Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 ~
~1-
This invention relates to fireaxms, and in particular to a mag-
; azine for a firearm, especially one employing a rimmed round of ammunition.
Conventional prac-tice is to provide a disposable magazine so -that
when one magazine is exhausted it is removed and replaced by a fresh
magazine, already loaded with fresh am~mition. Unless he throws away
a magazine which is only partial~y e~hausted, the user may therefore
run out of a~munition and be obliged to change magazines at an extremely
inconvenient moment. Normally there has been no possibility of re-charging
a partially exhausted magaæine without disengaging the magazine from the
firearn. Where the firearm is for large calibre amm~nition, this problem
can be particularly acwte because considerations of bulk prevent the use
of a magazine capable of holding more -than a few rounds.
In a conventional mc~gazine in which rimmed rounds of ammunition are
stacked one upon another, it is normally necessary that the rounds are
stacked with the rims of rounds remote frcm the breech behind the rims of
all rounds nearer to the breech, in order that upward and forward feeding
: of each round into a firing position is not hindered by interaction of the
rims. This has generally prevented p~ior art magazines from having the
facility for re-loading without removing the magazine from the firearm,
although in one case known to the Applicant additional rounds could be
loaded without removal of the magazine by use of a specially designed clip
in which extra rounds were carried. The need for the special clip was,
however, inconvenient, and this prior art axrangement was hence less than
ideal.
An advantageous feature of the present invention is that it makes
possible the provision of a magazine which can be re-loaded at any time
with any number of rounds of ammunition up to its maximu~ cap~city, without
~>
~17~
... 2--
^: the necessity for removal of the magazine from the firearm, or for the use
of any separate tool or device.
According to the present invention,there i.s provided a fire~lrm
including a body and having a magazine in which one or more ri~ned rounds
of ammunition.may be stacked each in contact with an adjacent round;
: resilient magazine bias means;
a breech opening through which a round of ammunition may be inserted
into the magazine, the breech opening defining transverse ~uide means
through which a round can be inserted in a direction transversely of the
` 10 barrel axis against the action of the magazine bias.means, and restraining
. means which are effec-tive on subsequent forward ~vement of the i:nserted
round to restrain the round in the breech against the action of the
magazine bias means;
a catch which can assume a locking position in which it prevents return
lS of a round forwardly l~cated in the breech to a position in which it can
; re-enter the transverse guide means;
further guide means by which a round in the breech can be guided in a
direction transversely of the barrel axis and rearwardly into the magazine
against the magazine bias means on insertion of a further round into the
b.reech;
the catch being effective to keep separate the rims of one round and a
subsequently inserted round during the insertion of the subsequently
inserted round, ~hereby the subsequently inserted round when engaged in
the breech has its rim forward of the rim of the said one round~
~ 25 Conveniently the catch is pivotally mounted in the body and
3--
resiliently biased towards the locking position, the arrangement being
such that on insertion of the round through the -transverse guide means
the catch is depressed against a resilient bias by contact with the
round, and on forward movement of the .inserted round the catch can spring
back under its resilient bias to prevent rearward movement oE the round
to a position in which it can re-enter the transverse guide meansO
Preferably the catch when depressed bears upon any round which is
already present in the breech to keep the rim thereof separate from the
rim of a subse~uently-inserte~ round.
Normally the firearm comprises a breech block which can move
forwardly to positively lock a round present in -the breech in engagement
with the breech end of the barrel.
Normally also the firearm has a Ei:ring pin moveable forwardly to
strike the rear face of a round only when the br.eech block is in a
forward position.
Preferably the firing pin has a mechanical interaction with the
catch, such that the catch is held depressed when the firing pin is in a
forward position~ After firing, the catch can thus be held depressed
whi.le the spent case of the round is withdrawn.
In a convenient form of the invention the firearm includes an
extractor assembly comprising,
an extractor having a longitudinal slot ~herein by which the
extractor is pivotally mounted on the breech block;
.~ '
. .
~ ~4~
. a hook portion at the forward end of t~e extrc~ctor for engaging in
front of the ri~ of a round of a~m ~lition in the breech;
resilient means for biasing the extractor forwardly and fox biasing
the hook portion inwardly t.owards contact with a round of amn~mition
in the breech;
a first extractor stop for limiting for~ard movement of the extractor
relative to the body to a position where the extractor hook engages in
~ front of the rim of any round present in the breech;
extractor locking means for locking the extractor against longitudinal
: 10 movement rel~ltive to the breech block when the breech block i.s wi.th-
drawn rearwardly after firing a round of ammunition, said extractor
locking means being re:Leased when the breech block reaches a rearward
Ii~ position whereby the extractor can r.eturn under its resilient bias to
a position in which the hook engages in front of the rim of a round
subse~uently entering the breech.
-~ The locking means conveniently comprises a locking pin slideable
. transversely in the breech block, one end of the locking pin being
arranged to contact a cam surface on the firing pin such that when the
i;.
. firing pin occupies a forward position relative to the breech block,
the locking pin is extended to a position in which its other end can
come against a second extractor stop on the extractor but when the
firing pin occupies a rearward position relative to the breech block,
the locking pin can retract to clear the second extractor stop, the
:. arrangement further being such that if the hook portion moves inwardly
under ~ts resilient bias, as when no round is present in the breech,
;~ the locking pin can clear the second extractor stop regardless of the
position of the firing pin.
'
~2'~8~L
: -5-
The in~ention will noW be described by way of example only with
reference to the accompanying drawings of which
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a rimmed round of ammunition,
Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the rou~d ~shown in Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a sec-tional elevational vie~ of a firearm in accordance
with the invention,
Figure 3A shows a part of Figure 1 to an enlarged scale,
Figure 4 is a plan view part in section, of a part of the firearm
shown in Figure 3, and
Figure 5 is a sectional view fro~ below of a loading catch forming
part of the Eirearm of Figure 1.
The round for which the firearm is designed is shown in Fig~res 1
and 2. It comprises a cylindrical case 74 which contains a projectile
(not shown) such as for examE~le a so-called rubber bullet. The round is
al.so provided with a projecting rim 75 at its rearward end, and in the
.~ rearward face 76 there is provided a percussion cap 77 by which -the
~ round may be fired. The case is designed so as to be substantially self-
-~ supporting ie insertion into a supporting chamber to prevent rupture of
the case when the round is fired is unnecessary.
The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 to 5, comprises
; a body 101 integral with a barrel 102, a magazine casing 103, a pistol
:: grip 104 and an adjustable butt 105. The magazine casing 103 and pistol
grip 104 are formed integrally as a steel pressing, and a trigger guard
~; 106 is welded thereto. This assembly is attached under an opening in the
b~dy 101 by a tail 107 on the ~istol grip c~nd a transverse pin 108 passing
through a forward projection (not sho~n) on the magazine casing~
: The magazine casing 103 houses a wire spring 109 p3sitioned in the
base of the casing by ri~eted pins 110. Carried on the top of the
~.
,
~ ~2~81
--6--
`` .
spring 109 is a magazine platform 111 having an upper surface of se~i-
` cylindrica~ general form. The platform 111 is hollow and can accom~3date
the compressed spring 109 when fully depressed into the casing 103.
~n opening 112 is provided in the upper surface of the body 101
above the magazine casing, through which rounds of the type shown in
Figures 8 and 9 may be inserted. A groove 113 is provided in each side
wall of the opening to accommodate the rim 75, the adjacent wall portions
; near the upper edge of the opening 112 constituting cheeks 114 between
which the cyl mdrical casing 74 of a round may pass, but the rim portion
75 may not. Below the cheeks 114, the opening wide~ns to permit entry of
a rim 75. At the forward end of the opening 112, the rearward end of the
barrel 102 has an upper overhanging portion 115 beneath which the forward
~ end of a round may be held, and a lower chamfered portion 116 which can
; guide a round downwards and rearwards into the magazine casing 103. me
rearward end of the barrel also has a socke-t 117 constituting a short
chamber into which the forward end of the casm g 74 may be engaged prior
to firing.
A loading catch 118 is pivoted at 119 in the steel pressing 103,
104 and is biased clockwise (as viewed in Figure 3) by a spring 120. m e
loading catch 118 has a pair of limbs 121 which extend forwards into the
opening 112, a pair of limbs 122 which extend rearwardly, and is provided
with an arcuate depression 123 in its upper surface.
m e rear portion of the body 101 is of generally cylindrical form,
and a cylindrical portion of the adjustable butt 105 is slideable
longitudinally therein so that t~e butt le~gth may readily be adjusted to
suit the user. ~he adjustable butt may be locked in a desired position by
insertion of the butt locking pin 124 through holes provided in the body 101
,,
.
~ ' ~
:; ~
~ ~7~
--7--
and the butt 105.
Slideable longitduinally in ~e body 101 in front of the butt 105
is a breech block 125 of generally cylindrical form~ Slideable longi-
tudinally within repsective bores 126 and 127 in the bxeech block 125
are a firing pin 128 and a sear block 129. me Eiring pin can be biased
forwardly relative to the breech block by a firing pin spring 130 having
a thrust washer 131 at its forward end. The forward movement of the
spring 130 is limited by the washer 131 conlng into contact with a
shoulder 133 in the kore 126. The spring 130 is held within the bore 126
; 10 at its rearward end by a cross pin 132 located at the rear end of the
breech block. A relatively weak firing pin return spring 134 acts between
a shoulder 135 and the bore 126 and a shoulder 136 on the firing pin 128,
-~ to urge the firing pin rearwards.
The sear block 129 is urged forward by a sear spring 137 whose
` 15 rearward end also reacts against the cross pin 132. Pivoted on a transverse
- sear pivot 138 within a longitudinal slot in the sear block 129 is a sear
.~ 139. The sear has a bent on its upper edge which engages with a transverse
pin 140 located inthe body 101. The sear also has a nose which can engage
with a bent 141 in the firing pin 128. A sear pin 142 is slideable
~ 20 vertically in a bore which passes through the firing pin beneath the sear
; bent. The sear pin 142 is of generally cylindrical form, but has a
~ reduced diameter portion 143 which can slide longitudinally within a longi-
- tudinal slot 144 in the breech block 125. During assembly, the pin 142
can enter the slot 144 through a keyhole 145, but cannot escape therefrom
during normal operation of the firearm. The pin can move vertically
between limits determined by the length of the reduced diameter portion
and the depth of the slot 144.
. .
'
'
,
8 ~
--8--
Pivoted to the breech block 125 at 146 is a first toggle bar 147.
: Pivoted to the body 101 at 148 is a second toggle bar 149. I'he first
and second toggle bars are pivo-ted to each other at 150 -to constitute
a toggle mechanism, which is biased downwardly by a toggle spring 151.
~. 5 A trigger 152 is pivoted at 153 to the pistol grip 154, the pivot
... ~ being retained by spring clip 154. The upper sur:Eace of the trigger
`` is formed in the shape of a V, and the lower surface of the second toggle
bar bears on the rearward arm~ of the ~
A pln 155 has an enlarged head 156 by which it is held captive
in a stepped bore 157 in the breech block 125, which bore 157 is angled
;
forwardly and do~n from the bore 126 through to the exterior of the breech
.` block. The pin 155 is prevented from escaping upwardly and rearwardly
from the bore 157 by contact with the underside of the firing pin 128
~ When the firing pin is in a rearward position relative to the breech block
15 125, the head 156 thereof can retract into a cam slot 158 in the forward
underside of the firing pin, so that the lower end of the pin 155 can
retract into the breech block. As the firing pin nears its most forward
position relative to the breech block, an arcuate portion of the cam
slot 158 pushes the pin 155 downwards so that it projects from the breech
block.
As shown in Figure 4, a floating ex-tractor 159 has an open slot
160 there.in by which it is held by means of a transverse pin 161 fixed
in the breech block 125. me extractor 159 can slide longit~ldinally
relative to the breech block in a groove 162 in the body 101 and a
25 ~roove 163 in the side of the breech block, and can also pivot on the
pin 161 to an extent permitted by the space available between the
grooves 162 and 163. The extractor is urged forwardly by an extractor
~2~
g
spring 164 engaged in a recess 165 in the breech block and acting
through a plunger 166. The plunger 166 bears on a flat rear face of
the extractor, which is so angled that the forward end of the extractor
is biased towards a position somewhat inwards ~rom the groove 162~ The
extractor 159 has an inwardly~directed hook 167 at its forward end
and a small inwardly-directed projection 168 at its rearward end. A
short pin 169 fixed in the body 101 projects into the groove 162 to
obstruct movement of the extractor forwards therein ~eyond the pin.
;. A pin 170 is slideable transversely in a bore in the breech block
which opens into the bore 126 and the groove 163. When the firing pin-
occupies a forward position relative to the breech block, the inner end
of the pin 170 bears on the flank of the firing pin, so that the outer
: end of the pin 170 is forced to project into the groove 163. When the
. firing pin occupies a rearward position relative to the breech block, a
recess 171 in the flank of the firing pin comes opposite the pin 170
so that it can retract from the groove 163.
` me firearm is loaded by inserting a rimmed round of the type shown
i in Figures 1 and 2 in through the aperture 112, with the rim passing
down through the grooves 113 and the forward end of the round passing
behind the overhanging portion 115. This action depresses the magazine
platform 111 and compresses the spring 109, and also as the rim 75 bears
on the limbs 121, the loading catch 118 is depressed about its pivot. As
: the rim clears the cheeks 114, the round is given a forward movement so
that the rim passes below the cheeks, and the forward end of the round
passes under the ove.rhanging portion 115. lhis frees the limbs 121 from
under the rim 75 so that the loading a~ springs up behind the rear face
76 of the round to prevent the round being drawn back again~ ~he round
is thus h.eld captiVe under the overhang 115 and the cheeks 114, in
.. .
~2~1
--10--
alignment with the barrel 102. The round ma~ now be fired as described
hereinafter, or alternatively a second round may be inserted in the same
way as the first.
It will be observed that when a second round is inserted through
the opening 112, its rim will occupy a position behind that of the Eirst
- ro~md. For reasons which will become more clearly apparent hereinafter,
; the feeding of rounds frorn the magazine back to the firing position in
the breech will be obstructed if the rounds are stored in the magazine
;- with the rirn of a second-in:serted round behind that of the first.
Accordingly it is an important function of the loading catch 188 that
it ensures that the first-inserted round enters the magazine with its
rim behind that of the second.
his is achieved as follows. The second round is inserted on the
-~ top of the first round with its rim in grooves 113. As the second round
is pushed down, the first round is guided downwards and rearwards by the
chamfer 116. At this point the rim of the second round depresses the
loading catch 118 onto the rim of the first round, thus enabling the
second ro~md rim to pass over the rim of the first round when pushed
forward engaging under cheeks 114. As the second inserted round moves
down and forward, the loading catch 118 snaps up behind it, locking the
second round forward in the breech in the same way as the first. The
first round now occupies a position in the magazine casing with the
. .:;
second round resting on top Of it and holding it down against the spring
109, the rim of the second in front of that of the first.
The second round may now be fired as described hereinafter, or a
third round may be inserted in the same way as the second. If a third
round is inserted, the final positic~n will be with the first and second
~ rounds in the magazine, biased upwardly by the spring 109, and the
''
':. ; '
:
:. -
., .
~ ~ 7~
third round resting on top of the second and holding it down, The third
round will be in ~he breech, its forward end under the overh~nging
portion 115, its rim under the cheeks 114, and the arms 121 preventin~
its escape rearwards. The ri~ of the third round will be in front of the
rim of the second round.
When the trigger 152 is pulled against the pistol grip 104, it
pi~ots rearwardly about the pivot 153~ The upper surface of the trigger
bears against th,e second toggle bar 149, forcing it upwards and so
straightening the toggle mechanism comprising the toggle bc~rs 147, 149.
As the toggle mechanism straightens, the breech block 125 is pushed
forwards, but the firing pin 128 is restrained from forward movement by
engagem~nt wi~h the sear 139. As the breech block moves fo~ward, the
spring 130 is ccmpressed between the pin 132 and ;the firing pin 128, and
the spring 137 is compressed between the pin 132 and the sear block
129 held on the pin 140. If there is a round in position aligned with
the barrel, forward movement of the breech block also pushes the round
into positive engagement in the socket 117, the rim of the round
sliding on the cheeks 114 against which it is held by the bias of the
spring 109. As the round nears full engagement in the socket 117,
the toggle bars 197, 149 reach the straight position and pass slightly
over centre to lock the breech block 125 positively in a forward
position. ~t the same time the upper surface of the first toggle bar
147 contacts the pin 142 and pushes it upwards to disengage the sec~r 139
from the bent 141 on the firing pin 128~ The firing pin is thus freed
to shoot forward at high speed under the action of the spring 130, and
strike the percussion cap 77 of the round to fire it. It will be
observ,ed that in,the position illustrated the spring 130 rests on the
shoulder 133 (via the washer 131), but the tip of the firing pin remains
-- .
- ` ` ' ' : `
~ ~`
~i72~
-~2-
within the breech block~ The firing pin thus completes its forward
~ mo~ement under its own inertia, co.mpressing the light restoring spring
134. The spring 134 then retracts the firing pin i~mediately af-ter
firing, so that its -tip lies within -the breech block clear of the
; 5 percussion cap 77, where it cannot interfere with ejection of the
spent case. When the trigger is released after firing, the toggle
mechanism is pulled back from its over-centre position by the spring 151,
~nd the breech block is retracted by the spring 137 compressed between the
pin 132 and the sear block 127.
The extractor claw 159 is effective only when a round ls present in
the breech. At other times, the forward end of the extractor is angled
;.~ inwardly under the bias action of the spring 164 on its rear face, so
that it always clears the pin 169, and simply moves back and forth in
unison with the breech block 125. When the extractor 159 is thus angled
. 15 inwardly, the projection 168 can clear the pin 170 even when the pin 170
is fully extended by contact of its inner end with the flank of the
~: firing pin 128.
When a round is introduced in front of the breech block 125,
. however, the rim 75 thereof contacts the extractor behind the hook 167
. 20 to push its forward end outwardly into the groove 162. In this
orientation, the projection 168 cannot clear the pin 170 when fully
extended by contact of its inner end with the flank of the firing pin,
and forward movement of the extractor is limited by contact with the
pin 169.
When the trigger is operated with a round in position in front of
the breech block, the extractor 159 moves forward with the breech block
125 until the extractor contacts the pin ~69. AS the breech block moves
forward f1lrther, the~extractor.is prevented from doing so, and the pin
,
' ' . ' . :.
~' .
-L3-
161 slides along the slot 160 in the extractor, the rear end of the
extractor bearing on the plunger 166 to cc~press the spring 164. At this
stage of the fir.ing sequerlce, -the firing pin 128 is held to the body 101
by the sear 139, ancl hence it cannot move with the breech block. Thus
as the pin 170 comes adjacent the projection 168 the pin 170 can retract
into the recess ~71 in the firing p.in to clear the projectiorl. When the
firing pin is freed from the sear,. the flank of the firing pin once again
contacts -the inner end of the pin 170 to hold it locked fully outwards, but
no~ the pin 170 is in front of the projection 168. As the breech block and
firing pin are retracted by the spr:ing 137 on release of the trigger, the
extractor is thus held to the br.eech block by the pin 170 engaging in Eront
of the project.Lon 168. Since the rim of the .round is caught behind the
hook 167, the spent case is withdrawn with the breech block until it clears
the cheeks 114 and ccmes into line with the slots 113. The loading catch
~ 15 118 is held down to permit this extraction to occur, as explained herein-
after. When the rim clears the cheeks 114 there is no influence restraining
. the spent case against the bias of the spring 109, and the spent case is
thus ejected automatically through the opening 112. It will be appreciated
. -that if the loading catch were not held down during this extrac-tion sequence
the upper and lower round are held in contact with one another by the spring
` 109. However, because it is held down, the loading catch 118 itself in turn
holds down the lower round so that the rim of the upper .round can slide
rearwardly and upwardly over the upper surfaces of arms 121, thus clearing
the lower rim. ~he function of the loading catch is thus seen to be an
. 25 e~ceedingly important one. In its absence, the spent case would be pre-
.: vented by contact of its rim with the rim of the lower round, from
retracting fully, and hence could not be ejected.
As soon as the spent case is ejected, the forward end of the
8 ~
-14-
extractor is free to move in~ards under the influence of the spring 164
and the plun~er 166 on its rear end. The resulting small rotation of
the extrac-tor is sufficient to enable the projection 168 to clear the
pin 170 so th~t the extractor snaps back ummediately (:ie before the next
round can rise into the breech to obs-truct the forward movement of the
extrac-tor) to its forward posit on relative to the breech block, as shown
in Figure 4.
In order to permit extraction of the spent case, the loading catch
118 must be held down whilst the case is moved rearwards. This is achieved
by the pin 155. When the breech block is moving forward to locate the
round in the socket 117, the head 156 of the pin 155 can enter the cam slot
158 in the firing pin, so that the pin can retract when its outer end con-
tacts the loading catch 118. As the breech block completes its forward
movement the underside of the breech block contacts the arms 121 to depress
.,.~
the loading catch 118, but the pin 155 plays no part in this. However,
when the firing pin is released from the sear 139, the pin head 156 is
cammed outwardly by -the rounded end of the cam slot 158, so that by the
time the firing pin strikes the percussion cap 77, the pin 155 is held
fully extended on the flank of the firing pin. In this position, with the
breech block fully forward, the extended pin 155 contacts a flat upper
forward surEace of the catch 118 to hold the catch depressed so that the
limbs 121 can pass under the rim 75 of the round being extracted and hold
down the rim 75 of the next succeeding live round. As the firing sequence
is completed, the breech block and firing pin are withdrawn in unison, with
the pin 155 hence still extended. This rearward movement first clears
the breech block of contact with the loadi~g catch 118, but the catch
cannot rise again to the position shown in Figure 3 until the breech block
has withd~awn fa~ enough ~or the pin 155 to enter the arcuate portion 123,
2 ~ ~ 1
-15~
by which ti~e the spent case has passed rearwardly clear o~ -the arms 121.
It will be seeln that the arrangement described has the great advantage of
countering the possibility that a round which has not been fired will be
accidentally ejected.
: 5 When the spent case is ejected, if there :is no further round
present in the magazine,the magazine platform rises under the influence
of the spring 109 until restrained by contact with the overhanging portion
115. If, howev.er, a further round is present it is urged uFwardly by the
spr.ing 109. As it moves upwards, it is guided fo~wardly by curved under-
- 10 surfaces of the limbs 121 of the loading catch 118, and at its forward end
:
on the chamfered surface 116. The next round thus m~ves up in front of the
loading catch 118 so that it is held captive by the cheeks 114 and the
overhanging portion 115. A further ~iring sequence can then be initiated
. immediately by operation of the trigger, or alternatively the magazine
can be re-filled by insertion of one or more rounds through the opening
112.
, . . .
., .
' ' ;
"
. 25
':~
~''
