( No Model.) 4 sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M., BROWNING,
FIREARM,
No. 580,923. Patented Apr, 20, 1897.

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FIREARM,
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No. 580,923.

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WTNESSES
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J. M. BROWNING.
FIREARM, X

No. 580,923, Patented Apr. 20, 1897,

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WENTOR

ATTORNEYs
 UNITED STATES
JOHN M. BROWNING, OF OGDE), UTAH.
FIREARM.
SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,928, dated April 20, 1897.
Application filed SCPtember 14, 1895. Serial No. 662,577, (No model.)
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, JoHN M. BRow NING, a
citizen of the United States, and a resident
of Ogden, Weber county, Territory of Utah,
have invented certain new and useful Im
provements in Breech-Loading Firearms, of
which the following is a specification, refer
ence being had to the accompanying draw
ings, forming a part hereof.
d This invention relates to automatic maga
Zine-firearms, and particularly to firearms of
that general description which are adapted to
be operated by the gases of explosion.
The main object I have in view in this in
vention is to provide means to prevent the
release of the hammer after a single discharge
until the trigger has been released and is
again pressed by the finger; and, further, to
provide means to prevent the full or effective
movement or release of the trigger until all
of the parts are in proper position for the dis
charge of a cartridge.
The improvements referred to are herein
represented as embodied in a gas-operated
25 magazine-pistol, but it will be understood that
these improvements and the improvements to
be referred to hereinafter are not necessarily
restricted in their use and application to such
a firearm or class of firearms nor to their use tridge-holder d, which is provided with a lug. 8o
30 in the same or in one common structure.
The further improvements which form. a'.
part of this invention relate more especially
to the construction and arrangement of the
parts comprising a practical, and efficient
magazine-pistol and will be more particularly
described hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings, wherein I.
have represented an embodiment of my in
vention and which form aparthereof, Figure 1
40 is a view in side elevation of a magazine-pistol
embodying the improvements herein referred
to, the breech (ing closed. Fig. is iii gen
eral a longitudinal centersection of the same,
some parts being shown in elevation and the
45 breech being open. Fig. 3 is a view, partly
in side elevation and partly in section, with
the breech closed. Fig. 4 is a top view of the
same with the breech open and with some
parts broken away to show others beneath.
Fig. 5 is a top view with the breech closed and
with parts broken away to show others be
PATENT OFFICE.
neath. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the connect
ing-piece between the trigger and the other.
parts of the hammer-releasing devices. Fig.
7 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrat-55
ing a modification of the devices for prevent
ing the release of the trigger.
The receiver a is represented as having the
barrel band the grip-stock or handle c formed
in one piece there with, but it will be under- 6o
stood that the parts are so represented for con
venience and that they might be formed sep
arately and be securel together in any suit
able manner. The barrel b is provided, sub
stantially as usual in firearms of this class, 65
with a vent or aperture in rear of the muzzle,
as at b', through which the gases of explosion
may act upon the means for operating the
shell extracting and reloading devices, the
vent being formed through a suitable nipple, 7o
as b. The grip-stock or handle c is dispose
substantially at right angles to the receiver
and is shown as arraiged to form or consti
tute or contain the magazine in which are
placed the loaded cartridges, one upon an- 75
other, and from which they are fed, one by .
one, to the cartridge-chamber of the barrel.
The grip-stock is preferably open at its
lower end and is adapted to receive a car
d' to be engaged by a catch difor the purpose
of retaining the holder in place. The catch
d is pivoted in the handle and is pressed at
one end into engagement with the cartridge
holder by a spring d, which also serves an- 85
other purpose, to be referred to hereinafter.
The other end of this catch diprojects slightly
beyond the end of the grip-stock in position
to be pressed by the finger in order to release
the holder. The holder itself is formed as a 90
flattened tube adapted to receive within it
the cartridges one upon another.
Within the lower portion of the tube is
placed a feeding-spring cland a follower d,
which are adapted to press the cartridges up- 95
wardly. The upper end of the tube is open,
but is provided with ears d', which are bent
inward slightly to engage the uppermost car
tridge and prevent its being forced out of
the holder by the spring d. The upper for- too
ward corner of the holder is cut away to
permit the ejection of a cartridge from the
 2 w 580,923

holder in a generally longitudinal direction any additional holding devices and may be
toward the cartridge-chamber of the barrel, removed readily, when required, by pulling
and the ears dextend forward only a short disit backward to clear it from the pins f0 and
letting it slip forward above the abutment f°
tance, from the rear of the holder, so that each
5 cartridge is readily released from the holderto slacken the tension on the spring f and
by a short forward movement thereof. The to permit the disconnection of the links f".
uppermost cartridge is therefore held in the Preferably a rod f, having a head or fol
holder with the upper portion thereof pro lowerf' to bear upon the springf, is in
jecting above the walls of the holder and in serted through the barrelf and is connected 75
Io position to be engaged by the breech-bolt to the last link of the series.
(hereinafter referred to) inits forward move It will be evident that at each explosion of
ment and to be pushed toward and into the a cartridge the breech-bolt is moved back
barrel. An overhang b projects from the ward through the described intermediate de
rear of the barrel and is cut away at an in vices by the force of the gases of explosion 8o
I5 cline on its under side to guide the cartridge which escape through the aperture b' and tha&
properly into the barrel, and the receiver is it is immediately moved forward again by the
likewise cut away at an incline below the car action of the springf. The breech-bolt in its
tridge-chamber, as at a', for the same pur forward movement feeds a cartridge from the
pose. holder into the cartridge-chamber and in its 85
In the construction shown in the drawings rearward movement, being provided with a
the breech-bolt e is arranged in the receiver cartridge-extractor e' of usual construction
and is adapted for longitudinal movement which engages the head of the cartridge-shell
backward and forward in the receiver in the in the usual manner, it withdraws the empty
rear of the open end of the barrel, suitable shell from the cartridge-chamber. Inits rear 90
25 ways a being formed in the sides of the re ward movement the shell strikes an ejector
ceiver to guide the breech-bolt in its move e° of ordinary construction and is thereby
meat. The receiver is open at its top and at thrown out from the receiver a through the
its rear end and is provided at one side with aperture a in the side wall thereof. The
a suitable aperture a to permit the ejection breech-bolt e overlies the hammer g, and in 95
3o of the empty eartridge-shells. In the upper its rearward movement it cocks the same by
side of the barrel, at a suitable distance for direct contact there with. The breech-bolt .
ward of the cartridge-chamber and in rear of also carries the firing-pin, as usual, and as the
the muzzle, is formed the aperture or vent b', same is arranged in the ordinary, manner it
through which the gases of explosion may es has not been thought necessary to illustrate it. od
35 cape as soen as the oullet has passed the ap-" The constriction of the breech-bolt and its
erture and before it has escaped from the actuating deviceshaving been described, and
barrel. A lever f is hung between ears f' on the operation of such devices having been ex
the top of the barrel in such position that its plained, it now remains to describe the de
free end covers the aperture b' before referred vices for controlling the hammerg. IOS
4o to, whereby at each discharge the lever f is The hammer is pivoted, as usual, in the re
thrown backward upon its pivot. This move ceiver a and is acted upon by a mainspring
ment of the lever f is imparted to the breech g' in an ordinary manner, the hammer being
bolt through a connecting-rod f', which is di provided with an antifriction-roller g, upon
vided or forked to embrace the rear portion which the mainspringg' bears, and an adjust O
45 of the lever f, to which it is secured by a pin ing-screw g being set in the handle to bear
f, and at its rear end is forked to embrace upon the mainspring, so that the tension
and to be secured by a pinf to a lug f, which thereof may be regulated. The hammer g,
projects upwardly from the breech-bolt e as usual, is provided with a half-cock notch II 5
through the open top of the receiver a. The g" and a full-cock notch g, which are adapted
5o lever fis returned to its normal position to to be engaged by a searh, which is pivotally
cover the aperture and to move the breech mounted in the upper portion of the handle
bolt forward by a spring f', which acts upon and is pressed upon the hammer to engage
the lever through a suitable link connection the notches thereof by a suitable spring h".
f", passing under the heel of the lever, and is Below its pivot the sear h is provided with a
55 suitably supported in a barrelf. The latter lip or shoulder h for engagement with a con
lies above the breech-bolt e, and space is pro necting-piece i, which transmits the pressure
vided for its reception by recessing or hol of the trigger k to the searh for the purpose
lowing out the connecting-rod f'. of moving the same to release the hammerg.
The forward end of the spring-barrel if As the cartridge-holder intervenes between 25
6o rests a c inst an abutment f', formed on the the trigger k and the hammer g and searh,
upper...de of the barrel b of the pistol, and is the connecting-piece i must be so. shaped as
held from lateral displacement by pins f, to offer no obstacle to the introduction of the
which project rearwardly from the face of cartridge - holder d. Accordingly the con
the abutment. As the spring f is always necting-piece is preferably made in the form
55 under tension the spring-barrelf will there- of an open loop, as shown in Fig. 6, to partly
fore be held in position without requiring or wholly embrace or surround the holder,
 580,928 8
the opening through the loop being suffi and depressed by the connecting-rod f' as it
ciently large to permit the introduction of returns to its position of rest. The other arm
the cartridge-holder through the same and of the elbow-lever m stands normally in the
to permit the requisite movement, of the con path of a projection k' from the triggeri in
5 necting-piece itself. - position to prevent the forward movement of
At its forward end the connecting-piece is the trigger; but when the upwardly-project
formed with a lug i", against which the trig ing arm of the elbow-lever m is struck by the
ger k may bear, and at its rear end it is connecting-rod f and depressed the other
formed with a lip or shoulder for engage arm thereof moves out of the path of the pro
go ment with the lip or shoulder hof the searh. jection k' on the trigger lic and permits the
In accordance with this invention provision is movement thereof necessary for the reën
made whereby the trigger k may be discon gagement of the connecting-piece i with the
nected from the searh by the fall of the ham seal h.
merg. Accordingly the rear end of the con As represented in Fig. 7 of the drawings,
I5 necting-piece i is held yieldingly against the the elbow-lever is provided with a hook m,
searh, the device which I have herein shown which is adapted for engagement with the
for this purpose consisting simply in the rear front end of the trigger or with a correspond
wardly-inclined upper end d of the spring d, ing hook k, projecting therefrom, so that
hereinbefore referred to, against and upon when the elbow-lever is in the position which
20 which the rear end of the connecting-piece i it assumes when the breech-bolt e is thrown
rests and by which it is held yieldingly up back the trigger is held from the movement
ward against the end of the sear h. Con necessary to disengage the searl from the
nected with the hammer and preferably piv hammer g. As soon, however, as the breech:
oted thereon is a dog or trip g, which is ar bolt and the connecting-rod have returned to .
25 ranged to strike the rear end of the connect their positions of rest the elbow-lever m is
ing-piece at each furward or downward shifted to release the trigger and to permit
movement of the hammer g and to thrust the free movement thereof. The hooks upon
said connecting-piece downward against the the elbow-lever m and the trigger k are pref
pressure of the spring d" and to disengage it erably beveled, so that the reengagement of
3o from the searh, the lip of the piece i mov the trigger and elbow-lever will be effected.
ing to the rear of the lip h of the sear. The automatically as soon as the trigger is re
subsequent engagement of the connecting leased after it has been pulled.
piece i with the sear h can be effected only It will be observed by reference to Figs. 2 co
by releasing the trigger k and permitting the and 3 of the drawings that the hammerg when
35 connecting-piece i to move forward and up in its rearmost position rests against a solid
ward. Consequently, although the hammer portion c' of the frame or upper portion of
gis instantly recocked by the discharge which the grip or handle c in rear of the hammer,
was effected by the first pull of the trigger k, and that the hammerg is extended upward Io5
nevertheless the hammer will be engaged and to form a shoulder, as at g, to coöperate with
4o held by the searh, although the pressure on a shoulder or projectione on the under side
the trigger has not been relieved. Therefore of the breech-boite. (Indicated clearly by a
it is impossible that two or more explosions dotted line in Fig. 3.) The breech-bolt be
should follow one another in quick succession ing held from upward movement by its guides O
before the trigger k could be released, and it in the receiver a, it is evident that the haml.
45 is necessary in order to effect a subsequent mer thus forms a stop to limit the rearward
discharge to release the trigger and pull it movement of the breech-bolt should the pins
again. w P or bearings which support the bolt in closed
As a further safeguard against accidental position break under the shock of discharge, 15
explosions, means are provided to prevent an whereby the bolt will be prevented from fly
jo effective movement of the trigger until all of ing into the shooter's face.
the parts of the pistol are it proper position Referring now to the operation and node
for the explosion of a cartridge. . These of use of the mechanism already described,
means are controlled by the actuating mech it will be evident, in the first place, that a car
anism of the breech-bolt and operate to pre tridge-holder fully charged may be readily
55 vent either the release and forward move: inserted in the place of an empty holder which
ment of the trigger and the reéngagement of has been withdrawn from the magazine, no.
the connecting-piece i with the searh, in the movement of the operative parts of the pistol
manner already described, or the rearward being required to permit this. It being as 125
movement of the trigger and connecting-piece sumed that the cartridge-chamber of the bar
6o i, by which the sear' is normally disengaged rel is empty, it is necessary, in the first in
from the hammer. stance, to effect by hand the movement of the
As represented in Fig. 3 of the drawings, parts necessary to place a cartridge therein
an elbow-lever n is mounted in a suitable re Accordingly, the end of the lever fis grasped
cess formed in the side wall of the receiver a, by the fingers of one hand and is drawn
65 and a spring m is applied to said lever to upward and backward as far as possible,
cause one arm thereof to project through the Through the connecting-rod f this movement
open top of the recessin position to be struck of the lever causes a rearward movement of
 580,928
the breech-bolte, made without departing from within the pur
and t it to bewhich cocksand
engaged theheld
hammerg
by the view of my invention.
What I claim, and desire to secure by Let
Sea , and at the same time it releases the
uppermost cartridge in tine holder d and per ters1. Patent, is
In a breech-loading firearm, the combi
mits it to be pressed upward slightly, so that
as the breech-bolt moves forward again un nation of a frame or handle, a longitudinally
movable breech-bolt, and a hammer mounted
de the influence of the springf the cartridge
will be engaged thereby and will be pushed inhandle said frame or handle, the said frame or
forward out of the cartridge-holder into the hammer having a solid portion in rear of the
O cartridge-chamber of the barrel, the inclined against which the hammer may rest
overhang band the incline a properly di shoulder in cocked position and said hammer having a
recting the cartridge inits movement... When to stand, when the hammer is in
the lever f, connecting-rod f', and breech cócked bolt and
position,
to
in therearward
prevent
path of the brech 75
movement,
boite have reached the limit of their forward thereof beyond said shoulder, substantially
movement, the several pivotal centers thereof
will be in a single straightline and the breech as2.shown In a
and described.
breech-loading firearm, the
. .
combi
bolt will therefore be held firmly in a posi nation with a receiver, a barrel having an
tion to withstand the recoil of the cartridge
When exploded. During the movement of aperture in rear of the muzzle, a longitudi
the breech-bolt both backward and forward lever nally-movable breech-bolt in said receiver, a
the elbow-levern will be in such position as connecting operated by the gases of explosion, a rod
to prevent effective movement of the trigger said connecting-rod said lever and said breech-bolt,
k, as already described, and it will not betan lowed out from its under being recessed or hol
til the breech-bolt has reached its position of side, a spring and
connections to said lever to return said lever.
25 rest and the connecting-rod f is resting upon and its connected parts to normal position,
its.seat and depressing the elevated arm of and a barrel supporting said 'spring mounted
the elbow-lever m that the trigger k will be above said receiver and received within the
released, so that it may be possible to effect
the release of the hammerg and the explo recess of said connecting-rod,
as shown and described.
substantiaily
.
sion of the cartridge. 3. In a breech-loading firearm the combi
30 parts Upon the pulling of the trigger when the nation with a breech mechanism, a hammer,
are in proper position the hammer will a sear and a trigger to operate the sear, of a
. . ing
bereleased and willofstrike
the explpsion the firing-pin,
the cartridge. Ascaus
soon safety device to engage the trigger positively
35 as the bullet passes the aperture b' the gases to prevent effective movement thereof and
of explosion will rush forcibly therethrough supported in proximily to the breech mech
anism toasbetheactuated thereby to release the
and
againwillthethrow
cycleback the leverif,already
of operations beginning
de trigger breech mechanism assumes its
scribed. These operations take place so normal position, substantially as shown and
40 quickly that the operator might not have time described.
4. In a breech-loading firearm the combi
O
to release the trigger until two or more car nation with a breech mechanism, a trigger, a
tridges were exploded, but, as already de hammer mechanism, an intermediate piece
scribed fully, the trigger is disconnected au
matically from the sear h at each forward operated by the trigger to release the ham Ios
mer, a device operated by the movement of
45 movement of the hammer g, and therefore the hammer as it falls to positively disengage
when the hammer is recocked it is engaged said intermediate piece from the sear, means
and held at full-cock by the sear, which can to effect a reëngagement of said connecting o
not be again disengaged until the trigger has piece with the hammer mechanism upon the
been released and thereby the engagement release of the trigger, and a device to engage
thereof with the sear again permitted. the trigger to prevent the release thereof and
It is evident that some of the features of my actuated by the breech mechanism to release
present invention are not restricted in their the trigger, substantially as shown and de II5
application to gas-operated firearms, but that
they may be applied with equally good re scribed. .. .
This specification signed and witnessed this
55 sults to hand-operated firearnis, and, further 3d day of September, A. D. 1895.
more, that the several features hereinbefore
described are not necessarily combined to JOHN M. BROWNING.
gether in one structure, but may be used sepa In presence of -
rately without departing from my invention. JoHN E. RAMSDEN,
It will be obvious also that various changes WM, P. FOWLER
in the form and arrangement of parts maybe