Improvements in Cartridge Magazines for Revolver Pistols and other Small Arms.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cartridge Magazines for Revolver Pistols and
other Small Arms.
I, GEORGE BAGNALL SPARROW, of 3, Snowdon View, Withins Lane, Liscard, in
the County of Chester, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
-
This invention has for its object, chiefly, to provide a special cartridge magazine,
or improvements in magazines, for holding cartridges, especially for supplying to
revolver pistols or small arms of the kind in which the revolving chambered
block is moved away from the part or parts of the fire-arms behind it; so that the
end or rear end of this block is open to view, and clear of everything, and can
be quickly and easily refilled or charged with cartridges.
According to this invention, the cartridge magazine is so constructed, arranged,
and adapted to operate, that the whole number of cartridges required to com-
pletely charge the revolving chamber block, can be simultaneously discharged
from the magazine, and introduced in their proper position in the revolver block.
This magazine comprises a number of tubes or guides grouped together in the
same relation to each other, as the chambers of the revolving block, in connection
with which it is designed to be used; and a trap or cut-off device, at the front or
charging end; while at the rear part, spiral or other suitable springs are provided
in the tubes or guides, to press the cartridges outwards towards the discharge
end.
According to one construction, the cartridges are held in tubes, and these
tubes, which are bound together or encased, have, working in connection with
them, two plates disposed in planes at right angles to the direction of length of
the tubes, and of a distance apart, slightly greater than the length of the cartridges.
These two plates are coupled together by an operating lever, fulcrummed in the
middle; and are adapted to work up and down by a handle or trigger on the
lever, pressed normally in one direction by a spring. These plates are provided
with apertures to allow of the passing of the cartridges, and operated, when
required, and are so arranged and adapted, as to hold the front set of cartridges
in the required position; which, in the case of the apparatus being used for the
ordinary type of service revolver, would be with considerable part of the lengths
projecting, so as to enable the cartridge ends to pass over the central projection
of the revolver chamber block, and enter the chambers, when charging them.
The apparatus may be provided at the front and rear ends with discs or caps, and
a central bolt may be passed through these, and hold them together.
When the revolver is being charged, and the barrel portion is let down for this
operation, the magazine is taken, and the leading set of cartridges are placed in
line with the chambers they are to fill, and their ends introduced. Then by
operating the trap or cut-off plates, above referred to, the foremost set of cartridges
are released, and fall into their places in the chamber; and then, when they are
released, the other cartridges behind are pressed up by the springs to the position
CD-

page_text: the others held. In the normal position, the front cut off plate will hold the front
set of cartridges by the rear end of such cartridges, whilst, those behind it will
not be acted upon by the second cut off. And then, when this first set is relieved,
the first cut off, by operating the lever and pressing it down, releases these, and
holds the second batch.
Dated this 09.1 f
1000
Improvements in Cartridge Magazines for Revolver Pistols and
other Small Arms.
I, GEORGE BAGNALL SPARROW, of 3, Snowdon View, Withins Lane, Liscard, in
the County of Chester, Master Mariner, 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:—
This invention has for its object, chiefly, to provide a special cartridge magazine,
or improvements in magazines, for holding cartridges, especially for supplying to
revolver pistols or small arms of the kind in which the revolving chambered
block is moved away from the part or parts of the fire-arms behind it; so that the
end or rear end of this block is open to view, and clear of everything, and can
be quickly and easily refilled or charged with cartridges.
According to this invention, the cartridge magazine is so constructed, arranged,
and adapted to operate, that the whole number of cartridges required to com-
pletely charge the revolving chamber block, can be simultaneously discharged
from the magazine, and introduced in their proper position in the revolver block.
This magazine comprises a number of tubes or guides grouped together in the
same relation to each other, as the chambers of the revolving block, in connection
with which it is designed to be used; and a trap or cut-off device, at the front or
charging end; while at the rear part, spiral or other suitable springs are provided
in the tubes or guides, to press the cartridges outwards towards the discharge
end.
According to one construction, the cartridges are held in tubes, and these
tubes, which are bound together or encased, have, working in connection with
them, two plates disposed in planes at right angles to the direction of length of
the tubes, and of a distance apart, slightly greater than the length of the cartridges.
These two plates are coupled together by an operating lever, fulcrummed in the
middle; and are adapted to work up and down by a handle or trigger on the
lever, pressed normally in one direction by a spring. These plates are provided
with apertures to allow of the passing of the cartridges, and operated when
required, and are so arranged and adapted, as to hold the front set of cartridges
in the required position; which, in the case of the apparatus being used for the
ordinary type of service revolver, would be with considerable part of the lengths
projecting, so as to enable the cartridge ends to pass over the central projection
of the revolver chamber block, and under the chambers, when charging them.
The apparatus may be provided at the front and rear ends with discs or caps, and
a central bolt may be passed through these, and hold them together.
The drawing illustrating this invention shews the magazine in longitudinal
section in Figure 1, and in cross section at the lines A. A and B B, in Figures 2
and 3 respectively.

page_text: Referring to the drawings, a are the containers-tubes in the case shewn-in
which the cartridges b are stored; c is a case in which the tubes a are held; and d
and e are two trap or cut-off devices by which the delivery of the cartridges is
controlled; both being provided with apertures corresponding with the bores of the
tubes a. f is a lever fulcrummed at fl on the case c, and connecting the two
traps e and d together, the connections being by joints and e¹, respectively. 9 is
a trigger, being a continuation of the lever f, by which traps d and c are operated,
it being normally pressed upwards from the case by the spring gl. hare springs
within the tubes a, which normally press upon the back end of the cartridges.
jare plates enclosing the front and back ends, respectively, of the tubes C, these
two plates being drawn together by the central longitudinal bolt k. The front
plate i is perforated opposite the mouths of the tubes a.
Under normal conditions, the cartridges and the parts take the positions shewn
in Figure 1, with the foremost batch of six cartridges projecting forward of the
plate i, this position being required in order that the introduction of a batch of
cartridges into the breech chambers of the revolver may be more conveniently
effected.
The position of the front batch of cartridges is maintained by the trap plate d,
namely, this plate being depressed by the spring g', the metal round the upper
part of the apertures of it will come in front of the cartridge flanges b as shewn,
and so hold them. Then with regard to the back trap plate e, when the device is
in the normal state, as shewn, the apertures in it are so arranged that the bores
of the tubes a at this part are unrestricted, so that the cartridges can pass along
them without impediment.
When a batch of cartridges is to be passed from the magazine into the pistol
gun breech block, the case c is taken in the hand, the protruding ends of the
foremost batch of cartridges is placed in the revolver breech chambers, and the
trigger g is pressed upon by the thumb. By this action, the bar to the forward
movement of the cartridges, namely, the metal of the trap plate d
round the upper part of its apertures, and in front of the cartridge flanges is
removed; and, as the lower part of these apertures is only level with the bottom
of the tubes c when the plate d is lifted, the front batch of cartridges is entirely
free, and so they fall or are pressed in to the revolver block chambers. In this
condition of the plate d, the metal round the upper part of the apertures of the
plate e will be in front of the flanges of the second batch of cartridges, and will
hold them, and the others behind them, and prevent them being pushed forward
when the first batch is released. Then when the front batch has been released,
and the revolver loaded, the pressure on the trigger g is removed by lifting the
thumb off it, and the batch of cartridges between the plates and e is released.
and the plated moved to the position in which the metal above the apertures in
it will protrude into the bore of the tubes a. Thereupon the springs h will force
the several sets of remaining cartridges forward, and the foremost batch into the
position shewn in Figure 1.
It is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the
particular form or construction shewn of the parts in which the cartridges are
held, and moved; nor to that of the duplex trap or cut-off retaining and con-
trolling devices.
The magazine can be carried at the side by a strap, or in any suitable way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A cartridge magazine for charging the revolver chamber blocks of "revol-
vers," comprising a plurality of parallel containers holding the cartridges, and
having the same relative positions as those of the revolver chambers to be charged,
and a transverse retaining and governing trap device, adapted to act in con-
nection with the front batches of cartridges; substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. A "revolver" cartridge magazine, comprising a plurality of parallel con-
tainers holding the cartridges, and having the same relative positions as those of
the revolver chambers to be charged, a trap device (d) arranged and operating
transversely to the axis of the magazine; a plate e similar to, and arranged in
connection with the plate d, whereby said levers are operated together and in
opposite directions, for controlling the foremost and second batches of cartridges;
and springs h in said containers normally pressing the cartridges forward; sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. In a
"revolver" cartridge magazine, the combination of a plurality of cart-
ridges containing tubes a, case c enclosing said tubes, duplex controlling trap
plates and e, lever f coupling said plates together, springs h behind the
cartridges, and end plates i and j clamped onto the ends of said tubes; substantially
as set forth..
Dated this 60th day of Nov 1800
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicant's Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool..