IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gottlieb Zeller, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Scaled the 6th February 1872, and dated the 10th August 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gottlieb Zeller at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th August 1871.
I, GOTTLIEB ZELLER, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows.:—
66
This Invention consists of improvements upon a Patent granted to me.
for "Improvements in Fire-arms," dated 27th May 1870, No. 1540.
The object of this my present Invention is the simplifying some of
the movements which appertained to my former Invention..
This Invention consists of a guard which when opened cocks the
gun, and causes the block piece to fall in order to place the cartridge;
there is also a striker which when the arm is at full cock is, acted
upon by the cocking piece which has two small claws in connection
with the trigger. A mainspring or springs acts also in connection with
the above.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
reference is made to the accompanying Drawings and the figures marked
thereon.
No. 1 is the guard, which when opened cocks the gun and causes the
block (No. 2) to fall in order to place the cartridge in the breech. No. 2
the drop down-block moving by the guard (No. 1) and provided inside
with a striker, which when the arm is at full cock is kept back by No. 3,
the cock which by moving No. 1 is caused by No. 2 to go back and keep
the striker inside the drop-down block ready for action. Two small claws
are made in the lower part of No. 3 for keeping it in position and which
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Gottlieb Zeller in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GOTTLIEB
ZELLER, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Gottlieb Zeller, Her special licence
that I, the said Gottlieb Zeller, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Gottlieb Zeller, 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

page_text: trigger guard Fig. (3) is opened the round part, Fig. (3 A) presses
against the foot of the drop down block (2 A), by this movement the
block Fig. 2 drops down and the barrel is open to receive the cartridge.
The cartridge being put in when shutting the trigger guard Fig. (3) the
block (Fig. 2) comes again on the trigger guard Fig. 3 and the gun is
loaded. When the trigger guard Fig. (3) is opened as before described,
the foremost part of the block Fig. (2) strikes on the hook of the ex-
tractor Fig. (4), which forcibly draws out the used cartridge. The lock
plate, Fig. (10) contains the trigger guard Fig. (3), the cock Fig. (5)
(which at the same time serves for uncocking), and the trigger Fig. (6).
The foot of the block (2 A) Fig. 2 is between the round part of the
trigger guard (3 A) and the head of the cock Fig. 5.
trigger guard is opened the foot of the block (2 A) cocks the
gun. The
striker Fig. (7) which is horizontally within the block Fig. 2 is put on
the head of the cock Fig. (5) by an opening at the end of the striker and
strikes against the cartridge, which causes the explosion. The springs,
Figs. (8 and 9) though here shewn as being in two pieces, could be made
in one piece if found desirable. When the gun is loaded the trigger
(Fig. 6) is kept in position and the cock Fig. (5) is allowed to move, this
has the effect of uncocking the piece. For re-cocking the cock is pressed
forward, the trigger Fig. (6) being left untouched.
When the
This Invention is not only applicable for one barrelled military guns,
but also for sporting guns, pistols, double-barrelled guns, and artillery
guns.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I declare
that what I claim and desire to be secured to me under the hercin-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in the breech-loading
fire-arms by means of the combination of the herein-before described
several parts or pieces shewn in the Drawng and herein-before set forth
and explained, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gottlieb Zeller, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
GOTTLIEB ZELLER. (L.S.)