Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1887.
Complete Left, 10th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 12th July, 1887.
I, JOSEPH JAMES SPEED, of 3 Woodstock Villas, Waltham Cross in the County
of Herts, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
My invention relates to magazine or repeating fire-arms and its main object is to
provide improved means for enabling a magazine-rifle to be used as a "single
loader while a supply of cartridges is kept in reserve in the magazine.
"
For this purpose, I employ a catch which is pivotted to the shoe or body of the gun
in a slot formed therein, so that the said catch may be turned into such a position
that it will hold down the cartridges in the magazine and thus prevent the feeding of
the uppermost cartridge therefrom by the breech-bolt in its forward movement.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I provide a lever or catch which is
pivotted to the body of the gun and works in a slot therein. A spring is attached to
the body of the gun and has at its free end a stud or projection adapted to enter
either of two holes in the underside of the said catch, for the purpose of retaining the
said catch at either extremity of its movement. The said catch is formed or provided
with a projection whereby it may be moved in or out by the thumb or finger. The
underside of the said catch is inclined so that, when it is pushed inwards and comes
into contact with the uppermost cartridge in the magazine, it will depress the said
cartridge clear of the breech-bolt.
I prefer to provide the magazine with a coiled spring which, when the cartridges
are inserted, will be uncoiled and will then react to push the cartridges upward.
The said catch, when pushed inward, holds down the cartridges in the magazine
and thus prevents the feeding thereof into the chamber of the gun by the breech-bolt

page_text: in its forward movement, so that the rifle can be used as a single loader. The said
catch, moreover, projecting over the uppermost cartridge in the magazine, indicates to
the soldier that the magazine is closed or out of action.
When it is desired to use the cartridges stored in the magazine, it is only necessary
to pull the catch outward. The magazine spring will then push the cartridges upward
into such a position that the breech-bolt, when moved forward, will thrust the upper-
most cartridge into the chamber. The rifle can therefore be used either as a single
loader or a repeater at will.
Dated this 30th day of April 1887
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of part of a Lee magazine rifle with my improved catch
applied thereto, shewing the said catch in position for holding down the cartridges in
the magazine.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, showing the cartridges
in the position which they assume when the said catch is withdrawn.
A is the shoe or body of the gun; B the barrel; C the stock; and D the
magazine.
E is the catch which is pivotted at e to the shoe or body A and works in a slot a
therein. F is a spring retaining pawl, which is attached to the shoe or body A and
has at its free end a stud or projection adapted to enter either of the holes e, e³ in
the underside of the catch E for the purpose of retaining the said catch at either
extremity of its movement. The catch E is formed or provided with a projection e¹
whereby it may be moved in or out by the thumb or finger. The underside of the
said catch is inclined as shewn in Figure 3 so that, when it is pushed inwards and
comes into contact with the uppermost cartridge in the magazine, it will depress the
said cartridge clear of the breech-bolt G. D¹ is the spring for raising or feeding
upward the cartridges in the magazine. Other means may, if desired, be employed,
instead of the pawl F, for retaining the said catch at either extremity of its move-
ment. Or, if the catch is made to fit the slot a rather tightly, the pawl F or its
equivalent may be dispensed with.
The catch E is shewn in full lines in Figure 1 in the position which it occupies
when pushed inward. In this position, it holds down the cartridges in the magazine
and thus prevents the feeding thereof into the chamber of the gun by the breech-bolt
in its forward movement, so that the rifle can be used as a single loader. The said
catch, moreover, projecting over the uppermost cartridge in the magazine, indicates

page_text: to the soldier or other person using the gun, that the magazine is closed or out of
action.
When it is desired to use the cartridges stored in the magazine, it is only necessary
to pull the catch E outward into the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1.
The magazine spring D¹ will then push the cartridges upward into the position shewn
in Figure 4, so that the breech-bolt, when moved forward, will thrust the uppermost
cartridge into the chamber of the gun. The rifle can, therefore, be used either as a
single loader or a repeater at will.
Any other suitable spring may be used in the magazine D. Moreover the details
of construction of the pivotted catch and its spring retaining pawl may be somewhat
modified, if desired, without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that I claim :-
The employment, in a magazine fire-arm, of a pivotted catch arranged within a slot
in the shoe or body of the gun, with or without the spring retaining pawl, all
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Dated this 9th day of June 1887.
JOSEPH JAMES SPEED.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.