US1784355A - Automatic firearm with two cartridge magazines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1930. r.y HERLACH ET Al. 1,784,355

AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO-CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES F'iled June 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bgy'wz/ Patented Dec. 9, 1930 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRITZ HERLACH AND THEODOB BAKULA, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS T BHEINISCHE METALLWAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK, OF DUSSELDORF-DEBEN- y DORE, GERMANY AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES Application led June 4, 1929, Serial No. 868,396, and in Germany January 31, 1929.

The invention consists in improvements in or modifications of the invention described in Patent No. 1,709,399, in which two magazines for cartridges are provided and in which after one magazine has been emptied on firing and ejected, the second is automatically switched into the position for continuing the feeding of the cartridges.

The object of the present invention is, on

the one hand to make the weapon adapted for using the ordinary magazines, in which, in known manner, the foremost cartridge is held by the inwardly bent lips of the open end of the magazine and is seized by the parts of the breech at the commencement of their forward movement andV taken by them in Vthe shortest path into the barrel. Also,.ac cording to the invention, the insertion of the filled magazine into the weapon is facilitated and is relieved from the energy necessary for ejecting the emptied magazine.

The invention enables these results to be obtained by the construction of the automatic device for changing over the magazines and the relative arrangement of the two maga# zines inserted in the magazine holder. For that purpose the foremost cartridge of the magazine whichA is at that time feeding the cartridges, lies within the range of movement of parts of the weapon introducing the cartridge into the barrel, while the second magazine is in a preparatory position, from which, after the automatic ejection of the first magazine when emptied, it is automatically brought into the feeding position by a suitable shift apparatus. y

Preferably, the two magazines are arranged relatively to one another in a V formation, radially to the axis of the bore of the barrel. The energy for ejecting an emptied magazine and for bringing the second filled magazine from its preparatory position is provided by the kinetic energy (in the rearward or forward direction) of the parts of the weapon moved on firing. The parts effecting the alternate insertion and removal of the two magazines are connected by a device set in motion by the energy imparted on firing to a change over coupling which is controlled in dependence on the condition of the cartridges of the magazine which is at that time in the feeding position. A,

The accompanying drawings represent an example of a construction according to the invention as applied to an automatic firearm with a recoiling barrel. 4

1 Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the magazine chamber.

Figures 2 to 6 represent different cross-sections through the magazine chamber in which;

Figure 2, is a cross-section on the line Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line I section on the line E-E of The magazine chambers The magazine chamber c is arranged laterally on the casing b of the weapon which serves as a guide for the barrel and the breech sleeve a connected with it; the chamber c is divided into two parts co, c1 each of which receives a magazine al and which are arranged in V formation relatively to one another and are radial to the bore of the barrel. Pocket shaped members c2 (Figure 2) are provided on a longitudinal wall of each chamber en, c1 for the free movement of projections of the magazine. The chambers co, c1 terminate in a common inlet openinga1 of the breech sleeve a. The length of this opening a1 is such that it extends during the whole recoil of the barrel over the magazine chamber and the magazines can project in their forward operating positions with their lips retaining the cartridge into the opening al without obstructing the movement of the barrel.- A wedge-shaped member e4 (Figure 2) is disposed in the space, closed externally by a walLes, between the two chambers e0, c1 and serves for guiding the magazines and for containing the meansfor locking the magazines.l The casing e of the chamber contains at its rear portion e5 (Figure l) a locking device for the breech and the apparatus controlling the alternate change over of the magazines. A continuation ce of the casing contains the ejector apparatus and the apparatus for effecting the change over movements of the magazines rinitiated by the movement of the breech sleeve a.

The magazine and its locking device in the magazine chamber projects through a slot d5 of the wall of the magazine, is displaced forward on charging the cartridges into the magazine pocket e2 and after the ejection of the last cartridge from the magazine unlocks the emptied magazine which was previously locked by a lever e. Two lugs de, Z7 (Figure 3) are arranged one over the other on the small sides of each of the magazine chambers and co-operate, for

' he purpose of alternately changing over the two magazines, .with two-armed cam levers f, f1 on a spindle fo (Figure 1) disposed between the chambers e0, al parallel to the axis of the bore of the weapon. The lugs d, are set back so far from the lugs d6 ofthe cam levers f, f1 that when, for example, one maga- 'zine is advanced into the firing position, that 1s, w1th its foremost cartridge in the path of the breech piece, the second magazine with lug d? can be displaced past the catch f3 of the cam lever f until its broad lug d, engages with the catch f8.

In this preparatory position in which the open end of the magazine still lies outside the breech-sleeve a, it is prevented from fallingl out by the two art locking lever e, es (Figure 2). The locling lever has two projections e2, e1 extending into the path of a magazine lug d8 (Figure 2) the projections are adapted to be swung together out of the locking positionagainst the resistance of a spring by pressure from the side of the magazine on the projection e1 and by pressure meeste` on the locking lever e. A magazine is held in the above-mentioned preparatory position 4by the engagement of the magazine lug d8 behind the projection e2; when'a magazine is pushed forwardinto the firing position, its lug d8 is supporte/d by the second projection el. The unlockin of a magazine in the firing position is e ected by the lug di of the feeding device d5 which, after the last cartridge has beenpushed forward out of the .magazine lips for retaining the cartridges,

is pushed under the lug e1 and raises the lever e, e3.

The change over of a filled magazine from the preparatory position into that for feeding a cartridge into the firing position in the barrel is effected automatically by means-of the shaft fo (Figure 3) by displacement towards the breech sleeve, while at the same time the emptied magazine, unlocked by the lug d4, is moved away.

The levers f, f1 are switched over by the recoil movement of the breech sleeve a. A lever g1, keyed on the shaft go in the casing 0. is guided in a suitably curved groove, not shown, of the breech sleeve a which on the movements of the barrel imparts to the lever g1 a pendulous @oscillation which is transmitted as partial rotations in opposite directions to the shaft go. This movement is temporarily transmitted to the shaft fo in.

order to change over the magazines by means of change couplings, described more 'fully later, which are controlled in dependence onl the condition ofthe cartridges of the magazine which is at' that time in the feeding position.' A lever g2 secured on the front end of the shaft g0 (Figure) has a slot ga at right angles to the shaft go, in which slot a two-'armed lever g4 is` mounted so as to oscillate about a pin g5 at right angles to iio the shaft g0. The lever f1 on the rear end Y of the shaft fo carries at its front side two symmetrically arranged projections f2 on the shaft fo, of which one always, according to the position imparted to the lever g4, lies in :the range of oscillation of' this lever oscillating in a vertical plane by the rotation of' the shaft go. The shaft f., consequently're-` ceives a singleangular rotation inthe one or other direction, whileD/the furtherv oscil lations of the lever g4, until it is changed l over, have no effect on the shaft fo.

The change over of the leverg, is eected I' in dependence on the position of the lug d4 of the magazine which at that time is in the feeding position when the lug di has attained its most forward position, which occurs after Athe last cartridge has been pushed past the lips of the magazine. The

.mated by rods h, or h.

. pin k2 on the shaft go. To one arm of the lever h3 is linked the rod ha (projecting from one magazine) and to the second arm the rod h1 (extending from the second magazine). 0n the arms of thelever h3 are arranged, parallel to the pin h2, pin-formed projections h., which ypass through corresponding recesses of the casin c5 and lie in contact with the two arms o the lever g4. When the lever ha is actuated by the lug d., of a magazine, the lever gg is angularly displaced so as to lie in the range of the lever f1 which up to that time was free from the two projections f2, whereupon the shaft fo is actuated b the rotation. of the shaft go. Thereby, t e emptied magazine, which at the same timehas been unlocked by the lug d4, is ejected and the second magazine is brought into the feeding position, so that its foremost cartridge lies in thepath of the forward moving breech members.

A catch bolt z' (Figure 4) is mounted -in ,the casing c5 and in known manner serves for holding the breech piece in its rearward position. This bolt, according to the in'- vention, is connected with the two magazines so that it is only brought into the locking .position after both magazines have been emptied orremoved from the feeding sition; that is, after the last cartridge' has en fired from the magazine at that time in the weapon it catches the recoiling breech and retains it until either a magazine provided with cartridges is inserted in the feeding position or the catch has been removed by and. For'this purpose, two double armed levers 0, 1 en age, for example, in a recess of the spring olt il, a projection i2 of one lever i0 projecting into the path of a lu of the ma azine introduced into the le t magazine c amber (Figure 4), while a projection 3 of the second lever il engages similarly in the right magazine chamber. When a magazine in one of the two chambers is to be brought into the feeding position, by the engagement of a lug withthe lever o or il, it rotates the latter, so that the catch bolt 'i ismovedout of the path of the breech piece. If there is no magazine in the feeding position, the catch bolt i is automatically inserted in the locking position. Figures 7 to 9 illustrate a modified construction of the magazine changing device.

The rear end of the shaft yfo carrying the members for ejecting the magazineis coupled by toothed segments f4 with a shaft f, on which two levers g1, g2 are loosel mounted. These are folded tp'ether `in t e closed osition like scissor-bl by an' interme- .a torsion spring, which not shown, (and two coupling sleeves Z0 Z1 the shaft f3.

`tion. The breech are spread apart against the action of the` spring by the swinging outwards of one or both levers. A cam k tapered towards the rear end of the breech. sleeve a co-operates with the levers g1, g2, the cam 7c being inserted on the recoil of the barrel between the levers so as to open them against the resistance of the torsion spring.` The levers` g1, g2 carry on their hubs dogs which canbe con nected alternatively by co-operating dogs to rlgidly connected together by a rod Z2. YThe sleeves lo, Z1 are axially displaceable. but not rotatable on the rectangular sides of the shaft f3; they alternately couple the levers g1 or g2 with the shaft )2,y and therewith also with the shaft fo. The change over of the sleeve Z0 for altering the direction of rotation of the shaft fo and for exchanging the magazines is effected in dependence on the condition of the cartridges of the magazine at that time in the charging position, in a manner similar to that of the apparatus shown in Figure 6, by a rod ho, h1, m, m1 (Figures f.) and 8), which engages in a groove Za of the couplingZo Z1. A magazine emptied by the discharge of its cartridges controls by means of its lugs d., the

couplings lo, Z1. On .the recoil of the barrel after the last cartridge has been red, the lever. (for example g2) then coupled with the shaft mains in its outwardly displaced position,`

while the second lever g1 as the firing is continued simply executes under the action of the breech sleeve cam k idle oscillations on Afterithe feeding magazine has been emptied, the'coupling Z0, Z1 is automati call changed over for ejecting the empty and again feeding a-charged magazine.y

Action of the weapon The weapon isassum'ed to be not charged and the breech is held fast by the catch bolt 'i (Figure 1) in its rear position. Two charged magazines are inserted in the empty magazine chambers of the weapornthe one in the feeding position, the second in the preparator position; both are then secured against fa ing out or unauthorize'dmovement by the locking device e1,ve2 (Figure 2). The magazine in the feedin position has on insertion, by contact with t e projections i2 .or s (Figure 4), moved the device z' for locking the-'breech out of the locking posiece in its forward movement takes with 1t the foremost cartridge into its position in the barrel; the weapon is then ready for firing. 1-

On actuating the trigger switches over the coupling between the shaft fo and its operating mechanism. The shaft fo is now rotated, the empty unlocked magazine is ejected and the lfull magazine is brought, from the preparatory into the feeding position.' The c ange over process is completed by the action of the cartridges of the now emptied magazine, so that the iiring of the cartridges of the second magazine is proceeded with without interruption. rlhis process is repeated so long as a new magazine can be inserted instead of the one which is ejected.

l claim:

1. An automatic firearm having at least two Amagazine chambers and a cartridge so magazine ada ted for insertion in each chamber; means or locking one of said magaz ines in cartridge-feeding position; and means for securing the other magazine out of feeding position; means for unlocking the magazine from which the cartridges have been fired; and means responsive to the action of said unlocking means for ejecting said magazine and for automatically shiftg the other magazine into feeding position.

2. An automatic firearm comprisinga recoiling barrel and a breech sleeve movable therewith, and having at least two magazine chambers; a cartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridge feeder for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; means for locking one of said magazines in cartridge-feeding position, and means for securing the other magazine out of feeding position; means for un locking the magazine from which the car'- tridges have been fired; and means initiated by the action of the unlocking means and actuated by the breech sleeve on recoil movement of the barrel for ejecting the magazine from which the cartridges have been fired and automatically shifting the other magazine into feeding position.

3. An automatic firearm having at least two magazine chambers and a cartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridge feeder for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; for l-'one of said magazines in eartrif -.---..2= and means for securing the other magazine out of feeding position; means carried by the,I said feeder and operative on completion o f the cartridgefeeding operation to unlock the magazine from feeding position; means for ejecting said magazine when empty; and means simultaneously operable with said last-named means for automatically shifting the other magazine into feeding position.

4:. An automatic firearm comprising a recoiling barrel and a breech sleeve movable therewith, and having atleast two magazine chambers; a cartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridge feed er for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; means for locking one of said magazines in cartridge-feeding position, and means for securing. the other magazine out of feeding position; means for ejecting the magazine. from which the cartridges have been fired; and means 'responsive to the movement initiatedvby the vbreech sleeve on the recoil of the barrel to automatically shift the other magazine int'o' feeding posif tion.

5. An automatic firearm havin'gva barrel and comprising atleast two magazine chamy bers; cartridge magazines adapted for .insertion in each chamber; means for securing one of said magazines -in cartridge-feeding position', and means forsecuring the other magazine out offeeding position in their respective chambers, said chambers being disposed at an angle relative to one another and adapted to retain the said magazines in V-formation relative to one 'another and ico radially to theaxis of the bore of the barrel.

6. An automatic firearmv having a barrel and comprising at least two magazine cham'- bers; cartrid e magazines adapted for in-v sertion in eac chamber; means'for securing one of said magazines in cartridge feeding position, and means for securing the other` magazine out of feeding position; and means disposed between said chambers adapted to space and 'de said magazineatanacute angle relatlve to one another and radially to the axis of the bore ofthe barrel. g

7 An automatic firearm comprising a casf ing and having a recoiling barrel mounted for reciprocating movement in said casing; a breech sleeve carried by the' barrel; at least two magazine chambers mounted on the casing, and a cartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; means for eef ejecting the empty magazine; va pair of double armed levers mounted for rocking movement between the magazine'chambers, and means on each magazine to selectively actuate said levers; and a bolt mounted in the Vcasing for locking and unlocking the breech sleeve, said bolt being actuated by either lever to automatically lock the breech sleeve in rearward position when the magazines are both out of feeding position. s

In testimony whereof we have axed our signatures.

FRITZ HERLACH. THEODOR RAKULA.

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