Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 30th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 8th Feb., 1887.
I, JAMES WILLIAM SMALLMAN, of Camp Hill Grange, Nuneaton, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
-
This invention consists of certain improvements in the mechanism employed for
cocking the tumblers and cramping the main springs in sporting hammerless guns and
rifles.
The mainsprings are pivoted about the joint-pin and are united by a short collar
adapted to engage with the forward lump: this collar tends to prevent the gun
wearing loose at the joint. Each main spring has two arms, an upper arm bearing
against the action-body and a lower arm engaging with one of the tumblers; whilst
the gun is being opened the upper arms are compressed and the lower arms cock the
tumblers, and whilst the gun is being closed the upper arms expand and the lower
arms are compressed, the tumblers being retained in their cocked positions by scears
in the usual way. By this arrangement the discharging mechanism is much simplified
and the labour of cramping the main springs divided between the opening and closing
movements.
Although I prefer to arrange the parts in the manner herein previously set forth,
the collar, instead of being actuated by the lump, may be actuated by the barrels or
the fore-end or partly by the lump or barrels and partly by the fore-end or may be
dispensed with altogether; in the latter case the main springs may either be united
by a transverse pin or may be adapted to engage directly with the portion or portions
of the gun from which they are actuated. The upper arms of the main springs may
he dispensed with; the gun would then, however, be about twice as hard to close.
The joint-pin may be a solid part of the action-body, then its centre need not coincide
with the centre of the pin about which the main springs are pivoted. The main
springs may, if preferred, act as thrust-rods to cock the tumblers, as previously set
forth in my specification to Letters Patent No. 1467, A.D. 1885.
JAMES W. SMALLMAN.

page_text: 7
I, JAMES WILLIAM SMALLMAN, of Camp Hill Grange, Nuneaton, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of certain improvements in the mechanism employed for
cocking the tumblers and cramping the main springs in sporting hammerless guns and
rifles. I will at once proceed to explain the same with reference to the accompanying
Irawings, similar letters of reference being employed to indicate like parts (so far as
they occur) in all the Figures.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent, partly in side elevation and partly in section, those
portions of a hammerless gun to which the present improvements relate. In Figure 1,
the parts of the lock mechanism appertaining to the left barrel are represented in the
positions they occupy immediately before the tumbler is released; in Figure 2, the
tumbler has been liberated, and, in Figure 3, raised again into its cocked position. I
will now proceed to describe the mechanism with reference to both locks.
C,
The main springs a, a² are pivoted about the joint-pin b, and are united by a short
collar c.
The latter is provided with projections c, c, to correspond with projec-
tions a, a, a, a left on the rear ends of the main springs previously referred to; this
collar is also provided with flat surfaces c³, c, c, to enable it to engage with the
forward lump and the fore-end f, in the manner indicated in Figures 4 and 5. The
collar besides uniting the main springs a, a¹, also tends to prevent the gun wearing
loose at the joint. Each main spring has two arms, an upper arm bearing against the
action-body and a lower arm engaging with one of the tumblers. Whilst the gun is
being opened, the projections c¹, e act on the projections a, a', with the result that
the upper arms a³, a³ are compressed and the tumblers are cocked by the lower
arms a, a then, whilst the gun is being closed, the projections c¹, act on the
projections a, a, so that the upper arms expand and the requisite operative power is
communicated to the lower arms, the tumblers being retained in their cocked positions
by scears in the usual way. By this arrangement and combination of the parts, the
discharging mechanism is much simplified and strengthened; and, moreover, the
labour of cramping the main springs divided between the opening and closing
movements without the use of an auxiliary spring or springs. The whole of the
force requisite for cocking the tumblers and cramping the main springs may, however,
be exerted whilst the barrels are falling; in order to accomplish this end, it is only
necessary to leave a sufficient interval between the upper projection on each main
spring and its corresponding projection on the collar, and to modify the parts as
indicated in Figures 6, 7, and 8; only the force imparted to the long and flexible
upper arms during the opening movement is then communicated to the comparatively
short and rigid lower arms whilst the gun is being closed.
Figure 9 is an end, elevation, shewn partly in section in order that the relative
positions of the main springs a, a', the joint-pin b, and the collar
€ may be readily under-
stood. Figure 10 is a similar view of the action-body, the main springs, joint-pin, and
collar being omitted; Figure 11 is an end elevation of the same, shewing, in position,
the collar c. Figure 12 is a side elevation of the joint-pin b. Figure 13 is a side
elevation of the right main spring, and Figure 14 is an end elevation of the same;

page_text: Figures 15 and 16 represent similar views of the left main spring. The collar c is
shewn in side elevation in Figure 17, Figure 18 being an end elevation of the same
and Figure 19 a transverse section through its centre. Figures 20 to 25 represent this
mechanism when modified to enable the main springs to be wholly cramped during
the opening movement. Instead of a pivoted main spring, a pivoted lever a,
Figure 26, engaging with the collar and acting in combination with an ordinary
double main spring a" may be employed in each lock mechanism. The main spring all,
instead of acting through the lever a, may act directly on the tumbler, as in
Figure 27.
In order to assemble the different parts together, first the collar should be inserted
into the action-body, then the main springs or the levers, and afterwards the screw-
joint-pin.
Although I prefer to arrange the parts as herein previously set forth, the collar,
instead of being actuated partly by the lump and partly by the fore-end, may be
wholly actuated by the lump or the fore-end, or wholly or partially by the barrels. It
may, moreover, be dispensed with altogether the main springs may then either be
united by a transverse pin or may be adapted to engage directly with the portion or
portions of the gun from which they are actuated. When the main springs are
provided with long and flexible lower arms, the upper arms may be dispensed with;
the gun would then, however, be about twice as hard to close. The joint-pin may be
a solid part of the action-body, then its centre need not coincide with the centre of
the pin about which the main springs are pivoted. The main springs may, if preferred
act as thrust-rods to cock the tumblers, as set forth in the Specification to Letters
Patent No. 1467, A.D. 1885.
I am aware that the tumblers of some hammerless guns are cocked and actuated by
pivoted main springs, each main spring consisting of a single limb. I am also aware
of an action containing single inain springs carried by a movable joint-pin, the rigid
rear end of each main spring being bent over to form a lever for cocking its respective
tumbler. According to the present invention, however, instead of the main springs
being fully compressed during the closing movement, as in the actions just referred
to, they may be either wholly or partially cramped whilst the gun is being opened-a
great advantage; and, moreover, an ordinary screw-joint-pin is employed, thereby
adding to the appearance and to the strength of the arm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim in respect
of sporting hammerless guns and rifles is :-
1. The use of main springs pivoted about the screw-joint-pin.
2. The combination of the main springs a, a² with the screw and the collar e,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
3. The use of double main springs in which the upper arms only are compressed by
the falling barrels, the requisite force for actuating the tumblers being afterwards
communicated to the lower arms, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The construction of an annular space around the joint-pin, communicating with
the slots in the action-body; the said annular space being for the reception of part
of the cocking mechanism, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
5. The combination of a flat surface on the fore-end with two flat surfaces on the
lump, for the purpose of engaging with that portion of the gun by means of which
communication is established between the two locks, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
6. The improved manufacture of lock mechanism, and the arrangement and com-
bination of the parts, substantially as described and illustrated.
JAMES W. SMALLMAN.