Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
Improvements in Magazine Fire-arms.
I ANDREAS WILHELM SCHWARZLOSE of No. 9 Lynar Strasse, Spandau,
Germany, Armourer, do hereby declare tho nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My said invention has for its object an improved construction of magazine fire
arm in which I make use of tho recoil for automatically opening the breech and
cocking the arm.
I will for the purpose of descubing the nature of my said invention refer to its
application to a pistol it being clearly understood that with slight modification it is
applicable to other forms of file-aims.
The breech and fining mechanism 18 of the holt type.
The barrel is attached to or formed integral with the breeoli sleeve and cau slide
longitudinally in guide ings on the stock mounting while a lug on the latter
taking into a cam groove in the breech sleeve imparts a slight rotary motion
thereto. Inside the breech sleeve works a bi ecch closing shull or cylinder provided
with upper and lower apertures for the passage of the cartridges. Lugs engaging
with a corresponding inclined groove or grooves are provided in the said cylinder
and the sleeve for operating and controlling the movements of the cylinder.
The firing bolt and its spiral spring work inside the said sleeve and suitable
detents are provided for retaining the bolt in its striking position until released.
A cocking lever having its upper bearing or stud in the cylinder and resting with its
lower end against a projection at the rear of the stock works in combination with a
cocking aim to furnish a rear bearing for the spiral firing spring.
On the recoil of the breech sleeve the cocking lever is held by its lower support
and forced to turn with its stud on the sleeve so as to compress the firing spring
while an exceutric swell on the upper end of the cocking lever taking against the
end of a slot in the bolt pulls the latter back until it comes into engagement with
its detent.
The cartridges are arranged in a magazine under the breech and any of the well
known means may be used for introducing the cartridges into the breech.
The sleeve having been diawn back by setting the cocking lever at safety the
breech lies open.
The magazine is then filled with cartridges and the cocking lever
eleased. The sleeve then advances and pushes a cartridge from the magazine into
the barrel. The firing bolt is then cocked the sleeve in engagement with the barrel
and all ready for filing.
On pulling the trigger a hook on the upper end thereof pulls down a spring which
forms the detent for the firing bolt and the lutter can then strike the cap in the base
of the cartridge. On the recoil from the discharge the barrel and the sleeve are
diven back while a projection working in an inclined groove causes the sleeve and
the barrel to make a partial rotation to the right so as to open the breech. The
end of a slot in the sleeve meeting the cocking lever pulls it back a short distance
increasing its speed and separating the shell from the barrel and owing to the
traverse of the shell and barrel being limited by a slot the shell continues its course
until the breech is quite open. By this backward movement the spent caso is also
removed by an extractor and the firing spring is compressed. The cocking lever
actuated by the firing spring drives the shell forward again in such a manner that

page_text: the latter takes the upper cartridge from the magazine and pushes it into the
barrel. As soon as the shell gets near the banel cei tain lugs lock it to the sleeve
and the shell the sleeve and the barrel advance together and the sleeve and bairel
receno a partial rotation to the left.
Dated 13th of May 1895.
E T. WHITELOW, A.M. Inst. C.E.,
70 Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.
1 ANDREAS WILHELM SCHWARZLOSE of No. 9 Lynar Strasse, Spandan,
Germany, Armourer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described aud ascertained
u and by the following statement:—
My said invention has for its object an improved construction of magazine fire
arm in which I make use of the recoil for automatically opening and closing the
bicech and cocking the aim.
I will for the purpose of describing my said invention refer to its application to
a pistol it being clearly understood that with slight modification it is applicablo
to other forms of file arms
As part of this Specification and to elucidate the description I have appended the
drawings to which reference is hereinafter made and in which
Fig. 1 is an external side elevation of a pistol.
Fig. 2 is n Jongitudinal section with the breech closed and the firing pin shot.
Fig. 3 13 also a longitudinal section with the breech fully open
Fig. 4 is also a longitudinal section with the breech about to close and the barrel
in its medium position.
Figs 5 to 13 inclusive show details to be presently described.
Fig. 14 is a section on the plane -y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 15 is a back elevation.
The breech and fing mechanism is of the bolt type
The pincipal parts of the weapon consist of the barrel attached to or formed
integial with the biccch sleeve the lock and the stock with the cartridge magazine.
The weapon can be easily separated into these three principal parts without the aid
of a tool and the lock itself can be taken to pieces in a few seconds.
In the example shown in the drawing the barel L is screwed into the cylindrical
breech sleeve II (Fig 12) and can slide longitudinally backwards and forwards in
two guide ings rr on the stock.
Two lugs (Figs. 1 and 15) vetted in the back ring engage with the augular
cam grooves of the breech sleeve (Fig. 12) and cause the latter with the banel
to oscillate or partly rotate about their common nxis when sliding backwards and
forwards.
A hollow shell or cylinder C (hereinafter termed the breech bolt) works
maide the breech sleeve II which lins lower and upper apertures for the passage
of the cartridges and also at the lower part of the car end a slot for the cocking
leve. At the fore part of the interior of the sleeve II are four locking lugs w
(Figs. 3 4 11 and 12).
The breech bolt C (Fig. 6) which is turned throughout its own length slides
without rotation in the sleeve II. In the front end is turned a transverse groove n
from which proceed four longitudinal grooves or notches extending to the fore
end of the biecch bolt On the advance of the breech bolt the notches a¹ pass the
locking lugs w of the bicech sleeve so that the lugs w reach the groove of the
breech bolt and on the rotation of the breech sleeve engage therein and thus lock
the barrel to the breech bolt at the moment of recoil.

page_text: Inside the breech bolt C is the firing pin S (Fig. 7) to the collar t of which 15
attached the fiuing sping by means of the notch t!.
The rear aim of the extractor » (Fig. 5) having two journals carmed by the
opening of the breech bolt (Fig. 6) takes against the collat t of the firing pin and
thus restrains it when diawn back. The front arm of the extractor has a clay s
which after fing engages with the extinctor groove of the cartridge caso (Fig. 2)
and thus withdraws the latter from the baitel
1
The cocking lever D (Fig 9) is hung on a shaft & mounted at either side of the
slit c in the beech bolt C (see Fig 6). The lower end of the coching lever D
takes against the stud at the back of the stock while the upper end in combination
with the cocking slide (Fig. 8) (with which it works in the slot u of the fiting pm)
and the sping presents a backward csistance and prevents any tuning of the
breech bolt "When the breech bolt slides back the coching lever D is fiinly held
by the stud and is compelled (considered relatively to the breech bolt) to tuin
for wards on its axis and thereby to press before it the coching slide 2 and thus to
compress the fining sping (see Fig. 3) The resilience of the fiung spring acting
on the cocking lever thus continually tends to dive the breech bolt forwards.
On the retreat of the breech bolt the cam smiface e of the cocking lever acting
against the rear end surface of the slotu presses the fining pin back when it is
retained at cock by the rear arm of the extiactor v (Fig. 4).
01
The leaf a of the trigger a has a slot a' by means of which the trigger is
suspended from a stud a fixed in the stock On the tugger being pulled the leaf a³
lifts the front aim of the oxtractor and thus depressing the rear aim theicof the
firing pin is released (Fig. 2). The rear part of the spring f' continually tends to
press the leaf a³ of the tugger upwards and while the front part of the same spring
taking against the collar of the barrel always tends to dive the barrel forwards
(see Figs. 23 and 4).
The box like part K (Fig. 1) of the stock which serves with the aid of the
ngs to carry the barrel and the bicech slcove descends to the butt end of the
stock and when covered with the stock plates forms the handle. At the same time
it forms nieceptacle for the cai tiidge magazine M (Fig 3). The magazine is
stamped from sheet metal. Guided by a od B is a cartridge lifting sping F which
bears continually upwaida against the cartridge lifter J (also guided by the 1od B).
A two armed level P (Figs. 1 and 13) mounted at the night hand side of the stock is
connected to the safety bar S by a screw &' (see Fig. 14). A projection m on the
rear arm of the lever P passes through an aperture in the stock into the magazine
space and acting in conjunction with the lip in prevents the escape of the cartridges
when the breech is open while the projection plaking into the path of the breech
sleeve holds the latter firm in its middle position as hereinafter described.
The spring e pressing against the front aim of the lever P continually tends to
press the projections and p inwards. The action of the pistol is as follows-The
breech is opened by pulling back the double handle at the car end of the fing
pou and is secured in the open position by a slight twisting of the cocking lever D
BO as to bring the lower ond in the support or notch of the stock (sco
Fige 34 and 15). The magazine is then filled with cartridges and the cocking
leve is then released from the support . Thereupon the firing spung dives the
bieech bolt forwards and at the same time a cartridge is pushed from the magazine
into the barrel and the breech is locked. On the trigger a being now pulled the
trigger leaf a³aises the front arm of the extractor lever v, thereby causing the rear
an to descend and to release the pin S which now stukes the cap and firos tho
cartridge.
The recoil drives back the barrel with the breech sleeve and the breech bolt in
the mugs rr of the stock and at the same time compresses the firing spring and the
rigger spring. At the same time the using paits of the cam grooves h of the
breech Bleeve sliding along the lugs twist the biocch sleeve and the barrel to
the right so that the locking lugs of the breech sleeve can movo out of the
tiansverse groove n of the bieeoh bolt (which slides without rotation) and release

page_text: the barrel. Then the front face q (of the aperture for the cocking lever D) of the
breech sleeve (Figs. 3 4 and 12) strikes against the lever D and imparts to the
upper end thereof an increased velocity as compared with that of the breech
sleeve itself. This is caused by the face q striking the lever D at a point between
the bearing and the shaft or stud d. The shaft d takes back the breech bolt
with it thus separating it from the barrel and since the collar limits the backward
stroke of the breech sleeve and barrel the breech bolt proceeds alone until it
reaches the open position of Fig. 3. The claws of the extractor lever has during
these operations drawn the carlidge out of the barrel and thrown it out owing to
the front arm of the extractor lever being driven upwards by striking the inclined
plane of the breech sleeve (Fig. 3) The back stroke of the breech bolt is
limited by the back arm of the extinctor lever striking against the projection h³ of
the sleeve.
As soon as the force of the recoil is checked the cocking lever D working in
combination with the firing spring f drives forward the breech bolt the trigger
spring the barrel and the breech sleeve during which movement the top
cartridge in the magazine is pushed so far forward as to pass from under the
retaining lpm and to be pushed up by the magazine spring F. The rear end
face of the flot of the breech sleeve (Fig. 12) then stukes against the back
surface of the projection p and sets the bariel and sleeve secure while the breech
bolt proceeds forward unimpeded and pushes the cartridge.into the barrel. When
nearly at the bairol the projection p is disengaged from the sleeve by the cocking
lover D acting on an inclined plaue on the projection p (see Fig. 14). When this
disengagement is effected the breech bolt the barrel and the breech sleeve again
move forward together. The rising parts of the cam grooves now slide along
the lugs and twist the breech sleeve to the left so that when the whole
combination again reaches the fining position the locking lugs w have engaged with
the transverse groove n of the bicech bolt.
The extractor lever is not operated by a spring but is so moved in front of the
cocked firing pin that its rear aim (on the advance of the breech bolt and while
the breech sleeve is in the middle position) is lifted by the swell of the sleeve
(Fig. 4) and held firm until the firing pin takes against it.
On opening the brecch
the extractor lever can slide freely over the swell without touching the firing pin
because the sleeve is then in its rearmost position (Fig. 3) and the cocking lever
draws the filing pin ather faither back than the extractor level requires for its
movement.
The above described automatic loading is accomplished so rapidly from the fact
that the user of the weapon has again pulled the trigger when the breech bolt has
again reached its most forward position. The extractor lever striking against the
rear face of the trigger leaf as in the last part of the forward motion pushes the
trigger forward a little on its pin a' so that the front surface of the extractor lever
and the back surface of the trigger leaf now he against each other and the weapon
cannot be fired. Even on pulling the tugger the parts still remain in the position
Just described, because the spring f' is endeavouring to push the trigger upwards.
To be able to fire another shot it is necessary to press against the fore part of the
tugger so as to swing the tugger leaf downwards. This is easily and rapidly
accomplished by stretching out the finger. Ou such pressure being applied the
spring again sets the trigger leaf under the fore end of the extractor lever. On
now pulling the trigger the rear arm of the extractor level is depressed, the firing pin
is released, the weapon is filed and the loading operations are performed us set forth.
The parts can also be easily arranged m such a manner that the trigger leaf
automatically takes under the extractor lever after each shot. To effect this
modification it is only necessary to cause the spring f¹ to engage with the trigger
leaf above the point of suspension a' instead of below.
It is however preferable that the arm should automatically set itself at safety
after each shot particularly as it can be put in firing condition so easily and without
any loss of time.

page_text: Besides the foregoing mode of setting the arm at safety a separate device S¹
(Fig. 14) is mounted in the stock and secured by a screw s' (on which the side
magazine lever P is also mounted) see Figs. 1 and 14.
The shaft S' has a groove cut in which when the side thumb lever is turned up
allows the beech sleeve free play (Fig. 2). When however the side thumb lever is
turned down the full cylindrical part of the shaft S' comes under the rear aim of the
extractor lever and also into the recess of the breech sleeve (Fig. 12). In this
position the ear arm of the extractor lever cannot descend nor can the breech
sleeve be drawn back. In this position it is therefore impossible either to open
the breech or to fire the weapon.
Various minoi modifications are practicable without departing from the essential
features of the invention for example the cam grooves instead of being cut in
the breech sleeve might be cut in the barrel itself or in ono of the rings of
the casing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mannei the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim 15.
1. An automatic fire arm having a biccch sleeve or bariel sliding to and fro and
partly rotating about the longitudinal axis in combination with a hollow breech
bolt having a simple rectilinear to and fro motion automatically engaging and
disengaging with each other substantially as set forth and shown.
2. In an automatic fire arm such as described a breech sleeve such as H having
a cam groove engaging with fixed lngs such as & for the purpose of effecting a
partial iotation about the longitudinal axis in combination with a hollow breech
bolt having to and fro motion without rotation substantially as and for the purpose
set forth and shown.
3. In an automatic fire arm such as described the combination with and the
anaugement in the interior of the bieech bolt of the means shown and described
for filing the cartridge and automatically closing the breech substantially as set
forth and shown.
4 In an automatio fire-arm such as described the construction and arrangement
of parts by which the fing spring propels both the breech bolt and the barrel
substantially as described and shown.
5. Tu an automatic fino arm such as described the combination of the firing piu S
the firing spring f (bearing at one end on the firing pin and at the other on the
cocking level) and the cocking lever D (susponded at d from the breech sleeve and
bearing against a fixed stud k) arranged substantially as set forth and described so
that on the recoil of the breech bolt the liberated breech bolt 18 again pushed
for waid.
6. In an automatic fire-aim such as described the spring f bearing at one end
against the trigger and at the other end against the barrel substantially as and for
the purpose set forth and shown.
7. In an automatic fire-arm such as described the combination with the broeoh
bolt of the extractor lever v the rear arm of which acts as a detent for the cooked
fing pin and the fore arm of which is provided with a claw to engage behind
the m of the cartridge case substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
Blown.
E. T. WHITELOW, A.M. Inst. C.E.,
70 Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.