Improvements in Magazine or Repeating Fire-arms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine or Repeating Fire-arms.
I, Dr. ALFRED RITTER TURNITSCHEK VON WEHRSTEDT, of 29 Graben
Vienna, I. in the Empire of Austria, 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 repeating fire-arms and comprises improvements in the
construction of the magazine and of the loading-frame used for loading the
cartridges in the said magazine.
The chief feature in the fire-arm embodying this invention is the arrangement
in the magazine of two lever-arms, both actuated by the same spring, and each
swinging around a pivot, one of them serving for feeding the cartridges into the
receiver of the breech-action, and the other for ejecting the empty loading-frames.
These loading-frames are constructed in such a manner that they may be adapted
to be secured by either of their sides to the magazine, and they carry at their
rear-end a socket by means of which the said loading-frames, when introduced
into the magazine, are inserted upon a bolt fastened to the bottom-plate of the
magazine.
When the magazine is empty, a revolving piece, which also serves for guiding
the ends of the bullets, closes the mouth of the said magazine and permits of the
fire-arm being used as a single-loader.
Furthermore, the magazine is so arranged as to admit of its being unloaded, and
the bottom of the same is made easily detachable.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the magazine, the breech being closed.
Figure 2 shows the magazine when loaded, the breech being open.
Figure 3 is a view of the magazine all the cartridges but one having been
removed.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the magazine.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the magazine-box.
Figure 6 represents the angle-lever which serves to release the catch which holds
the loading frame in place.
Figure 7 is a view of the detachable bottom-plate of the magazine.
Figure 8 shows the feed-lever, and
Figure 9 the ejecting lever.
Figure 10 is a view of the revolving piece by means of which the ends of the
bullets are guided, and which forms a supporting surface for the cartridges to slide
on when the gun is used as a single-loader.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 represent in side-view, longitudinal section and plan
respectively the loading-frame when filled with cartridges.
Figures 14 and 15 show in perspective view and section respectively, the said
loading-frame when empty.
Figure 16 shows a magazine of the novel construction provided with a loading
frame as heretofore made.
As clearly shown in the drawing the magazine consists of a box A tapering
towards the forepart of the stock, and against the rear of which abuts the trigger-
guard a. The said magazine is secured to the breech-chamber B by means of a
tail-screw a passing through the trigger guard and of a screw c passing through the
bottom plate C of the magazine-box.

page_text: The magazine-box A is completely closed underneath by the bottom-plate C,
which carries a projecting nose c¹ engaging with the trigger-guard a; the bottom C
can be easily removed and secured in place by means of the screw c.
The cartridges are fed successively into the receiver by a feed-lever D (Figure 8)
having in the middle a longitudinal slot d and swinging around a pivot d fastened
in the fore-part of the magazine; the width of this lever is reduced in its fore-
part d², so as to enable it to run between the sides of the loading frame when the
same has been placed in the magazine.
For the purpose of ejecting the empty loading frames, and also of unloading the
magazine, the same contains a second lever E pivoted at el beneath the pivot d of
the feed-lever D.
The feed-lever D and the ejecting lever E are pressed upward by the same
spring, in such a manner that they are independent of each other when moving up
or down in the magazine. For this purpose the feed-lever D is provided, beneath
its centre of motion, with a projection carrying a pin d³ round which a spring dis
coiled (Figure 3) the said spring acts on a hollow cylindrical sliding stud d", which
has its motion limited by a set-screw d³ and bears against a heel e² of the ejecting
lever E.
The magazine is loaded by means of loading frames F (Figures 11 to 15) which
may be introduced by either side, and in which, for this purpose, the grooves f
(Figures 12 to 15) intended for guiding the flanges of the cartridges, are made so
narrow, that the said flanges are maintained in one vertical plane and touch each
other at the top and bottom. The loading frame F is provided at its rear-end with
a socket intended, when the loading frame is put into the magazine, to be inserted
upon a bolt e fixed to the bottom-plate C of the same the said bolt being made
thicker at its foot c³ to provide a suitable support for the under rearpart of the
loading-frame.
The bolt has for its object to provide a guide facilitating the throwing out of
the loading frame, and the unloading of the same.
For the same purpose, the magazine is provided with two guide checks a² a²
(Figures 1 and 5) the top of which, projecting above the magazine-box A, form a
guide for the frame in the middle of the stock. The rear-socket 'increases
considerably the elasticity of the sides of the loading-frame F, and thus causes the
cartridges to be more strongly clasped by the same.
When the loading-frame is being introduced into the magazine, both the feed-
lever and the ejecting lever are thereby pressed downward (Figures 1 and 2). The
loading-frame is secured to the magazine by means of catch G, pivoted at a³ to the
magazine-box A, the said catch G being arranged to snap above the top-end of
the socket of the frame.
The successive feeding of the cartridges is effected by the lever.D, while the
ejecting lever E remains in its lowered position, as shown in Figure 3, and presses
with its front end e³ on the bottom edge of the loading-frame F.
After the last cartridge has been thrust into the breech chamber b, the feed-lever D
rises up to the breech-bolt B' and releases at the same time the loading-frame from
the catch G by striking against a lug g¹ (Figures 1 and 6) projecting from the end
of an arm g² branching off from the catch G.
At the next opening of the breech as soon as the bolt B' has moved past the
loading-frame F the latter is thrown out of the magazine owing to the pressure of
the ejecting-lever E, thus warning the marksman that the cartridges in the magazine
are exhausted.
When the magazine is loaded (Figure 2) the ends of the bullets are guided by a
piece H (Figure 10), pivoted to the breech or to the magazine-box.
When the frame is being introduced this piece H is forced downwards and passes
through the slots d, e, provided for that purpose in the feed- and ejecting-levers,
until it comes to rest on the step shaped stop C₁ projecting from the bottom of
the magazine.

page_text: In proportion as the magazine is gradually emptied this piece H is lifted by the
feed-lever (Figure 3), and, when the magazine is completely empty, it fills up the
slots d, e in the feed and ejecting levers, in such a manner that single-loading can
be effected with the greatest facility; the same piece H is moreover provided with
laterally projecting walls hintended for preventing any side-deviation of the ends
of the bullets.
In order to permit of unloading the magazine at once, the breech being open,
the arm 92 of the catch G (Figure 6) carries a lug ³ which projects outside the
stock on the side of the magazine (Figure 4) so that by exerting an upward
pressure on the lug g³ catch G is disengaged from the frame.
The magazine may also be arranged to receive loading-frames F1 (Figure 16) in
which the cartridges are superposed in such a manner that their flanges are arranged
one behind the other; in that case, the shell by which the loading-frame is guided
may be dispensed with. The ejecting lever E is then provided with a nose a¹
which, when the magazine is completely full, presses on the undermost cartridge,
adding its pressure to that of the feed-lever D.
As clearly shown in Figure 16 the releasing of the catch G is effected by
pressing on the arm of the same, extending downward for that purpose, and
projecting into the inside of the trigger-guard a.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the swivel I can be very easily affixed to the
magazine box A, its pivot i being located in a hole ¹ (Figure 5) of the same.
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 :-
First. In breech-loading guns, a magazine the chief feature of which is a box A
tapering in its heighth towards the fore-part of the stock, and provided with two
guide-tongues a² and two swinging levers D and E pivoted in the front part of the
said box, and acting one upon the other by means of an elastic sliding-stud d', in
such a manner that the said two levers are pressed upward but are independent of
each other one of the said levers serving for lifting the cartridges into position to
be fed into the breech-chamber and the second for ejecting the empty loading-
frames, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the drawing.
Second. In breech-loading guns having a magazine arranged under the breech-
chamber, a catch G, intended to secure the loading-frame after the same has been
placed in the magazine the said catch G being pressed forwards by a spring 9, and
provided with an arm g¹ carrying a lug g² against which the feed-lever D strikes to
disengage the catch automatically and with a second hugg projecting from the side
of the magazine box; in such a manner that the catch G may be disengaged
from the loading-frame by hand, substantially as described and shown in the
drawing.
Third. In breech-loading guns having a magazine arranged under the breech-
chamber, a detachable bottom-plate C secured by a nose c' engaged in the rear-
wall of the magazine-box, and by a screw c, substantially as described and shown in
the drawing.
Fourth. In a breech-loading gun having a magazine arranged beneath the
breech-chamber a bolt c² fixed on the bottom-plate C of the magazine upon
which is inserted the socket f' of the loading frame, substantially as described and
shown in the drawing.
Fifth. In a breech-loading gun having a magazine arranged beneath the breech-
chamber, a pivoted piece H intended for guiding the ends of the bullets the said
pivoted piece H being raised by the feed-lever Ď when the magazine is empty and
filling up the openings in the feed and ejecting levers so as to constitute a support
upon which the cartridges slide when the gun is employed as a single-loader,
substantially as described and shown in the drawing.
Sixth. For breech-loading guns having a magazine arranged beneath the breech-

page_text: chamber, a loading frame F which can be used on either side, carrying at its rear-
end a socket f¹ and having lateral guide-grooves holding the flanges of the
cartridges in such a manner that the said flanges are maintained in one vertical
plane and touch each other, substantially as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 6th day of May 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.