IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Middleditch Scott, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 17th April 1866, and dated the 25th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Middleditch Scott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1865.
I, WILLIAM MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention refers, firstly, to the description of breech-loaders known as
central-fire guns, and consists in applying to such guns an indicator for the
purpose of shewing whether the barrels are clear; with this view I fix in and
through the false breech a pin governed by a spring; the head of this pin
appears and projects through the false breech immediately over the nipple or
plunger, and is kept in this position by the rear end of the cartridge or
cartridge case pressing against its base which is on the inside of the false
breech. If no cartridge or case be in the barrels the head of the pin recedes
towards the barrel and is flush with the false breech.
And, secondly, my Invention consists of an improved snap action applicable
to central-fire and other breech-loaders. I drill through the false brecch

page_text: from the top in a vertical line between the face and the back to a point near
the bottom of the breech where the bolt traverses, and in this aperture I
insert a pin capable of turning upon its vertical axis. At the bottom of this
pin is fixed a stud or projection engaging in a slot in the bolt, which bolt
travels in grooves in either cheek of the bottom face of the action. To the
top end or head of the pin is attached a lever working over the strap of
the false breech, this lever being capable of motion to right or left, this works
the bolt and releases the barrels. The bolt is kept to its work for the
purpose of self-locking by a spring at the side of the bolt throwing it forward,
or by a spring engaging in a stud on the vertical pin at the back of the false
breech. I prefer that the bolt shall work into a slot in the bottom lump
below the barrels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Middleditch Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth 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 FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Middleditch Scott, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
(Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,) illustrate the first part of my Invention, namely, the
improved indicator for central-fire guns, several forms or modifications being
shewn; the remaining Figures illustrating the second part of my Invention,
or the improved snap action applicable to breech-loades upon the break-
down principle generally.
I will now proceed to describe the indicator shewn in Figures 1 and 4.
(a), (Figure 1), is a pin fixed in and through the part (b), (Figure 4), termed
the false breech, by means of the screws (c). The pin (a) has a collar or flange
(d), against which a coiled spring works, and the effect of this arrangement
is that when a cartridge is in the barrel its rear end presses against the one
end of the pin (a) and causes the opposite end to protrude through the
false breech, as seen in (Figure 4). If the barrel be clear the action of the
spring causes the pin to recede towards the barrel and to assume a position
flush with the line of the false breech. (Figure 2) represents a modified
form of indicator, in which the arrangement of the pin and spring are different,
the pushing back of the pin (a) causing the projection of the spring (b) in the
dircction seen in dotted lines, the lower end of the spring being secured to the
false breech by the screw (c), and in (Figure 3) the spring assumes the form
of a short arm or lever (b) screwed to the false breech at (d) and supporting
a carrier (c) through which the pin (a) passes. The result is similar in ali
three forms. When a barrel is charged indication is made on the outside of
the false breech by the appearance of a slight projection above the nipple or
plunger.
The second part of my Invention consists of an improved snap action for
locking and unlocking the parts of breech-loaders constructed upon the break-
down principle, two forms of which are shewn in the Drawings. The false
breech (a) (Figures 5 and 6,) is drilled through in a nearly vertical line

page_text: between the face and the back from the top to a point near the bottom of the
breech where the locking bolt traverses, and in this aperture is inserted a
pin (6) turning upon its vertical axis. To the bottom of this pin is secured a
cam-like stud or projection (c) engaging in a hook-formed catch (d) formed
upon the end of the bolt (e) or in a slot formed in the said bolt (see Figure 6);
this bolt travels in grooves in each side or cheek of the bottom face of the
action. A lever (f) is attached to the head of the pin (b), which lever
works over the strap of the false breech, and by this lever the bolt (c) is
worked when it is required to release the barrels. The bolt (c) is kept to its
self-locking action by a spring (9), (Figures 7 and 8) at the side, throwing it
forward or by a spring at the back of the false breech, as seen at (a,
Figures 9 and 10), the vertical pin being in this instance shaped at the part
where it bears upon the spring into an elliptical or cam-like section.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim without limiting myself to these
precise details,-
Firstly, the application to breech-loading fire-arms of the description
known as central-fire guns, of an indicator to denote when the barrels are
clear in manner herein described.
And, secondly, I claim the improved snap action for locking and unlocking
the parts of breech-loaders constructed upon the break-down principle, together
with the modes of working the same, substantially as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Middleditch Scott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM MIDDLEDITCH (L.S.) SCOTT.