Improvements in the Breech Mechanism of a Gun or Rifle.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech Mechanism of a Gun or Rifle.
I, Sir CHARLES HENRY AUGUSTUS FREDERICK LOCKHART Ross, Baronet,
Balnagowan Castle, Ross-shire, N.B., Lieut. 3rd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:―
A bolt action device. by means of which a gun or rifle can be opened and cocked
the fired cartridge ejected the fresh cartridge from the magazine or hand pushed
home and the breech closed and secured all by one to-and-fro motion of the hand
parallel to the barrel of the gun and by means of which the gun can also if
necessary be fired automatically as soon as the breech is secured.
The bolt has two lugs to take the recoil. There are two studded bars or pieces
of metal oscillating in the stock which are raised or depressed by moving the bolt-
lever backwards or forwards. When the gun is closed the stud-heads at the hinder
extremities of the above-mentioned bars come up against the back of the lugs and
so secure the action and take the recoil: when they are withdrawn the breech can
be opened. The bolt-lever is moveable upon the bolt and it has two or more
diagonal slots in it into which fit pieces of metal connected with the stud-bars or
the stud-bar-tails themselves. Upon moving the bolt-lever the stud-heads of the
above-mentioned bars are either withdrawn or are replaced in position against the
lugs. When the breech is being closed the bolt-lever is prevented by means of a
small spring-lever from moving forward so as to lock the bolt until the bolt is.
securely home. Simply by grasping the bolt-lever in the hand by pulling straight
back till the bolt is stopped and by pushing straight forward till the bolt is home
all the work is done that is requisite to prepare a rifle or gun for firing: and the
mechanism may be so constructed that upon pressing a stud with the left hand the
shot will be fired as soon as the breech is securely locked.
.
Dated this 4th day of April 1893
1041
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech Mechanism of a Gun or Rifle. T
I, Sir CHARLES HENRY AUGUSTUS FREDERICK LOCKHART Ross, Baronet, .
Balnagowan Castle, Rosshire, N.B., Lieut. 3rd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to simplify the operation of breech-loading fire-
arms, and the invention consists of a bolt action device, by means of which a gun
or rifle can be opened and cocked, the fired cartridge ejected, the fresh cartridge
from the magazine or hand pushed home, and the breech closed and secured, all by
one to-and-fro motion of the hand parallel to the barrel of the gun.
In the accompanying drawings:-
-
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a side view of a rifle with my improvements adapted thereto,
the breech being open.
To
cantional alavation with the brauch closed.

page_text: is a pian view of the bolt action;
Fig. 4 is a side view of the bolt action, with the breech closed;
Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 1-2 Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 3-4, Fig. 2; and,
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the rear end of the bolt action, taken on the
line, Fig. 5.
Sheet II shews the various parts in detail.
A is a shoe, which is screwed onto the breech end of the barrel in the usual way.
The greater portion of this shoe is of rectangular section, to receive a rectangular
bolt carrier or sleeve B, which is provided with a laterally projecting handle B'.
C is the bolt, which is cylindrical, as usual, and it is pierced longitudinally to
receive the striker D.
The shoe A is of the form shown in side view and plan view, Figs. 8 & 9,
Sheet II, and in end views, Figs. 10 and 11. It is formed with a slot A¹, partly
at the top, and partly at the side, to allow for the ejection of the cartridge case, and
for the movement of the handle B¹.
a a are notches in the bottom and sides of the shoe; is a hole for a pivot pin,
and is a slot. d is a longitudinal groove in the bottom, and e a slot for the
cartridge to pass up from the magazine; and ff are bosses into which take the
screws for securing the shoe to the stock.
The bolt carrier or sleeve B is shewn in side and underside plan views Figs. 12
and 13, and rear end view Fig. 14. This carrier or sleeve is rectangular externally,
but internally it is bored out to receive the bolt C. The front portion is of the
diameter to fit the bolt C, but the rear portion is of enlarged diameter, to receive
the striker D, and the striker or main spring.
In each side of the sleeve, is a slot g, of the shape shown at Fig. 12. A split
ring h, Figs. 15, fits into the rear end of the sleeve, when the bolt, with its striker
and spring, are inserted, and being secured by pins or screws, serves as the abutment
for the spring. ii are two short grooves in the rear end of the sleeve, the office of
which will be explained hereafter; and a short groove in the underside of the
sleeve, to receive the bent of the striker.
The bolt C is shown in side view and plan view at Figs. 16 & 17,-Figs. 18.
and 19 being end views. The bolt is cylindrical, as before stated, with a conical
head C or breech piece, and a rectangular block C² at its rear end. The
conical breech piece C¹ fits onto a key at the end of the bolt, and is secured by a
pin or screw e'. It is also slotted to permit of the passage of a spring extractor C³,
secured in a groove in the side of the bolt.
On the top side, and also at the bottom of the bolt, a groove e², corresponding
grooves being made inside the block C².
In the topside of the block C2 are two notched grooves c³, which correspond to
the grooves i i. in the sleeve B.
In these latter grooves small lever catches are pivotted, see Fig. 7, which
normally take into the notches in the grooves c³, and secure the two parts B and C
together. The lever catches are raised by the tails striking against the shoe A,
as the sleeve is driven forward, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 7, Sheet 1,
the object of the catches being to ensure the bolt being driven home, so that it
be locked.
may
Figs. 20 and 21 shew in side and plan view the cartridge extractor.
Figs. 22 and 23 shew, in side view and plan view, the striker D, which consists
of a block D, with three prongs d¹ d² d³. The centre prong d' forms the firing
pin, and the side prongs d' do form guides which work in the external grooves c² of
the bolt. The outer ends of these prongs are turned up to form the movable
abutment for the main spring, which is coiled round outside the bolt C, and the
prongs d³ ³ of the striker. d is a block or finger on the prong d³, which serves as
the bent for the trigger.
Figs. 24 & 25 show, in side view and plan view, the locking device to lock the
bolt in the breech of the barrel. This locking device (one of which is placed on

page_text: either side of the action) consists of a lever E, having, at one end, a laterally
extending block or lng E, and at the other end a similarly extending pin E..
This device is pivotted, at b, outside the shoe A. The lug E¹ enters the notch a,.
and in rear of the block C of the bolt, when the latter is forced home. .: 1
h
The pin E passes through the slot in the shoe, and enters the slot in the sleeve..
The locking and unlocking is produced by the pin E riding down or up the inclined
part of the slot, according as the sleeve is pushed forward or drawn back by means
of the handle B¹.
F is the trigger, which operates on the sear F', to disengage it from the bent *
of the striker D, and is a safety lever pivotted at k, and operated by the
button outside the stock, and connected with the lever by a pin ², or in any
other convenient manner.
G is a magazine of the usual type, which may be fitted to the arm in any
convenient manner. In order to cover up the exposed parts, when the arm' is not
being fired, I provide a cover H, of thin metal, bent at right angles longitudinally,.
and provided at either edge with a small inwardly projecting flange, which is
intended to enter small grooves formed in the top and side of the shoe to receive
them. This device will be best seen in Figure 11, though it is indicated by dott.ed
lines in Fig. 8.
The operation of the parts is as follows:-The cartridge having been fired, it
is desired to reload. The soldier will simply draw back the sleeve B by the
handle B. The first movement of the sleeve will cause the pin E2 of the locking.
device to ride up the inclined part of the groove g, rock the lever E into the
dotted position, Fig. 1, and unlock the bolt C. The bolt can now be drawn back
with the sleeve, withdrawing at the same time the cartridge case, which will be
thrown out of the slot A¹. A fresh cartridge will then rise from the magazine,.
and the sleeve B and bolt C will be pushed forward again by the handle B.
The bolt and sleeve will be coupled together, at first, by the catches c, and will
go forward together until the bolt C is home. The tails of the catches c4 will
now come into contact with the sleeve A, being thereby tipped and releasing the
bolt. The sleeve can now slide forward up to the barrel, independently of the
bolt, during which movement the slot g again operates to tip the locking device E,.
the blocks or lugs rising and entering the notches a a in the shoe, immediately in
rear of the bolt, and locking it securely, as shewn by the drawn position Fig. 4. As
the bolt and sleeve advance, the projecting lug or bent d' of the striker, catches
against the sear F¹, and is held thereby, the striker or main spring being.
compressed, and the arm is ready for firing again.
It will thus be seen, that the only movement necessary to lock and unlock,
withdraw, and drive home the bolt, is a simple pull or push, no axial motion to.
unlock being required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Locking the bolt of a bolt gun by means of a lever locking device operated by
a sleeve surrounding, but capable also of moving independently of the bolt, as.
herein shewn and described.
2. A breech loading fire-arm in which the unlocking or locking and the move-
ment of the bolt, is effected by a straight direct pull or push of a handle,.
substantially as herein shewn and described.
5. Coupling the sleeve and bolt together during the greater portion of their
movement, and automatically releasing them when the bolt is home, in order that
the locking device may be operated by an independent movement of the sleeve, as
set forth.
4. A locking device for the bolt of a bolt gun, consisting of a block or lug
carried by a short lever pivotted to a fixed portion of the breech action, and
taking into notches in the fixed portion, the said lever being provided with a

page_text: pin' which projects into a suitably shaped slot formed in a sleeve surrouiding, but
capable of moving independently of the bolt, substantially as herein shewn and
described.
5. A breech action for breech-loading fire arms, constructed, arranged, and
operating substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 11th day of January 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.