MORGENSTERN GUN.
This breech-loading ritle has a fixed chamber closed by a movable breech-block, which rotates about a horizontal at yo degrees to the axis of the barrel, lying above the axis of the barrel, and in front. It is opened by drawing back the han dle of the firing-bolt until the ribs on its sides are clear of the g,rooves in the re ceiver in which they slide. This cocks the piece by compressing; the spiral main spring which surrounds the firing-bolt, until it is caught and held by a sear lying well in the bottotn of the breech-block. The breech-block may then be thrown upward and forward until it is stopped by striking the front part of the receiver. It is held open there by the head of the ejector-spindle, which changes its bearing on the extractor so as, through it, to support the block. The piece is closed by re versing the movement of the brech-block, and is locked by the side ribs of the fir ing-bolt engaging with the undercut grooves in the rear portion of the receiver.
The piece is fired by a concealed spiral-spring lock the firing-bolt being released by the action of the trigger within the receiver upon the sear within the block. F:xtraction is accomplished by the breech-block striking the lug, on the extractor above its centre of motion, and ejection is caused by the acceleration impressed on the extractor by the action of the ejector spring on the ejector-spindle, when, by the motion of opening, the direction of this latter passes below the axis of the ex tractor. The ejector-spring is then released from the tension caused by its com pression in opening, and causes the extractor to rapidly rotate about its axis, car rying the empty cartridge against the beveled shoulders of the receiver, by which it is deflected upward and thrown clear of the gun.