The shortish answer is that Hugo Borchardt's original design was inspired by the mechanism of Hiram Maxim's machine gun, dating from the mid-1880s. Georg Luger modified--improved--Borchardt's design to become the Luger we recognize today.
The toggle action made its initial appearance in 1854, as the New Haven Arms (n�©e Smith & Wesson) Volcanic repeating pistol. This is the precursor to the Henry and Winchester lever action rifles. Maxim was familiar with this action, having in 1883 modified an 1866 Winchester for self-loading fire.
--Dwight
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