Year: 1886

page_text: :
I ANDREW BURGESS, residing at Oswego, in the County of Tioga, and State of
New York, in the United States of America, Gunmaker, 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 firearm is one in which the breech block or bolt reciprocates in a line
forming a rear extension of the barrel, the breech mechanism being operated by a
handle or sleeve partially surrounding the small of the stock, and carrying the
trigger and trigger guard. The breech block or bolt may recoil slightly so as to
loosen the cartridge from its seat in the barrel of the gun. The operating-handle
is or may be released and the hammer cocked by the recoil of the arm in firing, so
that the breech can be instantly reopened by a backward movement of the right
hand which grasps the handle at the small of the stock, no force being required to
extract the shell or cock the piece when this has been done automatically by the
explosion of the powder in the cartridge.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal central section of the breech portion of a firearm
containing these improvements, the breech being closed.
Fig. 2. is a similar view with the breech open.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section, with magazine attached.
Fig. 4 is a plan partly sectioned.
Fig. 5 is a section on line x-x Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 a partial section on line y--y.
Fig. 7 an irregular partial section on line xx looking forward.
Fig. 8 a partial section on line - of locking dog, frame and handle.
Fig. 9 a longitudinal section of locking brace slide.
Fig. 10 a similar section of locking-brace.
Fig. 11 a rear view of trigger and lever for lifting the handle-locking dog,
showing part of sleeve in section.
Fig. 12 is a side view of magazine.
Fig. 13 a cross section on line x x°.
Fig. 14 a rear view of cartridge feed box.
The numeral 1 indicates the frame of the gun, to which the stock and barrel are
attached in usual manner. The breech bolt 2 reciprocates in line with barrel 3,
[Price Sd.]

page_text: and carries firing pin 4, and extractor 5, which may be of the form shown, or any
other form usual in arms of this class. The breech bolt is guided in the frame
as usual.
The breech bolt is locked by brace 9 which is pivoted within the bolt near its
front end, and closes into a mortise in the bolt to permit of backward movement.
The brace lifts at its rear and locks against an abutment 10 of the frame when
caused to do so by pin 11, in the link 12, which is connected by rod 13, with the
sliding handle.
The upper part of link 12 has a sleeve 8 which incloses the firing pin
and
passes between the side flanges 14, of the locking brace. The cross pin 11, which
is carried by the link, extends into curved slots 15, in the flanges of the brace, and
also into straight slots (shown in dotted lines Fig. 1) in the sides of the bolt outside
these flanges.
Thus when the link is drawn backward from the position shown in Fig. 1, the
pin 11, will slide in the slots in the bolt and brace, and by reason of the incline of
slots 15 will draw down the brace into the mortise in the bolt.
The brace 9 is not long enough to brace the breech bolt in its extreme forward
position, but is lengthened by a fly 16, pivoted in the rear end thereof, and held
down by a spring 17, to form an extension of the brace.
The fly bears against a shoulder on the brace in front of its pivot, so that as
the brace is raised the fly bears against the abutment 10, and serves as a cam to
crowd the brace and bolt forward..
When the brace is in its highest position, however, the rear end of the fly rises
so that its bearing on the shoulder is above its line of direct resistance against
shoulder or abutment 10, but spring 17, presses the fly back and holds the bolt
from moving back by its own weight. When the cartridge is fired the upper end
of the fly is lifted above its bearing on the shoulder 10, permitting the brace and
bolt to move slightly backward until the broad bearing of the brace at each side of
the fly comes to a rest against the abutment.
The recoil of the breech bolt serves to loosen and start back the cartridge shell,
and also cocks the hammer 18 by means of a dog 19, which is pivoted in the bolt,
and bears against a projection or tumbler 20, on or beside the hammer. The
backward movement of this dog need not be sufficient to carry the hammer to full
cock, as the momentum of the hammer imparted by the sudden recoil of the bolt
will complete the cocking. The hammer being cocked does not interfere with the
backward movement of the breech bolt, as the dog 19, rides over the tumbler 20,
when the hammer is at full cock.
The hammer 18, is located in the frame in usual position and is actuated by
mainspring 22 as common. The sear 23, catches the hammer and holds it in half
or full cocked position. (The hammer may be cocked by hand in the usual manner
by pressing on the comb 24, or by the backward movement of the bolt.)
A sleeve or a partial sleeve 25, extends, under or wholly around the "small of the
stock." This sleeve carries the trigger guard 26, and the trigger 27, the latter
extending through a slot in the bottom of the frame, so as to be in position to
engage the sear, (see Fig. 1) when the sleeve is in its forward position. The guard
strap may be guided by grooves 28, in the frame as well as by the sleeve on the
stock. A dog 29, in the frame engages a stop 30, on the guard or sliding handle to
hold the handle forward when the breech is closed. This dog 29, may be unlocked
from the handle in either of two ways, first by a pull on the lever 31, which is
pivoted in the guard alongside the trigger so that the rear end of the lever is under
the dog; secondly, by the weighted slide 33, which is carried in a guide way in the
frame, or in the stock, so that its forward end presents its inclined surface just in
rear of the inclined rear face of the dog 29.
This weighted slide is Held back by spring 34, but at the instant of firing the
recoil of the gun carries the dog against its front end so suddenly as to cause the
weighted slide to act as a trip and release the dog, thus leaving the handle free to
move back, and by drawing on the rod 13 which is pivoted or otherwise loosely

page_text: jointed to the handle, so as to permit the inclined movement of handle, the link 12
is moved, the brace unlocked and then the brace and bolt carried back so as to'
open the breech.
When the brace 9, is closed into the bolt it engages the front end of dog 19 and
lifts the rear end of said dog out of engagement with tumbler 20, so that the dog.
rides over said tumbler. In such case the hammer if not already cocked, is cocked
by the backward movement of the bolt in usual manner. Thus whenever the brace
is unlocked the dog is inoperative.
The trigger 27, is hung on pin 35, and is turned forward by spring 36. An
extension of the trigger bears a slide or roller 38, which when the sliding handle is
forward in position shown in Fig. 1 obtains a position to bear against the slide
way 39, when the trigger is rocked a little way on its pivot, and prevents a further
movement of the trigger until the handle has been drawn back a little way when'
the slide or roller 38 will bear on the inclined surface 40 of the slide way, and the
trigger becomes a lever with a shifting fulcrum at 40 to draw back the handle and
entire breech mechanism.
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The fulcrumi bearing 40 is at such position that the trigger becomes a lever to
draw back the breech at the instant the backward movement of the handle has
completed the unlocking of the brace.
Thus a powerful leverage is gained at the instant the starting of the cartridge
shell is to be effected, which will be available whenever needed or if the recoil
shall have failed to start the shell, or has not been allowed.
The trigger 27, has a spring fly 41, pivoted therein, which fly engages the
sear 23 to release it from its notch in the hammer when the trigger is pulled, but'
afterward this fly bends down and forward under the sear to permit the backward
movement of the trigger.
The pulling or rocking backward of the trigger produces an upward and forward
movement of the fly 41, and as the end of this fly cannot move backward, owing to
its firm seat in the trigger, it must lift the sear in passing under the inclined
projection at the rear end thereof. As soon as the top of the fly passes this end of
the sear, and when the trigger is further pulled the Hy will rock forward of the
sear projection.
The spring 411 which bears on the fly is so weak that when the trigger and fly
are moved backward by the stronger spring 36 the fly will compress its light spring
and ride under the projection on the sear without tripping it, should the hammer
be cocked. Thus the trigger allows the hammer to be cocked and held in that
position by the sear, while the trigger is still being pulled, and returns automatically
(when released) to a position to again engage the sear and pull off the hammer.
Any form of magazine may be used with the breech opening and closing
mechanism described. The magazine I have shown is the upright magazine at the
side of the receiver, and consists of the upright 50 having groove 51 to receive
the cartridge head, and guide it down to the bottom of the magazine, where the
pivoted finger 52 serves to press the cartridge sidewise into the receiver, when.
actuated by projection 53 on the bolt in its backward movement, and is rocked in
reverse direction by projection 54 as the bolt closes.
An arm 55 projecting forward from upright 50 serves as a floor to the magazine
and has a spring pin 56 passing through it to engage in a hole 58 in the side of
the frame to hold the magazine upright. When not in use the magazine may be
swung down on pivot 59, and the spring pin 56, will enter hole 60, holding the
magazine down in the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 3.
The upright 50 has two grooves 61 in its outer surfaces for the reception of
flanges 62, of the cartridge feed case 63, which feed case incloses the cartridges
except at the bottom and rear end. This feed case may be of light metal and
when applied to the magazine may remain attached thereto by the engagement of
flanges 62 with the grooves in the upright 50, thus forming an inclosing cover for
the magazine, or the feed case may be lifted off and thrown away. The cartridges
may be held in the feed case by the spring sides of the feed case compressing the

page_text: sides of the cartridges, or by a thread or strip of paper, which will be broken when
the feed case is applied to the magazine.
The cartridge which is pressed into the receiver by finger 52 will rest on ledge 6,
the flange being in front of the extractor hook, but when the cartridge or empty
shell is drawn back by the extractor, the flange will pass through the recess 7, in
rear of said ledge and drop down through the mortise in the frame.
It will be understood that the brace piece 9, may be made the full length of the
mortise in the frame, thus omitting the automatic recoil and cocking of hammer
thereby. Also that the locking brace may be made to engage a shoulder or
abutment below the bolt instead of above, and still be operated by a link or rod
connected with the sliding handle. Also that the handle may be held forward in
many ways other than by dog 29, as for instance by a hook on the lever 31,
engaging a projection in front in the frame or its rear end abutting against a
shoulder therein.
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
1. A breech-loading fire-arm having a longitudinally reciprocating breech bolt
and an obliquely reciprocating handle curved around the bottom of the small of
the stock and connected to the breech bolt, to operate it.
2. A. reciprocating bolt, having a locking brace pivoted in its forward end so as
to swing into a mortise in the bolt, and an operating connection for said brace,
combined with an abutment in the top of the frame above the bolt, against which
the brace locks, the bolt and brace riding under said abutment in opening.
3. A breech-loading fire-arm having a reciprocating curved handle guided on the
small of the stock, and connected with the breech mechanism by a link connection
and having a locking device to hold the handle forward.
4. In a breech-loading fire arm, a bolt reciprocating in line with the axis of the
barrel, a guard and sleeve constituting a sliding handle reciprocating on the small
of the stock obliquely to the line of movement of the bolt, and a rod or link
connection by which the backward movement of the handle opens the breech and
the forward movement closes it.
5. A breech-loading fire-arm having a limited recoil to the bolt by which the
cartridge is started and hammer cocked automatically by the explosion of the
cartridge without unlocking the bolt.
6. A breech bolt having a locking brace provided with a spring extension which
holds the bolt closed. normally, but permits a slight recoil of the bolt in the frame
without unlocking when the cartridge is fired.
7. The sliding handle forming the sleeve or partial sleeve and reciprocating on
the small of the stock, combined with a locking catch for said handle, and
mechanism in the handle for detaching said catch.
8. The sliding handle and a locking mechanism therefor which is unlocked when
the gun recoils by the inertia of a movable piece substantially as described.
9. The sliding handle connected to the breech piece, and having a lever or trigger
pivoted in said handle, which acts on a bearing in the frame to start the breech
mechanism and assist the direct pull on the handle.
10. The trigger having a spring fly carried thereby to engage and release the
sear when the trigger is pulled, but to ride under the sear without tripping it
when the fly moves in the other direction, so that the sear is free to catch the
hammer when cocked automatically.
11. The breech bolt having a dog to engage the hammer or tumbler to cock the
same automatically by the recoil and the locking brace operating to throw this dog
out of operating position when unlocked.
12. A fire arm having a reciprocating bolt, a brace and a locking shoulder, and
means to move the bolt forward of its locked position, and a cooking dog connected

page_text: to the bolt to operate upon and cock the hammer by the recoil of the bolt from its
forward to its locked position.
13. In a magazine gun wherein the hammer is cocked automatically, a trigger
having a movable piece which engages the sear or tripping mechanism to release
the hammer when the trigger is pulled but thereafter releases the sear and leaves
it free to engage the hammer when it is cocked automatically, although the pull on
the trigger is continued substantially as described.
14. A magazine having vertical arm and grooves to receive the flange of the
removable cartridge case and the cartridge case engaging said groove and forming
inclosing sides to the magazine.
15. The magazine having a vertical and horizontal arm and carrying the feed
lever, said magazine being pivoted to the side of the frame of a gun so as to turn
down alongside thereof.