US 619848
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
GEORGE B. SPARROW, OF LISCARD, ENGLAND
LOADING-MAGAZINE.
SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,848, dated February 21, 1899.
Application filed September 20, 1898. Serial No. 691,460. (No model.)
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, GEORGE BAGNALL SPARROW, residing at Liscard, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loading-Magazines, of which the following is a specification.
This invention has for its object chiefly to provide improvements in magazines for holding cartridges, especially for supplying to revolver-pistols or small-arms of the kind in which a revolving chambered block is moved away from the part or parts of the firearms behind it, so that the rear end of this block is open to view and clear of everything and the chambers of it can be quickly and easily refilled or charged with cartridges.
According to this invention the loading-magazine is so constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate that the whole number of cartridges required to completely charge the revolving chamber-block can be simultaneously discharged from the magazine and introduced in their proper position in the block. This magazine comprises a number of tubes or guides grouped together in the same relation to each other as the chambers of the revolving block in connection with which it is designed to be used and a trap or cut-off device at the front or charging end, while at the rear part spiral or other suitable springs are provided in the tubes or guides to press the cartridges outward toward the discharge end.
The drawings illustrating this invention show the magazine in longitudinal section in Figure 1 and in cross-section at the lines A A and B B, Fig. 1, in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.
Referring to the drawings, a are the containers—tubes in the case shown—in which the cartridges b are stored.
c is a case in which the tubes a are held, and d and e are two trap or cut-off devices by which the delivery of the cartridges is controlled, both being provided with apertures corresponding with the bores of the tubes a.
f is a lever fulcrumed at f’ on the case c and connecting the two traps e and d together, the connections being by joints d’ and e’, respectively.
g is a trigger, being a continuation of the lever f, by which the traps d and e are operated, it being normally pressed upward from the case by the spring g’.
h are springs within the tubes c, which normally press upon the back end of the cartridges.
i j are plates inclosing the front and back ends, respectively, of the tubes c, these two plates being drawn together by the central longitudinal bolt k. The front plate i is perforated opposite the mouths of the tubes a.
Under normal conditions the cartridges and the parts take the positions shown in Fig. 1, with the foremost batch of six cartridges projecting forward of the plate i, this position being required in order that the introduction of a batch of cartridges into the breech-chambers of the revolver may be more conveniently effected.
The position of the front batch of cartridges is maintained by the trap-plate d, namely: This plate being depressed by the spring g’, the metal around the upper part of the apertures of it will come in front of the cartridge-flanges b’, as shown, and so hold them. Then, with regard to the back trap-plate e, when the device is in the normal state, as shown, the apertures in it are so arranged that the bores of the tubes c at this part are unrestricted, so that the cartridges can pass along them without impediment.
When a batch of cartridges is to be passed from the magazine into the cylinder, the case a is taken in the hand, the protruding ends of the foremost batch of cartridges are placed in the revolver breech-chambers, and the trigger g is pressed upon by the thumb. By this action the bar to the forward movement of the cartridges—namely, the metal of the trap-plate d around the upper part of its apertures and in front of the cartridge-flanges—is removed, and as the lower part of these apertures is only level with the bottom of the tubes ec when the plate d is lifted the front batch of cartridges is entirely free, and so they fall or are pressed into the revolver block-chambers. In this condition of the plate d the metal around the upper part of the apertures of the plate e will be in front of the flanges of the second batch of cartridges and will hold them and the others behind them and prevent them being pushed forward when the first batch is released. Then when the front batch has been released and the revolver loaded the pressure on the trigger g is removed by lifting the thumb off it, and the batch of cartridges between the plates d and e is released and the plate d moved to the position in which the metal above the apertures in it will protrude into the bore of the tubes a. Thereupon the springs h will force the several sets of remaining cartridges forward and the foremost batch into the position shown in Fig. 1.
It is of course to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular form or construction shown of the parts in which the cartridges are held and moved or to that of the duplex trap or cut-off retaining and controlling devices.
The magazine can be carried at the side by a strap or in any suitable way.
What is claimed in respect of the herein described invention is—
1. A loading-magazine for charging the revolving chamber-blocks of ‘‘revolvers,” comprising a plurality of parallel containers holding the cartridges, and having the same relative positions as those of the revolver-chambers to be charged, and duplex transverse retaining and governing trap devices, adapted to act in connection with the front batch of cartridges, and a batch behind the same, and to normally hold the front batch, and when charging the revolver to release if, and to retain the back cartridges; substantially as set forth.
2. A loading-magazine for charging revolvers, comprising a plurality of parallel containers holding the cartridges, and having the same relative positions as those of the revolver-chambers to be charged; a trap device d arranged and operating transversely to the axis of the magazine, and having apertures for the passage of the cartridges; a plate e similar to, and connected to the plate d by a lever f, whereby said plates are operated together and in opposite directions, for controlling the foremost and second batches of cartridges; and springs h, in each container normally pressing the cartridges forward; substantially as set forth.
3. In a loading-magazine for charging revolvers, the combination of a plurality of cartridge-containing tubes a, case c inclosing said tube, duplex controlling trap-plates d and e, lever f coupling said plates together, springs h behind the cartridges, and end plates i and j clamped onto the ends of said tubes; substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.
GEORGE B. SPARROW.
Witnesses:
ERNEST R. ROYSTON,
JOHN H. WALKER.