IMPROVE- MENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS' AND IN CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES THERefor
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of N° 28 Southampton Buildings,
"
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS' AND IN CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES THERefor
communicated to him from Abroad by Ferdinand Mannlicher of Vienna in
the Austrian Empire
$
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
☐ Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th May 1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS AND IN
CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES THEREFOR [communicated to him from Abroad by
Ferdinand Mannlicher of Vienna in the Austrian Empire]
"
This invention has reference to repeating firearms provided with cartridge
magazines situated at the breech or in the butt end of the stock and so arranged
that the cartridges lie closely side by side therein, with their rims guided in a
longitudinal groove or enlargement of the magazine. One of the present improve-
ments lias reference to the arrangement of such magazines in the butt end of the
rifle, as described in the Specification to J. Imray's Patent N° 3774 of 1882 for
an invention of Improvements in repeating Firearms, a communication to him
from my correspondent. In place of constructing the magazine with a binged
"feeder" at the front end thereof, as there described, whereby the front cartridge
is brought from the downwardly inclined position up to a horizontal position in
front of the breech bolt, such hinged feeder is, according to the present improve-
ment, entirely done away with, the front end of the magazine being formed with
an upward curvature, such that as the cartridges are pushed forward in the
magazine by the rear spring, they gradually rise up in the curved portion thereof
from the inclined position into the horizontal position with the rim of the base
projecting into the path of the breech bolt, where they are held by overlapping
portions of the sides of the magazine, until the breech bolt, in being slid forward,
catches against the projecting rim of the cartridge and pushes it forward out of
the magazine into the breech chamber.
Another part of the invention has reference to detachable cartridge magazines,
that is to say, magazines that are not permanently attached to the gun. According
to one arrangement, adapted for attachment on the right hand side of the breech
of the rifle, the magazine consists of a parallelogram shaped casing having a narrow
rectangular cross section, the magazine being held by a spring catch in a position

page_text: projecting upwards from the breech end of the gun at the side of the breech
chamber, the cartridges being pushed forward from the lower end of the magazine
into the breech chamber by the forward motion of the breech bolt. The narrow
end walls of the magazine incline forward from the lower end thereof, so that the
cartridges, lying horizontally one on top of the other in the magazine, slide down
with their bullet ends resting upon the front inclined wall of the magazine, while
the rims of the bases slide down in an enlargement or-groove at the rear inclined
wall thereof, so that there is no possibility of the cartridges getting out of position
and sticking in the magazine. At the top, the magazine is open for the intro-
duction of the cartridges, a spring stud being there provided which, while it allows
the cartridges to be pushed in past it with a slight pressure, prevents their falling
out unless the spring stud is withdrawn by hand.
The lower end of the magazine has a side opening facing the breech chamber of
the gun, and at the outer side thereof, facing such opening, there is an enlargement
in which is situated a hinged bell crank lever acted upon by a spring, so that the
long arm of the lever is either situated in a backward position within the said
enlargement, or is made to spring forward, so as to push the lowermost cartridge
in the magazine sideways towards the breech chamber of the gun, which it is
however prevented from entering by. overlapping parts or claws at the side
opening. When the cartridge, is in this, forward position, the rim of its base
projects slightly into the path of the breech bolt, so that when this is slid forward,
it catches the rim and pushes the cartridge forward into the cartridge chamber of
the gun. The short arm of the bell crank lever also projects slightly into the path
of the breech bolt, which has a longitudinal groove to receive it, the groove being
of such a length that on sliding the bolt back, the one end of the groove catches
against the arm of the lever and pushes it over so as to bring the cartridge into
the last described position, while when the bolt is slid forward, and after it has
pushed the cartridge into the cartridge chamber, the other end of the groove, in
coming in contact with the short arm of the lever, will throw this over so as to
make the long arm retreat into the enlargement, thus allowing the next lowest
cartridge in the magazine to descend. The long arm of the lever is so formed with
a sloping face that it only bears against the middle portion of the cartridge so as
to effectually push it forward in a parallel position.
In constructing and arranging the magazine so as to be adapted for attachment
on the left side of the gun, the only difference consists in giving it a somewhat
higher position and widening the lower end thereof, so as to project over the breech
chamber, so that the rim of the lowermost cartridge projects at top into the path of
the breech bolt instead of at the side The magazine is, in this arrangement, by
preference curved outwards slightly so as not to interfere with the sighting of the
gun.
I
↓
According to another arrangement, the cartridge magazine, having the same
parallelogram shape as above described, is arranged to project downwards from the
side of the breech chamber instead of upwards, and the cartridges are pressed
upward by a spring at bottom, the inclination of the end walls. of the magazine
being such that the bullet ends of the cartridges in moving upwards slide, up along
the front inclined end surface of the magazine while the rim of the base slides in
the enlargement at the rear end surface. The lower end of, the cartridge magazine
is in this case entirely closed, while the upper end is curved over the side of the
breech chamber, so that the cartridges are held in the open mouth of the magazine
with their base rim projecting into the path of the breech bolt, as before.
. According to another modification of this arrangement, instead of attaching the
magazine by a spring catch at the side of the gun, it is slid from below into an
oblique slot formed in the breech, where it is held by a spring catch. In this case,
the cartridges project up from below into the breech chamber,
:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th November 1883.
i
"
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS AND IN
CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES THEREFOR A communication to me from Abroad by
Ferdinand Mannlicher of Vienna in the Austrian Empire
"
This invention has reference to repeating fire arms provided with cartridge
magazines situated at the breech or in the butt end of the stock and so arranged
that the cartridges lie closely side by side therein, with their rims guided in a
longitudinal groove or enlargement of the magazine. One of the present improve-
ments has reference to the arrangent of such magazines in the butt end of the
rifle, as described in the specification to J. Imray's Patent N° 3774 of 1882 for an
invention of Improvements in repeating fire arms, a communication to him from
my correspondent. In place of constructing the magazine with a hinged "feeder'
at the front end thereof, as there described, whereby the front cartridge is brought
from the downwardly inclined position up to a horizontal position in front of the
breech' bolt, such hinged feeder is, according to the present improvement, entirely
done away with, the front end of the magazine being formed with an upward
curvature, such that as the cartridges are pushed forward in the magazine by the
rear spring, they gradually rise up in the curved portion thereof from the inclined
position into the horizontal position with the rim of the base projecting into the
path of the breech bolt, where they are held by overlapping portions of the sides
of the magazine, until the" breech bolt, in being slid forward catches against the
projecting rim of the cartridge and pushes it forward out of the magazine into the
breech chamber.
Another part of the invention has reference to detachable cartridge magazines,
that is to say, magazines that are not permanently attached to the gun. According
to one arrangement, adapted for attachment' on the right hand side of the breech of
the rifle, the magazine consists of a parallelogram shaped casing having a narrow
rectangular cross section, the magazine being held by a 'spring catch in a position
projecting upwards from the breech end of the gun at the side of the breech
chamber, the cartridges being pushed forward from the lower end of the magazine
into the breech chamber by the forward motion of the breech bolt. The narrow
end walls of the magazine incline forward from the lower end thereof, so that the
cartridges, lying horizontally one on top of the other in the magazine, slide down
with their bullet ends resting upon the front inclined wall of the magazine, while
the rims of the bases slide down in an enlargement or groove at the rear inclined
wall thereof, so that there is no possibility of the cartridges getting out of position
and sticking in the magazine. At the top, the magazine is open for the intro-
duction of the cartridges, a spring stud being there provided which, while it allows
the cartridges to be pushed in past it with a slight pressure, prevents their falling
out unless the spring stud is withdrawn by hand.
The lower end of the magazine has a side opening facing the breech chamber of
the gun, and at the outer side thereof, facing such opening, there is an enlargement,
in which is situated a hinged bell crank lever acted upon by a spring, so that the
long arm of the lever is either situated in a backward position within the said
enlargement, or is made to spring forward, so as to push the lowermost cartridge
in the magazine sideways towards the breech chainber of the gun, which it is
however prevented from entering by overlapping. parts or claws at the side

page_text: opening. When the cartridge is in this forward position, the rim of its base
projects slightly into the path of the breech bolt, so that when this is slid forward,
it catches the rim and pushes the cartridge forward into the cartridge chamber of
the gun. The short arm of the bell crank lever also projects slightly into the path
of the breech bolt, which has a longitudinal groove to receive it, the groove being
of such a length that on sliding the bolt back, the one end of the groove catches
against the arm of the lever and pushes it over, so as to bring the cartridge into
the last described position, while, when the bolt is slid forward, and after it has
pushed the cartridge into the cartridge chamber, the other end of the groove, in
coming in contact with the short arm of the lever, will throw this over so as to
make the long arm retreat into the enlargement, thus allowing the next lowest
cartridge in the magazine to descend. The long arm of the lever is so formed
with a sloping face that it only bears against the middle portion of the cartridge
so as to effectually push it forward in a parallel. position.
! In constructing and arranging the magazine so as to be adapted for attachment
on the left side of the gun, the only difference consists in giving it a somewhat
higher position and widening the lower end thereof, so as to project over the
breech chamber, so that the rim of the lowermost cartridge projects at top into
the path of the breech bolt instead of at the side. The magazine is, in this
arrangement, by preference curved outwards slightly, so as not to interfere with
the sighting of the gun.
According to another arrangement, the cartridge magazine, having the same
parallelogram shape as above described, is arranged to project downwards from the
side. of the breech chamber instead of upwards, and the cartridges are pressed
upward by a spring at bottom, the inclination of the end walls of the magazine
being such that the bullet ends of the cartridges, in moving upwards, slide up along
the front inclined end surface of the magazine, while the rim of the base slides in
the enlargement at the rear end surface. The lower end of the cartridge magazine
is, in this case entirely closed, while the upper end is curved over the side of the
breech chamber, so that the cartridges are held in the open mouth of the magazine
with their base rim projecting into the path of the breech bolt, as before.
According to another modification of this arrangement, instead of attaching the
magazine by a spring catch at the side of the gun, it is slid from below into an
oblique slot formed in the breech, where it is held by a spring catch. In this case,
the cartridges project up from below into the breech chamber.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews an elevation of one arrangement of
the before described detachable cartridge magazines, applied to an ordinary rifle
with sliding breech bolt; Figs 2 and 2ª shew respectively a vertical and horizontal
section, and Fig. 3 a sectional plan of the same attached to the rifle. Fig. 4 shews
the outer side of the lower part of the magazine, detached from the rifle and Fig. 5
shews a sectional plan of the same. The casing A is of rectangular horizontal
section, being of a width and depth corresponding to the size of the cartridges; it
is made of parallelogram form, inclining forwards relatively to the gun as shewn,
so that the cartridges, which are introduced therein through the open top, lie with
their bullet ends resting upon the inclined end surface of the magazine while at the
base ends they rest. upon each other and with their rims situated within a slight
enlargement or groove in the rear end of the magazine.
By this arrangement the cartridges, piled one on top of the other as indicated
sink gradually down as they are removed below, with their bullet ends sliding upon
the inclined surface of the magazine and their bases guided in the groove, so that
there is no possibility of their becoming displaced in such a manner as to become
jammed in the inagazine, and no matter in what position the magazine or the gun
with the magazine attached thereto, may be held, nor whether there are many or
few cartridges.in. the latter, these will always assume the correct position indicated

page_text: as soon as the gun is placed in the horizontal position for firing. Although the
magazine is open at top for the introduction of the cartridges, these are prevented
from falling out by means of a spring stud B with sloping faces, projecting slightly
into the mouth of the magazine. On introducing a cartridge with slight pressure, it
will force the stud outwards so as to allow it to pass in, but the spring is of
sufficient strength to prevent the cartridge from falling out again.
At bottom, the magazine has a side opening C, which, at the front part, is large
enough to allow the cartridges to pass out sideways freely, but at the rear part, it
has projecting lips D D, which partly embrace the rear end of the cartridge, and
prevent it from passing out unless pushed endwise by the breech bolt as will be
presently described.
The lower end of the magazine is partly enlarged on the outer side, as shewn at
Figs. 2, 3 and 5, and within this enlargement is situated the carrier E by means
of which the lowermost cartridge is brought into position against the opening C in
order to be pushed into the gun by the sliding breech bolt F. For this purpose,
the carrier is pivotted to a pin G, on which is also pivotted the tumbler H. This
tumbler projects with its end H¹ into the path of the sliding breech bolt, so that it
can be operated upon alternately by the shoulder F¹ of the latter when it is slid
back, and by the shoulder F2 when it is slid forward. When acted upon by the
shoulder F on sliding forward the breech bolt preparatory to firing, the tumbler,
by means of a lug H2 acting upon the underside of the tail piece E¹ of the carrier,
tbrows the latter into the backward position shewn at Fig. 5, and the two parts
are held securely in this position by a spring I catching against the tail H³ of the
tumbler. When in this position, the carrier leaves room in the magazine for the
lowest cartridge to descend to the bottom, in front of it, and when in this position
the base of the cartridge is held between the recess E² in the carrier, and the
recessed projection H' of the tumbler, so that it cannot move sideways towards the
opening B, and the cartridges are thus. held securely in the magazine when this is
detached. On sliding the breech bolt backward after firing, the shoulder F¹ moves
the tumbler H into the position shewn at Fig. 3, and this, in pressing against the
face of the tail piece E¹ of the carrier, causes the latter also to assume the position
shewn in Fig. 3.
In performing this movement, the carrier pushes the lowermost cartridge sideways
towards the opening C, until the cartridge is stopped by the lips D D, the carrier
being made of the bent form shewn, so as to cause it to bear against the rear part of the
cartridge, and thus prevent the front end of the cartridge from being twisted into
the breech chamber of the gun, which would occur if the carrier pressed against
the front end of the cartridge. With the arrangement described, the cartridge
receives only a slightly inclined position, with its front end projecting somewhat
more out of the magazine than the rear end, so that it will readily enter the breech
chamber when pushed by the breech bolt. The cartridge, carrier, and tumbler are
held securely in this position by the spring I acting against the tail of the tumbler.
It will be seen that owing to the play allowed between the acting surfaces of the
tumbler and the tail E2 the tumbler moves to some extent in either direction
before acting on the carrier, so that the projection H' of the latter can first move
out of the way of the cartridge before this pushed outwards by the carrier.
The cartridge having been brought into the position above described, the breech
bolt is slid forward, whereupon the front face of the shoulder F¹ in pressing against
the projecting portion of the rim of the cartridge, will push the latter out of the
magazine into the breech chamber of the gun, and on the continued motion of the
breech bolt, the shoulder F' will act upon the tumbler H, and bring this and
the carrier into the position first described, thus allowing another cartridge to
descend in the magazine, ready to be brought forward on the following backward
motion of the breech bolt. The shoulders F1 F2 are formed by cutting away a
portion of the cylindrical part of the breech bolt.
.
The magazine A is held in position on the gun by a notched stem K on its
underside entering a correspondingly notched slot in the spring stud L, so that by

page_text: pressing the latter inwards with the thumb, the stem is released and the magazine,
can be removed. Fig. 6 shews a sectional elevation, Fig. 7 a cross section, and
Fig 8 a sectional plan of a modified arrangement in which the magazine is arranged
on the left hand side of the gun, in which case, as it requires to be arranged, in a
higher position than is necessary on the right hand side, the cartridge is made to
enter the breech chamber from the top, for which purpose, the magazine is widened
out at bottom, as shewn at Fig. 7, and the magazine is also made of a slightly
curved form, in order not to interfere with the sighting. The shoulders F¹ F² are
formed on the top of the breech bolt, the tumbler H being constructed with a
downward projection H' Fig. 6, to engage therewith. The mechanism is otherwise
of the same construction and action as described with reference to the preceding.
arrangement. Fig. 9 shews a modified arrangement to a smaller scale, in which
the magazine A is closed at top and is there provided with a spring M which
pushes the cartridges downwards, the lowermost cartridge being retained by lips
similar to those DD described with reference to Figs 1 and 2, eo that the bottom
cartridge being pushed by the spring against these lips, it projects sufficiently into
the path of the breech bolt to be acted upon thereby in the manner described, the
carrier E being in this case dispensed with. The magazine may either be arranged
at the side of the gun as in the section at Fig. 10, or at top as at Fig. 11. Fig. 12
shews a similar construction of the magazine with spring arranged to be applied
from below, the spring being in this case at the bottom of the magazine so as to
push the cartridges upwards, with their bullet ends riding upon the inclined face of
the magazine and their flanged ends riding in a groove, as before. In this case also,
the magazine may either be fitted at the side of the gun, as at Fig. 13, or it may
fit into a slot formed in the breech, as at Fig. 14.
Fig. 15 shews the before described improved construction of the form of
magazine described in the Specification to Patent N° 3774 of 1882, namely with
the front end of the magazine N curved upwards so that as the cartridges are
pushed forward by the spring M, they ride up the curved surface of the magazine
and thus, of themselves, assume the necessary position for being acted upon by the
breech bolt, without the aid of a carrier or feeder, such as is described in the said
Specification.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
would state that I am aware that in the Specification to Lee's Patent N° 131 of
1875, and to Lake's Patent N° 1786 of 1879 are described certain forms of
detachable magazines applied to fire arms, and I do not therefore claim the use
of detachable magazines generally, but I claim :-
First. The use of detachable cartridge magazines for fire arms so constructed
with an inclined surface upon which the bullet ends of the cartridges rest and
with a correspondingly inclined groove in which the rims of the bases are situated,
that the cartridges are enabled to slide freely in a more or less horizontal position
up and down along such inclined surface and groove, while retaining their parallel
position one above the other, without danger of getting out of position and
of becoming jammed in the magazine, substantially as herein described.
Second. The use of detachable cartridge magazines for small arms consisting of
a narrow parallelogram-shaped casing in which the cartridges lie one above the
other with their bullet ends resting upon one inclined face of the magazine while
the rims of their bases are contained within a groove formed at the opposite
inclined face of the magazine, substantially as herein described.
Third. The use in detachable cartridge magazines, such as are referred to in
the preceding claims, of a spring stud at the upper open end of the magazine, so
arranged as to permit of the introduction of the cartridges with slight pressure,
but to prevent them from falling out, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The combination with detachable cartridge magazines such as are above
referred to, of a carrier lever and tumbler actuated by the sliding breech bolt of
the gun and so arranged as to move the lowermost cartridge in the magazine

page_text: laterally towards an opening through which it is made to project sufficiently to be
propelled by the breech bolt into the breech chamber, substantially as herein
described.
Fifth. In combination with the cartridge magazine A, the use of the carrier E,
tumbler H and spring I arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth.
Sixth. The use of the bent carrier E in combination with opening C with
lips D D, whereby the cartridge is brought into proper position for being propelled
by the breech bolt into the breech chamber, substantially as herein set forth.
Seventh. The various constructions of detachable cartridge magazines with
inclined surface and inclined groove for guiding the cartridges, as herein described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 14 of the drawings.
Eighth. The construction of cartridge magazine contained in the butt of the
gun, wherein the front end of the magazine is curved upwards so as to deliver the
cartridges into the breech of the gun without the use of a feeder, substantially as
herein described with reference to Figure 15 of the drawings
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
"