Improvements in Magazine Small-arms.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 27th Feb.. 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine Small-arms.
I PHILIP THOMAS GODSAL of Eton in the County of Buckingham, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the breech loading firearm for which I have made.
application for Letters Patent No. 11461, dated August 8th 1888, the chief object
being to provide means whereby the loading of the arm inadvertently, when a magazine
is employed, will be prevented. The invention has also for object certain minor
improvements which tend to perfect the arm, and also certain improved forms of
magazine specially applicable to the present arm.
In the complete specification filed in respect of the said application, I have described
a catch for holding the magazine in position, and a cut off bolt which will prevent
(when desired) a cartridge passing out of the magazine.
This latter mechanism, as is the case with other cut off mechanisms, may however
prove not only a source of inconvenience, but also of danger, as the soldier, forgetting
that the bolt is forward, may (at night, for example) go through the operation of
loading without effecting his purpose. At the same time, if the bolt is drawn back,
he may inadvertently load.
Now I propose to employ an automatic cut off bolt which shall always be manipulated
in order to load when the magazine is used.
The manipulation of this cut off will be effected by one finger as the obturator and
saddle block are drawn back, so that no extra movement of the hand is required, and
the firing can take place almost as rapidly as without it.
In carrying out my invention, the magazine catch and cut off bolt are fixed to a
metal piece, of polygonal form externally, but cylindrical internally (with a solid
head), to receive a spiral spring. This piece is provided on one side with a rib
or flange which takes into a slot formed in the stock bar, and in which it is secured
by screws from below, or in any other convenient manner.
On the outside of this piece is a dovetailed groove in which works the sliding catch
to hold the magazine in position.
•
The cut off bolt works in a dovetailed slot formed in the top of the piece,
and projects forwards into the magazine in manner described in the forenamed
specification.
Projecting downwards from the bolt is an arm, to which a disc or piston is attached,
which piston travels in the hollow cylinder, and is pressed forwards perpetually by the
spring..
The front end of this bolt is provided with a finger piece, which, when required, is
pushed back by the finger of the firer as he opens the breech. Thus, the cut off bolt
is always pressed forwards by the spring over the rising cartridges in the magazine,
and the top cartridge will not rise into the path of the pusher, unless the cut off is
first of all designedly pushed back by the firer. In this case, the top cartridge will
rise, and, as the risen cartridge is pushed forwards into the barrel, the cut-off slides
forward and intercepts the next cartridge. By this arrangement, this repeating action
is made safer than any heretofore constructed, because a cartridge can never be fed
accidentally into the barrel by a firer.
In order to hold the stock or fore end from being drawn out of the body of the
action by the recoil, on the discharge of the rifle, I provide an eye bolt or plate,
which, secured to the body of the breech portion, projects forward into the stock, to
which it is attached by a transverse pin or screw, or in any other convenient
manner.
With the exception of the breech piece and obturator, which must of course be

page_text: of the strongest steel or iron, and some few other parts, the rest of the improved
action may be made of some weaker, but non-corrodible metal.
Instead of cutting off a great part of the right grip of the saddle block, to allow
room for the extractor to travel, I continue the grip all the way, and leave a downward
projection passing outside the extractor, and striking, when the saddle block is drawn
back, against a lateral projection or pin on the extractor rod. This makes the grip
of the saddleblock firmer, and less likely to be lifted by the upward pressure of the
sear than heretofore, and it also enables me to shorten the extractor, and so permits
of a shorter stock bar.
To permit of the cleaning rod in one piece extending as far as the trigger, the fore
trigger plate is placed a little on one side, and the cleaning rod is screwed into a
piece projecting from the cut off bolt holder.
The magazine may take the form of a flat, nearly flat, or corrugated fan shaped
piece (or it may be a disc) of metal, pivotted at or about the breech portion. On
one or both sides (but for present use on the inside), of this piece, are clips to hold
cartridges with their bullets towards the pivot, a spring being provided to actuate the
piece so as to bring the cartridges up successively; or I may use a revolving cylinder
provided with notches or recesses to hold the cartridges, and a partial rotation of this
cylinder, by convenient means, will present each cartridge, in its proper turn, to the
pusher, to be fed into the barrel. Or I may use a band of leather or other suitable
substance, with clips to hold cartridges on its outside. This holder will be made to
travel round a rod or rods suitably placed so as to present each cartridge in its proper
turn to be fed into the barrel.
In some cases, I may find it desirable to use a hopper placed slightly above the
position in which the magazine is at present placed, and from which the cartridges
may be forced by gravity, or by a spring, to present themselves in turn to be fed into
the barrel.
1
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine Small-arms.
I PHILIP THOMAS GODSAL of Eton in the County of Buckingham, 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 :-
This invention relates to the breech-loading firearm for which I have obtained
Letters Patent No. 11461, dated August 8th, 1888, the chief object being to provide
means whereby the loading of the arm inadvertently, when a magazine is employed,
will be prevented. The invention has also for object certain minor improvements
which tend to perfect the arin.
In the specification of the said Letters Patent, I have described a catch for holding
the magazine in position, and a cut-off bolt, which will prevent (when desired) a
cartridge passing out of the magazine. This latter mechanism, as is the case with
other cut-off mechanisms, may, however, prove not only a source of inconvenience,
but also of danger, as the soldier forgetting that the bolt is forward, may (at night,
for example) go through the operation of loading without effecting his purpose.
At the same time, if the bolt is drawn back, he may inadvertently load.
Now I propose to employ an automatic cut-off bolt, which it will be always
necessary to manipulate in order to load when the magazine is used.
The manipulation of this cut-off will be effected by one finger, as the obturator and
saddle block are drawn back, so that no extra movement of the hand is required, and
the firing' can take place almost as rapidly as without it.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an action with the magazine in position, and showing

page_text: the improved cut off. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line xx, and
Fig. 4 is a section on the line z z, both of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the
opposite side of Fig. 1. Fig. 6, Sheet II, is a side elevation, partly in section,
showing an improved safety bolt arrangement. Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in
section. Figs. 8 and 9 are details.
A is the barrel, B the enlarged breech end, with which is connected the loop B' and
the trigger plate B2, and is what I have denominated, in my former specification,
the stock bar. D is the saddle block, and E the obturator connected therewith, and
hoth sliding on the stock bar. F is the cartridge pusher, which is secured to the side
of the saddle block D, and G is the magazine. All the above named parts are the
same, or practically the same, as described in the specification of my former patent.
H is a hollow block or piece of polygonal form externally, with a solid head, but
cylindrical internally. This block is provided on one side with a laterally exten ling
rib or flange H', which fits in a slot formed in the stock bar (, and in which it is
secured by a screw bolt H2 from below, or in any other convenient manner.
On the outside of this block H, is a dove-tailed groove, in which the sliding
catch H³, to hold the magazine in position, works.
J is the cut-off bolt, which works in a dovetailed slot formed in the top of the
block H, and projects forwards into the magazine in nanner described in the
forenamed specification.
Projecting downwards from the bolt is an arm, to which a disc or piston J' is
attached, which piston travels in the hollow block H. and is pressed forwards
continually by a spiral spring shown in dotted lines.
The front end of this bolt is provided with an upwardly projecting finger piece J2,
which, when required, is pushed back by the finger of the firer, as he opens the
breech. Thus, the cut-off bolt is always being pressed forwards by the spring over
the rising cartridges in the magazine, and the top cartridge will not rise into the path
of the pusher, unless the cut-off is first of all designedly pushed back by the firer. In
this case, the top cartridge will rise, and as the risen cartridge is pushed forwards into
the barrel, the cut-off slides forwards, and intercepts the next cartridge. By the
arrangement of cut off just described, I provide a repeating action which is much safer
than any heretofore constructed, because a cartridge can never be fed accidentally
into the barrel by a firer.
In order to hold the stock or fore end, and prevent its being drawn out of the body
of the action by the recoil, on the discharge of the rifle, I provide an eye bolt or
plate K, which, secured to the body of the breech portion B, projects forward into the
stock, to which it is attached by a transverse pin or screw, or in any other convenient
manner.
With the exception of the breech piece and obturator, which must of course be of
the strongest steel or iron, and some few other parts, the rest of the improved action
may be made of some weaker, but non-corrodible metal.
In my former specification, the saddle block is described as gripping the stock bar
on both sides, but on the right hand side the gripping portion is partly cut away,
leaving only the projection, which acts on the extractor as the gripping portion.
Now, instead of cutting off a great part of the right grip of the saddle block, to allow
room for the extractor M to travel, I continue the grip the whole length of the saddle
block, and form a downward projection M', which works outside the extractor M, and
strikes, when the saddle block is drawn back, against a lateral projection or pin on the
extractor rod, instead of a projection on the top, as heretofore."
The grip of the saddle block on the stock bar is therefore much firmer than in the
former arrangement, and the saddle block is less likely to be lifted by the upward
pressure of the sear. The improved construction also enables me to shorten the .
extractor, and so permits of a shorter stock bar, thereby reducing the weight of
the rifle.
To permit of the use of a cleaning rod in one piece, of greater length than the
barrel, the fore trigger plate is placed a little on one side, and the cleaning rod L
screws into a lug H projecting laterally from the cut-off bolt holder H.

page_text: Referring now to Sheet II of the drawings, in which my improved safety bolt
arrangement is shown, the plug N, which closes the rear end of the saddle block D, is
formed with a rearward extension N', of the form shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9. In
the recess N2 of the extension N¹, is pivotted a spring block or bolt O. Working in
the groove N3 of the piece N', is a bar or stem P, which is tapped into the end of the
striker P¹, and has a projection P2 at its rear end.
If it be desired to apply the safety-bolt to the cocked arm, the piece O is moved
from the dotted position to the drawn position Fig. 8, when it will press against the
projection P2, and firmly hold the tail of the striker clear of the sear until released by
pushing back the piece O to the dotted position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The application to a magazine arm of a cut-off mechanism, of which the cut-off
action is automatic, and the releasing motion is produced, and only intentionally, by
the firer, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The cut-off mechanism for magazine arms as herein shown and described.
3. The improvements as shown and described for securing the extractor in position,
and for strengthening the grip of the saddle block.
4. The improvements as shown and described, which permit of the use of a cleaning
rod of greater length than the barrel.
5. The safety bolt arrangement as herein shown and described with reference to
Sheet II of the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of February 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.