Improvements in Breech-loading Sinall-arms."
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Sinall-arms."
I, PAUL MAUSER, of Oberndorf, on the Neckar, in the Kingdom of Württemberg
and Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, 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:—
a
"
The object of my invention is to avoid, by a simple device, those loading obstructions
which originate in two cartridges being at the same time in the loading space of the
breech of breech loading guns. The invention is shown in the drawing as applied to
"Mauser" repeating bolt gun, in which the cartridges rise by a spring from the
magazine beneath the breech into the reach or path of the bolt. Although the inven-
tion is intended especially to apply to this class of "Mauser" guns, it may be used
advantageously in "Mauser" single loaders, and also in bolt guns of other systems,
with such slight modifications as any locksmith is accustomed to exercise in fitting.
In the accompanying drawing similar letters refer to like parts throughout the
several figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical axial section of the front portion of the locking bolt, a portion
of a cartridge being shown in dotted lines.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the bolt:
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the bolt partly in section.
Figure 3 is a view of the bolt from below.
If the uppermost cartridge of the cartridge magazine is pushed by the bolt a into
the barrel, and the bolt a drawn back without having been so far turned as to bring
it to a full close, it happens very often that the said cartridge, not yet seized by tho
extractor-claw, remains sticking entirely or partially in the barrel. As soon as, in
such case, the bolt a has made its full back stroke, the next cartridge rises from the
magazine, presents itself to the re-advancing bolt, and is pushed against or under the
first cartridge, so that both are wedged or jammed, and the gun cannot be discharged
except the second cartridge be removed by hand, which in most cases is a tedious and
troublesome job, greatly disturbing the soldier on the battle-field. To avoid such
accidents the front end of the bolt a, or the bolt head, if such exists, is constructed
in the following manner. The lower portion of the rim of the front recess i of the
bolt a is cut away fully to the ground of the recess i, so that the so formed gap i
has parallel ides and a width equal to the diameter of the rear portion of the
cartridge c. On one side of this gap i, a projecting ridge a¹ is left standing of the
material of the bolt a of such shape that it fits easily to the annular groove at
the rear end of the cartridge c, allowing the latter to slip from beneath up to its proper
place in the recess i, and eventually under the claw f¹ of the extractor f. As soon as
the first cartridge rises from the magazine, its rear part enters the gap i¹, and so much
more as the cartridge is pushed deeper into the barrel. If the bolt a is drawn back
prior to its being closed fully, either the claw for the ridge a¹ will be coupled with
the cartridge by having entered the annular groove of the latter, and therefore the
cartridge will be drawn back by the receding bolt a. By this means the second
cartridge is prevented from rising, and by again pushing forward the bolt the first
cartridge will be pushed into the barrel. To absolutely prevent the cartridge from
slipping down out of reach of the ridge a', a spring catch is arranged in one of
the locking wings a³ of the bolt a, in such way that the said catch presses the
cartridge in an oblique upward direction. The catch consists of a headed pin b,
the catch proper, and a spiral spring round its shank. These two parts are
placed in a suitable hole drilled from the side into the wing a² and prevented from
falling out by upsetting the outside edge of the hole. The hole is drilled just deep
enough, to bring the head of the catch into the proper position to the cartridge c.
a,

page_text: The said catch will yield easily to the entering cartridge, but hold it securely when
once in its proper place in the recess i.
It is clear that the bolt a, by this cartridge catching device, will carry back with it,
the cartridge c out of any position prior to the full close of the bolt a. By this
means it is not possible that two cartridges can be at the same time in the loading
space of the breech.
I am well aware that a similar device for a similar purpose exists, but without a
spring catch and with the rim of the recess i not cut away so deep as in the present
case.
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. An improved cartridge-catcher for bolt guns with magazine beneath the breech,
consisting of a headed pin b, actuated by a spring 1, arranged in a hole provided
suitably in the side of the bolt a or the bolt head, having the gap flush to the
ground of the recess of the bolt a, and a ridge a', substantially as shown and
explained and for the purpose set forth.
2. A breech loading bolt gun, with or without magazine beneath the breech, of
which the front end of its bolt a has a recess i and a gap i flush to the ground of the
recess and a ridge al corresponding to the annular groove of the rear end of the
cartridges, in combination with a retaining spring catch b, substantially as shown and
explained.
Dated this 31st day of October 1890.