NO. 726,109‘
NO MODEL.
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A. H. STOW.
AUTOMATIC FIREARM. 8 SHEETS-SHEET L
PATENTED APR. 21, 1903.
APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1901.
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No. 726,109.
A. H. STOW.
'PATENTED APR. 21, 1903‘.
' AUTOMATIC FIREARM. N0 MODEL.
APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,. 1901. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 2
No. 726,109. A. H. STOW.
PATENTED APR. 21, 1903.
AUTOMATIC FIREARM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1901. H0 MODEL.
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WITNESSES:
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UNITED STATES, PATENT
Fries.
AUDLICY II. STO\V,I OF HUNTER, WEST VIRGINIA.
AUTOMATIC FIREARM. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726, 109, dated April 21, 1903. Application ?led July 29, 1901. Serial No. 76,095‘. (No model.‘ To all 11-71, (Hit it may concern:
Be it known that I, AUDLEY H. STOW, aciti zen of the United States, residing at Hunter, in the countyof Mingo and State of W'est Vir
ginia, have invented a new and useful Auto
26, Fig. 4, in its rear end suitably made to re
ceive both the return-lever 1, Fig. 1, prefer ably pivoted to the frame concentrically with 55
the hammer 2, and also the said hammer 2. The said return-lever has in- itsupper for
matic Firearm, of which the following is a ward face the recess 1’, and the hammer has >
speci?cation.
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the recess 2’, so as to receive the bar 24, Fig.
My invention relates to improvements in 4, of the breech-block 3 in such a manner that automatic ?rearms in which the rearward the pressure of gasesresnlting from the ?ring pressure of the gases resulting from the ?ring of the cartridges will in driving the breech of the cartridge is utilized to make the action block to the rear force both the hammer and‘ of the ?rearm automatic; and the objects of the return~lever to their extreme rear posi
my invention are, ?rst, to provide an auto tions. As soon as the said pressure of gases matic device adapted to general use in the is relieved through the emergence of the bullet
[5 different types of ?rearms, and,second, to pro vide an automatic ?rearm durable and sim
65
from the barrel the return-leverspring 4, Fig.
l,_acting on said return -lever,_', will return ple of construction, quickly adjusted, and the said breech-block and the empty shell to easily under control. I attain these objects their forward position, the horizontal breech by the mechanism illustrated in the accom block guides 25, Fig. 3, acting within suitable panying drawings, in which grooves in the frame, serving to keep the move Figure l is a longitudinal section of the ment of the breech-block in line with the car frame of revolver, exposing a side view of the tridge-chamber. The return-lever 1, Fig. 1, working parts as they appear'just as the sec has in its lower forward face the spring 15, ond shot is about to be ?red; Fig. 2, a side which as the said return-lever 1 moves for 25 view of breech-block; Fig. 3, an end view of ward from its rear position engages the rocker breech-block; Fig. 4, a top view of breech lip 16 of the rocker 6, to which latter is at block; Fig. 5, a side view of breech-block, tached the hand 8, (the upper end of which hammer, trigger, and cylinder-revolving de is broken away,) and thus depresses the said 80 vice; and Fig. (3, a longitudinal section of the hand su?iciently to engage the next ratchet 30 frame of pocket-ri?e, exposing a side view of tooth of the revolver-cylinder in well-known the working parts as they appear with the ?r manner. A further forward motion of the ing-hammer in position for ?ring. said return-lever serves to disengage the‘ Similar numbers refer to similar parts spring and said rocker-lip, leaving the rock ‘throughout the several views. ing spring 39'~free to return the said hand to. In addition to the illustrations necessary to its upward position by means of the said £55 clearly explain the nature of my invention I rocker, thus rotating the cylinder 21. A pro have added others, that it may be evident on jection 18 on the said hand serves to disen the face of it that I do not confine myself to gage the spring-catch 9 (which has held the the precise details of one construction, but said hammer in ?ring position) at the instant 40 hold myself at liberty to make such changes that the upward movement of the said hand and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit through the consequent rotation-of the cyl-y and scope of my invention. inder has brought a fresh cartridge ‘into the It will be understood that the various parts ?ring position, when if the usual trigger 7 95 of this weapon which are common to ?rearms has been held in its rear position, 'asshown, 45 of usual construction are located in the iire= the hammer will be free to ?re the next car“ ‘ arm in about their usual positions.
The car tridge, which cycle of operations will‘then be tridge in its position for ?ring has its head automatically repeated, provided ‘the said resting against a breech block or bolt in a triggeri is held in the rear'position, as long broad sense substantially like the sliding as there are untired cartridges in the cylin breech-bolt common to manywell-known ?re der, the cylinder having been full; but the
arms.
"he movable belt or I>reeclr~block 3
?ring may be stopped byv simply allowing the
has, prefca tbly, the \Jcrl iml longitudinal cut said trigger to move forward, and thus allow
rco
726,109
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the button 35 and magazine-spring 3G, in ing the trigger-sear let to engage the said ing which case a suitable projection 40 on the hammer in "the usual manner.
Firing may
be again resumed by- again pulling. the trig
lower part of the said return-lever disengages 70 the main sear 28 from the said ?ring-hammer
ger to the rear position.
The main sear 28, Fig. 5, controlling the at the instant that a fresh cartridge has been ready for ?ring. In the same way motion of the hammer, in addition _to the .inserted of the usual forms of cartridge-lifts may usual trigger-sear 14' is preferable to the any operated by the return-lever or by a third 75 spring-catch 9 i. Fig. 1. In the latter con be hammer. revolver-trigger shown may struction the rocker-sear lip 31, Fig. 5, disen be replacedThe by any of the well-known rifle I'ages the main sear from the hammer at the instant a fresh cartridge has been brought More particularly in the'case of revolvers into the ?ring position, as heretofore de~ the 2, as in Fig. 1, may itself 80 scribed,the spring-catch 27 being preferable ?re ?ring-hammer the cartridge, 01'' usual ?ring-‘pin, as to the said spring 15, Fig. 1, for operating shown by the dotted the lines 38 in Fig. 6, may said rocker 6 by engaging the spring-catch
IO
triggers.
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be employed. The return-lever may also be to any of the well-known ri?e-actions, In general the construction shown may be applied machine-guns, and other ?rearms and may 85 varied largely along well-known lines. The to trigger 7 and the hammer 2,as in Fig. 1, may itself be suitably controlled by sears, buttons, other suitable form of catch. . be replaced by any of the well-known devices or The recesses in the upper forward faces of
lip 16.
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for attaining the “ double action ” or' suitably varied, as may be necessary or advisable to
the return-leverand ham merl and 2, as afore said, are preferably deep enough so that when In the same way the revolver may the said‘ hammers are in their extreme rear be of any of the “solid frames,” as in Fig. 1, position the breech-block cannot escape to or of the “breakdowns,” as shown by dotted 25 lines 19. The breech-block may also be va the rear, although the breech-block guides also tend to prevent this, provided the said ~ ried largely, and in order to attain the de pivoted parts in their extreme rear position 95 sired movements of the hammer and the re are high. enough to still check the breech that end.
turn-lever with regard to the'breech-block any of the well-known mechanicalconstruc
block.
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Each of the springslt and 5 may have a tions to that endother than the recess in the ‘, separate tension-‘screw whereby the auto upper forward faces of the hammer and re matic action of the arm may be suitably ad
be used-such as links, gear
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justed to the particular cartridge in use, the - ing, &c.—-and it is of note in the revolver masses of the ham mers,brecch-hlock, the frame, as shown by dotted lines 20’, relative and other moving parts, together with the 35 that Fig. 1, extends back to the extreme rear po tensions of the various springs and length of sition of the forward face of the said breech barrel, being suitably proportioned to each block, the shell thus being at all times with other, allowing for the inertia of the moving in the frame, whereby injury to the, user of parts-when started rearward from rest, that the arm due to possible rupture of the shell the automatic action may be reliable. ' '
turn-lever may
is prevented, a breech-block of the same ‘di ameter as the rear portion of the shell, as 3,
It is to be noted that the ?ring-hammer
may be cocked also by the thumb by means I10 Fig. 6, being preferable, even in the case of of its upper rearward projection in the usual a revolver, thus requiring a rimless cartridge, manner, the return-lever being uncontrolled, 45 whereby the ‘rupture of the cartridge may be then at once returning as soon as released by prevented. " thumb to its forward position, which is of In general the recesses 1' and-2', Figs. 1, 5, the especial advantage in the ri?e-actions, and in I15 and 6, in the upper forward faces of the re general it is'prefen-rble to have the said up. turn-lever l and hammer 2, respectively, are per rearward projection of the ?ring-hammer 50 so proportioned vto the ham mer-cut 26, Fig. 4, somewhat higher (see dotted lines 41, Fig. 1) in the breech-block 3 and to the height of the than that of the leverin order that, if desired, hammer as to givethe desired horizontal mo thesaid ?ring-hammer may be cocked with tion of the said breech-block. “Then, as in out disturbing the return-lever and the parts the case of the pocket-ri?e illustrated in Fig. operated thereby. ' 6, it is desired to entirely remove the shell
The general principle of operation of my
and replace a fresh cartridge in the single device is that the backward pressure of the chamber, the return-lever and ?ring-hammer cartridge -sh‘ell when ?red forces back the 125 may be made higher in order that the said breech block or bolt in substantially a right breech-block readily may have greater hori line. This breech -block presses back the 60 zontal'motion, the said return-lever operating hammer to its cocked position and also presses a cartridge-lift 33 by means of upper and lower back the return-lever, which lies alongside rearward extensions. ' The empty shell may
the hammerand is preferably of substantially 13c
be expelled sidewise by well-known means or the same form as the hammer. A spring upward by the next cartridge or by a special acting on the return-lever causes said lever to device sidewise operated by the cut 25’ in force the breech-block forward to closed po
65 the breech-block guides 25, the cartridges be ing fed from the usual magazine 37, contain
sition and to partially rotate the cylinder if
726,109 the invention be applied to a revolver or. to ward position, a fresh cartridgehaying been feeda cartridge from the magazine if the in brought into the ?ring position" by ‘thesaid ventiori7 be applied to a magazine-gun, the reloading device, the return-lever at the same sequence of movements being as usual in. instant disengaging the'said main sear from weapons of such classes. the said ?ring-hammer, leaving the said ?r As the hammer and return-leverare of sub ing-hammer free to ?re the cartridge in po stantially similar form and their location is sition, thus making the action automatic. . that of the-usual hammer, the weapon is sym 3. In automatic revolvers,the combination, 75 metrical in appearance and the \vorkingparts substantially aforesaid, ‘of the movable IO are largely under observation. In opening breech-block 3,asthe return-lever '1, the ?ring the breech or in ?ring the ?rst shot the move ment of cocking the hammer is as usual.
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hammer 2, the upperforward faces of the said A hammer and lever being recessed to receive
The resistance to recoil of the breech-block, the said breech-block, the trigger-sear 14, the 80 supported as it is by the return-lever and its main sear 28, the rocker 6 having the rocker spring and also by the ?ring-hammer, is suffi sear lip 31 operating the said'main sear, the cient to avertvpremature opening, although said rocker also controlling the movements of the breech-block is not positively locked at the hand 8, the trigger 7, and the spring-catch any time. The angle of engagement between within the forward lower face of the said the breech-block and the return-lever largely 27 return - hammer; whereby the pressure of determines the resistance such lever will offer. gases resulting from ?ring the ?rst cartridge, to the backward movement of the breech in driving the said breech-block to the rear, bolt when a cartridge is ?red.
I am aware that previous to my invention a movable breech-block has been used to cook 25 the single hammer. U I therefore do not claim
this combination‘ broadly; but
“That I do claim as my invention, and de
sire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In automatic ?rearms,the combination, substantially as ‘aforesaid, of the movable breech-block 3, the return-lever 1, and the ?ring-hammer 2, the upper forward face of the return-lever being recessed to receive the
may force said hammer and lover to their ex
treme rea‘r position, the said trigger-sear hold
ing the said ?ring-hammer cooked, the said return-lever, as soon as the diminution of
gases permits,returning the said breech-block
to place, and at the same time, depressing the said rocker against its spring, by means 95
of the said spring-catch engaging the spring catch lip 16, sufficiently to enable the said hand to engage the next lower clylinder
ratchet-tooth, when, the said spring-catch
said movable breech-block, whereby‘the pres— passing out of reach, the said rocker is re 35 sure of gases resulting from the ?ring of the turned by means of its spring, thus carrying said hand upward, and through the con cartridge, in driving the said breech~block to the sequent revolution of the cylinder, bringing the rear, may force the said hammer and le a fresh cartridge into the ?ring position, at ver to their extreme rear position, the said
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which instant, the said rocker sear-lip disen gages the said main sear from the said ?ring~ leaving the said return-lever as soon as the hammer, leaving the same free to ?re the said cartridge-the said trigger having been diminution ofgases permits, to return the said fresh breech-block to place, the said ?ring-ham held in the rear position-thus rendering the of the ?rearm automatic, all substan I10 mer remaining cocked; until the said breech action tially as set forth and for the purpose speci 45 block is in place. ?ed. 2. automatic ?rearms, the combination, 4. In automatic ?rearms, the frame, a lon substantially as aforesaid, of the movable gitudinally-moving breech-block therein,said breech-block 3, the return-lever 1, and the breech-block having a vertical slot in its rear :15 ?ring-hammer 2, the upper-forward faces of 50 the said hammer and lever being recessed to body, a hammer and a return-lever of sub y similar construction pivoted side by receive the’ said breech-block, together with stantiall the main sear 2S operated by the said return side in the frame and entering said slot in the ‘zever and controlling the action of the said breech-block as described, connections from return-lever whereby the cartridge-feed I20 pringhamnier in accordance with the move-_ the nights of the said return—lever together with mechanism is actuated, and usual connec for the control of the ?ring-hammer, all a suitable reloading device operated by the tions combined. ' said ‘ return-lever whereby the pressure of 5. In an automatic revolver, the combina gases resulting from the"?'ring of the car tridge, in d‘riijingthe said breech-block to the tion of the frame, cylinder, a longitudinally I25 rear, may force thesaid hammer and lever movable breech-block in rear ‘of the cylin to their extreme rear position, thus stopping der, a hammer and return-lever pivoted on the further rearp'ard movement ofthe breech the frame with front faces bearing against block, the said ?ring-hammer being retained said breech-block, and connections from the in the said rear position by the said main sear return-lever by which the cylinder is rotated. (i. In an automatic revolver, the combina 28, the said return-lever, however returning, recess, however, preventing a further rear ward movement of the said breech-block,
as soon as the diminution of gas-pressure
permits, the said breech-block, to its for
tion of the frame, cylinder, a longitudinally reciprocating breech-block in rear of the cyl der, said breech-block slotted atits rear end,
726,109
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a hammer and return-lever pivoted in the frame side by side and both entering said slot in the breech-block, and means connect
ed to the return-lever for rotating the cylin
tion of a frame, cylinder, and breech-block I5 reciprocating longitudinally in rear of the cylinder, a lever in the frame actuated in one
direction by the recoil of said breech-block, and a spring by which the lever is returned,
‘ Ul der with a step-by-step movement. v'7. In an automatic revolver, the combina and means connected to said lever for rotat cylinder. tion of theframe, the cylinder, and a longi ingInthe testimony whereof I have signed my tudinally-moving breech-block in rear of the ?ring-chamber of the cylinder, a lever piv name to this speci?cation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. IO oted in the frame and rocked by the rear . AUDLEY II. STOW.
movement of the breech-block, and connec
tions from said lever by which the cylinder is rotated.
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8. In an automatic revolver, the combina
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Witnesses:
'S. F. \VOODsQN, J AS. S. ALBERT.
