A NEW SELF-ACTING REPEATING RIPLE
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Julius Kraffert at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st May
1867.
I, JAMES JULIUS KRAFFERT, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW SELF-ACTING
REPEATING RIPLE," to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to the construction of self-acting magazine
fire-a ms, and consists chiefly, first, in the employment in the magazine of
a rotating series of tubes constructed and arranged to hold at one time from
three to four times as many charges as the receivers of ordinary magazine fire-
arms, and to allow several kinds of ammunition to be used at the same time.
The cartridges are propelled forward in these tubes by spiral springs.
The said improvements consist also in the novel construction and arrange-
ment of the parts of the lock, whereby the piece is cocked and a cartridge
passed from the magazine into the charge chamber by one movement without
changing the position of the piece; a sliding plate at the rear of the charge
chamber is connected to one end of a loading lever, and is kept up by a
spring acting on the same; when this lever is depressed the plate is drawn
down and allows a cartridge to pass from one of the tubes into the charge
chamber; another strong spring carries the needle or striking pin which
projects through the under side of the charge chamber; a trigger spring is
placed in close proximity to the said needle, and is formed with a notch to hold
the same down when the piece is cocked; this trigger spring is connected

page_text: by a wire to the trigger, which is arranged close to the end of the loading lever,
so that one finger will operate both; the sliding plate is provided with a stud
or finger which takes hold upon the needle spring and draws-it down with
the said plate.
The said improvements consists further in the mode of hermetically
sealing or closing the chamber to prevent the escape of gas, the sliding plate
which closes the breech is made conical or taper towards the top to còrrespond
with the rear surface of the said chamber. By constructing the plate in this
-form-it-will-not-close-the-chamber-till it-is-quite-up-in-its place,-and-can_be_
easily drawn down; the surface of the plate is provided with a brass packing
which assists in keeping the breech tight at the time of explosion. The
magazine is a steel cylinder enclosing a rotating cartridge receiver, which
consists of a series of tubes of brass or other suitable metal; the said tubes
are soldered or otherwise secured to metal dises or collars which fit so as to
'turn freely in the interior of the steel cylinder. Four of these tubes are by
preference employed, and they will each contain about fifteen cartridges at
one-time. The rear end of the magazine extends to the rear of the stock
to which a metal strap is attached. by ścrews or other suitable means. The
rear end of the tubes is closed by a valve which is attached by a screw rod to
the centre of the rotating receiver in such a manner as to be readily drawn
back when the receiver is to be filled. A metal strap or band is attached to
the forward end of the steel cylinder, and is provided with projecting pieces
to carry the trigger and loading lever and a guard for the sanie. The rear
end of the rifle tube or barrel and fore part of the stock are connected by a
cylindrical case which fits over the charge chamber at the rear of the barrel.
The connection between these parts is effected by means of strong screws.
Each tube is provided with a spiral spring to propel the cartridges forward,
one end of the said springs rests against the rear of the tube, and the other
is attached to a guide which consists of a number of telescopically arranged
tubes; the forward end of this guide is furnished with a head formed to fit
the base of the cartridges. The rear end of each of the said guides is
supported by a rod projecting from the valve at the rear of the receiver.
When the tubes are filled the said valve is closed, the pressure of the springs
being exerted against the rear of the series of cartridges, one of which is
forced into the charge chamber when the sliding plate is drawn down. The
point of the needle or striking pin projects through the under side of the
charge chamber; the said pin is attached at its outer end to one end of a
strong curved spring, a trigger spring is arranged in close proximity to the
said striking pin; this trigger spring is formed with a notch which when

page_text: the piece is cocked receives and holds the end of the curved spring. The
trigger spring is connected by a wire with the trigger, and when the latter. is
pulled releases the end of the curved spring which flies up and drives the
striking pin forcibly upward, causing it to penetrate the case of the cartridge
and explode the same. When one tube has been emptied, the receiver is
turned in the steel cylinder to bring another tube in line with the barrel, one
of the discs of the receiver being milled or grooved to facilitate its adjustment;
the receiver is kept from turning accidentally by a spring or other suitable
device. The cartridges employed have a pasteboard base to which the
fulminate is attached; the said fulminate lies in a cylindrical mass so that
it is sure to be struck by the needle when the same penetrates the cartridge
This improved rifle needs no ramrod as the barrel is secured by a
bayonet lock and can be readily removed when the needle is
the charge chamber and the case fitting over the same is released. A. rod for
cleaning the barrel is carried in the stock.
drawn out of