IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer of 33 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING
FIRE-ARMS communicated to him from abroad by Wilhelm Werner and
Adolphe Beer both of Paris Franco
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1883.
"
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS (A communication to ine from abroad
by Wilhelm Werner and Adolpho Beer both of Paris France)
This invention refers to an apparatus or appliance which can be applied to
fire-arms of all kinds and for repeating purposes. It is very simple and composed
of two chief parts (with some slight accessories) which can be put together and
taken to pieces with great facility. The system operates without any mechanism
but a spring mechanism may be applied if thought necessary.
According to this invention there is a magazine tube and magazine distributing
box, the two essential features of the invention. The magazine tube is intended to
contain the required number of cartridges. The distributing magazine box
receives the cartridges from the magazine tube and conveys thein to the arm as
required
A metal box carries a piece by which it is fixed to the barrel by means of
screws; the introduction of the cartridges takes place at the opening end which is
in communication with the magazine tube. When it is not required for repeating
purposes the magazine tube can be dispensed with and a small cover piece operated
by a spring is turned over then the fire-arın becomes an ordinary fire-arm but a
double fire-arm because it can be charged with two cartridges at a time. The
cartridge slides on an inclined plane and when it arrives at the bottom of its course
it abuts on the fixed bottom of the box and the cartridge rim is retained by a
small spring nipple appliance. This latter which is very simple has sufficient
power to retain the cartridge and to prevent it falling on the one which is ready
71

page_text: to go off, but as soon as the extractor has ejected the spent cartridge the one
remaining in the distributor slides on the small nipple and is thus placed in the
breech; then to replace the space existing in the distributor, a fresh cartridge is
brought from the magazine tube. It should be noticed that the box is not only
the magazine distributor but that it besides serves to guide the movable head as
well as the bolt serves as an obturator to the said box. By a modification the
magazine distributor box may have a spring in the tube pushing the cartridges
and mechanisin for their distribution and they may be retained by an enlargement.
The magazine is composed of two tubes one going into the other, but it might in
some cases be only a single tube; the interior tube receives the cartridges, the
exterior tube covers them, ono or other of them is provided with an opening for
the introduction of the cartridges so that if one tube is turned on the other
openings will be presented and it is then easy to introduce the cartridges into the
internal tube. As soon as the cartridges are introduced a half turn is given to the
two tubes by means of a lever or other suitable appliance and the cartridges are
enclosed. At the lower part of the magazine tubo there is a jointed stop pioco-
which enters the tubes to prevent them turning and also prevents the cartridges
entoring the magazine distributing box. To apply the magazine tube to the gun
the upper part is engaged in catches of the box and the upper part engages in some
other catches formed on washers which closes the magazine tube at the upper part.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Patent Office on the 1st April 1884.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS (A communication to me from
abroad by William Werner and Adolphe Beer both of Paris France)
These improvements are applicable to fire-arms and the object of the invention
is to be able to transform all systems of fire-arms to repeating fire-arms. This
transformation is obtained by means of a small apparatus which may be called a
magazine distributing box fixed on the left side of the breech box and intended to
bring the cartridges in this breech box in connection as desired with a magazine
tube or a loader.
For ordinary shooting the gun will only be provided with the magazine
distributing box and will thus become a three barrel gun. For very fast shooting
there is added to the magazine distributing box either the magazine tube or the
loader hereafter described.
In the accompanying drawings a fire-arm is shown with these improvements
applied thereto. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the distribution box the door
supposed to be open, Figure 2 shows a plan of the box; Figure 3 shows in clovation
the interior of the box. Figure 4 is a section through the line A B of Figure 2;
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show the magazine tube.
At Figure 5 it is supposed to be open, Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section
through the line C D of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a view of the upper end of the tube-Figure 9 is a section through
the line E F of Figure 5; Figure 10 is a section through the line G H of Figure 6.
Figure 11 shows a fire-arm in elevation (the stock of which is removed) provided
with a magazine distributing box and magazine tube.
Figure 12 shows in plan the same fire-arm provided with the magazine
distributing box only that is to say a fire-arin with three barrels; Figure 13 is a
view in plan of the magazine distribution box in position and loaded. Figures 14
and 15 are transverse sections of the breech box and of the magazine distributing
box. Figures 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 show in external views and sections the
loader which may be substituted for the magazine tube.
The distribution box a is provided with a foot pieco b for fixing under the
breech box the opposite box c acting as a guide to the movable head, the box
shown at Figure 15 may also be employed.
The magazine distributing box or distribution is provided with a door d, the
position of which is regulated by a spring d¹; in the drawing the door is supposed
to be open. Inside the box there is a guide e.
The magazine tube is formed of two tubes fg, one turning within the other.
Each of these tubes is provided with a large opening; by turning these tubes, the
two openings can be brought opposite one another as is shown at Figures 5 and 9.
The cartridges are then inserted when by turning the tube f with rspect to g
they are brought into the position shown at Figures 6 and 10.
The open end of the internal magazine tube is provided with a stop h which
when it occupies the position shown by the full lines it stops the exit of the
cartridges and allows them to pass on the contrary when it is in the position
indicated by the dotted lines.
At Figure 11 the fire-arm is shown provided with this magazine distributing
box and magazine tube. It will be seen that to introduce the lower extremity
of the magazine tube into the open box all that is necessary is that the two
cheeks are slipped into or caused to enter into the groove i' of the distribution
box,

page_text: A ring piece carries a small pin or gudgeon I which enters the hole formed
in the bottom of the front end of the magazine tube.
Instead of the magazine tube loaders shown at Figures 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21,
may be used. It is a box containing a greater or less number of cartridges
.according to its size. To put it in position the portion of the loader is
introduced into the opening of tho distribution box where it is held either by
friction or by means of a spring 8 the stud of which goes into an aperture formed
in the upper part of the magazine distributing box cither by means of a small
projection entering into a bayonet attachment formed in the box or in any other
convenient manner, for example by means of a bent spring u as in Figure 19
This loader does not contain any mechanism, the cartridges fall by their own
weight from the loader into the magazine distributing box. A loader may also be
made with several stages of cartridges for example of two stages as shown at
Figures 20 and 21.
Generally the fire-arm will be used as a gun having threo barrels in this case
fifteen shots a minute could be fired.
The communication between the magazine distribution box a and the breech
block is effected by the removal of the left part of this breech box and it is the
edge c of the distribution box which acts as a guide to the movable head.
The loading is effected in the following manner.
f
A cartridge is placed in the barrel in the ordinary way the raising the
cover two are introduced into the box a, they occupy the positions shown at
Figure 13.
By opening the barrel that is to say by drawing the movable breech to the rear
the extractor will withdraw the cartridge 1 and the movable breech having
exposed the aperture of the box a the cartridge 2 will roll of its accord into the
breech box, at the same time cartridge 3 sliding by its own weight will occupy the
position previously occupied by cartridge 2. It cannot fall into the breech box
because it is prevented by cartridge 2 which is there already. On closing the
breech cartridge 2 will be driven into the barrel. To fire the cartridge 3 all that
is necessary then is to open and then to close the breech.
It will be seen that the cartridges reach the breech box without the assistance of
any nechanisin by reason of the laws of gravitation.
It is the bolt which acts as the door of the box, it is the fourth office which it
has to accomplish, in fact the bolt already acts as, 1° obstructor, 2° striker;
8° extractor.
When it accomplishes this third service to throw out the empty case, the
magazine distributing box opens the cartridge to be fired escapes from it and
becomes placed in front of the barrel to replace the exploded cartridge, the
projection prevents the third cartridge from advancing so long as the second bas
not gone.
When the magazine tube or loader is fitted to the gun, the cartridges
which are there contained, descend one by one into the distribution box and there
successively occupy the positions 3, 2, 1
It has been before stated that the magazine distributing box is applicable to all
kinds of fire-arms. At Figures 22 and 23 this invention is shown applied to a
block gun for example to the so called "Martini Henry" fire arm.
In this gun
the shield being lowered the block descends below the opening to the barrel; this
block moves between two cheeks or guides w, w made of gun metal and its
centre forms a gutter whereby the entrance to the barrel is effected and the
cartridge is inserted.
By applying the small magazine distributing box on the side and by raising the
left check of the block at to keep the cartridges in the box there is the sam
obstacle as that obtained by the bolt in those kind of fire-arms which allow it;
thus by closing the shield or shutter the cheeck v¹ being raised it comes in front of
the box and tolds the cartridge, the same effect is thus obtained by the movement
of the shutter as by the to and fro movement of the bolt.
It follows that when the gun is fired the shutter descends it opens the door:of

page_text: the magazine distributing box and when it is closed with the same stroke the
door of the magazine distributing box in a word it is the cheek which is itself
this door.
At Figure 24 a modification of this magazine box is shown this latter has no
cover and it is a spring x which holds the cartridge 3 by the flange of the
cartridge case
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and in what manner tho
same is to be performed I declare that I claim.
First: The magazine distributing box with or without a cover guide or
enlargement and stop spring for the cartridges substantially as set forth.
Second-The magazine tube with stop mechanism for the cartridges substantially
as set forth.
Third: The loader provided with one or several stages acting as a magazine
substantially as set forth.
Fourth The combination of the magazine box with fire arms of any system
substantially as set forth.
Fifth The combination of the magazine tube and the magazine distributing
box substantially as set forth.
Sixth-The mode of fixing the magazine tube to the gun and the distribution
box substantially as set forth.
Seventh-The combination of the loader and the magazine box substantially as
set forth.
:-
Eighth The particular application of the magazine box to block guns of the
so called Martini Henry class and others substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Edward Griffith Brewer have hereunto set my
band and seal this Thirtyfirst day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
EG BREWER (L.S.)