Improvements in Small Arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Small Arms.
I, THEODOR BERGMANN, of Gaggenan, Bade, in the Empire of Germany,
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:-
The present invention relates to that class of fire arms which charge or load
themselves by means of the recoil produced by the pressure of the gases produced
by the combustion of the powder. The invention has for its special object an
automatic arrangement for preventing the return of the recoil cylinder when
the magazine is empty, and a sleeve for guiding and protecting the barrel
exteriorly against the shock of the explosion.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed
to describe the accompanying drawing thereof, reference being had to letters
and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a side view of a pistol with an automatic loading arrangement.
Fig. 2, is a section on the line X Y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a view of the barrel, the sleeve being removed.
Fig. 4, is a view of the sleeve.
Fig. 5, is a transverse section of this latter.
Laterally to the arm is arranged the stop a of the cylinder m.
This stop at
into a recess in the
into the magazine.
one end enters by means of its upper part or projection
cylinder m, and at the other end by a lateral projection
The tail of the stop forms a spring for maintaining the projection 6 normally
in the recess in the cylinder m. If the magazine is charged and closed, the
cartridges up to the last, will bear against the lateral projection d of the stop a
and will disengage the upper part b of this latter from the recess in the cylinder m.
This latter can then be displaced in the well known manner under the action
of the recoil to replace itself in position under the action of a spring.
As soon as the last cartridge has been discharged the upper projection b of
the stop a will enter the recess or hole in the cylinder, whilst this latter undergoes
the influence of the recoil and prevents it from returning to its place.
This arrangement permits the person using the fire arm to see whether the
magazine is empty and also to easily load the weapon by hand. In fact, whilst
the cylinder is maintained in the backward position, he can easily introduce a
cartridge into the breech. In order to afterwards liberate the cylinder, which
occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, it is sufficient to press upon the button s
which terminates a pin g which passes through the body of the weapon and the
other extremity of which is fixed to the stop a.
During the recoil of the cylinder m the barrel n of the weapon engaged
through its extremity with the cylinder is likewise drawn along for some milli-
> metres and is then liberated by a well known arrangement which does not form
part of this invention.
In order to guide in a suitable manner the barrel na sleeve o rigidly connected
to the part w carrying the barrel, covers it and protects it exteriorly against any
cheeks and pressure.

page_text: To obtain a firm connection and yet one easily detachable between the sleeve
and the part carrying the barrel, the sleeve is provided on the exterior with a
gudgeon which engages in groove or recess i and is maintained therein by
the spring lever p, turning upon the pivot t and engaging with its opening or
hole c upon the pin f. In order to easily disengage the lever, the pivot t passes
through the body of the weapon and is terminated at its opposite end by a
button, upon which pressure must be exerted to disengage the hole c from the
pin f. The sleeve can then be easily removed by giving it a quarter turn so as
to disengage the gudgeon from the groove or recess 2. The gudgeon can be
engaged or disengaged with recess when spring catch occupies the position
shown in the drawing. The position shown in dotted lines of the spring
catch p is that where the gudgeon cannot be engaged or disengaged with
recess i.
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. A fire arm having automatic loading, characterised by an arrangement of
stop normally engaging in the hole or the bore of the recoil cylinder and dis-
engaged by the pressure of the cartridges in the magazine, and a movable sleeve
serving to guide the barrel.
2. A fire arm having automatic loading, characterised by an arrangement of
stop for the recoil cylinder normally engaging during its return movement
through a projection in the bore of the recoil cylinder, and through another pro-
jection in the magazine to be disengaged from its stop position by the pressure
of the cartridges in the magazine, a pin fixed to the stop admitting of its dis-
engagement when the magazine is empty in order to use the fire arm after
charging by hand.
3. A fire arm with automatic charging or loading, characterized by a movable
guiding sleeve surrounding the barrel and solidly fixed to the part carrying the
barrel by a gudgeon engaging in a recess or groove in which it is maintained
by a spring lever.
4. A fire arm with automatic charging or loading, substantially as herein-
above described and illustrated in the annexed drawing.
Dated this 25th day of July 1899
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.