Improvements in Single Trigger Double Barrelled Breech Loading Small Arms.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application 11th Nov 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1898 ·
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1898 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Single Trigger Double Barrelled Breech Loading
Small Arms.
We, ROBERT WILFRED HOWE, of 47, Bawdale Road, East Dulwich, in the
County of Surrey, Gun Salesman, and GEORGE HOWARD SMITH, of 20, Kings-
wood Road, Moseley in the County of Warwick, Gun Action Filer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;-
The object of our invention is to improve the construction of double barrelled
breech loading small arms fired by means of one trigger only. Many devices
have been made with the object of overcoming the involuntary pull, caused by
the recoil of the gun against the shoulder of the shooter which sometimes
causes the premature discharge of the second barrel, some of these devices have
two pulls only others have a third or intermediate pull our device has two pulls
only and is carried out in the following manner. We mount, upon the trigger
plate a single trigger working upon a pivot in the lump or box in the usual
manner. This trigger carries upon or within it a vertical swinging piece capable of
circular movement about its centre. The centre upon which this swinging piece
moves is attached to the trigger finger piece at a point situated, outside the
trigger plate, we find it necessary to get this centre so low down outside the gun
in order to get the required movement in the swinging piece. This swinging
piece carries upon its upper end two blocks, one upon the right side serving to
actuate the sear of the right lock the other upon the left side serving to actuate
the sear of the left lock. A spring is also provided which is constantly urging
the swinging piece to turn towards the muzzle of the gun. A rod or slide is also
provided which works partially within the trigger, this serves to force, back
the swinging piece when the gun is opened either by means of the action bolt,
safety slide, or tumbler or hammer of the lock. The action of this arrangement
is as follows, on opening the gun the movement of the action bolt, safety slide,
tumbler or hammer as may be preferred, forces back the slide or rod mounted
in the trigger, this in its movement causes the vertical swinging piece upon the
trigger to move backwards until its block upon the right side is under the sear
of the right lock, where it is retained by means of a stud on the said block
falling behind the sear tail, this stud upon the block is enabled to pass the sear
tail in opening the gun by means of a slight springing movement given to the
swinging vertical piece, which allows the stud to force its way past the sear tail,
but prevents its return until the gun is fired. On discharging the right barrel
the sear tail remains raised and so leaves the swinging piece free to move for-
ward under the pressure of its spring when the block upon the left side will come
under the left sear tail and so enable the second barrel to be discharged, sufficient

page_text: length of movement must be given to the vertical swinging piece to prevent its
arriving under the second sear before the involunatry pull has taken place.
Dated this 9th day of November 1897.
ROBERT WILFRED HOWE
GEORGE HOWARD SMITH.
Improvements in Single Trigger Double Barrelled Breech Loading
Small Arms.
We, ROBERT WILFRED HOWE, Gun Salesman, of 47, Bawdale Road, East
Dulwich, County of Surrey, and GEORGE HOWARD SMITH, Gun-action Filer, of
20, Kingswood Road, Moseley, County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
11
This invention applies to that class of double-barrelled break-down guns in
which the firing is effected by means of one trigger only, and the object of the
invention is so to construct the trigger or firing mechanism, as to obviate the
effects of the involuntary pull caused by the recoil of the gun against the shoulder
of the shooter.
Many attempts have been made to overcome this involuntary pull, which often
Some of the devices
causes the premature discharge of the second barrel.
employed have only two pulls while others have a third, or intermediate pull,
but the two pulls are preferable, if they can be satisfactorily arranged, and thus,
for the purposes of our invention, we employ two pulls only.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. is a longitudinal sectional elevation of so much of an action as is neces-
sary to show our invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in another position: and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trigger plate & part of the firing mechanism.
Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations of opposite sides of the trigger, and
Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof..
Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of opposite sides of the sear-operating device; and
Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same.
A is the trigger plate and A' the lump or box, as usual. B is the locking
bolt, and the locking bolt lever, which operate in the usual way the trigger
mechanism, the parts of which will be presently described. D) are the sears,
which may be of any convenient construction.
E is the trigger which is formed as shown at Figs. 4 and 5, and is pivotted
at its fore end E* to the lump or box A¹, as usual.
The trigger is slotted out or recessed longitudinally, as shown at Fig. 6, to
receive a tumbler, which we term a vertical swinging piece G (see Figs. 7 to 9),
and which constitutes the sear-operating device. This piece is pivotted in the
trigger recess at the point F, which, when the parts are assembled, is situated
outside and below the trigger plate A (see Figs. 1 and 2).
For the purposes of our invention, it is important to get this pivot as low
down as possible, in order to obtain the requisite amount of movement in the
piece G.
This piece G is formed with two blocks or lateral projections G¹ G³ (see Figs. ĭ
to 9), that on the right forward edge (G¹) underlying (when the gun has been
closed), and serving to operate the right hand sear 1), and that on the left rear

page_text: edge (G2) coming under at the right moment, and serving to actuate the left-
hand sear 1.
A light spring H is placed in the recess of the trigger behind the swinging
piece G, the object of which is to constantly urge the piece in a forward direc-
tion, or towards the muzzle end of the gun, to bring it into its proper operative
positions.
The blocks G1, G2, are formed to correspond, on their under sides, to the
are of a circle struck from the pivot F, and the block G has an upward projec-
tion or catch F, which strikes against the end of the right sear D, and thereby
retains the piece & in position to operate the sear.
When the discharge of
the first barrel has taken place, the right sear is held up above the path of the
catch, so that when the pressure of the finger on the trigger is released, the
piece G can go forward, and take up the position necessary to actuate the left
sear, when the trigger is again pulled.
The projections G1 G2 will rest, on the edges of the sides of the recess in the
trigger, so that there will be no strain on the projections, when the trigger is
pulled, to discharge the barrels. Thus, the projection G₁, in the firing position,
will rest on the ledge and be supported thereby, while the projection G2, in
the firing position, will rest on the ledge E² on the other side of the trigger,
and both these ledges will be curved to correspond to the curve of the projec-
tions, the circle being struck from the point F, as before.
To enable the nose of the piece G (that is to say, the projection G¹) to go
forward to the full extent, a V-shaped recess E in the side of the trigger E is
formed, the rear face of the recess being curved at the same radius as the
projection Gl.
is a rod or slide contained within the trigger, and intended to throw back
the piece G when the locking bolt B is drawn back by the action of the lever (
in a manner well understood.
The operation of the parts is as follows:--On opening the gun, the piece G
is forced back by the action of the rod 3, and the hammers are cocked.
The catch F of the block G¹ takes behind the tail of the right hand sear,
with the block G' underneath. To discharge the right barrel, the trigger is
pulled, and the tail of the right sear is raised clear of the point of the catch,
and it is held in this raised position, so that the piece G can swing forward to
bring the block G² under the tail of the left sear, so that the second barrel can
he discharged.
The pivot of the swinging piece G must be as low down as possible, and the
distance between the two blocks must be as long as possible, in order to give a
sufficient length of movement to the piece G. to prevent the block G² arriving
under the second sear, before the involuntary pull has taken place.
In the above arrangement, we dispense with the use of a third limb, such as
what is known as an "interceptor," which is a great advantage, and greatly
simplifies the construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:---
1. In a single-trigger double-barrel break-down gun, the means as herein
shown and described for overcoming the effects of the involuntary pull, as set
forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. As means for overcoming the involuntary pull in single-trigger double-
barrel break-down guns, a recessed trigger in combination with a tumbler or
vertical swinging piece pivotted in the trigger recess at a point outside and
below the trigger plate, and having portions which successively come under the
tails of the two sears, as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In means for overcoming the involuntary pull in single-trigger double-
barrel break-down guns, the use of a vertical swinging piece contained in a

page_text: recessed trigger, and having its pivot as low down as possible, and its two
operating portions at such a distance apart that the second portion shall not
come into position until the involuntary pull caused by the first discharge has
taken place, as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In means for overcoming the involuntary pull, curving the top edges of
the walls of the recess in the trigger, to correspond to the arc of the circle in
which the blocks of the swinging piece are caused to move, and supporting said
blocks by said curved surfaces, as and for the purpose set forth and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
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