arrangement) by a simple stud and slide
correction or other suitable simple arrangement, so that the reciprocating rod or
other arrangement works with the motion of the block.
When the breechblock is pushed forward by means of the handle, the striker is
cocked, and the cartridge pushed into the bore of the piece, and the block locked in

page_text: position, for firing; and a cartridge fed into the cavity below the block by the
reciprocating rod for the next charge; after firing, the pulling of the handle lifts the
hinged pieco out of the indentation or slot and withdraws the block and the empty
cartridge case by means of two spring extractors attached to the front of the block,
until the empty case is upon the two flaps or shutters beforementioned when the back
of the block strikes the lifting lever, raises the next cartridge above the flaps and
ejects it.
In order that the gun may be at once in a position for firing after loading, I form a
longitudinal slot in the lower part of the half tube forming the bottom of the
magazine, in which slides a suitable projection with a suitable handle outside the
stock by means of which three cartridges can be pushed forward and the fore part
of the tube can be filled at once.
In order that the foregoing may be better understood I send herewith 2 sheets of
Drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a gun made in accordance with my invention
Fig. 2 and 3 elevations respectively of the right and left sides of the gun, (with the
outside plates removed,) Fig. 4 a side elevation, Fig. 5 a plan, Fig. 6 a cross section
at A. B. Fig. 4 and Fig. 7 a plan of the front of reciprocating block c.,
In all the Figs. where they occur, a indicates the magazine, in these drawings made
with two compartments separated by partition a2 and filled through lid a 3.
bindicates the channel or tube up which the cartridges are fed by the reciprocating
rod 62 furnished with spring-catches 63, the cartridges are prevented from returning
with the back motion of the rod by spring catches 65, two of which are shown in
Fig. 1 remainder being on side removed in the section. c'indicates the reciprocating
block, which is actuated by handle c 2 (Figs. 2 & 4) and connected with reciprocating
rod 62 by stud b6 and slide 67. To handle c 2 the reciprocating block a is connected
by falling block d which falls into indentation e in the standing breech. When the
block is locked in firing position as shown in Fig. 1 the strikerf is held in position
shown by means of projecting rod or pin f2 by trigger projection g, keeping coil
spring tightly coiled; it is fired by pulling trigger i which presses down projection g
and thus liberates striker f; the projection is returned to its place by the sear
spring g 2.
When the block is withdrawn into position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it strikes
projection and lifts the feeding lever which pushes a fresh cartridge above spring
flaps m, the feeding lever is then immediately returned to its position by spring 12.
The cartridges on first loading are pushed up the tube b by means of projection n
attached to handle n 2 outside the tube and sliding in slot n 3 (see Fig. 1).
The emptied cartridge cases are withdrawn from the bore by spring extractors o o.
(Figs. 1 and 7).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the samo is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The combined apparatus, substantially as described and shown, hereinbefore,
and in the accompanying drawings, for the purpose set-forth.
2nd. A locking motion, consisting of a hinged piece attached to the rear of a
reciprocating block, falling into a suitable indentation or slot in the shoe, and actuated
by a handle below its centre or hinge, substantially as described and shown herein-
before and in the accompanying drawings for the purpose set-forth.
3rd. A stock magazine, substantially as described and shown, hereinbefore, and in
the accompanying drawings, for the purpose set-forth.
4th. A lifting lever, substantially as described and shown, hereinbefore, and in the
accompanying drawings, for the purpose set-forth.
5th. Two spring flaps or shutters, substantially as described and shown, herein-
before, and in the accompanying drawings, for the purpose set-forth.
6th. The trigger arrangement and method of operating the same, substantially as

page_text: described and shown, hereinbefore, and in the accompanying drawings, for the
purpose set-forth.
7th. The projection n in combination with handle n2 substantially as described
and shown, hereinbefore, and in the accompanying drawings, for the purpose
set-forth.
Dated 04 J
Ր A 1 1000
JOHN HENRY TOPHAM,
46A, Market Street, Manchester.