Improvements in Cartridge-clips or Cartridge Holders.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
[Communicated from abroad by THE LEE ARMS COMPANY, of 195 Sigourney
Street, Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America.]
Improvements in Cartridge-clips or Cartridge Holders.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to clips for holding a series of cartridges and for enabling
them and the clips to be inserted together in the magazines of breech-loading small
arms of the kind or class known as magazine bolt guns.
My improved cartridge-clip or holder is furnished with resilient cartridge-
locker constructed to engage the extreme, rear headed ends of the two terminal
cartridges of a row of cartridges, the opposite cartridge-engaging ends of the
locker being independently retractable to throw one or the other end out of
engagement with the adjacent terminal cartridge; and the cartridge-clip is so
constructed that the same may be light, strong and serviceable, and may be readily
operated to lock the cartridges in place in said clip.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a portion of a magazine bolt-gun, showing, in
full lines, one of my improved cartridge-packets in place therein, the upper end of
the cartridge locker or clip being thrown backward out of engagement with the
upper cartridge of the packet by means of the locker-actuator and the cartridges
supported upon the cartridge lifter of the gun; said figure also shows, in dotted
lines, the packet in position to be inserted into the magazine of the gun.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cartridge-packet, assembled for use.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the cartridge-packet shown in Figure 2, a portion of
the cartridges being broken away.
Figure 4 is a rear view of the cartridge-clip, seen from the left hand in Figures 2
and 3.
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section of the clip, showing the headed-end of
the cartridges in side elevation.
Figure 6 is a rear view of the clip-body, with the cartridge-locker removed.
Figure 7 is a sectional plan view, upon a larger scale, of a portion of the gun-
magazine and cartridge-packet therein; said figure showing the wedge which
actuates the cartridge-locker to release the cartridges.
Figure 8 is a side view of a portion of one end of the clip and a cartridge,
illustrating, in full and dotted lines, the manner in which the cartridges are
assembled relatively to the clip.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
As a unitary organization, the cartridge-packet herein shown and described
comprises a cartridge-clip, which is designated in a general way by C, and a series
of superimposed cartridges normally held as against longitudinal and lateral
movement by means of holding devices upon the clip, as will be hereinafter more
fully described.
The clip, in the preferred construction and organization thereof herein shown and
described, comprises an oblong clip-body or carrying-member (designated in a
-

page_text: general way by F) and a cartridge-locking member, (designated in a general way
F1), carried upon, and adapted for movement relatively to, the clip-body.
The clip-body F, which may be constructed of sheet steel, or other suitable
material of a rigid or slightly-resilient character, is shown having longitudinal
flanges 2 and 2 at opposite side edges thereof, which flanges project forwardly and
inwardly and form a relatively-wide cartridge-head-receiving channel 3, for
receiving the flanged-heads el of the cartridges e; said flanges extending from end
to end of the clip-body and being, in practice, separated sufficiently to permit a free
and unobstructed movement of the flanged-heads of the cartridges in the channel 3,
formed by said flanges, when the cartridges are unlocked relatively to the clip.
These rectangular Hanges 2 and 21 constitute retaining-hooks which engage over
the flanged-heads of, and hold, the cartridges in superimposed alignment and against
movement transversely of the clip-body, as will be understood by reference to
Figures 2, 3 and 7 of the drawings.
For the purpose of providing clearance-spaces between the end faces of the
cartridge-head and the adjacent face of the clip-body for receiving dirt, grease, and
analogous substances, which would otherwise tend to obstruct the channel in the
clip-body and interfere with the proper action of the cartridges in said channel, and
also for the purpose of preventing the accidental clamping of the cartridges in said
channel, and for facilitating the removal of the cartridges with little frictional
resistance, I have shown the clip-body formed with two longitudinally-disposed
ribs or beads 6 and 6', located upon the inner face of the back wall of the clip-body,
one at each side of the longitudinal axis of said body, and extending preferably
from end to end thereof. These ribs or beads 6 and 6¹ practically constitute narrow
tracks or slide-ways against which the end faces of the cartridge-heads bear, and
along which said cartridge heads may slide during their insertion into, and removal
from, the channel 3. The countersunk portions, or those portions of the rear wall
of the cartridge-head channel 3 which are located, respectively, between the
cartridge-supporting ribs and between said ribs and the side flanges 2 and 2', are
located some distance from the end faces of the cartridge-heads and form clearance
spaces or furrows 7, 8, and 9, which extend from end to end of the clip-body and
furnish repositories for any dirt, grit, or extraneous matters, which may accidentally
enter the cartridge head channel 3 of the clip-body, and which would otherwise
tend to clog said channel and obstruct the free movement of the cartridges as they
are being forced out of the clip by the cartridge-lifter of the magazine of the gun
with which the packet is being used.
In practice, the alternating ribs and furrows will usually be formed by compressing
the metal of the back-plate of the clip-body between correspondingly-corrugated
dies; and for the purpose of making the furrow or clearance-space 8, at the middle
portion of the clip-body, of relatively-large capacity, as compared with the
capacities of the furrows 7 and 9, contiguous to the flanges 2 and 2, respectively-
which is a matter of considerable importance, for the purpose of keeping the middle
part of the channel 3 of the clip-body free from obstruction-the inner face of the
back wall of the furrow or clearance-space 8 will be made more remote from the
front faces of the ribs 6 and 6-against which the end faces of the cartridge-head
bear than the inner face of the back walls of the faces 7 and 9. This forms a
middle furrow or clearance-space of greater depth than the furrows located at
opposite sides thereof, and also forms a raised longitudinal middle portion upon the
outer or back side of said clip-body, for the purpose of providing a bearing-face 12
for the locking-member F1, which bearing-face lies in a plane parallel to and
extending beyond the faces of the adjacent side portions of said clip-body, as will
be readily understood by reference to Figures 2, 3, and 7 of the drawings. The
opposite ends of the clip-body are shown centrally notched, as at 10 and 10,
respectively, to furnish convenient ways for the operation of the cartridge-head-
engaging ends of the cartridge-locker F.
The cartridge-locker F', which may be constructed of resilient material-such as
spring-steel-is shown supported upon the clip-body, and is provided at opposite

page_text: ends thereof with locking-faces 13 and 131 in position and adapted for engaging the
heads of the opposite end cartridges e of the row of cartridges, as will be herein-
after more fully described.
In the preferred form herein shown, the cartridge-locker is in the nature of a
flat sheet-metal spring of a width equal to the width of the raised bearing-face 12
of the clip-body, is secured approximately midway of its length--preferably by a
rivet 14 to the clip-body F, and is shown having its opposite ends bent inwardly
in the plane of the body portion thereof to form the opposing cartridge-head-
engaging hooks or locking-faces 13 and 131 with curved cartridge-head abutments 15
and 15' between said hooks and the ends of the body portions of the lock, which
abutments extend through the notches 10 and 101 of the clip-body.
Referring to Figures 2, 5, and 7 of the drawings, it will be observed that when
the cartridges are locked in their assembled positions in the clip, one of the locking-
faces, as 13, of the cartridge-locker projects over the flange e of the uppermost
cartridge of the series, while the other locking-face, as 13', projects under the flange
of the lowermost cartridge of the series; and that one of the abutments, as 15,
bears with a yielding pressure against the upper edge of the end face of the upper-
most cartridge, while the other abutment, as 15', similarly bears against the lower
edge of the lowermost cartridge of the series. This action of the abutment
portions 15 and 15' of the cartridge-locker tends to tip the terminal cartridges of
the series toward the middle cartridges, thereby holding the entire series of
cartridges close together at their points; the pressure is however not sufficient to
interfere with the flexibility of the cartridge-packet as a whole, nor to interfere
with the easy operation of the locker in unlocking the cartridges relatively to the
clip upon the insertion of the packet into the magazine of the gun.
The abutments 15 and 151 are so disposed relatively to each other that the
pressure exerted by said abutments will be in convergent planes whose points of
intersection are in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the middle cartridge of
the series.
The cartridge-engaging faces 13 and 131 are preferably located at such a distance
apart that they will exert but little if any pressure upon the flanges of the terminal
cartridges, their functions being simply to hold the cartridges in place in the clip,
and at the same time permit a slight movement of said cartridges relatively to each
other and longitudinally of the clip-body. This is desirable, as it renders the
cartridge-packet, as a whole, slightly flexible, and, owing to the movement of the
cartridges relatively to each other and to the clip-body-which would occur in
the ordinary handling of the packet--prevents, in a great measure, the injurious
accumulation of dirt, and foreign matter between the cartridge-head and the
clip-body.
For the purpose of facilitating the unlocking movements of the cartridge-locker,
said cartridge-locker is provided at opposite ends thereof with laterally-projecting
arms or levers 16 and 16', respectively. These levers are located at opposite sides,
respectively, of the cartridge-locker, one of them extending outwardly from the
right-hand side edge of the main body of the locker, and the other extending
outwardly from the left-hand side edge of the main body of the locker, as seen in
Figure 4 of the drawings; said levers extending over the opposite, depressed
portions of the clip-body and terminating near the extreme side edges thereof. The
inner edges of these arms or levers 16 and 16' are shown bent upwardly to form
inclined guides 17 and 171, respectively, to facilitate the entrance between said arms
or levers and the clip-body of the wedge-like locker-actuator G, Figure 1, as will
be hereinafter more fully described.
By forming the clip-body with a relatively-elevated bearing-face 12 on the back
side thereof, which extends substantially from end to end of the clip-body and by
supporting the cartridge-locker on said bearing-face, as herein before described, the
cartridge locker may lie closely against the bearing-face; practically its entire
length, while sufficient space is provided between the locker arms or levers 16 and 16¹,

page_text: for the easy entrance of the locker-actuating wedge G between said levers and
the clip-body.
As a means for actuating the cartridge-locker of the packet, to release the
cartridges, I have provided a locker-actuator G, which, in the preferred form
herein shown, is in the nature of a wedge, and will usually constitute a fixture of
the magazine or cartridge-packet receiver M of the gun, and will be located, as
shown most clearly in Figure 7, at one side of the path of movement of the clip-
body, and in position to readily enter between the laterally-projecting levers of
the cartridge-locker and the rear face of the clip-body.
For the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the cartridges of the packet
are automatically unlocked relatively to the clip, as the packet is inserted into the
magazine of a gun, I have shown in Figure 1 of the drawings a portion of
a magazine bolt-gun and a cartridge-packet supported in operative position in the
magazine thereof, with the cartridge-locker of said packet in its unlocked position.
In this figure, M represents a magazine having the cartridge-locker actuator G,
constituting a fixture of one of the side walls thereof, and S represents a cartridge-
lifting member of the cartridge-elevator, which is pivotally supported near the front
end of, and extends into, the magazine, and S' designates the follower, which is
pivotally carried at the free end of the cartridge-lifting member and supports the
cartridges of the cartridge-packet. All of these elements of the gun, with the
exception of the locker-actuator, which co-acts with and practically constitutes a
complementary element of, the cartridge-clip, may be of any well-known or desired
construction and organization.
By constructing and organizing the parts of the clip, as herein before described
and as shown in the drawings, the cartridge packet may be inserted into the
magazine of the gun either side up; and, owing to the peculiar relative disposition
of the locker arms or levers 16 and 16', the uppermost locker-lever will, when the
packet is inserted into the magazine, come into co-operative relation with, and be
engaged by, the locker-actuating wedge G, said wedge entering between the
locker-lever and the clip-body, as the packet is forced downward into the magazine
of the gun, and forcing the upper end of the cartridge-locker backward, with the
locking-face or cartridge-head-engaging hook thereof out of engagement with the
flange of the upper cartridge of the series of cartridges in the packet, as shown in
Figure 1; this action releases the cartridges, and permits the same to be moved
upward relatively to the clip-body, and successively into position to be engaged and
forced forward into the firing-chamber of the barrel of the gun by means of the
sliding bolt E of said gun.
As a means for preventing the accidental movement of the clip in the magazine,
after the same has arrived at its unlocking position in said magazine, I have
provided an abutment, which, in the present instance, is shown in the nature of a
rearwardly-projecting catch 25 upon the locker-actuating wedge G, which abutment
is located at such distance from the extreme upper end of the wedge, that when the
clip is forced downward a sufficient distance to unlock the cartridges, the locker-
lever will pass over the end and engage under its projecting abutment, which will
prevent the accidental upward movement of said clip; in other words, the locker-arm
constitutes owing to its resilient nature-a detent which co-operates with the
abutment on the wedge for holding the clip against retractive movement.
In the construction and organization herein shown and described, the cartridge-
locker may be actuated to throw the opposite ends thereof out of locked engagement
with the terminal cartridges of the series, one end independently of the other end-
which is a matter of considerable importance, as it enables the gunner to force the
cartridge-packet down into the magazine, without fear of releasing the lowermost
cartridge-engaging hook before the packet is in proper operative position, or before
the uppermost cartridge-engaging hook is released, as might occur if both
cartridge-engaging hooks were arranged to be simultaneously actuated. This
construction also facilitates the assembling of the cartridges in the clip, for the

page_text: reason that one of said cartridge-engaging hooks may be retained in its closed"
position, while the opposite hook may be forced backward by the successive
cartridges as they are passed with their flanges into the cartridge-head-receiving
groove of the clip-body, as will be understood by comparison of Figures 2 and 8 of
the drawings; the closed hook preventing the exit of the cartridges and supporting
them as they are being assembled.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 5, it will be seen that the forward ends of the
cartridge-engaging portions of the cartridge-locker are turned inwardly, as shown
at 24, slightly toward each other, so as to hook over the flanges of the terminal
cartridges; so that in case the packet is dropped or thrown some distance, or
otherwise subjected to sudden shock-which would tend to throw the terminal
cartridges outwardly with sufficient momentum to force back the cartridge-engaging
eud of the locker-the hooked ends 24 will engage the front faces of the flanges of
the terminal cartridges, and will prevent the hook from being forced backward.
The cartridges do not entirely fill the space between the two opposing hooks of the
cartridge-locker, so that when the packet is pushed into the receiver of the gun by
a downward pressure upon the uppermost cartridge of the series of cartridges, the
series of cartridges is pushed downward with the lower cartridge bearing against
the lower hook of the locker, and the head of the upper cartridge is thereby carried
below the bent or hooked end 24 of the upper cartridge-engaging end of the locker,.
so that this upper locker-hook may be retracted without hindrance from any
engagement of said hook with the uppermost cartridge.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that it would be impossible to liberate the
cartridges of the packet accidentally.
In connection with the foregoing, and in conclusion, I desire to state, that the
invention is not confined or restricted to the precise details in the construction and
arrangement of the several parts of the cartridge packet herein shown and described,
as various modifications thereof may be made, without deviating from the principle
or spirit of the invention.
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 correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A cartridge-clip consisting of a clip-body having a cartridge-head-receiving
channel and a cartridge-locker supported upon the outer face of the clip-body, and
having at opposite ends thereof locking faces which normally project inward and
over the opposite ends of the channel.
2. The cartridge-locker having oppositely inclined abutments at opposite ends
thereof, in juxtaposition to the cartridge-head-engaging hooks, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
3. A cartridge-clip consisting of a clip-body having a cartridge-head-receiving
channel; a spring secured to the rear outer face of the clip-body, and having a
cartridge-head-engaging hook which normally overlaps the end of the channel in
the clip-body, and also having a laterally-projecting arm or lever adapted to be
engaged by a wedge to shift the locker transversely to the cartridge-head-receiving
channel, substantially as described.
4. In a cartridge-clip, a longitudinally-channeled clip-body having alternating
longitudinal ribs and furrows upon the inner face thereof, substantially as
described.
5. In a cartridge-clip, the combination with a channeled clip-body of a cartridge-
locker supported on said clip-body, and having locking-faces at opposite ends
thereof, and also having two oppositely-disposed levers or arms located, one at one
side and at one end, and the other at the other side and at the other end of the
locker, substantially as described.
6. The herein described cartridge-locker consisting of a sheet-metal locking-
member having the opposite ends thereof bent outwardly to form cartridge-head-
engaging hooks and also having two oppositely-disposed arms located, one at one

page_text: side and near one end, and the other at the other side and near the other end, of
said locking-member, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7. A cartridge-clip comprising a channeled clip-body; a cartridge-locker
supported on said clip-body and having its opposite ends capable of independent
movement transversely to the said channel, and having an arm in position to be
engaged by a locker-actuator; combined with a cartridge-clip receiver having a
locker-actuator located in position for engaging the arm of the locker as the clip is
inserted into the receiver to automatically impart an unlocking movement to said
locker, substantially as described.
8. The combination with the clip-body, of a non-rotative-cartridge-locker,
supported on the clip-body for movement transversely thereto, and having
cartridge-locking faces at opposite ends, and also having an actuating cam-face
intermediate of said locking-faces and in position to be engaged by a locker-actuator,
substantially as described.
9. The cartridge-clip constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th dow of Mon 1906
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.