Improvements in Breech Loading Rifles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech Loading Rifles.
We ALBERT GRIGSBY DOUGHERTY and THOMAS BOSWELL BUSKIRK,
Inventors, both of 615 Seventh Street, Washington, D.C. U.S.A. 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 contemplates certain new and useful improvements in breech
loading rifles, and it has for its object the production of new and improved means
whereby in one operation of the trigger the previously discharged shell or cartridge
will be withdrawn, a second shell will be brought into position and forced home,
immediately after which the same will be exploded or discharged.
The invention consists, primarily, of a gun having a breech block operated by the
trigger and designed to force the cartridge to its place immediately prior to the
operation of the hammer, which latter fires the cartridge.
The invention further consists of a gun having a breech block for properly
positioning a cartridge and provided with a firing pin on a line with the fuse-cap
of the cartridge and a hammer designed to strike said pin and effect the discharge
of the cartridge, said latter hammer being operated immediately subsequent to the
first mentioned hammer.
The invention also comprises improved means for positioning the cartridges, and
for withdrawing the shell thereof, and also for operating the hammer and breech
block whereby the rifle is rendered self-cocking.
The invention further comprises the details of construction, combination and
arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly
pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a gun with parts removed,
showing the internal mechanism, the latter being also indicated in dotted lines.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on line x-x Figure 1.
Figure 3 1s a detail perspective view showing the positioning hammer, the
ejector and cartridge carrier.
Figure 4 is a detail view.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the extractor.
Referring to the drawing A designates the gun proper, having the usual stock a,
bariel a' and magazine tube a² for the reception of the cartridges which are inserted
in an opening a (see Fig. 4) in the side of the stock a said opening being kept
normally closed by a spring held trap or cover at. The stock is made hollow or
formed with a chamber a" for the reception of the internal mechanism of my
improved gun and access is had thereto by removing a section of the stock.
B is the trigger which is pivoted at 6 and held in a normally forward position
by a spring 6, said trigger having an approximately upper right-angular portion b²
provided with an extension forming a rigid cam 63. The forward movement of
said tugger is limited by a post or stud in the stock against which a shoulder in
rear of said cam normally rests. The trigger guard is of ordinary construction.
An approximately triangular cam is pivoted at on a projecting portion of
trigger B, and the flat or squared base of the same is held against the right
SPQ77

page_text: angular portion of said trigger by a spring 6ª which holds said cam firmly in
place.
D is a breech block which is pivoted at d to the stock. This breech_block
consists of a right-angular portion d' the vertical arm of which is curved or enlarged
to form a head d in which is located the firing pin d. The extractor C is pivotally
secured at to the head d and consists of an arm d³ which is extended forward
into a recess ds in the barrel a', and two arms d', d. The arm d' is pivoted to
arm dat its forward end and bas a right angular portion do for fitting behind the
flange of the shell. A portion of this arm is cut away to forin a recess and in said
recess and between arms and d is pivoted the arm do, which also has a right
angular portion do for fitting against the flange of the shell, said right angular
portion being designed to move against a curved shoulder d" in the hollow portion
of the stock. Hence the flange of the shell fitting between the right angular
portions do, do, of arms d and de permit the shell to be readily extracted. To an
outer reduced portion of the lower horizontal arm d³ of the right-angular portion
of breech-block D is pivoted a carrier E. The latter is designed to be operated
by the elevation of the breech-block and consists of a vertical arm e and a horizontal
portion e' concaved on its upper face, the outer end thereof resting normally against
said right angular portion of the breech block and below the opening from the
inagazine, where it is held by a spring & in an extension of the hollow portion of
the stock. A spring-held came is pivoted at e to the right angular portion d¹ of
breech block D, said cam having a projection which normally rests against a
shoulder e of said right angular portion, being held in such position by said spring.
A lug or projecting portion on vertical arm e serves as a stop to prevent
cartridges entering from the magazine when the carrier is elevated. F is the
hammer for exploding the cartridge and the same is pivoted at fand normally
held against breech block D by a spring f¹ bearing against a shoulder f' of said
hammer. To a projection of this hammer F is pivoted a cam fs having a flat or
squared portion, and a curved portion, said cam being engaged by a springf
which holds the flat or squared portion firm against a corresponding surface of the
hammer.
The operation is as follows:-
The magazine is first filled by inserting the cartridges through openings a³, the
usual spring in said magazine positioning the first cartridge on the concaved
carrier E. The gun is then ready to fire. Upon pulling trigger B rearward the
rigid cam 63 thereof engages spring held cams of hammer F thereby elevating
the latter. At the same time cam 6 engages the came³ causing the raising of
breech block D. As the latter travels backward the horizontal arm d¹s rises, thus
elevating the carrier and bringing the concaved arm el carrying the cartridge, into
position nearly flush with the chamber and ready for insertion of the cartridge
thereinto, and at the same time extracting the empty shell of the cartridge
previously exploded, the extracting of said shell being accomplished by the back-
waid movement of the arms d' and d8. As the carrier and new cartridge are
further elevated the flange of the shell is engaged by the right-angular ends do and do
of the arms of the extractor, which latter serves to force the cartridge into the
chamber before engagement of the breech block. Continuing the pressure on the
trigger the canis thereof move beyond engagement with the cams of the hammer
and breech block, the breech block D being first released, forcing the cartridge
home, immediately after which the hammer F falls under the action of its spring,
driving the firing pin against the cap and thereby exploding the cartridge. The
return movement of the trigger is permitted because of the formation of the various
cams of the hammer and breech block which move on their pivots and thus allow
the cams of the trigger to pass, the trigger assuming its normal position.
The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the art to which
it appertains, and it will be specially observed that the magazine may be entirely
emptied and all the cartridges fired without disturbing the aim of the person using
the weapon.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:—
1. The herein-described breech loading rifle comprising a pivoted breech block,
carrying the firing pin a pivoted hammer and a trigger whereby said breech block
and said hammer are operated simultaneously as set forth.
2. The herein described improved breech loading rifle comprising a spring-
pressed pivoted breech block a spring-pressed hammer and a trigger having
engagement with said breech block and said hammer whereby they will both be
raised or elevated and said breech block tripped slightly in advance of the haminer
the breech block being designed to place the cartridge in the chamber of the rifle
substantially as set forth.
3. The herein-described pivoted breech block comprising a carrier for positioning
the cartridges pivotally connected to said breech block and a trigger in engagement
with said breech block whereby the same is operated as set forth.
4. The herein described pivoted breech block comprising a carrier for positioning
the cartridges pivotally connected to said breech block, a pivoted hammer,
and a trigger for operating said breech block and the carrier and hammer said
breech block being designed to be tripped in advance of said hammer, substantially
as set forth.
5. The herein described pivoted breech block comprising a carrier for the
cartridges pivotally connected thereto, a guide or holder designed to engage the
cartridge and to position the same and an operating trigger, said breech block being
designed to force the cartridge home previous to the operation of the hammer,
substantially as set forth.
6. The herein-described pivoted breech block comprising a carrier for the
cartridges pivotally connected thereto an ejector carried by said hammer having
two arms provided with flanged ends for engaging the shell flauge, and an operating
trigger said breech block being designed to force cartridge home previous to the
operation of the hammer substantially as set forth.
7. In a carrier for positioning the cartridge, the pivoted breech block, the
extractor and the operating trigger for operating the latter, as set forth.
8. In a carrier for elevating the cartridge, the pivoted breech block, the hammer,
the extractor pivotally connected to said breech block and the operating trigger
substantially as set forth.
9. In a pivoted breech block having a lower right angular portion, a spring held
cam on said right angular portion, the trigger, and a spring held cam thereon
designed to engage the cam on said breech block whereby the latter is operated by
said trigger substantially as set forth.
10. In a pivoted breech block a lower right angular portion and an upper
enlarged portion, the spring-held carrier pivotally connected to said right angular
portion, a spring held cam also pivoted on said right angular portion, the trigger,
and the spring held cam on said trigger designed to engage the cam of said right
angular portion whereby said breech block and said carrier may be operated by
said trigger substantially as set forth.
11. In a pivoted breech block having a lower right angular portion and an upper
enlarged portion, the extractor pivotally secured to the latter and comprising two
arms having flanged ends, the spring held carrier pivoted on the right angular
portion of said breech block the spring held cam also pivoted to said right angular
portion, and the trigger having a spring held cam pivoted thereon designed to
engage the cam on said right angular portion whereby the parts may be operated
by said trigger substantially as set forth.
12. In a pivoted breech block having a spring held cam on its lower portion,
the hammer also having a spring held cam, and the trigger having two cams for
respectively engaging the cams of said breech block and said hammer, whereby
the latter may be operated by moving the trigger, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 13. In a pivoted breech block having a lower right angular portion, the spring
held carrier pivoted on said right angular portion, a spring held cam also pivoted
on said right angular portion, the hammer also having a spring held cam pivoted
thereon, and the trigger having a spring held cam and a rigid cam for engaging
respectively the cam on said right angular portion of said breech block and the
cam on said hammer, whereby the parts are operated by moving the trigger,
substantially as set forth.
14. The herein described pivoted breech block having a lower right angular
portion and an upper enlarged portion carrying the firing pin, the extractor pivotally
secured to said breech block, the spring held carrier pivoted to said right angular
portion the spring held cam also pivoted on said right angular portion, the hammer
the spring held cam pivoted thereto, and the trigger having a spring held cam
and a rigid cam for respectively engaging said spring held cam of the breech-
block and of the spring held cam of said hammer whereby all of the parts are
operated by pulling said trigger, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of August 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.