Improvements in or connected with Breech-loading Small-arms.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Breech-loading Small-arms.
I, GEORGE LINCOLN PUTNAM, of Room 110 No. 10, Wall Street, New York City,
New York, U.S., America, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in, or connected with breech-
loading small-arms and more particularly to that class in which the breech is opened
and closed by a longitudinally moveable bolt, and which may be adapted to magazine
loading.
The invention has for its object to generally improve and simplify the construction
and mode of operation of breech-loading small-arms, to render them more efficient
and certain of operation, to adapt a magazine loading fire-arm for single loading, and
to render the parts capable of being easily dismantled and replaced; and to these
ends the improvements consist in the novel constructions and the combinations of parts
hereinafter set forth.
According to my invention, the improved small-arm consists of a stock having a
metallic casing containing a loading chamber, the latter communicating with the
breech portion of the barrel, and to which casing the said breech portion of the barrel
is firmly secured and a lock chamber is provided, adapted to contain the lock
mechanism, and also the breech bolt when the latter is retracted.
The breech bolt is in the main of a cylinderical form, its forward end adapted when
in axial allignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, to fit against and close
the breech end of the barrel, and so that its rearward end, or a portion thereof, fits
firmly against a shoulder of the casing so that the recoil of the bolt shall be taken
solely by said casing, and not be communicated to the lock mechanism. For loading
the bolt is moveable both vertically and rearwardly, vertically to carry its rearward
end downward away from the aforesaid shoulder, and then rearwardly to open the
breech and expose the loading chamber. This movement of the breech bolt is
obtained through connections with the trigger carrier, extending into and capable of
sliding longitudinally in the lock chamber, in guide ways formed by a detachable
guide piece fitted to the underside of the stock; the bolt is at the same time guided
in its longitudinal movement by projections at the forward end of the bolt, moving in
guideways formed in the opposite side walls of the loading chamber, and also by its
rear upper surface, bearing against opposite longitudinal projections, extending
rearwardly from the extentions of the underside of the shoulder.
The connection between the breech bolt, and the trigger carrier, is effected by a
bolt tail-piece having lateral projections, engaged by a bridge-piece of the trigger
carrier, and by a pair of oppositely projecting flanges carried by said bolt tail-piece,
arranged to bear upon the upper surface of said bridge piece of the trigger
carrier. This bridge-piece is bifurcated, or divided longitudinally, to receive the bolt
tail-piece between its two side members, and to allow the projections upon the bolt
tail piece, to engage the under surfaces of the bridge-piece, the latter is formed with
a straight portion parallel with the line of movement of the carrier, which straight
portion permits a slight movement of the carrier, with respect to the bolt at the time
of firing, without moving or unlocking the breech-bolt froin its firing position..
This straight portion (of the bridge piece of the trigger carrier) is continued by an
inclined or cam front portion, arranged, when the carrier is moved during the

page_text: extracting operation, to meet the lateral projections of the bolt tail-piece, and to
forcibly depress and move the rear end of the bolt downwardly, to take its rear end
from in front of the rear supporting fixed shoulder, and thus unlock it or remove it
from the normal firing position. This inclined or cam portion of the bridge piece
merges into another straight portion, providing an additional lost motion, between
the carrier and the bolt, sufficient to permit the carrier to exert the force of a blow
upon the bolt, to start the extraction of the spent shell from the gun breech,
whereupon the said lateral projections at the rear of the bolt tail piece, meet the
forward end wall of the bridge-piece, so that the bolt may then be withdrawn
rearwardly, with the carrier, back into the lock chamber, to expose the loading
chamber for the reception of a cartridge.
When the breech bolt is in this locked position, the side flanges bear upon the
extreme upper portion of the bridge piece, and the breech bolt is thus prevented from
downward movement. There is no downward strain upon the bridge piece, during
recoil, owing to the fact that the breech bolt extends in a direct parallel line to and in
axial allignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, and hence the recoil is
transmitted in a direct horizontal line to the rear supporting shoulder, the bearing
face of which is approximately vertical, or at right angles thereto. In addition to the
flanges of the bolt tail-piece, resting on the upper part of the bridge piece, the said
flanges are clamped between said bridge piece and side extensions of the shoulder,
and thus all play or lost motion of the bolt is prevented.
The extreme forward end of the straight portion of the bridge-piece is formed with
a depression or recess, in which each flange rests when the bolt is moved longitudinally
by the carrier, the shoulder formed by the recess providing means for moving the
bolt forward to its normal firing position.
The carrier has pivotted to it, a trigger, having front and rear arms and controlled
by a flat spring; the front arm is arranged to engage the short arm of a sear, and the
other or longer arm whereof engages and holds, (when the gun is cocked) the firing-
pin tail-piece, the firing-pin being otherwise of the usual form.
The rear arm of the trigger is arranged beneath a carrier lock, or lock plate,
pivotally mounted to the rear of the carrier, and spring-pressed by a spring and
having at its forward end a pair of projections, arranged normally to engage recesses
in the guide, to lock the carrier in its normal position with the gun cocked, and
immediately following the firing, to be raised by said rear arm of the trigger, to free
the carrier, and permit it to slide on the guide. The carrier is thus locked against
longitudinal movement when the gun is cocked and ready to be fired. Subsequently
to the gun being fired the carrier is released or unlocked, so that it may slide
rearwardly a short distance, or while the straight portion of the carrier bridge pièce is
moving idly over the projections of the bolt tail-piece. To prevent an excessive
movement of the carrier on its slide, following the firing, and thus too quickly
unlocking the breech bolt, there is provided a stop, formed by the rear wall of the
recess in the guide, with which engage a pair of projections on the end of the front
arm of the trigger when the latter is rocked in the act of firing.
It should be understood that in fire arms of the general character shown, should the
stop-forming shoulders, or their equivalent, be absent, the pull on the trigger to fire
the gun, and a continuation of which movement at the same time unlocks the trigger
carrier from its normal position, would have had the tendency to move the carrier and
trigger sufficiently rearward at the instant of releasing the firing-pin, to inadvertently
unlock the breech bolt, and move it rearward so quickly that there would be danger
(should there be a slight delay in the explosion of the cartridge,) of the cartridge being
partially withdrawn from the barrel with harm both to the fire-arm and to the user.
The interposition of a stop such as the shoulders formed by the rear walls of the
recess, in the present construction, prevents such inadvertent excessive movement of
the carrier, and the consequent unlocking of the breech-bolt, so that notwithstanding
a slight movement of the carrier takes place, such movement is positively limited by
the stop, and the breech still remains locked so that the shoulder may take force of
the recoil.

page_text: In order that this stoppage of the initial movement of the carrier, shall be more"
marked, without complicating the construction, and that the user he compelled to
make another movement in order to unlock the bolt, and move it rearward, the
construction requires that the trigger be released to return automatically to its
normal position, so that the projections thereon shall thereby be moved away from
the rear wall of the recess before the carrier may be moved rearward. This movement
of the carrier may be effected by the trigger-finger of the user, after removal from
the trigger, by pressure against the rear of the trigger guard immediately behind the
trigger or against any other part connected with the carrier.
The sear is mounted on a pivot carried by the casing immediately in front of the
normal position of the trigger carrier, so as to be independent of both the carrier and
the breech-bolt. When the sear is supporting the firing-pin tail-piece in its cocked
position, the stress of the firing-pin -spring is exerted directly in line with the axis
When the firing-pin has been released and the gun fired the tail-piece
of the firing pin occupies a position immediately in rear of a cross bar or other firm
protection of the carrier bridge, so that when the carrier is moved rearward in
depressing or unlocking the bolt, the firing pin tail piece is engaged by said cross
bar, so that the firing-pin is moved longitudinally with respect to the bolt into its
cocked position, in which position it is held by reason of its flanges being then'
bearing against the shoulder of the portions of the bridge-piece, and the firing-pin is
thus held cocked until the bolt approaches its normal firing position at which time
its tail-piece meets the end of the sear just in advance of the incline or cam, and
acting upon the flanges of the bolt, moves the latter upwardly into locked or firing
position.
The forward end of the breech-bolt is bevelled and is arranged to fit a bevelled
recess in the breech end of the gun barrel itself, and thereby enable the cartridge to
be moved into the barrel without jamming. The same end of the bolt is recessed to
receive the rim of the cartridge which is engaged at its upper side by a spring book,"
and at its under side by the short arm of a bell-crank shell starter. The opposite
and long end of this starter extends normally into a recess on the under side of the
breech bolt, and in the path of an incline or cam thereon, which when the bolt is
started to be withdrawn, is moved rearwardly, bears against said end of the starter,
rocks it, and forcibly starts the movement of the spent shell from the gun-barrel.
The action of this starter is coincident with the blow imparted by the rearward
movement of the carrier upon the breech bolt in starting its rearward movement after
having unlocked and depressed said bolt.
The spent cartridge is drawn rearward from the barrel toward the shoulder by the
hook, and is forcibly expelled from the loading chamber by the contact of the lower
portion of the cartridge rim with an ejector. This ejector is pivottally mounted on
the pivot of the sear, and is of narrow width, to enter a longitudinal groove along
the under side of the breech-bolt near its forward end. The ejector also has an arm,
of comparatively wide face, which normally lies in the path of a cam or incline formed
on the under side of the bolt, so that when the bolt has almost reached its rearward
position, the cam will operate to rock the ejector into the path of the lower portion of
the cartridge rim, and in meeting it, forcibly eject the spent shell.
For magazine loading the fire-arm supports from its under side co-incident with the
loading chamber, a magazine case, adapted to contain a number of cartridges, the
cartridges being constantly pressed upwardly by a spring pressed lever.
In order to adapt the gun for single loading, as well as magazine loading,
the cartridges are assembled in a clip which is in the main of Ụ shape open top and
bottom, and adapted to embrace only the rearward portion of the cartridges. "This
clip or its sides are of a slight spring tendency to bear with slight friction against
their sides to hold them in place, and the upper ends of the sides are flanged.
inwardly slightly, to hold the uppermost cartridges from being expelled by the spring-
pressed lever up into the loading chamber. When the fire arin is arranged for
magazine loading the uppermost cartridge will have been moved by the spring-
pressed lever upward against the flange of the clip, and partially in the loading

page_text: chamber, and in the path of the end of the breech bolt, as it is moved from the rear
to its normal position. When the fire arm is to be used as a single loader, and it is
desired to render the magazine loading in-operative, or idle, means are provided for
moving the cartridges in the magazine downward, or for holding them down, so
that the uppermost cartridge is out of position to be taken by the breech-bolt when
moved forward in the loading movement. This is effected in the present instance by
employing a retainer, which preferably but not necessarily engages with the clip, and
by an up or down movement moves the clip with the cartridges up into operative
magazine position, or down out of operative magazine position; the flanges of the
clip bearing against the uppermost cartridge serve to carry all the cartridges downward
(against the tension of the spring-pressed lever) when the retainer is moved for the
purpose, and tension of said spring-pressed lever serve to aid in moving them bodily
upward upon a reverse movement of the retainer.
The retainer is conveniently formed by a slide arranged in a guide on the rear side
of the magazine. The inner side of the retainer slide has an inner projection or hook,
arranged to engage a slot in the rear side of the clip; and also has a finger-piece,
extending outward through a slot in the side of the guide, for movement by the user.
The slide immediately adjacent to the finger-piece, carries a pin, to engage one or the
other of a pair of notches in the guide, to hold the retainer in either of its moved
positions.
From the foregoing it will be understood that the fire arm is adapted with a fixed
magazine, to be employed as a single loader, or for magazine loading, by the simple
operation of the retainer; such retainer and its mode of controlling the position of
the cartridges in the magazine casing, being obviously capable of different embodi-
ments without departing from the spirit hereof. It is preferred, however, to employ
the clip before described, as it forms a convenient holder for the cartridges, in loading
them into the magazine case, through the loading chamber; the clip after the last
cartridge has been taken by the breech bolt falls out by gravity through the opening
in the bottom of the magazine case.
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Breech-loading Small-arms.
I, GEORGE LINCOLN PUTNAM of Room 110 No. 10 Wall Street, New York City, New
York, United States of America, Civil Engineer, 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 improvements in, or connected with breech-
loading fire-arms, and more particularly to that class in which the breech is opened
and closed by a longitudinally moveable bolt, and which may be adapted to magazine
loading.
The invention has for its object to generally improve and simplify the construction
and mode of operation of breech-loading fire-arms, to render them more efficient and
certain of operation, to adapt a magazine loading fire-arm for single loading, and to
render the parts capable of being easily dismantled and replaced; and to these ends
the improvements consist in the novel constructions and the combinations of parts
hereinafter fully set forth.
As a detailed description of a practical embodiment of the invention will aid a
more ready understanding thereof such a description will now be given, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

page_text: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of a magazine fire-arın as is necessary to
an understanding thereof, the gun being in its cocked position.
Fig. 2 is a like view, the gun having been fired.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, the breech bolt having been unlocked and about to
be moved rearwardly, showing also a spring catch for holding one end of the longi-
tudinal guide for the trigger carrier.
Fig. 4 is also a sectional elevation, the breech bolt being in its extreme rearward
position, ready on being moved forward to push a cartridge from the magazine into
the barrel.
Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a portion of Fig. 2 shewing the initial rearward
movement of the trigger carrier and its locked position until the trigger is
released.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the trigger carrier and its guide and a portion of the
breech bolt removed from the gun.
Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections of Fig. 1 shewing the active and inactive
position of the magazine for magazine loading and single loading respectively.
Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively transverse sections on the lines 9-9 and 10-10 of
Fig. 1.
According to my invention the improved fire-arm consists of a stock 1, having a
metallic casing 2, containing a loading chamber 3, Fig. 4, the latter communicating
with the breech portion of the barrel, and to which casing 2, the said breech portion
of the barrel 4, is firmly secured, and a lock chamber 5 adapted to contain the lock
inechanism and also the breech bolt when the latter is retracted.
The breech bolt 6 is in the main of a cylindrical form, its forward end adapted
when in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel to fit against and
close the breech end of the barrel as in Figs. 1 & 2 with its rearward end or a
portion thereof fitting firmly against a shoulder 8 of the casing 2, so that the recoil
of the bolt shall be taken solely by said casing and not be communicated to the lock
mechanism. For loading, the bolt is moveable both vertically and rearwardly,
vertically to carry its rearward end downward away from the shoulder 8 and then
rearwardly to open the breech and expose the loading chamber. This movement of
the breech bolt is obtained through connections with the trigger carrier 13 extending
into and capable of sliding longitudinally in the lock chamber 5, in guide ways
formed by a detachable guide piece 14, fitted to the under-side of the stock 1; the
bolt at the same time being guided in its longitudinal movement by projections
22 Fig. 3, at the forward end of the bolt moving in guideways 21 formed in the opposite
side walls of the loading chamber 5, and also by its rear upper surface bearing
against opposite longitudinal projections 23, extending rearwardly from and forming
extensions of the underside of the shoulder 8, as shewn by Fig. 4.
The connection between the breech bolt 6, and the trigger carrier 13, is effected
by a bolt tail-piece 11 having lateral projections 10 engaged by a bridge piece of the
trigger carrier 13, and by a pair of oppositely projecting flanges 53 Figs. 3, 4 and 6
carried by said bolt tail-piece arranged to bear upon the upper surface of said bridge-
piece of the trigger carrier. This bridge-piece is bifurcated or divided longitudinally
to receive the bolt tail-piece between its two side members and to allow the pro-
jections 10 upon the bolt tail piece to engage the under surfaces of the bridge piece,
as best seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 6; the latter is formed with a straight portion
parallel with the line of movement of the carriers which straight portion permits a
slight movement of the carrier with respect to the bolt at the time of firing, without
moving or unlocking the breech-bolt from its firing position.
This straight portion of the bridge piece of the trigger carrier is continued by an
inclined or cam front portion c Fig. 6 arranged when the carrier is moved during the
extracting operation to meet the lateral projections 10 of the bolt tail piece and to
forcibly depress and move the rear end of the bolt downwardly, to take its rear end
from in front of the shoulder 8 Fig. 1, and thus unlock it or remove it from the
normal firing position as in Fig. 3. This inclined or cam portion of the bridge piece'
merges into another straight portion providing an additional lost motion between the

page_text: carrier and the bolt sufficient to permit the carrier to exert the force of a blow upon
the bolt to start the extraction of the spent shell from the gun breech, whereupon the
said lateral projections 10 meet the forward end wall of the bridge-piece so that
the bolt may then be withdrawn rearwardly with the carrier, back into the lock
chamber 5 as in Fig. 4, to expose the loading chamber for the reception of a
cartridge.
When the breech bolt is in this backward position the side flanges 53 hear 'upon
the extreme upper portion of the bridge piece and the breech bolt is thus prevented
from downward movement. There is no downward strain upon the bridge piece
during recoil owing to the fact that the breech bolt extends in a direct parallel line
to and in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, and hence the
recoil is transmitted in a direct horizontal line to the rear supporting shoulder 8,
which is approximately vertical or at right angles thereto, In addition to the
flanges 53 resting on the upper part of the bridge-piece the said flanges are clamped
between said bridge piece and the side extensions 23 of the shoulder and thus all
play or lost notion of the bolt is prevented.
The extreme forward end of the straight portion of the bridge-piece is formed with
a depression or recess in which each flange 53 rests when the bolt is moved longi-
tudinally by the carrier, the shoulder formed by the recess providing means for
moving the bolt forward to its normal firing position.
The carrier 13 has pivotted to it a trigger 43 having front and rear arms 44, 45,
and controlled by a flat spring 49, secured to the underside of the rear arm the front
arm 44 arranged to engage the short arm of a sear 41, the other or longer arm
whereof engages and holds, (when the gun is cocked), the firing-pin tail-piece 37 as in
Fig. 1, the firing pin 29 being otherwise of the usual form mounted within the bolt,
and spring-pressed by a suitable spring 28.
The rear arm 45 of the trigger is arranged beneath a carrier lock or lock plate 46.
pivotally mounted to the rear of the carrier and spring-pressed by a spring 49, and
having at its forward end a pair of projections 50 Fig. 3 arranged normally to engage
recesses 51 Fig. 4 in the guide 14, to lock the carrier in its normal position with the
gun cocked and immediately following the firing to be raised Fig. 2 by said rear-
arm of the trigger to free the carrier and permit it to slide on the guide 14. The
carrier is thus locked against longitudinal movement when the gun is cocked and
ready to be fired. Subsequently to the gun being fired the carrier is released or
unlocked, so that it may slide rearwardly a short distance, or while the straight
portion of the carrier bridge piece is moving idly over the projections 10 of the bolt
tail-piece. To prevent an excessive movement of the carrier on its slide, following
the firing, and thus too quickly unlocking the breech bolt there is provided a stop
forined by the wall of the recess 51 Figs. 4 and 5 in the guide 14, with which engage
the pair of projections 44 on the end of the front arm of the trigger when the latter
is rocked in the act of firing.
It should be understood that in fire arms of the general character shewn, should
the stop-forming shoulders or their equivalent, be absent, the pull on the trigger to
fire the gun, and a continuation of which movement at the same time unlocks the
trigger carrier 13 from its normal position, would have had the tendency to move the
carrier and trigger sufficiently rearward at the instant of releasing the firing pin to
inadvertently unlock the breech bolt and move it rearward so quickly that there
would be danger, (should there be a slight delay in the explosion of the cartridge), of
the cartridge being partially withdrawn from the barrel with harm both to the fire-
arm and to the user. The interposition of a stop such as the shoulders formed by
the rear walls of the recess 51, in the present construction prevents such inadvertent
excessive movement of the carrier and the consequent unlocking of the breech-bolt,
so that notwithstanding a slight inovement of the carrier having taken place, as in
Fig. 5, such movement is positively limited by the stop and the breech still remains
locked so that the shoulder 8 may take the force of the recoil.
In order that this stoppage of the initial movement of the carrier shall be more
marked, without complicating the construction, and that the user be compelled to

page_text: make another movement in order to unlock the bolt, and move it rearward, the
construction requires that the trigger be released to return automatically to its
normal position, so that the projections thereon shall thereby be moved away from
the rear wall of the recess 51 before the carrier may be moved rearward. This
movement of the carrier may be effected by the trigger-finger of the user after
removal from the trigger by pressure against the rear of the trigger guard
immediately behind the trigger, or against any other part connected with the
carrier.
The sear 41 is mounted on a pivot 32 carried by the casing 2 immediately in
front of the normal position of the trigger carrier 13, so as to be independent of both
the carrier and the breech bolt. When the sear is supporting the firing-pin tail-
piece in its cocked position the stress of the firing pin spring is exerted directly in
line with the axis of the sear. When the firing pin has been released and the gun
fired the tail-piece of the firing pin occupies a position shewn in Fig. 2 immediately
in rear of a cross bar or other firm protection of the carrier bridge, so that when the
carrier is moved rearward in depressing or unlocking the bolt, as in Fig. 3 and 4 the
firing pin tail piece is engaged by said cross bar so that the firing pin is moved
longitudinally with respect to the bolt into its cocked position in which position it is
held by reason of its flanges being then bearing against the shoulder of the portions
c of the bridge piece, and the firing pin is thus held cocked until the bolt approaches
its normal firing position at which time its tail-piece meets the ends of the sear 41
just in advance as the incline or cam c, acting upon the flanges of the bolt moves the
latter upwardly into locked or firing position.
The front end of the breech-bolt is bevelled as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 and is
arranged to fit a bevelled recess in the breech end of the barrel itself, and thereby
enable the cartridge to be moved into the barrel without jamming. The same end
of the bolt, see Fig. 1 & 2 is recessed to receive the rin of the cartridge which is
engaged at its upper side by the usual spring hook 7, and at its underside by the
short arm of a bell-crank shell starter 31. The opposite and long end of this starter.
extends normally into a recess on the under side of the breech bolt, and in the path
of an incline or can 20, thereon (Figs. 1 & 2), which when the bolt is started to be
withdrawn, is moved rearwardly, bears against side end of the starter, rocks it, and
forcibly starts the movement of the spent shell from the gun barrel. The action of
this starter is coincident with the blow imparted by the rearward movement of the
carrier upon the breech bolt ir. starting its rearward movement after having unlocked
and depressed said bolt.
The spent cartridge is drawn rearward from the barrel toward the shoulder 8 by
the hook 7, and is forcibly expelled from the loading chamber by the contact of the
lower portion of the cartridge rim with an ejector 26. This ejector is pivotally
mounted on the pivot 32 of the sear, and is of narrow width, to enter a longitudinal
groove along the underside of the breech-bolt near its forward end. The ejector also
has an arm 9 of comparatively wide face, which normally lies in the path of a cam or
incline 30 formed on the under side of the bolt, so that when the bolt has almost
reached ita rearward position, the cam will operate to rock the ejector into the path
of the lower portion of the cartridge rim, and in meeting it, forcibly eject the spent
shell.
For magazine loading the fire arm supports from its under side coincident with the
loading chamber a magazine case 56 adapted to contain a number of cartridges, the
cartridges being constantly pressed upwardly by a spring pressed lever 61.
In order to adapt the gun for single loading, as well as inagazine loading, the cart-
ridges are assembled in a clip 62 which is in the main of U shape, open top and
bottom, and adapted to embrace only the rearward portion of the cartridges. This
clip or its sides are of a slight spring tendency to bear with slight friction against
their sides to hold them in place, and the upper ends of the sides are flanged inwardly
slightly see Figs. 7 and 8, to hold the uppermost cartridges from being expelled by
the spring-pressed lever up into the loading chamber. When the fire arm is
arranged for magazine loading the uppermost cartridge will have been moved by the

page_text: spring pressed lever upward against the flange of the clip and partially in the loading-
chamber and in the path of the end of the breech bolt as it is moved from the rear to
its forward position. When the fire arm is to be used as a single loader, and it is
desired to render the magazine loading in-operative or idle, means are provided for
moving the cartridges in the magazine downward, or for holding them down, so that
the uppermost cartridge is out of position to he taken by the breech-bolt when
moved forward in the loading movement. This is effected in the present instance by
employing a retainer 63 see Figs. 1 to 4, which preferably but not necessarily engages
with the clip, and by an up or down movement moves the clip with the cartridges
up into operative magazine position as in Fig. 7, or down out of operative magazine
position as in Fig. 8; the flanges of the clip bearing against the uppermost cartridge
serve to carry all the cartridges downwardly (against the tension of the spring-pressed
lever 61) when the retainer 63 is moved for the purpose, and tension of said spring-
pressed lever serving to aid in moving them bodily upward upon a reverse movement
of the retainer.
The retainer 63 is conveniently formed by a slide arranged in a guide on the rear
side of the magazine 56. The inner side of the retainer slide has an inner projection
or hook arranged to engage a slot in the rear side of the clip; and also has a finger-
piece 65, extending outward through a slot in the side of the guide for movement
by the user. The slide 63 immediately adjacent to the finger piece may carry a
suitable pin to engage one or the other of a pair of notches in the guide, to hold the
retainer in either of its moved positions.
From the foregoing it will be understood that the fire arın is adapted with a fixed
magazine, to be employed as a single loader, or for magazine loading, by the simple
operation of the retainer; such retainer and its mode of controlling the position of
the cartridges in the magazine casing, being obviously capable of different embodi-
ments without departing from the spirit hereof. It is preferred however, to employ
the clip 62 before described, as it forms a convenient holder for the cartridges, in
loading them into the magazine case, through the loading chamber; the clip after
the last cartridge has been taken by the breech-bolt falls out by gravity through the
opening 68 in the bottom of the magazine case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a fire arm, the combination with a longitudinally movable breech bolt having
a firing pin, a sear fixed relatively to the movement of the bolt and a carrier for
moving the bolt, as described.
2. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having a
firing-pin, a sear fixed relatively to the movement of the bolt and a trigger movable
with the bolt and from and to operative position with the sear, as set forth.
3. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having a
firing-pin, a sear fixed relatively to the movement of the bolt, a carrier for moving
the bolt, and a trigger movable with the carrier and bolt, as set forth.
4. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having a
spring pressed firing pin, a carrier connected to cock the firing pin of the bolt and to
move the bolt and a sear for holding the firing pin cocked on the return of the bolt
to normal position as set forth.
5. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech having a
firing-pin, a carrier connected to move the bolt and cock the firing-pin, a trigger
supported by the carrier, and a sear, as set forth.
6. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having a
firing pin, a carrier connected to move the bolt and cock the firing-pin, a trigger
carried by the carrier, and a sear fixed relatively to the movement of the bolt, carrier
and trigger, as set forth.
7. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a carrier
having a bridge piece connected to the bolt, said bridge piece providing a cam or

page_text: incline for depressing and raising the bolt and also a straight portion at each end of the
cam for lost motion between the carrier and bolt, as set forth.
8. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having a
firing pin, a longitudinally movable carrier having connections with the bolt a trigger
carried by the carrier for releasing the firing pin, and a stop connected to and moved
by the trigger to stop the movement of the carrier immediately following the firing
of the fire arm, as set forth.
9. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a
longitudinally movable carrier having connection with the bolt, a trigger supported
by the carrier, a carrier lock released and moved from locking position by the trigger,
and a stop also moved by the trigger into stopping position upon the release of said
lock, as set forth.
10. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a
carrier for moving the bolt, a projection from the bolt, engaging the carrier for moving
the bolt rearwardly, and a flange on the bolt confined between the carrier and a
fixed portion of the fire-arm when the bolt is in its normal locked position, as set
forth.
11. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having
a firing pin, a carrier for moving the bolt, a projection from the bolt engaging the
carrier for moving the bolt rearwardly, a flange on the bolt confined between the
carrier and a fixed part of the stock when the bolt is in its normal locked position,
and a shoulder on the carrier for engaging said flange in returning the bolt to its
said normal position, as set forth.
12. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having
a firing pin, a carrier for cocking the firing pin and moving the bolt, a cocking piece
extending from the firing pin and engaging the carrier, a projection from the bolt
also engaging the carrier, and a trigger supported by the carrier, as set forth.
13. In a fire arm, the combination of a vertically and longitudinally movable
breech bolt having a firing pin, and a carrier connected to the bolt and to the firing
pin and movable to cock the firing pin as the bolt is moved vertically, as set forth.
14. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a
carrier connected to move the bolt, a lock for holding the carrier when in normal
position against movement, a trigger connected to release the lock and a projection
or stop on the trigger engaging a fixed shoulder on the stock and permitting a
limited movement of the carrier while the trigger is pulled, as set forth.
15. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a
carrier to move the bolt, a projection from the bolt loosely engaging the carrier,
a lock holding the carrier when in normal position against movement, a trigger con-
nected to release the lock and a stop on the trigger engaging a fixed shoulder on the
stock and permitting a limited movement of the carrier when the trigger is pulled
before the carrier engages the bolt-projection to cause a movement of the bolt, as set
forth.
16. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt having
a cartridge rim engaging hook a carrier for moving the bolt, and an ejector moved
into position by the bolt as it reaches the limit of its rearward movement to forcibly
eject the spent cartridge, as set forth.
17. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech-bolt having
a cartridge-rim engaging hook, a carrier for moving the bolt, a pivoted sear, a trigger
and an ejector mounted with the sear to eject the spent cartridge as the bolt reaches
the limit of its rearward movement as set forth.
18. In a fire-arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, having
a cartridge-rim engaging hook, a carrier for moving the bolt, a cam on the bolt, and
a bell crank ejector, one arm in the path of said cam and the other moved into the
path of the spent cartridge, as set forth.
19. In a fire arm, the combination of a longitudinally movable breech bolt, a bell
crank cartridge starter, mounted at the breech end of the barrel, a cam on the bolt
for rocking the starter, and a carrier connected to move the bolt, as set forth.

page_text: 20. In a magazine fire arm, the combination of the loading chamber, a magazine
communicating with said chamber, and a cartridge retainer for controlling the
position of the cartridges in the magazine, for single or magazine loading, as set
forth.
21. In a magazine fire arm, the combination of the loading chamber, a magazine
communicating therewith, a vertically movable clip embracing the cartridges and
mounted within the magazine, and means for raising or lowering the clip and its
cartridge with respect to the magazine, as set forth.
22. In a magazine fire arm, the combination of the loading chamber, a breech bolt, a
magazine communicating with said chamber, and a cartridge retainer for holding
the cartridges below and out of the path of the breech bolt, as set forth.
23. In a magazine fire arm, the combination of a loading chamber, a longitudinally
movable breech bolt, a magazine communicating with said chamber, a clip embracing
the cartridges and mounted on the magazine, a retainer engaging the clip to move
the clip and cartridges out of operative position with respect to the bolt, and a
cartridge feeding spring for moving the clip and cartridges into operative position,
as set forth.
24. In a fire arm, the combination of the longitudinally movable breech bolt, a
carrier connected to and moving the bolt, and a longitudinal guide for the carrier
detachably connected to the stock, which, when detached, permits the removal of the
bolt and carrier as a single piece, as set forth.
BREWER & SON,
London & Leeds, Agents for the applicant.