IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton
Buildings, London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING
ORDNANCE." A communication from abroad by Samuel Mather Richardson,
of Woburn, Massachusetts, United States.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1880.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE." [A communication from abroad
by Samuel Mather Richardson, of Woburn, Massachusetts, United States.]
This Invention relates to breech loading ordnance, and has for its object improve-
ments in mechanism for easily and quickly operating the breech-piece, and the
Invention consists in the combination with the breech-piece and its carrying arms
of eccentrics and mechanism to actuate them at the proper time to move the
breech piece, substantially as hereinafter described.
Also in the breech piece, its carrying arms, and eccentrics to move the breech
piece longitudinally, combined with a stud and cam or equivalent to cause the
breech piece to be swung laterally away from the breech of the gun, substantially
as hereinafter described.
Also in the combination with the breech piece carrying arms and hooks connected
therewith, of the sliding extractor, its arms and pins, to operate substantially as
hereinafter described.
Also in details of mechanism, as set forth at the end of this Specification.
The body of the gun having trunnions may be bored or rifled in any usual
manner, and may be made of any usual material.
The breech piece is provided with the usual firing pin, is carried at the ends of
arms preferably made in one piece with the breech piece, the ends of the said arms
being shaped to fit eccentrics mounted on projections or bearings on the gun, the
arms and eccentrics being secured against lateral movement one over the other by
means of fins or splines in the eccentric-straps entering grooves in the peripheries
of the eccentrics.

page_text: These eccentrics are rotated to move the arms longitudinally, and consequently
the breech piece back and away from the rear ends of the gun, by means of links
connected with the pins on the said eccentrics, and with arms of a rock-shaft held
in lugs or bearings, the rock-shaft deriving movement from a link connected with a
slide screw threaded at its rear side, and adapted to be engaged and moved by
a screw.
This screw has at one end a bevel gear, to be engaged by bevel gear on a shaft
provided at one end with a band-wheel.
The cartridge, of any usual or proper make and material, has its rim seated in a
cartridge extractor connected with arms held in suitable guideways in the gun, so
that such arms and extractor may be moved longitudinally to eject the cartridge
shell.
These arms are provided with pins, which are engaged by spring hooks connected
with the arms first mentioned, such arms when moved longitudinally backward
to uncover the breech of the gun, drawing the arms and cartridge extractor
outward.
Upon each eccentric is placed a pin or roller-stud which is extended into a
cam-shaped slot in a plate.
These cam-slots are so shaped, substantially, that as the arms and breech-piece
are moved outward along the gun by the eccentrics, the said studs acting in the
cam slot of the plates cause the breech-piece to be moved laterally away from and
so as to completely uncover the rear of the gun.
As the arms continue their movement the spring hooks release the pins, and the
cams or ribs fixed on the arms meet the pins on the arms at their upper sides, and
move the arms in the opposite direction, thus drawing the extractor back into the
breech of the gun to receive and hold the cartridge in firing position.
As the breech piece is closed and the arms are moved toward the mouth of the
gun, the springs are moved laterally by reason of their inclined ends which
strike the pins, but after passing the said pins the hooks engage with them.
The sights will be all as usual.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
April 1881.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE." A. communication from abroad
by Samuel Mather Richardson, of Woburn, Massachusetts, United States.
This Invention relates to breech loading ordnance, and has for its object improve-
ments in mechanism for easily and quickly operating the breech-piece, and the
Invention consists in the combination with the breech-piece and its carrying arms
of eccentrics and mechanism to actuate them at the proper time to move the breech
piece, substantially as herein after described.
Also in the breech piece, its carrying arms, and eccentrics to move the breech
piece longitudinally, combined with a stud and arm or equivalent to cause the
breech piece to be swung laterally away from the breech of the gun, substantially
as hereinafter described.
Also in the combination with the breech piece carrying arms and hooks connected
therewith, of the sliding extractor, its arms and pins, to operate substantially as
hereinafter described.
Also in details of mechanism, as set forth at the end of this Specification.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun provided with these improvements, the
breech piece being closed; Figure 2, a top view thereof; Figure 3, a rear end.view,
the breech piece being turned aside; Figure 4, a partial longitudinal vertical central
section of Figure 2.
Figure 5, a detail of the cam for directing the movement of the breech-piece as
it is operated by the eccentric; Figure 6, a detail of the devices for operating the
extractor, and Figure 7, an inner side view of one of the breech piece carrying
arms, its eccentric, and the link and crank to move it.
The body A of the gun having trunnions a may be bored or rifled in any usual
manner, and may be made of any usual material.
The breech-piece C, provided with the usual firing-pin 5, is carried at the ends
of arms e, f, preferably made in one piece with the breech piece, the ends of the
said arms being shaped to fit eccentrics g, h, mounted on projections or bearings i, j,
on the gun, the arms and eccentrics being secured against lateral movement one
over the other by means of fins or splines in the eccentric-straps entering grooves
in the peripheries of the eccentrics.
These eccentrics are rotated to move the arms longitudinally, and consequently
the breech piece back and away from the rear end of the gun, by means of links /
see Figures 1 and 7, and dotted lines, Figure 2) connected with the pins k² on the
said eccentrics, and with arms of a rock-shaft k', held in lugs or bearings m, the
rock-shaft deriving movement from a link n connected with a slide o, screw threaded
at its rear side, and adapted to be engaged and moved by a screw p.
This screw p
has at one end a bevel gear p³ to be engaged by bevel gear 7 on a shaft p' provided
at one end with a band-wheel.
The cartridge t, of any usual or proper make and material, has its rim seated in
a cartridge extractor u (see Figures 3 and 4) connected with arms V held in suitable
guideways in the gun, so that such arms and extractor may be moved longitudinally
to eject the cartridge shell.
These arms are provided with pins w, which are engaged by spring hooks x
connected at y with the arms e, f, such arms, when moved longitudinally backward,
to uncover the breech of the gun, drawing the arms V and cartridge extractor u
outward.

page_text: Upon each eccentric is placed a pin or roller-stud a², which is extended into a
cam-shaped slot a³ in a plate a³.
These cam slots are so shaped, substantially as described, that as the arms e, f,
and breech-piece are moved outward along the gun by the eccentrics, the said studs
acting in the cam slot a² of the plates as cause the breech-piece to be moved laterally
away from and so as to completely uncover the rear of the gun, as in Figure 3.
As the arnis e, f, continue their movement in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3,
the spring hooks x release the pins w, and the cams or ribs d² fixed on the arms e, f,
meet the pins w at their upper sides, and move the arms in the opposite
direction, thus drawing the extractor u back into the breech of the gun to
receive and hold the cartridge in firing position.
As the breech piece is closed and the arms are moved toward the mouth of
the gun, the springs are moved laterally by reason of their inclined ends
which strike the pins w, but after passing the said pins the books engage with
them.
The sights will be all as usual.
The dotted lines at the left of Figure 4 show the extractor moved out as it will
be when the breech piece is in the position, Figure 3.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
I claim,
1st. The breech-piece and its carrying arms, combined with the eccentrics and
mechanism to actuate them to move the arms and breech-piece longitudinally with
relation to the breech or rear end of the gun at each operation of the breech-piece,
substantially as described.
2nd. The breech-piece and its carrying arms, combined with the eccentrics to
move them longitudinally, and with the stud and cam or equivalents to cause
the breech-piece to be swung laterally away from the breech of the gun, substantially
as described.
3rd. The combination with the breech-piece carrying-arms and their hooks, of
the sliding extractor, its arms and pins, to operate substantially as described.
4th. In combination the slide o, mechanism to move it, link n, rocking-shaft k*,
links k, k¹, the eccentrics and the breech-piece and its arms, to operate all
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
W. MORGAN-BROWN. (L.D.)