IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by the Oesterreichische
Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, of Steyr, in the Empire of Austria.
Sealed the 13th September 1878, and dated the 30th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS." [A communication from
abroad by the Oesterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, of Steyr, in the Empire
of Austria.]
This Invention relates to improvements in revolving fire-arms on the sliding
bolt system, and in which the reserve of cartridges is contained in a sort of cylinder
revolving on an axis behind and parallel with the barrel. The cartridges lie in
separate longitudinal half-round grooves or cavities provided for their reception
around the cylinder, and the latter is partially rotated every time the bolt is drawn
back, so as to bring the cartridges successively in their several grooves or cavities
into line with the bolt and barrel in order that on the forward movement of the
sliding bolt in closing the breech the cartridge contained in the uppermost groove or
cavity of the cylinder may be pushed forward by the bolt into the chamber of the
barrel.
The cylinder is entirely enclosed, with the exception of the groove or cavity,
which for the time being is in line with the barrel, by a cylindrical casing made in
two or more parts to enable the cylinder to be readily mounted and dismounted,
which fits closely upon the revolving cylinder, and prevents the cartridges falling
out of their respective grooves or cavities, and as the cartridges lie loosely without
any spring pressure upon them all deformation of the cartridges is avoided.

page_text: The mechanism by which the cylinder is rotated consists of a lever fixed on a
transverse horizontal axis at its rear end beneath the sliding bolt, the front end of
which lever engages with a circle of inclined teeth on the end of the axis of the
cylinder in such a way that at each complete oscillation of the lever caused by the
backward and forward movements of the sliding bolt, the lever first rotates
the cylinder the distance of one tooth, and then returns to its former position to
engage with a fresh tooth.
The oscillations of the lever are produced by means of a part resembling the
anchor of an escapement consisting of a pair of short arins fixed on the axis of the
said lever, and provided with lugs at the extremities which project upwards through
slots in the bottom of the shoe or chamber in which the bolt slides, and are received
in a longitudinal groove on the under side of the bolt itself, in which groove there
is a stop, whereby to enable the bolt to slide a certain distance without operating
the said lever, and at the proper moment by the stop striking, passing over, and
thus depressing the one or other of these lugs to oscillate the lever in the one or
other direction for rotating the magazine cylinder, as above described.
A check spring is provided to engage with a circle of notches on the revolving
cylinder to ensure the latter being arrested at the moment when one of the
cartridge grooves or cavities is exactly in line with the barrel.
The mechanism for rotating the cartridge magazine or cylinder may be rendered
inoperative when the weapon is not required to be used as a repeating fire-arm by
means of an eccentric dise on the sliding bolt, which acts as a stop to limit its
motion, and when placed in a certain position prevents the bolt being drawn back
far enough to act on the lever by which the rotation of the cartridge magazine or
cylinder is effected, as above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS." A communication
from abroad by the Oesterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, of Steyr, in
the Empire of Austria.
This Invention relates to revolving or magazine fire-arms on the sliding bolt
system, which may be used as repeating or as ordinary fire-arms at will. The
reserve of cartridges is contained in a sort of cylinder revolving on a longitudinal
axis below and parallel with the barrel, and in rear of the breech end thereof, the
cartridges lying in separate longitudinal half-round grooves or chambers formed
around the cylinder, which when the gun is used as a repeating fire-arm is partially
rotated every time the bolt is drawn back, so as to bring the cartridges contained
successively into line with the barrel in order that the bolt on its forward move-
ment shall push the cartridge contained in the uppermost groove or chamber of the
cylinder into the chamber of the barrel.
The cylinder is entirely enclosed (with the exception of the groove or chamber,
which for the time being is in line with the barrel) by a cylindrical casing made
removable to enable the cylinder to be readily mounted and dismounted, and which
fits closely upon the revolving cylinder, and prevents the cartridges falling out. As
the cartridges lie loosely without any spring pressure upon them they are not liable
to be injured or rendered misshapen.
The mechanism by which the cylinder is rotated consists of a lover working at
its rear end on a transverse axis mounted beneath the sliding bolt, and engaging by
its front end with a circle of inclined teeth on the end of the axis of the cylinder in
such a way that the lever when oscillated will first rotate the cylinder the distance
of one tooth, and then spring back to its former position to engage with a fresh
tooth.
The oscillations of the lever are produced by the sliding bolt acting on a pair of
short arms fixed on the said lever, and provided with lugs at the extremities which
pass up through slots in the bottom of the shoe or chamber in which the bolt slides
and project into a longitudinal groove on the under side of the bolt itself. In this
groove there is a nib or projection, which after the bolt has slid a certain distance
without operating the said lever at the proper moment strikes and depresses
the one or other of these lugs, thereby oscillating the lever.
A check spring engages with a circle of notches on the revolving cylinder to
arrest it at the moment when one of the cartridge grooves or chambers is exactly in
line with the barrel.
The mechanism for rotating the cartridge magazine or cylinder may be rendered
inoperative, when the weapon is not required to be used as a repeating fire-arm, by
means of an eccentric stop on the sliding bolt, which limits its motion, and when
placed in a certain position prevents the bolt being drawn back far enough to act on
the lever by which the cartridge magazine or cylinder is rotated, as above
described

page_text: Figure 7 is a side view of the mechanism for rotating the said carrier or magazine ;
and Figure 8 is a top view of the lever forming part thereof.
Figure 9 is an inside view; Figure 10, a longitudinal section; and Figure 11, an
end view of the removable cover enclosing the underside of the cartridge carrier or
magazine.
A is the stock; B, the barrel; C, the sliding bolt; and D, the shoe in which it
slides;
E is the revolving cartridge carrier or magazine located directly in rear of
the breech, and parallel with the barrel, as shown. It consists of a sort of cylinder
having a number of half round longitudinal grooves or chambers E¹ around it to
receive the cartridges, which are separated by the radial wings E². The chambers
El correspond in cross section with the groove of the bolt shoe D, and in length
with the cartridges F, which lie in them, as shown. e, e', are journals on the ends
of the said carrier or magazine E, which are mounted in bearings beneath shoe D
formed by downward projections d on the under side thereof, and by the ends g of
the under side cover G; e, es, are shoulders on said journals to prevent any longi-
tudinal movement of the cartridge carrier E. The latter rises through an opening
cut in the under side of the shoe D, so as to bring the uppermost chamber El into
line with the groove of the said shoc D, with which it coincides, and thus virtually
forms a continuation or part thereof for the time being.
The shoulder of the rear journal of the cartridge carrier or magazine has as
many notches et in its circumference as there are chambers E¹ in the magazine, and
a nib on the end of a spring f falls into one of said notches after each movement of
the cartridge magazine E to arrest and retain it in the proper position. This
spring is of the bent form shown in Figure 11, and is secured by a block f¹ fixed
by a screw to the end g of the cover G. Upon the end of the journal e³ there are
also formed a circle of teeth or projections e of the peculiar form shown, and cor-
responding in number with the number of chambers E'. H is a lever arm working
on pivots h mounted in ears on the under side of the shoe D. This lever is pressed
upon by a spring H³, and its free end acts on the teeth e. This lever is made of
steel, and is flexible laterally, so that after acting on one tooth and partially rotating
the magazine, it can yield and spring past the outside of the next following tooth
to take up its former position again. This movement of the end of the lever is
illustrated in Figure 4. I is a sort of anchor piece formed of a pair of short arms in
one with said lever extending on opposite sides of the axis h, and terminating in
lugs i,, which rise through slots in the bottom of the shoe D.
c is a longitudinal groove on the under side of the sliding bolt C, into which the
lugs, project, said groove extending from the front end backwards for a
sufficient distance to allow the bolt to slide to and fro to the required extent, and
terminating at the rear end in a short return groove at right angles to the longi-
tudinal groove to allow the bolt to be partially rotated in order to lock the breech
as usual. c is a nib or projection at a certain point in said groove, which when the
bolt is drawn back to its full extent strikes the lug (the lever H being then in
the position shown in Figure 7) and moves the lever to the position Figure 2,
thereby rotating the magazine to the extent of one tooth e, as above described.
On the return movement the nib c¹ strikes and passes over the lugi and depresses it,
returning the lever H to its former position, Figure 7, in readiness to act on the
next tooth e. Thus each time the bolt is drawn back, the magazine is partly
rotated to bring another chamber E' containing a fresh cartridge in line with the
barrel.
K, Figure 12, is an eccentric disc working on a pivot k on the top of the bolt,
and forming a stop which abuts against the upper portion of the shoe to limit the
motion of the bolt. When placed in the position, Figure 2, the bolt can be drawn
back to its full extent for operating the magazine, as above described, but when the
stop turned in the position shown dotted in Figure 12, the bolt cannot be drawn
back far enough for the nib c¹ to strike the lug i. The repeating mechanism is thus
rendered inoperative, the gun being then loaded by hand in the ordinary way. L is
the extractor, and M, the ejector for withdrawing and expelling the spent cartridge

page_text: case when the bolt is drawn back, this being effected before the cartridge carrier or
magazine is rotated, the latter movement not taking place until the sliding bolt
attains its extreme backward position.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―-
1st. The combination with a sliding bolt gun of a revolving cartridge carrior or
magazine constructed, applied, and operated by the backward movement of the
sliding bolt, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. In a sliding bolt gun provided with a revolving cartridge carrier or
magazine, as herein specified, the combination with the sliding bolt and the said
carrier or magazine of the mechanism for rotating the latter, constructed and
operating substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
LATE