IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM ARTHUR of Cowes, Isle of Wight Captain in the Royal Navy do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING
FIRE-ARMS to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to machine Guns repeating fowling pieces repeating rifles
and other such fire arms especially those having the magazine in a tube under the
barrel and my Invention has for its object to absorb and utilize the force due to
the recoil that the barrel receives on firing in such a manner that the force shall
only be communicated to the stock of the gun in a limited degree, the barrel
recoiling independently of the stock and this motion of the barrel being utilized for
the purpose of working the mechanism for extracting the empty cartridge, cocking
the lock entering a fresh cartridge, closing the breech or other operation.-The
recoil of the barrel is received by springs which afterwards react on the barrel
bringing it back to its original position. I will describe the application of my
Invention to a "Larsen-Winteros" repeating fowling piece from which its general
application will be understood. I separate the barrel from the magazine cylinder
and stock horizontally commencing underneath the breech and between it and the
rear of the magazine extending through the sides of the breech chamber to the
small of the butt. There is a guide formed between the foremost end of the
magazine and underneath the barrel for allowing the parts to move longitudinally
without separating.
There are also plates on each side of the side plates of the breech chamber
overlapping the upper and lower parts of the section, but attached to one part only
to check any lateral movement and the parts are kept from separating by a guide
and slot on the plates. The force of the recoil is absorbed by springs enclosed in
cylinders or boxes one on each side abutting against the front part of the lower
half of the breech chamber into which the magazine is screwed, studs and pins are
attached to the barrel underneath on each side for working pistons in the spring
cylinders or boxes, another stud on one side of the gun outside the stud already
referred to working in a third spring box, is attached to the barrel operating the
D .

page_text: lever on that side which lever is attached to a guide rail for performing the
movements required.
These details would require to be slightly altered in other descriptions of
repeating fire arms to suit the mechanism but the main features will remain the
same consisting in the separation of the barrel from the stock so as to allow of an
independent recoil the recoil of the barrel operating the movements necessary for
the purpose of extracting the empty cartridge cocking the lock, entering a fresh
cartridge closing the breech and the like.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Repeating Fire Arms.
I WILLIAM ARTHUR of Cowes Isle of Wight Captain in the Royal Navy do
bereby 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:―
My invention relates to machine guns, repeating fowling-pieces, repeating rifles
and other such fire-arms, and my invention has for its object to absorb and utilize
the force due to the recoil that the barrel receives on firing, in such manner that
the force shall only be communicated to the stock of the gun in a limited degree, the
barrel recoiling independently of the stock, and this motion of the barrel being
utilised for the purpose of working the mechanism for extracting the empty
cartridge, cocking the lock, entering a fresh cartridge and closing the breech.
The recoil of the barrel is received by springs which afterwards re-act on the
barrel, bringing it back to its original position.
The details require to be slightly altered in applying my invention to different
descriptions of repeating fire arms but the main features remain the same consisting
in the separation of the barrel from the stock so as to allow of an independent
recoil, the recoil of the barrel operating the movements necessary for the purpose
of extracting the empty cartridge, cocking the lock, entering a fresh cartridge and
closing the breech.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drurinen harounts annsend
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an automatic rifle arranged in accordance
with my invention-the parts are here shown in the position they occupy when
the gun is loaded and ready for firing, requiring only the trigger to be pulled in
order to discharge the shot.
Figure 2 is a like sectional elevation but the parts are now in the position they
occupy immediately after firing.
Figure 3 again is a sectional elevation taken at a later period, with the parts in
the position they occupy when the barrel has had time to return after recoil but
the new cartridge has not yet been delivered from the magazine.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through the barrel and the
magazine of the gun-in the preceding figures 1, 2, and 3 the section is taken on
the line A. B. C in Figure 4.
Figure 5 shows some of the smaller parts in detail.
Figure 6 is an elevation partly in section of a gun of the Spencer type to which
my invention is applied-the parts are here in position for firing except that the
hammer is shown by dotted lines in a second position.

page_text: Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but with the section so taken as to
expose other parts.
Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section of the same gun.
Figure 9 is a plan of the same.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal and vertical section showing the parts of the gun 5
after firing but before the recoil has been completed.
Figure 11 shows the position of the parts when the recoil is complete, and the
barrel is on the point of returning to the firing position.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 A is the stock of the gun and B is a case fixed to this
stock, in it the barrel C is able to slide longitudinally but otherwise it is steadily 1
held the breech of the barrel is closed by the breech block D which in Figure 1
is shown abutting against the breech end of the barrel; it is supported in this
position by a coiled spring E, and the barrel also is pressed forward in the case B
by another coiled spring F abutting upon a piston which, by its rod, is attached to
the barrel. G is a latch which in the firing position secures the breech block D to 1
the barrel C. When the gun is fired the barrel and the breech block recede
together within the case B which guides and controls them. Both the springs E
and F are compressed during the rearward movement of the barrel and breech block.
These springs are shown in Figure 2 in the position they occupy after recoil. The
immediate return of the breech block under the influence of its spring E is
prevented by a turn button H which has been thrust upwards and caused to enter
a recess in the underside of the breech block. This has been brought about by the
spring lever I.
This lever is pressed upon towards the end of the recoil by a projection on
the underside of the breech block. It is so moved rearwards, it carries with it
the rods K, K, and to these rods the turn buttons are linked, as is clearly shown in
Figures 5 at the same time that the breech block is thus secured the barrel is
released from it in consequence of a projection G' on the underside of the spring
catch G coming into contact with a stop provided for the purpose at the fore end
of the tube in which the coiled spring E is contained-the barrel when thus set
free is immediately carried forward by the operation of its spring F, and this
brings the parts to the position in which they are seen in Figure 3-the breech is
now open to receive a fresh cartridge.
L, L, L, are the cartridges for the supply of the barrel, they are contained in
tube or case beneath it and are pressed upwards by a zigzag spring M. When the
parts have arrived at the position shown in Figure 3 there is nothing to prevent
the upward movement of the cartridges L under the influence of the spring and
the uppermost cartridge consequently is placed in front of the breech block ready
to be thrust by it into the barrel as soon as the breech block is liberated.―The
liberation of the breech block takes place immediately after the placing of the
cartridge; the rods K K which previously abutted on the base of the uppermost
cartridge are now projected forward by the spring I and they then serve for two
purposes, they stop the next cartridge from rising out of the magazine; and they
withdraw the turn button H out of the recess in the breech block. The release of
the breech block is facilitated by the inclines on the rear end of the turn button
and the part of the breech block which bears upon it so that little or no aid is
required from the spring. The breech block when free advances, it thrusts the
cartridge into the barrel and closes the breech. This is the position in which the
parts are represented in Figure 1. The gun is now loaded and when the trigger N
is pulled, the hammer O is forced by the main spring P against the striking pin Q
which then explodes the priming of the cartridge. The lock is recocked during the
recoil, the firing pin and the part of the breech block immediately below it bear
against the head of the hammer and thrust it back until it is caught and retained
by the nose of the sear. The lock can also be cocked by hand when required.
R is the extracting hook, it is on the top of the breech block and when the barrel
is thrown forward it draws the cartridge case out from the barrel. S is a spring

page_text: piston which presses against the lower part of the base of the cartridge case during
the time of extraction and as soon as the fore end of the case is free from the
barrel this spring piston starts out and projects the cartridge case forcibly upwards
and throws it out clear of the gun.
ي
The arrangements shown by the Figures from 6 to 11 are as follows:-
a is the stock, to it there is fixed a case b, within which an inner case c, is able
to slide this inner case is fixed to the barrel d aud the breech block e is contained
within it. f is the magazine tube, it is fixed to the outer case b and remains
stationary during the recoil. The cartridges contained in the magazine tube are
pressed rearward by a coiled spring. di dare lugs upon the side of the barrel d.
they are connected with pistons d' which abut upon springs g, g, these are contained
in tubes attached to the outer case band when the barrel recoils these springs are
compressed.
The breech block is capable of turning about the horizontal stud or axis e¹ and
in rear of this axis it is connected by a link h with a spring i fixed in the stock.
In the backward movement during the recoil this link h and spring i cause the
breech block to turn about the stud e' Figure 7 which shows the parts in the firing
position and the spring is then compressed; it tends to throw the fore part of the
breech block downwards, but in this position the breech block is firmly supported
and kept in place by resting upon a shelf k forming part of the case b. The breech
block is unable to yield to the pressure of the spring i until the recoil has progressed
so far as to carry the fore part of the breech block clear of this shelf, the spring
then acts and causes the breech block to assume the position shown in Figure 10,.
that is to say, to descend so far as to uncover the breech of the barrel as the recoil
continues the connecting link htends to draw down the rear part of the breech
block to which it is attached, and by the time that the recoil is completed it brings
the fore part of the breech block to the position in which it is shown in Figure 11.-
The breech block however is detained for a time in the position in which it is
shown in Figure 10 and this is effected by the extractor.
The extractor consists of a nib of the usual description standing in front of the
flange of the cartridge case and in the firing position this nib is lodged in a recess
in the end of the barrel. The extractor has a stem which is guided to slide to
and fro in a direction parallel to the axis of the barrel-it receives this motion
from links m', m², these links are jointed together, the link m' also is jointed to
the stem whilst the link m² has a stationary fulcrum upon the reservoir tube at
the point m²*.
The lug d upon the barrel has an arm upon it, this arm carries a pin d*, and
this pin is received into a slotted hole in the link m². In consequence of these
arrangements on the recoil of the barrel taking place the extractor is driven
rearwards more rapidly thau the barrel and it ejects the case of the cartridge. At
the same time as already stated the extractor retains the breech block e in the
position relatively to the barrel in which it is shown in Figure 10.
The extractor whilst passing rearwards to remove the cartridge case from the
barrel traverses across the top of the breech block and the breech block cannot rise
until the extractor gets clear which is not the case until the extractor has
completed its movement. When the ejection of the cartridge case is completed
the extractor comes opposite a groove ex in the rear part of the breech block. The
block is then free to move and it passes at once to the position shown in Figure 11,
that is to say, to a position in which the cavity 3 beneath the face which closes
the breech of the barrel for firing is brought to coincide with the barrel. This
cavity ea then contains the cartridge which is next to be placed in the barrel.
The springs g. g, now commence to react and to move the barrel d. with the breech
block e. forward. The extractor also partakes of this movement, and in con-
sequence of its connections as already described, it moves more rapidly than the
barrel itself, it carries a cartridge before it out of the chamber e³ into the barrel.

page_text: The breech block is retained by the extractor in the position in which it is
shown in Figure 11 until the extractor has completed its forward movement. As
soon as the extractor gets clear of the breech block the spring i being then com-
pressed throws the breech block downwards and it descends until it is stopped by
its lower edge resting on the shelf k. The forward movement of the breech block
is then completed by the operations of the springs g, a fresh cartridge is now
advanced out of the magazine tube into the cavity e³, and the gun is loaded ready
for firing. All that is now necessary in order to fire the gun is to pull the trigger.
The tension of the spring n then causes the hammer o to descend and to strike the
firing pin p which explodes the priming cartridge.
The trigger q as will be seen operates against the sear 7. which has its centre
at ; it depresses the sear nose and removes it from the bent of the tumbler.
During the recoil the hammer o is again raised to the full cock position; this is
effected by a jointed pusher t attached to the hammer beneath its axis, and which
during the recoil comes against a fixed.stop and causes. the rotation of the hammer
in opposition to its spring n until it is caught by the nose of the scar 7.
In connection with the cavity e³ and the magazine tube spring retaining stops
are provided to keep the cartridges in and only allow them to move out at the
proper times. The stops are then raised by inclines against which at these times
they abut.
I am aware that it has before been proposed to provide magazine repeating rifles
such as the Winchester rifle with a shoulder plate which is moveable upon the
stock of the gun and which resting against the shoulder is moved forward
relatively to the gun when the gun recoils. This shoulder plate is linked with the
lever by which the breech is opened and closed and so an automatic loading is
brought about by the recoil.
To such an arrangement where the gun ou firing recoils as one whole, the barrel
magazine and stock all recoiling together I make no claim.
In a gun arranged according to my invention the barrel with the breech block
recoil independently of the stock or mounting and independently of the magazine
from which the barrel is supplied and the contents of this magazine. The weight
of the recoiling part is thus very much reduced and the recoil is more conveniently
and efficiently applied to perform the loading operations.
The invention is applicable to machine guns of large calibre as well as to guns
to be fired from the shoulder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The construction of repeating fire arms in such manner that on firing the barrel
recoils independently of its stock or support and independently of the magazine
from which it is supplied and in this movement extracts the empty cartridge cocks
the lock enters a fresh cartridge and closes the breech.
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