US2630645A

US2630645A - Cartridge loading mechanism for bolt action guns

Info

Publication number: US2630645A
Application number: US169947A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alton M Olson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-06-23
Filing date: 1950-06-23
Publication date: 1953-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1970-03-10

Description

March l0, 1953 A. M. oLsoN 2,630,645

CARTRIDGE LOADING MECHANISM FOR BOLT' ACTION GUNS fh ATTENEYS.

March `l0, 1953 A. M. oLsoN 2,630,645

CARTRIDGE LOADING NEOHANISM ROR BOLT ACTION cuNs Filed .June 25, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ALTO/v M. oLso/v,

BY Wmmwz+xjazdam ATTORNEYS.

A. M. oLsoN March l0, 1953 CARTRIDGE LOADING MEOHANISM FOR BOLT ACTION GUNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 23, 1950 JNVENTOR. ALTO/v M. oLso/v,

ATTOENE/S.

March 10,1953 A; M. oLSoN 2,630,645

CARTRIDGE LOADING MECHANISM FOR BoLLTACTIoN GUN's Filed .June 23, 195o 4 sheets-Sheet 4 y JNVENToR. 5550 .qzJ'o/v M. oLso/v,

Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTRIDGE LOADING MEOHANISM FOR BOLT ACTION GUNSy 4 Claims.

This invention relates to breech mechanisms for firearms.

In my Patent No. 2,479,770, issued August 23. 1949, there is disclosed and claimed a magazine assembly which holds cartridges in side by side relationship extending transversely of the longitudinal center line of the magazine and transverse to the bore of the associated rifle barrel. The present invention relates particularly to a breech mechanism for use with such a magazine assembly.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a breech or loading mechanism of the bolt action type which will receive a cartridge in crosswise position from the magazine, turn the cartridge to a bullet end rst position and insert the cartridge into the chamber of the rifle barrel as the bolt is closed, which automatically elevates the cartridges into position to enter the barrel chamber as the cartridge is turned, which sets the firing pin for release by the trigger as the bolt is advanced or closed and ejects the cartridge shell when the bolt is opened or retracted, and which is simple and durable in construction, positive in operation and not subject to jamming or other malfunctioning in use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View of a fragmentary portion of a rifle having a breech or loading mechanism illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the fragmentary portion) of the rifle illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the fragmentary portion of the riiie illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 with the forearm or forestock and magazine of the rie removed;

Figure 5 is a. bottom plan view of the bolt of the rie;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the rie barrel and of the rifle bolt, loading mechanism and magazine, the forearm of the rifle being shown in longitudinal cross section;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional View similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts in a different operative position from that illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of the components of the bolt operated loading mechanism of the rifle;

Figure 9 is a perspective exploded view of the bolt carried loading mechanism components; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the rifle magazine.

With continued reference to the drawings, the firearm therein illustrated comprises, in general, a barrel I0, a receiver I I joined to and extending from the breech or chamber end of the barrel, a beech bolt I2 slidably and rotatably mounted in the receiver I I and having a handle I3, a stock including a forearm I4 in which the receiver and the adjacent portion of the barrel I0 are bedded, a screw I5 securing the barrel to the forearm, and a magazine I5 received in a magazine receiving space provided between the barrel and the forearm of the gun.

'I'he receiver II is provided with a guideway I'I which extends from the end of the receiver remote from the barrel to a position intermediate the length of the receiver and is provided at its inner end with an oiset I8. The bolt handle I3 is movable through the guideway I'I to slide the bolt in the receiver in its breech opening and breech closing movements and is receivable in the offset I8 to lock the bolt in breech closing position.

A firing pin I9 is mounted in the breech bolt I2 and a trigger 20 is pivotally mounted in the gun stock and provided with a sear 2I which engages a detent on the inner end of the ring pin to hold the firing pin in cocked position against the force of the ring spring until the trigger is pulled to release the sear from the detent. The firing pin can be released by the trigger only When the breech bolt is locked in breech closing position and the firing pin can also be locked in a safety position in which it cannot be released by the trigger. As this part of the mechanism is of known construction, a more detailed explanation is considered unnecessary for the purposes of the present disclosure.

Adjacent its barrel end the receiver II is provided with a lateral opening 22 through which the empty cartridge shells are ejected when the breech bolt is retracted after the gun has been red and the opening 22 is extended across the side of the receiver adjacent the forearm I4 to provide a space through which cartridges may pass from the magazine into the receiver and in which the loading mechanism can operate. The receiver is also provided in its side adjacent the forearm I4 with a narrow slot 23 which extends from the end of opening 22 remote from the barrel II) to a location adjacent the end of the receiver remote from the barrel, this slot varying in width along its length to accommodate differ- 3 ent components of the loading mechanism presently to be described.

The breech bolt I2 is provided in its side which is normally adjacent the forearm i4 with a longitudinally extending groove 24, this groove extending from the barrel end of the bolt to a location at the side of the handle i3 opposite the barrel end of the bolt and being widened at the location of the handle, as indicated at 25. A bridge extends across the groove 24 at a location adjacent the handle I3 and between the handle and the barrel end of the bolt and several components of the loading mechanism, presently to be described, are mounted in the groove 24 nnear the barrel end of the breech bolt.

The hammer detent 21 engaged by the trigger sear 2I enters the end of the wider portion 25 of the groove 24 remote from the barrel end of the bolt and a rear bridge 28 is mounted in the wider portion of the groove adjacent the detent 21 so that the trigger sear will be depressed as the bolt is moved rearwardly or in its breech opening direction to free the bolt for such rearward movement.

A metal formation or loop 29 of generally rectangular shape is rigidly secured to the barrel I4 near the breech end of the barrel and is received in a recess provided in the forearm I4. This loop 29 is provided on its side remote from the barrel with an internally screw threaded boss or nut 30 into which the bedding screw I5 is threaded to firmly secure the barrel and the receiver to the stock and the forearm of the gun.

An elongated opening or recess 3i of rectangular cross sectional shape is provided between the barrel and the adjacent portion of the forearm I4 and the magazine I6 is received in this recess and passes through the loop formation 29.

The magazine I6 comprises an elongated casing 32 of rectangular cross sectional shape and having internal dimensions such that a cartridge of the proper type and calibre can be disposed transversely therein. rlwo blocks 33 are secured in one end of the casing 32, one at each side of the casing, and these blocks are provided on their inner ends with inclined ramps for guiding the cartridges through a longitudinally extending opening 34 in the top wall of the casing adjacent the blocks 33 and through the opening in the receiver Il into the interior of the receiver when the magazine is operatively positioned in the rifle, as illustrated in Figure 3. The bottom wall of the casing is provided with a longitudinally extending slot and a magazine slide 35 is slidably mounted in this slot and has on its end adjacent the blocks 33 an abutment 36 which closes the corresponding end of the casing between the blocks 33. At its opposite end the slide 35 is offset, as indicated at 31, and is provided at its end with a returned portion 33 providing a finger grip. A tube 39 is secured at one end to the casing 32 opposite the end of the casing in which the blocks 33 are mounted, and a plunger 40 extends through this tube and the casing. A slide block 4I is secured on the end of the plunger 4I] adjacent the blocks 33 and a coiled compression spring 42 surrounds the plunger between the slide block 4I and the outer end of the tube 39 and acts to resiliently urge the slide block toward the blocks 33. A sleeve 43 surrounds the tube 33 and is secured to the offset portion 31 of the slide 35 and a coiled compression spring 44 surrounds the tube 33 between the sleeve 43 and the adjacent end of the casing 32. A detent 45 is pro- 4 vided on the sleeve 43 and a lug 4S is provided on the rifle barrel to engage the detent 45.

When the magazine IB is removed from the rifle the spring 44 expands moving the plunger 40 and slide block 4I outwardly of the casing until the outer end of sleeve 43 contacts a stop 41 secured on the tube 39 near the outer end of the latter. In this position of the magazine parts the abutment 3B is `brought to a position adjacent to openings 48 disposed, one in each side of the casing 32. The ends of the abutment 35 are recessed so that cartridges can be forced through the openings 43 into the casing between the abutment 36 and the slide block 4I. The cartridges are entered bullet end first into the casing and alternatively from opposite sides of the casing so that they are disposed in the casing transversely of the latter with their bullet ends at alternatively opposite sides of the casing. When the spring 44 expands the abutment 35 is moved up to cover the opening 34 so that the cartridges cannot move out of the magazine and, under these conditions, cartridges may be inserted into the casing 32 until the magazine is filled, the openings 48 in the sides of the magazine casing being positioned in registry with the recesses in the ends of abutment block 36 when the abutment block is in position to cover opening 34 in the top of the casing, as illustrated in Figure l0. When the desired number of cartridges have been placed in the magazine, the magazine is slid into the opening 3l in the forearm of the rifle to its limiting position and the sleeve 43 is then moved inwardly compressing the spring 44 and the detent 45 is engaged with the lug 4G on the rifle barrel to hold the magazine in operative position in the rifle. compressing the spring 44 moves the abutment 36 to the rear of the opening 34 so that the bullets can now pass through the opening 34 in the magazine and the opening 22 in the receiver II into the interior of the receiver, the bullets being urged in this direction by the spring 42 acting on the slide block 4I.

Each of the blocks 33 is provided with a recess opening to the end of the block at the adjacent end of the casing 32, as indicated at 49 and 50 in Figure 10, and two lugs I5I and 52 are secured to the receiver Il at respectively opposite sides of the receiver and depend from the receiver adjacent the rear end of the opening 22. Forwardly projecting pins 53 and 54 are carried by the lugs 5I and 52 respectively at the lower ends of these lugs and these pins are received in the recesses 49 and 5D in the rear end of the magazine to support the magazine in proper operative position in the rie, the lugs 5I and 52 together constituting a stop for rearward movement of the magazine and holding the spring 44 under compression.

For a more detailed description of the magazine reference may be had to my Patent No. 2,479,770 referred to above.

The barrel I4 has at its breech end a reduced portion received in a socket 56 provided on the adjacent end of the receiver and a cartridge chamber 51 is provided in the barrel at the breech end of the barrel and communicating with the bore 58.

A very small hinge butt 60 (Figures 3 and 7) is secured to the bottom side of the receiver at the rear end of opening 22 and a cartridge guide 6I is pivotally connected intermediate its length to this hinge butt at the end of the hinge butt adjacent the opening 22.

The cartridge guide 5I comprises a pair of hollow jaws 62 and 63 each of which has a side wall and two flanges extending perpendicularly from the opposite edges of the side wall. The flanges of each jaw extend inwardly toward the other jaw and at the corresponding side walls these flanges are spaced apart a distance such that the bullet end of a cartridge can pass between the nanges longitudinally of the corresponding side wall, but the rim end of a cartridge cannot pass between the flanges at this location. The flanges are triangular in shape so that the outer sides of the two jaws are inclined forwardly and inwardly, as illustrated in Figure 4, the guide thus being tapered from its rear to its forward end and having in its forward end an opening dimensioned to closely receive a cartridge, this forward end of the guide being disposed adjacent the cartridge chamber 51 at the breech end of the barrel. The two jaws 62 and 63 are spaced apart to provide a longitudinally extending slot 64 therebetween and are held in this position by a U-shaped structure 65 which extends rearwardly from the larger ends of the jaws 62 and 63 and has its ends joined one to each of these jaws.

Lugs

66 and 61 are provided one on each leg of the U-shaped structure 6'5 adjacent the corresponding jaws 62 and 63 and are apertured to receive a pivot pin 69 which extends through the pin receiving formation on the forward end of the hinge butt 60. The bottom sides of the two jaws 62 and 63, that is, the sides of these jaws remote from the receiver Il, are recessed to provide an opening B8 (Figure 4) which extends transversely of the guide at the larger ends of the guide jaws 62 and 63 so that a cartridge passing through the opening 34 in the top wall of the magazine and through the opening 22 in the bottom of the receiver may pass through this opening 68 into the cartridge guide Bl.

Two angle brackets 10 and 1l are secured to the bottom side of the receiver Il to the rear of the rear end of the opening 22 in the receiver and have legs depending from the receiver in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship to each other and disposed at respectively opposite sides of the slot 23 in the receiver. The U-shaped structure 65 has at its rear end an arched light 12 which extends downwardly from the legs of structure 65 substantially perpendicular to such legs and is received between the depending legs of the

brackets

18 and 1| at the forward ends of the latter. By means of the hinge butt 60 and pin 69 the cartridge guide 8| is pivotally secured to the receiver for rocking movements so that its forward end can be positioned in alignment with the cartridge chamber 51 or positioned below this cartridge chamber and is firmly held by the angle brackets 18 and 1i and the arched structure 12 against twisting or turning movements which might throw the front end of the guide out of alignment with the rear end of the cartridge chamber.

A cartridge turning bar 13 has its forward end disposed between the two cartridge guide formations 62 and 63 and extends rearwardly between the depending legs of the angle brackets 10 and 'H being partly received in the slot 25 in the receiver. At its rearward end this turning bar is provided with an elongated loop formation 14 and a pin 15, which extends through a transverse aperture in the receiver, extends through the loop formation 14 to serve as a guide for the rear end of the turning bar and also to provide a limit stop for longitudinal movement of the bar in both directions. A lever 16 disposed between the angle brackets 10 and 1l near the rear ends of these angle brackets and pivotally connected to the angle brackets by a pivot pin 11 extending through the angle brackets and the lever adjacent the bottom surface of the receiver II, projects through the slot 23 in the receiver into the path of the bridge 26 on the bolt l2. A link 18, having a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel sides, pivotally connects the lower end of lever 18 to the turning bar 13 at a location intermediate the length of the latter.

With this arrangement, when the slide bolt is moved rearwardly in a breech opening direction, the bridge 26 engages the top end of lever 16 projecting into the receiver Il through the slot 23 and moves this lever about the pivot pin 11 in a direction to force the turning bar 'I3 forwardly through the intermediacy of the link 18. With a cartridge in the guide 6I adjacent the opening |68, the forward end of the turning bar will engage this cartridge intermediate its length and force the cartridge forwardly in the guide. As the cartridge is forced forwardly in the guide 6l its rim end is retarded while its bullet end moves freely in a forward direction, the cartridge thus being turned bullet end first so that its bullet end will be presented to the rear end of the chamber 51 in barrel IU when the bolt is moved to breech closing position.

A cartridge holder is slidably mounted on the guide 6l and comprises a thin rectangular plate recessed to provide a generally U-shaped formation having two spaced apart, substantially parallel legs 8| and 82 which are slidably received in openings 83 provided one in the rear end wall of each of the guide formations 62 and 63 (Figure 8). Inwardly directed projections 84 and 85 are provided at the forward ends of the legs 8l and 82 and are spaced apart for the reception of the cartridge turning bar 13 therebetween. Two lugs 816 and 81 are provided at the rear end of the holder 89 and are disposed substantially at right angles to the legs 8| and 82. These lugs are recessed in their outer edges to receive the legs of the U-shaped formation 65 of the cartridge guide and the holder is recessed to provide an opening 88 between these lugs which opening extends to a location near the adjacent end of the opening 89 between the legs 8| and 82, the openings 88 and 89 being separated at their adjacent ends by a transverse bar formation 90. A pivot pin 9| extends across the opening 88 adjacent the bar 90 for attachment of the holder 80 to holder operating mechanism.

A lever 92 is disposed between the depending legs of the angle brackets 10 and 1I at a location ahead of the lever 16 and is pivotally connected at its lower end to the angle brackets by a pivot pin 93 which extends through the lever and through the depending legs of the angle brackets near the lower edges of the latter. A link 94 is provided at one end with a pin receiving formation 95 which receives the pivot pin 9| of the cartridge holder 89 and is provided at its opposite end with a pair of upwardly extending, spaced apart lugs 96 and 91 which are apertured at their upper ends and disposed one at each side of the lever 92. A pivot pin 98 extending through the apertures in the lugs 96 andv 91 and through an aperture 99 in the lever v92 pivotally connects the rear end of the link 94 to the lever 92 near the upper end of the latter. At its upper end the lever 92 extends through the slot 23 -in the receiverfand` into the path of the bridge 26 on the bolt I2.

A U-shaped yoke has spacedfapart legs which are pivotally connected at the open end of the yoke to the legs of the U,shaped struc? ture 65 of the kcartridge .guide 6| near the cor,- responding guide vjaws 62 and .63 and has its closed end slidably received in a slot |01 provided in a pin v|02 intermediate the length of the latter. At its rear end the pin v|02 .is piv.- otally connected to the depending legs of the angle brackets and 1|. by a pivot .pin |03 and at its forward end this pin is provided with an abutment formation .|04 (Figure 3). A coiled compression spring |05 surrounds the pin |02 between the abutment formation |04 and the closed end of the yoke |00 and resiliently urges the cartridge guide 6| downwardly vto a position below the cartridge chamber v51 and .clear of the bolt l2 when the bolt moves to its breech closing position.

With the above described mechanism, considering that a cartridge has been red from the barrel chamber and the bolt is moved rearwardly to open the breech and eject the empty shell of the red cartridge and then moved forwardly to reload the cartridge chamber and close the breech, as the bolt |2 moves rearwardly, the forward bridge 26 first contacts the .end of lever 92 projecting into the receiver Amoving this end of the lever 92 rearwardly. This moves the ycartridge holder 80 rearwardly in the cartridge guide 6| until the opening 618 in the guide is completely cleared permitting a new cartr-idge to enter the guide from the magazine I6 through the opening 36 in the magazine housing and the opening 22 in the receiver. A cartridge will now be fed from the magazine through the

openings

34, 22 and 68 in the magazine, the receiver and the cartridge guide 6|, respectively, by the feed spring 22 (Figure 3).

Upon vcontinued rearward movement vof `the bolt the front bridge 216 passes over the adjacent end of lever 92 and contacts the end of lever 10 projecting into the receiver and moves the contacted end of this lever rearwardly, 'This moves the other end of lever 16 forwardly and advances the cartridge turning bar 13 in the cartridge guide turning the cartridge to a bullet end rst position inthe guide.

When the bolt I2 reaches its limiting rearward position in the receiver the cartridge turning -bar is fully advanced but the front bridge does not overrun the adjacent endof the lever 16.

The direction of movement of the bolt I2 is now reversed and as the bolt moves forwardly the front bridge 26 again contacts the end of lever 92 projecting into the receiver and moves this end of the lever forwardly.

When the end of lever 92 projecting into the receiver was moved rearwardly by rearward movement of bolt |2 the end of link 94 was brought into engagement with this lever and a force exerted on pin 93 and lugs 96 and 91 to slightly bow the link 94. The link 94 is formed o f resilient material, such as spring steel, and as soon as th-e bridge 26 overrides the lever 912 'the link 94 straightens and springs the lever to a position in which its end will be engaged Vby the bridge 26 0n the return stroke of the bolt.

As the bolt kmoves the contacted end of lever 92 forwardly this lever acting through the link 94 and associated pivots 9| and 98 advances the cartridge holder 80 in the cartridge guide 6| and 8 moves the cartridge to a position in which its bullet end is adjacentfthe forward .end of the guide (Figure 7).

As the holder is advanced the bar formation of the holder engages the upwardly and forward'ly inclined edge portions |25 and |26 on the

legs

66 and 61 of the `U-.shaped structure 65 of the .guide 6| positioned to the rear of and below the pivot pin 69 which pivotally mounts the cartridge guide 6| `in the receiver |I. This causes the front end of the cartridge guide 6| to rise until it is in alignment with the barrel chamber 5.1 vand the cartridge is positioned for engagement by a bolt carried pusher, presently to be described, which moves the cartridge from the guide into the barrel chamber.

lli/'ith continued forward movement of the bolt, the rear bridge 28 engages the end of lever 16 `projecting into the Vreceiver and moves this end of the lever forwardly. This retracts the cartridge turning b ar 13 to condition the guide 6| for the reception of a new cartridge from the magazine as soon as the holder 80 has also been retracted, as described above.

When the bolt |2 has reached a position in its forward movement at which the cartridge pusher |01 has engaged the rim end of the cartridge and moved the cartridge forwardly until its bullet end is entered into the barrel chamber 51, the front bridge 26 overrides the adjacent end of lever 92 releasing the pressure on this lever and on the cartridge holder 80. This discontinues the lifting pressure on the cartridge guide 6| permitting the guide 0| to move downwardly out of the way of the bolt |2 as the bolt pushes the cartridge fully into the barrel chamber and reaches its breech closing position.

The pusher |01 is a small body of U-shaped cross section pivotally mounted on a lug formation |01 at the front end of the bolt I2 and a link 08 ispivotally connected at its front end to the pusher |01 and extends rearwardly from the pusher along the under side of the bolt. An eye |09 is formed on the rear end of the link |08 and receives a `pin I0 secured to the bolt by a bracket and an aperturedlug ||2 is provided on the link |08 a short distance ahead of the eye |09. A guide pin ||3 extends at its rearward end through the lug I2 and is secured at its forward end in the lug formation |01 on the bolt l2 to which the pusher |01 is pivotally connected. A coiled compression spring I4 surrounds the guide pin 3 between the lug ||2 on the link ||8 and the adjacent end of the lug formation |01' on the bolt and resiliently urges the pusher |01 to a retracted position in which its front end is substantially flush with the front end of the bolt and its bottom surface is positioned -below the bottom of the front end of the bolt (Figures 5y and 7) A cam lever ||=6 is pivotally mounted on the lug formation on the bolt and bears at its front end on the upper end of the cartridge pusher |01. A pair of detents provided on the opposite end of this cam lever, ride on the bottom of the inside surface of the receiver and maintain the bullet pusher |01 in projected position while the bolt is being advanced to move the cartridge out of the cartridge guide 6|. In its projected position the front end of the pusher |01 is in advance of the front end of the bolt and the bottom surface of the pusher is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the bolt |2 at the front end of the latter.

At the time the cartridge leaves the cartridge guide the detents ||1 drop into the opening 22 in the receiver and this relieves the pressure of the front end of the cam lever |06 on the cartridge pusher |01 and permits the spring H4 to move the cartridge pusher |01 to its retracted position in which its front end is below and substantially flush with the front end of the bolt l2. As the front end of the bolt reaches the rear or breech end of the barrel the pusher F01 is out of the way and the front end of the bolt is brought into direct contact With the rim end of the cartridge to firmly hold the cartridge in the cartridge chamber and provide for the impact of the firing pin against the rim end of the cartridge. The detente I Il now rest on the cartridge in the guide 6I and, upon the next loading action, the detents are raised when the guide 6| is raised and the cartridge therein moved forwardly to again advance the pusher ll and position the detent li'i to pass over the hinge butt 60.

Upon the next retraction and advance of the bolt the cartridge then in the cartridge guide 6l will be placed in the cartridge chamber in the manner described above and a subsequent cartridge will be admitted into the cartridge guide. The gun may thus be reloaded by merely retracting and advancing the bolt until all of the cari tridges in the magazine have been exhausted. Regardless of the end to end position of the cartridges in the magazine, they will be properly orientated in the cartridge guide and will always be presented bullet end rst to the cartridge chamber.

Extractor hooks 20 and I2I are carried by the bolt l2 at the front end thereof and engage the rim of the cartridge in the cartridge chamber when the bolt is fully advanced. When the bolt is retracted these hooks pull the shell out of the cartridge chamber and when the front end of the bolt reaches the rear end of the opening 22 an ejector pin E22 carried by the bolt strikes the rim end. oi the cartridge and throws the cartridge cut of the receiver through the opening 22.

Two spaced apart notches H8 are provided in the breech end of the barrel at the lower or forestock side of the barrel chamber. These are to receive the front end of a xed ramp in case it is desired to mount a fixed ramp in the receiver in replacement of the movable guide hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The invention may be embodied in other specie forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the

scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. A firearm loading mechanism comprising a receiver having at one end a formation providing a cartridge receiving chamber and having a guideway therein, a breech bolt slidable and rotatable in said receiver, a handle on said bolt movable through said guideway to guide said bolt in its breech opening and breech closing movements in said receiver, said receiver having an opening therein for admitting a cartridge from a magazine into said receiver with the cartridge extending transversely of the receiver, a cartridge guide in said receiver disposed between the cartridge admitting opening and the cartridge receiving chamber, said guide providing a cartridge passage tapering from said opening to said chamber and restricted at its opposite sides to preclude the passage of the rim end of a cartridge along either side while permitting the free passage of the bullet end of a cartridge, a cartridge turning bar movable through said guide for turning a cartridge in the latter to present the bullet end of the cartridge to said chamber, means carried by said receiver and actuated by said bolt on breech opening movement of the bolt to advance said cartridge turning bar, a cartridge holder movable into said guide to hold a cartridge in properly turned position in the latter, means carried by said receiver and actuated by said bolt during the rst part of the breech closing movement of the latter to advance said holder and operative during the remainder of the breech closing movement of said bolt to rst elevate said guide to bring the chamber adjacent end of said guide into alignment with said chamber and then lower said guide out of the way of said bolt after a cartridge carried by the guide has entered the chamber, and to retract said cartridge turning bar and said cartridge holder, a pusher pivotally mounted on the chamber adjacent end of said bolt, and means carried by said bolt and engageable with said receiver to project said pusher during the latter portion of the breech closing movement of said bolt and retract said pusher just before the bolt closes to bring the end of the bolt into contact with the rim end of a cartridge forced into said chamber, said cartridge turning bar and said cartridge holder being fully retracted when said bolt reaches its breech closing position to permit passage of a subsequent cartridge through the opening in said receiver from a magazine into said cartridge guide.

2. In a firearm having a barrel provided at one end with a cartridge chamber, a receiver extending from the chambered end of the barrel, a breech bolt slidable and rotatable in the receiver and a magazine arranged to feed cartridges into the receiver in crosswise position relative to the receiver, loading mechanism comprising a cartridge guide pivotally mounted in said receiver and having an opening therein for receiving cartridges from said magazine, spring means resiliently urging said guide to a position below said chamber, a cartridge turning bar slidably mounted on said receiver and movable through said guide to turn and advance cartridges in said guide, bolt actuated means carried by said receiver and connected to said bar for advancing and retracting the latter, a cartridge holder slidably mounted on said guide, bolt actuated means carried by said receiver and connected to said holder for advancing and retracting said holder and raising said guide into alignment with said chamber when said holder is fully advanced, a cartridge pusher mounted on said bolt at the barrel adjacent end of the latter, spring means resiliently urging said pusher to retracted position, and means carried by said bolt and engaging said receiver and said pusher to project said pusher to operative position as the bolt approaches its breech closing position and to retract said pusher as the bolt reaches breech closing position.

3. In a rearm having a barrel provided at one end with a cartridge receiving chamber, a receiver extending from the chambered end of said barrel, a breech bolt slidably mounted in said receiver for movement toward and away from the adjacent end of said barrel, and a magazine mounted adjacent said receiver and arranged to feed car- "tridges'into said receiver in cross WiseJ position relative to the latter, loading mechanism, for successively receiving cartridges in crosswiseposition in said receiver, turning the cartridges to bullet endy first position andv entering them into vsaid cartridge chamber comprising a cartridge guide pivotally mounted in said receiver with one end adjacent said iiringr chamber and movable between a position in which said one end thereof is in alignment with said iiring chamber and a position in which said one end is below said firing chamber, saidguide being effective to receive the cartridges one at a time in crosswiseA position and turn them to a bullet end rst position. as the cartridges are advanced through the guide -and having an opening at said one end thereof for delivering the cartridges into said ring chamber, bolt actuated means carried by said receiver and movable relative to said guide to advance a cartridge throughY the guide and raise said one end of the latterV into alignment with the firing chamber, and bolt carried means engaging a cartridge insa-id guidev when the latter is in raised position and movingV the cartridge out of the guide and into saidring chamber as said bolt ismoved into closing relationship with the adjacent* end of said barrel.

4. In a rearm having a barrel provided at one end With a cartridge receiving chamber, a receiver extending from the chambered end'of said barrel, a breech bolt slidably mounted in said receiver'for movement toward and' away from the adjacent end of said barrel, and a magazine mounted adjacent said receiver and arranged to feed cartridges into said receiver in crosswise position relative to the latter, loading mechanism for successively receiving cartridges in crosswise position in said receiver, turning the cartridges Yto bullet end first position and entering them into said cartridge chamber comprising a cartridge guide pivotally mounted in said receiverA with one end adjacent said ring chamber and movablerbetween a position in which said one end thereof is in alignment with said iiring chamber andv a positionk in which. said one end is below said firing chamber, said guide being effective to receive the cartridges one at a time in crosswise position and turn them to a bullet end first positionY as the cartridges are advanced through the guide and having an` opening at said one end thereof for delivering the cartridges into said ringfchamber, bolt actuated means carried by said receiver and movable relative to said guide to advancev a cartridgethrough the guide and raise said one end of the latter into alignment with the firing chamber, and bolt carried means engaging. a cartridge in said guide when the latter is inrraised position and moving the cartridge outof theY guide and into said ring chamber as said bolt is moved into closing relationship with theadjacent end of said barrel, said guide comprising a pair of jaws each having a side wall and flangesY extending perpendicularly one from each edgeofeach side wall. toward the opposite jaw, saidsidewalls converging in a direction forwardly ofY said guide and the flanges of each jaw being spaced apart to permit the passage of the bullet end While precluding the passage of the rim end of a cartridge therebetween and being recessed at the rear end of said guide to provide an opening for entry of cartridges from said magazine into said. guide, and a U-shaped structure having its legs joined one to each of said jaws at theopen end of said structure and extending rearwardly fromsaid jaws.

ALTON M. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofr record in the iile of'. thisV patent:

789,142 Chichester May 9, 1905 2,132,761 Robertson Oct. 11, 1938 2,448,081 Conway Aug. 31, 1948 2,479,770 Olson Aug. 23, 1949