US305093A

US305093A - Magazine fiee arm

Info

Publication number: US305093A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1884-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1901-09-16

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

(No Model.)

No. 305,093. Patented Sept. 16, 1884.

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2. I

W. MASON.

"MAGAZINE FIRE ARM. No. 305,093. Patented Sept. 16,1884.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

No. 305,093.- Patented" Sept. 16, 1884.

PETERS. mwmmm n m. Wnshinglon. o. c.

\VILLIAM MASON, OF N EYV HAVEN v CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE FIRE-ARM.

ZJPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,093, dated September 16, 188%. Application filed February 26, 1883. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WM. Mason, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improve ment in Magazine Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a longitudinal central section through the receiver, barrel, and magazine, showing a side view of the mechanism of the arm, a portion of the breechpiecc broken away to show the firing-pin retractor lever; Fig. 2, a top view; Fig. 8, a longitudinal section showing the parts in the condition of having just received the cartridge from the 1nagazine; Fig. 4, the same section showing the breech-piece as having completed the first part of its ascent, and presenting the cartridge in line with the barrel; Fig. 5, a horizontal section through the month of the magazine; Fig. 6, a view of the extractor, the magazinelatch, and the lever to force the cartridge on to the breech-piece; Fig. 7, a horizontal section showing the side-loading opening and its cover; Fig. 8, an outside view; Fig. 9, an edge view of the cover; Fig. 10, a transverse section on line a: w of Fig. 1, looking toward the front.

This invention relates to an improvement in magazine fire-arms, the object of the inven tion being to adapt to magazine-arms in a practical manner that class of breech-piece commonly known as swinging downward and backward that is to say, a breech-piece hung in the frame in rear of the barrel, and so that its forward end swings downward and backward in opening, and returned upward and forward to its position of closing; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of mechanism of the arm, as hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the receiver, constructed to contain the mechanism of the arm, and provided with a tang, B, at its upper rear end and tachment of the receiver to the stock; D, the barrel, secured to the receiver; E, the magazine, arranged beneath and parallel with the barrel, and so as to open through the front end of the receiver in the usual manner for magazine-arms; F, the breech-piece, hung in the receiver at the rear upon a pivot a, 'so as to turn freely up and down from the position seen in Fig. 1 to that seen in Fig. 3 and return. WVhen in its up position its forward face is directly in rear of the barrel, and so as to stand against the head of the cartridge, to resist recoil. When it is down, as seen in Fig. 3, its upper surface is in a position to receive a new cartridge from the magazine, to be transferred to a position in line with the barrel, and when in that position the cartridge is forced forward into its place in the barrel. Then the breeclrpiece continues its upward movement to a position in rear of and so as to support the cartridge thus transferred.

G is the lever by which the breech-piece is operated. Said lever is hung on a pivot, b, in the lower part of the receiver, the lower arm extending rearward to form the triggerguard, and a suitable handle by which the lever may be operated. Above the pivot b is an arm, H, which, when the breech-piece is in its closed position, stands against a shoulder, (2, on the breech-piece, and thus acts as a brace to support the breech-piece in its closed position. From the rear end of the breechpiece an arm, I, extends downward, and into the path of a shoulder, e, 011 the lever G, said shoulder being above thepivot. Between the arm I and the shoulder d on the breech-piece the breech-piece is recessed, as seen in Fig. 1. The first movement of the lever in opening the breech-piece is for the brace H to escape from the shoulder d on the breech-piece and into the recess in rear of said shoulder, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 1. So soon as the brace H has escaped from the shoulder (Z the shoulder e at the rear strikes the arm I on the breechpiece, turns that arm to the rear, and thus 9 causes the breech-piece to be turned down until the upper surface of the recess in the breech-piece strikes the end of the brace H. Then the brace will pass onto a shoulder, z,

a like tang, C, at the lower rear end, for the at- I on the arm I, and, continuing its movement,

tridge raised to the breech-piece until the breech-piece is raised will turn the breech-piece to its extreme dow n.- ward position, as seen in Fig. 3, and which position is that of receivinga cartridgefrom the magazine. Returning the lever, the first part of its movement raises the breech-piece into the position seen in Fig. 4, to present the cartridge in line with the barrel. The upper side of the recess in the breech piece between the shoulder d and the arm I is substantially the arc of a circle of .which the pivot b, on which the lever turns, is the center, so that while the brace H is passing forward through the recess, and upon this curved surface, the breech-pie'ce will remain stationary to give an opportunity to transfer the carthat position into the barrel, and when the cartridge has been so transferred then the arm or brace H strikes the forward end of the recess, and, actingas a cam, completes the upward movement of the breechpiece and passes into its locking-position, as seen in Fig. 1.

To automatically transfer the cartridge from the breech-piece, a lever, L, is hung near the bottom of the receiver, in front of the lever G, and upon a pivot, f. This lever extends up through a slot in the breech-piece and works forward and back in the slot in the breech piece, as from the position in Fig. 1 to that seen in Fig. 3. Forward of its pivot a spring, g, is applied, the tendency of which is to throw the lever L rearward. The rear face of the lever L above the pivot is shaped as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, and upon this face rides an antifrietion roll, h, in the lever G, this roll arranged forward of the pivot b, so that as the lever is turned down in opening the roll rides upward on the rear face of the lever L. Standing as seen in Fig. 1, the nose of the lever L is in rear of the forward face of the breech-piece. In opening the breech-piece the friction-roll h passes up on the rear face of the lever L until it reaches the back of said lever. Then the lever is free to turn rearward by the ac-' tion of its spring 9, and as the opening continuesthe lever L turns to its extreme rear position, as seen in Fig. 3, resting upon the roll h. At this time thenose Z of the lever is at the rear end of the breech-piece, and so that as the cartridge passes from the magazine onto the breech-piece its head will strike the nose I, as seen in Fig. 3. Then in returning the lever to'raise the breech-piece, as before described, the breech-piece rises until the cartridge, is in line with the barrel, .as seen in Fig. 4. During this movement of the breechpiece and the lever G no effect is had upon the lever L, the shape of the back of the lever being such that, it retains the said relation to to present the cartridge to the barrel, as before described. When arrived at this point, as seen in Fig. 4, the anti-friction roll it on the lever G strikes the back of the lever L, and throws it quickly forward to the position the spring g, one end to the lever L, the other end slotted G, as shown, represented I seen in broken lines, Fig. 4, the nose 1 of the lever L carrying the cartridge forward and into its place in the barrel. At this time the lever L has arrived at its extreme forward position and the arm or brace H has arrived to the position on the breech-piece, so that further movement of the lever G will causethe breech-piece to rise; but as the nose of the lever L stands forward in the position to be occu pied by the forward part of the breech-piece it is necessary to withdraw the nose of the lever L to a certain extent,or so as to come within the slot in the breech-piece. The length of the back of the lever L is therefore such that as soon as the lever L has forced the cartridge into the chamber the anti-friction roll it will escape from the back and pass onto the rear face of the lever L. That rear face is out forward, as at m, so as to permit the lever L to recede as the locking lever advances and breech-piece rises, and into the position seen Fig. 1, and just as the parts come into their normal condition, as seen in Fig. 1, a notch or recess, a, on the lever L passes onto the antifriction roll h by the force of the spring and thus the spring serves to temporarily retain the lever and the operative parts of the arm in their normal'condition.

' To insure the extreme rear movement of the lever L, and without entire dependence upon I introduce a link, M, hung by and hung to the lever as upon the same pivot which supports the anti-friction roll h.

To prevent the cartridge, which has passed from the magazine onto the breech-piece, a finger, N, is hung upon the same pivot a as the breech-piece, and so as to lie close upon thetop of the breechpiece when the breech'piece is up, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 1. Upon the under side of the hub of the finger N is a cam, 0, upon which a spring, P, bears, so that the action of the spring upon the cam tends to turn the finger downward upon the breech-piece, and so that during the first part of the downward movement of the breech-piece the finger N follows the breech-piece, because of the action of the spring P; but so soon as the finger has passed down to about the line of the bore of the barrel a shoulder, r, the end of the spring P, as seen in Fig. 3, which arrests the farther descent of that fingeri' The breech-piece, continuing its descent, opens or passes away from the finger, soasto form a space between the upper surface of the breech-piece and the finger, as seen in Fig. 3, into which the cartridge will pass. Then as the breech-piece is raised, with the cartridge between it and the finger N, the spring bears upon the cam-surface 0 and holds the finger N down upon the top of the cartridge, so as to retain the cartridge in its place until the lever L advances and forces the cartridge from between the finger N, and the breech-piece. Then the finger N is free to return to its place the accidental displacement of comes in contact with upon the breech-piece. The upper'surface of the finger N is curved downwardly, as seen in Fig. 3, and forms a chute leading directly into the cartridge-chamber of the barrel, so that when the breech-piece is down, if it be desirable, a cartridge may be introduced into the chamber of the barrel, over the finger N as a guide, and as it would be introduced into a breech loading arm of this same class of breech-piece.

R is the firing-pin, arranged longitudinally through the breech-piece, so that its points will stand at the proper position to strike the primer, and its rear end in position to receive the blow of the hammer T, in substantially the usual manner for communicating the blow of the hammer to the cartridge.

To withdraw the fi ri ng-piu before the breechpiece commences its descent, a lever, t, is hung in the arm I of the breech-piece upon a pivot, to, its nose standing in a notch, w, in the firing-pin. The forward face, 2, of this lever projects beyond the face of the arm I, upon which the shoulder e of the lever operates, and so as to receive the action of that shoulder e before it will reach the face of the arm I, as seen in Fig. 1, and so thatthe movement of the lever to unlock the breech-pieee will turn the lever 15 rearward and withdraw the firingpin before the shoulderecomes in contact with the arm I to turn the breech-piece downward, as seen in broken lines Fig. 1. The play of the lever t is limited by a slot or enlarged hole, 3, through which a pin, 4, in the arm I passes. This leaves the firing-pin free when the breechpiece is closed.

To extract the cartridges a bell-crank lever is hung upon a pivot, 5, in the lowerpart of the receiver, one arm, 6, extending up, so as to stand in front of the flange of the cartridge when the parts are in their normal condition, as seen in Fig. 1. The other arm, 7, extends rearward into the path of movement of the breeclrpiece, and so that as the breech-piece descends from the position seen in Fig. 1 to that seen in Fig. 3 the breech-piece will strike the arm 7 and turn the arm 6 rearward, and thereby extract and eject the cartridge, substantially as in the usual bell-crank extractors.

As a check for cartridges in the magazine, so that as one passes onto the breech-piece the next will be caught and prevented from passing so far to the rear as to interfere with the movement of the breeeh-piece, a latch, 8, is hung upon the same pivot, 5, as the extractor, its nose extending upward and so as to work in a slot in the lower side of the magazine. \Vhen the extractor is forward, as seen in Fig. 1, its hub strikes the back of the latch 8 and turns it downward, so that its nose 9 is below or flush with the inner surface of the magazine; but so soon as-the extractor starts in its ejecting movement it leaves the latch free to rise under the action of the spring 10. It therefore will not interfere with the passage of the extreme rear cartridge onto the breechpiece when. that comes into line; but so soon as that cartridge passes onto the breech-piece thelatch rises and will engage the next cartridge, as seen in Fig. 3, and hold it until the breech-piece again rises. Then the latch will be thrown down, permitting the cartridge which it caught to pass over it and stand in position seen in broken lines, Fig. 1, ready to pass upon the breech-piece when next it descends.

WVhile the spring of the magazine can usually be depended upon to throw the cartridge onto the breecl1-piece,.to provide against any defect in this respect I arrange a lever, 11, upon the pivot 5, its arm extending up at the side of the magazine opposite the side-loading opening. The arm is elastic, and in its normal condition stands in aslot, 12, made in the receiver at the side of the magazine, (see Fig. 5;) but as it passes from the magazine-that is, fro m the position seen in Fig. l to that seen in Fig. 3its elasticity will cause it to spring inward, as seen in broken lines, Fi 5, and come forward of the flange of the cartridge, as seen in Fig. 5. It is thus turned forward by means of an arm, 13, which is struck by the breech-piece in its descent, as seen in Fig. 3. In the movement thus imparted to the arm 11 it first comes into a position forward of the flange of the cartridge, and then, acting upon the forward side of the flange of the car tridge, serves to impart to the cartridge a quick and'strong rear movement, suffieient to throw the cartridge to its place on the breechpiece. IVhen the breeelrpiece returns, a shoulder on the hub of the extractor strikes this lever and returns it to its place. The mouth of the slot 12 being inclined, as seen in Fig. 5, the arm is forced outward as it passes .into the slot 12, so as to permit the next cartridge to pass rearward,- ready to receive the impulse, as before.

The extractor lever, the latch, and the forked lever 11 are shown detached in Fig. 6.

The magazine may be charged when the breech-piece is down by depressing the finger N, the spring P yielding for that purpose, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 3. In that case the latch 8 engages each cartridge as it enters the magazine, the elastic arm 11 yielding for the head of the cartridge to pass it; but as a side loading is preferred by many, Imake an opening, 14, upon the right-side of the receiver, through which the cartridges may pass to the magazine when the parts are in their normal condition, and as a cover for this opening I arrange a slide, 15, as seen in Fig. 7. This slide is provided with a tailpiece, 16, which extends forward into a slot, 17, provided for it in the receiver, the forward end of the tail constructed with a diagonal slot, 18, through which a vertical pin, 19, extends as a pivot, upon which the cover will work, the slot permitting longitudinal movement of the cover, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 7. The forward end of the cover is inclined outward, as at 20, and rides upon a shoulder, 21, at the forward end of the opening in the receiver, and so that by moving the cover forward the inclined surface 20 rides upon the shoulder 21 and turns the nose of the cover outward, so as to open the passage to the magazine, as seen in Fig. 7.' Upon the inside of the cover is a spring, 22, the tendency of which is to hold the cover 'in its closed position, but yields so that as the cover is moved forward it will open. as before described, the slot 18 permitting such forward movement. Therefore to charge the magazine it is only necessary to press the point of the cartridge against the rear end of the cover with sufficient force to slide the cover forward. Then the cartridge will readily pass through the opening into the magazine, and when the magazine is properly charged the cover may be returned by the hand of the operator, or the action of the spring 22 may be such as to throw it forward and make it to automatically close.

The firing-pinis made fiat uponits two sides, and the lever L is forked, one leg of the fork working each side of the firing-pin, as seen in Fig. 10, and to permit the free working of the lever L through the brace or arm II, that arm is also made forked, one part standing each side of the lever L, as seen in said Fig. 10, the friction-roll standing between the two parts of the brace, as indicated in Fig. 10,

there being a shoulder, d, on the breech-piece at each side to correspond to the said parts of the brace.

If the magazine be charged from above only, and without the side opening, the ejector may have an arm upon both sides, so as to engage the head of the cartridge at opposite points, and the lever 11 may also have two arms, so as to operate upon both sides of the cartridge.

While I prefer to hinge the finger N upon the same pivot as the breech-piece, it may be hung directly to the breechpiece independent of that pivot. I

While I prefer to make the follower which forces the cartridge from the top of the breechpiece into the barrel in the form of the lever L, as described, other followers may be employed to force this transfer. I therefore do not wish to limit the peculiar movement and operation of this breech-piece to this precise construction for the follower.

While I prefer to operate the breech-piece by means of a lever formed as a part ofthe trigger-guard, and have thus shown and described the invention, it will be understood that any of the known equivalents for the said triggerguard lever may be employed. Therefore by the term lever, as applied to the operation of the breech-piece, I wish to be understood as including any of the known equivalents whereby the breech-piece may be operated.

I elaim 1. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of the following elements, to wit: a barrel, a

magazine beneath the barrel, both the barrel and magazine opening to the rear into the receiver, a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward, in opening, to a position belowthe mouth of the magazine, and so that the rear cartridge in the magazine may pass onto the upper surface of the said breechpiece, a lever arranged in said receiver, and in connection with said breech-piece, the said lever and breech-piece constructed with a rest midway between the extreme open and closed positions, substantially as described.

2. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of the following elements, to wit: a barrel, a magazine beneath the barrel, both the barrel and magazine opening to the rear into the receiver, a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward, in opening, to a position below the mouth of the magazine, and so that the rear cartridge in the magazine may pass onto the upper surface of the said breech-piece, a lever arranged in said receiver, and in connection with said breechpiece, the said lever and breech-piece constructed with arest midway between the extreme open and closed positions, and a'follower arranged to move back and forth through said breech-piece, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, its extent of movement being from the position of closing the rear end of the barrel downward to bring its upper surface below the mouth of the magazine, and so that the rear cartridge in the magazine may pass onto the said upper surface of the breechpiece, and so that in the first part of the return movement of the breech-piece the said upper surface of the breech piece serves as a carrier to transfer the cartridge into a' position substantially in line with the bore of the barrel, and the last part of the upward movement of the breech-piece brings it to its closed position, mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart said movements to said breech-piece, and afollower arranged to work IIO through said breech-piece, and mechanism,

substantially such as described, to impart backward and forward movement tosaid follower, substant-ially as described.

4. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, its extent of movement being from a position in rear of the bore of the barrel to .a point below the month of the magazine, whereby the rear cartridge in the magazine will pass onto the'upper surface of the breech-piece, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart said downward and backward movement to the breech-- piece, then returning raise the breech-piece to bring the cartridge thereon into line with the barrel, and there arrest the ascent of the breech-piece for the transfer of the cartridge from the breech-piece into the barrel, and then raise the breech-piece to its position in rear of said cartridge, and a finger hinged with the breech-piece and lying upon its upper surface, but opening therefrom in the descent of the breech-piece to receive the cartridge from the magazine between the breechpiece and finger, and a follower arranged to work through the breech'piece and force the cartridge from between the finger and breechpiece into its place in the barrel, substantially as described.

5. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, its extent of movement being from aposition in rear of .the bore of the barrel to a point below the mouth of the magazine, whereby the rear cartridge in the magazine will pass onto the upper surface of the breech-piece, the lever hung in the receiver below the breech-piece, one arm eX- tending downward to form ahandle, the other arm extending upward, the breeclrpieoe constructed with a shoulder, against which said upper arm will bear as a brace to support the breech-piece in its closed position, and from which shoulder it escapes in opening, said breech-piece also constructed with a shoulder at the rear, upon which said lever will operate to turn the breech-piece downward, the recess in the breech-piece between said two shoulders on the arc of a circle correspondingwith the movement of the said brace,whereby the breech-piece, on its return, is raised from its position in rear of the magazine to a position presenting the cartridge thereon in line with the barrel, and there resting while the brace is moved forward on said curved surface to the shoulder at the front, and then by said brace raised to its closed position and locked, substantially as described.

6. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear. of thebarrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, its extent of movement being from a position .in rear of the bore of the barrel to a point below the mouth of the magazine, whereby the rear cartridge in the magazine will pass onto the upper surface of the breech-piece, thelever hung in the receiver below the breech-piece, one arm extending downward to form a handle, the other arm extending upward, the breech piece constructed with a shoulder, against which said upper arinwill bear as a brace to support the breech-piece in its closed position, and from which shoulder it escapes in opening, said breech-piece also constructed with a shoulder at the rear, upon which said lever will operate to turn the breech-piece downward, the re cess in the breechpiece between said two shoulders on the arc of a circle corresponding with the movement of the said brace, whereby the breechpiece, on its return, is raised from its position in rear of the magazine to a position presenting the cartridge thereon in line with the barrel, and there resting while the brace is moved forward on said curved surface to the shoulder at the front, and then by said brace raised to its closed position and locked, with a follower working through said breech-piece, and in connection with said lever, whereby said lever will force said follower forward to transfer the cartridge on the breechpiece into the barrehsubstantially as described.

7. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and

so as to serve both as a carrier to receive and transfer the cartridge from the magazine to a position in line with the barrel, and as a breech-piece to resist the recoil, the lever G, hung in the receiver below the barrel, the brace H, arranged in connection with the breech-piece. to impart the opening and closing movement thereto, and to lock the breechpiece in its closed position, the finger N, hinged with the breech-piece, the spring 1?, and the lever L, substantially as described.

8. In a magazine firearm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and so as to serve both as a carrier to receive and transfer the cartridge from the magazine to a position in line with the barrel, and as a breechpiece to resist the recoil, the lever G, hung in the receiver below the barrel, the brace H, arranged in connection with the breech-piece, to impart the opening and closing movement thereto, and to lock the breech-piece in its closed position, and the lever L, the firing-pin B through the breech-piece, the lever t, hung in the breech-piece, and in connection with the firing-pin and with a shoulder, e, on the lever G, substantially as described.

9. In a magazine firearm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and so as to serve both as a carrier to receive and transfer the cartridge from the magazine to a .position in line with the barrel, and as a breech-piece to resist the recoil, the lever G, with its arm H, operating in connection with the said breech-piece, to impart to said breechpiece its opening and closing movements, the spring 9, in connection with lever L, said lever L constructed with the notch n to engage the lever G when the parts are in the closed position, substantially as described.

10. In a magazine firearm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and so as to serve both as a carrier to receive and transfer the cartridge from the magazine to a position in line with the barrel, and as a breech-piece to resist the recoil, the lever G, with its arm H, operating in connection with the said breech-piece, to impart to said breechpiece its opening and closing movements, with .aslotted link connecting lever L with the lever G, substantially as described.

11. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and

IIO

so as to serve both as a carrier to receiveand gitudinal movementis permitted to said covtransfer the cartridge from the magazine to a position in line with the barrel, and as a breech-piece toresist the recoil, mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart movement. to said breech-piece, a bell-crank extractor hung below the breech-piece, and the latch 8, substantially as described.

12. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination of the breech-piece A, hinged at the rear, and so as to serve both as a carrier to receive and transfer the cartridge from the magazine to a position in line with the barrel, and as a breech-piece to resist recoil, mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart movement to said breech-piece, the bell-crank ex the opening, and hung by a pivot through a slotin the tail of the opening, whereby a loner, said cover inclined upon its inner forward end to ride upon a shoulder on the receiver, whereby a forward movement of the cover turns the cover from the opening, and returning permits it to close, substantially as described.

14. In a magazine fire-arm, an opening through the side of the receiver into the maga-. zine, provided with a cover constructed with a tail piece extending into a recess forward of the opening, and hung by a pivot through a slot in the tail of the opening, whereby a longitudinal movement is permitted to said cover, said cover inclined upon its inner forward end to ride upon'a shoulder on the receiver, whereby a forward movement of the cover turns the cover fromthe opening, and returning permits it to close, and a spring attached I WVILLIAM MASON.

Witnesses DANIEL H. VEADER, LEE H. DANIELS.