IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINE OR REPEATING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and C, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGAZINE OR REPEATING
FIRE-ARMS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement
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This invention relates to repeating fire-arms, and has for its chief object to
modify the breech-plugs of the same in such a manner that the opening and closing
of the breeches can be effected without combined rotary and longitudinal motions.
In opening and closing the breech of a fire-arm, a rectilinear alternating motion of
the hand only is necessary, that is to say the plug is only pulled and not turned by
the hand
c
This motion can be produced while the left hand retains the fire-arm in firing
position, without the necessity for removing the same from the shoulder as hereto-
fore, and is of special importance with repeating fire-arms. The improved plug is
also combined with the magazine in a peculiar manner all'as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 1*, 2*, 3* are diagrams illustrating the operation of the
breech-plug
T
Figures 4 to 11 illustrate methods of applying cartridge magazines to the
gun and
Figures 12 to 16 show cartridge-magazines suitable for this fire-arm
The means by which the bar of the breech-plug is disengaged by drawing the
Jatter back in a straight line is illustrated in two modifications in Figures 1, 2, 3
and 1º, 2º, 3*
A indicates the locking bar or catch of the breech plug and B a depression with
which the said bar or catch engages when the fire-arm is fired and the recoil takes
[Price Bd.]

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place Figures 1 and 1* show the breech closed, Figures 2 and 2* show how the
bar or catch A is drawn out of engagement with the depression B, and Figures 3
and 3* show the breech-plug drawn back The handle for operating the bar or
catch is not shown in these Figures
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the bar or catch is operated by means of a wedge C
which slides in a groove in the bar or catch A and diverging at a In Figures 1,2*
and 3* the operation of the catch A is effected by means of the spiral groove C
cut upon the cylinder D, the said cylinder being connected with the head E upon
which the two catches A are arranged and causing the revolution of this head E,
whereby the catches A are removed from the depressions B
The modifications shewn in diagram in Figures 1*, 2* and 3* is represented in
Figures 4, 5, and 6 in a complete state, and the modification represented in diagram
in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is shown in a complete state in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11
The plug proper moving in the casing F consists of three principal parts vız -
the plug head K, the central portion D' and the handle G
S indicates the striker, f the firing spring, and M the projection with which the
trigger engages The firing device is situated below the casing F and is similar to
that of the Mauser and Gras guns
The plug 18 locked similarly to that of the Vetterli and other guns by turning
the projections AA through 90°, only this motion instead of being effected by
sturning the lever or handle of the breech plug is effected indirectly by the part D¹
which is provided with the handle G and receives the rear end of the cylinder D
The parts D¹ D, engage with each other by means of a spiral groove C* in the
cylinder D and a pin entering the said groove and connected to the part D¹
When the part D₁ is pushed forward the said pin causes the cylinder D to make a
quarter of a revolution relatively to the part D¹.
As the part D¹ is prevented from making any rotary motion by means of the
lugs sliding in the grooves n in the rear of the casing, the head E connected to
the cylinder D is caused to partake of the rotary motion of the latter
When the part D¹ is drawn back by the handle G the cylinder D cannot at first
follow the longitudinal motion of the part D¹, because the catches A A are in
engagement with the depressions B B, when however the part D' has been drawn
back the length of the groove C in the cylinder D, the lugs A A on the latter
have been turned out of the depressions B B of the casing thereby entering the
longitudinal grooves n n when the entire plug can be drawn back
In closing the breech the reverse operation takes place, the breech being closed
as effectually as with an ordinary breech-plug having a combined motion.
Another construction of the plug is represented in Figures 7-11 In this
arrangement the locking device consists of a bar or catch A which is arranged on
the plug K so as to turn upon the pin a.
The part D' engages with the bar A by means of a projection C which is wedge-
shaped and moves in a groove in the upper surface of the bar A, so that when the
part D is drawn back, the bar A moves upon its pivot upward towards the plug,
but when the part D¹ is pushed forward it is moved downward away from the
plug If the breech is closed the bar A is in its lower position, its end & bearing
against the corresponding depression Bin the casing F so as to receive the recoil
when the arm is fired When the first part D¹ is drawn back the bar or catch A
is first moved so far upward that it leaves the depression B in the casing, where-
upon, the plug can follow the backward motion, the bar or catch A. sliding upon
the casing and being maintained in its raised position
The wedge-shaped under surface of the projection O can only operate again to
'cause the bar or catch A to enter the depression in the casing when the breech-
plug is quite home
A special formation of the wedge C or the bar A is necessary to enable the plug
to be moved forward to close the breach, as otherwise the wedge C, on account of

page_text: the alight inclination, will jam in the groove of the bar or catch A so that the plug
head cannot be pushed forward.
For this purpose the lower surface of the wedge C has a notch or recess a as
shown in Figures 7 and 8, which, when the closing is taking place, acts upon the
end of the bar or catch A, whereby the breech-plug can be prevented from jamming
and be pushed forward without great resistance. This notch or recess operates in
such a manner that on opening the breech the bar A is not quite raised by the
wedge C, but leaves a space of from about 15 to 2 millimetres between it and the
breech plug The rear face of the depression B in the casing and also the lower
edge of the bar A are bevelled whereby the end of the bar or catch is lifted into the
recess
The firing pin S with the projection M is arranged as shown in Figure 8, so that
the spiral spring 18 compressed on opening the breech. The screw limits the
rearward movement of the plug.
The improved plugs can be combined with any fixed or attachable magazine in
any desired manner and permit of the continuous operation of a fire-arm, when
pointed and used with a magazine, without its being necessary to take it from the
shoulder
The arrangement of magazines which I have specially combined with the
improved plug are hereinafter described
The magazines shown in Figures 4 to 15 are detachable magazines and enable
the ammunition supplied to a soldier to be packed in light cases or frames, so that,
if necessary, it can be completely spent in quick firing
The first construction shown in Figures 4 to 6 consists of a small box which
slides onto the fire arm on its left hand side and is a very light rhomboidal sheet-
metal frame H which is inclined towards the front of the gun and in which the
cartridges rest upon one another in a horizontal position The cartridges are
guided by the grooves 2, 2, and sink by gravity towards the breech
The lower part of the frame H is open and is provided with a rim or flange ww
which is bent outward and serves for stiffening the said frame and also for enabling
it to slide into a groove on the fire-arm, thereby attaching it to the latter.
A spring y is rivetted to the frame H and a projection d thereon enters the interior
of the frame in such a manner that it occupies a position beneath the lowest
cartridge, thereby retaining the cartridges in the magazine When applying the
frame H, the lowest cartridge falls into the box L arranged on the side of the
breech casing and is automatically moved into the breech by an arm # when
operating the gun
•
Another construction of magazine (Figures 7 to 14) consists of a small cartridge-
box which is arranged below the plug and is inserted either from below, or from
above, after opening the breech through an opening in the bottom of the breech-
chamber
•
Below the plug in the position occupied by the small cartridge box is arranged
a fixed casing for containing the said box The latter which is provided at the top
with the lips extending over the cartridges (Figures 12 and 13) is shit at the
bottom (or at the back) in such a manner that after the introduction of a box of
cartridges a spring-arm or elevator b fixed on the fire-arm can gradually enter into
the small box and raise the cartridges as those fiom above are fired.
As shown in Figure 7 the small box filled with cartridges is inserted from above
after opening the breech. The conveyer or elevator is here an arm b which turns
upon a pivot and is constantly pressed upwardly by the spring f¹, and which can
enter from below into the small box and raise the cartridges.
The cartridge box is held by the hook upon the lever p, which hook engages
with a projection or lug e on the box. The said lever serves also to eject the empty
box, by pressing upon the arm T on the right hand side of the fire-arm when the
E

page_text: t
breech is open, the box being ejected from the upper side of the gun. The spring q
assists the action of the ejecting lever
The small box instead of being inserted into the casing N from above can be
inserted from below in which case a cover that can slide or turn must be provided
upon the casing so that the magazine can be opened and closed
The elevator
which enters the small box is preferably arranged to bend automatically on opening
the cover but to assume its normal position when closing the same so that it can
raise the cartridges
Another construction of detachable cartridge magazine is represented in Figure 15
Here the cartridges are fixed beside one another upon a band of flexible brass or
other sheet metal by means of clasps or the like, or enclosed in a sheet metal case
pr box, and are brought opposite the barrel by mechanism below the plug and fired
In succession For notating the band, a revolving device of any suitable construction
may be employed for instance a roller having grooves, and with which engages a
slide which is moved to and fro by the plug
In Figure 16 another arrangement of a fixed magazine is shown which can be
combined with a plug operating in a straight line as described This magazine
comprises a circular casing within which the drum U is arranged. This drum has
a constant tendency to turn to the right or to the left imparted to it by a spring u
It can however only follow this tendency when the uppermost cartridge has been
previously pushed from the magazine
The feeding of more than one cartridge from the magazine last described and
also from the magazine arranged below the breech can be obviated This is effected
by a laterally arranged cartridge extractor which when the plug is pushed forward,
seizes the cartridge which is next to be raised to the breech and keeps it pressed
against the left wall of the casing and does not release it from the hook of the
cartridge extractor, Therefore if the plug is drawn back too early the cartridge
would be drawn back with it and ejected by the friction produced on the wall
of the casing before the second cartridge could ascend.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
'
'
First The arrangement shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 10 and 11 of the
drawings whereby, without turning the breech-plug with the hand, the bar or
catch A is drawn from the depression B by the wedge C
Second-The modification shown in Figures 1*, 2*, 3*, 4, 5 and 6 whereby
without turning the plug with the hand the catches A are drawn from the
depressions B by the action of the helical groove C* which effects a revolution of
the head E carrying the catches A
Third The magazine or frame H adapted to be attached to the side of the fire
arm and composed of a sheet metal frame in the form of a rhomboid inclined
forwardly, and provided with guiding grooves in which frame the cartridges sink
by gravity, substantially as described
Fourth The conveyance of the cartridges from the magazine mentioned in the
preceding claiming clause to the breech by an arm z substantially as described
Fifth The cartridge box adapted to be inserted into the magazine casing fiom
below, or from above after opening the breech, substantially as described.
Sixth The arrangement by which the cartridges in the cartridge box mentioned
in the preceding claiming clause are raised, from the back of the box or from the
bottom of the box, by an elevator b extending from below into the said box,
substantially as described
Seventh The herein described method of bending the elevator spring either
by opening the cover of the magazine casing or by inserting the small cartridge
box from above,

page_text: Eighth The herein described method of maintaining the cartridge box inserted
from above in place by means of the hook h of the lever p which also serves for
ejecting the empty cartridge box
Ninth The arrangement of a magazine wherein the carta idges are placed
beside one another upon a metal band or the like and are brought into position
under the plug, substantially as described
Tenth The magazine U comprising a revolving drum, which receives its
rotation through the medium of a spring u, substantially as described
Eleventh The combination of the breech plugs hereinbefore described with any
of the magazines described or with other magazines.
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Twelfth The employment of the magazines hereinbefore described in com-
bination with any arrangement of breech plug
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
For the Applicant.