April 14, 1931. J. M. BROWNING 1,801,070 BREECH MECHANISM FOR PIREARNS Filed June 12, 1929 INVEW' John M.Brownirg,Dictsse By his Aministrator John Browning. wy a “ The Attorngy0 0 8 50 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES 1,801,070 PATENT OFFICE JOHN NM. BROWNING, DECEASED, LATE OF OGDEN, UTAH, BY JOHN BROWNING, AD- ‘MINISTRATOR, OF OGDEN, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO J. E. BROWNING COMPANY, OF OGDEK, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH BREECH MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Application filed June 12, 1999, Serial No. 370,898, ‘The invention is applicable to firearms generally and more particularly to firearms Of the clasa wherein the barrel and barrel ex- tension and also the breech slide or bolt move rearward upon recoil to a limited extent, and awherein the breech bolé is then permitted to move rearward separately from the barrel znd barrel extension and to a greater extent, ing returned to its forward locked posi: top automation Jn firearms own pract locking the breech holt in its firing position ind further to provide means operative upon recoil for breaking the toggle to permit the breech bolt to move rearward. Sieh toggle Enk mechanisins are objectionable, ns they in- volve the transmission of the recoil pressure through two separate links end through three separate pivotal connections. Tn accordance swith the present invontion the objections in- dent tothe earlier mechanisms are avoided hy providing a single pivoted lock link or bolt wile directly engages the breedh bolt to normally hold it in firing position. Upon re- coil the lock bolt is automatically moved out of obstructive relationship with the breech holt, and there is preferably provided a con- necting means between the breech bolt. and the lock bolt for transmitting motion fron the former to the Intter. ‘The said connect: ing means, however. fs normally so positioned as to be ineapehle of moving the lock bolt. Tn the sccompanying drawing there is shown a dingrnmmatic embodiment of the invention, buié it will be understood that the Grawing is for ilustrative purposes only and is nof to be construed as defining or limiting the seope of the. invention, the elaims form- ing a part of this specification being relied pon for that purpose. Of the drawing: lisp We, 1 is a plan view, lorgely diagram. matic, of a barfel extension, breech bolt and bregeh mechanism embodying the invention. Hig. 2 is a side view of tho parts shown in Vig. 1, the said parts being shown in their forward firing positions Fig, 3 is view similar to Fig, 2, but show. ing the parts moved rearward fo the position ly. f the class referred to it is to provide toggle links for i where the unlocking action of the breech ‘mechanism begins, Vig. 4 isa view similar to Fig. 2, but show- ing the parts in intermediate positions. Fig, Disa view similar to Fig. 2, but show- ing the parts in the positions of complete re- ““Refersing tothe drawing, 1 ‘eferting to the drawing, 1 represents a Ineech slide or bolt which normally closes the rear end of the barrel 9 as shown in Figs. Lend 9, but which is movable rearward rela. tively to the barrel during the recoil action of the firearm. ‘There is also provided a Darrel extension 3 which is connected with the barrel 9, the said barrel extension and barrel preferably being movable rearward to a limited extent upon reccil following the discharge of the firearm. ‘The breech bolt 1 is suitably guided between the sido walls 4, 4 of the barrel extension 3 for rearward move- eat as stated, being. provided at ite sides ‘th tongues 8, 5 which enter grooves 6, 6 in the said side walls ‘The breech bolt 1 is normally held in its forward lecked position by aneans of 9 Toek- ing bolt 7 which is pivotally mounted at the ear thereof for movement about a trans verse horizontal axis. ‘This pivotal axis is prefernbly ort of the path of rearward meve- nent of the breech bolt. When the barrel ex- tension and breech bolt are both movable rearward, as is preferred, the bolt 7 is piv- ‘ted to the barrel extension. As shown there is a transverse pivot pin 8 which extends through the bolt T and through the side walls 4,4 of the barrel extensin When the parts are in normal positions ‘as shown in Fig. 2, the breech bolt 7 directly engazees at its front with the rear end of the brooch bolt at 9 and serves to firmly lock the breech holt against rearward movement rel- atively to the barrel extension. ‘The rear- ward thrust on the breech boit, resulting from the discharge of the firearm, is trans: mitted directly to the lock bolt. ‘This thrust may be taken entirely upon the pivot pin 8, but it is usually desirable to provide addi tional means for taking a part of the thrust ind for thus assisting in resisting the rear- sword pressure exerted on the lock holt by the 5 0 w #0 ss 2001s % 2 breech bolt. T have shown such additional means in the form of an abutment 10 which extends transversely between the two side walls 4, 4 of the barrel extenston end which I positioned to be engaged by a shoulder 11 onthe lock bolt.” The engaging surfaces of he abutment 10 and the shoulder 11. are preferably concentric with the pivotal axis oF proteably, fh faces of th ‘referably, the engaging surfaces of the Toke bolt’? and the breech bolt 1, as, shown at 9 in Fig. 2, axe not concentric with the pivotal axis at'8, bué are at a slight angle to a concentric are’ as clearly indicated. "Thus when the lock bolt 7 is moved downward, there is a wedging action between the sur faces at 9 and the concentric surface on the abutment 10, ‘This wedging action serves to force the breech bolt forward to its ex- treme position and furthor serves to limit downward movement of the lock bolt, Should this wedging action fail, by reason of wear or otherwise. t9 limit the downward ‘movement of the locke bolt, a shoulder 12 on the said bolt is positioned to engage the upper surface of the abutment 10 and thus posi- tively limit the movement. "There is provided a connecting moans be- twoen the breech bolt and the lock bolt whieh is normally inoperative, but which upon coil automatically becomes operative to pi otally move the lock bolt out of its locking for obstructive relationship with the breech bolt, Preferably this connecting means is a Tink 18 pivotally connected with the breech bolt, 1 with the lock holt 7. This Tink 13 is preferably centrally loceted, being. pivoted to the breech bolt 1 by means of a pivot pin at 14 and being pivoted to the lock bolt 7 by means of a pivot pin at 15, At least one of the links bear’ngs, as for instance that at 15, has sufficient play to prevent the transni= sion of any pressive throngh the said link 18 ‘when the parts are in normal position, the construction being intentionally such that all pressure will be transmitted diteotly through the engaging eurtnces at 9 as azeady de- ‘There is provided a suitable means op- erative upon recoil to render the eannectin; menns operative for the purpose described ‘When the snid means is. lini: such 2s 13, the said Tink is automatically moved about its pivotal connection with the breech bolt to a position enabling it to transmit pressure from the breech bolt to the lock bolt so as to move the latter out ofits obstructive relation- ship. When the connecting link ond tock bolt are pivotally connected with each other as shown, this upward movement of the con- yeiting link may be offeted by giving the Jock holt an initial upward movement toward a position ont of its locking or obstructive relationship with the breech bolb 1, It will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 4 that 1,803,070 as soon as the lock bolt has been swung up- ward to a slight extent, the angular position of the operating link 1 is changed and that fany lost motion in the boarings of the said Tink 13 is taken up. ‘The recoil action of the breech bolt is then transmitted throngh the Hnk 1 to move or at least assist in moving the lock: bolt to a position entirely out of the path of the breech bolt as shown in Fig. 5. ‘When the barrel and barrel extension move rearward to a limited extent upon recoil, as is preferred, advantage is taken of this move- ment to relatively move the lock bolt to of- fect unlocking. ‘The particular means where. by this result is obtained may be varied but a3 shown the lock bolt is provided with a rearward extension or avin 16 carrying & transverse beating pin 17 on which are mounted rollers 18, 18. ‘Two cam plates 19, 19 aro provided in velatively fixed positions os on the main frame of the firearm, and each of these two plates 19, 19 is provided with a eam surface 20 in position for engagement by the corresponding roller ‘Preferably there is aa initial combined rearward movement of the barrel extension and breech bolt in fixed relationship with cach other, the parts moving rearward from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Wig. 8, As soon as the position shown in Fig. 3 is renched, the rollers 18, 18 engage the eam surfaces at 20 and the lock bolt is foreed to turn in the clockwise direc- tion, the rear arm 16 thereof moving down- ‘ward and the front end moving upward. As the front end of the lock bolt moves upward, the angular position of the operating link: 13 is changed, and thereupon the recoil action of the breech bolt fs transmitted through the Tink 18 to assist in the upward and rearward movement of the lock bolt. "The action of the ‘cams upon the rollers 18, 18 is combined with the thrust through the link 18 to continue the movemant of the lock bolt in the clockwise rection, the parts finally reaching the rela ve positions as shown in Fig. 5 which is the fully recoiled position. It will be ob- served that the arm 36 engages the bottom of the abutment 10 to prevent any relative orement beyond, the position shown in ig. 5. in accordance with customary practice, the breech bolt is properly binsed, as for in- stance by a spring (not shown), for forward relurn movement to. its normal locked posi- tion as shown in Fig. 1. Tt will be under- stood that during return movement the mo- fons heretofore described are reversed, the parls passing through the position shown in Fig. 4, then through the position shown in Fig. 3 and finally reaching the position shown in Fig. 2. ‘What is claimed is: 1. In a breech mechanism for a firearm, the combination of a breech bolt movable v0 Ed 0 60 120 135