Improvements in Repeating Small-arms.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating Small-arms.
I LOUIS MARIE RENÉ DAUDETEAU of Vannes Morbihan in the Republic of
France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The repeating small arm with the breech closed in two movements and magazine
under the breech action forming the object of the present invention is distinguished
by the following special arrangements namely
:-
1. A movable or longitudinally sliding breech bolt made in one piece with
symmetrically or equally distributed supports in front and a peculiarly arranged
plug at the rear end with or without a safety bolt.
2. A trigger action made in two parts (the trigger and the sear nose) not attached
to the breech case and working with a helical spring.
3. Spring stops for the cartridges and for releasing the same, arranged to prevent
the cartridges contained in the magazine from rising when not required.
4. A stop for the bolt formed by the sear nose so arranged that by pressing on
the trigger the bolt can be drawn out and that this cannot be done when the sear
nose is elevated.
on the front part of the breech case.
5. A recoil block or lump
6. A safety bolt attached either to the breech case or to the sliding breech bolt.
7. A peculiar action of the spring of the cartridge elevator and of the elevator
itself.
8. A lateral vent communicating with the recess for the bolt.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, the breech
action or mechanism of a repeating rifle according to my invention the parts being
represented with the sliding bolt drawn back so as to open the breech which can be
closed by two movements.
Figure 2 represents the same in plan.
Figure 3 illustrates the sliding breech bolt or cylinder detached in side elevation,
in end elevation and in plan.
Figure 4 illustrates the breech bolt plug (hereinbefore referred to) in side and
end elevation.
Figure 5 represents similar views of the striker and hammer.
Figure 6 represents the extractor in side elevation and plan.
Figure 7 illustrates the breech box or case viewed from the rear and Figure 8
represents this case in transverse section, in the plane of the axis of the screw by
which the ejector spring is attached.
Figure 9 represents the case in transverse section together with the cartridge
magazine likewise in section.
Figure 10 illustrates the left hand magazine stop and the ejector.
Figure 11 represents the right hand magazine stop and Figure 12 represents the
safety bolt in end and side elevation.
The remaining figures illustrate modified forms of the parts as hereinafter
explained.
I will now describe the several constituent parts in succession as represented in
Figures 1 to 12.

page_text: The sliding breech bolt or moveable breech cylinder A (Figure 3) made of one
piece of metal is provided with a hand lever B by means of which it can be caused
to slide longitudinally in the direction of the axis of the barrel and to partake of
rotary or rocking motion upon this axis. This bolt serving to close the breech is
provided at its front part with two diametrically opposite wings or projections a a¹
situated in a plane perpendicular to that of the lever B.
When the breech is completely closed that is to say when the bolt has completed
its rotary movement, these projections are placed vertically and are consequently
engaged in circular parts or recesses e Figure 1 (and indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 8) which are situated in front of internally projecting flanges or shoulders c¹
provided in the breech chamber.
The bolt A also carries a guide a² (Figures 1, 2 and 3) the base of which presents
a passage for the extractor e (Figure 6) whilst the front part guides the bolt in the
plane of the recess or opening in the breech case. A lump on the upper side of
the bolt and forming the base of the hand lever B is traversed by a screw u serving
to fix the breech bolt plug D (Figure 4) in the rear end of the bolt and at the lower
part of the bolt on the left hand side, grooves r¹ are provided. An ejector i
(Figure 10) works in the groove 7, and a sear nose 9 (Figure 1) works in the
groove, the end of the groove forming a stop, acting on the front part of the said
sear nose and serving to prevent the bolt from being accidentally drawn completely
out of the case.
The fore end d of the plug D (Figure 4) is screwed into the rear end of the bolt
(Figures 1 and 2) and the screw in the base of the handle jams against- the
threaded part d so as to rigidly fix the plug in the bolt and cause it to partake of
all the rotary and other movements of the latter. A central longitudinal passage in
the axis of the bolt forms a chamber for the reception of a striker P (represented
detached in Figure 5 and in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2).
The striker P (Figure 5) is made in one piece with a hammer P¹ and is connected
at its front extremity to a firing pin p by means of an under-cut or T shaped tongue
and groove. A helical spring wrapped round this striker bears at one end against
a shoulder formed by the pin p and at the other end against the plug D (see dotted
lines in Figures 1 and 2).
The hammer P¹ fixed on the striker is provided with a helical incline 7 and a
corresponding incline is provided on the plug D (Figure 4) so that the rotation
of the latter with the bolt presses back and cocks the hammer and striker. On its
under side the hammer is provided with a projection or tooth p¹ which when the
hammer is cocked bears against the sear nose 9 and behind this tooth there is a
recess for the reception of the sear nose after the hammer has been released in
firing. Lateral projections p³ are formed on the sides of the hammer so as to stop
up or close the ends of the grooves in the breech case into which they enter when a
shot is fired. The left hand projection p³ may also be arranged to bear against a
safety bolt L (Figure 12) attached to the side of the breech case (Figures 2 and 7)
so that when the breech is closed and the hammer cocked the rifle cannot be made
to go off even by pressing on the trigger until this safety bolt L has been turned
outwards or removed from its position in front of the projection on the hammer.
In
The breech case or breech box is perforated from one end to the other by a
suitably bored and dressed bed for the reception of the sliding breech bolt A.
the two opposite sides of this bed there are grooves 10 for the passage of the
lateral projections a a' on the bolt. These two grooves are open at the rear ends
and at the front they communicate with the circular grooves c which enable a
rotatory motion of the bolt to bring the projections a a¹ in front of the internal
projections or shoulders c¹ c' hereinbefore referred to and indicated in dotted lines
in Figure 1. Screw threads 2 (Figure 1) connect the barrel to the breech case
and determine with precision the positions of the recesses for the projections on
the bolt.
The right hand side of the bed or recess for the sliding breech bolt is cut away
at C (Figures 1, 2 and 9) for the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the
.

page_text: cartridges into the chamber and the ejection of the hollow cases or removal of
entire cartridges if required.
An opening C¹ in the bottom of the bed (Figures 1, 2, 7 and 9) connects the
magazine in the trigger guard with the breech case and enables the cartridges to
be passed up from the said magazine into the space in front of the sliding bolt by
the action of the cartridge elevator as hereinafter described.
The flat part or edge of the depression C in the side of the case is extended or
overhangs as far as the outside edge of the wood or stock and forms a rib which is
perforated by an opening (Figures 1, 2, 7 and 9) for the passage of an ejector i
on the lower spring stop n n' acting on the cartridges in the magazine. An opening
for the passage of the sear nose g (Figure 1) is formed in the plane of the axis in
the bed of the bolt.
At the rear extremity there are two external enlargements E (Figures 2 and 7)
one of which on the left hand is perforated with a hole drilled parallel to the axis
of the gun for the reception of the pivot of the safety bolt L (shown detached
in Figure 12) which is maintained in position by a spring (Figure 2) attached to
the breech case.
This safety bolt when rocked outwards frees the orifice of the left hand groove
in the case and consequently enables the hammer to slide forwards when the
trigger is pulled. On the other hand when the safety bolt is rocked inwards it
obstructs the passage of the projection on the hammer. The spring / bears upon
flats formed on the spindle so as to retain the bolt in its two positions.
In the interior of the case over the magazine there are two projecting magazine
stops m and n (shown separately in Figures 10 and 11) connected respectively to
springs m and n' attached to the case at m² n² (Figures 2, 8 and 9).
One of these stops namely the stop m (Figure 10) carries the ejector and is
inclined at angle of about 45 degrees so as to project above the top cartridge in
the magazine as represented in Figure 9 and prevent it from rising or passing up
in front of the sliding breech bolt before the cartridge case withdrawn from the
breech has been ejected. By means of the stop m it is thus rendered impossible
for two cartridges to present themselves together for entering the chamber in
consequence of an incomplete backward movement of the sliding breech bolt A.
The other stop marked n prevents the elevator from pushing against the
cartridges until a projection (Figure 11) on the spring passing through the
orifice (Figure 9) has been depressed either by hand or automatically by
the base of the lever B in the second or rotary motion completing the closing of
the breech. This second stop consequently serves to prevent a second cartridge
from rising and presenting itself in front of the completely drawn back bolt when
a cartridge has been previously introduced into the chamber and has remained there
owing to an incompleted forward movement of the bolt.
The arrangement is such that the extractor e always engages the rim of the
cartridge when the base of the lever B acts upon the projection on the spring n'
in order to push aside the magazine stop n and thus enable the cartridge in the
magazine to be raised in turn until it is brought in front of the bolt.
The two stops m and n whilst retaining the cartridges in the magazine do not
oppose their introduction being retained by springs capable of yielding to pressure.
In brief the functions of the two spring stops m and n are as follows:-
1. To retain the cartridges in the magazine all the force or thrust exerted by
the elevator being supported by the stop n.
2. To regulate the feed of the cartridges in such a manner that two cannot
present themselves together for entering the chamber.
3. To eject the cartridge cases removed from the chamber..
The breech case is completed by a tang, a recoil block or lump R and a vent u
(Figure 1). A screw V (Figure 1) passed through the tang connects the breech
case and the trigger guard plate to the stock. The lump R in front of the breech
case receives a screw V₁ which holds the front end of the guard plate. The vent u
(Figure 1) places the recess c in communication with the exterior and serves to

page_text: provide an easy escape for any gas that may penetrate into this recess when a
cartridge case bursts accidentally.
The trigger mechanism is composed of three parts namely, a trigger G (Figure 1)
a helical spring g' and the sear nose g. The sear nose and the trigger which is
The spring g'
provided with two suitable lugs are connected by a pin or pivota.
is retained between the sear nose and the trigger guard plate by means of studs
or projections which enter the coils of the spring as represented in the drawing.
The trigger G is provided with two bearing surfaces 1 and 2 bearing against the
under surface of the breech case plate and on which it rocks in succession when
pressed by the finger. This movement of the trigger compresses the spring g¹ and
pulls down the sear nose g which is guided in the opening in the breech case plate.
The sear spring g' tends to push up the sear nose and causes it to project into
the recess or bed in the breech case.
The cartridge magazine is composed of a metal box F forming part of the trigger
guard plate and which being introduced from below the stock fits with its edges
against the underside of the breech case (Figures 1 and 9) opposite the opening C¹
in the latter and is secured by the screws V and V. It forms with the breech
box a structure independent of the stock which may even be dispensed with without
interfering with the action of the mechanism.
In connection with the stock it may be observed that it is provided with a raised
part M Figures 1 and 2 which partly surrounds the barrel from the breech case to
the strap of the fore end without covering or obstructing the back sight thus enabling
the barrel to be grasped with the bare hand even during the most rapid fire.
At the rear of the magazine is the trigger guard proper F1 surrounding the
trigger G. At the bottom of the magazine there is an elevator H (Figure 1)
rocking on an axis and acted upon by a spring attached to the trigger guard
plate by a block 2. On this elevator is hinged a cartridge trough J acted on by a
spring attached to the elevator. The bottom of the magazine is closed by a
plate K hinged at one end on a pink and supported at the other by a dovetail kl.
The cartridges are introduced into the magazine through the opening C by
depressing the elevator. They can be introduced by means of a charger of any
suitable construction.
Having thus described a typical arrangement of the mechanism I will now proceed
to describe certain modifications which may be made in some of the parts.
The sliding breech bolt in place of terminating in the plug D as herein before
described may be arranged as represented in side elevation and in plan in Figures 13
and 14 respectively being provided with a screwed part y engaging with a head Q
rigidly attached to the bolt by a set screw q'.
This bolt may also be provided at its rear end with a slot (Fig. 13) and a helical
incline with which engages a projection or tooth t (Figure 16) on the striker P
formed with a corresponding incline as represented in side and end elevation in
Figure 16.
On the stem of the striker P there is a sleeve N slotted longitudinally for the
passage of the nose t and forming a bearing for the spring wrapped around the
said stem. When the plug Q is screwed home it pushes the sleeve along the stem
to a distance sufficient to give the necessary initial compression to the spring r².
When the bolt is pushed forwards the tooth t of the striker comes in contact with
the sear nose g and the rotary motion completing the cocking of the striker (the
said tooth t being brought opposite to the slot f) the arm is ready for firing by
acting on the trigger.
A groove O (Figure 13) in the rear part of the breech case affords a passage for
the tooth t on the striker and at the same time serves to retain it in one position
during the rotation of the bolt. By these means it is compelled to move back over
the incline which places it in the cocked position.
The safety bolt in place of being attached to the breech case may be situated on
the sliding bolt as represented in Figures 13, 14 and 15. According to this arrange-
ment the head Q attached to the bolt and perforated for the passage of the striker

page_text: presents two milled surfaces separated by a circular spring U (Figure 15) contained
in an annular recess in the head Q and acting on a safety bolt L' which is pivotted
in a recess in the said head. By pressing on a milled projection on this bolt it can
be rocked in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the sliding breech bolt.
2
When
pushed over in one direction the tail of the safety bolt projects inwardly and
engages with a recess (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 16) in the stem of the
striker which is thereby rendered immoveable so that the shot cannot be fired until
the safety bolt has been pushed over so as to disengage the striker.
The head Q may also be provided with two projections y y' (Figures 13 and 14)
at right angles to the projections a a' which are provided at the fore end of the
breech bolt as herein before described. These projections y y' when the breech bolt
is in position for closing the breech, engage with a recess Z (Figure 17) so as to
close the lateral grooves in the breech case in such a manner as to prevent any gas
that may accidentally penetrate into these grooves from blowing out in the face of
the marksman.
The bolt plug or head may be dispensed with altogether as in the arrangement
illustrated in Figure 21 in section, the bolt itself being prolonged at the rear
sufficiently to form the helical incline which acts in combination with the incline
on the hammer for the purpose of cocking the latter. In order to facilitate the
introduction of the striker and of its spring which in this case cannot be introduced
from the closed rear end of the sliding breech bolt, there is provided at the front
end of the bolt a removeable head T which is attached under the projection a² by
means of a screw '. This removeable head carries an extractor e and an ejector o¹
(hereinafter more fully described) and the two lateral projections a a' represented
in end elevation in Figure 18.
The ejector represented separately in Figure 19 may be attached to the bolt
as represented in Figure 18 in place of being attached to the breech case as in the
arrangement hereinbefore described. In this case the front end of the groove rl in
which the sear nose works is formed with a dovetailed or undercut part terminating
in a cylindrical hole or passage o' in which works the ejector . A spring closes
the dovetail and prevents the ejector from falling out at the same time permitting
of a certain amount of play in a longitudinal direction.
On drawing back the sliding bolt A to open the breech the sear nose g strikes
against the rear end of the ejector and causes its point or extremity to protrude
in such a manner as to effect the ejection of the case. In closing the breech the
protruding extremity of the ejector comes in contact with the fresh cartridge which
has been pushed up out of the magazine and is pushed back into its recess when the
bolt completes its forward motion.
In order to prevent a fresh cartridge from being pushed up before the preceding
cartridge has been completely ejected the top cartridge is retained or held down by
the left hand retaining spring which with this object may assume the modified form
illustrated in Figure 20. The effect of this arrangement is that so long as the
stop m projects into the breech case the base of the cartridge cannot be sufficiently
elevated to be acted on by the bolt. On the other hand when the left hand pro-
jection on the bolt presses upon a tooth m³, projecting into the corresponding groove
in the breech case, the stop m moves back and the cartridge is free to rise up in
front of the breech bolt. The tooth m³ is so arranged that the left hand projection
on the bolt acts upon it precisely during that surplus part of the movement described
by the bolt in moving backwards from the point where the ejector commences to be
acted on by the sear nose. Above the stop m there is a counter stop even with the
lower part of the left hand groove in the breech case and carried by a spring
specially provided or dependent on the spring stop m m. This counter stop is
employed for the purpose of preventing the cartridge from being jerked out
accidentally and retains it correctly in position in front of the bolt. It is
consequently impossible for two cartridges to be fed up at once during the back-
ward motion of the sliding bolt as the cartridge in the magazine cannot be pushed
up until the empty case, withdrawn from the breech chamber, has been ejected.

page_text: is evident that this modified arrangement with a moveable ejector is not
sary except when the diameter of the base of the cartridge does not allow of
mployment of the ejector of the type fixed to the case. When the said base
aller than or too nearly equal to the diameter of the recess of the striker it would
he necessary were the other arrangement adopted, to cut the bolt from one
o the other in forming the groove for the passage of the ejector. This would
licate the construction and reduce the strength of the bolt.
ving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that
I claim is :-
A repeating rifle or small arm with the breech closed by two movements
having a magazine in the trigger guard plate and comprising the following
namely a breech box or case formed with lateral grooves c' c¹ and a lump R
hich box works a longitudinally sliding breech bolt A made in one piece
cted to a plug D and carrying a striker P with a hammer P'; a magazine in
der the trigger guard plate rigidly attached to the breech box, an elevator H
a trough J, spring stops m and n placed at the entrance of the magazine, a
bolt L locking the striker and a trigger mechanism Gg with a helical
g all arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially
reinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the small arm referred to in the preceding claiming clause-
a) The arrangement of a moveable or sliding breech bolt A made in one piece,
with a hand lever B and equal or symmetrical projections a a¹ at the front
end in combination with a breech box or case provided with lateral grooves
extending throughout its length and provided at the front end with a circular
groove c and supports or shoulders c'e' substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(4) The arrangement of the moveable breech or bolt A provided with a plug D
rigidly connected to and moving with the said bolt and a striker P with a
hammer P¹ all arranged as explained so as to enable the striker to be cocked
by simply rotating the breech closing bolt substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(c) The arrangement of the moveable breech A provided with a groover 1
for the passage of the sear nose g projecting into the breech case and which
acts as a stop in opening the breech and prevents the bolt from being
detached from the case substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
(d) The special arrangement of the trigger mechanism consisting of a trigger G
a sear nose and a helical spring g' bearing directly upon the said nose all
arranged and acting in combination with the striker P in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
(e) The special arrangement of the safety bolt L rocking on the breech case
and capable of obstructing the lateral groove in the latter with the effect of
preventing a forward movement of the hammer P¹ and striker P substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(f) The special arrangement of the safety bolt L' placed on the head Qof
the moveable breech in combination with a hammerless striker P and capable
of locking the said striker so as to prevent an accidental discharge
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(g) The special arrangements of the spring stops m and n retaining the car-
tridges in the magazine and liberating them one at a time as the preceding
cartridge contained in the breech chamber is ejected and the breech
completely closed by the sliding breech bolt the said stops acting in combi-
nation with an ejector and with the base 6 of the lever handle B in the

page_text: manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
(4) The arrangement of the spring stops m and n retaining the cartridges in
the magazine and liberating them one at a time when the cartridge contained
in the chamber is ejected and the breech completely opened by the sliding
breech bolt the said stops acting in combination with a moveable ejector
carried by the bolt A. and with the left hand projection a¹ on the latter and
with the base of the lever handle B in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(i) The arrangement of the cartridge magazine F constituted by or forming
part of the trigger guard and attached to the under side of the breech case
opposite to the opening C' in the latter by means of screws V and V₁ the
said magazine comprising an elevator H provided with a trough J all
arranged and operating in combination with spring stops m n, an ejector i
and sliding bolt A with lever B in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(j) The arrangement of the breech case with an opening C for the passage
of the cartridges from the magazine in combination with a lump R placed
at the fore part and a vent o communicating with the circular groove c all
arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting an improved
ting small arm with a magazine under the breech action substantially as
nbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of December 1890
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.