IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR REPEATING FIREARMS
Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLIAM REYNOLDS MILLER, of the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland,
one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINES FOR REPEATING
FIREARMS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in applying to the magazine of a repeating rifle, a device
whereby the number of cartridges, or filled shells contained therein, may be ascertained
by the sense of touch.
In carrying out this invention, I provide the head of the magazine spring with a
lateral depression, and the stock with one or more spring bolts distributed throughout
its length, any one of which may be pressed by the fingers and made to enter a
perforation in the magazine and pass into the depression in the magazine spring head,
when such depression is directly opposite to it. By this arrangement, the position of
the spring head can be ascertained, and consequently the number of cartridges remaining
in the magazine.
In the further description of the said invention which follows, reference is made to
the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, and in which,
Figure 1 is an exterior side view of a repeating rifle embodying my improvements.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the improved rifle, and Fig. 3 a partly
sectional view of the same. Figs. 4, 5 and 6, are details of the invention as hereinafter
described..
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the Figures.
In the said drawing, A, B and C, are, respectively, the stock, barrel and magazine
of the improved rifle. D is the magazine spring which feeds the cartridges, two of
which are shown and denoted by, a. This spring is fitted with the usual head, b,
which is kept in contact with the last cartridge in the magazine. I form in the side
of the head, b, a depression, c, and provide the stock with one or more perforations, d,
preferably at the side as shown in Fig. 4 which is a longitudinal section of a part of
Fig. 3, and taken on the ditted line, x---- x; and extend the said perforations
through the side of the magazine. E E, are bolts situated in the perforations, d, of

page_text: the stock, each having a collar, e, between which, and the side of the magazine, is
confined a spiral spring, f
A plate, F, secured to the outside of the stock limits the outer movement of the
bolts, E.
By referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that I have provided the rifle with only two
spring bolts, they being numbered in Fig. 1 as 2 and 6. Bolt 2 is placed directly
opposite the cavity, c, in the head, b, when the same occupies the position shown in
the drawing, that is to say, when there are only two cartridges in the magazine;
and bolt 6 is arranged for six cartridges. When the bolt 2 can be pressed in by
means of the finger so that its inner end will enter the cavity in the head, as
shown in Fig. 6, it indicates that there are only two cartridges remaining in the
magazine; and when bolt 6 is operative in a similar manner, there are six cartridges
in the magazine.
While it is only necessary that the rifle should have one bolt, E, and that placed so
as to indicate that the supply of cartridges is nearly exhausted, I do not restrict myself
to one, or in fact to any number, as this is a matter of choice and does not affect the
character of the invention. Whether the head, b, is fastened to the magazine spring,
or loose from it, it has a tendency to turn, I therefore make the cavity in the head by
turning, thus forming an annular groove, as shown in the drawing. This construction
obviates the necessity of employing in connection with the head a guide to prevent its
turning in the magazine.
I do not restrict myself to the arrangement of the head and spring as shown and
described, for the purpose in view, as my invention extends to a device which may
be operated from the exterior of the stock to ascertain the position of the head of
the magazine spring within the magazine, and through it the number of cartridges
remaining in the magazine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a repeating rifle, the magazine of the same perforated or slotted, combined
with a bolt arranged to enter the magazine through the said perforation or slot,
substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
2. In a repeating rifle, the wall of the magazine perforated, and the head of the
magazine spring provided with a lateral indentation or cavity, combined with a bolt
in the stock which may be operated from the outside of the magazine to bring its end
into the said indentation or cavity, substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
3. In combination with the magazine, C, having the perforations, d, and the head, b,
of the magazine spring having the indentation or cavity, c, the spring bolt, E, in the
stock, the inner end of which is adapted to enter the said cavity, substantially as, and
for the purpose specified.
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