US2596841A - Rifle with integral breech bolt and magazine - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1952 R. G. DAVIDSON RIFLE WITH INTEGRAL BREECH BOLT AN'D MAGAZINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1949 IN VEN TOR. Rouzr G. Dm//Dso/v May 13, 1952 R. G. DAVIDSON RIFLE WITH INTEGRAL BREECH BOLT AND MAGAZINE Filed Dec. 2o., 1949 IN VEN TOR.

. .DH VID 50N Rofgr G May 13, 1952 R. G. DAVIDSON RIFLE WITH INTEIGRAL BREECH BOLT AND MAGAZINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

Patented May 13, 1952 RIFLE WITH INTEGRAL BREECH BOLT AND MAGAZINE Robert G. Davidson, Chicopee Falls, Mass., assignor to Noble Manufacturing Co. Inc., Haydenville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 20, 1949, Serial No. 134,015

10 Claims.

provision ofa unitary breech-bolt and magazine tube, together with manrally-operated cam mechanism for moving these parts to firing and to reloading positions.

Other features of my invention relate to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

l A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a partial side elevation of a rifle embodying my invention and `cocked for iiring;

Fig. 2 is a view .similar to Fig. 1 but partly in section and showing the parts after firing;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with certain parts in reloading position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in Vsection and showing the unitary breech-bolt `and magazine tube and certain associated parts;

Figs. 5 and 6 are partial bottom views, looking in the direction of the arrows 5 and 6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the inner magazine tube, partly in section and showing the springloperated feeding plunger;

Fig. V3 is a partial planview, lpartly in section, on theline 8-8 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a iiring pin;

Fig. 9El is an end view thereof;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a lifter lever to be described;

Fig. 10L is an end view thereof;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a cartridge-retainer;

Fig. 112L is a side view thereof;

Fig. 11b is an end view thereof;

Fig. l2 is an enlarged partial side elevation, similar to Fig. 1 but showing certain parts in section and other parts in different positions;

Fig. 13is a plan view of an action housing and certainassociated parts;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a spring to be described;

Fig. 14a is an end view thereof Fig. 15 is a side View of a safety lever;

Fig. 15a is an end view thereof;

Fig. 15b is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 16 is a partial side elevation of the unitary breech-bolt and magazine tube; and

Fig. 17 is a side view of a release lever.

Referring to the drawings, my improved rifle comprises the usual stock 20 (Fig. 1), barrel 2|, breech-bolt receiver 22 assembled with said barrel, trigger 23, trigger-guard 24, sear 25 (Figs. 12 and 13) and safety lever 26.

The sear 25 is mounted on `a iixed pivot 21 :and is swung upward to engaging position by a spring 28 (Figs. 13 and 14) which has a loop 29 underly'mg the sear. The sear engages an annular shoulder at the rear end of a hammer 3l) (Fig. 12) which is slidable in the receiver 22. The sear holds the hammer in normally rearward position, with the helical hammer spring 32 (Fig. .12) in compression.

As the trigger 23 is pulled and' moves clockwise, the upward extension 33 of the trigger engages a depending portion 34 or" the sear and swings the Sear downward, thus releasing the hammer.

An offset portion 35 of the spring 28 engages a rear face of the trigger, thus tensioning the searengaging loop 29 and keeping the trigger in contact with the sear.

The safety lever ze (Figs. 12, 1s and 15) is pivoted at It@ in an action housing 44 and has a depending arm iii adapted to overlie the shoulder G5 (Fig. 12) on the trigger 23 when the safety lever 2% is in rear position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 12. The safety lever 26 has an offset knurled portion 21 for convenient manual operation. The trigger Y23 is pivoted at :i8 in the action housing M.

An adjustable rear sight i9 (Fig. 12) is mounted on the barrel 24 in any usual manner. A springretaining knob 5I (Fig. 12) is secured in the rear end of the receiver 22 by a cross pin 52 andhas a forwardly extending pin 53 which centers the hammer spring S2.

The parts thus far described are of more or less usual construction and in general do not embody the present invention.

I will now describe my improved magazine and reloading mechanism. A breech-00H55 (Figs. 12 and 16) is permanently assembled with a magazine tube 5l which extends loosely through an annular support 51a (Fig. l) securedA to the under side of the barrel 2l and toward the front end thereof .l The parts 55 and 51 forma unitary structure which is both swingable and slidable relative to the support 51a.

The magazine tube 5l is preferably a force fit in the front end of the breech-bolt 55 (Figs. 8 and 16) and houses an inner magazine tube 5S 3 (Fig. 7) having a knob 59 at one end. 'I'he inner tube 59 and knob 59 are removably retained in the tube 5l by a bayonet lock connection as shown in Fig. 5.

A cartridge follower 60 and spring 5l are housed in the inner 4tube 58, and the rear end of the tube is slightly contracted as indicated at 53 (Fig. 7) to prevent escape of the slightly enlarged and ball-shaped end 64 of the cartridge follower 59.

A crosspin 65 (Fig. 7) retains the knob 59 in the end of the inner tube 58, thus confining the spring 6|. The crosspin 55 also functions as part of the bayonet lock. The outer magazine tube 51 (Fig. 4) has an opening 56 in itsllower side, through which cartridges C may be inserted when the inner tube 58 is released and drawn forward beyond the slot 65.

The receiver 22 (Fig. 12) has an opening '|0 in its upper face, which opening provides a rear shoulder H which abuts the rear end of the breech-bolt 55. The breech-bolt 55 is provided with a cam slot l2 (Figs. 12 and 16) into which projects a pin 13 fixed in the rear end of a slide bar '|4 (Fig. 12)

The front end of the bar I4 is Welded or otherwise secured to a segmental block I5 (Fig. 2), which in turn is seated in a segmental axial recess in a manually-movable operating member or fore end 'Il and which may be secured therein by screws '|8. The sides of the operating member 'H may be grooved to provide a satisfactory grip. A bushing 15 (Fig. 2) guides the front end of the operating member.

As the operating member 1l and slide bar i4 are moved forward after a fresh cartridge is presented, the pin 13 in the bar 74 presses against the front inclined wall of the cam slot 12 (Fig. 16) and tends to lift the breech-bolt. As soon as the breech-bolt clears the receiver shoulder 1|, the breech-bolt is lifted by the pin 13 and the pin enters the horizontal arm of the slot, thus locking 'the breech-bolt in raised and firing position.

.lever 26 has been released. The trigger will then depress the sear 25 and thus release the hammer 30. The hammer 30 then moves forward and strikes the firing-pin 79 (Fig. 9) loosely held in a recess in the breech-bolt 55 by a crosspin 19a (Fig. 4) and positioned rearward by a light coil spring '|9c.

The ring-pin has a reduced end portion 19h (Fig. 9) which is aligned with a recess 35a (Fig. 12) in the front end of the hammer 30 so long as the breech-bolt is in lowered or rearwardly withdrawn position. In such position, therefore, the ring-pin cannot be moved by the hammer.

When the breech-bolt 55 is in raised and firing position, however, the firing-pin is out of alignment with the recess 30a, and a rim portion of the hammer 30 will be aligned with the pin 79. Thus a cartridge can be iired only when the breech-bolt is fully in firing position.

As the operating member is moved rearward to reloading position, the pin 73 (Fig. 12) will enter the upwardly inclined rear end of the cam slot 12 and will cause the breech-bolt 55 to move downward to clear the receiver shoulder 1| (Fig. 3). The breech-bolt 55 will thereafter be moved rearward to the loading position shown in Fig. 3. The pin 'I3 has substantial lost motion in the slot '12.

A lifter lever (Figs. 4, 8 and 10) is pivoted at 8| (Fig. 8) in an upright slot 82 in the breechbolt 55. The lever 80 has an end .portion 83 (Fig. 10) which underlies the cartridge C (Fig. 4) which is in loading position, and the end portion 83 has a segmental end face 33a; which limits rearward movement of the next cartridge until the lifter lever is returned to lowered position. This is effect-ed by engagement of a depending arm 84 with the front end of a slot 85 (Fig. 13) in the lower face of the action housing 44 as the breech-bolt 55 is moved forward to the ring position shown in Fig. l2.

As the breech-bolt is shifted downward and rearward from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the arm 84 is engaged by the rear edge of the slot 85 and the end portion 83 of the lever is pushed abruptly upward to raise the new cartridge C as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4 and to simultaneously eject the empty cartridge C2.

During this movement, the end flange of the cartridge C is held by a retainer 86 (Fig. 11) which is mounted on the breech-bolt 55 (Fig. 16) In its lower part, the breech-bolt 55 (Fig. 8) has a recess 81 to receive a cartridge from the magazine inner tube 58, and has lugs 88 overlying said recess and aligned with the inturned ends 89 of the retainer 85. The lugs 88 and the retainer -ends 89 successively engage the end flange or rim of the new cartridge and guide the cartridge in its upward movement. The retainer is preferably of spring steel and the resiliently mounted inturned ends 89 retain the raised cartridge in loading position until it is advanced and enters the rear end of the barrel 2 I.

As the breech-bolt is thereafter moved forward to the position shown in Fig. 1, the lifter lever 80 is moved downward as above described to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the next cartridge C may be pushed into loading position by the cartridge follower B0 and spring 6|.

A locking lever 90 (Fig. 17) is pivoted on the stud 21 (Fig. 12) in the action casing 44, which also provides a pivot for Vthe sear 25. The lever 90 has a depending arm 9| which extends downward through a slot in the action casing 44 and stock 20, and also has a rearwardly extending offset arm 92 which underlies a pin 23a in the trigger 23. At its forward end, the lever 90 has a shoulder 94 and a side flange 05.

The sear spring 28 previously described has an arm 95 (Figs. 12 to 14) which engages the rear end of the side flange 95 and tends to move the lever 90 anti-clockwise to locking position, with the shoulder 94 of the lever raised into the path of the slide bar 'I4 as shown in Fig. 12. The upper front corner of the shoulder 94 is beveled as shown at 94a and exerts a cam action on the rear end of the slide bar 14, thus insuring that the bar 74 and breech-bolt 55 are moved to their extreme forward positions before the trigger can be operated.

The locking lever 90 may be released by manual rearward movement of the lever arm 9| to allow rearward manual movement of the slide bar '|4 and breech-bolt 55 when the hammer 30 is in "cocked or rear position. The trigger 23 is then S 1bolt-5E.Whenthe hammer (il)V is released and moves forward tostrike` thel firing-pin, the end of the-hammer presses'against-thearm I0 l `of the spring; -HlllA and places Ythe spring under `tension to depressthe lockingA lever 90i'as'1shown in-'Fig 3. This spring action is strong enough to lover-- comethef-searfspring- 281 vand thus allows the slidey barr T4 to be movedI 'backward manuallyl by the vopera'ting'n'xember 11 to eject the emptycartridge C2 and to present afresh cartridge C in loading position.

When the locking lever 90 is thus moved downward to free the slide bar 14 and breech.- bolt 55, the back projection 92 of the locking lever 90 moves up under the trigger pin 23a., so that the sear cannot be depressed and the ham- `merreleased while the breech-.bolt :isout of firing position. The trigger is moved anti-clocki wise by the spring 2.8. actingthrough` the cam surface 20a of thesear.

The-small loop spring I llFig. 2) under @the rifle v.barrelengages the top of the fresh cartridge and. holds it down in horizontal position when rst pushed into the `breech-bolt. This prevents the following cartridge from vwedging under the point of the fresh cartridge and lifting it out of alignment.

'Operation The specification operation of the several sepa- Y rate features of the invention has been setforth in connection with the descriptions thereof, but the general operation of the invention maybe briefly described as follows:

Assuming that the inner magazine tube 58 contains cartridges and that the gun is. notl loaded, lthe operator grasps the operating member 11 and slides said member, together with the magazine tube and other attached parts, rearposition in the barrel 2 I, and the breech-bolt is then locked in cartridge firing position.

The trigger 23 may then be pulled and .will depress the sear and thus release the hammer 30. The hammer 30 then moves forward and strikes the firing pin 19 (Fig. 9). When the breech-bolt 55 is raised and in firing position, the firing pin is out of alignmentrwith the recess 30a in the hammer 30, andrthe rim portion of the hammer 30 will be aligned with the pin 19. Thus the inserted cartridge may be fired by a blow on the firing pin 19.

Giving consideration to the detailed construction and operation of my improved magazine rifle, it will be evident that the construction involves relatively few and simple parts and that the reloading operation may be easilylearned and quickly performed. I also provide improved safety features which make premature-,or accidental discharge of the rifle substantially impossible.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. In a magazine rifle, a breech-bolt receiver,

a riiie barrel fixed thereto, ysaid'receiver having alongitudinal passage with .a frontztopopening and having an abrupt rear shoulder'. for' 'said opening,'a breech-boltslidabl'e longitudinally? and swingablevertically in said passage and opening, a magazine tube fixed tov said breech-.bolt and swingable therewith, and la vmanual operating member effective to give said breech-boltandtube ass embly-successive forward and upward movements to ring position.

2. The combination in amagazine rifle as set forth in claim l, in which the breech-bolt and magazinev tube assembly is swingable relative to the urifle. barrel near the front end of said magazine tube and -is also `slidable relative to. :said

barrel. v

'3. The. combination ina magazineirifie las 'set forth in claim 1, in'which the operatingmembe is effective to give the breech-bolt and magazine tube assembly a forward movement and la succeeding-upward swinging movement and torthereafter "look said breech-'bolt in raised and firing position, all by a single continued forward movement of said operating member.

4. The combination in a magazine rifle ascset forth in claim 1, in which the operating member is effective to give the breech-bolt and magazine tube assembly a forward movement and a succeeding upward swinging movement and to thereafter lock 'said breech-bolt in raised firing position, all by operation of a single cam connection between said operating member and said bolt and tube assembly.

5. The combination ina magazine rifle as set forth in claim 1, in which the operating memberl is effective t0 give thev breech-bolt and magazine tube assembly a forward movement and a succeeding upward swinging movement and to thereafter lock said breech-bolt in raised firing position, all by operation nf a single cam connection between said operating member and said bolt and tube assembly, and in which said cam connection includes coacting parts on said member and assembly which have substantial lost motion relative to each other.

6. The combinationin a magazine rifle as set forth in claim 1, in which the breech-bolt has a retainer of resilientsheet metal mounted thereon and having inwardly projecting jaws to engage the rim of a cartridge.

7. The combination in a magazine rie as set forth in claim 1, in which a lifter lever in said breech-bolt is engaged by fixed surfaces as said breech-bolt is moved longitudinally and is swung abruptly upward at the end of the rear movement of the breech-bolt to eject an empty cartridge and to raise a fresh cartridge to firing position, and in which said lever has a segmental end surface to engage andv hold the succeeding cartridge until the raised cartridge has been loaded and red.

8. In a magazine rie, a breech-bolt receiver, a rifle barrel fixed thereto, said receiver having a longitudinal passage with a front top opening and having an abrupt rear shoulder for said opening, a breech-bolt slidable longitudinally and swingable vertically in said passage and opening, a magazine tube xed to said breech-bolt and swingable therewith, a manual operating member eiective to give said breech-bolt and tube successive forward and upward movements to firing position, a firing-pin in said breech-bolt having a reduced rear end portion, a hammer slidable in said receiver but out of direct alignment with said firing-pin when the pin is in ring position,

said hammer having an annular portion engaging said pin, and said hammer having an axial end recess to receive the reduced end of said pin when the. breech-bolt is in cartridge-receiving position.

9. In a magazine rifle, a breech-bolt receiver, a rifle barrel fixed thereto, said receiver having a longitudinal passage with a front top'opening and having an abrupt rear shoulder for said opening, a: breech-bolt slidable longitudinally and swingable vertically in said passage and opening, a magazine tube 'xed to said breech-bolt and swingable therewith, a hammer, a manual operating member eilective to give said breech-bolt successive forward and upward movements to firing position, a locking lever for said breechbolt, a spring to move said locking lever to locking position, and a stronger spring `engaged by said hammer and eiective to unlock said breech-bolt as the rifle is red and as the trigger is released and returns to normal position.

10. In a magazine rie, a breech-bolt receiver, a rie barrel xed thereto, said receiver having a longitudina1 passage with a front top opening and having an abrupt rear shoulder for said opening, a breech-bolt slidable longitudinally and swingf 8 ablevertically in said passage and opening, a magazine tube xed to said breech-bolt and swingable therewith, a hammer, a manual operating member effective to give said breech-bolt successive forward and upward movements to ring position, a locking lever for said breechbolt, a spring to move said locking lever to locking position, a stronger spring engaged by said hammer and eiective to unlock said breech-bolt as the rifle is red, and said trigger having a portion which engages and holds said ,locking lever in locking position when said trigger is out of normal position.

ROBERT G. DAVTDSON.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references Vare of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED sTArEs PATENTS Horan June 17, 1947

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