IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO MACHINE GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS to be as follows: -
My invention relates to machine-guns and other fire-arms.
The object of my said invention, is to utilize the force of the gases which issue
from the muzzle of the gun at each discharge thereof to operate the breech
mechanism of the gun or to store up energy to be subsequently used for extracting
the empty cartridge case, cocking the hammer bringing another cartridge into
position for firing and firing the same or preparing the arm for the next discharge
or for effecting one or more of these operations.
When a fire-arm is discharged the gases resulting from the explosion of the
gunpowder or other explosive material employed issue from the muzzle of the said
arm with great velocity and thereby cause a vacuum or partial vacuum around the
muzzle. In carrying my invention into practice, I, in some cases provide a suitable
chamber or box which is secured to the barrel of the gun and is provided with a
tubular extension surrounding the barrel and projecting more or less beyond the
muzzle thereof in such a manner that a vacuum or partial vacuum will be formed
in the said chamber each time the gun is fired. This tubular extension may be
made telescopic, if desired. The said chamber is connected with another chamber
in which a piston is so fitted that the pressure of the external atmosphere will act
thereon when a vacuum is formed in the first named chamber. The said piston is
provided with a rod which passes through the rear end of the said chamber or box
and is connected in any suitable manner to the mechanism for loading and firing
the gun. If desired the said piston may have two rods. A spring is provided in
combination with the said piston, which spring tends to retain the said piston in
its normal position and to return it thereto after each discharge.
According to one inethod I construct a machine-gun as follows that is to say :-
I provide a slotted arm or cross-head which is fixed to, or formed integrally with,
the breech-block. This crosshead is provided with a guide rod extending
rearwardly therefrom and free to slide to and fro in a guide carried by the frame.
A crank shaft is carried in suitable bearings fixed to the frame and is so arranged
Priss 1071

page_text: that the crank pin fits within the slot in the said cross-head.
Two arms are fixed
to the said crank at right angles thereto and are connected by links to the rear
ends of the two piston rods. When the piston rods are moved rearward by the
discharge of a cartridge the said crank acts upon the cross-head and withdraws the
breech-block, the crank pin travelling downward in the slot.
In order that the empty cartridge case may be withdrawn from the barrel and
the arm be cocked by the rearward movement of the said cross-head, I pivot to the
breech-block an extracting book and a sear, and I arrange the firing pin longi-
tudinally in the centre of the breech-block; a spiral spring encircles the said pin
and tends to hold the same in contact with the cartridge. The firing pin is
provided at its rear end with a head which has a knife-edge and a roller carried by
a pin. A lever is pivotted to the cross-head, one end of which lever extends
upward between the said knife-edge and roller and the other end of which extends
downward into the path of the crank-pin. These parts are so arranged that during
the rearward movement of the cross-head the crank-pin acts upon the said lever and
causes it to draw back the firing pin until the sear, which is acted upon by a
suitable spring, engages with the head of the said pin and holds the same in its
cocked position. When the sear falls into engagement with the firing pin, the
extractor is disengaged from the empty cartridge case, which is left in one
compartment or groove of a rotary feed-wheel similar to that described in the
specification of former Letters Patent dated 26th June A D 1883 N° 3178.
In the return movement of the piston rod and cross-head which is caused by a
spring or springs, the feed-wheel is partially rotated to bring another cartridge in
line with the barrel the breech block is driven home and inserts the said cartridge
in the barrel, and the crank-pin is forced against the end of the sear and pushes
the same up so as to release the firing pin and discharge the cartridge. This
movement of the sear causes the extractor hook to engage with the flange of the
cartridge. It will therefore be understood that after the first discharge therefore,
the fire-arm operates automatically until all the cartridges in the magazine are fired.
I sometimes provide two feed-wheels one arranged on a lower level than the
other so that a cartridge drawn from the top groove of one wheel will enter the
lowermost groove of the other wheel. And I attach a hooked rod to the cross-head
for removing the cartridges from one feed-wheel to the other, and provide means
for disengaging the hook from the cartridges at the requisite moment.
The following means are provided for intermittently rotating the feed-wheels,
that is to say, a projection is formed on the front end of the breech-block, which
projection acts upon one tooth of the upper feed-wheel during the rearward
movement of the breech-block and partially rotates the said wheel, and during the
forward movement of the breech-block the said projection first acts upon another
tooth of the said wheel and again partially rotates the same and the said projection.
then slides in a groove between the said teeth and holds the said wheel in position
for a fresh cartridge to be inserted in the barrel. The lower feed wheel is rotated
by means of a suitable gearing which connects it with the upper feed wheel.
Í sometimes employ a volute spring coiled around the crank shaft for storing the
energy to be used for effecting the operations above specified and the said crank
shaft is if desired provided with a handle for operating the mechanism by hand.
Instead of utilizing the force of the said gases indirectly as above described,
I sometimes utilize the same directly in the following manner, that is to say :-
I fit upon the muzzle of the gun a perforated cap or tubular piece which is free to
slide a short distance. to-and-fro on the barrel and is connected by side rods to a
lever pivotted to the frame and connected by a link with a rod corresponding with
the piston rod above described. A spring is, moreover, provided for retaining the
said tubular piece in its normal position and returning it thereto after each
discharge. The said tubular piece at its front end is of sufficient internal diameter
to permit the passage of the bullet through the same. The internal diameter of
the said tubular piece is gradually increased towards the rear end thereof so as to

page_text: form a conical shoulder, or the said piece is formed in any other suitable manner,
so that the gases issuing from the muzzle of the gun will by reason of their
expansion, act upon the said piece and force it to move forward upon the barrel
whenever a shot is fired. The reciprocating movement of the said tubular piece
effects the operations of loading and firing as above described.
It is obvious that my invention may be applied to various descriptions of
fire-arms either for storing energy to be subsequently used for effecting the
operations necessary in loading and firing the same or preparing the arm for the
next discharge or for directly effecting one or more of these operations and storing
energy to be afterwards used for effecting the remainder of the said operations.
Dated this Third day of January 1884,
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 59° Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINE-GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS" 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 machine or battery guns and other fire-arms, and is
designed to provide for working a gun by the force of the gases which result from
the combustion of the powder or other explosive material, and which issue from the
muzzle with great velocity, that is to say, to provide means whereby, after starting
the gun, it will automatically perform the operations of extracting and ejecting the
empty cartridge-cases, cocking the hammer or striker, bringing the cartridges
successively into position for firing and firing the same, or either or any of these
operations.
When a gun is fired, the passage or escape of these gases from the muzzle creates
a vacuum or partial vacuum around the end of the barrel. And one object of my
present invention is to construct a gun wherein the breech-mechanism will be
operated by atmospheric pressure acting thereon, by reason of the vacuum thus
formed.
Another object of my said invention is to construct a gun wherein the breech-
mechanism will be operated directly (instead of indirectly) by the dynamic force of
the said gases.
In both cases the force of the explosion moves the breech-block and parts
connected therewith back or away from the barrel, thereby performing some of the
operations above specified, and provision is made for storing the energy thus
developed so that it will re-act to move the said breech-block and other parts
forward and thereby effect the remainder of such operations.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of a machine-gun constructed
according to my present improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, partly in section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3, y, Figure 1, looking towards the
muzzle of the gun.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line y', y', Figure 1, looking towards the
muzzle of the gun.
Figure 5 is a plan of part of a feed-wheel hereinafter described.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal central section of another machine-gun made
according to my present improvements, and
Figure 7 is a plan of the same, partly in section on the line x¹, x¹, Figure 6.
The remaining figures are hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a strong metal frame, which is provided with a lid or cover A¹, and which
may be mounted on any suitable stand or carriage. B is the barrel, which is fixed
in the frame A; C is the breech-block.
a is a tube or tubular chamber, which is secured to, or formed integrally with,
the frame A, and which surrounds the barrel B for nearly the whole of its length.
The tubular chamber a communicates near its rear end with another chamber b,

page_text: and is provided with a sliding portion a¹ which can be moved to and fro, like the
sliding tube of a telescope, to cause it to project more or less beyond the muzzle of
the gun for the purpose hereinafter specified. Each time the gun is fired, the
escape of the gases from the muzzle thereof will cause a vacuum or partial vacuum
to be formed in the said chambers a and b which I term vacuum chambers. c is a
piston fitted in the chamber b, which is left open at the end b¹ so that the pressure
of the external atmosphere will act on the said piston, and, when a vacuum is
formed as above described, will cause the said piston to move rearwardly in the said
chamber. The piston c is provided with two flat bars or rods c¹ passing through
apertures at c³ in the frame A, which serves to guide the said rods. These rods are
connected, as hereinafter described, to the breech-mechanism.
d is a slotted arm or cross-head, which is formed integrally with, or rigidly
attached to, the breech-block C, and which is provided with a guide-rod d¹
extending rearwardly therefrom and fitted to slide to and fro in a guide d³ carried
by the frame A. A crank-shaft e is carried in bearings e¹ attached to the frame A,
and is so arranged that the crank-pin e fits within the slot d³ in the cross-head d
and is free to move up and down therein. The crank-shaft e is provided with two
arms which are rivetted or otherwise rigidly attached to, or formed integrally
with, the webs of the crank at right angles thereto; a pin or rod f' is passed
through the extremities of these arms and connected by the links f to the rear
ends of the two piston-rods c¹. When the piston-rods are moved rearwardly, the
crank is partially rotated until the crank-pin e reaches the point e* and the pin or
rod freaches the point f*. During this movement, the crank-pin e, moving
downward in the slot d³, acts upon the cross-head d and draws back the breech-
block C.
The crank-shaft e is made with a square portion or has other provision for
receiving a wheel e³ or lever for operating the breech-mechanism by hand when
desirable or necessary.
g is the extractor and an arm which serves as a sear; they are both carried by,
and pivoted to, the breech-block C; h* is a spring firmly secured to the said sear,
which spring tends to hold the extractor g in engagement with the flange of
a cartridge inserted in the barrel, and also to hold down the sear h so that it will
engage with the firing pin or striker i. This firing pin or striker extends
longitudinally through the centre of the breech block C and is encircled by a spiral
spring which tends to push it forward. The said firing pin is provided at its rear
end with a head having a knife-edge i* and a roller carried by a pin fixed in
the head. A lever j is pivotted to the cross-head d; one end of this lever extends
upward between the said knife-edge and roller, and its other end extends downward
into the path of the crank-pin e². These parts are so arranged that, during the
rearward movement of the cross-head d, the crank-pin e² acts upon the lever j and
thereby draws back the firing pin or striker i until the shoulder h¹ of the sear h
engages with the shoulder and holds the said firing pin or striker in its cocked
position. When the sear thus falls into engagement with the firing pin, it relaxes
the pressure of the spring * against the extractor g, which, by its rearward
movement, has withdrawn the empty cartridge-case from the barrel into a groove
of one of the feed-wheels hereinafter described, so that the said cartridge-case can
easily be carried by the said wheel out of engagement with the said extractor.
QQ are two feed-wheels, which are so arranged that, when they are in the
position shewn, a cartridge drawn from the uppermost groove of the wheel Q will
enter the lowermost groove of the wheel Q'. The said feed-wheels are fixed upon
the shafts Q, Q³, upon which are also fixed the toothed wheels Q, Q. These
toothed wheels are geared with each other by means of the intermediate toothed
wheel Q carried by a stud Q7 firmly secured to the frame A.
A hooked rod K³ is pivotted to the lower end of the arm or cross-head d, and is
so arranged that, when the breech is closed, it will engage with the flange of the
cartridge in the uppermost groove of the wheel Qas shown in Figure 1. During

page_text: the rearward movement of the breech-block and its adjuncts, this hooked rod
transfers the said cartridge from the wheel Q to the lowermost groove of the
wheel Q. The said rod K¹ is supported by a spring K2 attached to the frame A,
and is arranged to be acted upon by an arm K³ also attached to the said frame and
having an inclined face K*, which comes in contact with a correspondingly inclined
face K on the said rod, and depresses the latter at the proper time to disengage it
from the cartridge. The cartridges are prevented from falling from the wheel Q¹
by the casing Q* which partially surrounds the said wheel.
The following means are provided for intermittently rotating the feed-wheels Q, Q¹,
that is to say, a projection C having two inclined faces C6, C7 (as shown in dotted
lines in Figure 5) is formed or fixed on the underside of the breech-block C. The
feed-wheel Q is provided with two series of teeth q, q' having inclined faces
corresponding with those on the projection C. During the latter part of the
rearward movement of the breech-block, the inclined face C7 of the projection C³
acts upon one of the teeth q and partially rotates the feed-wheel Q1, say, for
instance, one third of the distance requisite to bring a fresh cartridge in line with
the barrel. During the first part of the forward movement of the breech-block, the
inclined face C of the projection C5 acts upon one of the teeth q and partially
rotates the said feed-wheel so as to bring the said cartridge in line with the barrel.
The said projection C then enters and slides in one of the grooves or channels Qu
and thus retains the wheel Q1 in position until the said cartridge is pushed into the
.barrel. Motion is imparted from the feed-wheel Q¹ to the feed-wheel Q. by means
of the gear-wheels QQ and Q. The said feed-wheels can either be supplied with
cartridges by hand, or a belt or chain of cartridges may be combined with the
feed-wheel in a similar manner to that described in the specification of my
former Letters Patent dated 16th July A.D. 1883, N° 3493. The empty cartridge-
cases, after they have been withdrawn from the barrel, are carried around by the
feed-wheel Q until they are ejected or fall therefrom through the opening A2 in
the frame A.
As above stated, the energy developed by the explosion, in forcing back the
breech-block and parts connected therewith, must be stored in order that it may
be utilized to effect the forward movement of the said breech-block and other
parts and perform the above specified operations. For this purpose a volute
spring, like an ordinary clock spring, is provided. This spring is arranged
within a cover or case k¹ to which one end of the said spring is secured, the other
end thereof being secured to the crank-shaft e, so that, when the said crank-shaft
is partially rotated by the rearward movement of the piston c, the said spring
will be compressed or wound up, and will then react upon the said crank-shaft.
The cover or case I is attached to the frame.A by screws 2 passing through the
slots, and the said cover or case is provided with a handle so that it can be
adjusted in either direction to regulate the tension of the spring . By these
means the tension of the spring can, if desired, be so diminished that, after the
breech-block and other parts have been moved backward by the force of the
The gun
explosion, the said spring will not cause the return movement thereof.
can then be discharged, when desired, by turning the handle in the proper
direction, and thus compressing or winding up the said spring.
The operation of this gun is as follows, that is to say:-A cartridge must first
be introduced into the barrel-chamber by hand, either directly or by turning the
wheel e. When the said cartridge is fired, the passage or escape of the gases from
the muzzle of the gun creates a vacuum or partial vacuum in the chamber b, so
that the external atmospheric pressure acting upon the piston c causes it to move
backward in the said chamber and thus operate the breech-mechanism through
the medium of the rods c¹ and crank-shaft e as above described.
In the rearward movement of the breech-block and parts connected therewith,
the extractor g withdraws the empty cartridge-case from the barrel B into the
uppermost groove of the feed-wheel Q¹, and the crank-pin e², travelling downward

page_text: in the slot d³, acts upon the lever j and draws back the firing pin or striker i until
the sear h falls and its shoulder h¹ engages with the shoulder of the said firing
pin or striker. This downward movement of the sear h relaxes the pressure of the
spring upon the extractor g so as to permit the said cartridge-case to be
subsequently carried around by the wheel Q and ejected through the opening A²
The hooked rod K¹, in its rearward movement, draws a cartridge from the
uppermost groove of the feed-wheel Qinto the lowermost groove of the feed-
wheel Q. The projection C³ on the breech-block then acts upon one of the teeth q
of the feed-wheel Q' and causes the partial rotation of the feed-wheels as above
described. The spring, which has been compressed or wound up by the partial
rotation of the crank-shaft e, then reacts so as to partially rotate the crank-shaft e
in the opposite direction and move forward the piston c and the breech-block and
parts connected therewith. This forward movement causes the feed-wheels Q, Q¹
to be again partially rotated by the projection C5 acting upon one of the teeth q¹,
so as to bring a fresh cartridge in line with the barrel and also to bring a fresh
cartridge in the feed-wheel Qin line with the lowermost groove of the feed-
wheel Q. The breech-block, in its forward movement, forces this cartridge into
the barrel, and is driven home, that is to say it is pressed firmly against the
breech-end of the barrel. At the moment of closing the breech, the crank-pin e
is forced against the end of the sear h and pushes the same up so as to release the
firing pin which, by the action of the spring , is driven forward and fires the
cartridge contained in the barrel. This movement of the sear also causes the
extractor to engage with the flange of the cartridge, and locks the extractor or
prevents its disengagement from the cartridge-case before the latter is started from
the barrel.
The discharge of each cartridge operates the mechanism in the manner above
described. It will, therefore, be understood that, after the first cartridge is fired,
the fire-arm operates automatically until all the cartridges in the magazine or in
the feed-wheels are fired, unless, or until, the tension of the spring k is diminished
as above described to prevent the return movement of the breech-block and parts
connected therewith.
The effect produced by the force of the gases issuing from the muzzle of the
gun can be increased or diminished by moving the sliding portion a¹ so that it
projects more or less beyond the muzzle.
If it is desired to utilize the dynamic force of the said gases directly (instead of
indirectly as above described) I fit upon the muzzle of the gun a sleeve or tubular
piece, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, which piece is firmly united to a socket 11
fitted to slide a short distance to and fro on the barrel B, and connected, by the
side rods or links m, to a sleeve or ring m* also fitted to slide to and fro on the
barrel. This sleeve or ring is connected by the links m¹ to levers n pivotted or
fulcrummed upon a pin or rod n fixed in the frame A. These levers are connected
by the links o to the arms or extensions c² of the rods c*, which rods take the
place of the piston-rods above described. The bore of the sleeve or tubular piece
is diminished at its front end, and the said piece is provided with a series of
shoulders in the manner shown, so that although a bullet can pass through the
said piece, yet the gases issuing from the muzzle of the gun will, by reason of
their expansion, act upon the shoulders and force forward the tubular piece
and its socket upon the barrel, when the gun is fired. This forward movement
of the said tubular piece causes a rearward movement of the rods c* and of the
breech-block C and parts connected therewith, all of which are constructed in a
similar manner to those shown in Figures 1 to 5. It will, therefore, be readily
understood that this gun will also operate automatically as herein before described.
It is obvious that by modifying the details of construction above described, a
gun might be made in such a manner that the feeding, loading, cocking, firing,
extracting or ejecting, or two or more of these operations would be effected by
the force of the gases issuing from the muzzle of the gun.

page_text: In Figures 8 to 14, I have shown how my invention may be conveniently and
advantageously applied to a rifle.
Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a Colt magazine rifle, with my
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 9 is a section on the line x², x³, Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a Winchester magazine rifle,
with my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of part of the same.
Figure 12 is a section on the line ³, x³, Figure 11.
Figures 13 and 14 represent details of the rifle shown in Figure 10.
In Figures 15 to 18, I have shown various devices, designed to be actuated by
the passage or escape of the gases from the muzzle of the gun, to operate the
breech-mechanism.
In the Colt rifle, shown in Figures 8 and 9, a sliding sleeve or tubular piece is
fitted on the muzzle-end of the barrel B, and connected by two side rods r to the
forked piece or cross-head 71, These rods extend nearly to the breech-end of the
barrel and are secured to the said cross-head by screws or otherwise. A slot ²
being formed in each side of the gun to permit the to-and-fro movement of the
rods and cross-head r¹. This cross-head is connected by a link to the trigger-
guard-lever s, which, in the ordinary Colt rifle, is worked by hand to operate the
breech-mechanism. A spring t is arranged within the magazine-tube B¹; this
spring is coupled at one end to the sleeve and at the other end to the disc or
block t' fixed in the said magazine-tube. When the gun is fired, the gases issuing
from the muzzle force forward the sleeve l thereby expanding or extending the
spring t and moving the trigger-guard-lever 8 downward and forward so as to cock
the hammer, extract and eject the empty cartridge-case and bring another cartridge
in line with the barrel. The spring t then reacts and moves the said trigger-guard-
lever backward and upward, thereby thrusting the cartridge into the barrel and
preparing the arm for the next discharge.
In the Winchester rifle, shown in Figures 10 to 14, I utilize the socket u¹ of the
bayonet u as the device whereby the gases issuing from the muzzle are caused to
operate the breech-mechanism. The said socket is made with an extension u³, in
front of the muzzle, having an aperture in its forward end just large enough for the
passage of a bullet or projectile. The said socket is, moreover, made with two
arms u³, u³, slotted so that they will engage with the side rods 7, when the bayonet
is placed upon the gun-barrel and partially rotated to lock it thereon. The rods ?
are provided at their front ends with fixed collars 4, 7, between which the said
arms engage with the rods; and the said rods are connected at their rear ends to
a cross-head surrounding the magazine-tube B' and connected by a link to the
trigger-guard-lever s, for the purpose above specified. The energy requisite to
effect the return movement of the said trigger-guard-lever is stored and utilized
by the spring v, which surrounds the magazine-tube B¹ and bears at one end
against a ring or collar B² fixed thereon, and at the other end against the cross-
head, and which is compressed by the action of the said gases on the socket u¹.
A spring v¹, moreover, assists the action of the spring v.
The device shown in Figure 15 consists of two double armed levers w, which are
pivotted to the barrel B, and the long arms of which project in front of the muzzle
of the gun, sufficient space being left between them for the passage of a projectile.
The short arms of the said levers are connected by rods r with the breech-
mechanism.
In the device shown in Figure 16, a tube b¹ (which I term a vacuum tube) is
arranged beneath the barrel B, and a piston c4 is fitted in this tube and connected
by a rod c with the trigger-guard-lever or with other means for operating the
breech-mechanism. The forward end of the tube communicates with the muzzle-
end of the barrel B, or with a cap or nozzle B' thereon, so that the passage or
escape of the gases from the muzzle will create a vacuum in the said tube in front

page_text: of the piston. The said tube, as will be readily understood, must be open at its
rear end to the external atmosphere.
In Figure 17, I have shown one double armed lever w³ pivotted to an arm B³
attached to the barrel B. One arm of this lever projects slightly in front of the
muzzle, and the other arm is connected by a rod with the breech-mechanism.
In Figure 18, the rod r, which is connected with the breech-mechanism, projects
beyond the muzzle and is provided with a ring z, which extends upward in front
of the muzzle and has an aperture just large enough for the passage of a bullet or
projectile.
In all these cases a spring is used for storing and utilizing energy for effecting
the requisite operations as above specified.
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:
First. A machine or battery gun or other fire-arm provided or constructed with
mechanism by which, after starting the gun, the dynamic force of the gases
escaping from the muzzle is so utilized (either directly or indirectly) that the
various operations necessary in working the gun are continued automatically so
long as the supply of ammunition is maintained, or one or more of such operations
may be automatically performed, as above set forth.
Second. The combination, with the barrel, of one or more vacuum chambers or
tubes, a piston fitted in one of the said chambers or tubes arranged to be acted
upon by the atmospheric pressure and connected with the breech-mechanism, and a
spring which stores up energy during the recoil or backward movement of the said
mechanism and thereby causes the reaction of the same, as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Third. The combination of parts comprising the breech-block, having the slotted
arm or cross-head formed integrally therewith, or rigidly attached thereto, the
crank-shaft and means for operating the same by the force of the gases issuing from
the muzzle of the gun at each discharge thereof, as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The combination of parts comprising the breech-block constructed or
provided with the aforesaid slotted arm or cross-head, the firing pin i (provided
with the head 2 having the knife-edge and the roller ³), and the lever j pivotted
to the said slotted arm or cross-head and arranged to be operated by the
crank-pin e, as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The peculiar arrangement of the sear and the extractor in combination
with the breech-block, the firing pin, the slotted cross-head and the crank-shaft,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Sixth. The combination, with the crank-shaft and the spring attached thereto,
of the adjustable cover or case, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Seventh. The combination of parts comprising the feed-wheel provided with two
series of teeth, and the inclined faces on the breech-block, arranged and operating
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. The combination of parts comprising the breech-block, the slotted cross-
head, and the two extractors or hooked rods, whereby the extraction of the empty
cartridge-case from the barrel and the transfer of a cartridge from the first feed-
wheel to the second feed-wheel, will be simultaneously effected, as above set forth.
Ninth. The combination, with the hooked rod or extractor K', of the supporting
spring and the releasing arm, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Tenth. The improved machine or battery gun consisting of the parts constructed
and combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the
drawings and operating as above specified.
Eleventh. The modification of my invention wherein the breech-mechanism is
arranged to be operated by the direct action of the gases upon a sliding sleeve or
tubular piece fitted on the muzzle-end of the barrel, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings.

page_text: Twelfth. The adaptation of my invention to a rifle substantially as described
with reference to either of the modifications shewn in Figures 8 and 9, or in
Figures 10 to 14 of the drawings.
Thirteenth. The further modifications of my invention shewn in Figures 15
to 18 of the drawings and above described.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
*For the Applicant.