IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Middleditch Scott, of the Firm of W. and
O. Scott and Son, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
SMALL-ARMS."
Sealed the 10th October 1873, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord
Chancellor, and dated the 5th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Middleditch
Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th April 1873.
I, WILLIAM MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT, of the Firm of W. and O. Scott and
Son, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to those kinds of breech-loading small-arms
commonly called drop-down guns, and consists of the following improve-
ments in the said guns:-In order to effect the withdrawal of the
strikers of the said guns on the unfastening of the barrels when the said

page_text: barrels are fastened and unfastened by the motion of a lever on the tang
of the break off, I construct and arrange the parts having that object in
the following manner :-On opposite sides of the axis on which the lever
turns I form inclines or cams, and between the opening in the tang in
which the said axis works, and the recesses in which the strikers slide I
form transverse holes, in each of which a slide is situated and works.
The inner and outer ends of each of these slides are inclined. The inner
end of each slide projects into the opening in which the axis of the lever
works, and the outer ends of the slides work in the recesses in which the
strikers slide. On the shoulder of each striker is an incline on which
the inclined outer ends of the slides described work. When the fastening
lever is in the position which it occupies when the gun is ready for
firing its cams or inclines are in the positions in which they do not act
upon the small slides, but when the said lever is turned aside to unfasten
the barrels, its cams or inclines force outwards the said slides, and their
inclined outer ends acting on the inclined shoulders on the strikers force
back the said strikers, and withdraw their acting ends into the break off.
The breech ends of the barrels can now rise without obstruction from
the strikers. When the barrels having been charged are shut down, the
strikers are in their withdrawn position, and when the hammer on the
discharge of either of the barrels drives forward the striker its inclined
shoulder forces inwards the slide ready to be again acted upon by
the cam or incline on the axis of the lever on the unfastening of the

page_text: In attaching the "fore end" to the barrels of drop-down guns I
dispense with the ordinary cross bolt and make a small lump on the
under side of the barrels take into a slot in the said "fore end." Tho
front edge of the said lump has a projection or tooth under which, when
the "fore end" is shut down, a spring catch in the slot described
engages. By pressing upon a knob or button on the under side of the
"fore end," the said spring catch can be withdrawn, and the "fore end"
liberated from the barrels.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT, of the Firm of W. and C. Scott and Son, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Middleditch Scott, Her
special license that I, the said William Middleditch Scott, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Middleditch Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING Small-abms,” upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Middleditch Scott, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great

page_text: Seal Patent Office on or before the Fourteenth day of October, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Middleditch Scott, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
My Invention relates to those kinds of breech-loading small-arms
commonly called drop-down guns, and consists of the following im-
provements in the said guns:-In order to effect the withdrawal of
the strikers of the said guns on the unfastening of the barrels, when
the said barrels are fastened and unfastened by a motion of a lever
on the tang of the break off, I construct and arrange the parts having
that object in the following manner :-On opposite sides of the axis
on which the lever turns I form inclines or cams, and between the
opening in the tang in which the said axis works, and the recesses
in which the strikers slide, I form transverse holes, in each of which
a slide is situated and works. The inner and outer ends of each of
these slides are inclined. The inner end of each slide projects into
the opening in which the axis of the lever works, and the outer ends
of the slides work in the recesses in which the strikers slide. On
the shoulder of each striker is an incline on which the inclined outer
ends of the slides described work. When the fastening lever is in
the position which it occupies when the gun is ready for firing its
cams or inclines are in the positions in which they do not act upon
the small slides, but when the said lever is turned aside to unfasten
the barrels its cams or inclines force outwards the said slides, and
their inclined outer ends acting on the inclined shoulders on the
strikers force back the said strikers and withdraw their acting ends
into the break off. The breech ends of the barrels can now rise
without obstruction from the strikers. When the barrels, having been
charged, are shut down the strikers are in their withdrawn position,
and when the hammer on the discharge of either of the barrels drives
forward the striker, its inclined shoulder forces inwards the slide ready
to be again acted upon by the cam or incline on the axis of the lever
on the unfastening of the barrels.
Instead of using a slide for each striker a single slide operated by
the axis of the lever may be emploved to withdraw both of the strikers.

page_text: and instead of using the slide or slides described an arm on one side
of the lever may take into a slot in one of the strikers, and a shoulder
on the other side of the axis be made to give motion to a lever, the
outer end of which takes into a recess in the striker on the other
side.
In attaching the fore end to the barrels of drop-down guns I dispense
with the ordinary cross bolt, and make a small lump on the under
side of the barrels take into a slot in the said fore end. The front
edge of the said lump has a projection or tooth, under or upon which,
when the "fore end" is shut down, a spring catch in the slot described
engages. By pressing upon a knob or button on the under side of the
fore end the said spring catch can be withdrawn, and the "fore end”
liberated from the barrels.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents, in plan, the breech end of a drop-down gun
(without the stock and locks) containing one of the arrangements of
my Invention for withdrawing the strikers; Figures 2 and 3 are
horizontal sections of the same taken through the break off, Figure 2
exhibiting the strikers in their advanced position, and Figure 3 the
said strikers in the withdrawn position; Figure 4 is an end elevation
of the face of break off, and Figures 5, 6, and 7 represent detached parts
of the same. The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2,
8, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
In a horizontal slot a in the break off 6 a transverse slide c works.
This slide is represented detached in Figure 5; it is operated by the
hand lever d (shewn separately in Figure 6) on the tang of the
break off, by the motion of which lever the barrels are fastened and
unfastened. In the axis of the lever d a vertical slot a³ is made,
in which slot a pin or projection f on the back of the slide c engages.
On the acting face of the transverse slide c are curved or inclined
parts g, h, which on the motion of the slide bear against the shoulders
,, of the strikers i, i.
It will be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 3 that the curved
part of the slide c bears against one side of the striker, while the
other curved part 9 embraces the other striker. When the gun has

page_text: been discharged the strikers i, i, occupy the position indicated in dotted
lines in Figure 1, and represented in continuous lines in Figure 2. On
turning aside the lever d to unfasten the barrels the slide c is moved
by the operation of the pin f and slot d³ in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Figures 2 and 3, and the curved or inclined parts
g, h, of the said slide acting on the inclined shoulders 2, 3, of the
strikers i, i, force back or lift the said strikers and withdraw their
acting ends into the break off b, as illustrated in Figure 3. Thus,
the strikers are withdrawn simultaneously with the unfastening of
the barrels. After the barrels have been charged and shut down
against the face of the break off the lever d is turned into the
position represented in Figure 1 so as to lock the barrels. By this
motion of the lever the slide c is returned to the position represented
in Figure 2, and the strikers i, i, can be driven forward to discharge
the gun without obstruction from the said slide. The slido c is intro-
duced into the slot a in which it works from the face of the break off,
the said slot being covered by a plate which is made to lie flush with
the face of the break off. In Figure 4 this covering plate is removed.
Instead of using a single slide to operate upon both of the strikers i, i,
a slide to each striker may be employed. In this arrangement the slides
are worked by cams or inclines on opposite sides of the axis d³ of the
lever d, the said cams or inclines bearing against inclines on the inner
ends of the slides. These cams or inclines on the axis of the lever are
so arranged that when the said lever is turned aside to unfasten the
barrels they operate upon or force in opposite directions the slides, and
cause them to withdraw the strikers, and when the lever is moved to the
position Figure 1 to fasten the barrels, the said cams or inclines no
longer act upon the slides, and the latter do not offer any obstruction to
the driving forward of the strikers to discharge the gun.
Figures 8 and 9 represent in horizontal section another arrangement
of my Invention for withdrawing the strikers.
Figure 9ª represents one of the strikers detached. In this arrangement
an arm k is made on one side of the axis of the hand lever m, and on
the opposite side a shoulder n. This shoulder n operates upon the short
horizontal lever p in the break off. The strikers 9, 92, are furnished with
recesses. The arm k takes into the recess in the striker q, and the outer
end of the short lever p takes into the recess in the other striker q* as
represented. When the barrels are fastened down and the gun has been

page_text: discharged by the driving inwards of the strikers q, q³, the parts occupy
the respective positions represented in Figure 8, the position of the arm
k and lever p, and the length of the recesses in the strikers permitting
of the advance described of the strikers. On turning aside the.hand
lever m to unfasten the barrels the arm & moves in one direction and
withdraws the striker q, while the shoulder n moving in the opposite
direction gives motion to the lever p which lever p withdraws the other
striker q, the parts occupying the respective positions represented in
Figure 9. When the hand lever m is turned so as to fasten the barrels,
the arm k and shoulder n take the positions represented in Figure 8;
but the said arm and shoulder bear against the inner or right hand ends
of the recesses in the strikers, hence the said strikers on the discharge of
the gun can be driven inwards without obstruction from the said arm
and shoulder as will be understood by an examination of the Drawing.
Figures 10 and 11 represent longitudinal sections of a portion of a
drop-down gun, the fore end of which is attached to the barrels accord-
ing to my Invention, Figure 10 representing the fore end fastened and
Figure 11 the same liberated and ready to be lifted from the barrels.
Figure 12 represents in side elevation; Figure 13 in plan of upper
side, and Figure 14 in plan of under side, the fastening mechanism
detached from the fore end. The same letters of reference indicate the
same parts in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. a is the fore end, and 6 the
barrels. On the under side of the said barrels 6 is a small lump or
loop c having on one side a notch or tooth d; e is a spring catch or bolt
the stem of which slides in the guide f. The catch e is pressed towards
the butt end of the gun in the manner herein-after described, and when
at liberty to move engages with or snaps upon the notch d of the
lump c, and fastens the fore end a to the barrels. The spring catch or
bolt e is withdrawn from the notch of the lump c, so as to liberate the
fore end by means of the cranked lever h, h³, turning on the centre h³.
By means of the spring 9 pressing on the arm h³ of the said lever the
said arm is pressed outwards, and the snapping or advanced motion
given to the catch or bolt e. The whole fastening mechanism is carried
by the plate i which is fixed to the wooden part of the fore end by screws
as represented. By removing the plate i from the fore end the fastening
mechanism is withdrawn with it as represented in Figures 12, 13,
and 14. In order to unfasten the fore end a the knob or thumb plate
end of the arm h² of the lever h, 13, is pressed upon in the direction of

page_text: the arrow. The short arm h of the said lever is thereby made to force
back the catch or bolt e from the notch das represented in Figure 11
when the fore end a is released, and may be withdrawn from the barrels.
To attach the fore end it is presented to the under side of the barrels
and the slot in the metal bar of the fore end is passed over the lump c.
By pressing on the fore end the lump c forces back the catch or bolt e,
which catch or bolt when the fore end has been fully pressed home
snaps into the notch d and fastens the fore end to the barrels as
illustrated in Figure 10.
Instead of employing a sliding catch or bolt a catch or bolt having a
curvilinear motion may be used as illustrated in longitudinal section in
Figures 15 and 16, and detached parts in Figures 17, 18, and 19. In
Figure 15 the fore end is fastened, and in Figure 16 unfastened, k is the
catch or bolt turning on the centre and seating itself on the notch or
seat of the lump on the under side of the barrels 6. The catch or
bolt k is carried by the bar a³ of the fore end a and is pressed to its seat
by the spring m. The said spring catch k is turned on its centre so as
to withdraw it from the seat ², and thereby unfasten the fore end a by
means of the spring push piece n working in a guide p carried by the
plate q fixed to the under side of the fore end. The stem of the push
piece n is situated immediately under the tail of the spring catch or bolt
k, and when the knob or head of the push piece is pressed inwards it
raises the said tail of the catch or bolt, turning the said catch or bolt on
its centre and withdrawing it from the seat or notch of the lump 7.
The fore end a is thus unfastened, as illustrated in Figure 16, when
the said fore end may be removed from the barrels. To fasten the fore
end to the barrels it is pressed against the barrels. The catch or bolt k
is pressed back by the lump 1, and on the fore end seating itself home on
the barrels the said catch k snaps upon the seat 13 of the lump 7 and
fastens the fore end to the barrels, as illustrated in Figure 15.
Figure 17 represents in side elevation the curvilinear catch or bolt k,
and push piece n, and its plate q detached from the fore end; Figure 18
represents in plan the under side of the catch or bolt k and the bar a
carrying it; and Figure 19 represents in plan the upper side of the push
piece n and its plate q.
It will be seen by referring to Figures 17 and 18 that the acting end of

page_text: fore end is fastened embrace the sides of the lump 7. The said cheeks
may however be dispensed with.
Instead of jointing the curvilinear spring catch or bolt k to the bar aª
of the fore end, as in Figures 15 and 16, it may be jointed to the plate
carrying the push piece n, so that the removal of the said plate from the
fore end brings with it the whole of the fastening mechanism.
This modification is represented in section in Figure 20, and plan of
upper side in Figure 21; in this arrangement the spring catch k turns
upon an upright q² on the plate q of the push piece n, and the spring m
which in this case serves to press home both the catch and the push
piece is carried by a second upright q³ on the plate q. The action of this
fastening is the same as that last described.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-
loading small-arms of the kind called drop-down guns,-
First. The construction and arrangement or combination of parts
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7
of the accompanying Drawings, for withdrawing the strikers on the
unfastening of the barrels of such drop-down guns as are unfastened and
fastened by the operation of a lever on the tang of the break off. Also
the arrangement described in which two slides operated by cams or
inclines on the axis of the lever are employed.
Secondly. The construction and arrangement or combination of parts
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 9ª of the
accompanying Drawings, for withdrawing the strikers on the unfastening
of the barrels of such drop-down guns as are unfastened and fastened by
the operation of a lever on the tang of the break off.
Thirdly. The construction and combination or arrangement of parts
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14
of the accompanying Drawings, for attaching the fore end to and
detaching it from the barrels of drop-down guns.

page_text: Fourthly. The construction and combination or arrangement of parts
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19
of the accompanying Drawings, for attaching the fore end to and
detaching it from the barrels of drop-down guns; also the modification
described and represented in Figures 20 and 21 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Middleditch Scott, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT. (L.S.)