Improved Lock Mechanism for Breech Loading Bolt Guns.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Lock Mechanism for Breech Loading Bolt Guns.
I, PAUL MAUSER of Oberndorf on the Neckar, in the Kingdom of Württemberg
and Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-—
The object of my invention is an improved lock mechanism for breech loading fire
arms with cylinder, bolt, or so called bolt guns, consisting principally in an improve-
ment and a simplification of the cocking and firing mechanisms working together with
the cylinder bolt. The fire arm to which the present invention relates is of the system
known as the "Mauser," and the invention is applicable to single loaders, as well as
to repeaters. The drawing, showing the invention applied to a single loader, is
applicable therefore also to repeaters of the said "Mauser" system.
Notwithstanding the invention is intended especially for "Mauser bolt guns," it
may be used advantageously in bolt guns of other systems with such slight alterations
as any locksmith is accustomed to exercise in fitting.
Hitherto the lock mechanism of the "Mauser" bolt guns, consisted of two main
parts, viz., the bolt and the firing pin with the small lock fixed to it by the pin nut.
The small lock was therefore forced to take part in all the movements of the firing
pin. By the present invention the small lock is coupled with the bolt and separated
from the firing pin, to which latter the pin nut only is connected firmly. This new
construction, having great advantages beyond the old one, required also a new device
for securing the arm. By using this new device, the gun, if secured with cocked
firing pin, cannot be fired, and if secured in the closed but not cocked state, the bolt
cannot be moved. The latter safety cannot be attained by the old construction of the
lock mechanisms.
In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, the same letters
of reference indicate similar parts.
. Figure 1 is a side view, partly in vertical axial section of those parts of a gun
which are connected with the present invention, viz., the bolt, firing pin, small lock
and breech case.
The parts are shown in their position after firing and when the handle is turned into
the vertical position.
Figure 2 is a front view of the small lock, showing, also the nose of the nut of the
firing pin.
Figure 3 is similar to figure 1. The breech is closed and the gun fired.
Figure 4 is a back view of the small lock.
Figure 5 is a back view of the bolt.
Figure 6 is a cross section drawn on the line 6, 6 of figure 1.
Figure 7 is a side view, partly in section, of the lock closed, cocked and secured.
Figure 8 is a side view, partly in section, of the lock closed and secured, but not
cocked.
Figure 9 is a back view of the small lock in secured position.
Figure 10 is a cross section drawn on the line 10, 10, of figure 8.
Figure 11 is a top view of the lock showing the safety in section.
Figure 12 is a cross section drawn on the line 12, 12 of figure 8.
Figure 13 is an underneath view of the back end of the bolt with small lock and
nose.
The firing pin b, working inside the bolt a is actuated by a cylindrical spring and
coupled, by the nut c, provided with the nose c¹, with the small lock d. The nose c¹
can move in a slit of the small lock d only longitudinally, and the firing pin b cannot
turn in regard to the small lock d. For bringing the firing pin always into correct

page_text: position to the small lock d, it is furnished on its smaller hind portion with a
stationary tongue working in a suitable groove of the bore of the neck d of the
small lock d. The bolt a is coupled with the small lock d. This coupling can be
done in two ways, either by a square knob c² provided on the neck d' and placed into
an annular groove of the inside of the bolt a, as represented at figures 1, 2, 3, 5
and 6, or by a male screw thread upon the neck d'screwing into the bore of the
bolt a. On the back-end of the bolt a is placed the handle a¹ and in line with it is
the entrance to the annular groove, having on its left side a stop so as to allow the
knob only to be turned round until it is arrested by this stop. The back-extremity
of the bolt a projecting about 3 inch from the handle a fits into a suitable
recess of the small-lock d. In case the coupling of the bolt a with the small-lock d
as represented at Figures 7 & 8, is effected by screwing the latter into the fornier,
the knob and the annular groove are dispensed with.
In both methods of coupling, the bolt a is on its back-face provided with 2 bents
see Figure 5 a2 and a³, into which enters the nose cat certain times.
If the bolt a
has closed the breech, the 'handle a' being turned down to the right hand and the
gun being fired, the parts are in the position represented at Figure 3. The firing-
pin together with its nut c is thrown forward and the nose e' rests in the bent a².
In turning the handle a' into its vertical position the nose c¹ is forced back together
with the firing-pin b for about to inch and enters at last the bent a3 which is
shallower than the bent a. By these means the small-lock d remains in its position
"and can not be turned if the bolt a is pulled back so far that the nose cleaves its
guide-groove in the case. 'During this motion of the bolt a the nose c¹-passes the
beak of the sear which yields downwards. In pushing the bolt a forward again the
nose c¹ is arrested by the beak of the scar, but the bolt continues to advance until it
closes the breech 'the handle a being turned to the right hand for about 90 degrees.
By these means the spring of the firing-pin bis compressed or cocked, as the firing-
pin is arrested if the nose c¹ is arrested. As soon as the trigger is pulled the beak
of the sear releases the nose c¹ and the firing-pin springing forward fires the
cartridge. As will be seen the small-lock d does not move together with the firing-
pin 6 and its nut, but remains in its place, and the independency of the small-lock d
of the firing-pin b is a great improvement as compared with former constructions in
which the small-lock was united to the firing-pin." The driving-spring can now be
made lighter, the shock of the firing-pin is not so extremely great and the gun there-
'fore gives better results in-firing.
وع
The device used in the lock of the old construction for securing the gun can not be
used in the present improved lock, as the small-lock of the latter is independent of the
firing-pin, therefore a new saftey-device becomes imperative. On top of the 'small-
lock'd in the bore of a ridge d³ of it parallel to the axis of the bolt a is placed a short
cylindrical shaft
the front end of which, the parts being in the position shewn at
Figures 2 and 3, isspartly cut away by turning out the 'front' face of the 'small-lock d.
Near the back-end the shaft e is provided with an annular collare bearing from
behind against the back-face of the ridge. From the "back-extremity of the shaft e
extends the wing e¹ (to be seen best in Figures 11 and '13) which serves as a thumb-
piece to turn the shaft e. 'For keeping this shaft e in its socket a spring-catch e³
working in an annular "groove d' upon the ridge d³ is arranged in a suitable hole of
the wing e¹.
I.
In the extreme positions of the wing e¹ (see Figures 12,4 and 9) the catch'e snaps
into indentations of the grooved fixing the wing e in its position in such manner,
that it can be turned back only with some exertion. From the collar e² is cut away
the lower portion; the shaft e with the wing being turned to 'the left-hand as in
Figure 3, and at this position the parts of the lock are free to move.
If the wing el is turned into its right hand position the breech being closed and the
firing pin b cocked the collar é enters a notch cat the upper side of the pin' nut c
and thus prevents the nut c and therefore the "firing pin from moving that
is to say from being 'thrown forward even if the trigger is pulled. "The gun is
secured in loaded state. The handle a¹ also cannot be moved, as the protruding

page_text: portion of the shafte has entered by its being turned, a half round indentation a
of the bolt a see Figures 5. 7. 8. The gun can be fired only after the wing el
is turned back into its left hand position. When the gun has been fired, the
pin nut c being thrown forward, the wing el can be turned again into its right
hand position whereby the protruding portion of the shaft e enters again the
indentation at of the bolt a fixing the latter in its position so that the bolt a cannot be
turned, that is the lock cannot be opened before the safety wing e' is turned into its
left hand position. This arrangement is very convenient for drilling purposes. The
soldier exercising with unloaded arm is not annoyed by the accidentally opening of
the bolt as long as the latter is secured in its closed position.
It must once more be remarked that the forcing back of the firing pin b for to
inch by the handle a' turning the bolt a into its upright position in opening the
breech and causing the nose c¹ of the pin nut c to enter the bent a³ is of great
importance as by this means the front point of the firing pin becomes flush with the
front face of the bolt a and cannot in loading ignite prematurely the cartridge even
if the bolt a in pushing the cartridge forward is pushed very hardly and suddenly.
In the drawing the breech of the gun is closed by a bolt having on its front end
two shoulders engaging in two recesses of the breech case, but it is understood that
the invention can be applied also to guns of the older style in which the handle a' in
closing the breech bears against one recoil shoulder of the breech case.
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 breech loading fire arms with cylindrical bolt, the coupling of the bolt (a)
with the small lock (d), which is independent from the firing pin, by a knob (2) upon
the neck (d) of the small lock (d) entering an annular groove of the bolt (a), substan-
tially as shown and described.
2. In breech loading fire arms with cylindrical bolt, the coupling of the bolt (a)
with the small lock (d), which is independent from the firing pin, (b), by screwing
the neck (d) of the small lock (d) into the bolt (a), substantially as shown and
described.
3. The small lock. (d), in breech-loading fire arms with cylindrical bolt, coupled
with the bolt (a) either by a knob (c2) upon the neck () of the small lock, working
in an annular groove of the bolt, or by screwing the neck (d¹) of the small lock (d)
into the bolt (a), in combination with the nut (c) having nose (c¹), and being united
with, the firing pin (b), which nut (c) can move lengthways in the small lock (d),
substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
4. In breech loading fire arms, the bolt (a), small lock (d), and pin nut (c), which
are constructed and arranged substantially as claimed in claims 1 to 3, the
bents (a) (a) in the back face of the holt, in combination with the nose (c) of the
pin nut (c), and the indentation (a) also in the back face of the bolt (a) in
combination with the protruding front end of the safety shaft (e), for the purposes
explained.
5. In guns of the character herein referred to, and in which the small lock (d) is
independent from the firing pin (b), the safety device consisting of the shaft (e)
turning in the ridge (3) of the small lock (d), and having its front end and the collar (e)
partly cut away, the wing (e') and the spring catch (e³), and said safety device
working in combination with the notched pin nut (e), the groove (d2) and the
bolt (a), substantially as shown and described and for the purposes explained.
th: 20th day of Santambar 1990
DL4h:-
PAN LEVOLE UNEN
201
wwwww
day
September
1990
PAUL MAUSER.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.